Content
Sweet cherry Maiskaya grows mainly in the south of Russia, in the republics of the Caucasus, in Ukraine in Moldova. Among the first to bloom in the spring. At the end of May, gardeners get the opportunity to enjoy the first tender berries with a sweet and sour taste.
Breeding history
It is known that the wild plant of the species Cerasus avium is 2 thousand years old. It was called the bird cherry because the birds enjoy the fruits with pleasure, preventing them from ripening. Subsequently, some gardeners, in order not to be left completely without a crop, remove the berries before they have time to fill with sweetness.
Thanks to the migratory sweet tooth, cherry pits from Greece and the Caucasus were brought to central Europe and took root there.
The main breeding work was aimed at obtaining frost-resistant varieties. They were crossed with cherries, with other varieties of cherries obtained earlier. Gardeners have noticed that a tree growing alone is not very fertile. To obtain good yields, 2-3 seedlings of different varieties are planted. This is how unplanned selection took place. Systematic selection work with cherries began to be carried out in the 20th century. In Russia, their founder can be called the famous breeder I.V. Michurin.
The early varieties were successfully obtained. The frost resistance of the southern berry remains limited. In central Russia, cherries are grown thanks to global warming rather than successful breeding.
Description of culture
When the May cherry is ripe, the leaf buds of most trees are just beginning to swell. Given the fact that breeders have bred 2 varieties of May cherry, the description of the varieties will briefly say about their features:
- May red, characterized by a sour taste;
- Cherry Mayskaya black has a maroon color and sweet taste.
Trees tend to grow in height, grow up to 10 meters, and have a peak-shaped crown. The spreading crown becomes as a result of competent pruning. The leaves are larger and longer than cherry leaves, although the fruits are somewhat similar to each other.
Description of cherry May red and black
With excessive moisture, the fruit tastes watery, with low sugar content. Ripe berries are dark, but the flesh of the red cherry is red, with light streaks. The juice also turns out to be red. The relatively small bone easily falls behind the pulp.
Ripe berries of May black cherry are dark, almost black in color. The berries are larger than those of the early red, round and slightly flattened. The pulp is firm, with a characteristic aroma and sweet taste.
Characteristics
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
May cherry does not tolerate frost well. The tree, of course, will not die, but it will not yield a harvest. She also does not tolerate an abundance of moisture. During the rains, the berries on the trees crack and rot. It will take a drought much easier. True, the fruits with a lack of moisture will be smaller and drier.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening times
The flowers of the May cherry red are snow-white; in the black May berry variety, they have a pale pink tint. Pollination of this plant is cross.
In the southern regions of the Russian Federation, the variety lives up to its name - the first edible fruits appear at the end of May. In central Russia, the fruits ripen in the first half of June.
Productivity, fruiting
May cherry begins to bear fruit from the age of 4. Her berries are small - 2-4 grams. One tree gives on average up to 40 kg of fruit.
Disease and pest resistance
Judging by the description of the early May cherry variety, it still remains a capricious berry that requires preventive measures. The fruit plant is attacked at different times:
- Aphids affecting leaves and young shoots;
- An elephant that settles in developing fruits;
- A winter moth eating a pistil with an ovary.
Advantages and disadvantages
The red shirt is characterized by a high yield, but it is not stored for a long time. For canning and transportation, the Maiskaya cherry variety is also not very suitable. Its advantage lies in the fact that it is one of the first fresh fruits, ready to fill the deficiency of vitamins and microelements. All other fruits - apricots, plums, especially peaches, apples will appear in a month and a half. Although this berry may not seem tasty enough, watery, the human body, yearning for vitamins over the winter, is grateful to her for its very existence.
Descriptions of the May cherry, reviews of its cultivation in different regions of the country are contradictory. There are two reasons for this:
- In some regions, the Mike cherry variety manifests itself ambiguously. This is due to the peculiarities of the climate, characteristics of the soil;
- Gardeners do not always have the correct understanding of the varieties, giving out one variety of fruit after another.
Conclusion
Cherry Mayskaya continues to develop through the efforts of breeders and gardeners. The taste characteristics of fruits, vitality, and productivity are improved. The geography of its distribution is expanding.
