Zagoryevskaya cherry is not included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, but despite this, it is extremely popular among domestic gardeners and landscape designers. A compact tree, strewn with berries reminiscent of cherries in color, grows not only in gardens, but also decorates parks and squares of Russian cities.
What is the reason for such love for an ordinary, as it seems at first glance, fruit tree? Let's figure it out.
Description of the variety
The Zagoryevsky variety was bred at the country's leading research institute, by specialists from the All-Russian Breeding and Technological Institute of Horticulture. The basis of the variety was Lyubskaya and Black consumer goods cherries. The plant looks like a fairly neat bush no higher than three meters. The average height is two and a half meters. The fruits are set on annual shoots.
Fruit characteristics
Slightly elongated fruits are close to cherries: dark, close to brown. The dense ocher pulp has a chocolate flavor, although overall the berry is traditionally sweet and sour. The weight of one copy is from 3.6 to 4.4 grams. The stone does not differ in size, has a standard average diameter and easily moves away from the pulp.
Ripening time
The Zagoryevsky variety begins to bloom at the end of spring, in the last ten days of May. The formation and ripening of the berries takes at least two months. Depending on the region, the harvest can be harvested from the branches in the last ten days of July - the first third of August.
One of the undoubted advantages of the variety is that the berries do not fall from the tree immediately after ripening. They grow on a short stalk, which diligently holds the fruit even during the harvest period. This makes it possible not only to bring the crop to 100% ripening under natural conditions, but also provides some time reserve for harvesting work.
Productivity
The abundant appearance of fruits begins to be observed in the third or fourth year after the seedling appears in the garden. The level of fruiting refers to the average for the species: one plant, with proper care, can produce up to 14.5 kg of harvest. According to the manufacturer’s standard, 1 hectare of area produces from 10 to 14 tons of berries.
This variety bears fruit even in the absence of other cherry trees nearby. If a gardener is faced with the question of which variety to plant next to Zagoryevsky, the answer is clear - you should choose among Lyubskaya, Vladimirskaya and Shubinka. They are the unsurpassed pollinators for the cherry in question.
Diseases and pests
The Zagoryevskaya cherry variety is very susceptible to the following diseases:
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- Moniliosis. Affects cherry blossoms. The flowers look scorched. Gradually, the disease also covers the branches of the cherry tree. The tops of the cherry trees lose their leaves and dry out. It is rare, but it happens that the tree itself dies. To prevent the spread of moniliosis, we need to spray the tree with Horus, the only drug approved for use during flowering. We process cherries twice: before the beginning of the flowering period and during the cherry blossoms.
- Anthracnose. This is exactly the type of fungus that Zagoryevskaya is susceptible to. At the moment, there are no cherry varieties that are resistant to anthracnose. On cherry trees, the disease can be identified not by spots on the leaves, like in vegetable crops, but by dried berries. The berries turn black and wrinkle, but do not fall off. Gardeners are familiar with this phenomenon. But for some reason they think that mummified berries are the result of direct sunlight. To cope with anthracnose, we need to get rid of dried berries, leaves and branches. We cut off the parts of the cherry affected by anthracnose and burn it. To prevent the disease, you can spray cherries with Bordeaux mixture (1%).
Table: the most dangerous pests for cherries
| Insect pests | Signs of defeat | Ways to fight |
| Cherry moth | Damages fruit buds. The buds cannot develop and dry out. | Spraying with insecticides, for example, Bitoxibacillin, Kemifos, Lepidocide and others according to the instructions. |
| Cherry aphid | It is believed that cherry aphids attack young leaves. In fact, she does not disdain adult foliage. The leaves twist in a spiral, across into tubes. They turn black and dry out. | Fighting these insects is incredibly difficult. Most often, traditional methods of removing aphids from trees are ineffective. We have to resort to insecticidal and acaricidal drugs: Antitlin P, Break, Karate Zeon and others. |
| May Khrushchev | Damages cherry roots. You can check for the presence of beetle by trying to pull out the tree. A cherry tree damaged by insects can easily be pulled out of the ground. In addition, Khrushchev skeletonizes foliage. | Regular loosening and digging of the soil are preventive measures. We manually remove the larvae from the ground and get rid of them. In spring, you can also treat the soil with chlorpyrifos. We use the drug according to the instructions on the package. |
| Fruit goose | It feeds on rotten and fresh fruit buds. The inflorescences do not have time to gain strength and dry out. | There is only one sure-fire method of control against goose: insecticides. To remove these pests, you can use Lepidocide SK, Karbofos-500, Kemifos and others. |
Growing and care
Zagoryevskaya seedlings take root better on fertile soils. The most acceptable option is sandy or sandy loam chernozem. When planting in a hole, you should mix slaked lime with the soil, this will allow the plant to take root faster. Sweet fruits grow on trees that receive enough sunlight, so the place for planting seedlings should not be shady. In order not to provoke winter freezing of the buds, you should avoid planting a tree near groundwater.
