brick houses / 27.11.2019

Growing sweet cherries in the middle lane. Growing different varieties of sweet cherries in the middle lane: planting and care tips. How to grow cherries in central Russia

Cherry fruits conquer with taste and are in great demand. Gardeners also love the culture for the fact that it is almost not damaged by diseases and pests. The cherry tree is powerful, reaches a height of 20 meters and has a semi-spreading crown. On calcareous soils with a high content of organic matter, with good care, the cherry tree will live up to 100 years.

Popular varieties of cherries

Many cherries are grown in Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia. In the Russian Federation, the culture is successfully cultivated in the Stavropol Territory, in the Crimea, the Krasnodar Territory and in Dagestan. In these regions, due to the mild southern climate, any variety can be planted.

Recently, excellent cultivars have appeared for the temperate climate of the middle lane. The first sweet cherry varieties for the Central Chernozem region were obtained at the Rossoshansk Experimental Station:

Julia- a tree up to 8 meters high with vertical branches. Berries are pink-yellow.
early pink- tree height up to 5 m, pink berries with a yellow side.
Rossoshanskaya large- late-ripening variety with large dark berries - up to 7 gr. The tree is tall.

Sweet cherry breeding is successfully carried out at the Oryol Experimental Station. Oryol breeders have developed 3 new varieties:

Oryol pink- the most frost-resistant of all Oryol varieties, withstands spring thaws. The berries are yellow, the height of the tree is 3.5 m.
Poetry – large-fruited variety with heart-shaped fruits of dark red color. Tree 3.5 m high.
Baby- a tree no more than 3 meters high, which is rare for a tall culture. The crown is compact. Due to its small size, the variety can be covered during spring frosts with any non-woven material. The fruits are bright yellow.

Oryol varieties can withstand temperatures down to -37, giving an average yield of 10 kg per tree. They are resistant to coccomycosis, begin to bear fruit for the fourth year after planting.

Cherry seedlings are bought in autumn and spring. It is better to purchase annuals - they take root faster. Pay attention to the roots - they should be powerful, and the cuts should be light in color.

It is better not to buy seedlings with dried leaves on the branches - their root system can be overdried, as seedlings with leaves quickly evaporate moisture. Dried seedlings take root poorly or do not take root at all.

Nurseries grow tall seedlings for industrial gardens. Plant height reaches 2 meters. From them grow trees on a high trunk, which are convenient to care for in an industrial culture. For growing in summer cottages, other trees are needed: more compact and undersized.

In the southern nurseries, sweet cherries are grafted onto Antipka - the Magaleb cherry. They, even planted in autumn, have time to take root, ripen by winter and overwinter well. If a tall seedling is planted in a cold climate, it will go into the winter unprepared and freeze.

AT middle lane It is better for Russia to choose seedlings grafted onto wild cherries and grown on a small stem - about 20 cm. After planting, you can cut the stem to the desired height yourself, and then grow a tree from it in a bushy form, without a central trunk.

Preparing cherries for planting

When planting cherries, it is important to choose the right place.

Light

Culture is demanding of light. In the wild, it never grows next to tall trees, preferring places where it can occupy the upper tier, suppressing other plants. If the cherry tree in the garden is shaded by taller trees, the crown will begin to stretch upwards and the tree will become inconvenient to care for. Fruiting will focus on the top, and the fruits will become small and lose their sweetness.

The soil

The second requirement of culture, after light, is the quality of the soil. For sweet cherries, soil with a good structure is suitable, allowing air to penetrate deep into the ground.

A tree will not grow on clay. Loose, warmed, organic-rich loams and sandy loams are better suited, in which the roots can master a layer of 20-60 cm from the surface. Individual vertical roots of sweet cherries can go as deep as 2 meters or more.

The overwintering of the tree depends heavily on the soil. On heavy clays, cherries freeze more often. The tree does not tolerate stony soils due to the fact that they are poorly soaked with water. In the south, industrial plantations are planted in river floodplains and flood-free river valleys.

In the south, cherries are planted in autumn. In the temperate zone, only spring planting is used.

The cherry tree grows quickly and needs a large area of nutrition. Seedlings are planted in the corners of a square with a side length of at least 6 m.

The soil for planting is carefully prepared. Later, the soil in the near-trunk circles will not be able to be deeply cultivated in order to apply fertilizer or ameliorants. Impressive pits for planting seedlings are dug: width 1 m, diameter 0.8 m. Under each seedling, the following is brought to the bottom of the pit:

10 kg of humus;
3 packs of double superphosphate;
500 gr. potash fertilizers.

Cherries have the same agricultural practices as cherries. The main difference between growing crops is that sweet cherries do not have self-fertile varieties.

In the year of planting, nothing is planted in the near-stem circles, the soil is kept under black fallow. Weeds are rigorously weeded out during the entire growing season.

The next year, the aisles can already be used for growing other crops, leaving at least 1 m of free territory next to the tree. Then, every year, another 50 cm is added to the trunk circle. The trunk circles are always kept clean of weeds and, if possible, mulched with any bulk material.

A pollinator variety should be planted next to the cherry tree. A universal pollinator for any sweet cherry is the Crimean variety.

Next to the young cherry trees in the aisles of the garden, vegetables and flowers can be planted.

bad neighborhood

Do not plant perennial crops, such as berry bushes, between rows. Cherries are growing fast. Despite the slender appearance of seedlings, they will quickly turn into trees and their crowns will close.

