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Plum "Black Tulskaya" refers to late ripening varieties. Its popularity among gardeners is due to its delicious juicy fruits, excellent yield, and resistance to many diseases.
Breeding history of the variety
It is not known exactly how this black plum appeared. According to some gardeners, this is a seedling that has grown after accidental pollination of a tree of the "Hungarian home" variety.
The first description of black plum was made by the agronomist G. Ya. Serebro in the last century.
Description of plum variety Black Tulskaya
The variety has several other names:
- Tula prunes;
- Winter blue;
- Meshchovsky prunes;
- Bryansk late.
The tree and the fruit have their own special characteristics.
Plum "Tulskaya" grows up to 4.5 m high. It has a small, dense, oval crown. The leaves are dark green in color.
According to a photo of a black plum, the fruit looks like an egg. They cannot boast of being large. Plum weight reaches a maximum of 30 g. Fruit color is dark blue, sometimes with a red tint. There is a bluish bloom on the skin.
The flesh of the plums is yellow-green, dense, juicy. It tastes sweet. According to the tasters, it deserves a score of 4.1 out of 5 points for taste.
The cultivation of the Black Tulskaya plum is best done in the Moscow region. Also, the variety has become widespread in the Tula and Kaluga regions.
Variety characteristics
The main characteristics of the plum of this variety relate to its resistance to unfavorable weather conditions, fertility, resistance to certain diseases.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
The lack of moisture of plum varieties "Black Tulskaya" does not tolerate very well. Due to drought, unripe fruits fall to the ground.
Reviews of the "Tulskaya Black" plum in the Moscow region indicate that its level of winter hardiness is average. The tree recovers quickly after a frosty winter.
Pollinators of plum Black Tulskaya
The variety is considered self-fertile. For stable fruiting, it does not need pollinators. This is one of its main advantages.
Productivity and fruiting
The Black Tulskaya variety bears fruit regularly. Gardeners have watched her for 17 years. During this period, the harvest was not only 4 times.
The yield level of the variety is average. Usually it is about 10 kg of fruit per tree. The maximum indicator is 35 kg.
Scope of berries
Plum "Black Tulskaya" is used for the preparation of various dishes, preparations. These are juice, compote, jam, jam, liqueur. But it is worth remembering that due to the high juiciness of the fruits, jams and jams are too liquid.
Disease and pest resistance
A pleasant characteristic of the Black Tulskaya plum variety is resistance to some types of diseases and pests. The tree is not susceptible to clasterosporium disease, fruit rot.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Plum "Black Tulskaya" has a number of advantages.
- Stability of fruiting.
- Good yield (maximum 35 kg per tree).
- High marks of taste indicators.
- Ease of separating pulp and bone.
- The tree does not suffer from clasterosporia and rot.
Disadvantages:
- average level of winter hardiness;
- shedding of fruits with a lack of moisture;
- the influence of weather conditions on the taste.
Another significant disadvantage is the susceptibility to the thickened leg.
Landing features
How correctly the tree was planted depends on its health and yield.
Recommended timing
The time for planting seedlings is highly dependent on the region. If this is the Moscow region and the surrounding areas, it is better to plant in the spring. In a few warm months, the seedlings will not only be able to adapt to new conditions, but also prepare for winter.
It is better to start planting 5 days after the snow melts. The whole process takes 2 weeks. If you start it later, during the period of sap flow, the plum will not take root well.
In regions with mild winters, autumn planting is preferable. You need to be in time before the onset of cold weather. The ideal month for planting is October.
Choosing the right place
As mentioned above, the taste of Black Tulskaya plum directly depends on the amount of sunlight. The more sun, the sweeter the fruit will be. That is why seedlings should be planted not in the shade, but in a place open to light. However, they must be protected from the wind. Therefore, the best option is the space near the house or fence.
It is better to choose loam from the soil. It is good if there is groundwater at a depth of 1-1.2 m.
It is not recommended to plant plums on heavy, acidic, alkaline or cold soil. Clay will not work either. On it, the root system will be partially located on the surface, which can cause it to suffer from severe frosts or lack of air.
Restrictions are also imposed on sandstones. In such soil, there are no nutrients at all, in addition, it dries out quickly.
Too low areas are also not suitable for planting the Black Tulskaya plum variety. Cold air accumulates in them. In addition, they are more susceptible to flooding than others.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
It is not recommended to plant the following plants near the Black Tulskaya tree:
- Walnut;
- hazelnut;
- fir;
- birch;
- poplar.
The proximity of a plum with a pear is also considered unfavorable. However, this applies to cases where the trees are very close to each other.
The Black Tulskaya plum has good or neutral relations with apple and black currant. You can also plant thyme, tulips, daffodils, primrose near it.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Seedlings of plum "Black Tulskaya" chosen for planting must meet a few simple requirements.
- Age not more than 2 years.
- The presence of one conductor and three lateral shoots is at least.
- Roots 35-40 cm long. It is important that the root system does not have outgrowths and sagging.
To protect the seedlings during transportation, cover their roots with a cloth soaked in water. Wrap the top with polyethylene.
Landing algorithm
Plum planting "Black Tulskaya" is carried out in several stages.
