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Until recently, the list of fruit crops recommended for cultivation in Cprobability-west Russia and the Non-Black Earth was very low. The gardeners could only dream that in their gardens some kind of specially bred cherry appeared for the Leningrad region, the varieties of which could withstand difficult winter conditions and cool, not very southern summer.
Today the situation is gradually changing, and enthusiasts are happy to share their success in obtaining stable yields of these tasty, beloved by many fruits.
Cherry growing difficulties in the Northwest
In the Soviet Union, breeders focused mainly on crops that were grown commercially and not in small private gardens. Therefore, initially a thermophilic sweet cherry could be seen south of Voronezh and Donetsk, in Moldova. For the middle zone and especially for the north-western zone there were simply no varieties. Since the breeding work takes more than one year, and field tests of new plants follow it, officially there are no sweet cherry varieties for the northwest in the State Register.
A natural obstacle to the culture is the lack of self-fertile varieties of sweet cherries for the Leningrad Region. To ensure cross-pollination, it is necessary to plant at least 2–3 winter-hardy species in the neighborhood, otherwise the number of ovaries on the branches is reduced by 90–95%.
And yet summer residents near St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and other areas of the northwestern zone do not despair. In practice, several varieties have already proven their endurance, frost resistance and yield, and a number of varieties of gardening enthusiasts borrowed from their colleagues in the Central Region of Russia.
Cherry varieties for the Leningrad region
When choosing a variety for planting on your own plot, it is better to give preference to the already tested and well-established varieties. First of all, you should pay attention to the sweet cherry, derived by the local Pavlovskaya experimental station VIR, located in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.
Cherry Leningradskaya black
One of the most cold-resistant and unpretentious varieties for the Leningrad region, the middle lane and even the Black Soil Region. The weight of dark, almost black fruit reaches 4 - 4.5 grams. Under the dense skin lies sweet, with a pleasant piquancy pulp and medium-sized bone. Tasting assessment - from 4 to 4.2 points.
Today, in the arsenal of the dacha owners of the North-West, not only is Leningradskaya black black cherry, but also varieties of this variety with yellow, pink and bright red fruits.
Sweet Dried Cherry Dawn
The strong-growing with winter-hardy variety of sweet cherry for the Leningrad region brings fruits weighing from 4.5 to 5 grams, with a pinkish-yellow thin skin and creamy pulp. Among the advantages of the variety is a high expert assessment of taste, which is 4.5 points, as well as excellent yield.
Sweet cherry varieties suitable for planting in the Leningrad Region are derived not only from a local, experimental station. Many excellent sweet cherry varieties for central Russia have been obtained by the efforts of the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine, located near Bryansk.
Sweet cherry Revna
Gardeners have long appreciated the widely rounded, almost black fruit of the Revna Cherry variety, gaining weight from 4.5 to 7.5 grams. Winter-hardy, resistant to common diseases, sunburn and freezing, the species begins to bear fruit by the age of 5, in the presence of pollinators, regularly rejoicing with cherries of excellent appearance and taste, worthy of 4.9 points.
Cherry Bryanochka
Since 2006, this variety is on state trials, but already today it is clear that its dark red with dense flesh and excellent taste can ripen not only in Nechernozemie, but also near St. Petersburg. The average weight of sweet cherry varies from 4.5 to 7 grams. The taste score is 4.7 points. In severe winters, trees can be affected by frost, but over the summer, fast-growing shoots restore damage. Cherry also shows high resistance to diseases.
Sweet Cherry Bryansk Pink
Elegant fruits of this variety with yellow sweet pulp and creamy-red ruddy peel weigh from 4 to 5.5 grams. Due to the frost resistance of trees and their excellent resistance to fungi, cracking and decay, the summer resident will not remain without a crop even in bad years.
Sweet Cherry Rechitsa
Another Bryansk sweet cherry variety demonstrates similar qualities for the Leningrad Region. Only ripening fruits of mass 4.9–5.8 grams middle-aged for a middle band have a rich burgundy color, the same flesh and a richer sweet taste.
seedlings Cherry Teremoshka
In 2201, the Teremoshka cherries appeared in the State Register, successfully surviving frosts down to -34 ° C and suffering little from spring frost in the North-West region. Sweet dark red fruits weighing 5–6.5 grams deserve 4.7 points.
Sweet Fatezh variety
Fatezh variety is well known to many gardeners in Russia. Among its advantages is the highest, along with the old varieties of cherries, winter resistance, disease resistance and excellent yields. Attractive red and yellow fruits gain a mass of 4 to 6 grams, and thanks to the dessert taste with a slight sourness, all gourmands will please.
In addition to the listed varieties of sweet cherries, for planting in the Leningrad region such varieties as the one shown in the photo Tyutchevka, Ovstuzhenka, Odrinka and Lena will do.
Features of planting and caring for sweet cherries in the Leningrad region
The main trouble for summer residents who decide to grow sweet cherries in the middle lane or to the north is the freezing of young seedlings, growth and flower buds, and perennial wood on large, already fruit-bearing trees.
To prevent this, you need to pick the most hardy, winter-hardy varieties, and also remember that cherries do not have self-fertile varieties, and in the Leningrad region, like everywhere, you need to plant 2-4 varieties for cross-pollination. Pollinators are selected taking into account the close timing of flowering and high requirements for frost resistance.
