Cherry Khutoryanka

Cherry Khutoryanka, like most existing today, is a hybrid variety, and it was obtained through crossing the following two varieties: Black large cherry and Rossoshansky black.

Already in 2004, the Khutoryanka cherry was officially included in the state varietal register, however, despite its relatively small age, this cherry has already won the hearts of thousands of gardeners, both professionals and beginners.

However, it cannot be said that the popularity of the Khutoryanka cherry variety was incredible. Yet the cherry mastodons would not give up their places so easily. However, the variety received recognition for its worthy qualities.

Cherry Khutoryanka: variety description

Cherry Khutoryanka: photo of the variety

The tree of the Khutoryanka cherry variety does not grow very tall, and its crown, on the contrary, becomes incredibly spreading with age. Its shape is pyramidal or, as it is also called among the people, broom-like. It should also be noted that the crown is not only spreading, but also quite dense: foliage covers absolutely every shoot and every branch of the plant.

As for the leaves themselves, they have an ovoid shape, and their ends are only slightly pointed. Also, small teeth can be observed along the edges.

The surface of the leaf plate is mottled with wrinkles, which are also distinguished by the color that differs from the color of the leaf, and it should also be noted that the plates are covered with barely noticeable pubescence.

The leaves are painted in dark green shades, which become even darker as the plant matures. The back side is always painted in a light gray shade.

The dimensions of the leaf plates reach about ten centimeters in length and six centimeters in width.

The petiole of the leaves is rather thick compared to other representatives of cherry, and its color is distinguished by dark red and even burgundy shades.

The bark of the cherry tree Khutoryanka is quite similar in color to the petioles on which the leaves are formed: it is brownish-burgundy, but the color is much less saturated. You can even say that there is a gray tint on it.

The surface of the bark is quite smooth and pleasant to the touch. However, the more mature the plant gets, the more likely it is that the bark will begin to flake off in some places.

Unlike most cherries, this variety grows exclusively at an acute angle, and therefore, if they are young and not strong enough, there is a possibility that they will be broken off during harvest. However, it is not large, as the branches are quite strong and strong.

As for the height of the tree, which we mentioned only in passing at the very beginning of the article, it is about four meters, which is not a small, but not a large indicator for a representative of cherry.

The crown reaches a little more in width: about five meters in diameter.

• Fruit varieties

Cherry variety Khutoryanka is considered one of those that ripen quite early: the first fruits begin to appear in early June. However, keep in mind that this date can vary greatly depending on which region you live in.

The average berry weighs about four grams and has a diameter of about two centimeters. At the same time, the fruits will retain an almost perfect rounded shape.However, there are deviations in which the berries become a little flatter or even heart-like.

The color of the berries can be described as a very dark burgundy. At the same time, the color is incredibly rich, and therefore, at first glance, the berries even resemble cherries. Therefore, we can say that the fruits of this variety have an excellent presentation, which, of course, is its greatest advantage.

The pulp of the Khutoryanka cherry itself has about the same color as the skin of the fruit. It also has incredible juiciness and density, which makes it very pleasant to consume.

The stone is colored light brown. However, unfortunately, it is one of the main disadvantages of this variety, since it is separated from the pulp with great difficulty, which makes this cherry not the best variety for preparing blanks.

However, despite the rather bad separation of the bone from the fruit, there are no problems with the separation of the fruit itself from the stalk.

As for the taste qualities of Khutoryanka cherries, which are likely to interest you the most: they are wonderful, and they can be described as the perfect balance of the palette of sour and sweet tastes, which not all varieties of cherries can achieve.

According to the professional gardeners and tasters, on whose opinions the assessment was built, the qualities of this variety are equal to four and a half points out of five possible, which is an incredibly good, albeit not the best result.

• Pollinators for plants

Perhaps some, having read the table of contents of this paragraph, are already frightened that instead of one plant you will have to plant and in the future take care of two at once.

If so, then do not worry, this cherry variety is completely self-fertile, which makes it even better especially in the eyes of beginner gardeners, for whom ease of growing is one of the determining factors.

• Bloom

As already mentioned, the cherries of this plant ripen (under ideal weather and climatic conditions) by the beginning of June, but the flowering of the plant begins shortly before that - in early May.

