Content
Cherry cultivation in recent decades has been very difficult. And the point here is not that it is a capricious culture. Fungal diseases destroy many trees, negating all the efforts of gardeners to obtain crops. Therefore, cherry varieties that have at least relative resistance to them are so valuable. One of them is the self-fertile Zagorievskaya cherry.
Breeding history
Cherry Zagoryevskaya was created by employees of the All-Russian Institute of Selection of Technology for Horticulture and Nursery. It is located in Biryulevo on the site where the village of Zagorje used to be. Hence the name of the cherry. The parents were Lyubskaya and Consumer goods black. The Zagorievskaya variety was specially created for cultivation in the climatic conditions of the northwestern part of Russia. The variety is not included in the State Register, which does not prevent gardeners from successfully growing it.
Description of culture
The Zagorievskaya variety belongs to ordinary cherries. It is a tree with medium vigor. Its maximum height can reach 3.5 m. Dense cherry crown is spreading, often has a rounded shape. It is not too thick, which is good: there is less risk of fungal diseases.
The fruits of this cherry variety are more reminiscent of sweet cherries in color and appearance. Each berry can weigh up to 4.4 g, which is a lot for a cherry. Dark cherry rounded berries of Zagorievskaya cherry have a slight brown tint in color. The pulp is dense, ocher color. This cherry has a traditional sweetish taste with obvious sourness and chocolate flavor. The small bone is easily separated from the pulp. The cherries themselves come off the stalk with some effort.
Characteristics
The characteristic of the Zagorievskaya cherry variety is important for those gardeners who are just going to plant this tree in their home. We will try to answer all the questions that may arise.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Zagorievskaya cherry is quite resistant to drought, therefore it can be successfully grown in the southern regions. But it does not tolerate stagnant water, therefore it is not planted in the lowland, the level of groundwater should also not be high.
According to the reviews of the originators of the variety, the frost resistance of the Zagorievskaya cherry is average. But in severe frosts, not shoots freeze, but flower buds. For cherries of the Zagorievskaya variety, the root system also needs a preventive shelter from frost: it is advisable to mulch the trunk circle for the winter with humus or any other organic matter with a layer of up to 15 cm.Return frosts can also harm blossoming flowers. In this case, the yield will be minimal.
Therefore, with a sharp drop in temperature to 0 and below during flowering, measures must be taken:
- sprinkle;
- arrange smoke;
- or just cover the tree with spunbond, the low growth of the shrub allows this to be done.
All these measures will help preserve the harvest.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening times
Unlike many other cherries, which do not yield crops without the neighborhood of the pollinator, the self-fertile variety of cherries Zagoryevskaya endows with a large number of berries without them. This tree will provide the gardener with a large harvest, even if it is singular in the garden.
For Zagoryevskaya cherries, these are Shubinka, Lyubskaya, Vladimirskaya.
They, like Zagorievskaya, bloom at the end of May. The berries of this cherry variety ripen in medium terms. Depending on the weather, this is the end of July or the beginning of August.
Productivity, fruiting
Early fruiting - in the third or fourth year, Zagorievskaya cherry is rapidly increasing the yield. An adult tree is quite capable of producing up to 13 kg of cherries. This is one of the best indicators among all varieties with such a small habit.
Scope of berries
A high tasting score of 4.5 points characterizes this variety as a dessert one. Its berries are excellent for jams, preserves, compote and cherry liqueur.
Disease and pest resistance
Russia has long been famous for its cherry orchards. But the mutation of the causative agents of fungal diseases led to the formation of new aggressive races. Cherry existence in Russia has been threatened. It cannot be said that the Zagorievskaya cherry is completely resistant to this scourge. Coccomycosis and moniliosis are moderately affected. But the use of preventive fungicide treatments will not worry about this.
Advantages and disadvantages
For convenience, we will summarize them in a table.
Dignity | disadvantages |
Small size - easy to pick berries | Sour fruits |
Good frost resistance | Medium resistance to fungal diseases |
High commercial quality of fruits | Freezing of flower buds during spring frosts |
Drought tolerance |
|
High yield |
|
Self-fertility |
|
Early maturity |
|
Landing features
Like any other crop, cherries have their own planting characteristics, which must be taken into account in order for the tree to grow and bear fruit well.
Recommended timing
They depend on the region in which the Zagorievskaya cherry is going to be planted:
- in the southern regions it is autumn;
- in the middle lane can be planted in spring and autumn;
- where the climate is harsh, planting is postponed to spring.
When planting in autumn, one must not forget that a young Zagorievskaya cherry seedling needs a frost-free period for rooting.
Choosing the right place
Cherry is a light-loving plant, its habitat should be lit throughout the day. To make her comfortable, the following conditions must be met:
- pick up a site where melt water does not stagnate in spring, and groundwater is low (no higher than 2 m);
- air circulation should be free, but without strong northerly winds;
- soils are preferable light in texture - sandy loam or loam, with a high content of humus;
- the optimal soil reaction is from 5.5 to 7.0.
Do not plant Zagorievskaya cherry on peat bogs or areas with a predominance of clay.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries
The common cherry belongs to the extensive rose family, which includes the apple tree, raspberry, and many other fruit trees and shrubs. They are all prone to fungal attack. Therefore, neighbors from this family are undesirable for cherries. You should not plant Zagoryevskaya next to tall fruit trees with a developed root system. A small cherry tree simply will not survive next to them, competing for food and moisture.
