How to properly plant cherry seedlings in spring: a step-by-step guide

Timing for planting cherry seedlings in spring

Advice! It is better to plant cherries in the spring, so that during the season they have time to get stronger, grow a root system and prepare for wintering.

In addition to these dates, it is necessary to take into account the weather conditions in a given season. Cherries can be planted in the ground when the weather is at least +5 degrees.

And the planting specimen should not have obvious signs of vegetation. At this time, there is still enough moisture in the soil after winter.

Important! If planted early, the seedling may freeze during frosts, and if planted late, the tree will take a long time to recover under the influence of the active sun.

In different regions

In different climatic conditions, cherries are planted at different times, depending on the characteristics of the region and the type of tree.

• In the Volga region - before high air temperatures set in, mid-March - mid-April.
• In the middle zone (in the Moscow region) from March 20 to April 15.
• In Siberia and the Urals - until mid-May, when the risk of night frosts has passed.

According to the lunar calendar

It is also recommended to select the planting date using the Lunar calendar. So, favorable days for spring planting of cherries are:

• April - from the first ten days - until the end of April.

The exact dates can be found in the article: Lunar sowing calendar.

Landing Features

Cherry trees in Siberia are planted in the spring. If we do this in the fall, the seedlings may not take root and die in the cold winter. Cherry blossoms early, its flowers are resistant to low temperatures and spring frosts.

Plant in a southern, sunny and windless location. Cherries should not be planted on shallow plains with low groundwater levels.

Preparations for planting begin in the fall. A hole measuring 70 × 70 cm is dug in the ground so that the roots of the seedlings feel spacious in it. The hole is filled with a mixture of the following composition: for one bucket of humus you need to take 60 g of potassium salt, 120 g of superphosphate and 500-600 g of lime. You can also add sand and wood ash. The next refill with humus and minerals must be done after a year.

It is recommended to plant several flowering varieties at once in one area: some self-fertilizing varieties need pollinators.

Pros and cons of spring planting

Planting cherries in spring has its advantages and disadvantages compared to autumn.

Pros of spring planting:

1. In 6 warm months, the seedling will be able to grow stronger and grow a root system before winter, thanks to which it will be able to survive until next year.
2. During the season, you can observe the development of cherries and take timely measures in the event of a disease or pest attack.
3. In the fall, you can prepare a planting hole, which will settle by spring. This way the seedling will be planted correctly and the root collar will not be too deep.

Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages of planting cherries in the spring:

• In the spring, the seedling begins an active growing season, so it needs a lot of effort to build up green mass and take root.
• The gardener has a lot of work at this time and cannot pay full attention to all the trees.

Important! Cherry is a heat-loving tree, so when planted in the fall, it can freeze in the winter, since it will not have time to take root before frost arrives.

Watch the video ! Cherry planting and initial pruning. Tips for buying cherries

The best varieties of cherries for the Urals

Few varieties of cherries can develop and bear fruit normally in such harsh conditions. These include the following:

• Ariadne.
• Bryanochka.
• Veda.
• Gronkova.
• Here we go.
• Large-fruited.
• Ovstuzhenka.
• Odrinka.
• Orlovskaya pink.
• Poetry.
• Revna.
• Tyutchevka.
• Fatezh
• Cheremashnaya.

Most of these varieties are a product of selection by the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine, located in the Bryansk region. It was there that work was carried out to develop winter-hardy cherry varieties. The frost resistance of these varieties is about -30°C, which is not enough in the harsh Ural winter.

Planting and caring for cherries in the Urals

The procedure for planting cherries in the Ural region is no different from planting them, for example, in Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. It is preferable to prepare planting holes in the fall. The location should be chosen on the sunny side of the site and sufficiently protected from the north wind. The soil taken out of the pit is mixed with humus. They will need to cover the roots of the cherry seedling when planting, adding another 0.2 kg of superphosphate.

A two-year-old cherry seedling is usually planted along with a lump of earth on the roots. If the roots are bare, they must be spread along the earthen mound, which must be poured onto the bottom of the hole. The seedling is installed vertically and covered with nutrient soil, periodically compacting the soil. If this is not done, voids may form inside the planting hole and the roots of the seedling will simply hang in the air.

The root neck of the seedling should be 3-5 cm above ground level. After planting, the plant should be shed generously with water and the soil should be mulched with humus.

Subsequent care of planted cherries includes the formation of the crown using pruning, as well as sanitary pruning, fertilizing and watering. Periodic spraying with various preparations is also carried out to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests.

The nuances of growing cherries in the Urals

When growing cherries in the Urals, gardeners almost completely refuse to use nitrogen fertilizers so as not to stimulate excessive tree growth. The plant is formed small and compact.

To increase resistance to frost, grafting is often done on more winter-hardy cherries, and at a fairly high level, about 1–1.2 m. This protects the tree from sunburn. The grafting is done both on seedlings and on cherry shoots or in the crown.

Growing cherries in the southern Urals

The Southern Urals are undoubtedly a more favorable region for growing cherries. This applies primarily to the Orenburg region, the southernmost in the region. The predominant winds here are not cold Arctic ones, as in the Northern and Central Urals, but western ones, so winters here are milder and there is more precipitation.

Preparing cherries for winter in the Urals

To increase winter hardiness, cherries are grafted onto local frost-resistant cherry varieties, for example, Ashinskaya. Often grafting is done into the crown of an already mature tree. If the tree is grown from a seedling, it is formed into a bush to limit its growth to a height of 2 m. This will allow its branches to be bent to the ground in winter and covered with snow. They begin to bend down the branches at the end of summer.

To prepare a tree for winter, foliar feeding with potassium monophosphate is often carried out in August. In addition, defoliation is used - spraying with urea at the end of summer to accelerate the fall of leaves. Defoliants significantly increase winter hardiness.

If shoot growth has not stopped by August 1, it is necessary to stop it artificially. To do this, annual shoots are pinched. This will speed up the lignification process and improve frost resistance.

Reviews about cherries in the Urals

Andrey Viktorovich Sakharov, 51 years old, Miass I
have long wanted to try growing cherries. Yes, our region is not the most suitable for this, but trying is not torture. I bought several seedlings from the nursery, Tyutchevka and Revna, and planted them. Everyone survived the winter. I don’t know what will happen next, but I hope for the best.

Sergey Olegovich Kondratyuk, 48 years old, Orenburg

I have been growing cherries for ten years now. I graft it myself onto steppe cherry shoots. I read a lot about the experiences of local gardeners, and from my own experiments I can say that Ovstuzhenka and Fatezh work best for me, a little worse than Revna.

How to care after planting

After planting, it is important to properly care for the seedling so that it quickly takes root and does not get sick.

It is especially important to pay attention to the plant in the first year:

1. Watering . The plant needs regular and moderate watering. This way it will get stronger faster and take root in a new place.

1. Removing weeds and loosening . It is necessary to regularly remove weeds near the young tree and loosen the tree trunk.
2. Mulching. As mentioned above, it is better to mulch the tree trunk circle to retain moisture and inhibit the growth of weeds.
3. Garter to the peg. For proper crown formation.

For year 2, crown formation is carried out as follows:

• In the fall, all shoots are pruned, except for 3-4 skeletal ones, which are well developed and correctly located on the tree.
• Skeletal shoots are shortened by a third.
• The main conductor is cut at a height of 100 cm from the lower tier of shoots. This will create a second tier of branches.

For the 3rd year:

• On the second tier, all shoots are removed, leaving 2-3 good ones.
• The main conductor is cut in the same way as the previous cut.

For 4th year:

• The last 3rd tier is formed.
• Remove all shoots, leaving 1-2 good ones.

Diseases and pests

Cherry varieties destined for Siberia are most susceptible to cocomycosis. This disease can be recognized by small red spots protruding from the top of the leaf, as well as brown discoloration and raised bumps. In advanced cases, leaf fall may occur.

It's easier to prevent than to treat. To prevent disease, spray the cherry with Bordeaux mixture after flowering and two more times after 3 weeks. When the tree bears fruit, spray it with baking soda.

