Duke cherry varieties are self-fertile. Cherry Duke: variety description, cultivation features

Duke is the common name for hybrids of cherries and sweet cherries. Derived from the English variety "May Duck" ("May Duke"), bred in the 17th century. They were random seedlings that arose from the cross-pollination of cherries and sweet cherries, since both plants were often grown side by side. In the first half of the 19th century, two French varieties became widespread - "Queen Hydrangea" And "Empress Eugenia". But in Europe, the name "Duke" did not take root, it is used for brevity only in Russia.

The first domestic duke was bred by I. V. Michurin in 1888 when crossing Belle cherries with Winkler white cherries and was named "Beauty of the North". This is one of the most winter-hardy dukes. "Beauty of the North" grown even in some areas Western Siberia, although flower buds were often frozen in these zones, so the yield remained low.

Until the end of the 80s of the last century, there were few varieties of Dukes. European varieties turned out to be non-hardy even in steppe zone the European part of our country - it was higher than that of cherries, but lower than that of cherries. Difficulties for breeders also arose because cherries and sweet cherries have a different set of chromosomes. Most of the dukes turned out to be fruitless - the fruits either did not set at all, or there were very few of them, and only occasionally and accidentally "prolific" dukes were obtained (like cherries, they contain 32 chromosomes, and not 16, like cherries).

Dukes occupy an intermediate position between the parental species, but in general are still closer to the cherry. Their leaves are closer in size to cherry leaves, but more dense and with a characteristic cherry sheen. The fruits are usually much larger than those of cherries (average weight 6-10 g).

The most valuable property of duks is their increased resistance to coccomycosis and moniliosis.

Varieties

Through the efforts of our scientists in different years in the scientific institutions of the Chernozem region (at the Voronezh Agrarian University, at the Rossoshanskaya experimental zonal station), a group of duk varieties was created that are interesting for the northern regions.

"Excellent Veniaminova"- A vigorous tree with a rounded crown. The winter hardiness of the tree and flower buds for the Non-Black Earth region is not bad, the yield is high, but not always regular. The fruits are large, 6-8 g, red. The pulp is lighter in color, dark pink, dense, very good harmonious sweet and sour taste with a tasting score of 4.3 points. Ripens early July.

"Wonder Cherry"- a very popular variety in the southern regions - fructifies abundantly and early, but is sensitive to frost. In addition, this variety has a problem with pollination. Sometimes it blooms profusely, but sets few fruits. Very large, 9-10 g, flat-round, dark red fruits hang in garlands. The flesh is dark red, medium density, sweet with a pleasant cherry flavor, tasting score 4.5 points.

"Ivanovna", "Night", "portly" And "Beer"- very similar in tree structure, leaves and fruit quality. Derived from an American high yielding and very winter-hardy variety Nordstar ("North Star"). The fruits of all varieties are large, 7-8 g (slightly smaller than the rest in "Pivoni"), dark cherry, with red or dark cherry flesh, good sweet with acid and cherry flavor, tasting score 4.3-4.5 points. "Ivanovna" the most winter-hardy and fruitful among the rest. They ripen in mid-July "Night"- 3-4 days later than others.

"Spartan" - has a very high winter hardiness, for which it got its name. The fruits are large, 7-8 g, dark-colored fruits with dark tender pulp, ripen by the end of June, wrinkle and flow during transportation.

When buying, beware of fraud and do not buy seedlings under the general name "Cherevishnya" or "Cherry Cherry" without specifying the variety. These are, as a rule, unsuccessful seedlings, rejected for poor fruiting and low winter hardiness.

Does not tolerate strongly acidic soils and stagnant groundwater.

It is photophilous and quite drought-resistant.

Plants are self-fertile, cherry is considered one of the best pollinators. "Iput"

Mysterious word "duke" called cherry-cherry hybrids. They have both advantages - larger and sweeter than cherry fruits, and disadvantages, the main of which is self-fertility.

plant description

They occupy an intermediate position between the parental species, cherries and cherries, but in general are still closer to cherries. The leaves are similar in size to cherry leaves, but denser and with a characteristic cherry sheen. The fruits are usually much larger than those of cherries, sweeter, sourness is light, pleasant. The aroma, for which we love cherries, is also retained by the Dukes.
The most valuable property of hybrids is increased resistance to common cherry diseases - coccomycosis and moniliosis.

From the history of the Dukes

The name Duke comes from the first popular English cherry-cherry hybrid. May Duck (May Duke), bred in the 17th century. The plant was selected from seedlings from unplanned cross-pollination of cherries and sweet cherries, which were often grown side by side. In the first half of the 19th century, two French varieties became widespread - queen hydrangea And Empress Eugenia. But in Europe, the name "Duke" did not take root, and now it is used only in Russia.

The first domestic duke was bred by I.V. Michurin in 1888 when crossing cherries Belle with cherries Winkler white and got the name Beauty of the North. This is one of the most winter-hardy dukes. The beauty of the north even grown in some areas of Western Siberia, although in these zones flower buds often froze, so the yield remained low.

Until the end of the 80s of the last century, there were few varieties of Dukes. European varieties turned out to be non-hardy even in the steppe zone of the European part of our country - their winter hardiness was higher than that of cherries, but lower than that of cherries. Difficulties for breeders also arose because cherries and sweet cherries have a different set of chromosomes (like cherries, hybrids contain 32 chromosomes, and not 16, like cherries). Most of the dukes turned out to be fruitless - the fruits either did not set at all, or there were very few of them, and only occasionally and accidentally "prolific" trees were obtained. Later, through the efforts of our scientists in different years in the scientific institutions of the Chernozem region (at the Voronezh Agrarian University, at the Rossoshanskaya experimental zonal station), a group of varieties interesting for the northern regions was created.

Conditions for growing dukes

Dukes are cared for in the same way as cherries. It is better to plant trees in bright, warm, wind-protected areas. The soil is preferably neutral, light, loamy. Although the plants are quite winter-hardy, severe frosts or spring frosts can damage the flower buds, which affects the yield.

Duke varieties are self-fertile, so be sure to plant plants - pollinators - or on the site. Cherry is considered the best pollinator for Duke, as it blooms earlier, but breeders stipulate that for each particular Duke variety, you need to select a pair individually, and the more varieties of cherries and cherries grow in the garden, the more you will get from Dukes. For partially self-fertile varieties, it is also recommended to plant pollinators, in this case, the yield increases.