Watering

Sweet cherries are moderately demanding on moisture compared to other crops. She does not like waterlogging, reacting to it with gum treatment. In areas where groundwater comes close to the surface, the roots rot and the tree dies in a matter of years.

Moisture requirements are influenced by the characteristics of the stock. If antipka was taken for the stock, the tree will be more drought-resistant. A plant grafted onto a wild cherry seedling, on the contrary, is very sensitive to drought.

Three additional waterings are carried out in the garden during the summer, each time mulching or loosening the soil crust. The culture reacts poorly to dry or humid air - the fruits rot or shrink.

Processing of cherry trees from pests and diseases is carried out as they appear. The culture is resistant to phytopathologies and harmful insects, so you do not have to spray the garden often.

Pest	Symptoms	Preparations
	The leaves at the ends of the shoots curl up, young branches stop growing. On the back of the leaves are colonies of small light green insects. Aphids appear on root shoots and near weakened trees	cut out basal shoots early spring. If the pests are on the main tree, spray the young branches: 300 gr. laundry soap and 10 l. water. In spring and autumn, whiten the bole and clean the old bark with a metal brush
fruit rot	The pulp rots on the branch. Even unripe fruits are affected. Rotten berries are covered with hard cushions with fungal spores	Immediately collect fallen and rotten fruits on the branches. Spray the bushes immediately after setting the berries with Bordeaux mixture
coccomycosis	Weakened seedlings and trees are susceptible. The leaves are covered with red-brown spots, 2 mm in diameter. The spots merge on the lower surface of the plates. Infection overwinters in fallen leaves	Collect and burn leaf litter in autumn. During the growing season, spray the trees with oxychome or Bordeaux mixture at the dosage indicated in the instructions for the preparation.

top dressing

Cherry is a fast-growing crop. Individual varieties enter the offering in the fourth year. To do this, the tree will need a lot nutrients. The garden is fertilized in the fall, introducing organic matter and mineral fats. It is advisable to close the fertilizer to a depth of 20 cm.

In dry areas, dry fertilizers should not be applied - they will burn the roots. Mineral granules are first dissolved in water, and then the solution is poured out, after spilling the soil with clean water.

The largest accumulation of suction roots near the sweet cherry is located along the perimeter of the crown - it is worth pouring a fertilizer solution there. It is useless to pour fertilizers near the trunk - they will not be absorbed, since an adult tree does not have suction roots in this zone.

You can improve the condition of the tree and increase productivity using green manure. For this purpose, the trunk circles and aisles of the garden are sown with perennial legumes:

lupine;
clover;
sainfoin;
Lyadvinets;
alfalfa;
sweet clover.

The above-ground part of the grasses is regularly mowed, leaving no more than 10-15 cm on the surface. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria develop on the underground parts of the legumes, enriching the soil in the garden with nitrogen useful for sweet cherries. A garden where the aisles and trunk circles are kept grassed will need to be watered much more frequently, as the deep root system of perennial legumes pumps a lot of water out of the soil.

pruning

If the sweet cherry is not formed, the yield will be low, and the tree will grow bulky, inconvenient for care and harvesting. Birds love cherries. Forming a tree compact, low, it is possible to cover it with a net during the ripening of the crop, and then the birds will not get to the tasty fruits.

The sweet cherry has a sparse crown, few skeletal branches are formed on the tree, so the formation is not difficult. The shape of the crown to be given to the tree depends on the type of garden. When thickened planting trees form in the form of palmettes. In medium-density gardens, flat-round and cup-shaped formations are preferred.

Sweet cherries can be pruned only in spring, removing branches that have frozen over the winter, thinning and shortening the one-year growth. When shortening the side branches, the rule is that the central conductor should always be 20 cm higher than the skeletal branches.

The most popular undersized form of sweet cherry in amateur gardens is called the "Spanish bush", as it was developed in Spain. It represents a short trunk, on which a crown is formed in the form of a bowl.

Step-by-step guide to forming a "Spanish bush":

When planting, cut the seedling at a height of 60-70 cm.
In the first year, when the seedling takes root, leave 4 lateral shoots on it, giving the tree a cupped shape.
It is necessary that in the first year the shoots grow at least 60 cm.
The rest of the shoots growing from the stem, remove the ring.

As a result of the formation of the "Spanish bush", a plant will be obtained on a low stem with four skeletal branches. The branches growing inside the bush can be removed completely or, if the tree is young, shortened to 10-15 cm. When the tree grows, the internal branches must be removed if fruit formations do not form from them.

Each skeletal branch of sweet cherry can bear fruit for no more than 10 years, after which it must be cut down and replaced with a new one. The culture bears fruit on fruit formations - fruits.

A fruit is a short branch, on the side or at the end of which there are flower buds. They form the main crop of cherries. The fruit is slow growing, grows no more than 1 cm per year, but is durable.

Pruning should be done in such a way as to preserve the fruits. They try to remove berries from the tree without damaging the fruit formations, since the size of the crop depends on their number on the tree.

Sweet cherries may also have another type of fruit formations - bouquet twigs. Their length reaches 8 cm. For comparison, the length of the bouquet branches of plums and apricots is on average 4 cm.

The life expectancy of each bouquet twig is 5-6 years. Each of them has fruit buds, and at the tip there is one growth bud. Fruit buds die after fruiting, and a new shoot can form from the growth bud.

