Like all stone fruit crops, cherries have their own time frame for reaching technical maturity. The tree is grown for its tasty and juicy berries, which can be enjoyed fresh or used to prepare compotes and juices for the winter. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of when cherry fruits ripen. It all depends on the type of tree, the conditions in which it grows, and care.
Cherry fruit ripening time
Cherries are classified as crops that can grow both in the southern regions and in areas where the climate is cold and summers are short with rain and winds. Climate affects the timing of ripening. Even early-ripening cherries will reach maturity faster in the Central region than in Siberia or the Urals.
Already in the second half of June, berries of the Shpanka, Molodezhnaya, and Malyshka varieties are ready for consumption. Mid-season varieties: Lyubskaya, Shchedraya, Turgenevka, are covered with ripe fruits in the first ten days of July. And only in August the cherries of the Zhuravka and Rusinka varieties will ripen. But if trees of these varieties are in the gardens of the Siberian region, then fruiting will occur 1-2 weeks later. The berries ripen later if the summer weather brings more rainy and cloudy days. It should be taken into account that the tree will bear fruit faster when the berries ripen in the sun. In the shade, a growing bush will ripen longer. The crop also does not like low-lying places with groundwater close to the surface of the earth. Because the soil is swampy, the root system will begin to rot, the growth of the bush will stop, and later flowering and fruiting will begin.
The timing of ripening is affected by the condition of the soil. The soil on the site should be loose, nutritious, neutral in acidity.
A large amount of wild growth in cherries weakens and delays the ripening of fruits. Therefore, those root suckers that are not needed for the formation of a bush are removed. To prevent infection of the tree after the procedure, treat the wounds with varnish after cleaning the cut with a garden knife. Under the heat, the wounds will heal faster, and the wood will not oxidize and deteriorate. Garden varnish can be purchased at a specialized store or prepared independently from 10 parts of rosin, four autol and two wax. The wax and rosin are heated over a fire, and after cooling the mixture slightly, part of the autol is poured in.
A tree susceptible to fungal infections: moniliosis, coccomycosis, anthracnose will take longer to recover from the disease, and fruiting will be delayed by several weeks. The attack of pests on the garden has a negative effect on flowering and ovaries. Only with proper care and creation of comfortable conditions will cherries produce juicy sweet berries on time, in accordance with the deadlines.
Collection time
When to pick cherries, gardeners will be told by the berries, which become soft and juicy. The color of the skin also indicates the degree of ripeness. Usually it turns dark red, burgundy. Although there are varieties with light red fruits. But after tasting one berry, you can be convinced of its ripeness to taste. The pulp gives off sweetness, it has a lot of juice, it does not bind the tongue.
Usually, ripe berries appear faster on cherry bushes that grow in sunny areas. They begin to harvest the harvest gradually so that it does not fall to the birds or rot if it falls to the ground. Picking only ripe fruits, leaving unripe ones. If it is planned to transport the crop, then the berries are picked 2-3 days before their ripeness occurs.
You cannot pick fruits from trees too early, as they will not be able to ripen indoors, like apples or pears. This way you can be left without cherries.
The quality of the harvest for the season depends on:
- air humidity;
- average temperature of the year;
- what month the berries were picked;
- stop watering 2-3 weeks before harvest;
- climate of the growing region.
If in the Moscow region they are already starting to pick cherries, then in Kazan the harvest will be ready later. Here the gardener himself determines the condition of the fruits and their readiness for harvesting. When weather conditions negatively affect the taste of the berries and the fruits begin to rot, then you need to collect the cherries to make compotes or jam. This way you can save at least part of the stone fruit harvest.
How to collect correctly
Cherries are harvested in different ways:
- Leaving the stalk makes it possible to increase the fresh storage time of the berries. Using pruning shears, cut the stalk so that half of it remains along with the fruits.
- They are also picked from cuttings. These berries can be placed in the refrigerator. They will retain their presentation for a long time.
- When berries are picked without cuttings, this method is called milking. It is used when cherries are needed for culinary processing or canning.
Pick cherries from a tall tree not easy. It is impossible to do without devices. Hooks come to the aid of the gardener, with the help of which they pull up branches. They also use ladders to get berries from the top of the bush. Among the tools used to pick berries are garden shears, secateurs, and fruit picker. All methods of picking cherries are carried out using cotton gloves. After all, the juice of the berry is difficult to wash off from the skin.
After the cherries are properly picked, they are placed in baskets. It is better to weave containers for fruits from willow vines or make them from birch bark. You can prepare special trays for a large harvest, in which cardboard boxes with a sweet harvest are placed. Cherries are also stored in bags. Air access to the berries is important here.
Trees after cherry picking need special care, consisting of:
- Bordeaux mixture treatment;
- abundant hydration;
- anti-aging pruning;
- fertilizing with humus or compost.
By spraying trees with fungicidal preparations in the fall, they are given the opportunity to bloom in time in the spring and prepare for the formation of fruit ovaries. By cutting off the excess growth that forms on the rootstocks, they help the stone fruit grow stronger and store nutrients in sufficient quantities for timely fruiting.Only with proper care next year will fruit trees produce a lot of tasty berries and survive even the Siberian winter with severe frosts.