Promising varieties and pollinators of Dukes

According to the maturation period, duk varieties are divided into: „early - end of June - beginning of July; medium - mid-July; late - middle - end of July.

Spartan
Received by A.I. Sychov. The most winter hardy. Maturity is average. Medium-sized tree, spreading crown. The nature of fruiting is mixed, most of the crop is formed on bouquet branches.
The fruits are large, weighing 5.5-6.5 g, dark red. The pulp is tender, dark red, sweet and sour, good taste. The yield is above average.

Ivanovna
Received by A.I. Sychov. It is considered one of the best in terms of winter hardiness and fruit characteristics. Mid-late maturity.
The tree is medium-sized, compact, with a moderately dense spherical crown. The nature of fruiting is mixed, most of the crop is formed on bouquet branches. The fruits are large, weighing 6.6-6.8 g, dark red. Pulp of moderate density, dark red, sweet-sour, excellent taste. The yield is high and regular. Winter hardiness of trees, cambium and flower buds is high.
Self-infertile, pollinators: cherries, sweet cherries, dukes.

Strong
Received by A.I. Sychov. Early maturity. The tree is vigorous, the crown is rounded. The nature of fruiting is mixed, most of the crop is formed on bouquet branches. The fruits are large, weighing 5.8-6.0 g, dark red. Remain on the tree up to 2 weeks, transportable and keeping. The pulp is dense, dark red, sweet and sour, good taste. The yield is above average. Winter hardiness of cambium and flower buds is high.
Self-infertile, pollinators: cherries, sweet cherries, dukes.

Miracle Cherry (Cherry Griot of Ostheim x cherry Valery Chkalov)
Obtained at the Artemovsk Research Center of ISUAAN (authors: L.I. Taranenko and A.I. Sychov). The ripening period is early.
The trees are medium-sized, with a rounded crown of medium density. The leaves are large, dark green. Shoots and buds are very similar to cherry ones, so annual seedlings in a leafless state are difficult to distinguish from cherry seedlings.
It bears fruit mainly on bouquet branches, as well as on one-year-old growths. The fruits are large, weighing 8-9 g, dark red. The pulp is juicy, dark red, excellent dessert taste.
Precocity is average (on the 4th-5th year).
The yield is high. Drought resistance and winter hardiness are good. Disease resistant.
Self-infertile, best pollinators: cherry varieties Donetsk coal, Donchanka, Yaroslavna, Homestead, Sister, Annushka. Poorly pollinated by cherry varieties Valery Chkalov, Drogana yellow, Large-fruited, Farewell and Valeria.

Hope (Cherry Griot of Ostheim x varieties of cherries Northern And Liquor)
Obtained at the Rossoshansk Zonal Horticulture Experimental Station by A.Ya. Voronchikhina. Maturity is average. The tree is vigorous, up to 5-6 m in adulthood, with a round or broad pyramidal crown of medium density.
The fruits are large, weighing 5.8 g, dark red. Pulp of medium density, dark red, sweet taste with pleasant acidity, without astringency, with a pleasant cherry aroma. Early maturity and productivity are high. Winter hardy. Resistance to good, slightly affected.
Self-infertile, best pollinators: cherry varieties Kent, Black large, Lada.

Night (Cherry Nord Star x cherry Valery Chkalov)
Received at the Artemovsk Research Center ISUAAN (authors: L.I. Taranenko, A.I. Sychov). The ripening period is late.
A tree with a wide-pyramidal crown of medium density, bears fruit on bouquet twigs and growths of the previous year. A characteristic feature of the variety is dark green shiny leaves. The fruits are large, weighing 7.0 g, dark red. The pulp is dark red, quite dense, sweet-sour in taste.
Early fertility is high (on the 3-4th year).
The yield is high. Drought-resistant, winter-hardy. Resistance to coccomycosis is high.
Self-fertility and pollinators in given time are being studied, but L.I. Taranenko notes that the variety is poorly pollinated by sweet cherry varieties.

Nurse
Received by A.I. Sychov. Maturity is average. Tree of medium vigor, pyramidal crown, rounded with age. The nature of fruiting is mixed, most of the crop is formed on bouquet branches.
The fruits are large, weighing 7-8 g, dark red. Pulp of moderate density, dark red, excellent taste. The yield is good. Winter hardiness of trees, cambium and flower buds is high.
Partially self-fertile (when pollinated by cherry varieties, the yield increases).

Shpanka Donetsk
Received at the Donetsk Experimental Horticulture Station. The ripening period is medium-late. The crown is pyramidal, rounded with age. The nature of fruiting is mixed, most of the crop is formed on bouquet branches. The fruits are medium, weighing 6-7 g, light red. The pulp is tender, yellow, sweet and sour taste. The yield is good. Winter hardiness of trees, cambium and flower buds is high.
Partially self-fertile (when pollinated by cherry varieties, the yield increases).

Photo: Shutterstock/TASS, Vera Makarova. We thank Michurinsky Garden for the information provided.

ATTENTION! Beware of fraud and do not buy dukes from unverified sellers, spontaneous markets and dubious exhibitions. Do not take seedlings sold under the general name "cherry" or "cherry-cherry" without specifying the variety.
These are, as a rule, unsuccessful seedlings, rejected for poor fruiting and low winter hardiness.

Many people love cherries for their incomparable taste and aroma. Others like cherries, especially dark varieties with large, firm, sweet fruits. But today, dukes, hybrids of cherries and sweet cherries, are in increasing demand. Dukes inherited best qualities their predecessors. Among the most popular varieties of Dukes is the Miracle Cherry variety. To grow healthy tree and collect high yields of fruits, it is useful to know about the intricacies and features of planting and caring for this crop.

Description and characteristics of cherries

To understand the features of the Dukes, let's go back two centuries ago. The name "ducs" comes from the first hybrid Mau Duck (translated from English as "May Duke"), obtained in the 19th century in England from the free pollination of cherry cherries. This hybrid had unusual qualities: its fruits ripened very early, were large and sweet, like cherries, and it inherited a pronounced cherry aroma from cherries.

Interestingly, the name "Duke" has become even more widespread in Russia than in Europe. In Russia, the first variety of Duke was obtained by I.V. Michurin in 1888 on the basis of the Central Russian variety of Belle cherry and Winkler white cherry. It was at that time one of the most winter-hardy and frost-resistant hybrids of cherries and sweet cherries, which is why it was called the Beauty of the North. This variety grew well and regularly yielded crops in the Moscow region, the North-West region and even in some regions of Western Siberia, but its flower buds often froze.

