Content
Chinese plum Vika is one of the varieties of Siberian selection. Its main features are high winter hardiness and early ripening.
History of variety selection
The Chinese plum Vika was obtained at the Siberian Research Institute of Horticulture named after. M. A. Lisavenko. The work was carried out in the Altai mountains. The author of the variety was M. N. Matyunin.
By free pollination of the Skoroplodnaya plum, several seedlings were obtained. The most persistent specimens were registered under the name Vika. In 1999, the Vika variety was included in the state register.
Description of the Vika plum variety
Vika plum is a low-growing tree with a compact, rounded crown. The stem is weakly expressed. The shoots are thin, straight or slightly curved, brown-yellow in color, with small lentils. The branches grow at an acute angle relative to the trunk.
The leaves are dark green, medium in size, 5 cm wide and 11 cm long. The shape of the leaves is elliptical, the base is cone-shaped, the tip is pointed.The leaf is uneven and looks like a boat. Petioles are medium sized.
The flowers are collected in buds of 2–3 pieces and bloom before the leaves. The corolla of the flower is cup-shaped, the petals are small, narrow, and white.
Description of the fruits of the Vika variety:
- the ovoid shape of the plum is elongated at the apex;
- height about 40 mm, thickness – 30 mm;
- weight 14–15 g;
- color bright yellow;
- rough skin;
- light yellow pulp, fibrous, medium juicy;
- The stone is small and can be easily separated from the pulp.
Tasting score of the Vika variety is 4.2 points.
The fruits contain:
- dry matter – 14.6%;
- sugar – 10.6%;
- acids – 0.9%;
- vitamin C – 13.2 mg/%.
Characteristics of the variety
When choosing a Chinese plum variety, pay attention to its characteristics: resistance to drought, frost, yield, advantages and disadvantages.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Yellow Vetch plum has poor resistance to drought. The irrigation scheme is chosen taking into account precipitation. Watering is especially important during flowering and fruiting.
Winter hardiness of fruit buds and wood is satisfactory. Additional cover for the plum helps to increase this indicator.
Plum pollinators
The Vika variety is self-sterile; to obtain a harvest, it requires planting pollinators: domestic or Chinese plums. For cross-pollination it is necessary that the trees bloom at the same time.
The best pollinators for Vika plum:
- Altai Yubileinaya;
- Peresvet;
- Goryanka;
- Ksenia;
- Drooping.
Plum Vika blooms and bears fruit early. The harvest ripens in the first half of August. Fruiting is annual.
Productivity and fruiting
The Vika plum variety is characterized by abundant fruiting. The first fruits ripen 3 years after planting. With age, the tree's yield increases.
10–12 kg of fruits are removed from the tree. The plum is held on a short stalk: it requires effort to separate it. The Vika variety is characterized by resistance to fruit shedding. Therefore, a ripe plum hangs on the branches for a long time.
Area of application of berries
The Vika variety has universal application. The fruits are used fresh as a dessert, as well as in home canning to produce compote, preserves, and jam.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Plum Vika is slightly susceptible to clasterosporia. Fungicides are used to protect the tree from fungal diseases.
Resistance to pests is average. The plum tree is rarely attacked by the codling moth, but the tree is often attacked by the seed eater.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Benefits of Vika plum:
- precociousness;
- the fruits do not fall off for a long time after ripening;
- high productivity;
- good taste.
Disadvantages of Vika plum:
- low resistance to damping and drought;
- susceptible to attack by pests.
Planting and caring for Vika plum
Vika plum is planted in spring or autumn, depending on the climatic conditions in the region. Prepare the planting pit in advance and, if necessary, improve the composition of the soil.
Recommended timing
In the southern regions, Vika plum is planted in October, when the trees' sap flow slows down. The plant will have time to take root and will withstand the winter cold well.
In cold climates, planting is postponed until spring, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently. However, the work is carried out before the buds bloom on the trees.
Choosing a suitable location
The place for the plum is chosen taking into account a number of conditions:
- constant natural light;
- no moisture stagnation;
- southern or western location;
- fertile drained soil.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
Good neighbors for plums are cherries, cherries, and cherry plums. The crop is removed from apple and pear trees by 5 m or more. It is also undesirable to be in proximity to large trees: birch, poplar, linden. It is also not recommended to plant Vika plum next to raspberries and currants.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting, choose annual Vika plum seedlings. Before purchasing, the plant is assessed visually. A healthy seedling has a strong root system and no traces of rot, mold, cracks or other damage. If the roots of the tree are dry, they should be kept in water for 4–5 hours before planting.
Landing algorithm
The hole for the Vika plum is dug 1–2 months before planting the tree. If the work is planned for spring, the pit should be taken care of in the fall. This is necessary due to soil shrinkage.
Planting procedure for Vika plum:
- A pit with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of 70 cm is prepared in the selected area.
- Then a wooden or metal stake is driven in.
- Fertile soil and compost are combined in equal quantities, 200 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium salt are added.
- The substrate is poured into the hole and left to shrink.
- When the time comes for planting, fertile soil is poured in to form a hill.
- A plum is planted on top. Its roots are straightened and covered with earth.
- The soil is compacted and watered abundantly.
Aftercare for plums
- The Vika plum variety is watered 3 to 5 times per season, including during flowering and fruit ripening. However, excess moisture in the soil is more detrimental to the crop. 6–10 liters of water are poured under the tree. The older the plum, the more moisture it requires. Mulching the soil with peat or humus helps reduce the amount of watering.
- If fertilizers were applied to the planting hole, then full fertilizing begins 2 years after planting the plum. Watering is combined with fertilizing: 50 g of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are added to 10 liters of water. In early spring, the tree is watered with slurry. Every 3 years, dig up the soil and add 10 kg of compost per 1 square meter. m.
A set of simple measures will help prepare the Vika plum variety for winter: abundant watering and mulching the soil with compost. For young trees, frames are built and burlap is attached to them. The top of the planting is covered with spruce branches. To prevent the trunk from being damaged by rodents, it is covered with a casing made of a metal pipe or tin sheet.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Diseases of the crop are listed in the table.
Diseases | Symptoms | Ways to fight | Precautionary measures |
Clusterosporiasis | Brown spots on leaves with dark borders, cracks in the bark. | Treating trees with copper sulfate or Hom fungicide. | 1. Preventive spraying. 2. Pruning plum. 3. Cleaning up leaves on the site. |
Coccomycosis | Small brown spots appear on the upper part of the leaves, and a powdery coating appears on the lower part. | Spraying plums with a solution of the drug “Abiga-pik” or “Chorus”. |
The main pests of Chinese plum are given in the table.
Pest | Signs of defeat | Ways to fight | Precautionary measures |
seed eater | Seed eater caterpillars eat the fruits from the inside. As a result, the plum falls off. | Spraying trees with a solution of the drug "Actellik". | 1. Removal of root shoots. 2. Cleaning trees from old bark. 3. Whitewashing the plum trunk. |
Plum aphid | Aphid colonies live on the undersides of leaves. As a result, the foliage curls and dries out. | Treatment of trees with a solution of the drug "Nitrophen". |
Conclusion
Vika plum is a reliable Siberian variety that produces high yields. Caring for the crop comes down to watering and fertilizing. To help the tree survive the winter better, it is provided with shelter.
Reviews from gardeners about Vika plum
