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Every gardener dreams of abundant harvests in their garden plots. Dwarf cherry Winter pomegranate, due to its compact size, allows you to place a larger number of trees in a small area. Excellent productivity and ease of care make the choice of this variety very obvious.
Description of the dwarf cherry variety Winter Pomegranate
This variety of fruit tree appeared relatively recently. The Winter Pomegranate cherry variety is the result of selection by foreign farmers and scientists. Despite the short period of fame, the variety has proven itself well in the gardens of Russia and neighboring countries.
Initially, this species was bred for regions with a continental climate. It perfectly tolerates hot summers and harsh winters.In Russia, the dwarf cherry variety Winter Pomegranate can be grown in most regions - from the Moscow region to Vladivostok. The only exceptions are the northern regions, where the average temperature in summer does not fall below 10 degrees.
Winter pomegranate reaches a height of no more than 2 meters
Among other types of dwarf cherries, this one stands out for its decorative component. A special feature of the plant is its incredibly beautiful flowering period. When the crown is formed correctly, white and pink inflorescences delight the eye with lush colors.
Height and dimensions of an adult tree
Like most dwarf species, cherries are small in size. The height of an adult plant reaches 1.5-1.8 m. These dimensions provide convenience when pruning and collecting ripe fruits.
The trunk is divided into several main branches, from which neat shoots extend in all directions. Proper pruning, necessary to form the crown and improve fruiting, allows you to get a lush tree. The green mass in diameter can reach 1.5-2 meters.
Description of fruits
A feature of the variety, for which it received its poetic name, is the ability of the berries to remain on the branches until the onset of cold weather. The fruits do not fall off, remaining on the stalks until the end of October. They have a dense skin that protects them from the scorching sun, preventing baking. Other characteristics of the berries include:
- fruit weight 3.5-4 g;
- very small bone;
- sweet taste with noticeable sourness;
- color from ruby to dark burgundy.
It is worth noting that the prepared berry juice will contain about 14% sugar. Such indicators mean the absence of cloying. The fruits of this variety have the most balanced taste among their relatives.
Does the Winter Pomegranate cherry need pollinators?
The variety is self-pollinating. Even in the absence of other trees in personal plots, you can count on a fairly bountiful harvest. The best pollination occurs when there are several plants of the variety nearby.
Cherry variety Winter pomegranate - self-pollinating
Flowering begins in spring - at the end of April or beginning of May. It lasts about 2-3 weeks. Depending on the weather, the conditions of the tree and the presence of natural pollinators, up to 90-95% of the flowers can become berries.
Main characteristics
Since Winter Pomegranate is a fairly young variety, bred through scientific selection, it combines most of the modern achievements. It was grown specifically for the northern regions, so it is characterized by high frost resistance and survival rate. The tree is unpretentious to the soil and surrounding air.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
The Winter Pomegranate variety was bred specifically for regions with cold winters. According to experienced agricultural technicians, this species can easily tolerate temperatures of 40-45 degrees below zero. Of course, such extreme conditions should not last too long, otherwise the tree's yield the following summer may be significantly reduced.
The variety is quite stress-resistant; it can easily withstand long periods of time without watering.Despite the fact that the tree is small, its roots go deep into the soil. The shallow groundwater allows the tree to have a source of water and not need watering.
Productivity
The dwarf cherry begins to bear its first fruits in the third year from the moment of planting. However, in the first few seasons the harvests will not please you with abundance. The tree will begin to bear the maximum volume of berries at 6-7 years of age. Productivity and time of fruiting can vary significantly depending on the region and plant care.
You can remove up to 10 kg of berries from one cherry
The fruits acquire a ruby color by the 2-3rd decade of July. It's best to wait about 2-3 weeks until they turn dark burgundy and sweeter. The maximum yield from one dwarf tree is up to 10 kg.
The berries are used to prepare fruit desserts, compotes and as a separate dish. Winter pomegranate cherries are also used for winter preparations - jam, marmalade and marshmallows. Thanks to their thick skin, the fruits lend themselves well to storage, transportation and freezing.
Advantages and disadvantages
Based on the data presented, we can formulate several main advantages of growing the dwarf Winter Pomegranate cherry.
When growing such a fruit tree, farmers receive:
- high productivity in a continental climate;
- ease of transportation and storage of berries;
- frost resistance;
- early fruiting.
Despite all the apparent advantages of the dwarf Winter Pomegranate cherry, it has one serious drawback.In warm climates, it cannot compete with other varieties bred specifically for such regions. In southern Russia and Ukraine, it is better to grow other types of cherries that can benefit more from the amount of sun.
Landing rules
The secret to the future health of the dwarf cherry Winter pomegranate is the right seedling. It is best to use 1-2 year old specimens with a well-developed root system. The stem should be straight with several branches.
It is best to purchase seedlings from professional nurseries
Despite the fact that the dwarf tree is unpretentious to the soil, cherries grow best in loose soil that has good breathability. If the soil is loamy or sandy loam, additional fertilizers are added to it. Richer black soils do not require additives or chemicals.