O. Ivanova, test gardener, Moscow region

Duke Miracle Cherry belongs to the varieties of the latest generation of Dukes. It was obtained by crossing Griot of Ostheim cherries and Valery Chkalov cherries. Srednerosloe, with a spreading crown - a tree appearance more like a cherry. A characteristic feature of the variety is the early ripening of fruits. Ripening period - from 10 to 20 June, simultaneously with early varieties cherries. The duke is distinguished by very abundant fruiting. The Miracle Cherry gives its first fruits in the second or third year after planting in a permanent place in the garden. The tree enters full fruiting at the age of 4–5 years.

Characteristics of the Miracle Cherry fruits:

• fruits of large size weighing 9–10 g;
• beautiful dark red, almost burgundy color;
• fruit pulp of medium density, juicy;
• the taste is dessert, sweet with a pleasant light sourness, there is a pronounced cherry aroma.

Photo gallery: Miracle cherry in spring and summer

Dukes bloom later than cherries, but earlier than cherries, so they need specific pollinators. Dukes surpass their parents - cherries and cherries in terms of productivity, large-fruitedness and taste. attractive appearance

The main advantages inherent in the Miracle Cherry variety:

• high yields, 12–15 kg of fruit per tree;
• large-fruitedness;
• regular steady fruiting;
• high degree of drought resistance;
• increased resistance to dangerous fungal diseases coccomycosis and moniliosis;
• good winter hardiness of stem and average winter hardiness of fruit buds.

The disadvantages of the variety include self-infertility. Trees bloom profusely, but fruits either do not set at all, or give a very low yield. This property is characteristic of most dukes and requires the presence of pollinating trees on the site for cross-pollination.

Video: Duke - a hybrid of cherries and cherries

Features of planting and growing dukes

In order for cherry-ducs to grow well and bear fruit, they need to be carefully looked after: regularly prune in the spring, fertilize, water in the heat (especially on light sandy soils), carefully clean the space under the trees from weeds and garden debris.

Planting dates Miracle Cherry

Since duks are cherry-cherry hybrids, and cherries are cultivated mainly in the southern regions, the frost resistance of duks is lower than that of ordinary cherries. This limits the possibility of growing Miracle Cherry in the northern regions. In the middle lane, mid-April is considered the best time to plant a duke. When the threat of spring frost has passed, the seedlings are ready for planting. The development of cherry seedlings is highly dependent on the warming of the soil and the surrounding air: the temperature of plus ten degrees is borderline, with it the vegetation processes begin and end. The plant goes into a dormant state when the temperature drops below plus ten degrees. Therefore, seedlings are best planted when the soil warms up above +15 º C.

The second half of April is the best time for planting and transplanting garden fruit plants. And, alas, it is short: from thawing the soil to bud break. Try not to miss these golden days, as spring new plants always take root better and are less prone to stress. Optimal temperatures air and soil at this time contribute to the survival of plants

V.S. Zakotin, scientist, agronomist, Moscow region

Site preparation

The choice of the site most suitable for growing cherry-duke largely determines the future development of trees and obtaining good harvests. The place for planting trees should be flat, open, with good solar lighting during the whole day. If there are slopes, then they should be gentle, with a slope of no more than 5–8 º. The presence of shade negatively affects fruit quality, fruiting stability and yield indicators. In mid-latitudes, it is advisable to plant duke seedlings in areas with a southern, southeastern or southwestern exposure. The presence of a high fence and buildings near the landing site creates a kind of barrier to protect young trees from cold northern winds. For the southern regions, the tree growing area should be oriented to the west, northwest or north. This will allow you to avoid excessive drying of the soil and leaf burn on hot summer days. Low-lying areas are undesirable for growing Miracle Cherry, especially with stagnant water and humid cold air. Such conditions are detrimental to the tree. High-standing groundwater is also contraindicated - their level of occurrence should not exceed 1.5–2 m. Usually, with a close location of groundwater (less than 2 m from the surface of the earth), cherries are planted on a low mound 0.3–0.5 m.

The area for growing Miracle Cherry should be flat, well lit, without lowlands and steep slopes.

In the case when the seedlings are planned to be planted in the spring, it is recommended to prepare the planting pits in the fall. A hole dug in size is filled with a mixture of excavated soil and mineral-organic fertilizers and left until spring. From use nitrogen fertilizers autumn should be avoided.

At autumn planting the pit is prepared in advance about a month. The best soils for growing duks are chernozems, brown and forest soils, loams and sandy loams, well warmed up, having a loose structure to ensure sufficient water and air permeability of the soil. If the soil is clayey, gravelly, heavy, sand, compost, peat, and rotted straw should be added to loosen it before planting. Soil acidity is of great importance when growing cherry-duke. Its indicator should be neutral, within (pH) 6.5–7.0. If this figure is higher, then before planting, the soil is deoxidized by adding wood ash or dolomite flour(wood ash 700–800 g/m², dolomite flour - 350–400 g/m²).

Selection of seedlings

If there are no seedlings grown for planting, it is advisable to buy them in a nursery or fruit farms. For planting, you should choose annual seedlings that have several shoots, a well-developed root system and fully matured wood. To avoid buying a wild game or low-quality planting material, it is necessary to purchase only varietal rooted and grafted seedlings.

Photo gallery: selection of seedlings and their planting

Cherry-duke seedlings prepared for planting should be healthy, with smooth, clean bark and a developed root system. When planting, the top fertile layer of soil from the pit is mixed with humus and fertilizers, and the pit is covered to the top with earth from the bottom layer. After planting, a near-trunk circle is made in the form of a hole, which is covered with mulch to make sure proper fit trees, a rail is laid horizontally on the edges of the planting pit: the root neck of the seedling should be at or above the rail by 5–7 cm

cherry planting process

Before planting seedlings mark the site. It should be borne in mind that the distance between future adult trees should be at least 3–4 m, and between rows of trees at least 5 m. Having marked the site, they begin to prepare planting pits. If the soil is fertile, the dimensions of the pit can be from 80x80 cm to 90x90 cm, depending on the size of the root system. The depth of the pit is usually 40-50 cm. It is recommended to increase the size of the planting pit by 50% if the soil is not fertile or heavy.

A few days before planting, it is advisable to keep the roots of seedlings in water with root formation stimulants (Kornevin, Zircon). You can make a pink solution of potassium permanganate or potassium humate to kill possible pathogenic bacteria or fungus. This pre-planting root treatment is done if the seedlings have a weak or damaged root system (especially if the seedlings have an open root system).

Step by step boarding process:

1. Taking into account the length and density of the roots of the seedling, prepare a hole right size. The top, most fertile soil layer (about 20–30 cm in height), should be left at the edge of the pit when digging.
2. Evenly mix organic and mineral fertilizers in the composition: 2-3 buckets of rotted manure or compost, 1 kg of wood ash, 100 g of simple superphosphate (or 60 g of double), 80 g of potassium sulfate (or 40 g of potassium chloride) per pit.
3. Loosen the bottom of the pit to a depth of 8-10 cm and moisten the soil with 1 bucket (10 l) of water at room temperature.
4. After the water has soaked in, lay the mineral-organic substrate in layers in the pit and the soil from the pit rolled to the edge. Fill the pit no more than 2/3. After that all soil mixture mix thoroughly and lightly compact.
5. Drive the future support of the seedling firmly into the center of the pit - a stake with a diameter of 5-7 cm, a length of 130-150 cm. This must be done just before planting the seedling, and not vice versa. Pour a small mound of planting soil around the support.
6. At the seedling, immediately before planting, you need to cut off all broken, rotten and moldy roots.
7. In a pre-prepared mixture of fresh manure with powdered clay, dip the roots of the prepared seedling. The density of the mixture is about the same as thick sour cream.
8. Place a rail across the hole. Lean the seedling against the support in such a way that the root neck (the place where the trunk passes into the roots) is at or above the soil surface by 6-8 cm.
9. Gently straighten and distribute the roots of the seedling down the mound.
10. Gradually cover the roots with the remaining earth from the dump, periodically compacting it.
11. When the roots are covered with soil by about 15 cm, it is necessary to pour plenty of water on the tree and fill the hole with earth to the top.
12. Mulch the soil around the seedling with compost or humus with a layer of about 10 cm.
13. With a soft braid, carefully tie the planted tree to the “eight” support.

Video: cherry planting process

An important point to remember is that almost all duke varieties are self-fertile and do not pollinate each other, so they need pollinators. If possible, one or two pollinator trees should be planted near several cherry dukes. Both cherries and cherries are suitable as pollinators. Considering that the timing of flowering in dukes, as a rule, does not coincide with them, it is necessary to correctly select tree varieties for high-quality pollination. Cherries should be late, and cherries should be early. If there is no place for planting pollinators on the site, you can graft sprigs of several varieties of cherries and sweet cherries into the duke's crown.

The best pollinators for Miracle Cherry are Molodyozhnaya, Lyubskaya and Bulatnikovskaya cherries, Iput, Donchanka, Yaroslavna cherries. Cherry varieties Krupnoplodnaya and Valery Chkalov are not used as pollinators.

Watering and fertilizing dukes

Watering trees is one of the essential conditions for competent agrotechnics of their cultivation. Cherry responds to watering by increasing yields and enlargement of fruits. Dukes, like all fruit crops, are not watered under the root, so as not to expose the root system and not provoke tree diseases. For irrigation, two furrows with a depth of about 15–20 cm are formed along the projection of the crown: the first at a distance of 50 cm from the trunk, the next - also at a distance of 50 cm from the first. Considering that dukes are drought-resistant plants, they tolerate underwatering better than waterlogging the soil. As a result of excessive moisture, the soil under the cherries is compacted, which leads to a violation of its natural aeration. Subject to regular rainfall in spring and summer, mature trees need abundant watering 4 times during the growing season:

• immediately after flowering (simultaneously with top dressing);
• when pouring fruits (about 15–20 days before they ripen);
• water-charging (sub-winter) watering in October after leaf fall.

In the process of irrigation, from 3 to 6 buckets of water are brought under each tree so that the root-inhabited soil layer is well saturated - 40 cm. Young duke seedlings are watered twice a week for the first 15–18 days after planting, then they switch to watering once a week. Two buckets of water are enough for one seedling. After complete absorption of water, the soil under the cherry is mulched with compost, dry grass or peat. Trees should be watered early in the morning or in the evening after sunset. In addition to mulching, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil within the trunk circle, as well as regularly remove weeds. For young trees, this should be done at least once a week.

Depending on the size of the tree, one or two furrows are formed for irrigation along the projection of the crown. Alternatively, in the near-stem circle, you can make several small holes for watering.

Video: cherry care

Provided that landing pit was filled with a full complex of organics and mineral fertilizers, in the next two or three years, the dukes can not be fertilized. Trees aged 3-4 years should not be heavily overfed with fertilizers (especially organic), as this can cause excessive growth of shoots to the detriment of fruiting. When applying root dressing, it is necessary to loosen the soil under the cherries so that the roots have normal aeration and fertilizers are evenly distributed in the soil layer.

Table: fertilizing cherries-duke with mineral and organic fertilizers

Feeding period	Root top dressing			foliar top dressing
	mineral fertilizer	organic fertilizer		mineral fertilizers	organic fertilizers
	The amount of fertilizer per 1 tree
Early spring (before blooming kidneys)	Urea or ammonium nitrate 20–25 g per 10 liters of water	rotted manure, compost 5–8 kg for digging	-	-	-
The end of May- the beginning of June (fruit set	-	-	-	Urea (urea) 15 g per 5 liters of water	-
Mid June (fruit ripening)	Superphosphate 250 g + potassium chloride 150 g per 35 liters of water - per 1 mature tree or 2 seedlings	-	-	-	Superphosphate 30 g + potassium sulfate 20 g - per 10 liters of water
Mid September	Superphosphate 75 g + potassium chloride 30 g for digging	rotted manure, compost 3–4 kg/1m² for digging	wood ash 1 liter jar per 1m²	-	-

Pruning and shaping the crown of Miracle Cherry

Duke Miracle Cherry is a hybrid of cherries and cherries, therefore, he inherited their characteristics: the tree received the average growth from cherries, and the arrangement of branches from cherries. Flower buds are located, like those of sweet cherries - mainly on bouquet twigs and annual shoots. If the duke is not formed appropriately, then its crown will have a narrow pyramidal shape with branches extended upwards, in contrast to the predominantly round cherry crown. Vertically directed shoots of fruit trees adversely affect the fruiting process, reduce crop yields and make it difficult to collect fruits. To solve this problem, pruning of the main branches and overgrown shoots is used.

