Is it possible to grow a cherry from a stone at home and how to care for a seedling
Cherry propagation - the process is quite simple, but only if you resort to the most common methods, use cuttings, shoots or branches. Growing from seed is considered the most difficult, but, nevertheless, many gardeners try their hand at this process. The reward is a lush, beautiful tree, ready to be grafted with a good variety. Before growing from cherry seeds, it is better to understand all the features, which are not so few.
Benefits of pitted cherries
Drupe cherries have many advantages. The most important thing is that the plant is fully adapted to climatic conditions, no additional hardening or the use of warm shelters is required. Cherry also favorably differ in endurance and resistance to diseases, there will be no problems with leaving. Seed propagation is also recommended if a tree needs to be grown to create a bonsai.
The disadvantage of growing seedlings is that varietal characteristics are extremely rare. The only way to get sweet, tasty fruit is by vaccination.
The best varieties for germination
Not all varieties are suitable for planting seeds. It is recommended to use the seeds of these cherries:
- Pink;
- Barbados;
- Spunk;
- Surinamese;
- Felt Cherry.
Even a correctly selected variety does not guarantee that the experiment will end in success - bad weather conditions can destroy a young tree.
Seed requirements
It is recommended to choose a mother tree in your garden, this ensures that the climatic conditions do not cause much harm to the plant. It is better to use overripe fresh fruits to obtain planting material. It is imperative to inspect the bones - there should be no damage, rot spots.
Seed preparation and stratification
Be sure to free the bones from the remnants of the pulp, rinse with warm running water. Pour drupe with water, stand for three days, regularly changing the liquid. After a short drying time, send the seeds to a container filled with wet sand, it will help preserve the seeds, cause sprouts to appear.
The stratification process is mandatory; for this, send the container to the refrigerator. Can be kept for several months in a cool, well-ventilated area. If an autumn planting will be carried out, hardening is not necessary, winter frosts will perfectly cope with stratification.
In which land to plant a bone
The simplest version of the soil mixture is a ready-made substrate for seedlings, which is recommended to be purchased at the store. No less useful for plants will be the soil in which the mother plant grows in the country. Pre-subject it to a special treatment that will disinfect the soil. Spill the earth abundantly with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, or simply send it to the oven and ignite at a high temperature.
Another option for soil cultivation is to pour boiling water over it.
If using nutrient soil, no fertilization is required when planting. Otherwise, add a little organic matter, mineral fertilizers. Put a drainage layer (broken small brick, pebbles) in the pots.
Cherry planting and germination technology
Small containers (up to 0.5 l) are usually used for germination at home. If a container is used, you will have to maintain a distance between the seeds of 15 cm. If the drupes have managed to germinate in the sand, carefully lower them into holes up to 3 cm deep with a finger or a stick.
If seeds are planted without sprouts, do not increase or decrease the depth - 3 cm is enough to germinate the seeds. Be sure to irrigate the soil surface. The process is recommended to be carried out with a spray bottle or simply pour over the container wall.
To accelerate the emergence of shoots and maintain humidity, build a greenhouse. A plastic bag or piece of glass is great for this. After planting, send the container to a light warm windowsill. The first shoots will appear in 3-5 weeks. Germinated drupes will sprout a little earlier - in 2-4 weeks.
Caring for seedlings is like growing indoor plants. Watering regularly (use only warm liquid), loosen the soil surface. Use a thin stick to break up the crust that forms on the surface. Do not loosen deeply - there is a risk of damaging the tender young roots and ruining the plant.
Fertilizing with organic infusions, use a solution of mullein, humus. Fresh organic matter is strictly prohibited, such dressings can harm the roots, even cause a burn.
The defeat of cherries growing in pots, pests or diseases is extremely rare. In order to completely eliminate the risk of disease or the occupation of the plant by insects, it is recommended to carefully examine the trees, if necessary, use proven folk remedies or chemicals.
Care of planted shoots
It is recommended to transplant cherries into open ground at the age of 1-2 years. It is imperative to carry out the transplantation process before bud break or before frost. Prepare the pit in advance - add humus, potash fertilizers. Plant after a thorough examination of the seedling, there should be no damage to the roots. Finish the planting with a thick mulch layer of sawdust or peat. Install the support immediately, make a small depression, which will facilitate watering.
A prerequisite is regular, but scanty watering. Cherry, like most stone fruit crops, is afraid of excessive moisture, so it is better to irrigate the soil more often, but in small portions. Alternate watering with top dressing, but only if the tree grows on too poor soil. Nutrient soils perfectly supply the plant with the necessary components, so fertilization is not required in the first year after planting.
Loosen the soil in which the seedling grows regularly. Do not go too deep, careless movements can damage the roots. Remove weeds - grasses that grow abundantly near the tree will take away some of the nutrients, which will affect the condition of the plant.
In order for the tree to grow magnificently and develop, it is imperative to carry out regular pruning. Do not cut the branches for the first year - remove part of the main trunk. The recommended height to cut at is about 65 cm from the soil surface. The procedure is carried out with a clean sharp instrument. It is not necessary to cover with garden varnish - pruning will not bring much harm to the cherry.
In spring and autumn, prune side shoots. Shorten them by a third. Remove dead, diseased or dry branches at the same time.
Another important rule of caring for planted cherries is regular inspection of the plant, which will allow you to timely notice the development of the disease or the occupation of insects. Use chemicals or folk formulations to fight diseases, pests. The main thing is to carry out the procedure in a timely manner, preventing the spread of the disease or the reproduction of the insect colony.
Grafting cherries
The first fruiting on cherries grown from a bone will occur in 3-5 years, but you shouldn't have any special hopes - the berries will be small and rather tasteless. It is recommended to vaccinate in a timely manner - this will allow you to get a varietal tree bearing large sweet fruits.
It is recommended to go to the garden for vaccination in early spring, although it is better to prepare cuttings for the process in the fall. Store in a cool place or refrigerator. The easiest and most effective method of grafting is in cleavage. Engraftment of cuttings occurs in 99% of cases, but much depends on the quality of the scion and the development of cherries grown from the seed. To avoid unpleasant mistakes, it is recommended to vaccinate when the tree is 2-3 years old.
Step by step vaccination:
- Shorten the stalk with a sharp knife, leave 4-6 healthy large buds, make an incision resembling a wedge.
- Cut the stock at a height of 25 cm, immediately cut the trunk to a depth of 5 cm.
- Make sure that there is no dust, dirt at the cut site, insert the prepared handle.
- Fix the vaccination site, use insulating tape for this (preferably with a sticky layer outward).
- After fixing, use a garden pitch - cover the area with the graft, wrap it with cling film on top.
The appearance of the first leaves on the grafted cuttings is a signal that the operation was successful. Cherry care does not change, but be sure to monitor whether the bandage is pinching the trunk. If necessary, loosen the anchor layer slightly.
Watering should be done carefully - the tree after the operation is exhausted, overflows threaten with rotting of the roots. It is better to irrigate the soil surface with a watering can, allowing moisture to be completely absorbed into the soil.
Growing cherries from seeds is a process that will bring a lot of pleasure even to novice gardeners, because it is so interesting to watch the growth and development of a young tree. You won't have to wait long for the reward - a few years after grafting, the tree will thank you for its care and attention with generous fruiting - juicy, sweet cherries.
