Content
Cultivated varieties of cherry plum, including the Tsarskaya cherry plum, are used as a fruit crop. It is often used fresh as a seasoning and is an ingredient in Tkemali sauce. The tree is very beautiful during the flowering period and gives the garden an elegant look.
History of selection
Hybrid cherry plum “Tsarskaya” was bred by breeders of the Moscow Academy of Agriculture named after. K.A. Timiryazev with open pollination from the “Kuban Comet” variety. Russian plum appeared in the 20th century as a result of crossing cherry plum and Chinese plum. Later, the “Kuban Comet” variety was developed.
Description of culture
When describing the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety, everyone notes that the tree is short-growing and has a height of 2.5 m. The crown is sparse, compact, round and slightly flat. The foliage is light green, elongated with pointed ends. The “royal” plum has round fruits with an average weight of 18 to 25 g. The taste is sweet and sour, the core is juicy and bright yellow.The fruits of the Tsarskaya cherry plum (plum) have a slight waxy coating and their skin is dense. The value lies in the rich taste characteristics of the fruit and the possibility of long-term storage of fruit (up to 1 month). The tree is distinguished by its abundance of fruits and early ripening. Already in the second year you can get the first harvest. Cherry plum "Tsarskaya" is resistant to frost and disease. During flowering, beautiful white flowers with smooth petals bloom. Plum prefers well-lit areas and fertile soil, with low groundwater levels. It is recommended to plant pollinator trees for the Tsarskaya cherry plum nearby at a distance of up to 15 m. With this approach, the plum will bring a large harvest every summer.
Characteristics
Among the important characteristics of the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety are the high content of citric acid and sugar in the fruit. Cherry plum contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. This variety of plum is able to remove cholesterol, is a good diuretic, which helps remove salts and harmful water from the body, supports the functioning of the heart and prevents heart, liver, and kidney pathologies. Plum can improve appetite, rid the body of excess bile, it eliminates constipation and intestinal atony. Yellow cherry plum “Tsarskaya” is well absorbed by the body and can even lower the temperature. A ripe plum is quite sweet; the sourness indicates the unripeness of the fruit.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
The Tsarskaya cherry plum tree itself and its crown have good resistance to frost, they can withstand temperatures down to – 350C. At the same time, the root system will not tolerate severe frosts or a significant drop in temperature; they can freeze already at - 100WITH.If there is snow, you should rake it up to the cherry plum trunk, and if there is none, be sure to protect the root system of the tree from freezing. Mulching the soil up to 7 cm with horse manure will protect the roots; you can use leaf litter or spruce branches. It is better to wrap the tree trunk with nylon. Growing Tsarskaya cherry plum will not bring much trouble.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Plum “Tsarskaya” requires help in pollination, and therefore it is necessary to plant pollinator trees from 3 to 15 m from it; the following varieties are perfect for this:
- cherry plum "Kuban comet";
- cherry plum “Found”;
- cherry plum "Cleopatra";
- cherry plum “Traveler”;
- cherry plum "Pramen".
The plum begins to bloom at the end of April, and already in early August we collect ripe fruits.
Productivity, fruiting
The productivity of "Tsar's" cherry plum is good and reaches 25 kg per tree. The fruits are medium, about 20 g, ripening in late July - early August. The tree begins to bear fruit from the second year after planting.
Area of application of fruits
The “Tsar’s” plum can be consumed fresh or dried; compotes and juices are prepared from the fruits of this variety. By processing plums, they make jams, wine, and use them in baking.
Resistance to diseases and pests
This plum variety is resistant to many common diseases and pests, but for a consistently high yield, a number of measures should be taken and preventive measures taken. For different varieties of plums, the following diseases can pose a danger:
- moniliosis can damage the trunk, leaves and branches;
- rust affects the leaves;
- powdery mildew affects leaves, shoots and trunks;
- swamp will damage the wood of branches and trunks;
- the downy silkworm will attack the foliage of the tree;
- the codling moth will attack the fruits, which will significantly reduce the yield.
It is necessary to constantly monitor the absence of diseases in the tree; with the first signs of disease, it is necessary to immediately begin the fight, treat it with special means and preparations. In the photo of the Tsarskaya cherry plum we can see leaves damaged by rust.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of the yellow cherry plum “Tsarskaya” they note:
- precocity;
- consistently good harvest;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- shelf life and ability to easily transport;
- the beauty of the fruit.
Despite so many positive qualities, this variety also has some disadvantages:
- self-sterility;
- tendency to become overgrown;
- low resistance of roots to frost.
Despite this, reviews of the Tsarskaya cherry plum variety are the most positive.
