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Each plant has its own characteristics of growing in a specific area. Planting cherries correctly in spring in the Urals in a zone of sharply continental climate is a rather difficult task. It is necessary to strictly adhere to agricultural techniques, choose the ideal place for the seedling and protect it from adverse weather conditions.
Features of growing cherries in the Urals
Fruit trees are found in most household plots throughout Russia. If in the central and southern regions of the country the climate is favorable for growing most crops, then in the Urals gardeners are faced with a lot of problems. These most often include weather events - droughts, frosts and early snowfalls.
The Ural climate is characterized by cold winters and extremely hot summers. During the warm, dry months, it is important to ensure that the cherries are adequately watered while the moisture evaporates quickly. The trunks should be dug up 2-3 times a year to ensure better air flow to the roots.
It is best to plant varieties specially bred for cultivation in the region.
Cherries are planted in the Urals most often in late spring or early summer. A few months is enough for a young seedling to take root well and be ready for the winter period. To plant a plant in the autumn, it is necessary to insulate it as much as possible and hope for favorable conditions.
Every gardener in the Urals needs to pay attention to long-term weather forecasts. Cold winters with little snow can be disastrous even for the most frost-resistant varieties. In such conditions, it is very important to prepare the plant for winter - to shelter it from the icy wind and to process the trunks with mulch.
How to choose a cherry variety for planting in the Urals
Every year modern breeding develops new types of fruit trees that are able to survive in difficult climatic conditions. For planting cherries with seedlings in the Urals, it is best to select frost-resistant varieties. The most popular in the region include:
- Grebenskaya. This variety reaches a height of 2 m. It has sparse spreading branches. Flowering begins in May-June. Each cherry can be harvested up to 8-10 kg of sweet berries, which ripen at the end of August.
- Sverdlovsk - a variety specially bred for the Urals. The height of the tree reaches 2 meters. A dense crown needs periodic thinning. The fruit has a sweet taste with a slightly sour tint. The yield reaches 10 kg from one cherry.
- Gridnevskaya. This species is considered one of the best suited trees for a particular climatic zone. It can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees and short dry periods. The plant grows up to 2.5 m high. Large sweet berries ripen by the end of summer. Harvesting must be done as quickly as possible, since the berries, if suddenly damaged by cold, can lose their consumer characteristics.
- Ural standard. A feature of the variety is the maximum yield. From one small tree, you can get up to 15 kg of large berries. Each fruit can reach 6.5 g.
All presented varieties can be planted throughout the Urals.They are able to withstand a sharp drop in temperatures up to 30-35 degrees. At the same time, they were specially bred for an accelerated harvest in a short summer. It takes from 1.5 to 2 months to fully ripen the berries. Moreover, their collection must be carried out as quickly as possible.
How to grow cherries in the Urals
Compliance with clear instructions when planting fruit trees in continental climates will allow you to get healthy plants that will delight the gardener with bountiful harvests. Before planting a cherry in the Ural region, you must first choose the right place for it. Like any light-loving tree, it needs to be provided with a sufficient amount of sun. For cherries, the south side of the site is allocated. At the same time, it must be protected from the wind, so the seedlings are placed 2-3 m from a high fence.
Strict adherence to agricultural technology is the key to bountiful harvests
It is necessary to carefully study the chemical composition of the soil. The tree does not favor overly acidic soils. Before planting a tree, it will be necessary to carry out additional liming of the earth. It is also important to periodically add lime to the soil to maintain its acidity at the correct level.
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the level of groundwater. You cannot plant cherries in places where it does not exceed 2 m - otherwise the roots will receive excess moisture. Also, during cold winters in the Urals, there are risks of soil freezing more than 2 m deep.
A very important point is the preparation of planting holes for cherries. It is better to prepare them in advance. When planting in the spring, they are dug before the first snow falls. If you plant cherries in the fall, the pits should be ready as soon as the snow cover melts. As with all large fruit trees, the diameter of each should be about 80-100 cm.The depth of the holes is traditionally about 90 cm.
How to plant cherries in the Urals in spring
Preparing the soil is the first and most important step. You cannot plant cherries in a random place. Sandy loam soils with good drainage are best suited for it. After preparing the planting holes, you need to take care of their correct filling. Leafy ground is mixed with humus in a 1: 1 ratio. A small amount of ash and superphosphate are added to the mixture.
