Cherry Raditsa: description of the variety and characteristics, cultivation and care with photos

Photo and description of the Raditsa cherry variety

The crown is spherical and has medium foliage density. Vegetative and generative (flower) buds are large, in the form of cones. The foliage is obovate, has sharp edges at the top and a rounded base. The border of cherry leaves is in the form of cloves of various sizes. The inflorescence consists of 3 snow-white flowers.

The berry weighs 4.6-5.7 g and is considered medium in size. The fruit is oval-shaped, has a wide funnel and a rounded top. The cover color is dark burgundy, closer to black. The pulp is dark scarlet, medium in density. Beige cherry pit - 5.2% of the weight of the berry. It is easily separated from the pulp. Cherries are sweet, since they contain 11.2% sugars, the acid is invisible - 0.4%. 100 g of fruit contains approximately 13.5 mg of ascorbic acid. The fruits contain 16.1% dry matter. The taste is excellent, it is rated 4.5 points. The berries do not crack.

The fruits are consumed fresh, made into tinctures, wine, compotes, jams, jams, jelly, canned, frozen and dried.

Mature tree height

The tree grows intensively, reaching a height of 4 meters.

Flowering and ripening period

Cherries are removed from the tree 4 years after planting. The berries ripen at the same time.

Attention! It blooms early - in the first ten days of May. The fruits ripen in the second decade of June.

Productivity

The variety is high-yielding. An average of 60 centners of cherries are harvested from 1 hectare of cherries.

Transportability

The pulp is medium dense, so the berry is transportable.

Drought resistance

Cherry is not drought-resistant. Loves watering, but does not tolerate stagnant water.

Frost resistance

In tests at winter air temperatures of -29-34°C, the cherries froze by 1.5 points, and the generative buds were 42%. Return frosts in the spring (-3-5°) killed 56% of the pistils.

Characteristics

The characteristics of the Raditsa cherry variety are quite attractive to gardeners.

Raditsa variety seedlings grow rapidly, the height of the Raditsa cherry tree is approximately 4 meters. In tests carried out at air temperatures from 29 to 34 degrees below zero, an adult plant froze by only one and a half points.

Drought resistance, winter hardiness

The Raditsa variety is not drought-resistant. Sweet cherries love watering and require it regularly, but they absolutely cannot tolerate stagnation of water, and due to excess liquid, ripe berries can burst during the ripening period.

Attention! Young plants especially need watering: they need it twice a week.

Before winter it is worth making moisture replenishment. Adult plants are watered several times during the growing season, in autumn - once a week.

The frost resistance of Raditsa cherries is moderate. The plant easily tolerates low temperatures under snow, but young seedlings need to be protected from frost in severe winters with little snow.

Pollination, flowering period and ripening time

Raditsa cherry is a self-sterile variety. The best pollinators for Raditz cherries:

• Revna;
• And the way;
• Tyutchevka.

Attention! The flowering period of the Raditsa variety begins in early May. The fruits ripen in the second half of June.

Productivity, fruiting

Raditsa is a cherry variety with high yields. The fruits of a bright ruby ​​hue ripen at the beginning of summer. Mature cherries begin to bear fruit at 4–5 years of age. On one hectare of plantings, Raditsa cherries can produce an average of 60 centners of a rich harvest.

Area of ​​application of berries

Ripe fruits of early Raditsa cherries can be consumed fresh, cooked in juices, compotes, tinctures, jams, jelly; The berries are also frozen, candied and dried.

Cherry can have a mild diuretic and laxative effect on the body, as well as help normalize the functioning of the intestinal tract. Experts advise eating cherries for peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, as well as for gastritis.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The Raditsa cherry variety is resistant to coccomycosis and moniliosis, as well as to klyasterosporiosis. The plant has almost 100% immunity to the first two diseases, but the possibility of being affected by clasterosporiasis is 50%.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the Raditsa variety are worth noting:

• high productivity;
• sweet large fruits;
• moderate frost resistance;
• versatility in use;
• immunity to the main diseases that affect plants of this species.

