The best varieties of plums for central Russia

Plum in our country in its popularity is in third place after apple and cherry. However, for its intensive cultivation throughout Russia, there are certain obstacles. The main reason is, of course, insufficient winter hardiness compared to the same apple tree and even cherry. And although this stone fruit culture does not stand in the first place in the list of luxurious garden gifts, its fruits are in no way inferior to other fruits in their taste, value and content of useful elements.

general information

Plum is never boring. It is useful not only for its rich content of trace elements and vitamins, such as riboflavin, A, E, C, B1, etc.

Only in plum in large quantities is there such an invaluable product as pectin, which, by normalizing the metabolism and activating the stomach and intestines, also purifies the blood. And recently, such a quality has been revealed as preventing the occurrence of cancer cells. Huge content of pectin boasts absolutely all varieties of plums.

Large, sweet ...

For some time in the middle part of Russia , the cultivation of this, of course, not only tasty, but also useful crop was associated with certain difficulties. However, the days when plum was considered a purely southern plant have already passed. Thanks to the creation of new, more winter-hardy species, today this culture can often be seen in gardens in the northern territories of our country, with the exception of permafrost.

The most common plum varieties

Recommended varieties for central Russia are so numerous that they can cover the agricultural map of our country, starting from its southernmost regions up to the Far East. In order to choose the right type for a particular climate zone, you need to study its characteristics in detail.

Today, plum is growing in many areas, but often it either gives a low yield or does not bear fruit at all. Experts attribute this to the fact that these are varieties that breeders have not advised to plant for a long time. At present, it is worth paying attention to new and already well-established species throughout the country, not only giving large crops, but also characterized by large and tasty fruits.

Features

The success of growing any fruit tree depends on how correctly selected plum varieties. Species recommended for central Russia should have first of all winter hardiness, large-fruited and high productivity.

In addition, when buying seedlings, you must definitely ask if it is self-fertile or self-fertile. In the first case, the fruits will appear on the tree, even if there are no pollinators nearby. Whereas almost all plum varieties intended for central Russia are self-infertile, although they are characterized by increased productivity, they have one drawback. In the garden next to them, it is imperative to plant other species for pollination, and those that will bloom at the same time with them.

When choosing seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the dates when the ripening of fruits occurs. The ideal option is when it is possible to plant both early and medium and late-bearing varieties on the site. First of all, it is worth taking a closer look at zoned species that have already passed the test period and have proven themselves in specific areas. They are included in the database of the State Register of Breeding Plants, where you can see their division into zones.

The most successful species

These are the well-established “quick-growing”, “egg blue”, “blue gift”, “Eurasia 21”, etc. They belong to different groups according to their maturity. For example, the very common plum greenbacks in the middle lane yield crops in late June-mid-July. Early are “morning”, “superearly”, “opal”, “early morning”, etc.

Varieties of plums for the middle zone of Russia, which ripen in terms of maturity later than everyone else, are both “the memory of Timiryazev” and the “Tambov greengage”.

Detailed description

“Egg blue” is a winter-hardy and fairly tall tree that produces blue-violet fruits with a thick waxy coating. The shape of this plum variety for central Russia resembles an egg. The species is considered self-fertile, but has one drawback - disease resistance.

Another variety - “resin” - gives very large and surprisingly tasty fruits. However, it is self-infertile. Therefore, amateur gardeners plant nearby “egg blue”, “blue gift”, “Moscow Hungarian” or “morning”.

The latter was obtained as a result of crossing the French “greengage Ulens” and the local variety “red early ripening”. Both of these varieties, although not very winter-resistant, are quickly restored, and even after severe freezing. And already in the fourth year after planting, gardeners manage to collect about twenty-two kilograms of red-violet large fruits with an oval shape and alluring sweet-sour taste from each tree. However, this variety after winter with crackling frosts may cease to bear fruit. In addition, “morning” is a partially self-fertile variety. Its productivity significantly increases when such plum varieties recommended for central Russia as “collective farm”, “rakitovy” or “Hungarian Moscow” are planted nearby.

The most popular types

Domestic gardeners fell in love with the "blue eye". These are medium-sized bushes with a wide crown. Their main advantage is increased winter hardiness.

