Cold- and disease-resistant early-ripening cherry variety “Bryanskaya pink”
Sweet cherry is the oldest variety of cherry, quite common not only in the southern regions, but also in central Russia. The Bryansk pink variety was bred specifically for temperate climates, but is also grown in more northern regions. It has won the trust of summer residents thanks to its cold resistance, stable yield and easy care.
What kind of variety is this
Bryansk pink cherries will be a godsend for beginning gardeners and will add variety to their garden plot.
History of origin and distribution
The variety was bred by breeders A. I. Astakhov and M. V. Kanshina at the Federal Scientific Center “VIK im. V. R. Williams". They took Muscat black cherry as the starting material and began to develop seedlings with improved characteristics. Official testing of the variety began in 1987, and already in 1993 the crop was included in the State Register.
The plant spread across the middle zone in a short time and has gained popularity among summer residents, gardeners and farms.
Characteristics of trees
Bryansk pink is a self-sterile variety of late flowering and ripening. The trunk grows slowly, the maximum height of an adult tree is 3–3.6 m. The crown is pyramidal and of medium density. The skeletal branches are located compactly at an acute angle relative to the trunk and are slightly raised upward.
Shoots are straight or slightly curved with smooth gray-brown bark. In the active phase of the growing season, the buds take the shape of an elongated egg, and in the generative phase they become oval. The leaves are large, dark green, with jagged edges and a pointed tip.
Inflorescences consist of 3 small flowers with a saucer-shaped rim. Long pistils and stamens are hidden in the goblet-shaped cup. The buds grow on thick petioles.
Flowering begins in the second half of May. At this time, the threat of return frosts is minimal and the formation of ovaries is not threatened.
Temperature resistance
Bryansk pink is characterized by increased frost resistance and winter hardiness, since it is zoned specifically for a temperate climate with a short summer. Grown in most horticultural regions without restrictions.
Attention! Spring frosts are dangerous when flower buds freeze and are damaged.
Moisture and drought resistance
The variety does not tolerate stagnation of moisture at the roots, since there is a high risk of disease or damping off. Tolerates short dry weather well. Water is required during flowering and ovary formation, as well as in pre-winter preparation.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The plant is affected by pests of stone fruit crops and requires timely protection.
Bryansk rose has a high tolerance to most common infectious diseases:
- coccomycosis;
- moniliosis;
- cleasterosporiasis;
- fruit rot.
Minimal preventative treatment against pathogens and pests forms the basis of tree care.
Description of berries
The first harvest is harvested only in the 5th year of the cherry tree’s life., at the end of July. The berries are round, 2-3 cm in diameter, weighing 4-5 g. Ripe fruits are picked 3-5 days after ripening, otherwise they will begin to deteriorate.For sale, the berries are collected with the stalks and at the very beginning of ripening.
The thick and thin skin has different shades of pink and yellow with red specks. The bone is small and comes off in half. The pulp is juicy, compacted, light yellow, the juice is colorless. The taste is sweet, tasters give it 4.1 points out of a possible 5.
Thanks to the strong skin, the fruits do not crack even during heavy rains., have excellent transportability and do not lose their presentation.
Productivity is stable, but low. On average, an adult tree produces 20 kg of produce per season, and in a good season - up to 35–40 kg. When grown for industrial purposes, 50–55 centners are obtained from 1 hectare.
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Areas of use
The variety is classified as universal. Cherries are sold, made into juices, jams, and frozen. When preserving, the high sugar content in berries is taken into account (the ratio of acids to sugars in berries is 1:20).
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Over 3 decades of cultivation, the variety has clearly demonstrated positive and negative characteristics.
Among the advantages:
- winter hardiness down to -25…-30°C without signs of frostbite;
- immunity to fungal diseases;
- compactness of the tree and restrained growth;
- relatively simple care requirements;
- high taste and technological characteristics of berries;
- drought resistance.
Disadvantages noted:
- the taste often contains bitterness;
- small berries;
- the variety requires a pollinator;
- long wait for the first fruiting.
Growing technology
The survival rate of the crop depends on the correct choice of planting material, location and preparation.
The tree is bought from a nursery to avoid fraud with the variety and not to lose the plant after the first winter. Choose a two-year-old seedling without cracks or damage, with live buds and a light cut at the top. The exposed roots are wrapped in a damp cloth and wrapped in film. This will protect the plant from dehydration during transportation.
Optimal conditions
When planting, take into account suitable climatic conditions and late fruiting of the variety.. If the seedling is purchased in late autumn, it is buried. Cherries, like all stone fruits, are best planted in the spring, even if the plant is in a container.
Landing dates and rules
Planting cherries before buds begin to open and sap flows. In the Central region, the deadline falls on the first half of April. At this time, the ground is completely thawed, and the threat of serious frost is minimal.
Choose a place that is well lit and protected from the wind, especially from the north. The ideal would be a gentle slope, an area near the south side of the house or a solid fence, where there is no stagnation of melt water. Maintain a distance of 3-4 m from the foundation or tall trees. When mass planting, wide passages of 5-6 m are made.
The variety develops favorably on loose neutral sandy or loamy soils with good drainage and low groundwater threshold.
