Planting plums in Siberia and caring for them. Siberian plum. What varieties are suitable for planting in the north; growing plums in Altai

Plums can be grown throughout Russia, however, not all gardeners achieve success and large harvests, but mainly residents of regions with short summers. The fact is that plum is a fairly heat-loving stone fruit crop, which means that mistakes in choosing a variety and planting often lead to rather modest results.

Many agronomists and gardeners agree that it is better to plant fruit trees, including plums, in the fall, because... During this period, the young seedling will intensively grow the underground part, i.e. its root system (which is necessary in the first place), and not aboveground, in other words, it definitely will not vegetate.

However, spring planting plums has some obvious advantages:

As the seedling grows during the warm period, you will be able to quickly respond to all possible problems (diseases, pests, lack of moisture) and immediately take the necessary measures to eliminate them.

The spring supply of moisture in the soil will allow the root system of the seedling to quickly adapt after planting and begin active growth.

You have the opportunity to prepare the planting hole in advance, in the fall, so that the soil has time to settle by spring, in order to avoid deepening the root collar during planting.

Alternative opinion

To be fair, it should be said that some gardeners, on the contrary, adhere to the old rule: pome crops(apple and pear trees) are better to plant in autumn, A stone fruit(plums, cherries, cherries, apricots) - in the spring.

The fact is that stone fruit culture(including plum) are considered less winter-hardy, so their It is recommended to plant in spring so that they have time to take root well and get stronger before winter.

However, if you are a resident of the South of Russia, then this is not important for you. It's another matter if you are a representative of a region with a more severe (northern) climate.

There is even an opinion that in the southern regions it is better to plant all crops in the fall, and in the northern regions only in the spring.

Video: at what time is it better to plant seedlings of fruit and berry crops

Planting plums in spring and autumn: optimal timing

Well, we have examined several points of view on when it is better to plant plums - in spring or autumn. The decision is yours!

Note! Plum seedlings with a closed root system (in a container) can be planted all year round - from April to October, although it is not recommended to do this in the middle of summer, when it is very hot.

Spring planting

So, you still need time to plant a plum in the spring before the buds bloom on the seedling, in other words, before it enters the growing season (i.e. the plant must still sleep).

At the same time, an important condition for successful spring planting is positive air temperature, and not only during the day (it should already be +5), but also at night.

Advice! Don't wait until the ground thaws completely. It is very good to plant seedlings with an open root system immediately after the snow melts, but the earth has not yet had time to warm up and dry out much.

Thus, it is highly advisable to have time to plant while the seedlings are still “in the dormant stage”, otherwise this will certainly negatively affect their survival rate and disrupt their natural development cycle.

By the way! The best time to plant seedlings is cloudy and windless weather: early morning or late evening.

As for the approximate timing, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, spring planting of plums is recommended from late March-April to early-mid May:

Thus, in the south of Russia, plum seedlings can be planted in open ground in the second half of March-early April.
In the Middle Zone (Moscow region), plums are planted no earlier than the second half of April.
In Siberia and the Urals, spring planting of plums is carried out in late April-early May.

Autumn planting

The main rule when determining the optimal timing for autumn planting is to calculate when stable frosts will arrive and plant 3-4 weeks before them, i.e. you should have about a month left. The fact is that the seedlings must have time to take root well before the onset of cold weather and successfully prepare for winter, and this will take time.

However! It is also not recommended to plant seedlings too late in the autumn, because... The shoots must have time to ripen well in order to successfully survive the winter. This is especially true for planting plums in cold (northern) regions, such as Siberia.

However, if, God forbid, you are late, and frosts are expected within 1-2 weeks, then it is better to play it safe and postpone planting the plum until spring (you can save the seedling by burying it in the garden and covering it, or planting it in a container and putting it in the basement, where the temperature stays no higher than +3 degrees).

Interesting! Many experienced agronomists recommend plant plums in the spring and buy seedlings in the fall, because their choice is wider, and the quality is significantly higher.

Thus, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, autumn plum planting is recommended from September to the end of October:

So, in the south of Russia, plums can be planted until late autumn - until the second half of October.
Gardeners in the Middle Zone (Moscow region) should have time to plant plums in the fall before the end of September (maximum in early October).
In colder regions - in the North-West (in the Leningrad region), as well as in Siberia and the Urals, plum trees are planted in early autumn - in the first half of September.

Video: planting plums in autumn in October from a container

According to the lunar calendar in 2019

This can help you choose the optimal date for planting seedlings. moon calendar.

So, favorable days for planting plums in spring and autumn in 2019 according to the lunar calendar are:

in April - 11-17; 21-26.

Yes, this is not a mistake; according to the lunar calendar, seedlings of fruit and berry crops are recommended to be planted in the spring only in April.

in September - 17-24, 30;
in October - 2-4, 12, 13, 21-25, 30, 31.

Of course, it is not always possible to get to the dacha on favorable days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable days.

Unfavorable days, according to the lunar calendar for 2019, The dates for planting plum seedlings are as follows:

in March - 6, 7, 21;
in April - 5, 19;
in May - 5, 19;
in June - 3, 4, 17;
in July - 2, 3, 17;
in August - 15, 16, 30, 31;
in September - 14, 15, 28, 29;
in October - 14, 28;
in November - 12, 13, 26,27.

According to the lunar calendar, from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”

How to plant a plum tree correctly: instructions from A to Z (choosing a seedling, place in the garden, preparing a planting hole)

Before you run headlong for a seedling to the market or garden fair, you need to carefully study all the rules for choosing a plant, as well as selecting a place in the garden and preparing a planting hole.

What should a seedling be like?

When choosing planting material (a specific variety), you first need to pay attention to its origin. It's best to choose zoned varieties drain who themselves proven well when grown in your climate zone, i.e. They adapted to weather conditions and the composition of the soil in your growing region.

Worth knowing! Seedlings can be either with an open root system (OCS) or with a closed one (in a container).

It is better for novice gardeners to buy seedlings in a container (although they are more expensive), while experienced gardeners can purchase them with OKS.

A high-quality plum seedling must have the following characteristics:

General appearance there must be a seedling healthy, without signs of wilting, damage by diseases or pests.
The seedling itself must be no older than 2 years (1-2 years of age), since at this age seedlings adapt faster to a new place.
Height there must be a seedling within 1-1.5 m: any deviation upward or downward indicates improper care or excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers.

Another thing is that some sellers immediately sell cut seedlings, but this is rare.

The seedling must have well developed root system(without any growths or new growths), that is, in addition to the main root, there should be several more lateral roots (the older the seedling, the more roots it has), the length of which can be about 20-25 cm, but they should not be overdried and broken.

By the way! Even if you buy a seedling with a closed root system, you may want to consider lateral roots because... they tend to stick out of the container.

Advice! And to check that the seedling really has a closed root system, you need to take it by the trunk and shake it. If it sits tightly, everything is fine, if not, then something is wrong here... the seller just wants to make money on you by slipping a seedling with ACS, which he moved into a container a couple of days ago.

At the bottom, on the trunk, you should clearly see vaccination site(joint of rootstock and scion), which will guarantee that this is a varietal tree and not a wild one.

As a rule, grafting is done by the method of budding with a bud (they also say “grafted with an eye”), less often with a cutting (i.e., copulation).

It is also worth assessing the quality of the upper part of the trunk (grafted part): the wood must be mature and strong, without any mechanical damage, sunburn, frost damage and bark cracks. And you The trunk must be straight and not curved.

Note! If the bark on the trunk peels off in places without damaging its integrity, then this is a sign of improper storage of the seedling in winter, which led to its freezing.

It is highly desirable that the seedling had no signs of the beginning of the growing season, i.e. was in the dormant stage, which means its buds should still be dormant (i.e. there should be no leaves on it).

Important! This applies to the selection and purchase of seedlings in early spring.

However, seedlings with a closed root system (in containers) are often sold in the spring already in the growing season, which is quite normal. Therefore, in this case, you also need to carefully evaluate their appearance, especially the color of the leaves.