The main purpose of pruning cherries is to form a strong trunk and skeletal branches, timely rejuvenation of aging shoots, prolonging the intensity of fruiting and its active period, growth regulation, and improving fruit quality. Pruning of dukes is carried out depending on the age of the tree: before the beginning of the fruiting period - for the correct formation of the crown, after the cherry has entered the period of stable fruiting - to regulate the growth of the tree and productivity.

For Miracle Cherry, the following types of pruning are needed:

1. Formative. With its help, a crown of a certain type and size is created, skeletal and overgrowing branches are formed. It is used for young seedlings in the process of strong growth, and continues until the beginning of the fruiting period. For dukes up to the age of five, pruning is done annually, after - as needed. With this pruning, the basis of the crown of skeletal branches is laid, on which overgrown shoots subsequently grow. At the same time, trimming is performed. Its purpose is to weaken the growth of the tree and accelerate fruiting.
2. Regulatory (supportive). Allows you to maintain the size of the crown and maintain the best level of its illumination inside and outside. As a result, an optimal ratio is created between active vegetation and cherry fruiting. When the shoots reach 30 cm, regulating pruning is to create a balance between the number of vegetative and fruiting branches.
3. Anti-aging. This type of pruning stimulates the growth of overgrown new shoots in dukes older than eight years. At the same time, the number of branches with flower buds increases, which makes it possible to prolong the productive age of the tree and contributes to an increase in the yield of cherries.
4. Restorative pruning is performed when the tree has suffered from adverse conditions (diseases, pests, frost) or in the absence of necessary care. This pruning helps the plant return to normal growth and fruiting.

To create a harmonious healthy crown of cherries, remove all shoots below the skeletal branches, drooping shoots of the lower branches, thickening the crown and branches growing upward

Basic principles of formative pruning of young duke seedlings:

1. The crown of the tree is formed according to a sparse-tiered pattern.
2. An annual cherry seedling is pruned immediately after planting. side shoots shorten to 3-4 most evenly spaced buds. In this case, the central shoot (conductor) should be 10–15 cm higher than the growth point of the top of the side shoots. If the seedling has buds ready to open, they must be removed. Shorten all shoots down the trunk by 2/3 of the length.
3. In the second year in spring, all annual growths should be cut back to the outer bud to avoid growing vertically upwards.
4. By the spring of the third year, 6–9 skeletal branches form in place of previously shortened branches. They are cut in half, leaving 50–60 cm of last year's growth. Competing shoots growing on the side shorten to three buds. Branches vertically growing inside the crown are cut out completely so that they do not thicken the crown.

Video: duke shaping pruning

Cherry pruning is done both in winter and in summer. best time for pruning duks, the end of winter is considered and early spring- before bud break. At the same time, the ambient temperature should be at least + 8–10 º C. It should be borne in mind that the delay in pruning greatly weakens young seedlings. Mature cherries can also be pruned in the first decade of June. Reducing the height of the tree can be achieved by trimming the top of the crown to a side branch. This operation should be carried out after the entry of trees into fruiting. Earlier pruning can enhance duke growth. Crown reduction is carried out in summer, combining it with harvesting.

For young seedlings in which crown thickening is still absent, pruning can be replaced by branch deflection. For this, strong, well-developed shoots that do not participate in the formation of skeletal branches, but can be used as fruit-bearing ones, deviate from the vertical by 45–60 º. Such a deviation allows you to slow down the growth of the tree and contributes to the fouling of the branch with fruitful shoots. The most effective for enhancing fruiting is the deviation of the skeletal branches of the first order at the age of two to four years. When deviating branches, it is necessary to maintain their straightness. Most the right time for this process is May-June.

To reject branches, use various ways: attached with a brace to a trunk or lower branch (Fig. 1,2,3), to a peg in the ground (Fig. 4) or to a cable stretched below (Fig. 5), and also put a spacer between the branch and the tree stem

Covering trees for the winter

For cherry dukes, good winter hardiness of the bole and average winter hardiness of fruit buds are characteristic. Therefore, special measures to prepare trees for the winter season are not carried out.

Young hybrid trees tend to produce strong (80–120 cm) annual growths. Their upper part (30–40 cm) often does not ripen, it freezes in winter, and in the spring it has to be removed. Experienced gardeners advise pinching the tops of the shoots in the summer when they reach 60–80 cm. This contributes to the growth of shoots in the second half of summer. The crown becomes thicker, summer shoots (especially if the summer is dry and hot) have time to mature well, lignify and overwinter without noticeable frost damage. With a gradual decrease in air temperature, the crown of Miracle Cherry can withstand winter frosts to -30 º C. Thaws are more dangerous for it in the winter-spring period, followed by a decrease in temperature to minus 25 º C. This causes freezing of flower buds and leads to a decrease, and sometimes a complete absence of yield.

In order to avoid winter damage, it is necessary at the end of July to bend the upper part of the shoots that have not yet become lignified with an arc to the side better lighting and secure with twine. This operation will help the timely maturation of annual growths and the apical bud, which, in turn, will increase the winter hardiness of the tree, in addition, the fruiting of the plant will accelerate and the size of the crown will decrease.

G.M. Utochkin, full member of MOIP, Chelyabinsk

Preparing the dukes for winter, a number of works should be carried out in the garden:

1. The space under the trees is cleared of weeds, damaged fruits and leaves. The soil needs to be shallowly dug with fertilizer application.
2. If necessary (if the autumn is dry), water-charging irrigation is carried out - 50–60 liters (5–6 buckets) of water under one tree. After watering, the soil is loosened and mulched with compost or peat with a layer of up to 10 cm.
3. Tree trunks must be whitewashed with garden whitewash or a mixture of slaked lime and mullein. The height of the whitewash should reach the middle of the skeletal branches.
4. The stem of the Dukes is frost-resistant, so they do not make shelter from frost. The stems and lower branches protect against damage by rodents. To do this, the trunk is carefully wrapped with a fine mesh. For young seedlings, burlap or agromaterial can be wound between the mesh and the trunk.

Autumn whitewashing of the cherry-duke trunk helps to avoid frost cracks during sudden winter thaws and prevents pest larvae from wintering on the bole

Duke diseases and pests

Due to the combination of features of cherries and sweet cherries, duks are resistant to the main, most dangerous fungal diseases, and to the defeat of most insect pests. The development of fungus-resistant Duke varieties is one of the most effective ways problem solving. Currently, modern varieties of this crop are known, which have a fairly high resistance to fungal infections. However, under adverse climatic conditions (rainy cold summers, winters with very severe frosts), insufficiently qualified care, or the choice of an inappropriate cherry variety for the region, in rare cases, dukes can be affected by fungal diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to prevent these diseases.

