What to do if cherries don’t bear fruit: tips

Why don't cherries bear fruit?

Cherry is an unpretentious tree that bears fruit annually for many years. There are old-timers among them, who are almost a hundred years old. This is their biological feature. Sweet cherries are less susceptible to attacks by various pests than sour cherries. But there are cases when a tree, due to its fruitful characteristics, for some reason refuses to bear fruit and stands without a harvest, like an ornamental tree. Beginning gardeners are concerned about this fact. Cherries don’t bear fruit, what should I do? It is necessary to analyze the most common reasons for the lack of flowering and try not to repeat them.

It's not time to bloom

The fruiting period depends on the variety zoned in the region. Therefore, buyers need to ask what variety they are taking, as well as in what year the purchased cherries of this variety will bear fruit.

Cherry blossom time

Drop off point

The reason that the cherry tree does not bloom may be the wrong location. You can expect flowering if the tree is planted in the southern or southwestern part of the garden. The tree does not like drafts, so it should be protected from them and from the cold north wind. Recommendations for planting cherries indicate how to plant the tree. If the planting technology was violated and the root collar was deepened into the ground, this will slow down fruiting. The root collar should be at soil level. Flowering and fruiting are affected by the proximity of the roots to groundwater. Cherry does not tolerate wetlands and lowlands. In this case, it is recommended to pour drainage into the hole before planting.

The root collar was deepened into the ground

The soil where cherries grow

The tree “lives” well on fertile soil that has neutral acidity; it prefers moderate watering followed by loosening the soil to allow air to reach the roots. It is usually recommended to water three times during the summer if the season is too dry. After harvesting, the tree is watered once at the end of September.

Poor tree lighting

The cherry tree should be sufficiently illuminated by direct sunlight, from morning to evening or at least until noon. It should not be in the shade of taller trees. It is recommended to maintain a distance between trees of up to 5 meters.

Fertilizer application

The lack of flowering can be affected by improper care - the tree is not fed with fertilizers at the right time. Experience shows that the correct approach would be: fertilizing with potassium (70 g) and phosphorus (200 g) fertilizers in the fall, and fertilizing with urea (70 g) in the spring.

Attention! With an excess of nitrogen fertilizers, cherries can begin to force out branches and leaves - fattening. A cherry tree can bloom and even an ovary appear on the branches, but then the tree sheds the ovary

This occurs when the soil is infertile and there is a lack of potassium and calcium. This situation can be corrected by introducing complex fertilizers into the soil.

The cherry tree can bloom, and even an ovary may appear on the branches, but then the tree sheds the ovary. This occurs when the soil is infertile and there is a lack of potassium and calcium. This situation can be corrected by introducing complex fertilizers into the soil.

Many gardeners fertilize the tree with green fertilizers, to which the cherry tree responds with abundant flowering and fruiting in the future. To obtain these fertilizers, gardeners plant peas around the crown of the cherry tree in the summer, which they mow and plant in the ground in the fall.

Fertilizer application

Trimming

A crown that is too thick means losing part of the harvest. To flower and bear fruit, a tree needs sunlight, which cannot penetrate into the middle of the tree through the dense crown and foliage. The crown forms in the shape of a bowl over several years. Sunlight will freely penetrate into it, the cherry will bloom and bear fruit. No further pruning is done, only dried and damaged branches are removed.

Pests and diseases

To prevent pests from depriving gardeners and summer residents of their cherry harvest, it is recommended to spray the plants with 3% Bordeaux mixture even before the leaves bloom. During the growing season, the treatment is repeated, but the concentration is reduced, a 1% solution is used.

If you eliminate the consequences of the shortcomings that were made when planting cherries, in 2-3 years the owners of the gardens will be able to enjoy their delicious berries. In the future, they will be able to take measures to increase the fruitfulness of cherries.

Answers to common questions

Quite often, newbie gardeners have a question about the fruiting of cherries if they grow alone. Experts, based on their own experience, explain that a single cherry, no matter what variety it is, does not produce a large harvest, even if it is a self-fertile variety. Only 50% of the possible harvest is formed on it. If a cross-pollinated tree grew nearby, the harvest would be 100%. If there is a single tree growing with cross-pollination, then the likelihood of fruiting is even less. What to do in this case is indicated in the article above.

Cherry formation

The question that concerns both summer residents and gardeners about poor tree growth and poor fruiting is associated only with poor tree care and violation of agricultural practices. A detailed answer to this is given in the article.

To summarize the above, in order to get a good harvest of the selected cherry variety, you need to:

Have several cherry trees in the garden that satisfy the needs of gardeners and summer residents for good pollination. The varieties must be winter-hardy, high-yielding, fruit-bearing, large-fruited, with detachable seeds;
Correctly fulfill agrotechnical requirements regarding the choice of location and soil;
Carry out timely feeding, mulching, pruning and watering;
Monitor the condition of trees and carry out preventive measures to combat pests and diseases;
Try to prevent frostbite on trees by taking frost protection measures.

As a result, cherries will please summer residents, novice gardeners and home garden owners with a good harvest.

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Reason 4: Unsuitable neighbors

Cherry is picky in choosing neighbors. If you place a coniferous tree of any kind next to it, it will not give the desired harvest. Also, cherry does not accept proximity to apple trees and honeysuckle. Lilies, daffodils, tulips, pansies and irises are also not recommended to be planted nearby.

The same cannot be said about barberry, grapes or hazel grouse. Cherry will happily accept such a neighborhood. In addition, you can plant onions, corn, beets, cucumbers, pumpkins and lettuce nearby. She will also be happy to grow next to lilac, jasmine, raspberry, strawberry, rose and primrose.