Among insects, the greatest danger to Siberian crops is bird cherry, which attacks flowers, shoots and buds of plants. Preventive measures include digging up the trunk in June. Karbofos and trichlorometaphos are molyacides. Treatment is carried out during the flowering period of buds and during the period of full blooming of buds and inflorescences.

Possible mistakes

Sometimes small mistakes can lead to negative consequences for the seedling, and it will not be able to fully develop.

• If too much fertilizer is applied, the seedling may die.
• The root collar should be located at the level of the soil surface. If you deepen it. There will be no harvest for a long time, and if you raise it too high, you can get the roots to dry out.
• It is better to plant a plant that is 1-2 years old, no more.
• The variety must be selected according to the climatic conditions of the region.

If you strictly follow the rules described above for spring planting cherries, the tree will quickly adapt and begin active growth. In just a few years the tree will produce its first harvest.

Watch the video! How to properly plant and care for cherries

Mistakes when growing cherries in Siberia

Having decided to plant cherries in your garden for the first time, it is useful to pay attention to the experience of a large army of enthusiastic summer residents who, through trial and error, have already learned in practice how cherries grow in Siberia. Five mistakes that lead to failure:

1. Wrong choice of variety for Siberia.
2. Rootstock without frost resistance.
3. Formation of a trunk that is too high, falling into the area of ​​probable frost damage.
4. Overdose of nitrogen fertilizers, leading to insufficient ripening of annual shoots.
5. Lack of a pollinator variety in the garden, because most cherries are self-sterile.

You can learn more about the cherry varieties grown in the southern Urals in the video

Terms of fertilizing

When planning feeding domestic cherries, you should take their age into account. After all, a mature plant requires much more nutrients than a young seedling. This nuance affects not only the amount of fertilizer consumed, but also the frequency of their application. Also relevant is the seasonal need of the crop for one or another microelement.

Separate recommendations for each season will help a novice gardener figure out what and when to apply to cherries.

in autumn

This fertilizing is important for laying the future harvest. If you apply fertilizer too early, in wet and warm weather it will begin to decompose prematurely, thereby stimulating the growth of young shoots. Late growth of biomass is dangerous for the tree, since severe frosts can destroy it. And late addition of nutrients will not bring the expected result.

The main feature of autumn fertilizing is the requirement to maintain the required depth of applied substances. It is important that during cold weather they lie no closer than 20 cm from the soil surface.

Professionals advise to carry out autumn fertilizing immediately before frost . In gardens in the northern regions, it is better to plan such manipulations in mid-October; in southern latitudes, the first weeks of November are most suitable. In the absence of severe frosts, fertilizers can be applied even in December.

Find out how to grow cherries from pits at home.

in spring

After wintering, cherry trees will need at least 3 feedings. The first is relevant before flowering, the second - during, and the third - after it.

It is typical that the plants are initially watered with a liquid nutrient solution, avoiding dry substances. Spraying at this stage is ineffective, since the conductor of fertilizers to the roots is not branches, but foliage.

Subsequent times, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are also applied during watering.

In summer

During the period when the tree has used up all its internal resources for the formation and growth of the ovary, watering with solutions of chicken droppings or mullein will not be superfluous.

Did you know? Traditional cherries can grow in height on par with spruce trees and reach a maximum height of 25

–
30 m.
Also, to adjust the soil composition, potassium-containing and phosphorus substances will be needed. They are especially relevant for young seedlings.

It is better to plan all summer feeding of cherries in July and the first half of July.

It is important to take into account varietal characteristics and timing of fruit ripening. Because by the time of technical and biological ripeness, the chemical components will not have time to be absorbed, and excessive watering at this stage can lead to cracking of the berries.

In extreme cases, when the foliage on trees begins to turn yellow prematurely and greenfinches fall off, emergency measures are recommended to saturate the soil in the tree trunk with phosphorus fertilizers.

Caring for cherries in autumn

Before the cold weather, young trees need to be provided with care, thanks to which they will become stronger and successfully survive the winter. Moreover, the danger is posed not only by the weather, but also by rodents.

