Choosing the best varieties of cherry plum for the Moscow region

Varieties and varieties

In the mild southern climate, cherry plum trees are everywhere found in the wild. In the northern regions, as well as in the middle lane, this culture does not grow in natural conditions, since it does not have good winter hardiness. But on the other hand, it easily and rather successfully crosses with the plum, which is familiar to us, which is more resistant to frost and sudden temperature changes. Therefore, it was the plum that became the stock for breeding new varieties and hybrid forms of such a capricious and thermophilic cherry plum.

Today cherry-plum can be divided into several groups, which are a kind of cultivated wild cherry-plum and grow in the southern climatic zone. For cold climatic conditions, domestic breeders in the last century developed a hybrid form based on Chinese plum, from which new varieties were then obtained that are distinguished by high winter hardiness. Now these varieties of cherry plum are informally united under the general name "Russian plum", since this is the plum, which has a peculiar sour taste.

The most famous and frost-resistant varieties of hybrid cherry plum, intended for cultivation in the middle lane, are:

1. Traveler. One of the most cold-resistant varieties of early (mid-July) ripening period. The trees are compact with a rounded crown. Fruits of medium size (25-30 g), bright yellow, with a reddish bloom, very aromatic. The pulp is fine-fibred, sweet and sour, the stone is separated poorly.
2. Kuban comet. Variety of medium (early August) ripening period. The trees are undersized, the crown is round, compact. Fruits are large, amber-yellow in color. The pulp is juicy, fine-fiber, soft, sweet and sour taste, does not separate from the stone. The yield of the variety is high, fruiting is abundant and regular, it begins from the third year.
3. Ruby. A very winter-hardy and drought-resistant variety of medium ripening. Yields depend on weather conditions and may therefore be unstable. The trees are of medium height, the crown is lush, spreading. Fruits are large (30-35 g), dark red or carmine color. The pulp is very juicy, the taste is sweet and sour.
4. Timiryazevskaya. Hybrid obtained from free pollination of cherry plum "Kuban comet". Differs in high winter hardiness and early ripening. The fruits are orange with a reddish tinge. The flesh is rather sweet, with a mild honey taste, the stone is easily separated.
5. Gold of the Scythians. Another early variety, bred from free pollination of the "Kuban comet" in 2005. The trees are low (up to 2 m), spreading. Fruits are light yellow in color, rather large (up to 40 g). The pulp is juicy and soft, moderately sweet taste.
6. Cleopatra. Winter hardy, high-yielding, but late variety. The fruits are large (37-40 g), outwardly they look like a plum: dark red, with a dark purple bloom.The pulp is red, fine-fiber, harmonious, moderately sweet taste. The bone is easily separated from the pulp.
7. Fast-growing. Winter-hardy and early variety with large, like plum, reddish-orange fruits. The trees are undersized, fruiting is stable for 2-3 years. The pulp is yellow, juicy, rather sweet, with an easily separable stone.
8. Mara. A winter-hardy and resistant to fungal diseases variety of the Belarusian selection. Regular fruiting, average yield due to small fruits (20-23 g). The trees are compact, with a raised crown. Fruits are yellow, round in shape, sweet and sour.

These are far from all varieties suitable for growing in the middle lane. But you should also pay attention to such winter-hardy hybrids of domestic breeding as Nesmeyana, Gift to St. Petersburg, red cherry plum Naydena, Krasny Shar, Yarilo - all these varieties are unpretentious and even in cool climates are able to bring good yields.

Video "Sorts"

From the video you will learn a lot of new and interesting things about this fruit.

Planting a seedling

Cherry plum seedlings in the middle lane are recommended to be planted in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. It is necessary to have time to plant before the buds swell, since a plant that has already begun to grow takes root longer and more difficult. Plants with closed roots can be planted later, but care should be taken that the seedling is removed from the pot along with a clod of earth. It is not advisable to plant cherry plum in autumn, since it will not have time to take root before the onset of cold weather, and the low winter hardiness of the culture is unlikely to allow an immature tree to survive severe winter frosts.

A place for planting cherry plum should be chosen open, illuminated by the sun for more than half a day, but protected from northern winds.

The culture is not very demanding on the soil, but a well-drained and rich in organic matter will contribute to good growth and abundant fruiting of the tree. The acidity of the soil for cherry plum should be neutral or slightly shifted to one side or the other - you cannot plant trees in acidic or too alkaline soil.

The process of planting seedlings consists of the following steps:

1. A planting hole is dug with a size of 50x50 and a depth of 40-60 cm (depending on the size of the root system).
2. The top layer of earth is mixed with fertilizers (compost or humus 0.5 buckets, a handful of ash and 300 g of double superphosphate).
3. The fertile mixture is poured back into the pit.
4. A stake or strong stick is set directly in the mind to tie the seedling.
5. The seedling is placed vertically in the pit, the roots are straightened.
6. Further, the tree is manually covered with earth, each layer of which is compacted so that voids do not form.
7. After planting, the seedling is watered under the root with 1 bucket of water.
8. Gently tie the tree to the stake with twine.
9. If desired, the trunk circle can be covered with a thin layer of peat or compost mulch.

