Planting, growing and proper care of cherries, what to feed, watering, how to water

Cherry is one of the most common garden trees in our country; the history of its appearance goes back to the distant past. Currently, such a miracle tree is no less popular, but in order to get a good harvest, you need to put in a lot of time and effort. The proposed material will acquaint the reader with the rules of planting cherries and caring for them.

Preparing berries for planting

More than three thousand varieties of this tree are known in the modern world. Some long-lived varieties have a lifespan of more than a hundred years. Many novice gardeners do not know which variety to choose when choosing a seedling for their plot.

Variety selection

When choosing a type of wood, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

• pollination - self-fertile; partially self-fertile; pollinated by insects and wind;
• time of flowering of the tree and timing of fruit formation - early, middle, late;
• trunk height and crown shape - vigorous, medium-sized, low-growing;
• taste, color and shape of berries - yellow, with a pink side, red;
• fleshiness and juiciness of the fruits – juicy, fleshy;
• berry size – large, medium, small;
• frost resistance – frost-resistant, medium-resistant, heat-loving.

Beginning amateur gardeners planning to plant cherries on their property should get recommendations in advance on choosing a variety from the city garden society, where they will tell you all the intricacies of tree care and help you choose a seedling.

Requirements for soil and planting site

This tree prefers neutral soil. Considering that sod-podzolic soils with high acidity are more typical for central Russia, it is recommended to improve its properties by liming. Lime application rates depend on the severity of the soil and are (in grams per square meter):

• light sandy loam - up to four hundred;
• heavy loamy - up to eight hundred.

Liming promotes better absorption of nutrients and is involved in the formation of fruit seeds. It is better to carry it out on the site in the fall or early spring, by evenly distributing lime over the top of the soil or by burying it to the depth of a spade bayonet (about twenty centimeters).

Another important circumstance that must be observed is that for cherries you need soil that is not waterlogged, loose and freely allowing air to pass through. The close occurrence of groundwater leads to a slowdown in the development of young shoots and drying out of the tree, starting from the top.

Light mode

This tree loves warmth very much, so abundant sunlight is a prerequisite for successful growth. The place for planting a seedling should not be shaded by other trees or buildings.

In order to increase productivity, it is recommended to plant at least two trees of different varieties not too far from one another to ensure cross-pollination of the trees.

How to plant a tree correctly

Once the seedling has been selected and a suitable location has been determined, all that remains is to plant the tree. But there are important features that must be taken into account. More details about the landing rules.

Deadlines

The correct choice of planting time is very important. This circumstance depends on the climatic characteristics of the region. The optimal landing times are as follows:

• autumn is the best option for warm climates; planting is done shortly before frost, until the soil freezes;
• spring - until the buds swell. Better suited for northern regions. A seedling is selected in the fall, the root part is moistened, wrapped in fabric, then in plastic film and buried in the basement until spring.

But these recommendations should not be taken as dogma - in the southern regions a tree can be planted in the spring, but at this time of year it is more difficult to find a seedling of a suitable variety.

The soil must be pre-prepared. If planting is carried out in the autumn, the area must first be dug up, adding compost, potassium fertilizer and superphosphate. If the ground is too sandy, a little clay is added, and vice versa.

When planting seedlings in spring, these activities are carried out in the fall, and in the spring additional mineral fertilizers are applied.

Preparing the planting hole

The hole, when planting in the fall, must be prepared in six to seven days. When preparing it, you must be guided by the following requirements:

• provided: depth - about eighty centimeters and width - up to a meter;
• when planting several trees, the distance between the holes should be from three to five meters;
• the planting scheme in the above case should provide free access to sunlight - seedlings are located from east to west so as not to block the sun from each other;
• when digging a hole, the upper and lower (infertile) layers of soil should be separated;
• a stake is driven into the center of the hole, with a height such that the upper part protrudes above ground level up to half a meter;
• part of the upper (fertile) layer of the earth is mixed with rotted compost or manure, superphosphate (two hundred grams), potassium sulfur (sixty grams) and ash (half a kilogram) are added;
• the prepared pit is watered and left for a couple of weeks so that the earth settles.

If the tree is planted in the spring, the hole is prepared in the fall, and in the spring all that remains is to add fertilizer.

Preparing a seedling for planting

Before planting a tree, it is carefully inspected.Weak and damaged roots are removed. The dried out root system must be moistened. To do this, it is soaked in water for up to eight hours.

Seedlings with a root system covered with remaining soil suffer less during transplantation. In this case, soaking is not required; during preparation, it is important not to disturb the soil layer on the roots, which can lead to damage to the roots.

At the beginning of planting, the tree is placed in the center of the hole and the roots are sprinkled halfway, shaking slightly to compact the soil a little. After this, water is poured in (about ten liters), and the hole is buried to ground level.

Note! When placing a tree, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is above the ground surface.

To achieve this position of the tree, it is first held at a height of up to five centimeters above the required one, and after the soil has settled, the trunk is lowered to the required level.

The soil in the planting hole is lightly trampled down, then another bucket of water is poured out and peat or organic fertilizer is added. To prevent the tree from swaying in the wind, it is tied to a driven peg.