- About 2 weeks before planting, dig up the ground (radius 2 m) and apply fertilizers (8 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium salt).
- Dig a hole (60 cm deep, 70 cm wide). Combine the earth with peat (2 buckets), superphosphate (300 g) and potassium sulfide (80 g). Pour the mixture into a pit for 2/3 of its volume.
- Drive a small peg into the hole.
- Place the Black Tulskaya plum sapling in the hole, carefully spread the roots, sprinkle with earth. It is important that the root collar is 5-7 cm above the ground.
- Form an earthen roller at a distance of 40 cm from the tree.
- Pour 2 buckets of clean water over the ground.
- Once the water is absorbed, cover the soil with humus or peat (10 cm).
Several plums of this type should be planted at a distance of 3 m from each other.
Plum follow-up care
Correct planting and caring for the Black Tulskaya plum is a guarantee of tree health and a good harvest.Not a single detail should be overlooked, be it phased pruning or fertilization.
There are two types of pruning of this type of tree: formative and sanitary. It is held every year.
- After planting, it is necessary to shorten the central trunk of the tree so that it is 25 cm higher than the branches.
- At 2 years old, the formation of a sparse tiered crown begins. It is recommended to keep the 3 strongest branches. Cut off the shoots by 60 cm.It is important that the central trunk still remains 20-25 cm higher than the rest of the branches.
- At 3 years old, the formation of the 2 tier of the crown should begin. It is located 40 cm from the first and consists of 2 branches.
- At 4 years old, you need to make a 3rd tier.
- From the age of 5 onwards, it is necessary to cut only those branches that make the crown too thick.
Sanitary pruning of plants of this variety is carried out as necessary and does not depend on the age of the plum. It involves the removal of damaged or diseased branches. It is also recommended to remove root growth, which has a bad effect on the process of nutrition and growth of the tree.
As mentioned above, the Black Tulskaya variety plum does not cope well with drought. For this reason, special attention should be paid to watering. During the growing season, you need to water the tree 6 times:
- after the flowers fall;
- 2 weeks after the first watering;
- 2 weeks after the second watering;
- during the period of fruit ripening;
- after the harvest has been harvested;
- in September - October.
Top dressing is also carried out according to the seasons.
Season | Young tree | The tree that bears fruit | Consumption for 1 tree |
May | 2 tbsp. l. urea, 2 tbsp. l. liquid humate and 10 liters of water |
| 20 l |
June | 3 tbsp. l. nitrophosphate and 10 liters of water |
| 20 l |
August-early September | 3 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 3 tbsp. l superphosphate, 10 l water |
| 20 l |
Early spring |
| 25 g urea, 20 g potassium chloride, 60 g superphosphate |
|
September October |
| 10 kg of manure (rotted) / 10 kg of compost |
|
Another important part of caring for the Black Tulskaya plum is preparing it for winter. It starts in October. First of all, the soil around the tree must be freed from fallen leaves and dug up (20 cm). After that, you need to fill the drain with 70 liters of water and cover it with sawdust or a 10-centimeter layer of peat.
To protect the plant from rodents, the trunk should be whitewashed. After that, wrap it with a layer of roofing material, glass wool and light-reflecting foil.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Plum varieties "Black Tulskaya" are not susceptible to clasterosporiosis and fruit rot. However, it can be affected by other diseases or pests.
Disease | Symptoms | Treatment | Prophylaxis |
Plum pockets | The fruit stretches out and becomes flat. The bone does not appear. Up to 30% of the total crop is affected. | Treat wood with 0.2% copper oxychloride solution. | Destroy infected fruits, thin out the crown, feed the plum with calcium-based fertilizers. |
Gum therapy | Small honey-like drops appear on the trunk. An infection enters the tree through the wounds. | Clear the trunk from growths. Disinfect the wounds with a 1% solution of copper sulfate and cover them with garden varnish. | Prune according to schedule. Protect young trees from frost. Regularly check the condition of the tree as a whole. |
Moniliosis | Withering of branches, flowers and leaves. | Before flowering, treat the tree with 3% Bordeaux liquid or copper oxychloride. | Timely treat plums from pests. Burn the fallen leaves and branches. |
Dwarfism | A viral disease that affects leaves and peduncles. The former change shape, become denser and at the same time fragile. | There is no cure. The diseased plum must be dug up and destroyed. | Buy seedlings only from trusted gardeners or nurseries. Use only clean tools during work. Get rid of pests in time. |
Smallpox | Spots appear on the leaves. Dark dents form on the fruit. | The tree must be uprooted and burned. | Preventive measures are the same as in the previous case. |
Of the pests, the Black Tulskaya plum is most often affected by the thickfoot, yellow sawfly and moth.
- Chlorofos, Karbofos or Mospilan, diluted in water according to the instructions, will help get rid of the thickened leg.
- The same drugs help to fight the yellow sawfly as in the previous case.
- Chlorophos can protect the plum from the moth. Processing usually takes place in mid-June.
Plum "Black Tulskaya" was to the liking of many gardeners. It has a good yield, excellent taste, and resistance to some diseases. Like any other fruit tree, it requires constant care. If everything is done correctly and according to the schedule, the plum will delight with fruits for many years.
