Duke Saratov baby

Duke Saratovskaya baby is a hybrid cherry and sweet cherry variety, which is distinguished by good winter hardiness, compact size and sweet berries. Cherry ripens very early, standing out among other varieties with generous yield.

The variety was bred at an experimental gardening station in Saratov back in 1995. Recommended for growing in the Lower Volga region. Cherry appeared through the efforts of breeders A.P. Kruglova, G.I.Dymnova and E.E. Kaverin, who crossed Rannyaya cherry with duke 1-2-29.

The tree grows up to 2.5 meters and has a spherical, slightly spreading crown. Large dark green leaves bloom on brown shoots. During the flowering period, the cherry is covered with large pinkish white flowers. In an inflorescence from 1 to 3 flowers.

Ripe berries gain weight up to 5 grams. It is distinguished by its rounded shape, flattened from the side of the stalk attachment. The fruit is colored by nature in an attractive dark red outside and inside. The stone is medium in size, with good separability from the pulp. The appearance of a fresh berry is rated at 5 points.

The taste of fresh cherries is sweet and sour, which has earned an expert assessment of 4.4 points out of 5 possible. The consistency of the pulp is not watery, moderately juicy.

Fruits appear on the tree 3-4 years after planting. Blossoming period is 10-15 May. Early ripening variety. Fruiting begins on the 20th of June.

The yield of the Saratov baby is high. On average, it is possible to collect about 14.6 kg from a tree.

The hybrid variety is self-fertile, that is, it requires pollinators. Turgenevka, Molodezhnaya, Lyubskaya and Nord Star are well suited for this variety.

It is better to buy planting material in nurseries or specialized stores. It is advisable to choose annual seedlings that take root more easily.

You need to prepare for landing well in advance. If it is planned for the spring, the planting pits will have to be prepared in the fall. In any case, the prepared pit must stand for several weeks for the soil to settle, to restore its structure and microflora.

In the south, cherries are planted in the fall, until mid-October. Then, before the onset of cold weather, it will have time to take root, and in the spring it will actively grow. In the northern regions, spring planting is preferable, so that by autumn the seedlings will completely take root and successfully overwinter.Spring planting is carried out until the buds have blossomed.

Saratov baby is very sensitive to light, so you should choose a sunny, open place for her.

The next requirement concerns the depth of groundwater. If they pass more than two meters, it is better to plant a tree on a small bulk mound. For cherries, it is ideal if the pH of the soil is within 6. On acidic soil, it will wither rather than grow, therefore, if necessary, the acidity is adjusted by adding lime or dolomite flour.

Since the Saratov baby grows small, you can save on the distance between the seedlings. It will be no more than 3 meters. In the neighborhood, you need to prepare a place for pollinating plants.

If the soil is loose, a hole 50 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter is enough. In dense soil, the depth should be 10 cm deeper and the diameter 20 cm.

The upper earth layer is mixed with humus on a one-to-one basis, 0.5 liters of ash is added, and the mixture is returned to the pit. A couple of buckets of water are poured there. You should leave the pit to stand for a while.

The planting process is traditional, as for all similar crops.

A freshly planted cherry needs frequent watering, especially in soil that does not retain moisture. In the early days, it is important to control that the ground is moist. For the first 2-3 months, you can water the seedling once every 2 weeks, and it is enough to water the finally rooted trees 4 times per season. This should be done during the most important periods of cultural development:

• after it fades;

• when the fruit is being poured;

• after harvest;

• until mid-October.

Watering rates are determined depending on the age of the fruit crop. An annual tree needs 2 buckets of water, an adult requires 5 to 7 buckets. Each watering is completed by loosening.

It is useful to mulch the trunk circle. So moisture is retained in the soil, and as the mulch decays, it fertilizes the tree. They feed the Saratov baby in the process of watering. From spring to mid-summer, plants need nitrogen fertilizers to actively grow the green mass. For this purpose, urea or ready-made ammonium nitrate is used in a dosage according to the instructions. Mullein or vermicompost is suitable for fertilization.

Wood pruning needs formative and sanitary pruning.

Sanitary pruning is carried out upon detection of broken or diseased branches.

Formative pruning is carried out over several years, starting from the second year after planting. This is usually done in the spring in order to grow a sturdy trunk and strong skeletal branches. Due to the fact that the Saratov baby is a short tree, there is no need to limit growth.

Saratov dwarf cherry variety is resistant to diseases and pests. But garden pests still do not always bypass the tree. With timely processing of trees and soil, you can effectively get rid of them.

The winter hardiness of the Saratov baby is high, the trees tolerate the cold well, but a number of protective measures have to be taken at the end of the garden season.

The trunks of young seedlings are protected from rodents by bandaging with strips of burlap or nylon tights. You can hide the trunks with tubes made of plastic bottles, wrap them with wire mesh to a height of 1 meter or more. It is important to remove the protective structures when the snow begins to melt so that the bark does not undermine.

And also you need to whitewash the trunks and large branches.

Cherries contain many valuable essential oils and pectins that help break down fats. This is a dietary product - there are only 50 kcal per 100 grams of berries.

The transportability of the Saratovskaya baby variety is good. The harvested fruits are stored away from sunlight, but not for long. In the refrigerator, they stay fresh for up to 10 days.

The best use for cherries is fresh. But it turns out well to make jam, compotes, juice, tinctures and other delicacies from it.