In general, growing Zagoryevskaya does not require additional effort. In spring, the traditional pruning of dried and diseased branches takes place. Trees should be prepared for winter in advance, in the autumn days.
Rules for planting cherry seedlings
The Zagoryevskaya cherry variety is undemanding when cultivated, and nevertheless, a competent approach to growing a fruit tree is still necessary. Let's consider the key criteria of agricultural technology that a gardener needs to know.
Optimal timing
The time of planting depends on the habitat and the severity of climatic conditions. In the southern lands, it is much better to plant trees in the autumn, in the middle zone - in spring and autumn. During severe winters in the northwestern regions, trees are planted in the spring.
It should be noted that the seedlings should be at rest at the time of planting: in the spring - the time before the buds swell, and in the fall - after the leaves fall. Young trees should not be planted in cold, frozen soil. For good rooting of the root system, the absence of low temperatures is necessary.
Selecting a location
For the good growth of a cherry tree, the place where it grows plays an important role. It should be:
- Well lit, with enough light.
- Protected from strong and cold winds.
- With light, sandy or loamy, well-drained, breathable, fertile soil.
- Without stagnant water, with a deep level of groundwater (lowlands excluded).
- Do not have apple trees or other tall trees in the neighborhood that oppress the cherry tree.
It is not recommended to plant trees on acidic, peat and clay soils.
Familiarize yourself with the features of planting cherries in the fall.
Process and scheme
Planting is carried out as follows:
- Dig a planting hole with a diameter of 80 centimeters and a depth of half a meter, putting the surface layer of earth (removing about half a shovel) aside, for subsequent mixing with organic and mineral fertilizers, wood ash.
- Place a peg in the recess to secure the young tree.
- Pour the prepared nutrient mixture into the hole in a cone, place the seedling on top, carefully straightening the roots.
- Fill the voids around the trunk with the remaining soil mixture, lightly pressing the soil and making sure that the root collar of the plant is at soil level or 3-4 centimeters higher (cherries do not tolerate buried planting).
- The trunk of the crop should be on the north side of the peg and stand strictly vertically.
- Pour 1-3 buckets of water into the location of the tree plantation, mulch with peat, sawdust, and leaves.
- Tie the tree to a support.
After planting, the young crop needs regular watering. Trees are not planted close to each other. The optimal planting scheme for the low-growing variety “Zagoryevskaya” is a standard of 2.5 x 2 m, that is, the distance between trees should be 2 meters, and the row spacing should be 2.5 meters.
During the cultivation of this species, there are some nuances that need to be paid attention to in order to ensure correct and proper care of the plantings.
Important! When purchasing a seedling with an open root system, it is recommended that before planting, place it in water (preferably with a root growth stimulator) for 6-8 hours to regenerate root tissues.
Preparing for winter
Zagoryevskaya is intended for cultivation in gardens of the northwestern and southwestern regions of the country. Despite the fact that the manufacturer notes the frost resistance of the variety, the plant should be additionally prepared for winter. Breeders advise feeding the soil around the trunk with horse manure in the fall, and wrapping the trunk itself with covering material. Polyethylene is not suitable for this purpose, since the plant must have access to rain and fresh air.
An additional preventive measure in preparing for winter will be the initially thoughtful placement of cherry seedlings. So, if the tree grows in places sheltered from the winds, this will protect it from freezing. You should choose places near the house, or better yet, between the house and the summer kitchen or bathhouse.
What happens if a cold winter comes without snow, and the plant was not prepared for the vagaries of nature? Flower buds will most likely freeze, which will negatively affect the quantity of the next harvest.
Subsequent care of the crop
Subsequent care consists of fertilizing, watering, crown formation.
Feeding
As a rule, in the first year after planting the plant does not need feeding.
Advice! If in the first half of the growing season there is a small increase in shoots, you can carry out foliar feeding with a 0.5% urea solution.
Starting next spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied according to the norms on the package, but in two doses: half before flowering, the rest 2 weeks after it. During filling, the berries are fed with complete mineral fertilizer. In September, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied, which helps to better prepare the Zagoryevskaya cherry for winter.
Advice! If, immediately after flowering, foliar fertilizing is carried out with a solution of microfertilizers containing boron, the harvest will be greater.
Watering
The Zagoryevskaya cherry needs watering most of all during the berry-filling season and during prolonged drought. Usually they use one or two buckets per tree. After leaf fall, it is necessary to carry out moisture-recharging watering of the tree trunk circle, which is especially important in dry autumn.
Trimming
Crown formation begins immediately after planting, when the shoots are shortened by a third of their length. Sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring. Zagorievskaya cherry does not suffer from a thickened crown, but every few years it is necessary to remove branches growing inside the bush.