In general, many of the best plum varieties for central Russia are self-infertile. The fruits of the "blue eyes" ripen by the end of summer. They are oval and small, have a dark blue color and a sweet and sour taste, in which there is a slight astringency. For pollination of trees of this species, thorns or saplings of plum variety “early ripening red” must grow nearby.

“Alexy” is also a good fit for the middle zone of Russia. It is a low tree with a height of one and a half meters or slightly higher, with a rounded raised crown. Its fruits ripen late - at the end of summer. About one fifteen kilograms of pear-shaped blue-violet plums with a bone well extending from the pulp can be collected from one adult tree, subject to all agricultural standards.

"Memory Timiryazev" - another representative of the yellow plum variety for central Russia - was bred by crossing "Victoria" and "red early ripening." Its almost three-meter-high trees have a rounded, drooping crown. Like "Victoria", as well as "egg blue" or other plum varieties for central Russia (self-fertile in general is very much valued precisely for this quality), it quickly recovers when it freezes. "Memory of Timiryazev" bears fruit in September. From each tree, you can collect up to thirty-five kilograms of plums. In color, it has yellow, with a reddish beautiful blush sweet fruit with a slight sourness. They are perfectly transported without cracking, and can ripen during storage.

Hybrids

Plums recommended for central Russia, almost all were obtained as a result of long experiences of agricultural scientists. Moreover, breeders were able to combine many valuable characteristics in separate subspecies. For example, the best plum varieties were created - for central Russia and even for more northern regions - with increased adaptive properties for existence in relatively harsh conditions. Such characteristics are considered to be high winter hardiness with large fertility, as well as improved quality, etc.

Today, thanks to the success of breeders, gardeners have the opportunity to grow plums in the Non-Chernozem region, in areas with severe winters - up to forty degrees of cold.

Crossed Greenbacks

The subspecies included in this group are high-quality varieties giving round large fruits. They have a tender and juicy pulp that separates well from the bone. Greenbacks in our country are zoned by several varieties. In particular, for the middle lane, the “collective farm greenhouse”, which arose as a result of crossbreeding of thorns and with a southern green species, is excellent. The crown of this variety is round, and the height of the tree reaches three meters. It is possible to grow a "collective farm" greenhouse even in the suburbs. However, it is self-fertile, and therefore it necessarily requires pollinators, which should be planted nearby.

From the "early ripening of red" and "greenclod of green" the variety "Sukhanovskaya" with average winter hardiness was bred. Its height is about three meters. This plum is self-infertile, therefore, to obtain a crop, it is necessary that the "collective farm" or "Hungarian of Moscow" grow nearby.

Landing and care

Varieties recommended for cultivation in the middle part of our country are recommended to be planted in spring. This is due to the fact that when they put seedlings in the ground in the fall, they, not having time to take root or gain strength, often freeze in winter cold.

However, a landing pit, however, can be prepared ahead of time, in October-November, or early in the spring, two weeks before landing. Its depth should be about sixty centimeters with a diameter of 60-70 cm. The soil, taken out of the pit, is mixed with humus and shifted back.

A wooden stake is hammered into the center of the recess. A seedling is tied to it. The roots need to be covered with the top layer of the earth without fertilizers, only slightly tamped with hands as they are sprinkled so that there are no voids around them.

The first two or three years after planting plums in orchards in the middle lane, you need to use only the nutrients added to the planting pit. And only then can mineral or organic fertilizers be applied to the trunk circle .

An important event in the process of care for plums intended for cultivation in the middle lane of our country is the constant removal of root shoots, which can appear around in large quantities and cause a lot of inconvenience. They should be removed up to five times during the summer so that the mother plant does not weaken and its productivity does not decrease.

Growing Features

All plum varieties that are crossed for central Russia are responsive to the fertilizer applied. In the early spring season and in the period after flowering, nitrogen fertilizing is necessary to contribute to the most intensive growth of trees.

In the second half of the growing phase, nitrogen-potash or phosphorus fertilizers must be given , which are necessary for the accumulation of nutrients in the fruits. Care for adult trees of all varieties of plums also includes pruning and thinning fruits.

To successfully grow this crop in the middle lane in the gardens, you need to choose the right place for it. The taste of plums is highly dependent on temperature during the warm season. In adverse summers with cool and rainy weather, varieties recommended for these regions may not get sugar, and therefore remain sour. Therefore, they are planted in a bright place where there is a lot of sun.