Domestic plumis one of the most popular fruit trees grown in home and allotment gardens. Properly cared for, it repays you with tasty, juicy and he althy fruit. We present the bestvarieties of plum trees for amateur cultivation , as well as discuss the basic requirements and rules for the care of plum trees. In this article you will also learnhow to prune plumsand how to protect them from diseases and pests.
Domestic plum tree - Prunus domestica
Fig. pixabay.com
Home plum - nutritional value of fruit
The domestic plum tree (Prunus domestica) belongs to the rose family.Plum fruits are not only tasty but also valuable , they can be eaten raw and in preserves. They contain vitamins K, A, C, PP, B vitamins, microelements such as: magnesium, potassium and iron. They also contain valuable pectins that improve intestinal peristalsis and reduce constipation. For this reason, they are recommended for weight loss. The more that100 g of plums is only about 46 kcalAntioxidants contained in plums neutralize the effects of free radicals. Plums are considered a natural prebiotic supporting the development of the intestinal bacterial flora.
Home plum - varieties
There are many varieties of plumsthat differ greatly in the taste and size of the fruit, the growth force and size achieved by the trees, and their sensitivity to frost and disease. If you only want to plant one plum tree in your garden, choose a self-fertile variety that does not require pollinators.
Peach Plum- characterized by vigorous growth and abundant but alternating fruiting. Large, spherical, pink-yellow fruits ripen at the turn of July and August. Tasty and juicy flesh adheres to the stone. The tree is resistant to frost and tolerant to plum stalk.
Fruits of different varieties of plum
Fig. pixabay.com
Opal Plum- trees with strong growth, bear fruit abundantly, start bearing fruit early. This variety has a tendency to over-set fruit, therefore it is necessary to thin out the fruitlets. The fruits are medium-sized and ripen in early August. The aromatic and juicy flesh is yellow-green and the yellowish skin has a purple-blue blush. Slightly susceptible to scar and mild to fungal diseases. Medium frost resistance.
Sliwa Renkloda Ulena- a variety with strong growth, starts fruiting late.The fruit is very tasty, medium-sized, with a yellow skin and a flesh of a similar color, adjacent to the stone. They start to mature successively from the second half of August. Self-fertile variety, not very susceptible to sharrhea.
Fun fact!
Green leaves come from France and took their name from Reine Claude (Queen Claude), daughter of Louis XII, to whom this fruit novelty was dedicated. This variety of plum has therefore been known for quite a long time.
Śliwa Węgierka Dąbrowicka- Polish variety bred in Skierniewice, bearing fruit in abundance in the presence of pollinators. Elongated large or medium-sized fruits ripen in late August. They have a dark blue skin with a blue coating. The green-golden flesh is tasty and goes well with the stone. The tree is moderately resistant to frost and tolerant to sharka.
Hungarian Plum Tree- medium-sized trees, bearing profusely but sometimes alternately. Self-fertile variety.Medium-sized navy blue or purple fruits with a blue coating on the skin ripen from mid-August to mid-October. The green-golden flesh is tasty and goes well with the stone.There are several types of Hungarian Ordinary maples in Polandand depending on the type of maple, trees may be moderately or very sensitive to shark. Resistance to frost is average.
Śliwa Cacanska Lepotica- a variety that yields well and regularly, self-fertile. Medium-sized, dark blue fruit with a waxy coating ripens from the beginning of August. Juicy, green-yellow flesh in ripe fruit separates well from the stone. It is not very susceptible to scars and fungal diseases. Resistance to frost is average.
Śliwa Kalipso- Polish variety that yields profusely every year, self-fertile. Medium-sized fruits are blue-purple in color with a waxy coating. They ripen at the turn of July and August. Very tasty and juicy flesh with a color from yellow to orange-yellow separates well from the stone.Low susceptibility to scar and fungal diseases. High frost resistance.
Ripening plum fruits
Fig. pixabay.com
Katinka plum- yields well and regularly. A tree of medium growth strength. Small fruits ripen in late July. Their color is maroon-blue at the beginning, then navy blue. The tasty orange-yellow flesh separates easily from the stone. It is not very susceptible to scars and fungal diseases, and it is resistant to frost. Self-fertile variety.
