What year does a plum bear fruit after planting, how to make a plum bear fruit

How many years after planting does a plum bear fruit?

Plum fruiting largely depends on varietal characteristics. Some varieties, in favorable conditions, begin to form fruits a couple of years after grafting, others, on the contrary, begin this process after 8–9 years have passed.

Varieties bearing fruit in the 2nd year:

• New;
• Spark;
• Opata.

Varieties that bear fruit in the 3rd-4th year:

• Collective farm farmhouse;
• Memory of Timiryazev;
• Red early ripening.

Varieties that bear fruit in 5–6 years:

• Tambov prunes;
• Minsk;
• Winter white;
• Hungarian Pulkovskaya;
• Anna Shpet;
• Moscow Hungarian;
• Renklod reform.

Varieties that bear fruit 7–9 years after planting:

• Prunes Kozlovsky;
• Ochakovskaya yellow;
• Nikolskaya white;
• Peach Michurina;
• White Yasenevskaya.

When giving preference to seed propagation, it is necessary to remember that young seedlings do not always copy the characteristics of the mother plant. A plum grown from a seed can enter the fruiting period much later than the parent tree.

A plant planted from a seed can begin to bear fruit after 6 - 7, and sometimes even 9 years. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that most modern fruit trees are hybrids consisting of:

• rootstock (root system and lower part of the trunk);
• scion (upper part of the trunk and crown).

The timing of the onset of fruiting largely depends on the type of rootstock used.

Tasty, aromatic plums appear first on low-growing (dwarf and semi-dwarf) trees. Clonal rootstocks are used to grow them:

• OD 2-3 is a hybrid of domestic and American plums. A small tree, rarely growing more than 2 m, begins to bear fruit 2 years after grafting. It is highly resistant to diseases and able to withstand freezing temperatures. This plum bears fruit for no more than 10 years.
• 146-2 – a hybrid of felt and sand plum. Semi-dwarf tree, up to 2.5 m in height, the first fruits on which appear 3 years after grafting. The average lifespan is about 12 years.
• VVA-1 is a hybrid of felt cherry and cherry plum. Semi-dwarf rootstock that begins to bear fruit at the age of two.
• Often, to obtain a small, neat plum at home, gardeners use the rootstock of an ordinary sand cherry grown from a seed. Its use is especially relevant on soils that are not suitable for cultivating this crop (acidic, poor). The root system of the felt cherry is frost-resistant and drought-resistant, and practically does not sprout.

Note. If VBA-1 is used as a rootstock, this not only brings the fruiting period closer, but also accelerates the ripening time by 7 - 10 days.

Main fruiting dates

Descriptions of plum crops indicate that there are several time frames for ripening.

1. Early. Typically, such species begin to bear fruit 2 years after planting. The most common varieties include plum varieties Iskra and Novinka.
2. Medium ripening period. Before fruiting begins, 3-5 years must pass from the moment of planting. The most common varieties include the plum variety Red Skorospelka and Record.
3. Late cultures. They begin to bear fruit after 7-9 years. These varieties include the white Nikopolskaya and yellow Ochakovskaya varieties.

Gardeners who choose plum tree seedlings for their plot for the first time are interested in what year this crop begins to bear fruit. The timing depends on many factors: from the characteristics of the variety to proper care of the plant.

In what year does a plum tree begin to bear fruit? With proper care of the seedling, the first harvest can be harvested already 3–5 years after being placed in open ground.

The tree produces fruits on growth branches from last year and on new shoots, so sanitary pruning should be carried out extremely carefully so as not to reduce the possible harvest.

When does plum season begin?

Depending on the region, plum blossoms begin between April and May. Flowering begins in the southern regions in April, in the middle zone - in May. Early varieties begin to bloom earlier, late varieties are a little late.

Landscape designers use shrubs to decorate alleys and paths and create spectacular hedges from low varieties. The plant is suitable for creating a Japanese-style landscape.

Juicy green plum leaves delight the eye all summer. If the variety bears fruit, in August the plum looks like a Christmas tree hung with garlands.

How plum blossoms

Plum blossoms are of unsurpassed beauty. Luxurious flower buds of 5 petals from white to pale pink create a fabulous atmosphere. Flowers appear before the leaves and are arranged singly or in bouquets of 2–3 petals. Flowering lasts 9–11 days, ending with the appearance of the first leaves.

Sometimes a plum may not begin to bloom after winter; the established buds die due to spring frosts and fall off before they have time to bloom. A plum tree does not bloom if all the buds are dead, so there is no need to expect a harvest.

A barren flower on a plum tree means that there were flowers, but no fruit set. The reasons for poor flowering or large amounts of barren flowers will be discussed below.

Pollinators for plums

Pollination occurs when pollen from the stamens of some flowers enters the pistil of others. Plums are pollinated by special pollinating varieties. Bees and other insects and the wind carry pollen. Each variety has its own pollinator. To find out which one you need, you need to know exactly what variety grows in the garden.

If the plum is already growing, but the variety is unknown, then you can try planting universal varieties nearby that may be suitable. These varieties include, for example, Red early ripening.

Will a plum bear fruit if there is only one?

A single plum will bear fruit if it is self-fertile. A non-self-fertile plum requires a pair to bear fruit.

The most popular varieties of self-fertile plums:

• Niagara;
• Anna Shpet;
• Herman;
• Stanley;
• Monarch.

If a plum tree does not bear fruit every year, the most common reason is that a non-self-pollinating variety is growing in the garden. Most of the 2,000 known species are sterile varieties. If the plum tree does not bear fruit, you should plant a pollinator tree or graft branches from it.

The yellow plum does not bear fruit if pollination has not occurred. To attract bees and insects, it is sprayed with a solution of honey or sugar.

