Duke Night

The widespread prevalence of this wonderful cherry is associated with its versatility in terms of the possibility of planting in many regions of Russia. Even in places with unstable climatic conditions and severe winters, it successfully develops and bears fruit, despite the fact that it was "born" in a warm region. The only condition for its productive development is competent agricultural care.

This hybrid sweet cherry was obtained by L. I. Taranenko, an employee of the Donetsk Experimental Gardening Station. It was bred by crossing the American fast-growing hybrid of Northstar cherry and large-fruited cherry Valery Chkalov. Purpose - fresh use. It can be grown in Siberia, in the middle lane and in many other regions of Russia.

Culture trees are medium-sized (2.8-3.5 m), with wide-pyramidal crowns. Branches with smooth bark. Shoots are upright, dark brown in color. The foliage is dense. Leaves are dark green in color, glossy, with pronounced relief veins on the back. They are larger in size than cherry leaves. The stalks are medium.

Flowers and berries are formed mainly on bouquet branches and last year's growths. In southern latitudes, the culture blooms in mid-May. In cooler conditions, the budding period begins in early June.

Of the advantages of culture, we note:

• high level of frost resistance and drought resistance;

• large-fruited;

• excellent taste of the fruit and a pleasant aroma;

• reliability of preservation during transportation;

• versatility in use;

• high level of resistance to coccomycosis disease.

Of the minuses, we note the partial self-fruitlessness of culture.

Fruits are large (up to 7 g), dark red, wide-heart-shaped, slightly flattened on the sides. The peel is firm, shiny. The pulp is dark red, easily separated from the seeds. The bones are medium in size. Inflorescences are formed in the form of a brush with 6-8 flowers each.

The fruits are firmly held on the stalks, do not fall off when ripe, do not bake under the influence of sunlight.

By taste, the fruits are sweet and sour, combining cherry aromas and sweet cherry characteristic. Tasting assessment of berries in points - 4.5.

The starting picking of cherries is carried out in the 3-4th year of growth. Flowering time - the second decade of May. Aging times are average. Fruit bearing time is the end of June.

High-yielding culture - average volume up to 20-25 kg per tree. Yield parameters depend on a number of factors:

• the age of the tree (the trees approach the peak of the yield by the age of 12, then the volume of berries picked begins to decrease);

• strict adherence to the rules of care;

• the degree of damage by diseases and pests.

The culture is self-fertile in part - it is pollinated with its pollen by only 1.3% under favorable weather conditions.

Sweet cherry is considered the best pollinator neighbor, which provides the highest yield of sweet cherries. Other types of additional pollinators are also used, among them cherry varieties - Molodezhnaya, Lyubskaya, Nordstar and Meteor.

The most productive culture develops on chernozems, floodplain light loams and sandy loam soils. The locations of the seedlings require sun and protection from the winds.

Saplings must have:

• a healthy and well-developed root system;

• moist, bright brown roots;

• green trunks with clean and even bark;

• height 0.7-1.3 m;

• age 12

It is more expedient to acquire trees in the fall. Until the onset of spring, they are removed for storage in basements, where they are stored at a temperature of 0-5 ° C. The roots are treated with a talker (mullein with clay), wrapped in a rag and covered with a bag.

It is more expedient to land in the spring, and in the southern regions, autumn planting is allowed.

The optimal landing conditions of a general nature are:

• insignificant elevation with a slope of 10-15 °;

• southern or southwestern slope;

• protection from north or north-east wind;

• slightly acidic or neutral soils.

When planting in spring, places are prepared in the fall - 2-3 buckets of compost or humus, 2 liters of water, 300 g of superphosphate are laid in a dug planting hole.

It is not recommended to deepen the root collar during planting, and the grafting sites are raised above the ground by 2-3 cm.When watering, after planting, 20-30 liters of water will be required.

It is necessary to maintain a distance of 3-4 m between the seedlings and nearby plants. The distance from the fence or buildings is 2-3 m.

The list of activities and procedures for the care of the culture is standard, and the main principle that must be observed is timeliness and correctness.

As a drought-resistant crop, it has a negative attitude towards waterlogging. Irrigation periods:

• before flowering, in dry weather;

• during budding, development of ovaries, if there is a drought;

• after picking up the fruit;

• before the seasonal cooling - water-charging irrigation.

For example, if precipitation is observed every 1-2 weeks, then watering is not needed.

Top dressing is carried out in accordance with the schedule, they are quite traditional.

Pruning begins when the tree of the described variety is 5-6 years old. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring or late autumn, when there is no sap flow. Nochka also needs rejuvenating pruning, which trees are subjected to at the age of 15 and more.

The culture has a high immune potential for coccomycosis and moniliosis. Nevertheless, the likelihood of disease occurrence, especially with mistakes and omissions in care, remains. Cherries may well suffer from perforated spotting (clotterosporia). In this case, it is advisable to use Nitrafen to treat trees, and then biofungicides Quadris and Horus.

The most dangerous for cherries are the wrecking attacks of the cherry fly, weevil, mucous sawfly and aphids, the fight against which is carried out with traditional drugs and folk remedies.

The culture is drought-tolerant, not afraid of hot weather, and undemanding irrigation makes it popular in the southern arid latitudes.

Despite the fact that cherries were bred in a warm region, they are extremely frost-resistant, as they can withstand temperatures down to –30… 35 ° C.

When it is grown in the middle lane, measures to prepare for the winter cold remain relevant. For this purpose, a number of procedures are carried out.

1. The boles and skeletal branches are whitewashed after the foliage has fallen off. The procedure will protect the bark from temperature changes that occur at the end of winter.

2. In areas with frosty winters and weak snow cover, the near-stem spaces are mulched using sawdust, straw, foliage and humus.