Description and characteristics of cherry plum variety Zlato Scythians, pollinators and cultivation

Scythian gold is a unique cherry plum, suitable for cultivation in cold regions and producing an abundant harvest of sweet fruits with a strong aroma and pronounced taste. When ripe, the fruit has a bright yellow color. The variety is successfully grown by both experienced gardeners and beginners; it exhibits good resistance to pathogens and pests.

Characteristics of the variety

Employees of the Academy named after him worked on developing the variety. K. A. Timiryazeva. The Scythian cherry plum Zlato was bred by pollinating the Kuban Comet plum, known to gardeners, at the end of the 20th century.

Tree height and crown size

The Scythian Zlata tree reaches a height of 2-2.5 m. The crown of the cherry plum is spreading and round. The leaf shape resembles a typical plum: oblong, with jagged edges and a pointed end. The branches are thick, in some places they have a yellowish tint.

Flowering, pollinators and fruiting

Zlata Scythian flowers are white and numerous. The flowering period occurs in April-May, and fruiting begins in June. For the most part, plums are not self-fertile, and the Scythian cherry plum was no exception. Pollinator trees should be planted nearby and have the same flowering time. The best plums for such purposes are:

• Yellow Pavlovskaya;
• Ruby;
• Gift to St. Petersburg.

Fruiting of cherry plum Gold of the Scythians begins 4 years after planting a seedling on the site. The yield of the variety is up to 20 kg of fruit from each adult plant. The fruits are bright yellow, juicy, tasty, very sweet and aromatic.

What diseases and pests is the variety susceptible to?

Yellow-fruited cherry plum Zlato Scythians, the variety description of which promises increased resistance to frost and drought, is exposed to pests and pathogens, especially under unfavorable weather conditions. To prevent their occurrence and increase the plant’s immunity, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatments in a timely manner.

Frost and drought resistance

The Scythian plum Zlato is considered a heat-loving plant that can easily tolerate periods of drought. In addition, this variety has increased winter hardiness and is cultivated even in regions with cold climatic conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages of the crop: is it profitable to grow?

Cherry plum Skif has significant advantages that set it apart from its competitors:

• early harvest ripening;
• the beginning of fruiting 4 years after planting on the site;
• regular harvests;
• suitability for growing in cold climates;
• excellent taste characteristics of the fruit and their universal use.

At the same time, cherry plum is not without its disadvantages, among which gardeners note:

• inability to self-pollinate;
• low yields;
• the need for mandatory disease and pest prevention;
• the fruits are unsuitable for long-term storage.

Summer residents who grow Scythian cherry plum on their plots agree to put up with minor shortcomings, believing that they are fully compensated by the numerous advantages of the plant.

Planting and caring for cherry plum

Proper planting and care are the key to a good harvest. It is important not only to choose planting material and a place for its cultivation, but also to provide the cherry plum with further necessary conditions for pollination, ovary formation and fruit ripening.

Choosing a seedling

For planting on the site, it is preferable to choose cherry plum seedlings 1-2 years old. It is these trees that take root best and do not get sick when transplanted. Gardeners growing the Zlato Scythians variety in the middle zone confirm this fact.

Before purchasing a cherry plum seedling, you need to conduct a thorough inspection of the root system.There should also be no broken shoots or cracked bark.

Deciding on a place

Cherry plum loves warmth and light, so it should be planted on the south side of the garden plot. She prefers loamy soil with a neutral acidity level.

Among the neighbors, the plum variety Scythian Gold gets along well with stone fruit trees. It is recommended to plant cherry plum near:

• cherries;
• apricots;
• plums;
• thorn.

Of course, it would be best to plant the seedling in the place where its pollinator grows. But you should not cultivate cherry plum next to nightshades, large trees or berry bushes.

In the selected area, the groundwater level should be no closer than 1.5 m.

Technology and scheme of planting seedlings

Planting work is carried out in the first ten days of September or early April. Before planting cherry plum, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory work. A hole is dug with a depth of 0.6 m and a diameter of 0.7 m. Next, a nutritious soil mixture is prepared, consisting of humus, sand and peat.

The Scythian Zlata seedling is installed in the planting hole so that the root collar is located approximately 5 cm above the soil surface. Prepared nutrient soil is poured into the hole and compacted. If the tree is weak, then you must immediately install a wooden peg nearby and tie the plant to it.

After planting, make a small roll of soil around the cherry plum and pour out 30 liters of water. After waiting until all the moisture is absorbed, the ground around the tree is mulched. For these purposes, straw or peat is used.