Fungal Diseases Miracle Cherry

Duke varieties are mostly resistant to such dangerous cherry diseases as moniliosis and coccomycosis. Occasionally, trees can be affected by clasterosporiosis (perforated spotting), cytosporosis and anthracnose. But this is the exception rather than the rule, and good care behind trees and competent agricultural technology, these diseases can be avoided. However, there is a real threat of other diseases that the Miracle Cherry can be affected by.

Table: Miracle Cherry diseases, their symptoms and treatment

Photo gallery: fungal diseases of cherry-duke

In addition to the methods for preventing fungal diseases of cherry-duke indicated in the table, there is a traditional treatment of fruit trees from diseases by spraying before and after flowering with a 2% solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate.

Pests Miracle Cherry

Of the many pests that infect fruit trees, Duke Miracle Cherry is only susceptible to Cherry Slime Sawfly, Cherry Fly and Aphids.

Table: cherry-duke pests and their control

Pest type	Type of damage trees	Type of insecticide	Method and period tree processing	mechanical destruction pest
cherry slimy sawfly	The larvae eat cherry leaves, "scraping" tissue from the top of the sheet. Then the sawfly switches on berries, damaging them peel	1. Karbofos (75 g per 10 liters of water), Rovikurt (10 g per 10 liters of water). 2. Iskra-M from tracks (5 ml per 5 liters of water) or Iskra DE (1 tablet per 10 liters of water). Fufanon, Novaktion - according to instructions	1. Spraying in July - early August. 2. Spraying off larvae before and after flowering, after harvest	Soil digging in autumn in circles and row spacing
cherry fly	Larvae from eggs laid in fruits, feed on them pulp. Damaged fruits darken, rot and fall off	Lightning, Spark, Karate, Inta-Vir - according to instructions	First spray - in the middle of May (formation of the ovary at the cherry). Second spray - At the beginning of June (beginning of maturation fruits)	Deep digging of the soil in circles early spring and autumn after leaf fall. Damaged and mummified fruits must be harvested in autumn and burn
Cherry (black) aphid	Larvae and adults aphids live and reproduce at the top of the shoots sucking the juices out of the young leaves and ovaries. damaged leaves roll up into a tube turn brown and fall. Insect promotes formation on leaves and sooty cherry shoots fungus that breaks normal process plant photosynthesis and slows down its growth and development.	1. Contact insecticides Novaktion, Karbofos, Kemithos. 2. Insecticides of the intestinal actions Iskra, Confidor, Inta-Vir, Aktellik 3. Systemic insecticides Aktara, Commander 4. Biological insecticides Fitoverm, Iskra-Bio, Aktarin, Biotlin	Spraying according to instructions Biological insecticides are applied in the spring before flowering and after and also during fruit set	Wash the leaves with water hose under strong pressure. Spray the places accumulations of aphids on shoots with soapy water with the addition of various infusions and decoctions with a sharp smell: infusions dry orange peel, tobacco leaves, pods hot pepper, decoction tops of solanaceous crops or wormwood

Photo gallery: insect damage to cherries

The sawfly larva eats upper layer leaf, skeletonizing it to the base Feeding on the pulp of the fruit, the larva causes it to rot, the damaged fruit deteriorates and falls off
The aphid sucks juices from young shoots, leaves and ovaries and spreads sooty fungus.

Protective measures against the cherry fly are as follows: digging the soil in near-stem circles by 15–20 cm in autumn and spring, full harvesting. Spraying with any permitted insecticide is mandatory: the first - 10-12 days after the fly has emerged, the second - 10-12 days later.

T. Aleksandrova, fruit grower, agronomist

Video: processing Miracle cherries from a cherry fly

One of the measures to combat aphids is the fight against ants. They spread the aphids along fresh shoots, settle them there and feed on rot - the sweet secretions of aphids. There are a number of ways to get rid of ants in the garden. You can pour boiling water into the anthill or spray it with Absolute insecticide. A good effect is also given by the installation of sticky hunting belts on the stem of the cherry tree. Climbing up the trunk, the ants fall on a sticky surface and lose the ability to move. But besides the harm that ants cause by breeding aphids, they bring certain benefits, being the orderlies of the garden. In order not to upset the ecological balance, you can try to simply move the anthill outside the site.

Video: ecological ways to deal with aphids

In the event that these methods of combating aphids turned out to be insufficient or its colonies are too numerous, radical measures are taken - spraying with insecticidal preparations. These include means of contact (instantaneous) action, intestinal action and systemic drugs. Systemic insecticides are considered the most effective, they differ long term action (from two weeks to one and a half to two months, because they penetrate into the tissues of the plant gradually), as well as resistance to washing off.

Do not use these products during cherry blossom (this can lead to the destruction of pollinating insects) and later than a month before harvest.

The safest include biological insecticides - Fitoverm, Iskra-Bio, Aktarin. Their action is purposeful and affects only certain types of insect pests. Spraying with these preparations is used in the spring before and after flowering, as well as during fruit set.

Video: processing cherries from aphids with chemicals

The very first treatment of dukes, in order to destroy overwintered pests that have not yet awakened, is recommended to be carried out in late March or early April, before the start of sap flow. The treatment is carried out by spraying the trees with a 7% solution of urea (urea) - 700 g per 10 liters of warm water. The second spraying is carried out in the "green cone" stage (the beginning of bud break).

Spraying should be done only at a positive air temperature - at least ten degrees.

Collection, storage and use of the Miracle Cherry crop

Variety Chudo-cherry refers to the early ripening, the fruits ripen in the second decade of June. The yield of the variety is quite high, 12-15 kg of delicious, sweet, juicy fruits. Like most Duke varieties, Miracle Cherry is universal grade and is of interest both for fresh use and for processing. The fruits are subject quick freezing, high-quality juices, jams, jams, wines and liqueurs are made from them. The products of gardeners in the confectionery industry are also in demand.