Pruning cherries in autumn

Like planting cherries with a closed root system in the summer, similar work in the fall is accompanied by standard pruning with thinning and removal of weak, old and damaged branches. The procedures must be completed at the beginning of the season so that the cherries have time to recover before winter. It is important not to forget about anti-aging pruning every 5 years.

How to feed cherries in the fall

The tree responds gratefully to the addition of organic matter, especially rotted manure. A good reaction is caused by densely sprinkled compost and digging in peat. Of the mineral fertilizers, the right choice would be urea and superphosphate, which are evenly scattered on loose, moist soil, avoiding the area in the immediate vicinity of the trunk.

Rules and timing of autumn watering of cherries

When growing cherries in the country, you need to regulate the intensity of moisture depending on the weather. During drought, you will have to work weekly; the rainy months allow you to relax, watering the tree if necessary once every 28–30 days, not forgetting to create a ring or hole near the trunk. An adult tree will need 6–7 buckets of water for normal development; a young tree will need 2–3.

Preparing for winter

To protect against cold weather, severe frost and rodents, the trunk should be wrapped in burlap folded several times, on top of which another layer of spruce branches is fixed. The part between the winding and the ground is covered with snow. If the winter is mild, the temperature often rises above 0, the gardener must ensure that the trunk covered with burlap does not begin to rot.

Recommended varieties for growing

Several winter-hardy varieties are suitable for growing cherries in the Siberian region.

Ariadne

Variety of domestic origin. A tree with a pyramidal crown, grows well, trunks are strong. The fruits are medium-sized, juicy and sweet (5 points out of 5). Winter hardiness is high.

Bryanochka

The tree is of medium height, the crown is sparse. The fruits are medium-sized, sweet and tasty (4.7 points). Frost resistance is high.

Veda

Domestic variety with large fruits (average weight - 5 g). The crown is of medium height, up to 2.5 m. Flowering later, at the end of May. Tolerates negative temperatures down to -30 oC.

Gronkova

Tall tree (up to 5 m). The fruits are juicy and tasty (4.8). It is characterized by high winter hardiness.

And the way

Early ripe cherry with a high crown (4-5 m). The drupe is large, weighs up to 6.3 g. Taste qualities are rated 4-4.5 points. Resistance to negative temperatures is excellent.

Large-fruited

A tree with a spherical crown up to 5 m in height. It is frost-resistant (down to -25 °C). The taste of the fruit is dessert, sweet (4.6).

Ovstuzhenka

The tree grows quickly and is small in size. Drupes weighing 4.2-4.5 g, with normal taste (4.2). Frost resistance is high (up to -45 oC).

Odrinka

A medium-sized variety that produces small fruits with excellent taste (4.7). Frost resistance is average - up to -20 oC.

Orlovskaya pink

Crown height up to 3.5 m, fruits tasty (4.4). Resistance to negative temperatures is average.

Poetry

The tree is the same height, the pulp taste rating is excellent (4.8). Winter hardiness is average.

Revna

A variety of medium height with very tasty fruits (4.9). Frost resistance is quite high.

Tyutchevka

The crown is sparse, height 3-4 m. The fruits are very tasty (4.9). Frost resistance is good.

Fatezh

The crown grows up to 5 m, berries up to 6 g, the pulp is juicy and tasty (4.7). The level of winter hardiness is average.

Cheremashnaya

The variety is early ripening, the tree is tall (up to 5 m), the fruits are of good quality (4.4). Resistance to low temperatures is above average.

In memory of Astakhov

The crown grows up to 4 m, the pulp is estimated at 4.8. Resistance to negative temperatures is high.

Teremoshka

A low tree with fruits of excellent quality (4.7). It has average winter hardiness.

Annushka

The tree is tall and the fruits are delicious. Resistance to low temperatures is average.

Bull Heart

The variety is distinguished by large fruits of excellent quality (the highest rating is 5). Resistance to negative temperatures is above average.

