Columnar cherry - 3 best varieties and 10 tips for planting and care

Choose a well-lit place to plant

This type of fruit tree has the following features:

1. There are about a dozen varieties, the most widespread being Vostorg, columnar Morozovaya and Malyutka, I will describe them in more detail below. They are zoned in the southern regions, as they do not have very high frost resistance and die at temperatures below -30.
2. The trees have a height of 1 to 2.5 meters. Moreover, the diameter does not exceed a meter, and most often even less. This allows you to plant cherries in small pieces of land where any other tree simply would not fit.
3. The plant gives a high yield. From one bush one harvests from 5 kg to 15 kg, which is a lot, considering its compact size. But it is worth remembering that a rich harvest can only be obtained with annual fertilizing; without nutrients, plants bear fruit much worse.
4. The fruits are dark red in color, with the majority of large berries weighing more than 10 g. The pulp is juicy, with a delicate consistency. The seeds are medium in size and will be well removed from the pulp.
5. Fruiting time is average . Usually the first harvest ripens in late June - early July. Maturation is quite amicable. Due to its compactness and low height, harvesting is easy and quick.
6. Cherries are easy to care for and do not require pruning or shaping . But it is important to plant it in a well-lit area; it grows poorly in the shade.
7. Resistance to most diseases is good . There are no diseases that are typical for this variety.

The appearance of such trees is unusual and attracts attention.
Among the minuses, I will highlight the following:

1. Insufficient frost resistance . Frost is especially dangerous for young trees; if the apical bud freezes, growth will stop.
2. Demanding requirements for soil . If the soil is poor, you need to add the entire range of nutrients to ensure the harvest.

In the video, the author notes the excellent taste of cherries and their large size. The harvest from a tree is up to 15 kg, and fruiting begins already in the 2nd year:

Pros and cons of columnar cherries

The popularity of columnar cherries is gradually gaining momentum. These varieties have much more advantages than disadvantages.

Main varieties

Columnar cherries for the Urals and Siberia

In the Urals and Siberia, the climate is quite harsh, so not every variety of columnar cherry can survive in such regions. The most frost-resistant species are chosen and shelter is provided for the winter.

Ashinsky hybrid

A description of this variety can be found above. Excellent winter hardiness allows the hybrid to be grown in regions with cold climates. Without shelter, trees can withstand temperatures down to -35°C.

Amazement

This variety is described in the section for the middle zone. In the conditions of the Urals or Siberia, it can only be grown with shelter for the winter.

Baby

Detailed characteristics can be found in the section on varieties for the middle zone. In the Urals and Siberia, Malyutka cherries can be grown due to their high winter hardiness. Mature trees without shelter can withstand frosts down to -40°C. Young plantings have lower winter hardiness.

It is better to plant in spring

Cherry Delight: caring for the variety

Columnar cherry Delight: photo of the variety

Cherry Delight is a rather unpretentious plant, but this does not mean that the tree does not need to be looked after.

We have already said that the roots of the columnar Delight cherry are located close to the soil surface, and therefore, in the absence of precipitation, the tree will not be able to receive moisture from the bowels of the earth.

At first after planting, the seedlings are watered once a week, then once every two weeks. If the summer is hot and without rain, then they return to weekly watering, using at least one bucket of water (ten liters). After the cherry grows and gets stronger, follow the following watering schedule:

• The first watering is carried out during the flowering period.
• The second watering is carried out when the ovaries begin to form.
• Then water the plant after harvesting.
• And the last watering is carried out closer to mid-autumn, but before the onset of sub-zero temperatures.

It is important to be flexible and adjust this schedule depending on weather conditions and precipitation.

For the first couple of years after planting, the Vostorg cherry tree does not need to be fed, as it will have enough food from the planting hole. But then it is recommended to annually apply fertilizers containing nitrogen at the beginning of the season, and during flowering and after harvesting, it is necessary to feed the cherries with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Another advantage of columnar varieties is that they do not require crown formation; therefore, annual pruning is purely sanitary or cosmetic in nature: damaged, broken or frozen branches are removed. All procedures should be performed with sharply sharpened garden tools, which are disinfected immediately before performing work. The cut areas must be immediately treated with garden varnish, which you can purchase in the store or prepare yourself.

We have already said that the columnar cherry Delight does not tolerate winter very well, so carefully prepare the tree for winter. After the last autumn watering, mulch the surface of the tree trunk circle with a thick layer of dry fallen leaves, straw or compost. Follow the weather forecast and about 5-7 days before frost, cover the tree trunk with spruce branches and wrap its crown with geotextiles. In addition, you can wrap the tree trunk with a fine metal mesh under the spruce branches; this precaution will protect the tree from rodents.

Apply fertilizer annually

Planting and care

Columnar cherries do not require complex care, but you should be careful when choosing a place for seedlings.

Trees love sun and warmth. A sunny area protected from the wind is suitable for them. It should not be large; the minimum distance between the cherries is half a meter. The composition of the soil also matters; too wet will have a negative effect on tree growth. Loose, fertile black soil is suitable. Before planting a seedling, the hole for it is fertilized with organic and mineral fertilizers.

When selecting planting material, pay attention to the integrity of the upper bud. While the seedling is taking root, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture, and then water it as needed.