As you already know, the plant is self-pollinating, and its flowers are small, compact white buds that have yellowish pistils and stamens.

It should also be noted that the buds exude a very pleasant aroma during flowering, which will make your time in the garden even more satisfying.

Cherry Khutoryanka: characteristic of the variety

Cherry Khutoryanka: photo of the variety

First of all, it should be noted the yield of the Khutoryanka cherry variety, which most professional gardeners and breeders estimate as average.

Nevertheless, as you may have noticed, despite the fact that the number of berries is not the largest, they have excellent taste and appearance that less prolific varieties could not boast.

Fruiting begins as early as the third year after planting, but sometimes it can be delayed and begin only four years later. Such changes, of course, will be associated with bad weather or insufficient care.

As you would expect, the first season will be the least successful for the plant. Nevertheless, not every cherry has such a poor first harvest: no more than two kilograms per tree.

However, in a couple of years you will be able to harvest a plentiful and, most importantly, stable harvest, the weight of which will be approximately twelve kilograms per tree.

However, this is far from the limit, since with especially good care, timely pruning, top dressing and, in general, good plant care, this number can be increased even to twenty kilograms. The main thing is desire and, to some extent, the weather.

Also, the physiological characteristics of this cherry can be attributed to the fact that it copes well with frosts and droughts. Let's talk first about the second.

Despite the fact that the Khutoryanka cherry tolerates the absence of precipitation quite well, this only means that it will not die without constant rains, and not that it can not be watered at all.

With prolonged drought, the above procedure is required at least once every one and a half weeks. For this, exclusively warm water is used without fail.

As for frost resistance, this characteristic of the plant is excellently developed, and therefore it tolerates winters without any problems.

However, young seedlings still need shelter, and therefore mulch and film should be prepared for them.

The beneficial qualities of the Khutoryanka cherry variety can also be attributed to the exceptional density of its berries, which provides one of the most important advantages, which is especially interesting for those who grow cherries for sale. We are talking, of course, about good keeping quality and transportability.

Cherries can lie and remain in good condition, retaining their taste, for a whole week and a half. They are no worse preserved during long-distance and long transportation.

However, as already mentioned, using this cherry for preparing blanks is quite problematic in view of the difficulties associated with separating its seed from the pulp. However, this does not in any way affect the excellent marketability of the berries, which are sold like hot cakes.

Cherry Khutoryanka: advantages and disadvantages

Cherry Khutoryanka: photo of the variety

As you may have noticed, Khutoryanka cherry, like everyone else, has not only a number of undeniable advantages, but also a considerable number of unpleasant disadvantages, which we decided to summarize before proceeding with detailed instructions for caring for these varieties.

Advantages of the variety:

• Excellent taste and external qualities of berries
• Amazing transportability and keeping quality of fruits
• Equally good frost and drought resistance
• Good adaptability to particularly hot climates
• The ability of a tree to recover very quickly from damage.
• Good resistance to a number of fungal diseases, which also include moniliosis and a couple of rot types.

Flaws:

• Poor separation of the bone from the pulp
• Weak resistance to attacks of parasites, as well as to viral infections
• Very lean first year
• Branches that, with excessive force, can break off the trunk due to the excessively sharp angle at which they are located towards the trunk.

Cherry Khutoryanka: planting varieties

Cherry Khutoryanka: photo of the variety

Of course, before you start caring for this plant, you will have to plant it. Well, and planting, as you probably know, is at least fifty percent of the success of the future plant, since it is during this procedure that all the necessary conditions for growing cherries are laid.

With proper planting, as well as with good care in the future, you can harvest about twenty kilograms of cherries from one tree annually for about fifteen years.

• Landing dates

Of course, you will not plant a plant in winter, however, planting anytime during the growing season is also not the best solution, since only spring is really the optimal and appropriate time for the procedure.

You can also plant in the spring. This is especially true for those who live in southern and warm regions. However, even then, planting cannot be postponed further than at the beginning of September, since during the procedure later, problems may arise with the experience of winter.

It is also very important to land only when the weather is exceptionally warm and calm. You also need to make sure that it lasts for at least a couple of days to allow the sprout to take root properly in the soil.

