How to grow tasty and healthy berries on your plot without making common mistakes of novice gardeners. It is necessary to choose the right varieties of cherry varieties for the middle zone. Half the success depends on this. If a species is not suitable for growing in certain conditions, then all other positive characteristics are useless.
Climate of central Russia
This region is very vast, its climate is defined as temperate continental. Temperatures in winter range from -8 ⁰С to -12 ⁰С. In summer it is +17…+28 ⁰С.
Winters are moderately frosty but snowy, and summers are humid and warm. Therefore, gardening is fully developed. Many varieties of cherries are suitable for cultivation in this region. But there are signs that you definitely need to look out for when choosing.
Recommended varieties for this region
A summer resident who has decided to start growing cherries on his plot should pay attention to the following subtleties when choosing a variety:
- Winter hardiness of plants is an important criterion that should be taken into account. The heat-loving plant does not tolerate low temperatures very well. Therefore, the higher this indicator is, the better.
- The short stature of cherries allows you to devote all your efforts to the formation of fruits, paying less attention to the crown. This is the advantage of low trees.
- Flowering should be late, since in the climate of the middle zone recurrent spring frosts are often observed. They can destroy future harvests. Breeders are breeding varieties whose fruit buds are not afraid of a slight drop in temperature. You should pay attention to them.
- Self-fertility or self-pollination is an indispensable feature of a fruit tree. In this case, the tree will not need pollinators; it can pollinate itself.
The best varieties are those that have all the listed characteristics.
Winter-hardy
An important indicator of the variety that affects yield. The better the cherries survive the winter, the more abundant the harvest will be. Unstable weather in winter has a detrimental effect on the general condition of the tree. It may die as a result. The summer resident will not only not receive a harvest, but will also lose the plant.
The higher the degree of stability, the better. This indicator is one of the most important.
This category of varieties includes:
- And it perfectly resists frost. The fruits are large, red in color, sweet in taste and have a high tasting rating.
- Gronkavaya, in addition to a high degree of frost resistance, has a number of other advantages, thanks to which summer residents choose it for planting. The taste of the berries is sweet and sour. Cherries are used for any processing method. It is necessary to grow other pollinating varieties in the vicinity.
- Red hill. Resistant to low temperatures, large-fruited and unpretentious. Care requires the formation of a crown and the cultivation of pollinators nearby, since it itself is sterile.
- Ovstuzhenka. Partially self-fertile, winter-hardy cherry with fruits of standard taste characteristics. Ripens early, the fruits are harvested almost simultaneously.
- Veda. A productive frost-resistant cherry variety, the fruits are large, the weight reaches 5 g. It is unpretentious in care, does not tolerate drafts and strong winds.
- Odrinka. The fruits of this cherry are dark, almost black, and have a dessert purpose. But they are also used for processing. Weight reaches 7.5 g. Winters well and produces a bountiful harvest.
- Rhubarb is partially self-fertile; gardeners grow other types of cherries together with it, this helps increase productivity. The fruits are large and very tasty. Used in cooking.
There are many winter-hardy varieties, but to get an excellent harvest, it is recommended to pay attention to other, no less important criteria.
Yellow-fruited
Such varieties of cherries are preferred by those gardeners who do not want to pay much attention to tree care. Often these varieties of cherries are more unpretentious than red-fruited ones. In addition, they have one important property: they do not attract birds at all.
List of yellow-fruited varieties:
- Drogana Yellow. The variety was bred a long time ago, and over the years its positive reputation has only strengthened. Summer residents love it for its unpretentiousness and consistently high fruiting, regardless of weather conditions. The weight of the fruit reaches 8 g. The taste is sweet, for this reason it is consumed only fresh. Berries do not tolerate transportation well. The harvest volume is 30 kg per tree. The immunity is stable, the tree is not susceptible to fungal diseases.
- Leningradskaya Yellow. The berries weigh 3.5 g and taste sweet. The average harvest volume is 15 kg per tree. Unpretentious in care, cherries become a favorite in any area.
- Orlovskaya Amber. Average weight 5.5 g. Dessert purpose, as it has a sweet taste and loose pulp. With proper care and compliance with agrotechnical requirements, up to 35 kg of berries are harvested from one tree.
