Features of planting and caring for cherry varieties Julia

History of selection

This cherry variety was bred by breeders of the Rossoshansky fruit and berry experimental station in Russia. The author of the new variety is A. Voronchikhina.

Did you know? Some types of cherries can reach gigantic sizes - over 30 meters.

The “parents” that passed on the main characteristics are Denissena yellow and Gini red. In some sources, one of the varieties is indicated as the main one, and the second - as a pollinator.

The Julia hybrid was included in the State Register in 1992 and is offered for cultivation in the territories of the following administrative units:

• Central Black Earth Region;
• Lower Volga region.

Description of fruits

The fruits weigh about 5 g (in young trees they are larger - up to 8 g), with a diameter of about 2 cm. Round in shape, slightly flattened on the sides, the fruits have juicy fibrous pulp and are covered with a creamy-yellow skin with a pinkish blush. The taste is sweet with barely noticeable sourness.

Familiarize yourself with the agricultural technology of growing cherries of such varieties as: “Large-fruited”, “Valery Chkalov”, “Regina”, “Bull’s Heart”, “Dibera Chernaya”, “Bryanskaya Rozovaya”, “Iput”, “Fatezh” “Chermashnaya” and “Leningradskaya” black."

“Julia” is a self-sterile variety, next to which a pollinator tree should grow. Good pollinators for “Yulia” are “Revna”, “Raditsa”, “Iput” and “Ovstuzhenka”.

Important! Most cherries are self-sterile and require nearby pollinating plants. For maximum cross-pollination, you need to have at least three varieties of cherries in your garden with coinciding flowering periods

Description and characteristics of the variety

The Julia cherry is hard to miss. This hybrid is distinguished by its large dimensions, and this applies to both the tree and the fruit.

Tree

Powerful, fast growing. The height of adult specimens reaches eight meters or more. The crown is spreading, pyramidal, dense. The branches of the bottom row are slightly lowered. The trunk is covered with slightly rough bark, sometimes flaky and smooth. Mostly, the color of the bark is gray, with a slight cherry tint.

Did you know? There are more than a hundred varieties of cherries in the world, but about two dozen of them are grown en masse.

The branches are small, but the internodes are long. During the growing season, quite powerful buds are formed: vegetative - elongated and sharp, up to 7 mm long, generative - ovoid, up to 6 mm.

When flowering, snow-white inflorescences bloom, collected in 2-3 pieces. The foliage is ovate, pointed, with large chips along the edges and a smooth surface. The leaves are pubescent on the underside

Fruit

The ripe berries are quite large - 7-8 g. Young trees produce a harvest of smaller fruits - 5-6 g.

Cherry fruits are round or heart-shaped, slightly flattened on the sides. The skin is thin but dense, colored creamy pink. A bright blush spreads over the entire surface. It is especially expressive on the sunny side. Berries that ripen in the shade have a weaker blush.

The stone is oval, brown-yellow, small (0.45–0.5 g), making up about 9% of the total mass. Easily separates from the pulp. The peduncle is oblong, 4.1–4.8 cm long. The pulp is cream-colored, slightly fibrous, juicy, and dense. According to the characteristics of the pulp, Julia cherries belong to the bigarro group. Fresh juice has no color and is cloudy.

The taste of the fruits is practically no different from other varieties of cherries: sweet, with a slight sourness. According to tasters they deserve 4.4 points

Pollinators

Julia is a self-sterile cherry variety. To set fruit, pollinating trees are needed that bloom at approximately the same time. The following are the most suitable varieties for pollination.

Ovstuzhenka

The Ovstuzhenka cherry is low-growing, its height reaches 3 meters. The fruits ripen in mid-June. The weight of the berries is 4.2-7 grams, the color is burgundy, the taste is sweet.

And the way

The height of Iput cherry trees reaches 3.5-4.5 meters. The berries are dark red, almost black, and ripen by the end of June. Their weight is 5-9 grams, the taste is sweet, slightly tart.

Raditsa

Cherry trees of the Raditsa variety are medium-sized, their height reaches 4 meters. Fruiting begins in early June. The berries are bright ruby ​​in color and very sweet when ripe.

Bryansk pink

The Bryansk pink cherry variety is represented by trees 2-3 meters high, blooming in May, bearing fruit in July. The berries are round, yellow-pink in color, their weight reaches 5 grams.

See also

Description of the best varieties and cultivation of cherries in the Urals, planting and care

Read

Note! Pollinator varieties of cherry Julia should be located at a distance of no more than 35-40 meters from it.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

• The main advantages of the cherry hybrid Julia are the following characteristics:
• high productivity;
• ability to withstand difficult climatic conditions;
• preservation of presentation during transportation;
• ease of care.

