There is not a single gardener who would bypass this tree. The plum was never wild, it appeared as a hybrid of blackthorn and cherry plum. There are many varieties of this tree that breeders breed. Many of them are frost-resistant and quickly yield crops. One of these species is considered "early river".
Zarechnaya early plum: variety description
This variety appeared as a result of the combination of Eurasia 21 with the Volga beauty and the red dessert. In 1988, the variety was entered in the state register. To date, only 230 varieties of plum trees are registered in the registry.
Plum "early river" is considered an early ripe variety. Large blue fruits ripen in mid-July.
Characteristics of plums of this variety:
- The tree has medium growth and a spherical crown, not very thick. The color of the shoots is dark brown. Plum height "early river" - up to 3 meters.
- The leaf is large, oval, saturated green, flat.
- White flowers of medium size, stamens short, long pistil.
- Fruits are large dark purple in color with a waxy surface and a deep seam.
- The pulp of the fruit is amber, sweet in taste, with a slight acidity.
- The fruits appear for 3-4 years, the yield level is high - 15 kg per tree. Every year, productivity increases. Fruits are used for harvesting.
These are the basic qualities and the description of the early-season early plum variety.
Grade Benefits
Advantages of plum "early river":
- brings large fruits weighing 50-60 grams;
- winter hardiness for the Moscow region and central Russia is excellent in both wood and buds;
- fruits are evenly distributed on the tree;
- disease resistance;
- the fruits have an excellent sweet and sour taste;
- plum goes perfectly to the workpiece, as the stone is easily separated.
The collected fruits are well transported, have a high keeping quality if removed 5-6 days before the expected maturity.
Landing
Plum - unpretentious tree. Nevertheless, experts advise planting a tree in the region of its regionalization. This will allow you to harvest good crops in the near future.
Plum "early river" prefers sunny spacious places. If there is even a slight shade, the fruits begin to fade, and the leaves turn yellow. It is better if the landing area is slightly elevated. It is very important to choose a place, given these nuances.
Plum does not tolerate windy places. Strong blows can blow away flowers, and yield will decrease significantly.
It is best to plant a plum near the fence or wall of the house. The lowlands are not suitable for its landing; there it will be cold and uncomfortable.
The most suitable soils are sandy loamy and light loamy. Groundwater level should be monitored, it should not be less than two meters from the surface. If this condition is not fulfilled naturally, grooves can be built so that the water flows through them. If the gardener knows that in the depths of the soil clay or sand, such a place is not suitable for discharge. The drain does not like wetlands either.
Plum is a medium-sized tree; when planting between seedlings, it is important to maintain a distance of 4 meters.
You can plant in autumn and spring. A pit is prepared in 2-3 weeks so that fertilizers can be absorbed into the soil. A pit is dug with a depth of 60 cm and with the same diameter. First, a stake is driven in 15 centimeters from the seedling.
What to consider when landing:
- soil is poured into the pit without any fertilizers;
- the root neck at a distance of at least 2-5 cm from the upper border;
- A trench is laid around the tree for watering.
Care
After planting, the seedling is well watered. Each tree needs at least three buckets of water, this is the optimal moisture size.
Within two weeks, the drain is no longer watered, and then watering is repeated. If you planted in the spring and the soil is very moist, watering can be slightly reduced in volume. Water for irrigation needs to be heated in the sun or in another way. It is impossible to water the plum with cold water, this can lead to diseases of the root system.
To achieve high-quality fruiting, it is necessary not to start the growth of the shoots. At plum, it grows rapidly. All the shoots are being pulled out. Trimming it is useless, as the new one will grow just as fast. Overgrowth is a feature of all stone fruits. Tearing or uprooting can help if the tree is already fixed. Otherwise, the site runs the risk of becoming an impassable jungle.
Pruning
The tree needs to be pruned regularly, otherwise it will thicken a lot, lose its shape and be crushed by its own branches. Increased branching adversely affects any fruit tree. Plums need to remove branches grown from the side buds. The remaining branches are pruned, forming the necessary appearance. Removal is made several times a month. Be sure to remove diseased and dry branches.
After planting at the right place, the tree must be inspected every year. It is important to monitor the central conductor during the formation of the crown. It should not be replaced by side shoots. If they overtake the leader, they need to be cut. Plum regularly requires pruning and thinning so that it does not turn into an overgrown tree or a bush resembling a broom.
