Caring for plum trees. Plum. Planting, growing, care. The best varieties for planting

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 a seedling during the warm period, you will be able to quickly respond to everything possible problems(diseases, pests, lack of moisture) and immediately take the 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! Best time for planting seedlings - cloudy and windless weather: early morning or late evening.

Concerning approximate dates, then depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, spring planting of plums is recommended from the end of March-April to the beginning-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's too late to plant seedlings in autumn period also not recommended, 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 exactly in 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 the 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 a 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 melt water stagnates for a long time or is heavily 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 lies 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 love 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 upper layer The soil is discarded to the side 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) there is no need to specially add nitrogen fertilizers(another 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 agronomists do not recommend planting mineral fertilizers into the planting hole, but it is recommended to add them in the future and as fertilizing, because There is an opinion that a plant (seedling) does not need fertilizer until it begins to bear fruit. Another thing - 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 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) trunk circle 5-10 cm high.
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 the tree trunk circle, it is 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

Plum, as one of the sought-after plants in the garden, is valued for its excellent productivity, early fruiting and the versatility of using the fruits.

Planting and caring for plum trees do not require special labor, however, it is important to know all the nuances of its cultivation, since only this is the key to a good harvest.

Useful properties of plum

Plum fruits are very rich in vitamins, minerals, sugars and microelements. Depending on the variety and proper cultivation, plums can accumulate about 20% sugars, 4% free acids, about 3% pectin substances, 3 mg folic acid, which is vitamin B9, 25 mg ascorbic acid, 1 mg niacin.

Plums are especially rich in vitamin P, which has a beneficial effect on strengthening blood vessels. In addition, the fruits contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, fluorine, manganese, magnesium, copper, chromium, sodium and iron. In dried form, plums, or rather prunes, help remove cholesterol from the body and have a laxative effect. Potassium contained in fruits has a diuretic effect and removes excess salt and water from the body.

Common varieties of plums

The choice of plum varieties is very large, and everyone decides for themselves which type to plant in their garden. Let's look at the most common and best varieties of plums.

Belarusian

A medium-sized tree with a lush, rounded crown. Sweet and sour, large fruits (45-50 g) with a small stone. It begins to bear fruit already in the 5th year after planting; at the age of 10 years it produces a harvest of about 30 kg per tree.

Hungarian common

Like the previous species, the Hungarian common plum is a medium-sized tree with medium-sized fruits (about 30 g), and begins to bear fruit already in the 5-6th year of its growth. The maximum amount of harvest from one tree at the age of 10 years is about 40 kg. This species is undemanding in growing conditions and winter-hardy.

Hungarian Italian

A medium-sized fruit tree with a wide-round crown, the fruits are above average in size (30-40 g) and reach late dates, in the cold season the fruits can crack, but in the warm season they are preserved perfectly and for a long time on the tree. It can begin to bear fruit already in the 4th year after planting. The harvest is irregular, since due to early flowering at low temperatures, fertilization is not good enough.

Large-fruited

A vigorously growing tree with a wide pyramidal crown, the light yellow and red fruits are very large, reaching a weight of 60-65 g. By the 4th-5th year of its growth it already bears fruit. At the age of 8-9 years, 20-25 kg of crops are harvested from one tree.

Victoria

This species is a medium-sized tree with a rounded spreading crown, the weight of the fruit is about 30-40 g. Plums can be harvested on average in the 4th year after planting; they bear fruit abundantly and mostly regularly. At the age of 8 years it produces a harvest of 30-35 kg per tree.

Choosing a place to plant a plum

Considering that the plum is a rather capricious fruit tree, such an important stage as choosing a planting site should be treated with special responsibility. Of course, it will grow in almost any area, but it does not promise to bear fruit. That is why for planting plums it is necessary to choose an area with good protection from strong winds. In addition, the plum does not tolerate shade and loves the sun. In winter, snow should not accumulate in excess of 60 cm in the area where the tree grows.

Dates and planting of plums

It is best to plant plums in the spring, as early as possible, or in the fall - 1.5-2 months before the soil freezes.
When choosing seedlings, you must consider the following:

Seedlings should have 3-5 powerful roots measuring 25 cm or more.
Plums are either grafted or self-rooted. The difference between them is that the latter, in the event of freezing, are able to recover on their own.
In addition, these trees are self-fertile and self-sterile. For the latter, in order for them to bear fruit, the company of the first varieties is required.