Important! For the formation of an ovary, at least 2 pollinators are required nearby - other types of cherries. Cherry and elderberry will be successful neighbors. It is not advisable to plant Bryansk pink next to apple, pear, currant, raspberry and nightshade trees.
The planting site is prepared in the fall or spring, 3-4 weeks before work, as follows:
- Dig a hole 60–70 cm deep, 70–80 cm wide and long.
- The soil is mixed with 2 buckets of humus, 4-5 handfuls of ash and 100 g of superphosphate and transferred back.
- The clay soil is dug a little deeper and broken brick or crushed stone is placed at the bottom.
- Drive in a peg for support.
- If the weather is dry, add 2 buckets of water to better dissolve the nutrients.
Before planting, the cherry roots are placed for 2-3 hours in the “Kornevin” solution. for better survival. Further:
- Part of the soil is removed from the hole.
- Place the seedling so that the neck comes out of the ground a few centimeters, straighten the roots.
- Gradually rake the soil, compacting the layer with your hands each time. At the end, a roller is formed around it.
- The trunk is tied to the stake with a figure eight knot.
- Pour out 2-3 buckets of water and mulch with humus.
For a large seedling, pruning is done at a height of 60–80 cm from the ground.
Further care
Caring for the variety is standard for cherries. Seedlings 2–4 years old are given 2 buckets of water every 3 weeks. To prevent crust formation, the soil is loosened and mulched in a timely manner.
Mature trees are given a moisture charge 4 times per season: before and after flowering, 2 weeks before harvest and in the fall. Pre-winter watering is important as it will help survive frosts.
In the spring, to stimulate shoots, 100–150 g of urea is evenly applied to the tree trunk circle, which is embedded shallowly. After fruiting ends, the plant is fed with 300 g of phosphorus and 100 g of potassium.
Attention! The crown is formed over the next few years. Further pruning will be for sanitary purposes only. The variety is not prone to thickening; only the branches rubbing against each other are cut out inside. Even minor wounds are covered with garden varnish.
Possible problems, diseases, pests
The variety is resistant to the most common crop diseases, but Cool and rainy summers cause outbreaks of phyllosticosis, the appearance of false and sulfur-yellow polypores. Dangerous pests include aphids, leaf rollers, and cherry moths.
Spraying with 1% Bordeaux mixture before the buds open helps against fungus. and after picking berries. Insects are destroyed with insecticides: “Aktellik”, “Karate”, “Karbofos”.
Wintering
Bryansk pink is not afraid of frost, but it will not be superfluous to prepare it for winter. The procedure will help protect against pests, spring burns and rodents.
Stages of work:
- Clear the tree trunk circle of leaves and weeds.
- Dig the soil to a depth of 10 cm.
- The trunk and a third of the lower branches are whitened with a composition of 5 liters of water, 1 kg of lime, 100 g of copper sulfate and 500 g of powdered clay. For young trees, the concentration is 2 times less.
- Mulch with a thick layer of sawdust and peat. The trunk is wrapped in burlap or spruce branches.
Reproduction
The grafting method is suitable for propagation. When growing a tree from a seed, varietal characteristics are not preserved. The cuttings are grafted onto a young seedling. He will repeat the parental characteristics.
The cutting method is rarely usedbecause it is unproductive. In this case, the survival rate is no more than 5%.
Features of cultivation depending on the region
Cherry is zoned specifically for the conditions of the Central region. In addition to the Bryansk region, it has long been cultivated in the Moscow region and more northern regions. The variety is quite popular in the black earth zone, Belarus and Ukraine.
Important! Planting time depends on the region. In the southern regions, the crop is planted in the warm autumn, in the rest - only in the spring.
Pollinator varieties
Since Bryansk pink is self-sterile, for pollination it requires proximity to a simultaneously flowering cherry of another variety. Without this condition, the yield will be practically zero.
The best crops for cross-pollination are considered:
- Revna;
- And the way;
- Tyutchevka;
- Ovstuzhenka.
The crop is not pollinated by cherries, but early varieties (Shpanka, Dessertnaya Morozovaya) can act as such.
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Reviews from summer residents
Over decades of cultivation, owners of the variety have generally formed a positive opinion:
Matvey, Moscow region: “I would argue about the sustainability of Bryansk pink. Of the four cherries, one suffered from moniliosis, but the disease developed mainly due to an expired fungicide. This is most likely a feature of the tree that may have suffered the most from the cold season. Overall, I was pleased: the variety proved to be the most prolific.”.
Svetlana, Khabarovsk: “The variety has proven itself well in our conditions, it is truly unpretentious and does not freeze. I would like the yield to be higher, but the advantages are immeasurably greater.”.
Irina, Ryazan: “I have a tree in my garden for 10 years, there are pollinators nearby. The yield is stable, although the berries are small, but we have enough. I feed as needed, water 3-4 times per season. I recommend!".
Conclusion
The Bryansk pink variety is valued for its unpretentiousness in cultivation and stable late harvest. If you want to plant cherries, take into account the climate of the area and choose the right planting date. In the first years of growth, the crown must be formed. Rare preventive treatments will eliminate the risk of tree infection and loss of fruit quality.