Cherry Helena

Cherry Helena
The main characteristics of the variety:
  • Pruning: not required
  • Appointment: for fresh consumption
  • Yield: high
  • Tree height, m: up to 3.5
  • Crown: thick, width up to 1 m
  • Fruit size: large
  • Fruit weight, g: 12-15
  • Fruit color: expressive ruby
  • Pulp color : Dark red
  • Pulp (consistency): medium density, juicy
View all specifications

Columnar varieties of sweet cherries are very fond of summer residents who strive to make the most of the usable area of ​​the site. Such varieties are compact and also have decorative qualities. The Helena variety fully meets these characteristics.

Description of the variety

Helena is a columnar subspecies of sweet cherry with a strong and sturdy trunk. The height of the tree reaches 3.5 meters, but the crown is only 1 meter wide. This means that you can safely plant cultivated plants near Helena: she will not shade them. Despite its compactness, the crown is leafy rather densely.

The foliage looks very beautiful: it is painted in a bright and rich green shade, and the surface is glossy, with slight ribbing. The edges of the leaf blades are clearly serrated.

It is worth noting that the main emphasis during the growth of a tree is placed precisely on the trunk. There are few branches on Helena, skeletal shoots are present, but they are very short. Therefore, the tree looks unusual for fruit crops and is quite decorative.

Fruit characteristics

Cherry Helena forms large and incredibly attractive drupes. Each of them weighs from 12 to 15 grams. The color is expressive, ruby. The berries look so delicious that you want to eat them right away. The effect produced by the fruit is enhanced by a dense skin with a glossy sheen.

Taste qualities

Helena's dessert berries have an amazingly sweet taste with a honey aftertaste. There is no sourness in the fruits at all. The pulp is very juicy, melts in the mouth, medium density. The harvest harvested from cherry trees can be used in completely different ways. In addition to fresh consumption, the fruits are canned, processed into compote, juice and jam. Due to their increased decorative qualities, whole cherries are used to decorate fruit salads, various sweet desserts, and soft drinks.

Ripening and fruiting

The first flowering and fruit formation is carried out approximately in the third year of the culture's life. In some regions, the tree begins to bear fruit in its fourth year. The harvests of mature trees are regular, annual. Drupes are harvested in the third decade of June. With proper care, the tree can bear fruit for up to 25 years.

After planting the seedlings, it will take a long time before you can see the first berries on the tree. The first flowering occurs only in the fourth year of the tree's life. At this time, the tree produces only a small number of flowers. In the fifth year, you can already expect more active flowering and the first, albeit small, harvest. A decent harvest can be harvested for 6-7 years.

Yield

Despite the diminutive size of the tree, it gives quite a decent harvest - up to 15 kg of cherries from one specimen.

Growing regions

Helena was most widespread in central Russia, but summer residents from the northern or southern regions can also try to grow it.

Self-fertility and the need for pollinators

The downside of Helena is that she is self-infertile. For the formation of the harvest, experienced summer residents recommend placing the Sylvia variety next to it.

Growing and care

Helena requires an abundance of sun, so this crop should be planted in the most illuminated area. Even light shading is unacceptable. The tree is very afraid of piercing winds, so the site should not resemble an open field. Seedlings should be protected from drafts by planting close to buildings or tall crops.

The soil is required fertile, rich in nutrients. Sandy loam and loamy substrates are prepared in the autumn months, while chernozem does not need additional feeding. It is recommended to plant Helena at low elevations so that the groundwater does not flood the roots.

Caring for a columnar cherry is not particularly difficult, but some activities must be carried out without fail.

  • Watering the crop should be regular. Such cherries differ from ordinary varieties, so it is unreasonable to focus on the classic ones 3 times per season. It is important here to monitor the level of soil moisture. If the soil is completely dry and begins to crack, then it must be watered. A couple of times a month, irrigation will definitely have to be carried out. The amount of water depends on the age of the tree.
  • After watering, it is imperative to loosen the topsoil. This way the roots will be able to get a lot of oxygen, which they need for development. Weeding of the trunk circle is carried out as needed. If you don't have time to keep track of the soil, it is better to immediately put a small layer of organic mulch.
  • Helena needs to be fed carefully and dosed. It is recommended to prefer mineral complexes to organics. The tree requires potassium, as well as phosphorus, so top dressing should contain exactly these elements. But very little nitrogen is needed, otherwise the cherry may not yield a harvest. Basically, no more than four dressings are made per season.
  • This variety does not need pruning. However, the tree still needs to be inspected regularly. If sick, dry or frost-bitten branches are noticed, they must be carefully cut with pruning shears. The best time for this is early spring.
Sweet cherries are planted in a sunny and well-protected place from the wind. The soil should be fertile, loose and moisture-permeable. There are two options for planting cherries - spring and autumn. The first option is the most preferred and is suitable for all growing regions. In the southern regions, planting can be carried out in the fall.
One of the benefits of grafting a tree is to restore overgrown plants, improve the taste of the fruit, and adapt southern varieties to cool climates. If you follow all the recommendations of experts, you can strengthen the immune system of cherries, and it will be more resistant to pests and diseases.
In order to harvest a rich and tasty cherry crop every year, you need to properly care for it. Timely watering is one of the essential steps in care. The rate of watering a cherry tree directly depends on how dry and hot the weather is, and on the amount of precipitation. Basically, cherries need to be watered about 3-5 times per season, depending on the weather conditions in your area.
One of the most important agrotechnical measures in the cultivation of sweet cherry is correct and timely pruning. Correct pruning eliminates the consumption of nutrients for infertile shoots, so more trace elements are sent to the fruiting branches. This process increases the quality and quantity of the harvest.

Disease and pest resistance

In favorable conditions and with due care, Helena is extremely rarely attacked by ailments and parasites.Diseases can occur when:

  • non-compliance with the irrigation schedule;
  • disembarking in a shaded place;
  • ignoring weeds in the trunk circle;
  • no processing of cuts if the gardener removed any branches.

Under the above conditions, cherries are affected by diseases such as scab, perforated spot, clotterosporium disease and some others. Such fungal ailments are usually treated with Bordeaux liquid at a concentration of 1%, which is sprayed on the tree before and after flowering. The tool can also be used for preventive purposes.

Pests on this variety are very rarely noticed. But aphids may well attack him. It is better not to wait for the parasite to multiply, but immediately treat the foliage with a solution of laundry soap. If other pests have appeared on the tree, insecticides should be purchased.

When caring for cherries, you need to carry out timely protection against various pests and pathogens. Depending on the cause and nature of the course, all cherry diseases can be conditionally divided into several categories - infectious and non-infectious. Each category of diseases provides for its own plan and method of treatment, the use of certain drugs and folk remedies.

Requirements for soil and climatic conditions

Plants of the described variety can survive temperatures down to -49 degrees, which is a very high figure. The trees of the first year need shelter for the winter, as well as those specimens that grow in regions with little snowy winters. The variety has good drought resistance, but it does not tolerate constant moisture deficiencies. The fruits are small and lose some of their taste.

Self-cultivation of sweet cherries is a complicated process. It is important to follow all the necessary subtleties and techniques for the fruit tree to take root. There are several ways to propagate cherries: grafting on another tree, cuttings, growing from a stone, propagation by root shoots or layering.

Review overview

Those who already grow Helena in the garden speak positively of the variety. The tree not only gives rich and attractive yields of tasty fruits, but also decorates the site. Next to the compact Helena, summer residents grow other crops, which saves space. They did not find any serious flaws, but they warn against buying from unverified sellers. According to gardeners, this variety should only be purchased from reputable nurseries.

Main characteristics
Appointment
for fresh consumption
Columnar
Yes
Yield
high
Average yield
15 kg per tree
Wood
Tree height, m
up to 3.5
Crown
thick, width up to 1 m
Fruit
Fruit size
large
Fruit weight, g
12-15
Fruit color
expressive ruby
Skin
with glossy shine
Pulp color
Dark red
Pulp (consistency)
medium density, juicy
Fruit taste
sweet, honey, dessert
Appearance
incredibly beautiful
Growing
Self-fertility
self-infertile
Pollinator varieties
Silvia
Winter hardiness
high (-40 ° C)
The soil
fertile
Pruning
not required
Location
bright, draft-free place
Growing regions
middle strip of Russia
Disease and pest resistance
high
Maturation
Ripening terms
average
Fruiting period
third decade of June
Reviews
There are no reviews.
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