Contents
Cherry Drogan Yellow was bred a long time ago. Like all yellow-fruited varieties, it is distinguished by its exquisite taste and juiciness of fruits. The popularity of the variety is determined not only by its taste, but also by its good adaptation to various climatic conditions.
History of breeding
The origin of the Drogan cherry has not been precisely established. It is known that the variety was obtained in Saxony, and received its name in honor of the originator Drogan. The history of Drogan cherry breeding has not been preserved. As of April 2018, the variety was not included in the State Register.
Description of the culture
The Drogana cherry tree reaches a height of 5-6 m. The crown is without excessive thickening, it has a slightly flattened spherical or conical shape. The plant has smooth and long shoots of light brown color. The leaves are large, up to 17 cm long and 6-7 wide. Below is a photo of Drogan Yellow cherry with blooming flowers.
The size of the fruits is slightly above average, their weight reaches 8 g. The shape of the fruits is heart-shaped, the appearance is bright and spectacular. They are firmly attached to the stalks, there is practically no fall of ripe fruits. The color of the hearths is yellow, which follows from the name of the variety. Their skin is very thin. It is smooth and soft to the touch.
The pulp inside the fruit is dense, but at the same time very juicy. It has a yellow-straw color, barely noticeable streaks are distinguishable inside the pulp. Separation of the bone from the pulp is difficult. The fruits are very sweet. According to tasters, the taste of cherries was assigned 4,6 points on a five-point scale. Photo of the fruits of the Drogan Yellow cherry:
The fruits of the plant contain:
- dry matter – up to 18%;
- Sakharov – up to 14%;
- acids – 0,2%.
The description of the Drogan Zheltaya sweet cherry recommends it for cultivation in the North Caucasus and in the lower reaches of the Volga, but its actual distribution, thanks to the initiative of gardeners, is much wider. Drogana Yellow cherries are currently cultivated in the following areas:
- Central region;
- Middle lane;
- Baltic countries;
- Belarus;
- Ukraine;
- Moldavia.
Reviews of Drogan cherries in these regions note the excellent adaptation of the variety to colder climates and the preservation of high yields.
Features
The characteristics of the Drogana Yellow cherry variety are considered balanced. The variety combines good winter hardiness, high fruiting, acceptable resistance to pests.
Drought resistance, winter resistance
The plant tolerates short-term droughts well, without watering it can do up to one month.
The generative buds of the plant are able to tolerate frosts down to -35 ° C, in addition, late flowering prevents the ovaries from dying from frosts in the off-season.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening period
Trees bloom late, usually at the end of May. The plant requires planting pollinators, although it is considered self-fertile. However, if the tree is planted without pollinators, the yield will be very low. Their maximum distance from the tree should not be more than 35-40 m.
Recommended pollinators for Drogana Yellow cherries include:
- Napoleon
- Francis;
- Large-fruited.
Pollinator varieties may have a color other than yellow. This sometimes leads to an incorrect choice of pollinators for Drogan cherries, which have earlier flowering periods. In addition, in some cases, gardeners may be misled by the presence of non-existent varieties. For example, the variety often called Drogan black cherry does not exist in nature, however, the Napoleon variety of dark red, almost black color can be mistakenly called this.
The fruit ripening period is the third decade of June, rarely the beginning of July.
yield, fruiting
The yield of the variety is good – under ideal conditions, up to 100 kg of fruits are harvested from a tree. Average yields depend on climatic conditions and proper care, they are 50-70 kg.
According to the description of the Drogan Zheltaya sweet cherry variety, the plant begins to yield crops starting from the 4th year. Fruiting on all branches occurs almost simultaneously.
Scope of berries
The fruits have low keeping quality and poor transportability. Therefore, it is recommended to use them immediately after harvesting: sweet cherries are consumed raw, go to compotes and preservation. Freezing fruits is also not recommended due to cracking of their thin skin.
Disease and pest resistance
With proper care of Drogan Yellow cherries and preventive measures, adult trees tolerate diseases well and are highly resistant to pests. The most common diseases and pests are the same as for other sweet cherries: gray rot and cherry fly. Like any cherry that has sweet fruits, this variety can be attacked by birds and rodents.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the Drogana Yellow cherry variety:
- excellent taste;
- good adaptation to different climate conditions;
- lack of requirements for the composition of the soil;
- acceptable drought tolerance;
- good winter hardiness.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- poor keeping quality and transportability;
- the need for pollinators.