Tree care in the first 4 years after planting

An important event in the first four years after planting is the correct formation of the crown, which is achieved by pruning. When the crown is formed, pruning is carried out moderately, in order to remove damaged and old branches, once every three years.

When growing a young tree, it is necessary to completely remove the weeds near the trunk. The adjacent soil should be mulched to prevent moisture evaporation.

The first watering should be carried out only after the tree has flowered, the next time - in June, then - a month later.During flowering, watering should be avoided completely, otherwise the cherry tree may drop the set fruits.

The tree also needs to be watered in October; feeding is left for the winter. In the third year, organic fertilizers are applied - up to eight kilograms. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied twice a year - after the snow melts and in mid-summer. Phosphorus and potassium - in early autumn. In spring and autumn, it is necessary to whiten the trunks with lime to protect the tree from sunburn and to heal damage to the bark after frost.

How to properly care for and feed adult cherries

For an adult tree, the frequency of applying organic fertilizers remains three years. Fertilizing is carried out by applying liquid fertilizers up to four times per season.

During flowering

Spring care is limited to:

• removing weeds and loosening the soil;
• application of nitrogen fertilizers.

It is advisable to limit watering during this time; pest control should be carried out earlier.

During the period of fruit ripening

Fruiting time depends on the cherry variety and climatic conditions. But, in any case, this happens in the summer - from mid-June to the end of July.

During the ripening period, it is necessary to ensure the safety of the berries from birds, and regularly loosen the soil to prevent the top layer from drying out after rain. Fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers is carried out.

If there are a large number of berries, it is necessary to support the branches so that they do not break off under the weight of the fruit.

After harvest

When the fruits are harvested, the development of the tree slows down, the sap circulates slowly, which favors pruning. Damaged and unnecessary branches are removed, and the cut areas are treated with garden varnish. Pruning will ensure the correct formation of the crown and protect the tree from diseases.

When pruning, be guided by the following requirements:

• branches adjacent to the trunk at sharp angles are removed;
• the crown is thinned out;
• damaged branches are removed;
• one-year-old shoots are shortened by a third of their length.

To perform the work, a garden saw or a sharply sharpened knife is used; the use of pruning shears injures the branches.

Preparing a tree for wintering

Preparation for winter includes the following activities:

• abundant watering;
• application of organic fertilizers;
• whitewashing the trunk;
• digging up soil under a tree.

Mulching the soil when digging promotes long-term moisture retention. Fertilizing should not be done in warm weather, as this will cause untimely growth of branches; fertilizers are applied before the onset of frost to prevent premature decomposition of nutritional components.

The nuances of caring for an old tree

There are some nuances when caring for an old tree:

• severe cracking of the bark is possible. Damage areas must be treated with a protective compound;
• it is necessary to ensure that the branches are not damaged by the weight of the berries, since their fragility increases over the years;
• The tree should be regularly rejuvenated by removing old shoots and making room for young ones.

Branches of old trees begin to die off, therefore, simultaneously with rejuvenation, it is necessary to remove dried shoots.

Diseases and pests. Ways to deal with them

Cherries, in most cases, are susceptible to fungal diseases:

• coccomycosis;
• moniliosis;
• Clusterosporiosis.

Methods of struggle include:

• removal of affected areas;
• cleaning and disinfection of damage with a one percent solution of copper sulfate and subsequent treatment with garden varnish;
• Four treatments are carried out: the first – with copper sulfate, before the sap begins to flow; the second - Bordeaux mixture, after flowering, the third - three weeks after the second; fourth - three weeks before harvesting the berries.

The most dangerous pests are aphids and cherry flies. To protect the tree, it is necessary to spray it with a confidor solution in early spring, and re-treat it two weeks later.

What problems arise

During the development of a tree, some troubles are possible that interfere with normal growth and fruiting. Learn more about possible problems and ways to solve them.

Doesn't grow

Poor seedling growth can be caused by high acidity of the soil or lack of nutritional components. If liming is not carried out in a timely manner, it is recommended to apply lime mortar to the area around the trunk; form holes in the ground up to twenty centimeters deep. If there is a lack of nutrients, it is necessary to fertilize with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Doesn't bloom

The absence of flowers is due to the following possible reasons:

• incorrect choice of landing site - lack of sunlight;
• insufficient development of the seedling - for some varieties it takes about five years before the first flowers appear;
• excessive soil moisture or close groundwater.

If the conditions for planting a tree are chosen poorly, it is necessary to replant it, otherwise the seedling will suffer for a long time, and it will not be possible to wait for the harvest for a long time.

Doesn't produce a harvest

Lack of harvest may be due to the following circumstances:

• improper pollination;
• bad weather;
• low-quality fertilizer;
• excessive soil moisture;
• soil clogging, leading to insufficient oxygen supply to the root system;
• high acidity of the earth;
• excessive crown density.

By eliminating these problems, the gardener will achieve the long-awaited harvest.

Spend more time on your garden, and the trees will delight you with spring blossoms and abundant fruiting.