Plum can grow as 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 harvest will depend on all this.
Which plum is best to plant?
When choosing a plum, you can focus on its shape. Varieties characterized by low growth can be formed in the form of a fan. The height of such a plum will be about two meters, and the width - about three. An ideal place for her would be a plot along the fence on the sunny side. This option is suitable for those who have a small area. Also, a low-growing plum can be shaped into a pyramid, and then it will no longer need a fence.
For central Russia, bushy forms are best suited. The crown height of an adult plant isabout four meters. Its beginning is at a height of one meter from the ground. Thanks to this, caring for the plant is not particularly difficult, although you have to climb a stepladder to harvest the crop.
Plums of medium height reach six meters, and tall ones - eight. Such options are suitable for you if the size of your site is large enough. You also need to purchase a ladder of decent length in advance. After all, without it, you cannot harvest from such a tree.
Plums also differ in the way they are pollinated. Plants can be self-fertile or cross-pollinated. The former successfully bear fruit, dispensing with varieties that produce pollination. But if they still grow nearby, then their productivity increases significantly. Others simply cannot bear fruit without pollinating varieties. Of course, the self-fertile plum, the varieties of which will be discussed below, is the preferred option. Especially for owners of small plots.
Plum self-fertile: varieties
The biggest advantage of a self-fertile plum is that by planting such a tree on your site, you can be one hundred percent sure of the harvest. And although there are not many varieties of this plum, there are still plenty to choose from:
- Variety "Orlovskaya Dream". It was released only ten years ago. It has large round fruits. The fruits are red. The pulp is yellow, juicy, medium density. A distinctive feature is a completely transparent juice. The stone is not large, but it separates badly. The variety is considered early. Fruit ripening occurs in early August. The yield is average. The frost resistance of this variety is very high.
- Red ball variety. The fruits are large, juicy, sweet, red in color. They ripen, like the previous variety, in early August. They have a pronounced pleasant aroma. Yields of this species are quite high. A big advantage is the dense skin of the fruit. Thanks to her, plums of this variety can be transported over long distances.
- Variety "Yellow self-fertile plum". It has round fruits of medium size, which are yellow in color and have a dense skin. The pulp of plums is dense, the juice content is average. Has a pleasant aroma. It is widely used not only in its raw form, but also for making jams or compotes. Ripens somewhat later than previous varieties. Harvest takes place in mid-August. The advantages of this variety are its high yield, excellent taste, dense fruit skin, as well as high resistance to cold.
Plum planting
Plum in Russia is best planted in the spring. Why not in autumn? This is due to the fact that trees planted in autumn do not have time to take root well by 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 early spring, but in any case, no later than two weeks before planting. The depth of such a hole should be sixty centimeters, and the diameter should be about seventy. The soil that you got out of the pit during the digging process should be mixed well with humus, which should be halfless soil. This mixture is sent back to the pit.
Let's figure out how to properly plant a plum seedling. A wooden peg is driven in 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 soil surface. The roots are covered with earth without admixture of fertilizers and lightly compacted with hands. This is done so that there is no void around the root. Now the plum must be watered abundantly and cover the soil around the trunk with peat. Some vigorous plant species need to be braced for up to two years after planting.
Plum care
We figured out how to plant a plum tree. Now consider the main points of caring for a tree. For the first two years, the plant will use the nutrient mixture placed in the planting hole. In the future, mineral as well as organic fertilizers should be applied along the territory of the near-stem circle, which, in addition, must be periodically loosened. And also near the trunk of the plant it is better to destroy any weeds.
The important point is the removal of root shoots. It can grow within 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 fruit-bearing tree will quickly weaken and its yield will decrease significantly.
Plant fertilizer
Plum loves various top dressings and responds to them with gratitude. In early spring, immediately after flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. They help the tree grow faster. 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, in the process of digging the soil, organic fertilizers are applied.
Preparing for winter
Despite the fact that many plum varieties are quite resistant to frost, nevertheless, the plant should be properly prepared for winter. After all, it is not enough to know how to plant a plum. You still need to 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 on top. This helps to 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, how to ensure its good development and successful wintering, then in the summer the plant will certainly please you with a good harvest. And not only in a quantitative sense, but also in a qualitative one.