Features of landing
All planting procedures for this variety are identical to those for any other sweet cherry variety. The only circumstance that must be taken into account is the relatively large growth of the tree (up to 6 m), which cannot be reduced even with intensive pruning.
Recommended dates
It is advisable to plant Drogan Yellow cherries in the spring, about a month before flowering, that is, in early May. Seedlings purchased in summer or autumn must be kept for two weeks in storage and only then planted. The landing deadline is limited to the second decade of September.
Choosing the right place
The plant loves sunny areas with a sun exposure of 16 to 18 hours. The ideal option would be to plant on the south side of the site, so that there is a barrier from the wind from the north of the plant. The plant is picky about the composition of the soil, but slightly acidic soils are more preferable. Groundwater should not be closer than 4 m to the surface.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries
Cherry goes well next to mountain ash and apple. Neighborhood with currants and gooseberries is undesirable. In addition, it is impossible to plant cherries near cherries because of the possibility of their cross-pollination. The result of such crossing will be a small amount of small and tasteless fruits.
Selection and preparation of planting material
It is recommended to choose seedlings about three years old for planting. It is advisable to buy them in nurseries with documents or at least tags. The root must have at least three branches. On the seedlings themselves, the presence of generative buds is mandatory.
Preparing a seedling before planting is to remove the leaves from the plant so that they do not pull moisture on themselves.
Landing algorithm
The plant is planted in a pit with a depth of 0,6-0,7 m. Previously, a layer of humus 15 cm thick is placed on the bottom of the pit, or green manure is placed in it, which is poured with manure infusion. Mineral fertilizers are also introduced into the pit: superphosphate (up to 500 g) and potassium sulfate (up to 100 g). All this is thoroughly mixed and filled with water.
The seedling is planted after two hours, while the roots of the plant straighten out, the seedling is positioned so that its root neck is 5 cm above the ground. A peg for a garter is driven in next to him. The pit is covered with soil, compacted and watered with a bucket of water. It is advisable to mulch the landing site with peat or freshly cut grass.
Culture aftercare
Caring for Drogan Yellow cherries is standard. During active vegetation, flowering and fruiting, regular watering is recommended with a frequency of 15-30 days, depending on the amount of natural precipitation.
Young plants are fed with mineral fertilizers in May and July. Older plants need another feeding at the end of the season. This can be humus or compost in the amount of 10-12 kg, applied under a tree in October.
Preparing the plant for winter includes carefully digging and mulching the soil and wrapping the lower part of the trunk with heat-insulating material, which is especially important for young trees. As soon as the first snow falls, it is advisable to sprinkle the trunk with a snow cone up to 1 m high.
Pruning helps form the crown and increase the yield of the plant. In addition, sanitary pruning of a tree helps to rid it of diseased branches. Perform pruning twice a season: in spring and autumn. In this case, dry and damaged shoots are always removed.
According to reviews of Drogan Yellow cherries, to increase productivity, it is recommended to cut the young shoots of the current year by about half the length.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Consider the diseases of the Drogan Yellow cherry variety:
Disease | Methods of struggle | Prevention |
Trutovik | Cutting off the bodies of the fungus, followed by treatment with a disinfectant composition (3% solution of copper sulphate) | Treatment of the trunk with dissolved lime |
Gray mold | Removal of damaged fruits and leaves. Treatment with fungicides (“Fitosporin” or 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture) | Spraying with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or “Nitrafemon” |
How to get rid of pests:
Pest | Methods of struggle | Prevention |
cherry fly | The use of insecticides (“Zolon”, “Calypso”, “Aktellik”) | Regular loosening of the soil near the trunk. Application of glue traps |
Pipe envelope | Use of insecticides (Metaphos, Hexachloran) | Collection and destruction of prematurely fallen leaves and fruits |
Birds | Scarecrows, rattles, synthesizers of loud sounds | Covering the tree with a fishing or fine mesh net. Spraying the tree with a solution of red pepper (10 pods insist in 3 liters of water). The use of repellent gels, for example, “Bed Free” |
Conclusion
Drogan Cherry Yellow is a late variety recommended for growing in small individual garden plots. Planting and caring for Drogan Yellow cherries are quite simple, even beginner gardeners can do it. The fruiting of the plant begins in the 4th year of life. The plant has large fruits and a stable yield.
Reviews
Consider the reviews of gardeners about yellow cherries:
