Content
Plum Delikatnaya is a mid-early variety with large, appetizing fruits. A vigorous tree with stable yields, unpretentious to its growing location. The variety resists many diseases characteristic of plums.
History of variety selection
The Delicate plum was obtained by Belarusian breeders. The productive tree was bred on the basis of a persistent interspecific hybrid of the Russian selection Eurasia 21 and an ancient variety from Western Europe, Hungarian Azhanskaya.
Description of the plum variety Delicate
The variety is distributed in the climatic conditions of the central regions of Russia. The Delicata plum tree is tall, rises to 3–4 m, the average growth of shoots per season is 30–40 cm. A 3-year-old seedling reaches 1.8–2 m in height. The bark of the branches is smooth, light brown. The tree of the variety forms a rounded spreading crown.The leaves of Delicata are medium in size, oval-oblong, slightly wrinkled, finely toothed along the edges, with a pointed tip. The upper part of the leaf blade is smooth, dark green, the lower part is matte. The flowers of the plum variety Delicate are small, white, and appear on short bouquet branches.
Large, smooth plum fruits are round, with a weakly defined seam, weigh up to 40 g. The skin is thin, tender when consumed, and is easily eaten. The cover color of the Delicatnaya variety is pink-lilac, with a slight waxy coating. The yellow flesh is juicy, medium density. The small oval bone with the pulp is loosely connected and can be freely removed from the fruit. The taste of the Delicate plum is pleasant, sweet, with a pronounced attractive sourness, aromatic. Rated by tasters at 4.3 points.
The tasty and healthy fruits have the following composition:
- 8% sugars;
- 14% dry matter;
- 0.6% pectin;
- 12.6 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g.
Characteristics of the variety
The taste of the Delicata plum fruit is tempting, and many gardeners purchase a new variety while studying the characteristics of the wood.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Plum Delicata is characterized as a winter-hardy tree, but sensitive to damping off of the roots. In March, the gardener needs to monitor the process of snow melting near the trunk and in time scatter the compacted mass or break the crust, forming a future stream so that the water does not collect around the tree, but moves away from it. The variety tolerates short hot periods painlessly. But abundant watering once a month in the absence of precipitation must be carried out, especially in the phase of buds and the formation of ovaries.Water-recharging watering, which is carried out in late September - early October, also helps plums prepare for winter.
Plum pollinators
The Delicatnaya variety is partially self-fertile. Another 2-3 plum trees should be planted in the garden, which bloom at the same time, to form the expected harvest. Some reviews indicate that the best pollinating varieties for Delicate are the long-known European plums Edinburgh and Victoria. Flowering begins in May, fruits ripen in August.
Productivity and fruiting
The harvest of plums from one tree that has reached ten years of age is abundant: 35 or 40 kg. In industrial gardening, the figure is 25 tons per hectare. The Delicatnaya variety bears fruit annually and begins 3–4 years after planting. Bouquet branches on shoots are often created. At the end of summer, the branches are literally hung with lilac-pinkish plums.
Area of application of berries
It is advisable to consume the appetizing fruits with a dessert taste fresh. The surplus is used for homemade preparations: compotes, jams, especially since the fruits are quickly processed thanks to the easily separated stone. Plums are also dried and frozen.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The variety is little susceptible to fungal infections. The resistance of Delicatnaya to the pathogens of clasterosporiasis is especially high. With proper agricultural practices: timely watering and fertilizing, removing fallen leaves and sanitary pruning, insect pests do not linger in the garden. Preventative spring treatment of the garden with fungicides or copper sulfate is also of great importance.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Delicate owes its popularity to its beautiful appearance, refreshing taste of fruit and reliable qualities of wood:
- high consumer indicators;
- early gestation, mid-early ripening and stable yield;
- winter hardiness and drought resistance;
- unpretentiousness;
- low susceptibility to characteristic diseases of plums.
Disadvantages can be considered specific features:
- low or zero self-fertility;
- mandatory systematic pruning to prevent thickening of the crown of a vigorous plum variety.
Landing Features
Plum Delicata gives a high yield if planted in a convenient place and according to the requirements of agricultural technology.
Recommended timing
In the middle zone, plums are planted in the spring: the tree takes root better. In the southern regions, the variety is planted in the fall, until mid-October. Delikatnaya seedlings in containers do not depend on weather conditions.
Choosing a suitable location
Loose and fertile soil with groundwater up to 1.5 m is the main requirement for the Delicatnaya variety. Plums take root in any place where there is no stagnant water and cold frontal winds.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
- Stepping back 3 m from the Delicatnaya seedling, other plums or berry bushes are planted.
- An apple tree is a good neighbor, but you need to make sure that it is not a tall variety that shades the sun for the plum tree. The same applies to pears.
Selection and preparation of planting material
- One- or two-year-old trees that are healthy in appearance are planted.
- The bark is without damage, the branches are elastic, with swollen buds, if the containers contain green leaves.
- The roots are moist, fresh, collected in a voluminous lobe.
- Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are moistened in a clay solution.
- The containers are placed in large containers so that the substrate gets wet and the roots come out freely.
Landing algorithm
- A hole for a plum tree measuring 60*80*80 cm is prepared 14–16 days before planting.
- Lay a thick layer of sand and ceramics to drain the soil.
- A stable peg is driven into the substrate to support the plum tree.
- The seedling is placed on a mound with the roots straightened.
- The root collar of the plum is kept at a height of 4–7 cm from the surface.
- Sprinkle with earth, compact and make sides for a circular watering furrow.
- After watering, the tree trunk circle is mulched.
- The plum is trimmed: the central conductor and strong shoots by three quarters.
Aftercare for plums
Caring for the Delicatnaya variety is simple:
- periodically loosen and mulch the tree trunk circle after watering;
- moisture once a month should penetrate to a depth of 40 cm, where the main accumulation of plum roots is located;
- the plum is fed with balanced complex fertilizers;
- in autumn humus serves as mulch, in a layer of up to 10 cm;
- if a pyramidal crown is formed in Delicate, remove all branches that grow narrower than at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the conductor;
- Every year the plum tree is cleaned of growth, damaged and dry branches, as well as those that cross.
After moisture-recharging irrigation, a thick layer of mulch is laid, and before frost, the young plum is covered with a rodent net and protected with agrotextiles or paper.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Diseases | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention |
Moniliosis | Dry tops of branches, rotten fruits | Remove branches with affected fruits | Treatment with copper-containing preparations, removal of leaves |
Rust | Red round spots on early falling leaves. The tree is weakened | Spring treatment | Removing leaves, digging soil |
Pests | Signs | Fighting methods | Prevention |
Plum moth | Fruits with holes | Insecticides | Stripping damaged bark |
Wrinkled sapwood | Moves in the bark, death of shoots | Insecticides | Stripping damaged bark |
Conclusion
Plum Delicata is an unpretentious crop with universal fruits for winter preparations and as a fresh dessert. The variety is attractive due to its resistance of wood and buds to moderate frosts and low susceptibility to pathogens of dangerous fungal diseases.
