Plum-cherry hybrid is a fairly new fruit crop in the arsenal of summer residents and professional breeders. Due to the fact that cherry and plum are close in their genetic composition, when they were combined, a fairly stable plant was obtained, which is already capable of bearing fruit in the 3-4th year after planting.
Characteristic of SVG
These forms of hybrids were created by crossing the Sand cherry with the Ussuri plum, and other varieties of plums were also used in the process. These plants compare favorably with ordinary varieties of plums - they are more frost-resistant, do not fade, have a decorative and neat appearance. During wintering, they can be almost completely covered with snow, due to which high yields are maintained almost every year. SVG blooms a week and a half later than plums, so they are additionally protected from frost.
Benefits of CSG
The main advantages of these fruits are their high yield, frost resistance and precocity. By themselvestrees are short, do not require much space for full growth and fruiting, do not shade other plants and love the sun. Plum-cherry hybrid is grown in several varieties. They may vary in color and shape, but are increasingly plum-like and have a unique combined taste of cherry and plum.
How and when to plant trees?
Young seedlings can be bought both in autumn and spring. It is good if they are sold in containers, in which case their root system is less damaged, which increases the resistance and survival of the crop on the new soil. From containers, seedlings can be planted at any convenient time, but judging by the advice of knowledgeable gardeners, it is preferable to plant stone fruit trees in the spring.
In the event that the seedling was purchased in the fall, it can be placed in the cellar directly with the container. However, there is a risk of premature bud break, this can weaken an already young and fragile plant, so it would be better to dig it in in the fall.
Pollination and fruiting
Plum-cherry hybrid is an early-growing tree, and the plant also exists as a shrub. All of them are rich in yield. You should know that all varieties of this crop should be planted in pairs or in large numbers, since they are infertile by themselves. To ensure pollination, ordinary cherries or plums, common in gardens, are not suitable. As pollinators, it is advisable to buy several varieties of SVG, or you can plant a Bessey cherry nearby. She alsosuitable for this role, because it was with her participation that some varieties of SVG were created.
In order for trees and bushes to be well pollinated, they should be planted at a distance of 2.5 m from each other. Their flowering occurs a little later than that of ordinary plums, so they are not afraid of spring frosts. But even if this happens, the trees will suffer little, their fruiting volume will remain.
How to properly care for a crop?
As far as cultivation is concerned, it can be said that SVG should be cared for in the same way as for an ordinary plum. A young tree that still bears few fruits should not be fertilized with nitrogen, this can only be done if it has begun to lag behind in development. You need to feed in June. If the tree is fertilized later, it may begin to grow, which will eventually lead to a decrease in its winter hardiness.
Ash is considered a very useful top dressing, its composition contains a variety of trace elements, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, besides, it does not contain nitrogen. It is also advisable to treat the bush several times with complex fertilizers from spring to autumn by spraying on branches and leaves.
Plum-cherry hybrid: reproduction
SVG is propagated by the method of horizontal layering, bending down the lower branch; it is also possible to plant them by cuttings. It is undesirable to grow a plant from seeds, since the quality of a new crop can change both for better and for worse. A good feature of these hybrids is the lack of root shoots, so dig up root shoots every year.sprouts are not needed.
What disease are they prone to?
Like other stone fruits, SVG can be subject to monilial burns. After the defeat, the plant takes on a burnt appearance, the young flowers are the first to suffer, then the leaves, and then the shoots. At the first sign of the disease, the affected branches should be immediately cut down and burned. In the spring, before the flowers and buds bloom, the plant should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride or HOM. The procedure should be repeated, but already in the summer.
Common SVG varieties
Plum-cherry hybrid "Opata" grows in the form of a medium-sized sprawling bush up to 2 m. 3-4 years after planting, it begins to produce a bountiful harvest that can bend the branches to the ground, therefore, to maintain their integrity, it is necessary to substitute supports. The fruits are red-brown on the outside with yellow-green flesh, weighing 15-20 g.
Pyramidal plum-cherry hybrid is a bushy pyramidal plant, hence the name. Differs in the increased frost resistance. The bush can also be used as a decorative element of the garden. Fruits can appear as early as the second year of the plant's life, it blooms and bears fruit profusely, giving yellow-green fruits with an average weight of 15 g, their flesh is juicy and sweet.
Variety SVG "Beta" is characterized by short stature of the bush (no more than 1.5 m), the crown of whichslate. The bush gives abundant fruiting, its fruits are dark red in color, weighing 10-15 g, resembling cherries in taste. Another distinguishing feature of the variety is small bones that are difficult to separate from the pulp.
Helpful notes from experienced gardeners
Plum-cherry hybrids, reviews of which are quite numerous, are very popular. And no wonder, because the fruits of SVG are great for processing. They can be used to make delicious preserves, jams or compotes.
Most experienced gardeners have noticed that SVGs do not like cold winds, so it is preferable to allocate a place for planting them on the south side of tall trees or in front of the house, then high yields will delight the owners for many years.
Plum-cherry hybrid "Gem" - a tree that is distinguished by a back-pyramidal crown. It grows to a height of 2.3 m, has 20-gram fruits with juicy and sweet yellowish-green flesh. The plant bears fruit already in the second year after planting, its flowering occurs later than spring frosts, so the probability of an annual bountiful harvest is quite high. As mentioned above, SVG is self-infertile, and in this case, its pollination is possible if a Maynor plum-cherry hybrid is planted nearby. The main positive characteristics of this variety are precocity, winter hardiness and annual abundant harvests.
Maynor plum-cherry hybrid - a variety that is the result of Canadian selection and is a dwarf plant with thin shoots that bears fruit in the second year afterlanding. Its fruits have an average weight of 15 g. They are maroon in color, flat-round in shape, have a pleasant taste and aroma, and are suitable for harvesting for the winter. Fruit ripening occurs at the end of August. With a single planting, the variety is self-infertile, so it should be planted in tandem with the SVG "Gem". Both hybrids are resistant to drought conditions and are not afraid of frost.
Plum-cherry hybrid "Omskaya nochka" is a low-growing bushy plant with a height of no more than 140 cm, it has a yield already in the 2nd year after planting. The fruits of the plant weigh an average of 15 g, have a black color, juicy and sweet pulp, their full ripening occurs in August. Their high yield and the versatility of the fruits themselves make it possible to produce large quantities of jams and compotes for the winter. The plum-cherry hybrid "Omskaya nochka" must certainly be planted in tandem with a pollinator, in this case with the Bessey cherry. Hybrids are frost-resistant, do not fade, bloom after the end of spring frosts.
SVG "Far Eastern Dessert" bears fruit 4-5 years after planting, its fruits have an irregular elongated maroon color, weighing 15-20 g. The fruit pulp has a sweet and sour juicy taste, the average yield of a mature bush is - 15-20 kg.
SVG "Amateur" is a medium-sized bush, the shape and color of the fruit resembles the "Far Eastern Dessert". The pollinator of this variety is sand or felt cherry.
Recipe for harvesting fruits for the winter
Because SVGs haveunusual shades of taste, then jams from them turn out to be unusual and fragrant.
So, to make jam, you need 2 kg of fruit with a stone (any variety). Water is poured to the level of the berries themselves, you get about one and a half liters of water. Boil the fruit until half cooked, until the pulp begins to easily separate from the pits. The mass must be removed from the fire and cooled.
Rub everything through a sieve, add sugar (1.3 kg) and an additional 300 ml of water, put everything back on fire and simmer for another 20 minutes from the moment the jam boils.
All the time from start to finish, it is important to constantly stir the mass. The slightest burning should not be allowed, otherwise the dessert may be spoiled. But if this happens, you should pour the jam into a clean container as soon as possible.
Pour the finished jam into jars and close the lid. Now the winter will be much more pleasant over a cup of tea with a treat that has retained a piece of sunny summer.
