How to plant a plum? Plum is self-fertile: varieties

Plum can grow in the form of a tree or a tall bush. In order not to make a mistake in choosing a seedling, you need to be well aware of the shape and size of this crop growing on your site. In this article, we will figure out which variety to choose, how to plant a plum and what care is needed for it. All this will determine the quality and quantity of the crop.

Which plum is better to plant?

Choosing a plum, you can focus on its shape. Grades 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. Ideal place for her will be a site along the fence on the sunny side. This option is suitable for those who have a large plot size. Also, a low-level sink can be shaped like a pyramid, and then it will no longer need a fence.

For the middle zone of Russia, the bush forms are best suited. The height of the crown in an adult plant is about four meters. Its beginning is at a height of one meter from the ground. Thanks to this, care of the plant is not particularly difficult, although, to harvest, you have to climb the ladder.

Plums of medium height reach six meters, and tall ones reach eight meters. Such options are suitable for you if the size of your site is large enough. And also you need to buy in advance a ladder of decent length. Without it, you can not harvest a tree from such a tree.

Distinctions of plums also by the method of pollination. There may be plants that are self-fertilized and cross-pollinated. The former successfully bear fruit, dispensing with varieties that produce pollination. But if they do grow nearby, their yield is significantly increased. Others can not bear fruit without pollinating varieties. Of course, the self-fertilizer plum, whose varieties will be considered below, is the more preferable option. Especially for owners of small plots.

Plum is self-fertile: varieties

The biggest advantage of a self-fertilized plum is that by planting such a tree on your plot, you can be sure of the crop by one hundred percent. And although there are not many varieties of this plum, there are still plenty to choose from:

• Sort of "Orel dream". Was withdrawn just ten years ago. It has large rounded fruits . Fruits are red. Flesh yellow, juicy, medium density. A distinctive feature is a crystal clear juice. The stone is not large, but it separates badly. The variety is considered to be early. Ripening occurs in early August. Productivity is average. The frost resistance of this variety is very high.
• Variety "Red ball". Fruits of a large size, juicy, sweet, have a red color. Ripen, like the previous grade, in early August. They have a pronounced pleasant aroma. The yields of this species are quite high. A great advantage is the dense skin of the fetus. Thanks to it, plums of this variety can be transported for long distances.
• Variety "Yellow self-fertilizing plum". Has round fruits of medium size, which are colored yellow and have a dense skin. The pulp is dense, the juice content is average. Has a pleasant scent. Widely used not only in raw form, but also for the preparation of jam or compotes. Matures a little later than the previous varieties. Harvesting is carried out in mid-August. Advantages of this variety are its high yield, excellent taste qualities, dense skin of fruits, as well as high resistance to colds.

Plum planting

It is better to plant a plum in Russia in the spring. Why not fall? This is due to the fact that the trees planted in autumn do not manage to take root well in the winter and often die. The main thing is to decide where to put the plum, and prepare this place. The pits start to be prepared in the autumn. It is possible, of course, in the early spring, but in any case not later than two weeks before planting. The depth of such a pit should be sixty centimeters, and the diameter - about seventy. The soil that you got from the pit during digging should be mixed well with humus, which should be half the volume of the soil. This mixture is sent back to the pit.

We'll figure out how to plant a seedling plum properly. A wooden peg is hammered in the center, to which it is tied. Deepen the plant so that the root of the root is five centimeters above the surface of the soil. The roots are covered with soil without any admixture of fertilizers and lightly compacted with hands. This is done so that there is no emptiness around the root. Now the plum needs to be watered abundantly and cover the soil around the trunk with peat. Some vigorous plant species need to be attached to the trunk for another two years after planting.

Care of the plum

We found out how to plant a plum. Now let's look at the main aspects of caring for a tree. For the first two years, the plant will use the nutrient mixture embedded in the planting pit. Subsequently, mineral, as well as organic fertilizers should be introduced along the territory of the near-barrel circle, which, in addition, must be periodically loosened. And also near the trunk of the plant it is better to destroy any weed vegetation.

An important point is to remove the root of the shoot. It can grow in a radius of three meters around a tree or a bush and cause enough inconvenience in the garden. Therefore, it is subject to removal, and it should be done about five times during the summer. If such manipulations are not carried out, then the fruit tree will quickly weaken and its yield will decrease significantly.

Fertilizing plants

Plum likes various top dressings and responds to them with gratitude. In the early spring, immediately after flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are introduced . They help the tree grow more intensively. In the second part of the vegetation period, nitrogen-potassium and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used. They contribute to the accumulation of nutrients. And in the fall period, during the digging of soil, organic fertilizers are introduced.

Preparing for winter

Despite the fact that many plum varieties are resistant to frost, the plant should be properly prepared by winter. It is not enough to know how to plant a plum. It is necessary to be able to keep it in your garden for many years. For successful wintering, the tree trunk is covered with snow and covered with hay from above. This helps to save the tree not only from frosts, but also from rodents. The branches of a young plant for 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 summer the plant will certainly please you with a good harvest. And not only in a quantitative sense, but also in quality.