Video: how to choose a plum seedling

Preparing for landing

If you want to properly prepare a seedling for planting, then immediately before planting the plum, you should wash its roots from the old soil, then dip them in clay mash, and then renew their (root) tips, slightly trimming them.

Important! Renewing the root tips by trimming them is highly recommended if they are either too long or you notice that there are damaged, diseased or broken roots (in which case they need to be trimmed to a healthy place).

Some gardeners recommend soaking the seedling in water (possibly with the addition of Kornevin) for a day or at least an hour. This will help restore biological processes in the roots and saturate them with moisture, especially if you see that the roots are slightly dry (and this should never be allowed).

Landing location

Plum loves warmth and a lot of light, which means that this stone fruit crop will grow well and bear fruit abundantly only in open and well-lit areas of the garden.

The ideal option for planting a plum would be a place that is protected from the drying winter winds on the north side (this could be your country house, some kind of outbuilding or fence), while the tree itself, Naturally, it should be placed on the south side (or at least on the southwest or west side) so that it receives the maximum amount of sunlight during the day.

You can't plant plums in the lowlands, where melt water stagnates for a long time or is heavily wetlands.In other words, at the landing sitemoisture should not stagnate in the springwhen the snow melts.Otherwise, the plant’s root collar will simply get stuck, and its days will be numbered..

The occurrence of groundwater in the area intended for planting plum trees should be at a level of 1.5-2 m from the ground surface.

Advice! If groundwater lies close, then you have no choice but to make an artificial embankment and plant a seedling on it.

Important! Plums and other trees should not be planted near large spreading trees (especially oreshin), since this always negatively affects their growth and productivity (if the seedling can grow and bear fruit normally).

At what distance

You have chosen the place, now you need to decide on the planting scheme.

If you want to plant several seedlings at once, it is recommended to plant plums according to the scheme - 3 by 3, i.e. the distance between seedlings in a row and between rows should be 3 meters.

Advice! It is necessary to retreat exactly the same distance from other plants on the site so that the wide crown of the plum tree does not shade them in the future.

Remember! The closer you plant trees, the more difficult it will be for you to control their crown in the future, in other words, you will need regular and mandatory pruning, including summer pruning.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that Some plum varieties are not able to self-pollinate (self-sterile), so they should be planted only in groups (at least two, and preferably three different varieties).

Required soil

To count on good growth and stable yields, the soil under plums must have high fertility, be light and loose (water- and breathable), and also have neutral acidity level.

Worth knowing! All stone fruits like non-acidic soils and will grow better in alkaline soils (7-7.5 pH) than even relatively acidic ones (5.5 pH).

The most suitable types of soil for plums are the following: loams, peatlands(but only deoxidized, i.e. calcified = acidity reduced to neutral level) and soddy-podzolic.

Of course, the worst option for planting plums (and almost all fruit trees) is purely sandy and clay soil.

Important! When planting a seedling in excessively sandy soil, you should add a little clay and more compost to it, and sand to clayey soil, this will help balance the composition of the soil.

Advice! In cold and harsh climates, and also if the soil is heavy, or the area is very waterlogged and groundwater lies very close, then it is recommended to plant plums (like any other fruit trees, especially stone fruits). gentle hills(“according to Zhelezov”).

Video: planting a plum seedling on a hill in Siberia

Preparing the planting hole: optimal dimensions

Naturally, as always, it is recommended to prepare the planting hole for planting a plum seedling or any other plant in advance. It is best to do this in the fall or at least 1-2 weeks before planting the seedling. During this time, the soil will have time to settle to the desired level.

Important! When digging a planting hole, the top layer of soil is thrown aside for further use.

Width (diameter) and depth of the planting hole for all fruit trees should be within 50-80 cm. In this case, the walls of the recess should not narrow downwards: it is better to make them vertical.

By the way! As a rule, on average they dig a hole 60 by 60 cm. However, for planting plums, many It is recommended to dig a hole 1 meter wide and 60-80 cm deep.

And here is the planting hole for the seedling with closed root system they do it simply 2-3 times larger than the container itself.

If necessary, it is immediately placed on the bottom drainage layer 5-15 cm from broken bricks or small stones (it is optimal to use lime or chalk crushed stone, which contains a lot of calcium and which perfectly deoxidizes the soil = reduces its acidity), and then the prepared nutrient mixture is poured.

Important! If you have to plant in clay soil, then, in addition to the obligatory drainage layer, you also need to dig the deepest possible hole.

What (what fertilizers) to fill the planting hole with - prepare the nutrient substrate

So that the plum seedling can easily adapt to a new place and begin to grow actively, when planting it, it is recommended to fill the planting hole with a nutrient substrate.

To do this, it is recommended to pour a specially prepared soil mixture into the planting hole (which is thoroughly mixed to a uniform consistency). The nutrient substrate is usually prepared from the following components (mineral and organic fertilizers):

all the top fertile soil (top 20-30 cm) that you removed when digging the hole;
a bucket (8-9 kg) of good humus or compost;

Additionally:

a bucket (8-9 kg) of non-acidic peat (purely at will and opportunity, or if you have sandy soil);

a bucket (8-9 kg) of sand (if you have relatively heavy/clayey soil);

a glass and a half (300-400 grams) of superphosphate or 400-500 grams of bone meal (an organic analogue of phosphorus fertilizer);
half or a glass of potassium sulfate (100-200 grams) or 3-4 glasses (300-400 grams) of wood ash (an organic analogue of potassium fertilizer).

Or, instead of superphosphate and potassium sulfate, you can take 300-400 grams of nitroammophoska (it contains 16% nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) or, even better, diammophoska (10:26:26).

Worth knowing! When planting a tree (even in spring), you do not need to specifically add nitrogen fertilizers (it’s a different matter if it is a complex fertilizer), since they stimulate the growth of the above-ground part to the detriment of the development of the root system (especially when planting in the northern regions).

Important! However, some gardeners and agronomist scientists do not recommend putting mineral fertilizers into the planting hole at all, but advise applying them in the future as fertilizing, because There is an opinion that a plant (seedling) does not need fertilizer until it begins to bear fruit. Another thing is organic fertilizers such as compost, wood ash, dolomite flour.

After filling the hole with nutrient substrate, it is necessary to drive a wooden peg, which will subsequently serve as a support for the young seedling.

If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when leaves grow on it, due to its high windage, strong winds will shake the trunk and tear off young roots.

Direct step-by-step planting of seedlings

Step-by-step instructions for planting plum seedlings in open ground in spring and autumn:

Fill the planting hole with fertile soil in advance, leaving a depression the size of the seedling's root system.

If you are planting a seedling with an open root system (ORS), then you need to place a small mound in the center of the planting hole.

It’s another matter if you plant a seedling with a closed root system (ZKS). In this case, there is no need to make any mounds, but simply plant the seedling in a prepared planting hole without disturbing the earth.

Drive in a wooden support or peg (if you haven't done this beforehand).

If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when the leaves grow on it, due to the high windage, strong winds will shake the trunk and tear off the young roots.

Place the seedling in the center of the mound and spread the roots along its (mound) sides downwards (the roots should under no circumstances bend or stick up!), because The roots should be placed in the hole as comfortably as possible for them, without twisting or bending.

Advice! If you have a seedling that has been grafted with an eye (budding), then the budding site (eye = new shoot that has grown from the graft) should face north, and the cut site should face south.

Cover with soil, shaking the seedling while doing so to eliminate any voids between the roots.

Remember that the grafting site should initially be located 10 centimeters above the soil level. In this case, it is convenient to control the planting level with a rack, which must be placed horizontally on the sides of the hole when the hole is almost filled with soil.

Compact (compact) the soil, starting from the edges at the base of the seedling.

Important! Do not confuse the root collar (the place where the first root leaves the trunk) with the graft, which is located higher (on the trunk) and should ultimately be located 3-5 cm (you can just put 2-3 fingers) above the soil surface. After the tree settles in loose soil, the root collar will in any case return to its normal position.

