Content
- 1 Cherries for the Urals and Siberia
- 2 Do cherries grow in the Urals?
- 3 The best varieties of cherries for the Urals
- 4 Do cherries grow in Siberia?
- 5 Winter-hardy cherry varieties for Siberia
- 6 Sweet cherries in Siberia: planting and care
- 7 Classification of cherry varieties for the Urals and Siberia
- 8 Growing cherries in Siberia and the Urals in creeping form
- 9 Conclusion
Cherry has not been an exotic plant for Siberia and the Urals for a long time. Breeders have worked hard to adapt this southern culture to the harsh climate of these places. Their painstaking work was crowned with success, and currently there are quite a few varieties of cherries suitable for cultivation in the Urals and Siberia.
Cherries for the Urals and Siberia
The main danger for cherries in these regions is harsh winters. Often at this time the air temperature drops to -40..-45°C, which is detrimental for such a southern crop as cherries. Only a few varieties have suitable winter hardiness.
Return frosts also pose a great danger to cherries. It is these two parameters that you need to pay attention to when choosing a variety for planting: winter hardiness and resistance of flower buds to return frosts.
Do cherries grow in the Urals?
The Urals are not the most favorable place for growing cherries. The climate of this region is far from ideal, so cultivating it here is considered in many ways not even risky, but adventurous. Severe winters and short, cool summers with an average temperature no higher than +20°C, and relatively little precipitation in the summer – these are the main problems that a gardener will have to face.
The best varieties of cherries for the Urals
Few varieties of cherries can develop and bear fruit normally in such harsh conditions. These include the following:
- Ariadne.
- Bryanochka.
- Veda.
- Gronkova.
- And the way.
- Large-fruited.
- Ovstuzhenka.
- Odrinka.
- Orlovskaya pink.
- Poetry.
- Revna.
- Tyutchevka.
- Fatezh
- Cheremashnaya.
Most of these varieties are a product of selection by the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine, located in the Bryansk region. It was there that work was carried out to develop winter-hardy cherry varieties. The frost resistance of these varieties is about -30°C, which is not enough in the harsh Ural winter.
Planting and caring for cherries in the Urals
The procedure for planting cherries in the Ural region is no different from planting them, for example, in Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. It is preferable to prepare planting holes in the fall. The location should be chosen on the sunny side of the site and sufficiently protected from the north wind. The soil taken out of the pit is mixed with humus. They will need to cover the roots of the cherry seedling when planting, adding another 0.2 kg of superphosphate.
A two-year-old cherry seedling is usually planted with a lump of earth on the roots. If the roots are bare, they must be spread along the earthen mound, which must be poured onto the bottom of the hole. The seedling is installed vertically and covered with nutrient soil, periodically compacting the soil. If this is not done, voids may form inside the planting hole and the roots of the seedling will simply hang in the air.
The root neck of the seedling should be 3-5 cm above ground level. After planting, the plant should be shed generously with water and the soil should be mulched with humus.
Subsequent care of planted cherries includes the formation of the crown using pruning, as well as sanitary pruning, fertilizing and watering. Periodic spraying with various preparations is also carried out to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests.
The nuances of growing cherries in the Urals
When growing cherries in the Urals, gardeners almost completely refuse to use nitrogen fertilizers so as not to stimulate excessive tree growth. The plant is formed small and compact.
To increase resistance to frost, grafting is often done on more winter-hardy cherries, and at a fairly high level, about 1–1.2 m. This protects the tree from sunburn. The grafting is done both on seedlings and on cherry shoots or in the crown.
Growing cherries in the southern Urals
The Southern Urals are undoubtedly a more favorable region for growing cherries. This applies primarily to the Orenburg region, the southernmost in the region. The predominant winds here are not cold Arctic ones, as in the Northern and Central Urals, but western ones, so winters here are milder and there is more precipitation.
