Drogana yellow cherry: description of the variety, characteristics, planting and care, reviews

History of selection

The exact date of cultivation of the variety could not be determined. Since 1947, it has been grown in the North Caucasus and Lower Volga. Previously, it was successfully cultivated in Saxony and Central Asia. During the Soviet period, yellow cherries were widely grown in Belarus, Moldova, and Armenia. This fruit tree thrives in the climatic conditions of the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions.

The name of the cherry is associated with the surname of the originator Drogan, but the exact history of selection has not been established. The fruit tree is not included in the State Register of Plant Varieties of the Russian Federation.

Description and characteristics of culture

Drogan Cherry:

A tall tree (5-6 m) with a light brown trunk, which takes up a lot of space in the garden, so when planting this fact should be taken into account first of all (the branches of the tree have a greenish tint, there is a bluish coating).
It has a pyramidal or oval crown (can be formed independently even before the onset of fruiting).
It is distinguished by a large number of leaves and fruits (leaves of medium size, oval, shiny, the tip of each leaf is pointed).
It blooms with medium-sized flowers forming small inflorescences (each inflorescence contains 2-3 flowers with saucer-shaped corollas and white touching petals).

The fruits are large, weighing from 6.6 to 8 g. The skin is bright yellow, the flesh is a shade lighter, dense. The juice is clear, the seed is oblong, it is difficult to separate it from the pulp, unlike the equally elongated stalk. Cherries taste sweet, even sugary.

Cherry Drogana Yellow: description of the variety

Drogana Yellow cherry trees are classified as tall and can reach 6 m in height. The slightly flattened and not too dense crown is shaped like a ball or cone. The long shoots have no bends and are covered with light brown bark. Large leaf blades have an elongated shape. Their length is about 17 cm and their width is no more than 7 cm.

The fruits of the Drogana Yellow cherry are above average in size and can weigh up to 8 g. They have an attractive heart-shaped shape and are colored a rich yellow color. The surface of the thin skin of the fruit is tender and thin. Under the skin there is a dense, juice-rich pulp. It is characterized by the presence of veins, as well as a beautiful yellow color with a straw tint.

The seed is difficult to remove from the fibrous part of the fruit. The fruits of the Drogana Yellow cherry are distinguished by their sweet taste, which received a high tasting score of 4.6 out of 5 possible points.

The chemical composition of the pulp of the Drogana Yellow cherry fruit includes dry substances (18%), a lot of sugars (about 14%), acids (0.2%).

Drogana Yellow cherry is recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus republics and territories, as well as in the Lower Volga region. Meanwhile, its cultivation area is much wider than the recommended area.

This variety of cherries has become widespread in Central Russia, throughout the entire Russian middle zone, as well as in the former Soviet republics - in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Baltic states.

Drogana Yellow cherry successfully takes root even in northern regions with cold and long winters and short summer periods, while maintaining impressive harvest volumes.

Characteristics of the variety

Drogan cherry adapts well to different weather conditions, but before planting it is necessary to study information about the methods of its pollination, the flowering period and the period of fruit ripening, possible pests, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve a good harvest.

Drought and frost resistance

Cherries tolerate heat and drought well; they are watered in the same way as other fruit plants. It can go without watering for 1 month or more. If it rains periodically in the summer, then you won’t have to water the tree at all.

It tolerates frost well; signs of frostbite can rarely be found on shoots and generative buds. Due to the nature of flowering, the tree is also not afraid of spring frosts.

Pollination

The tree does not pollinate on its own, so if there are no other fruit trees on the site (in the area of 30-40 meters), then they need to be planted, since the crop is self-sterile.

The process occurs most quickly when there are yellow, red and black cherries nearby, which bloom with the Drogan cherry at about the same time.

No other fruit trees (pears, apple trees) should grow between pollinated trees. It is best if there is no more than 3-4 meters between two trees - the pollinated one and the pollinator. Medium flowering varieties are always placed next to late flowering ones.

Flowering period

Cherries bloom at the end of May, which is very late. But late flowering allows you to save most of the buds from frost, which has a positive effect on the harvest.

Ripening time

The fruits ripen in late June or early July. It all depends on the year and region of growth. The fruits ripen at the same time and stay on the tree for a long time.

Productivity and fruiting

The first berries should be expected as soon as the tree reaches the age of 4-6 years. Up to 100 kg of berries are harvested from one cherry tree in a good year. The average is 50-70 kg per tree.

Areas of application of berries

The collected berries must be used as quickly as possible; they do not tolerate transportation and storage well - they rot, become wormy, and become moldy. The fruits are consumed fresh, preserved in the form of compote, ground with sugar and prepared for the winter in the form of jam.

This variety of cherries cannot be frozen; their skin is too thin, it quickly cracks and loses its presentable appearance; when defrosted, the berries simply blur.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Drogan cherry is resistant to diseases and pests. But in rainy summers the trees are threatened by gray rot, and in drought by the cherry fly. Birds and rodents are something to be wary of, so the gardener needs to take care of fungicides, repellents and traps in advance.

Growing regions

Drogan's cherry acclimatizes quickly, but does not germinate everywhere. It can often be found in Central and Central Russia, the Baltic countries, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.

Central

Late varieties that grow mainly in the south, but tolerate light frosts well, are suitable for the center of Russia. Together with Drogana cherries, cherries of the Adelina, Poezia, and Italian varieties can be planted as a pollinator.

Middle lane

In central Russia, Drogan cherries do not produce the best harvest, up to 30 kg per tree. But if you consider that this is the norm for other trees, then growing this variety is quite profitable. The main thing is the correct planting of the seedling (after frost) and caring for it before fruiting begins (pruning to form a crown, watering).

The weather conditions here in winter are difficult (frosts up to -32 degrees Celsius), so the late-blooming yellow cherry Drogana is ideally suited for the middle zone. Bryanochka and Revna can be dropped off next to her.

Baltic countries

Cherries have been grown in the Baltic countries since the 18th century. Most trees of different varieties can be found in the gardening plots of farmers from Estonia and Latvia. The growing conditions here are unique, but according to the 1970 census, there were at least 17.5 thousand trees in Estonia alone.

These were mainly winter-resistant varieties, but gradually in the Baltic countries they began to cultivate cherries, which previously grew in the south. Late-ripening Drogan cherries are suitable for any region.

In winter, its trunk can be wrapped in warm clothes, covered with straw and hay, protecting it from frost, and it is not afraid of spring frosts.

Belarus

In Belarus, the Drogana variety is not grown en masse. The following varieties of cherries are common here:

Pleasure;
Northern;
Rival;
Tyutchevka.

But in some gardening farms you can also find Drogan cherries.

Ukraine

During the Soviet period, over half of all cherry trees grew in Ukraine. Nowadays the main varieties of cherries grown are: Rival, Legend Mlieva, Valeria, Bagration, Kievlyanka, France Joseph and Drogana cherries, among others.

Moldova

In the south of Moldova, cherries are especially loved by gardeners. Red, yellow and black varieties are grown here. Climatic conditions in the north are not suitable for most varieties, late spring frosts cause color loss, but Drogan cherries bloom late, so they are not afraid of frosts, which makes it possible to grow this variety, if not on an industrial scale, then certainly in individual garden plots.

Landing

To plant the plant, you need areas well lit by the sun. It would also be nice if the owner took care of the issue of protecting the seedling from the wind in advance. It is recommended to buy Drogan seedlings from specialized nurseries. A one to two year old tree up to a meter high is suitable. It should not have any defects. A strong root system and several shoots are desirable. Before planting, all leaves are removed and the roots are immersed in clean water.

In the south, the crop is planted in the fall, after the leaves have fallen, but the soil should not yet freeze. This will allow the seedling to take root before the onset of frost. In the middle zone, these activities are carried out in the spring, they wait until the soil warms up enough, but the leaves have not yet begun to bloom. The seedling should be removed at least 5 meters from fruit trees.

The pit for placing the plant is prepared a couple of months in advance. The landing itself occurs according to the following algorithm:

Dig a hole measuring 80x80 centimeters and 70 centimeters deep.
To fill, mix compost, fertile soil, 190 grams of superphosphate and 90 grams of potassium sulfate.
Pour the substrate into the hole and pour a couple of buckets of water.
After planting, form a small mound in the hole. Place the seedling on top and straighten the roots.
Compact the soil and water well. Mulch the tree trunk circle with peat.

Pollinators

Drogana yellow cherry needs pollinators.

Pollinate:

Brianochka. Late ripening variety. Its dark red berries are distinguished by increased sweetness. It is distinguished by significant frost resistance, has a sparse crown, is not tall, so it does not interfere with neighbors on the site, even if they are close together.
Jealous. A mid-late variety, it is partially self-pollinating, but for the most part it is the same as the Drogan cherry, requiring a neighbor to participate in the pollination process. The black berries are large and very sweet.
Bagration. Light yellow, covered with a pink blush, the fleshy fruits of this variety compete favorably with Drogan in taste and degree of sweetness.

Cherries of the Napoleon, Francis and Krupnoplodnaya varieties are considered good pollinators. If there are no fruit plants near Drogan, the yellow one will bear fruit, but it will not be possible to reap a good harvest.

Napoleon

There are several types of this variety - yellow, pink and black. It is better to plant trees with yellow and pink berries near Drogan cherries. The pink variety of cherries is large, the berries have shiny thin skin, dense and very sweet pulp.

It blooms at the end of May and is harvested at the end of June. Napoleon does not tolerate frost, therefore it is not suitable for cultivation in central Russia, the Baltic states, and northern Moldova. Yellow and black cherries of the Napoleon variety tolerate frost better, but in the fall gardeners must prepare them for winter by wrapping the trunks with warm fabric (old clothes, blankets).

For successful pollination, stable air temperature is required - above 10-15 degrees Celsius, absence of rain, wind and heat. Drogana yellow and Napoleon have similar characteristics.

Francis

A vigorous variety of cherry, bred in the Czech Republic. It blooms early, so it cannot always serve as a pollinator specifically for the late-blooming Drogan cherry. The exception is when both varieties are grown in the middle zone and in the north, when the flowering of Francis is delayed due to the late development of the buds.

The berries are large, sweet and very juicy. The tree is frost-resistant, but may not withstand severe frosts, so it needs additional winter protection of the trunk.

Large-fruited

Large-fruited cherry is a spherical, medium-sized tree. Selected in Ukraine, it is distinguished by unusually large fruits for its species; individual berries reach a weight of 18 g. A mid-season variety, ripening in mid- or late June.

He feels most comfortable in the southern regions (Krasnodar, Crimea). Mature trees tolerate sub-zero temperatures well, but young seedlings may die. In addition to the Drogana yellow variety, a natural pollinator of large-fruited cherries can also be the Francis cherry variety.

Bigarro Oratovsky

A productive self-sterile variety of late ripening. Feels great in the northern regions. For pollination, Drogana yellow is almost ideal, since it has a pleasant dessert taste, partially transmitted to yellow cherries.

Melitopol black

One of the best mid-late varieties successfully cultivated in Ukraine, Moldova and Russia. It is distinguished by tasty, medium-sized berries that ripen by the end of June. The variety's yield is high - up to 80 kg per tree. The varieties Drogana zhetaya, Bigarro Oratovsky and Krupnoplodnaya are suitable for pollination.

Franz Joseph

Belongs to mid-late varieties. The berries are light yellow with pink sides, large, juicy and very sweet. Cultivated in western Russia, Moldova, southern Ukraine and Central Asia. The variety is intended for industrial cultivation; it is adapted for difficult climatic conditions and tolerates both frost and drought. To pollinate it, cherries with approximately the same ripening period are used - mid-to-late June.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The positive features of the Drogana yellow variety include:

pleasant taste of fruits, rated 4.3 points;
frost resistance;
undemanding to soil quality;
ability to survive for long periods of time without water.

When planting, they also take into account the presence of negative aspects in growing this particular variety. These are usually considered:

lack of keeping quality of fruits;
impossibility of transportation over long distances (the presentation is lost, the cherries spoil in a matter of hours).

You will have to plant 2 trees of different varieties on the site at once, since the Drogan cherry is self-sterile and needs pollination.

Cherry Drogana Yellow: origin of the variety

Cherry Drogana Yellow: photo of the variety

The homeland of the Drogan Yellow cherry variety is Saxony, and it received its name thanks to the surname of its creator - Drogan. Unfortunately, history has not preserved information about this breeder, as well as the exact date of breeding of the variety. Today, the Drogana Yellow cherry is one of the most common varieties, although it is not included in the State Register.

How to plant

Planting time, planting method, and soil quality depend on the region. Cherries of this variety are not capricious, but they also need to create at least minimal favorable conditions for growth.

Recommended timing

In the south, planting is carried out in the fall, and in the north - in the spring. This allows you to avoid the death of the tree due to frost.

It is optimal to plant in the fall at the end of October, and in the spring at the end of March. In this case, the soil for planting is prepared in the fall.

Choosing a suitable location

Plant on a sunny hill or knoll. Cherries do not like soil that is sour or oversaturated with water. The roots must be removed from groundwater at a distance of at least 2 meters.

Requirements for neighbors

You can plant other fruit trees next to this variety of cherries, but not apple or pear trees. They will take all the bees for themselves, and the cherry tree will be left without pollination.

How to select and prepare planting material

2-3 year old seedlings with generative buds and a well-developed root system are suitable for planting. It is necessary to purchase planting material from trusted gardening farms.

Before planting, remove all leaves from the tree and lime the soil for planting. This is necessary for the normal development of the seedling.

Planting scheme

Cherries are planted according to the following rules:

in the selected area they dig a hole 0.7 meters deep and 0.8 meters wide;
gravel mixed with lime is placed at the bottom of the hole as drainage;
Dolomite flour is placed on top of the gravel (needed to reduce soil acidity);
place the seedling in a hole, dig a peg next to it, to which its trunk is tied (fixation helps protect the tree from damage);
The roots of the tree are covered with soil mixed with compost or humus.

The tree is watered until water stops being absorbed into the soil.

Instructions for planting Drogana Yellow cherries

Cherry Drogana Yellow: photo of the variety

The algorithm for planting cherries of the Drogana Zheltaya variety is no different from other varieties of this crop. The only peculiarity of this particular variety is the high growth characteristic of its trees. This circumstance should be taken into account when placing “Drogana Yellow” on a small area. In addition, harvesting and processing and pruning tall trees is much more difficult than in the case of more compact varieties.

Cherry "Drogana Yellow". How to choose a time to board

It is recommended to choose the time for planting “Drogana Yellow” seedlings based on the climate of the region. For regions with early autumn frosts, spring planting is recommended, which occurs in the first days of May. It is important that the procedure for planting cherry seedlings is carried out at least 30 days before the flowering phase.

In the southern regions, autumn planting of material purchased in summer is possible. Its pre-storage period is 14 days, and planting must be completed before September 20.

Choosing a landing site

When choosing a place to place Drogana Yellow, it is recommended to give preference to well-lit areas. It is optimal if the seedlings are exposed to the sun for 16-18 hours during the day. For this reason, the most successful planting option is the southern border of the site. Having protection on the north side of the garden will protect young trees from the cold wind.

As for the composition of the soil, the Drogana Yellow cherry tree successfully takes root almost everywhere, although it gives preference to slightly acidic soils. Soil moisture is much more important, since this variety of cherries is extremely sensitive to excess moisture. The groundwater level on the site should be no higher than 4 m from the ground surface.

Drogana Yellow: pollinator varieties

When choosing neighbors for the Drogana Yellow cherry variety, you should avoid berry bushes like currants or gooseberries. It is also undesirable to plant cherry trees near it. As a result of cross-pollination of these crops, the tree will produce a modest harvest of tiny fruits that have lost the high flavor characteristics of yellow cherries. A good option for proximity to “Drogana Zhelta” are apple and rowan trees.