Attention! If you bury the root collar, the tree will grow poorly and gradually die (because the root collar will dry out). On the contrary, if you plant too high, the roots of the seedling will be exposed and may simply dry out in the summer heat or freeze in the winter.

Next, you need to make a hole (roller) along the diameter (perimeter) of the tree trunk circle with a height of 5-10 cm.
Pour plenty of water, pouring out at least 2-3 buckets (pour out gradually - wait for it to be absorbed and add more).
Tie the seedling to the prepared support with soft twine and secure it in the correct position.

Level the roller, loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle and mulch it with peat, humus or compost.

Mulch will help prevent roots from drying out and excessive moisture evaporation.

Note! Mulch should not be placed close to the trunk of the seedling, as this can cause the bark to become warm and, consequently, cause the development of fungal diseases.

In any case, the grafting site should be above the mulch.

Video: how to plant a plum

Caring for plums after planting: basic measures

Immediately after planting, the plum seedling must trim, to level the root system with the above-ground part (this is done for a kind of “reanimation” of the seedling after planting, since any planting and replanting is trauma and stress for the plant).

How to prune a plum after planting in spring or autumn?

You need to leave the main trunk 50-60 cm high, making a cut above a healthy bud.

If there are side shoots, then they also need to be shortened, leaving 2 buds.

It is not unreasonable to assert that one of the main conditions for successful rooting of plums is a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. Therefore, if the weather is dry, then after planting you should carry out timely and regular watering (1-2 times a week), pouring out 2-3 buckets of water. In the future, watering will need to be carried out as needed, depending on weather conditions (in spring and autumn you can water 2-3 times a month, and in the hot and dry summer - once a week). And after each watering, if you have not mulched the tree trunk circle, it is recommended loosen the soil at the base to improve oxygen access to the roots and at the same time weed the tree trunk to remove weeds.

By the way! It is very simple to determine that the earthen lump has dried out and the plum urgently needs watering: dig a hole as deep as a shovel (25-30 cm), take a handful of earth from the bottom, and if it is dry, then water it urgently.

Advice! Either make a new hole every year, or initially dig not very deep (maximum 3 cm), so that moisture does not accumulate in it during the winter-early spring period and the root collar does not get wet and rot.

Additional fertilizing there is no need to carry out any more during this season, since all the necessary nutrients were added during planting, and they should be enough for the next few years (2-3 years).

And if in the future you don't like the variety or you will want to have several different varieties on one tree at the same time, You can graft a plum one of the known methods.

Of course it is required carefully monitor the condition of your tree so that it is not suddenly struck by any diseases or pests.

The most annoying diseases that affect plums (as well as cherry plums) are Clusterosporiasis (hole spotting) And polystigmosis (plum red spot or cherry plums).

Plum polystigmosis

If the plum was attacked by aphids, then in the fight against this malicious pest of fruit trees you will help .

And in the fall, don’t forget to properly prepare your plums for winter.. It is especially important to mulch and lightly cover (insulate) young seedlings.

And next spring you will again have to carry out a number of simple measures to care for your stone fruit crop.

Video: plum care

Well, now you know everything that is required for proper planting of plums in spring and autumn, as well as what will be needed in the post-planting period. After just a few years, the plum will certainly fully thank the owner for the care provided with a bountiful harvest of sweet plum fruits.

Video: how to plant a plum tree correctly

Plum is one of the favorite fruit crops of Siberian gardeners. In Siberia, however, it bears fruit unstably, and it does especially poorly in snowy places. has general principles, however, each type is characterized by some features of agricultural technology

Types of plums for Siberia

The Siberian plum assortment is represented by three traditional groups of varieties:

plum Ussuri (a variety of Chinese)
less often - Karzinskaya (population of hybrids of American and Canadian plums),
plum-cherry hybrids , the fruiting of which is unstable.

Since the end of the 20th century, a hybrid of Ussuri plum and cherry plum has been successfully cultivated in Siberia - hybrid cherry plum , or Russian plum .

Ussuri plum for Siberia

Varieties work better Ussuri plum:

bears fruit on one-year-old wood, blooms before the leaves bloom in May, flowers can withstand frosts down to -3 ° C.
The varieties are self-sterile. For good fruit set, it is necessary to have 3-4 mutually pollinating varieties in the garden.
Trees bear fruit from 3-4 years after planting as annual seedlings.

The Ussuri plum is moisture-loving, but does not tolerate even slight waterlogging. The root system is dense and superficial. Trees are watered during the period of growth (June), ovary growth (July) and fruit filling (August).

Karzin plum for Siberia

Varieties Karzynska plum less common.

Plum-cherry hybrids for Siberia

Plum-cherry hybrids are hybrids of sand cherries with plum species.

Bushes up to 2–3.5 m high with a crown diameter of up to 3 m. They begin to bloom later than the Ussuri plum, blooming for 5–9 days. Flowers tolerate frosts down to -2°C.
They are not winter-hardy enough in Siberia; they freeze and damp out more than plums, so they bear fruit unstably. Due to insufficient winter hardiness, cherry plums are grown in the stale form (only varieties with flexible branches are suitable).
They bear fruit 2-3 years after planting. The fruits resemble plums in taste, shape, and size.

Photo: hybrid of Ussuri plum and cherry plum - hybrid cherry plum, or Russian plum

Plum varieties for Siberia

The success of planting and growing plums in Siberia will depend on the correct choice of plum variety.

An old variety, the tree is highly winter-hardy, vigorous, with a sparse crown.

Fruiting is slightly periodic, yield is 8–12 kg/tree (up to 40–60 kg).
The fruits are yellow, round, with a groove, weighing 13–15 g (up to 25–32 g), sweet and sour taste with a bitter skin.
The fruits ripen at the end of August, after picking they quickly lose their presentation and do not tolerate transportation well.

Photo: Plum variety for Siberia Yellow Khopty

The only variety of Ural selection that is successful in Siberia.

The tree is frost-resistant, resistant to damping off, and fruit buds may freeze after a thaw.
The crown is low, not thickened.
The yield is almost annual, average (5–12 kg/tree), the fruits are very large – 25–20 g (up to 40 g), dark burgundy, fresh-sweet, with a loose pit.
They ripen in the third decade of August and are stored for 2–3 days.

Winter-hardy, damping-resistant, vigorous, unthickened tree.

Fruiting occurs annually after favorable winters.
Productivity – 10–15 kg/tree (up to 20 kg).
The fruits are yellow with a slight blush, large (15–25 g), excellent taste, dense, with a free seed.
They ripen at the end of August and are stored for 3–5 days.

Winter hardiness is satisfactory, the tree is vigorous.

The variety is not drought-resistant enough and is prone to periodic fruiting.
Productivity – 8–12 kg/tree (up to 40 kg).
The fruits are orange-red, good taste, average weight – 12–18 g (up to 20–35 g), universal purpose.

Photo: Altai Jubilee plum variety for Siberia

Oyuna

It is characterized by satisfactory frost resistance of the tree.

The variety is resistant to damping off of the bark and cambium, but the buds can be severely damaged by frost after a thaw in the second half of winter.
The tree is medium-sized, slightly dense.
Productivity – 6–27 kg/tree.
Fruits weighing 19–27 g, round, yellow with blush, with a detachable stone, universal purpose.
They ripen in late August – early September.

Photo: Plum variety for Siberia Oyuna

Plum varieties unsuitable for Siberia

Gardeners of the Novosibirsk region should know that in the snowy zones of the region (as well as in the Kemerovo region) Many varieties of Altai selection fail.

Varieties freeze slightly:

Peresvet,
Vika,
Timoshka

Varieties supported:

Chemalskaya,
Chemal's gift,
Chemal souvenir,
In memory of Putov and others.

Perfect for Siberia Most varieties of Ural selection are unsuitable:

Shershnevskaya,
Uvelskaya,
Uyskaya,
Kuyashskaya

Ural varieties are susceptible to a complex of winter damage:

freezing of the aboveground part,
especially annual growth and flower buds after thaws,
damping off.

