Content
Felt cherry Tsarevna is less demanding to care for than ordinary cherry. This variety is highly resistant to diseases and climatic disasters, and high yields with a relatively small bush size have long been the reason for the high popularity of this variety of crop among gardeners.
History of selection
From a biological point of view, this short tree is not a cherry; it belongs to the plum genus (Prunus), the Rosaceae family. Only its fruits are similar to the familiar cherry.
Felt cherry variety Tsarevna, like many other excellent varieties, was obtained by breeders from the Far East, employees of the VNIIR experimental station V.P. Tsarenko and N.A. Tsarenko in 1977. The parents of the variety were Leto felt cherry and Red sweet cherry. The variety was registered in the State Register in 1999.A photo of the Tsarevna felt cherry tree is presented below.
Description of the Tsarevna cherry variety
Felt cherry Tsarevna grows well and bears fruit well in any region of Russia.
First of all, the Tsarevna cherry variety is a small bush with a height of only 1.2 to 1.4 m. Its crown is wide-oval, not very thick. Perennial shoots of the Tsarevna cherry grow straight and have a brown-gray color, on which light lenticels are clearly visible. Peeling of the bark is common for this variety. Young red-brown twigs of the Princess are pubescent. Small buds are located in groups, 3 pieces in each leaf axil.
Leaves
The small, pubescent and corrugated leaves of the felt cherry have the shape of a slightly elongated oval with a double-toothed edge. They taper to a sharp tip and base. The short petiole is also covered with fluff.
Flowers
The Princess's flowers are not too large, about 2.5 cm in diameter. Five fairly freely spaced white petals form a corolla. It has 24 stamens and 1 pistil, which has pubescence and an ovary. Its stigma rises above the anthers of the stamens. The calyx, shaped like an elongated oval, has pronounced anthocyanin coloring and pubescence. During flowering, the Tsarevna cherry tree is a real decoration of the site, as it blooms very profusely and resembles a real princess in a snow-white outfit.
Fruit
The shoots of all ages of the Tsarevna cherry are completely covered with fruits. They are located on each fruit twig and bouquet branch.
For such a small tree as Tsarevna, the berry is quite large and can reach a weight of 4 g with a diameter of 1.7 cm. Its ovoid shape seems slightly irregular due to the beveled top. You can see a tiny beak at the stalk.At the point where the berry is attached to the stalk, a deep funnel is noted. The stripe on the berries is the ventral seam that distinguishes this variety from others.
The berries of the Tsarevna cherry are shiny, slightly pubescent, which is typical for all varieties of this variety of crop. They delight with their bright pink color. The juice they produce is light red, the same as the pulp of cherries. The stalk is short and does not even reach a centimeter in length, so it seems that the Princess tree is covered with fruits. A small stone is not able to separate from the pulp. It is light brown, and its weight is only 1/20 of the total weight of the berry.
Cherry berries of the Tsarevna variety have a sweet and sour pleasant taste, as evidenced by the tasting score - 3.8 points out of a possible 5. The ascorbic acid content reaches 18 mg for every 100 g of product, and they contain much more sugars than acids: 8.2 and 0.67% respectively.
The fruits are semi-dry, but harvesting cannot be done by mechanization. Therefore, this variety is rarely chosen for cultivation on an industrial scale.
Characteristics
It is the characteristics of the Tsarevna felt cherry that will tell you the optimal conditions for the existence of the plant and the area of application of the fruit.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Wet soil is completely unsuitable for growing Tsarevna cherries, since the variety does not tolerate moist soil well. But it can withstand drought very well. The variety is winter-hardy and frost-resistant. Due to the small size of the bushes, it will calmly endure the winter in any climatic conditions, hiding under the snow cover.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Since the felt cherry belongs to the plum genus, it will not be pollinated by ordinary cherries.
Cherry flowers of this variety do not bloom at the same time. Flowering of the Princess lasts up to 2 weeks and occurs in the second ten days of May. But cherry fruits ripen almost simultaneously, in the third decade of July.
Productivity, fruiting
For such a miniature plant, the variety's yield is very high. From each bush you can collect almost 10 kg of berries.
If the Princess’s seedlings are rooted, then the first harvest can be harvested in the fourth year. For grafted plants this period is shorter. The first berries are picked already in the second year after planting.
The duration of fruiting of felt cherries is quite short compared to other types of plants. The longevity of the Tsarevna bush is only 17 years, which is very good for a felt cherry.
Area of application of berries
The versatility of using cherry berries is another plus in the treasury of its advantages. The Princess fruits can be eaten fresh and can be used to make any preparations and desserts. Winemakers often use it to make wine.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Felt cherry Tsarevna is a fairly resistant tree. But with good resistance to coccomycosis and relative resistance to clasterosporiosis, it can suffer from moniliosis. Trees growing in wet soil are especially affected.
Among the pests of felt cherries, the first place is taken by rodents, which in winter gnaw the bark at the base of the trunks, which leads to the death of the tree.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety has a high production rating due to such advantages as:
- productivity;
- ease of reproduction;
- ease of care;
- good taste and considerable size of fruits;
- excellent winter hardiness of the variety;
- resistance to return frosts.
The disadvantages of the variety include the fact that when the bush is highly congested, the berries become smaller. Low resistance to moniliosis will also require additional protective measures from gardeners.
