Contents
Cherry Revna relatively recently appeared in the arsenal of amateur gardeners. Despite this, the variety has already become quite popular. The reason for this is a good yield and good frost resistance, which makes it possible to grow this type of sweet cherry even in the cool climate of Central Our Country.
History of breeding
Cherry Revna is one of a number of varieties bred at the end of the last century by specialists from the All- Research Institute of Lupine. The variety is named after the river of the same name, which flows in the Bryansk region, where the institute itself is located. The cultivar Bryanskaya Rosovaya was taken as a basis, the selection was carried out by the method of free pollination. The authors of the Revna cherry are breeders M.V. Kanshina and A.I. Astakhov.
In 1993, the Revna cherry variety successfully passed state tests and in 1994 was included in the State Register.
Description of the culture
Cherry Revna is a small spreading tree. It is widespread, mainly in the southern regions.
Features
The table shows the main characteristic features of the Revna cherry variety.
Parameter | Value |
Culture type | fruit stone tree |
Height, m | Until 3 |
Bark | Burgundy brown |
Crown | Pyramidal |
foliage | Average |
Leaves | Large, leathery, dark green, rounded with a sharp apex. The edge is sharply serrated. |
Shoots | fast growing, straight |
Fruit | Medium, dark red, rounded flattened shape. The mass of the berry is 4,5–4,7 g, rarely up to 7 g. |
Pulp | Dense, dark red |
Taste | Sweet, tasting score – 4,9 out of 5 |
Bone | Easily separated from the pulp, medium size |
Variety assignment | Universal |
Transportability | Good |
Drought resistance, winter resistance
Winter hardiness was one of the priority tasks in breeding the Revna sweet cherry variety. The result is good. Frosts down to -30 degrees Celsius can withstand the tree without any problems.
The drought resistance of Revna is quite high. However, regular watering of trees is still necessary, especially during the period of fruit setting and ripening.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening period
Cherry Revna blooms quite early. In different regions, the flowering time is different, in the middle lane it falls in mid-May.
Revna is considered a partially self-fertile variety, but without neighboring trees – pollinators, the harvest will be small. Therefore, cherries are planted, as a rule, in a group. As pollinators, the varieties Iput, Tyutchevka or Ovstuzhenka are most often planted.
Cherry Revna is a medium-late variety. Usually, from the moment of flowering until the berries are ready for harvest, 2,5 months pass. Good sunny weather can speed up this process. Usually the harvest ripens by the end of July.
yield, fruiting
Cherry Revna begins fruiting at the age of 5. Its yield is stable, annual and quite high. On average, it is 15-20 kg per tree, and with good care – 30 kg of berries or more. The fruits are not large, but they have a beautiful presentation and rarely crack. The thick skin allows the berries to endure transportation without any problems.
Scope of berries
Revna cherries have an excellent sweet taste and are most often consumed fresh. However, they can also be used to make compotes, as well as jams, jams, and jams. The high sugar content (almost 13%) makes this berry suitable for home winemaking.
Disease and pest resistance
Cherry Revna gets sick relatively rarely. Basically, diseases manifest themselves in violation of the rules of care (thickening of the crown, excessive watering) or in conditions of high moisture content. The biggest pests of cherries are birds, which are very fond of eating ripe berries (in everyday life, cherries are often called “bird cherries”). From insects, weevil and aphids most often appear on trees.
Advantages and disadvantages
There are few drawbacks to the Revna cherry. The most significant of them is the late entry into fruiting, which occurs only for the 5th year. In comparison with other varieties of cherries, Revna ripens relatively late, many gardeners consider this a negative side. And also the disadvantage is the need for pollinators to get a good harvest.
The positive aspects of Revna cherries include:
- The small size of the tree and the compactness of the crown.
- Good winter hardiness.
- Immunity to many fungal diseases.
- Excellent taste of fruits and their versatility.
- High transportability of a crop.
It should also be noted that Revna cherries bear fruit annually and stably, without requiring special care.
Features of landing
A feature of planting Revna cherries is the need for group planting. Moreover, seedlings should not overlap with other trees, so as not to disturb cross-pollination.
Recommended dates
The optimal time for planting Revna cherry seedlings is spring, after the soil has thawed, but before the buds begin to swell. At this time, the plants are at rest and will calmly endure the stress associated with the transplant.
