Peach Cardinal: variety description and characteristics, planting and care rules

The Cardinal peach variety has become popular due to its early ripeness, rich fruit flavor and strong aroma. It is grown in different parts of the country. Consider the characteristics and description of the variety, advantages and disadvantages, how to plant plants in the garden and care for them, how to deal with pests and diseases, how to collect fruits and store them.

History of occurrence

The Cardinal variety was bred in the USA, became popular in Russia, but is not registered in the State Register. In 2013, it is in the Register of Ukraine, the originator is the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.

Description and characteristics of the Cardinal

Cardinal is a medium-early variety, the plant is medium-sized, the crown has a rounded, slightly raised, can be thickened. Tree height - 2-2.5 m. Peach fruits are round, slightly flattened from the sides, on average, weigh 140-150 cm. . The stone is small, easily separated from the pulp.

The Cardinal variety is self-fertile, planting pollinators is not required for fruit set. Fruit ripening begins earlier than other varieties, peaches can be harvested from trees in mid-July. The yield of the variety is high and stable - 30-35 kg per tree. A young tree begins to bear fruit 2-3 years after planting.

The positive and negative sides of the peach

Dignity of the Cardinal variety:

self-fertile;
immunity to powdery mildew;
precocity;
fruit transportability;
versatility of the use of fruits - they can be eaten fresh, canned, make compotes.

Disadvantages of the variety: medium cold resistance, susceptibility to leaf curl.

Planting and caring for the variety

Agricultural technology of the Cardinal variety does not differ from that of other crop varieties. The peach is considered a demanding and heat-loving plant, so the main attention should be paid to choosing the right planting site to protect it from cold and freezing.For a peach, it is worth choosing a place closed from the winds, near a high fence or building, so that they cover the tree from the wind.

The soil should be fertile, loose and fertilized. Humus and ash should be added to the planting holes before planting seedlings, mixed with the ground.

The peach planting scheme is as follows: in a row between neighboring trees, you need to maintain a distance of 3-4 m so that when they grow, they do not shade each other.

Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are soaked in a growth stimulator solution for a day, the dry ends of the roots are cut. Seedlings are deepened along the root neck, watered and covered with straw, old hay, sawdust. Mulch helps keep soil moist and soft, which is especially important in southern climates.Mulch also plays another important role - it inhibits the growth of weeds.

Water the Cardinal peach often in the first year, especially until it takes root. Water should be poured under the root or into irrigation ditches. If there is no mulch, after each watering, when the soil dries out a little, loosen.

Trees are fed starting from the second year, 3 times a season: before the leaves begin to bloom, after flowering and a month before fruiting. First, the peach is fed with nitrogen, then phosphorus and potash fertilizers. It is convenient to combine application with watering, so fertilizers become better available to plants.

Shaping the peach crown Cardinal in the form of a bowl. The shape allows the middle of the crown to be well lit and ventilated, promotes the laying of flower buds, that is, more abundant flowering and fruiting.

Before the onset of cold weather, the Cardinal peach needs to be covered with insulating material: cover the root zone with peat, sawdust. Cover with straw, fallen clean leaves, chopped bark, needles. The branches of young trees, until they have grown, can also be covered with agrofibre.

Disease and pest control

In early spring and before the onset of cold weather, the trunks and lower parts of the branches should be whitewashed with lime with the addition of vitriol or insecticide to prevent pests. Diseases are controlled by applying preventive sprays until the time when signs of major diseases can appear. If the disease has already appeared, treatment should be carried out using a therapeutic dose. Leaf curl must be de alt with using chemicals, most likely, it will have to be processed at least 2 times.

In autumn, you need to collect all the fallen leaves, cut branches, take them out of the site and burn them. Do not compost or make mulch out of them. Ash after burning can be used as a natural fertilizer for all crops.

Collection and storage

The first ripe peaches can be harvested after July 10th. The fruits hold well on the branches, do not crumble after ripening. They need to be collected carefully, broken and rumpled fruits are not stored at all. For long-term storage, it is necessary to select only clean, without traces of diseases and pests, fruits that are slightly unripe. Peaches are stored in a cold, dry room, in shallow boxes in no more than 2 layers. Light plastic boxes with a capacity of up to 15 kg are also suitable for transportation.

From overripe and broken fruits, you can prepare various preparations for the winter: juices, canned whole fruits, compotes, jam. The shelf life of such blanks is 1 year.

Peach of the Cardinal variety is grown in the southern and central regions of Russia. It is problematic to plant in more northern regions, since the winter hardiness of the variety is average. Differs in productivity, stability of fruiting. It does not require special cultivation techniques. Easy to care for variety, well suited for growing in private farms.