Features of planting Tsarevna cherry varieties
A good harvest and resistance to disease will be demonstrated only by a tree planted correctly and on time.
Recommended timing
For the Princess, both spring and autumn planting is possible. In autumn, the tree is planted after the end of leaf fall, but a month before the onset of persistent frosts. It will take this time to take root.
In the spring, the Princess is planted before the buds begin to swell.
If you purchased seedlings with a closed root system, then there are no restrictions on planting time during the growing season.
Choosing a suitable location
On soils with high groundwater levels, this plant may simply die. A large amount of moisture causes root rot. Not suitable for felt cherries and lowlands in which water stagnates. Basic conditions for successful growth:
- well-lit place;
- drained, loamy or sandy loam, humus-rich, non-acidic soil.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries?
This low bush does not like shading, so proximity to large pome crops (apple trees or pears) is undesirable for it.
Felt cherry Tsarevna gets along well with cherries or cherries if they grow on the north side. But all nearby crops must be resistant to moniliosis so as not to infect the felt cherry. She is friends with grapes, rowan, and hawthorn, provided that they do not shade her.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Felt cherry is a fast-growing crop. The optimal material for planting is one-year-old or two-year-old.
It is advisable that the height of the Princess seedling should not be more than a meter. When choosing them, you need to pay attention to the condition of the roots and trunk.
- At the age of two they should have several lateral branches.
- The bark is not dry and undamaged.
- The root system is well developed, with a sufficient number of lateral, suction roots.
Before planting, it is a good idea to soak them in water with a root formation stimulator, which is dissolved in accordance with the instructions. Experienced gardeners advise cutting the roots before planting, leaving them 25 cm long. In this case, the plant will develop a fibrous root system with a large number of lateral suction roots. The sections must be treated with crushed charcoal or clay mash.
Landing algorithm
Proper planting is the key to the longevity and health of the Tsarevna felt cherry. Before planting, the soil needs to be fertilized. For 1 m² add:
- up to 3 buckets of organic matter, but not fresh manure;
- on acidic soils - up to 800 g of lime;
- phosphorus fertilizers - up to 60 g;
- potassium - up to 30.
Planting correctly:
- the depth and width of the hole is 60 cm, since the root system of cherries develops in the surface layer of soil;
- pour fertile soil onto the bottom to form a mound;
- place the seedling, carefully straightening the roots;
- sprinkle the root system with the same soil, making sure that there are no voids in it;Warning! It is unacceptable to bury the root collar.
- Lightly compact the soil;
- water, using 1 to 2 buckets of water for each seedling;
- mulch the tree trunk circle, it is better if humus or peat is used for this.
The planted tree should be watered once a week. When planting, do not forget to shorten the branches by about a third in order to balance the above-ground and underground parts.
Subsequent care of the crop
Caring for the Tsarevna felt cherry consists of fertilizing, watering, and pruning.
A necessary operation for her will be the prevention of moniliosis.
In the first year after planting, there is no need to feed the Tsarevna cherry. Starting next year, the following fertilizers are applied to the tree trunk circle (along the perimeter of the crown) after flowering:
- a bucket of organics;
- 70 g of phosphate fertilizers;
- 30 g – nitrogen;
- 20 g – potassium.
The soil is limed every 5 years.
The princess is drought-resistant, so watering is only required if there is no rain for a long time. It is also necessary at the time of pouring berries.
Felt cherry pruning is annual and rejuvenating. It is done every 5 years - this is the lifespan of fruiting shoots.
When pruning annually, 10 to 12 of the strongest shoots should be left.If the growth of annual branches is too strong (more than 60 cm per season), they are shortened by a third.
Anti-aging pruning is a more complex procedure. It will be necessary to lighten the center of the crown and the skeletal branches along the periphery. Some of the side shoots are cut into a ring. All this contributes to the growth of young branches.
Cherry Tsarevna is a fairly winter-hardy crop. Preparation for winter consists of applying potassium-phosphorus fertilizers in September and water-recharging watering after leaf fall.
You need to take more serious care about protecting cherries from rodents. Using special nets or spruce branches, the lower part of the trunks is protected. Poisoned baits or simply a rag soaked in kerosene are placed next to the bushes. Rodents do not like strong odors.
For more information about the intricacies of growing felt cherries, watch the video:
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main enemies of Tsarevna cherries are fungal infections. Information about them can be found in the table.
Disease | How it manifests itself | Treatment | Prevention |
Moniliosis | Leaves and flowers wither, then the branch dries | Removing diseased shoots, treating with 1% foundationazole solution | Timely crown thinning |
Pocket disease | Seedless fruits in the form of elongated bags | Removing diseased parts of the plant, spraying with systemic fungicides | 1. Choosing the right place to plant 2. Timely pruning 3. Treatment with copper-containing preparations |
The hard, pubescent leaves of the Tsarevna cherry are not very popular with pests, so they are usually not found on it. The main enemies are rodents. How to deal with them is described above.
Conclusion
Felt Cherry Tsarevna has a lot of advantages, among which are unpretentiousness in care, fairly high yield with a relatively small bush, and excellent taste of the berries. The wide range of application of ripe fruits allows you not only to enjoy fresh cherries, but also to prepare them for the winter.
