Content
Natalie is one of the most popular varieties of felt cherry. Due to its low maintenance requirements and universal characteristics, it has long earned approval among professional agronomists and amateur gardeners.
History of selection
Felt cherry variety Natalie was bred in 1979 in the Far East, at the experimental station of the All-Union Research Institute of Plant Growing named after. N. Vavilova. The parent variety for it was Leto, pollinated with mixed pollen of Damanka, Red Sweet and Ogonyok.
The authors of Natalie are V. P. and N. A. Tsarenko. Work on bringing this out cherry varieties were carried out over 20 years.
Natalie was entered into the State Register in 1997.
Description of culture
Felt cherry Natalie is a tree-like spreading shrub from 1.7 to 2 m tall.
The bush is wide, ovoid or slightly flattened oval in shape, with medium density. The perennial branches are thick, gray in color, and covered with rough bark. Young shoots are greenish-brown.
The buds are small, pointed, slightly deviated from the shoot. Natalie's leaves are light green, small (up to 6 cm long), wrinkled, with a pointed tip. The edge of the leaf blade is corrugated. The length of the petiole is 7 mm, the thickness is average.
The flowers are numerous, large (from 2 to 2.5 cm in diameter), saucer-shaped. Initially they are white-pink in color, after a week they fade and become completely white. There are five petals. The type of flowering is continuous, this applies to all branches (both annual and perennial).
The fruits of the Natalie variety are very large for felt cherries (weighing up to 4 g). The shape resembles a wide oval, tapering downwards. The peduncle is short (about 4‒5 mm), slightly pubescent, and can be separated from the fruit without effort. The skin is dark red, covered with short, barely noticeable hairs. The pulp is scarlet, dense, juicy, with small cartilages (like a cherry fruit). The seeds of the Natalie felt cherry are beige in color, oval in shape, small (only 5% of the total mass of the fruit). The taste of the fruit is harmonious, sweet with pleasant sourness.
Natalie's life expectancy with proper care is up to 18 years.
Due to the universal characteristics of this variety, the cultivation of Natalie felt cherry is recommended in all regions of Russia.It is suitable for cultivation in nurseries, in intensive gardens (with fruit processing points close to each other), as well as for amateur gardening.
Characteristics
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Natalie is a felt cherry variety characterized by high winter hardiness. The trunk and branches of the bush can withstand frosts down to -35 degrees. Flowers tolerate spring frosts well (down to -3 degrees).
This variety is also highly resistant to drought.
Pollination, ripening time and flowering period
Felt cherry Natalie is an early variety. It blooms around May 20-27, the fruits ripen in the first or second decade of July.
The variety is self-sterile. Pollinators for Natalie's felt cherry should grow in the same area as it and bloom at the same time.
The following can perform well in this role:
- plum;
- peach;
- apricot;
- cherry plum;
- cherries of other felt varieties.
Productivity, fruiting
Felt cherry seedlings Natalie begin to bear fruit in the second year. The variety is characterized by high yield - 7–10 kg can be harvested from a bush. The berries will ripen en masse and at the same time.
The berries of Natalie's felt cherry are much less sour than those of ordinary cherries. There is no astringency in their taste. They contain: 12% dry matter, 8.3% sugar and 0.8% acids. The content of ascorbic acid in 100 g of Natalie berry pulp is 24 mg.
The tasting score of the Natalie variety is 3.8–4 points (with a maximum of 5).
The transportability of the fruit is low. They should be collected exclusively by hand. Natalie berries can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 6 days. And only 3 days - at room temperature. It is advisable to process them immediately after collection.
Area of application of berries
In terms of economic purposes, the fruits of the Natalie felt cherry are considered universal. They are eaten fresh and also used to make juice, preserves, marmalade, jam, marshmallows and marmalade. Natalie's berries make delicious wines and liqueurs.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Like most varieties of felt cherries, Natalie is highly resistant to coccomycosis, a formidable enemy of the common cherry.
