Content
Sand cherry has two varieties: eastern and western, called Bessey. The culture's homeland is the prairies of North America, where it grows along the banks of reservoirs. Western sand cherry is used as an ornamental and fruit shrub, while eastern sand cherry is used only for garden decoration and windbreak.
In Russia, Besseya has become widespread in Siberia and the Far East. Less often it can be found in the Ural gardens.
History of selection
Strictly speaking, calling Bessey a cherry is incorrect. In terms of its biological parameters, it is much closer to the plum. It does not cross-pollinate with common cherry, steppe cherry and Bessey cherry, it does not cross, they cannot even be grafted onto each other. But there are many hybrids of the crop with plum and apricot. Bessey is usually classified as a microcherry (felt, glandular, etc.)etc.), when crossed with which many interesting varieties were obtained.
Bessey breeding is actively carried out in Canada and the USA. In our country, although Ivan Michurin paid attention to the culture, only V.S. Putov from the Siberian Research Institute of Horticulture named after him paid close attention to it. M. A. Lisavenko. Until his death, he worked on Bessey cherries and developed 5 elite forms with large sweet fruits: 14-29, 14-32a, 14-36, 14-36a, 14-40.
From time to time, varieties of sand cherries appear, obtained by modern breeders. Much more often, Bessey is crossed with other crops. The State Register includes 6 varieties of sand cherries:
Variety name | Originator | Year of application/inclusion in the State Register |
Watercolor Black | LLC NPO "Garden and Vegetable Garden", p. Shumovo, Chelyabinsk region. | 2017/2018 |
Breeze | Same | 2017/2018 |
Carmen | FGBNU Sverdlovsk SSS VSTISP | 2016/2018 |
Severyanka | Same | 2016/2018 |
Black Swan | Same | 2016/2018 |
Relay race | Same | 2016/2018 |
Sand cherry Bessey would be an ideal rootstock for plums, apricots, and microcherries. But it has one significant drawback - poor anchoring. This means that the root of the crop weakly “clings” to the soil and an adult plant can tip over at any moment.
Description of culture
As you can see in the photo of the Bessey cherry, it is a shrub 1–1.5 m high, up to 2.0 m wide. It grows in several trunks. Old branches are painted dark gray, young ones are red-brown. At first the shoots grow straight, then they droop, and by the age of seven they begin to spread along the ground.
The leaves of the Bessey cherry are somewhat similar to willow ones: the same elongated, lanceolate. Their length can reach 6 cm. The upper part of the leathery leaf blade is bright green, the lower part is grayish-silver.In autumn the bush turns red, which looks very beautiful.
Sometimes, even after the start of snowfalls, the cherry tree does not lose all its foliage.
At the end of spring, Besseya is literally covered with numerous flowers up to 1.5 cm in diameter, emitting a faint pleasant aroma. Sand cherry fruits are black, brown, and rarely greenish-yellow. Their shape varies from round to oval. The weight of the berries is up to 2 g, in selected specimens it is about 3 g. Delicate greenish, less often with reddish or burgundy veins, the pulp of Bessey is sweet, tart, sometimes astringent. There is sourness in the fruits, but it is barely noticeable. Sand cherry breeding is aimed at removing astringency.
Characteristics
The characteristics of Bessey's sand cherry given by foreign sources cannot be relied upon. Varieties from the USA and Canada were not tested under our conditions.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Bessey cherry is a drought-resistant and frost-resistant crop. Its root system easily tolerates frost down to -26 °C. In the conditions of the American prairies, the above-ground part of the cherry can withstand up to -50 °C; in our climate, without shelter, you can count on Besseya to withstand -40 °C.
The difference is due to the fact that for sufficient ripening of wood, high summer temperatures are needed. At home, sand cherry grows in the steppe zone. We have forest, taiga and forest-steppe at the same latitude as in North America. There in the summer it is much cooler than on the prairies.
But Bessey’s cherry, even after freezing, quickly recovers. Young shoots grow from the root collar area, which produce a particularly bountiful harvest the following season.
Damping off is much more dangerous for Bessey.If the root collar is damaged, the cherry will die. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to periodically pierce the snow cover in several places with a sharp stick or metal rod.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Varietal sand cherry is self-sterile. For species plants, it is necessary to have several specimens in the garden. Any other varieties of this crop can serve as pollinators for Bessey cherries.
It blooms late, for example, in the Barnaul area, by the end of May. Thanks to this, Besseya easily avoids return frosts. Sand cherry flowers are decorative and last for approximately 20 days. Fruiting begins at the end of August.
Productivity, fruiting
Besseya begins to bear fruit very early. Even on cherry seedlings, the first berries appear in the second or third year after germination. Fruiting occurs only on young annual shoots. They grow well exclusively on branches whose age does not exceed 5 years. Therefore, to get a good harvest, regular rejuvenating pruning of cherries is needed.
The lifespan of Bessey cherry is 10–12 years. During this period, each bush is capable of producing up to 30 kg of fruit annually. It is noteworthy that they do not crumble at all. If you keep them on cherries in the warm autumn, the berries will wilt and only become tastier.
Area of application of berries
Bessey can be eaten fresh. But only varietal or selected specimens of cherries will produce tasty berries. If the fruits are tart, they can be used for jam, wine, juices, and compotes. Besseya is especially good in various fruit mixtures.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Sand cherry is remarkable in that it is almost not affected by diseases and pests.Only occasionally does she suffer from clasterosporiasis.