The planting hole for the plum must be about 0.5 m deep and no more than 1 m wide. When planting, the root collar should be 5 cm above ground level.

Depending on the type of tree, the distance between seedlings also varies. For example, the interval between pits for widely spreading plums should be about 3 m. There are varieties with not very wide crowns, no more than 1.5 m in diameter, so the placement of planting pits depends on the characteristics of the plum.
This fruit tree does not tolerate concentrated fertilizers, so humus added to the ground from a hole in a ratio of 1:2 will be sufficient. After planting, the tree is watered abundantly with warm water.

Plum propagation

Any gardener will sooner or later face the problem of plum propagation. Why? Firstly, because it is not always possible to find and purchase the variety you like. Secondly, self-propagation of plums is the most reliable and cheapest way. Therefore, if you have a crush on your neighbor’s tree, you can easily use the following methods for propagating plums:
1. Vaccination;
2. Root shoots;
3. Green or root cuttings;
4. Layering.
As a rule, plums are propagated vegetatively, namely by grafting, cuttings, and root shoots; the seeds are usually used only to obtain rootstocks, onto the trunk of which the cuttings are grafted.

The method of propagation by root suckers (shoots) and cuttings is suitable only for self-rooted plums, and the simplest option is the first option.

We propagate by root suckers

To propagate plums in this way, you must initially select shoots that should be well developed and grow as far as possible from the mother plant. So, you have chosen a shoot, now you need to cut off the root at a distance of about 15 centimeters from the root collar, after which you can start planting.

Graft

In order to grow a grafted seedling, you must have two components:

rootstock - the tree on which the grafting will be carried out;
scion - cuttings of our grafted plum variety.

The rootstock can be grown independently from seeds or cloned from shoots.
As mentioned earlier, seeds are mainly used for seedlings on rootstocks. To grow them yourself, we first take healthy fruits, carefully remove the seeds and soak them in water for 4-5 days, while changing the water every day and stirring the contents. After this, thoroughly dry the seeds and store them in a dry glass jar.

It is worth planting in autumn or spring at the end of April, after frosts. In order for the grafting to be successful, it is better to grow a rootstock that is winter-hardy plum. It will take about a year to grow the rootstock, after which grafting can begin.
There are several methods of grafting: budding, grafting with cuttings into clefts or bark.

Budding

Budding or, as it is often called, bud grafting is carried out in the second half of July.
For this procedure, it is initially necessary to remove all leaves and stipules from the scions, leaving petioles about 0.5 cm long.
After this, take a sharp knife and carefully cut off a strip of bark (bud along with the shield) about 4 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Then on the trunk of the rootstock in the place where the plum is supposed to be grafted (preferably at a distance of 4-6 cm from the soil level) we make a T -shaped incision. Now we carefully bend the cut part of the bark and place the previously prepared shield with the bud there. We wrap the place of our grafting moderately tightly with polyethylene film.

Grafting with cuttings

Grafting with cuttings should be carried out in the warm season, or rather, in spring or summer, using one of the methods - in the split or bark.
It is necessary to make two identical oblique cuts in the rootstock and cuttings of the depths of about 1.5 cm and a length of 2.5 cm.
The scion and rootstock must be connected so that part of one fits tightly into the cut of the other. When grafting into a cleft or bark, it is advisable to do it using several cuttings for a 100% positive result. After this, the treated part of the tree should be tightly wrapped with film, which can be removed after four weeks.

Root cuttings

Propagating a plum tree with green cuttings is a very labor-intensive process that requires a special fog installation, so let’s consider more affordable way called "root cuttings".

Root cuttings should be prepared in autumn or spring, when frosts have not yet begun or have already ended. Having retreated up to 1 m from the trunk of the young tree, we dig up the roots. The cuttings should be cut to a length of 15 cm and a thickness of 1.5 cm. Moreover, if they are harvested in the fall, then they must be stored in a box with sand in a cool place, for example, in the basement. Another option is in a dug hole about 50 cm deep, sprinkled with sand and peat in a 1:1 ratio.
At the end of April or beginning of May, the prepared cuttings are planted in loose soil under a film.

The distance between rows should be within 10 cm, and between cuttings - 5 cm. After planting, the plums should be watered. Until shoots form, the cuttings should be shaded to prevent them from drying out. If several shoots grow on the cuttings, the strongest one should be left. The film can be removed within a month.

Feed the plants with organic fertilizers several times a season to improve their development. The next winter, the plums should be replanted and after they reach 1.5 m they can be moved to the garden.

The nuances of growing plums

Plum is warm and light-loving, so pay attention to these factors when choosing a planting site.
In addition, the plum is also a moisture-loving fruit tree, which is more afraid of drying out than frost. In extreme heat, it is recommended to water the plum once a week with the following calculation: 4 buckets of water for a young seedling and 6 buckets of water for an already mature tree. If cracks appear on the fruit, this is a signal of a lack of moisture, however, if the tops die off and the leaves turn yellow, this indicates excess moisture, to which the plum also reacts negatively.
Plum trees, especially young seedlings, require careful care. winter time. It is necessary to regularly trample snow around the plum tree and shake off excess snow from the branches, but it is not recommended to completely expose them.
The most popular varieties of plums are self-sterile, and therefore require the presence of a pollinator, which can be excellently served by other varieties of plums or cherry plums.
It is worth remembering that plums are not famous for their regular harvest - the more fruits you have this year, the less you will harvest next year.
In order to avoid a poor harvest, plum trees need to be thinned out twice a year: in early June, when the ovary is just forming, and in mid-July, when the fruits are already beginning to swell.

Pruning plums

The first pruning of plums must be done in early spring; if for some reason this could not be done, then it is better to wait until next spring. Initially, 5-6 skeletal branches should be isolated, and then their development should be supported.

Next, the tree only needs sanitary pruning, namely, the removal of vertical, damaged or frozen branches growing inside the crown.
When the plum begins to bear fruit, it needs pruning to maintain the vigor of the shoots.

Plum care and pest control

In the first year of its growth, the plum tree is not fed, and in the second year, only nitrogen fertilizers are used. To do this, prepare a mixture in the ratio of 10 liters of water per 2 tablespoons. urea or mineral fertilizer. The trees are sprayed and watered with this mixture. For each young plum tree, about 30-35 liters of fertilizer are used.
When the fruiting period comes, it is advisable to feed the plum three times a year - before flowering, during fruit filling and immediately after harvesting: 10 liters of water/2 tbsp. urea/2 tbsp. potassium sulfate. During fertilizing, the soil must be loose and moist for the solution to achieve maximum effect.
In addition, in the summer, you need to fight weeds, loosen the soil around the tree trunk to a shallow depth and add one bucket of humus or peat.
The plum tree has quite a lot of enemies, including pests, viruses, and fungi, namely: smallpox, moniliosis, pollinated aphids, spotting, clasterosporiosis and much more. Therefore, it is important to monitor the health of the plum; as soon as signs of disease or pest damage appear, take action immediately, since it is difficult, and sometimes completely impossible, to fight an advanced disease.
Modern technologies cope well with most pathogens. chemicals. For example, the drugs “Iskra”, “Decis” and “Inta-Vir” are very effective against pests, and “Topaz”, “Strobi” against diseases. If you find that your favorite tree if you feel sick, immediately spray with a solution that includes water, pesticides and, of course, soap. In addition, with timely assistance to trees that have been negatively affected by frost or summer sun, the rapid destruction of pests helps prevent the occurrence of various viral and fungal diseases.

A fruit tree requires attention from the first day of life. Creativity in the formation of the crown will be the individual work of each owner.

Plum grows as a tall shrub or tree. The crown is spreading or narrow pyramidal, the branches are drooping or straight. The ground part varies from 2 to 8 meters. It all depends on the variety, soil, and climatic conditions. Under favorable conditions, the height of some species reaches 10 meters or more.

In the first 4-6 years, intensive growth of branches is observed. Fruiting slows down the process.

IN Krasnodar region Vigorous varieties are grown: Vengerka, Renklod green, Ontario.

