Planting and caring for cherries in Siberia, variety selection and errors in cultivation
Cherry berries were previously grown exclusively in the southern regions, as they are thermophilic plants. Today, the direction of breeding is rapidly developing and offers a large number of winter-hardy species. What kind of cherry grows in Siberia, how to plant and care for it - information that needs to be carefully studied before purchasing seedlings.
What characteristics should cherries have?
Sweet cherry belongs to the fruit crops that are used to warm and sunny areas, but today breeders can offer varieties with the most unexpected requirements. The cultivation of a thermophilic culture is complicated by the conditions of the Siberian climate. It takes a lot of effort to get a good harvest.
The main criterion when choosing a cherry variety for planting in Siberia is frost resistance. The speed of fruit ripening is also of great importance, since the summer period in the northwestern region is much faster. Plants in a fairly short time should have time to form fruits, saturate them with the maximum amount of nutrients, and also prepare for winter.
You should not choose varieties of cherries for planting in Siberia, which are characterized by tall growth, since the gardener will have to direct all his efforts to forming the crown. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the types of culture that are resistant to a hard pick.
The best varieties for the Siberian climate
The efforts of breeders to create new hybrids were aimed at increasing the winter hardiness of flower buds. The possibility of growing cherries in the harsh conditions of Siberia depends on this.
Early varieties
Early varieties of cherries, which ripen in mid-June, include:
- Iput.
- Ovstuzhenka.
- Red hill.
- Chermashnaya.
- Symphony.
- Fatezh.
Most of them were bred thanks to the Bryansk selection, where a team of scientists headed by M.V. Kanshina was engaged in this.
Mid-season crops
Cherry varieties ripening in early July:
- Rechitsa.
- Teremoshka.
- In memory of Astakhov.
These recommended varieties for planting in Siberia showed the most encouraging results when breeding, since they distinguished themselves by the ability of the buds to withstand temperature drops down to -35 degrees.
Late ripening varieties
By mid-July, such varieties of cherries as:
- Tyutchevka.
- Bryanochka.
- Veda.
- Jealous.
- Bryansk pink.
- Odrinka.
The list of these cherry varieties will decorate the gardens of Siberia.
Frost-resistant varieties
Before planting a fruit tree in a sharply continental climate, it is worth considering all the risks. Frosts reaching record levels can negatively affect the plant. When choosing, you need to take into account numerous microclimate factors. Siberian gardeners strongly recommend giving preference to frost-resistant varieties of cherries, which are generally available in zoned nurseries.
Landing technology
Planting cherries in Siberia has its own characteristics. In order for the seedling to take root and not die in the first winter, you need to make every effort when planting.
When to plant cherries: recommended dates
The optimal time of the year for planting cherries in Siberia is spring, because if planted in autumn, the sprouts do not have time to adapt to the climatic conditions of autumn and may die with the onset of unfavorable times and severe frosts.
How to choose a healthy and strong seedling
It is recommended to buy cherry seedlings at the beginning of May, as the threat of frost return persists until the first ten days of June. When choosing a seedling, you need to pay attention to many factors:
- well-developed roots do not have bulges and outgrowths;
- the bark is smooth, the absence of spots and scales caused by drying;
- the crown consists of at least 3 branches 30-35 cm long;
- there is no damage in the cloning zone, otherwise further development may be difficult;
- seedling aged 1-2 years;
- the trunk diameter is at least 1.5 cm.
With all of the above characteristics, there is a guaranteed probability of rapid growth of the seedling..
Determining the landing site
The choice of the future place of growth of the seedling should be treated with special care and accuracy, since at least 50% of the success in growing a crop in Siberia depends on it. The selected area must have certain characteristics:
- The presence of a natural barrier in the form of a hillside or a wall of trees in a nearby forest. You can also build a stone wall yourself, a reliable fence, a hedge. This will protect the fruit crop in the future from the effects of cold, strong winds.
- The absence of various relief depressions in the form of pits, hollows and hollows, since water collects in them due to the spring melting of snow. The accumulation of water in the root system can lead to certain death of the tree. Also, in such places cold air masses prevail, which is dangerous for the culture at the time of flowering.
- A nearby reservoir and a small hill with a steepness of no more than 5-9 degrees.
- The most optimal soil composition. Poor sandy, clayey or peaty soils are unsuitable for use in cherry cultivation. You should not expect active plant growth and a rich harvest from such places. The soil should be loose, permeable, moisture-absorbing, fertile, acidic (5.5 pH). Berry culture prefers sandy loam, loamy, sod-podzolic soils, black soil.