Advantages and disadvantages
Photos and descriptions of sand cherry characterize it as an exceptionally productive crop. In addition, the advantages of Bessey include:
- Annual fruiting.
- Resistance to diseases and pests.
- High drought resistance.
- Extremely extended fruiting period of the Bessey sand cherry. Its berries can even wither right on the bush, which makes their taste better.
- High frost resistance. It is superior to all other stone fruit crops.
- Ease of reproduction.
- Highly decorative plant.
- Early fruiting.
- Fast recovery after frost.
Disadvantages of culture:
- Short lifespan of cherries (up to 12 years).
- Small fruits.
- Low resistance to klyasterosporiosis.
- Bessey fruits do not have a very good taste.
- The instability of cherries to damping off.
Landing Features
Bessey's requirements for the location and planting conditions are not very different from other cherries. But there is a difference, and it cannot be ignored.
Recommended timing
It is best to plant Bessey in the spring, after the soil has warmed up a little. In places where summers are not too hot, container cherries can be placed on the site all season.
Choosing a suitable location
The main thing is that the place for planting the Bessey sand cherry is sunny, protected from the wind and does not get wet. Under no circumstances should it be placed in hollows or wetlands. The culture is very sensitive to damping off and stagnation of water at the roots. The ideal place for sand cherries would be a hill.
Any soil is suitable for Bessey: it grows even on alkaline soils. But it is best to plant it in soil rich in sand and organic matter.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries?
When planting Besseyu on a plot, you need to remember that the crop is not tall - any tree can shade it. It is better to place other sand cherries nearby. Even under a mature tree, ground covers should not be planted.
There is no need for oak, birch, walnut, raspberry or sea buckthorn to grow next to Bessey. Neighborhood with black currant will not bring anything good to any of the crops.
Selection and preparation of planting material
If possible, it is better to grow planting material yourself. If necessary, seedlings are purchased from nurseries or garden centers that value their reputation.
The sand cherry root system should be well developed, and the shoots should be red-brown in color. The presence of cracks or other damage on the branches is unacceptable.
Landing algorithm
After a sunny, elevated place, protected from the wind, has been chosen for the Bessey cherry, you can begin planting.
- First, make a fertile mixture: combine the top layer of soil, humus, dolomite flour, ash and a handful of superphosphate.
- A planting pit is prepared measuring 40x40x40 cm. If the groundwater comes close to the surface of the soil, the depth is increased and broken red bricks and crushed stone are placed at the bottom and covered with sand.
It must be taken into account that the distance between the bushes should not be less than 2 m. Then Bessey is planted as follows:
- A layer of fertile soil is poured into the bottom of the hole.
- A seedling is placed in the middle.
- The cherry root is gradually covered with the mixture prepared in advance, constantly compacting it to avoid the formation of voids.
- After planting, a roller of soil is formed around the bush and watered abundantly.
- The tree trunk circle is mulched.
Subsequent care of the crop
Young plants must be watered.Adult Bessey is a drought-resistant crop. It is important not to overdo it with watering. In the spring, cherries are fertilized with nitrogen, in the fall with potassium and phosphorus, the latter element being added in small doses. It is best to mulch the soil for the winter with humus mixed with ash: it contains all the elements Bessey needs for growth and fruiting.
Sand cherry needs regular pruning. When planting, it is shortened, leaving 5–10 cm. It will quickly grow with young shoots. Branches 4–5 years old are completely removed. When doing sanitary and lightening pruning, you need to take into account that the most productive shoots are 15–50 cm long. These are the ones that need to be left.
Besseya practically does not produce shoots. Until the branches lie on the ground, the soil needs to be loosened and removed weeds.
Only where severe frost is possible (below -50 °C), and there is almost no snow, are cherries covered with spruce branches for the winter. The crop is susceptible to damping off, so the snow must be regularly pierced to the surface of the soil in several places to ensure ventilation.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Reviews from gardeners about Bessey's cherry characterize it as a crop that is resistant to disease and almost not susceptible to attack by pests. Only in cold, rainy summers can she suffer from cleasterosporiasis. To prevent the disease, spray it twice with Bordeaux mixture (1%) - on a green cone and immediately after flowering. Sanitary pruning and cleaning of fallen leaves should not be neglected.
What are the methods of reproduction?
Even a novice gardener can cope with the propagation of Bessey cherries. Since it practically does not produce root shoots, you can try other options:
- Plant the seeds. They have excellent germination.They are planted immediately after eating cherries, or after stratification for 2–3 months.
- Both green and woody cuttings take root well. They are grown for 1–2 years before being planted in a permanent place.
- The easiest way to propagate Bessey is by layering. They are simply dug in and secured with a metal bracket so that when picking berries or weeding they are not accidentally pulled out of the ground. The next year, the young cherry is separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.
Harvesting and processing
Bessey can be harvested at any time after ripening: the fruits do not fall off and become tastier when ripe. The main thing is that the berries do not get dirty. To do this, you can lay agrofibre or cut grass on the ground. Some gardeners arrange special supports so that branches generously strewn with fruits do not lie on the ground.
Bessey berries are processed in the same way as plums: they are quite similar in composition. It is best to add them to jams, compotes, juices and wine from other fruits - sand cherries will give them a special color and aroma.
Growing Bessey sand cherries is possible even in regions where other stone fruit crops cannot survive. Perhaps its taste is unique and not everyone will like it, but a large amount of vitamins and other healing substances makes the berries not just a delicacy, but a useful addition to our diet.
Reviews
