Content
One of the most popular garden dwellers in Russia is cherry. An unpretentious undersized tree, originally from Asia Minor, belongs to the subgenus Plum. Its sour-sweet fruits can be eaten fresh, frozen, made preserves and jams, dried and used in cooking. Despite its southern origin, the cherry has successfully taken root in the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals. She is not afraid of frosts, resistant to spring and autumn frosts, the northern short summer is enough for her for abundant fruiting. Planting cherries in the spring in the Moscow region does not present any particular difficulties if you follow the advice of agronomists and experienced gardeners. Saplings root perfectly and the next year they please with a small harvest.
In spring, cherry blossoms are strewn with flowers that spread a subtle, slightly bitter aroma.
Features of growing cherries in the Moscow region
Growing cherries in the open field in the Moscow region has its own characteristics. First of all, you need to choose a place on the site. Cherry loves a lot of sun, so it should be planted in well-lit, sheltered from the wind places on the south side. The soil is suitable for it light, loamy and sandy loam, flavored with compost or humus, well-drained, without stagnation of water. If the subsoil waters are located close to the surface, above 1.5 m, then the tree will have to be planted on a bulk mound of at least 0.5 m in height.
If the soil has a pronounced acid reaction, which is not uncommon in the Moscow region, it should be neutralized with lime or dolomite flour to pH 6 in the fall or 15-30 days before planting, at the rate of 2 kg per 5 m2.
How to choose a cherry variety for planting in the Moscow region
So that the work does not go to waste, and the new inhabitants of the garden please with abundant harvests, it is necessary to approach the choice of planting material with all responsibility:
- Seedlings must be purchased from trusted suppliers in nurseries.
- Zoned trees, frost-hardy and winter-hardy, resistant to such diseases characteristic of the Moscow region as coccomycosis and moniliosis, are suitable.
- You should pay attention to the flowering time and yield of the variety, as well as taste, because trees are acquired for the sake of tasty, juicy berries.
The most popular in the Moscow region, as well as throughout central Russia, are the following cherry varieties:
- Chocolate girl. Differs in average productivity and high resistance to diseases.
- Turgenevka. It tolerates northern winters well, the berries are juicy, sweet and sour. Resistant to cherry diseases.
- Apukhtinskaya. A high-yielding variety, but does not tolerate frost well. A self-fertile variety, but to increase yields, you can plant the varieties Schedraya, Malinovka, Lyubskaya, Zhuravka nearby.
- Volochaevka. Frost-resistant, high-yielding, resistant to coccomycosis. The variety was bred in the 80s of the twentieth century and belongs to medium-sized.
- Youth. Yields bountiful annual yields, tolerates severe winters well. The berries are distinguished by good keeping quality, keeping their presentation up to 15-20 days after harvest.
- Lyubskaya. Self-fertile, winter-hardy and practically not susceptible to disease. It has been known since the 19th century, was originally grown in the Kursk province and belongs to varieties of folk selection.
Planting of several different varieties is recommended, suitable for cross-pollination.
When is it better to plant cherries in the suburbs
The best time for planting is spring. So young trees have time to take root and get stronger before the winter frosts. The timing of planting cherries in the spring in the Moscow region is limited: it is necessary to choose the moment when the air and soil have already warmed up, but the buds have not hatched yet. As a rule, this is the period from the end of March to the tenths of April.
Autumn planting of cherries in the Moscow region is also possible, but it is required to strictly observe the terms so that the seedlings have time to take root before the first frosts. Usually, planting work is carried out in September, no later than the beginning of October. However, weather forecasts need to be monitored as frosts may start earlier. If in doubt, it is better to dig in the cherry with a slope of 45about in a trench, well spilled and covered with spruce or pine spruce branches, sawdust, straw. This will give them a wonderful winter and be ready for a less stressful spring planting.
How to properly plant cherries in the suburbs
If the planting technology is followed, cherry seedlings take root well. They are not demanding on the composition of the soil, do not need abundant watering. When choosing a place, it must be borne in mind that the cherry does not like stagnation of melt or rainwater, its roots begin to get wet and rot, which leads to the death of the tree.
How to plant cherries in the spring in the suburbs
For planting cherries in the spring in the Moscow region, the preparation of pits is carried out already in the fall. It is necessary to dig holes according to the number of seedlings with a side size of 60x60 cm and 100 cm in depth. The walls of the holes should be strictly vertical and the bottom horizontal. The distance between them is at least 2.5-3 m, since the tree needs space and sunlight for the development of the root system and crown. Lay a drainage layer on the bottom - pebbles, expanded clay, brick fragments. Then drive in a stake at least 2.5 m long - so that it does not wobble. Pour humus or compost mixed with fertile soil, ash, lime with a hill, add a layer of clean earth.
Carefully examine the selected planting material. Cut the broken, rotten, moldy roots with a sharp knife or pruning shears, lower them into a clay mash, or sprinkle the cut well with ash. Set the cherries so that the graft faces south and north of the garter stake. The inoculation should be at a height of 5-8 cm above the soil level. Spread the roots, place them evenly on the soil slide. If necessary, slightly dig in the wall of the hole, but the roots should not curl, bend, lie down in a tangled ball.
