The plum tree produces juicy fruits with a sweet taste. If you provide quality care for your plum, it will long years will delight you with a rich harvest of fleshy fruits, which are widely used fresh, frozen, and preserved in the form of juices, compotes, jellies, and jams.
Rules for planting plums
The fragrant plum is a tree that reaches a height of 15 m and bears fruit for about 15 years. Most of the roots of the plant lie at a depth of 20-40 cm, they are tap roots. Plum can grow in a bright place, in any soil, preferably loose and fertile. A good time for its rooting is spring or autumn. When choosing a location, it is important that the seedling is not shaded by neighboring plants. For reliable rooting of the plum, planting and caring for it must be carried out competently. This will ensure that the plant does not die or refuse to bear fruit.
Rules for planting plums in spring
In regions with cold climates, plum trees are planted in the spring in April, before the buds open. It takes root at a distance of at least two meters from groundwater. Principles of planting a plum tree:
- the pit for the plum is prepared in the fall or spring a couple of weeks before rooting;
- the gap between seedlings should be 3-5 m, it is calculated according to the variety - low or high;
- a planting pit for plums is required to be 80 cm deep and 70 cm wide;
- the dense bottom is fluffed down another 20 cm with a crowbar;
- add two buckets of peat and humus, 2 cups of nitrophoska, 200 g of fluff lime to the soil;
- eggshells are thrown into the bottom of the hole and a planting stake is placed in the center;
- the plum seedling is fixed to the rail and sprinkled with enriched soil;
- the transition zone from root to stem should be 5 cm higher above the ground plane;
- a round hole is formed around the plum trunk and generously moistened;
- the circle around the tree is covered with sawdust.
Planting plums in autumn
If the area has a mild winter, it is allowed to plant trees in the fall, having prepared the site in advance. Plum trees are planted in September, before frost sets in. The selected area should be slightly elevated so that in winter a layer of snow does not accumulate around the tree. Rules for autumn planting plums:
- the seedling must have five powerful roots up to 25 cm long;
- plum rooting depth - at least 50 cm;
- the hole is dug in two weeks;
- To sprinkle the plums, prepare fertile soil mixed with 50 g of potassium salt, 100 g of superphosphate, 15 kg of humus per hole;
- the seedling is fixed to a previously dug peg, its roots are straightened;
- the substrate is carefully compacted and watered with two buckets of water, sprinkled with sawdust;
- before winter, the plum will need to be moistened abundantly another 2-3 times;
- When watering in autumn, they carefully monitor the rains so that the water does not stand in the ground.
Pruning and shaping plums
To increase the fertility of the tree, autumn, summer, spring pruning plums She loves to weave branches chaotically, which causes their damage, thickening of the crown, loss of the opportunity for new shoots to appear or a decrease in yield. Crown design procedures are carried out from the beginning of the tree’s rooting and continue steadily throughout its life.
Pruning plum after planting
It is recommended to start pruning the tree when it is a sapling, as it produces many extra shoots. Care comes down to modeling skeletal branches with strong buds. The first plum pruning when planting in spring is carried out in March:
- the trunk is cleared of side branches at a distance of 40 cm from the ground;
- the remaining sprouts are cut in half;
- the center conductor of the plum should remain 1.5 m.
- all lateral shoots coming from the trunk are shortened to 20 cm;
- the plum conductor rod is not cut;
- the processes on the sides, directed downwards, are stopped to 15 cm.
Pruning a young plum
Subsequent years also significantly influence the design of the tree's contours. On a fruit-bearing specimen, minimal localization of branches is carried out, aimed at creating a dense crown of the correct shape and getting rid of dysfunctional shoots. Pruning a young plum in the spring with the awakening of the buds involves shortening the taproot by two-thirds. Such care will prevent the plant from quickly gaining height. In summer, in July, growths of plum branches are pruned to 20 cm. In the following seasons, all intersecting and damaged side branches are removed.
The center conductor is cut annually by two-thirds until the seedling reaches the maximum height for its variety. The crown should have the outline of a pyramid with a spreading base; plum care in terms of pruning involves the radical removal of all abnormally growing shoots. 5-6 strong branches are left as a frame. They should grow in different directions with an inclination angle of about 50 degrees. To carry out the work you need a pruning shear or a hacksaw. All cuts are coated so that the tree does not get sick.
Pruning a neglected plum tree
Pruning work with a neglected tree is carried out in order to maximize its operational period, without changing the size and taste of the fruit. For an overgrown crown, rules for pruning plum trees in spring include:
- removal of all dried, diseased, broken branches, and those directed inward towards the trunk;
- the plum skeleton is thinned out, shoots rubbing against each other are eliminated;
- if there is a long growth on the plant, it is shortened by a third.