The best time to plant cherries in the Urals is spring. The plant needs ample time to take root and prepare for its first winter. It is best to plant cherries after the May holidays - in the Urals, by this time the soil has warmed up enough. In addition, the risk of sudden frosts is minimal in May.
To plant cherries, the planting hole is half filled with prepared soil. After that, the seedling is exposed exactly in such a way that the root collar protrudes 3-5 cm above the ground level. The pits are completely filled with soil, and slightly trample it. After that, each tree is watered with 10-15 liters of warm water.
How to plant cherries in the summer in the Urals
Young seedlings take root quite easily not only in spring, but also in summer. Planting cherries at this time is also easy, but there are a few additional rules. Since the seedling will be given less time to prepare for the winter period, it needs to strengthen the root system as much as possible.
The root collar should rise 3-5 cm above ground level
To do this, young trees are fed with root and bird droppings. Fertilizer is diluted according to the instructions on the package. On average, each seedling requires from 10 to 20 g of dry concentrate. If you plant cherries in summer, you need to take care of protecting the leaves and trunk from the scorching sun. Fragile seedlings are covered with protective screens or special nets that scatter light.
How to plant cherries in the fall in the Urals
Despite the fact that in the central and southern regions, autumn planting of seedlings in open ground is common, in the conditions of the Ural climate, planting cherries during this period is quite problematic. The main advantages of this approach are that the plant has prepared for wintering, almost stopping the processes of its vital activity.
If it becomes necessary to plant cherries in the fall, it is better to do this in mid-September, after the rest of the trees have yielded and turn yellow. The planting hole is filled with prepared soil and the seedling is planted so that its root collar sticks out slightly above the ground.
Immediately after disembarking in open ground, it is necessary to take care of wintering. The trunk circles are covered with an increased layer of mulch. The trunk and branches of the seedling are insulated with spruce branches and roofing felt. Experienced gardeners advise installing additional windscreens for young trees.
Seedling care
Taking care of young trees will make it easier for them to get through the early stages of life. The procedures for caring for cherries in the Urals in most cases are similar to those throughout the country. Early spring for crops is the time for organic and nitrogen fertilization. Before the buds swell, urea and phosphorus baits are also added.
Each spring, it is necessary to perform shaping pruning of young trees. This will allow you to form a dense crown in the future. In addition, thinning eliminates the development of fungal diseases.
Also in the spring, seedlings are treated from insects. Preventive procedures are carried out at the moment the first leaves appear. For this, a single spraying with insecticides or copper sulfate is sufficient. Fungicidal preparations can also be included in the preventive treatment - they will protect cherries from fungi and harmful bacteria.
Before wintering, the trunks are insulated with an additional layer of mulch.
In the summer, the seedling must be adequately watered and protected from droughts and sunburn. Irrigation should take place every 2-3 weeks with a certain amount of water. Also, during this period, organic fertilizers are applied twice with an interval of 1 month.
After each harvest, cherries are prepared for the harsh Ural winter. First, they carry out sanitary pruning, removing damaged shoots. Before the first snow, the crown is insulated with roofing material and spruce branches. Trunk circles are mulched abundantly with peat or sawdust. The better the tree is insulated, the more chances a young cherry tree has to survive the winter in the Urals.
Experienced gardening tips
An important point when growing cherries in the Urals is the correct fertilization. On average, for each square meter of the trunk circle, up to 3 kg of organic bait is applied. Also a classic supplement is 30 g of potassium chloride and 50 g of superphosphate.
Ash and bird droppings are excellent tools for regulating soil acidity. In a 20 liter container, 300 g of droppings and 200 g of ash are diluted. Exactly half of the resulting volume is poured under each tree. With such fertilization, you can refrain from complex chemical fertilizers in the first 3-4 years of cherry life.
Experts advise not to neglect whitewashing the tree trunk. Summer in the Urals can be very hot. The sun can easily burn a young seedling and even an adult cherry. The height of the whitewash should reach the first branches, but be at least 80 cm.
Conclusion
Planting cherries correctly in the spring in the Urals is a real science that requires strict adherence to all agricultural techniques.A healthy tree, pleasing with abundant harvests, needs constant fertilization and insulation before the cold winter period.
