Fast-growing resistant cherry variety "Tamaris"
What should be the perfect cherry? Juicy, sweet, beautiful and fruitful. Tamaris meets all these criteria, and also differs from most other varieties in attractive compact bushes and beautiful snow-white flowers.
Cherry Tamaris won the love of summer residents due to its easy care and frost resistance. The berries are universal in use - they are eaten fresh directly from the bush, frozen for the winter or used to make aromatic jam or jam.
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Description and characteristics of the Tamaris cherry variety
Cherry Tamaris is the result of the labor of Soviet breeders. The berry is intended for cultivation in the Central and North Caucasian regions of Russia, as well as in the Crimea and the CIS countries. The variety has declared itself as a fruitful, self-fertile and unpretentious in care.
Consider the description of the Tamaris cherry variety and its features.
Description of the tree and fruit
Tamaris is a dwarf variety, the height of the tree is no more than 2 m. The crown is of medium density, spreading. Leaves are oblong, oval. The flowers are small, white - the cherry tree looks beautiful during the flowering period. Shoots are long, classic brown.
Tamaris is suitable for planting in a small garden area - the tree takes up little space, is often used as a hedge.
Fruits are round, weight from 3 to 5 g. The peel is glossy, the color is rich red, less often claret. The pulp is dense and fleshy, juicy, sweet and sour. The stone is light beige, large, easily separates from the berry. The fruit stem is long.
Frost and drought resistance
The variety is winter-hardy, tolerates a drop in temperature to -25 ° C. If the temperature is lower, the shoots will freeze slightly, but they will recover quickly, this does not affect the yield. Drought resistance is average, with a prolonged absence of moisture, a deterioration in the taste of the fruit is observed. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor soil moisture and water the cherries in a timely manner.
Attention! If cherries are grown in the northern regions, then in the first years after planting, the tree is covered with burlap or boards. They protect the seedlings from harsh and cold winds, frost and snowfall.
Variety resistance to diseases and pests
Resistance to coccomycosis is high. Coccomycosis is the most dangerous fungal disease of cherries that can destroy the entire crop. Signs - small reddish-brown traces on leaf blades, wilting and shedding. If symptoms are not detected in time, the fruits will crumble and the tree will die. To prevent coccomycosis, it is recommended to treat the soil before landing, and soak the roots of the seedling in a solution of potassium permanganate.
For other diseases, immunity is above average, but it is not recommended to forget about preventive measures. Tamaris is rarely affected by insects, especially if you monitor the condition of the tree, feed the plant regularly, weed and loosen the planting site.
Pollinators varieties
The variety is self-fertile - pollinating insects and other varieties of cherry are not needed to get the harvest. However, gardeners are advised to plant 1-2 pollinating trees nearby to increase yields. For example, it can be Zhukovskaya cherry.In this case, an increase in yield is observed, the berries grow larger and more juicy.
Flowering and ripening period
Medium late variety, ripening begins in late July or early August, depending on the region of cultivation and weather conditions. Before this, the flowering period lasts 5-6 days. Tamaris cherries have a lifespan of 20 years.
Attention! Subject to agrotechnical rules, gardeners annually collect 10 kg of juicy and ripe cherries from one bush. The variety is not suitable for long-term storage and transportation, so the berries are eaten fresh or processed to make stewed fruit, jelly, jam, pastilles.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety include self-fertility, high and stable yield, frost resistance. Also distinguish taste of fruits, resistance to diseases and pests.
Cons of the variety - average drought resistance, fruits are not used for transportation and long-term storage.
Planting seedlings
Cherries are planted in spring or autumn. For the northern regions, spring is preferable - the seedlings will not freeze in winter, which will have a positive effect on productivity. Cherry Tamaris loves light, so spacious and sunny garden areas are chosen for planting. A windless slope or hillock will do.
The tree is not transplanted to another place - it will not tolerate this procedure. Therefore, the choice of place is taken responsibly.
Cherry prefers a mixture of loamy and sandy loam soils. If the soil is acidic, then before planting, gardeners add a solution based on wood ash - it neutralizes acidity, makes the soil more suitable, the seedlings take root faster. When planting several trees at once, it is important to maintain a distance between them - at least 3.5 m.
Tamaris seedling planting instructions
Planting seedlings does not require special knowledge and skills, but it is recommended to follow simple recommendations:
- They prepare the place - they remove garbage and the remains of last year's plants, disinfect the soil with the "HOM" preparation or a solution of Bordeaux liquid.
- A hole 60 cm x 60 cm in size is dug on the plot. The top layer of earth is mixed with humus, superphosphate or ash is added.
- 4 hours before planting, the seedlings are soaked in water at room temperature - so that the roots are saturated with moisture.
- A seedling is placed in the pit, a wooden peg is placed next to it. It protects young cherries from strong gusts of wind.
- Sprinkle the base of the seedling with earth, compact. The first 2 days the plant is abundantly watered with warm water, mulched with cut grass, hay, leaves and sawdust.
Subtleties of further care
It is impossible to get tasty and juicy berries without proper and regular care. Cherry Tamaris needs watering, preventive measures to protect against diseases, weeding and fertilization.
Irrigation intensity
Seedlings require moderate watering. In the first 2 years, they are watered 4-5 times per season. At a distance of 50 cm from the trunk, gardeners create a groove 20 cm deep. Water at room temperature is suitable for irrigation, about 13 liters are required for one seedling.
