Duke Torch

Duke (a hybrid of cherry and sweet cherry) has been known to gardeners for a long time. The crop was in demand due to its higher resistance to frost and good yield indicators. The Fakel variety has an excellent delicacy cherry flavor, and a slight sourness is in harmony with cherry sweetness. In addition, the tree has strong immunity to most diseases and attacks of the cherry fly.

A medium-sized tree reaches a maximum height of 4 m. The dense and slightly raised crown has a round or pyramidal shape. The foliage of the plant is very good, the leaves are dark green in color. Thin branches from the trunk extend almost at right angles. Fruit inflorescences are formed on the shoots of the current year. Bouquet-type flowering. The tree has a lifespan of about 30 years.

The variety is characterized by very large fruits. The weight of one fruit can reach 10 g. The shape of the berries is even, rounded. The color of ripe berries is rich dark red. The skin is dense and can crack when overripe. Separation from the stalk is semi-dry.

Duke Fakel berries have a pleasant sweet taste, there is a pleasant sourness in the aftertaste. Therefore, the berries are rated at 4.8 points on a five-point tasting scale. Despite the fact that the pulp is dense, it is juicy and fleshy in consistency. When fully ripe, it is dark red in color.

The purpose of the variety is universal. The fruits make delicious fillings for baking and various desserts, as well as fragrant compotes, fruit drinks, jelly, and more. Fresh cherries are especially useful. It contains a large number of useful trace elements and substances that have a beneficial effect on the state of the whole organism. However, you should not get carried away with a large number of fresh berries, since the fruit acid in the composition negatively affects the general condition of the teeth.

The tree begins to fully bear fruit in 3-4 years of planting. Prior to this, the yields are small, but it is quite possible to evaluate the taste of the variety. The torch is a medium-ripening variety. The fruits ripen in early or mid-July. The ripening period largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region.

Duke Torch shows average yields. On average, 10-17 kg of berries can be harvested from one tree. Harvesting is easy because the tree is not too tall. Cherry's transportability is average, and the variety is not designed for long-term transportation.

The culture can be found in almost all regions of Russia. Duke Fakel has proven itself well when grown in Western Siberia, in the middle lane and in the northern regions, as it is able to withstand very severe frosts, but it tolerates heat less firmly.

The culture is self-fertile. Therefore, to obtain a harvest, you need to plant pollinator companions nearby. It is well pollinated by varieties of cherries Lyubskaya and Zhukovskaya.

The culture is unpretentious, but to get healthy and strong trees, you need to pay special attention to planting. Before planting a variety on your site, you need to find a place. The site should be sunny, then the berries will be large and as sweet as possible, with a deep bed of groundwater. The torch does not grow in swampy, shaded areas.

The choice of planting material should be approached carefully. It is better to purchase seedlings in specialized nurseries or from trusted sellers. The plant should be free from signs of disease, have a straight trunk, with a well-developed root system.

The torch is picky about the composition of the soil. Cherry grows well in fertile, well-drained soils with neutral pH levels. Lime is added to acidic earth, to alkaline sand. If the root system is open, then the day before planting, the seedling is soaked in a solution that improves rooting. In the case of a closed root system, this does not need to be done; after planting with a diluted solution, the seedling can be watered.

The planting hole is prepared several weeks before planting day. A hole is dug with a diameter of 100 cm, to a depth of 80 cm. A drainage layer of crushed stone or broken brick is laid on the bottom. Then a nutritious soil mixture is made, consisting of compost or humus, sand, peat, wood ash, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, divided into 2 parts. The first part is laid on the bottom with a slide, a tree is installed, and the roots are carefully straightened.

The sapling is poured with the rest of the soil mixture, tamped, watered abundantly, and the near-trunk soil is mulched. When carrying out planting work, you should try not to deepen the root collar. It should be at ground level. Immediately after planting, cut the shoots by a quarter.

After planting, care is minimal. The crop requires moderate watering depending on weather conditions. If a prolonged drought is established, irrigation is carried out once a week; in cool and rainy times, watering is carried out as needed. The plant does not like excessive moisture, especially in the roots.

The plant needs intensive watering 3 times a year: before flowering, at the beginning of fruit ripening and in autumn, to prepare the tree for wintering.

When growing Duke Torch, the amount of fertilizer applied should be controlled. The excess negatively affects the general condition of the tree, introducing an imbalance in the formation of the wood, making it thinner, which can lead to the death of the crop in winter.

Top dressing is applied to the ground 2 times per season. First in early spring before bud break in the form of ammonium nitrate. The second is in late autumn - the soil is enriched with potassium. Pruning is done regularly. In addition to sanitary, molding crown trimming is organized.

The culture calmly tolerates frosts down to -40 degrees. Therefore, it is not necessary to cover already adult specimens.It is necessary to prepare young seedlings for the winter period, since the bark is not yet lignified enough.

The variety has good immunity, staunchly resists diseases such as moniliosis and coccomycosis, as well as such a pest that spoils fruits like cherry fly. For preventive purposes, in early spring, the trunk and skeletal branches are sprayed with special preparations, and they are whitewashed with lime.