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Each plant has its own characteristics of growing in a certain zone. Properly planting cherries in the spring in the Urals in a zone of sharply continental climate is a rather difficult task. It is necessary to strictly observe agricultural technology, choose the ideal place for a seedling and protect it from adverse weather conditions.
Features of growing cherries in the Urals
Fruit trees are found in most household plots throughout Our Country. If in the central and southern regions of the country the climate is favorable for growing most crops, then in the Urals, gardeners face a lot of problems. These most often include weather phenomena – droughts, frosts and early snowfalls.
The peculiarity of the Ural climate is cold winters and extremely hot summers. During the warm dry months, it is important to provide the cherry with sufficient watering in conditions of rapid evaporation of moisture. Trunk circles need to be dug up 2-3 times a year to ensure a better air flow to the roots.
It is best to plant varieties specially bred for growing in this region.
Planting cherries in the Urals is most often done in late spring or early summer. A few months is enough for a young seedling to take root well and be ready for the winter period. To plant a plant in the autumn period, it is necessary to insulate it as much as possible and hope for favorable conditions.
Every gardener in the Urals needs to pay attention to long-term weather forecasts. Cold winters with little snow can be fatal even for the most frost-resistant varieties. In such conditions, it is very important to prepare the plant for winter – to shelter it from the icy wind and treat the tree trunks with mulch.
How to choose a cherry variety for planting in the Urals
Modern selection every year develops new types of fruit trees that are able to survive in difficult climatic conditions. For planting cherries with seedlings in the Urals, it is best to select frost-resistant varieties. The most popular in the region include:
- Grebenskaya. This variety reaches a height of 2 m. It has sparse spreading branches. Flowering begins in May-June. From each cherry, you can collect up to 8-10 kg of sweet berries, which ripen at the end of August.
- Sverdlovsk – a variety specially bred for the Urals. The height of the tree reaches 2 meters. A dense crown needs periodic thinning. The fruits have a sweet taste with a sour tint. The harvest reaches 10 kg from one cherry.
- Gridnevskaya. This species is considered one of the best adapted trees for a particular climate zone. It is able to withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees and short dry periods. The plant reaches a height of up to 2.5 m. Large sweet berries ripen by the end of summer. Harvesting must be done as quickly as possible, since the berries may lose their consumer characteristics if they are suddenly damaged by cold.
- Ural standard. A feature of the variety is the maximum yield. From one small tree you can get up to 15 kg of large berries. Each fruit can reach 6,5 g.
All presented varieties can be planted throughout the Urals. They are able to endure a sharp drop in temperature to 30-35 degrees. At the same time, they were specially bred for accelerated harvesting in the conditions of a short summer. The full ripening of berries takes from 1,5 to 2 months. At the same time, they must be collected as quickly as possible.
How to grow cherries in the Urals
Compliance with clear guidelines when planting fruit trees in continental climate zones will allow you to get healthy plants that will delight the gardener with abundant harvests. Before planting cherries in the Ural region, you must first choose the right place for it. Like any light-loving tree, it needs to provide enough sun. For cherries, the south side of the site is assigned. At the same time, it must be protected from the wind, so the seedlings are placed 2-3 m from a high fence.
Strict observance of agricultural technology is the key to abundant harvests
It is necessary to carefully study the chemical composition of the soil. The tree does not favor overly acidic soils. Before planting a tree, it will be necessary to carry out additional liming of the earth. It is also important to periodically add lime to the soil in order to maintain its acidity at the right level.
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the level of groundwater. You can not plant cherries in places where it does not exceed 2 m – otherwise the roots will receive excess moisture. Also, during a cold winter in the Urals, there are risks of soil freezing more than 2 m deep.
A very important point is the preparation of planting pits for cherries. It is better to prepare them in advance. When planting in the spring, they are dug before the first snow falls. If planting cherries in the fall, the pits should be ready as soon as the snow has melted. As with all large fruit trees, the diameter of each should be about 80-100 cm. The depth of the holes is traditionally about 90 cm.
How to plant cherries in the Urals in spring
Soil preparation is the first and most important step. You can not plant a cherry in a random place. Sandy soils with good drainage are best suited for it. After preparing the landing pits, care must be taken to properly fill them. Leaf soil is mixed with humus in a ratio of 1: 1. A small amount of ash and superphosphate is added to the mixture.