You can plant hazel grouse, lupine, marigolds, gladioli, turnips or peas in the circles of cherry trees.

Frosts and damage to flower buds

One of the reasons for the failure of the cherry harvest is the freezing of the buds in a frosty, harsh winter or during frosts in the autumn and spring seasons.

To avoid freezing, gardeners need to know that abundant watering of plants and fertilizing with nitrogen at the end of summer can lead to complete freezing of the buds.

In early spring, when there is a sharp change in temperature from thaw to frost, there is a possibility that the buds will be damaged. Those that are frozen will open very slowly. The cherry tree will bloom, but will not bear fruit; perhaps there will only be a few berries on the branches.

Nutrient deficiencies

Cherry is a very demanding crop when it comes to soil quality. This tree bears fruit well in soil with a neutral acidity level.

It is also important not to plant the tree in places where groundwater flows close or in wetlands. The depth of groundwater passage must be at least 1.5 m.

In a peat bog, cherries will not develop and bear fruit well. To improve the fertility of such soil, it needs to be limed. If the soil is almost completely sandy, you need to add some clay to it, and it is better to regularly apply organic fertilizers.

If the soil is too calcareous, the cherries will also not bear fruit well. Boron must be added to such soil; it is necessary for the formation of ovaries.

Incorrect process of planting a young plant

Planting a seedling too deep can cause the tree to weaken and drop flowers. The location of the root collar of a young tree should be 5 centimeters higher than the compacted and watered soil.

Excess moisture is detrimental to the plant . That is why groundwater should be located no closer than 1.5 meters to the roots. Not only caring for cherries must be carried out according to the rules, but also planting its seedlings. This way you can avoid many problems in an already mature plant.

Using bad seedlings

The root system of the cherry tree produces a large number of seedlings. But, they are not always suitable for reproduction. Therefore, it is often not possible to simply take cherry shoots from neighbors. Regrowth does not guarantee the growth of the same variety.

The absence of fruits can also result from other reasons, such as diseases and pest activity. They happen much less frequently than those described above. But, for preventive purposes, cherries should be regularly treated with fungicides. These drugs are used to combat most diseases and pests.

It is also important to systematically take preventive measures. Weeds need to be removed in time, wounds on the trunk should be covered with garden varnish, the lower part should be treated with chalk, and regularly sprayed against fungus and pests.

Problem 3: Acidic soil

Sweet cherries, like cherries, prefer neutral and alkaline soils, but will not produce a harvest in acidic soils and will grow slowly. Therefore, choosing a place for planting soil should be approached responsibly. You can understand that the soil is not suitable for a tree by the following signs:

annual growth of branches and trunk is less than 20 cm;
the crown consists of bare whips without branches;
microcracks form on the trunk in large numbers, from which gum oozes;
most flowers fall off without leaving an ovary.

What to do?

Have you noticed these and other signs of weakening in the tree? Change the acidity of the soil underneath using lime, dolomite flour or other deoxidizing materials.

Reason 3: nutrient deficiency and increased soil acidity

Cherry does not tolerate acidic soil; in such soil the tree develops poorly and often gets sick. You can accurately determine the acidity level of the soil in your area using a pH meter. But if you don’t have such a device, you can use litmus paper or regular alcohol vinegar.

Soil acidity: determine and regulate If there is high soil acidity in your area, this can seriously harm the plants. How do you know when it's time to take action?

Limestone (dolomite) flour will help deoxidize the soil. Scatter it in the tree trunk circle. In acidic soil, 0.5 kg of dolomite flour per 1 sq.m should be added, in soil with a moderately acidic reaction - 0.4 kg per 1 sq.m, and with a slightly acidic reaction of the substrate - 0.3-0.4 kg per 1 sq.m. .m.

How much lime should be added to the soil on the site? We tell you how to properly lime the soil.

Also, do not forget about regular feeding. For cherries, it is better to use liquid mineral fertilizers and only in small doses.

In spring, give preference to nitrogen-containing fertilizing (15-20 g of urea or ammonium nitrate is diluted in 10 liters of water and applied per 1 sq.m of tree trunk circle in the crown projection zone). In the fall, feed the trees by adding superphosphate (20-30 g per 1 sq.m.), potassium chloride (10-15 g per 1 sq.m.) or 200 g of wood ash before digging.

If you have compost or humus, you can use them (for trees from 1 to 7 years old - 1.5-2 kg per 1 sq.m of trunk circle, for trees older than 7 years - 2.5-3 kg).

Some cherry pests: representatives and control of them

From time to time, various harmful insects attack cherries. Let's look at the most likely uninvited guests.

Cherry aphid

These are small (2-2.4 mm) pear-shaped black insects. They overwinter as eggs laid at the ends of shoots near the buds. In spring, larvae appear and feed on the sap of young leaves and shoots. In this case, the leaves curl into a tube, and later dry out and turn black. These harmful insects are also brought to the crown by ants and placed on the leaves. During their life, aphids secrete a sweetish sticky liquid called honeydew, which is loved by ants and other insects, as well as sooty fungus.

Aphids settle on the inside of leaves

The following techniques are used in the fight against aphids:

Removing affected parts of the plant.
Treatments with insecticides, for example, Nitrafen, Confidor, Decis, Iskra, etc. During the ripening period, biological preparations are used - Fitoverm, Fitolavin, Iskra-Bio, etc.
Of the many folk remedies, the most commonly used are: Tobacco infusion. To prepare it, 500 grams of tobacco dust are dissolved in a bucket of water and left for 3-4 days, after which 50 grams of laundry soap, grated on a coarse grater, are added to improve the adhesion of the solution to the leaves.
Infusion of 500 g of onion peels in hot water. Preparation time: one day.
Garlic infusion, which is prepared by infusing 500 g of finely crushed garlic in 5 liters of water for 24 hours.
A solution of 1 tablespoon of soda ash in a bucket of water with the addition of one glass of chopped onions.