It is important not to allow the crown to thicken, all internal branches are cut out for this. Experts say that there should be such a distance inside the crown that birds fly by. In this case, there will be much less tracks. Thinning branches agronomists recommend performing in the harvest year.
To maintain the integrity of the branches with fruits, make supports for the branches with the obligatory substrate of rubber or rags so that there is no friction of the bark.
Gardeners find it easier to care for small trees, as opposed to tall ones. And the yield of compact plums is higher, and frosts are better tolerated.
Top dressing
After planting, the tree is not fed for several years. Only regular watering is required, at least once every 7-10 days.
After two years, fertilizers are applied:
- in May, urea;
- in June nitrofoska;
- in August superphosphate.
Diseases and Pests
Plum "early river" is quite resistant to disease, and pests rarely visit it. But striving to prevent the emergence of diseases and pests is still worth it.
What is the plum sick with? The most common diseases:
- Bushiness is the appearance of thin, colorless shoots.
- Kleasterosporiosis is a fungal lesion, manifested by the appearance of small spots.
- Moniliosis is a fungal disease, otherwise called fruit rot.
- Gommosis - the appearance of gum on a tree.
- Coccomycosis is a fungal disease expressed in red spots on the leaves.
- Scab - brown spots on leaves and fruits.
- Rust - angular rusty spots on the leaves.
To prevent the development of diseases, you need:
- periodically inspect the tree for diseases;
- clean and burn foliage on time;
- remove weeds in the area of the trunk circle;
- Sprinkle plum in spring with Bordeaux liquid.
Plums are affected by such pests:
- fruit tick - a brown microorganism 0.5 mm in size;
- hawthorn - a light butterfly, reaching 7 cm in size;
- aphids - the most common pest, a small insect;
- plum moth - a butterfly that infects fruits;
- ringed silkworm - a butterfly covered with hairs.
To prevent the appearance of pests, you need:
- remove weeds and foliage from the soil;
- dig the soil in the fall;
- handle the barrel with lime;
- spray the plum in spring with special compounds.
These simple measures will help protect trees from parasites and get a good harvest.
Early River Plum: Pollinators
Some gardeners are faced with the fact that the plum does not yield a crop. This means that the tree is self-infertile, and it needs pollinators. Plum "early river" is self-infertile. However, in the most productive trees, fertility increases with the appearance of a pollinator. If the neighbors do not have plums (other varieties), you should buy trees as quickly as possible.
Pollinators for river plum are varieties: "etude", "Tambov beauty." For successful tying, experts also advise planting cherry plum next to the plum.
How to choose a plum for planting
There are basic selection rules to follow:
- Zoned varieties should be selected. These are varieties listed in the state register and recommended for a particular area.
- Do not forget about self-fertility. This is a quality that characterizes the independence of the tree from the weather and a high level of yield in any conditions. Plum is a cross-pollinated crop. Therefore, it is very important that pollen from other trees gets on the pistils. In this case, tying will be good. But if it is difficult to ensure these conditions in one area, self-fertile plum varieties may be preferred.
- Early maturity is one of the most important indicators. In central Russia, summer quickly ends, so varieties with a long growing season will not work. Early ripening varieties are early ripening varieties. She manages to ripen in the conditions of a short summer and bring a lot of fruit.
Tips from experienced gardeners for growing plums
To ensure the survival of the plum, you need to choose the best seedlings. They must have fresh roots, there should be no damage to the bark, the trunk without damage.
When planting, it is better if several varieties grow on the same site, this will allow cross-pollination to increase productivity.
Regular pruning will help increase productivity and form a beautiful crown in trees.
Plum likes regular watering, lack of moisture is dangerous as well as its excessive amount. Soil moisture can be checked by digging soil near a plum. The soil should be at least 40 cm moist. If less, drain the plum.
Reviews about the plum variety "early river" are the most positive. Gardeners note winter hardiness, early maturity of the variety, excellent fertility, excellent taste and quality of the crop. Fruits are well suited for all types of canning. And caring for trees of this variety is not at all complicated. These qualities, along with the absence of minuses, bring the variety to the category of more and more popular over time.