Rejuvenating plum pruning
As soon as garden tree there are signs of growth attenuation (crushing of plum fruits, an increase in shoots of only 10-15 cm per year), rejuvenating pruning is performed. With it, dry, diseased, old and sagging branches are removed, fresh shoots are not touched. The main trunks are cut into three- to four-year-old wood; the lateral branches on the old skeleton are removed. This allows the tree to bear fruit even at an advanced age. Rejuvenating pruning of old plum trees by experienced gardeners is planned for early spring. Garden varnish is applied to all cuts.
In place of the removed branches, young shoots are born. In order not to overload the plum, the two strongest ones are left, the rest are removed in mid-summer. Anti-aging pruning is divided into 3-4 years and carried out in several stages. If everything is done in one season, the old plum may not be able to withstand it and will completely wither. A properly carried out procedure will help it bear fruit for several more years.
Pruning a grafted plum
Plants can grow from young growth on their own roots, or with the help of growths grafted into crevices. In this way, gardeners can achieve an increase in specimens and a combination of different varieties of plums. It is important for the plant to form a crown shape in the first season. Rules for pruning a plum grafted from a rootstock (root):
- if the seedling does not have branches, when planting it on permanent place a cut is made above the bud at a height of 60 cm from the ground. After lateral shoots appear on it, they can be docked to form the skeleton;
- if the tree has branches, choose three powerful shoots for the lower tier, placed at 50 degrees, and cut them off by a third. The center conductor is cut down so that it remains 25 cm above the side branches.
- in subsequent years, treatment is carried out similarly to the care of other plums;
- In grafted and developed trees, the root shoots are steadily removed to the mother base, leaving no stumps. To do this, dig up the soil, remove the shoot in the place where it departed from the rootstock and fill the cut area.
How to care for a plum?
- Watering. This is a very moisture-loving plant. It is necessary to carefully monitor the weather and water the plum once a week during drought (5-6 buckets for an adult specimen, 3-4 for a young one). A sign of lack of moisture is cracks in the fruits; the crown reacts to excess water by yellowing of the leaves.
- Winter plum care. In the cold season, it is recommended to trample the snow around the trunk and brush it off the branches.
- Tree trunk care. It must be at least 2 m, it must be regularly loosened and weeds removed. The growth from the roots weakens the plant - it needs to be pruned 4-5 times during the summer directly from the main rootstock.
- Supports. When the harvest is high, the load on the fruit branches is high - they are strengthened with pegs softened with rags at the point of contact with the bark.
Plum care in spring - spraying
Pests destroy plants, so it is important to combat them special means. Plum - proper tree care in terms of spraying:
- Before the buds open in the spring, the crown is thoroughly irrigated with preparation No. 30 (500 g per 10 liters of water). This spraying is aimed against scale insects, mites, aphids, caterpillars, and pathogens of fungal diseases;
- During flowering, the white buds are treated with one of the insecticides (Fufanon-nova). This is how the plum tree is protected from sawfly larvae, mites, aphids, and leaf-eating pests;
- in summer, 3-4 sprayings are carried out with a period of 2 weeks against the plum moth. Preparations: Fufanon-nova, Fitoverm + Abiga-pik, .
Plum care - feeding
For the first 2-3 years after planting, the seedling has enough nutrients placed in the hole. During subsequent plum care, additional fertilizers are needed, which are poured onto previously loosened soil:
- In autumn: organic matter - mullein infusion, slurry, diluted with water 3-5 times or bird droppings 10 times;
- Plum in spring - care and routine fertilizing with mineral compounds:
Plums are grown in every garden. This fruit tree It has a beautiful crown, tasty fruits, and with proper care produces large yields. Let's talk about the intricacies of growing plums.
Description and characteristics
Plum is one of the top five popular fruit crops. Distributed in northern temperate latitudes, contains 250 species.
In Russia, the domestic plum is widespread, with 160 varieties; a group of Russian plums crossed with cherry plum is also cultivated - 56 varieties, Chinese and Canadian - 31 varieties. The fruits have different taste and color:
- lilac,
- burgundy,
- blue,
- dark purple,
- yellow
- dark red.
According to research by the Russian Agricultural Academy on the study of the quality and regularity of fruiting, the following varieties have taken high positions:
- Super early.
- Yakhontovaya.
- Interesting.
- Kuban Comet.
- Tula Black.
Planting plum
Let's look at all the landing steps step by step.
Place
Boarding begins with choosing a location. Plum does not respond well to wet soils and shade, if you want to get decent harvests- these places need to be excluded. The soil is not the most important factor - the tree will grow well in any soil.
Main soil condition:
- looseness,
- moisture permeability,
- fertility.
When considering acidified areas, they need to be limed:
- dolomite flour;
- fluffed lime (0.8 kg per square meter for digging);
- ash.
Planting plum better in spring before the leaves open. If the work falls in the fall, then this is done in advance of frost (September-early October).
A seedling purchased in the fall can be buried and planted in a permanent place until spring. To preserve it, cover it with fallen leaves and spruce branches before frost. After the snow falls, create a snow bank over the baby.