Preparing cherries for winter in the Urals
To increase winter hardiness, cherries are grafted onto local frost-resistant cherry varieties, for example, Ashinskaya. Often grafting is done into the crown of an already mature tree. If the tree is grown from a seedling, it is formed into a bush to limit its growth to a height of 2 m. This will allow its branches to be bent to the ground in winter and covered with snow. They begin to bend down the branches at the end of summer.
For preparing a tree for winter Often in August it is foliarly fertilized with potassium monophosphate. In addition, defoliation is used - spraying with urea at the end of summer to accelerate the fall of leaves. Defoliants significantly increase winter hardiness.
If shoot growth has not stopped by August 1, it is necessary to stop it artificially. To do this, annual shoots are pinched. This will speed up the lignification process and improve frost resistance.
Reviews about cherries in the Urals
Do cherries grow in Siberia?
The Siberian region is famous primarily for its harsh winters. Therefore, such a southern plant as cherries is quite difficult to grow here.However, thanks to the emergence of varieties with high frost resistance, it is possible to obtain a cherry harvest even in such unfavorable climatic conditions.
The climate of Siberia is sharply continental. Because of the Ural Mountains, the warm and humid westerly winds of the Atlantic simply do not reach here. Therefore, in addition to cold winters, the Siberian region is characterized by low amounts of precipitation and short, hot summers. The short summer imposes an additional condition on the types of fruit trees grown here: they must be distinguished by early ripening.
The cherry itself is a fairly tall tree, and even when formed it can reach a height of 4.5–5 m. However, the climatic conditions of the Siberian region will not allow a tree of this size to be grown there. The cherry tree will need very heavy pruning to moderate its growth. Not all varieties tolerate it well.
Winter-hardy cherry varieties for Siberia
The same varieties can be grown in Siberia as in the Urals. These varieties include:
- Tyutchevka. Winter hardiness of the tree is down to -25°C. A tree covered with snow can withstand temperatures down to -35°C. The variety is also good because it recovers very quickly after freezing. Ripens in late July – early August.
- Ovstuzhenka. Winter hardiness down to -45°C. Ripening period is the end of June, later in the Urals and Siberia.
- In memory of Astakhov. Winter hardiness down to -32°C. Ripening period is the end of July.
- Teremoshka. Winter hardiness of the tree down to -34°C. Medium ripening variety.
- Odrinka. Winter hardiness down to -29°C. Mid-late variety.
In addition to these varieties, the following are grown in Siberia:
- Annushka.
- Astakhova.
- Bull Heart.
- Vasilisa.
- Daibera black.
- Drogana Yellow.
- Drozdovskaya.
- Leningradskaya Black.
- Milana.
- Michurinskaya.
- Napoleon.
- Gift to Eagle.
- Gift for Stepanov.
- Homestead Yellow.
- Raditsa.
- Regina.
- Rondo.
- Rossoshanskaya.
- Syubarovskaya.
- Franz Joseph.
- French Black.
- Julia.
- Amber.
- Yaroslavna.
Cherry varieties for Eastern Siberia.
Eastern Siberia is the harshest region of the country. Frosts of -45°C are not uncommon here. However, even in this region it is possible to grow cherries. In addition to those already mentioned earlier, the following varieties can be grown here:
- Adeline.
- Bryansk Pink.
- Valery Chkalov.
- Astakhov's favorite.
- Rechitsa.
- Homeland.
- Fairy tale.
Cherry varieties for Western Siberia
The climate of Western Siberia is slightly milder than Eastern Siberia, and the winters are not so severe. Here are several varieties of cherries suitable for growing in this region:
- Zhurba.
- Cordia.
- Surprise.
- Pink pearls.
- Symphony.
Of course, you can grow here all the previously mentioned varieties that have sufficient winter hardiness.
Sweet cherries in Siberia: planting and care
The requirements for the planting site of this crop are almost the same in all regions: sun, a minimum of cold drafts and a place with a low level of groundwater.
How to plant cherries in Siberia
Planting in Siberia is carried out only in spring. In the fall, the seedling simply does not have time to take root and will freeze out in the first winter. Caring for cherries in Siberia also has its own characteristics. The tree must be short, so it is formed, as a rule, by a bush. In winter, the low trunk is completely covered in snow and is thereby additionally protected from freezing.