• Planting site and potting soil

When planting the Khutoryanka cherry variety, you should first of all pay attention to the fact that the Khutoryanka cherry does not tolerate through winds, and therefore, at least from the northern side, it must be protected by something.

A house or some other structure is best suited as such a protection, since it will not allow not only the wind, but also the excessively scorching sun to damage the plant.

As for the soil, first of all, you must provide that there is not too much groundwater under it. It should be borne in mind that even a minimal amount of them, located at a depth of less than two and a half meters, can greatly harm the plant.

Also, when planting, you should avoid places that are significantly different from the rest of the garden in their snow cover. They are especially dangerous, since it is in them in the event of rain that moisture will stagnate, which should be avoided by all means.

Speaking of the soil, it should be noted that it must be sufficiently loose and fertile. You should also keep in mind the fact that this plant is completely unsuitable for soil in which the oxidation state is higher than average, and therefore, if this is the soil that prevails in your garden, we advise you to neutralize it.

The planting process itself begins long before the seedling is in the ground, since two weeks before that you will have to feed the site you have chosen. To do this, you will need complex mineral fertilizing, which will allow the seedling to quickly and easily adapt to its new habitat.

But right at the time you place the seedling in the hole, it will need to be additionally fertilized with biofertilizers, as well as potassium chloride and wood ash, which will completely rid the soil of excessive acidity.

• Planting process

First of all, a couple of rules should be outlined for those who are going to plant a whole cherry orchard of trees of this variety. To do this, you will have to closely monitor the observance of the distance between the rows and between individual plants.

The distance between each individual row should be at least four meters, and the distance between adjacent cherries should be at least three meters.

You should also pay attention to how large the seedling is. If you see that he is much larger than the others, it makes sense to assume that, having matured, he will take possession of a more spreading and wider crown than the average tree, and therefore he will need to provide more space.

Before planting, a thorough examination of the root system of the seedlings should also be carried out, which will include checking it for damage or suppuration.

If both are found, it is necessary to cut off the damaged area and treat it with charcoal. Also during this check it is necessary to check how dry the roots are. If They are too dry, you need to moisten them before planting.

• Algorithm

1. First of all, you need to dig a hole in the place where you fertilized the soil. Its depth should be approximately fifty centimeters, and its diameter should be eighty centimeters, or, depending on the size of the sprout, a whole meter.
2. In the very center of the pit, it will be gentle to install a peg, which will be used to maintain the sprout in a stable standing state.
3. After that, the seedling itself is installed. It should be a short distance from the peg. It is also very important when planting to make sure that all its roots are evenly distributed along the bottom of the pit and look in different directions. This is the only way to achieve uniform and correct growth.
4. At the same time, you need to make sure that the root collar is just above the soil level: about three centimeters above it.
5. After that, the root must be covered with a soil mixture prepared by you and fertilized with numerous dressings, and the trunk of the seedling must be tied to a peg.
6. As the soil falls asleep, it is necessary to tamp it. This is necessary not only for the formation of the hole, but also to remove air bubbles that can oxidize the roots, which ultimately will lead to the development of rot.
7. Immediately after planting, you need to take care of the abundant watering of the seedling with two buckets of sufficiently warm water. It is also advisable to mulch the tree trunk circle, since this procedure makes it much easier to care for the plant, and also prevents the spread of weeds and all kinds of slugs.

Cherry Khutoryanka: variety care

Cherry Khutoryanka: photo of the variety

As already mentioned, only with excellent care, this plant can reveal its full potential and give you the largest number of fruits that it is capable of. Fortunately, such care is quite simple, and therefore even a beginner will be able to achieve excellent results from this tree.

• Watering

The most abundant, constant and frequent watering should be in the very first year of a plant's life, since this is the year that is most important for it in terms of adapting to a new habitat.

It is also advisable not to reduce the number and abundance of watering in the second year of life.

On average, watering the plant should be done every two months, however, as already mentioned, in the absence of rain, this number increases rapidly, and therefore you need to carefully monitor the weather.

Do not forget and that the water must be warmed up, since, despite the frost resistance of the variety, the direct hit of cold moisture on the roots will definitely not have a good effect on the plant.

• Top dressing

The first fertilization of cherries of the Khutoryanka variety should be carried out in the second year of its life, since in the first year the tree will already be provided with the substances that were introduced during planting.

The ideal fertilization option would be a complex of minerals produced specifically for the care of fruit trees. However, organic matter should also be used, and therefore a solution of rotted manure can also and even be used. However, do not mix these two fertilizers too much, as in the end there may be too many of them for one tree.

• Pruning

Despite the fact that this was not mentioned in our algorithm for planting a cherry tree, the first pruning must be done during it.

In the event that the planting was carried out in the spring, then the next pruning is carried out as soon as possible - in the fall of the same year. Only in this way can you set the tree on the right course of growth and development for the formation of a good crown.

Adult trees of the Khutoryanka cherry variety are pruned according to the same scheme: formative pruning is carried out in spring, and preventive pruning in autumn, during which all branches and shoots that have been damaged during the year are removed.

It is also necessary to get rid of too loaded or simply unnecessary branches, since we want the tree to spend its energy only for the benefit.

• Preparing for winter

As already mentioned, the Khutoryanka cherry variety is winter-hardy and tolerates cold quite well, and therefore adult plants do not need to be covered for the winter at all.

However, there is an exception: for example, if you decide to plant a tree in the fall, then a young seedling will definitely need to be protected, since it is highly likely that he will meet the winter completely unprepared for it.

As for the preparation, which does not include sheltering or insulation: the soil around the tree must be dug up and loosened, since all kinds of insects are very fond of hiding and hibernating in it, which can give you a huge amount of trouble in the coming spring.

It will also be useful to take care of mulching.This is especially true for young plants.

You can also use whitewashing to protect your plant from rodent infestations after hibernation, but this is not necessary.

Diseases and pests

The most dangerous and often affecting this plant disease is coccomycosis. This is a very unpleasant fungal infection, which primarily attacks the leaves, as a result of which the normal supply of the plant with energy is disrupted.

If you find this disease early enough, you can easily overcome it with fungicides, of which there are many on the market.

Spraying will also be desirable to be repeated in the fall, and all infected parts of the plant must be removed and burned.

Nevertheless, you may well not have time to respond to the disease, as a result of which the plant can be very badly damaged or even die. Therefore, we recommend that you inspect the plant as often as possible and, if possible, carry out preventive spraying.

As for all kinds of insects and parasites, they are most often presented in the form of aphids or leaf rollers, which, no matter how you would like to get rid of them, are as if present in your garden. In the event that you find larvae on the tree, you will need to immediately take protective measures, since it will be almost impossible to cope with an overgrown insect colony.

Cherry Khutoryanka: reviews of gardeners

Anna Bolotova

“In fact, I'm not one of those who really like to tinker with plants. Despite the fact that I have been gardening and growing fruit plants for a long time, for me it is more a hobby than work. Therefore, in any variety, I always appreciate unpretentiousness, and that is why I liked the Khutoryanka cherry so much. It was a pleasure to look after her. It feels like she didn't really need me. The tree grows remarkably well without close maintenance and irrigation scheduling. Well, most of all I was surprised when I received such magnificent berries from such a non-capricious tree. Yes, at first, of course, there were not many of them, but the seller warned me about this, and therefore I did not despair. I continued to grow a tree of the Khutoryanka cherry variety, giving him everything he needed, and now I have almost twenty kilograms of excellent cherries every year. Isn't it wonderful.

In general, I was completely satisfied. The only disadvantage of the Khutoryanka cherry variety is, perhaps, a bone: it is rather difficult to separate it from the pulp, and therefore, making preparations has to spend not only time, but also nerves. But the result is delicious. I am not ashamed to recommend such a cherry to any gardener who does not know where to start. "

Conclusion

Cherry Khutoryanka is a really wonderful variety that is perhaps very underestimated by many gardeners.

Nevertheless, all those who were still able to try it and in reality saw all its positive aspects, leave no less positive reviews and recommendations.

We hope that the Khutoryanka cherry will take root on your site as well as that of our independent expert, and we also wish you success in growing this wonderful cherry.