Cherry: planting and care, pruning and grafting. Tree care

At the end of May and beginning of June, the cherry season begins on store shelves and at market traders. It is loved for its juicy pulp and pleasant sweet taste. Compotes, juices, wine, jams, marmalade and preserves are prepared from cherries, but the fruits are best consumed in fresh. In addition to the amazing subtle taste and aroma, nature has endowed cherries with a mass of useful substances, vitamins and microelements, including iron, iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium and others.

For another couple of decades, cherry was considered a tree of warm regions. Its natural range includes western Asia, Ukraine, northern Africa, European countries with a temperate climate, as well as the Caucasus. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, it has now been bred a large number of varietal crops with high winter hardiness that can withstand frosts down to -30°C. If a tree freezes slightly in the winter cold, it then quickly recovers. This allows you to successfully grow the crop and harvest a good harvest in the regions of the middle zone, in the Leningrad region and the Moscow region.

Having decided to grow this fruit tree in your garden or summer cottage, you should learn how to plant cherries and how to properly care for them.

Following the basic rules for growing this crop will help you avoid mistakes and wait for a generous harvest of juicy, aromatic fruits.

Time and place of planting, selection of seedlings

First you need to decide when to plant cherries. Gardeners recommend doing this in early spring until the buds swell. In the southern regions, it is possible to plant cherries in the fall 2-3 weeks before the soil freezes. Therefore, when it is better to plant cherries, each summer resident determines independently based on his capabilities and region of residence.

The choice of location must be approached responsibly, since cherries grow best where the site meets the following requirements:

Important! The cherry tree is self-sterile, so a single planted tree will not produce the expected harvest. In order for the tree to bear fruit well, it is also necessary to plant cherries next to it, the flowering dates of which coincide, so that they act as a pollinator.

In addition, the cherry tree, a close relative of the sweet cherry, can also be suitable as a pollinating neighbor.

How to grow cherries on your site? To do this you need to choose a quality planting material. You can buy seedlings at a garden center, online store or local nursery, with the third option being preferable. Seedlings sold in nurseries are zoned and are perfect for growing in the conditions of a given region.

When choosing a seedling, you need to consider several factors:

Before boarding open ground The seedling will have to be additionally prepared - cut out dry and damaged roots and place it in a container of a suitable size filled with water for 2 hours. If root system dried, the swelling time should be increased to 8-10 hours.

Landing

Regardless of the time of planting - spring or autumn - the planting hole is dug in advance. At spring planting this is done on the eve of winter, when planting in the fall - 2 weeks in advance. Optimal size landing pit 0.8x0.8 m, depth 0.6-0.8 m.

The soil is mixed with humus (1-2 buckets) and wood ash (1 kg). When laying a planting hole in sandy soil, add 1-2 buckets of clay, clay soil– the same amount of river coarse sand.

In the spring, 0.2-0.3 kg of superphosphate is added to the prepared hole and mixed with soil. Be diligent with mineral fertilizers it is not worth it, otherwise the plant will form strong growths that will not ripen before winter and will freeze out.

How to plant cherries correctly in order to get the first harvest in 2-3 years? The procedure is not very different from planting other tree species, but has its own nuances:

Knowing how to plant cherries, this is not difficult to implement. But growing cherries, like any other crop, does not end with planting.

Care and feeding

Caring for cherries includes traditional gardening work:

Caring for cherries should not end when the fruits ripen. After harvesting, it is also necessary to take care of the tree - monitor its health, combat diseases and pests at the first signs of damage. Insecticidal or fungicidal preparations will help with this - when the berries are removed from the tree, chemical substances are not capable of harming human health.

How to care for cherries in order to get a strong and abundantly fruiting tree? Any gardener will answer that this matter cannot be done without fertilizing.

Fruit trees are quickly depleted fertile soil. To replenish the supply of nutrients, you need to regularly apply fertilizers. The fertilizer application scheme can be divided into several stages:

Do not neglect the advice of specialists, because additional addition of mineral and organic matter will give the cherry the strength to grow.

