There are varieties of cherries that have been successfully grown for more than one hundred years. They can have many forms with different names. We learn about the ancient Vladimirskaya cherry variety, its characteristics and features, how to plant and care for this fruit tree, fight diseases and pests, collect and store crops.

Selection history

The country of origin of the variety is Greece. In the XII century, this cherry fell into the Vladimir region along with the monks who made the pilgrimage. The first seedlings imported from the warm Mediterranean did not have the necessary winter hardiness. Their survival and acclimatization were successful thanks to the efforts of the monks who protected these plants from low winter temperatures as they could. The variety was named in honor of the city of Vladimir, since around it another son Dolgoruky ordered to plant cherry trees.

They were often propagated by offspring and stones, so now the forms of this variety are diverse and it is necessary to select clones with the best characteristics. Now you can find different names for these forms - Vladimirovskaya, Vyaznikovskaya, Gorbatovskaya, Dobroselskaya, Roditeleva and others. Zoning of this variety occurred in 1947 in the Northwest, Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth and Middle Volga regions.

Biological features and characteristics

The Vladimirskaya cherry variety has its own characteristics.

Tree description

In its natural form, this cherry is a multi-stem bushy fruit tree that grows up to 5 m. A grafted cherry looks like a standard tree with a rounded crown. Over time, it wilts and has a weeping appearance. Shrubs that emerged from the shoots can be 2-3 m high. The life span of a tree is approximately 27 years. Immaturity is good - the fruits can be harvested already for 2-3 years after planting.The bark is painted in dark gray, has cracks along the trunk and branches. In older specimens, the bark exfoliates. On young branches, the bark has a lighter, yellowish or brick-colored color. On annuals, the bulk of the fruits is formed. The peculiarity of the variety is the weak leafiness of the tree. The length of the leaves is 8–9 mm, and the width is almost 2 times less. Oval elongated leaflets are serrated along the edge and are attached to the branches with a red-brown shank. In spring, the tree forms small inflorescences with 5-7 flowers. Their corolla measuring 25–30 mm has a red-brown calyx and white petals.

Fruit Description

Cherries have a sweet and sour taste. They have small or medium parameters, depending on the climate and weather. The weight of the fruit is usually not more than 3.5 g. Cherries remain on the branches for a long time, they can fall off on their own. They have a slightly compressed shape with a small funnel and a weakly expressed abdominal suture. An easily detachable stalk 4.5 cm long is attached to the ripe fruit. Ripened cherries are painted in a rich dark burgundy color with specks of grayish color.

The flesh is red-burgundy, has a fairly dense structure with pronounced fibers. A round-shaped stone, weighing about 8.5% by weight of the entire fetus, is easily separated from the juicy pulp. In the northern regions, berries are more acidic due to lack of sunlight, and in warmer climates they are sweeter.

Pollinators

This is a self-fertile variety and it requires pollinating trees. At one time, the following varieties bloom with it:

• Amorel pink;
• Turgenevka;
• Morel is black;
• Vasilievskaya;
• Griot Michurin;
• Moscow;
• Zhukovskaya;
• Lyubskaya.

Ripening period

Harvest of cherries begins to ripen in the medium term. Fruits do not ripen at the same time, and fruiting is extended. Harvesting is carried out from 1 decade of July until the end of the month. The time from the appearance of color to the formation of fruits takes about 2 months.

Did you know? Cherry fruits and leaves are natural antibiotics. They contain natural phytoncides, which suppress pathogenic microflora, therefore cherry leaves are added to conservation - they will not allow the processes of decay to appear.

Productivity

From one tree you can collect up to 25 kg of crop. However, due to not the highest winter hardiness of the variety, a yield drop of up to 5 kg is already observed in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. Fruits can spoil coccomycosis or moniliosis, as there is a tendency to fungal diseases.

Winter hardiness

The fruit tree of this variety tolerates winter well. These unpretentious cherries can be grown on an industrial scale without any problems. But in the northern regions, kidneys can suffer from a cold climate, which is bad for the formation of the ovary.