Photo: Ussuri plum, Variety "Ural prune"

Growing plums in Siberia

Plum agricultural technology should be aimed at ripening shoots:

do not abuse nitrogen fertilizers and fertilizing,
do not water the plants after harvesting,
add wood ash more often.

In combination with low temperatures, the plum suffers from drying out by winds, especially its immature annual shoots.

Photo: Plum agricultural technology in Siberia should be aimed at ripening shoots

Damping off plum

Damping-off of fabrics is observed almost every year. The reason is prolonged exposure of plants to temperatures close to 0°C, with a thick layer of loose snow or when snow falls on unfrozen soil.

In weathered plants, the cambium and bark are brown, the wood remains healthy.
Damping off can be focal or circular.
The branches (trunks) withered from below first bloom, may bloom, but subsequently wither.
Damping off is more dangerous than freezing; most often, dampened branches or the entire tree die.

Damping off should be distinguished from freezing .

Photo: Freezing the soil in tree trunk circles helps prevent damping off

Fighting damping off

Freezing the soil in the tree trunk circles, at the base of the trunks, in any available way helps prevent damping off:

adding crushed stone to the root collar in the fall;
installing high - above the snow level - barrels with a capacity of 200 liters next to the tree (A.G. Kudryavtsev’s method). Barrels can be laid on their sides with the bottom towards the base of the barrel;
when the snow height is more than 1 m, the method of Gorno-Altai gardeners is recommended: tree trunks are protected with a casing made of wood, tin, or any pipe with a diameter of 40-50 cm, the height is within the boundaries of the snow cover. The trunk to this height must be freed from branches. The top of the casing is covered with fabric or tin to prevent snow from getting into the casing (“dry wintering” of the trunk). The base of the casing is buried 10 cm into the ground.
It is effective to compact the snow 3-4 times (trampling the tree trunk circles) after the first snowfalls, starting from a snow depth of 15-20 cm. You cannot rake snow at the beginning of winter, this can lead to freezing of the roots.

How to prevent plums from dampening off (video)

An agronomist, head of the fruit and berry nursery "1000 Roses" talks in a video about what measures to take to avoid damping off of the plum in Siberia.

Planting plums in Siberia

When placing plums, take into account the nature and strength of growth. Choose a place and suitable soil, annual seedlings. Planted in spring.

Landing place

Plum is thermophilic and undemanding to moisture. Therefore, the plum should be planted in a place protected from the winds, in the sun, insulating the soil (add sand when planting).

The upper parts of slopes are suitable for planting plums: the slope is no more than 3-8° with southern, southwestern and western exposure.
In steppe regions, individual microzones with less snow are suitable.
In areas with little snow, plums are planted on flat surfaces.
Forest areas and places with early and deep snow are problematic.

Groundwater should not be closer than 1.5 m from the soil surface.

The best time to plant plums

In Siberia it is spring, or at least early autumn.

Photo: The best time to plant plums in Siberia is spring

Soil for planting

Chernozems, chestnut, and gray forest soils are suitable for plums.
In terms of mechanical composition - sandy loam, medium and light loamy, well heated.

Planting pits prepared up to 50 cm deep, 60-100 cm in diameter.

Organic fertilizers are placed in the lower third of the pit (8-15 kg for infertile soils and no more than 3-4 kg for fertile soils), 200-300 g of superphosphate, 100-150 g of potassium fertilizers, up to 50 g of fluff lime and everything is mixed with the ground .
On heavy soils, add 1 bucket of sand.

Plum seedlings

Plum seedlings can be self-rooted and grafted (for SVG 11-19, sand cherry).

Plums are vigorous plants, so it is advisable to purchase and plant annuals seedlings.
Biennials are considered non-standard, always have a root system that is severely damaged during digging, and take root less well.

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When planting, seedlings are shortened:

If the root system is severely damaged during digging, and the crown is powerful, remove up to 50% of the length.
If the above-ground part is compact and the roots are well developed - no more than 30%.

To guarantee the preservation of the variety when it freezes, we can recommend deep planting of the seedling, that is, 10-15 cm deeper than the root collar. In this case, the plum “goes to its roots”, and after freezing, branches of the cultivated variety will grow, not the rootstock.

Watering after planting

After planting, water (3-4 buckets per plant) and mulch the soil with organic matter.
The new plum plant is watered until it survives completely.

Photo: To preserve plums during freezing, we can recommend deep planting of seedlings

Planting plums on the hills

On low areas and places where there is more than 80 cm of snow , it is recommended to plant on hills and ridges 40-50 cm high and 180-200 cm wide at the base.

In spring or autumn, apply fertilizers to an area with a diameter of 200 cm (30-40 kg of organic matter, 200-400 g of ammonium nitrate, 800-1200 g of superphosphate, 150-300 g of potassium salt).
Dig to a shovel's depth, then create a mound of soil mixed with sand and gravel.
A hole is made in the middle of the hill, with fertile soil placed closer to the center, and sand and gravel added to the periphery.

Planting plums in boxes

Planting in boxes without bottom - for snowy places .

Boxes measuring 1x1 m and 60 cm high, made of wood, slate, iron sheets and other materials (or barrels cut in half) are filled with soil mixture and plums are planted.

Photo: in snowy places, plums are planted on hills and in boxes

Plum care

Plum trees are short-lived: in a grafted culture they bear fruit for 12-15 years, in their own root - up to 25 years. In the spring, almost every year, plum trees (bushes) require restoration.

Formation

The ideal plum varieties are those that bear fruit slightly periodically and form a good annual growth every year. Such trees require almost no shaping. In the spring they should only carry out sanitary pruning(old branches that have no growth, diseased and broken).
Varieties prone to overload and periodic fruiting can be pruned once every 2-3 years quite heavily. Old trunks are cut out (no more than 25-30% of the total crown volume). The annual growth is not shortened (the bulk of the harvest is concentrated on it). The wounds after pruning are covered with garden varnish.
Severely frozen branches (black inside) are cut back to live, slightly damaged wood; fruiting after severe freezing is not desirable; flowers should be removed. Trimmed plants require feeding and watering in the spring.

Re-grafting of plum

Cuttings of another variety can be grafted into the plum crown.

Rules for successful plum grafting:

re-grafting of plums is carried out early (before May 1-5) and in a short time (5-7 days);
for grafting (as a rootstock), it is better to choose 1-year-old branches, or, in extreme cases, 2-year-old ones;
plum graftings are short-lived; to create a “garden tree”, graftings should be renewed almost annually;
The scion is characterized by weak fusion with the rootstock in the first year; at the beginning of intensive growth, it is advisable to tie the growing shoots to a stake to prevent them from being broken off by the wind;
The plum tree exhibits varietal-rootstock incompatibility much more often than the apple tree; To guarantee the fixation of the variety, graft it onto different varieties - rootstocks.

Photo: In the spring, almost every year, the plum requires restoration

Feeding

Pre-planting refueling lasts a tree for 3-4 years.
With the beginning of fruiting, up to 7 kg of organic matter and 100 g of ash are added annually.
Instead of ash, you can add 70 g of superphosphate and potash fertilizers.
Every 2-3 years, add 50 g of fluff lime.

Watering

From the 2nd year of life, plums are watered sparingly.

Young, developing plants are watered more heavily (2-3 times), watering is stopped in August.
Fruit-bearing trees are watered 1-2 times, always to fill the fruit.
Watering is stopped after harvesting the fruits.

Photo: After harvesting, plums are not watered

In the northern regions, where the harsh climate makes its own adjustments, growing a fruit tree is not easy. However, it is quite possible. In today's article you will learn how to choose a suitable plum tree and how to care for a plum tree in Siberia.

We take into account climatic conditions

Planting and caring for plums in Siberia, of course, differs from similar agricultural processes in other regions, and is completely oriented towards unfavorable climatic conditions. Growing any fruit tree, including plums, is especially difficult in snowy areas.

In the Altai Territory and Omsk Region, where winters are moderately snowy and summers are quite warm, conditions are more favorable than in the Tomsk and Kemerovo regions and Novosibirsk with cold snowy winters and moderate summers.