Removing ants from the site.

Video: treating cherries for aphids

cherry fly

This is the most common cherry pest. This is especially true for middle and late varieties. The cherry fly is small in size - 3-5 mm in length and has a black shiny body. The wings are transparent with four transverse dark stripes. When warm spring weather arrives, the fly flies out and at first (10-15 days) feeds on the honeydew of the cherry aphid, which by this time has already settled on the leaves. After this, the fly lays one egg at a time in the unripe fruits, from which after some time a small (3-6 mm) legless white larva appears. Such berries cannot be saved; the larvae eat them away from the inside.

The cherry fly lays its eggs in the fruits of cherries, from which larvae emerge

The preventative measures described above significantly reduce the likelihood of cherry fly infestation. In addition, during the flight period of the fly, it is advisable to carry out additional treatments with insecticides (Decis, Fufanon, Iskra, Actellik). Two such treatments will be required with an interval of 7-10 days. For early varieties of cherries, only biological preparations can be used, for example, Iskra-Bio, Fitoverm, Fitolavin, etc. Alternative control methods can also be used:

Treating the crown with strong-smelling infusions - tobacco, pine needles, wormwood, garlic, etc. This causes a repellent effect.
Hanging traps with bait in the form of sticky sweet liquids - fermented jam, molasses, syrup, etc.
A fly trap can be easily made from a plastic bottle
Before flowering begins, you can cover the tree trunk circles with agrofibre. The fly will not be able to fly out from under it and will die of hunger.
Preventing the appearance of aphids on cherries. After waking up, the flies, not finding their usual food, will fly to another place in search of it.

leaf roller

The butterfly of this pest has an inconspicuous appearance and small size. Its wingspan is about 2.5 cm. Caterpillars are even smaller - 1-2 cm, their color is yellow or light green. They often settle on the leaves of the plant one by one, feeding on their pulp and juice. The infestation of cherry by the leaf roller can be easily determined by the leaves twisted and pulled together in a web, inside of which, as a rule, the larvae themselves are located . Prevention and control of them are the same as with other similar insects, for example, the cherry fly.

Cherry leafworm infestation can be easily identified by twisted and cobwebbed leaves, inside of which, as a rule, the larvae themselves are located.

May beetle (May beetle)

The well-known cockchafer is a rather large (17-32 mm) flying insect with an elongated body protected by a durable chitinous cover of black or red-brown color. The beetles themselves feed on plant leaves, but their larvae, which are often called beetles, cause more harm. They gnaw at young plant roots, causing inhibition in their development, and in some cases even death.

Khrushchev larvae live in the soil and feed on plant roots, humus, and plant debris

Khrushchev actively develops and feeds in early summer, and then pupates and leaves for the winter. To detect and destroy beetles, bait is often made in the form of small piles of compost or humus. They are well moistened and covered with roofing felt, slate, etc. After some time, the beetles will gather there in large numbers, attracted by the conditions that are comfortable for them. The gardener will only have to collect them and destroy them. In addition, you can use diazinon-based drugs, for example, Medvetox. Their protective effect lasts for three weeks; diazinon does not accumulate in the soil.

Ants on cherries: how to get rid of them

There is no consensus on the benefits and harms of ants. On the one hand, they themselves actively destroy some harmful insects, and on the other hand, they introduce aphids, fungal spores and various infections onto plants. Therefore, they often follow a compromise option - they do not destroy the ants, but expel them from the site or create insurmountable obstacles for them. There are many ways to do this, here are the most famous ones:

Installation of catch belts. They can be made of: roofing felt, cardboard, thick foil or other similar materials and have a conical shape, creating an obstacle to movement;
The simplest catching belt can be made from a piece of film and rope
burlap or other fabric and soaked in a thick layer of grease, or other lubricant or glue;
porous material impregnated with insecticides and serve not only as an obstacle, but also to kill insects.

Installation of water grooves around the tree.

Repelling odors unpleasant to ants by spraying the crown with appropriate infusions. Ants cannot tolerate the smells of plants such as:

garlic;

sagebrush;

tansy;

anise;

peppermint;

calendula;

cloves, etc.

If you find an anthill on a site, you can simply load it with a shovel onto a wheelbarrow or into a bag after sunset, when the ants are ready to sleep and close the entrances, and take it out of the site into the forest.

For supporters of the destruction of ants, there are many poisonous drugs, for example, Anteater, Ant, Thunder, Provotox, Phenaxin, etc.

Video: how to overcome garden ants

How to get rid of starlings on cherries

During the ripening period, cherries can be attacked by starlings and other birds. More often, plants of early varieties suffer from them. A suddenly appearing flock of birds can destroy the entire cherry harvest in a matter of minutes. The most reliable option to save the harvest is to cover the tree with a net.

The most reliable option to protect the crop from birds is to cover the tree with a net.

Of course, if the tree is tall and has a wide crown, then this will be difficult to do. In this case, various repellent objects are used. They hang various shiny and (or) rustling objects that ring in the wind on the tree - computer disks, wads of foil, New Year's tinsel, etc. Some claim that starlings are scared off by loud music and during the cherry ripening period they broadcast various musical works on the site all day long. . There are also special ultrasonic repellers, the sound of which is not perceived by the human ear, but birds try to stay away from it. Such devices can be purchased at the store; they have different ranges depending on the power.