Cherry grafting

There are few seedlings of varieties suitable for the middle lane. Horticultural firms offer seedlings brought from Moldova. They do not take root well not only in central Russia, but even in warm Ukraine.

It makes sense to breed cherries on your own, especially since there are no particular difficulties in this matter. The culture lends itself to spring grafting with cuttings on cherry rootstocks. A graft - a branch of sweet cherry of a suitable variety - can be taken from neighbors or acquaintances.

Cherry grafting methods:

in summer - a sleeping eye;
in winter and spring - with a cutting (copulation, splitting, butt, in a side cut).

Good results are obtained by grafting sweet cherries into the crown of Magaleb or antipka cherries, but this operation requires a lot of experience.

What is the cherry afraid of?

Cherry almost does not get sick. The only weak point of culture is thermophilicity. In terms of winter hardiness, the cherry tree is inferior to other rosaceous trees: apple, pear, cherry and plum.

Cherry grows best in areas with a mild warm climate. First of all, frost damages fruit buds. They die at -26. After a cold winter, a tree may survive, but there will be no berries on it. Wood freezes at temperatures below -30.

Cherries of the middle lane are afraid of winters without snow. Without snow shelter, the roots of a tree freeze slightly. Such a situation can develop when the autumn heat is abruptly replaced by severe frosts, and there is little or no snow in the root zone. November frosts in snowless years can kill a tree.

The long February thaws are also dangerous, when the buds are preparing to leave the dormant state and can bloom and then die from frost. Blooming buds die if the temperature drops to -2.

Cherry in central Russia is still not very common. For the successful cultivation of sweet cherries, one cannot neglect the agrotechnical rules, which, unfortunately, not everyone knows about. The intricacies of growing this southerner will be discussed.

Cherry is a crop, the cultivation of which in the middle lane is risky due to insufficient winter hardiness of trees.

In Russia, its plantations are concentrated mainly in the Lower Volga and North Caucasian regions. However, thanks to successful work cherry breeders managed to move much further north. Now it can be grown even in the Moscow region (except northern regions). Already tested and well proven varieties Fatezh, Chermashnaya, Revna, Iput and etc.

The fruits of the Moscow region sweet cherry are smaller than those of the southern one, but they are not inferior in taste to it. However, compared to imported goods, which are harvested unripe due to long transportation, cherries grown in central Russia may turn out to be tastier.

New varieties of sweet cherry are not inferior to cherry in winter hardiness, and even surpass it in yield. In addition, cherry last years susceptible to dangerous fungal diseases (coccomycosis, monilliosis, clusterosporiosis, etc.), and sweet cherry turned out to be the most resistant to them. Thanks to all these qualities, the Moscow Region sweet cherry confidently takes its place in the backyard gardens of the middle lane.

The most typical question: Why do sweet cherries grow well, but do not bear fruit? In this case, there can be two options: either the cherry grows well, but does not bloom, or the tree grows and blooms, but does not give a harvest. In the first case, there can be many reasons: insufficient age of the tree, imbalance of soil nutrition, “fatting” due to excess nitrogen fertilizers, freezing of flower buds (if any), etc.

The most common cause is insufficient lighting due to improper placement in the garden or dense plantings. It is necessary to know that sweet cherry is a fast-growing, large and very photophilous plant. For its normal development, there must be free space, not less than 5 x 3 m (in extreme cases, 4 x 3 m). A dense planting can also lead to a decrease in potential winter hardiness, especially flower buds.

A common mistake is to plant sweet cherries close to a house or outbuilding in the hope that they will protect the tree from the effects of winter cold (1). This also leads to a lack of sunlight and improper plant formation. As a result, it stretches upward, the lower part of the trunk is exposed due to the death of the branches, and fruiting begins only in the upper part of the crown, when it manages to break out into the light above the roof. It is difficult to harvest from such a height, and it goes to the birds.

The lack of a crop abundant flowering most likely due to the fact that there were no pollinating varieties nearby or bad weather (rain, spring frosts, etc.) occurred during the fruit set period. If the weather is favorable and the tree blooms annually, but does not bear fruit, then the reason is probably the absence of a pollinator. It is important to know that sweet cherries do not have self-fertile varieties; they require mandatory cross-pollination. In this regard, it is necessary to provide for the presence of at least two, and preferably three or four varieties on the site for mutual cross-pollination. One can be dispensed with only if other varieties grow in the neighborhood. The main thing is that they have the same flowering time.

If there is no place for a second tree, then it is better to plant only one, but spacious growing tree, and make several grafts of other varieties into its crown. This is enough for pollination. It is better to plant an early-growing variety as the main one. Fatezh(2), which is the most reliable for central Russia in terms of winter hardiness and productivity. Not as tall as other varieties, a tree with a strong spreading crown (branches depart from the trunk at a right or obtuse angle) in July will delight you with delicious fruits weighing 4-4.5 g. They are good both fresh and for various preparations. Can be grafted into the crown Chermashnaya(with yellow, earlier ripening dessert flavor berries), etc. Set different varieties will allow you to create a conveyor in terms of maturation from the end of June and almost the whole of July.

By the way, vaccinations can be done by cuttings in the spring and by budding (for stone fruits, this method is preferable). It is carried out in late July - early August in branches of young plants as thick as a pencil or a little more.

