Cherry is beautiful: snow-white in the spring color, as if strewn with rubies in the summer, it always attracts the eye. This is not to mention how useful this berry is. That is why culture has received such recognition by gardeners. But it is of particular importance in regions poorly suited for fruit crops. Today we will talk about varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region. Today they are cultivated in almost all areas, amateur and industrial, despite the fact that winter temperatures here often reach critical levels. Beautiful fruits bring incomparable health benefits, so everyone wants to stock up on berries for the future.
Features of gardening in the northwest
Initially, cherry is a southern culture. Therefore, in order for her to please the eye and give a sufficient number of delicious berries, it is necessary to use varieties of local selection, zoned, that is, adapted to local conditions. Then you can easily grow a cherry tree on your plot. The critical changes that are characteristic of a local winter can be fatal to any fruit tree, which is why breeders are breeding new varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region. However, local gardeners know that you need to not only choose the right variety, but also follow some rules.
So that the tree grows
The best time to plant in this region is spring, before the buds open. You must definitely choose a well-lit place, this is a prerequisite. In addition, in order to be able to count on a good result, it is necessary to choose neutral or, in extreme cases, slightly acidic soils. If acid, peaty areas prevail on your site, then you need to be well prepared for planting. To do this, dig a large pit and fill it with a purchased earthen mixture. A young cherry is planted in the middle of this pit. Do not forget that you need to choose only self-pollinating varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region. In addition, in order for your plantings to safely endure the cold, varieties need to be taken only with excellent winter hardiness.
Felt cherry - the favorite of Leningraders
Often gardeners make the same mistake - they plant felted cherries on ordinary stock. This is absolutely wrong, despite the similarity of the fruits, they are not genetic relatives. Therefore, it is better to buy ready-made seedlings and plant in your garden, all the more so because of the excellent biological and economic qualities, it was felt cherry that became the favorite of local gardeners. Varieties for the Leningrad region today are the most diverse, we list only the most popular of them.
The best varieties of felt cherries
- The very first to be noted is the early variety Delight. The bush is very compact and easy to process, cherries weighing about 3 g, sweet and sour. The bushes are very productive, with each you can collect up to 9 kg of berries.
- An excellent variety is the Princess, each tree brings up to 10 kg of large berries. The bush itself is medium thickened, stunted and wide enough, you need to calculate the density of planting.
- Now the most winter-hardy felt cherry will be presented. Varieties for the Leningrad region all one way or another have this quality, but the Ocean Virovskaya is superior to the rest. At the same time, the yield is high, about 9 kg per tree.
- If you are concerned about the lack of space on the site, then you can opt for a very compact variety called Oriental. Productivity is about 9 kg.
- In addition, it is worth noting other varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region, these are Alice and Natalie, Tale, Smuglyanka Vostochnaya, Triana. What is the main advantage of these varieties? Many gardeners choose them not only for the special sweetness of the berry, but also for the compact crown. It was as if a stunted, bushy felt cherry was created for local winters. Varieties for the Leningrad Region (photos are shown only by some of them) were bred specifically for severe weather conditions.
The choice of varieties for your summer cottage
The variety on the market can really hinder making the right choice, as the gardener will simply get confused in vivid descriptions. Therefore, let's highlight the main criteria that will determine which cherries are best for the Leningrad region. First of all, you need to pay attention to the ripening dates. Early ripe varieties will delight you with a berry in the first half of July, mid-ripening main crops will be given in the second half of July, and late ripe ones in August. By choosing different varieties, you will provide yourself with a harvest of fresh cherries for almost the entire summer.
Second point: pay attention to such characteristics as disease resistance, large-fruited, productivity. If the characteristics of the variety are less than 7 kg per tree - then this is not the one to which you should pay attention. Finally, the best varieties of cherries for the Leningrad Region should be winter-hardy, preferably self-fertile, then your harvest will not depend on weather and insect activity. We will introduce you to five new varieties that are optimal for these climatic conditions.
Memory of Yenikeyev
We continue to consider varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region. Reviews suggest that cherry Yenikeev memory is one of the most popular and fruitful. It is obtained by crossing the old varieties Zhukovka and Korinka. A variety appeared at the All-Russian Institute of Horticulture Selection and Technology . The crop ripens early, while the trees show excellent winter hardiness. The variety is self-fertile, universal. A tree of medium height, very convenient for harvesting. The fruits are large, dark red, sweet with a pleasant acidity.
Rastorguevskaya cherry
This is a mid-season variety, very productive, resistant to many diseases. Many gardeners love it for the peculiarity of the crown, it is sprawling, that is, in general, bush cherries. Varieties for the Leningrad region must be selected very carefully, because even the regionalized Rastorguevskaya cherry is prone to freezing, however, the trees are restored very quickly and manage to give a good harvest. The fruits are medium sized, dark red, the taste is very good, sweet and sour.
Sudarushka
As we have already said, only self-fertile cherries for the Leningrad Region should be considered. This is such a wonderful variety, winter-hardy, amazingly productive, resistant to diseases and pests. The tree itself is medium-sized, the crown is quite thick. Fruits are large, rounded with red flesh. Taste is very high. Among the disadvantages of the variety, low resistance to coccomycosis can be noted, that is, plantings must be regularly processed.
Variety Rusinka
Choosing excellent winter-hardy varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region, do not forget about this wonderful representative of your species. One of the best varieties for the northern region, it winters well in the most severe weather conditions, it has amazing resistance to all pathogens. The tree is not inclined to "rest", bears fruit annually. The variety is self-fertile, another amazing feature is the tremendous rooting of cuttings, that is, there will be no problems with growing a garden. The tree is below average, the harvest will occur without the help of a ladder, the crown is spherical, sprawling. Fruits of medium size, dark flesh, good taste.
Variety Sania
We presented to your attention excellent varieties of cherries for the Leningrad region. Photos demonstrate their high decorativeness and productivity, and gardeners' reviews confirm that each of them justifies the trust and provides a berry every year. To date, we are completing the review by considering another variety. Sania is a mid-ripe cherry with high productivity. Partially self-fertile and universal. It should be noted the high growth rate of the tree, the spherical crown , the fruits are quite large, with red flesh. The conducted variety tests confirm the possibility of its use in harsh climatic conditions, even if the air temperature can reach critical levels in winter. This makes the variety very valuable for gardeners in the Leningrad Region. Moreover, no shortcomings were found in him.
This concludes the discussion about cherry varieties for the Leningrad Region, although the achievements of modern selection can be discussed for a very long time.