There are special ultrasonic repellers, the sound of which is not perceived by the human ear, but birds try to stay away from it

Video: how to protect cherries from birds

Main reasons

Typically, cherries begin to bear fruit at 3-5 years of age. Planted on the southern side of the garden, in a place protected from chilly winds and well lit by the sun, the tree lives for a long time, about 20-40 years. If berries are not visible on the cherry for a long time or the harvest is very low, then you need to look for the cause of this problem and try to correct it.

Incorrect selection of variety

Before planting the variety you like in your dacha, you need to find out how well the chosen crop is adapted to the climate of a particular region. Cherry is considered a heat-loving plant and does not tolerate winter frosts. True, leaf buds may not be damaged in winter, but flower buds often freeze out partially or completely.

Before wintering, you can insulate the roots of a tall tree, but it is impossible to cover the entire crown. It is better to plant zoned varieties on your summer cottage, that is, those crops that have proven themselves in a particular region and regularly produce high yields of sweet fruits.

Pollination

Most varieties are self-sterile. If several pollinating cherries are not planted nearby, the yield will be only 5 percent. Even self-fertile crops without foreign pollen bear fruit poorly, yielding no more than 40 percent of the possible harvest.

Acidic soils

Cherries grow well and regularly bear fruit on loamy or sandy loam soil of neutral or slightly acidic acidity. A tree growing in too clayey or acidic soil will not bear fruit.

This heat-loving plant comes from southern latitudes, where the soil is more alkaline. True, even on such soil, with a lack of boron, it can be problematic to wait for the harvest.

Fungal infection

Trees affected by a fungal infection will not produce a good harvest of berries. The most common cause of the disease is coccomycosis. Diseased trees have poor fruit set, some of the color falls off, and leaves turn yellow prematurely.

Another common cherry disease that reduces yield is moniliosis. The trees look as if scorched by the sun, the flowers dry up and fall off, the leaves curl, become brown and dry.

Nutrient deficiencies

Cherries growing on poor soil will not bloom. You need to take care of fertilizing the tree in the fall: water it with a solution of superphosphate and potassium sulfate. Before the onset of frost, the tree trunk circle must be mulched with humus, and in the spring organic matter can be dug into the soil.

Weather

Cherries usually bloom from mid-April to mid-May. Flowering duration is 15-21 days. During the flowering period, the air temperature should not be lower than 10-15 degrees Celsius.

In the middle zone, it is during this period that spring frosts often occur. A decrease in temperature has a detrimental effect on the color; it flies around before it has time to form ovaries.

Troubles can await cherries in winter. In too harsh winter months, the plant's flower buds may die. If in winter frosts were accompanied by frequent thaws, during which the buds begin to grow, then in such weather there is no point in hoping for a harvest.

Violations of agricultural practices

Perhaps the reason for poor yield is improper planting of the tree. If the root collar is too deep, the tree may not bear fruit for a long time. Even a properly planted tree may not bloom if it is poorly cared for, for example, by flooding the roots with water or not watering the cherry tree.

The tree consumes the most water at the very beginning of the growing season. Closer to autumn, the need for moisture decreases.

Improper preparation for winter

In the fall, before covering, many gardeners do the pruning incorrectly. Branches can be shortened only in the first 2 years after planting. In a fruit-bearing tree, the tips of the branches are not touched; flower buds grow on them.

In autumn, only tops, dry or diseased branches, as well as shoots growing inside the crown are cut off.

Just before the onset of frost, you need to insulate the roots. The ground in the tree trunk circle is mulched with a thick layer of peat with humus. Before insulation, moisture charging is carried out. You can insulate the cherry tree trunk with burlap. A young tree planted this season must be completely wrapped in agrofibre, burlap and film.

Lack of plant pollinator

For example, the lack of complete pollination of the plant is one of the reasons for the non-fruiting of cherries. Not all varieties of this berry are pollinated by their own pollen. Therefore, gardeners need to plant other cherry varieties in their plots - pollinators, the pollen of which is just suitable for cross-pollination, taking into account that each cherry variety has its own pollinators that bloom at the same time. Pollinator shrubs are planted at a distance of 30-40 m from the main plants.

To obtain a high yield of cherries, it is recommended to plant about 5-7 varieties of shrubs on the site for mutual pollination, choosing the best varieties that are resistant. You can agree with your neighbors on plots and plant different varieties that could pollinate each other.

It should be taken into account that early varieties cannot pollinate with late varieties, because they bloom at different times. Sweet cherries are also a good pollinator for most cherry varieties.

Cherries dry up due to disease

What to do about verticillium

Increasingly, many gardeners are complaining about the drying out of cherries for no apparent reason in early spring. First, small branches begin to dry, then large branches dry out and after 2-3 years the tree dies. The probable cause is verticillium disease.

First of all, young trees up to 7 years old suffer from this disaster. A clear symptom of the disease is rust-colored gum leaking from cracks in the bark. In the worst case scenario, the cherry tree dies in one season.

Older trees cope better with this fungal disease, so it progresses more slowly. Gradually, strips of bark peel off, and abundant smudges of gum are observed. It can take 8 years for the cherries to completely dry out.

Powerful antifungal agents, which are offered in large quantities in specialized stores, will help cure the plant. The gum must be cleaned off and all cuts treated with garden varnish. Before winter, the affected tree is coated with a solution of lime and copper sulfate.

