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A very young, but interesting in its characteristics, cherry variety will delight all fruit tree lovers. Cherry Gift to Stepanov is a weather-resistant plant that can be grown by both experienced and novice gardeners.
History of variety selection
A gift to Stepanov is one of the new varieties bred by the famous breeder M.V. Kanshina at the Bryansk All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine. The variety appeared in the State Register only in 2015.
Description of cherries Gift to Stepanov
The variety belongs to the category of medium-growing: the maximum height of the tree is 3.5 m. The cherry shoots are straight, thickened, covered with brown-gray bark with a slight olive tint at the edges. After the autumn leaves fall, the bark acquires a pronounced silvery tint.
The natural shape of the crown is pyramidal; the upper branches of the tree grow quite quickly. The leaves are matte green, large, with sharp teeth along the edges, and the white flowers are presented in inflorescences of 3 flowers each.
The variety bears medium-sized heart-shaped berries with rounded outlines. As a rule, cherries are dark red, the skin is dense, tender and glossy. The average weight of one berry is 4–5 g - not very large fruits. The berries taste sweet, their tasting value is very high - 4.9 points out of a possible 5.
In the State Register, the variety is noted as suitable for cultivation in the Central region. But Gift to Stepanov also grows well in the Urals, where it easily tolerates harsh climatic conditions.
Characteristics of the variety
Not much is known about the young Bryansk cherry variety: most gardeners who planted it on their plots have not yet had time to wait for the first harvest. However, some information is still available.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Like most Bryansk varieties, the Podarok Stepanov cherry, bred for cultivation in the middle zone, nevertheless has high resistance to a more severe climate.
- The variety tolerates drought well - Excess moisture is much more dangerous for it. During summer periods with minimal precipitation, it is recommended to water the cherries weekly in the amount of 3-4 buckets per trunk; it is advisable to mulch the top layer of soil. If there is natural moisture, watering should be done only when necessary. If the tree receives enough moisture from rain, there is no need to water it additionally.
- The variety has high resistance to low temperatures: the tree retains the ability to bear fruit well even in conditions of -30...-32 degrees in winter. The main thing is to prevent deep freezing of the trunk.
Cherry pollinators Gift to Stepanov
The variety is not capable of self-pollination, and if you do not plant suitable pollinating varieties next to the cherry, you may not expect a rich harvest.
The following varieties of cherries are ideal as pollinators for trees:
- Teremoshka - cherry blossoms in the middle period, approximately May 10–15, and its fruits are harvested in mid-July.
- Astakhov's favorite — the variety blooms in mid-May, and begins to bear fruit abundantly after 2 months, in mid-July.
- Bryansk pink — the tree usually blooms at the end of May, from the 15th to the 25th, berries appear on its branches at the end of July.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety brings quite high yields: up to 82 centners of fruit can be harvested from one hectare, and in a home garden the tree will produce up to 60 kg of berries. Cherries reach maturity by 4 years, in other words, only this period after planting can the first harvest be expected. But subsequently the cherry will bear fruit annually.
Fruiting occurs at the end of July - after the 20th.
Area of application of berries
The berries of this variety have a pleasant sweet taste, the pulp is easily separated from the seed. You can consume the fruits at your own discretion fresh or prepare healthy drinks from them, add berries to baked goods and homemade sweet desserts.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Cherry trees get sick very rarely: they have a high level of resistance to pests and fungal infections. At the same time, scab and cancer, white, brown and gray rot, powdery mildew and rust remain dangerous for the variety.
Cherry fruits can be damaged by cherry flies, aphids and weevils. When they appear, it is also necessary to carry out urgent sanitary treatment with special means.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
From the point of view of gardeners, the Podarok Stepanov variety certainly has more positive qualities than negative ones.
The advantages include:
- high level of resistance to harsh climates: the tree tolerates frost and lack of water;
- abundant harvests and dessert taste of fruits;
- good immunity to diseases dangerous to fruit trees and garden insect pests.
There are three main disadvantages of cherries.
- The variety is self-sterile, so it makes no sense to plant a tree in the neighborhood without pollinators: Podarok will not give Stepanov a harvest.
- The first berries appear on the branches of the tree no earlier than the 4th year of life.
- The size of the cherry fruits is not very large, their weight is quite small.
Landing Features
There are no unique planting requirements for Podarok Stepanov cherries, but you need to know the basic rules.
Recommended timing
The time for planting a tree depends on the specific region. In the southern regions of Russia, it is preferable to plant cherries in the fall, a few weeks before the first frost. But in the middle zone and in the Urals it is better to carry out spring planting.
Choosing a suitable location
Lack of light, excess moisture and cold wind are detrimental to the variety. Therefore, cherries are planted on the sunny side, in well-ventilated sandy loam soil or on loam. Groundwater should not come close to the surface.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
- Gift to Stepanov, like many other varieties of cherries, does not get along well with apple, currant, and pear trees.
- But you can plant rowan or cherry trees next door.
Selection and preparation of planting material
The main requirement for a seedling is its quality.
- The roots of the tree must be intact, healthy and fairly developed.
- There should be a trace of the grafting on the trunk; in addition, it is advisable that the seedling have only one main conductor.
Before planting in the ground, it is advisable to keep the seedling in water for a couple of hours to allow the roots to swell.
Landing algorithm
- Cherries of this variety require a planting hole approximately 60 cm deep and 80 cm wide.
- The bottom of the hole is filled with humus and ash, the tree is lowered into it and sprinkled with earth to the very top of the hole, not forgetting to pour 2 buckets of water into the soil.
- The ground around the trunk is covered with mulch, and the trunk itself is tied to a support.
Aftercare for cherries
- Gift to Stepanov is pruned mainly for sanitary purposes, to remove dried and improperly growing branches. Fruiting shoots are shortened by a third every year.
- Additional watering is done once a month, during the summer heat: weekly 20–40 liters of water. The ground around the trunk is mulched.
- Fertilizers will only need to be applied a year after planting.In the spring, it is customary to feed cherries with nitrogen compounds, in the summer you can add a little potassium to the soil, and in the fall, cherries will benefit from fertilizing containing fluoride.
- Preparing for winter does not require much effort from the gardener. In September, water the cherries well, scatter manure under the trunk and spray the crown with fertilizers containing fluoride. To protect the trunk from freezing, you can wrap it in a material with heat-insulating properties for the winter. If there is heavy snowfall, it is recommended to form a snowdrift near the tree trunk and trample the snow around the tree properly.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Cherry Podarok Stepanov gets sick infrequently, but disease prevention is still recommended.
- In the spring, at the beginning of April, the variety is sprayed with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture - it is made from water, copper sulfate and lime.
- Spraying is repeated after the start of flowering, but a 1% solution is used.
Conclusion
Cherry Gift to Stepanov is an easy-to-care and fairly productive variety. Thanks to its frost resistance and good immunity to drought, it will successfully take root in almost any summer cottage.
Reviews from summer residents about cherries Gift to Stepanov
A gift to Stepanov, it has been growing for four years - an excellent variety. I bought a two-year-old. Grows in the north of the Moscow region on the south side of the house. Pollinator and cherry trees have been planted. Last year I even made berry jam, despite the frosts during the flowering period.