We grow plums
The heat-loving culture, which has found its interest in summer residents, who manage to grow it in local conditions, came to us from the Caucasus. Many amateur summer residents are interested in cultivating their own garden plot, but they do not have all the necessary information. How to make sure that the plum in the garden takes root and gives a rich harvest? How to properly protect it from frost so that the plum in the garden does not die in the first year? Let's try to figure it out.
First of all, the summer resident should be ready for the finickyness of plums in the garden and in the garden - both in terms of temperature and in terms of nutrition. The place reserved for growing plums must be carefully analyzed.
The underlying groundwater should be located no closer than one and a half meters to the soil surface, otherwise it will be necessary to resort to raising its level from an average of 40 to 50 centimeters. If this is not possible, you can equip elevations - mounds on which the plum will grow without the danger of waterlogging.
The organization of a drainage system is recommended. The ideal landscape for plums is the elevated parts on the slopes - this is due to the early flowering of the crop, which entails, accordingly, an earlier susceptibility to recurrent frosts.
In the northern areas for growing a plum tree in the garden and vegetable garden, it is best to choose the most sunlit slope, which can be located in the direction of the southeast or west. The least suitable slopes are in the northwest and east, where there is increased activity and the effect of strong cold winds.
Since the plum is a thermophilic crop, it simply will not withstand their onslaught and will die, even if the winter turns out to be more or less warm.
The type of soil favorable for growing plums is primarily medium clay and clayey areas, oddly moist and heavy soils, which previously sounded like a disadvantage for most plants. Here we can finally note the advantage of this fastidious culture - the best moisture tolerance without much harm to yourself.
Note for yourself that the best growth and development dynamics of plums, as well as high yields, are obtained on soils rich in calcium. The choice of soil with an increased level of acidity is not allowed, since under such conditions the plant begins to wither, withers, and the yield begins to rapidly decline by the end of the season.
If your soil in the area is acidic enough, it just needs to be treated before planting plums in the garden by adding 500 grams of lime or tree bark to each hole, where the plums will subsequently be planted so that the pH level eventually returns to normal.
It is very often recommended to plant several varieties of plum at once, which is explained by the suitable way of propagation for this. Plums come in a species spirit - those that are cross-pollinated and those that are capable of self-pollination.
The best fruiting level of both species is observed when there is another variety that plays the role of a pollinator and blooms at the same time as the others. In order to achieve the maximum yield, it is recommended to plant at least 3 varieties of plum varieties on your site. It will be best if they form a sequence from early to late ripening.
If you have organized everything correctly, then you can expect the appearance of fruits by August and until September. The fruits will be fresh and large, and most importantly, you will be surprised by their quantity.The fruiting of plums depends primarily on how exactly the planting was carried out and in what place, whether strong northerly winds affect the culture.
Let us repeat once again that acidic soils, near which groundwater occurs and there is a risk of excessive waterlogging (although the drain is quite tolerant of a large amount of moisture), as well as low-lying places, basins subject to particularly low temperatures, are in no way suitable for growing plums.
Try to plant the crop in close proximity to any obstacle located to the north - this can be a high fence or a few dense trees. It is worth noting that during the flowering period, the plum can be more resistant to low temperatures, although in winter it is quite susceptible to freezing.
Plum propagation in the garden and vegetable garden in the classical way - by the shoots together with the roots of their own trees, is most often used by summer residents due to the ease of carrying out. As a rule, the shoot is taken at a small distance from the trunk, since it is in such a shoot that the presence of a formed root system is noted, which is strong and fortified enough to endure the reproduction process.
It is also allowed to use the propagation method by means of cuttings and grafting, but this already presents certain difficulties for the amateur gardener, therefore they are rarely used.
The plum, although it came to our regions from warm places, has quite successfully taken root in the local conditions, if, of course, it is properly looked after and not abandoned halfway.
Grow plums correctly in the garden, take care of their protection for the winter, use high-quality covering materials and monitor their condition in a timely manner. Good luck!