Breeders of the Oryol region, in memory of their fellow countryman, the famous writer, bred one of the best and unpretentious varieties of cherries, Turgenevka. This time-tested garden crop has been pleasing gardeners with its abundant harvests for more than 40 years. Those who live in regions with a cold climate should choose a varietal type of cherry. For the central, northwestern regions, this is the best option for stone fruit crops.
Description of the Turgenevka cherry variety
Turgenevka was obtained by selecting the Zhukovsky variety using the open pollination method.The selection of seedlings was carried out in such a way as to produce a cherry bush capable of:
- reach a height of 3 meters;
- ripen in the first half of July;
- partially self-pollinate;
- withstand low temperatures;
- be resistant to some fungal infections.
The description of the variety is complemented by the fact that cherries increase their yield as they grow, starting from the 4-5th year of life. The duration of fruiting reaches 20 years until the tree grows old. Then it is necessary to replace it with a new shoot.
Characteristics of the tree and fruits
Turgenevka cherry belongs to the tree type. It has a dense crown resembling an inverted pyramid. Straight branches and trunk are covered with brown bark with a grayish coating. The shiny leaf blades have the shape of a narrow oval and are dark green in color. The tops of the leaves are strongly pointed, and jagged edges are cut out.
A special feature is that the leaves of the Turgenevka cherry are folded in a boat.
In May, the tree blooms, covering the crown with a white fragrant cloud. Each inflorescence has 4 flowers, the cups of which look like miniature glasses. The stigmas of the pistils and stamens are located at the same level, so some of the flowers are self-pollinating.
To increase productivity, pollinators of such varieties as Cherry Youth, Lyubskaya, Favorite. Thanks to this proximity, the shoots of Turgenevka will burst with an abundance of fruits, which:
- weigh up to 5 grams;
- about 2 centimeters in diameter;
- juicy and with dense pulp;
- contain up to 11% sugars, 1.5% acids;
- bright dark red tone;
- have a rich sweet and sour taste;
- inside they have a cream-colored bone, weighing up to 0.4 grams;
- used for preparing canned juice, compotes, and jam.
Up to 20-25 kilograms of berries are harvested from one mature tree. Even with technical ripeness, the fruits do not fall to the ground, but wither, gaining more sweetness.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of choosing the Turgenevka variety for growing in the garden include the fact that cherries:
- survives at temperatures below 35 degrees below zero;
- exhibits average resistance to drought;
- partially self-pollinates;
- pleases with harvests of large berries at a young age - 12 kilograms per tree, in adulthood - 2 times more;
- is not affected by diseases and pests when carrying out preventive measures.
The disadvantages of the variety are that the cherry fruits are sour in taste and are rarely used for fresh consumption. In addition, Turgenevka is not characterized by early fruiting; the harvest must wait 4-5 years after planting the tree.
Features of cultivation
The yield of cherries is affected by compliance with the timing and rules of planting. The age and quality of the planting material and the place chosen for the Turgenevka cherry in the garden play a big role.
Selection of seedlings
If the choice fell on the Turgenevka variety, then you need to plant a cherry tree in the garden that has:
- age 2 years;
- height 50-60 centimeters;
- strong root system 12-15 centimeters long;
- shoots are clean, without damage, rot, or cracks.
Before planting, it is necessary to keep the seedling in water for 3 hours. You can soak the roots with the Cornerost nutrient mixture by adding it to the water.
A quality cherry seedling is characterized by the presence of bright foliage on straight shoots.
Choosing a landing site
It is better to plant Turgenevka cherries in well-lit areas that are protected from wind and drafts.In lowlands and places where the ground constantly accumulates moisture or the soil is swampy, there is no need to plant cherry trees. The suitable soil substrate for stone fruit is loam or sandy loam soil, loose, with good permeability for water and air.
Soil acidity for cherries is required in the range of 6-6.5. On acidic soils, liming is carried out by adding slaked lime or dolomite flour.
In advance, the area for planting cherries is fertilized with humus, 2-3 buckets per 1 square meter. Poor soils are supplied with superphosphate and potassium salt. They are added before preparing the planting holes.
Planting stages
The Turgenevka cherry variety is planted in autumn or spring in several stages.
First, they begin to prepare pits for seedlings. Their width ranges from 50 to 70 centimeters, depth - more than 40. You can prepare holes for spring planting in the fall before the snowfall begins.
A few days before planting, the pits are filled with humus. Then add 30 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of potassium salt. You can replace mineral fertilizers with wood ash. All components of the nutrient mixture must be mixed with soil.
On the day of planting, a mound is poured in the center of the hole and the seedling is installed. Holding the bush with one hand, cover the roots with soil. Lightly shake the seedling so that the clods of earth are distributed evenly inside the cherry root system.
When planting takes place, it is necessary to compact the soil around the trunk. They begin to press from the edges of the tree trunk circle to the trunk of the seedling.
At the end, water the cherries generously; each bush needs up to 3 buckets of water. All that remains is to sprinkle a layer of mulch around the tree. This will help keep the soil moist for a long time.It is important not to place mulch near the tree trunk to prevent it from rotting.
Care
It is not difficult to care for the Turgenevka variety. You just need:
- water during dry periods 5-6 times per season, especially during the period of flowering and fruiting of the crop;
- feed with nitrogenous fertilizers in the spring, and mineral, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the fall;
- loosen the trunk circle shallowly so as not to damage the roots;
- trim damaged branches in the spring, sick and old shoots in the fall, and mulch the tree trunk circle before the onset of cold weather.
Care before winter consists of protecting young trees with spruce branches. They save from spring frosts by laying out heaps of plant residues in the garden between trees, with manure on top. The piles are set on fire when the temperature drops to 2 degrees above zero. It is necessary that the smoke envelops the crown of the cherries during the night and 2-3 hours after dawn.
Diseases and pests
Dangerous diseases of the Turgenevka cherry include:
- Moniliosis. The disease affects branches and leaves, which dry out completely.
- Coccomycosis. Brown spots on the leaves then turn into extensive pinkish coatings. Fungal spores hide in them.
- Rust. It affects leaves and fruits, which become stained, rotten, and fall off.
- Anthracnose. It appears as lesions on leaves and fruits.
You can get rid of a fungal infection with solutions of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture. These same drugs are prophylactic agents against diseases of horticultural crops.
Among the pests in cherry plantings, aphids often appear. It can be detected by colonies on the lower surface of leaves. Cherry fly larvae feed on the pulp of dark red berries. As a result, the fruits fall off the branches prematurely and rot.
The codling moth larvae are also dangerous to the crop.They overwinter in dense white cocoons under lumps of earth, and in the spring a butterfly flies out, causing damage to garden crops. Experienced gardeners set traps for the pest by hanging containers filled with a mixture of water and kerosene. At night, light bulbs are lit above the bucket, and the moth moths fall into the liquid and die.
Cherry elephant, a long-nosed beetle of golden-red color, harms trees by feeding on the buds and ovaries of fruits. Pests must be controlled by spraying insecticides such as “Aktara” and “Iskra”.
To prevent diseases and pest attacks, you need to promptly clear the garden area of plant debris and burn the remains of branches, leaves and fruits that have fallen to the ground. It is necessary to dig up the soil in the spring to destroy pests and their larvae that have overwintered in the soil. Whitewashing the cherry trunk will protect both from the burns of the winter sun and from pathogenic microorganisms.
