Today there are many varieties of cherries, the number of which the average consumer is not even aware of. But an experienced gardener knows that in order to get a good harvest on an ongoing basis, you need to approach the choice of tree responsibly, study the features of planting and care. Next we will talk about Morozovka cherries.
History of origin
This cherry variety was bred at the Michurinsky Research Institute by T.V. Morozova. Breeders set the task of obtaining a small tree with tasty berries, which at the same time has high winter hardiness and resistance to diseases, in particular to coccomycosis.
Morozovka became the “parents” Vladimir cherries and Lyubskaya. The first was famous for its good resistance to frost, and the second for its tasty large berries and large harvest volumes. After crossing these two species, the Morozovka cherry was obtained.
Description of the variety
Morozovka cherry is a medium-sized tree with a spherical spreading crown. The height of an adult tree reaches 2.5 meters. The berries are quite large, 4-5 grams each. The pulp is juicy, dark red, like the skin of the berries. There is a slight groove. The seed is not large and easily comes away from the pulp, which facilitates the processing process.
Cherry yields are good. From 1 hectare you can get 50-60 centners of berries.
If you look at the description of the Morozovka variety, then everywhere they talk about the early ripening of the tree - the cherry bears its first harvest already in the 3-4th year, and under appropriate conditions it bears fruit regularly.
The winter hardiness of the variety is not bad: the tree easily survives even severe frosts. But this does not apply to all of Morozovka: buds and flowers can die even with slight frosts, which reduces the overall resistance to low temperatures. The tree rarely gets sick. In addition, Morozovka has almost zero susceptibility to coccomycosis.
Features of cultivation
To prevent the cherry from dying, and in the future bring a good harvest, before planting it is necessary to study the main points of cultivation.
Choosing a landing site
In order for the cherry to take root easily, you need to choose the right planting site. Fertile soil that easily allows moisture and air to pass through is suitable. It is advisable to choose an area that receives the longest amount of sun during the day. The presence of drafts and groundwater close to the surface of the earth is extremely undesirable; the tree does not tolerate excess moisture.For this purpose, it is not recommended to choose a site in a lowland.
Landing
When the site is selected, you can proceed to planting:
- First of all, you need to dig a hole with a depth and width of at least 0.5 meters. If more than one tree is being planted, then a distance of 2.5-3 meters is left between the holes.
- The excavated soil must be mixed with humus, potassium, ash and superphosphate.
- In the central part of the pit, a slide 15 cm high is formed, into which a peg is installed.
- Next, you need to place the Morozovka seedling in the hole, spreading the root system over the mound.
- The future tree is covered with a mixture of soil and fertilizers, everything is compacted well.
- At a distance of about 30 cm, you need to dig a ring hole and fill it with 30 liters of water.
- When the liquid is absorbed, the tree trunk circle is covered with mulch, and the tree is tied to a peg.
Care
After the cherry tree is planted, you need to provide it with proper care.
Watering
In order for Morozovka to bear fruit regularly, regular watering is required. It is important to do this during the period when the tree is blooming and the ovaries are forming. On average, one mature tree needs to be watered 3-4 times every 30 days with a standard bucket of water. The liquid should penetrate the soil and not stagnate on the surface. After the cherry tree is watered, you need to remove the weeds nearby and loosen the ground.
Trimming
The tree needs to be pruned annually in spring and autumn. First of all, low growing and dry branches are removed. Next, you need to thin out the crown by cutting off the branches growing inward. As a result, there should be 5 strong shoots growing in several rows (mostly 3). At the final stage, you need to remove branches that grow too close to each other. If you neglect pruning Morozovka, you can significantly reduce the harvest.
Reproduction
Classic propagation of this variety of cherries occurs by cuttings and budding. Up to 70% of green cuttings take root. For the rootstock, it is recommended to take seedlings of cultivated varieties and rootstocks of Vladimir cherry.
Pest Control
In order not to lose the harvest, you need to deal with pests in a timely manner. The most common are aphids and fly larvae, which, when they get into the ovary, turn into worms. To combat the former, you need to install trapping belts in early spring. You can prevent the settlement of larvae by regularly cleaning around the tree and loosening the soil.
Cherries are also loved by rodents, so for the winter it is advisable to wrap the trunk with thick fabric like burlap. And to prevent birds from eating the berries, you can hang a fishing net on a tree or hang old disks, which, shimmering in the sun, will scare away birds.
