Like any garden tree, plums have their own planting dates and requirements.
It is very important to take them into account, since the slightest error can deprive you of both the tree itself and the long-awaited harvest.
In this article we will describe all the features and schemes for planting a plum, tell you how to choose the right place for it and care for it throughout the entire growth period.
Preparing for planting: what to consider?
Garden trees are mainly bred by breeding methods, as a result of crossing different ones. Not only the taste of the fruit depends on this, but also which region is most suitable for the tree, what its size is, resistance to frost and various pests.
Therefore, the most important stage of preparation is studying different varieties of plums, choosing those that you liked best and are suitable for your climatic region.
Choosing the right place for the plum
The second stage of preparing for planting a plum is choosing a place suitable for its growth. In particular, you should take into account the degree of illumination whether the tree will be shaded by other trees or buildings.
Even when planting a garden, it is important to take into account the distances between trees and know the size to which it can grow. If the plum falls into the shade, it will grow worse and its leaves may turn yellow. Also, very strong shading can cause a deterioration in the quality of the crop and the size of the fruit.
Also, plums really don't like winds, since they can simply blow away their flowering and deprive you of your harvest. Therefore, the terrain on which you are going to plant plums should be broadly undulating and have gentle slopes.
Thanks to this, the tree will be provided with good air drainage - cold air will not approach it, and it will not accumulate in one place. The area where there are many depressions and ravines is not suitable.
Selecting the soil
Better soil for plums are loess-like loams and sandy loams. It is very good if drained loams or layered sediments containing a large amount of sandy loam lie under the indicated types of soil.
The plum has a fairly large root system, which under no circumstances should be washed away by groundwater, although the plum is a very moisture-loving tree.
Thus, optimal level groundwater table is 1.5 -2 meters. If they are higher - the best option are special drainage ditches that are dug next to the garden. All unnecessary excess water will drain into them.
You should not even think about planting plum trees on peaty and swampy soils, or where sand or clay-sandy moraine lies at a depth of less than a meter.
It is also important to know that after uprooting the plum garden is worth wait at least 4-5 years before laying a new one in the same place. After all, previous trees have already pulled out from the soil all the substances most necessary for plums, so it will be difficult for a young tree to take root in the same place.
Rules for preparing soil for planting seedlings
Before planting a plum orchard, dig up the soil very well so that it is saturated with a sufficient amount of air.
Until this moment, they should not grow on the site. big trees, after which there will be few nutrients left for the plum.
Planting a plum seedling
Most plums are medium or tall trees that take up quite a lot of garden space. That's why, consider you need not only where to plant the tree, but also how far should you retreat? from other garden favorites.
Plum orchard planting plan
The distance between the drains should be such that they do not shade each other and practically do not reach one tree with branches. This will not only allow them to get plenty of sunlight, but will also not make it difficult for them to move around the garden and harvest.
So, if the plums are medium-sized, then the distance between trees of the same row should be at least 2 meters. If the trees are vigorous, then it should be increased to 3 meters. Row spacing between medium-sized plums must be at least 4 meters, and for vigorous growers this distance increases to 4.5 meters.
The most important thing to remember when starting a garden is that big amount trees on your site, you will not achieve abundant harvests, even if you regularly fertilize the soil. After all, trees need not only nutrients and sunlight, but also in space for their root system.
Plum planting dates
More often plum planting is carried out in the spring. In more northern regions, autumn is also suitable. However, in the fall there is a great risk that the young tree will not have time to take root properly. new soil and for this reason it will simply freeze in winter.
Spring planting is carried out already on the 5th day after the soil for planting plums has completely thawed from frost. The period for planting is not very long, only 10-15 days.
If you plant a tree later, it may not be accepted well or be damaged by high temperatures and oversaturation of moisture. Also, if you replant a seedling at a later date, it will have time to bloom in the same place of growth and will not take root well in this state in the new one.
Preparing the hole for planting
The hole is being dug prematurely, approximately 2-3 weeks before planting. This is done in order to fill the bottom with a mixture of organic fertilizers and fertile soil in advance and so that it has time to settle before the time of direct planting of the seedling.
For the same reason, the hole should be deep enough, about 60 centimeters. Its diameter should be the same.
When you dig a hole, it is recommended to immediately dig a stake into it, to which you will later tie the seedling. It is worth considering that the distance between it and the tree should be at least 15 centimeters. The stake should be located north of the seedling.
Basic requirements for direct landing
When starting to plant a seedling, it is important to consider the following very important requirements:
- The root collar of the tree must remain approximately 2-5 centimeters above the soil surface. Later, with subsidence of the soil, it will sink a little more on its own. However, you should not overdo it with lifting the seedling above the soil surface, as there is a risk of the roots being washed out and drying out.
- You need to bury the seedling only with soil, without the admixture of various fertilizers. After filling the seedling, the soil around it must be compacted very well so that no air remains near the roots (it can cause the horse system to dry out).
- From the soil that was dug out from the very bottom of the hole, a small mound is made around the tree, which will facilitate excellent water absorption by the seedling.
Care after landing
Thus, immediately after you have planted seedling, his definitely needs to be watered. At the same time, even if the soil is moist after the snow melts, watering should be mandatory, it is only possible to use less water.
The required amount of water per tree should be at least 3 buckets. Since plums love moisture very much, watering can be repeated after 2 weeks. Also, the soil around the trunk should be mulched with peat or humus, which will help retain moisture for a longer time.
Basic rules for caring for plums
The plum tree and the garden in general do not require much attention and care when compared to other fruit trees. But still, in order to get regular and abundant harvests, it is worth not only fertilizing the tree, but also building correct scheme protecting the tree from various pests.
How to prevent the damage of plums by diseases and pests in time?
First, you need to find out what diseases the variety that you planted on your site is least resistant to and what pests can harm it. In the process of dew, the tree stands carry out periodic inspections of the garden, taking into account exactly what pests appear on your trees.
The simplest and most a reliable means of combating with pests and fungal diseases is pruning and burning damaged branches. You also need to burn all the leaves and damaged fruits that have fallen from the plum. In the spring, even before the onset of stable high temperatures(up to 10 degrees Celsius), insects that try to take root on the plum should simply be shaken off and destroyed.
Of course more effective means preventing various diseases and damage to wood by pests is treatment with chemicals.
If your tree is affected by scale insects or false scale insects, even before the tree buds swell and before the air temperature rises to +5ºС, the tree should be treated with nitrophen, with a concentration of 3%. This way, you can still destroy ticks and aphids that are still in a dormant winter state.
in spring, when the plum has already blossomed, her treated with Bordeaux acid 1% concentration. Bordeaux acid can be replaced with polycarbocin at 4% concentration. If the latter is used, spraying should be repeated after the plum blossoms.
To combat caterpillars that infect plum leaves, after the flowering period the tree is treated with drugs such as dendrobacillin, entobacterin (1% concentration). It is worth considering that the treatment of plums with these preparations should be carried out at a temperature not lower than 15ºС.
They fight against aphids using a drug such as karbofos. Its concentration during processing should be no more than 0.2%.
To combat plum moth First, you need to hang a pheromone trap on a tree. If you notice that a codling moth is caught in it, then you need to hang pheromone rings all over the tree. Also, Plums are processed using 0.2% karbofos.