Recommended timing
An important part of the procedure is preparing the planting hole. In order for the soil to be saturated with oxygen as much as possible, the site must be prepared in the fall. The selected area is cleared of weeds and roots of former fruit trees. For the dwarf Winter Pomegranate cherry, it is not necessary to dig a hole that is too large - 60x60x60 cm is a sufficient size.
Like other dwarf trees, Winter Pomegranate must be planted in open ground in the spring. As soon as the snow has completely melted and the soil has warmed up sufficiently, you can begin planting.In the middle zone, the ideal time for landing is the 2nd decade of April. In colder latitudes, you can plant dwarf cherries at the end of the month.
Site selection and soil preparation
A properly planted cherry will delight the gardener with rapid growth, abundant flowering and an excellent harvest. The selection of a landing site must be carefully considered. The dwarf variety loves the sun, so it is worth planting the plant in the southern parts of the site. There should be plenty of light. You should not plant Winter Pomegranate in the shade of a house and outbuildings, or behind taller trees.
Before planting, it is necessary to prepare favorable soil for the future tree. Half of the soil from the planting pit is mixed with 300 g of superphosphate and 100 g of wood ash. The resulting mixture fills the bottom of the recess. Only after this are the dwarf cherry seedlings planted.
How to plant correctly
Before planting a dwarf cherry tree, you must carefully inspect the seedling. Dry and broken branches are cut with pruning shears and treated with garden varnish. It is also worth inspecting the roots to remove rotten parts. A winter pomegranate dwarf cherry seedling is inspected for pests. If they are detected, trees must be treated with a special insecticide.
The best time to plant cherries is mid-April
Gardening experts advise activating the root system before planting. To do this, the seedling is placed in a bucket of water a day before planting. The greatest effect is achieved by adding a special root growth stimulator to the liquid.
The seedlings are placed in holes filled with special soil so that the root collar protrudes slightly above the ground level. After this, the roots are sprinkled with leaf soil. Each tree must be watered abundantly - the volume of liquid should be 20-30 liters.
Features of care
Caring for dwarf cherries is the key to a healthy tree. Despite the fact that Winter Pomegranate is quite unpretentious, timely care will allow you to get impressive harvests. The main concerns of a gardener include:
- timely watering of dwarf cherries;
- regular application of necessary fertilizers;
- tree pruning;
- preparation for the winter period.
In order for the tree to grow actively, Winter Pomegranate needs to provide improved air flow to the root system. To do this, it is necessary to loosen the tree trunk circles 2-3 times a year. Their diameter should be from 60 to 90 cm.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Timely watering ensures that the plant receives the necessary nutrients. The first watering is carried out in the spring, when the earth warms up by 5-10 degrees. From 15 to 20 liters of water is poured under each dwarf cherry. Further watering depends on the weather. In extremely dry months, it is necessary to ensure that the soil around the Winter Pomegranate is sufficiently moist.
During the growing season, dwarf cherries need to fertilize the soil several times with special fertilizers. Before flowering begins, nitrogen supplements are added to the soil. In summer, organic fertilizers are periodically introduced. In the fall, to restore the mineral balance of the soil, it is fertilized with potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
Trimming
To maintain health and increase fruiting of the dwarf Winter Pomegranate cherry, you need to take care of the condition of its crown. Periodic sanitary and formative pruning will allow you to control the development of the plant. The first time this procedure is carried out immediately after planting the seedling. Cut off all branches that are located at a distance of half a meter from ground level.
Proper pruning is the key to a beautiful crown
Every spring it is necessary to remove dead shoots. Formative pruning is carried out in March or early April - before the start of sap flow inside the dwarf cherry. The pruning areas are treated with garden pitch or wood ash.
Preparing for winter
As already mentioned, Winter Pomegranate can easily withstand even severe frosts. In the European part of Russia, gardeners may even refrain from preparing young trees for wintering. If the temperature does not drop below -15 degrees, the cherry will cope with the frost on its own.
An important wintering parameter is the amount of snowfall. If its volume is insufficient and the temperature is low, the soil may freeze and the trunk may crack. To avoid such consequences, it is better to cover it with burlap or other dense fabric.
Diseases and pests
Like most artificially bred varieties, the dwarf Winter Pomegranate cherry boasts excellent resistance to most diseases. To completely eliminate them, as well as protect the tree from pests, it is necessary to carry out a simple set of measures:
- whitewashing trunks in spring;
- treatment with karbofos against aphids;
- treatment with “Aktara” for weevil larvae;
- autumn digging of tree trunks and removal of fallen leaves.
The most common disease of dwarf cherries is moniliosis.If the initial stage is missed, this fungal disease can completely destroy the tree. The disease can be noticed immediately - most often it appears on neighboring fruit plantings. In such cases, winter pomegranate is treated with a fungicidal agent.
Conclusion
Dwarf cherry Winter pomegranate is an artificially bred variety that is excellent for growing in continental climates. Timely care of the plant allows you to constantly obtain large yields.