At what distance do plums pollinate?

The distance between plums for pollination should be 10–20 meters; at greater distances, pollination may not occur. It is not worth planting closer than 10 meters; trees do not like their crowns to touch.

Plum pollination by hand

In cold or rainy weather, bees and insects do not fly, and pollination may not take place. To correct the situation, artificial pollination of plums is used. Pollen is collected from the flowers of one tree and applied to the flowers of another tree with a cotton swab or small brush. The process is long and laborious, but it pays off. Pollinating garden plums by hand will produce fruit in August.

For what year after planting does a plum bear fruit?

The plum bears fruit 4–5 years after planting, if all care conditions are met. Early-growing varieties can produce a harvest in 2–3 years, late varieties – in 6–7 years.

How many years does a plum bear fruit?

The fruiting period of plums is on average 10–15 years. There will be a good yield if different varieties grow nearby. Plum does not produce a harvest if the tree is old.

Dependence of fruiting on variety

There are eight main reasons why a plum tree does not bear fruit.

Firstly, the culprit may be such a nuisance as physiological carrion. Its symptoms are as follows: the tree blooms, ovaries appear, fruits form, but they do not have time to reach a ripe state. The cream just falls to the ground. Such a defective condition can arise for several reasons: either the plum does not receive enough nutrients, or the roots cannot cope due to weakness, or there is an excessive/insufficient amount of moisture, or improper care.

Secondly, initially a mistake could have been made when choosing a plum variety, and a self-sterile one was purchased (and this is most varieties of plums). Such varieties need pollinators, and if they are not planted, then there will be no fruit to wait for.

Thirdly, a fairly common reason is tree diseases. Diseases such as fruit rot and clasterosporiasis deprive plums of the ability to form a large number of fruits. The fungus Clusterosporiasis destroys the leaves, forming holes in them. Then the infection spreads to the branches, trunk and the cream itself. Dry and damaged shoots must be trimmed, and the plant must be treated three times with special solutions.

In addition, plums can be affected by moniliosis. The plant becomes covered in black soot and looks as if it has been burned. As a preventative measure, before the flowers begin to appear, as well as immediately after, the cream will need to be processed.

Gray rot affects the fruits themselves. It should be remembered that the disease easily tolerates the cold season and does not disappear due to the cold. To prevent trouble, the crown and soil will need to be sprayed with a special composition, and the affected fruits with shoots will need to be removed and burned.

Fourthly, common pests may be to blame. For example, the codling moth caterpillar eats cream and even seeds: as a result, the fruits fall to the ground and begin to rot. And such a pest as the flower beetle feeds on the buds of flowers and does not allow the ovaries to form.

Fifthly, bad weather is a fairly common problem. In May, frosts very often occur, and the buds freeze, and the young shoots are weakened - and the yield drops again. But also a sudden drop in temperature and cold gusts of wind lead to sterilization of pollen, without which the appearance of fruits is impossible. Problems also occur when there are droughts or heavy rains.

Read more: Columnar cherry planting and care

Sixthly, the wrong soil can create many problems. If the soil has increased acidity, then you will have to bring it to a state of “neutrality” - add additives in the form of ash or slaked lime, chalk, crushed egg shells or limestone flour. By the way, the acidity of the soil can be easily determined by its appearance - if there is a lot of moss and “acid-loving” plants on the surface, but no clover, and a white layer can be seen on the surface, then these indicators are clearly increased.

It is important to know that plums can oxidize the soil in much larger quantities than other trees and shrubs. Therefore, annual alkalization of the soil is necessary.

Seventhly, improper planting of the seedling, in which the root is damaged, can lead to adverse consequences. If the seedling is buried so deeply into the soil that its root collar is not even visible, this will be a big mistake. This part of the plant must be visible.

Eighth, the plum may not have enough lighting. This situation may arise if the tree is planted near a fence, the wall of a building, or next to higher “neighbors.”

Finally, the lack of harvest in a plum tree may be the result of some mechanical damage, as well as incorrect pruning. Plum trees, as a rule, have a very large crown, so you need to work on its formation. Otherwise, the density of the branches will prevent the redirection of resources to flowers and fruits.

It is not enough to know what year the plum bears fruit. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that there are certain problems that do not allow the tree to develop and produce a timely harvest. There are several main reasons why fruiting is delayed:

• wrong place to land;
• improper planting process;
• when choosing a seedling, the region was not taken into account;
• presence of diseases and pests;
• non-compliance with care rules (feeding, watering and weeding).

If the tree never began to bear fruit, the rules for caring for the plum were not followed.

The reasons for the lack of flowering and fruits include:

• the location for planting the tree was chosen incorrectly;
• the conditions were not met when planting the seedling;
• the variety was incorrectly selected for the area;
• the plum was damaged by pests;
• watering was not carried out on time;
• fertilizers were applied in insufficient quantities;
• the tree was poorly treated for pests.

Self-infertility is the main reason for the lack of “fertility” in plums.

• it is strictly forbidden to plant 1 tree on a plot; most varieties are sterile;
• it is necessary to plant a pollinating plum nearby to obtain cross-pollination (by bees, bumblebees, flies - any flying insects that will carry foreign pollen);
• graft on a single plum;
• buy a self-pollinating variety. This is the best solution, since in bad weather there are no pollinating insects and a lot of pollen is washed away by rain, which greatly affects the number of ovaries.

What soils does plum tree like?

Plums grow best in fertile, loose soil with a neutral pH. It can be either loamy or sandy loam soil, the main thing is that it has a sufficient amount of nutrients and they are added regularly.

Soil type on a site - how to determine and improve the structure To find out for yourself what type of soil predominates on your site, just carry out a few simple manipulations.

Plum does not tolerate stagnant moisture and waterlogging, so it will not grow in wetlands or lands where the distance to groundwater is less than 1.5 m.

Common varieties of plums

According to the degree of ripening, plums are divided into the following groups: very early-fruiting, early-fruiting, medium-fruiting, late-fruiting.

Very precocious

Red ball . The variety was bred by breeders by crossing Ussuri Red and American Burbank. The tree grows up to 2.5 m in height. The shape of the branches is spreading. Flowering is early, leaves appear later than buds.

The fruits are large (40 g), red in color. The taste is sweet and sour with a pronounced aroma. The peculiarity of fruiting is group 2 (on spurs). The harvest is harvested 2-3 years after planting.

Sapa . The dwarf plant reaches a height of up to 1.5 m. The variety is obtained from crossing cherries and plums. It is a bush. The fruits grow on annual growths. Up to 6 flower buds are formed in the leaf axils. Therefore, the variety pleases with a bountiful harvest.

Fruiting occurs in the second year after budding. In the 3rd year of fruiting, Sapa produces a harvest of up to 4 kg. Growth is regulated by systematic pruning. The fruits are small - 9-10 g. The dark burgundy pulp is used for coloring marmalade and wine. The taste is reminiscent of thorns.

Breeders use Sapa for crossing peaches and apricots.

Opata . Dwarf tree up to 2 m in height. The product of crossing plum and cherry. The fruits are used for technical purposes.

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Precocious

Manchurian beauty . The variety is a derivative of 3 varieties: Chinese, Ussuri, “Simon”. Growth reaches up to 1.8 m. The plant belongs to self-sterile plants. A pollinator is planted next to it. The Ussuri plum performs this role well.

Regular fruiting begins 3 years after planting. Ripening period August – September. The mass of yellow-orange fruits is 15 g. Fruiting fruits are formed on bouquet branches.

After ripening, all the fruits must be collected. Otherwise, the plum will throw them off the tree.

Spark . Medium-sized tree with high yield. The fruits are ovoid, weighing 18 g. The color is dark red with a bloom.

Egg yellow . The trees bear fruit in 6-7 years. Productivity is high. The fruits are large. The shape is ovoid in orange-yellow hue.

Medium-fruited

Peach . Plum prefers southern regions due to poor winter hardiness. Fruiting on bouquet branches appears in 5-7 years. Over time, the tree's productivity increases. At 25 years old, a peach plum bears fruit up to 50 kg per unit. The weight of one berry varies from 45 to 50 g.

The color of plums changes depending on the weather. In cold weather - greenish-yellow color, in sunny, warm weather - a pink blush covers almost the entire fruit.

Victoria . Plum is a self-fertile variety of English origin. Can be a pollinator of Anna Shpet, Vengerka, Kirke varieties. The trees are large with a spreading crown. They bear fruit for 3-4 years.

The fruits are reddish-yellow, light purple on the sunny side. There is a waxy coating. Fruit weight 40-45 g. Loves moist, fertile soils with the presence of lime.

Italian . The homeland of the variety is Italy. The tree is not frost-resistant. They prefer southern regions. Under favorable conditions, at the age of 5-6 years, the yield of Italian is 50 kg. In a 10-year-old - 100.

Hungarian . The tree is tall with a spreading crown, pyramidal in shape. Frost-resistant variety, resistant to diseases. On moist fertile soils the yield is 150-180 kg.

Renklod . The tall plant reaches up to 5-7 m in length. The crown is rounded. The fruits are black-blueberry in color with a waxy coating.

Late-fertile

Washington . The tree is partially self-fertile and medium in size. The pollinator can be Anna Shpet, Peach plum. The crown is spherical. Leaves appear after flowering. Good fruiting occurs in 7-8 years. The fruits are light yellow and large.

In regions with a humid climate or rainy summers, fruit rot affects Washington. Wet weather affects taste.

Renclaude Ullens . The tree is vigorous. It begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-6 years. Productivity is high. Prefers the climate of the southern regions. The fruits are green and acquire a yellow tint when fully ripe. The pulp is juicy and sweet.

Cherry and cherry ovaries fall off: reasons

No. 1. High soil acidity. This problem can be solved by adding lime or dolomite flour (400 grams per square meter) within a meter radius from the center of the tree trunk circle.

#2: Nutrient deficiencies. For this reason, the cherry ovary most often falls off. It is necessary to alternately apply complex mineral fertilizer (50 g per m2) for fruit trees and an infusion of mullein or bird droppings (2-3 buckets in a place with abundant watering) at least three times in the spring-summer period.

It is especially important to feed cherries after flowering.

Please note: manure and lime are not applied at the same time. Also, when planting a seedling, nitrogen fertilizers are not applied to the planting hole. No. 3. Crown density. Lack of light is an additional reason why cherry ovaries fall off

In early spring, before the buds open, pruning of inward-growing crowns and thickening branches is carried out.

No. 3. Crown density. Lack of light is an additional reason why cherry ovaries fall off. In early spring, before the buds open, pruning of inward-growing crowns and thickening branches is carried out.

The middle of the cherry tree crown should be properly illuminated by the sun. In the summer after harvesting, you can carry out sanitary breaking out of young shoots.

No. 4. Self-sterility of the variety. Many varieties of cherries, including the most popular (Vladimirskaya), are self-sterile. This means that for good fruiting they need a pollinator neighbor of a different variety.

Classification of cherry varieties

• Self-sterile (own pollen is enough to pollinate 5% of the ovary).
• Partially self-fertile (20% of the ovary remains).
• Self-fertile (a little more than 40% of the ovary matures).

