A plentiful crop of berries, especially cherries, depends on the correct choice of variety. If the tree is resistant to local conditions and is regularly looked after, the fruits ripen in the correct form, large and tasty. For various regions of Russia, it is important that the hybrid is cold-resistant and disease-resistant. One of these plants is the Ural Ruby Cherry. It has a high yield and is well adapted to various climatic conditions.
Description of the variety Ural Ruby Cherry
The hybrid was bred by the Ural breeder N. Gvozdyukova in 1950 at the Sverdlovsk horticulture station together with the representative of the genetic laboratory I.V. Michurin - S. Zhukov. As parents for the Ural Ruby cherry, an unnamed Michurin variety and a steppe berry variety were used. The new hybrid was zoned in 1965. It grows in the Chelyabinsk, Perm and Sverdlovsk regions. It looks like a compact tree up to 2 m high with sprawling branches of medium neglect. Fruits on last year's shoots and bouquet branches.
Foliage - shiny, dark green. The sheet plate is broad-lanceolate, leathery. In the photo, the Ural ruby cherry looks like a small spreading tree with a slightly flattened crown. This is her feature. Due to the specific structure of the inflorescence, the Ural Ruby cherry variety is self-infertile, therefore, it requires other pollinating trees. The following varieties are considered optimal for this:
- Lighthouse;
- Generous;
- Star;
- Alatyrskaya.
Hybrid features
The variety itself is considered an excellent pollinator for other hybrids and is often used for breeding and creating new high-yielding plants. It is frost-resistant, especially the kidneys and bark, tolerates temperature extremes and is the best option for growing in the Urals. Wood is able to withstand temperatures up to -35 degrees.
Cherry Ural ruby is unpretentious and has a good survival rate. Due to the late flowering period, the risk that the ovaries will be damaged by return frosts is reduced.
Flowering and Harvesting Dates
Judging by the description of the variety and reviews of the Ural Ruby cherry, flowering in trees begins in late May and lasts about a week, until June 8th. At this time, the threat of frost passes, and warm weather sets in. The berries begin to ripen simultaneously in mid-August. In the year of planting and in the next season, this variety rarely gives a plentiful harvest, since the root system does not have time to develop and begin to actively feed the tree. Two years later, the hybrid enters the phase of active fruiting. If you believe the reviews about the Ural Ruby cherry, up to 7 kg of berries can be collected from one bush per season. In rare cases, in the middle lane, the tree brought up to 15 kg of crop. The older the plant, the better it bears fruit. The largest number of berries can be obtained from a tree at the age of 15 years. The average life expectancy of Ural ruby cherries is about 30 years.
Characteristics of berries
The ripened berries of this hybrid are distinguished by their attractive appearance and pleasant sweet and sour taste. They are rounded in shape, slightly flattened in the area of the stalk and reach a diameter of 17 mm. Weight usually does not exceed 4-5 g.
The peel of a ripe cherry is saturated dark red in color, the flesh of the same shade is well separated from a small seed. Berries are perfect for fresh consumption, for preparing various dishes and preservation. The peduncle is of medium length, tightly connected to a tree branch. The fruit is resistant to cracking.
Pros and cons of the variety
Judging by the description of the Ural ruby cherry, the main advantage of the variety is its earlier fruiting and long life cycle. The tree begins to fully bear fruit in the third year after planting and continues to give stable crops for 25-27 years. The variety is resistant to certain types of pests, including the cherry mucous sawfly and aphids.
Another positive feature of the hybrid is its high frost resistance and the ability to tolerate frost up to -35 degrees, which makes the plant suitable for growing in regions with harsh climates. The variety produces delicious and nutritious fruits suitable for making preserves, compotes and jams.
But the Ural ruby cherry has not only advantages, but also disadvantages. Among them: a relatively low yield, late fruiting and the need for pollinators for the tree, because the plant belongs to self-infertile hybrids.
Cherry Diseases and Pests
Another minus of the plant: susceptibility to coccomycosis - a fungal infection that causes great damage to the crop. The disease spreads rapidly with high humidity, in hot and windy periods. It is difficult to fight the disease, therefore, for prevention, you need to regularly inspect the trees, destroy the fallen leaves and treat the cherries with copper-containing preparations, such as Abiga-Peak, Bordeaux liquid, copper chloride. If the disease was not noticed in time, the cherry dies. Depending on climatic conditions, the infection can spread at different rates. The higher the air temperature, the faster the fungi multiply. Therefore, plants from the southern regions are more susceptible to coccomycosis than those growing in the north.
Signs of coccomycosis lesion: brown spots on foliage and fruits, loss of turgor. A diseased plant can completely lose its crown, as the foliage begins to crumble. This greatly weakens the tree, deprives it of nutrients and leads to death. Prevent this process can only regular treatment with fungicides. It is carried out three times per season: before flowering, after the appearance of the ovaries and 3 weeks after the tree fades.
The right choice of soil
For proper development and active growth, a tree needs suitable fertile soil. Young cherries are planted in a well-ventilated area, where there is a lot of sunlight. It is important that ground water is not located close to the root system of the seedling: stagnation of moisture can provoke fungal diseases and rot. The substrate for planting should be breathable, light and loose. Loamy soils are best suited for cherries. Planting a young plant usually occurs in the spring, before the buds open. Autumn planting is planned for the end of September, otherwise fragile seedlings may die during the first cold nights.
A pit is dug with a width and depth of 0.5 m. Fertile soil mixed with superphosphate, ash and potassium chloride is placed on its bottom. For clay soils, it is recommended to add river sand. Before planting, the root system of the plant is soaked in water with
root stimulants for several hours. If planting is a group, a distance of at least 2 m must be left between the plants. A peg is driven into the pit, then a seedling is placed there and the roots are covered with soil. Then the
trunk circle is rammed, 2-3 buckets of water are poured into it. It is desirable to form an earthen roller around the tree in order to facilitate further care. After planting, the soil is mulched with sawdust and rotted compost.
Cherry care
A plentiful harvest is not possible without proper care. A young seedling needs careful attention. It should be regularly watered, loosen the soil around and carry out sanitary pruning of the crown. When the root system grows, the trees begin to feed complex fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium. Organics is introduced into the trunk circle 1 time per quarter. To do this, use rotted manure or compost. In spring, increase the dose of nitrogen.
The berries on the tree will be tied large and tasty, if you follow the basic rules for caring for cherries. It is important to regularly inspect the tree in order to notice in time the first signs of damage by pests and diseases. Timely watering, loosening the soil and top dressing, as well as sanitary pruning of the branches allow you to get enough cherries for cooking various dishes and preservation.