Cherry Ashinskaya

Ashinskaya cherry appeared relatively recently, but has already become quite popular among gardeners. In YUNIIPOK there is a team of breeders consisting of A.E. Pankratov, K.K.Muloyanov, V.I.Putyatin and I.G. Zamyatin. Since 2002, the Ashinskaya cherry variety has been included in the State Register and is recommended for cultivation in the Urals, as well as in the central and southern regions. A distinctive and very important feature of the Ashinskaya cherry variety is that even when multiplied by a generative method (through a stone), the tree retains all varietal characteristics and qualities.

Cherry Ashinskaya: variety description and characteristics

Cherry Ashinskaya: photo of the variety

Ashinskaya cherry trees are fast-growing, and quite quickly reach their maximum growth, which can vary from 2.5 to 3 meters. The crown of the tree is very dense, elongated and needs regular thinning. Smooth dark green leaves are oval and slightly curved upwards. Shoots are brown with an ash tint.
Ashinskaya cherry blossoms in the 3rd decade of May. Fragrant small flowers are collected in inflorescences of five to six pieces. Flowering, and hence fruiting, mainly occurs on one-year growth, but partly this occurs on bouquet twigs of two-year or three-year branches.

Fruiting occurs no earlier than four years after planting the tree, but it lasts a very long time - from 30 to 35 years. Perhaps your Ashinskaya cherry will bloom in the second year after planting, but do not be upset when the ovaries fall off - the tree still does not have enough strength to ripen the crop. Experienced gardeners even recommend removing the formed ovaries in the early years so that the tree grows stronger and does not waste energy on the ripening of the crop.

A very important detail is that Ashinskaya cherry is a self-fertile variety and does not need pollinator companions. That is, even if this is the only cherry on your site, you will still harvest. But if you already have cherry trees that need pollinators, then Ashinskaya cherry will be an excellent pollinator for “Altai swallow"," Nochki "and" Ruby "cherries (these varieties bloom at the same time).

Burgundy-red rounded-flattened cherries of the Ashinskaya variety weighing from 4 to 5 grams have a juicy dark red pulp and a sweet and sour taste. The appearance of the fruit is estimated at 4.7 points, the tasting mark is slightly lower, but still very good - 4.4 points. The dense skin of the berries is not prone to cracking. When harvesting, the stalk is easily separated and leaves a dry trail, and therefore does not have a strong effect on the shelf life of berries (usually fruits and berries without a stalk are stored for a very short time). This ensures good transportability of the berries. But since their flesh is rather watery, it is still not recommended to transport the harvest of "Ashinskaya" cherries for long distances.

It is important that almost all the berries on the tree reach ripeness at the same time, therefore, you can harvest at one time, without stretching this process for several days. The berries begin to ripen by the end of July, so harvesting usually occurs at the very beginning of August.

Ashinskaya cherry is a consistently fruitful variety. Every year you can pick at least 8 kg of berries from a tree, and with good care and favorable weather, this figure can increase to 10-12 kg.

From a culinary point of view, the berries of the Ashinskaya cherry variety are universal, they can be used to prepare any homemade preparations, dry or freeze for later use in winter, prepare juice or liqueur. Moreover, the high sugar content allows you to make wine from berries without adding alcohol.

Cherry Ashinskaya is a hybrid of garden and steppe cherries, inherited from the "parents" she inherited the high drought resistance characteristic of steppe cherries. Also, the strong point of the variety is its good frost resistance and the ability to regenerate.Even with frosts below -40 degrees, the tree is able to recover without consequences for yield.

Diseases and harmful insects

Ashinskaya cherry has excellent immunity. Tests have shown that the tree is resistant to "coccomycosis", and is also not susceptible to various fungal diseases. Pests also prefer to bypass Ashinskaya cherry. On rare occasions, trees became ill and attacked by harmful insects, but this was usually due to a lack of proper care.

It is extremely important to pay attention to preventive measures that are aimed at maintaining the health of the Ashinskaya cherry tree:

• Maintain cleanliness in the trunk circle by timely removing weeds and collecting fallen leaves.
• Regularly carry out sanitary and formative pruning to avoid crown thickening.
• Put on sticky belts on the stem, which will collect insects on their surface.
• If necessary, carry out preventive spraying of the crown with appropriate means before flowering and after leaf fall.

Ashinskaya cherry: advantages and disadvantages

Cherry Ashinskaya: photo of the variety

Each plant has its own advantages and disadvantages, and before going for seedlings, you need to weigh all the "pros" and "cons" of this or that variety. From all of the above, it clearly follows that Ashinskaya cherry has much more advantages than disadvantages, but still, let's try to systematize the information and note its main strong qualities:

• Stable, annual and high yield.
• Good taste of berries and their universal culinary purpose.
• High drought resistance and frost resistance allows growing this variety in almost any region of our country.
• The berries on the tree ripen at the same time, which makes harvesting easier. In addition, the berries are almost the same size and color, which makes them more attractive for sale.
• The tree can be propagated in any way, while maintaining all its varietal qualities.
• High plant immunity, protecting it from diseases. And also resistance to damage by harmful insects. It is important to remember that this only works with proper wood care.

To be objective, it is necessary to list and limitations Ashinskaya cherry varieties. Although it should be noted that against the background of the merits, they do not look very significant.

• Ripening of berries occurs in the second half of summer, when there are enough all kinds of fruits and berries on the market. This can reduce the attractiveness of the variety for those planning to grow cherries for sale.
• Berries do not tolerate transportation very well and long distances.
• Fruiting begins only in the fourth or fifth year, so a cherry tree garden will not pay for itself immediately.

As you can see, the disadvantages of this variety will be relevant for those gardeners who plan to set up a large garden with the subsequent sale of the harvest. But even in this case, Ashinskaya cherry has much more advantages.

Conclusion

Cherry Ashinskaya: photo of the variety

The berries of the Ashinskaya cherry variety contain many vitamins and nutrients, for example, hematopoietic elements, so the berries will be especially useful for those who suffer from anemia. But at the same time, we must not forget that the berries also contain acid, which has a negative effect on tooth enamel, so after you have eaten the cherries, you should definitely brush your teeth or rinse your mouth.

Cherry Ashinskaya is a relatively unpretentious fruit tree, which, with minimal care, can provide you with a regular harvest of delicious and very healthy berries. The ability to withstand adverse weather conditions, combined with high immunity, make the Ashinskaya cherry variety more and more popular not only among amateur gardeners, but also among farms that grow cherries on an industrial scale. Like any plant, Ashinskaya cherry has its drawbacks, but compared to its exceptional advantages, they fade into the background.