Of the many varieties of sweet Cordia stands out for its good commercial qualities and suitability for industrial cultivation. Of course, such a variety is interesting to an ordinary amateur gardener. For him, we will provide complete, as far as possible, information about the properties of the variety and the features of its agricultural technology.
Grade description
There is no information on the cherries of the popular Czech variety Cordia in Europe in official Russian sources. It is not registered in the State Register and, accordingly, is not zoned in the regions of Russia. According to gardeners, this thermophilic sweet cherry is grown in the southern regions of the country. But especially she fell in love with gardeners and farmers of Ukraine, although there she did not get into the Plant Register.
The tree grows rapidly on tall rootstocks - in the first year, growth can reach 1.5 meters. With the entry into the fruiting season, growth slows down, the crown acquires a spherical shape. Generative buds are laid mainly on bouquet branches and growths of the current year. The shoot formation ability is high. Frost resistance of young plants is low, increases with age. Flower buds can be damaged by return frosts, but due to the late flowering period (it occurs in April - May), such cases are not too frequent. Drought tolerance also does not apply to the strengths of Cordia. The fruit ripening is medium late. Typically, berries ripen in late June - early July. Collect them gradually, over 10-15 days. Berries firmly hold on the stalks without crumbling. Productivity is high and annual.
Cordia sweet cherry is self-infertile and therefore needs pollinators. The sources recommend for these purposes the varieties of cherries:
- Regina
- Karina
- Summit;
- Van;
- Burlat;
- Mercant.
The berries of the variety are large (average weight of 8-10 grams), very attractive. They have a heart-shaped and carmine-black color with a touch of bronze. TOthe cuticle is thin, resistant to cracking during rains. The pulp is dense, juicy, with a rich sweet taste.
Cordia berries are large (average weight 8-10 grams), very attractive
The fruits are universal in use, have good transportability and shelf life, which have earned recognition from exporters.
Advantages and disadvantages of Cordia cherries
Summarizing, we give a list of the main advantages of the variety:
- Early maturity.
- Late flowering and ripening.
- High and regular productivity.
- Stretched fruit ripening period.
- Attractive appearance of berries.
- Great taste.
- Resistance of fruits to cracking.
- Universal purpose of berries.
- Transportability.
And, of course, about the shortcomings:
- Low winter hardiness and frost resistance.
- Insufficient drought tolerance.
- Self-infertility.
Planting Cordia cherries
Cherries of this variety are planted according to traditional rules that are familiar to an experienced gardener. For starters, here’s a quick step by step guide:
- Choose a place to land. In this case, preference should be given to areas protected from cold winds and drafts by any natural obstacles such as tall trees, fences, buildings. And also pay attention to the fact that the soil is not flooded, fertile, loose.
- Seedlings on tall rootstocks are planted at a distance of three meters between each other and with an interval between rows of four meters. For stunted plants, these sizes are reduced to 2-2.5 m and 3-3.5 m, respectively.
- Since this variety is grown in the southern regions, planting is carried out in the fall after the transition of plants to dormancy. Before the onset of frost should remain at least 3-4 weeks.
- 2-3 weeks before planting, a planting pit is prepared with dimensions of approximately 0.8x0.8x0.8 m, which is filled with a nutrient mixture of fertile garden soil, sod land, humus, peat and coarse river sand, taken in approximately equal quantities. At the bottom of the pit, a drainage layer 10-15 cm thick of broken brick, crushed stone, expanded clay, etc., is pre-laid.
- A few hours before planting, the roots of the seedling are soaked in water (you can add growth and root formation stimulants, for example, Kornevin, Zircon, Epin, etc.).
- A plant is planted in a pre-prepared hole (it is made according to the size of the root system of the seedling), while carefully compacting the soil. And also make sure that as a result, the root neck of the seedling is at ground level or 3-5 cm above it.
When planting, gently compact the soil
- A trunk circle is formed around the circumference of the landing pit.
- Make abundant watering up to two to three times the filling of the trunk circle and the complete absorption of water.
After planting, produce abundant watering of the seedling to two to three times the filling of the trunk circle and the complete absorption of water
- After 2-3 days, the soil is loosened and mulched with a thick (15-20 cm) layer of humus, peat, straw, etc.
- The central conductor is cut to a height of 0.8-1.1 m, and if there are already branches on it, then they are shortened by 30-50%.
Features of cultivation and subtleties of care
Among other common measures for the care of cherries, special attention is paid to important points for the variety in question.
Frost protection
Young plants are especially susceptible to freezing. Therefore, immediately after planting and subsequently every autumn, until the tree reaches the age of 5-7 years, it should be thoroughly insulated. To do this, the root system is covered with a layer of mulch, and the trunk and crown are covered with a spanbond. If frosts in the region in winter do not fall below -20-25 ° C, then this procedure can be neglected.
Watering
Due to the insufficient drought tolerance of Cordia cherry during the growing season, it is necessary to monitor the constant moisture of the soil of the trunk circles to a depth of 30-40 cm.The first watering is carried out before flowering, and then after flowering, during the formation of ovaries, growth and ripening of berries. The frequency of watering during the hot period should be approximately once a week. And although the variety is resistant to cracking fruits, it is better to stop watering 2-3 weeks before they begin to ripen.
Trimming
This variety, which has a tendency to rapid growth in height, it is important to timely give the correct shape of the crown. Traditionally, you can apply the well-known sparse-tier.
For Cordia cherries, a sparse-tier crown formation is quite suitable
And also recently in Europe for cherries successfully apply the formation according to the Vogl method. Here we will not describe it step by step, we will only show the result. After the formation, the crown of the tree will be a cone. In this case, the lower branches are the longest and strongest, and the upper ones are short and weak. With the beginning of fruiting, the tree will partially balance itself, but regular pruning will still be necessary annually.
When forming the crown of cherries according to the Vogl method, the lower branches are the longest and strongest, and the upper ones are short and weak
Diseases and pests - prevention and control
Since the sources of information about the stability or susceptibility of Cordia cherry to certain diseases or pest attacks could not be found, we believe that for its protection we will need the usual preventive measures that are performed regularly and on time. We list them briefly and composition:
- Collection and disposal of fallen leaves in the fall.
- Lime whitewash of trunks and branches.
- Deep digging (plowing) of soil before the onset of frost.
- Eradicating crown treatment with pesticides (DNOC, Nitrafen, 5% solution of copper sulfate) in early spring (before the awakening of the kidneys).
- Installation of hunting belts on tree branches.
Grade Reviews
Re: Cordia
This year, cherry particularly pleased. Especially late. Without a worm, rot, large, juicy and well ripened. Canned a lot. Have eaten to the dump.
Vladimir Bachurin, Cherkasy region
//forum.vinograd.info/showthread.php?t=11402
Re: Cordia
The most delicious variety that I tasted. Thick pulp. Tasty, juicy. The berry is flattened, has the shape of a heart. The bone has the same shape. The stone is relatively small for a large berry. This year, the first berries ripened June 1-3.
Irina Kiseleva, Kharkov
//forum.vinograd.info/showthread.php?t=11402
When buying, the variety was presented as an average ripening period. Nothing was written about the pollinator, so I did not bother with the pollinator at all. Nearby are Bigarro Burlat and cherry “Miracle”. Bigarro Burlat is indicated as a medium-ripening variety, but both cherries bloom at the same time, and the fruits ripen at the same time.
Irina Kiseleva, Kharkov
//forum.vinograd.info/showthread.php?t=11402
The Summit can pollinate Cordia, of course, it is not the best pollinator, but tasty, but Cordia is the best pollinator for the Summit. You can still Regina.
cherry
//www.sadiba.com.ua/forum/showthread.php?p=432158
Cordia is a sweet cherry variety that has many positive qualities. It has long been cultivated in Europe, its berries are exported. In the warm southern regions, the cultivation of Cordia is not difficult. Therefore, gardeners and farmers in these areas should carefully look at this cherry.