Cherries are fertilized in the spring with nitrogen complex fertilizers, for example, ammonium nitrate, and in the fall with phosphate fertilizers. Once every two to three years, during autumn loosening, the soil is enriched with humus or manure.

See also

Distinctive features of currant and cherry hybrids, planting and care, propagationRead

To protect trees from fungal diseases and pests, preventive spraying is carried out twice a year. It is important that the funds do not accumulate in future berries. Leaves and fruits with traces of disease are removed and burned at the stake.

The rules for planting and caring for columnar cherries are simple; the main points are:

• choosing a place for seedlings;
• timely watering;
• removal of weeds in the root zone;
• periodic feeding;
• prevention of fungal diseases;
• insulation of the trunk and root zone for the winter.

Diseases and pests

Growing rules

When choosing a tree to plant, you should pay special attention to the branches. They must have kidneys

Cherries of this type are demanding on the soil. The soil in the pit is mixed with black soil or humus. If there is acidity in the soil, ash is added to it. Before planting, the soil is loosened. It is also not worth digging up the soil too much.

The distance between seedlings should be 70 cm, so for each square. 4 trees are planted on a plot of land. In order for the plant to form correctly and begin to grow, it should be protected from excess moisture. Planting is carried out in the spring, after frosts have subsided. The place for planting cherries is chosen in the south, near the house or any other fence. The area should be well lit; the plant loves sunlight. After planting, each tree is watered abundantly.

Reviews from gardeners

Tatiana, Chernigov

I bought this variety of cherries at a crazy discount sale, the price was 3 times less. I planted it at the end of May, I thought it wouldn’t take root, but it took root perfectly!!! The leaves are not big. The seedling is probably a year old, but there are a lot of good branches

Source: agro-market.net

Alba

Columnar systems, it seems, are suitable for the “spindle”, “cordon”, “pillar” systems and their modifications... I have a very competent book on pruning... I need to look for it...

Source: fermernew.by

Description of culture

Cherry is considered a leader in the content of useful substances in its composition:

• glucose;
• anthocyanide;
• coumarin;
• vitamins C, E, B9;
• trace elements (sodium, zinc, boron, fluorine, magnesium);
• acids (malic, salicylic, citric);
• pectins;
• fructose.

This is only a part of the beneficial components that are contained in the fruits of each cherry variety. Together, they support the normal functioning of internal organs, act as a prevention and treatment of kidney diseases, anemia, and arthrosis.

For your information! Vitamin B9 (folic acid), which cherries are rich in, strengthens blood vessels.

Thanks to the high content of pectins, cherries are able to remove toxins and waste. In case of bacterial diseases, eating berries promotes a speedy recovery. Cherry juice is used as a cancer preventative because it contains ellagic acid. In case of cardiovascular diseases and stomach diseases, the berry normalizes natural processes. Some components of cherries suppress the development of epilepsy and jaundice (infectious).

But the berry is popular not only due to its medicinal properties; it serves as a decoration for areas. During the flowering period, the tree is completely covered with a white head of flowers, and this beauty cannot be compared with anything.

Tips and tricks

By giving preference to dwarf trees, you can afford to plant many more varieties and varieties on your site, since the planting density is much higher. At the same time, nothing prevents you from arranging a two-tier garden, surrounding fruit trees with various shrubs: currants, raspberries, gooseberries and others.

If a garden is created in Siberia, in the Urals, then even when choosing the most winter-hardy varieties, it is recommended to create shelters for the trees.

There are several options for covering columnar fruit trees:

• Cover the crown with agrofibre. The panels can be reused the following year, and it is best to attach them to the trunk with ordinary twine.
• Use safety cones. Such a cone is a wooden frame made of slats, onto which agrofibre is stretched. In the spring, the cones are stacked until the fall.

It is worth recognizing that interest in columnar fruit trees is growing steadily. Gardeners are not deterred by high prices for seedlings, which can reach up to 1000 rubles. per piece and even higher. The excellent taste and commercial qualities of the fruit pay for the investment within a few years. In addition, many columnar varieties of fruits can be propagated independently, using branches of the grown mother plant for grafting.

Advantages and disadvantages

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Columnar cherries have a lot of positive qualities.

• The tree takes up minimal space on the site.
• No pruning needed. And this greatly simplifies care, especially for young gardeners. Only in rare cases can sanitary pruning be carried out if the pagons are frozen or some diseases appear.
• Productivity is high, regardless of the variety.

Important!

Any varieties of columnar cherries, even frost-resistant ones, must be insulated for the winter!

• The first fruiting is observed in the year the seedling is grafted. If the tree is planted, then the harvest can be expected for about 3 years.
• The berries are tasty, usually large and juicy.
• The harvest can be harvested either manually or mechanized.

Any varieties of columnar cherries, even frost-resistant ones, must be insulated for the winter!

Although there are not many disadvantages of this type of cherry, they do exist.

• Such trees need to be planted next to natural or artificial protection from the winds, because during a storm the branches and the tree trunk itself can break.
• The tree requires watering. It does not tolerate drought, but it will not be able to develop normally in marshy soil.
• Productivity is considered high for a columnar tree. But since these trees do not have many branches, about 15 kg of berries are collected per tree. Compared to simple cherries, this is not much. But if you grow berries for your own needs, and not for sale, then the harvest will be enough.