Cover the earth in layers, covering and additionally straightening the thin roots as they are located on the rhizome - in tiers. Press lightly with your palms to compact the soil. Fill the hole, crush it with your hands. Huddle - pour a ring roller of soil up to 20 cm high, pour out a bucket of water at room temperature. You can dissolve in it a drug that stimulates the formation of the root system. Mulch the surface around the tree with coniferous waste, peat, sawdust, humus or straw. Tie the cherries to the peg with sliding loops made of soft material.
Cherry grows well on light sandy loam and loamy soils typical of the Moscow region
How to plant cherries in the summer in the Urals
For a crop to produce a good harvest, it is necessary to choose varieties adapted to the climatic conditions of the Urals.Early to mid-season varieties, which mature during the short, cool summer, are best choices. The best varieties for this region are Sverdlovchanka, Uralskaya Rubinovaya, Tagilka, Mayak, Standard of the Urals, Ashinskaya and Bolotovskaya.
Pits for planting must be prepared in the fall, as a last resort - take care of this in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. Summer planting differs from spring planting in that in hot weather, young seedlings require shelter in the form of a canopy or net, as well as additional watering. Nevertheless, the weather conditions in the Urals are such that landing during the summer is quite acceptable. The trees take root well, especially in the case of cloudy, rainy weather in the first decade after planting.
The soil for planting cherries needs light, sandy loam, mixed with humus or compost. In the selected places, you need to dig holes 60x60x100 cm in size, drive in a garter stake. Lay drainage at the bottom with a layer of 10 cm, then pour a hill of soil mixture so that the grafting of the tree installed on it rises 5-10 cm above ground level.
Cover the roots with earth, slightly pressing down. Spud the seedling, spill it with a bucket of water and be sure to mulch - this procedure will reduce the loss of moisture as a result of evaporation, protect the delicate roots from overheating. If hot weather is expected, it is necessary to pull a net over the trees, cover it with spruce branches or reed on poles.
Re-seedlings can be shed 7-10 days after planting
How to plant cherries in the fall in the suburbs
An autumn planting in the Moscow region is no different from a spring planting in terms of technology. Pits must be prepared at least 15 days before planting. The planted planting material must be mulched with a thick layer. If severe frosts are expected, the trees can be wrapped in non-woven material.
Seedling care
The health of the cherry and the future harvest depend on the correct care of the plantings. The tree is unpretentious, however, it still requires the attention of the gardener. Consider the following recommendations:
- Watering is extremely moderate. If the summer in the Moscow region and in the Urals is rainy, then additional moisture is not required. Cherry consumes the maximum amount of moisture during flowering and fruiting. If the soil is dry, it must be shed once a week.
- Organics for cherries in the Moscow region are brought in every 3-4 years. Apply compost, rotted manure, watering with diluted poultry or cow manure. Mineral fertilizers can be applied every year in the fall. If you do not want to use chemistry, you can use folk remedies. The tree responds well to watering and bedding with ash, liming, the introduction of dolomite flour.
- Cherries require regular pruning, otherwise the crown thickens unnecessarily and the yield decreases. It should be carried out in the spring, before the buds begin to swell. They remove branches growing deeper into the crown, dry and diseased, damaged. Cut vertically directed shoots and part of annual branches.
- Prevention of fungal diseases and pest control are also important. If there are signs of the disease - spots on the trunks and leaves, or pests - aphids, cherry fly, sawfly, it is necessary to urgently take measures so as not to lose the harvest, and prevent the death of the tree.
A year after planting the seedlings, the garter stakes can be carefully pulled out or broken off at the base - the remainder in the ground will simply rot.
Cherry responds to proper care with abundant harvests of juicy, sweet-sour berries.
Experienced gardening tips
Agricultural technology for growing cherries in the Moscow region is not too complicated, it is available even for novice gardeners. The unpretentiousness of cherries, as well as the benefits of its berries, determine the popularity of this tree in Russia.Experienced gardeners share the secrets of successfully growing cherry trees in risky farming areas with harsh winters:
- Saplings should be zoned, grown in a nursery specifically for the Moscow region.
- An excellent solution would be to plant on the southern slopes of the hills, as well as on the southern side of the fence, at home, stepping back from it at a distance of at least 2.5 m so that the roots do not damage the foundation.
- Snow is an excellent protection against frost. Young seedlings tolerate harsh winters under a pillow of spruce branches and snow.
- If possible, it is better to purchase seedlings with a closed root system, in pots or special bags. In this case, the seedling is carefully rolled into the prepared hole, trying not to disturb the lump.
- The neighborhood in the garden is very important: this way the trees get sick less and bear fruit more abundantly. Cherry does not tolerate planting next to cherries, apples, pears, black currants.
- Saplings should be 1-2 years old. Older trees do not take root well.
Scheme of the correct planting of cherries in the Moscow region
Conclusion
Planting cherries in the spring in the suburbs does not present any particular difficulties in compliance with the timing and technology. Planting material must be purchased from proven nurseries. Cherry varieties must be adapted to the conditions of the region. Proper planting and care will guarantee bountiful harvests in 2-3 years. Cherries will delight the gardener with their fruits for 15-25 years.
How to properly plant cherries in spring with seedlings in the Moscow region can be seen in this video:
