How to plant, grow and care for cherry plum, variety selection
Among the unpretentious horticultural crops, cherry plum can be distinguished, the cultivation and care of which is not difficult for novice summer residents. It is characteristic that this type of fruit tree is the progenitor of the garden plum. You can pick up varieties of cherry plum, the fruits of which will be suitable for preparing preparations for the winter, sauces, fresh consumption.
In which regions is it recommended to plant a tree
Although cherry plum belongs to the wild varieties of plum, this plant prefers a warm climate. Therefore, before planting cherry plum, it is necessary to determine whether the variety is suitable for growing in the region. Hybrids are now available that bear fruit abundantly in the northern regions. A representative of the stone fruit culture firmly endures severe winters, but with an even air temperature.
Sudden changes for a tree are fraught with disease. After a winter with jumps from minus 25 to 45 degrees, it is difficult to recover. Returning spring frosts are also dangerous for trees. After all, the plum begins to bloom earlier than other fruit trees. Low temperatures destroy flowers and ovaries. Cherry plum can stop bearing fruit until it returns to normal.
Any region is suitable for the cultivation of cherry plum, but at the same time it is necessary to properly care for the crop, prepare for wintering.
Cherry plum varieties
Among the varieties of stone fruit are:
- early ripe - Scythian Gold, Found;
- mid-season - Kuban comet, Cleopatra;
- late ripening - Golden autumn, Hungarian.
Hybrids differ in size, fruit taste. The fruit can be yellow, dark red, purple in color.
For regions beyond the Urals, winter-hardy varieties of early and medium ripening are chosen. Late-ripening hybrids are suitable for the south.
For the Moscow region and central Russia
In the Moscow region and surrounding areas in winter, frosts reach 20-25 degrees. But due to high humidity, cherry plum can freeze slightly. It is better to choose trees of such varieties that can survive and begin flowering by spring, and fruiting by mid-summer.
Suitable for growing in the middle lane:
- An early fruit tent with large dark purple berries that have a sweet and sour flesh. Begins to bear fruit in the 4-5th year of life.
- In early July, fruits appear on the Mara variety.Juicy sweetish pulp is hidden under the yellowish skin.
- Hybrid Lama not only gives high yields of cherry plum, but can become a decoration of the site. Reddish leaves blend harmoniously with ripe fruit. The tree is afraid of strong winds.
- The Apricot variety ripens in August. Over the summer, the fruits are filled with sweetness, become similar in taste to apricots. Productivity decreases in cold winters.
- Cherry plum Gold of the Scythians grows up to 3 meters high. 4-year-old trees produce golden fruits with a delicate and sweet taste.
- The Vladimir comet has large fruits with orange pulp. With good care, the tree produces high fruit yields.
Cherry plum hybrids are rarely self-fertile, so trees of such varieties as Cleopatra, Gold of the Scythians are planted nearby.
For Siberia and the Urals
Viable hybrids bred by breeders have found their place in the Ural and Siberian gardens. It is better to grow winter-hardy trees of varieties here:
- Cleopatra, self-fertile, with purple berries;
- Do not laugh at early ripening terms;
- the high-yielding Traveler;
- Disease resistant mara.
Low-growing trees bear fruit abundantly, endure winter with good shelter. Yields depend on proper care.
For Altai Territory
In this region, cherry plums are planted everywhere. Many hybrids grow in gardens, endure severe frosts and dry summers. At the Scarlet Dawn, plums ripen in mid-July. They are bright red, weighing 18 grams, freshly sweet.
On the strongly spreading bushes of Mars in early August, burgundy fruits ripen. The Almond variety lasts for 10 days. Large orange fruits reach a weight of 30 grams. Cherry plum Rubin is beautiful with its red leaves, pink flowers, dark fruits with cherry pulp.
Successful crop cultivation requires planting 2-3 trees of different varieties.
For southern regions
In areas with a warm climate, any crop hybrids are suitable for cultivation. Better to choose with sweet plums Dessert, Tsar's cherry plum. After inoculation, cherry plum is obtained, similar in taste to apricots, peach. The large-fruited culture of the Kuban comet is often chosen.
