Sweet cherry Franz Joseph

Sweet cherry Franz Joseph is a middle-aged variety. It was originally designed for industrial use only. Later, it became widespread and, thanks to many positive qualities, earned the respect of gardeners.

The history of the origin of this species is shrouded in mystery. Historians suggest that the variety was the result of the efforts of the scientist Joseph-Eduard Prokhe, who was fond of studying plants. He gave the cherry his name, out of modesty linking it with the name of the emperor of Austria. In the 19th century, this crop was actively cultivated in the Czech Republic, and later it was brought to Russia. In 1974 she joined the ranks of the State Register.

The sweet cherry of the described variety has a thin crown in the form of a wide oval. The leaves are large, egg-like, with a pointed tip. The branches grow in tiers. The average growth of a tree is about 1.5-2 meters, in some cases it can reach 3-4.

Franz Joseph fruits are distinguished by an oval shape, on one side you can see a characteristic groove on them. The color of the fruit is sunny yellow, with a shade of amber, on one side there is a delicate pink blush. The pulp is fleshy and dense. The fruit weighs 7-8 grams and has a medium-sized bone, which does not separate very well. The variety tolerates transportation very well.

Franz Joseph tastes honey-sweet, with a subtle sourness. The tasters give the fruit a score of 4.2-4.5 points. Cherries are excellent for canning as they keep their shape perfectly. They are also successfully used for other types of processing.

Cherry Franz Joseph is capable of bearing fruit only in the fourth or fifth year of life, and sometimes you have to wait longer. The first harvests do not indulge in abundance; only a tree at the age of 7-8 years will bring a large volume of drupes.

The flowering of the tree can be observed at the end of April or at the beginning of May. Flowers, as a rule, are collected in bouquets of three, have a cup in the form of a glass and petals in the form of an oval.

Depending on the climate conditions and the place of growth, the ripening period can be very late or medium early. The fruiting stage most often begins not earlier than the second decade of June.

The considered sweet cherry variety is characterized by a high yield. The average number of fruits removed from the bush is 35 kilograms (North Caucasus), the maximum amount is 60-80 kilograms (Ukraine). There were also record figures: 113 and 249 kg from one tree.

The variety is successfully grown in Central Asia, in the west of Russia, almost throughout the territory of Ukraine, in the Rostov region, on the Crimean peninsula. The most widespread sweet cherry is in the North Caucasus region.

Perhaps one of the main disadvantages of this variety is self-infertility, that is, the culture cannot pollinate itself in any way. In view of this, not far from the plant, such varieties of cherries are planted as Drogana yellow, Melitopol, Daibera, Gedelfingen, Napoleon. Many gardeners also resort to the manual pollination procedure.This is a difficult and troublesome event, however, it allows you to harvest a large harvest and protects against diseases and pests. To make the tree more attractive to bees, it is recommended to treat it with honey water.

Franz Joseph should start planting cherries in the early spring, so that the culture has time to get stronger before the cold weather and get enough sunlight. It is customary to place the tree on the south side of the site, preferably on an elevation. In addition, you should avoid the neighborhood of this variety with trees such as apple, plum and pear.

As for the soil, it is better to give preference to fertile soil with a harmonious combination of nutrients. Neutral loamy soils are suitable. When choosing a seedling, it is worth taking a three-year-old specimen with a large number of branches. It is advisable to prepare for the process in the fall. It is recommended to pre-apply fertilizers (ash, compost) to the soil.

For planting, dig a hole of a suitable size (80 centimeters wide and 50 centimeters deep). The young plant is lowered there, carefully straightening the roots. Next, you need to cover the roots with earth, cut off the twigs by a third and water them moderately.

Caring for Franz Joseph cherries includes a number of regular procedures.

• Watering. Care must be taken here. Excess moisture damages the tree, so you shouldn't water it during rains.
• Pruning. In spring and autumn, Franz Joseph cherries need formative pruning, during which the twigs are cut off by one-fifth. Then they regularly carry out sanitary pruning, which is also important.
• Fertilizing the soil. It is not recommended to exceed the dosage declared by the manufacturer and to combine organic substances with minerals. Top dressing is the same as for other varieties of cherries.
• Preparing for winter. To help the culture endure frost, the trunk is whitewashed in the fall. You can also cover the barrel with a warm cloth, such as a sugar sack.

This type of cherry shows a high resistance to diseases and pests, but preventive procedures are still necessary. To avoid the occurrence of ailments, it is recommended to loosen the soil, saturate the soil with fertilizers in a timely manner, cut the branches according to the regime and not leave fallen fruits on the ground.

Sweet cherry Franz Joseph is well adapted to drought, it continues to yield a decent harvest with a lack of moisture.

The winter hardiness of the culture is at an average level, at a temperature of 24 degrees below zero, the wood does not freeze, but about half of the flower buds suffer.

Reviews of this variety are generally positive. Gardeners note that even with small mistakes in care, they get a crop that they are happy with.