Sweet cherry gift to Stepanov variety description photo reviews pollinators

Mid-late sweet cherry “Gift to Stepanov”

A tree with a pyramidal, raised crown of medium density.
Mature plant size

Decorative during flowering and fruiting.

Flowering and fruits

The fruits weigh 4.1g on average. Mid-late variety.

Remainings valid as of: December 10, 2022, 17:15

Cherries grow best on slopes facing south, southeast or southwest or in other well-lit, warm places, protected from north and east winds. It is unacceptable to plant cherries in areas where the groundwater lies too high, since the vertical roots of the plant can go 2 m deep into the ground. Low-lying places where melt water stands for a long time in the spring are also not suitable for planting cherries. Sweet cherries prefer nutrient-rich loam or sandy loam soil. For cross-pollination, cherries will need pollinators - cherry trees of 2-3 varieties located in close proximity to it. Or at least a few cherries whose flowering period coincides with the flowering of your cherries. The pit for cherries is prepared two weeks before planting. Its depth should be 60-80 cm, and its diameter should be about a meter. When digging, throw the fertile layer of soil to one side and the lower, infertile layer to the other. A stake is driven into the center of the hole at such a height that it protrudes above the

The fertilizers placed in the soil during planting will last for three years, and from the fourth year of life the cherry trees again need additional feeding. Nitrogen fertilizers, unlike potassium and phosphorus fertilizers, will be needed by cherries already in the second year of life, and they are applied when the frosts have passed and warm spring weather has set in. Nitrogen fertilizers, already in liquid form, are applied again at the end of May. Mature cherries are subjected to formative and sanitary pruning in the spring, but you need to have time to do this before the start of sap flow. When the air warms up to 18 ºC, trees are sprayed to remove pathogens and pests that have overwintered in the soil or bark. In summer, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the area with cherries to a depth of 8-10 cm. This can be done with a garden hoe or a hand cultivator a day after rain or watering, which is carried out 3 to 5 times per season, depending on the amount of rain. If you find signs of disease or the presence of harmful insects on trees, do not hesitate to take protective measures.

The fruits are medium-sized, obtusely heart-shaped, with an average weight of 4.1 g. The peduncle is medium-sized, thin, easily separated from the branch, attachment to the stone is fragile. The main and outer color of the fruit is dark red, there are no subcutaneous points. The skin is tender, bare. The pulp is dark red, gristly. The juice is dark red. The taste is sweet. Tasting score 4.9 points. The fruit content of dry matter is 19.0%, sugar 12.9%, acid 0.5%, vitamin C 13.9 mg%. The stone is medium-sized, narrow-oval, elongated, with well-defined grooves, and separates well from the pulp. The average yield is 82 c/ha. The variety is self-sterile, resistant to fungal diseases (coccomycosis and moniliosis), and winter-hardy. The variety's resistance to drought is good.

Diseases and pests

This type of fruit has a high immunity to diseases and pests, however, in damp and cloudy weather there is a risk of damage to trees and fruits:

• moniliosis, the prevention of which is the spring treatment of plants with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture (per 10 liters of water - 0.3 kg of copper sulfate and 0.4 kg of lime). When the first symptoms of the disease appear, trees must be sprayed with Fitosporin M or Fitolavin;
• Clusterosporiasis. If the first signs of disease appear on the tree, then the affected areas must be carefully cut off with a sharp knife, cleaned and treated with a 1% solution of copper sulfate, and then sealed with garden varnish;
• coccomycosis, from which plants are treated with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture, Abiga-pik, Skor or Horus.

Also, trees of the Podarok Stepanov variety may be subject to raids:

• aphids, from which a solution prepared from 10 liters of water, 1.5 kg of wood ash and 80 g of grated laundry soap will help you escape. Insecticides Karbofos or Iskra will also help;
• cherry fly, which can be controlled by the drugs Actellik, Phasis and DNOC;
• the moths were fleeced. Protection against the pest will be the treatment of trees before the leaves bloom with Cuprozan and Captan.

Photo of aphids on a cherry.

