Bessey cherry - 7 main differences and care tips

Sand cherry has two varieties: eastern and western, called Besseya. The homeland of the culture is the prairies of North America, where it grows along the shores of water bodies. The western sand cherry is used as an ornamental and fruit shrub, while the eastern one is used only for garden decoration and wind protection.

On the territory of Russia, Besseya became widespread in Siberia and the Far East. Less commonly, it can be found in the Ural gardens.

Breeding history

Strictly speaking, it is wrong to call Bessey a cherry. In terms of its biological parameters, it is much closer to the drain. With ordinary cherries, steppe and sweet cherries, Besseya does not cross-pollinate, does not interbreed, they cannot even be grafted onto each other. But there are many hybrids of culture with plum, apricot. It is customary to refer Bessey to micro cherries (felt, ferruginous, etc.), when crossed with which many interesting varieties have been obtained.

Besseys are actively engaged in breeding in Canada and the USA. In our country, although Ivan Michurin also paid attention to culture, only V.S.Putov from the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after V.I. M. A. Lisavenko. Until his death, he was engaged in Bessey cherries and bred 5 elite forms with large sweet fruits: 14-29, 14-32a, 14-36, 14-36a, 14-40.

From time to time, varieties of sand cherries appear, obtained by modern breeders. Much more often Besseya is crossed with other cultures. The State Register includes 6 varieties of sand cherry:

Sandy cherry Besseya would be an ideal rootstock for plums, apricots, micro-cherries. But she has one significant drawback - poor anchoring. This means that the root of the culture weakly "clings" to the ground and an adult plant can overturn at any time.

Important! You cannot plant other cherries on Bessey: they simply will not take root.

Description of culture

As you can see in the photo of the Bessey cherry, it is a shrub 1–1.5 m high and up to 2.0 m wide. It grows in several trunks. Older branches are dark gray, young ones are red-brown. At first, the shoots grow straight, then they droop, and by the age of seven they begin to creep along the ground.

Bessey cherry leaves are somewhat similar to willow leaves: the same elongated, lanceolate. Their length can reach 6 cm. The upper part of the leathery leaf blade is bright green, the lower one is grayish-silvery. In the fall, the bush turns red, which looks very beautiful.

Sometimes, even after the beginning of snowfalls, the cherry does not lose all of its foliage.

At the end of spring, Besseya is literally wrapped in numerous flowers up to 1.5 cm in diameter, exuding a faint pleasant aroma. Sand cherry fruits are black, brown, rarely greenish-yellow. Their shape ranges from round to oval. The weight of the berries is up to 2 g, in selected specimens it is about 3 g. Delicate greenish, less often with reddish or burgundy veins, Bessey's flesh is sweet, tart, sometimes astringent. The sourness is present in the fruits, but it is hardly noticeable. Sand cherry breeding aims to remove astringency.

Interesting! Bessei's taste is not always associated with the variety: it differs from plant to plant.

Characteristics

One cannot rely on the characteristics of Bessey's sand cherry given by foreign sources. Varieties from the USA and Canada have not been tested under our conditions.

Drought resistance, winter hardiness

Besseya's cherry is a drought-resistant and frost-resistant crop. Its root system easily tolerates frost down to -26 ° C. In the conditions of the American prairies, the aboveground part of cherries can endure up to -50 ° C, in our climate without shelter, one can expect that Besseya will withstand -40 ° C.

The difference stems from the fact that a high summer temperature is required for the wood to mature sufficiently. At home, sand cherry grows in the steppe zone. We have forests, taiga and forest-steppe at the same latitude as in North America. It is much cooler in summer than on the prairie.

But Bessey's cherry, even after freezing, quickly recovers. Young shoots grow from the area of ​​the root collar, which give an especially abundant harvest for the next season.

Damping out is much more dangerous for Bessey. If the root collar is damaged, the cherry will die. Therefore, in winter, it is recommended to periodically pierce the snow cover in several places with a sharp stick or metal rod.

Pollination, flowering period and ripening times

Varietal sand cherry is self-fertile. For specific plants, it is necessary to have several specimens in the garden. Any other varieties of this culture can act as pollinators for Bessey cherries.

It blooms late, for example, in the Barnaul area, by the end of May. Thanks to this, Besseya easily escapes recurrent frosts. Sand cherry flowers are decorative and last for about 20 days. Fruiting begins at the end of August.

Productivity, fruiting

Besseya begins to bear fruit very early. Even on cherry seedlings, the first berries appear in the second or third year after germination. Fruiting occurs only on young annual shoots. They grow well exclusively on branches that do not exceed 5 years of age. Therefore, to get a good harvest, you need regular anti-aging pruning of cherries.

Important! Twigs of medium length - from 15 to 50 cm - bear fruit best.

Bessey cherries have a lifespan of 10–12 years. During this period, each bush is capable of producing up to 30 kg of fruit annually. It is noteworthy that they do not crumble at all. If you overexpose them on cherries in warm autumn, the berries will dry up and only become tastier.

Scope of berries

Bessey can be eaten fresh. But only varietal or selected cherries will have tasty berries. If the fruits are tart, they can be used for jam, wine, juices, compotes. Besseya is especially good in various fruit mixes.

Disease and pest resistance

Sand cherry is remarkable in that it is almost not affected by diseases and pests. Only occasionally does she suffer from clasterosporium disease.

Advantages and disadvantages

A photo and description of sand cherries characterize it as an exceptionally productive crop. In addition, the advantages of Bessei include:

1. Annual fruiting.
2. Disease and pest resistance.
3. High drought resistance.
4. Extremely extended period of fruiting of Bessey sand cherry. Its berries can even dry up right on the bush, which makes them taste better.
5. High frost resistance. It surpasses all other stone fruit crops.
6. Ease of reproduction.
7. High decorativeness of the plant.
8. Early fruiting.
9. Fast recovery from frost.

Disadvantages of culture:

1. Cherry has a short lifespan (up to 12 years).
2. Small fruits.
3. Low resistance to clasterosporium disease.
4. Bessei fruits do not taste very good.
5. The instability of cherries to damping.

Reviews about the variety of cherries "Besseya"

According to reviews, Bessey's cherry is really quite unpretentious, bears fruit well and is great for planting in the Moscow region. Its decorative qualities are also highly noted: both its spring flowering and the autumn crimson of its leaves look very attractive. The shape of the leaf is more reminiscent of a willow than a cherry, the color of the leaves is green, slightly giving off silver, which also brings unusualness and elegance to the shrub.

Where can one buy

You can buy Bessey cherry seedlings in our online store. We ship orders throughout the country using the Russian post. Order seedlings of Bessey cherry.

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Landing features

Bessey's requirements for the place and conditions of planting are not very different from other cherries. But there is a difference and cannot be ignored.

Recommended timing

It is best to plant Besseya in the spring, after the soil warms up a little. In places where the summer is not too hot, container cherries can be placed on the site throughout the season.

Choosing the right place

The main thing is that the planting site for Bessey's sand cherries should be sunny, protected from the wind and not covered with snow. In no case should it be placed in hollows or swampy areas. The culture is very sensitive to damping and stagnation of water at the roots. The ideal place for sand cherries would be a hill.

Any soil is suitable for Bessey: it grows even on alkaline soils. But it is best to plant it in soil rich in sand and organic matter.

What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherries

When planting Bessey on the site, you need to remember that the culture is low - any tree can shade it. It is better to have other sand cherries nearby. Even under an adult tree, ground cover should not be planted.

It is not necessary that oak, birch, walnut, raspberry or sea buckthorn grow next to Besseya. Neighborhood with black currant will not bring anything good to any of the crops.

Selection and preparation of planting material

If possible, it is better to grow the planting material yourself. If necessary, seedlings are bought in nurseries or garden centers that value their reputation.

The root system of the sand cherry should be well developed and the shoots should be reddish brown. The presence of cracks or other damage on the branches is unacceptable.

Landing algorithm

After a sunny, elevated place, protected from the wind, has been chosen for the Bessey cherry, you can start planting.

• First, a fertile mixture is made: the top layer of soil, humus, dolomite flour, ash and a handful of superphosphate are combined.
• A planting pit is prepared with a size of 40x40x40 cm.If the groundwater comes close to the surface of the soil, the depth is increased and broken red brick and crushed stone are placed on the bottom and covered with sand.

It should be borne in mind that the distance between the bushes should not be less than 2 m.Further Besseya is planted like this:

1. A layer of fertile soil is poured into the bottom of the pit.
2. A seedling is placed in the middle.
3. The cherry root is gradually covered with the mixture prepared in advance, constantly compaction in order to avoid the formation of voids.
4. After planting, a roller is formed from the soil around the bush and watered abundantly.
5. The trunk circle is mulched.

Planting seedlings

Planting and caring for Bessey cherries is akin to a simple cherry. The most optimal period for planting seedlings is spring. Saplings, which had a closed root system when sold (in a container), can be planted in early autumn.

When buying a seedling in late autumn, it is better to dig it in until spring.

It is better to plant cherries in a sunny area with a hill. When planting a garden, a distance of at least 2 meters is left between the seedlings.Although Besseya is not demanding on the soil, it has been noticed that it develops better in sandy soil. On heavy soil, pebble or crushed stone should be used for drainage, and sour soil should be limed with dolomite flour. Sand is introduced into the clay soil to loosen it.

Fertilizers should be applied to the prepared planting pit:

To avoid decay of the root system from stagnant moisture in the pit, make a mound and put a seedling on it and cover it with soil. After pouring with warm water. Although, of course, it would be better to prepare the planting hole in advance - this way the soil will have enough time to settle.

Follow-up care of the culture

Young plants must be watered. Adult Besseya is a drought-resistant culture. It is important not to overdo it with watering. In the spring, cherries are fertilized with nitrogen, in the fall - with potassium and phosphorus, and the latter element is introduced in small doses. It is best to mulch the soil with humus mixed with ash for the winter: there are all the elements Bessey needs for growth and fruiting.

Sand cherries need regular pruning. When planting, it is shortened, leaving 5–10 cm. It will quickly overgrow with young shoots. Branches 4–5 years old are removed completely. With sanitary and lightening pruning, it should be borne in mind that the most productive shoots 15-50 cm long. They should be left.

Besseya practically does not grow. Until the branches lie on the ground, the soil must be loosened and weeds removed.

Only where severe frost is possible (below -50 ° C), and there is almost no snow, cherries are covered with spruce branches for the winter. The crop is susceptible to damping, so the snow must be regularly punctured to the surface of the soil in several places to ensure ventilation.

Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention

Reviews of gardeners about Bessey's cherry characterize it as a culture that is resistant to diseases and is almost not susceptible to pest attacks. Only in cold rainy summers can she suffer from clasterosporium disease. As a prevention of the disease, a double spraying with Bordeaux liquid (1%) is carried out - on a green cone and immediately after flowering. Sanitary pruning and cleaning of fallen leaves cannot be neglected.

Features of the cultivation of the culture of Bessei

Remember that the plant is native to regions of the North American continent with a temperate, dry climate. Besseya loves warmth, so the sunny areas of the summer cottage, protected from the cold north wind, will be an ideal place for her. Any soil is suitable, but cherry feels best on sandy loam soil fertilized with humus.

By the way, according to the observations of gardeners, cherries of this type should be planted not in pits, but on hills.

This method is explained simply: the roots warm up better, the plant accumulates strength and tolerates winter cold more easily.

Despite the frost resistance, cover the plant with snow for the winter, with a layer thickness of at least 50 cm. This is most important for Siberia. It is important to make holes in the snow with a pole, this will provide ventilation and Besseya will not support.

