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Cherry trees are one of the most popular among gardeners. Cherry Rodina is a variety known for its high resistance to frost and juicy fruits. It is interesting to learn more about the features of this tree.
History of variety breeding
The Rodina variety was obtained in 1994 in a rather unusual way – with the help of electromagnetic irradiation. The cherry Slava Zhukova acted as the source, and the breeders of the Research Institute I.V. Michurin. At the moment, the variety is still under the state variety testing procedure.
Description of the variety of sweet cherries Rodina
Outwardly, the sweet cherry variety is a medium in height, no more than 3 – 4 m, a tree with a dense pyramidal crown. The shoots of the Motherland are long, medium in thickness, straight, covered with a smooth red-brown bark. The leaves of the fruit tree are green, relatively small, with sharp teeth along the edge of the leaf. The petioles are short, and the flowers are white and large, appearing on the branches in May in copious numbers.
Cherry Rodina bears rather large fruits weighing about 5 g, covered with a dark, almost black burgundy skin. In shape, the berries of the tree are round-heart-shaped, with a small depression in the middle. The taste of sweet cherries is sweet with a noticeable sourness, according to the tasting scale it is estimated at 4,5 points out of the maximum possible 5. The berries are universal – suitable for both quick consumption and transportation.
The best region for planting sweet cherries Rodina is considered to be the central strip of Our Country – the Central Black Earth region. However, this variety was bred as frost-resistant, so it is recommended to plant it, including in the northern regions. It tolerates low temperatures and weather changes well, spring sudden frosts do not harm it.
Characteristic of the variety
To understand how well a variety is suitable for growing in specific conditions, it is necessary to study its features. The characteristics of the Motherland cherry look quite attractive to gardeners.
Frost resistance of cherries Rodina
The grade possesses the increased resistance to negative temperatures. Among the recommended areas for growing fruit trees are Siberia and even Scandinavian countries – the temperature is below – 30 degrees, the variety tolerates calmly. The Motherland also survives well the return frosts in the spring, which are especially dangerous for fruit trees. Sudden drops in temperature do not affect the yield and fruiting of the plant.
Cherry Pollinators Rodina
The variety is self-fertile and cannot produce a bountiful harvest on its own, without pollinators located in the neighborhood. In order to get fruits from the Rodina sweet cherry, it is necessary to plant other cherry varieties next to it with similar flowering periods. These varieties can be:
- Story – a winter-hardy tree with flowering in early May and harvest in late May – early June, bearing large fruits of red-burgundy color.
- Yaroslavna – cherry blossoms at the same time as the Rodina variety and bears fruit in early summer. Among the advantages of the variety are not only delicious dark red fruits up to 7 g each, but also excellent resistance to frost, drought and disease.
- Valery Chkalov – frost-resistant sweet cherry, blooming already in late April – early May and bringing the harvest no later than mid-June. Gives dark red sweet fruits weighing up to 8 g each.
Yield and fruiting
Variety Rodina refers to trees with early fruit ripening. With proper care and normal development of the tree, you can get fruits in late May or early June. The yield of the variety is considered plentiful – up to 30 kg of berries from one tree. For the first time, the plant bears fruit 4 or 5 years after rooting in the garden, and after that it pleases with large harvests annually.
Scope of berries
Cherry fruits of this variety are classified as universal. This means that they can be consumed fresh, in compotes and jams, as an ingredient for baking and desserts. Berries are well transported, so if desired, they can be sent for sale.
Disease and pest resistance
The variety has strong immunity and is almost not susceptible to common diseases. In particular, there is a high resistance to coccomycosis. This fungal infection often infects the leaves of fruit trees, leaving unsightly brown spots on them and leading to twisting and drying of the foliage.
At the same time, garden pests, such as cherry fly or aphids, are still dangerous for the Rodina sweet cherry. Therefore, the condition of the tree must be monitored very carefully and do not forget about high-quality prevention.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Among the advantages of cherries Rodina can be noted:
- high yield and good fruit transportability – this allows you to use them not only for personal, but also for commercial purposes;
- increased resistance to low temperatures – the plant is excellent for breeding in cold regions;
- good immunity to diseases, especially often affecting fruit trees – it is quite easy to care for cherries.
The only disadvantage can be considered only the self-fertility of the variety and the need to plant pollinators near it. However, if there are other early flowering cherries in the garden, this feature will not bring any problems.
Features of landing
Cherries are planted under the name Rodina in the same way as most other varieties of cherries. However, it will be useful to remember the basic rules.
Recommended dates
Permitted dates for planting cherries are both spring and autumn. But in fact, autumn planting is practiced in southern regions with mild winters. In the middle lane and in the north, it is better to plant cherries in the spring, shortly before the growing season and after frost – this will save the seedling from freezing.
Choosing the right place
Like any cherry, the Rodina variety prefers open sunny places. The soil is better to choose light, with good ventilation. Loam and sandy loam are ideal.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
The optimal neighbors for Motherland cherries are cherry trees or other cherries that can take on the role of pollinators. But apple and pear trees should not be planted in close proximity.
Selection and preparation of planting material
The main and practically the only requirement for a motherland cherry seedling is the presence of thick, healthy, intact roots. Just before planting, you can hold them in the water for a while.
Landing algorithm
Planting a young plant is quite standard.
- The pit for the seedling should be spacious enough – about twice as large as the volume of the roots.
- At the bottom of the hole, be sure to lay organic fertilizers mixed with soil – they will contribute to the rapid growth of the tree.
- The seedling is lowered into a hole, about half filled with earth, and covered with earth to the top over the roots. Then, 2-4 buckets of water are immediately brought under the trunk, and then the earth is mulched in a circle.
Aftercare for cherries
Caring for Motherland cherries is quite simple – it requires minimal attention.
- You need to trim the tree to a minimum – once a year, shorten the shoots by a quarter after fruiting, remove dry, twisted, unhealthy branches.
- Cherry watering is carried out depending on the weather. It is imperative to supply the tree with moisture before flowering, after it, before fruiting and shortly before the arrival of winter – each time 3-4 buckets of water under the trunk. The rest of the cherry will have enough natural precipitation. The main thing is to prevent complete drying or excessive waterlogging of the soil.
- During the first 3 years of growth, the seedling has enough fertilizer laid in the planting hole. After 4 years of life, annual feeding can be introduced – nitrogenous substances in spring, potassium in summer and fluorine in autumn.
In mid-autumn, the tree needs to be watered for the last time, mulch the soil around the trunk and treat the cherry with a fluorine-containing solution. So that the tree does not freeze during the winter and does not suffer from rodents, it is recommended to tightly trample the snow around the trunk, and cover the trunk itself with insulating material.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The Rodina variety is quite resistant to ailments and pests. But some diseases can affect him, namely:
- clasterosporium disease;
- phyllossticosis;
- cherry cancer.
In all cases, it is urgent to trim all unhealthy parts, and treat the sections with copper sulphate. As a prevention of diseases in the spring, the crown and trunk are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
In addition, fruit insects, such as weevil, cherry fly, and aphids, harm cherries. The best protection against them will be the timely removal of all dry and rotting parts, sanitary cleaning of the soil near the trunk. If the pests nevertheless appeared on the leaves or in the fruits, they must be dealt with with insecticidal agents.
Conclusion
Cherry Rodina is an unpretentious and easy-care fruit variety. With elementary care, the tree will decorate the garden with itself and will regularly bring very plentiful harvests.