When purchasing a cherry seedling, be sure to ask what type it is. As a rule, one tree on a plot does not produce good harvests.

The following varieties are considered good pollinators: Lyubskaya, Shubinka, Zhukovskaya, Polevka. The self-fertile variety is the key to annual abundant harvests.

No. 5. Overload with harvest. If last year there was a generous harvest of cherries, it is quite possible that the tree did not have enough strength to lay flower buds.

In fruitful years, careful tree care is especially necessary. Be sure to feed the cherries after harvesting and water them thoroughly.

And in the fall, bury humus along with superphosphate and a potassium-magnesium complex under the crown to a depth of 20 cm.

Fertilizer consumption: 15 kg of humus, 100 g of potassium and 300 g of superphosphate per square meter. You need to retreat at least 50 cm from the trunk. The suction roots are located on the periphery of the crown.

No. 6. Drought. During flowering and fruit setting, you need to ensure sufficient soil moisture. When there is a lack of moisture, the cherry sheds its ovary.

If the spring turns out to be dry, the tree must be watered during and after flowering while simultaneously applying nitrogen fertilizers.

No. 7. Close occurrence of groundwater. Cherry is very sensitive to the composition of the soil and the location of groundwater. Too close (less than 1.5 m) the occurrence of groundwater leads to oppression of the tree. Choose a place to plant cherries on a hill.

No. 8. Bad weather during flowering. This is one of the main reasons for poor harvest and loss of cherry ovaries. Cherry pollen retains the ability to fertilize for only 3-5 days.

If the weather is cold and rainy at this time and pollinating insects are not flying, there is no hope for a good harvest.

To attract bees to the garden, they use my grandfather’s old method: spraying with sweet honey water. Dissolve 100 g of honey or sugar in a liter of water. You can also take a few handfuls of dry sand and sprinkle it on the flowering twigs.

Heat during cherry blossoms also negatively affects yields. Pollen quickly dries out and loses its productivity.

Frosts and even cold temperatures down to 4 degrees lead to the death of the ovary. Following these simple rules of agricultural technology will provide your family with stable and generous harvests for many years. Read about how to properly plant and care for cherries here.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to protect cherries from birds

Features of growth and fruiting

Plum grows as a tall shrub or tree. The crown is spreading or narrow pyramidal, the branches are drooping or straight. The ground part varies from 2 to 8 meters. It all depends on the variety, soil, and climatic conditions. Under favorable conditions, the height of some species reaches 10 meters or more.

In the first 4-6 years, intensive growth of branches is observed. Fruiting slows down the process.

In the Krasnodar region, vigorous varieties are grown: Vengerka, Renklod green, Ontario.

In central Russia, medium-sized (Washington, Vengerka azhanskaya) and low-growing (mirabelle) varieties are common. The crown area of ​​the latter is up to 40 square meters. m.

The plum begins to bear fruit at 3-4 or 5-6 years. Continues to produce crops for 20 years.

Simple (growth) and mixed (leaves, flowers) buds are formed on the plum. Formed individually and in groups. Next, bouquet branches and spurs are formed from group buds. The latter form growth buds.

According to the nature of fruiting, plum varieties are divided into groups:

1. Varieties that bear fruit on last year's growths. Group buds predominate on the branch. The crown shape is spreading. These include American, Chinese, Ussuri and plums. To speed up the appearance of fruits, shoot growth is supported.
2. Fruiting on a two-year-old branch. The fruits are formed on spurs and bouquet branches. The lifespan of spurs is 5 years. Varieties of this type have a pyramidal crown shape (Anna Shpet, Vengerka Domashnaya, Peach).
3. Mixed fruiting. Both options are present in the group. Most varieties with the 3rd fruiting group: Tula black, Hungarian Moscow, Mirnaya, Skorospelka red, Pamyat Timiryazev, Volzhskaya krasavitsa, Ochakovskaya yellow. The varieties are distinguished by high yield and early ripening.

The characteristics of fruiting are taken into account when pruning to regulate the yield.

Physiological carrion

One of the defects that causes the plum to stop setting berries. The tree can bloom profusely, but when the ovaries begin, it sheds most of them. This can happen if the tree does not have enough strength to produce fruit, which, in turn, may be a consequence of weak roots or unfavorable territorial or climatic conditions for tree growth, poor soil quality, or improper care techniques.

To eliminate these risk factors, it is necessary to fertilize fruit-bearing trees several times a year from the age of 3. In the spring you need to do root feeding. Add a mixture of urea and potassium sulfate: mix 2 tablespoons of urea and potassium sulfate and dissolve them in 10 liters of water. When the plum blossoms, you need to make complementary foods from a mixture of 3 tablespoons of nitrophosk and 10 liters of water.

It often happens that trees bloom together and form ovaries, but then some of the fruits fall off before they have time to ripen. It is quite difficult to determine the exact cause of carrion. Usually the fruits fall off when the tree does not have enough strength to provide them with food. This may be due to a weak root system, unsuitable growing conditions (waterlogging or drought), incorrect agricultural practices (in particular, illiterate pruning), poor soil, etc.

To help the plant produce ripe fruits, you need to try to provide it with comfortable conditions. 2-3 times a year, plums are fed according to the following scheme: in the spring, a solution of urea and potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons of urea and potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water) is added under the tree (starting from the age of three), and after flowering - nitrophoska ( 3 tbsp.

Growing cuttings

Obtaining seedlings from cuttings is a longer process than propagation by layering, including rooting cuttings, observing the conditions for obtaining the first branches and leaves, transplanting into the ground and following the rules of agricultural technology. The timing of flowering and fruiting largely depends on the conditions in which the tree will grow after planting in a permanent place, and on proper care for it.

Growing cuttings

Choosing planting material

When choosing planting material, take into account varieties that are adapted to the conditions of a particular region.

Trees are divided into self-fertile and self-sterile varieties. If you choose the second option, then you need to take care of purchasing pollinating varieties.

When buying a seedling, pay attention to the appearance:

1. the root system must be healthy, without dried out parts;
2. It is mandatory to have a tag containing information about the manufacturer and the characteristics of the variety;
3. seedlings with an open system should not have signs of disease, spots, damage, roots of a light shade;
4. annual seedlings should be 1-1.3 m in height; those grown from seed should be 1.5 m. Deviation from the norms indicates improper care and violation of cultivation technology.

Experienced gardeners advise choosing two-year-old seedlings. They quickly take root and tolerate stress more easily than older specimens.

For spring planting, seedlings are purchased in the fall and dug into the ground at an angle of 60 degrees. to a depth of 40 cm.

Autumn and spring planting of plums

Plums are planted in autumn and spring. In the southern regions it is preferable to plant in the fall, in the middle zone - in the spring.

The signal for planting in spring is completely thawed soil. The work must be completed within two weeks. Preparation of the planting site begins in the fall. The width of the pit is 70-80 cm, depth 40-50.

For poor loam, the size is chosen larger (width 2 m, depth - 1). The bottom is covered with a layer of clay (5-10 cm) and the earth is compacted. On top is a fertile layer with fertilizers.

Autumn planting should be carried out 1.5-2 months before stable frosts. During this period, the plum has time to take root. The landing site is prepared 15 days before planting. In the autumn, fertile soil with humus (1 bucket), superphosphate (350 g), and potassium salt (65 g) are added to the pit. Dense soil is mixed with sand.

Fertilizers containing nitrogen are not used in the fall. Nitrogen stimulates growth.

Reproduction by layering

Forcing a tree from the shoots is the most effective method of quickly obtaining a seedling in the garden. You can let the cuttings receive nutrition from the maternal roots without separating them for 2 years. During this time, it develops its own roots that are good enough for independent growth. This method has its advantages - there is no need to control external conditions. If agricultural techniques are followed and with proper care, plum trees will begin to bear fruit 4-5 years after planting in a permanent place.

Plum seedlings from the nursery

Ready-made seedlings of the zoned variety can be purchased at the nursery, specifying when they begin to bear fruit. A tree may bloom, but not bear a harvest. In this case, new gardeners have questions: what caused the plum to bloom profusely but not bear fruit, and what to do?

One of the reasons is that the plum variety is cross-pollinated and there are no pollinators nearby. When buying a seedling, you need to clarify the type of pollination; if this variety is not self-pollinating, two or three varieties of this crop should grow in the garden.

Plum pollinator varieties

If there are no trees in the neighborhood for cross-pollination, you can improve the situation by grafting another variety of plum onto a tree branch. This is what many fans do to create an exotic looking tree with branches of different varieties, but this takes time.

Plant nutrition

One of the main factors that influence plum fruiting is proper application of fertilizers.

It is carried out this way:

• before the start of the first flowering, the tree is fertilized with urea at the rate of 20 g per 1 m2 or replaced with natural fertilizers in the form of rotted manure;
• during fruit formation, only organic fertilizers are applied;
• At the end of the harvest, fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus are applied, taking into account their concentration of 30 g per 1 m2 and 75 g per m2.

You also need to remember that organic fertilizers are used once every 2 years and no more than 350 kg per 10 acres of land.

Landing Features

Each variety takes root in certain conditions. Early varieties and varieties with medium ripening periods need a lot of sunlight, so they need to be planted in the southeastern part of the garden area, where the most sun gets during the day.

Read more: Hybrid of cherry and plum: description and characteristics

Late varieties can be planted in any part of the garden, since the sun does not affect their ripening time.

To speed up the process of fruit appearance, you need to choose high-quality soil. They should be light, but contain a large amount of nutrients. Chernozems and loamy soils are considered ideal for growing plums. Fruiting is delayed if the acid level in the soil exceeds 4%, so you need to add per 1 square meter. m. 3 kg of lime. When the plum tree begins to bear fruit after planting depends on how correctly the planting is carried out.

It is not recommended to plant seedlings deeply. This will increase the time of their maturation and formation.

When digging a hole in the fall, you need to add organic fertilizers. Pour 5 kg of humus and 3 kg of wood ash into each hole. It is prohibited to use fresh manure, as it increases the acidity of the soil.

The quality of care directly affects how many years it takes for a plum tree to bear fruit. Caring for plum crops is not difficult.

1. It is necessary to ensure complete and timely watering. It must be carried out at intervals of 20-25 days. At least 30 liters of warm water is poured onto 1 plant.
2. Fertilizing is an important process in crop care. It depends on it when the plum tree begins to bear fruit. Fertilizing should consist of the use of both organic matter and minerals. In the spring, to form early and healthy ovaries, the tree needs to be fed with a solution of ammonium nitrate (30 g per 5 liters of water). In the fall, to nourish the soil and improve resistance to frost, it is necessary to apply per 1 square meter. m. 15 kg of humus or peat. You can mulch the soil with humus and straw, which will protect the root system from freezing.
3. After each watering, you need to loosen the top layer of soil and remove all weeds. This will ensure air exchange and facilitate the flow of nutrients into the soil. The weeding depth should be no more than 8 cm so as not to damage the developed roots.

Why are there no fruits on the plum tree at all or do they appear periodically?

Please note that even the best hybrid rootstocks are not capable of producing yields. Such trees bloom consistently every year, but practically do not produce fruit. Only by grafting a varietal cutting or bud (scion) onto them can one count on stable fruiting.