Planting and caring for cherries is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. It is enough to buy a zoned seedling, choose the optimal place for it, plant it in accordance with the recommendations and care for it as you would for others. garden trees. In 2-3 years, young cherries will delight you with the first harvest of sweet and juicy berries, the number of which will increase from year to year. But to do this, you need to plant not one, but 2-3 trees on the site at once with flowering in the same period.

Every third summer resident has cherries on his plot. But planting cherries, its closest relative, is much less popular, although many people like its juicy and sweet berries. The reason for this is the established opinion about the exceptional thermophilic nature of the culture. For a long time it was true: trees bore fruit generously only in southern gardens.

Summer residents whose plots are located in middle lane, do not dare to grow cherries, considering this activity unpromising due to the high risk of its freezing. But not all crop varieties are susceptible to it. Its zoned varieties are successfully cultivated in the cold climate of the Leningrad region, in the Urals and even in the gardens of Siberia.

Site requirements

Cherry loves the sun and does not tolerate drafts. It is better to place its seedlings in an area that is maximally illuminated and not blown by cold winds. The tree will be comfortable near a fence or near the southern walls of buildings. But tall varieties of cherries have a spreading crown, so it is important to leave them enough free space to develop. A hole for the seedling is dug at a distance of at least 3-4 m from the building.

Trees grow best on small (up to 0.5 m in height) hills that can be artificially landscaped, and in areas slightly inclined towards the south, southwest or southeast.

Here they do not experience a lack of light and warmth. You should not plant cherries in lowlands and in places where water stagnates for a long time in the spring. In such conditions, trees quickly die. Cherry roots are deep (up to 2 m long), and some of them are located vertically in the soil, so they are in close proximity groundwater she can't stand it.

The crop grows and bears fruit well in loose soil. Light and fertile sandy loam or loamy soils are ideal for it. They should be fairly moist, but not waterlogged. On peat bogs, in heavy clay soil, on quickly drying sand with a meager supply of nutrients, planting cherries will not be successful.

Dates and planting scheme

The timing of placing trees on a site depends on the climate of the area. In the southern regions it is more often practiced autumn planting, doing it several weeks before the soil freezes. In Siberia and the Urals, it is better to postpone the procedure until spring. If the seedling does not have time to take root, severe frosts will destroy it.

Cherry is a cross-pollinated crop. It will bear fruit abundantly only if there are neighbors. It is recommended to plant 2-3 trees on the site, representing different varieties of crops. You can get by with just one, but only if you place a couple of cherries with the same flowering time next to the cherries. This guide also applies to partially self-fertile varieties.

Leave 4-5 m of free space between neighboring trees. Saving space is not here the best option. When planted closer, the trees will shade each other. Caring for them will also become more difficult. If the cherry tree is columnar, the distance between plants is reduced to 1 m. When planting such trees in rows, the interval between them should be 2-3 m.

Pit preparation

When planting cherries in the fall, the site is prepared 2-3 weeks before the procedure. The soil is dug deep and enriched with fertilizers:

compost (10 kg);
superphosphate (180 g);
potassium nitrate (100 g).

These dosages are calculated for 1 m² of surface area. You can add a special complex preparation intended for cherries and cherries to the soil. Soil with an acidic reaction is limed. It is recommended to do this in advance - 7-10 days before adding nutrients. Clay or sandy soil for growing cherries is prepared over several years. The first is dug up, scattering sand over the surface of the site, clay is added to the second. In the next 3-4 years, fertilizers are added to the soil. This can be done in spring or autumn.

The planting hole is dug 2 weeks before the tree is placed in it. It should be deep (60-80 cm) and wide (1 m). A support is installed in the center. Correctly, if it rises 30-50 cm above the ground surface. Fertile soil is poured into the bottom of the hole, adding the following components to it:

rotted compost;
superphosphate;
potassium sulfate;
wood ash.

The thoroughly mixed substrate should form a small mound around the support.

Adding nitrogen-containing compounds and lime into the planting hole can cause burns to the roots of the seedling; at this stage it is better to do without them.

After lightly compacting the soil mixture, sprinkle it with infertile soil on top. Having leveled it well, pour a couple of buckets of water into the hole, after which they forget about it for 2 weeks. During this time the soil will settle.

If cherries are planted in the spring, the plot and pit are prepared in the fall. Humus or compost is added to the soil. It is recommended to do this from October to November, depending on weather conditions. In the spring, when the snow has melted and the soil has dried out slightly, mineral fertilizers, including nitrogen, can be added to the pits. They begin placing seedlings in them within a week.

Selection of seedlings

Cherry seedlings take root best when they are 1-2 years old. The height of the former should reach 70-80 cm, the latter – 1 m.

When choosing a seedling, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

characteristics of the crop variety (winter hardiness, immunity to diseases and pests);
appearance young tree.

A high-quality seedling must be grafted. This indicates that he belongs to varietal plants. Such a tree begins to bear fruit earlier, and its berries will taste better.

It is worth choosing a seedling that has many branches. It will be easier to give the correct shape to its crown. The tree must have a well-developed and straight conductor. Young cherries grow quickly. If the conductor is weak, stronger branches will compete with it. The presence of several guides is extremely undesirable: if there are too many berries on a tree, it may break between them, and the cherry will die.

The roots of the seedling are also carefully examined. There should be no dry or damaged areas on them. U viable seedling The root system is developed and strong. If it is open, after purchase it is placed in a damp cloth and wrapped with oilcloth (polyethylene) on top. This will protect the roots from drying out. Leaves are immediately removed from the branches of the seedling to prevent dehydration.

Buy a seedling better in autumn. At this time, the range of varieties in nurseries is the widest. For the winter, the tree is dug in, and in the spring (April) it is planted in a permanent place. You can do this directly into the dirt. There is no point in delaying planting cherries. It is important to carry it out while the buds on the tree have not yet awakened. This way it will take root faster. Seedlings growing in containers can be planted in May and even June.

How to plant cherries

Before being placed in the planting hole, the cherry roots are carefully inspected again. Diseased and injured areas are cut out. You can shorten shoots that are too long if they do not fit into the prepared pit. Then underground part young cherries are dipped in a bucket of water, where they are kept for 2 to 10 hours, depending on the degree of dryness of its roots. Planting begins when they swell.

The tree is placed in a hole so that its root collar protrudes from it by 5-7 cm. Carefully spreading its roots over the mound, they are sprinkled with infertile soil taken from the bottom of the hole. This should be done gradually, lightly shaking the cherry by the trunk from time to time. This way, there will be no air-filled cavities near its roots.

Having completely filled the hole, pour 1 bucket of water into it. When it is absorbed and the soil settles, the tree trunk circle is well compacted. A hole with a radius of 30 cm is made around the tree, fencing it from the outside with a rampart of soil. WITH inside A shallow (5 cm) furrow is made near it and watered well again. As the soil settles in the tree trunk circle, it will have to be added. The final stage is mulching the surface of the hole. Peat or humus is usually used for it.

If the buds on the tree have not yet begun to bloom, it is pruned after planting. 2-3 skeletal branches are left on the cherry tree, and the rest are removed into a ring. This should be done flush with the trunk so that there are no stumps left. The wounds are covered with garden varnish. When placing a cherry tree on the site that has already begun to flow sap, pruning its crown is postponed until next year.

Feeding and watering

For summer residents who already have a garden fruit trees, caring for cherries will seem familiar. It includes the usual activities:

watering;
loosening the soil;
weeding;
removal of root shoots;
feeding;

If cherries are planted correctly, the need to re-apply potassium-phosphorus compounds to the soil will arise only after 3 years. They begin to feed the tree with nitrogen fertilizers earlier, when they enter their second year of life on the site. They are applied in dry form in the spring, as soon as it gets warmer. At the end of May, fertilizing is repeated, but in liquid form. When the tree is 4 years old, the soil under it is enriched with phosphorus, potassium and other microelements. Compositions containing them are applied in mid-summer.

As autumn approaches, trees are watered organic fertilizers– mullein or bird droppings dissolved in water. The last time during the season the cherries are fed before winter - in September-October. Here they focus on the appearance of the trees: if the leaves turn yellow and begin to fly off, the time has come to add nutrients. They are embedded in the soil during the digging process, going 10 cm into the soil.

Carefully monitor the cleanliness of the soil under and between the trees. When loosening, you need to treat an 8-10 cm layer of soil. This care is repeated 3-5 times per season. It is advisable to carry it out the next day after each watering or rain. It is convenient to use a garden hoe or cultivator for loosening.

During the growing season, cherries need at least 3 waterings:

before flowering;
in midsummer, especially if it is dry;
in the fall, simultaneously with the last feeding.

Before the procedure, it is recommended to loosen the soil under the trees, and after it, mulch. Autumn watering is required. It should be abundant so that the water saturates the soil to 70-80 cm. This will protect the cherries from freezing. Cold-resistant crop varieties do not tolerate drought well. In extreme heat, such cherries often dry out. Having discovered such symptoms, you cannot hesitate, otherwise you will not be able to save the tree. Regular and abundant watering will help it withstand adverse weather conditions.

Crown formation

Gardeners have the most questions about pruning cherries. Professional guidance will help you do it correctly and as painlessly as possible for the tree. Whatever the purpose - sanitary or formative - pruning is pursued, it is better to do it in early spring, before sap flow has yet begun. In summer and autumn, you can continue what you started, getting rid of shoots that thicken the crown and pinching the tops of improperly growing branches. Root shoots are removed throughout growing season so that it does not draw strength from the tree.

Annual pruning of cherries allows you to:

increase its productivity;
improve the quality of berries;
prevent the development of diseases;
increase the lifespan of a tree.

In the gardens of Siberia, cherries are shaped into bushes. This makes it easier for the tree to withstand harsh winters. The optimal number of trunks is 3-5. The top of an annual seedling is shortened above the 5-6 bud. This pruning stimulates the development of lower lateral branches. Cherries are naturally prone to tillering. If you do not get rid of the strong shoots growing above the graft, it itself will quickly acquire the desired appearance.

A young tree is formed during the first 5-6 years. During this time, you need to lay several tiers (usually 3). In the future, pruning is carried out for sanitary purposes. The height of the tree is maintained within 3-3.5 m, and the length of its skeletal branches is maintained at 4 m. Chopping the berries and forming ovaries only on the periphery of the crown indicates the need for anti-aging pruning. It is carried out at the end of winter and beginning of spring.

Features of autumn care

With the arrival of autumn, it is necessary to take preventative measures against diseases and pests. Fallen leaves are raked and burned. Trees and the soil under them are sprayed with special preparations, their trunks are whitened to the level of the trunk. It is advisable to treat the bases of the skeletal branches as well.

When the trees are completely exposed, the last pruning of the season is carried out. In order for cherries to withstand frosts more easily, they are removed from weak, injured and improperly growing shoots. Annual shoots are cut to ⅓ length. Non-skeletal branches are shortened to 30 cm. At this time, it is better to use a saw instead of pruning shears. The remaining cuts heal faster. The procedure must be completed by the end of September. Late pruning is fraught with long-healing wounds, which will make it difficult for the tree to winter. Seedlings are subjected to it in the second year of life on the site. It is dangerous to prune younger trees before winter; it is better to postpone the procedure until spring.

A cherry tree damaged by frost dries out in the spring, and its trunk may become covered with cracks, through which infection can easily penetrate. To protect the seedlings, they are fenced with a kind of fence made of stakes and, after carefully pulling the branches together, they are placed under covering material.

With a competent approach to choosing a variety, growing cherries in orchards in the middle zone, the Urals and Siberia will not be difficult for their owners. If you care for it correctly, the tree lives on the site for a whole century, entering the fruiting period early. A recent seedling will bear its first berries in 5-6 years. Another 4-5 years will pass, and the harvests will be full. Watering, fertilizing and regular pruning of the tree will allow it not to reduce their volume until the end of its long life.

Starting from the end of May, the shelves of shops and market traders abound in everyone’s favorite cherries. It is loved for its pleasant sweet taste and juicy pulp.

Wine, marmalade, compotes, preserves, and jams are made from cherry berries. In addition to the sweet aroma and amazing subtle taste, nature has put a lot of useful substances and vitamins into cherries.

In terms of microelements, cherries are among the top five among garden plants. Cherries are rich vitamins And microelements:

Vitamins A, B, C, PP.
magnesium;
iron;
potassium;

Habitat

More recently, a couple of decades ago, cherries were considered tropical plant and grew only in warm areas. Natural habitat plants included Asia and Africa, as well as southern regions of Europe. In the Soviet Union, cherries grew in southern Ukraine, the Kuban and the Caucasus. The many years of efforts of breeders and botanists were not in vain. Currently, many starter crops with high frost resistance have been developed. These varieties can withstand frosts down to 33°C. And even in the event of freezing, the plant recovers very quickly, without consequences for yield. This allows you to grow cherries in the regions of the middle zone and have a good harvest.

If you decide to grow cherries at your dacha or personal plot. You should at least know how to care for it. After all, minimal compliance with the rules for growing cherries will allow you to expect a generous harvest in a year.

Selection of seedlings, place and time of planting

First, the gardener must know cherry planting time. Experts recommend planting in early spring, before the buds begin to swell. For the southern regions it is possible to plant a plant late autumn, a few weeks before the ground freezes.

Therefore, each gardener determines the planting time independently, depending on the region of residence and his capabilities.

The choice of planting site should be approached as responsibly as possible, since cherries bear fruit in areas where the soil meets the following requirements. Light loamy and sandy loam soils that are air- and moisture-permeable are ideal for planting seedlings. Soil acidity is minimal or close to neutral. The site should be flat or elevated; planting in lowlands where melt water stagnates is not recommended. Groundwater is no closer than 1.5-2 meters to the ground surface.

It is advisable to plant even winter-hardy varieties in a place protected from strong winds.

Cherry is very light-loving plant, the southeast or southwest area is best suited in relation to the buildings. This will ensure good lighting during the day. If you are planting several plants, do not forget to maintain a distance between trees (3–5 m).

At a young age, the tree grows very quickly, a large cone-shaped or ovoid crown is formed, which must receive sufficient light for good fruiting.

It is important to remember that cherries are self-sterile species. Therefore, a lonely tree will not give the expected result. For good fruiting, you should plant another cherry tree nearby, the flowering period of which coincides. This will provide an opportunity for the trees to pollinate each other. A close relative of the sweet cherry, the cherry tree is also suitable as a pollinating neighbor.

To grow cherries on your site, you should select high-quality planting material. Many garden centers, as well as online stores, sell a large number of seedlings different varieties. However, the most preferable option is to purchase seedlings from a nursery. The seedlings sold in nurseries are zoned and are perfectly suited to the growing conditions in your region. Gardeners recommend choosing a seedling following some rules:

Two-year-old seedlings are best suited for planting, as they will begin to bear fruit earlier.
Inspect the stem of the plant for signs of grafting. Grafted plants produce fruits with high taste qualities, and the plant begins to bear fruit earlier than usual.
Choose a seedling with big amount branches, it is easier to form a crown from it.
Leader or guide - choose straight and strong in good condition.
The roots of the plant should be without signs of dryness, well developed and without mechanical damage.
When transporting the seedling, wrap a wet cloth around the root system to retain moisture.

Landing

Before planting plants in open ground, the seedling must prepare. Dry and damaged roots must be cut off and the root placed in a container of a suitable size filled with water. The duration of such a bath is about 2 hours, but if the root system is dry, extend it to 8–10 hours.

The planting hole should be dug in advance, regardless of planting time.

When planting in spring, it is advisable to dig a hole in the fall, and when planting in autumn, 3 weeks in advance. The size of the planting hole is 0.85x0.85 m, depth 0.65–0.85 m. The bottom of the hole is filled with crushed brick or coarse sand to create good drainage. Next, a layer of soil is created mixed from clay and calcined river sand, thickness 5-10 cm.

It is also advisable to prepare the soil with which the hole is filled in advance. To do this, mix two buckets of humus or compost with a bucket of garden black soil. Add 1 kg of wood ash to the mixture.

When planting a tree in the spring, 300 g of superphosphate can be added to the hole. However, you should not be overzealous with mineral fertilizers, otherwise the cherries will form strong growths that will not have time to ripen before winter and will freeze. Let's start planting seedlings:

Pour soil mixture into the planting hole and form a planting mound.
Drive a support into the center of the mound so that it protrudes half a meter above the ground surface.
Place a seedling next to the peg.
Distribute the roots over the surface of the mound and lightly sprinkle with the prepared mixture.
Pour in a bucket of water.
Add the remaining soil to the roots and compact it.

When planting a seedling, carefully monitor the position of the root neck - it should be 5 cm above the ground level. The soil will settle later and the neck will become level. The soil around the young tree should be leveled and a roller should be formed at a distance of half a meter. Pour another bucket of water inside the tree trunk circle. Tie the seedling to a support, this will save it from the wind. The soil around the seedling should be mulched with humus, peat or mowed grass.

At this time, branched branches can be trimmed to form a crown.

Planting cherries, like any other crop, does not end the cultivation. Caring for cherries includes traditional gardening work.

Watering cherries is the most labor-intensive stage of caring for cherries. Plants need abundant watering, especially in spring during intensive growth of shoots and branches, as well as during fruit ripening. Depending on the amount of precipitation and weather conditions, plants are watered 5–10 times per season.

It should be remembered that excessive moisture can lead to cracking of the fruits during their ripening. Particularly moistening the soil around the plant is required in October, since it is necessary to provide moisture-replenishing watering to a depth of up to half a meter.

Loosening and weeding around the trunk is done as needed. It is more convenient to carry out the procedures after watering or rain. Gardeners advise mulching the tree trunk with organic materials to retain moisture and prevent weed growth.

Bird protection. Birds are the main competitor for humans in eating fruits. In some regions, cherries are called “bird cherries.”

A small flock of birds that has taken a fancy to a tree can leave a gardener without a harvest in a couple of hours. Therefore, care should be taken to preserve the fruits. From available materials, rustling bags, homemade turntables or CDs that repel birds can help. Stores sell ultrasonic and noise repellers, as well as agrofibre that transmits sunlight.

Modern types of winter-hardy cherry species can winter well in the middle zone. Therefore, depending on your region, select the desired variety that does not require shelter for the winter. If there is no excess fertilizer in the soil, the tree trunk area is mulched in time, and pre-winter preparatory watering is provided, then the tree will overwinter without any problems. For reliability, you can cover the young trees with burlap or tie them non-woven material. Do not forget to carry out high-quality pruning and proper care of the cherry tree in the spring.

Many gardeners make the mistake of finishing tree care after the fruits have ripened. Even after harvesting the fruits, the tree must be closely monitored to avoid diseases and pest invasions. After removing the berries from the tree, insecticidal preparations can be used to control insects.

Any gardener will tell you that fruit trees deplete the soil around the rhizome. To restore the supply of nutrients, it is necessary fertilize, and the procedure must be regular.

Experts divide the fertilizer application scheme into several stages:

Conclusion

Planting cherries is a simple process, and caring for a tree does not require much physical effort. It is enough to purchase a zoned seedling from the nursery, choose the optimal place for it, plant it in accordance with the instructions and recommendations, and also care for and feed it. If you know how to care for cherries, then within a year, in the spring, the young cherries planted by your hands will delight you with the first juicy and sweet berries. At proper care The tree's yield will only increase. Don't forget to plant a second tree that blooms at the same time for good pollination.

The very first taste of spring, a sweetness known since childhood. Naturally, we're talking about about the cherry - the sister of the cherry. It is also called sweet cherry. When choosing a seedling, gardeners are often interested in what year the cherry bears fruit after planting. This depends on the varietal characteristics of the crop.

Description of the tree

Cherries can grow in any garden, you just need to care for them properly. It is a tree of the Rosaceae family, a type of fruit called Berry, cultivated from the common cherry. The plant can be up to 30 m in height.

It feels great in the southern regions of the country, but there are also some cold-resistant varieties that can grow in the northern regions. This type of fruit tree is very difficult to tolerate spring frosts, since it produces the first buds very early and they can freeze. In this case, the entire season's harvest may be lost.

Fruit characteristics

Cherry fruits are much larger and sweeter than cherries. The berries are collected in bunches similar to a bouquet, are rarely capable of cracking, the surface is glossy, the color is rich (either yellow or red). The pulp is juicy, the juice is transparent. The riper the cherries, the sweeter they are. It is of great benefit to the human body and is very generous with:

vitamins;
iron;
amino acids;
magnesium;
calcium.

Fruiting dates

Cherries bear fruit 3-5 years after planting. Blooms in mid-April to early May (depending on variety). The first harvest can be harvested a month after flowering. This makes it very different from cherries, whose fruits appear much later. Cherry at favorable conditions can live up to 100 years. The harvest from one tree can reach 50 kg.

Depending on the variety, the yield reaches 50 kg per tree

Popular varieties and their yields

Breeders are constantly working to invent new varieties and types of cherries. Among them there are very early, cold-resistant, with very large fruits, or sweet, but small. The buyer chooses according to his taste.

We will consider the most popular varieties of cherries below in more detail.

Revna - tree small sizes, does not require special care. It bears very tasty fruits, they can be easily transported long distances, withstands frost and even frost. Average ripening period.
Vasilisa is an excellent mid-season variety. It has very large berries, their weight sometimes reaches 15 g. They have good taste, bright, uniform color, and juicy pulp. The tree can produce a harvest for up to 20 years.
Regina is a late variety. The berries are poured and ripened gradually, tasty, beautiful and appetizing to look at. Remarkably retains its integrity against fungi and garden pests, not afraid of cold weather, take care of fruit tree not difficult.
Yellow - the berries take a long time to ripen, but tolerate cold very well. Delicious sunny-colored berries attract many people. The taste is practically no different from red ones, but savoring them gives you aesthetic pleasure.
Ox's heart - the berries are large, burgundy, sweet. It produces an excellent harvest, resists frost, and is easily transported over long distances due to the strong skin of the berries.
Large-fruited - very large fruits of a dark red color. The tree is small and easy to plant. Tolerates the cold calmly. The harvest feels calm during transportation.
Cordia is distinguished by its remarkable taste, large (up to 10 g) berries, and their late ripening. You can make preparations for the winter from them. The fruits are well preserved, they can be transported over long distances, they do not rot or burst. No matter how much you transport them, they will remain intact and end up with a happy consumer.

Alternative varieties

In addition to those described above, there are other, no less popular varieties that deserve the attention of every gardener.

Tyutchevka is a tree with a wide crown and powerful branches. Late variety. Begins to produce the first fruits in the 3rd or 4th year. Medium sized berries. Excellent taste, aroma and presentation. It is easy to transport and sell this berry due to its excellent durability and transportability.
Italian is a self-fertile tree, which is quite rare among cherries. An early variety, they ripen quickly and take all the laurels of the first ripe berries in the new season. The berries are large. Not afraid of frost, viral and fungal diseases.
Fatezh - culture with large berries(weighing up to 6 g each), you can remove up to 50 kg of berries from one tree per season. Sweet cherries have a bright taste; the seed is easily removed from the berry. The tree first begins to bear fruit after 3-4 years of life. It tolerates cold and transportation well; cherries are resistant to many strains of bacteria and fungi.
Leningradskaya black - the tree begins to bear fruit after the 3rd year of growth permanent place with proper gardener care. Excellent taste and color of the berries, they are large and appetizing, bright burgundy in color. The pulp is juicy, sweet, there is a slight bitterness combined with the amazing aroma of ripe cherries. You can make compotes and jams from this type of cherry; they will not spoil or explode. Black cherries do not require special care or special conditions for growth.
Bakhor bears fruit every year without interruption. Withstands frost and disease. The harvest can be easily sold and not be afraid that it will burst or leak. You can roll up compotes and jams. It is easy to remove the pit from the pulp.

Fatezh - tolerates cold well and produces a large harvest

Conclusion

Cherry is a magnificent garden plant. Its fruits contain a lot of vitamins, which is very useful during the period of acute spring vitamin deficiency. The gardener can choose a variety to suit his taste, fortunately, there are now a lot of varieties: early ripening, medium, and late. You can select varieties of cherries such that fresh fruits will be present in the garden from the end of May to the end of July. They will just take turns singing. Having planted cherries in the spring, you should not expect a harvest the same year. Usually, cherries begin to bear fruit 3 or even 5 years after planting, so it is useful to be patient, feed, care for the tree and wait for a bountiful harvest.

Sweet cherries need a lot of sun, proximity to cherries or cherries of another variety, timely feeding and correct formation crowns

The landing site should be flat, level, with a high groundwater table and protected from piercing northern winds. Cherry does not like excess water at all, so lowlands and poorly aerated soils are not suitable for it.

This is a vigorous tree, so you need to plant cherries in such a way that the distance to the neighboring tree is at least 2 meters. Need a seedling immerse in a bucket of water for 6 hours. This is done so that the tree is saturated with moisture and regains its strength.

How to plant cherries

- The branches of the seedling are shortened by one third.

- The root system of the tree is highly developed, so we spare no effort in preparing the planting hole. A depth of 60 cm and a length of 80 cm would be ideal.

- Pour 2-3 buckets of humus into the bottom, add half a kilogram of superphosphate and a kilogram of ash (can be replaced with potassium sulfate in the amount of 120 grams).

- Mix everything thoroughly with the top fertile layer of soil.

- Form a small hill and place the seedling on it.

- Carefully straighten the roots and cover with soil.

- It is necessary to plant cherries so that the root collar is not buried.

- Water the tree and tie it to a stake.

Be careful with the dosage, since generous fertilizing of cherries can provoke too rapid growth of shoots, especially in the fall. It is better to feed cherries in the spring with complex mineral fertilizers, and in the fall the cherries are fertilized with superphosphate and potassium (ash).

Trimming

This vigorous tree requires annual restraining and formative pruning in the spring and sanitary pruning in the fall. Best form crowns for cherries– sparsely tiered. This is when the longest branches are at the bottom and the shortest at the top. In this case, the central conductor rises above the crown by at least 20 cm.

Convenient for harvesting cupped crown. This kind of pruning of cherries is carried out by shortening the central conductor and the upper branches. This way, the height of the tree will be low and you can get the berries without a stepladder.

The disadvantage of this method of pruning cherries is that you need to ensure that the crown does not thicken, and leave only those shoots that deviate from the skeletal branch by 45 degrees or more.

Before the buds open, the branches are shortened by 1/3 of their length, and all shoots growing into the middle of the crown must be removed. The quality and quantity of the harvest decreases with low illumination of the branches. Therefore, pruning cherries in the spring is mandatory; we recommend carefully thinning out the crown.

Spring care

Early care of cherry trees in spring begins with pruning branches as described above. Followed by feed cherries with nitrogen fertilizers. The tree reacts well to carbamide (urea).

The granules are scattered at a distance of half a meter from the tree trunk and watered generously. You can do this before it rains. Every year, the distance from the trunk where fertilizers are applied increases by 30 cm.

Fertilizer dosage for cherries

40 g per square meter for 1-3 year old trees.
120-150 g per square meter for 4-5 year olds.
150-200 g of urea + 200 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium salt for 5-10 year old cherries.

Many diseases and pests can be eliminated if spray cherries in spring with urea and fungicides. Before the buds open, use urea (500 g per 10 liters of water). It will also help delay the flowering of cherries, which will preserve the future harvest during return frosts.

Before flowering, you need to treat the cherry with a fungicide, such as Horus. And after flowering - 1% Bordeaux mixture according to the instructions.

Caring for cherries in autumn

Autumn feeding of cherries - adding superphosphate granules for deep digging at the rate of 60 g per square meter of crown projection and 0.5 kg of ash.

Gives a good effect organic feeding. It is recommended to add humus simultaneously with superphosphate (20-30 kg per tree). Important! Fertilizers for cherries are applied just before the frost so as not to stimulate shoot growth!

Sanitary pruning of cherries in the fall involves removing all broken, weak and diseased branches. Branches with an angle of 45 degrees or less must also be removed. They will break under the weight of the berries, so we remove them immediately. The cuts should be covered with garden varnish or acrylic paint.

Pre-winter moisture-recharging watering of cherries in the fall is necessary to increase winter hardiness and yield. IN October - early November 6-10 buckets of water are poured into the tree trunk circle so that the soil seeps moisture at least 50 cm.

After the leaves fall, be sure to spray the cherries and the tree trunk. 5% urea solution. A few days later - 3% Bordeaux mixture.

Rodent control: the cherry trunk is tied with spruce branches and burlap. A thick layer of mulch in the tree trunk circle will help protect the roots from freezing.

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