Pruning and crown formation
When buying a seedling, all its shoots are usually very different from each other: some can be very developed and surpass the main conductor in growth, others, on the contrary, only move 10 centimeters away from the trunk.
Also, a young plum tree can grow a lot of completely unnecessary branches, which only interfere with each other and shade their own fruits. In order for the plum to be beautiful, bear fruit well and not create difficulties when picking fruits, it is very important form regularly her crown.
The first plum pruning is carried out immediately after planting the seedling in its permanent place of growth. In this case, the branches are not just shortened, it is important to choose the smoothest and strongest ones, forming several tiers of them, 4-6 branches in each
In addition, it is worth choosing the main conductor and trimming it so that it remains longer than all other branches. Each subsequent tier, which goes below the conductor, should be shorter than the one that goes below him. That is, the longest branches should be on the lowest tier.
When choosing the branches that you want to leave for growth, keep in mind that they must extend from the main trunk at an angle of at least 40 degrees, otherwise they will break off from the harvest.
The distance between tiers should be approximately 40-60 centimeters, depending on the height of the tree itself. Also, the number of branches with each subsequent tier, starting from the bottom, should decrease.
Subsequent pruning will be aimed at maintaining the shape of the crown and removing competitors to the main conductor and main branches.
Also, it is important to apply a differentiated system to the plum tree, cutting off the branches of a tree with strong bud awakening by only a quarter; if the awakening is average, annual branches are cut off by a third of their length, and for branches with very weak bud awakening, we cut the branch in half.
This will allow even a small number of buds to actively develop.
Trimming mature fruit trees is aimed at removing damaged and broken branches and branches and for crown thinning (if necessary). After pruning, the branches are burned.
Fertilizer requirements for plum trees
Plum does not really like frequent and abundant fertilizers. In addition to the fact that the soil is mixed with organic fertilizers directly during planting, there is no need to fertilize the tree in the first years of growth.
Further, every 2-3 years during the late the soil around the tree is fertilized with humus, mixed with superphosphate and potassium sulfate. For 1 m2 you need to use half a bucket of compost, 50 grams of superphosphate and only 20 grams of potassium sulfate.
In spring, it is good to fertilize the tree with ammonium nitrate, required quantity which is only 20 grams per 1 m2 (it is convenient to dilute it with water and apply it to the soil as watering).
Don't forget about watering
Watering plums should be regular, since water not only nourishes the tree, but also affects the quality of the fruit. The first watering should be 1.5-2 weeks before the tree begins to bloom, and will be repeated after the same amount of time has passed after the tree has flowered.
During dry summers, the tree should be watered at the end of each summer month. in August and September, the tree also needs abundant watering, which improves the quality of the tree's fruits.
It is important to consider that watering the plum tree should be regular and consistent with weather conditions and soil moisture. Otherwise, you may cause cracking of the fruits or yellowing of the leaves of the plum tree.
Preparing plums for winter
Young seedlings and one- and two-year-old plum trees are most afraid of winter and its frosts. Therefore, they should be very carefully prepared for winter.
Firstly, costs good dig up the soil around the tree so that it contains enough oxygen for the plum.
Secondly, the crowns of young trees, in addition to being tied to a strong stake, should be tied into one broom - this will make it easier for them to withstand the winds.
It would seem that it would be easier than ever to grow a plum. But only a very self-confident and not very knowledgeable person can think this way. This culture has its own specifics and subtleties. These will be discussed in the selection of materials.
Features of growth and fruiting
According to the nature of fruiting, varieties and types of plums are conventionally divided into three groups:
- fruiting mainly on annual growth;
- on perennial overgrowing branches;
- both on annual shoots and on overgrowing branches.
In the first group of plums, group buds predominate on strong annual growths- two or three in one node (usually the middle bud is leafy, and the lateral ones are flowering). Group buds are concentrated in the middle part of the shoot. Below are single flower buds. The apical bud and the few buds closest to it are single leaf buds. On next year on an annual shoot from the lower leaf buds bouquet branches and spurs develop. Above them, stronger growth shoots develop. Flower buds produce flowers and fruits. The bouquet branches and spurs of varieties of the first group are very short-lived. The yield is determined by the number of flower buds on an annual shoot. After picking the fruits, the branches become very bare, especially if single flower buds predominate. The varieties of the first group are characterized by early fruiting and productivity, but require constant attention to maintaining strong shoot growth. This group includes most varieties of Chinese, Ussuri, American and Canadian plums.
Varieties of the second group are distinguished by the formation of perennial overgrowing branches or fruiting branches. The bulk of the harvest is placed on them. For varieties of this group, it is important that there is no excessive thickening of the crown, otherwise there will be a massive death of overgrown branches and fruiting will deteriorate. The second group includes mainly domestic plum varieties of Western European and southern origin.
The varieties of the third group have an intermediate fruiting pattern between the first and second groups. They bear fruit well both on annual growth and on relatively short-lived 3-4-year-old overgrowing branches. For varieties of the third group, along with maintaining strong growth, it is very important to promptly replace bare branches. The crown should also not be allowed to thicken; overgrowing branches should be in favorable lighting conditions. The third group includes the majority of Central Russian plum varieties: Skorospelka red, Vengerka Moscow. Tula black, Ochakovskaya yellow, etc.
When growing plums and pruning, it is necessary to remember that stone fruit crops have simple fruit buds, i.e., only fruits can be formed from them. On strong annual shoots there are group and single fruit buds. On weak growths, mostly single flower buds are formed. Therefore, when the growth weakens, the branches become exposed. It is enhanced by the fact that after two to four years of fruiting, the bouquet branches and spurs die off, forming thorns.
In summer, plum shoot growth may stop and then begin again. In this case, secondary shoots are formed.
The above-mentioned characteristics of plum growth and fruiting must be taken into account when pruning and forming the crown.
Plum Shaping and trimming
The trees are formed with a trunk 25-40 cm high, the crown is made of 5 - 7 well-developed and well-placed branches. It is advisable to form skeletal branches not from adjacent buds, but from those spaced 10-15 cm from one another, shorten them to subordinate them, prevent the formation of forks, and change the direction of growth. The first pruning is carried out in early spring immediately after planting. If the start is late, then it is better to wait until next year.
Pruning the plum tree in the first years is necessary to form the main branches of the crown.. Excess branches, which can contribute to thickening of the crown, need to be weakened or removed. In varieties that bear fruit on annual shoots (one-year-old wood), shortening should be minimal so as not to cause the appearance of excessive branches that thicken the crown. Strong (50-60 cm) annual growths of young trees bearing fruit on two-year-old wood (bouquet branches and spurs) need to be shortened further. Well-developed shoots are shortened by 1/4-1/5 of their length to enhance the formation of shoots and the development of spurs.
When the tree enters full fruiting period, pruning is necessary to maintain vigor of shoots. If the crown is formed correctly and there is sufficiently strong annual growth (at least 40 cm), there is no need to shorten it. They are limited to thinning the crown with cutting out thickening, dry, incorrectly positioned and rubbing branches. With weak growth (less than 25-30 cm), without shortening the one-year shoot, cut to 2-3-year-old wood above the nearest lateral branch. If the growth is even less (10-15 cm), rejuvenating pruning is carried out on 4-5-year-old wood, that is, perennial branches are cut to strong lateral branching.
In grafted, well-developed trees, the root shoots are removed annually to the main root of the mother plant, leaving no stumps. In native root varieties, shoots are used for propagation. In case of severe freezing or death of the entire above-ground part, rooted varieties can be quickly restored by leaving two or three coppice plants at a distance of about 3 m from one another and forming them according to the described type. In case of death of grafted trees, you can also leave 2-3 coppice plants, but they must be regrafted with the desired varieties.
Plum Work calendar (November to December)
November December. Regularly trample the snow on the tree trunks and around the buried seedlings to prevent mice from getting to the young trees. During heavy snowfalls, shake snow off branches. This will reduce their breakdowns. For better overwintering, sprinkle the buried seedlings with snow.
Before the onset of severe frosts, prepare cuttings (annual shoots 20-30 cm long) for spring grafting. Leaving the preparation of cuttings until spring is risky, since in winter the shoots may freeze and the survival rate of the grafts will sharply decrease. Tie the cut cuttings into bundles and store them in a snow pile until spring. The temperature inside the pile remains at about 0″. Snow protects cuttings from drying out, low winter and high spring temperatures.
January. In snowless winters, shovel snow up tree trunks to protect the roots and trunk from freezing. After snowfalls, shake snow off branches to avoid damage. In young gardens, after a snowfall, trample the snow around the trees to protect them from damage by mice and the accumulation of moisture in the soil.
February. Continue snow removal and repair work in the garden gardening tools, delivery of fertilizers, pesticides, etc. At the end of the month, remove the snow from the plum stems and free them from the winter binding. It should be immediately taken out of the garden and burned. Whiten the stems and bases of the branches lime mortar(3 kg of freshly slaked lime -) - 2 kg of clay per bucket of water). This will help in winter spring period smooth out temperature fluctuations on the surface of the bark during the day and reduce the appearance sunburn.
To keep the snow in the pile where the cuttings are planted longer, sprinkle it with sawdust in a 15-20 cm layer at the end of February.
March. To attract birds in the first half of the month, hang birdhouses in the garden. Start pruning your plum tree in the middle of the month.
April. Continue unfinished work on cleaning the trunks and caring for the crown. Dig grooves to drain melt water.
When planting plum trees, take into account the strength of tree growth depending on soil and climatic conditions and varietal characteristics. In the southern regions of the country, on fertile soils, plum trees develop more strongly, so plant them more spaciously - with a distance of 3-4 m in a row and 5-6 m between rows; in the middle zone, Siberia and the Far East - thicker: 2-3 m in row and 3-5 m between rows.
Best time for planting plums in the middle and northern zones - spring, in the south - autumn and winter.
As soon as the soil is ripe (becomes loose and crumbly), level the area and start digging holes (if this work has not been done in the fall). The size of the planting holes depends on the size of the root system. Usually, holes are prepared with a diameter of 60-80 cm and a depth of 40-60 cm. When digging holes, throw the top layer of soil in one direction and the bottom layer in the other. Mix the top layer of soil with organic and mineral fertilizers, adding 1 bucket of rotted manure (or 2 buckets of compost), 200-300 g (2-3 handfuls) of superphosphate and 40-60 g of potassium salt (or 300-400 g wood ash). Then place the seedling against the stake in landing hole, straighten the roots, cover with fertile soil, compacting it with your feet so that no voids form between the roots. Immediately after planting, make a hole around the seedling, water it with water (2 buckets), tie the seedling to a stake with twine in the shape of a figure eight (loose), mulch with peat, sawdust or loose soil. Scatter the bottom layer of soil around the area. After planting, the root collar of the plants should be at soil level.
If the garden is already planted, dig up the soil under the crown and between the rows with a fork or shovel. To avoid damaging the root system, the plane of the shovel should always be in a radial direction to the trunk. Closer to the trunk, dig shallower (to a depth of 5-10 cm), as you move away - deeper (10-15 cm). Before digging, scatter under the canopy of trees. nitrogen fertilizers(100-200 g per tree of urea or calcium nitrate in a young garden, 300-500 g in a fruit-bearing one). They will provide good growth and plum blossom.
For guard flowering trees Prepare smoke heaps to protect against returning spring frosts.
Sometimes cherries and plums are planted in lowlands, where cold air often stagnates in winter, causing damage or death of flower buds and branches. If the site is located in a lowland, you will have to abandon the cultivation of stone fruit crops.
It is necessary to know the depth of gruit water. They should not be closer than 1.5-2.0 m from the soil surface. If they are located closer together, cherries and plums should not be planted.
The importance of crown pruning should not be underestimated: it is sometimes carried out irregularly, causing the crown to thicken, fruit formations to die, and fruiting becomes irregular. Trees overloaded with harvest freeze even in comparatively cold conditions. mild winters and bear little fruit. This is why cherry and plum trees need to be pruned annually.
At the end of the month, start grafting the cuttings. This work can be done during the sap flow period.
Plum May. If the air temperature drops to +1°, light the smoke piles. Stop smoking 1 to 2 hours after sunrise. To mitigate the effects of frost, water the soil under the trees and spray the crowns with water.
In hot, dry weather, be sure to water the plums (4-6 buckets of water per 1 tree). Before flowering, it is useful to feed the tree with organic or mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers (cow manure, bird droppings or feces) are diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10 and 4-6 buckets of solution are applied under the tree (depending on the age of the garden). If there are no organic ones, use liquid mineral fertilizers. One tablespoon of urea is dissolved in 10 liters of water and 2-3 buckets are applied to a young garden, and 4-6 buckets of liquid fertilizer per tree in an adult garden. To reduce moisture loss due to evaporation, immediately after fertilizing, mulch the soil with peat or sawdust.
If the row spacing of the garden is kept under black fallow, weeding and loosening of the soil are carried out 2-3 times a month. With natural grass, mow the grass regularly (5-6 times during the summer) and leave it in place as mulch.
Remove wild growth or harvest it for propagation.
June July. Continue caring for the plum garden: remove weeds, loosen tree trunks and row spacing. In dry years, water (5-7 buckets for each tree). After flowering (at the beginning of June) and during the formation of fruits (at the end of June), it is useful to fertilize with organic and mineral fertilizers. The doses of fertilizers are the same as for spring feeding.
In productive years, place supports under the main branches.
Aug. Sept. In gardens with natural turf between rows, mowing of grasses is stopped. When keeping the soil under black fallow, dig up tree trunk circles and autumn plowing between rows. Before digging, scatter organic and mineral fertilizers evenly under the tree crown. Good results are obtained by alternately applying organic and mineral fertilizers (every year). Per one tree, apply 1-2 buckets of organic fertilizers (humus or compost), mineral fertilizers - 200-500 g of superphosphate, 200-400 g of potassium salt (or 1-1.5 kg of wood ash). For young plantings, the doses of fertilizers are reduced, for fruit-bearing ones they are increased. Autumn application fertilizers improve the ripening of shoots, overwintering of plants and provide them with the nutrients necessary for growth and fruiting next year.