Learn more about video trimming:
The tree trunk circle is kept free of weeds. Once every 5 years, the soil under the cherry tree is limed.
Preparing for winter
Autumn fertilizing and moisture-recharging watering have already been written above. To better preserve the root system in frosty conditions, the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus for the winter. The trunks are whitened with lime mortar to which a fungicide has been added. This measure will protect the tree from burns in early spring and from damage to the trunk by fungi. Young cherries of the Zagoryevskaya variety can be wrapped in spunbond for the winter. In the future, the lower part of the trunk must be protected from mice and hares by wrapping it in a net.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main scourge of all cherries is fungal diseases. Zagoryevskaya is moderately resistant to them. But in a wet year, defeat is very likely. What does the Zagorievskaya cherry suffer from:
| Disease | How it manifests itself | Treatment | Prevention |
| Moniliosis | The twigs seem burnt, the leaves on them dry out | Cut out all damaged parts of the plant, including up to 10 cm of healthy tissue, treat with fungicides: Zineb, Kuprozan, Fthalan | In autumn, remove all fallen leaves and mummified fruits remaining on the tree. In the spring, preventive spraying is carried out with copper-containing fungicides before buds open. |
| Coccomycosis | Brownish-red dots on the leaves, on the inside there is a coating of fungal spores, which has a white-pink color. Leaves fall off prematurely. The fruits become mummified | Removal of diseased parts of the plant, treatment with Topaz, Skor, Chorus or Fundazol Removal of diseased parts of the plant, treatment with Topaz, Skor, Horus or Fundazol | Triple treatment with Bordeaux mixture, Topsin-M or Skor: on a green cone, after flowering and in autumn |
| Anthracnose | Pinkish coating on fruits, which then mummify | Triple treatment with Polyram: before flowering, after flowering and another 2 weeks later | Collection and destruction of diseased fruits |
| Gum treatment | Transparent drops of gum emerge from cracks on the trunk. | Cover wounds with garden varnish | Whitewashing trunks in the fall and treating them with copper sulfate |
Important! With proper care, a healthy tree has good immunity and is better able to resist many diseases.
The following pests can attack Zagoryevskaya cherries:
- cherry aphid, they fight it with the help of Iskra or Inta-Vir;
- cherry weevil damages flower buds and ovaries, Intavir, Kinmiks or Karbofos help;
- the larvae of the slimy sawfly are capable of eating away at the leaves; Iskra or Inta-Vir are used against them, but after harvesting;
- caterpillars of shoot moths damage all vegetative parts of cherries; they are fought with Decis, Aktara, Inta-Vir.
In order not to miss the appearance of pests, cherry trees should be inspected regularly.
Disease resistance
The variety has average resistance to coccomycosis. More often this plant is susceptible to moniliosis and anthracnose. The first begins with inflorescences, gradually moving to branches. The foliage falls off and the plant withers. The second fungus is visible when the tree is strewn with dry, but not falling berries.
Disease control measures include removing affected parts and treating with appropriate chemicals.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Among the advantages of this variety are the following:
- early ripening;
- presentation of berries;
- predicted yield;
- high taste characteristics of fruits;
- ease of care;
- the berries do not fall off when ripe.
Among the disadvantages of the variety, three indicators come to the fore:
- incompatibility of the crop with nearby groundwater;
- susceptibility to certain fungal diseases;
- dependence of the harvest on winter temperatures.
Reviews
Tatyana Mikhailova, Moscow region:
“The main concern for the Zagoryevskaya cherry is to monitor the normal state of the root soil. Do not dig with a shovel full of bayonets under any circumstances, so as not to damage the roots! Be sure to loosen and keep the soil moist. The cherry will do the rest itself: it will pollinate itself, it will give a harvest, and it will wait until the owner removes berry after berry from the branches. This variety does not have such surprises that the fruits fall to the ground.”
Elena Orekhova, Spassk-Ryazansky:
“In the third year of growth, my Zagorievsky cherries dried out. The entire crop was destroyed by anthracnose. The dry, empty barren flowers did not fall on the grass, but remained on their stalks until I tore them off. Although the tree does not take up much space, I did not want to cut it down. This year I treated each branch with Bordeaux mixture in the spring - it seems the trouble has passed. The advice to the owners of the variety is clear: do not forget about seasonal prevention.”
Watering
Be sure to constantly water your newly planted cherry tree. A young tree is watered when the top layer of 5–6 cm is dry.
Watering
Seedlings need to be watered moderately. After planting for 2 years, they should be watered 4-5 times. 10–15 liters are poured under the tree at a time.
An adult tree is watered after the buds have bloomed. The soil should be moistened to a depth of 40–45 cm. Watering is also done if there is drought and heat.
Important! It must be remembered that the tree cannot be over-watered, since it has a branched rhizome, which requires not only moisture, but also access to oxygen. If there is an excess of moisture, the roots will begin to rot and the plant will die.