Preparing for landing

Cherry Drogana Yellow: photo of the variety

The preparatory stage of planting Drogana Yellow cherries consists of selecting seedlings. Young bushes that are 2.5-3 years old are best suited for planting in open ground. It is recommended to purchase planting material from large nurseries that can provide documents for seedlings.

If there are no documents, a tag on the bushes will be enough. Suitable for planting are seedlings that have at least 3 root shoots, as well as several generative buds. Before planting, you should trim off all the leaves present on the seedling. Otherwise, they will take away moisture from the trunk and root system of the young plant.

Planting stages

First of all, you need to take care of the planting pits for cherry seedlings. Their average depth is about 70 cm. In order to increase the nutritional value of the soil on the site, humus is introduced into each planting hole, the layer thickness of which is about 15 cm. Another option to make the soil more fertile would be to add green fertilizers mixed with manure infusion into the hole . In addition, it is recommended to add mineral complexes to the resulting substrate. They should include superphosphate (about 0.5 kg) and potassium sulfate (no more than 0.1 kg). The nutrient mixture must be mixed well and poured with water.
The substrate will settle within two hours before planting.
A cherry seedling with pre-straightened root shoots is placed on top of the nutrient soil mixture. It is not recommended to bury the root collar. It is better if it is located 5 cm above ground level.
Next to the seedling you need to place a peg to which the plant will be tied.
The remaining free space in the pit is filled with the remains of the soil removed when digging the planting pit. The soil must be compacted and then spilled with water in the amount of 1 bucket.
The surface of the ground around the seedlings should be covered with a layer of mulch, which can be peat or freshly cut grass.

Rules of care

Drogan's cherry is easy to care for, but you won't be able to completely forget about its presence on the site.

Watering mode

Immediately after planting the seedling in the soil, it is regularly watered. Approximately once every 2 weeks it is necessary to pour at least 2 buckets of water (10 l) into each hole. Mature trees are watered 3-4 times during spring and summer. The first time in May, if there has been no rain for a long time, 2 times during ripening and harvesting of fruits, 1 time in the fall. For 1 adult tree, 1 bucket of water is enough.

Top dressing

Cherries are fed at the same time as watering. In spring, the tree needs urea, superphosphates and potassium salt. 20 g of each substance are dissolved in 2 buckets of water and the resulting mixture is watered over the plants. Approximately once every 3 years, the ground under the tree is dug up and up to 10 kg of humus is added to it.

Sanitary pruning

1-2 years after planting, the young tree is pruned for the first time, getting rid of old, dried branches. Pruning is carried out in early spring or autumn. At the same time, all lower branches are removed; the remaining ones, if there are more than 3-4 of them, are pruned by 20-25 cm.

Crown formation

Drogan's cherry begins to bear fruit when it reaches the age of 4-5, sometimes 6 years, so before this time it is necessary to have time to form its crown. For this:

the central branch and side shoots are cut by 1/3;
Every year a new tier is formed, so that the crown grows not in height, but in width.

The crown of an adult tree is not pruned. Only side shoots that interfere with its development are removed.

Preparing for winter

In the fall, before frost, cherries are watered abundantly. This helps protect the soil from freezing. The trunks of mature trees are covered with casings made of tin, metal pipes and roofing felt. This helps protect them from rodents.

Digging

In hot summers, the soil under the trees is dug up, watered and fertilized. At the same time, they act carefully, trying not to damage the barrel.

Mulching

The soil under the tree is dug up for the last time in the fall, after which humus is added to the soil (mulched).

Thermal insulation

Young seedlings are covered with burlap, old things, and spruce branches. This helps protect them from the cold.

Snow cone

After snow falls, a snowdrift is formed around the young cherry tree, gradually covering the entire tree from base to top with snow.

Diseases and pests

Drogan's cherry is resistant to many pests and diseases, but in rainy weather the gardener should pay special attention to it, as there is a risk of infection with gray rot or the appearance of a large number of cherry flies. Birds can also destroy crops.

tinder

A fungus that lives on the trunk of cherry trees. It looks like a brown growth of a fossilized nature. Gradually the number of such growths increases and the tree dies. Regular treatment of the trunk with lime mortar helps save the situation.

Gray rot

If the berries rot before they ripen and gray fluffy mold appears on them, then this is a bad sign, meaning that the tree is infected with gray rot. Damaged fruits are removed, the plant is treated with nitrophen and copper sulfate.

cherry fly

The cherry fly is dangerous because it lays a large number of larvae right when the cherry blossoms. They grow along with the berries and gradually eat up all the pulp. They fight the pest using special traps, which are tape coated with sticky glue.

Pipe screwer

The insect eats buds, flowers, fruits and buds. To protect cherries from the tubeworm, they are treated with Aktara and pyrethroid preparations. Periodic digging up of the soil and manual destruction of beetles helps as a preventive control measure.

Birds

To protect against birds, large farms install special repellers or barrier nets. At home, it is enough to hang several plastic bags or old CDs on the cherry tree, the rattling of which will scare away the birds.

Cherry Drogana Yellow. Care instructions

Cherry Drogana Yellow: photo of the variety

Caring for cherries of the Drogana Zheltaya variety comes down to procedures typical for this crop - watering, tillage, and fertilization.

Active plant vegetation, flowering and fruiting processes require large amounts of water. During these periods, it is recommended to water “Drogana Yellow” at least once every 2-4 weeks, depending on the amount of rain.

Young trees need to be fertilized during the season. Mineral complexes are introduced in May and then in July. For mature plants, another fertilization procedure is indicated, which occurs at the end of the season. In October, 10 to 12 kg of compost or humus should be added to each cherry tree.

Despite its winter-hardy nature, the Drogana Yellow cherry tree needs shelter for the winter. First, you should dig up the soil on the site, and then mulch it with peat or humus. This will protect the tree root system from freezing. It is recommended to wrap the trunks of young trees with a layer of heat-insulating material.

After enough snow has fallen, you should rake it to the trunks of the cherry trees to cover their basal part and trunk to the 1 m mark.

Another important procedure for caring for Drogana Yellow cherries is pruning. It not only forms the crown of the tree, but also has a sanitary function, and also increases the volume of the harvest. First of all, infected, weakened and damaged shoots and branches are removed from the plant.

Pruning is carried out twice a year - in spring and autumn. To increase the yield of a tree, fresh shoots of the current season should be shortened by half.

Preventative treatment

The main danger to the Drogana Yellow cherry is gray rot, as well as diseases associated with the tinder fungus . If the latter appears, it is necessary to cut off the neoplasm. And then disinfect the cut site with copper sulfate using a solution of 30% concentration. As a preventive treatment measure, you can cover the trunks of cherry trees with lime mortar.

If infected with gray rot, all diseased parts of the plant should be removed, and then treated with fungicides such as Fitosporin or Bordeaux mixture (1% solution). To prevent gray mold disease in cherries, it is recommended to spray the trees with copper sulfate (1% solution) or with Nitrafemon.

Among the harmful insects, the enemies of the Drogana Yellow cherry are cherry flies and tubeworms. You can get rid of them by treating them with insecticides - “Zolon” or “Aktellik” against flies, “Hexachloran” and “Metaphos” against tubeworms.

To avoid the invasion of cherry flies, it is enough to regularly loosen the soil around the cherry trees, and also use glue-based traps. The appearance of the tubeworm is prevented by timely cleaning of the area from fallen leaves and fruits.

Birds can be another problem. To scare them away, you can resort to the old method - place a scarecrow, rattle, or any source of sharp sounds in the garden. If this does not help, you can cover the crown of the tree with an ordinary fishing net - the smaller the cells, the better. Another method of scaring away birds is to spray the cherry plantings with pepper infusion. To prepare it, add 10 red pepper pods with water (3 liters). You can also use gels that repel birds (Bird Free).