Content
Cherry plum Soneika is a hybrid of cherry plum of Belarusian selection. A beautiful, productive tree is popular in country gardens in Belarus and Russia. Let's consider the characteristics and conditions of its cultivation.
History of selection
Breeders from the Institute of Fruit Growing of Belarus created this hybrid variety by pollinating the Mara cherry plum variety with pollen from diploid plums. It was bred by Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Valery Matveev. Cultivated since 2009.
Description of culture
The description of Soneika cherry plum is as follows:
- The tree has the shape of a flattened circle. Its height does not exceed three meters.
- The crown is not very dense, the branches are inclined downwards.
- It has oval pointed leaves and white flowers.
- Plums are yellow with a red side, weighing up to 50 g, sweet, slightly sour.
- Productivity 30-40 kg.
- The pulp is yellow and juicy.
The cherry plum variety is winter-hardy and can be planted in central Russia and Belarus.The photo of Soneika cherry plum below allows you to get acquainted with this plant.
Characteristics
Let's consider the main characteristics of the Soneika cherry plum variety.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Cherry plum has good winter hardiness and can withstand frosty winters without loss. Sudden temperature changes in February are dangerous for fruit buds.
Like the ancestor of plums, drought-resistant plant. However, watering will give a higher yield and juicy fruits.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Like a plum, it requires a pollinator to produce fruit, and varieties are chosen that bloom at the same time as it. The best pollinator for Soneika cherry plum is Eastern European varieties of plums. Blooms with white flowers in May. The fruits ripen at the end of August.
Productivity, fruiting
The variety is early-fruiting, high-yielding, up to 40 kg of berries are collected from one tree. Ripening occurs almost simultaneously, which reduces the harvest time. The first fruits appear two years after planting.
Area of application of fruits
Cherry plum fruits are used fresh. They are well transported and stored for a long time. They are used to make preserves, compotes, jams, and add them to culinary products. It is used in cosmetology in the preparation of creams, shampoos and other cosmetics.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Hybrid plants have good resistance to harmful insects and diseases. The variety is immunized to clasterosporium blight.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the hybrid cherry plum variety Soneika:
- High yield.
- Early start of fruiting.
- The tree is compact.
- Winter-hardy.
- Drought resistant.
- Resistant to diseases.
The disadvantage is the need to install supports for branches strewn with fruits and the presence of other varieties for cross-pollination.
Landing Features
The plant requires certain conditions for good growth and fruiting.
Recommended timing
The best time to plant cherry plum is spring; the plant has time to take root before the onset of cold weather.
Autumn planting of cherry plum is acceptable; it should be no later than mid-September, a month before the onset of frost. If it grows late, the roots will not have time to take root and the plant may die.
Choosing a suitable location
The Russian plum, Soneika cherry plum, loves a sunny place with protection from northern winds. This can be any part of the garden, except for its northern zone. Low places with stagnant water and close groundwater are unacceptable. Acidic soil should be limed.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherry plum
The best neighbors will be stone fruit crops, as well as plants that are suitable for soil with low acidity. Pear and apple trees growing nearby do not work well.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting, one-year and two-year-old seedlings are used. The root system should consist of 5 main roots 30 cm long and be well developed. You can use grafted plants; they begin to bear fruit faster.
Before planting, inspect the roots, remove diseased and damaged ones, and shorten the rest. Their cut color should be white.
The roots should be saturated with water. They are placed in a solution with disinfectant additives to eliminate possible diseases.
Landing algorithm
The tree is compact, 3 meters are left between seedlings, 4-5 meters are enough between rows.
Planting holes are prepared with a depth of 0.8 meters, their width is up to 0.7 m, depending on the fertility of the soil. On poor soils, add humus or compost to the hole and sprinkle with complex fertilizer. On acidic soils, add ash, lime or dolomite.
On clay soils, drainage is made from crushed stone, brick or coarse sand. If the soil is sandy, add a layer of clay to the bottom of the hole.
The root collar of the cherry plum is not buried; it is left at ground level. This is especially true for grafted seedlings, so that wild shoots of the rootstock do not begin to grow and drown out the cultivated shoots.
Subsequent care of the crop
Growing Soneika cherry plum requires compliance with certain rules. Basic requirements for crop care:
- Watering.
- Feeding.
- Trimming.
- Preparing for winter.
- Protection from rodents.
Watering is required in spring and summer, up to three times per season. During the dry season, 4 liters are poured under the cherry plum tree. Be sure to water in September to provide moisture to the root system for the winter.
In the first year, the nutrition added to the planting holes is sufficient. Subsequently, fertilizing is applied in March, in the summer during the period of appearance and growth of ovaries. The last feeding in August is needed to set the buds of the next harvest. It is better to apply complex compounds, only to exclude nitrogen in the fall.
In the fourth year, cherry plum will require the application of organic fertilizers, as well as phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. They are added when loosening the soil in autumn.
In the first year, the tree crown is formed. Leave up to 5 skeletal branches. Subsequently, second- and third-order branches and crown density are formed.
The main pruning of cherry plums and plums is done in the spring before the start of sap flow in March and April. Summer pruning can only be sanitary, in which dry and unnecessary branches are removed.
To get a visual representation of the tree trimming process, you can watch the video:
The Soneika cherry plum variety is winter-hardy, but requires some preparation for winter. Young seedlings are hilled and mulched with humus. They need to provide shelter from rodents. To do this, the trunk is wrapped in burlap and covered with spruce branches.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The cherry plum variety Soneika is resistant to many diseases, but they still exist.
Disease or pest | Characteristic | Fighting methods |
Hole spot | The appearance of brown spots on plum leaves, the formation of holes in them. The disease then spreads to fruits and branches. The bark cracks and gum begins to ooze
| Treatment of the tree with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or the preparation "Hom" before flowering and after and three weeks before harvesting the fruits. Remove plant debris promptly |
Coccomycosis | The appearance of a powdery pink coating on the leaves, drying of the fruits of the plum | Treatment of plants with Bordeaux mixture in spring and autumn, treatment of trunk circles in autumn |
Moniliosis | The branches darken, the leaves dry out and fall off, the fruits become covered with rot. | In the spring, before the buds swell, spray with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture; in the summer and after harvesting, use a 1% solution |
Fruit mite | Damages leaves and fruit buds, causing them to fall off | Clear the branches of old bark in a timely manner; in case of disease, use “Fundazol” or “Karate” when forming buds |
Plum aphid | Damages shoots and leaves of plums and cherry plums, after which they dry out | Treatment of leaves with insecticides, especially their lower parts |
Cherry plum Soneika, while retaining the beneficial qualities of plums, has a pleasant taste. The hybrid variety is disease resistant and has a compact shape. A tree that blooms beautifully in early spring will decorate the entire garden.
Reviews
Reviews of Soneika cherry plum indicate that the tree is popular among gardeners.
