Cracking cherries - can this be prevented?

We all expect the summer to enjoy the sun, the warmth. It pleases us with juicy fruits, berries, which have a unique taste, replenish the vitamin balance of the body. A healthy sweet cherry has a lot of admirers, someone grows these trees in the garden, in their summer cottage, to feast on plenty, someone for industrial purposes. Summer residents, farmers are often united by one problem they face - the cracking of sweet cherry fruits.

cracked cherries

This is quite a serious matter: the berries become unsightly, and the harvest becomes unclaimed from a commercial point of view. On the scale of industrial cultivation of sweet cherries, a complex of protective measures is carried out to solve this problem - trees are treated with special means, covered with protective material, provide special care. And what should we, gardeners, gardeners? We will understand why this happens.

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Why cherry berries burst

Causes of cracking: the skin of the fetus absorbs water( fog, rain, dew), after which those places where moisture is delayed the longest, are oversaturated with water and crack. Most often this is the area near the stem and the bottom of the berry, where a drop hangs.

Cracking cherries when ripening

The second cause of this problem is a glut of moisture in the roots of the tree. This happens both during long rains, as well as during a one-time heavy rainfall after a severe drought, when the roots yearning for water intensively and quickly absorb moisture from the soil. Prolonged precipitation provokes the appearance of cracks in the upper part of the berry, and the so-called “one-time” rain on the sides.

The reason why the berries of the cherry tree burst on the tree can also be irregular watering. Often this happens when at the beginning of the ripening of cherries the owners do not provide her with appropriate and timely watering. Then comes the rainy period, or the owner begins to intensively water the tree, but the cherry is inevitably cracking. The reason - with obtaining moisture, the pulp of the berry begins to grow rapidly, and the skin does not keep up with it and simply breaks. The taste of sweet cherries does not deteriorate due to this, later such a scar becomes rough and the berry can be eaten. The external, marketable cherry appearance suffers so that this does not happen, the tree needs to ensure uniform watering, then the berries will develop properly.

In order to prevent cracking of sweet cherry berries, it is possible to choose varieties resistant to this problem for planting. Such varieties( for example, "Valeria", "Yaroslavna", "Summit", "Lapens") have a thicker skin and dense flesh. The type of soil is also important - with uniform watering loam perfectly retain moisture, cherry gets it enough. On sandy soils, it is already more difficult to achieve uniform wood moisture.

Cracking cherries after rain

Perhaps cherry is the only tree that requires increased attention while observing the watering regime. Water recharge irrigation is necessary for it in the fall as well as for other trees in the garden. But in early spring one should refrain from abundant watering, otherwise the crop can be reduced or completely lost, since this may be the only reason why sweet cherry berries burst.

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Cherry Cracking Preparations

To reduce cracking of the sweet cherry, it is possible to treat the trees with a solution of calcium chloride. To do this, use a device for spraying, the procedure is carried out before the rain or during it. This method covers the peel of the fruit with salt, from which osmotic pressure decreases in the berries. It will be better if heavy rain passes before the harvest, which will wash away the salt bloom from the cherries. Otherwise, you will have to “thoroughly rinse” the branches from the watering hose. If the sweet cherry is grown for itself, and not for sale, then natural washing of fruits before use will be quite enough.

Preparations for cracking cherries fruits can also help you. Their use gives good results. Water soluble concentrate “Watershed” reduces the cracking of berries, covers fruits with a transparent coating, which helps retain moisture, improves skin elasticity. This drug has a natural origin( pine resin), so it is safe for people and the environment. This solution can irrigate trees at any stage of fruit ripening.

If the berries of the sweet cherry burst, try using the film-forming preparation "Vapor Gard".From gardeners you can hear a lot of positive feedback about this tool, as it not only protects the berries from cracking, but also works as a shield from ultraviolet radiation. Also, the drug contributes to the accelerated ripening of fruits, improves their taste, increases transportability, prolongs shelf life. Under the influence of natural daylight, “Vapor Gard” envelops the berries with the thinnest elastic coating that controls transpiration processes( evaporation of moisture).This layer has no taste and smell, will not cause damage to your health, as it is non-toxic and consists of 96% natural ingredients.

It is worth noting that almost all effective drugs for cracking cherries work on the same principle - they create a protective barrier that prevents moisture loss.

The antitranspirant “drug 30-D” gives a good result, it slows down the process of evaporation of moisture from fruits, keeps the skin hydrated. In addition, it protects berries from sunburn, pests. Trees are sprayed with diluted water with a means one month before harvesting( one bottle per 10 liters of water).

Preparation 30-D protects not only cherries, but also cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, strawberries from negative weather factors. For example, it prevents the fruits from cracking, protects the plant from weathering, sunburn, and also increases the size of the fruit, accelerates their ripening, increases marketability and improves the taste of the crop.

The plant needs to be treated with a 2.2-2.5% solution of the Preparation 30-D, when the fruit is already formed( the bright green color of the berry) and is preparing to enter the phase of maturation( softening).After the use of the 30-D preparation, there is a uniform ripening of fruits, which reduces the time for harvesting, decreases the likelihood of rotting of the crop, it remains better and lasts longer.

The treatment is carried out during the growing season on the leaf apparatus of the plant in the evening. The drug 30D - organic, non-phytotoxic, environmentally friendly.

It is also recommended to pay attention to the “Calbit C” preparation, which works to improve the internal structure of the berry. This tool contains calcium, which interacts with the pectin components of the fruit, thereby strengthening the cells( pulp and peel) and increasing their elasticity. This factor contributes to the resistance of the berries to cracking, improves the quality, prolongs the period of storage of the crop after removing it from the tree.

Summarizing the above information, you can derive a kind of "formula" of how to prevent the cracking of sweet cherries. First, it is necessary to treat trees responsibly, to provide them with timely, properly organized watering. Secondly, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate and the ground in order to avoid excessive waterlogging.

Cherry harvest - no cracking

It is necessary to harvest in time, to avoid overspeeding of berries. If you meet these simple requirements, as well as use the above-mentioned preparations, the cracking of the fruits of the sweet cherry tree can be minimized or prevented altogether.

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Reviews and tips gardeners to prevent cracking of the fruits of sweet cherries

From their own little experience in the cultivation of sweet cherries. A few years ago, the fruits of the cherry blossoms were strongly cracked if heavy rain fell during the period of full maturity - the fruits had to be thrown out. Once I came across a recommendation from L.I.Taranenko about watering in the period of fruit filling, as well as watering the stone fruit at the beginning of flowering, especially in dry weather, so that the pistils of flowers do not dry out. For several years I have been plentifully watering cherry and sweet cherry plants before flowering or at the very beginning of flowering. During the growth period, especially during the pouring of the fruit, the cherry and sweet cherry plants are also constantly watering. This agricultural practice allowed to sharply reduce the cracking of fruits after heavy rains, although it is not possible to get rid of cracking completely, but these are most likely varietal characteristics.

Victor Bratkin

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