How do I prevent cherry fruit cracking from rain at harvest?

Rain-cracking is cherry's worst enemy: ripe fruit absorbs water through the skin and the swelling splits it. You cannot stop rain, but you can reduce damage. The most effective protection is a rain cover or protective netting over the canopy in the ripening window, used in serious commercial orchards, which keeps direct rain off the fruit; this is an investment but it dramatically cuts losses. Other steps: maintain even soil moisture so fruit is not water-stressed then suddenly flooded, since fluctuating moisture worsens cracking; choose less crack-prone varieties for rain-prone sites when planting; ensure good calcium nutrition, as calcium strengthens the skin, through soil management and recommended calcium sprays during fruit development; and harvest promptly at maturity, even slightly early if heavy rain is forecast, rather than leaving ripe fruit exposed. Quickly remove cracked fruit so rots do not spread. Combining a rain cover with even moisture and calcium gives the best protection.