Under normal conditions, the plant is not susceptible to disease. But if the summer is rainy, and the temperature is below the average annual, there is a chance of contracting coccomycosis.

Fighting the fungus is as follows:

• harvest and destroy foliage in autumn, prune damaged branches in early spring;
• before flowering, spray the tree with a 3% solution of ferrous sulfate;
• during the budding phase, treat with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture, repeat the procedure after flowering.

Do not forget to treat the wounds resulting from gum removal with garden varnish. Fighting insects is not required, pests do not particularly favor Bessey because of the aroma exuded during the flowering period (similar to the smell of bird cherry).

What are the ways of reproduction

Even a novice gardener is able to cope with the reproduction of Bessey cherries.Since it practically does not give root suckers, you can try other options:

• Plant the bones. They have excellent germination capacity. They are planted immediately after eating the cherry, or after stratification for 2-3 months.
• Both green and lignified cuttings take root well. They are grown for 1-2 years before landing on a permanent place.
• The easiest way to propagate Bessey is by layering. They are simply dropped in and fixed with a metal bracket, so that when picking berries or weeding, they do not accidentally pull them out of the ground. The next year, young cherries are separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Care advice

Old branches that have already bent to the ground should be removed immediately. Otherwise, they will take away a lot of nutrients. After removing the old ones, new branches will start to grow actively. The gardener makes sure that the Besseya cherries do not thicken. Regular cutting of interfering shoots in the middle of spring will help in this. When choosing fertilizers, attention is paid to the growth rate. If it is insufficient, then nitrogen fertilizing is applied. In the absence of lagging behind the time frame, it is better to opt for potash fertilizers.

Important! Complex nutrients are added no more than 3 times during 1 season.

The best way to apply is by spraying. Increased attention is paid to the prevention of diseases and the emergence of pests. Gardeners are advised to abandon the use of "chemistry", otherwise a large amount of it will collect in the cherry. If there are no traces of disease, then biologically active substances are used for preventive purposes. Gardeners carefully monitor regular watering. In hot weather, water is applied to the soil 2-3 times a week. Before watering, the degree of soil moisture is checked. Compliance with the "golden mean" guarantees high yields.

Harvesting and processing

Harvesting Bessei can be done after ripening at any time: the fruits do not crumble, and when overripe they become tastier. The main thing is that the berries do not get dirty. To do this, you can spread agrofibre or cut grass on the ground. Some gardeners arrange special props so that the branches, generously strewn with fruits, do not lie on the ground.

Bessey berries are processed in the same way as plums: they are quite similar in composition. It is best to add them to jams, compotes, juices and wine from other fruits - sand cherries will give them a special color and aroma.

The cultivation of Bessey sand cherry is available even in those regions where other stone fruit crops will not survive. Perhaps its taste is peculiar and not everyone will like it, but a large amount of vitamins and other medicinal substances makes berries not just a delicacy, but a useful addition to our diet.

Use of the variety in a home garden

Bessey cherries are grown in garden plots as an ornamental plant or as a fruit crop.

With the help of shrub plantations, hedges are made. The bush is quite bright, the leaves are dark green with a bluish tinge. During the flowering period, the plant is strewn with small inflorescences, the ripe berries harmonize pleasantly with the greens, in autumn the foliage changes color to bright red.

If you are interested in purchasing Bessei specifically as an ornamental shrub, pay attention to the Pisard variety. The hybrid was bred in 1910 by Niels Hansen, as a result of crossing the sandy Besseya cherry and cherry plum. The shrub turned out to be undersized (no more than a meter) and unpretentious to care for. An interesting variety is Pearl Leaf Sand Cherry, which has a dark purple foliage color. It is cultivated in the USA, and over the past few years it has won the love of Russian gardeners.

The berries of the plant are also suitable for use in food, especially for compotes and jam.
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