Russian gardeners are always happy to grow chocolate "cherries" in those areas where climatic conditions allow it. This variety has been enjoying steady popularity for many years. He is appreciated for the great taste of berries. This article will present the nuances of growing and caring for the tree, as well as a description and photo of the "chocolate" cherry.
The emergence of a new variety
Experienced workers from the All-Russian Research Institute specializing in the selection of various fruit crops worked on its creation. A new variety was obtained from cherries "Lyubskaya" and "black consumer goods". The aim of the team of authors was to create a fruitful tree of small or medium sizes, which would not be afraid of frost.
Oryol breeders M. Mikheeva, A. Kolesnikova and T. Trofimova did an excellent job. This variety turned out to be frost-resistant, unpretentious, with attractive fruits that have a wonderful taste. Officially registered in 1996. It is recommended to grow in the southern and central regions of Russia.
Grade description
Cherry "chocolate" in its shape resembles an inverted pyramid. It can grow up to 2.5 meters in height. Its crown is of medium density and size. Thanks to this, the branches never touch the ground, which reduces the risk of infection with various bacterial and fungal diseases and greatly simplifies harvesting.
The trunk of the tree is covered with brown and sometimes slightly grayish bark. The sheet plate has an oval shape, pointed on both sides and serrated at the edges. It clearly shows the central vein, smoothly turning into a stalk, the base of which has a reddish hue.
All trees of the "Chocolate Girl" cherry variety bloom almost simultaneously - May 15-18. Their flower buds are slightly larger than usual and tightly pressed to the branches. One inflorescence usually has three flowers with white petals. The diameter of the corolla is not more than 15-18 mm. These trees are self-pollinated. This means that an ovary on them can form even when there is only one instance of such a variety on the site. However, despite this, pollinating insects willingly plant on their flowers.
Fruit
Harvest time in the middle lane falls in the second week of July. Trees begin to bear fruit from the age of four to 15-20 years. Berries of the "chocolate" cherry, the description of which can be read below, have a rounded shape. They are painted in maroon, almost black. The diameter of the berry is from 16.5 to 19 mm, and the mass is 3.5-4 g. The flesh is juicy and dense, painted in dark red.
Ripe fruits in their composition have about 12.4% sugar and only 1.6% acids. This means that their taste is close to sweet. Professional tasters gave him a score of 4 points. If this variety is used in industrial gardening, then it can produce from one hectare about 77-97 centners of berries.
Ground preparation for planting
Pits for seedlings are dug in the fall and immediately put in the necessary fertilizers, leaving them for the winter. For areas with a temperate climate, the time for planting young trees in the ground falls in mid-April. In the south of the country where subtropics prevail, this procedure can be performed in the early fall. In this case, the pit is prepared a few weeks before disembarkation.
Since the “chocolate” cherry, the photo of which is presented in this article, is a short tree, then a hole too deep will not be needed. It is enough to dig a hole with a depth of not more than 60 cm and a width of 70-80 cm. When making a depression in the soil, the upper 15-20 cm of soddy soil must be set aside separately, since it will need to be mixed with fertilizers and poured back to the bottom.
To increase the fertility of the earth, manure or already rotted compost is introduced into it. As for mineral fertilizers, potassium chloride and superphosphate are used. However, they can be replaced by natural top dressing, such as wood ash.
Disembarkation
Before this, the roots of the seedling must be immersed in water with potassium permanganate granules dissolved in it for several days. This will help to destroy all pathogenic bacteria and fungi. You can also use root stimulants, which include Zircon, Kornevin and potassium humate.
Immediately before planting, the roots of a seedling are dipped in a mixture of powder clay and fresh manure, and a creamy consistency should be obtained. Then at least 10 liters of warm water are poured to the bottom of the pit and wait until it is absorbed. A little away from the center of the hole, a support is fixed, which for the first time will serve to maintain the plant. She should be 35-45 cm higher than him.
Now you can lower the seedling into the pit, while straightening the roots and directing them down. Then they fill the earth, periodically compacting it with their hands in order to remove air from there. The neck of the chocolate barrel should not be too low. It is enough if it rises 7-10 cm above the ground. Now you can bind the tree to a support.
It's time to make an earthen roller around the hole. After that, approximately 15 liters of water are poured into the space limited to them. After half an hour, this area is covered with a mixture of rotted sawdust and compost.
It is very important to know that when planting seedlings of this variety it is impossible that coniferous trees and apple trees are nearby, because these crops will not allow the cherry to develop harmoniously.
Watering Rules
Cherry chocolate tolerates drought much better than excessive moisture. That is why it should never be flooded. High humidity interferes with effective aeration, and without this the tree will not be able to develop normally.
If the weather conditions are normal, then only four waterings per season are sufficient. The first one falls on the period when the tree is already flowering, the second - at the end of June, the third - 10-15 days before the harvest begins, the fourth - 4-5 weeks before the predicted frosts.
Proper watering involves the presence of two annular grooves simultaneously. The first of them is done in half a meter, and the second - a meter from the trunk. The outer ring should always be deeper than the inner. Half an hour after each of the irrigation, the ground in the near-stem circle is first loosened, and then sprinkled with fresh mulch.
Top dressing
If the hole for the cherry was properly prepared, then next season you will not have to reapply fertilizer. The first top dressing is done until the leaves begin to bloom. During this period, more than ever, a tree needs nitrogen. You need to wait until the earth warms up, and dig it. At the same time, fertilizers begin to be introduced into the near-stem circle: ammonium sulfate, urea, manure or compost. After this, the plant is watered with plenty of water. This is considered root dressing.
In order for the “chocolate” cherry to produce a good harvest in the future, potassium and phosphorus are needed to set its fruits. To do this, in the first days of June, it is necessary to spray the plant with a urea solution at the rate of 15-20 g per 5-7 liters of water.
After a break for two weeks, the following solution is prepared: 150-170 g of potassium chloride and 250-270 g of superphosphate are dissolved in about 35 liters of water. This amount is enough to water two seedlings or one adult tree.
10-15 days before the berries begin to ripen, prepare a special infusion of wood ash. To do this, pour a glass of raw materials with one liter of water and insist for at least 3-4 hours. Before use, the infusion must be filtered. It should be noted that cherries of this variety respond equally well to mineral and organic top dressings.
Reviews
Cherry "chocolate" is extremely hardy, self-fertile, drought-resistant and unpretentious in care. All gardeners speak about it with one voice. The excellent taste and aroma of berries is also noted by most of them. Even novice gardeners can grow such a tree.
However, some are unhappy with bearing fruit. For example, in the Leningrad Region it was noticed that the cherry harvest is insignificant, but the berries are juicy and sweet. In addition, the main disadvantage of this variety is its susceptibility to diseases such as moniliosis and coccomycosis. Another drawback noticed by gardeners is a short lifespan, which is no more than 15-18 years. After that, the trees will have to be replaced with new ones.