• Among the disadvantages, gardeners note the following:
• the presence of pollinating neighbors to increase productivity;
• the fragility of the branches, due to which the tree does not withstand wind and other physical stress (weight of the crop, etc.);
• in climate zones with “short” summers, the berries do not have time to fully ripen.

Diseases and pests

Sweet cherry Julia: photo of the variety

If coccomycosis occurs, it is necessary to treat the tree with Topaz or Chloros solution, according to the instructions.

The tree can also get sick with clusterosporiosis. If signs are detected, diseased areas of the crop should be removed and burned, and the cherries should be treated with special means.

When contracting moniliosis, it is also necessary to remove the affected areas of the bark branches, and for preventive purposes, treat the cherry with a solution of copper sulfate, Nitrafen and whiten the tree trunk before winter.

In order to scare away birds that spoil the crop, special repellent devices are used: rattles, etc.

Some features of the variety

The hybrid is highly drought-resistant. It tolerates heat and short absence of moisture well.

Winter hardiness and disease resistance

The frost resistance of the tree is above average. The variety tolerates temperature drops down to -30°C well, while both the bark and root system remain unharmed.

Important! If a tree grows in a cold territorial zone, then during frosty winters most of the buds (up to 70%) die.

The Julia variety is immune to harmful insects and fungal diseases characteristic of the cherry plant. If preventive measures are carried out rationally, the risk of crop damage by coccomycosis and gray rot is minimal.

Pollinators

Sweet cherry Julia is a self-sterile hybrid. The following varieties will be good pollinating neighbors for it:

• Revna;
• And the way;
• Raditsa;
• Bryansk rose;
• Ovstuzhenka.

To achieve maximum effect, you need to plant at least three varieties of cherries on the site, the flowering phase of which coincides in time

Ripening period, yield, transportability

Cherries begin to bloom in April, and the first harvest is harvested in the fourth year after planting the seedling. If the soil is depleted and proper fertilizing was not carried out during planting, the first berries are obtained only in the fifth year of the tree’s growth. In warm regions, ripening occurs in mid-summer (June-July), in central Russia - in mid-August.

From an adult, fifteen-year-old tree, 50–65 kg of berries are collected. At a young age, such indicators are more modest - up to the age of eight, the tree produces 20–25 kg. The dense fibrous pulp of the berries allows the harvest to be transported over long distances without loss of taste and commercial characteristics.

Important! Growing in the shade greatly slows down the growth of the tree and complicates the fruiting process.

Agricultural technology

The variety is unpretentious. It is best to plant seedlings in cold regions in the spring, following a watering schedule during the summer months. Cherries are responsive to fertilizers, especially after entering the fruiting period. In winter, the tree trunks of young trees should be covered with mulch. Despite good health, preventive spraying has not been canceled.

Julia enjoys well-deserved fame among gardeners in the northern regions. Stable, increasing yield, excellent frost resistance and marketability of berries are the undoubted advantages of the variety.

But there are also disadvantages. Late entry into fruiting season, tree height that is too high, making harvesting difficult, and self-sterility, requiring additional space in the garden for the pollinator.

Preparing for landing and choosing a site

To plant the Yulia cherry variety, select a site based on the following parameters:

1. Groundwater . Their proximity to the surface is undesirable, since there is a high probability of excess moisture accumulation. The optimal water level is no less than 2.5 m.
2. Openness of the site . Such places create the preconditions for the negative influence of winds on the inflorescences and buds of the tree - they can be damaged by strong winds.
3. Spacing between plants . Do not forget that an adult tree has a wide crown. Therefore, when planting, a free zone is left (minimum distance - 3 m).
4. The soil . Suitable: light, fertile, with neutral acidity.
5. Lighting . Constant access to light promotes active growth and development. It is not prohibited to plant a tree in partial shade.

Productivity

Julia has excellent yields, but this can only be achieved gradually. In the first year after the formation of ovaries, there will be very few berries, even though the crown is already growing to its full height.

Each year the harvest will grow and can reach 25 kg per tree. A tree over 15 years old can produce up to 100 kg of cherries.

Among the positive qualities of this tree is its consistency in harvest. For example, if last year the harvest was a record one, and you didn’t know what to do with it, then this year it will be the same.

More details about the cherry variety in the video:

Landing rules

Every gardener knows that any variety should be planted in accordance with certain requirements. Grafted cuttings of Julia cherries are planted at a time when the soil has already thawed and sap flow has not yet begun (the buds have not opened).

Planting is allowed at the end of the growing season. But at the same time, the leaves are torn off, and the roots, without fail, hill up well and insulate the trunk. For spring planting, the hole is prepared in the fall. If the tree is planted in the fall, dig a hole 2-3 weeks before the planned event.

We recommend reading about the rules for planting cherry seedlings in the spring.

