Plum Apricot

Plum Apricot is a fast-growing hybrid of apricot and plum. A variety with a rich history has become a favorite of many summer residents, commercial gardeners. Unpretentiousness in care, excellent taste of fruits, high frost resistance are significant advantages of Apricot plum over other fruit crops.

History of variety breeding

The history of the variety begins in the last century. For 30 years, US breeder Floyd Zeiger has been experimenting with a new variety. Crossing a plum with an apricot gave the result in the form of a hybrid – an apricot plum.

Description Plum Apricot

Apricot plum has several subspecies:

• Pluot;
• The plume;
• Aprium.

Each of the varieties is resistant to harsh winters. The zone of their cultivation extends to the northern, southern regions.

The trees of the hybrid are low – no more than 2,5 m. The crown is in many ways like a plum tree. Very often it is drooping in shape with foliage of medium density. The plant blooms with white flowers in early April. The fruits ripen by July-August.

Each of the varieties of plum Apricot has common features in the description of the fruit:

1. Large size. One fruit weighs from 30 to 70 g.
2. Plums are oval shaped.
3. Green-pink, yellow or purple skin with a waxy coating.
4. The pulp of the fruit is particularly juicy and dense.

Characteristics of a variety

Features of the Apricot plum variety affect the abundance of the crop, the health of the hybrid. They must be taken into account when choosing a landing site, care procedures, and preventive measures.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

The variety is characterized by a high level of frost resistance. The hybrid withstands a significant drop in temperature. He also perceives well the warm climate, hot summers.

Plum pollinators

Hybrid Apricot self-fertile. To improve the harvest, you can plant pollinators nearby – trees of similar varieties:

• Altanta;
• Renklod Kolkhozny;
• Plum Michurinskaya, others.

Yield and fruiting

Plum Apricot is a fast-growing hybrid. Fruiting occurs 2-3 years after planting. Yield increases as the variety matures. Blooms in April. Ripe fruits are plucked in August-September. Up to 50 kg of fruits are harvested from one tree.

Scope of plums

The sweet taste of plums makes them an excellent dessert. Jams, preserves, compotes, juice are cooked from them.

Disease and pest resistance

Гибрид сливы и абрикоса практически не восприимчив к болезням, не подвергается воздействию насекомых. Необходимо проводить профилактические мероприятия, чтобы полностью избежать пагубного влияния.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Numerous advantages of the variety make the diploid hybrid Apricot popular among other horticultural crops:

1. High level of frost resistance. This allows you to plant a variety in the northern regions.
2. Precocity. Plum brings the first harvest a couple of years after planting. The fruits ripen in mid-summer.
3. Large fruits. The weight of one plum is up to 70 g. The taste is dessert. This makes the variety attractive for private, commercial horticulture.
4. Fruits are sources of many useful substances, vitamins.

Apricot plum has distinctive features:

1. The pulp of the fruit contains a special enzyme. It provokes the development of stomach ulcers. Do not abuse the plum on an empty stomach.
2. Fruits do not retain their presentation during transportation.
3. Plums are not subject to long-term storage. A plucked ripe fruit must be consumed as soon as possible.

Features of landing

Planting a plum hybrid is a labor-intensive process. It is enough to choose the right place on the garden plot, complete the stages of planting a young seedling.

Recommended dates

Work with Apricot plum seedlings is carried out in early spring. Planting during this period guarantees maximum rooting of the plant. Before the onset of cold weather, the young tree will have time to get stronger, get used to the local climate. In regions with mild, warm weather, planting can be done in the fall.

Choosing the right place

Choosing a place for a hybrid seedling is a responsible task. It must meet certain criteria:

1. Abundant lighting throughout the day.
2. No drafts, no wind.
3. The soil for planting should be nutritious, airtight.

What crops can and cannot be planted nearby

You can not plant tall plants with a spreading crown nearby. They will create additional shade for a low tree, which can affect the quality of the fruit. Similar varieties, apple trees, evergreen shrubs will have a favorable effect on planting.

Selection and preparation of planting material

The choice of planting materials should be approached responsibly and in advance. A set of garden tools must necessarily include:

1. Shovel for pits.
2. Rake for loosening.
3. Деревянный кол, веревку для крепления, фиксации саженца.
4. Drainage.
5. Fertilizers.
6. Water for irrigation.

Landing algorithm

Apricot plum planting takes place in several stages. Each of them must be performed in accordance with the recommendations presented:

1. Hole preparation. Holes are formed with a shovel. Depth – 80 cm, diameter – 80 cm.
2. drainage layer. A layer of brick and stone is laid out at the bottom of the landing hole.
3. Top dressing. After drainage, organic, potash fertilizers, superphosphate are poured into the pit.
4. Seedling installation. Its roots spread freely inside the pit. The stalk is covered with earth, watered, rammed.
5. Additional reinforcement. The trunk of a young tree is tied with a soft rope to a wooden peg.
6. An earthen roller is formed around the plum trunk. It will prevent the accumulation of fluid in the roots of the plant.

Plum Aftercare

When caring for the Apricot plum, some nuances must be taken into account. They affect the health of the planting, a bountiful harvest:

1. Watering. The hybrid does not like fluid stagnation. It is important to monitor the level of groundwater. After each watering, the ground under the plant is carefully loosened.
2. Formative cutting. To design a neat crown, a cut of branches begins to be carried out near a young tree.
3. Top dressing. It is carried out in three stages. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied before flowering. Before fruit ripening, micro-feeding is carried out. Add organic matter in the fall.
4. Disease prevention. Regularly carry out preventive measures against diseases and pests. Cutting dry branches, destroying root shoots, regular cleaning of the garden plot are mandatory procedures to maintain plum immunity.
5. Shelter for the winter. It is enough for a frost-resistant variety to whitewash the trunk with a solution of lime, cover the roots with needles and sawdust. In autumn, the soil under the plum is dug up.

Diseases and pests, control methods and prevention

Conclusion

Plum Apricot is a unique hybrid of two popular fruit varieties. He inherited the distinctive features of the two species. The variety is popular in the garden environment. Its large, sweet fruits are massively used in the preparation of delicious desserts. An unpretentious tree is grown by amateur gardeners, commercial gardeners.

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