Cherry trees are frequent “inhabitants” of suburban areas. The secret of their popularity among our gardeners is their unpretentiousness and good harvest. To receive it every year, you need to surround the trees with care. Caring for cherries requires knowledge of the characteristics of its physiology and biochemical processes. Measures to increase fertility begin from the moment of planting and are carried out at a certain time.
What does complete tree care include?
Caring for cherry trees is easy even for novice gardeners. The main activities that must be carried out annually in the garden where cherries grow are regular and moderately abundant watering of the trees, pruning them and protecting them from diseases and pests, as well as removing weeds and adding nutrients to the soil.
To achieve good fertility indicators, you need to know about the intricacies of care that old and young plants require, as well as in which months it is better to carry out certain activities.
Watering
Cherry trees are especially in dire need of regular watering in the first years after planting in the country. It is believed that in one season the plant should be watered on average 12 times. In this case, you should focus on weather conditions and, depending on them, increase or decrease the frequency of irrigation.
After the calendar year has passed, the first watering should be done after the tree has flowered, the second - at the time of filling the berries.
The amount of moisture should be such that the soil is moistened to a depth of approximately 40 centimeters. To water each tree, about 3 to 6 buckets of water are required. To determine exactly how many times you need to water the plants, you will have to take into account the amount of natural precipitation.
In autumn, after the leaves fall, pre-winter watering is carried out, during which the soil is shed to a depth of 80 centimeters. Thanks to this moisture, the root system prepares for a successful winter, and the soil does not freeze as quickly as dry soil.
Top dressing
To reap a good harvest from a cherry tree, it must be fed regularly. Like other green inhabitants in the garden, these plants need mineral and organic fertilizers.
Fertilization work begins in early spring, even before the flowers bloom on the tree.Urea or calcium nitrate is used as a top dressing. 60 grams of urea or 2 tablespoons of saltpeter are scattered over the entire surface of the tree trunk circle, then the soil is loosened. Such procedures are correct and favorable for growth and flowering.
When the flowers appear, it is time to apply nitrogen and organic fertilizers, such as bird droppings or cow manure. After flowering is complete, cherries can be sprayed with urea. To do this, 40 grams are diluted in 10 liters of water. Such spraying helps preserve the ovaries and improves the nutrition of the trees.
Trimming
Pruning helps make cherry trees grow more vigorously. The first time this procedure is carried out after swollen buds appear on the tree. If you miss this moment, it is better to cancel pruning altogether so as not to injure the plant. In the spring, first of all, frozen shoots are removed. After this, the sections should be processed.
Shoots less than 40 centimeters long do not need pruning. To prevent the crown from being too thick, it is enough to eliminate competing branches, as well as get rid of shoots directed vertically. Crown-forming pruning can be done in the summer months, after picking the berries.
Pest treatment
Cherries, like most other members of the Rose family, are susceptible to many diseases. Most often, the tree is affected by fungal and bacterial diseases. Therefore, care involves regular use of insecticidal and fungicidal drugs.
The basic rules for preventing cherry diseases are:
- whitewashing trunks in spring;
- several treatments to protect against diseases during the season;
- compliance with sanitary standards.
Seasonal nuances
Cherry trees need to be cared for, starting from the moment of planting.At the same time, the nature of the work changes during the season. Each period has its own subtleties.
Spring
Cherry care activities carried out in the spring help to obtain a rich harvest. During this period, trees are pruned, getting rid of:
- dried or frozen branches;
- shoots that are too long;
- parts damaged by pests and diseases.
In March, cherry trunks must be bleached and wounds on the bark treated with copper sulfate. This creates protection against parasites and damage to the bark.
In the tree trunk circle, you should remove dried grass and dig up the soil so that the root system receives oxygen. And finally, an essential part of spring care is the application of fertilizers.
Summer
The peculiarities of summer care are related to the fact that at this time the berries ripen and gardeners harvest. Trees of early varieties bear fruit already in June, while other representatives of the species produce a harvest in July. In the same month and in August, the time of highest solar activity begins. Therefore, plants experience an increased need for moisture. They need to be irrigated regularly.
In addition, to prevent the soil from drying out, gardeners resort to mulching. This prevents moisture evaporation and also prevents infection by various diseases and pests.
Autumn
Autumn is the time when cherries need to be prepared for winter. Caring for it consists of pruning and feeding, disease prevention.
Pruning can be done before the first frost. But only after the tree enters a dormant period. It is aimed at removing dry or diseased shoots. All cuts, cracks and wounds should be treated. The soil in the tree trunk circle must be cleaned and loosened.During these activities, you can enrich it with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. To protect against rodents, trunks can be whitened.
Features of care
The nuances of proper cherry care take into account not only the condition of the tree and weather conditions in a particular region, but also the age of the plant.
For young seedlings
In the first year after planting, seedlings need careful watering. In hot months, each cherry needs 5-6 buckets of water. In addition, plants require protection from pests. Their bark is very thin; it cannot serve as reliable protection against harmful insects.
For prevention purposes in spring and summer, cherries should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate.
Fruiting cherry
In order to get rich harvests of berries from a fruit-bearing tree, during the period of their formation you must adhere to the following care tips:
- in rainy spring, spray the cherries with a solution of water and honey - this will help attract insects to the garden plot;
- during drought, it is necessary to provide the cherries with a large amount of moisture;
- monitor the acidity of the soil to preserve the ovaries;
- after the harvest is completed, at the end of September, water the cherries generously, pouring 8-10 buckets of water into the circle around the trunk;
- In autumn, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers should be applied;
- it is necessary to monitor the condition of the crown, thinning it from time to time;
- during the growing season, prevent the proliferation of pests.
When harvesting fruit-bearing cherries, it is worth remembering that the picked berries do not ripen and remain sour and tasteless.
old tree
Caring for old cherry trees includes peeling, burning dead bark, whitewashing, and pruning branches. The age of the cherry is indicated by the appearance of sprouting basal shoots.The more intensively they grow, the lower the plant's viability becomes. This growth must be removed regularly. Diseased, dried out and damaged branches should also be disposed of.
How to prepare a tree for winter
Cherry is a frost-resistant plant. Nevertheless, in most regions it needs protection from frost. You need to prepare for winter in advance. To do this, in the fall the ground around the trunk can be covered with straw or sawdust. This will protect the root system from freezing. Pre-winter spillage of soil serves the same purpose. After it, the soil is mulched with peat or manure.
Experienced gardeners recommend, on the eve of winter cold, to “wrap” the trunks of young cherries with pine spruce branches.
The cuts and wounds remaining after pruning should be treated with garden varnish. And woven materials can be used to protect trunks. This prevents rodents and other animals from damaging the bark. Knowing the basic rules of care and their timely application will allow you to enjoy the pinkish caps of cherry blossoms in your own garden in the spring and the harvest of fragrant berries in the summer.