If the soil in your garden plot is acidic, lime it once every three years. To do this, grind the lime materials (slaked lime, ground limestone, dolomite, chalk), scatter them evenly over the area (300 - 500 g per 1 m2 of surface) and dig them up.
In August-September, plums are harvested, canned and processed.
For better overwintering of trees (especially in dry years), carry out moisture-recharging irrigation (5-7 buckets of water for 1 tree).
Start digging holes for spring planting. Purchase planting material in the fall. For better overwintering, it is better to store seedlings in a trench. To do this, dig a groove 30-40 cm deep, lay the seedlings inclined (lowering the roots into the groove), sprinkle them with soil, compact it with your feet, water well (1 bucket of water for each plant), sprinkle soil on top again to form an earthen roller 20 cm high -30 cm. In this condition, the seedlings winter well until spring.
Plum October. Moisture-recharging irrigation is completed, followed by mulching of the soil.
Clean the trunks and bases of branches from dead bark, mosses and lichens. After cleaning the wounds with a knife, rinse them with a 2-3% (20-30 g per 1 liter of water) iron solution or 1-2% (10-20 g per 1 liter of water) solution. copper sulfate. Then cover the wounds garden varnish. If there are hollows, seal them with cement. White the trunks and bases of the branches with lime mortar (the concentration is the same as in February).
To protect young trees from rodents (hares, mice), tie the trunks with spruce branches (tops of branches down). For better overwintering, cover the trees with soil in a layer of 15-20 cm. Rake fallen leaves into piles and compost or burn (to destroy pests and diseases).
Plum How to prevent errors
When caring for plantings of stone fruit crops, amateur gardeners often make mistakes, which is why they receive low fruit yields.
One of typical mistakes- dense plantings of trees. When the crowns close, the illumination of the branches deteriorates and they rush upward, which makes tree care and harvesting difficult. This circumstance should be taken into account when planting a garden.
Inexperienced gardeners make many mistakes when applying fertilizers. It is not uncommon to add too much or too little at one time. Large doses of organic fertilizers can cause fattening of young trees, delay the growth of shoots, and impair their ripening, which increases the danger of winter freezing. Increased doses of mineral fertilizers, in turn, increase the concentration of salts in the soil, which has a depressing effect on fruit trees. When applying low doses of fertilizers on poor soils, trees grow and bear fruit poorly. Therefore, you need to adhere to the optimal doses for your specific area.
Often the reason for low fruiting of cherries and plums is wrong selection pollinator varieties. In single-varietal plantings of self-sterile varieties, trees often bloom well, but bear almost no fruit due to premature shedding of the ovaries. In such cases, it is necessary to plant pollinating varieties (the same flowering period as the main varieties) or graft their cuttings into the crown.
Plum Stone fruits may bear fruit poorly due to freezing of fruit buds or their partial damage. If the fruit buds do not bloom, it means they are frozen. Often in early spring freezing of the pistil (central part) of the flower is observed. In this case, the tree blooms profusely, but does not form an ovary. Therefore, select highly winter-hardy varieties. In addition, you can protect trees from frost by preparing them well for winter: carry out moisture-recharging irrigation in the fall (especially after a dry summer), apply organic and mineral fertilizers, and protect plants from pests and diseases.
Plums can be grown throughout Russia, however, not all gardeners achieve success and large harvests, but mainly residents of regions with short summers. The fact is that plum is a fairly heat-loving stone fruit crop, which means that mistakes in choosing a variety and planting often lead to rather modest results.
Many agronomists and gardeners agree that it is better to plant fruit trees, including plums, in the fall, because... During this period, the young seedling will intensively increase precisely underground part, i.e. its root system (which is necessary in the first place), and not aboveground, in other words, it definitely will not vegetate.
However, spring planting plums has some obvious advantages:
- During the growth of the seedling in warm period you will be able to quickly respond to all possible problems (diseases, pests, lack of moisture) and immediately take necessary measures to eliminate them.
- The spring supply of moisture in the soil will allow the root system of the seedling to quickly adapt after planting and begin active growth.
- You have the opportunity to prepare the planting hole in advance, in the fall, so that the soil has time to settle by spring, in order to avoid deepening the root collar during planting.
Alternative opinion
To be fair, it should be said that some gardeners, on the contrary, adhere to the old rule: pome crops(apple and pear trees) are better to plant in autumn, A stone fruit(plums, cherries, cherries, apricots) - in the spring.
The fact is that stone fruit culture(including plum) are considered less winter-hardy, so their It is recommended to plant in spring so that they have time to take root well and get stronger before winter.
However, if you are a resident of the South of Russia, then this is not important for you. It's another matter if you are a representative of a region with a more severe (northern) climate.
There is even an opinion that in the southern regions it is better to plant all crops in the fall, and in the northern regions only in the spring.
Video: at what time is it better to plant seedlings of fruit and berry crops
Planting plums in spring and autumn: optimal timing
Well, we have examined several points of view on when it is better to plant plums - in spring or autumn. The decision is yours!
Note! Plum seedlings with a closed root system (in a container) can be planted all year round- from April to October, except that it is not recommended to do this in the middle of summer, when it is very hot.
Spring planting
So, you still need time to plant a plum in the spring before the buds bloom on the seedling, in other words, before it enters the growing season (i.e. the plant must still sleep).
At the same time, an important condition for successful spring planting is positive air temperature, and not only during the day (it should already be +5), but also at night.
Advice! Don't wait until the ground thaws completely. It is very good to plant seedlings with an open root system immediately after the snow melts, but the earth has not yet had time to warm up and dry out much.
Thus, it is highly advisable to have time to plant while the seedlings are still “in the dormant stage”, otherwise this will certainly negatively affect their survival rate and disrupt them natural cycle development.
By the way! The best time to plant seedlings is cloudy and windless weather: early morning or late evening.
As for the approximate timing, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, spring planting of plums is recommended from late March-April to early-mid May:
- So, in the south of Russia you can plant plum seedlings in open ground in the second half of March-early April.
- In the Middle Zone (Moscow region), plums are planted no earlier than the second half of April.
- In Siberia and the Urals, spring planting of plums is carried out in late April-early May.
Autumn planting
The main rule when determining optimal timing autumn planting means calculating when stable frosts will arrive and planting 3-4 weeks before them, i.e. you should have about a month left. The fact is that the seedlings must have time to take root well before the onset of cold weather and successfully prepare for winter, and this will take time.
However! It is also not recommended to plant seedlings too late in the autumn, because... The shoots must have time to ripen well in order to successfully survive the winter. This is especially true for planting plums in cold (northern) regions, such as Siberia.
However, if, God forbid, you are late, and frosts are expected within 1-2 weeks, then it is better to play it safe and postpone planting the plum until spring (you can save the seedling by burying it in the garden and covering it, or planting it in a container and putting it in the basement, where the temperature stays no higher than +3 degrees).
Interesting! Many experienced agronomists recommend plant plums in the spring and buy seedlings in the fall, because their choice is wider, and the quality is significantly higher.
Thus, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, autumn plum planting is recommended from September to the end of October:
- So, in the south of Russia, plums can be planted until late autumn - until the second half of October.