In order to eliminate the possibility of disease, the planting site should be selected with special care. If groundwater flows close to the surface, drainage is required. Strawberries, melons, nightshades and sunflowers should not be planted next to cherries, as they are also susceptible to verticillium.

Cherry roots should be protected from damage, since the fungus penetrates the tree through the soil. It also doesn’t hurt to spray the plant before flowering and before leaf fall with Bordeaux mixture as a preventative measure.

What to do with moniliosis

Many types of stone fruit crops are susceptible to moliniasis. Cherry is no exception. During the flowering period, fungal spores enter the tree through the pistil of the flower. This is followed by the falling of flowers, and then the drying of shoots and branches. It looks like a consequence of a fire, which is why the disease is also called molinial burn.

Treatment measures:

- cut off diseased branches, taking a small healthy area to get rid of the fungus, and then burn them;

— make sanitary pruning of the crown for better ventilation, after which treat the sections with garden varnish;

- cover all the cracks in the cherry bark with garden varnish;

— after leaf fall, dig deep into the soil around the trunk to destroy the fungal spores remaining in the foliage;

- immediately after flowering and a month after it, treat the tree with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate.

Signs of freezing cherries

In May–June, you can accurately determine how frozen the tree is. Experienced gardeners determine this by the appearance of the tree. Its shoots darken, the bark dies and becomes dark brown. You should look at the cut of the core of the trunk and branches; if they are brown, this indicates slight freezing of the branches. To make sure that the branches have not frozen, you need to cut the branch and put it in water for a week, covering it with film. If a branch is damaged, its buds will not swell and bloom. This indicates that the tree has been damaged by frost. What to do if the cherries are frozen? Experienced gardeners, sharing their practice, believe that the following measures can help in this case:

If the freezing is weak, you need to prune the branches with obvious signs indicating this before the buds open; if the freezing is severe, you need to wait until the tree begins to grow, and then prune the frozen branches;
Spray frozen trees with cold water before sunrise. Timely spraying allows the crown branches to thaw for a long time, removing small ice crystals from the cells under conditions of slow heating by the sun's rays. Do not spray with warm water - this dooms the tree to death.

Severe frosts can freeze the trunk and skeletal branches, and sudden temperature changes cause frost holes to appear. They are cleaned and disinfected using copper sulfate. “Wounds” are sealed with garden pitch.

Frozen cherry trunks

There are cases when, during severe frosts, cherries froze and sprang from below. This indicates that the roots of the tree were not damaged. The tree is cut down, leaving the strongest shoot from which a new tree grows. Sometimes sprouts appear only when the tree has already been cut down. Two of them are selected and as they grow, one, the strongest, is left. Trees obtained from such shoots do not need to be grafted, as they retain the properties of the mother tree.

Experienced gardeners do not stop caring for the trees in the garden in winter. To prevent trees from freezing in winter, preventive measures must be taken. If snow covers the branches in winter, this is good for the trees. But snow should not be allowed to lie on them during a thaw. At this time, it sticks to the branches, turning into ice. As a result, the buds under the ice may freeze or, even worse, even strong branches may break. Gardeners monitor this, and wet snow is always shaken off the trees, and the snow is trampled under the trunk to protect it from rodents.

Surviving winter time

It happens that even hardy plants have buds that die in winter. Sweet cherries are no exception. During periods of frost, entire branches may die, which is why the tree will not bloom in the spring.

To avoid such situations, you will need to take several important steps.

Increase the winter hardiness of cherries. This can be achieved by planting in cool lowlands, positioning the tree without the presence of shade, pruning it correctly and forming a crown. The tree will become more adapted to the cold if you water it only in dry weather and apply nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
In winter, cover the cherries with snow. Hilling up with snow will help protect the plant from freezing. If the bark or branches are damaged in winter, they should be treated immediately. Also, wounds will cause weakness of the cherry, its infertility and pain.

The lack of fruiting in cherries can be explained by many factors. Many of them are associated with poor plant care, as well as insufficient knowledge of the characteristics of the variety. This tree will not require much effort from the gardener in order to produce a bountiful harvest. The main thing is to follow at least the basic rules and pay a little attention to the cherries.

To learn how to shape cherries, see the following video.

Cherry ovaries fall

A situation occurs when the cherry blossoms heavily, but the harvest from it is meager. Some varieties of cherry trees are self-sterile. For a good harvest you need pollination from other varieties planted nearby. Therefore, the harvest depends on the direction of the wind, insects and even the weather.

Cherry trees fall off due to severe frosts. Buds die at an ambient temperature of 4 degrees, flowers - 2 degrees. Leaves may fall due to fog and frost. But the tree can be saved by introducing complementary foods. After a good harvest, you also need to feed the cherries with nitrogen fertilizers.

Variety selection

Before planting this crop, you should choose the right seedling variety. Selecting a resistant variety that is not affected by disease or fungal infections will reduce the risk of crop failure. Of the sweet varieties that are characterized by medium ripening periods, Revna and Sinyavskaya should be highlighted.

Among the sour varieties, Black Leningradskaya and Pink Bryansk are distinguished. Frost-resistant varieties are considered to be Yulia and Zhukovskaya Slava.

Cherry is a self-sterile crop. For this reason, without pollination, fruit set represents only 10% of the total expected yield. There are some varieties of cherry crops that can pollinate themselves. As a result, 40% of the ovaries are formed on them. If there are pollinators, the yield will still be higher.

For best fruiting rates, cherries should be planted in small groups. The optimal number of trees in one area is two or three. Cherries are also often planted nearby, but it should be remembered that cherries are able to pollinate cherries, but cherries cannot pollinate cherries.