Flaws:

• large trunk height, which makes it difficult to collect fruits;
• lack of drought resistance;
• self-sterility.

How to plant Raditz cherries

The best places for Raditsa cherries are gentle slopes in the south or southwest of the site. You can also plant it south of the house. The tree loves good lighting. The soil required is fertile, light, loose, sandy loam or loamy soil is suitable. You cannot plant trees in clay, peat, or sand. An area where groundwater is less than 2 meters away is not suitable, because the root system rots.

How to choose a seedling

It is necessary to make sure that the seedling has a grafting site. This means that the cherries are varietal. A smooth trunk should have a diameter of 17 cm. A healthy two-year-old tree has at least 3-4 branches, each 40 cm long. If the cherry tree has 2 trunks, then the tree can break under the weight of the berries and die. The roots should not be dry. Before planting, the leaves are torn off so that the nutrients are consumed correctly.

Planting dates and scheme

Planting holes are prepared in the fall. Seedlings are placed in the soil in early spring, as soon as the snow melts, but the buds have not yet burst.

Pit preparation

If the soil is acidic, then sprinkle lime or dolomite flour and dig up the ground. After 2 weeks, planting holes are dug at a distance of 3 m; they should be 0.8 m wide and 0.5 m deep. Mix 1-2 buckets of humus or compost with the top layer of soil. In spring, add 1 kg of ash. The mixture is then formed into a cone at the bottom of the pit. Fertilizers are applied in moderation. Due to the excess, there is intensive growth of branches, which do not have time to grow stronger by autumn and die in winter.

Before planting, the roots of the seedlings should be placed in the Kornevin solution for 6-10 hours. Then the seedling is inspected, damaged ones are cut off and all roots are trimmed. A stake is driven into the hole. Place the seedling on an earthen cone to the south of the driven stake. Straighten the roots so that they do not curl up, sprinkle the seedling with soil.

The root collar must not be in the ground, otherwise the tree will die. When planting, raise the tree so that the root collar rises 4-5 cm above the surface. They tie the trunk to the stake, making a figure eight out of the tape so that the trunk is not damaged when it grows.

A hole is made near the trunk, and a roll of soil is poured around the circumference. Pour 2 buckets of water under each cherry. Then add peat or humus mulch.

Basic work before landing

The main preparatory measures for planting Raditsa cherries on the site involve the implementation of several basic actions, and first of all this is the selection and appropriate cultivation of the soil in a specific place, pre-planting treatment of the seedling.

Learn how to tell the difference between sweet cherries and sweet cherries.

Preparation and selection of location

For Raditsa cherries, an excellent option for normal growth and development would be a well-lit area with fertile and breathable soil (preferably loamy or sandy loam). If the substrate is too acidic, then before placing the seedling in it, you should embed dolomite flour into the soil or dig up the area along with lime. After another 2 weeks, the planting holes themselves are prepared, leaving at least 3 m of free space between adjacent holes. The width of such holes should be at least 80 cm, and their depth can reach about 50 cm.

The top removed layer should be mixed with 2-3 buckets of humus or compost and poured back into the hole. With the arrival of spring, another 1 kg of ash is added to the substrate and after mixing all the components, they are returned to the hole again, pouring them into a mound.

You should not plant cherries in areas with groundwater close to the surface. Even short-term stagnation of water at the root system threatens rotting of the rhizome and further death of the entire plant. It’s good if cherries grow in the garden, the ripening time of which coincides with the flowering of the Raditsa cherry.

Important! If the soil on the site has already been fertilized before, and you are confident in its high nutritional value, you should not overdo it with organic fertilizers, since due to excess nitrogen in the soil, intensive growth of shoots may be observed. When planted in autumn, they will not have time to grow stronger and will die at the first frost.

Seedling preparation

Pre-planting treatment of a seedling increases the chances of its rapid successful adaptation to a new location. For these purposes, the root system of the plant is placed for 6–10 hours in a solution of the drug “Kornevin”, after which inspect the rhizome again and remove the damaged roots, lightly trimming all the others.

Cherry care Raditsa

In order for cherries to please with their fertility and appearance, proper care during and after planting is important.

Feeding and watering

Feed only for 2 years. Until this time, the plants have enough substances added to the planting hole. In April or May, the crop is fertilized with nitrogen. In mid-September, cherries are prepared for winter. To do this, pour up to 60 g of superphosphate per 1 m² under the tree trunk. Fertilizer is dug in to penetrate the root system.

For a good harvest, cherries are fed with green fertilizer. They are lupine, sainfoin and vetch, which are planted in the tree trunk from mid-June. Plants that attract bees are also sown - phacelia, mustard. And in the fall, the plants are mowed and buried in the soil. They rot over the winter, forming compost that feeds the crop.

Raditsa cherry does not tolerate lack of moisture. Young trees especially need watering - 2 times a month. Be sure to carry out pre-winter moisture replenishment.

Mature trees are watered 4 times during the growing season, and once a week in the fall. Moisturizing is required more often if the cherry blossomed during a drought. It is important to be careful, because due to excess water during the ripening period, the berries will burst. Therefore, watering stops from July 20 and in August.

Weeding and loosening

During the year of planting, weeds are constantly pulled out. A year later, a tree trunk circle is made at a distance of 1 m from the trunk and the vegetation is pulled out. Then it is expanded annually, adding 50 cm. Also, after each watering, the soil is loosened shallowly or mulch of peat and humus is added.

Crown formation

Cherry trees are pruned in the spring, removing branches that are 1 year old. The trunk should rise 20 cm above the skeletal branches. If you planted a two-year-old seedling, you should leave 4 strong branches on it. They shorten before the buds burst. If this time is missed, then the cherry tree is pruned the next season.

When forming the crown, 3 skeletal branches are left in the lower tier. Two of them are at the same height, and the third branch is 20 cm higher. After 70 cm, a second tier with three branches is formed: two at the same level, the third 30 cm higher. The angle between the trunk and shoots is 45-50°. Wounds that appear after pruning are lubricated with garden varnish to prevent gum from appearing.

Until the tree reaches the age of 5 years, annual growth is shortened by 1/5 annually. For cherries that are older than 5 years, branches that are directed into the crown, broken, dried out, or diseased, are cut off.

Pollinators of the Raditz cherry

The Raditsa cherry is self-sterile. Therefore, it is recommended to plant 1 or 2 more varieties: Revna, Iput, Tyutchevka. It’s great if cherries are planted in your dacha, which also bloom early, as they will be able to pollinate the cherries.

Direct planting of cherries

Having completed all the preparatory measures in a timely manner, you can proceed to the actual process of planting the seedling. The sequence of actions in this case will be as follows:

1. You need to drive a wooden stake approximately 1.5 m high 10–15 cm from the center of the planting hole.
2. Then, on the south side of the stake, the seedling itself should be placed, carefully straightening its roots.
3. After this, the even and untangled roots are covered with soil, compacting it so that there is no free space between adjacent roots, and the root collar of the young plant is 3-4 cm above the soil surface.

At the end of the planting activities, all that remains is to tie the plant to a driven stake (the best option would be an eight-shaped fastening with soft twine) and water the seedling with water.

Important! Along the edge of the tree trunk circle, it is worth forming a 10-centimeter roller of soil, which will subsequently prevent the spreading of the irrigation liquid. To better retain moisture, it is useful to cover the soil surface with a layer of mulch.

Diseases and pests of Raditsa cherries

Measures against pests:

• For aphids, spray with Confidor until the buds swell, and then after 14 days. Also, to eliminate parasites, make a solution from tobacco dust by pouring 200 g into a bucket of water. Soap is added to the composition to adhere to the leaves.