Cherry gift to Stepanov

Many gardeners, both beginners and experienced ones, are often interested in the question: can cherries be a pollinator for cherries and vice versa. First of all, this concern is due to the fact that very often the tree blooms profusely, but the harvest is very small or absent altogether.

The thing is that cherry is a tree that needs “company,” that is, a pollinator from which bees and insects will carry pollen to form ovaries.

1. Classification of cherry varieties
2. What requirements must a “correct” cherry pollinator meet?
3. Cherries and sweet cherries - interaction
4. Which cherry can pollinate cherries?

Reviews from gardeners about the Podarok Stepanov variety of cherries

This variety is completely new, however, it has already become a favorite among gardeners for its undeniable advantages.

Elizaveta, 53 years old

“My family lives in the Murom region in their own house. I have been growing fruit trees for a long time, however, I decided to plant cherries for the first time. I chose the variety Gift to Stepanov for its high frost resistance. The seedling took root well and quickly began to grow, but we have not seen any fruit yet - the tree is only two years old.”

Dmitry, 60 years old

“I heard about the advantages of Bryansk varieties of cherries, so I planted the variety Gift to Stepanov. My tree is already 3 years old. It grows quickly and withstands all weather disasters well. Next year I hope to get the first harvest.”

Classification of cherry varieties

True, not all varieties are completely self-sterile. Cherries, like most stone fruits, are a cross-pollinated crop. Its varieties are divided into three groups:

• Self-fertile (self-pollinating) cherry, that is, which is pollinated independently, with its own pollen. Most new varieties and hybrids belong to this group, but their yield is no more than 40-50% of the number of opened flowers. The most common varieties: Molodezhnaya, Altaiskaya, Bagryannaya, Bolotovskaya, Veteranka, Griot Rossoshansky, Zolushka, Kentskaya, Lyubimitsa, Nord Star, Lada, Rastorguevskaya, Sudarushka, Shokoladnitsa.
• Partially self-pollinating varieties.

Sweet cherry gift to Stepanov, features of the variety, reviews and care rules

They can pollinate on their own, but not the whole flower, but somewhere only a tenth. That is, if there is a suitable pollinator, the harvest will be 10 times greater! The most common varieties: Banquetnaya, Bogatyrka, Vstrecha, Dessertnaya Morozovoy, Lebedyanskaya, Melitopolskaya, Olimpiyskaya, Kompotnaya, Saniya, Trofimovskaya, Shpanka.

• Completely self-fertile cherry varieties (their own pollen pollinates 1-3% of the flowers). These include literally all old varieties, as well as hybrids of cherries and sweet cherries - duki, the berries of which are very large and tasty. The most common varieties: Vladimirskaya, Griot Melitopol, Zhukovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Lebedyanskaya, Krasa Tatarii, Malinovka, Pamyat Vavilova, Pamyat Sakharov, Polevka, Orlovskaya, Standard Ural, Studencheskaya, Miracle Cherry, Shubinka, Black Large.

Experienced gardeners have noticed that even self-fertile varieties, in the presence of a pollinator, produce 2-3 times more yield, and the berries are much larger and juicier. Therefore, it is very important to decide what kind of pollinator a tree of a particular variety requires and how to optimally plant a cherry orchard in order to eliminate under-pollination and have tasty berries every year.

What requirements must a “correct” cherry pollinator meet?

The first requirement: it must be a different variety. That is, even several trees of the same variety will not pollinate each other.

The second requirement: the flowering period of the pollinator must coincide with the flowering period of the pollinated tree. You need to focus on such a parameter as the ripening period of the berries: early, middle and late. This is the answer to the question: is there a universal cherry pollinator? It cannot exist in principle, because the flowering time of different varieties extends for more than a month.

As practice shows, the best pollinators in each category are the following cherry varieties:

Third point: the optimal distance between the pollinator and the cherry is 3-5 meters. Although, pollination can occur at distances of up to 30 meters, provided that between these trees there are no other crops blooming at that time (plums, pears, apple trees), on which insects can leave captured pollen.