Vasilisa

The variety is distinguished by especially large fruits (weight up to 14 g) of excellent quality (4.9). Frost resistance is average.

Daibera black

The fruits are medium-sized with good taste (4.5). Winter hardiness is good (up to -24 °C).

Drogana Yellow

a tall tree that produces good fruit (4.3). Resistance to negative temperatures is quite good.

Drozdovskaya

A tree of medium height (3.5 m) with good fruits (4.1). Frost resistance is high.

Leningradskaya Black

The tree is up to 4 m high, the crown is wide. Fruits are of good quality (4.2). Resistance to winter temperatures is high.

How to properly feed cherries so that they bear fruit abundantly

You can fertilize cherries by spraying the crown, watering, or embedding dry granules into moist soil. The choice of method is important, since some substances can cause severe burns to the roots and even lead to the death of the tree. How to properly fertilize cherries and when it is appropriate to sprinkle them, read on.

Fertilizer at the root

According to experts, applying fertilizers directly under the roots helps to increase the absorption rate of nitrogen (by 15%), phosphorus (by 13%), and potassium (by 15%).

Root feeding can be done by local application of fertilizers or by watering. It is believed that the first option allows nutrients to be embedded at an optimal depth of 15–20 cm, where the active zone of root activity is located. If you deepen the granules no more than 5 cm or leave them on the surface of the soil, the micronutrients will not dissolve and will not be absorbed. Such feeding will not give the expected result.

It is best to sprinkle fertilizers on a damp substrate in cloudy weather. Keep in mind that in loamy layers metabolic processes occur much slower than in light sandstones.

Did you know? Food dyes are made from cherries, and they turn out green, not purple.

If the necessary components are correctly added, their effect on the trees will be the same, regardless of their liquid or solid state.

When using undissolved bird droppings or compost as an organic fertilizer, be sure to remove 2 cm of the top layer of soil. Distribute the fertilizer evenly and then sprinkle it with the removed soil. At the same time, take into account the amount of nitrogen contained in the feed - in excess this element will only do harm.

It is preferable to apply liquid fertilizers into shallow grooves (5–10 cm) laid near the plant. Usually they are made along the line of the tree trunk circle. It is strictly forbidden to pour the solution onto the barrel.

Foliar feeding

Foliar fertilizer is important in spring and summer. It helps strengthen metabolic processes, and also increases the yield and quality of berries.

• According to experts, the benefits of foliar fertilization are as follows:
• easy digestibility of nutrients;
• compensation for the deficiency of useful components during stressful periods, when the ability of the plant root system to absorb them decreases.

For maximum efficiency of the foliar method of fertilizing, it is recommended:

• plan spraying in calm, dry weather at an air temperature of at least +25°C (preferably in the evening or early);
• treat young seedlings during the phenophase;
• in no case exceed the concentration of the substances used, otherwise drops of the solution will cause deep burns;
• do not allow direct sunlight to hit wet foliage;
• Do not apply treatment before rain and no later than 2 hours before dew falls.

Protecting cherries from frost

Cherry is a southern crop, so it often suffers from frost. In order to protect the cherry orchard from death, the following care is necessary:

• choose frost-resistant varieties.
• During spring night frosts, trees can be protected with smoke. To do this, heaps of garbage are laid out in the garden, which are set on fire when the temperature drops to 0°C. They stop smoking 2 hours after dawn.
• Feed in a timely and moderate manner, because “overfed” plants do not overwinter well.
• in dry seasons it is necessary to water abundantly, in wet seasons it is necessary to apply potassium and phosphorus fertilizers, which promote the ripening of wood.
• In the fall, it is necessary to carry out moisture-recharging watering, this saves from drying out and freezing.
• Watering and sprinkling saves you from recurrent frosts. A wet or damp plant is more resistant to low temperatures.

Do I need to feed cherries?

Due to the early fruiting of these crops, many consider their fertilizers inappropriate. Supporters of this opinion are convinced that during the short growing season, chemical and organic substances in plants do not have time to go through the process of decomposition, which is why they are completely useless.

