Columnar cherry: description of varieties and features of pruning, planting and care

Gardeners who do not have spacious plots are forced to be careful about the selection of tree varieties planted in estates. The main conditions for culture in such situations are compactness and fruitfulness. Planting columnar cherries on a plot solves both of these problems, allowing you to grow a decent crop on a small plot of land.

Features of the species

The culture has a number of features that distinguish it from other varieties less adapted to cramped areas:

1. A compact tree that grows straight up.
2. A mature tree has a cylindrical shape and reaches a height of no more than 3 meters.
3. Due to the fact that the branches do not grow in breadth, cherries can be planted close to each other, which significantly saves free space on the site.
4. Fruits grow comfortably, and the gardener will not have to bother at harvest time
5. The culture is not only fruitful and compact, it also has decorative properties, decorating the site with its unusual appearance.

Pay attention! When buying this variety of sweet cherry, make sure that the top kidney is not damaged. Otherwise, the tree will not be able to grow, and you will be wasting your time and money.

Features

Columnar cherry has the following characteristics:

1. A mature tree does not grow above 3 meters. The average crop size is 2 meters.
2. The branches do not grow in breadth, and the diameter of one seedling is no more than 1 meter.
3. The first crop is harvested 3 years after planting.
4. The life cycle of a tree is 20, and in rare cases, with good care, 30 years.
5. It has an impressive yield - on average, 13 kilograms of cherries are harvested from a tree.
6. The variety differs not only in the pleasant taste of fruits. Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals of different groups.

drought and frost resistant

The columnar sweet cherry has an average frost resistance, and it is suitable for growing, first of all, in regions with a warm, mild climate. Of course, the culture is also planted in regions with a cold climate, but in this case, the gardener will have to spend more time and effort on growing and caring for it.

The tree does not like excessive dryness, but do not be zealous by flooding the seedlings with a lot of water. It is optimal to water with a moderate amount of water, which is increased only in especially dry periods. Also, growers can slightly increase the amount of water when watering during fruit set.

Pollination, flowering period and maturation

For crop pollination, Sem. It is a kind of universal pollinator that goes well with other popular varieties. For pollination of the Sem variety, varieties such as:

• Van Big;
• Helena;
• Hedelfinska.

Cordia and Sylvia also grow well together.

The flowering period of sweet cherries is late, but due to the resistance of flowers to low temperatures, it can endure frosts down to -2 ^{о. Most varieties ripen in June, closer to the middle of the month, approximately on the 15th.}

Crop quantity and taste of berries

Cherry has a high fruit yield and begins to bear fruit already 2-3 years after planting. Experienced gardeners who have been breeding this crop for more than a year recommend removing all ovaries that form on a tree in the first two years after planting on the site. This will allow new seedlings to take root on the site and continue to produce a stable, high-quality crop.

Young trees bring to the owner, on average, about 14 kilograms of fruit from one seedling.

Adult specimens are able to please with a harvest of up to fifty kilograms of cherries. Such intense fruitfulness negatively affects the life expectancy of sweet cherries. Most trees live no longer than 20 years. The fruits of the tree have a pleasant, rich taste that can compete on equal terms with other varieties.

Immunity to diseases and pests

Susceptible to the following diseases:

• scab;
• brown spotting;
• tinder.

If signs of these diseases are found, the affected leaves are cut off, after which the tree is treated with Bordeaux liquid.

The culture is vulnerable to attack by pests such as:

• aphid;
• weevil;
• caterpillar;
• codling moth.

To destroy harmful insects, treat the tree with special preparations.

Important! To prevent the appearance of pests, treat the tree trunk with a solution of slaked lime. You need to paint from the base, approximately 40-50 centimeters up.

How and when to plant cherries

The time of planting cherries depends on the region where you live. If you live in the southern regions, with a warm, favorable climate for growing, the tree can be planted in both spring and autumn. In cold areas, the situation is more complicated, and a seedling planted in autumn may not have time to establish itself before frost, which will cause it to die later.

Therefore, in such conditions, it is recommended to plant young shoots in the spring, when the temperature at night stabilizes and becomes positive - this is the best time for cultivation.

Care for young and mature trees

Culture is unpretentious and does not require special care. The most stressful for the gardener is only the first year of the tree's life, when it needs protection from the wind and excessive aridity of the soil. Otherwise, the care technology is not very different from other types.The important steps are:

• timely and correct watering;
• proper soil fertilization;
• processing.

Irrigation

One of the most time-consuming processes, performing which the gardener must observe a fine line, not allowing the soil to dry out and not turning the site into a marshland. For proper balance and a good harvest, the gardener needs the following watering scheme:

1. The first few years of life, sweet cherries are watered almost daily. For the growth and formation of a tree, 4 liters of water per day is enough.
2. As the tree ages, it will need more water to form a decent crop.

Keep in mind that excessively wet soil will lead to the formation of fungus in the roots and on the trunk of the tree, this will negatively affect the yield. Adjust the frequency and intensity of watering depending on weather conditions.

Fertilizer

It is necessary to fertilize the soil in the garden where columnar cherries grow about 3 times per season:

1. The first time the soil is enriched with fertilizers in early spring, after the snow has completely melted. Fertilizers containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are best suited. After the soil is enriched with fertilizer, do not forget to water the area with water.
2. The second time the soil is fertilized in the summer, and urea is used as the main component.
3. The last time the soil is fertilized at the end of autumn. Potassium sulphide is considered the best fertilizer during this period.

Pay attention! Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the soil only in the spring.

