For many years, plum has been one of the most preferred crops by gardeners. Nowadays, there are many varieties of plums. One of them, the Blue Plum, has gained well-deserved popularity due to its advantages. The variety has a number of remarkable qualities, such as: high quality fruit, self-fertility, winter hardiness... You can find a description of this variety of plums in this article.
An adult tree of the "Blue Plum" variety reaches a considerable size, it can grow up to six meters in height. Its crown shape is oval. Spreading foliage, medium density. The shoots are glabrous, dark brown colored. On the side of the shoot are medium-sized buds. The buds do not adhere tightly to the shoot. The plant is durable and can live up to 30 years.
The fruit of the "Blue Plum" has an egg-shaped rounded shape, due to this, the variety also bears such a name - "Egg Blue". The pulp of the fruit is juicy, colored yellow. The skin of the plum is dense, although thin. The berries are firm and smooth. The plum is colored blue and has a light white bloom. The stone is oval, small in size and separates well from the pulp. The berry weighs about 35 grams. Blue plum fruits are high in sugar and low in acid. The fruits have a mild aroma.
The variety does not differ in fertility; up to 12 kilograms are removed from one tree per season. Begins to bear fruit in the fifth or sixth year. There is no need for additional pollination, since this variety is distinguished by such quality as self-fertility. The plant tolerates fairly severe frosts and is able to withstand a temperature drop of up to 35 degrees without kidney damage. But during the heat, plum trees require additional moisture and watering.
Flowering begins in mid-May, and the fruits can begin to be harvested in mid-August, the peak of ripening occurs at the end of August.
This variety is great for growing in your own garden plots, but it is not used in industrial cultivation.
"Blue plum" is widespread in the central part of Russia, the climate of this zone is ideal for this type of plum.
The advantages of the variety: self-fertility, good frost resistance, excellent fruit quality.
Flaws: high tree growth, tendency to clasterosporium disease.
History of origin
The Blue Plum variety was bred relatively recently. He formed as a result of crossing the ancient domestic variety "Skorospelka" with the Western European variety "Renclode Ullensa"... The variety was bred in 1986 by Russian breeders at the All-Russian Selection and Technical Institute of Horticulture.
Landing rules
The most suitable time for planting seedlings is early spring. It is necessary to plant the tree before the snow completely melts, even before the buds open. Well-lit areas are suitable for planting. All plum varieties require the following conditions for successful growth:
- an abundance of light;
- wind protection;
- sufficient watering;
- regular pruning;
- the presence of different varieties of plums nearby.
A loamy soil with a low acidity level will be ideal for the variety., which would contain a sufficient amount of calcium. Groundwater should be below two meters.
The soil for planting will need to be prepared in the fall.... It needs to be well dug up and limestone. In the same period, planting pits are also being prepared. Landing pit dimensions: 60cm - depth, 80cm - diameter.About half a kilogram of wood ash is placed on the bottom. The pit is then filled with soil mixed with two buckets of compost, and a pound of superphosphate can also be added.
A peg is deepened into the hole and the seedling is immersed, gradually sprinkling it with soil and tamping it. Above the ground, at a level of about 4 cm, a root collar is left. The tree is weakly fixed to the peg, a watering hole is formed around it. After planting a seedling, it is watered abundantly with water. The soil around the trunk must be covered with dry peat.
Plant care
One year after planting, you will need to feed the tree. This procedure is carried out twice: at the beginning of June and at the end of the month. Nitrogen fertilizers are taken as top dressing..
The next feeding should be planned for the third and fourth years. It is carried out three times in one season:
- May feeding: urea solution - 3 tbsp. on the bucket.
- June feeding: nitrophoska - 3 tbsp. on the bucket.
- August feeding: superphosphate and potassium sulfate - in the same volumes.
For one plant, you need to prepare 20 liters of fertilizer.
In the fifth year, feeding is carried out the same way three times:
- before flowering;
- during fruit ripening;
- after picking berries.
You will also need to regularly carry out the following procedures:
- weeding;
- watering;
- loosening;
- mulching.
Initial pruning is done immediately after planting. As a result, no more than ten main branches should remain. This will be the base of the plum crown.
In the spring pruning sick, frozen, damaged branches. Extra shoots and root shoots are removed. The gains will need to be shortened a little.
The Blue Plum variety is frost-resistant. therefore no special preparation for winter is required... To protect the trunk from rodents, it is wrapped in a polymer net. But plum trees do not tolerate heat very well, it is very important to provide the plant with sufficient moisture in hot weather. At this time, the tree needs abundant watering.
Diseases and pests
The Blue Plum variety is distinguished by its susceptibility to diseases such as clotterospirosis.... This ailment mainly affects the leaves of the plant, it manifests itself in red spots, in the place of which, after a while, holes appear. This is a type of fungal disease. It can spread not only to leaves, but also to young green shoots. The disease is rapidly spreading. It instantly changes from one plant to another.
Fungicides are used to combat the disease.... At the same time, it is periodically required to change funds.
Moth is another problem that a plant may have... It can cause significant harm and reduce the yield of plums. Moths gnaw the ovaries, and they also feed on ripe fruits. Both caterpillars and adult insects are dangerous.
To protect the tree from harm, you will have to scrape off the old bark from the surface of the trunk and branches.... If there are a lot of insects, special treatment will be required.
The enemy of the plant is aphids... These insects are active in the spring. At this time, they begin to settle in huge groups on the inner side of the leaf. Treatment for these harmful insects is carried out in the evening or in the morning, in calm weather. The procedure is done one and a half months before the harvest ripens.For these purposes, you can use the chemical agent "Intra-Vir". This drug is very effective against aphids.
Often, the appearance of aphids on a plum indicates that the plant receives an insufficient amount of mineral fertilizers, namely, phosphorus. therefore with an abundance of aphids, the tree can be treated with Ammophos... This nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer can be applied directly to aphids. Ash will need to be poured under the roots of the tree and dug up. This procedure will help to deal with aphids.
Besides, plum is slightly prone to fruit rot.
Harvest storage
Only undamaged whole fruits are selected for storage. It is important that the plum matures naturally. Unripe fruits can ripen in the cold, but in this case they will lose their taste, the quality of the pulp will also suffer.
Fresh plums are stored for a short time, no more than a week. Therefore, for long-term storage of the harvested crop, the following methods are used:
- freezing;
- drying;
- conservation.
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- Frozen plum halves
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- Dried plums, prunes
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- Canned plums
"Blue Plum" is one of the best domestic varieties. Plum trees of this variety are frost-resistant. One of the important advantages of the variety is self-fertility.... These characteristics have made the variety very popular. Many gardeners choose it to grow in their own garden.