If you are just going to start a cherry orchard, then the best choice is to take 3-4 self-fertile varieties and 1 pollinator - just one ripening period. The same can be done with partially self-fertile species. Example: plant the following main varieties: Kharitonoskaya, Lebedyanskaya, Turgenevka, Zhukovskaya, and take the Vladimirskaya variety as a pollinator (which will also produce excellent yields). For dukes and self-sterile varieties, you need to have 2 pollinator trees on the site.

Cherries and sweet cherries - interaction

We have sorted out the question of whether cherries need a pollinator.

Can sweet cherries pollinate cherries? Yes, and this is a very good option. It is for these same dukes and the earliest varieties that cherries will become a better partner than even the cherries themselves. This is due to the fact that both bloom early, and by cross-pollinating, they contribute to the enlargement of the berries.

Among the cherry varieties, the Iput cherry is recognized as the best for other cherries (which, in most cases, also need an outside pollinator). Moreover, it must be planted with its own pollinator - the Revna variety. Then, according to the workers of the Horticulture Research Institute, the maximum yield of all cherries, cherries, and dukes will be ensured on the site.

For example, the hybrid variety Griot Ostheimsky, pollinated by cherries, produces a yield of up to 100 kg from an 8-year-old tree. And the same tree pollinated by cherry – only 50 kg. Without a pollinator, with very abundant flowering, the harvest was only 5 kg.

Description of cherries Gift to Stepanov

The variety belongs to the category of medium-growing: the maximum height of the tree is 3.5 m. The shoots of the cherry are straight, thickened, covered with brown-gray bark with a slight olive tint at the edges. After the autumn leaves fall, the bark acquires a pronounced silvery tint.

The natural shape of the crown is pyramidal; the upper branches of the tree grow quite quickly. The leaves are matte green, large, with sharp teeth along the edges, and the white flowers are presented in inflorescences of 3 flowers each.

The variety bears medium-sized heart-shaped berries with rounded outlines. As a rule, cherries are dark red, the skin is dense, tender and glossy. The average weight of one berry is 4–5 g - not very large fruits. The berries taste sweet, their tasting value is very high - 4.9 points out of a possible 5.

In the State Register, the variety is noted as suitable for cultivation in the Central region. But Gift to Stepanov also grows well in the Urals, where it easily tolerates harsh climatic conditions.

Description of the variety and its characteristics

The cherry variety Gift to Stepanov was born quite recently, at the beginning of this century, and was included in the State Register of our country even later, in 2015. However, despite this fact, this type of beloved garden berry has already won the recognition of gardeners and gardeners. It was obtained in the Bryansk region by the scientist-breeder A. Kanshina, whose goal was to obtain a variety of cherries that, with other numerous advantages, could easily withstand harsh winters.

Description of the tree

Trees of the variety are characterized by a high growth rate and early fruiting:

• they are of medium size, growing up to only 3.5 meters in height;
• branches and shoots of trees, strong and powerful, covered with brown bark with an olive tint, form a beautiful spreading crown, shaped like a pyramid;
• a few dark green matte leaves of large size and shaped like a boat. The edges of the leaves are carved, the tips are pointed;
• small five-petaled white flowers form inflorescences of three;
• The trees begin to bloom closer to mid-May. Flowering lasts a little more than a week;
• trees of the variety need additional pollination, which is provided by planting pollinating varieties next to them - Lyubimitsa Astakhova, Bryanskaya Rozovaya or Teremoshka;
• The variety begins to bear fruit 4 years after planting the seedlings.

Description of fruits

Berries of the Podarok Stepanov variety are truly a real gift:

• they are all the same and even, as if chosen. Size - medium, berry weight - about 6 g;
• the shape of the fruit is round, resembling a heart;
• color - rich dark red;
• tender juicy blood-red pulp is covered with the same delicate and thin glossy skin;
• inside the berries there are small seeds that are easily separated;
• the taste is harmonious, very sweet, without any aftertaste.

100 g of fruit pulp contains:

• sugars - about 13%;
• acids - 0.5%;
• ascorbic acid - about 14%;
• dry ingredients - 19%.

The taste of the berries of the Podarok Stepanov variety is rated very highly - on a five-point scale, 4.9 points.

Usage

The berries of this variety are very good fresh. Their rich chemical composition allows them to be used in dietary and baby food, as well as in folk medicine. Delicious jams and juices are made from these fruits, they are frozen, and added to baked goods, desserts and fruit salads.

Ripening and harvesting dates

Mass ripening of fruits occurs in mid-late July. Then they begin to harvest. The variety is characterized by the fact that if the fruits are not picked on time, they will remain on the branches for some time without falling off.

Productivity

The variety produces high yields. From a tree aged 5 or more years, about 60 kg are collected, and from 1 hectare - about 80 centners of juicy sweet berries.

Fruit shelf life and transportability

The berries of this variety are not stored for a long time due to the fact that their skin is too thin, therefore, immediately after harvesting, they must be immediately processed. Fruits are practically subject to transportation over long distances, as they quickly lose their presentation and taste, however, with high-quality packaging this is still possible.

Characteristics of the variety

Not much is known about the young Bryansk cherry variety: most gardeners who planted it on their plots have not yet had time to wait for the first harvest. However, some information is still available.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

Like most Bryansk varieties, the Podarok Stepanov cherry, bred for cultivation in the middle zone, nevertheless has high resistance to a more severe climate.

• The variety tolerates drought well; excess moisture is much more dangerous for it. During summer periods with minimal precipitation, it is recommended to water the cherries weekly in the amount of 3-4 buckets under the trunk; it is advisable to mulch the top layer of soil. If there is natural moisture, watering should be done only when necessary. If the tree receives enough moisture from rain, there is no need to water it additionally.
• The variety has high resistance to low temperatures: the tree retains the ability to bear fruit well even in conditions of -30...-32 degrees in winter. The main thing is to prevent deep freezing of the trunk.

Cherry pollinators Gift to Stepanov

The variety is not capable of self-pollination, and if you do not plant suitable pollinating varieties next to the cherry, you may not expect a rich harvest.

The following varieties of cherries are ideal as pollinators for trees:

• Teremoshka - cherry blossoms in the middle period, approximately May 10–15, and its fruits are harvested in mid-July.
• Astakhov’s favorite - the variety blooms in mid-May, and begins to bear fruit abundantly after 2 months, in mid-July.
• Bryansk pink - the tree usually blooms at the end of May, from the 15th to the 25th, berries appear on its branches at the end of July.

Productivity and fruiting

The variety brings quite high yields: up to 82 centners of fruit can be harvested from one hectare, and in a home garden the tree will produce up to 60 kg of berries. Cherries reach maturity by 4 years, in other words, only this period after planting can the first harvest be expected. But subsequently the cherry will bear fruit annually.

Fruiting occurs at the end of July - after the 20th.

Area of ​​application of berries

The berries of this variety have a pleasant sweet taste, the pulp is easily separated from the seed. You can consume the fruits at your own discretion fresh or prepare healthy drinks from them, add berries to baked goods and homemade sweet desserts.

Features of the variety, frost resistance, pollinators

Gift to Stepanov is actively grown in mid-latitudes, but the variety tolerates both cold snaps and dry periods. However, it is recommended to take into account that cherries do not react well to excess moisture.

In summer, it is worth carrying out minimal watering in the form of four waterings at the root once every seven days.

If it rained before, there is no need to water. In addition, after moistening, it is recommended to mulch the soil.

In the harsh conditions of more northern regions, it is important to prevent the trunk from freezing. If you protect the tree, it will calmly withstand a drop in temperature without harming fruiting.

When growing a gift for Stepanov, it is important to remember that the variety is not capable of self-pollination.

In order for the cherry to bear fruit, it is recommended to plant one of the pollinating varieties next to it:

• Teremoshka
• Bryansk pink
• Astakhanov's favorite

The flowering of these varieties occurs during the same period as the flowering of Gift to Stepanov, so pollination will ensure abundant fruiting.

The frost-resistant variety tolerates drought well, but does not respond well to an abundance of moisture. In addition, it is not self-pollinating, which should be taken into account when planting.

Landing Features

There are no unique planting requirements for Podarok Stepanov cherries, but you need to know the basic rules.

Recommended timing

The time for planting a tree depends on the specific region. In the southern regions of Russia, it is preferable to plant cherries in the fall, a few weeks before the first frost. But in the middle zone and in the Urals it is better to carry out spring planting.

Choosing a suitable location

Lack of light, excess moisture and cold wind are detrimental to the variety. Therefore, cherries are planted on the sunny side, in well-ventilated sandy loam soil or on loam. Groundwater should not come close to the surface.

What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?

• Gift to Stepanov, like many other varieties of cherries, does not get along well with apple, currant, and pear trees.
• But you can plant rowan or cherry trees next door.

Selection and preparation of planting material

The main requirement for a seedling is its quality.

• The roots of the tree must be intact, healthy and fairly developed.
• There should be a trace of the grafting on the trunk; in addition, it is advisable that the seedling have only one main conductor.

Before planting in the ground, it is advisable to keep the seedling in water for a couple of hours to allow the roots to swell.

Landing algorithm

1. This variety of cherries requires a planting hole approximately 60 cm deep and 80 cm wide.
2. The bottom of the hole is filled with humus and ash, the tree is lowered into it and sprinkled with earth to the very top of the hole, not forgetting to pour 2 buckets of water into the soil.
3. The ground around the trunk is covered with mulch, and the trunk itself is tied to a support.

Landing

Although the variety can grow on different soils, even infertile ones, and is unpretentious to climatic conditions, however, planting a seedling must be taken very seriously:

• It is better to choose a place that is well-lit and dry, protected from the winds, with fertile soil;
• since the variety does not tolerate too wet soil, groundwater should not be closer than 2 meters from the surface of the earth. Also, lowland is not suitable for planting seedlings;
• prepare the area for cherries in advance - dig up the soil, free it from roots and weeds, properly fertilize it with organic and mineral fertilizers;
• The holes are also prepared in advance - no less than a month before the intended planting of seedlings. The depth of the hole is 60 cm, and its diameter is at least 80 cm;
• drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole - broken bricks, then a mixture of fertile soil taken from the top with fertilizer (humus, wood ash, potassium sulfate and superphosphate) is poured halfway;
• a seedling is placed on a tubercle made with this mixture, its root system properly straightened, covered with earth and compacted;
• Next, the tree is watered abundantly, and the soil around the cherry tree is covered with mulch - humus, peat or rotted mullein.

Aftercare for cherries

• Gift to Stepanov is pruned mainly for sanitary purposes, to remove dried and improperly growing branches. Fruiting shoots are shortened by a third every year.
• Additional watering is done once a month, during the summer heat: weekly 20–40 liters of water. The ground around the trunk is mulched.
• Fertilizers will only need to be applied a year after planting. In the spring, it is customary to feed cherries with nitrogen compounds, in the summer you can add a little potassium to the soil, and in the fall, cherries will benefit from fertilizing containing fluoride.
• Preparing for winter does not require much effort from the gardener. In September, water the cherries well, scatter manure under the trunk and spray the crown with fertilizers containing fluoride. To protect the trunk from freezing, you can wrap it in a material with heat-insulating properties for the winter. If there is heavy snowfall, it is recommended to form a snowdrift near the tree trunk and trample the snow around the tree properly.

Care

Cherry Gift to Stepanov is an unpretentious variety to grow and care for. If you follow simple rules of care, the crop will delight you with excellent harvests:

• trees need watering. Throughout the season, 3-4 applications of moisture are sufficient. 4-5 buckets of water are poured under one tree. If the summer turns out to be dry, then the amount of watering is increased;
• The cherry variety responds well to fertilizing. It is necessary to start applying fertilizers 2 years after planting. The trees are fed three times a season. Before the beginning of the growing season, cherries are watered with slurry that has settled in water with the addition of nitrogen-containing fertilizer. After flowering, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added, and in the fall - wood ash and humus;
• the ground around the trees must be kept completely clean, collecting organic debris and freeing it from weeds. It is there that fungal spores, pest larvae and harmful viruses and bacteria can multiply;
• periodic loosening will ensure constant access of oxygen to the root system of trees;
• Since the cherry variety grows quickly, the trees require annual pruning to form and thin out the crown. Pruning is carried out in early spring or autumn;
• young trees must be wrapped for the winter. Burlap, agrofibre or paper are used as cover.