Sweet cherry is famous for its beautiful flowering and delicious juicy fruits. Traditionally, it is grown in the southern regions, but recently there are many winter-hardy varieties for the northern territories of Russia. One of the varieties created specifically for central Russia is the cherry of Lyubimits Astakhov.
Grade characteristics
Astakhov’s favorite is a medium-sized tree with an oval-round crown. The fruits are large, weigh up to 8 grams. The peduncle is short, easily detached from the branch, the flesh is well behind the bone. Berries of dark red color with a delicate shell, the flesh is also dark red, high juiciness. Sweet cherries taste sweet; its rating is 4.8 out of 5.
Sweet cherry Astakhov's sweetheart is partially self-fertile variety. Fruits ripen at a later date. Productivity is regular and plentiful. Disease susceptibility is weak. Winter hardiness is high.
Landing Features
Description of sweet cherry variety Lyubimitsa Astakhova prescribes to plant a tree on fertile soils. Clay and sandy lands are not desirable. Rooting seedlings is necessary in well-lit areas protected from the winds.
In the northern regions it is better to plant cherries in the spring.
First, a pit for planting is prepared with a depth of 50-80 cm and a diameter of one meter.
To prepare the soil mix take:
- 2 buckets of turf;
- 2 buckets of manure;
- 1 kg of ash;
- fertilizers (potassium compounds, ammonium sulfate and superphosphate).
Pour soil into the bottom of the pit, stick a peg, plant a tree, spreading its roots, tying it to a support. The soil is poured and compacted.
It is important to ensure that the root neck does not deepen, its height is just above the soil level. Then the seedling is watered with 2-3 buckets of water and mulched with foliage or compost.
Care Features
Care for cherries. Astakhov’s favorite involves loosening the soil, weeding weeds, watering, pruning, and fertilizing.
It is necessary to loosen the soil in the near-tree circle near the tree, this distance is about one meter. In this area, all weeds are removed. The trunk circle is expanded annually. Watering is carried out three times during the summer season. If the summer is dry, then more often.
Pruning is done in the spring, before the swelling of the kidneys. Remove dry and weak branches. Places of cuts are smeared with garden var. Trimming the crown is necessary in order to prevent its strong thickening. A very thick crown will not allow you to get a good crop.
In young cherries, the lower branches are cut by 50 cm. The branches from the central axis are shortened. After three years of age, the trees form the second lower tier of the branches, so add one tier annually, reaching 5.
Top dressing
Fertilize cherries with mineral and organic mixtures. They are introduced in early spring and autumn. Do not exceed the dosage so as not to harm the tree.
After planting, nitrogen-containing fertilizer is instilled into the ground. In May, urea is introduced. After 5 years of wood, phosphorus compounds are added. To do this, in the fall, superphosphate is added to the trunk circle.
Wood ash and slurry are also useful. You can apply green dressing. Bean crops are planted between the trees, which are mowed in the fall and mixed with a trunk circle to the ground.
Possible problems
Sweet Cherries Astakhov’s Sweetheart is susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases.
To prevent disease, you need to treat all the wounds on the tree with garden ointment. Before the formation of buds, sweet cherries are treated with copper sulfate, and before the appearance of flowers - Bordeaux liquid.
Cherry fly is dangerous for planting cherries . The insect infects the fruit. To fight it, you need to remove all fallen berries, and during flowering, treat the crown with insecticidal solutions.
Providing competent and regular care, you can get excellent quality cherry fruit Lyubimitsa Astakhova. These berries are loved by gardeners for their amazing taste, both fresh and in the blanks.