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Plum Skorospelka red is one of the most popular varieties in the Central strip. Trees, as a rule, reach medium height, endowed with an oval-rounded crown shape of moderate density. The variety is considered winter-hardy, moderately drought-resistant. Despite this factor, the best crop with high quality indicators can be harvested only on moderately heavy, well-fertilized and irrigated lands.
History of variety breeding
Variety Early ripening red is tentatively the result of cross-pollination of Hungarian ordinary. Delivered from the former nursery of Regel and Kesselring. In the VIR collection since 1926. Included in the State Register for the Northwestern District since 1947.
Description of the plum
An adult red plum reaches 3,5 meters in height, has a stack-shaped crown 3–3,5 m wide. The stem is light gray or pale brown, smooth or rough. The main, most powerful branches deviate from the trunk at an angle of 30-50 degrees, rather upright.
Plum bark Early maturing brown-gray, with a smooth or rough surface, does not crack along. Shoots slightly arched, green-brown, not drooping.
According to the description of the plum variety Skorospelka, red in the culture, the buds are medium, slightly pressed or slightly extending from the shoot, brown, 1–3 pieces per node. Plum leaves Red medium thickness, elongated-obovate, slightly depressed, medium size, green, with a smooth surface (bare above and slightly pubescent below). The edges of the leaves are single-serrate, the apex is pointed, the base is wedge-shaped. Petiole green, medium, with anthocyanin and a pair of glands.
The flowers of the early ripening red plum are medium open, have wide oval petals (corolla diameter 24–26 mm, number of stamens 23–25 pieces, ovary ovary, not omitted). Flowering and fruiting are usually concentrated on adult shoots.
Plum Early ripening brings round or ovoid fruits, the weight of which varies from 15 to 20 grams. The main color is pink-scarlet, the integumentary – raspberry-violet, falls on most of the fruit. Pubescence is not observed, there is a moderate wax coating of a bluish tint. Ripe plums are unequal. The pulp is bright yellow in color, moderately juicy, with the presence of fibers, darkens to an average degree from the ingress of air, has an average density. The skin is thin and easy to remove. The peduncle is medium in size (approximately 5-6% of the mass of the plum, easily separated from the pulp).
The fruits of the early ripening red plum are quite tasty, sweet and sour, emit a pleasant delicate aroma, ripen unevenly, ripe ones, as a rule, crumble.
Description of the plum variety Early ripening
Plum early ripening begins its flowering at the end of May. Ripe plums can be harvested in the second half of August – early autumn (depending on the growing area). Coppice plants enter the fruiting period approximately in the sixth year after planting, grafted – in 3-4 years. The life span of a red plum can reach 25 years.
Characteristics of a variety
Plum Early ripening red is a small tree with a sprawling spherical crown.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Plum homemade Early ripening red is a winter-hardy tree that can withstand even the most severe frosts (from 35 to 38 degrees). Flower buds are slightly less resistant to cold, mainly in the second half of winter.
With insufficient moisture, red plums may crumble. Despite the fact that the Skorospelka red variety is quite drought-resistant, abundant yields of the best quality are obtained on medium-heavy, moderately fertilized and irrigated soils. However, the plant is very unpretentious, able to grow and bear fruit even on heavily waterlogged soil.
Plum pollinators
Plum variety Early ripening is partly self-fertile. Excellent Pollinators:
- Renklod collective farm;
- Hungarian Moscow and Pulkovo;
- Reform;
- Ochakovskaya black;
- Nikolskaya and Winter White.
Yield and fruiting
The entry of plums into the fruiting period indicates that the yield of the plant is increasing at a rapid pace. At the age of 5–10 years, the early ripening red plum brings 2–10 kg of ripe pilaf, at maturity (10–25 years) – 10–30 kg per tree, individual plants can produce 40–50 kg of plums. The plant can bear fruit every year.
Scope of berries
The fruits of the red plum can be eaten fresh and also processed, although when preserved, the berries do not produce products of the highest quality.
In the cool, the berries are stored for more than 25 days.
Disease and pest resistance
The adult early ripening red is extremely rarely attacked by pests and diseases. In rare cases, aphids can infect the early mating.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Advantages of the plum variety Skorospelka:
- excellent winter hardiness;
- unpretentiousness;
- excellent adaptability to environmental conditions;
- decorative crown of an oval-spherical type;
- precocity
- regular harvest;
- pulp easily separated from the stone;
- long life of plants;
- immunity to diseases and pests;
- ability to reproduce due to root shoots.
Disadvantages:
- different ripening times for plums;
- significant crumbling;
- not too high quality indicators of berries and products of their processing;
- the need for neighbors-pollinators.
Features of landing
A well-chosen place for a red plum is a guarantee of a quality harvest and excellent growth. Ideally, this should be a hill located on the sunny side, with loamy or black earth soil.
Recommended dates
Planting seedlings of early ripening red should be done exclusively in spring for a bare root system, and in the period from spring to mid-autumn for container plants.
Choosing the right place
The opposite situation can lead to a decrease in the sugar content of plums and a reduction in yield.
Due to the fact that the culture is not the most frost-resistant, it should be planted next to summer cottages (among houses and sheds, between a bathhouse and a fence). The best choice for planting Early Red will be a sunny place, which will be closed from the north by a brick wall. When heated, it will act as a protection against cold winds and will be able to warm the red plum.
Red early ripening categorically does not tolerate stagnation of water in the soil, therefore, if there is a possibility of flooding the roots of a tree in the garden, if possible, it is worth building a drainage or planting a plant on a mound. Otherwise, the plum will be underdeveloped, prone to disease, and may even die. Groundwater should be at a depth of 1,5-2 meters. Plum Red grows best on light sandstones and loams.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
Plum Skorospelka, like other varieties of plums that grow in the Moscow region, is self-fertile (pollen of another tree is required to set fruits). Therefore, you need to plant plums of other varieties nearby.
For a good set of fruits near the red plum, experts advise planting cherry plum.
Selection and preparation of planting material
It is worth choosing a one- or two-year-old tree with a developed root system and at least three shoots.
When buying a seedling of early ripening red in the spring, you can immediately begin to prune the branches. In no case should you touch and cut the root system. The thicker it is in a young tree, the sooner it will take root and be able to develop safely. Roots need to be straightened.
Landing algorithm
- Plum sapling Red is not recommended to deepen significantly when planting in the soil.
- The root neck (the place where the root smoothly passes into the trunk) should rise at least 5 cm above the ground.
- When planting a young seedling in open ground in a pit for planting, it is required to put humus or humus, as well as potassium sulfate (80 g), superphosphate (200 g). Nitrogen does not need to be added.
- When planting the branches of a young plum, you need to thin out by one third, as this will contribute to the rapid formation of a dense crown.
Plum Aftercare
Next, you need to cut off part of the crop at the stage of embryos, which will reach several centimeters in diameter. This will help normalize the harvest. Thanks to this, the plums that are left on the tree will be able to reach their largest size when ripe and will be much sweeter. Among other things, this method will at least partially help to deal with the frequency of fruiting.
Plum Skorospelka loves water very much, so watering is required 4-5 times a month (one bucket per adult tree twice a day).
The plum is endowed with a tendency to form basal shoots (need to be cut near the ground so that a significant part of the micronutrients does not go to it).
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Red plum, as a rule, is not attacked by pests, but it can become a delicacy for mice and hares. In order to protect the tree, you need to cover the stem with special material or nylon tights (the fabric must pass air and water, so the film and roofing material will not work). If possible, wrap the plum completely. To control mice, it is best to use a specially designed net against rodents.
Conclusion
Plum Early ripening red – winter-hardy medium-sized tree, endowed with a rounded or flat-rounded shape. The variety is partially self-fertile, bears fruit best when Hungarian Moscow and Renklod kolkhoz grow nearby. The yield of an adult plant can reach 40 kg of ripe and juicy plums, which are stored for a month. Plum care, carried out in a competent way, can contribute to a good harvest.