Often, gardeners ask why the planted two trees bloom profusely, but do not give a harvest. In this case, the reason may be the selectivity of the pollinator. For example, according to M. Kanshina, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, the author of many varieties of sweet cherries, such selectivity is typical for varieties Raditsa and Bryansk pink. However, most varieties are well pollinated by each other with simultaneous flowering. Two nearby growing and flowering trees are left without a crop, most likely if they turned out to be of the same variety, although they could be sold as different. The varietal identity is determined by the leaves: from the middle part of the shoots of the same development, one leaf is taken from each tree and compared. In identical varieties, all features (for example, the serration of the leaf edge, the shape of the base and tip of the leaf blade, etc.) are the same. There are many such signs, but they require professional knowledge. However, I will give my author's hint: cherry leaves have glands called nectaries. They are located at the base of the leaf blade and on the leaf petiole, they look like small tubercles about 1-3 mm in size. Most importantly, for each variety, nectaries have their own color, which basically coincides with the color of the fruit. In yellow-fruited ( Chermashnaya) they are light yellow (3), in varieties with pink or yellow fruits with a reddish blush (Fatezh) - pinkish, in red-fruited ( Sinyavskaya) - red (4).

Of course, the signal signs will coincide in different varieties with the same fruit color. But here we must remember that in all varieties the leaves are necessarily different.

I hope that such a professional tip will help to purchase seedlings of different varieties. True, for this, the plants must have leaves, which are removed (sniffed) before autumn digging, leaving them only on the tops. However, this is quite enough to conduct a comparative examination.

Sometimes summer residents follow the wrong recommendations and harm their trees. Once, at a lecture, an amateur gardener said that in order to speed up the fruiting of an already large sweet cherry, he unbent the branches and nailed their ends to the trunk with nails. The result was deplorable: giant shoots grew on the branches, and growths of resin formed on the trunks near the nails, and then the bark cracked. However, fruition never came.

The recommendation, gleaned by the gardener in one of the books, turned out to be wrong in general, and even more so for sweet cherries. With such a bending, an arcuate curvature of the branch occurs. At the highest points of this arc, vertically growing wen shoots always grow, which are ahead of other branches in growth strength. Such a reaction to a too steep bend is characteristic of all tree crops. Bending should be carried out to the horizontal level of the branch.

Sweet cherries are valued by gardeners for their high yield and unsurpassed taste of berries. This culture is considered by many to be too demanding on growing conditions, but this is a delusion. In order for sweet cherry to develop well and fruit abundantly, planting and caring for which are described in detail in our material, you just need to choose the right variety, protect it from frost and ensure timely watering and fertilizer.

The cherry is the closest relative of the cherry. Thanks to new, cold-resistant varieties, it is possible to grow sweet cherries in central Russia and the northern regions, despite the southern origin of the crop.

Choice of cherry seedling

For planting on the site, you should pick up several varieties of cherries at once for cross-pollination. In the middle lane and Moscow region good harvests give such varieties: Cheremashnaya, Crimean, Iput, Bryansk pink, Fatezh, Tyutchevka.

Outwardly, cherry seedlings are very similar to cherries, but looking closely, it is not difficult to distinguish them:

Cherry trees are taller with upright branches;
The bark of cherry seedlings is brown with a reddish tinge, while the bark of cherry seedlings is grey-brown.

Cherry cultivation will be successful if the seedling for planting is chosen correctly. His age should not exceed three years (optimally - two years). The recommended height of the purchased seedling is at least 80 cm, while it has 3-4 strong shoots. There must be a grafting site on the trunk, which indicates the varietal affiliation of the seedling. The bark of a healthy plant is smooth, without signs of disease and freezing.

Cherry seedlings from the nursery prepared for transplanting

root system planting material sweet cherry is well developed and has 3-4 branches 20 cm long. Instances with dried, rotten or frozen roots should not be purchased - they are not viable. If the root system of the seedling is very dry - when cut, a light brown core is visible, the seedling can be reanimated. To do this, the roots are placed in a container with water for a day.

Choosing a place and planting cherries

Improper planting of cherries can lead to the death of the seedling, so this stage must be approached responsibly.

Choosing a place to land

Sweet cherry prefers areas on the south or south-west side, not blown by northern winds. It is allowed to plant trees near the southern walls of the house and on gentle slopes.

Cherries bear fruit well in a sunny area on the south side

This fruit crop does not tolerate stagnant moisture, even short-term. Cherry planting in central Russia should be carried out in areas with deep groundwater. Otherwise, wetting of the roots will lead to a delay in the development of the tree, and in the future - to its death.

Soil preparation

Sweet cherry develops well and bears fruit on fertile loams and sandy loams with neutral acidity. The soil should be well aerated and saturated with moisture. Peatlands, deep sandstones and heavy clay soils are not suitable for growing sweet cherries.

It is necessary to prepare the site where the planting of the tree is planned in advance. The site is dug up in the fall, introducing organic matter (manure or compost) and mineral fertilizers (superphosphate and sodium sulfate). If you need to lower the pH of the soil, add about 500 g of lime or chalk.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Sweet cherries take root and develop well, the cultivation and care of which are planned in advance, as well as the rules and terms of planting are observed. In the southern regions, planting is done in the fall and before the onset of cold weather, they have time to get stronger. In the conditions of the Moscow region and the middle lane, transplantation should be postponed until spring. Optimal timing spring planting in open ground- the end of April, before the swelling of the kidneys.

