Content
Cherry Revna relatively recently appeared in the arsenal of amateur gardeners. Despite this, the variety has already become quite popular. The reason for this is its good yield and good frost resistance, which makes it possible to grow this type of sweet cherry even in the cool climate of Central Russia.
Breeding history
Cherry Revna is one of a number of varieties bred at the end of the last century by specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine. The variety is named after the eponymous river flowing in the Bryansk region, where the institute itself is located. The cultivar Bryanskaya Rozovaya was taken as a basis, the selection was carried out by the method of free pollination. The authors of the cherries Revna are breeders M.V. Kanshina and A.I. Astakhov.
In 1993, the Revna cherry variety successfully passed state tests and in 1994 was included in the State Register.
Description of culture
Cherry Revna is a small, spreading tree. It is widespread, mainly in the southern regions.
Characteristics
The table shows the main characteristic features of the Revna cherry variety.
Parameter | Value |
Culture type | Fruit stone tree |
Height, m | Until 3 |
Bark | Burgundy brown |
Crown | Pyramidal |
Foliage | Average |
Leaves | Large, leathery, dark green, rounded with a sharp tip. The edge is sharply serrated. |
Escapes | Fast growing, straight |
Fruit | Medium, dark red, rounded-flattened. The berry mass is 4.5-4.7 g, rarely up to 7 g. |
Pulp | Dense, dark red |
Taste | Sweet, tasting rating - 4.9 out of 5 |
Bone | Easy to separate from the pulp, medium size |
Assignment of the variety | Universal |
Transportability | Good |
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Winter hardiness was one of the priority tasks in the development of the Revna cherry variety. The result is good. The tree can withstand frosts down to -30 degrees Celsius without any problems.
Drought resistance of Revna is quite high. However, regular watering of trees is still necessary, especially during the period of fruit setting and ripening.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening times
Cherry Revna blooms quite early. In different regions, the flowering time is different, in the middle lane it falls in mid-May.
Revna is considered a partially self-fertile variety, but without neighboring trees - pollinators, the yield will be small. Therefore, cherries are planted, as a rule, in a group. The most commonly planted pollinators are Iput, Tyutchevka or Ovstuzhenka varieties.
Cherry Revna is a medium late variety. Usually 2.5 months pass from the moment of flowering until the berries are ready for harvest. Good sunny weather can speed up this process. Usually, the harvest ripens by the end of July.
Productivity, fruiting
Cherry Revna enters fruiting for 5 years. Its yield is stable, annual and rather high. On average, it is 15–20 kg per tree, and with good care - 30 kg of berries or more. The fruits are not large in size, but they have a beautiful presentation and rarely crack. The thick peel allows the berries to tolerate transportation without any problems.
Scope of berries
Revna cherries have an excellent sweet taste and are most often consumed fresh. However, they can also be used to prepare compotes, as well as preserves, confiture, jams. The high sugar content (almost 13%) makes this berry suitable for home winemaking.
Disease and pest resistance
Cherry Revna is sick relatively rarely. Basically, diseases are manifested in violation of the rules of care (thickening of the crown, excessive watering) or in conditions of high moisture content. The biggest pests of cherries are birds, which are very fond of feasting on ripe berries (in everyday life, cherries are often called "bird cherries"). Of the insects, weevils and aphids appear most often on trees.
Advantages and disadvantages
There are few disadvantages of Revna cherries. The most significant of them is the late entry into fruiting, which occurs only in the 5th year. In comparison with other varieties of cherries, Revna ripens relatively late, many gardeners consider this a negative side. And also the disadvantage is the need for pollinators to get a good harvest.
The positive aspects of Revna cherries include:
- The small size of the tree and the compactness of the crown.
- Good winter hardiness.
- Immunity to many fungal diseases.
- Excellent fruit taste and versatility.
- High transportability of the crop.
It should also be noted that the Revna cherry bears fruit annually and stably, without requiring special care.
Landing features
A feature of the planting of Revna cherries is the need for group planting. Moreover, the seedlings should not overlap with other trees, so as not to disturb cross-pollination.
Recommended timing
The optimal time for planting cherry seedlings Revna is spring, after the soil thaws, but before the buds begin to swell. During this time, the plants are dormant and will calmly endure the stress associated with transplanting.
Choosing the right place
Since Revna cherries are planted with a group of seedlings, then the place for them must be chosen carefully. For normal growth and fruiting, you need a sufficient amount of sun and water, but wetlands or places with a groundwater level above 2 m will not work. The southern slope of the hill is perfect for planting cherries in Revna. The place should be at a sufficient distance from fences and buildings, and also protected from the north wind, which this culture does not like very much.
Cherry Revna grows best on loamy and sandy loam, as well as on light fertile soils with neutral acidity. Heavy clay areas are contraindicated for her.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries
Sweet cherry is a pretty strong antagonist. In the immediate vicinity of it, it is best to plant the same cherries, this will improve pollination and will not lead to conflict. Surprisingly well with cherries, cherries get along, which themselves do not like being close to anyone. You should definitely not plant an apple, pear or plum nearby, they will prevent cross-pollination.
Flowers grow well next to cherries: nasturtiums, primrose. Thyme can also be planted. But nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes) in the root zone of cherries will not grow.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Cherry seedlings Revna of both the first and second year of life are suitable for planting. When choosing planting material, you should pay attention to the following:
- The seedling must have a well-developed root system.
- The roots must not be dry.
- The place of inoculation should be clearly visible at the bottom of the trunk. If it is not there, most likely, it is a seedling, and a sweet cherry without varietal characteristics (wild) will grow from it.
Landing algorithm
Pits for planting cherries Revna are usually prepared in the fall. The distance between them should be at least 3 m. At the same or greater distance, the pits should be from buildings or other garden trees. The diameter of the pit should be 0.8–1 m, and the depth should be 0.6–0.8 m.
Near the center of the pit, you need to drive in a support to which the seedling will be tied. A mound of nutrient soil is poured into the center of the pit, on which the seedling is placed. Its roots need to be straightened, covered with soil mixture and tamped a little.
After planting, an earthen roller is poured around the seedling to retain water. After that, abundant watering is carried out (3-4 buckets), after which the near-trunk circle is mulched with humus, sawdust or peat.
Follow-up care of the culture
The basis of a good harvest is the correct formation of the crown of the tree. For this, formative pruning is performed, which is carried out in several stages during the first few years. The following types of crowns are usually formed:
- sparse-tiered;
- flattened;
- bushy.
To obtain a good harvest, the Revna cherry needs a sufficient amount of water. With a moisture deficit, watering can be done once a week. However, such dry periods are quite rare and the tree usually suffers from atmospheric precipitation.
Top dressing is an important part of cherry care. The first three years after planting, as a rule, do not do it, especially if the soil on the site is sufficiently fertile. Then, once every three years, organic matter (humus) is introduced into the soil together with the autumn digging of the trunk circle.
During the season, fertilizing is also done with mineral fertilizers. In the spring, it is ammonium nitrate, it is applied in three stages:
- before flowering;
- at the end of flowering;
- 2 weeks after the previous feeding.
For 1 sq. meter is applied 20-25 g of fertilizer. In addition, in the summer, you can make foliar feeding of trees with potassium monophosphate.
For the winter, Revna cherries are not covered. The tree trunks and lower skeletal branches must be whitewashed to protect the bark from frost damage and sunburn. The trunk of a tree can be tied with spruce branches so that hares and other rodents do not crawl on it.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Cherry Revna is not prone to disease. They are usually the result of poor maintenance or inclement weather. Here are the most common ones.
Disease | Signs of appearance, consequences | Prevention and treatment |
Hole spot (clasterosporium disease) | Rounded brown spots appear on the leaf plate, which rot through and through, forming holes. | Affected leaves must be torn off and burned. For preventive purposes, trees are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid before flowering, after it and after 2 weeks. |
Mosaic | Yellow stripes appear along the veins of the leaf, then the leaf curls, turns red and falls off | The affected leaves are cut off and burned. For prevention, use the same means as for spotting. |
Of the pests most often found on the Revna cherry, the following insects can be noted:
- cherry fly;
- cherry aphid;
- fruit moth;
- cherry shoot moth.
They fight pests by spraying with various pesticides (Decis, Inta-Vir, Karbofos), selecting their concentration in accordance with the instructions.
Cherry Revna remains quite popular among gardeners. The totality of all its positive properties far exceeds its minor disadvantages.And the great taste of berries deservedly makes one of the leaders among horticultural crops.
