Description of the Yakhontova plum variety, pollinators, cultivation and care

When growing a Yakhontovaya plum tree, gardeners do not face any particular difficulties; even a novice amateur can cope with it. It is especially valued for its sufficient winter hardiness and endurance to adverse environmental factors. To achieve not only a quantitative, but also a high-quality harvest from this unpretentious and yellow-fruited plum, you must adhere to the basic rules of planting and care.

History of breeding plum Yakhontova

This variety of domestic selection was bred by H.K. Enikeev and S.N. Satarova on the basis of the Moscow VSTISP. The parent pair was the interspecific Eurasia 21 and Smolinka. The name of the hybrid fully corresponds to the variety and its bright yellow fruits. In 2008, the Yakhontova plum was included in the state register.

Description

This plum variety is distinguished by its vigorous growth, its height is almost 5.5 m. The crown is compact in size, spherical in shape and has an average degree of foliage. The color of straight bare branches is brown. Leaf blades with a matte surface are distinguished by their elongated shape, pointed tips and light green color.

Fully ripened fruits of the Yakhontova plum acquire a pronounced yellow color. Their skin is thin, round in shape, and has a waxy coating. Weight of berries is 30 grams. The pulp is also yellow in color, quite juicy with a small, easily separated seed and a sweet and sour taste.

Tasting assessment of Yakhontova plum 5 points according to the State Plant Register. The dessert variety has a sugar content of 9.0%, acidity of 3.5% and vitamin C concentration of 14.5 milligrams per 100 grams.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the positive characteristics of the Yakhontova plum variety, experienced gardeners note:

• high consumer qualities;
• dessert taste of fruits;
• not afraid of prolonged subzero temperatures (up to -30 degrees);
• excellent productivity indicators (50-70 kilograms per tree);
• large fruit;
• early fruiting (begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting in a permanent place);
• universal purpose of fruits;
• increased immunity to major ailments;
• resistance to dry weather.

But the Yakhontovaya plum variety also has its weaknesses, including:

• the need for additional pollination (partial self-sterility);
• large size.

The large size of the tree can be reduced if it is grafted onto a felt cherry tree, VVA-1, Alexiy, 2-17.

Character traits

Distinctive features of the Yakhontova plum are its resistance to frost and dry periods, productivity and stable fruiting.

Resistance to sub-zero temperatures and drought

Yakhontovaya plum has an average level of drought resistance. For its successful cultivation, neither moisture deficiency nor excess should be allowed. The frequency and abundance of plum watering directly depends on weather conditions in a particular region.

The resistance of Yakhontova plum is at a high level. But in order for the wintering to be painless for the garden planting, it is necessary to take care of additional shelter in the fall.

Susceptibility to diseases and insects

Due to the high degree of resistance to viral and fungal diseases, the Yakhontovaya plum is rarely susceptible to such ailments, especially clasterosporia fruit rot. Only if serious mistakes are made during the care process, the garden planting can be attacked by harmful insects such as plum aphids, shoot moths, codling moths, and black sawflies.

Pollinator varieties

Considering the partial self-fertility of the Yakhontova plum, it is recommended to plant Hungarian, Memory of Timiryazev, and Red Skorospelka nearby. The flowering phase of the Yakhontovaya variety begins at the end of April and ends at the beginning of May.Plum fruits ripen in mid-late August.

All about productivity and fruiting

On average, the productivity of a tree is 20-30 kilograms, but under favorable growing conditions it is possible to collect up to 50 kg of fruit. Gardeners choose the Yakhontova plum for the stability of the harvest from year to year.

Where are the berries used?

Fruit products are used both for fresh consumption and as raw materials for homemade preparations. Yellow plums of the Yakhontovaya variety make excellent compote, preserves, jam, and sauce. The fruits are universal.

Features of planting crops on the site

Despite the relative undemandingness of the Yakhontovaya plum variety, proper planting is almost half the success. The tree should not experience discomfort, but should grow in favorable conditions.

Recommended timing

It is advisable to carry out planting work taking into account the climatic characteristics of a particular region. It is optimal to plant seedlings in spring in case of early cold weather in autumn. In regions with a warm climate, planting of Yakhontova plum is carried out after the trees have shed their leaves.

Choosing the best place to place the tree

For normal growth and development of the Yakhontovaya plum, it is recommended to give preference to sufficiently illuminated clearings protected from draft winds. It is better to plant young plants on the south or west side of the garden. The soil must be fertile and have good moisture permeability.

The variety does not like wetlands and acidified soil. Lowlands are not suitable for planting Yakhontovaya plum seedlings; you should choose places with a slight slope, plains.

What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?