Before planting, the area is cleared of weeds and unnecessary items are removed. Planting work is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Preparing the pit . Dimensions: diameter - 90-100 cm, depth - 0.7 m.
2. Feeding . A layer of organic fertilizers (compost, humus, manure, wood ash, potassium and phosphorus-containing substances) is placed at the bottom of the hole.
3. Placement of seedling . A small hill is built in the center of the pit, placing a seedling on its surface. A peg is stuck next to the hole and the tree is fixed, tied to the peg.
4. Shutdown . The seedling is sprinkled with earth, compacting the soil in such a way as to prevent voids around the rhizome. The soil is watered with two buckets of water and mulched on top (compost).

If you plan to plant several trees, leave at least 4-5 m between them, and 2-3 m between rows

How to plant cherries Julia

The place for planting Julia cherries should be selected taking into account the following conditions:

• proximity to groundwater and placement in lowlands where there is a possibility of accumulation of excess moisture is undesirable;
• the use of open areas, which creates the preconditions for the adverse effects of strong winds on tree buds;
• The wide crown of an adult plant determines a 7-meter distance to a neighboring tree.

Attention! The optimal location for Julia cherries, in the northern regions of the country, is represented by the proximity of tall buildings on their southern side.

How to choose a seedling

When choosing a seedling, pay attention to the following:

• the root system must be strong and branched;
• damage to the bark and processes is not allowed;
• the trunk and branches are elastic.

You can do without the cost of purchasing Julia cherry seedlings by growing them yourself:

• From a seed. To do this, in the fall, place a large seed from the fruit in a flower pot with a mixture of soil and sand in a 1:1 ratio. Grow at room temperature with occasional watering. In the spring, the seedlings are hardened by lowering the temperature, and when the soil warms up, they are planted in the ground.
• A piece of root. You need a root at least 30 mm thick and 200-300 mm long. Planting is carried out in a hole 200-250 mm deep and watered abundantly. When sprouts emerge, the strong ones are left, the rest are removed.

Planting dates and scheme

The Julia variety is planted both in spring and autumn. Winter frosts do not harm the plant. Before planting in the ground in the spring, it is recommended to soak the roots of the plants in water at room temperature for a period of 3 to 5 hours. They will be enriched with moisture, and growth at the initial stage will be more active.

Attention! Considering the height of the tree and the volume of the crown, the recommended planting pattern is 6x6 meters.

Pit preparation

The dimensions of the pit for Yulia cherries are 0.6×0.6×0.6 meters. When planting, the soil should be fertilized. For a hole of this size, 10 kg of compost is enough. If the soil is depleted, then add potassium sulfate and superphosphate 50/120 grams, respectively.

Landing

In a hole dug in advance, a small mound of soil is made, on which the seedling is placed. The roots are carefully straightened. To tie up the fragile trunk of the seedling, a peg is placed. Bury to the root collar with soil free of stones and clods, followed by gentle tamping. The empty depression around the trunk is used for irrigation. Immediately after planting, the soil is saturated with moisture in a volume of 10-15 liters of water.

Features of further care

Subsequent tree care includes standard agrotechnical procedures. But each of them is carried out according to certain rules.

Watering

The event is held as needed. Cherry does not tolerate either excessive moisture in the soil in which it grows or “overdried” soil. The tree must be watered abundantly in the autumn, before the winter cold. This will protect the root system from possible freezing, and therefore minimize the risk of plant death.

Feeding

The tree needs fertilizers only when the phase of abundant fruiting begins - in the fourth year of life. The following fertilizers are required for cherries:

1. Nitrogen . Preparations based on it are applied during active sap flow, in March or April (depending on the region). It is important to apply such fertilizers before the flowering period, using them as tree-trunk watering. At a distance of 1.5 meters around the tree, a ditch is dug into which fertilizer is poured. The solution is prepared from chicken manure (1 kg) diluted with water (20 l). The mixture is mixed well and allowed to brew for 24 hours, stirring from time to time.
2. Potassium . Potassium compounds are used during berry formation. Nutrient liquid is prepared from wood ash (300 g) and warm water (20 l). The mixture is stirred and left for 2.5–3 hours until cooled. Apply the solution to the soil “in its pure form” or during watering.
3. Superphosphate . It is added to the soil before the winter period, when the tree sheds its leaves. The drug is scattered on the surface of the soil around the trunk and covered with a thin layer of earth to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Weather precipitation will dissolve the drug, and it, together with water, will penetrate the rhizome.

Did you know? At one time, cherry resin was used as chewing gum.

Tree trunk care

The tree trunk area absolutely requires care - it is periodically cleared of weeds and fallen leaves are removed. In addition, the soil is periodically loosened. This ensures better penetration of moisture to the roots. You should not neglect mulching the tree trunk circle - it will help moisture stay in the soil longer and reduce the number of waterings.

The following materials are used as mulch:

• needles;
• compost;
• hay;
• straw;
• wood sawdust.