Landing Features
Among the peculiarities of planting and caring for the Tsarskaya cherry plum is that it is demanding on the soil; if the soil is highly acidified, it is necessary to add ash or manure to it. You should also follow some rules when planting a seedling.
Recommended timing
The best period for planting Tsar plum seedlings is March-April. This must be done before the buds swell. The land for planting must be prepared several weeks in advance and first cleared of weed.
Choosing a suitable location
The best soil for plums will be loamy, drained soil, preferably the absence of groundwater, the distance to the place of their flow should be more than 1.5 meters. Plum loves good lighting and protection from cold winds. The ideal place for planting is considered to be the southern or southwestern area near the walls of the house.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to cherry plum
Any type of plum can be planted next to the cherry plum, at a distance of 3 meters. Moreover, the Tsar plum variety is self-sterile. Cherry plum will not be happy in proximity to pear, walnut, cherry and apple trees, an exception may be an old apple tree. She treats other trees quite calmly.
Selection and preparation of planting material
When choosing a cherry plum seedling, you need to carefully examine the condition of the roots; they must be strong, elastic, developed, intact and fresh. The root system should contain up to 6 shoots, each about 25 cm long.
The ideal option is a two-year-old seedling obtained by cuttings or shoots. Such a tree will have the ability to recover better after freezing.
Landing algorithm
For good growth of cherry plum seedlings, the following rules should be taken into account:
- the distance between trees is more than 3 m;
- a hole with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of up to 80 cm;
- mandatory addition of a mixture of horse manure (or humus) with potassium sulfate and superphosphate;
- the presence of drainage from broken bricks or crushed stone;
- the roots, immediately before planting, must be dipped in a mixture of clay and water, which should be the consistency of sour cream;
- in the hole, the roots are carefully straightened and sprinkled with good fertile soil;
- the root collar should be located 7 cm above the soil level;
- after planting, pour into the hole at a distance of 50 cm around the tree trunk, use at least 3 buckets of water;
- Be sure to mulch the seedling with peat or compost with the addition of dolomite flour or garden lime, the layer should be up to 8 cm.
Subsequent care of the crop
For a beautiful crown formation, it is necessary to cut off all tree branches by 1/3 when planting. The most favorable time for pruning Tsarskaya cherry plum is the beginning of April. In the first years of tree growth, you need to cut off all the branches, leaving only the strongest skeletal ones at the base. You definitely need to cut off the growth. After 4 years, the central conductor should be removed, then the crown will have the most correct shape. Cut off shoots over 50 cm in spring. Branches that bend strongly under the weight of fruit should also be pruned.
When preparing for wintering the Tsarskaya cherry plum, pay special attention to the roots of the tree. The tree trunk must be wrapped in breathable material, and the roots must be covered with a 7 cm layer of horse manure.
Plum loves moisture and needs regular watering. During the growing season, watering should be carried out at least once every 10 days. One tree should require at least 5 buckets of water. After watering, you should loosen the soil near the tree and weed it.
In the fall, you need to feed the tree: 6 kg of humus is mixed with 60 g of urea per 1 square meter. m. Cherry plum should be fed three times during the growing season:
- March – 40 g of potassium sulfate and urea;
- early June - 40 g of urea and nitrofski;
- end of August - 40 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
In winter, nylon, which should be wrapped around the trunk, will help protect against rodents.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
To protect against aphids, you need to spray the tree with a 1% solution of DNSA or laundry soap diluted in an amount of 200 g per 10 liters of water. Brown fruit mite is afraid of 10% Karbofos (75 g per 10 l of water) or 10% benzophosphate (60 g per 10 l of water).Spraying with 0.2% Metafos or 0.3% Karbofos will protect you from the plum moth; installing trapping belts made of cardboard or burlap up to 25 cm wide will help; they must be tied to the trunk.
To protect against powdery mildew, diseased areas should be removed and treated with a solution of copper sulfate. As a preventive measure, treatment in April with a solution of colloidal sulfur (20 g) with the addition of copper sulfate (5 g) to a bucket of water will help. Spraying with 1% Bordeaux mixture in a proportion of 100 g per bucket of water helps get rid of rust. Moniliosis can only be removed by completely cutting off the infected area of the tree, including 10 cm of the healthy part. Copper sulfate is used as a preventative measure. It must be diluted in a proportion of 100 g per bucket of water and sprayed on the tree.
Conclusion
The Tsarskaya cherry plum variety is the most productive; its fruits have excellent taste and bright color. It contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. This tree will certainly decorate any garden, and the plum will delight its owners with a consistently good harvest.
Reviews
Reviews of the Tsarskaya cherry plum are the most positive. Here are some of them:
