Contents
Cherry plum cultivars, including Tsarskaya cherry plum, are used as a fruit crop. Often used as a fresh seasoning, it is an ingredient in Tkemali sauce. The tree during flowering is very beautiful and gives the garden an elegant look.
History of breeding
Hybrid cherry plum “Royal” bred by breeders of the Moscow Academy of Agricultural Sciences. K.A. Timiryazev free pollination from the variety “Kuban Comet”. plum appeared in the XNUMXth century, as a result of crossing cherry plum and Chinese plum. Later, the Kuban Comet variety was bred.
Description of the culture
When describing the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety, everyone notes that the tree is undersized and has a height of 2,5 m. The crown is sparse, compact, round and slightly flat. The foliage is light green in color, elongated with pointed ends. “Royal” plum has round fruits, with an average weight of 18 to 25 g. It tastes sweet and sour, the core is juicy and bright yellow. The fruits of the cherry plum (plum) “Royal” have a small wax coating, their peel is dense. The value lies in the rich taste characteristics of fruits and the possibility of long-term storage of fruits (up to 1 month). The tree is characterized by an abundance of fruits and precocity. Already in the second year you can get the first harvest. Cherry plum “Royal” is resistant to frost and diseases. During flowering, beautiful white flowers with smooth petals bloom. Plum prefers well-lit areas and fertile soil, with a low level of groundwater. Nearby, it is recommended to plant pollinator trees for Tsarskaya cherry plum at a distance of up to 15 m. With this approach, the plum tree will bring a large harvest every summer.
Features
Among the important characteristics of the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety, there is a high content of citric acid and sugar in the fruits. There are a lot of vitamins and minerals in cherry plum. This variety of plum is able to remove cholesterol, is a good diuretic, which helps to remove salts and harmful water from the body, support the work of the heart and perform the prevention of heart, liver, kidney pathologies. Plum is able to improve appetite, rid the body of excess bile, it eliminates constipation and intestinal atony. Yellow cherry plum “Royal” is well absorbed by the body and can even lower the temperature. A ripe plum is quite sweet, the sourness indicates the immaturity of the fruit.
Drought resistance, winter resistance
The Tsarskoy cherry plum tree itself and its crown have good resistance to frost, they are able to withstand temperatures up to -350C. At the same time, the root system will not tolerate severe frosts or a significant drop in temperature, they can freeze even at -100C. In the presence of snow, it should be raked up to the trunk of the cherry plum, and in the absence of such, it is imperative to protect the root system of the tree from freezing. Mulching the soil with horse manure up to 7 cm will protect the roots, you can use leaf litter or spruce branches. It is better to wrap a tree stem with nylon. Growing cherry plum “Royal” will not bring much trouble.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening period
Plum “Royal” – requires help in pollination, and therefore it is necessary to plant pollinator trees from 3 to 15 m from it, such varieties are perfect for this:
- cherry plum “Kuban comet”;
- cherry plum “Found”;
- “Cleopatra” from apple;
- cherry plum “Traveler”;
- plum “Ray”.
Plum begins to bloom from the end of April, and already in early August we collect ripe fruits.
yield, fruiting
The yield of “Royal” cherry plum is good and reaches 25 kg per tree. Fruits are medium, about 20 g, ripening in late July – early August. The tree begins to bear fruit from the second year after planting.
Scope of fruits
You can use the “Royal” plum fresh and dried; compotes and juices are prepared from the fruits of this variety. Processing the plum, jams, wine are made from it, and used in baking.
Disease and pest resistance
This plum variety is resistant to many common diseases and pests, but for a consistently high yield, a number of measures and preventive measures should be taken. For different varieties of plums, the following diseases can pose a danger:
- moniliosis can damage the trunk, leaves and branches;
- rust attacks the leaves;
- powdery mildew affects leaves, shoots and trunks;
- the bog will damage the wood of branches and trunks;
- downy silkworm will hit the foliage of a tree;
- the codling moth will hit the fruits, which will significantly reduce the yield.
It is necessary to constantly control the absence of diseases in the tree, with the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to immediately begin the fight, treat it with special means and preparations. In the photo of the Tsarskaya cherry plum, we can see leaves damaged by rust.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of yellow cherry plum “Royal” note:
- precocity
- consistently good harvest;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- duration of storage and the ability to easily endure transportation;
- the beauty of the fruit.
Despite such a number of positive qualities, this variety has some disadvantages:
- self-infertility;
- tendency to overgrowth;
- low resistance of roots to frost.
Despite this, reviews of the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety are the most positive.
Features of landing
Among the features of planting and caring for the “Tsarskaya” cherry plum, it is demanding on the land; it is necessary to add ash or manure to it when the soil is highly acidified. You should also follow some rules when planting a seedling.
Recommended dates
The best period for planting a seedling of the “Royal” plum is March-April. This must be done before the kidneys swell. Land for planting should be prepared in a few weeks and previously cleared of weeds.
Choosing the right place
The best soil for draining will be loamy drained soil, preferably the absence of groundwater, the distance to the place of their flow should be more than 1,5 meters. Plum loves good lighting and protection from cold winds. The southern or southwestern section near the walls of the house is considered an ideal place for landing.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherry plum
Near the cherry plum, you can plant any kind of plums, at a distance of 3 meters. Moreover, the variety of the “Royal” plum is self-fertile. Cherry plum will be dissatisfied with the neighborhood with a pear, walnut, cherry and apple tree, an old apple tree may be an exception. She treats the rest of the trees quite calmly.
Selection and preparation of planting material
When choosing a cherry plum seedling, you need to carefully examine the condition of the roots, they must be strong, elastic, developed, whole and fresh. The root system should contain up to 6 shoots about 25 cm long each.
The ideal option is a two-year-old seedling obtained by cuttings or overgrown. Such a tree will have the ability to recover better after freezing.
Landing algorithm
For good growth of cherry plum seedlings, the following rules should be considered:
- distance between trees – more than 3 m;
- a pit with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of up to 80 cm;
- mandatory addition of a mixture of horse manure (or humus) with potassium sulfate and superphosphate;
- the presence of drainage from broken bricks or rubble;
- the roots, immediately before planting, must be dipped in a mixture of clay and water, which should be the consistency of sour cream;
- in the pit, the roots are neatly straightened and sprinkled with good fertile soil;
- the root neck should be located 7 cm above the soil level;
- after planting, pour into a recess at a distance of 50 cm along the trunk circle, use at least 3 buckets of water;
- be sure to mulch the seedling with peat or compost with the addition of dolomite flour or garden lime, the layer should be up to 8 cm.
Culture aftercare
For a beautiful formation of the crown, it is necessary to cut off all the branches of the tree by 1/3 even when planting. The most favorable time for pruning the Tsarskaya cherry plum is the beginning of April. In the first years of tree growth, all branches should be cut, leaving only the strongest skeletal ones at the base. Be sure to cut off the shoots. After 4 years, the central conductor should be removed, then the crown will turn out to be the most correct shape. Prune shoots over 50 cm in spring. Branches that are strongly inclined under the weight of the fruit should also be pruned.
When preparing for the wintering of the Tsarskaya cherry plum, pay special attention to the roots of the tree. The tree stem must be wrapped with breathable material, and the roots should be covered with a 7 cm layer of horse manure.
Plum loves moisture and needs regular watering. During the growing season, watering should be carried out at least 1 time in 10 days. At least 5 buckets of water should go per tree. After watering, loosen the ground near the tree and weed it.
In autumn, you need to feed the tree: 6 kg of humus is mixed with 60 g of urea per 1 sq. m. Cherry plum should be fed three times during the growing season:
- March – 40 g of potassium sulfate and urea;
- early June – 40 g of urea and nitrophic;
- end of August – 40 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
In winter, capron, which should be wrapped around the trunk, will help protect against rodents.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
To protect against aphids, you need to spray the tree with a 1% solution of DNSC or laundry soap, diluted in an amount of 200 g per 10 liters of water. The brown fruit mite is afraid of 10% Karbofos (75 g per 10 l of water) or 10% benzophosphate (60 g per 10 l of water). Spraying with 0,2% Metaphos or 0,3% Karbofos will protect against plum codling moth, installation of trapping belts made of cardboard or burlap up to 25 cm wide will help, they must be tied to a stem.
To protect against powdery mildew, diseased areas should be removed and treated with a solution of copper sulfate. As a preventive measure, treatment in April with a solution of colloidal sulfur (20 g) with the addition of copper sulfate (5 g) in a bucket of water will help. Spraying with 1% Bordeaux liquid in the proportion of 100 g per bucket of water helps to get rid of rust. Moniliosis is removed only by complete pruning of the infected area of the tree, capturing 10 cm of the healthy part. As a preventive measure, copper sulfate is used. It must be diluted in a proportion of 100 g per bucket of water and sprayed on the tree.
Conclusion
The variety of cherry plum “Tsarskaya” is the most productive, its fruits have an excellent taste and bright color. It contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. This tree will certainly become an adornment of any garden, and the plum will delight its owners with a consistently good harvest.
Reviews
Reviews about the cherry plum “Royal” are the most positive. Here is some of them:
