Content
In the northern regions, the issue of providing the population with fresh fruit is especially acute. Berries and vegetables can be grown in greenhouses, but planting a fruit tree indoors is problematic. Therefore, the creation of frost-resistant hybrids comes to the fore. Of the five types of edible cherries, only steppe cherries can withstand extremely low temperatures. But its berries are small and sour - you can make jam, but eating it fresh is not a pleasant experience.
History of selection
Ivan Michurin thought about adapting cherries to northern conditions. This species grows well in the south, and during significant frosts the cadmium and branch forks of the trees freeze. At the end of the 19th century, Michurin created the first Russian duke - a hybrid of cherries and sweet cherries, which he called Beauty of the North. Subsequently, the scientist developed several more varieties, the winter hardiness of which was satisfactory, but the taste and yield left much to be desired.
But this was only the first step.Today, duke breeding is moving towards creating winter-hardy trees that can withstand both low temperatures and recurrent frosts. Much attention is paid to taste, berry size, and yield. Since the combination of cherry and sweet cherry genes most often produces low-fruiting plants, the creation of each successful variety is a real event.
One of the best dukes is the large-fruited Mayak cherry. It was created in 1974 by the joint efforts of scientists from the Sverdlovsk Horticulture Breeding Station N.I. Gvozdyukova and S.V. Zhukov. The Michurin varieties served as the starting material for breeding Duke.
Description of culture
The Mayak cherry variety grows as a bush with several stems up to 2 m high. The crown is spreading, wide-rounded, with sparse branches, leaves of medium density. Small buds with sharp tips are located at an acute angle in relation to the shoots. The oval leaves of the Mayak variety, pointed at the end, are somewhat larger in size than the cherry leaves.
Flower buds are located on last year's growth and bouquet branches. They are collected in groups of 3 and form large flowers with white petals in late spring.
Mayak cherries are beautiful, large, weighing about 5 g, maximum - 6 g. The color of the fruit is dark red. The berries are round, slightly flattened at the seam. The light brown stone is easily separated from the pulp, its weight is 6.2% of the total mass. In the Mayak variety, the juice and center of the cherry are red. The taste of fresh fruits is rated 4.5 points.
Overripe berries do not fall off the tree, but they may crack. The fruits will also burst due to excessive watering during the ripening period or in rainy summers. It is not always possible to cleanly separate the berry from the stalk.
Characteristics
Before the coccomycosis epidemic, the Mayak variety was considered one of the best cherry-cherry hybrids created by domestic breeders.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Cherry Mayak can withstand prolonged drought. Its frost resistance is quite good, down to minus 30-35⁰. Although the variety was zoned for the Middle Volga region, it performed well when grown throughout the Middle Zone, Belarus and the Baltic states.
Pollination, flowering and ripening period
In the Sverdlovsk region, the Mayak cherry tree usually blooms by the end of May. Berry picking begins in the middle - by the end of July or beginning of August. The variety is considered partially self-fertile.
In order to produce a lot of berries, it is good to plant Shchedraya or Polevka varieties nearby.
Productivity, fruiting
Mayak cherry begins to bear fruit 4 years after planting. Its yield is considered average - an adult bush produces from 5 to 15 kg of berries annually. The fruits ripen unevenly, and it is difficult to tear them away from the stalk without damaging the pulp.
Despite this, in the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, Mayak is grown as an industrial variety. This is due to the convenience of picking berries - the bush is compact and low. Fruiting of self-rooted cherries can last up to 30 years.
Area of application of berries
The fruits of the Mayak cherry are large and tasty. They are eaten fresh and processed into jam, juices and other preparations. The pronounced sourness makes the taste of the berries of this Duke more like cherry, but it also allows you to make wine from the Mayak variety.
Fruits grown on an industrial scale are more often processed than sent to retail chains. The berries come off the stem with part of the pulp and are poorly transported.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Despite its high taste, Mayak cherries are gradually being replaced by other varieties in private and industrial gardens. This is due to the strong susceptibility of Duke to coccomycosis.
The most dangerous pests are aphids and slimy sawfly.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the Mayak cherry variety include:
- Good taste - taster rating 4.5 points.
- The variety can withstand prolonged drought.
- Possibility of growing Mayak cherries in Siberia.