Planting pit
Having decided on the location, we begin digging. landing pit. Do it at a distance of three meters from neighboring trees, on the south side of them. If you plan to plant a plum row of several seedlings, also leave 3 meters between them.
Ideally, the pit is prepared in the fall; if you have not done this, then two weeks before planting. Diameter 70–90 cm, depth - 50 cm. On poor soils, all the soil is completely removed and the hole is filled with nutritious soil + mineral fertilizers.
Dressing mixture:
- upper layer soil;
- a bucket of rotted manure/compost;
- a glass of double superphosphate;
- two or three handfuls of ash;
- half a glass of potassium chloride or sulfate.
Planting stages:
- Drive a stake into the empty hole to further secure the young tree.
- Pour soil into the bottom in the form of a tubercle.
- Place the roots on a raised platform and straighten them.
- The root collar should remain on the surface 3–5 cm.
- Fill the soil in sections, lightly tamping along the edges.
When placing a seedling in a hole, make sure that the fixing stick/stake is on the north side. When tying, place a piece of fabric or rubber against the bark - this will eliminate the possibility of chafing.
When the hole is completely filled, create a trunk circle roller made of earth. It will not allow water to spread during watering.
Water the tree thoroughly:
- 3-4 buckets will be required;
- you need to pour out in three doses, after the first portion is completely absorbed;
- then the soil is mulched with peat;
- in dry weather, the second watering is done after 10–12 days (2–3 buckets).
Plum care
Growing a plum tree consists of several aspects: pruning, fertilizing, summer watering, and pest control.
Rule 1. How to trim
Seedlings should not grow without your participation. Having planted on the site plum tree it needs to be formed. Only then will it please with good earnings.
In the first years, a seedling always grows unevenly: the side branches may be longer than the crown. This process must be controlled by you; for this, regular pruning is carried out.
The crown can be formed in several ways:
| Photo | Description |
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Sparsely tiered crown
The growths need to be shortened, bringing the crown closer to the desired shape. Branches directed towards the center, creating thickening, are removed. A 4-year-old seedling should have skeletal branches, usually 8–10 branches. To do this, leave no more than 10 high-quality shoots extending from the trunk with a slope of 45 degrees, remove all unnecessary ones. On all tiers, branches are shortened by one third. |
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Vase-shaped crown
In the second year after planting, the central conductor (trunk) is docked. Subsequent pruning removes leading branches that want to become conductors. This helps reduce crown height. In the future, you remove low-lying branches, all tops and shoots going to the middle and vertically. Such a crown warms up well in the sun and produces high yields. |
A properly formed tree that has entered fruiting has an annual growth of 40 cm. For better formation of fruit buds, such shoots are shortened by a third. This is done in early spring (late March-April) or before the buds open.
A plum with an annual growth of 25–30 cm signals a lack of strength and needs thinning. The one-year shoot is left in its entirety, and the lateral branches on the underside are sawed off into 2-3 year old wood.
An increase of 10–15 cm appears in a weakened old tree. This issue is resolved by rejuvenating pruning of thick branches at 4–5 years of age on the lateral branching.
Rule 2. What to do with shoots
Trees that have come into force begin to grow root shoots. These shoots coming from the main root deplete the tree and spoil the decorative appearance of the lawn - they need to be removed.
The process consists of digging out the soil, preferably right down to the mother root - the beginning of the growth. Correct removal is done in this place.
Not wanting to do such a painstaking task, you cut off the above-ground part, leaving a stump. Not one, but several sprouts will “pop out” from this place. You won't solve the problem.
Root growth- these are root cuttings, material for propagation and clonal rootstock. They can be dug up and transplanted to another place.
Another option, if your tree has been severely damaged by frost or the sprout has grown to three meters in length, you can leave it without digging it up and a new plum will grow, which will be re-grafted. Root shoots are the most effective method reproduction.
Rule 3. Watering and fertilizing
- In the first two years you only do regular summer watering.
- Fertilizers will be needed in the third year after planting.
- Phosphorus and potassium should be added during autumn digging.
- Starting in the spring of the fifth year, after flowering they are given in liquid nitrogen solutions.
It is useful for young trees to be watered with mullein infusion. Feeding is carried out in the summer during the period of fruit set - June. Acidic soils Lime with fluff or dolomite flour once every 2–3 years.
A sign of nitrogen deficiency is pale foliage - irrigate the crown with a solution of nitrate/urea 2 tbsp. l. +10 liters of water.
Curling leaves, brown spots - lack of magnesium and potassium.
High-quality watering soaks the soil to a depth of 40–50 cm. In summer, during the fruiting period, an adult tree should receive 5 buckets of water. At high yields under the branch, make a stand from a horned shelf.
Plum can be affected by diseases: coccomycosis, gray rot, curliness, gommosis and others. In this case, the tree is sprayed with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
