Content:
An important place in the domestic and world variety of cherries is occupied by old varieties, which are well known for their positive properties and qualities in certain cultivation zones. One of these varieties is Zhukovskaya cherry.
Brief description of the culture, history of the variety
Cherry belongs to high-value fruit crops with abundant high-quality harvest and unique taste. The fruits of the plant are characterized by a universal value and are used both for fresh consumption and for certain types of technological processing. They include the following components:
- soluble solids;
- Sahara;
- P-active substances (catechins, anthocyanins, leukoanthocyanins, etc.);
- ascorbic acid (vitamin C),
- folic acid (vitamin B9),
- riboflavin (vitamin B2), etc.
The variety is special in its own way
Zhukovskaya is an old cherry variety, which was obtained at VNIIGiSPR named after Michurin in the 1940s by breeders Kharitonova and Zhukov. The cultivar is a seedling from the open pollination of local cultivars. The variety passed zoning in the Central, Central Black Earth, Middle Volga and Lower Volga regions.
Characteristics and features
Trees have medium vigor. The crown is characterized by a rounded shape, a strong level of spreading, medium strength of foliage and density. Fruiting takes place on bouquet shoots, a certain part of the fruit is formed on last year's growths. Fruits weigh up to 4 g, individual cherries weigh 6-7 g, with a dry separation, almost black in color. They are heart-shaped-oval, attractive, sour, quite pleasant, taste, the tasting score is 5 points.
The flowering time is average. The variety is self-fertile. The ripening period for the variety is mid-July. The crop is formed at a time, not prone to shedding. The beginning of fruiting falls on the 4th year of cultivation. The yield level of the variety is high, at the age of 10 the trees form 12 kg / tree, at the age of 20 - up to 30 kg / tree. The longevity of plants is 18-20 years, satisfactory fruiting up to 15-16 years of age. The variety is more resistant to coccomycosis in comparison with Lyubskaya and Vladimirskaya. Resistant to ring spot.
Landing Zhukovskaya
Site selection
Like most varieties of this culture, Zhukovka cherry belongs to self-fertile varieties, therefore, cherry pollinating varieties should grow on the site in the immediate vicinity of the variety. The most optimal of them are:
- Consumer goods black;
- Youth;
- Apukhtinskaya;
- Vladimirskaya;
- Lyubskaya;
- Griot Ostheimsky;
- Chocolate girl.
Top pollinators
In most growing areas, the optimal planting period for Zhukovskaya is mid-spring. In the southern regions, the procedure can be postponed until the first half of autumn. In central Russia and the steppe regions, this is risky, since a variety that is not highly resistant to unfavorable factors of the winter period will not have time to thoroughly prepare for negative temperatures.
Cherry Zhukovskaya is recommended for cultivation in areas with black earth or sandy loam soil. Acidity readings should be neutral. Clay soils are completely unsuitable for this variety; it is not recommended to cultivate Zhukovskaya on such plots.
The plot for cultivation of the variety should not be shaded and subject to the negative effects of cold drafts. The groundwater on the plot must lie at a depth of at least one and a half meters.
The choice of planting material
It is recommended to purchase Zhukovskaya saplings in autumn, when their assortment is much wider than in spring. It is necessary to choose plants of one to two years of age, 1-1.2 m in height and a root system of at least 20 cm long.There should be no mechanical injuries or damage, growths, traces of diseases, ulcers, etc. on the bark of the trees of the variety. It should have elasticity and smoothness, and not be wrinkled and rough.
Digging in seedlings for the winter
Purchased seedlings must be dug in for the winter. To do this, a shaded plot is selected, on which a trench of the required length and depth of about 30-50 cm is dug. The planting material is placed in it in an inclined position, thoroughly spilled with water, then sprinkling the root system and part of the trunk with earth. In this position, the seedlings of the variety remain until spring, when, before planting, they are carefully removed from the hole, trying not to injure the roots and trunk.
Landing
The process of planting Zhukovskaya trees in open ground coincides with a similar process for other varieties of ordinary cherry. A pit with a depth of at least 60 cm and 80 cm in diameter must be prepared in advance. It should be dug out in advance: for spring planting, this is done in the second half of autumn, and for autumn planting - in 15-20 days.The soil extracted from the hole is mixed with the following fertilizers:
- simple superphosphate - 60 g;
- humus - 5 kg;
- potassium chloride - 40 g.
In the middle of the hole, a stake of wood about a meter long is driven in. At the bottom of the hole, a little nutrient composition is scattered, on which the Zhukovskaya seedling is placed. The plant is tied to a stake on the north side with a piece of string folded in a figure eight. In this case, it is necessary not to overtighten the seedling of the variety so that it does not die.
The seedling of the variety is covered with soil, making sure that the root collar rises above the ground level at a height of 4-5 cm. The soil is slightly tamped with your feet. At a distance of 25-30 cm from the "Zhukovskaya" sapling, it is dug around a little and water is poured into the resulting hole in the volume of 2-3 buckets.
Sapling digging scheme
The root sector is mulched with sawdust or compost, poured into a layer 2-3 cm high.Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid soil cracking and moisture evaporation, including after the very first watering.
Plant care
Watering
The Zhukovskaya variety needs at least four irrigations per season:
- during flowering;
- in the process of fruit ripening;
- after the completion of leaf fall;
- in the second half of autumn.
