There are many varieties of bush cherries that can be grown in garden plots. But, unfortunately, not all of them meet the requirements of gardeners; some of them are not very productive, while others are too capricious or produce small and sour fruits. But all this does not apply to the Kharitonovskaya cherry variety - the result of the work of specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute named after. I. V. Michurina. The culture was obtained by crossing two popular varieties of cherries - Almaz and Zhukovskaya, and took the best qualities from their “parents”.
Description of the variety
Kharitonovskaya cherry is a low tree, the height of which does not exceed 3 meters, bearing fruit with large, round, dark red berries with delicate pulp and thin skin. The taste of the fruit is pronounced, sweet, with a pleasant sourness.
The stalk of a cherry is not long, it can be easily separated from the branch, but from the berry itself it is more difficult, it is attached to the pit itself. But the pulp easily comes away from the seed. The description of the variety designates Kharitonovka as partially self-fertile. In order to regularly get a good harvest, you should choose cherries of related varieties with high cross-pollination as neighbors. It begins to bear fruit already in the third year after planting.
Planting and care
It is recommended to plant Kharitonovka seedlings in the southern regions in September-October, and in the north it is better to plan this event for April. Usually one season is enough for the sprout to take root well.
The culture needs care, but if you take into account some features, it will not cause much trouble.
Landing
It is recommended to prepare the planting hole no later than 4 weeks before planting. It should be remembered that the Kharitonov cherry tree has a voluminous, spherical crown; it needs space. The distance between bushes should be at least three meters.
If the soil is acidified, it is advisable to lime it in advance.
Planting occurs according to the following algorithm:
- A peg is installed in the hole.
- A layer of mixture of soil extracted from the pit and rotted compost or humus is poured onto the bottom.
- The seedling is placed on a heap so that after planting the root neck is 2-3 cm above ground level.
- You should carefully straighten the roots.
- The pit is filled with the remaining soil and organic matter.
- The soil in the hole is compacted so that there are no empty areas near the root.
- The young tree needs to be watered thoroughly.
- The area around the trunk is mulched; peat or humus can be used for this.
The planting process is completed by tying the seedling to a peg.
Fertilizer
In the first couple of years after planting the cherry, it does not need fertilizers: it receives enough nutrition from the fertilizer placed in the planting hole.
In the third year, fertilizers can be applied, but without excessive zeal:
- excess fertilizers reduce the frost resistance of the plant;
- It is enough to add organic matter under the root once every 3-4 years; it is better to do this during the autumn digging of the soil around the trunk;
- Once every 5 years the tree is fed with chalk, lime, and dolomite flour.
An infusion of chicken manure is useful for a fruit tree - 1 liter of fertilizer per 20 liters of water, infused for 3-5 days. Fertilizing should be introduced after watering so as not to burn the planting.
Watering
Initially, the seedling is watered daily, but gradually it will take root, and it will be possible to switch to the regime once every 14 days. Mature cherries are watered no more than 4 times during the season, but this should be done generously. It is more convenient to dig furrows around the tree half a meter from the trunk and pour water into them.
Trimming
During planting, the top of the tree is cut off at a height of 80 cm, which leads to the appearance of new shoots. Cherry trees should be pruned every year before the buds begin to open. If the gardener is late with the procedure, then it is better to postpone it until next year.
Kharitonovka is capable of growing greatly in width, so shoots that thicken the crown must be removed, the same applies to branches that penetrate and grow inside.
The next year after planting, the shoots are cut off by 30% of the total length.And it is better to completely remove the lower shoots, as well as diseased, dried out, damaged branches. Sections should be immediately treated with varnish.
Pest Control
Many fruit trees are susceptible to infection with coccomycosis, but this does not apply to the Kharitonovskaya variety, which has increased resistance. Other fungi can attack the cherry, so you should take care of prevention - digging up the soil in the fall, covering the trunk with lime.
Advantages and disadvantages of bush cherries
This culture has many advantages:
- produces a large harvest of fruits with good taste;
- disease resistant;
- does not require complex care.
If we talk about disadvantages, there are few of them - the berry has a large seed, and trees in some regions freeze out.
When your garden or summer cottage lacks a bushy fruit tree, which is not just a decoration, but a source of tasty, juicy berries, then you can safely plant Kharitonovskaya cherries.