For high-quality cross-pollination on the site, it is recommended to place plums in groups, maintaining a distance of 3 meters between varieties. Yakhontovaya does not get along well with pears, cherries, and sweet cherries. But you can plant an apple tree, currant or raspberry tree nearby.

Seedling preparation

It is best if annual plants are chosen for the garden, the height of which is within 50 centimeters, and the thickness of the side branches is 2.5 millimeters. You can purchase plum seedlings in nurseries and specialized retail outlets. The main thing is to carefully examine the planting material to identify various types of damage and signs of disease. Before planting, the dry root system of the tree must be kept in a container with clean water (10-15 minutes).

Planting technology

If planting work will be carried out in the spring, then the foundation pit should be prepared in the fall. Otherwise, planting immediately after the formation of the hole may damage the roots of the young plum due to soil settlement. The process of planting seedlings involves the following steps:

1. First you need to dig a pit measuring 60x60 centimeters and 70 centimeters deep.
2. After which, the soil removed from the pit is mixed with rotted vegetation (organic matter) and superphosphate (190 grams), potassium salt (80 grams).
3. The prepared pit is filled with nutritious soil substrate.
4. After settlement, the pit is filled with fertile soil as needed.
5. A seedling is placed in the center of the hole, its roots are spread to the sides - straightened. The root collar should not be buried; it should be at a height of 5 centimeters.
6. Sprinkle with earth, carefully compact it to prevent the formation of voids, and water with warm water (2 buckets of water).

Compliance with planting technology gives every chance of achieving the desired result.

How to care for a tree in the garden

Among the main measures for caring for the Yakhontova plum are: loosening and moistening the soil, pruning, and preventive measures.

Frequency of irrigation and fertilizing

It is optimal for the Yakhontova plum to provide it with abundant watering 3-5 times during the season. Lack of moisture should not be allowed during the plum blossom period and at the stage of fruit ripening. Water consumption for young plantings is 5 liters, and for mature plants – 10 liters. It is especially effective to irrigate simultaneously with feeding procedures.

As soon as warm weather sets in in the spring, a working solution based on urea, potassium salt, and superphosphate is used for one plum (20 grams of each product per 10 liters of water). Pour the nutritional composition under the root. In the summer, the same solution is used, but without adding urea, and in the fall, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are used. Mineral complexes for plums are replaced with slurry and wood ash.

Formation and trimming of the crown

To avoid problems in the future with plum trees, it is necessary to shorten the shoots and shape the crown a year after planting. Work should be carried out at the level of the trunk (up to 40 centimeters), leaving up to 7 side branches on the drain. Subsequent sanitary and anti-aging pruning is carried out every year.

The Yakhontovaya plum should be formed before the first fruiting, after which only dry, incapacitated shoots are removed. Ideally, the shape of the crown should resemble a glass in appearance.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Provoking factors for the development of various diseases and the invasion of parasitic individuals are violations in the process of pruning the tree and improper care, or even the absence of it. To prevent the appearance of moniliosis, clasterosporiosis, codling moth, small aphids and black sawflies on the Yakhontova plum tree, it is necessary to treat with chemicals, dig up the soil in the tree trunk circle and prune damaged shoots and shoots. If a disease is detected, it is recommended to spray the plum with a working solution based on Bordeaux mixture.

Tree trunk care

In order for the plum tree to bear fruit abundantly, the soil in the tree trunk circle must be in a loose state. For this purpose, it is recommended to regularly remove weeds, loosen the soil and lay mulch. The depth of tillage near the trunk is 8-10 centimeters, and at the border of the tree trunk circle it is 15-20 centimeters. It is better to do the manipulation using a pitchfork, so the likelihood of damage to the roots of the Yakhontovaya plum will be minimal.

Wintering

Preparatory work involves removing fallen leaves from the area and burning them to prevent pathogenic microorganisms from overwintering in the tree trunk. If there is moss on the branches and trunk of the Yakhontovaya plum, then it should be removed, the dried bark too, and the damaged areas should be treated with garden pitch or a solution of iron sulfate (10 grams of product per 10 liters of water).

To whitewash wood, prepare a mixture of lime (3 kilograms), copper sulfate (400 grams), casein glue (50 grams) and water (10 liters). This simple technique allows you to further increase the frost resistance of the variety.

Young trees are protected with non-woven material, and spruce spruce branches or a polymer mesh are fixed on top to prevent rodents.You can protect the underground part of the plum tree by mulching the soil in the tree trunk circle with humus (a layer of 40 centimeters).

The Yakhontovaya plum variety is truly an unpretentious and high-yielding plant. Proper agricultural technology and high-quality seedlings are the main components of its successful cultivation.