• To prevent cherry flies, when the buds begin to bloom, yellowish sticky traps made of plywood or plastic are placed on the tree.
• From winter moths, before the buds begin to swell, plants are sprayed with Nitrafen, and before flowering, the crop is treated with a solution of karbofos or phosphamide.

• To prevent bird attacks, a net is pulled over the cherries when tying berries.

Important! The advantages of the variety are immunity to coccomycosis and moniliosis, average resistance to klyasterosporiosis.

History of variety selection

A new variety called Raditsa was obtained thanks to the work of breeders from the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupin, especially M. V. Kanyshina. The parent forms during the experiments were the Kommunarka and Leningradskaya Chernaya varieties, from which the new cherry received a lot of positive characteristics. Raditsa was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2001 and since then experts have recommended it for cultivation in the central regions of the country.

Did you know? The first cherry orchards in Russia appeared only in the 12th century, mainly in the south of the country. In private gardens of the Moscow region and neighboring regions, the crop began to be grown much later - approximately from the second half of the last century.

Advantages and taste qualities

Tree of medium height, with a thick crown. It usually begins to bear fruit within 3-4 years. This variety has good resistance to severe frosts.

Another advantage of Regina is its resistance to various diseases. In addition, it is rarely exposed to various harmful organisms. This variety has many positive characteristics.

The fruits contain the following nutrients:

• Fructose;
• Potassium;
• Glucose;
• Magnesium.

In addition, this cherry has a first-class taste. The taste is sweet, with some acidity. The fruits can be eaten not only fresh, but also in cans.

Good to know: Because these cherries are late, the fruits ripen at the end of July.

Even if you pick fruit that has been hanging on the tree for a long time, you will not notice any change in taste. You can stay on the tree for up to two weeks. They are also resistant to cracking and rotting, even in rainy weather, and can be easily removed from the stem.

How to choose a seedling

A real Raditz seedling should have a noticeable grafting site, which indicates that the plant is truly a varietal plant. The cherry tree chosen for planting has a main trunk thickness of about 17 cm.

Preference should be given to a seedling 1-2 years old, which has at least 3-4 branches about 0.4 m long. A tree with two trunks can easily break under the weight of the harvest. The root system should not be too dry. Cherries are selected without mechanical damage, broken shoots or signs of disease.

See also

Description and characteristics of the cherry variety Chermashnaya, pollinators and cultivationRead

Reproduction

Cherry variety Raditsa reproduces in three main ways:

• vaccinations;
• seeds;
• cuttings.

Experienced gardeners claim that the most effective method is grafting. To implement it, you will need a cutting and a ready-grown rootstock. It is preferable to cut cuttings in the fall and store them in a cool place. As a rootstock I use root shoots, as well as seedlings of any variety. To improve survival rate, the scion and rootstock are selected to be of the same diameter at the cutting site.

To propagate cherries using cuttings, planting material is prepared, which is twigs with growth buds about 0.3 m long. They are placed in a root formation stimulator for 12 hours and planted in a previously prepared greenhouse.

Further care consists of constant watering and maintaining the temperature at +25 °C.

Cherries are propagated by seeds only for the sake of growing a high-quality rootstock. In this way it is impossible to obtain a tree with the same characteristics as the mother plant. Very often the fruits of such plants turn out to be inedible and unattractive. But the grown rootstock will be compatible with any other variety.

Reviews

Natalya, 47 years old, Moscow region

My family loves cherries, and it is for this reason that I began to surf the Internet and ask my neighbors what variety should be added to my fruit and berry garden. My choice was the Raditz cherry, and almost ten years after planting the plant, I have never regretted it. Compared to other varieties, Raditsa cherries ripen relatively early (around mid-June). An adult healthy cherry tree can bear from five to six buckets of berries. The fruits have a pronounced taste: sweet, very juicy. In the first years, I coated Raditsa trees with spanboid to protect them from frost. Raditsa cherry is best suited for growing in temperate climates and, naturally, in the Moscow region. Cherries do not cause any particular trouble, which makes them even more attractive for planting.