- Groundwater flow 2 meters from the ground. Otherwise, the root system will suffer from high humidity, which will lead to early death.
Important! It is unacceptable to plant a fruit crop in the shade. The tree must receive the maximum amount of solar energy.
Preparing the soil and the landing pit
After the landing site has been determined with accuracy, you should proceed to the next stage - preparation of the soil and the landing pit. The hole should be at least 40 cm deep and about 70 cm in diameter. The well must be equipped with substances such as:
- 2 buckets of humus;
- 150 g superphosphate;
- 50 g of potassium sulfate;
- 1 liter of ash;
- 1 tbsp. crushed eggshell;
- 1 bucket of sand.
When growing a cherry seedling in the harsh conditions of Siberia, it is worth taking care of the presence of all the necessary substances in the soil in advance so that the plant does not need anything.
Landing algorithm
To plant a cherry seedling in Siberia correctly, thereby provoking rapid growth and formation of fruits, you need to know some points of planting:
- Place the seedling in a pre-prepared hole so that the root collar is on the surface.
- Do not forget that the trunk should be at a slight slope for convenience in the construction of a winter shelter.
- Pour 2 buckets of water and fix to the peg without fail.
If you follow all aspects of the follow-up care, the likelihood of getting a rich harvest increases significantly.
Rules for caring for cherries in Siberia
After planting cherries in Siberia, from the very first days, it is worth making sure that the plant takes root and adapts to the environment. To do this, follow all the recommendations for caring for the fruit tree.
How often to water
The frequency of watering depends on the weather conditions of the northern regions: during the dry season, it should be carried out regularly to maintain normal soil moisture. In the heat, actively water the plant at the time of flowering and 3 weeks before the start of fruit formation.
How to feed for growth and fruiting
The cultivation of cherries in Siberia involves the introduction of a large amount of fertilizers, namely:
- complex fertilizer in the spring, for example, nitrophoska or ammofoska;
- at the end of June, superphosphate;
- in the first decade of August, potassium monosulfate;
- in August, no more than 150 g of wood ash.
Compliance with the feeding schedule for fruiting cherries will help to get the desired harvest in large volumes.
Instructions for shaping a tree
The pruning of sweet cherry growing in Siberia has some peculiarities. The purpose of pruning is to restrict the growth of shoots, therefore, the formation of a low stem and a compact crown must be carried out in order to facilitate waiting out unfavorable conditions. Do not cut off the ends of the branches, the fruits will appear on them. It is recommended to remove only side branches.
The crown of cherries growing in Siberia is formed in several ways:
- in the form of a bowl from one tier, so that the main trunk is not noticeable, but at least 5-6 branches stand out;
- tier-sparse form, which is characterized by the laying of three tiers of skeletal branches at a distance of 60 cm;
- in the form of a stanza.
Timely removal of branches that grow inside the crown is necessary so that the plant gives up all the nutrients for the formation and saturation of fruits, and not for the growth of non-functional shoots.
Proper preparation for winter is the basis for the survival of cherries
The first winter is the most crucial period for cherries, it is during this period that the risk of death increases. In the conditions of Siberia, where winters are very harsh, it is worth paying more attention to the preparation of a fruit tree for wintering and to make it easier for it to pass this difficult season. This requires:
- Bend the lower branches in August.
- Avoid the formation of a large number of shoots in the autumn period and cut them off in time.
- Make sure that the crown is completely devoid of leaves. Otherwise, defoliation by spraying the plant with urea or copper sulfate to accelerate leaf fall.
- Conduct mass watering in the last days of September. Pour about 30 liters of water under one fruit tree.
- Build a shelter using a film, frame, spruce branches, cover the structure with a lot of snow.
Important! To protect the plant from rodents, the trunk and base of the skeletal branches should be whitewashed. The composition of the whitewash should differ in the content of clay, hot powdered pepper, mullein, animal hair.
Growing errors
The experience of summer residents and gardeners will help to avoid mistakes for those who first decided to plant cherries in the garden. The main reasons for failure include:
- incorrectly selected variety;
- non-frost-resistant stock and scion;
- formation of a high stem;
- overdose of nitrogen-based fertilizers;
- in rare cases, the absence of a pollinator.
Only through numerous trials and attempts can you arm yourself with the necessary knowledge and grow a healthy plant.
It is quite difficult to achieve a good result when growing cherries in Siberia, since the idea itself is risky. But when you take into account numerous factors, study and follow the recommendations, this process will not seem difficult.