Choosing the right place
Since Revna cherries are planted with a group of seedlings, the place for them must be chosen carefully. Sufficient sun and water is needed for normal growth and fruiting, however, wetlands or places with a water table above 2 m are not suitable. The southern slope of the hill is perfect for planting Revna cherries. The place should be at a sufficient distance from fences and buildings, and also protected from the north wind, which this culture does not like very much.
Cherry Revna grows best on loamy and sandy, as well as on light fertile soils with neutral acidity. Heavy clay areas are contraindicated for her.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries
Cherry is a pretty strong antagonist. In the immediate vicinity of it, it is best to plant the same cherry, this will improve pollination and will not lead to conflict. Surprisingly well with cherries, cherries get along well, which itself does not like being next to anyone. Definitely do not plant an apple, pear or plum nearby, they will prevent cross-pollination.
Flowers grow well next to cherries: nasturtiums, primrose. You can also plant thyme. But nightshade (potatoes, tomatoes) will not grow in the root zone of sweet cherries.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Revna cherry seedlings of both the first and second years of life are suitable for planting. When choosing planting material, you should pay attention to the following:
- The seedling must have a well-developed root system.
- Roots must not be dry.
- The grafting site should be clearly visible at the bottom of the trunk. If it is not there, most likely it is a seedling, and a sweet cherry will grow from it without varietal characteristics (wild).
Landing algorithm
Pits for planting Revna cherries are usually prepared in the fall. The distance between them should be at least 3 m. At the same or greater distance, the pits should be from buildings or other garden trees. The diameter of the pit should be 0,8–1 m, the depth should be 0,6–0,8 m.
Near the center of the pit, you need to drive in a support to which the seedling will be tied. A mound of nutrient soil is poured into the center of the pit, on which the seedling is placed. Its roots need to be straightened, covered with soil mixture and tamped a little.
After planting, an earthen roller is poured around the seedling to retain water. After that, abundant watering is carried out (3-4 buckets), after which the trunk circle is mulched with humus, sawdust or peat.
Culture aftercare
The basis of a good harvest is the competent formation of a tree crown. For this, formative pruning is carried out, which is carried out in several stages during the first few years. The following types of crown are usually formed:
- sparsely-tiered;
- flattened;
- bushy.
To get a good harvest, Revna cherries need enough water. With a lack of moisture, watering can be done once a week. However, such dry periods are quite rare and, as a rule, atmospheric precipitation is enough for a tree.
Top dressing is an important part of caring for cherries. The first three years after planting, as a rule, they do not do it, especially if the soil on the site is quite fertile. Then, once every three years, organic matter (humus) is introduced into the soil along with the autumn digging of the trunk circle.
During the season, they also fertilize with mineral fertilizers. In the spring, this is ammonium nitrate, it is introduced in three stages:
- before flowering;
- at the end of flowering;
- 2 weeks after the previous feeding.
For 1 sq. meter is applied 20-25 g of fertilizer. In addition, in the summer you can make foliar top dressing of trees with potassium monophosphate.
For the winter, Revna’s cherries are not covered. Tree stems and lower skeletal branches should be whitened to protect the bark from frost and sunburn. The tree trunk can be tied with spruce branches so that hares and other rodents do not covet it.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Cherry Revna is not prone to diseases. Usually they are the result of poor care or adverse weather conditions. Here are the most common ones.
Disease | Signs of appearance, consequences | Prevention of occurrence and treatment |
Perforated spotting (kleasterosporiasis) | Rounded brown spots appear on the leaf plate, which rot through, forming holes. | Affected leaves should be cut off and burned. For preventive purposes, trees are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid before flowering, after it and after 2 weeks. |
Mosaic | Yellow stripes appear along the veins of the leaf, then the leaf curls, turns red and falls off. | Affected leaves are cut off and burned. For prevention use the same means as for spotting. |
Of the pests most often found on the Revna cherry, the following insects can be noted:
- cherry fly;
- cherry aphids;
- fruit moth;
- cherry shoot moth.
They fight pests by spraying with various pesticides (Decis, Inta-Vir, Karbofos), selecting their concentration in accordance with the instructions.
Cherry Revna remains quite popular among gardeners. The totality of all its positive properties far exceeds its minor disadvantages. And the magnificent taste of berries deservedly makes one of the leaders among horticultural crops.