Amers Plum- yields profusely and regularly. It starts fruiting early. Maroon-blue, large, slightly flattened fruits ripen in the first half of September. The tasty flesh is yellow to orange-yellow in color and separates easily from the stone. The Amers cultivar requires the following pollinators: Węgierska Dąbrowicka, Cacanska Lepotica or Stanley. It is not very susceptible to scarlet and frost resistant.
Valjevka Plum- bears fruit every year, moderately abundantly.Not very large fruits ripen in mid-September. They are dark blue in color with a waxy coating. Green-yellow or yellow flesh is juicy and separates well from the stone. The tree is not very susceptible to diarrhea and fungal diseases and is moderately resistant to frost.
Home plum - cultivation
Domestic plum is a species that is moderately resistant to frost. The trees usually start flowering at the end of April, therefore their flowers are exposed to spring frosts that appear at this time of the year.Plum grows best in a sunny position, sheltered from frost and windVarieties with high frost resistance can be grown all over the country, for those less resistant to low temperatures, warmer regions of Poland will be better. In the case of young, recently planted trees, it is worth making a mound of soil before winter to protect the base of the trunk and the roots from freezing.
The best soil for plum cultivation isfertile, humus, moderately moist.Green grasses and green grasses will do well in slightly loamy soils. Depending on the type of rootstock on which the tree was grafted,the soil requirements of the plum treemay differ slightly. The plum needs to be watered during longer-lasting drought and during fruit setting.
Domestic plum tree - Prunus domestica
Fig. pixabay.com
Home plum tree - pruning
The first pruning of the plum treeafter planting should be done in spring, preferably in March. Side shoots are shortened by about half to keep the balance between the roots and the above-ground part. Leave a 30 cm long section on the guide, above the topmost side shoot.
During the first 2 years, we form a crownby trimming the conductor and deflecting the side shoots. This will make it easier to harvest the fruit in the future. Depending on the amount of space in the garden, we can produce a conical crown with a clear guide or a more free crown that needs more space.
We prune older plum trees every yearIt is a translucent cut that involves cutting out branches that thicken the crown, growing inwards or crossing each other. We also cut branches that are frozen and attacked by diseases. Wounds after cuts should be lubricated with garden ointment.
Home plum - diseases and pests
Plum shark (pox)- this is the most dangerous viral disease of plums. Chlorotic yellow discoloration and streaks appear on the leaves, round purple spots appear on the fruit, and the flesh becomes reddish within the spots and spongy. Infested fruit cannot be eaten. A diseased tree must be cut down, its roots removed and burned, it cannot be saved. If the disease was present in our area, it is very important to choose plum-resistant varieties for cultivation.
Plum fruits affected by brown rot
Fig. pixabay.com
Brown rot of stone trees- fungal disease affecting, among others, plums, cherries, sweet cherries and apricots. It destroys various parts of fruit trees: flowers, shoots and fruits. The flowers turn brown and die. Brown spots with grayish nodules appear on the plum fruit. With severe infestation, plums rotting massively on the tree occurs. They deform and dry up, remaining on the tree in the form of the so-called mummy. All affected plant parts must be removed, and in particular, no rotting fruit should be left behind. Against brown rot of stone trees, we use preventive spring spraying with Miedzian 50 WP, Miedzian Extra 350 SC, Signum 33 WG and Switch 62.5 WG
Holes in stone tree leaves- a fungal disease that attacks not only plums but also cherries, cherries and peaches. Brown spots form on the leaves, with time the tissue within them dies, crumbles and holes are formed.Infected shoots should be cut. During the resting period, Miedzian 50 WP can be used, while when the first symptoms appear on the leaves, use Magnicur Gold.
Fruit plum- this pest causes worming of plums. A popular way to catch wandering caterpillars is to put corrugated bands on the trunks, and you should also destroy the infested fruit. Mospilan 20 SP can be used to spray the plum fruit.
Plum bowl- a pest from the June group, attacking not only plums, but also apple trees, vines, blueberries, boxwood, cotoneaster and fireflies. In spring and summer,dark, hard and slightly convex discscan be seen on the shoots and leaves of the plants, under which the pest is hiding. Plants may be generally weakened and their growth slowed down. After noticing the presence of a plum cup on the plants, spraying with the natural oil preparation Emulpar 940 EC, a preparation based on silicone compounds Siltac EC or insecticides Mospilan 20 SP, Polysect 005 SL is performed.
Monika Glory
