Self-fertile plum varieties for the Leningrad region

Plum in the Leningrad region, from year to year delighting with an abundant harvest of tasty fruits - a gardener's dream, quite capable of becoming a reality. To do this, it is necessary to choose the right variety, taking into account the specifics of the climate and soil conditions of the North-West of Russia, as well as adhere to the planting and crop care rules developed for this region.

What varieties of plums can be planted in the Leningrad region

Plum is considered to be one of the most capricious and whimsical fruit trees, because it is very sensitive to environmental conditions. The moderate continental climate of the Leningrad Region and the North-West of the country is a serious test for this culture. High air humidity, severe cold winters, late spring frosts and cloudy rainy summers, diluted with an insignificant number of sunny days - all this significantly limits the choice of gardeners regarding which plum to plant on the site. Nevertheless, thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, today there are many recommended and promising varieties that feel quite comfortable in the difficult conditions of the Russian North-West.

Perspective varieties are considered, which have positively proven themselves in the indicated conditions, but which are still being tested.

Ideally, a plum suitable for growing in the North-West of the country (including the Leningrad Region) should have the following qualities:

• small tree growth;
• strong winter hardiness and resistance to temperature extremes;
• high rates of disease resistance;
• self-fertility (very desirable for the gardens of the North-West);
• early ripening is preferable.

When the plum ripens in the Leningrad region

In terms of ripening of fruits, plum varieties cultivated in the Leningrad region and in the North-West can be conditionally divided into:

• early (first decade of August);
• average (approximately from 10 to 25 August);
• late (end of August - September).

The best plum varieties for the Leningrad region with a description

According to the reviews of the farmers of the Leningrad Region and the North-West of Russia, you can get an idea of ​​the best varieties of plums for this region, which are invariably popular in local gardens:

Plum varieties for the Leningrad region

The assortment of plums for the Leningrad region and the North-West, of course, is not limited to the above names. It is necessary to characterize other varieties suitable for cultivation in this part of the country, grouping them according to certain characteristics.

Yellow plum for the Leningrad region

Plums with amber, yellow fruit color are deservedly popular among gardeners - not only because of their exotic appearance, but also due to the sweetness and aroma inherent in these varieties, good winter hardiness and yield.

In the Leningrad region, as well as in the North-West of the country, you can successfully grow the following of them:

Self-fertile home plum for the Leningrad region

For the plum growing in the gardens of the Leningrad Region and North-West Russia, a very significant positive property is self-fertility, at least partial.

A variety with this quality will become a real treasure for the farmer in the case when it is not possible to plant several trees on the site. If the garden is large enough, then the yield of self-fertile plum varieties with the right pollinators will be beyond praise.

Low-growing plum varieties for the Leningrad region

Another advantage of the plum tree in the eyes of the gardener is the small, compact tree. It is easier to care for such, it is easier to collect fruits from it.

Early varieties of plum for the Leningrad region

Early plum varieties in the Leningrad Region and North-West Russia, as a rule, ripen in early August.

This allows you to taste the fragrant fruits earlier and, of course, harvest before the fall frost. The tree will have enough time to recover and then successfully overwinter.

Planting and caring for plums in the Leningrad region

The specifics of growing plums in the Leningrad Region and the nuances of caring for them in this region are directly related to the fact that geographically this is the northernmost part of the country where stone fruit trees can be successfully grown. The most important factor of success is a properly selected variety, which is suitable for the Russian North-West by its characteristics. However, competent planting of a tree on the site and proper care for it, taking into account the characteristics of local soils and climate, play an equally important role in obtaining a harvest.

When to plant plums in the Leningrad region

Plum is usually recommended to be planted in autumn or spring. The latter option is more preferable for the Leningrad Region and the North-West. This is due to the fact that plum is a thermophilic culture. Planting in the ground is advised to be carried out 3-5 days after the soil has completely thawed, without waiting for the buds to bloom on the tree.

If a gardener nevertheless decided to plant a plum in the fall, he should do it 1.5–2 months before the time when frosts usually occur in the Northwest. Otherwise, the seedling may die, not having time to take root before the winter cold.

Plum planting in the spring in the Leningrad region

The choice of a site for planting plums in the Leningrad Region and in the North-West of the country is determined by the following features:

• it is preferable that the soil is fertile, loose and well-drained;
• it is advisable to choose a place on a hill (the upper part of the slope): in winter there will not be too much snow, and in spring melt water will not accumulate;
• the groundwater level in the area where the drain will grow must be deep (at least 2 m).

Where exactly the plum will grow should be planned in advance. Within a radius of 2 m from this place, you need to dig up the soil well, weed weeds, apply fertilizer to the soil.

A couple of weeks before the intended planting of the tree, it is necessary to prepare a planting pit:

• its width should be approximately 0.5-0.6 m, and its depth should be 0.8-0.9 m;
• at the bottom of the pit it is advised to lay part of the fertile soil extracted from it, mixed with humus and mineral fertilizer, as well as a small amount of chalk, dolomite flour or slaked lime;
• it is advisable to immediately install a support for the garter of the future tree (optimally - from the north side), given that at least 15 cm should remain between the peg and the seedling.

