Content
The President plum variety has been known for over 100 years. It is most often found in Western Europe. It is grown both in ordinary small gardens and in industrial ones. President is a fairly popular variety that has a lot of advantages, ranging from high yields to drought resistance.
History of variety selection
The domestic plum "President" is a late-ripening fruit tree. It was developed in the 19th century in Great Britain (Hertfordshire).
Since 1901, the popularity of the variety began to increase rapidly. Gardeners paid attention to its intensive growth, large number of fruits and the possibility of transportation over long distances. These properties have taken the variety far beyond the borders of its “homeland”.
Description of the plum variety "President"
President plums are medium in size. In most cases, their weight reaches 50 g. There are fruits that are slightly larger (maximum 70 g).They are round in shape with a small depression at the base.
The skin is not thick, smooth. It looks like it's covered in wax. Separating the skin and pulp is difficult.
Ripening President plums are usually green, and ripe ones are bright blue, sometimes even purple. Elastic pulp of a yellow-green hue.
Due to the small size of the stalk, the fruits of this variety are easy to pick from the tree.
Inside each President plum there is a medium-sized seed. It is oval with sharp tips on both sides. It's quite easy to pull it out.
President plums have an excellent taste. Their flesh is tender and very juicy. It is sweet, but with sourness. 100 g contains 6.12 mg of ascorbic acid and 8.5% sugars. The juice from it is colorless.
The “President” plum tree reaches a maximum height of 3 m. It has a round-oval and not very dense crown. At first the branches grow upward, but after the plum is ready to bear fruit, they take a position parallel to the ground.
President's leaves are dark green in color, round in shape, and have a pointed tip. They are matte and wrinkled. The petioles of representatives of the variety are small.
The plum inflorescences of the "President" variety have two or three flowers. They are large, white, and shaped a little like a rose.
Characteristics of plum "President"
As mentioned above, the “President” variety is primarily known for its properties and characteristics. There are several of them.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
The plant is not afraid of either drought or frost. It copes well with any bad weather. This was tested in the winter conditions of 1968-1969 and 1978-1979, when the air temperature dropped to -35-40°C.
Pollinators
President plums are self-fertile varieties. They do not need additional pollination.
But if you plant other varieties of plums nearby, the yield will increase several times.
The following are used as pollinators:
- plum "Peaceful";
- Red early ripening;
- Stanley;
- variety "Renclad Altana";
- Kuibyshev damson plum;
- Amers;
- Vision;
- Hermann;
- Joyo plum variety;
- Kabardian early;
- Katinka;
- Renklod of Temples;
- Rusch Gestetter;
- plum "Rival".
With or without pollinators, the President begins to bloom in mid-May. However, the fruits ripen towards mid-September. And then, provided that the summer was warm. If the summer months are cool, the plum harvest should be expected towards the end of September or even in October.
Productivity and fruiting
The plum variety “President” begins to bear fruit at 5-6 years. Moreover, he does this every year. Ripe fruits adhere well to the branches, falling only when overripe.
But don't rush. Unripe plums of this type are usually hard, rough and tasteless. They have the same characteristics even under unfavorable weather conditions: drought, low air temperature.
Plums of the "President" variety are considered high-yielding. The amount of harvest depends on the age of the plant:
- 6-8 years – 15-20 kg;
- 9-12 years – 25-40 kg;
- from 12 years – up to 70 kg.
Only healthy trees produce the maximum amount of plums.
Area of application of berries
Plums of this variety are consumed both as an independent product and as part of various dishes. They are used to prepare preparations for the winter, jam, marshmallows, marmalade, compote and even wine.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The President variety plant does not have innate protection against any diseases. However, he is not afraid of fungus and scab. Timely feeding and additional treatments will protect against other diseases.
According to information from experienced gardeners, President plums can be affected by moniliosis. The disease usually affects 0.2% of the tree. The plum moth can spoil 0.5% of the area of the entire plant. Gum leakage practically never occurs. Pollinated aphids pose a threat to some extent. However, for it to cause damage, specific conditions for growing plums are required.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of the “President” plum include several points:
- annual abundant (up to 70 kg) harvest;
- level of frost resistance of the tree;
- high rating of plum taste;
- resistance of the “President” variety to adverse weather conditions;
- early fruiting (even young plum seedlings produce fruits);
- good preservation of fruits during transportation.
The President has only two shortcomings:
- From time to time, a tree of this variety needs to be fed, since it has no protection against diseases;
- branches require additional support, because they can break under the weight of the fruit.
You can easily get rid of the shortcomings if you properly care for the plum.
Planting and caring for the President plum
The health, fertility and productivity of a plum tree of a given variety depends on many factors. Proper landing is one of them.
Recommended timing
The ideal time for planting seedlings of the “President” variety is autumn and spring.
Of the autumn months, gardeners prefer the end of September and October. In the spring, it is better to do planting work in March and April. The main thing is that the earth has already thawed and warmed up.The temperature should not be lower than 12°C.
Choosing a suitable location
There are several requirements for the place in which a plum of this variety will grow. The first concerns access to sunlight. The yield depends on their quantity. And that is not all. The sun determines how sweet the plums themselves will be.
The second requirement concerns the space around the tree. He should be free. It is necessary that it is not covered or shaded by neighboring plants. An abundance of free space will provide access to air, which will protect the plum from fungus and high humidity.
Don't forget about the quality of the soil. It should be smooth. If necessary, the surface is leveled immediately before planting. The ideal option for the “President” variety is soil in which groundwater lies (depth about 2 m).
What crops can or cannot be planted nearby?
Plum "President" does not like the proximity of any fruit trees except apple trees. It doesn’t matter what they are: stone fruit or pome fruit. But you can plant shrubs next to it. The best option is black currant. Gooseberries and raspberries are also suitable.
Selection and preparation of planting material
It is recommended to select “President” plum seedlings in the fall. It was at this time that they had already dropped their leaves, opening up the opportunity to see damaged bark, rotten roots and other imperfections. It is better if it is a specialized nursery or familiar gardeners. Trees purchased in this way are accustomed to the local climate and weather, so it will be easier for them to endure transportation and planting.
Landing algorithm
The process of planting President variety trees begins with preparing a hole with dimensions of 40-50 by 80 cm (depth and width, respectively). You need to insert a meter stake into it. Its end should be singed, thereby preventing rotting.
Next you need to take the following actions:
- insert the seedling into the hole so that it stands perpendicular to the ground;
- straighten the roots;
- distribute the soil evenly;
- tie the tree to the stake so that the latter is on the north side;
- water the seedling with 30-40 liters of clean water.
The last stage is mulching. The ground around the President plum at a distance of 50-80 cm must be covered with sawdust or dried grass.
Aftercare for plums
The productivity and health of the tree as a whole directly depends on proper care for it. It includes several points:
- watering;
- feeding;
- pruning;
- protection from rodents;
- preparing the tree for winter.
There are no special instructions regarding watering, since the President plum can withstand even high temperatures. In view of this, it is enough to water it a couple of times a month. Water volume is about 40 liters.
In the second half of summer, the amount of water should be reduced. This will help slow down the growth of the plum once the crop is harvested.
President trees are fertilized in spring and autumn. The substances used differ depending on the age of the plant:
- 2-5 years – 20 g of urea or 20 g of nitrate per 1 m22;
- from 5 years in spring 10 kg of compost/manure, 25 g of urea, 60 g of superphosphate, 20 g of potassium chloride;
- from 5 years in the fall - 70-80 g of superphosphate, 30-45 g of potassium salt, 0.3-0.4 kg of wood ash.
After spring fertilizing, the soil must be loosened 8 cm deep, and in the fall, using a pitchfork, dug up to 20 cm.
In caring for the President plum, 3 types of pruning are performed. In the first few years it is formative. The branches must be pruned by 15-20 cm so that by the third year a crown of 2 tiers is formed.
After the harvest is harvested, the plum tree needs to be rejuvenated. It affects mature or overly dense trees. The central shoot should be reduced by a third of its length, and the lateral shoots by two thirds.
Sanitary pruning of President plums should be carried out as necessary.
With protection against rodents, the situation is a little more complicated. In winter, hares can eat branches, and field mice can eat the root system. There are several ways to prevent tree damage.
The first method is familiar to everyone. This is whitewashing wood in the fall. The bark becomes bitter and no longer attracts pests.
Whitewash can be replaced with glass wool or roofing felt. Reed, pine or juniper branches are also suitable. They need to be left until March.
A fence made of fine metal mesh will also provide good protection. It will protect the plum from large rodents.
It is worth noting that whitewashing is the main stage in preparing the President plum for winter. It will not only protect it from rodents and harmful insects, but will also prevent arguments.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Serious diseases that can affect plums include moniliosis, dwarfism and gum disease. In case of moniliosis, the tree should be sprayed with a 3% solution of the special preparation “Horus”. 3-4 liters per plant is enough. Plum affected by dwarfism must be burned.
It is much easier to deal with gum deposits. It is enough to carry out all the prescribed fertilizing on time.
The most dangerous pests for trees are pollinated aphids, shoot moths and plum moths. It's not difficult to fight them.
Pollinated aphids are afraid of mineral oil preparations, for example, copper sulfate. Coniferous concentrate (4 tablespoons per 10 liters of water), 0.3% Karbofos solution (3-4 liters per plant) will cope with the codling moth. Chlorophos will help get rid of moths. The drug is applied to the tree in the spring during bud break.
To prevent the President plum from being damaged by pests, it is necessary to take several preventive measures:
- loosen the soil in early autumn;
- remove old bark from the tree;
- trim damaged branches;
- do not forget to destroy carrion;
- remove root growth;
- clean the tree trunk from fallen leaves and branches;
- with the onset of summer, loosen the soil between the rows of plums and in the tree trunk circle.
And, of course, we must not forget about whitewashing.
The President plum variety is known for its excellent taste and undemanding nature. It grows well in all weather and climatic conditions. This is its main advantage. The main thing is to carry out all the necessary protective and preventive measures in a timely manner. Only in this case can you count on good productivity and fertility.