If several trees are planted at the same time on one site, then the distance between them must be calculated based on varietal characteristics: the height of the tree, the size and shape of the crown. For short trees with a compact crown, a distance of 3 m will be sufficient, for trees of medium height - 4-5 m, and for tall trees - at least 6 meters.

Correct care

As you know, the yield of any crop depends on proper care and compliance with at least the basic rules of agricultural technology. Caring for cherry plum does not require any special measures, however, standard procedures affecting tree growth and fruiting must be performed regularly and in a timely manner:

1. Watering. Cherry plum trees tolerate drought well, but since the root system is located close to the soil surface, in extreme heat even adult plants need to be watered at the rate of 5-6 buckets of water / 1 tree. A lack of moisture can negatively affect fruiting, therefore, during this period, watering should be more intense.Young seedlings are watered regularly, but in small quantities, since waterlogging is harmful for cherry plum.
2. Weeding and loosening the soil in the trunk circle. You can avoid these activities and simplify tree care with mulching. Mulch will also protect the roots from freezing during cold periods.
3. Trimming the crown. This procedure allows not only to rejuvenate the crown, but also to restrain its growth, because the cherry plum tree can grow up to 6-10 meters. In addition, in the first years of life, trees are distinguished by a rather especially rapid growth. So that the seedling does not stretch out, the young shoots are pinched, and the damaged or diseased branches are completely removed. Pruning can be done in both spring and fall. At the same time, healthy branches are cut slightly, only to make the tree compact and decorative.
4. Winter protection. Despite the high frost resistance of some varieties, in the middle lane, the roots of the cherry plum must be covered, and the trunks must be protected from rodents and pests. Organic mulch (humus, compost, peat) in the near-trunk circles will help warm the roots in winter. It is recommended to wrap tree trunks with solid material (roofing material, mesh). This protection will keep them safe from small rodents.

Fertilizers and feeding

For cherry plum, as for any fruit crop, timely feeding is important, especially organic. In the first year after planting, fertilizers do not need to be applied, since there are enough of those that were introduced during planting.

Further, as the tree grows, top dressing should be applied several times a season: in the spring - nitrogen, in the fall - a potassium-phosphorus mixture. Organic matter (humus, compost) can be applied not only in spring or autumn, but also in the middle of the season.

The tree especially needs feeding for the fruiting period. Before the fruits ripen, potash fertilizers can be applied - this will improve the taste and quality of the fruits.

Since cherry plum needs a neutral soil, it is necessary to regularly monitor the acidity level and adjust it in a timely manner. If the soil is prone to high acidity, lime, ash or bone meal should be added to it 1 time / 5 years. If the soil has become excessively alkaline, it can be leveled with powdered sulfur, iron or potassium sulfate. Sawdust, dry leaves, needles will help level the alkaline environment from organic matter, but it should be borne in mind that these materials will take nitrogen from the soil during decomposition.

How does reproduction take place

It should be noted that the culture multiplies sufficiently. The most acceptable breeding methods for cherry plum are:

• grafting on plum stock;
• root growth;
• seed method (from the seed);
• grafting.

The most common method of propagation of cultivars is the grafting of a seedling. However, for the middle lane, this method is not always effective, since the grafted plants are less winter-hardy and can freeze out in severe winters. Root shoots are considered more hardy, which are easy enough to separate and transplant to a permanent place. Reproduction of cherry plum by cuttings is rarely carried out, since special conditions must be created for their rooting, besides, the percentage of rooting with this method is quite low. Very often, under a mature cherry plum tree, young trees appear, which have grown from self-seeding of seeds. Such seedlings are very hardy, they practically do not need care, but their disadvantage lies in the degeneration of varietal qualities.

Diseases and pests

The culture itself is little susceptible to attack by pests and the effects of diseases, but growing in the garden with other fruit trees, it can become infected from them. Such pests as sawflies, apple scale insects, copper or black goldsmiths, plum moths pose a considerable danger to cherry plums. To protect against these pests, cherry plum and all trees adjacent to it are recommended to be treated with special biological preparations: Iskra, Fitoverm, Akarin and others.They can be used during the season no more than once a month.

In early spring, tree care should be started by spraying with a urea solution (700 g / 10 l of water), Bordeaux liquid or any copper-containing preparations. It is important to have time to carry out preventive treatment before budding begins, as drugs can cause burns to young leaves. Bordeaux liquid and similar complex insecticides are an excellent remedy for many diseases, in particular fungal, which sometimes infest trees in the garden.

Before the beginning of fruiting, trees may be affected by a false milky sheen (grayish bloom on the leaves) or clasterosporium disease (brown spots). During fruiting, gardeners often face a problem such as monoliosis (gray rot). The disease is of fungal origin and spreads very quickly when the fruits are close to each other. You can fight the disease only by removing diseased fruits and leaves. As a preventive measure, the same Bordeaux liquid in a concentration of 3% is effective, as well as timely pruning of the crown, burning of diseased branches and foliage.

Landing video

From the video you will learn how to properly plant fruit trees.