- Homestead Yellow. A popular variety among summer residents. It captivates with its unpretentiousness, harvest volumes and field health. The taste is sweet and sour, the fruits ripen at the same time. Up to 15 kg of berries are obtained from the tree.
Yellow-fruited cherries are very tasty. It requires minimal care, and its benefits are no less than those of other varieties.
Stunted and dwarf
Low varieties of cherries are suitable for growing in the middle zone for the reason that due to bad weather the tree is unable to form both fruits and a crown. Therefore, it throws all its energy into growing green mass, forgetting about the harvest. This problem will not arise with dwarf and low-growing varieties.
In addition, such trees are easier to harvest and care for. The height of such trees does not exceed 2-3 m. The shape of the crown is cylindrical. The tree itself consists of a main trunk and short skeletal branches.
The disadvantage of such cherries is that they are more demanding in terms of planting location and care.
Dwarf trees have a crown of medium density, so the fruits receive enough light and oxygen. A summer resident must weigh the pros and cons before deciding to grow such varieties.
Self-fertile and precocious
The variety of varieties of cherries allows the summer resident to choose the type that suits the needs of the family. Self-fertile cherries are in demand among those summer residents who do not have the opportunity to grow several varieties. Such cherries do not need additional pollinators. Self-pollinating varieties:
- Homestead Yellow;
- Bereket;
- Goryanka;
- Tyutchevka;
- Danna;
- Dolores;
- Pridonskaya.
There are few varieties capable of self-pollination, but they exist. The summer resident must carefully study the characteristics of the variety, then decide which one is suitable for him.
Early-ripening varieties are cherries that ripen quickly. Basically, trees produce their first harvest in the 5th year of life, but there are also varieties that are capable of producing their first harvest already in the 3rd year after planting in a permanent place.
Sweet
Most varieties of cherries have a sweet taste, so almost all types fall into this category. Some of them ripen quite late, but the gardener himself decides which characteristics of the variety are most suitable for him.
Timing and methods of planting a tree
It is not difficult to grow cherries on the site; it is necessary to observe the peculiarities and subtleties of planting plants on the site. And then the tree will reward you with a high, stable harvest.
We plant in the spring, some gardeners say; it’s better in the fall, others answer. The decision-making remains with the summer resident.Taking into account the climatic features of the middle zone, You can plant cherries in the spring, and in the fall. But until a certain time. Plant in spring before buds appear, in autumn until early October.
Tree planting methods:
- the longest of the stones;
- layering;
- shoots;
- vaccination.
The method of growing a fruit tree depends on the summer resident and his desires. The simplest method is to plant shoots, the most difficult is to vaccinate.
Cherry care
Half the success depends on how well the gardener cares. Standard agrotechnical requirements must be met:
- fertilizers;
- glaze;
- loosening;
- weeding;
- mulching.
Following these techniques will help you achieve positive results.
Feeding and watering
It is necessary to care for cherries from the first days after planting. The tree needs moisture. Water once every 10 days in dry weather and 2-3 times a month in wet weather.
Fertilizing is carried out immediately after planting. Organic matter and mineral fertilizers are added to the soil for backfilling. This will be enough for the first year. Then, in subsequent years, organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers are applied 2-3 times per season.
The ripening of fruits requires effort on the part of the tree, so it is recommended to fertilize the plants at this time. Use organic matter or nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Crown formation
Each variety deals with this differently. Columnar and tall varieties especially need formation. It is recommended to limit their growth. Therefore, formative pruning is done every spring and autumn.
Diseases and pests and their control
There are varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases. Such trees are not processed.For prevention, it is recommended to spray every spring; this will help the cherries fight pathogens.
Insects that do not mind eating fruits and other parts of the tree must also be destroyed. Traps with sweet contents are prepared for them, and then they are destroyed.
Preparing cherries for wintering
To ensure that the tree does not die and continues to produce crops, it is necessary to properly prepare for winter. Feed with complex fertilizers, then wrap if the variety is not winter-hardy. And the tree will calmly endure the harsh winter of central Russia.
Growing cherries is a simple process. By following the recommendations of experienced summer residents, they get a high harvest.