Processing

Processing cherries from diseases and pests is an important and responsible step. It is done as follows:

1. Spring treatment begins in April, when the buds are treated with a weak, 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. The process is repeated in May, which helps to protect the garden from various fungal diseases.
2. The next stage falls on the summer period, during the formation of the first buds on the branches. Ferrous vitriol is used as a preparation.
3. The onset of autumn signals that it is time for the gardener to treat the soil around the trunk with a solution of urea. Do this until leaf fall. At the end of autumn, the leaves on the site are collected in one pile and burned.

Design schemes

Pruning of trees takes place according to the following schemes:

1. Basic or classic scheme. The principle of pruning is to pinch the shoots, which leads to their rapid formation.
2. If there is not enough space on the site, you can use the scheme that forms the garden like a hedge.To do this, the trees are planted close to each other, and the side shoots are cut 10 centimeters each season. Such a scheme will allow you to collect a stable, large crop for no more than 5 years. After the crowns of the trees will begin to intertwine, and the amount of the crop will fall. The method is used for decorative purposes, to decorate the site.
3. With due diligence, the gardener can form a cupped crown. This is possible if the upper part of the trunk, including the shoots, is cut annually. Thus, the crown will begin to form not up, but in breadth. This method can be applied to low varieties of cherries.

Varieties and descriptions of columnar cherries

Columnar cherries are becoming more popular day by day due not only to their bright and rich taste, but also to a wide variety of varieties. To date, breeders have bred various species that grow not only in favorable conditions of the southern climate, but also in regions with cool weather.Popular varieties include:

1. Variety Helena.
2. Black cherry.
3. Sylvia.
4. Delight.
5. Queen Mary.
6. Baby.
7. Sabrina.
8. Sem.
9. Revna.

All of them have exceptional characteristics and are worthy of a closer look.

Helena

Distinctive Features:

• crown diameter - no more than one meter;
• height - 3 meters and below;
• berries weigh 13 grams and have a ruby color;
• the taste of the berry is intense, rich, and the pulp is dense and juicy;
• about 14 kilograms of crop is harvested from one tree per season;
• tree life cycle - 25 years;
• refers to frost-resistant varieties. Can be grown in regions where the air temperature in winter drops below 25 ^o.

Black

Features:

• the variety is resistant to temperature extremes, but in winter it is better to cover the trees to avoid their death;
• tree has a compact size. The diameter of the crown does not exceed 0.5 meters, and the height fluctuates around the two-meter mark. Great for small areas;
• cherry has a ruby color of fruit;
• taste bright, rich;
• the fruit is large, juicy;
• skin has a glossy finish.

Sylvia

The features of the cherry of this variety are similar to Helena. They differ in the following details:

• early ripening period. 2 weeks ahead of Helena;
• variety protected from harmful microorganisms and insects;
• frost resistance is lower than that of Helena. For the winter, it is advisable to snatch a tree from severe frosts;
• yield from the tree is consistently high;
• fruits easily endure transportation and do not lose their presentable appearance.

Growing in the same area, Sylvia and Helena pollinate each other, which is a nice bonus to the rest of the characteristics of both varieties.

Baby

Features:

• small tree size. Rarely reaches a height of two meters. Most often, growth stops in the region of 1.5 meters. The crown in diameter does not exceed 80 centimeters;
• berries have a strong, pleasant aroma, which is much more intense than other relatives;
• taste of fruit sweet and sour;
• if you wish, you can grow a variety even in the northern regions, for example, in Siberia, if you take care of a reliable shelter for the winter;
• suitable for various preparations and preserves;
• good decorative properties.

Delight

Another popular variety with decent yield and taste. Distinguishing features include:

• height of an adult tree reaches 2-2.5 meters;
• crown diameter also does not shine with miniature dimensions, and is equal to 1 meter;
• crop yield is consistently high, not changing from year to year;
• refers to medium-early varieties according to the ripening period;
• cherry fruit is scarlet and weighs up to 15 grams;
• berries taste sweet and juicy;
• as well as yellow cherries, it has good protection against fungal diseases and parasites;
• harvest is already in the second year after planting the seedling.

Queen Mary

The variety is not suitable for areas with severe winters. The regions of Central Russia are considered to be the halo of growth. Weak resistance to frost is balanced by excellent taste and intensive yield. The berries are juicy, have a bright color and a pronounced aroma.

Revna

Another popular variety in Russia, which stands out for the following qualities:

• very juicy and tasty berries that are stored for a long time and do not lose their original presentation;
• skin is dark, almost black;
• suitable for transportation;
• berry size is smaller than other varieties. For Revna, berries weighing 7-8 grams are considered the norm;
• the tree is protected from harmful insects and diseases. You can not be afraid to lose the crop due to an unexpected disease;
• frost-resistant crop that is grown even in the northern regions of our country;
• Revne is not afraid of sunburn.

Sabrina

Possesses poor frost resistance and is not suitable for regions with a harsh climate. The tree reaches a large size, and grows at least a meter in diameter. In height, an adult tree reaches 3 meters. Weakly susceptible to attack by insects and pathogens. The yield is good, the berries are tasty and juicy.

Sem

The main feature of the variety is a universal pollinator. It is combined with other varieties in the same area, significantly increasing the overall yield. The berries are medium in size, but very sweet in taste. The ripening period occurs earlier than all other varieties, at least 10 days. The life cycle of a tree is 15 years.

As you can see, columnar cherries can please even the most picky gardener, providing high yields and improving the appearance of the site.

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