In central Russia, medium-sized (Washington, Vengerka azhanskaya) and low-growing (mirabelle) varieties are common. The crown area of the latter is up to 40 square meters. m.

The plum begins to bear fruit at 3-4 or 5-6 years. Continues to produce crops for 20 years.

Simple (growth) and mixed (leaves, flowers) buds are formed on the plum. Formed individually and in groups. Next, bouquet branches and spurs are formed from group buds. The latter form growth buds.

According to the nature of fruiting, plum varieties are divided into groups:

Varieties that bear fruit on last year's growths. Group buds predominate on the branch. The crown shape is spreading. These include American, Chinese, Ussuri and plums. To speed up the appearance of fruits, shoot growth is supported.
Fruiting on a two-year-old branch. The fruits are formed on spurs and bouquet branches. The lifespan of spurs is 5 years. Varieties of this type have a pyramidal crown shape (Anna Shpet, Vengerka Domashnyaya, Peach).
Mixed fruiting. Both options are present in the group. Most varieties with the 3rd fruiting group: Tula black, Hungarian Moscow, Mirnaya, Skorospelka red, Pamyat Timiryazev, Volzhskaya krasavitsa, Ochakovskaya yellow. The varieties are distinguished by high yield and early ripening.

The characteristics of fruiting are taken into account when pruning to regulate the yield.

Common varieties of plums

According to the degree of ripening, plums are divided into the following groups: very early-fruiting, early-fruiting, medium-fruiting, late-fruiting.

Very precocious

Red ball. The variety was bred by breeders by crossing Ussuri Red and American Burbank. The tree grows up to 2.5 m in height. The shape of the branches is spreading. Flowering is early, leaves appear later than buds.

The fruits are large (40 g), red in color. The taste is sweet and sour with a pronounced aroma. The peculiarity of fruiting is group 2 (on spurs). The harvest is harvested 2-3 years after planting.

Sapa. dwarf plant it reaches a height of up to 1.5 m. The variety is obtained from crossing cherries and plums. It is a bush. The fruits grow on annual growths. Up to 6 are formed in the leaf axils flower buds. Therefore, the variety pleases with a bountiful harvest.

Fruiting occurs in the second year after budding. In the 3rd year of fruiting, Sapa produces a harvest of up to 4 kg. Growth is regulated by systematic pruning. The fruits are small - 9-10 g. The dark burgundy pulp is used for coloring marmalade and wine. The taste is reminiscent of thorns.

Breeders use Sapa for crossing peaches and apricots.

Opata. Bonsai up to 2 m in height. The product of crossing plum and cherry. The fruits are used for technical purposes.

Precocious

Manchurian beauty. The variety is a derivative of 3 varieties: Chinese, Ussuri, “Simon”. Growth reaches up to 1.8 m. The plant belongs to self-sterile plants. A pollinator is planted next to it. The Ussuri plum performs this role well.

Regular fruiting begins 3 years after planting. Ripening period August – September. The mass of yellow-orange fruits is 15 g. Fruiting fruits are formed on bouquet branches.

After ripening, all the fruits must be collected. Otherwise, the plum will throw them off the tree.

Spark. Medium-sized tree with high yield. The fruits are ovoid, weighing 18 g. The color is dark red with a bloom.

Egg yellow. The trees bear fruit in 6-7 years. Productivity is high. The fruits are large. The shape is ovoid in orange-yellow hue.

Medium-fruited

Peach. Plum prefers southern regions due to poor winter hardiness. Fruiting on bouquet branches appears in 5-7 years. Over time, the tree's productivity increases. At 25 years old, a peach plum bears fruit up to 50 kg per unit. The weight of one berry varies from 45 to 50 g.

The color of plums changes depending on the weather. In cold weather - greenish-yellow color, in sunny, warm weather - a pink blush covers almost the entire fruit.

Victoria. Plum is a self-fertile variety of English origin. Can be a pollinator of Anna Shpet, Vengerka, Kirke varieties. The trees are large with a spreading crown. They bear fruit for 3-4 years.

The fruits are reddish-yellow, with sunny side light purple. There is a waxy coating. Fruit weight 40-45 g. Loves moist, fertile soils with the presence of lime.

