Sweet cherry is a tree that belongs to the Pink family. If you look deeper - the view of the Plum. Has a second name - "bird cherry". This plant was discovered by the Romans, they found it in the city of Kerasunt. Cherry has several useful features. This tree is well suited for the production of honey, as it is the first among others in terms of nectar productivity. Also from cherry seeds oil is obtained for technical production and for perfumery. The wood is used for joinery. Cherry bears fruit only if 2-3 trees are planted on the site.
Characteristics of the tree
The height of the tree depends on the cherry variety. The tallest ones can reach 20 m. Small varieties are often up to 3 m high. This is the height of already mature trees, so they are considered after 10 years. Saplings of the tree are about 1 m high. The bark of the tree is thin, brown in color, there is fine peeling. The berries are round or slightly oval in shape. The skin is often also thin. There is a round bone inside the juicy pulp. Depending on the type of tree, the color of the berry can be yellow, red or burgundy. Good ripe fruits have a strong aroma.
Since cherries are the closest relative of cherries, their leaves are almost the same. The only difference is that the cherry foliage is slightly lighter than that of the cherry. The edges are in the form of a small zigzag, reaching 15 cm in length. Oval, with a sharp tip. Cherry leaves are thin and wrinkled. You can easily see the streaks, they are very bright.
What does cherry look like
Any disease of sweet cherry can be immediately calculated, as it will manifest itself on the leaves. Specks, holes in foliage, spots, yellowness and dryness, even growths or swelling will appear.
During flowering, you can admire the cherry. The crown of the trees is very lush, so the flowering is also lush. During this period, new greenery and an abundance of white flowers appear on the tree. These flowers reach 3 cm, have about 5 yellow stamens and 1 pistil. The culmination of flowering depends on the type of tree. Most often it occurs when the air temperature is kept at around 18-20 degrees Celsius.
Cherry leaves
The root system is not very deep from the surface, about half a meter deep. The thickest part of the roots is at the base. The roots are located both horizontally and vertically. Grow wider.
Features of planting and care
Sweet cherry is a plant that loves warmth. Therefore, it grows best in the southern regions. Accordingly, it is better to plant a seedling in a place where the sun gets well. At best, such trees begin to bear fruit in the second year. It is better to plant cherries in cold regions in spring. The tree may not survive the winter if planted in the fall. Over the summer, the seedling will have time to get stronger and then it will easily survive the winter. As for the southern regions, you can safely plant a tree there in the fall. Since winter in such places is not harsh, cherries will be able to cope.
Sweet cherries can be planted in a family way, it involves growing cherries from the bone. However, these seeds must come from a specific type of berry. The origin of the fruit does not matter: from a tree, from friends and neighbors, or purchased in a store.It is important that the berries are ripe and healthy.
Sick cherry leaves
It is necessary to get the seeds out of the berries, rinse and dry them. Plant according to weather conditions.
A more familiar and simpler way is to plant a seedling. However, the small tree must be chosen correctly. Signs of a healthy seedling:
- The barrel must not have any irregularities or damage.
- The roots should be intact, with many small shoots.
- The leaves are intact and have no traces of pests.
- It is better to buy seedlings in a specialized nursery, mainly in the area where the planting will be.
After planting, the tree must be watered immediately. So that the water does not evaporate immediately, it is better to choose morning or evening time for work.
Cherry blossom
Before starting the process, you need to choose the right place. As mentioned above, sweet cherry is a heat-loving plant, so the place should be sunny. If you are planting multiple trees, they should be placed close to each other. This will contribute to good pollination and in the future - a bountiful harvest. It is also worth considering that watering in moderation is important for the tree. Due to the lack of water, the cherry begins to dry, and due to the excess, it rot. For this reason, you should not choose locally on a hill or, conversely, in a lowland.
Landing
It will be quite difficult for one person to plant a cherry tree. It is better to perform this action together or even three. The first thing to do is to dig a pit. The hole should be 80 cm in diameter and about 70 cm deep. Then, I need to drive in the pit, which will support the seedling. At the bottom of the pit, you need to put rotted manure or compost, and then sprinkle the fertilizer with soil. Finally, it's time to plant the seedling itself. Before plunging it into the hole, you need to properly spread the roots. At this time, one person holds the seedling, and the other carefully buries it in. When the seedling is in the ground, it must be tied to a peg. The final finishing touch is watering.
Cherry root system diagram
The soil must be prepared long before planting the seedling. In autumn, the soil must be fertilized with manure and only the next year can it be planted. If the soil has a high acidity level, it is treated with lime. If the soil is clay, 2 buckets of sand should be poured onto the bottom of the pit. And vice versa, in sandy soil - 2 buckets of clay.
To help the seedling survive the winter, you can mulch it with peat mixtures, humus, or even dry foliage. If a dry summer is expected, rotten foliage should be poured into the hole before spring planting. Such a layer will retain moisture well.
Good cherry seedling
Care
To form the correct crown, cherries need to be cut regularly. However, this process is quite troublesome. If the crown is not pruned, the tree will thicken and stop yielding. Also, regular pruning contributes to good ventilation of the crown of the tree, which prevents the development of many diseases. A perennial plant, in which yields are falling and the fruits are becoming less, are rejuvenated pruning. The procedure is most often done on warm days of February.
The correct pit for cherries
In general, you can cut the cherries from planting. Just the pruning that forms the crown is carried out in the spring. The essence of the process is to shorten the skeletal branches. To keep the tree from being too tall, the crown must always be pruned at a height of about 3 meters. A fruiting tree is pruned in spring for thinning. You can only prune cherries before bud formation.
In the summer season, cherries need to be cut twice. The first time you need to do this is between flowering and ripening of berries. The second time is after harvesting the entire crop.The essence of pruning will be to shorten the young shoots. It will not be superfluous to pinch the processes that grow in the wrong direction. This will help form a beautiful and fertile crown.
Pruning in the fall takes place immediately after most of the foliage has fallen. Broken and dried branches are removed, the tree is thinned out. All young shoots are shortened by about a third.
Experienced gardeners provide many tips for pruning.
- If the seedling is only a year old, it is better not to prune in the fall, but transfer it to the spring, and even better - to the summer.
- For a tree under the age of five, it is recommended to leave branches no more than half a meter long.
- Branches that are not involved in the formation of the crown can be cut to 30 cm.
- The distance between the skeletal branches should not be less than 30 cm.
- It is better to remove one old branch than many young branches.
- In order for the branches to grow, it is necessary to regularly thin out the flower buds.
Cherry pruning scheme
Reproduction most often takes place with cuttings in July or August. It is better to take a stalk from the lower part of the crown, it will form roots faster. It is recommended to cover the cut on cherries with ash. And in order for the roots to grow even faster on the cutting, it can be treated with a biostimulant. Cuttings can grow right in the ground if the air temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius. If reproduction is in a cold region, you need to very carefully water the cuttings and monitor the appearance of parasites and diseases.
In the spring, the cuttings need to be fertilized and further looked after in the same way as for the mother tree.
Diseases and pests
The most common diseases of sweet cherry are perforated spot, coccomycosis, fruit rot, rust and brown spot. Special products that are sold in shops for gardeners and preventive measures help get rid of them.
Means for combating diseases and pests of sweet cherry
In addition to diseases, there are a number of pests. For instance:
- cherry weevil,
- cherry slimy sawfly,
- cherry aphid,
- hawthorn,
- ringed silkworm.
There are all sorts of traps to combat parasites. Also, spraying trees with specialized solutions will not be superfluous.
Planting and caring for cherries is not difficult. With proper care, this tree will delight not only with a rich and tasty harvest, but also with its beauty.