When laying a cherry orchard between plants, a distance of at least 3 meters must be observed. A pit for planting is dug two weeks before planting, so that the soil is sufficiently settled. The fertile layer of the surface soil is thrown in one direction, and the deep layer in the other. The size of the pit should ensure the free placement of the root system in it - a depth of approximately 60 cm and a width of 60-100 cm. It is not recommended to apply nitrogen-containing dressings and lime to the planting pit, from which the roots can get burned.

Preparing a planting hole for cherries

At the bottom of the planting pit, a mound is formed from fertile soil, on which a seedling is placed. The root neck of the cherry can not be deepened. It should be at ground level or slightly higher. After planting, you need to carry out abundant watering of the tree, and mulch the near-trunk circle.

Sweet cherry - care after planting and before harvest

Cherry care in the first year of planting does not take much effort. It is enough to water the plant in a timely manner, and remove weeds in the near-trunk circle. In the future, the tree needs additional care measures.

Watering and weeding

Watering an adult tree is carried out three times per season, 20-30 liters of water are added. In dry summers, the amount of watering can be increased. An excess of moisture should be avoided, as the roots of the sweet cherry are prone to rotting. The growth of weeds in the near-trunk circle is unacceptable, so they are regularly removed, the soil is loosened and mulched.

Pollination

For fruiting, it is necessary to ensure good pollination of sweet cherries during flowering. Cherries of other varieties or cherries will become cross-pollinators. To lure bees, sweet cherry flowers can be irrigated with honey or sugar dissolved in water.

It is recommended to grow several varieties of cherries for cross-pollination

Cherry top dressing spring and pre-winter

If the soil was well fertilized during planting, additional feeding is not needed for the first 3-5 years. Cherry care in central Russia further includes the application of organic fertilizers, which are applied in the spring: 10 kg of compost or rotted manure. Mineral fertilizers (superphosphate) will help the tree prepare for winter. They are brought in no later than September.

Formative and sanitary pruning of cherries

In the year of planting, side branches should be shortened to 40 cm. The intensive growth of cherry shoots needs to be contained. For this, formative pruning is carried out in the spring before the buds swell.

Cherry pruning is carried out in the spring before the buds swell.

In subsequent years, pruning is carried out to form a longline crown, shortening last year's shoots. At a height of 3-3.5 m, the growth of the main conductor is restrained by pruning. In the spring, sanitary pruning is also carried out, removing damaged and improperly growing branches.

Harvesting and subsequent care of cherries

Sweet cherry begins to bear fruit in 3-4 years from the moment of planting. The ripening period of berries may vary depending on the variety. Berry picking often falls in June and July. Pluck berries with stalks in dry weather.

During the ripening period, starlings and other birds love to feast on berries. To scare away, you can buy special nets for fruit trees, and gardeners also cling rustling and shiny objects to trees. More reliable means of protection are nonwoven fabric or electronic scarers.

Protecting cherry fruits from birds using old computer disks

Cherry care after harvest is not difficult. It is necessary to monitor the health of the tree and regularly clean the near-trunk circle from fallen plant residues. During this period, the amount and rate of watering can be reduced.

Diseases and pests of cherries, and their control

To protect the sweet cherry, early spring (during the swelling of the kidneys) spraying with a solution of urea is used as a preventive measure. A solution is prepared from 10 liters of water and 500-600 g of urea. They process not only branches, but also the soil in the near-stem circle, thereby destroying insects wintering there.

To combat fungi and moss, the trunk and crown are treated with a 5% solution of ferrous sulfate before sap flow begins. Such processing is enough once every few years.

Sweet cherry affected by clasterosporium

To combat the main pests: sawfly, mites, aphids, they are treated with Karbofos, Askarin, Fitoverm, Novaktion. Spray trees during the opening of the kidneys and the separation of bouquets. In the same period, prevention of clasterosporiasis, moniliosis and other diseases is carried out with a 5% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

After flowering, the prevention of flying pests begins. For this, spraying with Karbofos or Novaktion is carried out. The last treatment should be carried out no later than 20 days before the crop ripens.

Preparing cherries for wintering

Adult cherries, planted and cared for according to the rules, tolerate winter well without shelter. It is enough to whitewash the base of the trunk and skeletal branches, add 150 g of superphosphate to the soil in September, and mulch the trunk circle with peat. Also in the fall, it is necessary to carry out abundant saturating watering.

Autumn whitewashing of cherries

Young seedlings need shelter. Don't wrap them artificial materials(lutrasil, spunbond). It is better to give preference to spruce branches or burlap, under which the trees breathe in winter and will not rot.

Growing cherries in central Russia and other regions is within the power of even inexperienced gardeners. By choosing the right seedling and planting site, as well as following simple care rules, you can harvest an excellent harvest of juicy and sweet berries every year.

Sweet cherry is considered to be a plant that is quite demanding on light and heat. Afraid of cold air and favors sunny places on high ground. The site must be protected from the northeast and north winds. The best place for cherry cultivation there will be a south and southwest side of the buildings. She will also feel comfortable among mature trees.

Sweet cherry prefers warm sandy loamy fertile soils and grows very poorly on peat-bog, heavy loamy, gley soils. It is worth noting that for cherry cultivation acidic soils are completely unsuitable. It is much more suitable for neutral, slightly alkaline (pH 7-7.3) and slightly acidic. Cherry does not tolerate stagnant water, but at the same time loves a large number of moisture. It does not survive well in the presence of close groundwater.

1. Varieties of sweet cherries that are most suitable for central Russia

Breeders have created a fairly large number of sweet cherry varieties that grow well and bear fruit in the middle zone. It includes Moscow, Bryansk, Kaluga, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tula, Vladimir and Ivanovo regions.

1.1 Early ripe varieties of sweet cherries:

Iput is a self-fertile variety, whose pollinators are Revna, Raditsa, Bryansk pink and Tyutchivka. It has a high winter hardiness of flower buds. The fruits are very sweet and juicy, almost black in color. Their mass reaches almost 10 grams.

Raditsa. Pollinators for her are Iput, Revna and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and juicy dark red in color, weighing up to 5.8 grams.

Sadko. Pollinators for her are Iput, Revna and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and rarely crack, reaching a mass of up to 8 grams. It has a dark red color.

1.2 Mid-early and mid-season varieties of sweet cherries:

Revna. Pollinators for her are Iput, Raditsa and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and juicy, dark red in color, weighing up to 7.8 grams.

Tyutchivka. Pollinators for her are Iput, Raditsa, Revna and Ovstuzhenka. The fruits are sweet and juicy, dark red in color, weighing up to 5.4 grams. In the years since high humidity fruit may crack.

Astakhov's favorite. Pollinators for her are Iput, Raditsa and Tyutchivka. It is also considered partially self-fertile. The fruits are sweet and juicy, dark red in color, weighing more than 5 grams.

1.3 Late-ripening varieties of sweet cherries:

Lena. Pollinators for her are Iput, Revna and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and dull-heart-shaped, dark red in color, weighing up to 8 grams.

Brianochka. Pollinators for her are Iput, Revna and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and juicy, dark red in color, weighing up to 7 grams.

Bryansk pink. Pollinators for her are Iput, Revna and Tyutchivka. The fruits are sweet and juicy, pink in color, weighing up to 5 grams.

All varieties begin to bear fruit 3-5 years after planting. They are also winter-hardy and resistant to coccomycosis and some other fungal diseases. For full fruiting, it is necessary to have at least 3 varieties of sweet cherries in one area.

fig.1 Blooming cherry

2. Planting cherries

The best time for planting cherries is early spring, before the buds open. Thanks to this, the seedling will have time to take root well and gain vitality in order to survive the first winter.

The planting hole should be dug 10-12 days before planting in the spring or prepared in the fall. The optimal depth is 60-75 cm, and the width is 70-80 cm. The excavated fertile soil layer is mixed with humus and superphosphate (200 g) and potassium sulfate (100 g) are added to it. The pit is then filled with this mixture.

It is very important to remember that sweet cherries do not tolerate deepening of the root neck. Therefore, when planting, it is worth raising it by 3-4 centimeters, because in the near future the soil will settle, and the basal neck will deepen a little.

After planting, you need to form a moat around the cherry seedling and pour plenty of water with a bucket of water. Re-watering is advisable to carry out in a week.

fig.2 How to properly deepen the root neck of a cherry

3. Cherry nutrition

The first years after planting cherries there is no need to apply fertilizer, since everything necessary was laid in the hole along with the soil. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizing begins in the 3rd year after planting. Superphosphate (40-60 g / m 2) and potassium chloride (20-30 grams) are applied once every 3 years for digging the trunk circle no later than mid-September.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied every spring, starting from the 3rd year after planting the sweet cherry. These include ammonium nitrate (20 g / m 2) or urea (15 g / m 2). You can learn more about mineral fertilizers here.

Organics should be applied once every 2 years at 3-4 kg per m 2. This is best done in the spring when loosening the trunk circle. If these top dressings are introduced later, then the growth of new shoots may stop, and they will not have time to get stronger before the onset of cold weather.

Also, after fruiting, green manure plants can be sown around the near-trunk circle, which, together with the soil, will be dug up in the spring and, thus, all the necessary substances will begin to nourish the tree much earlier, especially considering the moment that they will begin to overheat even under snow. You can find out more interesting information about green manure plants from this article.

4. Cherry pruning and crown formation

Carry out the formation of the crown cherries appropriate in early spring until the buds swell. In this case, one should not forget about the processing of all sections with garden pitch. This must be done in order to prevent gum disease, which can lead to infection. different kind diseases and even death of the tree. Also, do not forget about the spring whitewashing of a tree trunk, and you can find out how to do it right here.

Sweet cherries have a natural crown shape - from pyramidal to rounded, but when pruned, it is most often made sparsely-tiered with a bole height of 60 to 80 centimeters. The first pruning of the shoots should be carried out one year after planting cherries.

During this period, a crown is formed from 5-6 skeletal branches (of the first order). In the first tier, 3 branches are left, 2 of which can be placed adjacent, and the third is 20-25 centimeters higher than the first two.

In the third year, it is advisable to lay the second tier of skeletal branches at a distance of at least 60 cm from the upper branch of the first tier. In the same year, 2 branches of the second order should be formed on each shoot of the first order. To form the second order branches, it is necessary to shorten the first order branches by approximately 20 centimeters after their length reaches 70 centimeters. Branches of the second order are located at a distance of at least 50 centimeters from the trunk and from each other.

The third tier is usually formed from a single shoot at a distance of at least 30 centimeters from the second tier. In this case, it is recommended to cut the central conductor over the branch of the third tier no earlier than one year after its formation.

