Content
Plum Souvenir of the East is the result of domestic selection. The compact size of the tree simplifies pruning and other maintenance. The variety is appreciated by gardeners for the good taste of fruits that are suitable for processing.
Breeding history of the variety
Chinese plum Souvenir of the East received at Voronezh ASU. Breeders A. N. Venyaminov and A. T. Turovtseva worked on it. The East Asian varieties Gigant and Zarya became the parents.
Description of plum Souvenir of the East
Plum Souvenir of the East is a tree of medium vigor. It reaches a height of 2–2.5 m. The crown is spreading, shoots of medium thickness and length, glabrous, red-brown in color. The bark is dark brown in color, with a purple undertone.
Leaves are green, matte, leathery, obovate, with a pointed tip. The plate is flat or slightly concave, the edges are even, with small teeth. The petioles are short, no more than 1 cm. The plum forms small flowers.
Characteristics of the fruits of the Chinese plum:
- large size;
- weight about 40 g;
- rounded shape;
- as it ripens, the color changes from orange to maroon;
- pronounced groove;
- orange dense pulp with a pronounced aroma;
- rounded small bone, easily separates from the pulp.
Plum has a crispy juicy pulp with a sweet taste with spicy notes and a slight acidity. In terms of taste and appearance, the fruits resemble a peach. The pulp is rich in composition: 19.3% - dry matter; 13.4% - sugars and 0.99% - organic acids.
Characteristics of the plum Souvenir of the East
According to its characteristics, the Souvenir of the East stands out among other varieties of Chinese plum with a high yield and presentation of the fruit.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Drought tolerance is average. Watering is necessary for trees during flowering and fruit formation. No less destructive for the culture is stagnation of moisture in the soil.
Plum is appreciated for its high winter hardiness. Spring thaws are the most dangerous for plums. The tree quickly leaves the dormant stage, which leads to podoprevanie bark. Therefore, in colder regions, it is recommended to plant the variety on more winter-hardy trees.
Plum pollinators Souvenir of the East
Plum Souvenir of the East does not bear fruit without a pollinator. It is best to use diploid cherry plum or Gigant plum for these purposes. Other early blooming plum varieties are also suitable.
The flowering of the variety occurs at the end of April - beginning of May. The shoots are strewn with flowers. The crop can be harvested in the middle of August.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety is characterized by a high yield: 26–45 kg per tree. The fruits are collected in large clusters and ripen on bouquet branches. Plums grow singly on summer shoots.
Scope of berries
The fruits of the variety have a table purpose. It is recommended to use them fresh, process them into juice or jam. The variety is not suitable for canning, since the fruits are very soft.
Disease and pest resistance
The variety has a low resistance to clotterosporium disease. Preventive spraying and adherence to agricultural practices help protect the tree from diseases and pests.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantages of the Souvenir of the East variety:
- bright fruits of large size;
- high winter hardiness;
- decent productivity.
When growing a variety, its disadvantages are taken into account:
- podoprevanie plum;
- the need for pollinators.
Landing features
Competent planting is the key to high survival rate of the seedling and its development. Particular attention is paid to the choice of location, preparation of the seedling and soil.
Recommended timing
The time to disembark the Chinese Souvenir of the East plum depends on the weather conditions. If winter comes late in the region, then work is carried out in the fall, when leaf fall ends. If there is a likelihood of early snowfall, then planting is carried out in the spring, before the leaves open.
Choosing the right place
A place for growing Chinese plums is chosen taking into account a number of factors:
- illumination;
- location of groundwater;
- composition and moisture content of the soil.
The Chinese plum is planted on the south or west side of the site. So the tree will receive the necessary natural light. Places in the lowlands, where moisture constantly accumulates, are not suitable for planting. The permissible depth of groundwater is 1.5 m and more.
Plum grows well on any soil, except for acidified ones. The largest yields are obtained when the tree is grown in light soil, rich in nutrients.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
It is best to plant a plum in a group of 2-3 varieties. 3-4 m is left between the trees.
The culture gets along well with apple, raspberry, currant and gooseberry. The plum is removed as far as possible from cherries, cherries and pears.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting, choose healthy seedlings of the Souvenir of the East variety without damage. The optimum thickness of the shoots is 2.5 cm, the length is 50 cm. If the roots of the tree are overdried, they are kept in water for 4–5 hours before planting.
Landing algorithm
The order of planting plum varieties Souvenir of the East:
- First, a hole is dug. To fill it, fertile soil and peat are taken in equal quantities. To them are added 180 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium salt.
- The resulting substrate is poured into the pit.
- When the soil settles, they begin to prepare the seedling. Earth is poured into the hole to make a small hill.
- A plant is placed on top, its roots are straightened. The root collar is left 5–7 cm from the ground.
- The roots are covered with soil. The seedling is watered.
- Mulching the trunk circle with humus or peat is carried out.
Plum follow-up care
When growing plum Souvenir of the East, it is important to provide it with constant care.
The plum is watered 3 to 5 times per season. The introduction of moisture is necessary during flowering and fruiting. For young plantings, 4 buckets of water are enough, an adult tree needs 10 buckets.
After planting, full dressing begins only for 2 years. In the spring, plums are fertilized with a mineral complex containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For summer treatment, nitrogen is removed from the composition. Every 3 years, the soil is dug up under the drain and compost is applied.
Due to pruning, the crown of the tree is formed. The tree is pruned in the spring or autumn, when sap flow is slowed down. Eliminate dry, broken, frozen shoots.
Preparation of plums for winter begins with abundant watering. Moistened soil will protect the tree roots from freezing. Then they spud the trunk and mulch the soil with humus. For young plantings, a wooden frame is prepared, to which burlap or agrofibre is attached. From rodents, the drain is covered with a metal or tin cover.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main diseases of the culture are listed in the table:
Disease | Signs | Wrestling | Prophylaxis |
Clasterosporium disease | Dark spots on leaves and fruits. | Treatment of trees with copper oxychloride. | 1. Thinning of the crown. 2. Removal of root growth. 3. Spraying with fungicides. |
Gum therapy | A yellowish resin flows out of the cracks in the bark, gradually the plum weakens and dies. | Trunk treatment with copper sulfate and garden varnish. |
The table shows the pests of the Chinese plum and how to deal with them:
Pest | Signs | Wrestling | Prophylaxis |
Aphid | Aphid colonies live on the back of the leaves and feed on the sap of the tree. | Spraying with Karbofos insecticide solution. | 1. Digging up the soil in the fall. 2. Whitewashing the trunk, cleaning it from moss and dead bark. 3. Spraying trees with insecticide solutions. 4. Treatment of plums with tobacco dust. |
Moth | Caterpillars of the moth feed on fruits and gnaw passages in fruits, eat plum leaves. | Treatment with Actellik. |
Conclusion
Plum Souvenir of the East is suitable for growing in your own garden or on an industrial scale. The variety attracts gardeners with high yields, large and high-quality fruits. To protect against fungal diseases, regular spraying is performed.
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