This variety is relatively resistant to cluster blight.
A significant danger for Natalie is monilial burns (a fungal disease that affects the plant during the flowering period).
Pests of felt cherries include:
- rodents (primarily mice);
- pocket and gall mites;
- aphid;
- weevil;
- scale insect.
Advantages and disadvantages
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Early variety | Self-sterility |
| High yield | Does not tolerate overwatering |
| Large and tasty fruits | Fruit size becomes smaller due to excess harvest |
| Frost and drought resistance | Poor transportability of fruits |
| Resistance to coccomycosis |
Landing Features
Recommended timing
Planting the Natalie Felt Cherry can be done:
- early spring (preferable);
- in autumn (September).
When planted in spring, young plants will have time to take root better and will withstand the cold more easily.
Choosing a suitable location
The place for planting Natalie in the ground should be sunny, the acidity of the soil should be neutral.
Optimal soil types:
- peat;
- sandy loam;
- loam.
An important characteristic of the felt cherry variety Natalie is its intolerance to excess moisture in the soil. It should be planted in places where there is no stagnation of water, and where groundwater does not come close to the surface.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries?
It is recommended to plant the following next to the Natalie bush:
- trees are potential pollinators;
- elderberry;
- lilies of the valley, violets, periwinkle.
You should not plant in the neighborhood:
- coniferous trees;
- nightshade plants;
- hazel;
- currants, gooseberries, raspberries.
Selection and preparation of planting material
The material for planting is one- and two-year-old seedlings.
Immediately before planting in the ground, the roots of young plants should be cut off (by about 20 cm), and then dipped in a clay water mixture.
Landing algorithm
Basic landing techniques:
- the hole for the seedling should be about 60 cm wide and 50-80 cm deep;
- a mixture of humus and fertile soil, supplemented with slaked lime and complex fertilizer, is placed at the bottom;
- the seedling is placed in a hole, making sure that the root collar is not too deep, and then covered with ready-made soil;
- the soil is carefully compacted and watered (1 bush needs 20-40 liters of water).
Subsequent care of the crop
Felt cherry Natalie is pruned in the spring. For a tree younger than 5 years old, a crown is formed in this way, while an older plant requires it as a rejuvenating procedure. Regular and proper pruning can almost double the life of a cherry tree, which without it is about 10 years.
Natalie needs to be watered very moderately, no more than 3-4 times during the season, especially during periods of drought, making sure that the root collar does not prop up.
You should feed the felt cherry Natalie:
- in spring (mineral fertilizers);
- autumn (organic).
In the fall, when the harvest has already been harvested, you should carefully loosen the soil in the circle around the trunk, carefully inspect the bush, removing dried and damaged branches. It is also possible to wrap the trunks at the base with roofing felt or metal mesh to protect them from rodents.
Useful tips for planting and caring for felt cherries are in the video:
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
| Diseases/pests | Symptoms | Prevention and control measures |
| Monilial burns (moniliosis) | Flowers, and then leaves, ovaries and shoots dry immediately after flowering. Affected parts of the tree appear “burnt” | Pruning “with reserve” of affected branches, removing fallen leaves. Spraying with a solution of foundationazole (0.1%) during the flowering period |
| Pocket disease | Deformed ovaries from which fruits grow that resemble soft sacs. Fungal spores ripen inside | Remove and burn all diseased parts of the cherry. Prevention - regular pruning. Treatment – treatment with fungicides |
| Aphids, weevils, scale insects, mites | Timely treatment of trees with kinmiks, mitak, baksin, karbofos |
Conclusion
Felt cherry Natalie is an early variety, universally suitable for growing both in the temperate climate of central Russia and in the harsh Siberian conditions. It is distinguished by its high yield, it is unpretentious in care and tolerates winter cold well, but is extremely intolerant of excess moisture. Due to its self-sterility, Natalie should be planted on the site next to pollinating trees.
Reviews
Reviews from summer residents about Natalie's felt cherry are generally positive.