To date, many frost-resistant varieties of this crop have been developed that are suitable for Siberia. They tolerate low temperatures well, but the following problems are possible:

drying of immature annual shoots by winds;
sudden changes in temperature - cold snaps after thaws. The tree comes out of dormancy and the buds begin to swell. Therefore, their partial or complete freezing is possible. This means that you need to choose varieties with a long dormant period and weakly awakened buds;
plum tissues and organs suffer from damping off: death of the bark and cambium of the lower part of the trunk and skeletal branches due to the lack of frost and a thick layer of snow. It is impossible to prevent damping off by removing snow; the roots may freeze. The only way out can only be to freeze the soil in the tree trunk circle;
freezing of the upper part of the tree.

Considering all of the above, steppe areas and individual microzones with little snow are better suited for growing plums.

Choosing frost-resistant varieties

You need to carefully select a crop variety for a region with cold, snowy winters. The best option is frost-resistant self-fertile plum varieties for Siberia (frost-resistant varieties Renklod and Vengerka) or hybrid forms (Alaya Zarya, Medovaya, Rubin plums).

We present a brief description of the main cultural groups that take root well in the Siberian region:

Ussuri plum. Varieties Altai Yubileinaya, Burgundy, Oyuna, Zaryanka, Zheltaya Khopty. Frost-resistant, damping-resistant, early-fruiting varieties. The fruits have excellent taste characteristics, but are poorly transported. The yield level is average, possible damage to stone fruit diseases;
Canadian and American semi-dwarf varieties of plums. The level of frost resistance is average, but they tolerate drought well, early fruiting, and universal-purpose fruits;
plum varieties for the southern regions of Siberia - Kargazin varieties (Rumyanaya, Kulundinskaya). Not resistant to damping off, but cold-resistant and drought-resistant plums with tasty aromatic fruits. The yield is average, fruiting is periodic;
Russian plum or cherry plum. The hybrid form, which tolerates cold, heat, and temperature changes equally well, adapts and recovers perfectly. The fruits are small, do not store for a long time, but have an excellent taste. Varieties: Northern Dessert, Honey, Scarlet Dawn, Rainbow;
for the Urals, it is recommended to choose varieties specially bred for the region: Pride of the Urals and Pearl of the Urals. Buryat varieties are suitable for snowy regions: Stranger, Nakhodka, Daughter of Buryatia.

Planting a tree correctly

Growing plums in Siberia is not difficult, but it is labor-intensive. Even an amateur can cope with it if he follows certain rules. Before planting a tree, you need to decide on a site that is most suitable for the crop. It is recommended to choose a well-lit space protected from wind and drafts. The soil is preferably loose, enriched with organic matter, sandy or sandy loam.

The time for planting is chosen based on the duration and beginning of the cold period in the region. Early spring or autumn is optimal. The distance between seedlings depends on the characteristics of the tree and the variety being planted: for tall ones with a spreading volumetric crown, at least 4 m, for smaller plums - from 1.5 to 2.5 m. If the plum is not a self-fertile variety, it is necessary to plant nearby pollination of the variety.

The hole should be so wide and deep that the root system of the seedling is not damaged and the roots can be freely distributed. It is necessary to apply a complex fertilizing consisting of manure and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Depending on the type of soil, sand, lime, and wood ash are added variably. Fertilizers are covered with soil and covered with soil. Sometimes planting is replaced by grafting.

Young cuttings are grafted onto strong, healthy rootstocks. If the cutting has successfully taken root, such a tree has a better chance of surviving a harsh winter.

The golden rule of care

There is one agrotechnical procedure that distinguishes plum care in Siberia from similar ones in other regions. We are talking about freezing the soil in order to prevent damping off of the trunk bark and skeletal branches. To do this, the snow in the tree trunk area is not removed, but rather compacted. Large empty barrels are also placed around the trunk. Naturally, trees need to remove root shoots and regular pruning.

In early spring, sanitary pruning of damaged branches is carried out; in early summer, the crown is formed and thinned. In order for the trees to recover faster, the cut areas are lubricated with garden varnish, and the plums are fed with complex fertilizers. We should not forget about regular watering, because not all frost-resistant varieties tolerate drought well.

For old plants, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, which promotes the formation of young shoots. Care includes preventative measures to prevent stone fruit diseases and pest infestations. To do this, trees are treated with insecticides and fungicides several times a year.

Getting ready for winter

In order for a plum to grow and develop in Siberia, it must be carefully looked after. Preparing for winter is a process that cannot be excluded. Since varieties with a high degree of frost resistance are mainly planted, there is no need to cover them; snow will be enough. Such plums are fed and watered abundantly for the winter. Fruits that are grown in less snowy areas need shelter. To avoid damping off, it is recommended to use special agrofibre or spruce branches.

Video “How to grow plums”

From this video you will learn how to properly grow a plum tree in the garden.

For several years now, plums have been freezing in our garden (Hungarian and damson plums were planted). So we were convinced from our own experience that these trees do not always survive in the harsh Siberian winters. Tell me, what varieties of plums can be grown in Siberia?

Despite the fact that the plum, in general, is quite winter-hardy, most of its species cannot tolerate the Siberian climate with its frosts and heavy precipitation in the form of snow. Here gardeners will have to select special varieties that have a number of advantages compared to plums grown in the European part.

Plum varieties for Siberia must not only have increased winter hardiness, but also resistance to sudden temperature changes in early spring, as well as damping off and freezing as a result of heavy snow cover. In addition, they must be able to withstand strong winds and low temperatures well.

The best types of plums for growing in the Siberian climate are:

Ussuri plum varieties;
cherry-plum hybrids.

Features of Ussuri plum

Types of Ussuri plum have increased winter hardiness and can easily tolerate frosts down to -44 degrees, but this is only possible with a sufficient level of moisture. In case of drought, the resistance of trees to freezing is significantly reduced, the taste and quantitative characteristics of the fruit deteriorate, and sometimes the ovary even completely falls off. With a sufficient amount of moisture, they bear fruit abundantly from the age of 3 years. Also resistant to weathering.

Since most varieties bloom early, flower buds can be damaged by severe return frosts (if the air temperature drops below 3 degrees below zero), which should be taken into account when growing plums in regions with late spring.

The following varieties of Ussuri plums tolerate Siberian winters well:

Altai Anniversary;
Yellow Khopty;
Pyramidal;
Dawn of Altai;
Red-cheeked.

Features of cherry-plum hybrids

Hybrids of plum and sand cherry are compact in size; their bush height does not exceed 2 m, due to which in winter most of the crown is protected from frost by snow.

Flowering in hybrids occurs a week later than in the Ussuri plum, which also helps preserve the future harvest, although the flower buds already have increased winter hardiness. Plums begin to bear fruit from the second year of life; in most varieties the fruits are dark in color and ripen at the end of summer.

The most winter-hardy hybrids are those of domestic selection. As for American varieties, their above-ground parts often freeze out, but quickly recover.

The following hybrid varieties are most often grown in Siberia:

Bee;
Chulyma;
Amateur;
Admiral Schley;
Maynor.

Growing Ussuri plum - video

Plum is a tasty and very sweet fruit that is grown in many regions of Russia. Since ancient times, it has been valued for its excellent qualities. How can you not like her?

This fruit has good taste and healthy qualities (you can read more about the properties of plums here). You can make compotes, jams from plums, or simply eat them fresh. And how delicious dried plums are!

If you suddenly decide to plant it on your summer cottage, then first read the reviews about this or that variety. It will also be important to pay attention to the climate. Many people believe that growing plums in the Urals or Siberia does not always bring results. However, it is not.

Although it is considered a heat-loving plant, there are varieties that can easily withstand the harsh Siberian winters. Let's look at which varieties are suitable specifically for this area and how to properly grow this crop.

Before you start planting plums, it is still worth familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of the varieties that are offered on the modern market of stone fruit crops.

It is important: Not every plum variety is suitable for the regions of Siberia and the Urals. When choosing, be sure to look in the description for which regions and climate this variety is most suitable.