Selection and preparation of planting material
The safest option is to buy a Zagorievskaya cherry sapling with a closed root system. It is guaranteed to take root and can be planted throughout the growing season.But they are expensive and it is not always possible to find them.
Therefore, let us pay attention to the criteria for choosing a Zagorievskaya cherry tree with open roots:
- it should be one or two years old;
- the root system is developed, not overdried and without signs of rot;
- the trunk and branches are not damaged or dried out.
Such a procedure will not be superfluous for any Zagorievskaya cherry tree with an open root system.
Landing algorithm
We prepare a planting pit for cherries in advance, optimally in the season preceding planting. The algorithm of action is as follows:
- digging up the soil at the planting site, choosing the roots weeds;
- we dig a hole 50x80 cm. We set aside the top layer of soil deep on the bayonet of a shovel separately - we will mix it with fertilizers - 500 g of superphosphate and wood ash, 90 g of potassium sulfate, and organic matter - with two buckets of humus.
- we install a peg for a garter of a Zagorievskaya cherry seedling;
- we pour a mound from the prepared planting mixture, place a Zagorievskaya cherry tree on it - the roots must be straightened;
- fill the roots with the rest of the planting mixture so that the root collar remains at the level of the soil;
- slightly trample the soil;
- pour a bucket or 2 water into the trunk circle;
- mulch and tie the Zagorievskaya cherry seedling to a peg;
- we shorten the branches in order to balance the underground and aboveground parts damaged during transplantation.
After planting, the young tree needs regular watering before rooting.
Follow-up care of the culture
Subsequent care consists of fertilizing, watering, crown formation.
Top dressing
As a rule, in the first year after planting, the plant does not need feeding.
Starting next spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied according to the norms on the package, but in two steps: half before flowering, the rest 2 weeks after it. During the filling, the berries are fed with a full mineral fertilizer. In September, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are applied, which contributes to better preparation of the Zagorievskaya cherry for winter.
Watering
In watering, the Zagorievskaya cherry most of all needs the time of pouring berries and during prolonged drought. Usually one or two buckets are consumed per tree. After leaf fall, it is necessary to carry out water-charging watering of the trunk circle, which is especially important in dry autumn.
Pruning
Crown formation begins immediately after planting, when the shoots are shortened by a third of their length. Sanitary pruning is done in early spring. Cherry Zagoryevskaya does not suffer from a thickened crown, but once every few years you need to remove the branches growing inside the bush.
More on video cropping:
The trunk circle is kept free of weeds. Once every 5 years, the soil under the cherries is limed.
Preparing for winter
About autumn feeding and water-charging irrigation has already been written above. For better preservation of the root system in frosts, the trunk circle for the winter is mulched with peat or humus. The trunks are whitewashed with a lime solution to which a fungicide has been added. This measure will protect the tree from early spring burns and from damage to the trunk by fungi. Young cherries of the Zagorievskaya variety can be wrapped in spunbond for the winter. In the future, the lower part of the trunk must be protected from mice and hares by wrapping it with a net.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main scourge of all cherries is fungal diseases. Zagorievskaya is moderately resistant to them. But in a wet year, defeat is very likely. What is the disease of Zagorievskaya cherry:
Disease | How does it manifest | Treatment | Prophylaxis |
Moniliosis | The twigs seem to be burnt, the leaves on them dry up | Cut out all damaged parts of the plant, capturing up to 10 cm of healthy tissue, treat with fungicides: Tsineb, Kuprozan, Phtalan | In the fall, remove all fallen leaves and mummified fruits remaining on the tree. In the spring, prophylactic spraying with copper-containing fungicides is carried out before bud break |
Coccomycosis | Brownish-red dots on the leaves, from the inside a plaque from the spores of the fungus, which has a white-pink color. Leaves fall off ahead of time. The fruits are mummified | Removal of diseased plant parts, treatment with Topaz, Skor, Horus or Fundazol Removal of diseased plant parts, treatment with Topaz, Skor, Horus or Fundazol | Three times treatment with Bordeaux liquid, Topsin-M or Skor: on a green cone, after flowering and in autumn |
Anthracnose | Pinkish bloom on fruits, which are then mummified | Three-time treatment with Polyram: before flowering, after it and 2 weeks later | Collection and destruction of diseased fruits |
Gum therapy | Transparent drops of gum emerge from the cracks in the trunk | Cover wounds with garden varnish | Whitewashing trunks in autumn and processing them with copper sulfate |
The following pests can attack Zagorievskaya cherries:
- cherry aphid, they are fought with the help of Spark or Inta-Vir;
- cherry weevil damages the buds of flowers and ovaries, helps Intavir, Kinmiks or Karbofos;
- the larvae of the mucous sawfly are able to strongly eat the leaves, Spark or Inta-Vir is used from them, but after harvesting;
- caterpillars of the shoot moth damage all vegetative parts of the cherry; they are fought with Decis, Aktara, Inta-Vir.
In order not to miss the appearance of pests, revision of cherry trees should be carried out regularly.
Conclusion
Gradually, cherry orchards in Russia are reviving and such wonderful varieties as Zagorievskaya cherry play a significant role in this.