Watering occurs in accordance with the parameter of the crown of the Zhukovskaya plant. Each procedure must consume at least 40-50 liters. Irrigation is carried out in two ways:
- By adding water to the grooves, the first of which is dug out at a distance of 0.5 m from the trunk, and the second - after another 50 cm.When the moisture is completely absorbed by these grooves, mulching is carried out using organic materials (humus, straw, sawdust, peat);
- With the help of drip irrigation systems, which are placed in a spiral around the plant, so that a distance of 0.3 m is maintained between the smaller and larger diameters.The dropper step is made equal to 25-30 cm, which will fully cover the entire area of the root system.
When the moisture is completely absorbed, the near-trunk sector is loosened to a depth of about 10 cm.In the fall, this distance is increased to 15-20 cm.
Fertilizer
When preparing the planting hole in accordance with all the recommendations, Zhukovskaya will not need feeding in the first years of growing. Only 2 years after planting the variety in open ground, one should switch to the use of fertilizers.
The first the procedure is carried out in the spring, during the flowering period and immediately after its completion (approximately from the last days of April to mid-May). During flowering, ammonium nitrate is used, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:50. It is also allowed to use ammonium nitrate on the grade, 200 g of which is diluted in 10 liters of water. When Zhukovskaya fades, it is sprayed with nitroammophos (1: 200). Fertilizer consumption is 30 liters per plant.
Ammonium nitrate
In the second- in the third decade of June, it is recommended to carry out foliar feeding of Zhukovskaya. For this, it is advisable to use a 2% solution of magnesium sulfate.
Magnesium sulfate
In the first half of autumn, it is necessary to feed the variety with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. For this purpose, the following fertilizers are diluted per 1 m2 of the near-stem sector in 10 liters of water:
- granular superphosphate - 40 g;
- potassium chloride - 20 g.
During the digging, 120-150 g of wood ash are added per 1 m2 of soil. It is also recommended to add about 10 kg of semi-rotted manure under the Zhukovskaya variety.
Pruning
This procedure is carried out either in the first half of spring, or in the fall, after the termination of leaf fall. Like all cherry varieties, Zhukovskaya does not tolerate heavy pruning and root formation.
When planting, it is recommended to leave no more than 6-8 main branches on a two-year-old seedling. The formation of the trunk begins at a height of about 40 cm from the ground level. All increments below this level are removed. On a one-year-old seedling, shoots are shortened by a third, the length of which is less than 50 cm. The central conductor is also cut off so that about 10-15 cm remain until the last lateral shoot.
From 2 years of age, plants are removed:
- branches that grow inward and downward, thereby thickening the crown;
- sick, dried, mechanically injured shoots;
- skeletal shoots in the place where the growth of lateral growths has stopped;
- center conductor if its length exceeds 3-3.5 m.
When the growth of most shoots does not exceed 15 cm, it's time to move on to rejuvenating pruning of the plant. To do this, every three years, it is necessary to cut off the skeletal branches by a third.
Plant protection
During the growing season, it is recommended to carry out timely weeding of plantings in order to remove weeds. This procedure is important even for mature, fully formed plants. Neglect of weed removal is fraught with a decrease in yield and fruit quality.
In the process of cultivating Zhukovskaya, one usually has to resort to the use of chemical plant protection products. The variety is resistant to coccomycosis and ring spot, however, it is affected by diseases such as:
- moniliosis (especially if the disease is epiphytotic);
- scab;
- rust;
- gommosis;
- clasterosporium disease;
- root cancer.
Among the pests, the most dangerous for Zhukovskaya are:
- aphid;
- weevil;
- slimy weevil.
To combat them, the appropriate fungicides and insecticides are used.
Features of harvesting
Like most varieties of cherries, Zhukovskaya begins to form fruits in the 4-5th year after planting in open ground. Ripening occurs closer to mid-July. If the summer period was wet and cold, then this process is shifted by 2-3 weeks. Usually, the fruits are tightly held on the shoots and are not prone to shedding. The collection of fruits is carried out in one step.
When harvesting, it is not recommended to break off the stalks.Cherries are placed in a special container with a layer of no more than 5 cm in thickness. Harvest containers should be shallow and dry.
Storage of fruits takes place in rooms with an air humidity of about 90% and a temperature of no more than 8-10C. In such conditions, cherries are stored for one and a half to two days. When placed in the refrigerator, the storage period is extended to 20 days.
Preparing for winter
Zhukovskaya cherry belongs to varieties with a low level of winter hardiness. In this regard, in most regions of cultivation, it needs an appropriate shelter for the winter.
Shelter for the winter
When the autumn digging of the soil is completed, it is recommended to add a layer of organic matter 10-15 cm high in the near-trunk sector of Zhukovskaya for mulching. After that, the skeletal branches of the variety, together with the stem, are covered with dense burlap, fixing it with twine scraps. In the spring, the shelter is removed from the trees.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of the variety include the high quality of universal-purpose fruits, greater resistance to coccomycosis in comparison with other zoned varieties - Vladimirskaya and Lyubskaya, as well as, like most cherry varieties, resistance to ring spotting.
The cultivation of Zhukovskaya is relatively uncomplicated and typical of cherry culture. The investment of labor and time will allow you to get a good and high-quality harvest from the cherry variety at the end of the season.
