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Peach plum is famous for its delicious fruits, plentiful harvest. The variety is common in the southern regions. In the northern regions, its subspecies is grown – the Michurin plum. This variety is an excellent option for a summer cottage, commercial use.
History of variety breeding
The first time the description of the Peach plum variety was mentioned in 1830. More accurate information about this Western European culture has not been preserved. Previously, a variety of plums was called Red Nectarine, Royal Rouge.
Description Plum Peach
Peach plum and its subspecies, Michurin’s plum, are universal varieties. They can grow in the southern, northern regions:
- Krasnodar region;
- Rostov;
- Stavropol region;
- Voronezh region;
- Kursk, others.
The height of the Peach plum tree is on average 3-4 m. Young plantings grow rapidly. The shape of the crown is rounded, similar to an inverted cone. It is of medium density, but becomes more magnificent with age. The leaves are large, oval. The fruits are large. Their weight can be from 50 to 70 g. The plum is round, slightly flattened at the top. Fruit skin is thick. Their color smoothly shimmers from yellow-green to purple. The pulp is tender, juicy. The fruits are fragrant. The bone inside is separated easily.
Description of plum Peach yellow
The history of Michurin’s peach plum begins in the middle of the last century. There was a need to produce a variety that would be more resistant to low temperatures, it will be possible to cultivate it in the northern regions. A seedling of a white Samara plum was pollinated with the American variety Washington. The result was a plant with delicious dessert fruits. They named it after a biologist who was engaged in a scientific experiment.
Peach yellow plum reaches 3 m. A dense crown, spreading branches, a strong trunk are the main characteristics of an adult tree. The fruits of the Michurin plum are yellow with a greenish tint. They are smaller. Their weight is 35-40 g. Harvested in August-September. One plum gives up to 15 kg of fruit.
A photo of Peach Michurin’s plum is presented below:
Characteristics of a variety
The main characteristics of a peach plum must be considered when planting and caring. The right place for the plant, regular watering, timely preventive measures against diseases are the key to healthy trees and a big harvest.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
The plum variety prefers mild, warm climates. The plant tolerates the dry summer period well. Timely soil moisture helps the tree in hot summers. In the northern regions with lower temperatures, the Michurin plum takes root better.
Plum Pollinators
The barren variety of peach plum needs pollinators. Best suited for this:
- Hungarian;
- Greengage;
- Mirabelle Nancy, others.
The variety blooms in July. Harvesting can be done in August.
Yield and fruiting
Peach plum – fast-growing. The first fruits are harvested 5-6 years after planting seedlings. The variety gives a stable harvest in the fifteenth year of life. Up to 50 kg of juicy sweet harvest is harvested from one tree. Plum Michurin sings a little later: the fruits ripen by the end of August. The collection of yellow fruits occurs at the beginning of autumn.
Scope of berries
Plums are a great option for compotes, preserves, jams. They make delicious wine. Ripe fruits can be frozen for further use in winter.
Disease and pest resistance
The variety can affect a variety of diseases, pests. Plum is quite resistant to their destructive influence. A combination of preventive measures, proper care will increase the level of resistance to harmful lesions.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main benefits of Peach Plum have made it popular among other garden crops:
- early maturation. The variety ripens much earlier than similar trees.
- Sweet, large fruits.
- Abundant harvests.
- Good resistance to diseases and pests.
Distinctive features of the tree must be considered when caring for the plant:
- For the harvest, additional pollinators are needed.
- Low frost tolerance. The exception is the Michurin variety.
- At low temperatures, the fruits change their taste, and yields may decrease.
Planting a Peach Spring Plum
Planting a plum tree is a labor-intensive process. It is enough to follow simple recommendations to get the most correct result.
Recommended dates
Planting of seedlings is carried out in the spring. Holes for them are prepared in the fall. Before the onset of cold weather, young plants should not be rooted. They will not have time to get stronger, they will not endure frosts, they may die.
Choosing the right place
Peach plum prefers a sunny place, protected from drafts. It is better to choose the south side of the garden plot. The nearest plantings, buildings should be located at a distance of 5 m or more from the tree. Plum loves space. Its root system will develop rapidly. Other plants should not interfere with it.
When planting the Michurin plum in the northern regions, care must be taken that the place is the most illuminated, calm. The variety tolerates cold well, but additional measures to protect the tree will make it more resistant to changing climates.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
Favorable “neighbors” for Peach plum:
- Apple tree;
- currant;
- raspberries;
- gooseberry.
Pear, cherry, sweet cherry do not take root next to this variety. The tree may be left without a harvest.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For the process of planting Peach plum, a standard set of tools is required:
- shovel;
- loosening device;
- fertilizer;
- water.
Landing algorithm
Creating favorable conditions for the growth of Peach plum begins with the planting process. Of great importance is the choice of location, soil. The variety loves fertile, not waterlogged soil. The level of groundwater should be checked. A simple sequence of planting seedlings contributes to the rapid growth of the tree, a good harvest:
- The cutting hole must be at least 50 cm deep, 70 cm in diameter. It is prepared in autumn.
- Part of the soil from the pit is mixed with compost, coal, and other fertilizers.
- A stake 1 m long is installed at the bottom of the hole. A seedling is tied to it. This will provide additional fixation, resistance to winds.
- The roots of the cutting are straightened. They should be about 5 cm from the bottom of the hole.
- They begin to cover the young tree with pre-prepared earth, tamping each new layer.
- Landing is watered with two buckets of water.
Plum Aftercare
Peach plum care activities do not require a lot of effort, time, and resources. Simple recommendations can be easily followed even by a novice gardener:
- Regular watering. During flowering (May-June), fruit ripening (August-September), the soil needs to be thoroughly moistened. After watering, the soil is loosened.
- Fertilizer. To stimulate intensive growth and development of the plant in the fall, it is fed with manure and mineral supplements.
- Pruning. The procedure is necessary for the formation of the crown of the plant. It begins to be carried out from the first year after planting. Annual shoots are shortened by one third.
- Disease treatment, pests.
- Preparation for winter. Temperature changes, cold air lead to burns on the bark of the plant. To avoid such damage, the plum trunk is whitewashed with diluted lime. Before the cold weather, it is covered with a special material.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Disease | Description of the lesion | Methods of struggle | Prevention |
Moniliasis | Leaves, shoots dry up. Fruit shrinks and disappears | The affected areas are sprayed with copper sulfate | Timely pruning, removal of damaged branches |
Klyasterosporiosis | Brown spotting on leaves, shoots, turning into holes | Using a solution of Bordeaux mixture | Cut of a part of the affected areas of the tree |
Rust | Red spots on foliage. The spoiled leaves are falling | Wood treated with copper chloride | Timely destruction of fallen leaves |
Conclusion
Peach Plum will please the owners with a rich harvest. An unpretentious variety is a worthy option for a summer cottage. Early ripening, large, juicy, sweet fruits, resistance to pests and diseases are the advantages of the variety that make it popular among beginners and experienced gardeners.