Content
Cherry Nadezhda (duke) is a hybrid of cherry and sweet cherry, obtained as a result of the selection work of specialists of the Rossoshan fruit and berry station. Since the mid-90s. of the last century, the duke variety Nadezhda participates in state variety testing in the territory of the Central Black Earth Region.
What does the cherry Nadezhda look like?
The tree of the cherry-cherry hybrid Nadezhda is distinguished by its tallness and wide spreading crown. The trunk is dark gray, almost black, with pronounced roughness and vertical cracking in young specimens.
Young shoots are green, with a brown tint, darken with age and acquire a reddish-brown color. The leaves are large, up to 12 cm long and about 5 cm wide, oval or ovoid, with a rounded base and a pointed tip. The outer surface is dark green, smooth, the inner has a lighter shade and slightly pubescent.
Cherry varieties Nadezhda form inflorescences of 2-3 large (up to 40 mm in diameter) flowers. The opened buds are snow-white, but by the end of flowering pink spots appear on the petals.
Cherry Nadezhda looks very picturesque during full bloom
This duke is best suited for cultivation in the Central and Southern regions of the country.
Height and dimensions of an adult tree
In an adult state, a tree of this variety is capable of reaching a height of 6 m. The crown is of medium density, wide-pyramidal or round, spreading. In adult specimens, its width can be 7 m.
Description of fruits
Description of the variety Duke Nadezhda contains the following characteristics of the fruit: cherries are large, rounded, slightly flattened on the sides. With a fruit size of 2.3-2.5 cm, its weight is 5.7-5.9 g.
The stone is small, in well-ripe berries it is easily separated from the pulp.
The skin is dense, dark red. The pulp is of the same shade, medium-dense, homogeneous consistency. Red sap stands out on the cut.
Taste assessment based on the results of tasting - 4.5 points. The berry is sweet, with a slight sourness, there is no astringency.
Thanks to the dense skin, the berry does not crack, and the thick short stalk prevents the fruits from shedding.
Pollinators for Duke Hope
Duke cherry Hope refers to self-infertile hybrids. This means that in order to set fruit in the area where it grows, it is necessary to plant other varieties of cherries. The best pollinators of Nadezhda duke are cherry varieties Lada, Kentskaya and Chornaya krupnaya.
The hybrid is characterized by early flowering: in the southern parts of the country, it occurs in the first decade of May, in the central part - in mid-May.
Main characteristics of cherries Nadezhda
Cherry Nadezhda is a mid-season fruitful variety with good drought and frost resistance. The hybrid is immune to the most common diseases of cherry and sweet cherry and needs basic care.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Cherry Nadezhda shows good frost resistance, as well as resistance to temperature extremes, but prolonged frosts can damage flower buds. The description of the cherry variety Nadezhda, as well as the reviews of gardeners who are well acquainted with this variety, contain information that the tree can withstand temperatures down to -30 ° C, while neither young shoots nor flower buds suffer from frost.
Like other varieties of cherries, Duke Nadezhda is distinguished by drought resistance - during the season the trees are watered several times, but excessive moisture is destructive for them.
Yield
In the description, the sweet cherry Nadezhda is characterized as a medium-ripening culture. When cultivated in the central part of Russia, the fruiting period begins in the first decade of July, in the southern regions of the country, the harvest begins in the last decade of June. Duke Nadezhda bears fruit 4–5 years after planting.
Experience shows that about 15 kg of fruits can be harvested from a young tree, middle-aged cherries yield about 20 kg of berries, and the harvest from specimens that have reached 15 years of age can be up to 60 kg. These indicators correspond to a high level of yield.
Cherry Nadezhda belongs to the universal table varieties. Its berries can be used both fresh and for making juice, compotes, preserves, etc. The fruits are widely used in cooking. The berries of this duke perfectly tolerate deep freezing.
The fruits of the Nadezhda hybrid have good keeping quality provided that the storage conditions for cherries (sweet cherries) are observed, as well as high preservation of marketable qualities during transportation.