Vitaly, 42 years old, Ryazan

Several years ago I planted Raditz cherries in the garden and since then I have enjoyed a rich harvest of sweet and tasty berries every year. My wife makes compote and jam from cherries, and my children prefer to pick the berries straight from the tree and eat them fresh. As a preventive measure against pests and diseases, I spray Raditsa with Inta-Vir (in the proportion: one tablet per bucket of water). The berries of the plant are very juicy and sweet, one might say, sugary, large, their pulp is an attractive dark red hue. The neighbors are jealous with white envy!

Harvesting, transportability and storage of crops

Raditsa cherries bloom and bear fruit early, which means that harvesting can begin as early as the end of July. Thanks to the friendly ripening of the berries, they can be removed from the trees at the same time, without returning to this process over the next few weeks after the first collection. To extend the shelf life of berries as long as possible, it is advisable to pick them from the tree only with the stalk, and then place them in boxes in several layers. Each layer is covered with paper, which should absorb excess moisture.

Of course, all picked fruits should be sorted immediately, removing damaged and spoiled specimens. Fresh cherries can be stored for no longer than two weeks, and only if they are placed in a cool place. For longer storage, it is worth processing the berries for preservation and storing them in this form. The Raditsa variety is a worthy representative of universal-purpose varieties. With relative ease of care, the trees produce an abundant harvest of tasty fruits, which means that for this reason alone it is worth planting seedlings of this plant on your site. With a little effort in growing them, you will soon be rewarded for your efforts.

Landing procedure and preparation for it

In order for cherries to please with good harvests, it is necessary to take into account some features of planting the tree.

Selecting a location

Cherry is very demanding on soil conditions and the microclimate of the site. She is light-loving and does not tolerate excessive dampness. Absolutely not suitable for planting:

• northern slopes;
• lowlands and basins in which cold air stagnates in winter and spring;
• undeveloped areas open to all winds;
• heavy peat and clay soils;
• places where groundwater approaches the surface closer than 2 m.

Good fit:

• areas with a slight slope to the south or southwest;
• gardens protected from cold winds within the city or at the southern edge of the forest;
• chernozems, sandy loam and loamy soils of neutral reaction within 6–7, with good drainage.

Planting near the southern walls of buildings provides good protection from the north wind. But premature snow melting in such areas provokes too early awakening of the buds, which are damaged during recurrent frosts.

Revna cherries produce the highest possible yield only in favorable conditions

Selection and purchase of seedlings

The best time to buy and plant cherries is April, from the snow melting to the awakening of the buds. Seedlings with a closed root system (bought in a pot or tub) can be planted a little later, in early May. A proper tree should have live buds (green under the shell), healthy bark without visible damage, and light-colored wood when cut. Buy cherry seedlings only from trusted nurseries in your region or further north.

Landing in the ground

Dig planting holes (approximately 70x70x70 cm in size) in advance in the fall, maintaining a distance of 3–4 m between them.

Step-by-step instructions for planting a tree:

Secure a stake for gartering the tree in the hole, stepping back a little from its center. Mix the soil from the pit with 3 buckets of completely rotted manure or compost and a liter jar of wood ash

On loamy soils, add a bucket of coarse river sand. Place the prepared soil mixture in a mound at the bottom of the hole. Place the seedling on it, carefully straightening the roots. The root collar after planting should be located slightly above the surface of the earth.

Carefully fill the hole with the remaining soil mixture, periodically compacting the soil to avoid the formation of voids. Make a hole around the seedling for watering

Carefully pour 2-3 buckets of water into it without washing away the soil. When all the water has been absorbed, mulch with straw or humus. Tie the tree to the stake.

Water the planted tree carefully, without eroding the soil at the roots.