Planting a seedling in the ground in the North-West of the country is carried out according to the general rules:

• fertile soil is poured into the lower part of the pit;
• a sapling is carefully placed on top of it and its roots are spread;
• then they carefully fill in the soil, making sure that the root collar of the tree is 3-5 cm above ground level;
• it is permissible to lightly tamp the soil, making sure not to damage the stem and roots of the plant;
• then the trunk is tied to a support using a hemp rope or soft twine (but in no case a metal wire);
• the plant is well watered (20–30 l of water);
• the soil in the near-trunk circle is mulched (with peat or sawdust).

How to properly cut a plum in the Leningrad region

Plum crowns begin to form from the second year.

You can devote time to this in the fall or spring, however, it is believed that the spring pruning, carried out before the start of the sap flow processes, the tree tolerates more easily:

• cut sites heal faster;
• the possibility of freezing of a recently cut tree in winter is excluded, which is especially important for the North-West of Russia and can contribute to the development of diseases.

The plum is carefully examined after winter, removing damaged and frozen branches. Simultaneously with the growth of the crown, shoots that thicken it, as well as those that grow inward or vertically upward, should be removed, giving the tree a beautiful and comfortable shape.

In addition, shoots growing within a radius of about 3 m from the roots should be cut. This procedure should be carried out 4-5 times during the summer.

The optimal schemes for the formation of the plum crown are recognized:

• pyramidal;
• improved tiered.

Plum growing in the Leningrad region

Plum care in the gardens of the Leningrad Region and the North-West as a whole is subject to the general rules for growing this crop, but it also has some specifics.

When organizing watering, you need to remember that the plum is a moisture-loving plant. She does not like waterlogging, but you cannot let her dry out. During hot periods in summer, the plum should be watered every 5-7 days at the rate of 3-4 buckets for a young tree and 5-6 for an adult tree.

It is equally important to properly feed the tree with fertilizers:

• during the first 3 years after planting, the plum is sufficient for the spring application of urea to the soil (at the rate of 20 g per 1 m3);
• for a tree that is beginning to bear fruit, it is advisable to receive support annually in the form of a mixture of urea (25 g), superphosphate (30 g), wood ash (200 g) and manure (10 kg per 1 m3 of the trunk circle);
• for a fully fruiting plum, it is recommended to double the amount of organic fertilizers, leaving the same volumes of mineral fertilizers: in the spring, humus, manure, urea are added to the soil, while in the fall - potash and phosphorus mixtures.

The first couple of years after planting plums, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil in the near-trunk circle with a pitchfork or a shovel to a shallow depth in order to control weeds. In the process, you need to add peat or humus (1 bucket each). For the same purposes, you can mulch the area of ​​the trunk circle by about 1 m around the tree with a layer of sawdust (10-15 cm).

The area around a tree that is more than 2 years old can be treated with herbicides. They are brought in in dry, calm weather, making sure that the drugs do not get on the leaves and trunk.

Periodically, you need to carefully inspect the tree for pest damage or the presence of symptoms of diseases. Timely measures taken to eliminate the problem will save the gardener from a long and hard struggle for the health of the plum, which can often end in the death of the plant.

A few simple and useful tips for caring for plums, relevant for growing this crop in the Leningrad Region and the North-West, can be obtained from the video

Preparing plums for winter

Despite the fact that most varieties of plums suitable for the Leningrad Region and the North-West have high frost resistance, in winter they still need additional shelter.

The stem of the tree should be whitewashed before the onset of cold weather. Then it is insulated, tying it with roofing material, on top of which glass wool and a layer of reflective foil are laid. This will help the plum to safely endure even very severe colds, which are not at all rare in the North-West.

Trunk circles, especially around young plants, are covered with straw on the eve of the winter period. When snow starts to fall, you need to make sure that a lot of it does not accumulate under the tree - no more than 50-60 cm.

Plum varieties for the Northwest

The varieties recommended for the Leningrad Region will grow quite successfully in the rest of the North-West of the country.

You can expand this list:

Self-fertile plum varieties for the Northwest

Among the self-fertile and partially self-fertile varieties of plum, suitable for the North-West (including the Leningrad region), it is certainly worth mentioning the following:

Yellow plum for the Northwest

To the varieties of plums with a yellow integumentary color of fruits that can grow in the climatic conditions of the Leningrad Region, it is worth adding a few more of those that can take root in the gardens of the North-West:

Plum varieties for Karelia

There is an opinion that the northern border of the territory where plums can be successfully grown runs along the Karelian Isthmus. For this part of the Russian North-West, gardeners are advised to purchase some varieties of Finnish selection:

Conclusion

In order for the plum in the Leningrad region and in the North-West of the country to take root in the garden, not to get sick and to bear fruit successfully, varieties of this culture were bred and selected that can grow in this region. They can withstand the difficult conditions of the local climate, are less demanding on heat, air humidity and an abundance of sunny days than their southern counterparts, show high resistance to common diseases. It is very important to correctly determine the variety, correctly select and prepare the site, provide proper care for the drain, including measures to protect the tree in winter - and abundant, regular harvests will not be long in coming.

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