Cherry berries Nadezhda have an attractive appearance
Advantages and disadvantages
Gardeners note the following advantages of Duke Hope:
- high stable yield;
- great taste;
- good keeping quality and transportability;
- unpretentiousness;
- frost resistance;
- immunity to cultural diseases.
The disadvantages of the variety are often attributed to the high growth of trees, which complicates planting and harvesting, as well as the self-infertility of the duke.
Landing rules
Planting Nadezhda cherries does not require any special skills. With the right choice of place and preliminary preparation of the soil, the seedlings take root well and give an increase the next year.
Recommended timing
You can plant cherries both in spring and autumn. Many gardeners prefer fall planting so that young trees grow quickly next spring. In regions with cold winters, it is better to plant cherries in the spring so that non-rooted seedlings do not freeze out.
Like other varieties of cherries and sweet cherries, Duke Nadezhda is planted in mid-April or in the second decade of October.
Site selection and soil preparation
When choosing a place for planting, it should be borne in mind that the cherry does not tolerate the close occurrence of groundwater. It is best to choose for it a dry, sunny area with neutral medium loamy or light soils. Alkaline soils are also suitable, but Duke Nadezhda does not tolerate acidic substrates.
The soil mixture for seedlings is prepared in advance, about a month before the intended planting. The same amount of humus, 1 kg of wood ash, 1 tbsp. Is added to the soil from the dug planting pit. l. with a slide of superphosphate and potassium chloride. If the soil is clayey, river sand is added to it at the rate of 1 bucket of sand per 1 cherry seedling.
How to plant correctly
The procedure for planting cherries is quite simple:
- prepare pits with a depth of 40-50 cm and a diameter of 55-65 cm, the distance between which should be at least 3 m;
- seedlings are carefully examined and damaged roots are removed;
- placed in a hole so that the root collar is at ground level. Fall asleep with a prepared soil mixture;
- at a distance of about 30 cm from the trunk, make a small depression in a circle;
- water the seedlings with water heated in the sun at the rate of 2-3 buckets per hole;
- the trunk circle is mulched with humus or compost.
The root collar of the seedling should not be buried.
Care features
Duke Nadezhda, like other varieties and hybrids of cherries, is not picky about care. Mandatory activities include: regular watering, feeding, pruning, winter preparation and disease prevention. Cherry also responds well to loosening.
Watering and feeding schedule
Cherry Nadezhda perfectly tolerates drought and usually does not require more than three waterings per season.
The first watering is carried out after the end of flowering, the second - when the fruits ripen, the third - before winter, when the leaves fall off.
If the soil for planting was properly prepared, the first 2-3 years young trees do not need fertilization. Further feeding is carried out during the autumn digging of the soil. Potash fertilizers are applied at the rate of 70 g and phosphorus fertilizers in an amount of about 200 g per plant. In the spring, the soil around the cherry is fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers, the consumption rate of which is about 50 g per tree.
Pruning
2 years after planting, the crown of the tree begins to form. To do this, at the very beginning of spring, last year's increments are cut off by a third of the length. Cherries also need sanitary pruning. Broken, dry, frozen and diseased branches should be promptly removed.
Preparing for winter
Due to its frost resistance, Nadezhda cherry tolerates winter well and does not need shelter. In late autumn, only young, recently planted trees are spud. If there is a danger of severe frosts, the soil around the trunks is mulched. In other cases, the plantings are abundantly watered after the end of the leaf fall.
Mulching not only protects the root system from frost, but also retains moisture and prevents weed growth
Diseases and pests
Duke cherries Nadezhda has good resistance to crop diseases. The most common and dangerous diseases are coccomycosis and moniliosis, to which cherries of this variety are also immune.
Rodents also do not pose a danger to cherries, since the trees have a bitter bark.
Conclusion
Cherry Nadezhda is excellent for growing not only in the south of the country, but also in the middle lane, requires minimal care, and is resistant to diseases. At the same time, it has excellent taste and a consistently high yield. Description of the Nadezhda variety, numerous photos of fruits and trees, as well as reviews of this duke testify to its popularity among Russian gardeners.