The composition of the soil and the application of fertilizers should not provoke the tree to grow too much. Therefore, the amount of fertilizers is limited, and the use of nitrogen fertilizers can be completely abandoned.
Experience in growing cherries in Siberia
Even in Soviet times, periodicals published materials about attempts to grow southern crops in Siberia. With the advent of frost-resistant varieties of cherries, gardeners have the opportunity to independently experiment in their summer cottages. As a result, there are already quite voluminous statistics on the basis of which certain conclusions can be drawn.
First. Pruning is a mandatory procedure. Otherwise, the tree will spend a lot of energy growing shoots, which will still not have time to ripen and will freeze in the winter. At the beginning of August, the growth of all shoots must be stopped by cutting them off by 5–10 cm. Throughout the summer, shoots that thicken the crown must be cut out, since they still do not have enough sun to ripen normally.
Second. There is no need to overfeed the tree. Cherry grows well in infertile soils, and there is no need to artificially stimulate its growth. In recent years, many gardeners have recommended using only complex mineral fertilizer "AVA", and doing this with caution.
Third. The slate method of growing fruit trees and shrubs has proven itself well. In this case, they can be completely bent to the ground in the fall and protected from frost. More on this below.
Fourth. There are no zoned varieties for Siberia. The effectiveness of growing cherries here varies greatly, even within the same region. Therefore, it is impossible to say with great confidence which variety is more suitable for growing in a particular area. For some, Revna will feel better, for others, Tyutchevka.
Fifth. Before planting cherries on your property, you can try planting a plant called “dog rose.” If it takes root, cherries will grow too.
Reviews about cherries in Siberia
How to prepare cherries for winter in Siberia
It is very important that the tree shed its leaves on its own before winter. This means it is ready for winter. He is helped in this by pruning, which is carried out in early August, shortening the growing shoots. At the same time, the application of fertilizers should be limited.
The next important step is whitewashing the trunk. It will help protect the tree trunk from frost damage and sunburn. This is done in the fall, immediately after the leaves fall. You can use both regular lime and special whitening compounds.
Covering trees with snow can significantly reduce frost damage. Often, under the influence of a dry cold wind, a tree without shelter does not even freeze, but dries out. Snow prevents this very well.
Classification of cherry varieties for the Urals and Siberia
Cherry varieties for the Urals and Siberia are divided according to the same principles as all others. They are classified according to tree height, ripening time and fruit color.
According to ripening period
The timing of flowering and fruit ripening depends very much on weather conditions and may differ by several weeks in different regions. There are early-ripening cherries (ripening in early-mid June), mid-early (late June - early July), mid-late (mid-late July) and late (early August).
By fruit color
The most common colors of cherry fruits are red (Teremoshka, Iput, In Memory of Astakhov), pink (Pink Pearl, Bryansk pink) and yellow (Zhurba, Chermashnaya).
By tree height
The classification by tree height is quite arbitrary, since cherries in Siberia and the Urals are formed into a low bush or grown in a stylized form. In any case, its height usually does not exceed 2–2.5 m.
Growing cherries in Siberia and the Urals in creeping form
The main idea of this form of cultivation is the ability to cover the tree for the winter. It all starts with planting, and the seedling is planted not vertically, but at an angle of 45°. A tree tied to a support is held in this position until autumn, and then it is completely bent to the ground and covered first with covering material, and then with sawdust and snow. In the spring, the cover is removed and the tree is again tied to the support.
This method is used when growing cherries on dwarf rootstocks, for example, steppe cherries. It is very convenient to work with such bushes about a meter high.
Conclusion
Cherries for Siberia and the Urals have not yet been zoned. However, even the existing varieties intended for planting in the Central regions of Russia feel good in the vast expanses beyond the Ural Mountains. The main thing is not to be afraid and follow all the rules for caring for a tree, then the result will not be long in coming.