So, let's look at the best varieties of plums for growing in the Urals and Siberia:

Growing

Remember that the entire success of planting, further cultivation and obtaining a good harvest directly depends on the choice of place for planting, proper planting and further care of the plant.

Requirements for soil and planting site

First you need to choose a suitable landing site. Follow the recommendations:

It is worth considering that this plant is capricious and very picky. It will bear fruit only in areas with good protection from the wind.
The most suitable option would be gentle slopes on the south, southwest and west sides.
It is advisable to plant seedlings in well-warmed areas, in places where there is good aeration.
If you decide to choose a low-lying place for planting plums, then it is advisable to make a small artificial mound there. The height of the hills should be about 40-50 cm, and the size of the base should be almost 2 meters.
The composition of the soil should also be taken into account. Remember that plum loves soil of gray forest, loamy and chernozem types. In addition, they must have a good level of moisture and breathability.

Landing

Preparing the planting hole

It is best to plant in the spring. Since the climate in Siberia and the Urals is cool, seedlings planted in the fall may not have time to take root and will simply freeze. The optimal period for planting is the third ten days of April.

It is also worth paying attention to the soil, it should thaw and warm up well. The holes should be prepared at the beginning of spring, approximately 2-3 weeks before planting.

The depth of the pit should be almost 60 cm, the diameter should be about 60-70 cm. It is advisable to remove the soil from it and mix it with humus in proportions of 2 to 1. In addition, you can also sprinkle some complex fertilizers there. After this, the earth is poured back into the hole.

Just before planting, the hole is dug again and the soil is thoroughly fluffed up. Then the seedling must be placed in a hole, with the root collar located 5-6 cm above the surface of the earth, and sprinkled with a small amount of earth. At first, the seedling should be tied to a special wooden peg until the root system is completely strengthened.

Care

Pruning plum

The rules for caring for plums are as follows:

As soon as the seedling is planted, it must be watered abundantly. Approximately one seedling will require about 30 liters of water. Then it needs to be mulched generously. In the subsequent season, the plum is watered about 3-4 times. The first watering is carried out in mid-May, the second - after the end of flowering during the intensive development of fruits, the third - during the ripening period, the fourth - in late autumn.
It is also worth paying great attention to feeding. It is necessary to start feeding trees with fertilizers in the third year of their life. For fertilizer, a mixture of humus or compost (about 7 kilograms) and 200 grams of wood ash per 1 square meter is perfect. meter of land. During the active growing season, complex mineral fertilizers should be applied. Nitrogen mixtures should be added in the form of solutions. It is advisable to add phosphorus, potassium, mixtures that have a dry and poorly soluble structure to the soil in the fall.
Pruning of plum trees should be done in spring, when active sap flow has not yet begun. The process should begin at the seedling stage. Young seedlings begin to actively grow branches and therefore during this period it is possible to form the correct shape of the plum crown. Also, taking into account the feedback from experienced gardeners, it is recommended to remove shoots that are actively growing from the root system. It can affect the further growth and yield of plums.
In the spring, the trunks should be whitened, this will protect against damage from all kinds of pests. You can also install rodent and mouse protection nearby.

If you decide to plant a plum on your site, be sure to familiarize yourself with all the varieties intended for cultivation in this region. Also pay attention to the climate: many varieties are very capricious and may not grow well in areas with cold and harsh climates.

Be sure to follow the rules for planting and caring for plum trees. Its further growth and harvest will depend on this. I wish you success!

See reviews video about growing plums in Siberia and the Urals:

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The plum has always been considered the most whimsical tree for the garden. But today many varieties have been bred that make it possible to successfully grow it even in the coldest corners of the country.

Let's take a closer look at the most popular new products and old proven varieties of the best plums.

Description and characteristics of the best self-pollinating plum varieties

Self-pollinating varieties have long won the recognition of gardeners. For a good harvest, one tree is enough, which is good news if you have a small plot. According to summer residents, among self-fertile varieties it is worth paying attention to the following varieties:

"Bogatyrskaya";

"Viola";

"Memory of Timiryazev".

Plum variety "Bogatyrskaya" It is considered one of the most productive among self-fertile varieties. The tree bears fruit early; within five years after planting you can collect at least three buckets of plums. Productivity increases gradually, reaching up to 60 kg per tree. An adult tree produces at least 80 kg of fruit. The fruits are large, elongated, dark purple in color, sweet and sour. They tolerate transportation well. The massive harvest occurs in the second half of August. The tree is vigorous, can withstand frost, and is resistant to major diseases, which is good for the middle zone climate.

From blue plums one can distinguish variety "Viola". The tree will delight you with fruits in three years; on average, you can collect up to three buckets of harvest. Medium-sized plums, sweet and sour, quite juicy. The variety is medium-sized, frost-resistant, rarely affected by diseases and pests. The fruits tolerate transportation well. Plums are grown in the middle zone. In dry summers, problems arise with cultivation, the ovaries crumble, and the fruits become smaller.

Proven variety “Memory of Timiryazev”. The tree can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C; at lower temperatures, the buds suffer and the yield decreases. Fruits appear on plum trees in the fourth year of cultivation. The average yield of a young tree is from 10 kg, with age it increases to three buckets. The fruits are medium in size, yellow, with a characteristic reddish blush. The pulp is dense, juicy, easily separated, and has a sweet and sour taste. The variety is zoned for central Russia.

The best productive plum varieties for a summer cottage

When planting a garden, you should take a closer look at productive varieties that consistently bear fruit, despite the vagaries of the weather. Of these, gardeners have identified several of the most promising:

"Entertaining";

"Valor."

Variety "Morning" produces good yields and is planted as a pollinator for many self-sterile plums. The variety is early ripening, mass harvesting begins in early August. At least a bucket of plums is collected from a young tree; with age, the yield increases to 25 kg. The fruits are yellowish-green in color with a characteristic bloom, juicy, tasty and aromatic. The seed is small, the plum peels well. The tree is low-growing, begins to bear fruit after 4 years of cultivation, and has good immunity. Frost resistance is average, the buds often freeze, but the plum quickly recovers. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Central region.

Plum "Entertaining"- a relatively new hybrid for the Central and Middle Zone. The variety is self-sterile and is planted near pollinators. Productivity reaches three buckets. The fruits are yellow-green, round, and have a sour taste. The color of ripe fruits may change, becoming more orange.

Of the late-ripening varieties, it stands out plum "Valor". The tree is self-fertile and requires pollinators. A variety for industrial use, bears fruit consistently and produces at least 30 kg of fruit. The plum is large, dark burgundy, with a characteristic waxy coating. The pulp is pale yellow, juicy and sweet. The bone is easily separated. A universal-purpose variety, mass harvesting begins in the first ten days of September.

Which frost-resistant plum varieties are best to plant in the Moscow region and central Russia

In the middle zone, it is worth taking a closer look at varieties that are highly resistant to diseases and can withstand the vagaries of the weather well. These include plums:

"Precocious";

"Red Ball";

"Yakhontovaya".

Plum "Skoroplodnaya" considered the best for the Moscow region and the middle zone. The variety is completely self-fertile, bears fruit consistently, and yields are high. The first plums appear in the third year of cultivation; with age, the yield reaches 30 kg per tree. Plums are yellow-red with sweet pulp, large, and transport well. The tree is early ripening, the fruits are harvested at the beginning of August. Frost resistance down to – 40 °C, good immunity.

Variety "Red Ball" partially self-fertile, yield increases in the presence of pollinators. The first fruiting occurs in the third year of growing the seedling. On average, 18-20 kg are collected from a tree. The fruits are large, red, with yellow juicy pulp, sweet. The variety is resistant to major diseases.

Frost resistant and early ripening variety "Yakhontovaya" will be pleased with the harvest in three years. The tree is vigorous, partially self-pollinating, and tolerates temperature drops down to -30 °C. The fruits are yellow in color with a characteristic bloom, sweet and sour in taste, large, ripen in the second ten days of August. At least 30 kg are collected from one tree.

