How to plant, grow and care for plums, treatment against diseases and pests
Lovers of this fruit tree face problems when growing. Studying the information will help you avoid mistakes and understand how to grow plums correctly. There is nothing special about this. Following the recommendations will help you get a healthy and strong tree that will give a glorious harvest.
Conditions for growing plums
To grow a fruit crop, you must follow the subtleties and recommendations of experienced specialists. If you create optimal conditions for growth and development, then the tree will thank you with the declared yield.
The composition of the soil mixture
Knowing what kind of soil the cultivated plant loves, it is easier for a summer resident to find a place for planting. The future harvest of seedlings depends on this.
Plum grows well on clay and medium clay soil. If the soil has a high calcium content, then the tree will begin to grow rapidly and bear fruit abundantly. High acidity is detrimental to plums, as is the close occurrence of groundwater.
Climatic conditions
Breeders breed tree varieties that are adapted and adapted to growing in any climatic conditions. A summer resident, choosing a variety, must take into account the peculiarities of the climate of the region.
Favorable neighborhood
Some cultures can't stand being close to each other. Therefore, when planting a tree, it is important to consider which plants are located in the neighborhood.
You should not plant a plum next to:
- walnuts;
- hazel;
- fir;
- birch;
- poplar.
The tree tolerates a pear growing aside.
Plum grows well next to cherries, apple trees, black currants. At some distance, bushes of raspberries, strawberries, shade-tolerant flowers are planted.
How to plant a plum
The tree is grown in the open field. They plant it in different ways, the summer resident chooses the optimal and more suitable method. When landing, various subtleties are taken into account. Compliance with the techniques leads to the fact that a healthy tree grows.
Optimal timing
Planting material is planted in spring or autumn, depending on the preferences of the summer resident. Gardeners recommend planting trees in warm regions in autumn, and in colder ones in early spring.
When the soil completely melts in the spring, then seedlings should be planted. It is advisable to do this beginning of sap flow.
In the fall, the term is determined by the summer resident himself, based on the climatic characteristics of the growing region. It is advisable to plant seedlings 1.5-2 months before the first frost.
Optimal place on the site
In addition to the composition of the soil, the summer resident should take into account the fact that the plum, although frost-resistant, needs a place protected from wind and drafts. Groundwater should be at least 2-3 meters deep.
Do not forget about sunlight, the tree should receive it most of the day.
Before planting a seedling, you should calculate the optimal distance from adjacent trees and shrubs.
Soil preparation
The land on the site selected for planting must be prepared in advance. It is recommended to plant planting material in fertilized soil.
With a lack of nutrients, they are brought in immediately before digging. As an option, add humus, peat, river sand (if necessary), complex mineral fertilizers.
If the soil is acidic, add lime, wood ash or dolomite flour to neutralize it.
Layout and dimensions of the landing pit
The trees are planted in pre-prepared pits. The scheme is calculated based on the size of an adult tree, depending on the variety, they are different. The approximate distance between the plums when planting is from 2.5-4 m.
The planting pit should be 0.8 m wide and 0.5 m deep. It is advisable to plant a plum 10-14 days after preparation, not immediately.
For seedlings with a closed root system, there are no special differences in the planting scheme and the formation of the planting pit.
Landing technology
A stake is driven into the middle, it will serve as a support for immature seedlings. Fill the hole with fertile soil.
Pour the earth in a slide, slightly above the edges. This is necessary so that after planting, the settled earth does not form a hole near the trunk. Rainwater will stagnate in it, this will lead to rotting of the root system.
A seedling is placed on the formed hill, carefully sprinkled with a layer of soil. Shake the plant lightly, helping the roots to position correctly. Sprinkle again and pour over with water.
Plum care
The plant needs care not only in the first year. If the peculiarities of planting plum trees are observed, then it will be easy to care for them. By following standard agricultural practices, the grower will get a healthy plant from the young plum.
Strengthening fruit branches with props
So that the grown seedling does not suffer from the abundance of fruits, it is necessary to install supports for the branches with berries.
They use any available material, often these are branches that are forked at the top. They are installed approximately in the middle of a branch with fruits, slightly lifting it up. Such support will help avoid scrapping. Especially with strong gusts of wind.
We take care of the near-trunk circle
The soil near the seedling needs care, through which the plum receives nutrients. It is necessary:
- loosening;
- removal of weeds and overgrowth;
- mulching;
- watering and feeding.
Weed grass is a carrier of viruses and bacteria, in addition, pests find refuge in it. Therefore, its timely removal will help protect the plum from diseases and insects.
Watering and mulching
Plum loves moisture. Therefore, during the dry period, the tree needs abundant watering. How many times to water a tree per season is definitely difficult to answer. It is desirable that during irrigation the soil is soaked to a depth of 40 cm.
Watering rate for one tree is 4-5 buckets. During the fruiting period, the amount of moisture increases. Often watering is not necessary, it is necessary to moisturize abundantly.
Mulching is practiced by many summer residents, the layer protects young roots from the sun. And in more mature trees, mulch reduces weeds and prevents them from drying out quickly.
Top dressing
Organic fertilizers are applied once every 2-3 years, the first time they are drained does not need them. When planting a tree, humus, peat and mineral dressings are added to the planting pit.
It is necessary to care for the growing seedling in such a way that the tree does not need nutrients. Then it grows well, bears fruit faster.
The fertilizing calendar should contain mineral fertilizers, less often organic matter. It is not necessary to add a lot of nitrogen, the tree will begin to form a green mass, and there will be no fruits and ovaries.
In the fall, during the preparation of plants for winter, phosphorus or potassium is added. If the leaves on the tree turn pale, gardeners recommend spraying them with diluted saltpeter or urea.
Crown formation
For the plum to grow properly, it is necessary to form a crown. Do this in spring or early summer. In July-August, only sanitary pruning is carried out.
When to trim
Summer residents are advised to form the crown in early spring in order to injure the plants as little as possible. Some do it in the fall, after they have harvested all the fruits. The sanitary is done during the entire growth period.
Cutting schemes and technology
Without proper formation, the plum will grow in height, making harvesting much more difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to prune from the first year of the seedling's life.
Various schemes are used. Most gardeners use simple shaping. So that the tree grows short and gives a lot of fruits:
- the first year the seedling is cut in height, leaving the guide at a level of 1 m from the ground;
- the second year, 6-7 skeletal ones are left around the central branch, the length is cut by 10 cm;
- the third year, 3-4 lateral branches are left on each skeletal branch, they are shortened;
- subsequent years remove all branches that grow inside the crown and reduce growth.
With the appropriate molding, the plum will give the declared yield, which the summer resident can easily remove from the tree.
Do I need to cover for the winter
Plum can withstand severe winters in most cases. But it is sheltered in cold weather, this applies to young trees. Older plants are mulched for the winter, covering the root system.
How to treat infections and insects
Insect invasion is an attack familiar to summer residents. Timely processing helps to protect plants from viruses and pests. They use chemicals, biological agents, folk methods. Gardeners recommend sprinkling with Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate and other preparations.
Processing time
Different processing times are recommended against pests and diseases. It is recommended to root or spray the tree. By following the rules, the summer resident will get a healthy plant and preserve the harvest.
In early spring
Processing at this time is carried out before the start of sap flow. Preventive measures begin to be carried out immediately after the snow melts and the soil dries.
Old foliage is removed from trees, dry branches are cut off, it is there that pests and pathogens winter.
Without much risk, summer residents use chemicals, they are stronger, more effective and durable. The trunks of trees are whitened, cracks are treated with copper sulfate, cuts with garden pitch.
Spraying with copper sulfate will help against many diseases, they ensure that the composition flows into all the cracks. Against insects, they are treated with insecticides.
During flowering
Treatments at this time are carried out with caution, since some chemicals can linger in the plant for a long time and be transferred to the fruits.
The red fruit mite is especially dangerous for plums. It is activated just at the beginning of flowering. The pest is able to destroy the ovaries, leaving the summer resident without a crop.
To combat insects, drugs are used:
- Apollo;
- "Nissoran";
- Fitoverm;
- "Neoron";
- Sunmight.
Before using, it is worth reading the instructions and weighing all the pros and cons.Summer residents use biological means of fighting insects and infections, or find folk remedies. Their action is not so long-term and effective, but it is safe for humans.
After flowering
Just as during flowering, chemical preparations cannot be used. Insects are dangerous for the plant, which interfere with the formation of the ovary in summer. Pests can destroy most of the crop or seriously harm the plum. These include:
- aphids;
- leaflet;
- leafhoppers and other insects.
Processing in early spring is important. But if pests do appear, they spray the plant after flowering. Use folk remedies or biologics.
During fruit ripening
The best defense is folk remedies. Health is more important than long-term processing. Traditional methods are soapy water or ash solution. They use strong-smelling infusions that scare away insects for a while, but do not help get rid of them.
Against diseases during the filling of fruits, infusions of herbs and agents of biological origin are used that do not affect the human body. For example, onion skins, garlic, tobacco.
Green fruits are attacked no less than ripe ones, so the summer resident always monitors the appearance of the fruit.
At this time, baits are hung on the trees, which attract adults and help destroy them. Insect control is ongoing.
In August, at nights in calm weather, the garden is fumigated with smoke. Straw is set on fire, potato tops or tomato tops are added to it, if desired, they are changed to wormwood. This process will help get rid of many insects.
In autumn
After harvesting, chemicals are used again. The tree is preparing for winter, therefore, immediately after the end of fruiting, preventive treatment is carried out against diseases and pests. Use complex tools. The processing time is different, summer residents recommend doing this in September. If necessary, repeat the procedure in October.
It is not difficult to grow plums on the plot. To obtain the declared harvest, optimal conditions are created and properly looked after.