Photo gallery: the use of Miracle Cherry fruits in cooking

Freshly picked cherries are the most delicious and healthy Cherry jam is rightfully considered a classic and especially revered In the summer heat there is nothing more pleasant than refreshing juice from cherries A favorite delicacy of children and adults is gentle, slightly sour ice cream Sweet and sour desserts and confectionery give delicious taste and aroma Cherry Frozen cherries do not lose their taste during the year

For fruit crops, there are two degrees of maturity - removable and consumer:

• at harvest maturity, the growth of fruits and the accumulation of organic matter are completed, they become suitable for transportation, technical processing or long-term storage, but have not yet acquired the taste qualities characteristic of the variety;
• consumer maturity occurs when the fruits acquire the color, aroma and best taste characteristic of the variety;

In cherries, the harvesting and consumer maturity are almost the same.

For further transportation, cherry fruits are harvested 4–5 days in advance, for technical processing - 2–3 days before full maturity, and for local sales - in a state of consumer maturity.

For immediate consumption, the fruits are removed at full maturity, for canning - 3 ... 5 days, for transportation - 5 ... 7 days before full maturity. Cherries can be stored for 10 days from the date of collection at a temperature of -0.5 ... 0ºС and a relative humidity of 90%. Frozen cherry fruits are stored for 9 to 12 months. For the production of dried fruits, varieties with a high content of dry substances in fruits are selected.

Yu.V. Trunov, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences sciences, professor

Fruit growing, 2012

The main representatives of the varieties of cherry-Duc

In addition to the Miracle Cherry variety, the Duke family is represented by a fairly large variety of varieties. They have many qualities in common, such as high winter hardiness, excellent fruit flavor, resistance to major diseases, large fruit and good yields. The difference is that in some dukes, only flower buds can be damaged during winter colds, while in others, skeletal and overgrowing shoots can also be damaged. Different degrees of frost resistance limit the growing regions of this crop: in the northern regions, the dukes do not ripen and bear fruit poorly.

Table: characteristics of the main varieties of sour cherries

Name varieties	Dimensions tree	Characteristic fruits		Term maturation fruits	Productivity, kg from one tree	winter hardiness	Resistance to sickness and pests	Variety advantages	Variety disadvantages
		Size, weight	Flavoring quality
Duke the Nurse	medium height, 3–4 m	large, 7.5–8 g	Sweet, great dessert		high, regular, 10–15	high by the tree and flower buds			Yield is lower compared to other dukes
Duke Hope	Vigorous, 5–6 m	large, 5.8 g	Sweet-sour taste with cherry aroma	Middle, end of June-beginning of July	high, regular, 16,4 - 21,6	High in a tree, in flower buds - above average	Resistant to coccomycosis, moniliosis	Large dessert fruits; high yield; disease resistance
Duke Ivanovna	medium height, 2.5–4 m	large, 8–9 g	Sweet-sour, dessert	Mid-late, mid-July	high, regular, 15–20	The tallest among the dukes	Resistant to coccomycosis, moniliosis	General winter hardiness of the tree; large-fruitedness; high taste qualities of fruits; high and regular yield	Not identified
Duke Griot of Melitopol	Vigorous, 4.5–5 m	large, 6.9 g	Sweet and sour, refreshing	Middle, third decade of June	high, regular, 20–25	High in a tree, in flower buds - medium	Resistant to coccomycosis, moniliosis	Winter hardiness of a tree; large-fruitedness; high palatability of fruits	Strong growth; self-sterility
Duke Toy	Vigorous, 5–6 m	large, 8.5 g	Sweet and sour, pleasant	Middle, end of June-beginning of July	high, regular, 45–72	Average in a tree, in flower buds - below average	Resistant to coccomycosis, moniliosis	large-fruited; very high productivity; drought resistance; disease resistance	self-infertility; insufficient winter hardiness

Video: presentation of Duke cherry varieties

The best pollinators for Duke cherries:

1. Duke Nurse - cherries Meeting, Podbelskaya; cherry varieties Large-fruited, Valery Chkalov.
2. Duke Ivanovna - cherries Minx, Podbelskaya; sweet cherry varieties Large-fruited, Franz Joseph.
3. Duke Nadezhda - Kent cherries, Black large, Lada; sweet cherry varieties Valery Chkalov, Large-fruited.
4. Duke Griot of Melitopol - cherries Waiting, Meeting, Podbelskaya and varieties of cherries Vinka and Valery Chkalov.
5. Duke Toy - cherries Naughty, Samsonovka and varieties of cherries Valery Chkalov, Large-fruited, Franz Joseph.

Miracle cherry - one of best hybrids cherries and cherries, the so-called Duke (from the English. "May Duke"). An early ripening variety. Received at the Donetsk research station of horticulture (Artemovsk, Ukraine) through crossing - cherry Griot Ostheimsky x cherry Valery Chkalov. Authors of the variety: L.I. Taranenko, A.I. Sychov.

Seedlings of this variety are practically indistinguishable from cherry seedlings. But in terms of general properties, it is more similar to cherries: trees of a tree type, of medium vigor. According to the features of branching, it is close to sweet cherry. If you do not engage in the formation of the crown, then quite quickly it acquires a narrow pyramidal shape and strongly stretches upwards. In this case, the branches depart from the stem at sharp angles. In order to significantly slow down the growth rate of the tree and give the crown a more hemispherical shape, the branches are pulled up to horizontal position using special weights.

The leaves are very large in size, outwardly very similar to cherry. Shoots are thick, smooth, powerful, straight, painted in dark brown. The kidneys are very large, dense, more like cherry than cherry.

A characteristic feature of the Cherry Miracle is the ability to lay flower buds at the basis of a one-year growth, which contributes to an increase in the level of precocity. But still, much more often, fruit ovaries are abundantly formed on bouquet branches.

The flowering period begins immediately after the establishment of warm spring weather (usually until mid-May). Flowers on short stalks are collected in brushes of 5-8 pieces, outwardly they look like cherry, but noticeably larger in size.

The fruits are very large (weighing up to 9 - 10 grams), flat-round in shape, painted in dark red. The skin is quite thick. The taste of berries is not inferior to the best southern varieties of cherries - dessert type, excellent sweet, without sourness; the pulp has a pronounced cherry aroma, but at the same time a light cherry is felt. The tasting evaluation of taste qualities is high (4.8 - 5.0 points).

Early fruiting is very high: single fruits are already tied on 2-3-year-old seedlings, full-fledged fruiting begins from the 4th year. Trees bear fruit steadily, every year. Fruit ripening occurs towards the end of June (until the 25th). The yield level is good: up to 10-15 kg/tree.

The variety is self-infertile. Receive high yield Proper cross-pollination will help. The best pollinator for Cherry Miracle is sweet cherry, not cherry. One of the reasons for this is the ultra-early flowering of the hybrid, which coincides with the early varieties of cherries. But almost all varieties of cherries are perfect as a pollinator (Annushka, Donchanka, Homestead, Sister, Dzherelo, Donetsk beauty, Yaroslavna, Donetsk coal, Kitaevskaya black, etc.), with the exception of the following: Valery Chkalov, Large-fruited, Farewell, Valeria , Drogana yellow. The Miracle Cherry itself has sterile pollen, and therefore it cannot be a pollinator.

The variety is generally characterized by a good level of winter hardiness (higher than that of cherries, but slightly lower than that of cherries), but it is not suitable for the middle lane. There is also an increased resistance to a complex of diseases (moniliosis, coccomycosis, etc.). Occasionally can be damaged by cherry fly.

Regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the Cherry Miracle, it should be noted that experienced gardeners always leave only positive reviews and recommendations about this hybrid.

Cherry Duke - so called hybrid varieties created by crossing cherries with sweet cherries. The name goes back to the English variety May Duke, obtained through the spontaneous cross-pollination of these crops. Since then, many varieties of sweet cherry (or cherry cherry) have been obtained, all of them are called duks.

Bela cherry and Bela Winkler cherry were crossed by Ivan Michurin, the result was the Krasa Severa variety, which marked the beginning of work on Russian dukes. It turned out that a generally frost-resistant tree cannot produce large crops in the north due to the freezing of flower buds. Then the breeders crossed different varieties, and today there are hybrids that show successful cultivation in different regions country.

So, varieties Ivanovna and Spartanka are perfectly cultivated in Western Siberia, and hybrids Krepkaya, Fesanna, Mayak, Nadezhda, Vavilov's Memory and others grow in the Khabarovsk Territory. The beauty of the North is grown in the Moscow and Leningrad regions. The best varieties for the Moscow region and the middle zone: Dorodnaya, Zhukovskaya, Nurse. In the south, Miracle Cherry gives very tasty fruits.

So what is a duke? A hybrid of cherry and sweet cherry, called a duke, is usually a tall strong tree, and if you do not work on its crown, it will become pyramidal. The bark on thick branches is smooth, even, Brown color, the leaves are shaped like cherry, but large, like cherries, are painted in rich green color, attached to the branches with long petioles, arranged alternately. The flowers are white or pink, larger than cherry, collected in tassels. Flowering time depends on the region: in the south, the trees bloom in early May, in the north - in the second half of June.

The main advantage of the hybrid in its magnificent berries. They are large, like varietal cherries, but more delicate in structure, much richer in taste (but not as sour as the cherries with which this same varietal cherry was crossed): sweet, with interesting notes of acid and a very pleasant aftertaste. The aroma also contains tantalizing notes of cherry. The description of the variety usually indicates the size of the berries. So, cherry Nochka and Nurse form fruits of medium size weighing 7-8 g, and Miracle cherry gives berries weighing 10 g. Usually they are dark red in color, the stone is easily separated from the pulp.

Main characteristics

Hybrids are distinguished by unpretentiousness, excellent winter hardiness, they are resistant to many diseases, for example, coccomycosis and moniliosis practically do not get sick, they are not affected by the cherry fly. Although they tolerate winter well, it is better to cultivate a bush form in the north - bushes are easier to hide from the cold and rodents.

Dukes are drought-resistant, they do not need, or rather are harmful a large number of fertilizing, so little fertilizer is used. Trees with proper care can bear fruit for up to 30 years, starting at the age of three or four, and the first fruits are already two-year-old trees. The average yield of an adult tree is 15 kg. All characteristics are excellent, except for one - the hybrids are self-fertile, and not any variety of sweet cherry can serve as a pollinator.

Planting varieties

Planting and care is almost traditional. You need to buy a one-year-old seedling, check the development of the root system, good condition and development of the trunk and shoots - they must have a smooth, intact bark, the central shoot must be at least 60 cm.

The place is chosen sunny, protected from wind and draft, with a deep (from 2 m) occurrence of groundwater. 5 m retreat from other trees. The soil needs fertile, moderately loose, neutral or slightly sour.

You can plant in spring or autumn, it is advisable to dig a hole for planting in advance, mix the excavated earth with fertilizers (300-400 g of superphosphate, 200-300 g of potassium sulfate), wood ash. If the soil is very poor, then you can add compost or humus, if it is too clayey, mix it with sand. Too acidic is mixed with lime.

After planting, water abundantly, check that the root collar remains at surface level.

Care and formation

The tree is watered for the first couple of months, then watering is reduced, and the adult tree is not watered. Top dressing comes down to two methods: nitrogen (15 g) is added in spring, and potassium and phosphorus (20 and 30 g) are added in autumn. It is necessary to keep clean soil under the tree, loosen and mulch with hay or cut grass.

Sometimes it is advised to treat the tree and the ground under it with Bordeaux liquid in order to prevent diseases. However, the most important thing in care is pruning. In the first spring, the central shoot is shortened to 60 cm, the side shoots are shortened to 40. Then the shoots are shortened by a third, the crown is not allowed to thicken, the branches are directed down with garters or loads to give a rounded shape and prevent them from stretching up too much. The constant shortening of the shoots stimulates the growth of bouquet branches.

Every 5 years, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, cutting branches to 4-year-old wood.

Pollinators and fruiting

The flowering of the hybrid begins with the establishment of heat, the specific time depends on the region. Fruits are formed on bouquet twigs located at the tops, but only if there is a pollinator variety nearby, and not all varieties of sweet cherries can be them - for example, Valeria, Drogan yellow and Large-fruited cannot be used as such. By the way, the Miracle Cherry cannot be a pollinator for anyone either. You need to choose among the following varieties: Sister, Donchanka, Annushka, Homestead, some others. Before buying a seedling, you need to find out which variety will serve as a pollinator for him, try to buy his seedling and plant them at the same time.

Some owners grow duke for ornamental purposes. The tree looks very beautiful, especially during flowering. The only pity is that numerous barren flowers will simply crumble to the ground without producing fruits, which also look very elegant. Incredibly tasty hybrid berries are not subject to long-term transportation, they are eaten fresh, they are used to make liqueurs, jam or confiture, and also dried and dried.

Video "The secret of the high yield of the Duke variety"

From this video you will learn why the Duke cherry variety is one of the most productive.