The best frost-resistant plum varieties for Siberia and the Urals

In the Siberian climate, plums are rarely grown. Preference is given to seedlings grafted onto the most cold-resistant crop - Ussuri plum, which easily tolerates frosts down to -50 °C. The most productive varieties are considered:

"Uvelskaya";

"Yellow Khopty";

"Pioneer".

Variety "Uvelskaya" is self-fertile, hardy and productive. The tree is resistant to diseases and pests. The fruits are medium in size, dark red in color, elongated, sweet with some sourness. Fruiting begins in the fourth year of cultivation; the harvest is harvested in the first half of August. Plums are suitable for preservation, processing and summer consumption.

Variety "Yellow Khopty" annually produces at least 30 kg of plums. The tree is medium-sized, frost-resistant, partially self-fertile. The fruits are universally used, ripen towards the end of summer, large, bright yellow with a characteristic blush. The taste is sweet and sour, the flesh is juicy. The first harvest is formed four years later.

Considered very hardy variety "Pioneer". Tree of medium maturity, partially self-fertile, high-yielding. The fruits are rich red in color with a waxy coating, medium in size. The pulp is juicy, tasty, honey-colored, the stone is easily separated. The average yield is from two to three buckets; a maximum of 40 kg of fruit is removed from a tree. The mass harvest of fruits occurs in the first ten days of August.

Plum varieties for Siberia

In the early 70s of the last century, after the construction of the Krasnoyarsk reservoir, climatic conditions in the south of our region and in the center improved somewhat. In any case, winters have become warmer, which, naturally, has had a beneficial effect on the overwintering of many crops, and it has become possible to expand the garden assortment. In local gardens, plum varieties of Altai and Far Eastern selection began to be widely tested. The Shushensky state variety department has launched work on plum variety research. Since 1981, the Minusinsk Experimental Station of Horticulture and Melon Growing (OSSiB) has been testing 43 varieties of plums and plum-cherry hybrids selected by the Far Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture, the Siberian Horticulture Research Institute named after M. A. Lisavenko, and the Krasnoyarsk Experimental Station of Fruit Growing.

But the weather is not always kind to gardeners. So, winter 2000-2001. turned out to be critical for the overwintering of plum trees; the absolute minimum air temperature was 44.6 degrees.

The varieties showed high vital activity that winter Drooping, Gift of Chemal, Dawn of Altai, Peresvet , and Pyramidal And Red-cheeked . They are distinguished by high productivity.

Plum trees are placed on small gentle slopes facing the south, south-west and west with good aeration, where the soil warms up better and the plants receive more heat. Trees can also be planted along the fence on the sunny side. In low areas, it is recommended to plant on mounds 40-50 cm high and 180-200 cm wide at the base. Light loamy, gray forest and chernozem soils are preferable. They are moisture-absorbing and breathable. Plum planting scheme- 3-4x2 m.

For planting, it is better to use one-year-old seedlings. In Siberian conditions, plums are planted only in the spring, in the third ten days of April. Planting holes are prepared in the fall so that in the spring you do not have to wait until the soil completely thaws. Before planting, add 7-10 kg of humus or compost and 100 g of wood ash into the hole. If there are no organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizers are added.- 200 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium salt. Seedlings respond favorably to the application of 50 g of fluff lime. When planting, the root collar should be 3-5 cm above the soil level, since the fertile mixture settles in the hole after watering. After watering, the soil is mulched. If the weather is dry, watering is repeated after 10-12 days. The norm is 2-3 buckets per tree.

In the first 3-4 years after planting annual seedlings, a bush-like crown is formed on a low trunk (30-40 cm) from 4-6 main branches. In the future, it is necessary to annually thin out and shorten individual branches, especially after heavy fruiting. In trees with a pyramidal and broom-shaped crown at the age of 6-8 years, it is advisable to cut out the main conductor and transfer it to a lateral skeletal branch.

Siberian plum varieties age quickly, their fruit formations die off, and as a result, yields drop sharply. When growth processes attenuate and the tree ages after 7-8 years of fruiting, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, shortening the branches to 3-4-year-old wood, that is, shoots and branches that have grown over the last 3-4 years are cut off. This work is carried out in early spring before the buds open (early April), which causes vigorous regrowth of shoots. They should be normalized at the beginning of growth, leaving no more than 4-5 per branch.

Anti-aging pruning in varieties derived from Ussuri plum ( Chemalskaya, Poniklayaya, Altai Jubilee and others), almost does not cause a decrease in yield due to an increase in fruit size. In varieties obtained from Karzin plum ( Stepnyachka, Kulundinskaya ), shortening all branches can result in the loss of most of the crop. To avoid this, the weakest branches with short growth are shortened in the first year, the remaining branches are intensively thinned out and shortened in the second year. The rejuvenation effect lasts 2-3 years, after which the pruning can be repeated, but with a stronger shortening- for 5-6 year old wood.

After severe winters when trees are severely frozen, restorative pruning is necessary, the strength of which depends on the degree of frost damage, which is easily determined at the beginning of tree regrowth (usually at the end of May). At this time, all dead and weakly growing parts of the branches are removed. When the pruned tree grows vigorously, which is observed with slight damage to the wood of the trunk and the bases of the skeletal branches, the shoots are normalized.

In case of severe freezing and removal of the entire above-snow part of the crown, 2-3 young shoots are left on the regrown part of the grafted variety. From these, a new tree is subsequently formed. If only the rootstock grows, then 3-4 shoots are left to graft the desired variety onto them. In years with little snow, when the soil freezes deeply and the temperature in the arable horizon drops to minus 18°C and below, it is necessary to radically trim the crown before the buds open, and improve nutrition and watering of the plants during the growing season.

Plum reacts sharply to a lack of nitrogen and potassium in the soil, and to a lesser extent, phosphorus. Potassium starvation is expressed in browning of leaf edges and mild mosaic. With an excess of lime, chlorosis of the leaves develops, and with a deficiency, cracking of the fruits occurs.

The plants are fed in the third year after planting. It's better to use organics- up to 7 kg of humus or compost and 100-200 g of ash per 1 sq. m for digging. Mineral fertilizers are applied during the growing season in two doses: early in the spring- to stimulate the growth of shoots, leaves, peduncles, in early summer- for successful establishment of flower buds and fruit development. Nitrogen fertilizers can be applied in the form of liquid fertilizer with ammonium nitrate- 30 g or urea- 20 g per 1 sq. m. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are difficult to dissolve in water; it is better to add them during digging in the fall or before pouring fruit with surface sealing and watering (70 g of superphosphate and potassium salt per 1 sq. m). After 2-3 years it is useful to add fluff lime- 50-100 g per 1 sq. m.

In the steppe zone, 3-4 irrigations are required: the first- in mid-May, second- after flowering, during the period of intensive growth, the third- before fruiting, in July, fourth- autumn moisture-recharging, in early October. If autumn is wet, there is no need to water. The watering rate (from 3 to 8 buckets per tree) depends on the age of the plants. After watering, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5-7 cm, trying not to damage the roots, so as not to cause the appearance of a large number of shoots (especially in sand cherries), and mulched.

To protect trees from burns, in October-November, trunks and forks are whitened with lime with the addition of clay, mullein, for disinfection- iron sulfate (0.5 kg per 10 l). To prevent plants from being damaged by rodents, the trunks are tied with spruce branches with needles down, roofing felt, roofing felt or a special mesh.

The most common pests on plums are green, brown and blue aphids, plum moth, and to a lesser extent the slimy sawfly. Among the diseases (in some years on some varieties) are hole spot, milky sheen (very rarely) and fire blight. Measures to combat them are generally accepted, using biological and chemical agents.

In the conditions of the steppe zone of the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, due to the low snow cover, stone fruit trees do not wither away, which means that the selection of special rootstocks is not required. In Minusinsk, seedlings of Ussuri plum, sand and felt cherries, and vegetatively propagated plum-cherry hybrids are used as rootstocks. SVG 11-19 . The seeds for growing rootstocks are sown in the second half of September (pre-winter sowing).