Application

The fruits are consumed fresh, used for preserving compotes, jam, jam, making dried fruits, candied fruits. It’s good to freeze and use them for making compotes and drinks, and take them in the filling for pies and pies. From them you can make juice, liqueurs and liquors. The processing of these fruits can be carried out on an industrial scale.

Rules for planting cherry seedlings

If you decide to plant Vladimirskaya cherries in your home, then you should take a number of measures, choose the right time and place of planting.

Optimal timing

Cherries are planted when the ground has thawed and warmed up, but the buds have not yet blossomed. This time in the middle lane falls in mid-April, and to the north - in May. You can plant a tree in the fall, but no later than a month before the onset of frost.A seedling with a closed root system can be planted the entire period from spring to autumn. In the southern regions, it is recommended to do this in the autumn, and in the northern regions - in the spring, so that the plant is properly rooted during the warm period.

Seat selection

Cherry should be well lit by the sun, while it normally tolerates slight shading. Strong winds should be absent, so cherries are often planted near buildings. There should be no stagnation of water at the landing site, and groundwater should be no closer than 1.5 m to the surface. The best soil for this fruit tree is loamy and loamy sand with a neutral reaction, rich in organic matter. The optimum soil acidity is 7 pH.

Process and scheme

At the landing site, dig a hole with a diameter of about 60 cm and the same depth. Do it ahead of time. For spring planting, it is advisable to prepare still in the fall, and in the fall - not earlier than 3 weeks before planting. When digging a hole, the upper fertile soil layer is deposited separately. Then they make such a mixture with it:

• Humus - 2-3 buckets (usually use rotted manure or compost).
• Superphosphate - 300-400 g.
• Potassium - from 50 to 150 g.

If the selected place has poor sandy or heavy clay soil, then when planting all the soil is replaced with a more suitable one. Acidic soils are alkalized with slaked lime or dolomite flour.On the day of planting, inspect the root system of the seedling - if it is dry, then the seedling must be put in water for several hours. Then you should try on a seedling to the pit and pour a hill of soil mixture to the bottom. On it, the tree should be located so that after planting the root neck is 3-4 cm above the ground. Cherry roots are straightened and covered with soil mixture, gently tamping so that there are no voids. Then the plant is abundantly watered and tied to a peg.

Cherries of this variety are planted at a distance of 3 m from each other and with 4-meter aisles.

Variety Care Features

For a good fruit return for the Vladimirskaya cherries, proper care should be taken.

Watering and loosening

You need to water the tree 4 times per period:

• during flowering;
• with the formation of the ovary;
• after harvesting;
• in late October to prepare for wintering.

For the entire growing season under one tree leaves up to 90 liters of fluid. Moisturize the cherry should not be under the trunk, as this will compact the soil and lead to the fact that air, moisture, as well as nutrients will be poorly supplied to the root system. Gardeners recommend pouring water into special grooves that are made from different sides of the trunk. For one watering under 1 tree leaves 14 liters.

Around the trunk, it is necessary to loosen the soil for better air and moisture. It is also necessary during this procedure to carry out the removal of weed grass, which is a nursery of various pests.

Fertilizer application

Fertilize begins only 2-3 years after planting seedlings. All top dressing is applied along with irrigation to furrows dug for water. Fertilizers of organic origin — manure, humus, ash, bone meal — are well suited.To obtain a high yield, professional gardeners recommend the following fertilizing under 1 tree:

1. In the early spring after snow melts. Together with digging, 250–300 g of wood ash is introduced into the soil around the trunk.
2. On the eve of the appearance of color. Introduce slurry, diluted at the rate of 1: 5, in an amount of 2.5-3 liters. You can also use bird droppings or compost.
3. During the formation of the fruit. Such dressing is well suited - fermented grass in a proportion of 1:10 in the amount of 10 liters.
4. After harvesting. Fertilized with bone meal about 250-300 g.
5. Autumn before wintering. Feeding with ash tree and foliage in the amount of 250-300 g.