Mulch will protect the plant from pests and diseases, insulate the roots and eliminate the need to loosen the soil once again

Pruning and crown formation

This procedure is mandatory for the tree, especially after five years of age. It helps to increase productivity, and also facilitates the process of picking berries, eliminates thickening, development and spread of diseases.

Important! A dense crown is the main enemy of productivity. For good fruiting, the plant needs abundant sunlight.

It is recommended to prune in late fall or early winter when the tree is dormant. In spring, the damaged areas will heal and the plant will continue to actively develop. During pruning, old and damaged branches are removed, as well as dried and overgrown shoots. The main branch of the tree should protrude 20 cm above the others. When forming the crown, you should control the length of each branch.

Protection from cold and rodents

Before the onset of cold weather, the tree must be protected from frost and protected from rodent infestations. This is especially important for young plants and immature seedlings. Burlap, special non-woven material or thick polyethylene film are used as covering material.

We advise you to read about grafting sweet cherries onto cherries in spring and summer.

The insulation process is simple : pegs are driven vertically into the soil near the tree and a covering layer is pulled over them. Such a dome creates a microclimate favorable for cherries around the above-ground part of the plant. The soil near the trunk is covered with a layer of mulch for the winter. The lower part of the trunk is covered from rodents with roofing felt or metal mesh.

Comments (2)

• Julia

  08/22/2017 at 00:18 |
  I recently planted my namesake on my plot. She took root quickly, in six months she had already managed to get stronger and grow 30 centimeters. I really like the fruits of this variety, I hope to harvest the first harvest in two years.

  Answer

  Yulia Expert Plodogorod

  10/31/2019 at 07:26 pm |

  Hello, Julia! If the plant has just been planted, it will begin to bear fruit starting from the fourth or even fifth year from the moment of planting. In order for the Julia cherry to develop well, it is important to provide the tree with proper care. After all, if there is not enough moisture or nutrients, the harvest will be meager and appear later. The same can happen when infected with diseases or attacked by pests.

  Various means can be used for fertilizing. But it is important to follow a certain principle. Mixtures with a high nitrogen content are used only in spring. Otherwise, the crop will direct all its efforts to gain vegetative mass to the detriment of fruiting and rhizome development. Potassium and phosphorus are required before flowering and during fruit ripening. In autumn, to increase frost resistance, we recommend using potassium.

  To improve oxygen access to the roots and remove weeds, we recommend loosening the soil under the cherry tree. One of the most important aspects of care is proper pruning. A dense crown reduces yield and can also contribute to disease. After all, inside the vegetative mass, ventilation and access to sunlight deteriorate.

  If the Julia cherry has been growing on the site for the second or third year, this is the time to form a crown. In the future, mostly rehabilitation is required. The basic rules are as follows: the conductor rises 20-30 cm above the main branches; skeletal branches are made shorter as they grow to obey the conductor; there should be no branches at the bottom of the trunk. All shoots below half a meter from the soil should be removed.

  If the winters in the region where you live are very cold, it is better to wrap young trees with agrofibre. Also, in order to protect the crop from diseases, we recommend carrying out preventive treatments in early spring and in preparation for winter. For this you can use complex fungicides.

  Often young seedlings in gardens suffer from beetle larvae. These insects damage the roots. Since the Julia cherry is relatively resistant to disease, if the crown wilts for no reason, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, it may be due to an attack by beetles. If something like this happens, transplanting a seedling will help.

  The soil where the crop grows must be carefully dug up and pests destroyed mechanically. To expel such insects, alkaloid lupins can be planted on the site.

  Answer

Harvest and storage

At the end of June they begin to pick berries from the branches. You should not delay this work, since the branches may break under the weight of the fruit. On average, Julia cherries are stored in the refrigerator at 0°C for about two weeks.

For longer storage, berries are placed in the freezer.

As you can see, the Julia variety does not cause much trouble. And its high winter hardiness and moderate drought resistance make it possible to grow it in almost all regions of Russia.

The best early varieties of cherries

Cherry care

Caring for berry crops consists of standard measures:

Watering is moderate, as needed. Excessive waterlogging and dryness of the soil should be avoided. To maintain constant moisture, mulch with compost, hay or grass clippings.

1. Fertilizing is carried out in the fall, and both organic and mineral fertilizers are applied.
2. For the winter, the tree should be covered with several layers of thick burlap; especially at a young age, it reacts negatively to temperature changes and frosts.
3. Pruning is carried out from the moment the tree reaches 5 years of age. Pruning helps shape the shape of the crown, both for an attractive appearance, ease of harvesting, and for the health of the plant.
4. At the first signs of insect or disease damage, spray with suitable preparations.

Photos of the Julia cherry show that with proper care it will produce a bountiful harvest, which can be used in the preparation of jams, compotes, and baked goods.