- Gardeners in the Middle Zone (Moscow region) should have time to plant plums in the fall before the end of September (maximum in early October).
- In colder regions - in the North-West (in the Leningrad region), as well as in Siberia and the Urals, plum trees are planted in early autumn - in the first half of September.
Video: planting plums in autumn in October from a container
According to the lunar calendar in 2019
This can help you choose the optimal date for planting seedlings. moon calendar.
So, favorable days for planting plums in spring and autumn in 2019 according to the lunar calendar are:
- in April - 11-17; 21-26.
Yes, this is not a mistake; according to the lunar calendar, seedlings of fruit and berry crops are recommended to be planted in the spring only in April.
- in September - 17-24, 30;
- in October - 2-4, 12, 13, 21-25, 30, 31.
Of course, it is not always possible to get to the dacha on favorable days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable days.
Unfavorable days, according to the lunar calendar for 2019, The dates for planting plum seedlings are as follows:
- in March - 6, 7, 21;
- in April - 5, 19;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 4, 17;
- in July - 2, 3, 17;
- in August - 15, 16, 30, 31;
- in September - 14, 15, 28, 29;
- in October - 14, 28;
- in November - 12, 13, 26,27.
According to lunar calendar, from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”
How to plant a plum tree correctly: instructions from A to Z (choosing a seedling, place in the garden, preparing a planting hole)
Before you run headlong for a seedling to the market or garden fair, you need to carefully study all the rules for choosing a plant, as well as selecting a place in the garden and preparing a planting hole.
What should a seedling be like?
When choosing planting material (a specific variety), you first need to pay attention to its origin. It's best to choose zoned varieties drain who themselves proven well when grown in your climate zone, i.e. They adapted to weather conditions and the composition of the soil in your growing region.
Worth knowing! Seedlings can be either with an open root system (OCS) or with a closed one (in a container).
It is better for novice gardeners to buy seedlings in a container (although they are more expensive), while experienced gardeners can purchase them with OKS.
A high-quality plum seedling must have the following characteristics:
- General appearance there must be a seedling healthy, without signs of wilting, damage by diseases or pests.
- The seedling itself must be no older than 2 years (1-2 years of age), since at this age seedlings adapt faster to a new place.
- Height there must be a seedling within 1-1.5 m: any deviation upward or downward indicates improper care or excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers.
Another thing is that some sellers immediately sell cut seedlings, but this is rare.
- The seedling must have well developed root system(without any growths or new growths), that is, in addition to the main root, there should be several more lateral roots (the older the seedling, the more roots it has), the length of which can be about 20-25 cm, but they should not be overdried and broken.
By the way! Even if you buy a seedling with a closed root system, you may want to consider lateral roots because... they tend to stick out from the container.
Advice! And to check that the seedling really has a closed root system, you need to take it by the trunk and shake it. If it sits tightly, everything is fine, if not, then something is wrong here... the seller just wants to make money on you by slipping a seedling with ACS, which he moved into a container a couple of days ago.
- At the bottom, on the trunk, you should clearly see vaccination site(joint of rootstock and scion), which will guarantee that this is a varietal tree and not a wild one.
As a rule, grafting is done by the method of budding with a bud (they also say “grafted with an eye”), less often with a cutting (i.e., copulation).
- It is also worth assessing the quality of the upper part of the trunk (grafted part): the wood must be mature and strong, without any mechanical damage, sunburn, frost damage and bark cracks. And you The trunk must be straight and not curved.
Note! If the bark on the trunk peels off in places without damaging its integrity, then this is a sign of improper storage of the seedling in winter, which led to its freezing.
- It is highly desirable that the seedling had no signs of the beginning of the growing season, i.e. was in the dormant stage, which means its buds should still be dormant (i.e. there should be no leaves on it).
Important! This applies to the selection and purchase of seedlings in early spring.
However, seedlings with a closed root system (in containers) are often sold in the spring already in the growing season, which is quite normal. Therefore, in this case, you also need to carefully evaluate their appearance, especially the color of the leaves.
Video: how to choose a plum seedling
Preparing for landing
If you want to properly prepare a seedling for planting, then immediately before planting the plum, you should wash its roots from the old soil, then dip them in clay mash, and then renew their (root) tips, slightly trimming them.
Important! Renewing the root tips by trimming them is highly recommended if they are either too long or you notice that there are damaged, diseased or broken roots (in which case they need to be trimmed to a healthy place).
Some gardeners recommend soaking the seedling in water (possibly with the addition of Kornevin) for a day or at least an hour. This will help restore biological processes in the roots and saturate them with moisture, especially if you see that the roots are slightly dry (and this should never be allowed).
Landing location
Plum loves warmth and a lot of light, which means that this stone fruit crop will grow well and bear fruit abundantly only in open and well-lit areas of the garden.
Ideal option for planting plums there will be a place that will be protected from the drying winter winds on the north side (this could be your country house, some outbuilding or fence), while the tree itself, Naturally, it should be placed on the south side (or at least on the southwest or west side) so that it receives the maximum amount of sunlight during the day.
You can't plant plums in the lowlands where they stagnate for a long time melt water or strongly wetlands.In other words, at the landing sitemoisture should not stagnate in the springwhen the snow melts.Otherwise, the plant’s root collar will simply get stuck, and its days will be numbered..
The occurrence of groundwater in the area intended for planting plum trees should be at a level of 1.5-2 m from the ground surface.
Advice! If groundwater lie close, then you have no choice but to make an artificial embankment and plant a seedling on it.
Important! Plums and other trees should not be planted near large spreading trees (especially oreshin), since this always negatively affects their growth and productivity (if the seedling can grow and bear fruit normally).
At what distance
You have chosen the place, now you need to decide on the planting scheme.
If you want to plant several seedlings at once, it is recommended to plant plums according to the scheme - 3 by 3, i.e. the distance between seedlings in a row and between rows should be 3 meters.
Advice! It is necessary to retreat exactly the same distance from other plants on the site so that the wide crown of the plum tree does not shade them in the future.
Remember! The closer you plant trees, the more difficult it will be for you to control their crown in the future, in other words, you will need regular and mandatory pruning, including summer pruning.
It is also necessary to take into account the fact that Some plum varieties are not able to self-pollinate (self-sterile), so they should be planted only in groups (at least two, and preferably three different varieties).
Required soil
To count on good growth and stable yields, the soil under plums must have high fertility, be light and loose (water- and breathable), and also have neutral acidity level.
Worth knowing! All stone fruits like non-acidic soils and will grow better in alkaline soils (7-7.5 pH) than even relatively acidic ones (5.5 pH).
The most suitable types of soil for plums are the following: loams, peatlands(but only deoxidized, i.e. calcified = acidity reduced to neutral level) and soddy-podzolic.
Of course, the worst option for planting plums (and almost all fruit trees) is purely sandy and clay soil.
Important! When planting a seedling in excessively sandy soil, you should add a little clay and more compost to it, and sand to clayey soil, this will help balance the composition of the soil.
Advice! In cold and harsh climates, and also if the soil is heavy, or the area is very waterlogged and groundwater is very close, then it is recommended to plant plums (like any other fruit trees, especially stone fruits). gentle hills(“according to Zhelezov”).
