Sweet cherry "Favorite Astakhov": characteristics, pros and cons

Many believe that a fruit tree, like a sweet cherry, can be cultivated exclusively in the southern regions. But modern breeders were able to bring winter-hardy varieties that feel good in much more severe climatic conditions. These varieties include cherry "Favorite Astakhova."

Breeding history

This variety is bred by Kanshina M.V. in the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine, which is located in Bryansk and is known for creating many varieties of fruit, including sweet cherries. In 2011, the variety was zoned in the Central region.

Tree description

Trees "Astakhov's Favorite" are characterized as medium vigor. They reach 4 meters in height. Trees differ sprawling, rounded or oval and not too dense crown. The bark is dark gray, scaly. The leaves are medium in size, elliptical in shape.

Fruit Description

Flowers are traditional white and medium sized. Fruits are large, their color is dark red. The mass of berries is on average 5 g, but it can reach 8 g. The pulp of the fruit is juicy, its taste is sweet. Fruits contain 17% dry matter, 12.4% sugar, 0.64% acid. Evaluation of the taste of the fruit tasters is 4.8 points on a five-point scale.

Pollination

For the harvest this variety of sweet cherry needs pollinating treesgrowing close by. The following varieties are recommended as pollinators: “Iput”, “Revna”, “Ovstuzhenka”, “Tyutchevka”. In extreme cases, you can get by the cherries, which bloom coincides with the period of flowering at "Astihov's Favorite".

Fruiting

If you properly care for "Astakhov's Pet", then it usually begins to bear fruit on the fifth year after planting the sapling. Her fruiting is regular and has no periodicity.

Gestation period

Astakhov’s “Favorite Cherry” refers to varieties with an average maturity, i.e., to begin harvesting, one will have to wait until the beginning or mid-July.

Yield

The considered variety has not a record, but quite good yield. With an average of one tree can be collected 10 kg sweet cherry. Industrial gardens give about 70 centners of berries per hectare.

Transportability

The fruits of “Astakhov’s Favorite” are characterized by good transportability, which makes it possible to transport berries over long distances without loss of presentation.

Resistance to environmental conditions and diseases

"Astakhov's favorite" is well adapted to climatic conditions of the Central region of Russia, which includes the Bryansk, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Smolensk and Tula regions.

Before the tree begins to sap, which is determined by the swelling of the kidneys, it is useful to sprinkle it with Bordeaux mixture. After the beginning of flowering is recommended to re-spraying. The treatment of trees with special preparations (such as "Zircon" or "Ecoberin"), which increase its resistance to adverse conditions, has proven itself well.

Winter hardiness

This sweet cherry was specially developed for cultivation in areas with fairly harsh climatetherefore, it has high winter hardiness. Nevertheless, it is recommended to plant it in the places protected from wind, the northern and east winds are especially undesirable.

In the first years after planting the seedlings their trunks must be wrapped for the winter. In the case of returning spring frosts, the crowns of young trees are wrapped in lutrasil (this is a synthetic material widely used by gardeners to protect plants).

Application of fruits

Undoubtedly, the fruits of “Astakhov’s Favorite” are best consumed freshly harvested, but they are also suitable for various types of processing, in particular, for squeezing juice, canning, etc. Fresh berries have a tonic effect on the body, normalize metabolism, improve gastric - intestinal tract.

Berries are also healthy and tasty, both dried and fresh-frozen. They make excellent preserves and compotes, squeeze juice, which cleanses the body of harmful substances. These berries are widely used in various cakes, pies, etc. Use it in tinctures.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like almost any culture, Astakhov's “Favorite Cherry” has both undoubted advantages and some disadvantages.

pros

Among the advantages of this variety are the following:

• high resistance to winter conditions;
• excellent taste;
• good yield;
• disease resistance.

Minuses

The drawbacks of "Astakhov's Favorite" are not many, but they are. In particular, as disadvantages include:

• the need to plant next to other varieties of cherries, which are pollinators;
• harvest vulnerability to spring frosts.

Finishing the description of the sweet cherry variety “Lyubimitsa Astakhova”, we can say that this variety is valuable with a combination of winter hardiness, high taste qualities of berries and good yield. "Astakhov's favorite", undoubtedly, can become an ornament to any garden.