Experienced gardeners advise preparing the planting hole in advance, at least for a couple of weeks. If planting a cherry plum seedling is planned for the spring, then the hole is dug in the fall, after which mineral fertilizers and organic matter are added there.When placing several plants on a site, the distance between them is left at least 3 m.

Irrigation and fertilizing

In rainy summer conditions, the Scythian cherry plum does not need watering at all. This crop is characterized by increased drought resistance. However, if there is a long absence of precipitation, the tree must be watered immediately after flowering has completed, then again after the shoots have finished growing, and a third time when the fruits begin to fill out and acquire a characteristic color for the variety.

It is best to irrigate cherry plums by filling the formed tree trunk circle with water. Its depth is up to 20 cm, and its diameter is up to 1 m. Up to 30 liters of water are added under each tree during watering. If the autumn turns out to be dry, then in October the so-called moisture-recharging irrigation is carried out. In this case, the liquid is poured 2 times more. Water for irrigation is heated in the sun to room temperature.

In order to develop normally, cherry plums require fertilizing and fertilizers throughout the growing season. In the spring, when the trunk circle is being dug (approximately the beginning of April), potassium salt and ammonium nitrate are mixed into the soil. At the beginning of May, urea is added to the ground. For 10 liters of water, take 20 g of fertilizer, and apply 5 liters of solution to each tree.

As soon as the cherry plum Gold of the Scythians fades, it is fertilized with a solution of mullein. Fresh mullein is dissolved in water in a ratio of 1:3. After this, superphosphate is poured there (at the rate of 50 g of the drug per 10 liters of the mixture). For each square meter of tree trunk circle, apply 2 liters of ready-made fertilizer.

In the first ten days of June, Scythian gold is sprayed with a 4% urea solution.Towards the end of September, the cherry plum is watered with fertilizer consisting of superphosphate, potassium sulfide and water. Each plant requires 20 liters of prepared nutrient mixture. If it is not possible to prepare the specified fertilizer, then make a mixture of manure, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate and apply it before digging the ground.

Tree trunk care

After each watering or heavy rainfall, the soil in the tree trunk circle should be well loosened and weeds should be removed. This will ensure good soil breathability. To prevent the resulting moisture from evaporating very quickly, the tree trunk circle is mulched. In this case, materials that allow air to pass through are used. Otherwise, pathogenic bacteria and pests can multiply under the mulch.

Tree crown formation

Correctly performed crown molding increases the yield and quality of fruits. The cherry plum is pruned 3 times a year. The first sanitary pruning is carried out in March-April, until the buds open. Remove branches that are damaged and frozen over the winter, trying to give the tree crown a sparsely tiered shape.

Zlata Scythian seedlings of the first year of life have 3 shoots, extending from the main trunk at an acute angle (about 45) and located at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Together they should form an angle of 120. The remaining branches are cut at the level of the ring. In the next 2 years, new shoots with similar characteristics are added to the existing shoots. After this, the formation of the crown is stopped, the central shoot is cut at the level of the third skeletal branch.

In the summer, Zlata Scythians shorten all branches to a length of 0.7 m. This promotes the formation of new fruitful shoots.The cut areas are covered with garden varnish.

Preventative treatments

Most often, cherry plum is affected by perforated spotting, sooty fungus and milky sheen. To prevent the appearance of spotting, before the buds bloom on the tree, it is sprayed with Nitrafen. With the appearance of foliage, the plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture.

Sooty fungus is most often the result of improper watering and waterlogged soil. Spraying with a solution of copper sulfate and laundry soap helps to defeat the disease. A milky sheen appears after pruning in the cold. Its prevention consists in timely removal of the affected branches. The cut areas are always treated with a mixture of oil paint and copper sulfate.

You can prevent cherry plum from being affected by the plum moth if you spray the tree with “Akarin” immediately after flowering, and treat Scythian Gold with “Alfacin” during the growing season. The brown fruit mite settles in dying bark. The pest can be controlled by treating the tree with Apollo before flowering.

During the growing season, the drug “Zircon” is used. Ladybugs help prevent cherry plums from being damaged by the acacia false scale insect. Also, before flowering, cherry plum is treated with “Confidor” or “Fufanon”. During the growing season, use the product "Kinmiks".

Preparing the tree for winter

Before the onset of cold weather, the cherry plum should be covered with earth and the tree trunk should be mulched. Compost, humus, and peat are used as mulch. The thickness of its layer should be about 20 cm. If a large amount of snow falls, you can throw it additionally around the trunk. This procedure will not only create additional shelter, but also protect the Scythian Gold from freezing.

Growing cherry plum is not very difficult even for novice gardeners. With good theoretical preparation, you can get a harvest of delicious yellow fruits with a strong aroma and a huge supply of nutrients.