The best time to plant cherries in the Urals is spring. The plant needs a sufficient amount of time to take root and prepare for its first winter. It is best to plant cherries after the May holidays – in the Urals by this time the soil has warmed up enough. In addition, in May the risk of sudden frosts is minimal.
To plant cherries, the planting hole is half-filled with prepared soil. After that, the seedling is set up exactly in such a way that the root neck protrudes 3-5 cm above the ground level. The pits are completely filled with soil and slightly trampled down. After that, each tree is watered with 10-15 liters of warm water.
How to plant cherries in the summer in the Urals
Young seedlings take root quite easily not only in spring, but also in summer. Planting cherries at this time is also easy, but there are a few additional rules. Since the seedling will be given less time to prepare for the winter period, it needs to strengthen the root system as much as possible.
The root neck should rise 3-5 cm above ground level.
To do this, young trees are fed with root and bird droppings. Fertilizer is diluted according to the instructions on the package. On average, each seedling requires from 10 to 20 g of dry concentrate. If you plant cherries in the summer, you need to take care of protecting the leaves and trunk from the scorching sun. Weak seedlings are covered with protective screens or special nets that scatter light.
How to plant cherries in autumn in the Urals
Despite the fact that autumn planting of seedlings in open ground is common in the central and southern regions, planting cherries during this period is quite problematic in the conditions of the Ural climate. The main advantages of this approach are that the plant has prepared for wintering, almost stopping its vital processes.
If it becomes necessary to plant cherries in the fall, it is better to do this in mid-September, after the rest of the trees have yielded and turned yellow. The planting hole is filled with prepared soil and a seedling is planted so that its root neck slightly sticks out above the ground.
Immediately after landing in open ground, it is necessary to take care of wintering. The trunk circles are covered with an increased layer of mulch. The trunk and branches of the seedling are insulated with spruce branches and roofing material. Experienced gardeners are advised to install additional wind screens for young trees.
Care of seedlings
Caring for young trees will make it easier for them to get through the initial stages of life. Cherry care procedures in the Urals are in most cases similar to those throughout the country. Early spring for crops is the time for applying organic and nitrogen fertilizers. Before swelling of the kidneys, urea and phosphorus bait are also added.
Every spring it is necessary to make shaping pruning of young trees. This will allow you to form a dense crown in the future. In addition, thinning eliminates the development of fungal diseases.
Also in the spring, seedlings are treated from insects. Preventive procedures are carried out at the time of the appearance of the first leaves. For this, a single spraying with insecticides or copper sulphate is sufficient. Fungicidal preparations can also be included in preventive treatment – they will protect cherries from fungi and harmful bacteria.
Before wintering, trunk circles are insulated with an additional layer of mulch.
In the summer, the seedling must be provided with sufficient watering, protected from drought and sunburn. Irrigation should occur every 2-3 weeks with a certain amount of water. Also during this period, organic fertilizers are applied twice with an interval of 1 month.
After each harvest, cherries are prepared for the harsh Ural winter. First, sanitary pruning is carried out, removing damaged shoots. Before the first snow, the crown is insulated with roofing material and spruce branches. Trunk circles are abundantly mulched with peat or sawdust. The better the tree is insulated, the more chances young cherries have to survive the winter in the Urals.
Tips from experienced gardeners
An important point when growing cherries in the Urals is the correct application of fertilizers. On average, up to 3 kg of organic bait is applied for each square meter of the near-stem circle. Also a classic supplement is 30 g of potassium chloride and 50 g of superphosphate.
An excellent tool for adjusting the acidity of the soil is ash and bird droppings. In a 20 liter container, 300 g of litter and 200 g of ash are diluted. Exactly half of the resulting volume is poured under each tree. With this fertilizer, you can refrain from complex chemical fertilizers in the first 3-4 years of the life of the cherry.
Experts advise not to neglect the whitewashing of the tree trunk. Summer in the Urals can be very hot. The sun can easily cause a young seedling and even an adult cherry a serious burn. The height of the whitewash should reach the first branches, but be at least 80 cm.
Conclusion
Properly planting cherries in the spring in the Urals is a real science that requires strict adherence to all agricultural practices. A healthy tree, pleasing with abundant harvests, needs constant fertilization and warming before the cold winter period.