Incorrect pruning

Recently, among gardeners, the flexible spindle method of pruning stone fruit trees has become extremely popular. This method of crown formation allows not only to obtain good harvests every year, but also to regularly rejuvenate the tree and prevent thickening of the branches.

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Lack of moisture

In dry years, plum varieties with a shallow root system, which are unable to absorb deep groundwater, are most susceptible to moisture deficiency. During such periods, trees must be provided with abundant, timely watering, which will not only prevent the ovaries from falling off, but will also help the plums to form a sufficient number of generative buds for next year’s harvest.

Sometimes the lack of flowers and ovaries on a plum tree is the result of last year's dry summer. A lack of moisture during the period of bud formation leads to the fact that the tree forms exclusively vegetative buds.

For each plum, this period is individual and depends on the varietal characteristics and climatic conditions in the region of growth. Therefore, in this case it will not be entirely correct to be tied to any calendar dates. However, it is not at all difficult to identify this period with the help of regular observations of the garden - as soon as the tree stops intensively growing young shoots, it enters the bud formation phase, which means it needs watering.

Acidic soil

Soil acidity has a huge impact on the growth and fruiting of plum seedlings. Most varieties of plums are not intended for cultivation on soils whose pH is less than 6. In this case, before planting, the soil is deoxidized by adding:

• dolomite flour;
• ash;
• quicklime;
• bone meal.

Please note that excessive soil deoxidation, instead of a positive effect, can give the exact opposite result. Plants planted on alkaline soils are more susceptible to chlorosis than others.

Fertilizer shortage

Like any living organism, a tree needs nutrients and microelements for full growth and fruit formation. A deficiency, as well as a surplus, of any of them leads to developmental disorders. The result may be:

• shedding of ovaries;
• non-ripening of shoots and flower buds;
• freezing of branches in winter.

Only by balancing the nutrition of plum seedlings can you count on good harvests. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the three main components that plums need.

Please note that the composition of the applied fertilizers changes depending on the season. Nitrogen-containing preparations responsible for the growth of green mass are applied in spring and early summer. Phosphorus and potassium, which are involved in the formation of fruits, ripening of shoots and the formation of flower buds of the future harvest, are added in summer and early autumn.

There are no pollinating varieties nearby

Unlike most stone fruit crops, plums are self-fertile and self-sterile by nature.

If a plum belonging to the group of self-fertile grows on the site, then under favorable conditions it blooms remarkably and then forms a sufficient number of ovaries. However, if a plum belonging to the group of self-fertile appears in the garden, then in order to set fruit it definitely needs to be present in the immediate vicinity one tree with similar characteristics. This is because pollination in this species is cross-pollination, i.e. each flower can only be pollinated by pollen from a neighboring plant. It is for such trees that the presence of pollinating insects or dry, windy weather is extremely necessary.

If plum blossoms occur during the rainy period, then some of the pollen is irretrievably lost and the number of ovaries is significantly reduced.

It is not at all necessary to plant a pollinator variety at home; sometimes what grows on a neighbor’s plot is enough. If the distance between 2 trees does not exceed 10 m, this is quite enough for cross-pollination. But if for some reason the neighbors need to get rid of their plum tree, then the tree left alone will immediately stop producing fruit.

Why doesn't a plum bear fruit for a long time?

When choosing a variety to grow, it is worth remembering what year the plum bears fruit after planting. This will allow you to prepare for harvest and make it easier. Each variety is characterized by its own ripening time, depending on the climate of the region and the characteristics of the variety.

Beginning gardeners who decide to grow fruit trees for the first time are wondering: when does a plum tree begin to bear fruit after planting? This depends on many factors, namely: on the genetic characteristics of the mother variety and pollinator variety, and on growing conditions.

Fruiting on annual growth. These are most varieties of Canadian, Ussuri, Chinese, and American plums. They are characterized by the formation of strong growth shoots, on which many buds are formed. For them, it is necessary to maintain strong shoot growth, which will accelerate the appearance of fruits.

Fruiting on perennial overgrowing branches. This is a domestic plum of southern or Western European origin: Peach, Hungarian Domestic, Anna Shpet. When caring for the plant, it is important to ensure that the crown does not thicken.

With an intermediate type of fruiting: on annual growth and on perennial branches. These are Central Russian varieties: Volzhskaya krasavitsa, Skorospelka red, Pamyat Timiryazev, Hungarian Moscow, Mirnaya. When caring for it, it is important to maintain strong growth and prevent the crown from thickening.

Fruiting begins when the shoots of the plant reach a certain number of internodes of the buds. To speed up the process, it is necessary to form a crown, limiting the number of skeletal branches. At the same time, for maximum growth of shoots, it is necessary to provide good nutrition and moisture.

Read more: How to feed apricots in the fall after harvesting (preparing for winter)

If the conditions for growing seedlings are met, when asked at what age a plum begins to bear fruit, we can confidently answer that this happens at 4-5 years of age.

If all the necessary conditions for growing seedlings are met, when answering the question of what year a plum tree begins to bear fruit, we can say the age of the plant is 4-5 years.

Plum is a fairly large plant, a tree that bursts with health and strength! In fact, things are somewhat different than they might seem at first glance, and the plum is a capricious plant, which many gardeners fail to bear fruit throughout the entire growing period!

The fact is that this crop reacts sharply to the composition of the soil where it grows, to the climate characteristics of a particular zone, as well as to how the summer resident correctly forms the crown of its bush and what fertilizers he applies to its root system. This is why you can see plum blossoms, but never see the fruits, or rather, their ripening. The tree will form ovaries, the fruits will grow to a certain size and will then be dropped to the ground.

Well, the most important thing is that it often happens. Unscrupulous sellers deliberately sell incorrectly rooted plum seedlings, which will initially not bear fruit!