Pollination

When cherries have good and regular flowering, but the berries do not set, then the lack of a pollinator could lead to this situation. Cherry is a plant that is not divided into male and female. Each of its varieties requires the presence of another type of cherry nearby in order to achieve cross-pollination. Insects act as assistants in this process.

Cherries should not be used as a pollinator for this purpose.

Most cherry varieties are self-sterile, so planting should be done in groups, that is, it is necessary to plant 2-3 individuals of different varieties of cherries with the same flowering period. I also select several self-fertile varieties, but they produce no more than 10% of their capacity.

Weather conditions affecting fruiting

Sweet cherries love the warmth of the sun; rainy weather and winter cold greatly affect the yield. If the weather is rainy during flowering, the harvest may not be expected. Bees do not fly around in such weather, and the pollen on flowers is sterilized.

Rainy weather

Frosts cause no less harm, as trees can freeze. For gardens located in central Russia, it is recommended to choose varieties of cherries that are frost-resistant. If previously it was believed that this tree could only grow in the southern regions, now, thanks to the work of breeders, it has adapted perfectly and annually produces harvests in regions with harsh winters. You just need to choose the right type of tree for your region:

high winter hardiness of wood - Bryansk pink, Veda, Odrinka;
good winter hardiness of flower buds - Iput, Bryanskaya pink, Bryanochka, Fatezh;
Both signs are present - Fatezh, Veda, Iput, Bryansk pink and others.

In the bred varieties, breeders managed to make the cherry blossom later, after return frosts, which are destructive for the awakened tree.

It’s good if frost-resistant varieties of cherries grow in the gardens of summer residents in central Russia. But there are also gardens where ordinary cherries grow, planted several years before the winter-hardy varieties were bred. They can freeze when unexpected weather oddities occur, in the form of severe frosts, recurrent frosts, or winter coming too early. Moreover, flower buds may freeze out, or the wood may become frozen. Therefore, gardeners are interested in the question: “The cherries are frozen, what should I do?”

Frost-resistant varieties of cherries

Problem 2. Unsuitable cherry variety

Cherry is a southern tree, and therefore it is very sensitive to climate. Not all varieties can take root even in the Moscow region, let alone Siberia, the Urals and other northern regions. The tree may be too cold or windy, causing it to bloom but not set berries.

Cherries begin to bear fruit at 5-7 years of age, so you should not expect harvests from them too early.

What to do?

Buy seedlings of zoned cherry varieties, and try to do this in trusted local nurseries.

Top 10 varieties of cherries for every taste
Description and photos of the best varieties of cherries.

Why don't cherries bear fruit?

This phenomenon can be explained by several factors, including the pollination characteristics of this stone fruit crop and its growing conditions.

Pollination rules

Beginning gardeners should know that they will get their first harvest from cherries five to seven years after planting them. The tree bears fruit at full strength after 10-12 years.
Most varieties of this fruit crop are self-sterile, that is, they require close proximity to pollinating plants. To achieve maximum cross-pollination, plant at least three varieties of cherries in the garden, the flowering dates of which will coincide.

You can alternate cherries with cherries on your plot, having learned the axiom: cherries always pollinate cherries, cherries never pollinate cherries. True, cross-pollination in cherry trees is much more successful than in cherry trees. Therefore, cherries bear fruit more intensively.
“Narodnaya Syubarova” is the name of the self-fertile cherry variety. Experienced summer residents are well aware of the partially self-fertile varieties - “Ovstuzhenka” and “Iput”. But self-fertile and partially self-fertile crops only benefit from cross-pollination, bringing more fruits of excellent taste.

By the way, it is “Iput” and the “Chermashnaya” variety that are considered universal pollinators for all cherries in central Russia.

Why doesn't it bear fruit?

Bad weather during tree flowering also does not contribute to high yields. Pollinating insects are afraid of dampness and coolness, and pollen loses its “fertile” properties in extreme heat.

A cherry tree does not bear fruit if you do not fertilize the soil in time. Proper feeding looks like this:

in the fall, apply 70 g of potassium and 200 g of phosphorus fertilizers;
in spring - urea (70 g);
as soon as the cherry blossoms, it is watered with water (10 l) with superphosphate (25 g), potassium chloride (15 g) and urea (15 g);
two weeks later, the tree is “nourished” with this solution again.

Cherries grow well in fertile soils with neutral acidity, but do not like waterlogged soil and lack of air for the roots.

An excessively thick crown is another enemy of productivity: cherries need sunlight. It is necessary to get rid of damaged, dried branches and those that grow inside the crown.

You can also increase the yield of cherry plantings by “healing” wounds, whitewashing trunks and methodically destroying garden pests.

We must remember that cherries are not a particularly winter-hardy crop and often do not bear fruit due to freezing of the buds.

By reading the corresponding article on our resource, you can find out how to prune apricots and cherries.

Agronomists recommend

In recent years, breeders have developed several cherry varieties that produce tasty berries and have increased resistance to frost.

The sweetest, mid-late ripening are “Veda”, “Revna”, “Sinyavskaya”, “Rossoshanskaya Zolotaya”.
A little more sour, but also very juicy - “Pink Pearl”, “Leningradskaya Black”, “Bryanskaya Pink”, “Compact Venyaminova”, “Venus”, “Fatezh”, “Diana”.
The most frost-resistant and no less tasty are “Slava Zhukova” and “Yulia”.

Cherry feeding (video)

And a little advice for those who did not have time to plant cross-pollinators for their cherries on their plot. Try to find a flowering pollinator branch and place it in a bucket of water near the flowering cherry tree. Perhaps soon you will be pleased with the first cherry berries.

DachaDecor.ru

Problem 5: Bad weather

Weather changes negatively affect this heat-loving tree, and we are not talking about winters at all. Of course, winter frosts can destroy young trees, but adult cherries are not afraid of them if the trunks and branches are whitewashed in a timely manner, as well as the tree trunk area is mulched. Spring frosts are the most dangerous for cherry fruiting. Once the night temperature drops just below 0°C, most of the flowers will simply fall off.

But even in the absence of such destructive phenomena, cold weather, rain or, conversely, dry hot weather will affect the quality of pollination and reduce the yield.

What to do?

Experienced gardeners know how to artificially delay the awakening of cherries, covering the crown from the first spring rays of the sun, so that the time of flowering occurs in consistently warm weather. In addition, if the trees have already woken up and bloomed, they can be protected from frost.

Why cherries don't bloom and how to fix it

Even birds love the sweet taste of cherries. There is a legend that it was birds who brought it in ancient times.

Nowadays, up to 4,000 varieties of cherries are grown in the world. In many countries it is sold in stores all year round and is always fresh. The French make wine from it.

Cherries are very healthy, they contain sugar, which is easily digestible, minerals and various vitamins, a small amount of vitamin C and nicotinic acid. This berry has a wonderful taste and is widely used in cooking. Its fruits strengthen blood vessels and are considered an excellent cure for anemia.

The cherry tree usually bears fruit annually. Various harmful insects attack it less than cherries. However, there are periods when cherries do not bear fruit. One of the reasons for this is the lack of flowering. Let’s try to figure out why the cherry tree doesn’t bloom now. Let's find out the most common reasons for this phenomenon, and why the tree does not produce a harvest.

One of the possible reasons for the lack of flowering buds in cherries is a poor root system of the tree or seedling. The reason for the underdevelopment of the root system of a fruit tree may be improper planting technology.

Another reason why cherries do not bloom is that the gardener chose the wrong place for planting. What you need to do to fix the error:

the tree is planted on the south side of the dacha;
the area where cherries grow must be protected from wind and drafts;
it cannot be planted near other trees, they will create shadow, but cherries love the sun;
the tree needs to be rooted in light, airy soil;
it cannot be planted close to groundwater, as this will cause the roots to rot and, as a result, the tree will not produce a harvest.

Another possible reason is that the landing was carried out incorrectly. If the gardener does not have experience, then it is likely that he will plant the tree incorrectly. To get a good harvest when planting, you must follow the instructions:

make a hole for the cherry seedling 60 cm deep and 80 cm wide. Add a little humus and fertilizer to it;
the root collar should be at soil level. It cannot be buried very deeply;
You need to make a shaft around the seedling and water the soil well where the cherry will grow.

Too much or little moisture is also one of the reasons why a tree does not bloom or bear fruit. In the summer, the tree is watered three times, the soil needs to be loosened a little, and in the autumn it is necessary to irrigate.

The tree may also not be pollinated, which is also worth noting as a reason. Many varieties of sweet cherries need to be planted next to cherries, as they do not pollinate themselves, and they must be near other trees to do so. When there are no cherries near the cherry tree, it will not bloom or bear fruit.

Over the past fifteen years, cherries have begun to be grown in the Moscow region. It tolerates winter very well and bears fruit well. But to plant a tree, it is advisable to choose a place that is protected from the north wind. It is best to plant cherries on the south side of the house. The walls of the house will protect the tree from the wind.

Of the many interesting varieties, it is necessary to highlight the columnar cherry, which has taken root well on the soil of the Moscow region and in places with a similar climate. The name “columnar” speaks for itself. The tree has a unique shape in the form of a column, the trunk grows 3-4 m upward, the fruiting skeletal branches are very short, the crown is in the form of a cylinder.

Now that we have told you what reasons affect the flowering of cherries, you will definitely eliminate them, and then in 2-3 years you will be able to enjoy its beautiful flowering and eat its sweet fruits.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fe5fbOEw0qg

Errors during planting and care

It is important to plant cherries correctly. Care also has its own rules. During the planting process, it is important to control the location of the root collar. It should be at ground level. The neck should not be lowered deep into the ground, as this will weaken the tree.

If the crown is too thick, the tree will also weaken. All kinds of wounds, cuts, broken branches and other damage lead to similar consequences.

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Cherries need to be pruned every year. Crown thinning should be done regularly; this is one of the key factors for healthy tree development. Dried, damaged, growing inward and intertwining branches must be removed.

Why do you prune cherries?

The cherry harvest is highly dependent on care, including proper pruning.

Some gardeners, having planted a fruit tree seedling, do not consider it necessary to prune it, believing that nature knows better.

In addition to the positive effect on the crop, pruning has other purposes:

Crown formation. The branches are cut not at random, but according to a certain pattern. The remaining ones are arranged in such a way that the fruits ripening on them receive the necessary heat and sunlight.
Prevention of many diseases caused by fungi and bacteria, control of harmful insects. The thinned crown is blown right through by the wind. Otherwise, stagnant humid air creates an ideal environment for the proliferation of pathogenic fungi and bacteria, eggs and insect larvae.
Increased cold resistance. The reason is the same - moist, cold air promotes the formation of condensation on the branches and trunk and the development of rot. A durable “skeleton” withstands the weight of snow much better.
Extending the life of a tree. Old, dried out, dead, disease- and pest-affected, or simply poorly placed branches take away nutrients from healthy fruit-bearing shoots.
Minimizing efforts aimed at tree care, pest control, and harvesting. This is especially true for older gardeners. Cherries that are too tall and spreading are physically impossible to care for. You won't be able to get to the berries either.

The cherry harvest depends on many factors, including correct, timely and regular pruning

What are the branches?

If you do not want to lose the harvest by removing all the branches on which fruit ovaries are formed, you need to know what shoots form on the cherry and whether they bear fruit. There are six types of shoots in total:

Growth. Only leaf and growth buds are formed on them. If you want to limit the growth of the tree, remove them in the fall so that in the spring the buds and future fruit ovaries receive enough nutrients.
Mixed. The thickest shoots. They have both leaves and fruits. They are critical for fruiting next season.
Bouquets. Short (no more than 30 cm) thin branches on which up to 90% of the berries ripen. In young trees, such branches are auxiliary - many small cherries are tied to them, most of which quickly fall off. For the first 4–5 years, their value lies in the densely located growth buds. During this time, they are cut off to stimulate further branching, then left alone.
Fruit (aka generative). Even shorter than bouquet ones (about 20 cm). Contrary to the name, they hardly bear fruit. The ripened cherries fall off almost immediately; the ripened ones are much inferior in size and taste to those picked from the bouquet branches. There is no need to cut them in the fall. Most likely, once they bring a “harvest”, they will die off on their own in the winter.
Tops. Thick, vertically growing branches that never bear fruit. If the tree was severely damaged by winter frosts, do not remove them next fall. This is a good base for starting to form a crown again.
Summer (or premature). Very thin branches that form during the season from growing points on mixed shoots. This year there will be no fruiting, they most likely will not survive until next summer.

Blueberry diseases and their treatment

Any fungal infection spreads very quickly. At the same time, it also damages healthy bushes located in close proximity to the diseased plant. Therefore, it is necessary to act immediately after detecting the first symptoms of the disease.

Since there are many diseases, the fight against each requires a special approach:

Stem cancer. The plant is treated with one of the modern means - “Topsin” or “Euparen”. The spraying process is repeated 3 times. The first and second times are carried out before flowering at intervals of a week, the third - after harvesting the berries. Affected branches are pruned and burned to prevent spread.
Phomopsis. One of the control options is also considered to be pruning damaged stems and then burning them. Chemicals such as Topsin, Euparen or Fundazol will also help. The spraying procedure is carried out similarly to that described above when fighting stem cancer.
Moniliosis and anthractosis. Branches showing signs of disease are pruned. They must be burned.
Spotting. The bush is treated with Bordeaux mixture. Leaves damaged by the disease are raked into one place and burned. Spraying with karbofos or fufan is allowed before the flowers appear.
Gray rot. The control method is similar to the described actions for stem cancer.

If a fungal infection damages the berries, they should be picked immediately. If such berries remain on the bush, the fungus survives the winter in them and infects new shoots in the spring. Chemicals from the group of fungicides are effective against any such infections.

The most common blueberry pests are:

Caterpillars of various insects. They eat leaves.
Aphid. Reduces the development of young shoots and spreads various infections.
Flower beetle It feeds on buds and young buds of the plant.
Leaf roller. It slowly envelops the tops of branches in a web, where it eats leaves and buds.
Kidney mite. Damages the buds, which leads to the death of the leaf.
Chafer. It feeds not only on flowers and young leaves, but also on plant roots.

Insecticides are considered a useful means of pest control.
In spring, it is also recommended to remove damaged buds. Some birds eat blueberries. To scare them away, shiny objects are used that are hung on bushes. In addition, you can cover the bushes with mesh.

Weakness and depression of the plant

Small growths, gum oozing from the trunk, bare branches - all these are signs that the plant is very weakened. It blooms, but does not bear fruit because it lacks strength. Cherries will not bear fruit and grow well in soil that is too acidic, swampy or in deep shade. Cherry seedlings are not buried when planted. The dimensions of the planting holes should be close to 0.5x0.5x0.5 m.

And also, do not forget about standard measures for caring for fruit trees. These include whitewashing trunks, weeding from various weeds around the tree trunk, treating and treating cracks, and spraying against all kinds of pests. And then our plant will be good and comfortable to delight us with its fruits.

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Cherry diseases

Moniliosis

Despite the fact that cherries are unpretentious in care, their resistance to diseases and pests is not so high. To prevent the development of undesirable phenomena, it is necessary to regularly spray trees with special chemicals and follow all the rules of agricultural technology.

Let's look at the most dangerous diseases of cherries that have a detrimental effect on yields:

Clusterosporiosis is a disease manifested in the formation of round light brown spots on the leaves. After a few days, a contrasting red border is formed, which rapidly increases in diameter. After 7-10 days, a through hole will form in this place. As a result, the leaves dry out and fall off prematurely. The disease affects not only the leaves, but also the berries. For prevention, it is necessary to promptly remove damaged and dry shoots, and treat all damage with garden varnish. Irrigation with a solution of copper sulfate (1%) is also effective. For treatment, Bordeaux mixture diluted in water is used.
Moniliosis manifests itself in the form of deformation and changes in the appearance of branches and shoots; they become as if burned. If left untreated, the disease will progress and grayish-green growths will form on the bark. Fruits also suffer when affected by the disease. To prevent a disease that can lead to the death of a tree, all fallen leaves and rotting fruits must be carefully collected, and dry branches must be trimmed. If affected, it is necessary to irrigate the plant and the soil around it with fungicides, Bordeaux mixture, copper or iron sulfate.

Cherries are an integral part of every orchard. To ensure yourself a bountiful harvest, you must follow all the rules for caring for the plant, as well as regularly implement all preventive measures.