Cherry as a fruit crop attracts the attention of gardening enthusiasts due to its high productivity and relative undemandingness to growing conditions. There are many varieties of it, with different ripening periods and berry colors. When growing, it often happens that cherries do not bear fruit; why this happens can only be found out by studying the main causes of such a disease.
Possible reasons
Depending on the variety, the ripening period for cherries begins at the end of May and ends in the last days of July.Thus, early varieties produce fruits already at the end of May-mid-June, with an average ripening period of mid-June, and late varieties are harvested at the end of July. But if there are no fruits or there are very few of them, then it is necessary to identify the cause and eliminate it so that the tree recovers faster.
Wrong variety
Since cherries belong to the southern crops, it is recommended to choose a variety taking into account the climatic characteristics of a particular region. Those varieties that grow well and bear fruit in the Moscow region and the Urals are ineffectively planted in the Siberian Territory. Cherry varieties with a low degree of resistance to cold produce flowers, but there is no harvest.
For areas with severe frosts, it is best to choose cherries with a high level of winter hardiness, the buds of which are not afraid of negative temperatures.
Freezing
When growing cherries, you should be aware of their vulnerability to low temperatures. Spring frosts are especially dangerous for future fruits, when daytime temperatures are around 10 degrees. Inflorescences and ovaries die due to night cold (-1 degree already provokes freezing of fruit buds).
To protect the inflorescences, it is necessary to keep the snow in the tree trunk circle for as long as possible.
Lack of pollinator
If the cherry blossoms, but does not bear fruit, then the reason may be the self-sterility of the crop. Most varieties require cross-pollination, since this fruit variety does not have males and females. There should be at least one other cherry tree on the site that blooms at similar times. The optimal distance between them is 3-4 meters.
It is best to place several varieties in the garden in groups.There are also partially self-fertile specimens, but without additional pollination they produce a yield of only 5-10% of the possible productivity indicators. If there is no space to plant another cherry tree, you can graft 2-3 different types onto one rootstock.
Age
The first harvest of cherries is formed 4-5 years after the seedling is identified for a permanent place. It all depends on the timing of planting, its correctness and compliance, and the basic rules of care. On young plantings, not so many fruits are produced; only at the age of 10 years does an adult tree have an appropriate crown, which is capable of producing an abundant harvest (10-30 kilograms).
A decrease in cherry yields occurs after 15 years. The accelerating factors for this negative trend are:
- incorrectly performed tree shaping;
- no pruning;
- advanced stage of the disease;
- planting in shaded areas.
Incorrect crown pruning
Incompetent manipulation to shape the crown of a tree often leads to a lack of harvest. In young specimens, fruiting stops for several years, but in adults it stops suddenly. The main task of annual pruning is to promote the formation of a large number of fruit buds, without causing intensive growth and loss of resistance to negative temperatures.
In the first 2-4 years after planting in a permanent place, the cherry tree is given a tree-like or bush-like shape. In the spring, to stimulate the formation of new shoots, last year's growth is shortened by ½ the length. The tree should have 3 tiers with a distance of 50-60 centimeters. When the cherry tree is 5-6 years old, anti-aging pruning and top trimming should be done at a height of 3-3.5 meters.
The crown should not be allowed to become dense, otherwise the perennial buds will die.It is recommended to start work before sap flow begins. The wound surface must be treated with garden varnish. The branches that are directed into the crown and damaged by frost and disease should be removed first.
Accumulation of excess moisture
The main problem when growing stone fruit crops, in particular cherries, in central Russia is the preheating of the root collar. The damping off process itself is not only dangerous due to the weakening of the tree, but also its death. It is more advisable to plant this fruit variety on small slopes or slight elevations, where accumulation of moisture near the tree trunk is excluded.
With proper organization of the irrigation system, cherries produce a stable harvest. In the northern regions, it rarely suffers from a lack of moisture; this problem is more relevant for the southern regions. In drought conditions, fruit trees lose their ovaries en masse. During such periods, the tree needs abundant periodic watering.
In order not to spoil the taste of the fruit before the berry filling stage, irrigation should be stopped.
Diseases and pests
The presence of parasitic individuals and the development of diseases significantly reduce the yield of cherries. Fungal infections pose a particularly serious danger to the garden: spotting, moniliosis, coccomycosis. Such diseases can be detected by fading leaf blades, drying out of lateral branches, the presence of dark lesions, and gum growth.
Methods to combat fungal diseases include:
- removal of affected parts of the tree;
- treatment with a working solution based on Bordeaux mixture and copper oxychloride.
Among the harmful insects on cherries you can often find small aphids, cherry flies, leaf rollers, and moths. Karbofos, Actellik, Iskra are highly effective against such parasites.In order to prevent their appearance on cherries, it is necessary to spray one of these insecticides at the beginning of the season. In addition, in the fall, you should dig up the soil deeply, clean and whiten the trunk, and trim the crown.
What to do if cherries do not bear fruit
In order for cherries to bloom and bear fruit abundantly, it is necessary to adhere to the correct agricultural practices. The introduction of nutritional mixtures is one of the main conditions for good results. The first feeding procedures are done after the snow has melted. For these purposes, mullein infusion, a working solution based on Nitrophoska, and urea are used.
Before the flowering phase, potassium sulfate (40 grams) and superphosphate (40 grams) must be added to the tree trunk circle. The subsequent feeding procedure with such compositions is done before the stage of ovary formation. Before winter, the soil should be dug up and rotted manure should be added to it.
Prevention measures
If the cherry tree does not bear fruit, it is necessary to choose the right place for planting, avoiding close proximity to the groundwater surface (at least 2 meters). As planting material, you need to purchase only healthy seedlings, without signs of damage, disease, and adapted to the conditions of a specific climate. In addition, they must have a mark from the vaccination.
Agrotechnical techniques such as crown formation, loosening the soil in the tree trunk, and removing weeds will help reduce the likelihood of a lack of fruit on cherries. The frequency of watering during the season is 3 times; to preserve moisture in the ground, a mulching layer of rotted sawdust and freshly cut grass is used. In addition, you should not ignore preventive treatments against major diseases and harmful insects.
To increase winter hardiness, it is recommended to plant cherries in cool lowlands and prune the crown correctly. Watering in dry weather and adding nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compounds will also increase the level of frost resistance of the tree. Covering the soil around the tree trunk with snow will help protect cherries from freezing.
To prevent a decrease in productivity, damaged branches should be treated with garden varnish.
Cherries will produce a bountiful harvest only if all planting and care rules are followed. Choosing a variety suitable for specific conditions will only increase the chances of obtaining the desired result.