Let’s say that we manage to purchase high-quality plum planting material. The planting site, as well as the soil itself, have all the characteristics for the normal growth of this crop. The tree is properly cared for and watered during the entire growth stage. When will the plum tree begin to bear fruit in this case?

Given initially comfortable growing conditions, it can be noted that the plum begins to bear fruit already in the third, or even the second year. The number of fruits will be small, but gradually every year it will increase. However, this does not guarantee that all plum fruits will ripen! It turns out that, having finally waited for fruiting, you should under no circumstances relax, because it is during this period that the tree needs, more than ever, proper care!

Some summer residents manage to see the first harvest of “their” plum only in the fourth or fifth year, why? The plant’s root system takes a long time to form, and until it is sufficiently strong, the tree will shed almost unformed fruits. The only thing that can help in this case is the subcortex of the plum and the correct formation of the crown.

It happens that a tree becomes infected with some kind of infectious disease, only after curing it can the first fruits be seen. Along with this, the plant is attacked by pests. You may also come across a plant variety that is unsuitable for growing specifically in your climate zone, which also happens quite often!

To grow plum and apricot seedlings in order to obtain fruit-bearing plants from them in an open form, we must use pits from the fruits of Ussuri, Chinese and Canadian plums of the Far Eastern, Siberian or Ural varieties and pits from the fruits of apricots also from the Far Eastern, Siberian or Ural varieties.

The beginning of the first flowering, and, consequently, the first fruiting of plum and apricot seedlings is associated with the genetic characteristics of the mother variety and the pollinator variety, as well as with the growing conditions of the seedling. The more early-fruiting the seedling's parents are, the more early-fruiting it will be and vice versa. As practice has shown, under good growing conditions, seedlings of Ussuri, Chinese and Canadian plums, as well as seedlings of apricots of the Far Eastern, Siberian and Ural selection, begin to bear fruit mainly in 4-5 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjvZvobDAjc

To speed up the onset of fruiting, seedlings should be transplanted from place to place as little as possible and should be provided with good annual care. Seedlings should have a large annual increase in shoots and should be grown not as a bush, but as a tree with a small number of main branches. Since it is known that the beginning of fruiting of any fruit tree occurs only when its shoots, starting from the first year of growth and ending with the beginning of fruiting, reach a certain number of internodes of the buds.

It is really possible to accelerate the onset of fruiting by forming a crown with a limited number of skeletal branches and leaving a limited number of shoots each year while creating a very good diet of nutrition and moisture for the seedling to maximize shoot growth.

Not every novice gardener knows that at least 3 years must pass from the moment the tree is planted until the first berries ripen - it all depends on the plum variety. And if it turns out that several years have already passed, and no fruit has appeared on the tree, then a logical question arises: why does the plum tree not bear fruit?

All varieties of plums can be divided into three groups.

1. Fruiting of trees occurs already in the first year of growth.
2. Trees in which the fruits ripen only on the branches when they are several years old.

The vast majority of plum varieties fall into this category. Here is a tree from our site, we don’t even remember what variety, can anyone tell me?

In a two-year-old seedling, the branches are shortened by a third of the length immediately after planting, if it is done in the spring. If the plant is planted in the fall, pruning is postponed until spring. The top of annual seedlings is pinched in the spring, which will provoke the growth of lateral branches, and the next pruning is carried out a year later.

The first year after planting a plum tree, it is cared for especially carefully. It is watered abundantly throughout the growing season (May-July) until complete rooting, and in the fall watering is carried out to prepare the tree for wintering. The tree trunk circle is mulched with peat, due to which the soil does not become crusty, fewer weeds grow under the tree and soil moisture is maintained. Weeding during this period is not recommended so as not to damage the young roots, and the emerging weeds are pulled out by hand.

The given principles are the same for seedlings of all varieties, including for planting yellow plums. The only difference can be in the timing of tree planting, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region.

Pruning plums

The plum is formed by pruning. The tree must be healthy. Then pruning and shaping the crown will lead to positive results. When pruning, it is worth considering the characteristics of fruiting.

Pruning a young plum

In the first year, the seedlings should be one meter high, the remaining length is cut off. The standard is formed up to 70 cm in height for an expanded crown, pyramidal - 50.

In the second year, the seedling has 6-7 skeletal branches on the central conductor. 4 skeletal branches of the first order are formed, which are cut in half, the rest are removed. The stem is shortened by one bud from the growth. Below the skeletal branches, new shoots will stretch out on the trunk. They are reduced by 10 cm. They are left so that the standard increases its thickness.

The third year of the seedling. The stem is completely freed from side shoots along the base. Last year's growth is cut by half. Branches of the second order are formed on skeletal branches. Of these, 8-9 external branches are formed.

Further, skeletal branches are not pruned. Shoots growing inside the crown, dry and damaged, are removed. Annual shoots are not pruned if they are less than 70 cm. If they are larger, they are shortened by a third.

Crown formation

Crown formation can be done at any time, but early spring is considered the best period.

Over the course of 4-5 years, a sparsely tiered crown is formed:

In the first year, the crown of the conductor is cut off. The trunk must have no side branches.

Next year, 5-6 branches will grow on the trunk. You only need to leave three branches, the central conductor. They will be the first tier of the crown. The distance from the root collar to the branches is 60 cm. At this step, the trunk should be without shoots. Skeletal branches are shortened to a bud that faces outward. It is desirable that between each branch a height step of 15 cm is maintained and directed in different directions from the conductor.

In the third year, growth will appear on the skeletal branches. We leave one shoot of growth on the skeletal branch. You should choose those that are directed to the outside. The remaining growths are shortened to the bud. The conductor is shortened to a height of one meter.

In the fourth year, it is necessary to continue the formation of skeletal branches - leave one growth, remove the rest. Growths are always trimmed to a bud directed towards the outside.

The second and third tier are formed using the same principle. A spacing of 60 cm is maintained between tiers. Competitors cut branches into a “ring”. That is, without stumps, and the cut areas are treated with garden varnish.

Strengthening fruit branches with supports

High harvests of plums can break branches. To prevent this from happening, props are prepared. They should be located at the center of gravity of the branches. Insulate the contact area with soft material: rags, grass, rubber. First, grooves for skeletal branches are made in the upper part of the support. This will prevent damage to the bark, and there will be no gum (resin) leakage.

Preparation for planting cherry plum

Preparing the soil for planting

Planting cherry plum begins with choosing a place and preparing the land. Before boarding

garden, you need to take into account some points: cherry plum does not tolerate drought, because it is considered a moisture-loving tree, but at the same time, its flower buds are less resistant to winter cold and sub-zero temperatures.

Cherry plum will grow best in the southwestern part of the garden, on a slope; the western and southeastern parts of the orchard are also suitable. Should be considered

so that the area is protected from strong winds, frost, drought, excess moisture and other adverse weather conditions.

Before planting seedlings

, organic fertilizers are added to the ground, including manure or humus, superphosphates and potassium salt are added, then the area is dug up. On chernozem soils, mineral fertilizers are not applied, since there is no benefit from it.

On soils that are not as fertile as chernozems, the amount of mineral fertilizer applied depends on the degree of their fertility. Soils with increased acidity are limed. All nutrients except manure are added to the planting hole.

Selection of seedlings

Cherry plum trees are planted in the ground as both annual and biennial

Before buying them, you need to pay attention to the root system, it must be strong and powerful, and have 5 main roots, the length of which is 25–30 cm

Grafted trees are also planted; they enter the fruiting period early and recover much faster after frost.

It is better to buy seedlings in fruit nurseries, and not from dubious sellers on the market.

Seedling preparation

Cherry plum root system

, before planting in your garden, you need to carefully inspect it. All diseased, damaged, dried and infected roots are removed with garden pruners. The remaining healthy roots are also slightly trimmed, that is, trimmed.

When cutting the roots of a seedling, you should pay attention to its color; if it is brown, then you need to remove it so that it is white, i.e.

to the place where a healthy root begins.

The next step is after cutting the roots, they need to be dipped in mash. This will prevent the risk of drying out and restore the balance of lost moisture during transportation or improper storage of seedlings. It is prepared from a mixture of mullein and clay, but you can simply use it from the ground.

It will be useful to soak the root system in the Aktara solution, but it can also be soaked in another soil insecticide, which helps protect plants from pests, including the May beetle and wireworm.

Planting pit

The cherry plum tree will grow best on loamy soils with weak acidity. The groundwater level must be at least 1.5 meters deep from the ground surface.

The planting hole is dug approximately 60 cm wide and up to 80 cm deep. If the soil is poor, the width of the hole increases to 70 cm. Soil preparation depends on the type of soil. If sandy soils

– then it is recommended to cover the bottom of the pit with a layer of clay, the thickness of which is 15 cm.

For drainage, on wet soils, the bottom of the pit is lined with crushed stone, broken brick or coarse sand. The drainage layer should be about 15 cm. The holes are dug at a distance of 3 meters from each other.

The dug hole is fertilized. Humus, superphosphate, potassium chloride or wood ash are added to it. On poor soils, the amount of fertilizer is increased by 50%. To reduce soil acidity

, one kilogram of lime is poured into each hole.

The cherry plum is planted so that the root collar remains 10 cm higher than the ground level. Be sure to trample down the earth and form a hole for irrigation. After planting the tree, it is pruned.

Pest and disease control

Elimination of obvious causes is the key to annual fruiting. Preventive inspection and treatment will help to destroy the pest in time and prevent disease.

In spring, the tree is susceptible to attack by mites, aphids, scale insects and fungal diseases. For protection purposes, insecticidal preparations are sprayed.

During the period of bud break up to flowering, damage is caused by aphids, mites, sawflies, and leaf-sucking pests. During this period, repeated treatment with insecticides is carried out.

Summer is the time for pathogens of fungal diseases, mites, and plum moths. Proven drugs are used to combat and prevent them.

In autumn, after harvesting, fallen leaves are collected and burned.

In order for a plum to bear fruit abundantly, you must adhere to certain requirements: choose the right site, soil, and variety. From the first year of life, begin to form a crown and constantly fight diseases and pests. Then the beautiful plum will thank you with delicious fruits.

Freezing of trees

Springs with alternating thaws and cold snaps are harmful to stone fruits (not just plums). The short period of dormancy in these trees leads to rapid awakening of the buds when the air temperature rises.

Cold weather often damages tissues and buds, making plums unable to bear fruit normally. Damaged buds turn brown, wither and fall to the ground without even beginning to open. Temperatures of -1°C have a detrimental effect on them.

On cold spring nights, spraying them with lime milk will slow down the development of awakening buds. In winter, wrapping the tree in spunbond will help preserve the buds, and in the southern regions, fumigation with smoke.

Infectious diseases and pests are 2 more reasons for the lack of harvest in plums. These problems must and can be successfully dealt with. The reward for the hardworking owner will be the friendly fruiting of plum trees, which will give him delicious fruits for 18-20 years.

Circumcision will help kidney formation

Sanitary pruning of plum trees should be carried out in a timely manner. It promotes active kidney development. The tree can begin to be trimmed at the age of 2 years.

Regular crown formation should not be skipped. At the same time, the root growth is removed, which draws out some of the nutrients that are not intended for it.