Italian. The homeland of the variety is Italy. The tree is not frost-resistant. They prefer southern regions. Under favorable conditions, at the age of 5-6 years, the yield of Italian is 50 kg. In a 10-year-old - 100.

Hungarian. The tree is tall with a spreading crown, pyramidal in shape. Frost-resistant variety, resistant to diseases. On moist fertile soils the yield is 150-180 kg.

Greengage. tall plant reaches up to 5-7 m in length. The crown is rounded. The fruits are black-blueberry in color with a waxy coating.

Late-fertile

Washington. The tree is partially self-fertile and medium in size. The pollinator can be Anna Shpet, Peach plum. The crown is spherical. Leaves appear after flowering. Good fruiting occurs in 7-8 years. The fruits are light yellow and large.

In regions with a humid climate or rainy summers, fruit rot affects Washington. Wet weather affects taste.

Renclaude Ullensa. The tree is vigorous. It begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-6 years. Productivity is high. Prefers the climate of the southern regions. The fruits are green and acquire a yellow tint when fully ripe. The pulp is juicy and sweet.

Choosing a place to plant a plum

Early plum blossoms can be destroyed by late frosts. Therefore, choose an elevated, sunny place without access to northern winds.

They maintain a distance taking into account the characteristics of the variety and the spreading nature of the crown. There are no fruit trees planted nearby. Since the plum will need a sufficient amount of moisture and nutrients.

Choosing planting material

When choosing planting material, take into account varieties that are adapted to the conditions of a particular region.

Trees are divided into self-fertile and self-sterile varieties. If you choose the second option, then you need to take care of purchasing pollinating varieties.

When buying a seedling, pay attention to the appearance:

root system must be healthy, without dry parts;
It is mandatory to have a tag containing information about the manufacturer and the characteristics of the variety;
seedlings with an open system should not have signs of disease, spots, damage, roots of a light shade;
annual seedlings should be 1-1.3 m in height; those grown from seed should be 1.5 m. Deviation from the norms indicates improper care and violation of cultivation technology.

Experienced gardeners advise choosing two-year-old seedlings. They quickly take root and tolerate stress more easily than older specimens.

For spring planting, seedlings are purchased in the fall and dug into the ground at an angle of 60 degrees. to a depth of 40 cm.

Choosing soil for planting

The composition of the soil is chosen according to the variety. Suitable for oval fruits clay soils, round – loamy chernozem. Plums can grow on dry sandy loam soils if the soil is well fertilized beforehand. To do this, humus is added to the soil in the spring.

Plum is capriciously related to acidic soils. Increased acidity is determined visually. The indicator will be plants: sorrel, heather, mint, plantain. The level can be lowered by liming, adding ash, and dolomite flour.

Groundwater should lie at a distance of 1.5 m, not higher.

Autumn and spring planting of plums

Plums are planted in autumn and spring. In the southern regions it is preferable to plant in the fall, in the middle zone - in the spring.

The signal for planting in spring is completely thawed soil. The work must be completed within two weeks. Preparation of the planting site begins in the fall. The width of the pit is 70-80 cm, depth 40-50.

For poor loam, the size is chosen larger (width 2 m, depth - 1). The bottom is covered with a layer of clay (5-10 cm) and the earth is compacted. On top is a fertile layer with fertilizers.

Autumn planting should be carried out 1.5-2 months before stable frosts. During this period, the plum has time to take root. The landing site is prepared 15 days before planting. In the autumn, fertile soil with humus (1 bucket), superphosphate (350 g), and potassium salt (65 g) are added to the pit. Dense soil is mixed with sand.

Fertilizers containing nitrogen are not used in the fall. Nitrogen stimulates growth.

Seedling care

After planting, seedlings require tree trunk care, watering, mulching, fertilizing, and pruning.

Taking care of the trunk circle

A radius of 1 meter from the seedling is called the trunk circle. After planting the plum, special attention is paid to it:

remove weeds in a timely manner;
regularly loosen the soil;
remove root shoots up to 4-5 times during the growing season;
the garden is older than 2 years, herbicides are applied to the tree trunk. Work is carried out in calm weather. At the same time, do not allow the herbicide to get on the foliage or trunk. Solution consumption 20 g per 1 sq. m.

Watering and mulching

The plant receives its first watering during planting (2 buckets). Water absorbs moisture and compacts the soil.

In dry summers, watering is done more often, in rainy summers - less often.

In the second year of the seedling's life, irrigation is reduced. Watering is carried out as needed: heat, lack of rain.

Herbicides will not be required if the tree trunk circle is mulched after watering. Sawdust, straw, pine branches, and peat are used as mulch. Mulching will retain moisture and protect against weeds.

It is very important to saturate the soil with moisture in the fall. When the trees have not yet shed their leaves. Water every day for 7 days.

Plums get a lot of benefits from sprinkling. Young seedlings are sprayed in hot weather and in autumn. In summer, procedures are carried out in the evening. Autumn sprinkling of young trees without leaves will help combat sudden temperature changes. Sprinkling begins in the evening and continues until dawn.

Plum feeding

The fertilizer that the seedlings received during planting lasts for 2 years. In subsequent years, the tree will require mineral and organic fertilizers.

In the third year, the plum is fed with urea (20 g) with the addition of urea (2 tablespoons), per 5 liters. water. In the first ten days of May, foliar fertilizing with a working solution is carried out.

At the beginning of June, nitrophoska is introduced. Dose: 30 g of the drug per 10 l. water. Foliar feeding.

In mid-August, use superphosphate (2 tablespoons), potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons) per bucket of water.

Root feeding is carried out in August:

15 g potassium sulfate;
15 g superphosphate;
70 g ash;
10 liters of water.

Step back 80 cm from the trunk and make holes into which the solution will be poured. Fertilizing is combined with watering (25 liters of water for each plant).

The following are used as organics:

dry chicken droppings. Dose: 1 kg per 3-4 liters of water. The mixture is left to ferment for 2 days. Before watering, dilute in a ratio of 1/10 l. water and mix thoroughly;
humus.

Organic fertilizers are applied once every 3-4 years.

Pruning plums

The plum is formed by pruning. The tree must be healthy. Then pruning and shaping the crown will lead to positive results. When pruning, it is worth considering the characteristics of fruiting.

Pruning a young plum

In the first year, the seedlings should be one meter high, the remaining length is cut off. The standard is formed up to 70 cm in height for an expanded crown, pyramidal - 50.

In the second year, the seedling has 6-7 skeletal branches on the central conductor. 4 skeletal branches of the first order are formed, which are cut in half, the rest are removed. The stem is shortened by one bud from the growth. Below the skeletal branches, new shoots will stretch out on the trunk. They are reduced by 10 cm. They are left so that the standard increases its thickness.

The third year of the seedling. The stem is completely freed from side shoots along the base. Last year's growth is cut by half. Branches of the second order are formed on skeletal branches. Of these, 8-9 external branches are formed.

Crown formation

Crown formation can be done at any time, but early spring is considered the best period.

Over the course of 4-5 years, a sparsely tiered crown is formed:

In the first year, the crown of the conductor is cut off. The trunk must have no side branches.

On next year 5-6 branches will grow on the trunk. You only need to leave three branches, the central conductor. They will be the first tier of the crown. The distance from the root collar to the branches is 60 cm. At this step, the trunk should be without shoots. Skeletal branches are shortened to a bud that faces outward. It is desirable that between each branch a height step of 15 cm is maintained and directed in different directions from the conductor.

In the third year, growth will appear on the skeletal branches. We leave one shoot of growth on the skeletal branch. You should choose those that are aimed at outer side. The remaining growths are shortened to the bud. The conductor is shortened to a height of one meter.

In the fourth year, it is necessary to continue the formation of skeletal branches - leave one growth, remove the rest. Growths are always trimmed to a bud directed towards the outside.

The second and third tier are formed using the same principle. A spacing of 60 cm is maintained between tiers. Competitors cut branches into a “ring”. That is, without stumps, and the cut areas are treated garden varnish.

Strengthening fruit branches with supports

High harvests of plums can break branches. To prevent this from happening, props are prepared. They should be located at the center of gravity of the branches. Insulate the contact area with soft material: rags, grass, rubber. First, grooves for skeletal branches are made in the upper part of the support. This will prevent damage to the bark, and there will be no gum (resin) leakage.