Many gardeners are interested in the description of the Chemalskaya plum variety, its planting and caring for the plant. This culture is considered quite popular. Gardeners value this plant for its high yield and unpretentiousness. The tree is resistant to low temperatures, attractive in appearance and pleasant taste. Therefore, the crop is often chosen for cultivation on their plots.
Breeding history
Scientists have made great strides in creating new frost-resistant varieties of plums.Their efforts led to the appearance of the Siberian plum Chemalskaya. It was obtained at the Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture, located in Altai. This culture was included in the State Register in 1974. It is recommended to grow it in the West Siberian, East Siberian and Ural regions.
Popular varieties
Chemal plum is distinguished by a dense, rounded crown. The plant is characterized by a bouquet type of fruiting. Moreover, its branches are distinguished by a grayish color. The shoots are thin and straight.
The decoration of the crop is green leaves. At the same time, sheet plates are characterized by a blunt-conical base. They have a slightly concave shape and a curved end. The petiole is short in length and medium in thickness. The buds form 2-3 flowers. On top there is a cup-shaped corolla and small white petals.
Chemal plum is distinguished by medium-sized fruits. Their length is 25 millimeters, and their diameter is 27. At the same time, the weight of one fruit on average reaches 14-16 grams. Inside the fruit there is tender and juicy pulp with pronounced sourness. The seeds are medium in size and have an elongated oval shape. The stalk is small and easily separated from the fruit. Today many species of such plants are known.
Blue
The culture is medium in size. It is characterized by matte, ovoid leaves and a green tint. The plant has medium-sized, round-shaped fruits of a dark burgundy color. On top they are covered with a large amount of waxy coating. 1 plum weighs 20 grams. The variety has gained wide popularity due to its yellow-white color and sweet and sour taste.
Spreading
The tree is medium in size and has a wide spreading crown.It is characterized by large, round-shaped fruits that have a cherry hue. 1 plum of this variety weighs approximately 15 grams. The fruits have orange-yellow flesh. It has a delicate sweet taste and pleasant aroma.
Red
The plant is medium in size and has a round shape. The culture has attractive red fruits covered with a waxy coating. Inside there is red pulp, which has a delicate and juicy taste with a slight sourness.
Large
This crop can reach a height of 3.2 meters. It is characterized by a sparse paniculate crown. A distinctive feature of the plant is yellow wide-oval plums with a burgundy-red blush. Their weight on average reaches 50 grams. Inside the fruit there is yellow pulp with a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
Black
This variety is medium in size and has a pyramidal crown. The fruits are characterized by a round shape and weigh up to 15 grams. Their distinctive feature is the pronounced seam. The pulp is white-yellow in color and moderately juicy. This variety is characterized by sweet and sour fruits with a slight tartness near the skin. The bone is small in size and can be easily separated.
Characteristics
The Chemal plum is a fairly popular crop that has many attractive characteristics for gardeners. Among the most significant parameters of the plant, it is worth highlighting the following:
- Resistance to pathologies and parasites. The plant is highly resistant to cluster blight. It is also characterized by average resistance to attacks by moths. As for moniliosis, the culture is characterized by weak resistance. However, if you follow the rules of agricultural technology aimed at preventing pathology, this disadvantage can be easily corrected.
- Resistant to drought and frost.Chemal plum has a high degree of frost resistance. The culture is able to tolerate temperature drops down to -40 degrees. It is worth noting that not only lignified plant fragments, but also flower buds are resistant to cold. However, this only applies to adult rooted plants over 4 years old. Therefore, young trees need to be prepared for winter. As for drought, this species is not considered very resistant. To get a bountiful harvest, the plant needs to be watered abundantly - especially in the initial stages of development.
- Pollination. The crop requires cross-pollination to produce many fruits as it is not a self-fertile variety. Of the most suitable pollinators for the Chemal plum, it is worth highlighting such varieties as Sinilga, Peresvet, Krasnoselskaya.
- Flowering and ripening times. Flowering of this plant begins in May. In this case, fruiting occurs only 4-5 years after planting. Fruit ripening is observed in mid-August.
- Productivity. This variety is characterized by consistently high yields. From the moment fruiting begins, in the presence of pollinators, you can get more than 10 kilograms of plums from a tree. Peak yield occurs in the 7th year of life and remains throughout the entire life cycle at the level of 50 kilograms. It is important to consider that when there is a lack of moisture, plums fall from the tree unripe, and the plant itself is constantly sick.
- Transportability of fruits. Plums tolerate transportation well. They are resistant to mechanical damage and cracks.
- Features of use. The fruits of this crop are versatile in use. They can be eaten fresh or used for making desserts, baked goods, sauces, and juices.
How to plant correctly
In order for the plant to develop normally, it is important to pay attention to planting work. This requires choosing a place and time, as well as preparing the site.
