You could see various sorts of cherries in gardens or on summer cottages throughout the country.
One part of them was created by nature, and the other by laboratory selection methods.
In this article we will talk about this sort of cherry as "Chocolate Girl", about the features of the tree and the conditions for caring for it.
The variety of this cherry is relatively young, but it has already managed to win the hearts of both professional gardeners and amateur gardeners.
For many of them, cherry is a favorite crop.
Culture description
The variety of this type of cherry was obtained by crossing two crops Consumer black and Lyubskaya. Fruit "Chocolate" begins in the fourth year. The name of this variety probably comes from the color of the berries themselves (maroon, maroon). In the pulp of cherries contains many nutrients.
Differences in the appearance of chocolate cherry fruit
Average fruit weight 3.5 grams, the shape of the berries is round. The height, width and thickness of the sizes of cherries mainly fluctuate within the same limits and range from 16.5 to 19 mm. The stone in this variety of cherry is rounded, yellowish in color, the mass of which is 8-10% of the total mass of the fruit. The size of the stem is about 36 mm, it comes off from the fruit medium.
The pulp is separated from the bone without much difficulty, and is not too dense. The taste is sweet and sour cherry, similar to sweet cherry. The sugar content is 12.5%, dry matter 18.3%, acids 1.65%. The average yield of one tree is about 11-12 kg.
Features of the appearance of the tree
The flowering time of the cherry falls on the second half of May; accordingly, the first harvest can be gathered in July. The height of this cherry is low on average, reaching its maximum of 2.1-2.6 m. The crown of the tree does not have a special density and splendor. The shoots are medium in size, straight, brown with a touch of grayish color. Bud cone-shaped, closely pressed to the shoot, size about 4 mm. The leaves are egg-shaped, green.
The top of the tree is blunt-pointed, the base of the tree is islet-shaped. The lamina on the surface is matte, flat. Glands 2-4, located on the stem and base of the leaf. The length of the petioles is about 15–16 mm, the thickness of which is 1.7 mm, has an anthocyanin color on top. The inflorescences of this variety of cherries are small, consist of only three flowers. The rim is open diameter of 17.4 mm. Petals are white, loose.
Anthers are located above the stigma of the pistil. The length of the pistil is 5.2 mm, which is 0.4 mm less than the length of the stamens. The calyx is bell-shaped, and the serration of the sepals is strong. The color of the bark is brown. Mixed fruiting.
The advantages of chocolate cherries, the choice of which you will not regret
The advantages include:
1. Cherry Chocolate is self-fertile, does not need various kinds of pollinators.
2. It tolerates dry periods of the summer season.
3. Possesses resistance to winter cold.
4. It gives high yields.
However, there are limitationsAttention should be paid to - this is susceptibility to some types of fungus, such as coccomicosis and moniliosis.
It is also interesting to read about Youth Cherry
Terms and features of choosing a place for planting chocolate cherries
Planting of this culture must be made in April or September. This variety of cherries grows well on light sandy soils. When choosing a place for landing you need to consider some features:
1. Cherry is heat-loving and light-loving, by planting a tree in a dark place of high yield, do not wait.
2. Close to the surface, groundwater has a negative effect on growth and yield.
3. Does not tolerate overwetting, can do without watering for a long time.
Pit for planting seedlings can be prepared in advance, and you can dig up on the day of planting, the width of which should be not less than 65 - 75 cm, and the depth - 60 cm.
Fertilizers are added to the excavated soil: ashes, humus, superphosphate and potassium chloride.
Next, pour the bottom of the pit onto the bottom of the pit with fertilized soil and cover it.
After planting, compact the stem and watering.
The final stage of planting is mulching wheel circle humus with sawdust.
Cherry care or how to get high yields
Like any living plant, cherries also need regular care. Although it is a self-pollinated tree, experts recommend planting additional pollinators near the site, such as ordinary cherries or cherries Griot, Flask, to increase the yield. If you decide to plant several saplings of this cherry, you must take into account the distance between them, about 2-3 meters.
When caring for cherry, the following agrotechnical measures are carried out:
1. Pruning dry branches. Pruning should be carried out in early spring for 21 - 28 days before the swelling of the kidneys.
2. The cherry needs plenty of watering during the flowering and ripening of the berries, on average 3-4 buckets.
3. Fertilize the tree in the corresponding pores of the year with various fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizers are suitable for spring, and potash and phosphate fertilizers for autumn. Mineral fertilizers are applied during the growth period.
4. We need to weed the soil around the tree.
5. It is also necessary to check the crown in the search for infected areas, and if there are branches affected by the fungus, it is necessary to remove them and spray them with antifungal agents.
6. Although the "Chocolate Girl" is not afraid of frost, it is necessary to warm it for the winter, to wrap it with a cloth from rodents.
Chocolate Cherry Chocolate is well used in the preparation of jams, preserves, compotes, as well as in dry and frozen form.
