In Europe, Prunus domestica is grown mainly in Asia and the Caucasus. Plum cultivars are a natural hybrid of alech and blackthorn.Only blackthorn plum grows wild in Poland, often found on the outskirts of forests or fieldsIts fruits, due to their tart taste, can be eaten only after freezing.
Mirabelle, greenhouse or Hungarian
Planted in gardens and orchards, the plum tree has many varieties. During the breeding process, the fruits differed in shape, color and size. In general, all European varieties fall into four utility groups.We distinguish between mirabelle plums, green gingerbreads, semi-Hungarian and typical Hungarian.
The smallest fruits of all plums have mirabelles. They are round, with a different color of the skin - from yellow, through red to purple. They are used as a raw material for the production of plum jam and jams. There aren't many varieties in this group. 'Mirabelka of Nancy' and 'Lohr Pflaume' are well-known.
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The next group, which includes green trees and round plums, has the largest fruit. Due to their unique taste and exceptional aroma, they are eaten mainly raw, although they are also perfect for compotes. The most valuable varieties are 'Brzoskwiniowa', 'Renkloda Ulena' and 'Renkloda Althana'.The third group of plums are semi-Hungarian and oval plums, which can be used universally. They are used for jam, for direct consumption, and also for drying. Most of the varieties grown in our country belong here.
Of the early varieties, 'Herman' is worth recommending, and of the later varieties 'Cacanska Lepotica' or 'Bluefre' - both self-pollinating. The last group consists of typical, very valuable Hungarian women with a dark blue skin with a white coating. The pebble stone detaches very well from the flesh.
Japanese plum - a valuable novelty A novelty in our country are Japanese plums, which are essentially hybrids of Asian plums with European varieties.These are mostly fertile varieties, easy to grow and, most importantly, adapted to our climatic conditionsIn nurseries you can find 'Kometa' and 'Najdiena' varieties with medium-sized, very aromatic and tasty. They differ from European plums both in appearance and taste, which makes them a valuable addition to the assortment of fruit in the orchard at home.
Stand under the plum trees
In colder parts of the country, cultivars more resistant to frost should be grown. Temperature drops below -30°C usually cause whole trees to freeze. Freshly planted trees should be especially taken care of, protecting them from frost.The use of sawdust or bark litter is beneficial. The trunk, on the other hand, can be wrapped with corrugated cardboard or white non-woven fabric.Painting the trunks in white also gives good results in the case of plums.
Most often, cultivars are improved on Wangenheim's ałycz or Hungarian rootstocks. The varieties grafted on alche can be planted on poorer, drier soils, because it is more resistant to unfavorable soil conditions and is more resistant to frost.On the other hand, Wangenheim's Hungarian has a more demanding root system, so trees improved on it are planted in better, water-rich soils.Plum, like most fruit trees, grows poorly in acidic soil.Before planting, it is beneficial to lime the soil beforehand.
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Planting plums
When planting a plum, remember to check if it is not a variety that requires pollination with pollen of another variety. Some varieties of plums, such as 'Stanley', 'Herman' or 'Cacanska Lepotica', are self-pollinating and do not require the presence of pollinators to set fruit. Others are non-pollinated and it is necessary to plant another variety as a pollinator.
All plums can be pruned in spring, but early and mid-early varieties are better pruned after harvest. The most common ones in gardens are an almost natural crown.In this crown, cutting is limited to the correction of excessively growing branches that grow too strongly or at a wrong angle. In the first years after planting, an equally important procedure as cutting is bending the shoots to a horizontal position (using weights, strings or clamps).
In the following years, pruning consists in maintaining the size of the crown and making sure that it is evenly compacted.As the tree grows older, cut the oldest branches so that young growths will grow in this place.