Choosing the right time
It is recommended to plant this plum in the spring. This should be done in April before the buds open. During the summer, the seedlings will have time to take root in the soil and adapt to external conditions. It is also permissible to carry out planting work in the fall. In this case, this needs to be done at the end of September - a few weeks before frost. It is important to consider that young trees need protection from sudden temperature fluctuations.
Selecting a location
When planting plums of this variety, it is important to choose the right site. The following requirements must be taken into account:
- Good lighting. Lack of light can negatively affect the sugar content of plums and lead to a decrease in the quality of the crop.
- Protection from strong winds. The plant does not tolerate drafts.
- Smooth terrain. If there are lowlands, there is a risk of flooding the root system of the crop. This will ultimately cause developmental delays and the death of the seedling.
- Moisture-absorbing and breathable soil. Loamy soil, which has a neutral reaction, is best suited.
What to plant next
Chemal plum does not tolerate proximity to any fruit trees - pome and stone fruit. The exception is apple trees. It is recommended to separate plantings of plum trees with other plants by blackcurrant bushes. The culture also responds well to proximity to raspberries and gooseberries.
Step-by-step instruction
When purchasing plum seedlings of this variety, you should give preference to strong and healthy plants. They should not have mechanical damage or signs of pathology. The presence of well-developed roots is of great importance.Before planting, the root system of trees must be lowered into an earthen mash. This will help prevent it from drying out.
For planting to be successful, it is recommended to do the following:
- Place fertilizer at the bottom of the hole. For this, it is permissible to use wood ash, compost and superphosphate.
- Spread the root system of the young crop and place it vertically in the recess. This must be done extremely carefully, without bending the roots.
- Cover the plant with soil, gently shaking the trunk. This will help fill the voids between the roots. It is important to ensure that the root collar is flush with the ground surface.
- Water the plant and cover the trunk circle with a mulch layer up to 20 centimeters in size. For this it is recommended to use organic substances.
Care
In order for the plant to develop normally, it needs to be properly cared for. No fertilizer is required during the first two years of life. From the third year until the start of fruiting, it is recommended to adhere to the following scheme:
- Beginning of May - use a solution of 6 tablespoons of urea and 30 liters of water. You can also take 10 liters of mullein per 20 liters of water.
- Beginning of June - you can prepare a solution of 6 tablespoons of nitrophoska and 30 liters of water.
- Mid or late August - mix 6 tablespoons of superphosphate and potassium sulfate with 30 liters of water. Also at this stage, a solution of 10 liters of mullein, 800 grams of wood ash and 20 liters of water is suitable.
Mature fruit-bearing trees require a different feeding schedule. Before flowering begins, it is recommended to add nitrogen-based substances. Chicken manure is suitable for this.For 1 square meter of tree trunk circle it is worth using 300 grams of this substance. It is also permissible to use urea and potassium sulfate. To prepare a solution for 10 liters of water, you need to take 35 grams of these substances. It is recommended to use 30 liters of this fertilizer per 1 square meter.
The next fertilizing should be applied at the stage of fruit formation. In this case, you need to use a mixture of 10 kilograms of compost and 1 kilogram of wood ash. This composition should be diluted with 20 liters of water. If you do not need to water the tree at this moment, you need to apply the product by embedding it in the ground.
The third time, adult plants need to be fed a week after harvesting. To do this, it is recommended to take 90 grams of potassium sulfate and superphosphate per 30 liters of water.
Chemal plum needs sufficient moisture. It is recommended to water young plants 4-5 times a month. In this case, each tree requires 10-20 liters of water. Adult plants are moistened according to schedule. They need to be watered in combination with the first application of fertilizers, at the stage of formation of ovaries, at the stage of fruit filling and during the last feeding. It is recommended to use 3-4 buckets of water for 1 mature tree.
Possible diseases and pests
Chemal plum is highly resistant to diseases. However, if the rules of agricultural technology are violated, the plant may still suffer. The most dangerous pathologies include the following:
- Clusterosporiosis - is accompanied by the appearance of small spots of pale yellow color on the leaves. After some time, they increase in size and turn brown. Then holes appear on the foliage.To cope with the pathology, it is necessary to burn the affected fragments and treat with Bordeaux mixture.
- Moniliosis - causes rapid falling of flowers, drying of leaves and peduncles, and the appearance of cracks on old shoots. Removal of infected fragments and treatment with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture will help cope with the pathology.
- Smallpox - accompanied by the formation of spots or stripes on young leaves. Over time they become marbled. When pathology develops, all infected trees must be burned, since smallpox cannot be cured.
Of the pests, the plum sawfly is the most dangerous. Its larvae can lead to the destruction of still green fruits. When pests are identified, it is necessary to destroy all infected fruits.
Chemal plum is a very popular crop that produces a bountiful harvest. In order for the plant to develop normally, it is important to carry out planting work correctly and provide it with quality care.