Sweet cherry in the middle lane 2

The most common cause is insufficient lighting due to improper placement in the garden or dense plantings. You need to know that sweet cherry is a fast-growing, large and very photophilous plant. For its normal development, there must be free space, not less than 5 x 3 m (in extreme cases, 4 x 3 m). A dense planting can also lead to a decrease in potential winter hardiness, especially flower buds.

The lack of a harvest with abundant flowering is most likely due to the fact that there were no pollinating varieties nearby or bad weather (rains, spring frosts, etc.) during the period of fruit set. If the weather is favorable and the tree blooms annually, but does not bear fruit, then the reason is probably the absence of a pollinator. It is important to know that sweet cherries do not have self-fertile varieties; they require mandatory cross-pollination. In this regard, it is necessary to provide for the presence of at least two, and preferably three or four varieties on the site for mutual cross-pollination. One can be dispensed with only if other varieties grow in the neighborhood. The main thing is that they have the same flowering time.

If there is no place for a second tree, then it is better to plant only one, but spacious growing tree, and make several grafts of other varieties into its crown. This is enough for pollination. It is better to plant an early-growing variety as the main one. Fatezh(2), which is the most reliable for central Russia in terms of winter hardiness and productivity. Not as tall as other varieties, a tree with a strong, spreading crown (branches extending from the trunk at a right or obtuse angle) in July will delight you with delicious fruits weighing 4–4.5 g. They are good both fresh and for various preparations. Can be grafted into the crown Chermashnaya(with yellow, earlier ripening berries of dessert taste), etc. A set of different varieties will allow you to create a conveyor in terms of ripening from the end of June and almost the whole of July.

By the way, vaccinations can be done by cuttings in the spring and by budding (for stone fruits, this method is preferable). It is carried out in late July - early August in the branches of young plants with a thickness of a pencil or a little more.

Often, gardeners ask why the planted two trees bloom profusely, but do not give a harvest. In this case, the reason may be the selectivity of the pollinator. For example, according to M. Kanshina, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, the author of many varieties of sweet cherries, such selectivity is typical for varieties Raditsa and Bryansk pink. However, most varieties are well pollinated by each other with simultaneous flowering. Two nearby growing and flowering trees are left without a crop, most likely if they turned out to be of the same variety, although they could be sold as different. The varietal identity is determined by the leaves: from the middle part of the shoots of the same development, one leaf is taken from each tree and compared. In identical varieties, all features (for example, the serration of the leaf edge, the shape of the base and tip of the leaf blade, etc.) are the same. There are many such signs, but they require professional knowledge. However, I will give my author's hint: cherry leaves have glands called nectaries. They are located at the base of the leaf blade and on the petiole of the leaf, they look like small tubercles about 1–3 mm in size. Most importantly, for each variety, nectaries have their own color, which basically coincides with the color of the fruit. In yellow-fruited ( Chermashnaya) they are light yellow (3), in varieties with pink or yellow fruits with a reddish blush (Fatezh) - pinkish, in red-fruited ( Sinyavskaya) are red (4).

Of course, the signal signs will coincide in different varieties with the same fruit color. But here we must remember that in all varieties the leaves are necessarily different.

The recommendation, gleaned by the gardener in one of the books, turned out to be wrong in general, and even more so for cherries. With such a bending, an arcuate curvature of the branch occurs. At the highest points of this arc, vertically growing wen shoots always grow, which are ahead of other branches in growth strength. Such a reaction to a too steep bend is characteristic of all tree crops. Bending should be carried out to the horizontal level of the branch.

Fruit trees (cherry, apricot, peach and others) are particularly demanding on climatic conditions and soil.

Despite this, there are many varieties of stone fruits that take root well not only in the southern regions, but also in cooler climates. In central Russia, it is not difficult to grow cherries if you provide the tree with proper care.

Compliance with certain rules will help not only to get a healthy strong tree, but also to increase its yield. Thanks to great choice cherry varieties, you can choose the most suitable for any climate zone.

With the advice of care professionals, growing this fruit tree will not be much of a hassle. Several simple secrets will help to grow a magnificent cherry orchard in just a few years, and get an excellent harvest.

When choosing seedlings for growing in the garden or in the country, it is very important to pay attention to the zoning of the variety and species. Southern varieties may not tolerate frost and die, so it is best to pay attention to breeding varieties.

Bred specifically for the conditions of the middle zone (Moscow, Tula, Ivanovo and other regions), sweet cherries have all the necessary qualities to get a good harvest.

Factors to pay attention to when buying a seedling:

frost resistance level. The higher this figure, the better.
Height. At undersized plants lower chance of freezing. Also, these varieties are characterized by high yields.
Flowering time and fruit set. It is recommended to choose seedlings not too early varieties. This reduces the risk of freezing during spring frosts.
The need for pollination. It is recommended to give preference to self-fertile varieties. Even when planting a single plant, there is no need for cross-pollination, so you can get a good plentiful harvest.

Given all the factors, as well as the characteristics of the soil and the size of the plot, you can decide on the most suitable varieties of sweet cherries for growing in the garden.

"Adeline"

A variety of medium ripening dates is perfect for growing in small garden plots. The tree grows up to 3 meters in height, has a convenient pyramidal crown and does not thicken. The yield of "Adelina" is above average - a healthy adult tree produces up to 60 kg of juicy berries.

The advantage of this variety is its good winter hardiness and disease resistance. With good care, sweet cherries very rarely get coccomycosis and moniliosis. In dry summers, it may be vulnerable to pests.

The first fruits appear in the 4th year of the seedling's life. The yield will increase as the sweet cherry grows up to 45-60 kg. Heart-shaped berries have an average size of 5-6 g. The pulp is juicy red, easily separated from the stone.

The Adeline cherry variety takes root well in the Middle lane and in the climate of the Central Black Earth region. For planting, it is recommended to choose 2-3 year old seedlings - this will ensure their better survival and reduce the risk of infection with diseases from other fruit crops.

"Gronkavaya"

The medium-sized variety is characterized by high yield and increased disease resistance. Great for growing in large gardens. Sweet cherry "Gronkavaya" was bred by Belarusian breeders from the "Northern" variety.

Large fruits of dark red color are rather long-lived and are well transported. Suitable for universal use.

Due to the fact that the variety calmly tolerates even very low temperatures, it is recommended for cultivation in the middle lane and other regions with a cold climate.

Varietal characteristics and features:

High yield (up to 70 kg from an adult tree);
Winter hardiness index - above average;
Early maturity, self-fertility, high disease resistance.

Care requirements:

Since the tree is tall with a spreading crown, it is recommended for growing in large areas. For maximum yield, it is desirable to provide good lighting and regular soil moisture.

"Iput"

The cultivation of "Iput" cherries in the Middle lane and in the Central region began in the early 90s. The variety was obtained by crossing the hybrid forms "Leningrad Black", "Victory" and "Zhabule No. 15".

Thanks to its excellent varietal characteristics and easy care, it has gained wide popularity among gardeners. Medium-sized trees have a high yield and are able to produce more than 90 kg of juicy berries.

The cherry has large juicy fruits dark red. The stalk is short, thick, the stone is separated with part of the pulp. The average weight of berries is 6-7 g, it can reach 9 g. The pulp is juicy, sweet, medium density.

Care and cultivation of sweet cherries of this variety does not require special skills and conditions. Due to its high winter hardiness and resistance to coccomycosis, it is excellent for growing in the Middle lane.

Planting seedlings

A place for planting cherry seedlings should be prepared in advance. A well-lit place, protected from drafts, is selected on the site. In autumn, even before the onset of frost, a hole of 70-70 cm or more is dug, depending on the height of the selected variety.

It is advisable to plant several seedlings of different varieties at once, but at the same flowering time, so that they are natural pollinators of each other.

The soil should be fertile, light, well permeable moisture. The most suitable areas with loamy or sandy soil. It is not advisable to plant any kind of sweet cherry on clay or peaty soil!

Drainage is poured at the bottom of the pit prepared for planting to avoid stagnation of the input. A third of the pit is filled with a mixture of fertile soil and humus. In this form, the landing pit remains until spring - the most optimal time for planting sweet cherries in the Middle lane.

In early spring, when there is no longer any danger of frost, fertilizer is applied to the pit and mixed well with fertile soil. 2-3 year old seedlings are planted in such a way that the neck of the root protrudes several centimeters above ground level.

After planting the tree, the soil is compacted and watered abundantly. For better survival of cherries, the soil is covered with mulch on top.

Caring for a young and mature tree

Young seedlings should be pruned immediately after planting (approximately at a height of 100 cm). From dormant buds, side shoots will develop next season to form a crop.

In the 2nd year after planting, the tree is cut off by about 1/3, leaving only well-developed skeletal branches at the level of 90-110 cm. In the next season, a crown is formed depending on the plant variety.

The most important condition for the care of cherries is proper watering. It is very important to provide the tree with moderate moisture in order for it to develop properly and to avoid the development of diseases.

Stagnation of moisture can be detrimental to the plant, therefore, with high groundwater, it is recommended to choose varieties with a small root system. Most optimal solution there will be columnar and ornamental trees.

Conclusion

Proper planting and caring for sweet cherries may require extra effort. Cherry belongs to heat-loving plants, therefore, if necessary, the root system should be covered for the winter. So that the tree does not die, preference should be given to not too early, frost-resistant varieties.
Experienced gardeners know how cherries grow in various conditions, and are able to provide the tree with proper care. For beginner gardeners, the first years of a plant's life in a country or garden plot will require some effort. To grow cherries in the conditions of the Middle Strip, give preference to self-fertile varieties with high disease resistance.
Mature plants, like young seedlings, require good and proper care. If you do not prune in time, do not fertilize, or skip sheltering for the winter, the yield may be significantly reduced and the sweet cherry may become sick.

Sweet cherry - cultivation and care in central Russia

Choice of cherry seedling

For planting on the site, you should pick up several varieties of cherries at once for cross-pollination. In the middle lane and the Moscow region, good yields are given by such varieties: Cheremashnaya, Krymskaya, Iput, Bryanskaya pink, Fatezh, Tyutchevka.

Outwardly, cherry seedlings are very similar to cherries, but looking closely, it is not difficult to distinguish them:

Cherry trees are taller with upright branches;
The bark of cherry seedlings is brown with a reddish tinge, while the bark of cherry seedlings is grey-brown.

The root system of sweet cherry planting material is well developed and has 3-4 branches 20 cm long. Instances with dried, rotten or frozen roots should not be purchased - they are not viable. If the root system of the seedling is very dry - when cut, a light brown core is visible, the seedling can be reanimated. To do this, the roots are placed in a container with water for a day.