Mineral fertilizers suitable for stone fruits can also be used. They can be purchased at any garden store ("Ideal", "Berry").

Cropping and shaping the crown

Pruning these trees is recommended in early spring at the end of March. In the fall, pruning is carried out for sanitary purposes. In winter, trees should be at rest.

When planting a seedling, only 5–7 skeletal branches are left on it, which are located at an equal interval from each other. It should be noted that the lower branch should be at least 0.4 m from the ground. With growth and development, about 10 skeletal branches form, which form the basis of the crown.The scheme for the formation of a sparse-tier crown After two years from planting a seedling, pruning is performed not only to form a crown, but also to eliminate thickening. In this case, all too long shoots are cut off, as well as processes that grow inward. It is necessary to pay attention to sanitary pruning - to remove dried and damaged branches of various diseases.

Overgrowth from the roots is also eliminated. At the same time, it should be deleted along with the root system, otherwise there will be no effect.

Cold protection

Despite good winter hardiness, cherries must be prepared for wintering. To protect against cold weather, the area around the trunk is mulched with sawdust and straw. When snow falls, it is raked closer to the trunk. To protect against pests and sunburns, whitewashing is done in early spring.

Diseases and Pests

Consider the diseases that can occur in cherries of the Vladimirskaya variety:

The cherry orchard may be attacked by such pests:

• Cherry aphid. Signs of appearance is curl of the leaves. Black dots are found on the back of the leaves - these are aphid colonies. The size of their body is not more than 2.5 mm. Against them, it is good to spray the foliage with a soap solution (1/2 piece of laundry soap in a 10-liter bucket of water). During their invasion, chemical preparations such as Iskra, Fitoverm are used.
• Mucous sawfly. Identify the pest by laying eggs on the back of the leaves. The leaves themselves look burnt. In this case, Fitoverm or Aktaru are used.
• Cherry Pipeline. A small (8 mm) golden-green bug that eats pestle and stamens from the flowers, and their larvae that emerge from the eggs laid on the fruit spoil the cherries. When they are found, they use drugs "Aktara", "Karate", "Spark".
• Shoot moth. Caterpillars appear (shoot moth larvae), which feed on leaves and color, which leads to their drying. Use "Confidor", "Karate", "Aktar".
• Cherry fly. Fruits spoil the larvae of a small fly that lays eggs on berries. Small dots appear on them, and then the damaged fruits rot. For small amounts after flowering, sweet traps and adhesive tapes are used. If there are a lot of cherry flies, then it is better to use the chemical preparations “Iskra” or “Karate”.
• Aphid. From it is better to use a soap solution. For cherry flies, you can use the drug "Spark" or "Karate". For the remaining pests of the cherry orchard, they are treated with Karbofos or Fitoverm.

From the appearance of diseases and pests, it is important to carry out prevention:

• Inspect the garden and remove diseased branches. Places of cuts need to be treated with garden var.
• Collect all the fruits without leaving them on the branches. To burn the fallen fruits or to dig in deeply (on 50 cm).
• Perform preventive spraying against fungal diseases using copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.
• Before and after flowering, carry out preventive treatment of the garden with appropriate preparations against insect pests.
• Use trapping belts and traps.
• Get rid of ants by pouring boiling water over anthills (they are carriers of aphids).
• Dig a trunk section.
• To remove weed grass around the trees, and in the fall to remove fallen leaves.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting begins on the 10th of July. Ripening of fruits occurs at the same time. To keep the crop longer, the berries should be picked with a stalk. Harvesting is recommended in the morning.Cherries can be used fresh and processed. Fresh cherries are not stored for long, but they can be frozen. In this form, cherries are stored for about 12 months. But simply on the shelf of the refrigerator in a plastic bag, they can lie for no more than 2 weeks. This product is well suited for processing. From cherries, delicious jam, compote, candied fruit and the famous cherry liqueur are obtained.

Cherries of the Vladimirskaya variety are time-tested and yield delicious fruits for universal use. When planting it, you need to worry about the pollinator variety and you should not forget about the timely protection against diseases and pests.