It is not recommended to pour the cherries at a time, it is better to mulch the soil - this way the moisture will go deep to the roots, and not evaporate at the first opportunity. If the summer is rainy and humid, then the amount of watering is reduced or not at all.
Mature trees are watered with the arrival of spring and at the end of flowering. During the ripening period, cherries require less moisture - due to an excess of berries, they crack. The root collar is not moistened during watering; after the procedure, the soil is slightly loosened and weeds are removed.
Fertilizing the soil
Fertilizers strengthen the plant's immunity, protect it from bacteria and fungi, make the fruits sweeter and more aromatic. Mineral and organic dressings are suitable for tamaris cherries. Due to a lack of vitamins, cherries stop growing, become weak, and often get sick. However it is important to avoid overfeeding- overfed trees freeze in winter, are sensitive to any changes in the weather.
Fertilization is started in the second year after planting. Use ammonium nitrate, urea, superphosphate, humus. They are introduced into the near-stem circle or annular grooves. After 5 years (in the seventh year), the number of introduced complexes is reduced. If fertilized with powdery components, then after that the plant must be watered.
Attention! The recipe for an effective universal fertilizer for a cherry tree is a solution based on chicken manure + 400 g of ammonium nitrate + 500 g of double superphosphate + a layer of peat (per 1 square meter).
Pruning and shaping the crown
Prune the crown in spring, summer or autumn. Long-term trees, yield, fruit quality depend on pruning. Gardeners remove all shoots that obscure the crown of the tree. If the length of these shoots is less than 30 cm, then they are not touched. Before winter, there should be no branches on the tree that extend from the trunk at an acute angle.
When forming a crown, young branches are lifted and tied to stronger shoots. This activates the growth of the plant. Use a knife or garden saw to trim cherry seedlings. It is not recommended to use pruning shears - it can spoil the still not matured tree.
Disease and pest control
The Tamaris variety is rarely affected by pests, but no one can guarantee one hundred percent protection against them. On young seedlings boring fruit mites are found. They eat shoots and leaves, disrupt plant metabolism. For prophylactic and therapeutic purposes, gardeners spray trees with the drug "Fufafon" or "Fitoverm". The reasons for the appearance of ticks are weak immunity, infected seedlings or soil, improper care.
Another common pest is cherry aphid. Sucks juice from berries, which is why the fruits grow small and fresh. Aphids overwinter at the base of the buds and become active in early or mid-summer. For the fight use the drug "Kemifos" or spraying with a solution of copper sulfate.
Also, cherries can get sick with moniliosis - a fungal disease is accompanied by gray spots on the bark, growths on the leaves and fruits. Deep cracks appear on the shoots. For processing, spraying with "Nitrafen" or copper sulfate is used. It is important to regularly carry out preventive measures and monitor the condition of cherry trees.
Harvesting and storage
Harvested in dry and calm weather, when there is no moisture on the tree. Plants are low - it is easy for gardeners to reach the very top without special tools. Ripeness is determined by appearance - the berries simultaneously acquire a dark red color, become elastic, the skin is shiny. It is recommended to harvest with gloves - the pulp contains acid, which causes the delicate skin of the hands and nails to burn.
If the fruits sit weakly on the branch, then when one berry is picked, the rest fall to the ground. In this case, gardeners in advance spread a piece of dense polyethylene on the ground. For collection, use a clean garden bucket, bottles, another plastic container.
Attention! Gardeners differ in their opinions. Some people think that cherries should be picked together with the stalk to increase the shelf life of the berries. Others argue that the detachment of the stalk negatively affects the future harvest, and it is important to collect the cherries with scissors, cutting off only half of the stalk.
Tamaris cherries are not suitable for long-term fresh storage. Winter preparations are prepared from the crop or berries are eaten just like that. Also, housewives freeze the fruits for the winter in the freezer - they are washed, dried and seeds are removed. Frozen cherries are added to desserts, drinks and pastries, ground with sugar and served with tea.
Gardeners reviews
In general, gardeners are satisfied with the yield and varietal qualities of Tamaris cherries.
Alexandra, St. Petersburg: “Tamaris is my favorite! The berry is unpretentious, the taste is 5 points. And what beautiful trees grow - a living decoration for my garden.During the cultivation, I have never encountered diseases, only once a spider mite appeared, but I quickly got rid of it. "
Vladimir, Moscow region: “Tamaris is not a bad variety. Fruiting in the third year, the trees are small. Berries are average in taste, the yield is stable. Last year I collected 7 kg from a tree. I just take care of the cherries - I water them, feed them with manure and ash, and mulch. I form a crown once a year. "
Conclusion
The Tamaris variety is grown in the south, in the Central zone, in the northwest of Russia. Saplings are planted in spring or autumn, a spacious and sunny place is prepared in advance. The distance between the seedlings is not less than 3.5 m. The berries are medium-sized, rounded, dark red or burgundy in color. The pulp is sweet and sour, pleasant.
Tamaris is rarely sick, it is hardy and immune to the most common diseases of berry crops. The height of an adult tree is no more than 2 m, so a ladder or ladder is not required to pick berries. The fruits are not suitable for long-term storage; it is recommended to use them immediately after harvest.