Video: planting a plum seedling on a hill in Siberia
Preparation of the planting hole: optimal dimensions
Naturally, as always, it is recommended to prepare the planting hole for planting a plum seedling or any other plant in advance. It is best to do this in the fall or at least 1-2 weeks before planting the seedling. During this time, the soil will have time to settle to the desired level.
Important! When digging a planting hole, the top layer of soil is thrown aside for further use.
Width (diameter) and depth of the planting hole for all fruit trees should be within 50-80 cm. In this case, the walls of the recess should not narrow downwards: it is better to make them vertical.
By the way! As a rule, on average they dig a hole 60 by 60 cm. However, for planting plums, many It is recommended to dig a hole 1 meter wide and 60-80 cm deep.
And here is the planting hole for the seedling with closed root system they do it simply 2-3 times larger than the container itself.
If necessary, it is immediately placed on the bottom drainage layer 5-15 cm from broken bricks or small stones (it is optimal to use lime or chalk crushed stone, which contains a lot of calcium and which perfectly deoxidizes the soil = reduces its acidity), and then the prepared nutrient mixture is poured.
Important! If you have to plant in clay soil, then, in addition to the obligatory drainage layer, you also need to dig the deepest possible hole.
What (what fertilizers) to fill the planting hole with - prepare the nutrient substrate
So that the plum seedling can easily adapt to a new place and begin to grow actively, when planting it, it is recommended to fill the planting hole with a nutrient substrate.
To do this, it is recommended to pour a specially prepared soil mixture into the planting hole (which is thoroughly mixed to a uniform consistency). The nutrient substrate is usually prepared from the following components (mineral and organic fertilizers):
- all top fertile soil (top 20-30 cm) that you removed when digging the hole;
- a bucket (8-9 kg) of good humus or compost;
Additionally:
- a bucket (8-9 kg) of non-acidic peat (purely at will and opportunity, or if you have sandy soil);
- a bucket (8-9 kg) of sand (if you have relatively heavy/clay soil);
- 1-2 cups (200-500 grams) or 400-600 grams of bone meal (organic equivalent);
- half or 1 glass of potassium sulfate (100-200 grams) or 2-4 glasses (200-400 grams) (an organic analogue of potassium fertilizer).
Or, instead of superphosphate and potassium sulfate, you can take 300-400 grams of nitroammophoska (it contains 16% nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) or diammophoska (10:26:26). At the same time, it is better to use nitroammophoska for spring planting, and diammophoska for autumn planting.
Worth knowing! When planting a tree (even in spring), you do not need to specifically add nitrogen fertilizers (it’s a different matter if it is a complex fertilizer), since they stimulate the growth of the above-ground part to the detriment of the development of the root system (especially when planting in the northern regions).
Important! However, some gardeners and agronomist scientists do not recommend putting mineral fertilizers into the planting hole at all, but advise applying them in the future as fertilizing, because There is an opinion that a plant (seedling) does not need fertilizer until it begins to bear fruit. Another thing is organic fertilizers such as compost, wood ash, bone meal.
After filling the hole with nutrient substrate, it is necessary to drive a wooden peg, which will further serve as a support for the young seedling.
Note! If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when leaves grow on it, due to its high windage, strong winds will shake the trunk and tear off young roots.
Direct step-by-step planting of seedlings
Step-by-step instructions for planting plum seedlings in open ground in spring and autumn:
- Fill the planting hole with fertile soil in advance, leaving a depression the size of the seedling's root system.
- If you are planting a seedling with an open root system (ORS), then you need to place a small mound in the center of the planting hole.
It’s another matter if you plant a seedling with a closed root system (ZKS). In this case, there is no need to make any mounds, but simply plant the seedling in a prepared planting hole without disturbing the earth.
- Drive in a wooden support or peg (if you haven't done this beforehand).
If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when the leaves grow on it, due to the high windage, strong winds will shake the trunk and tear off the young roots.
- Place the seedling in the center of the mound and spread the roots along its (mound) sides downwards (the roots should under no circumstances bend or stick up!), because The roots should be placed in the hole as comfortably as possible for them, without twisting or bending.
Advice! If you have a seedling that has been grafted with an eye (budding), then the budding site (eye = new shoot that has grown from the graft) should face north, and the cut site should face south.
- Cover with soil, shaking the seedling while doing so to eliminate any voids between the roots.
Remember that the grafting site should initially be located 10 centimeters above the soil level. In this case, it is convenient to control the planting level with a rack, which must be placed horizontally on the sides of the hole when the hole is almost filled with soil.
- Compact (compact) the soil, starting from the edges at the base of the seedling.
Important! Do not confuse the root collar (the place where the first root leaves the trunk) with the graft, which is located higher (on the trunk) and should ultimately be located 3-5 cm (you can just put 2-3 fingers) above the soil surface. After the tree settles in loose soil, the root collar will in any case return to its normal position.
Attention! If you bury the root collar, the tree will grow poorly and gradually die (because the root collar will dry out). On the contrary, if you plant too high, the roots of the seedling will be exposed and may simply dry out. summer heat or freeze out in winter.
- Next, you need to make a hole (roller) along the diameter (perimeter) of the tree trunk circle with a height of 5-10 cm.
- Pour plenty of water, pouring out at least 2-3 buckets (pour out gradually - wait for it to be absorbed and add more).
- Tie the seedling to the prepared support with soft twine and secure it in the correct position.
- Level the roller, loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle and mulch it with peat, humus or compost.
Mulch will help prevent roots from drying out and excessive moisture evaporation.
Note! Mulch should not be placed close to the trunk of the seedling, as this can cause the bark to become warm and, consequently, cause the development of fungal diseases.
In any case, the grafting site should be above the mulch.
Video: how to plant a plum
Caring for plums after planting: basic measures
Immediately after planting, the plum seedling must trim to level the root system with the above-ground part (this is done for a kind of “reanimation” of the seedling after planting, since any planting and replanting is trauma and stress for the plant).
How to prune a plum after planting in spring or autumn?
- You need to leave the main trunk 50-60 cm high, making a cut above a healthy bud.
If there are side shoots, then they also need to be shortened, leaving 2 buds.
It is not unreasonable to assert that one of the main conditions for successful rooting of plums is a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. Therefore, if the weather is dry, then after planting you should carry out timely and regular watering (1-2 times a week), pouring out 2-3 buckets of water. In the future, watering will need to be carried out as needed, depending on weather conditions (in spring and autumn you can water 2-3 times a month, and in hot and dry periods summer period- 1 time per week). And after each watering, if you have not mulched trunk circle, recommended loosen the soil at the base to improve oxygen access to the roots and at the same time weed the tree trunk to remove weeds.
By the way! It is very simple to determine that the earthen lump has dried out and the plum urgently needs watering: dig a hole as deep as a shovel (25-30 cm), take a handful of earth from the bottom, and if it is dry, then water it urgently.
Advice! Either make a new hole every year, or initially dig not very deep (maximum 3 cm), so that moisture does not accumulate in it during the winter-early spring period and the root collar does not get wet and rot.
Additional fertilizing there is no need to carry out any more during this season, since all the necessary nutrients were added during planting, and they should be enough for the next few years (2-3 years).
And if in the future you don't like the variety or you will want to have several different varieties on one tree at the same time, You can graft a plum one of the known methods.
Of course it is required carefully monitor the condition of your tree so that it is not suddenly struck by any diseases or attacked by pests.
The most annoying diseases that affect plums (as well as cherry plums) are Clusterosporiasis (hole spotting) And polystigmosis (plum red spot or cherry plums).
Plum polystigmosis
If the plum was attacked by aphids, then in the fight against this malicious pest of fruit trees you will help .
And in the fall, don’t forget to properly prepare your plums for winter.. It is especially important to mulch and lightly cover (insulate) young seedlings.
And next spring you will again have to carry out a number of simple measures to care for your stone fruit crop.
Video: plum care
Well, now you know everything you need to correct landing plums in spring and autumn, as well as what will be needed in the post-planting period. After just a few years, the plum will certainly fully thank the owner for the care provided with a bountiful harvest of sweet plum fruits.
Video: how to plant a plum tree correctly
Few people know that plum belongs to the Pink family. It would seem that this tree is well known to all of us. But we are familiar with a small amount varieties. In total, there are about 2.5 hundred species of plums. This plant was cultivated for a very long time, back in the days of Ancient Egypt.
They even learned to cook prunes before our era. At different times, plum varieties such as walnut and Damask were brought to European countries. Our most popular plum is homemade plum. It does not come from such distant countries. Her home is the Caucasus.
Having decided on a specific plum variety, gardeners go to specialized stores to select a seedling. It may have an open or closed root system. Each of them has its pros and cons.
For example, a seedling with an exposed root can always be examined more closely and assessed the size of the root and its condition. On the other hand, it will need to be planted within a strictly defined time frame - in early spring before buds open or at the end of September.
When purchasing a seedling in October, it is only dug in and planted in a permanent place the following spring.
Seedlings with a closed root system are usually already rooted in the ground and have an earthen ball, which allows them to be planted throughout the summer season. However, in this case, the size and condition of the root cannot be assessed immediately in the store.
A seedling with buds that have not yet opened should be flexible when pressed lightly. If you hear a cracking sound, then most likely it has simply dried out or needs resuscitation.
It is better to refuse such a purchase. When purchasing a plum seedling that already has leaves in a closed root system, you should carefully inspect it for diseases and pests. The seedling should not have any cobwebs, spots or signs of rot. It is also recommended to inspect the lower parts of the leaves.
You can buy plum seedlings at different ages, but most gardeners give preference to first-year ones, as they take root much faster and better and take root in the garden plot.
When to plant: spring or autumn
Plum is suitable for planting both in spring and autumn. In the first case, it is best to wait until April. But the buds on the tree should not bloom. If this happens, the tree will take root worse.
But in the fall, planting occurs around mid-September. Sometimes it turns out that the seedling was purchased too late, and frost has already occurred.
In this case, it is best to dig it in and cover it with spruce branches on top. It will be covered with snow, and the plum will survive the winter well. It will be possible to dig up a tree to move it to a permanent place in the spring only before planting.
Planting plum
The place where the plum will grow needs to be thoroughly dug up - 1.5 shovels deep. For one tree, you need to prepare an area in a radius of at least 1.5 m in this way. During digging, fertilizers are added to the soil. In autumn, only organic matter is needed. But in the spring it is worth adding mineral fertilizers, including nitrogen fertilizers, to the soil. Such preparation must be made in advance.
Plum is one of those trees that it is advisable to plant more than one at a time. That is, you need to plant at least 2 trees of different varieties nearby. This is necessary for cross-pollination. But it is important to consider pollinator varieties. It is best to choose those that ripen at different times. The distance between plums must be left large - at least 3 m. The only exceptions are specific forms of cultivation, such as hedges, palmettes, etc.
Planting holes for plums need large ones. It is necessary to dig to a depth of 50 cm, and the width of the recess should be 60-80 cm. If the soil on the site is heavy, and in general, the place was not specially prepared, then you need to dig a larger hole - up to 1 m wide.
For planting, trees no more than 1 year old are used. First, you need to add up to 10 kg of humus or compost, as well as 100 g of wood ash, into the pit. You can also use mineral fertilizers: 100 g of potassium salt, plus 200 g of superphosphate.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that you should not bury the root collar when planting. It is left a little higher - about 3-5 cm above the ground. After the fertile soil settles, this will be just enough. The tree is planted and then watered. Then the soil must be mulched. In dry weather, watering is done again after 1.5-2 weeks. At least 2 buckets are poured under one tree.
In spring, plum trees require special care. First, you need to hang the birdhouses. Birds attracted to the garden will lead the fight against insects. Secondly, plums need pruning. It takes place in the middle of the first spring month. In mid-spring, you can dig up the soil between the rows, but be careful not to touch the roots of the trees. Near the trunks, the loosening depth should not exceed 5-10 cm.
It is important to note that when the temperature drops to 1 0 C and below, it is necessary to burn smoke heaps. This method of warming up at night will help keep the trees from freezing. The procedure stops at sunrise.
There is no need to fertilize in the first year after planting. On the second, you can use only nitrogen fertilizers. In 10 liters of water, dilute 2 tbsp. l. "Ideal" or urea. This amount of solution is just enough for one tree. The entire plant is sprayed with the solution in the mornings or evenings. This is done at the beginning and end of July.
Trees that have begun to bear fruit are fed with urea (2 tbsp per 10 l) and potassium sulfate (2 tbsp) before flowering. The ready-made substance “Berry” is also suitable. Up to 35 liters of solution is applied under one tree, pouring it into moist and fairly loose soil.
Planting and fertilizing plums: video
Plum care in summer
It is in the summer that the second feeding of the year is done. It is needed during the fruit filling period. Up to 30 liters of solution from 3 tbsp is applied under the tree. l. nitrophoska or 300 g of “Berry Giant”, as well as 2 tbsp. l. urea in 10 liters of water.
When the tree finishes bearing fruit, the third fertilizing is applied: 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate per 10 l. water. Up to 40 liters of this solution are consumed for one tree.
Included in the scheme of summer plum care and weed control. The soil must be loosened shallowly, especially in the tree trunk circle. After all, with deep penetration of tools, the roots can be damaged.
When loosening, add peat (1 bucket), compost, or humus to the soil. Mix such organic substances with 1 tbsp. chalk, fluff lime, dolomite flour is also suitable.
It is especially important to add bedding during the fruiting period of trees. This way you can balance the acidity of the soil, which is very important for a good harvest.
When summer begins, excess shoots are pruned. This increases growth on the remaining branches. The crown needs a lot of light. Root growth is also regularly deleted. During the summer, it is allowed to trim branches that grow, but not wider than 2.5 cm. And the main pruning is done in the spring - this is a rejuvenating procedure.
Plum is one of those trees whose crown is sparsely layered. This means that the shoots grow straight, with few branches. Plums grow especially strongly in the first year. Such intensive development leads to uneven branches. Because of this, as well as for other reasons, plum trees need constant pruning.
Immediately after planting the tree, it is necessary to plant about 10 skeletal shoots, between which there should be equal intervals. All branches that extend from the strain at an angle less than 40 0 are removed, since there is a risk of them breaking. Next, it is necessary to eliminate those branches that are not part of the main forming crown. On all tiers, shoots are shortened by about 1/3.
But there is another form of tree - vase-shaped. To make this, it is necessary to remove the central conductor from the plant no later than 2 years. After this, you always need to make sure that no other shoot gets out into the center, playing the role of a guide.
In mature trees, all branches that grow above the crown are pruned; by the way, the crown itself is also periodically reduced. It is very important to eliminate the top shoots - those that grow inside the crown, tend to rise vertically and have many knots. If the tops of the tree are frozen, they also need to be removed.
Plums can be propagated in many ways:
- Seeds;
- Cuttings;
- Root shoots.
The first method is most often used to grow seedlings on rootstocks. It is necessary to choose healthy seeds, High Quality. They are cleared of pulp and washed well. The bones are then soaked in water for 4 days. During this time, you need to change the water in the container and mix the seeds. After that, they are taken out and dried. Thus prepared seeds are stored in a dry jar.
Before planting, the seeds are stratified - mixed with moistened sawdust or sand (but not too wet) and kept for 180 days in the cold - from 1 to -10 0 C. Ready-made seeds can be sown in the fall or at the end of the middle spring month, the main thing is that frosts are already passed. The seeds are deepened 70 cm into the soil. A distance of 10 cm is left between seedlings in rows and 70 cm between them.
Root shoots are also a good method of propagation. You just need to cut the roots in the fall and leave it like that for the winter. In spring, the young plant is dug up and transplanted into its place.
Plum cuttings are taken from the roots. We need to dig up some of them. For a young tree - approximately 1 m from the trunk, and for adults - 1.5 m from it. The roots should be no narrower than 1.5 cm and no shorter than 15 cm.
If harvesting is carried out in the fall, then the cuttings are stored either in a trench on the site, sprinkled with peat and sand, or in basements, immersed in moss and wet sawdust. At the end of April, the cuttings are planted and covered with film.
They are planted at a distance of 5 cm in a row and 10 cm between them. Approximately a 5-centimeter part of the cutting is deepened and watered. The upper tips are buried 2 cm and mulched with peat and sawdust. It is advisable to shade such cuttings before shoots appear.
When several shoots appear, only the strongest should be left. Before winter, the first transplant is done, growing up to 1.5 m. And then you can do the second one - to a permanent place.
Plum can also be propagated by grafting:
- kidney
- cuttings
- into the cleft
- for the bark
- butt
Plum is affected by quite a lot of diseases, and this crop also often suffers from pests. Common diseases include plum pockets, fruit rot, hole spot, coccomycosis, bacterial spot, curl, and moniliosis. Among the pests that attack plums are plum stalks, gypsy moths, aphids, and plum beetles.
Post-harvest care
After the harvest is harvested, the plum still needs to be given a little attention. Firstly, fertilizing is done in the fall. The substances Extrasol and Healthy Garden are suitable for this. They are applied to trees in the area around the trunk circles. It is also advisable to update the mulch there by adding a little rotted manure.
Preparing for winter
The main thing when preparing plums for winter period, protect them from strong temperature changes. It is recommended to tie tree trunks with parchment or modern white synthetic bags. Before this, the trunks are whitened.
This procedure, by the way, is repeated in winter, when the thaw sets in. Lime or water-based emulsion is the best choice for this. To increase the frost resistance of a tree, you need to monitor the water and nutrient regime of the soil.
Plum Yakhontovaya A special feature of planting plums in different regions of Russia - the Moscow region, the Urals, and Siberia - is the correct choice of varieties. In general, the following varieties are most suitable for Siberia and the Urals:
- Peresvet;
- Altai Anniversary;
- Chemalskaya;
- Pearl of the Urals;
- Pride of the Urals, etc.
But for the Moscow region you can choose the following varieties:
- Smolinka;
- Blue bird;
- In memory of Timiryazev and others.
Popular plum varieties
This is a variety of yellow plums. The fruits of such crops are oval, have almost transparent skin, weigh no more than 50 g. They have a very pleasant honey taste, the stone is easily separated. The color of such plums is yellow or greenish.
It is a bushy plant with beautiful bronze leaves. It is often used in landscape design. This culture blooms from mid-spring until its end. The fruits are black and purple. The plant has more of a decorative purpose.
This is a fast-growing variety, similar in appearance and even a little in aroma to apricots. Small yellow fruits begin to appear 2-3 years after planting. The crown of the tree is drooping and weeping. Plums ripen in mid-summer. They are oval, have a bright color and very tasty pulp.
It is a medium height tree that grows quickly. This variety has round, large fruits of 45-50 g. The plums are blue on top and green inside. The bone separates well. The fruits are tasty and ripen late - in mid-September.
These fruits have a dark purple color. These are the plums that are most common in our gardens. And it is from them that prunes are made. Hungarian is not one variety, but a whole group. Some of them (Belarusian Hungarian) ripen late, others are considered early ripening (Donetsk Hungarian). The latter has olive-green flesh, which is distinguished by the presence of noticeable sourness. Excellent for canning and drying.
Soviet Renklod This plum was developed in the 80s in Ukraine. Its characteristics are high yield, winter hardiness, and drought resistance. Renclod is a type of plum, and there are many different varieties. The tree grows tall. The color of the fruit depends on the variety; there is a white waxy coating. The pulp is juicy and, most importantly, very sweet. The bone does not separate very well.
The variety is characterized by a sparse, rounded crown of trees. Very large fruits have a dark purple hue. They have medium juiciness. The pulp is quite dense, has yellow tint. These plums are very tasty fresh. But due to their characteristics they are also suitable for drying and various types of preservation.
This is a wonderful variety that came to our region from France. The fruits of this plum are round, but slightly flattened. When plums ripen, they turn yellow. And one side becomes browned and has a red tint. The fruits are quite large, the pulp is dense, very aromatic. Many gardeners call such a tree “the pride of the garden.”
This plum has this name for a reason. This variety is excellent for preparing the notorious dried fruits. This variety has fairly large fruits with a rounded-elongated shape. Skin color is blue-violet. It itself is quite thick, sour and even a little bitter. But the pulp is juicy, sweet, granular and fibrous.
Plum refers to early varieties. It is a medium-sized tree with thick branches and matte leaves. The fruits of this variety are quite large. This plum blossoms in mid-spring, and by mid-summer the fruits ripen. The plums are purple on top and yellow on the inside. The seed of this variety takes up a little more than 4% of the total mass.
Columnar plum has one main feature– it almost doesn’t need to be trimmed. The fact is that such varieties practically do not produce side shoots. The main varieties of columnar plums include:
- Blue Sweet;
- Mirabel et al.
This is one of the varieties of columnar plums. This variety is a small tree, resembling a narrow pyramid. Fruit formations grow densely throughout the main trunk. The variety blooms from the beginning of May and very profusely. The fruits are tasty, large, round. They have a purple and pinkish color and are very juicy. Ripen in mid-August.
“To help gardeners” Plum varieties: video
Plums are the fruits that will decorate any table. They are very healthy and taste simply heavenly. Therefore, do not be afraid to grow this crop in your garden. You will succeed!