Learn how to tell the difference between sweet cherries and sweet cherries.
According to experts , as a tree grows, its need for nutrients also increases. It will completely use up the useful microelements placed in the planting hole in 2.5 years. Thus, without regular fertilizing, the gardener will not be able to avoid depletion of soil reserves. Therefore, it is important to carry out at least 4-6 feedings in the warm season.

It is appropriate to start fertilizing procedures in the second year of cherry growth, since at this stage of its development there is a noticeable deficiency of nitrogen-containing substances.
For good yield, young seedlings urgently need:

• carbon;
• hydrogen;
• oxygen;
• nitrogen;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• sulfur;
• magnesium;
• iron;
• boron (in small quantities);
• manganese;
• copper;
• cobalt.

From practice, the prevailing need of cherries for additional nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is obvious, since all other substances are present in the soil in satisfactory quantities.
If there is a shortage of any of the listed components, the tree reduces its productivity, suffers from diseases, prematurely sheds leaves and ovaries, and often does not tolerate cold winters.

Did you know? Cherries first appeared on the Asia Minor island in the city of Gerius, the name of which was interpreted by the ancient historian Pliny as “Cherry”. In Europe, the culture became famous in 680 BC. e. The Roman commander Lucullus brought her there.

Preventive measures for freezing of cherries

Mature trees of winter-hardy cherry varieties usually tolerate frost well. To preserve fruit-bearing buds, you need to perform a number of actions. It is required to loosen the soil to a shallow depth of 5 cm near the tree trunk circle. Then you need to add mulch. It is good to use peat, rotted sawdust or pine needles. The trunks of young trees should be wrapped in burlap or covered with spruce branches. You can use special covering material. Synthetic fabric cannot be used, since there is no oxygen access underneath it. The trunk will rot.

Regardless of whether the variety is winter-hardy or not, measures to insulate cherries will not be superfluous. Autumn whitewashing of the trunk will save the plant from excessive solar activity in early spring.

How to plant

You should prepare very carefully for planting, since cherries are highly demanding in terms of care.

Location requirements

The place must meet the following requirements:

1. The soil is fertile (the soil should not be clay or sandy).
2. Full illumination from all sides.
3. No wind or even small drafts.
4. The proximity of the cherry trees is an additional advantage. Pollen will fall on both plants, since they are cross-pollinated.

Recommended timing

For planting, choose 1 of 2 seasons:

1. Spring is for the Urals and Siberia.
2. Autumn is for regions with a milder climate.

The main criterion is daytime temperature, which should no longer fall below 18-20 °C. Night frosts are also undesirable, when the air cools down to 13 °C and below. The soil should be completely warmed up, and the threat of return frosts should be minimal.

How to properly fertilize a tree with organic fertilizers and minerals

It is preferable to fertilize stone fruit crops with minerals. Manure, chicken manure, compost are necessary for initial planting and if the soil is very poor and the fertile layer is small.

Excess organic matter can harm the crop. In acidified soil, the plant withers and is attacked by aphids and fungi. Therefore, it is necessary to fertilize with organic matter correctly.

• Manure. One of the most valuable fertilizers, but not suitable for all plants. Contains nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium. Stimulates growth and formation of shoots. Promotes the formation of the ovary.
• Bird droppings. It has a milder effect on fruit trees, so it is preferable to fertilize with just such a fertilizer. Usually used in the form of an aqueous solution.
• Il. You can fertilize if the soil is sandy. Contains significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus.
• For mulch and oxygen enrichment, it is good to use rotted sawdust . They are not used fresh.
• Green manure crops. It is good to fertilize with peas, lupins, and seradella. The crushed green mass of these plants is processed in the soil, saturating it with useful substances.
• Rotted compost. Fertilize with mown grass and tops. Fertilizer from a compost pit enriches the soil well.

Essential minerals should contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Additional microfertilizers are needed for the full development of the root system and healthy growth. Substances such as iodine, boron, zinc, manganese strengthen the plant’s immunity.

Advice. Do not overfeed with nitrogen fertilizers. Instead of accelerating growth, the foliage will wither and fall off prematurely.