Description of Ural plum varieties
The Ural plum variety was bred for the purpose of cultivation in the harsh climate of Siberia and the Urals. Its subspecies are widely popular among local gardeners:
- Ural Yellow;
- Ural Red;
- Ural Golden.
Ural Red
A distinctive feature of the Ural red plum is its increased level of frost resistance. The variety can be grown in northern regions with low temperatures.
The red plum has a number of characteristics. They must be taken into account when planting and caring:
- Trees of medium height. Mature plants reach 2-3 m.
- The crown is dense and wide.
- The fruits are small. The weight of one is 15 g. The plum is red, oval in shape. During the ripening process, the side seam may become covered with cracks.
- The taste is sweet with sourness. The yellow flesh is juicy. The bone is small.
- The first harvest is harvested after 4 years. Fruiting increases every year.
Ural Golden
The history of the subspecies begins in 2002. The breeder developed a new variety by crossing Yellow Khopta with dogwood. Main features of the hybrid:
- Tree of medium height.
- The crown is spreading and dense.
- The golden fruits weigh 15-17 g. The pulp of the plums is yellow, juicy, and sweet.
- The harvest is regular and abundant. The speed of fruit ripening is fast.
Important! The subspecies has a high level of resistance to diseases and pests. Additional protection against aphids and clasterosporia blight is required.
The fruits can be eaten fresh. Golden plums are often used for canning.
Ural Yellow
The Ural plum subspecies is oriented to the harsh climate of the northern regions.
The yellow variety has distinctive features:
- The shape resembles a bush. Grows up to 2.5 m.
- The crown of the plum tree is spreading and dense.
- The branches are flexible. They are wide at the base and thin at the ends.
- Plum blossoms in mid-May with beautiful white inflorescences.
- The fruits are round in shape with a small stone. The weight of one plum is 15-16 g. The taste is sweet without sourness.
- Fruiting is regular in early August. One tree produces 10-15 kg of fruit.
The fruits of the Yellow Ural plum tolerate transportation well and are stored for a long time.
The variety is self-sterile. It needs additional pollinators. Another subspecies that is best suited for this is the Ural Red. The variety is unpretentious. Regular watering, fertilizing, additional insulation are the main care procedures.
Ural prunes
Ural prunes are a frost-resistant variety. Distinctive features of the subspecies:
- The tree is medium. Grows up to 2 m.
- The crown is spreading and dense.
- The fruit color ranges from dark red to black. The weight of one oval plum is 15 g. The taste is sweet, slightly tart.
- The harvest of the subspecies is regular and abundant.
The fruits tolerate transportation well. Most often they are used in the production of dried fruits.
Characteristics of the variety
The characteristic features of the Ural plum allow you to build a competent plan for caring for the plant. This will contribute to a bountiful harvest and healthy tree.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Subspecies of the Ural variety have a high level of frost resistance. The variety was bred for distribution in the northern regions. The plant is favorable to warm climates. In drought conditions, plum trees require regular watering.
Plum pollinators
The flowering period is early. In May, the plant is covered with fragrant inflorescences. To obtain a harvest, pollinators are needed in the form of other subspecies of the variety: Ural Red, Yellow, Zolotistaya. The fruits have an average ripening speed.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety produces regular, abundant harvests. The first fruiting occurs on average 3-4 years after planting the seedling. The fruits of the Ural plum are large and sweet.
Area of application of berries
The fruits of Red, Yellow, Golden plums are used for preservation: preserves, jams, compotes. Ural prunes are excellent for preparing dried fruits. Fresh fruits are a delicious summer dessert.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The level of resistance to diseases and pests in all subspecies of the Ural plum is high. The golden variety can be affected by aphids and clasterosporia. With additional preventative measures, this problem can be avoided.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The undeniable advantages of the Ural variety make it stand out compared to other varieties of northern fruit crops:
- High frost resistance.
- Trees are pollinators within their own cultivar.
- Harvests of large plums are regular and abundant.
- Good resistance to pests and diseases.
- Possibility of long-term storage of fruits. Excellent transportability.
During frequent thaws, the plum's immunity may decrease. She needs careful care during this period.
Taste qualities
Almost all types of red plums have smooth, thin skin. They are used both fresh and prepared. Depending on the variety, red plums may have a sweet or sour taste. One hundred grams of fruit contains about forty-six kcal. Red plum contains about eighty percent water, eleven percent carbohydrates, mono- and disaccharides, and the rest consists of vitamins, fiber and microelements. In terms of potassium, iron and folic acid content, this fruit is superior to many equally popular garden crops.
We invite you to read: Roma tomato characteristics and description of the variety
Ripe fruits differ primarily in the color of their skin. Thanks to its unique chemical composition, red plum has excellent dietary and even medicinal properties. Its regular consumption leads to the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and the rapid removal of excess salt and water from the body.
Landing Features
Planting Ural Red, Golden, Yellow plums is a standard process. You should carefully select a landing site and perform the recommended sequence of actions during a favorable period.
Recommended timing
Best time for planting: March-April. Over the summer, seedlings planted in early spring will strengthen, acclimatize, and prepare for autumn and winter frosts.
What kind of soil does the Ural plum like?
The frost-resistant plant prefers sunny places in the garden. The landing area should be on a hill. Plum does not like drafts. In the lowlands it will be blown by strong northern winds. The Ural variety is perfect for fertile soil. You should choose soil with a neutral acidity level. Otherwise, the variety grows slowly and bears poor fruit.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby?
You should not create an artificial shadow on the plum tree. Tall trees with a spreading crown are not suitable as good neighbors (maple, birch, poplar, etc.). Subspecies of the Ural plum take root next to each other. Often plantings are formed from varieties of one variety.
Selection and preparation of planting material
A standard set of planting materials should be ready two weeks before directly working with the seedling:
- Shovel.
- Rake for loosening.
- Fertilizers.
- Devices for additional support (stake, rope).
- Water.
Landing algorithm
Preparations for planting begin two weeks in advance. The selected seedling must be carefully examined. Dry, rotten areas are cut off. The remaining parts are treated with potassium permanganate. The stages of planting a seedling are not labor-intensive:
- Formation of pits. The holes are dug in advance. The parameters of the planting holes must correspond to the size of the rhizome. Width – 70 cm, diameter – 70 cm.
- Soil preparation. The soil from the hole is mixed with peat and humus. The resulting mixture is poured into the pit.
- The seedling is lowered into the hole. A stake is placed next to it for better fixation. The cuttings are sprinkled with earth and compacted.
- Watering is required. Up to 15 liters of water are consumed per plant.
- The seedling is tied to a peg with a soft rope.
Aftercare for plums
Ural Red, Yellow, Golden plums do not require careful care. If a gardener wants a high-quality, abundant harvest, then he must adhere to the established rules:
- Watering. Water five times during the season. The first moistening is carried out during the period of swelling of the buds. The second - before flowering, the third - after it. Active watering should be carried out at the stage of fruit formation. At least 20 liters of water are consumed per tree.
- Feeding. Organic fertilizers are applied at the time of digging the soil in spring and autumn. During flowering, after it the plum is fed with potassium and phosphorus preparations.
- Pruning is necessary to form the correct crown. A good period is April, May. A newly planted seedling is shortened to a height of 70 cm. In subsequent years, they work with a central conductor. It should be higher than the side shoots.
- Prevention of diseases and pests.
- Preparing for winter. A frost-resistant plant needs additional shelter before the onset of cold weather.
Important! They begin to fertilize the Ural plum from the third year of life. Before this, it is enough for her to feed in the planting hole.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Disease/pest | Fighting method | Prevention |
Aphid | Insecticide treatment: · "Novaction"; · "Sumition"; · "Fufanon". When spraying, the solution should get on the inside of the leaves. | As a preventive measure, before flowering, after it, the entire tree is sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. Be sure to destroy dry, rotten branches, remove the area around from remnants of fruits and dry leaves |
Clusterosporiasis | Use spraying solution: · Bordeaux mixture; · “Kusproskata”; · "Horus" |
Protection against aphids and diseases
The Ural red plum is little susceptible to such a dangerous disease for fruit plants as clusterosporiasis .
And yet, it is necessary to carry out prevention against this and some other ailments that are dangerous for cultivated plants.
Such diseases include:
- gray rot;
- fruit rot;
- sooty fungus;
- moniliosis;
- gum therapy;
- milky shine.
To protect the plant from disease damage, you will need to take preventive measures :
- It is necessary to thin out the foliage; it is very important to prevent it from thickening. In autumn, after all the leaves have fallen, they need to be removed and burned.
- Affected leaves and parts of plants must be removed.
- After 2 - 3 weeks, the plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture for preventive purposes; this treatment can be done before flowering.
- All wounds and damage that appear on the plum tree must be treated. Dead bark must be removed.
Many pests pose a threat to plums . The most common of which are:
- plum and apple codling moths;
- goldentail;
- ringed silkworm;
- plum aphid;
- hawthorn.
The plum aphid is the most dangerous pest. If preventive measures are not taken, you can not only lose the harvest, but also the tree itself.
All stone fruit crops are susceptible to aphids. To avoid trouble, you need to take preventive measures in advance .
For this:
- tree trunks are treated with lime;
- do not allow vegetation to form under fruit trees;
- parsley, dill and coriander repel aphids and can be planted near plum trees;
- Spray plants with Hom or Bordeaux mixture before and after flowering.
Timely preventive measures will help avoid diseases and harmful insects.
Ural red plum is one of the best varieties bred by Chelyabinsk breeders. It is well adapted to harsh climatic conditions and has many advantages.