Plum can grow in the form of a tree or a tall bush. In order not to make a mistake in choosing a seedling, you need to have a good idea of what shape and size this crop growing on your site should have. In this article we will figure out which variety to choose, how to plant a plum and what care is needed for it. The quality and quantity of the crop will depend on all this.
Which plum is better to plant?
Choosing a plum, you can focus on its shape. Varieties characterized by short stature can be shaped like a fan. The height of such a sink will be about two meters, and the width - about three. An ideal place for her would be the site along the fence on the sunny side. This option is suitable for those whose plot size is not very large. Also, undersized plum can be shaped into a pyramid, and then it will no longer need a fence.
Bushy forms are best suited for central Russia. The crown height of an adult plant is about four meters. Its beginning is at a height of one meter from the ground. Thanks to this, caring for the plant does not present any particular difficulties, although in order to harvest, you have to climb a stepladder.
Plums of medium height reach six meters, and tall - eight. Such options will suit you if the size of your site is large enough. And you also need to purchase a decent length ladder in advance. After all, without it, you cannot harvest a crop from such a tree.
Plums also differ in the way of pollination. There may be plants self-fertile and cross-pollinated. The former successfully bear fruit, dispensing with varieties producing pollination. But if they nevertheless grow nearby, then their productivity increases significantly. Others simply cannot bear fruit without pollinating varieties. Of course, self-fertile plum, the varieties of which will be discussed below, is a more preferred option. Especially for owners of small plots.
Self-fertile plum: varieties
The biggest advantage of self-fertile plum is that by planting such a tree on your site, you can be 100% sure of the harvest. And although there are not many varieties of this plum, there are still plenty to choose from:
- Variety "Oryol dream". It was bred just ten years ago. It has large round-shaped fruits . The fruits are red. The pulp is yellow, juicy, medium density. A distinctive feature is a completely transparent juice. The bone is not large, but it does not separate well. The variety is considered early. Ripening occurs in early August. Productivity is average. Frost resistance of this grade is very high.
- Variety "Red Ball". The fruits are large, juicy, sweet, have a red color. Ripen, like the previous variety, in early August. They have a pronounced pleasant aroma. Crops of this species are quite high. The big advantage is the dense skin of the fetus. Thanks to it, plums of this variety can be transported over long distances.
- Variety "Yellow self-fertile plum." It has round fruits of medium size, which are colored yellow and have a dense skin. The pulp is dense, the juice content is average. It has a pleasant aroma. It is widely used not only in its raw form, but also for making jam or stewed fruit. Matures somewhat later than the previous varieties. Harvesting takes place in mid-August. The advantages of this variety are its high productivity, excellent taste, dense peel of the fruit, as well as high resistance to cold.
Plum planting
Plum in Russia is best planted in the spring. Why not in the fall? This is due to the fact that trees planted in autumn do not have time to take root well in winter and often die. The main thing is to decide where to plant the plum and prepare this place. Pits begin to cook in the fall. You can, of course, in the early spring, but in any case no later than two weeks before planting. The depth of such a pit should be sixty centimeters, and a diameter of about seventy. The soil that you removed from the pit during the process of digging should be mixed well with humus, which should be half the volume of soil. This mixture is sent back to the pit.
We will figure out how to plant a plum seedling. A wooden peg is driven into the center to which it is tied. It is necessary to deepen the plant so that the neck of the root is five centimeters above the surface of the soil. The roots are covered with soil without the admixture of fertilizers and slightly compacted by hand. This is done so that there is no void around the root. Now the plum needs to be abundantly watered and the soil around the trunk covered with peat. Some vigorous plant species need to be attached to the trunk for another two years after planting.
Plum care
We figured out how to plant a plum tree. Now consider the main points of tree care. During the first two years, the plant will use the nutrient mixture embedded in the planting pit. In the future, mineral as well as organic fertilizers should be applied over the territory of the near-trunk circle, which, in addition, must be periodically loosened. And also near the trunk of the plant it is better to destroy all weeds.
An important point is the removal of root growth. It can grow in a radius of three meters around a tree or bush and cause enough inconvenience in the garden. Therefore, it must be removed, and this should be done about five times during the summer. If such manipulations are not carried out, then the fruiting tree will quickly weaken and its productivity will decrease significantly.
Plant fertilizer
Plum loves various top dressings and thanks them with gratitude. In early spring, immediately after flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. They help the tree grow more intensively. In the second part of the growing season, nitrogen-potassium and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used. They contribute to the accumulation of nutrients. And in the autumn period, in the process of digging the soil, organic fertilizers are applied.
Winter preparations
Despite the fact that many varieties of plums are quite resistant to frost, still the plant should be properly prepared for winter. It’s not enough to know how to plant a plum. You must also be able to keep it in your garden for many years. For a successful wintering, the tree trunk is wrapped in snow and covered with hay from above. This helps protect the tree not only from frost, but also from rodents. The branches of a young plant for the winter are best tied together.
So, if you follow all the simple rules of care and know how to plant a plum tree, how to ensure its good development and successful wintering, then in summer the plant will certainly please you with a good harvest. And not only in a quantitative sense, but also in a qualitative one.