It should be remembered that the seeds of felt cherries and Ussuri plums have a long period of stratification. Therefore, the seeds are isolated immediately after picking the ripe fruits and, without drying them, they are placed in a moist substrate, where they are stored until autumn sowing. Sand cherry seeds are sown in the fall without prior preparation. With good care, you can grow rootstock material (seedlings) in one season, suitable for spring grafting next year. Sowing depth- 4-5 cm, distance between lines- 45-60 cm, in a row- 15-20 cm.

Annual shoots for spring grafting are harvested in the fall (early November), before the onset of severe frosts. They are stored in a snow pile, a cold basement. You can keep the shoots in a plastic bag with snow, and in the spring place them in a pile or lower them into the cellar.

Vaccination begins in the spring, after waiting for the buds to swell, the best time- end of April- beginning of May. The most common and effective grafting methods are improved copulation, when the thickness of the scion and rootstock is equal, and in the butt with a tongue, if the rootstock is thicker than the grafted cutting. It is better to use cuttings with 2-3 buds.

When growing plum seedlings, you can use summer budding, but be sure to graft two buds onto the rootstock for insurance and bud the buds in the fall with soil above the grafting site.

During spring drought, growing shoots are tied to a support, because they easily break off due to wind and tillage. It is recommended to put a case made of thick paper or film at the grafting site to create a moist environment and, accordingly, better fusion of the grafted parts. In one summer, the seedlings grow to standard sizes, they can be dug up and planted in a permanent place.

G. Muravyov , senior researcher, employee of the Minusinsk Experimental Station of Horticulture and Melon Growing, Krasnoyarsk Territory

Growing fruit trees in each region has its own specifics. Planting and caring for plum trees in Siberia is carried out in compliance with rules and time frames that will help grow a healthy tree and get a bountiful harvest.

Features of the variety

When choosing a plum variety for growing in a cold region, a number of criteria should be taken into account. You should not rely only on the taste characteristics of the fruit and the appearance of the tree. To grow a fruit plant in Siberia, the following indicators are required:

resistance to winter frosts and spring frosts;
selection of varieties with high yields;
Fruiting should occur gradually;
resistance to diseases and insects;
pollination: self-fertile plums will allow you to harvest even in bad weather conditions that prevent bees from pollinating;
Growing varieties that require cross-pollination involves planting a pollinator plant nearby.

Advantages and disadvantages of plum

Plum grown in the Siberian region has virtually no disadvantages. Growing a fruit crop requires bright lighting, so it is not possible to plant a tree in every area.

These varieties are necessarily winter-hardy, which has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the tree: flower ovaries do not freeze, and the bark does not crack due to temperature changes. Varieties of plum trees are self-sterile, so cherry plums or plums of another variety are planted next to them, which is difficult in a small area.

The plum tree has proven its value long ago; the pulp and seeds are widely used in the food industry and pharmacology. Compotes and jam are made from the fruits; crushed seeds are used as a body scrub.

Plum fruits are a storehouse of vitamins K and C. The product contains minerals in the form of zinc, calcium, and potassium. Plum pulp is used to improve intestinal function.

Existing varieties

Siberian selection involves the development of moisture- and frost-resistant varieties. Plum in Siberia is represented by several varieties:

Ussuriyskaya - formed under conditions of harsh snowless winters, cool summer and spring periods. Fruiting of Ussuri plum varieties occurs in the 3rd year of growth. It is a self-sterile species that loves moisture, but excess should be avoided.
Karzinskaya is a hybrid of American and Canadian plums. Prone to weathering of the bark in the winter cold.
Plum-cherry hybrid - vigorous shrubs, up to 2.5 m, growing on any soil, subject to debate.
Yellow Khopty is a low-growing tree (2.5 m), the top is spreading, of medium density. Winter-hardy plum trees are ideal for growing in cold climates. The fruits are yellow in color, the flesh is soft and dense in consistency. Berries weight up to 20 g.
Jubilee Altai - is a winter-hardy tree, of medium height, up to 4 m, the top resembles a broom. Plum of medium ripeness, weighing up to 30 g, the pulp is juicy, bright yellow.
Drooping - has average frost resistance. The fruits are round in shape, with juicy pulp. The skin is dense, which allows the berries to be transported over long distances.
Red-cheeked - has average resistance of flower ovaries to frost. The plant is of medium height, up to 4 m, with a dense crown. The fruits are round, reddish in color, weighing up to 15 g.
Pyramid plum is a medium-sized crop with a spreading top and medium density. The plum is light blue in color, the taste is sweet with hints of bitterness. Weight up to 30 g.
Orange - a low-growing tree with a pyramidal top, average frost resistance. Having ripened late - at the end of August, the fruits are tasty, sweet, orange in color. Weight up to 20 g.

Growing rules

Plum cultivation in Siberia should be carried out according to the rules to avoid diseases and pest invasions. Planting is carried out on a specially selected plot of land, which is assessed according to the following criteria:

the absence of drafts that damage the tree and provoke an invasion of pests;
good illumination;
low occurrence of groundwater (at a depth of 2 m), which will allow the crop to develop freely and avoid rotting of the root system and fungal infections;
planting is carried out on loamy areas of land.

It is grown in neutral acidic soil. The acidic pH is adjusted by liming, for which dolomite flour is used in a proportion of 0.5 kg per square meter. m.

Planting should be done in the spring so that the seedling has time to take root and get stronger by the winter. Drop off rules:

dig a hole 60 cm deep and 70 cm wide;
mix the top fertile layer with a bucket of manure and 300 g of superphosphate;
pour soil with fertilizer into the bottom of the hole;
we plant a tree, leveling the roots along the mound of earth;
fill the top of the hole with the bottom layer of soil, gradually compacting it;
pour 20 liters of water.

Features of care

Caring for seedlings consists of watering, seasonal pruning, fertilizing and forming a tree trunk circle. To care for seedlings, in the spring it is enough to carry out formative pruning, which is carried out before the buds swell. After planting, the trunk is shortened to 90 cm in height. Every year (before reaching 4 years of age) in the spring, all skeletal branches are pruned by 10 cm, forming a medium-thick crown.

It is necessary to regularly water the seedlings and loosen the tree trunk. Liquid is added 4 times a season.

Caring for plums aged 4 years and older consists of:

establishing supports for fruitful branches;
mulching the area near the trunk with sawdust (after watering);
removal of root shoots;
weed removal.

Diseases and pests of plum

Diseases and pests of fruit crops can cause irreparable harm to the fertility and appearance of the plant. Plum diseases: coccomycosis and moniliosis.

Moniliosis is a disease of fruit crops that is a type of fungal infection. In an advanced stage, it can lead to the death of the entire plant.

Moniliosis

Manifestations of the disease are easily noticeable by gray growths on the fruit, located in the form of circles over the entire surface of the plum. On the bark, leaves and shoots you can notice burn marks, which lead to leaf blades withering and forming cracks on the trunk. Fighting moniliosis:

in the spring, before flower ovaries appear, irrigation is carried out with a 3% copper solution (300 g per bucket of water);
removal of affected parts of the tree;
harvesting damaged fruits.

Coccomycosis is a fungal infection that attacks plum trees during the summer. Fungal spores spread quickly in warm weather, colonizing leaves and shoots.

Coccomycosis

The leaf blades become covered with small red-brown spots, which over time turn into holes and lead to the drying out of all branches. Fighting coccomycosis:

timely pruning of infected areas;
spraying with Horus in an amount of 2 g per bucket of water.

The fruit mite is a dark brown insect (up to 0.4 mm in length) that feeds on the sap of plum branches. You can overcome ticks using Karbofos. Irrigation is carried out at the time of beetle invasion, diluting 2 g of the drug per bucket of water.

Aphids are microscopic insects that feed on the sap of leaves, flowers and shoots. You can notice aphids on a tree by curled leaves and a whitish coating on them. To combat aphids, use a soap solution, which is used to irrigate the plants in the garden for 3 days.

Aphids can completely destroy a tree

Conclusion

The growth and development of plums in Siberia will depend on the correct choice of variety for planting. Trees selected according to regional characteristics take root more easily.