Cherries are considered one of the most common garden crops grown by many gardeners. Assol cherries are often planted in summer cottages, which are valued for their tasty fruits, ease of care and high yield.
Description of the variety
The description of the variety should be studied by every vegetable grower who plans to grow it. This will help you become familiar with the characteristic features of cherries.
Assol is classified as a medium-sized variety of cherries that grow up to one and a half meters in height.Due to the fact that the trees are not very tall, pruning shoots and harvesting is quite simple. The trees have a loose crown of a pyramidal shape.
The peculiarities of the plant include the fact that the variety is self-fertile, and therefore gardeners do not have to waste time on manual pollination.
The positive qualities of the variety include the following:
- resistance to climate change and temperature changes;
- resistance to many diseases that often infect cherry seedlings;
- high yield, thanks to which more than 10 kg of berries are harvested from one tree;
- self-fertility.
Characteristic
The Assol cherry variety begins to bloom in the second half of May, after which cherries begin to form on the trees. The harvest has time to fully ripen by the end of June or the beginning of July. Ripe cherries are not large in size, since their weight is only 2-3 grams.
However, this does not affect the yield in any way, since 12-14 kg of crop can be collected from one tree.
The taste of Assol is unique, as the berries combine sweetness and acidity. The harvested crop can be considered universal, as it is used to create wines, gravies, liqueurs, preserves and jams. Cherries are also often used in making preparations with other berries.
The first harvest of ripe cherries is carried out three years after the seedlings are planted in the garden. At first, the yield will not be too high, but after 1-2 years it will increase significantly. Planted trees grow for about 15-17 years, after which their fruiting deteriorates.
Planting and caring for a tree
It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of planting Assol in the garden in advance so that the seedling takes root and grows normally.
Planting
Seedlings are planted in the spring, when the soil is warmed up to 8-10 degrees. When choosing seedlings, pay attention to the following parameters:
- height - 1-2 meters;
- root length - 10-12 cm;
- age - from one year;
- the number of shoots is at least 10 pieces.
Having selected the seedlings, you can begin planting. A planting hole about 40-45 cm deep is made in the ground, into which the seedling will be planted. Then a cherry is placed in it, sprinkled with earth and watered.
Care
Assol is classified as a drought-resistant plant, but this does not mean that it does not need watering. It is recommended to moisten the soil 2-4 times a month so that the root system has enough moisture for growth and fruit formation. To ensure that the liquid gets to the roots faster, special trenches for water are dug near the plant. No more than two ten-liter buckets of liquid are consumed per watering. To keep moisture in the soil longer, after watering the trench is covered with straw or dried grass.
The plant is also fed once a month with phosphorus fertilizers and wood ash.
Preparing for winter
Before the onset of winter cold, be sure to prepare the cherries so that they can withstand frost without any problems. To do this, in the second half of November, cut off all excess shoots and mulch the soil near the trunk so that the soil near the roots freezes less. When pruning trees, shoots that are longer than 50-55 cm are removed. Having finished pruning the branches, the tree trunk is covered with lime liquid and watered 2-3 times.
Conclusion
Fans of drought-resistant cherry varieties prefer to grow the Assol variety. Before planting, it is recommended to carefully study the description of this plant and the features of its cultivation.