- Large fruit.
- After ripening, the berries do not fall off.
- The fruits can be eaten fresh or processed.
- Easy to pick berries due to the compact habit of the bush.
- Productive longevity of cherries.
- Partial self-fertility.
The Mayak variety has many disadvantages:
- Low resistance to coccomycosis.
- Low yield.
- Wet separation of the berry from the stalk, which reduces transportability and keeping quality.
- Tendency of fruits to cracking.
- Uneven harvest ripening.
- Insufficient winter hardiness.
- High probability of pest damage.
Landing Features
The Mayak cherry variety is zoned for the Middle Volga region, but grows well in other areas if the winter temperature does not drop below 35 degrees.
Dates and place of landing
In Siberia, cherries should be planted in early spring, before the buds open. During the growing season, it will take root and become stronger, allowing the bush to safely survive the winter.
It is best to plant the Mayak variety on a well-lit western, northwestern or southwestern gentle (no more than 15 degrees) slope. Groundwater should not approach the surface closer than 2 m.
Cherries love well-manured light loams with a neutral reaction.
Selection and preparation of planting material
To purchase high-quality planting material, you need to buy it directly from a nursery or a trusted retail chain. When buying seedlings secondhand, you risk getting an unknown variety. In addition, the tree may have been grown in the south and will die in the first winter.
Pay attention to the height of the stem. A one-year-old seedling should not exceed 80 cm, a two-year-old - 110 cm. A tree that stretches up to one and a half meters, and even with greenish bark, is clearly overfed with nitrogen or stimulants.
The root of the seedling should be well developed, with a thick central shoot and many thin lateral ones.
Landing algorithm
Immediately before planting, the cherry root must be soaked in water for at least three hours. The seedling is placed at a distance of at least 2.5-3 m from other trees - the crown should be evenly illuminated by the sun.
Cherry trees are planted in the following sequence:
- A hole is dug with a diameter of about 80 cm and a depth of 60 cm.
- The top fertile layer of soil is thrown aside and mixed with a bucket of humus, potassium and phosphorus fertilizer (50 g each). If the soil is acidic, add dolomite flour or lime.
- The pit is completely filled with water. Planting begins only when the liquid is completely absorbed.
- Stepping back a little from the middle, drive in a strong peg for gartering the cherry.
- The seedling is placed in the center of the hole and covered with a mixture of soil, fertilizers and humus. The soil is constantly compacted carefully with the handle of a shovel. The root collar should protrude to a height of 5-7 cm from the soil level.
- The seedling is tied to a peg, and a cushion of earth is placed around the hole.
- The cherries are watered abundantly. This will require at least 2 buckets of water.
- The tree trunk circle is covered with a thick layer of humus.
Subsequent care of the crop
In order for the seedling to take root, it needs to be well watered. It doesn’t matter that the Mayak variety is drought-resistant - it needs a lot of water to take root in the first year. When the top layer of soil dries a little, loosen it - this is called dry watering. Mulch the soil to prevent moisture evaporation and protect against overheating.
Further care involves removing weed, watering in particularly dry weather. The Mayak variety is prone to cracking, so all soil moisture is stopped 3 weeks before the expected harvest.
The best fertilizers for cherries are humus and ash. Annual mulching of the tree trunk circle with waste products of cattle and burnt plant residues will provide the plant with all the necessary substances. If you use mineral fertilizers, remember that cherries need a lot of nitrogen and potassium, but the crop consumes little phosphorus.
In the fall, the tree must receive good moisture recharge - this will help it survive the winter better. A thick layer of mulch will protect the roots from freezing. If the Mayak variety is planted north of the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions, the bush, especially the young one, needs to be covered with spruce branches. You can tie it with burlap or other covering material.
Diseases and pests
Mayak cherry is susceptible to coccomycosis and other fungal diseases. If you choose this variety for your garden, preventive treatments with copper and iron oxides will have to be carried out. Harmful insects also plague cherries. They are combated using insecticides.
The characteristics of the Mayak cherry variety are contradictory. It has attractive properties for gardeners, such as high taste, and disadvantages, for example, a high probability of infection with coccomycosis. Everyone must determine for themselves whether it is worth planting duke on their site.
Reviews
