Content
Plum Souvenir of the East is the result of domestic selection. Due to the compact size of the tree, pruning and other maintenance is simplified. The variety is valued by gardeners for the good taste of its fruits, which are suitable for processing.
History of variety selection
The Chinese plum Souvenir of the East was obtained at the Voronezh ASU. Breeders A. N. Venyaminov and A. T. Turovtseva worked on it. The parents were the East Asian varieties Gigant and Zarya.
Description of plum Souvenir of the East
Plum Souvenir of the East is a tree of medium vigor. It reaches a height of 2–2.5 m. The crown is spreading, the shoots are of medium thickness and length, bare, red-brown in color. The bark is dark brown in color, with a purple undertone.
The leaves are green, matte, leathery, obovate, with a pointed tip. The plate is flat or slightly concave, the edges are smooth, with small teeth. The petioles are short, no more than 1 cm.Plum produces small flowers.
Characteristics of Chinese plum fruits:
- large size;
- weight about 40 g;
- round shape;
- as it ripens, the color changes from orange to dark burgundy;
- pronounced groove;
- orange dense pulp with a pronounced aroma;
- rounded small stone, easily separated from the pulp.
Plum has crispy juicy pulp of sweet taste with spicy notes and slight sourness. In terms of taste and external qualities, the fruits resemble a peach. The pulp has a rich composition: 19.3% - dry matter; 13.4% are sugars and 0.99% are organic acids.
Characteristics of plum Souvenir of the East
According to its characteristics, Souvenir of the East stands out among other varieties of Chinese plums in its high yield and marketability of the fruit.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Drought resistance is average. Watering is necessary for trees during flowering and fruit formation. Stagnation of moisture in the soil is no less destructive for the crop.
Plum is valued for its high winter hardiness. Spring thaws are the most dangerous for plums. The tree quickly emerges from the dormant stage, which leads to warming of the bark. Therefore, in cold regions it is recommended to graft the variety onto more winter-hardy trees.
Plum pollinators Souvenir of the East
The plum Souvenir of the East does not bear fruit without a pollinator. It is best to use diploid cherry plum or plum variety Gigant for these purposes. Other plum varieties that bloom early are also suitable.
The variety blooms at the end of April - beginning of May. The shoots are strewn with flowers. The harvest can be harvested in the middle period - in mid-August.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety is characterized by high yield: 26–45 kg per tree. The fruits are collected in large clusters and ripen on bouquet branches. Plums grow singly on summer shoots.
Area of application of berries
The fruits of the variety are used for table purposes. It is recommended to consume them fresh or process them into juice or jam. The variety is not suitable for canning, since the fruits are very soft.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The variety has low resistance to cluster blight. Preventive spraying and compliance with agricultural practices help protect the tree from diseases and pests.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantages of the Souvenir of the East variety:
- bright, large-sized fruits;
- high winter hardiness;
- decent productivity.
When growing a variety, its disadvantages are taken into account:
- warming the plum;
- need for pollinators.
Landing Features
Proper planting is the key to high survival rate of the seedling and its development. Particular attention is paid to choosing a location, preparing seedlings and soil.
Recommended timing
The time for planting the Chinese plum Souvenir of the East depends on weather conditions. If winter comes late in the region, then work is carried out in the fall, when the leaf fall ends. If there is still a possibility of early snowfall, then planting is done in the spring, before the leaves bloom.
Choosing a suitable location
The place for growing Chinese plums is chosen taking into account a number of factors:
- illumination;
- location of groundwater;
- soil composition and moisture.
Chinese plum is planted on the south or west side of the site. This way the tree will receive the necessary natural light. Places in lowlands where moisture constantly accumulates are not suitable for planting. The permissible groundwater depth is 1.5 m or more.
Plum grows well in any soil except acidified ones. The largest yields are obtained when growing a tree in light soil rich in nutrients.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
It is best to plant plums in a group of 2-3 varieties. Leave 3–4 m between trees.
The culture gets along well with apple trees, raspberries, currants and gooseberries. Plums are removed as much as possible from cherries, cherries and pears.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting, select healthy seedlings of the Souvenir of the East variety without damage. The optimal shoot thickness is 2.5 cm, length is 50 cm. If the roots of the tree are dry, they are kept in water for 4–5 hours before planting.
Landing algorithm
The procedure for planting plum varieties Souvenir of the East:
- First a hole is dug. To fill it, fertile soil and peat are taken in equal quantities. 180 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium salt are added to them.
- The resulting substrate is poured into the pit.
- When the soil settles, begin preparing the seedling. Earth is poured into the hole to form a small hill.
- A plant is placed on top, its roots are straightened. The root collar is left at a distance of 5–7 cm from the ground.
- The roots are covered with soil. The seedling is watered.
- Mulch the tree trunk circle with humus or peat.
Aftercare for plums
When growing the Souvenir of the East plum, it is important to provide it with constant care.
The plum tree is watered 3 to 5 times per season. Moisture is necessary during flowering and fruiting. For young plantings, 4 buckets of water are enough; an adult tree requires 10 buckets.
After planting, full feeding begins only in the 2nd year. In spring, plums are fertilized with a mineral complex containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For summer processing, nitrogen is removed from the composition. Every 3 years, the soil under the plum tree is dug up and compost is added.
The crown of the tree is formed by pruning. The tree is pruned in spring or autumn, when sap flow is slow. Eliminate dry, broken, frozen shoots.
Preparing plums for winter begins with abundant watering. Moistened soil will protect the tree's roots from freezing. Then they spud the trunk and mulch the soil with humus. For young plantings, a wooden frame is prepared, to which burlap or agrofibre is attached. The plum is covered with a metal or tin casing to keep rodents out.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The main crop diseases are listed in the table:
Disease | Signs | Struggle | Prevention |
Clusterosporiasis | Dark spots on leaves and fruits. | Treating trees with copper oxychloride. | 1. Thinning the crown. 2. Removal of root shoots. 3. Spraying with fungicides. |
Gum treatment | Yellowish resin flows out of cracks in the bark, and the plum gradually weakens and dies. | Treating the trunk with copper sulfate and garden pitch. |
The table shows the pests of Chinese plum and how to combat them:
Pest | Signs | Struggle | Prevention |
Aphid | Aphid colonies live on the undersides of leaves and feed on tree sap. | Spraying with a solution of the Karbofos insecticide. | 1. Digging up the soil in the fall. 2. Whitewash the trunk, cleansing it of moss and dead bark. 3. Spraying trees with insecticide solutions. 4. Treatment of plums with tobacco dust. |
codling moth | Codling moth caterpillars feed on fruits and gnaw holes in the fruits and eat plum leaves. | Treatment with Actellik. |
Conclusion
The Souvenir of the East plum is suitable for growing in your own garden or on an industrial scale. The variety attracts gardeners with its high yield, large and high-quality fruits. To protect against fungal diseases, perform regular spraying.
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