In the south, trees are not afraid of frosts, but with deep snow cover and zero temperature, the lower part of the trunk is damped out.
How to plant cherry plum
In fruiting, the growing season of culture, everything is important: both the timing of planting and the choice of location. Activities are managed taking into account the region, its climatic and weather conditions.
Optimal time for planting in open ground
The cherry plum planting period is determined by which variety is selected. If the seedling is purchased with a closed root system, then it is better to plant it in the spring. Even summer is suitable for laying a cherry plum plantation. Autumn planting is best for southern areas where winter starts later than calendar dates.
Fall
Young trees begin to be planted in open ground in August-September. Late-ripening varieties - until mid-October. It is necessary for the seedling to adapt, take root, until the cold comes. For a month they prepare a plot for cherry plum, planting pits. If you did not have time to plant, then it is better to leave the seedlings until spring, digging them in the garden.
Spring
Basically, spring is suitable for planting cherry plum, before the buds swell. Pits for trees are prepared in autumn. The wells are filled with organic fertilizer (1-2 buckets), superphosphate (200-300 grams), potash fertilizers (100-150 grams). On soils with high acidity, 50 grams of fluff lime is applied. Be sure to mix the components with the ground before filling the pit. If the soils are heavy, then they are diluted with sand (bucket per well).
What soil does cherry plum like
Sites with:
- good illumination, without the action of cold winds:
- neutral acidity;
- deep groundwater;
- high permeability to moisture and nutrition.
It is preferable to plant cherry plum where there will be less snow in winter.If the dacha is located on hills and ridges, then it is easy to choose a site for culture. In the lowlands, the tree will dry out or freeze.
Tree planting scheme and technology
Landing pits are prepared with a depth of 50-60 centimeters. Their diameter is the same, but on marginal, sandy soils, it is necessary to increase the width to 1 meter. The distance between trees is determined at 2.5-3 meters.
After digging, organic and mineral fertilizers are added to the soil. In the middle of the pit, a mound of humus is made, a tree is placed on it, and next to it is a peg. The hole is filled up, supporting the seedling with one hand. During the procedure, the seedling is shaken periodically so that the clods of earth are distributed between the roots. It is necessary to monitor the position of the root collar. It should be at ground level or 2-3 centimeters higher.
At the end of planting, the seedling is tied to a peg, the plant is watered, spending up to 20-30 liters of water. If the planting scheme is followed, the cherry plum will quickly take root.
Tree care
Competent cultivation of cherry plum requires knowledge of agricultural technology. You can not let the vegetation of the culture take its course. It is necessary to water, fertilize, and loosen the root circle on time.
Irrigation
In the first year of a tree's life, it needs abundant watering. From the 2nd year, the frequency of humidification is reduced. If there is a lot of moisture and nitrogen in the soil, then the increased growth of cherry plum begins, the risk of aphid infection increases. At the same time, the shoots ripen poorly, are prone to damping. It is enough to shed trees 2-3 times over the summer. In August, they finish moistening the soil. For the winter, it is undesirable to water the cherry plum.
Barrel circle care
In arid areas, keep the trunk circle under mulch at all times. And where there is a lot of moisture, it is enough to mulch for a year or two. It is better to put a layer of humus, peat 8-10 centimeters around the tree.
When changing mulching, the previous layer is embedded in the soil with a shovel to a depth of 5-6 centimeters so as not to damage the roots located close to the surface.
They constantly loosen the soil under the garden trees, weed up to 4-5 times per season.
Cherry plum feeding
With the correct planting of the tree, you can not feed it for the first 2-3 years. When the cherry plum plantation begins to bear fruit, they begin to apply 2-3 kilograms of manure per square meter, 30-50 grams of phosphate fertilizers, 12-15 - potash, ammonium nitrate. They are brought in for autumn digging or loosening.
You can make grooves along the rows of plants at a distance of 1.5 meters from the trees. They are filled with bird droppings, manure, or watered with liquid solutions of nutrients.
Fertilization during fruit set
When the cherry plum finishes flowering, fertilizers are made from nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. They consist of 10 grams of ammonium nitrate, 5 grams of potassium salt per bucket of water. You can use mullein, diluted 1: 5, or bird droppings - 1:12. The preparation of a solution of manure with a concentration of 1: 3 is also used. It must be kept in a barrel for up to 3-5 days. And then they bring to the desired concentration and water the near-stem circle or grooves. A bucket of liquid is used for 2-3 linear meters of the groove. When fertilizing, the fruit ovary will form faster.
To accelerate the ripening of the fruits, the cherry plum is fed in July with phosphorus-potassium complexes.
How to feed cherry plum after fruiting
In the period after harvesting, it is necessary to water with a nutrient solution of superphosphate (15-20 grams) and potassium salt (7-10 grams). Fertilization is necessary if the tree has not yet completed its growth. Replace mineral mixtures with wood ash. There is enough 50 grams for a bucket of water.
Every 4 years, marginal soils need fertilization. Around the cherry plum tree, at a distance of 2 meters, they dig holes 30 centimeters deep. Take part of the ash and 3 parts of humus, mix and fill the pits.
Terms and rules for the formation of the crown
Not only does top dressing play a role in fruit formation, but also tree pruning. It is necessary to correctly carry out the formation of the cherry plum crown:
- For the first 2 years, you need to remove all branches, leaving the stem clean 40-60 centimeters from the ground. The number of skeletal branches will be within 3-4.
- The shoots that form near the trunk are cut annually.
- The tops of the shoots of young seedlings are pinched in the summer.
- In the 3-4th year, you need to cut out the central conductor located above the 3rd skeletal knot. This is how a bowl-shaped crown is formed.
- In the spring, crown thinning is carried out, removing dried branches, and those that are located closer than 20 centimeters to each other.
Pruning is necessary in order to rejuvenate and improve the tree.
Insect and pest control
Among plum diseases, fungal infections are more often noted: brown and perforated spot. Here, pathology is determined by spots on the leaves, holes on their surface. In addition, on the trunks of the cherry plum, the release of gum and cracks are visible. Disease prevention is the collection and burning of plant residues. Spraying with Bordeaux liquid three times per season will also help.
The ripening of the crop is slowed down by the fruit mite and its larvae. It is necessary to clean the tree trunks of old bark in time, and treat the crown with insecticides.
Caterpillars of the yellow sawfly eat away completely the pulp and bone of the fruit. In cloudy weather, adult insects are collected or shaken off on film. From the drugs "Fufanon" and "Novaktion" are effective. They begin to be applied before flowering.
The moths fight caterpillars by treating them with a solution of sodium chloride, taking 500 grams per 10 liters of water. 7 liters of liquid are spent on an adult tree, 2 liters on a young tree.
To get rid of the fruit sapwood, you need to prune and burn damaged branches. It is better to fight against aphids during the period of exposure of buds with insecticides such as "Fufanon".
Shelter for the winter
For competent care of cherry plum in central Russia, in the gardens of the Trans-Urals, you need to think about hiding the seedlings before wintering. This includes whitewashing plum trunks, which will prevent sunburn in February, March.
It is not recommended to water the cherry plum abundantly before winter, this will lead to the fact that the trunk will begin to rot under the snow. When the thickness of the snow cover is more than a meter, you need to stamp it down. It is dangerous when precipitation falls on thawed ground.
It is advised to put on the trunk of the cherry plum a casing made of tin, sheet iron with a diameter of 40 centimeters. The end of the casing is buried 10 centimeters into the ground. It is important that there are no twigs under the cover. Wrap the top with mesh, burlap. Such a dry wintering will save from rodents, freezing, podoprevaniya.
What year does cherry plum bear fruit
Many varieties of stone fruit begin to bear fruit in the 4-5th year of life. For the first time, single specimens appear on the branches ahead of schedule, if the cherry plum care is correct. Annual and regular fruiting depends on the climate and weather. The more sun, the sweeter the berries on the tree.
Gather the berries together with the stalk, putting them in baskets. The harvest is stored from 5 to 10 days. Cherry plum is used for making sauces, compotes, preserves.
