Plum Smolinka: variety description and pollinators, planting and care with photo

Unpretentious plum Smolinka has rightfully gained its popularity among gardeners and gardeners. The tree provides its owners with tasty, juicy, he althy fruits that can be eaten both in their natural form and processed.

History of selection

The Smolinka variety was bred by breeding by crossing two varieties, yellow Ochakovskaya and Renklod Ullens. Tests began in 1980 and only in the 90s of the last century the variety was entered into the state register. At the end of the trial period, the plum variety was recommended for cultivation in the Central regions of the country.

Description and varietal features

Smolinka fruit trees have the following advantages:

1. The variety has a high yield per 1 square. m.
2. Natural immunity to diseases and pests.
3. Long storage of ripe fruits.
4. The size of the fruit is distinguished by its large size.
5. Pleasant, refreshing taste of plum characterizes it as a dessert fruit.
6. Easily tolerates and quickly recovers from frost.

Flaws:

1. Weak branches require additional supports, especially during fruit ripening.
2. The large size of the plant makes it difficult to care for it.
3. Abundant fruiting occurs once every 3 years.
4. Plum Smolinka will not bear fruit without a pollinator.
5. Poor drought tolerance.
6. Ripe fruits fall off quickly.

The abundance of tasty and juicy fruits of the high-yielding plum variety has a significant advantage over its shortcomings.

Suitable climatic conditions

The Smolinka variety was bred specifically for central and central Russia, where climatic conditions are distinguished by their diversity. Plum easily tolerates frost, quickly departs after the winter period. It tolerates heat well, but requires intensive additional watering in dry times.

Tree characteristic

Plum Smolinka is characterized by the ability of rapid growth. Mature fruit trees grow up to 5.5 meters, have an oval crown with medium or sparse vegetation.

The thickness of the trunk is not large, framed by a dense, rough brown bark. The average lifespan of a plum reaches 25 years.

Pollinators and blooms

Plum blossom begins in mid-May, producing two white flowers from each bud. It must be pollinated, otherwise the plum will not bear fruit. Pollination occurs in a cross way between trees that are planted no more than 50 meters from each other. Suitable for cross-pollination of cherry plums or other types of plums. If there are no plum crops in neighboring areas, then you will have to take care and plant a few additional ones in your garden.

Another way of pollination is to graft cuttings of a related variety into the crown of the plant.

Fruits and yields

Ripe Smolinka fruits are large, oval, average weight 30 g. Dark purple fruit with a bluish wax coating contains tender, juicy pulp with a sweet taste and a slight presence of sourness. Thanks to such taste indicators, the fruit is considered dessert, but despite this, it is often used for processing and freezing.

The average fruit yield is 4-5 kg. per 1 sq.m. In a good season, it can produce up to 40 kg of plums. Plum begins to bear fruit at 3-4 years of age.

Important! Plum pits contain hydrocyanic acid, which is dangerous for the human body. Canned blanks are stored no more than 1 year.

How to plant a plum in the area

To get a big harvest of fresh and tasty plums you need to know how, when and where to plant a tree. And this requires detailed instructions.

Selecting planting material

To plant a fruit tree, seedlings are needed, the choice of which is a difficult and important task.

1. The seedling must be strong and he althy, free from pests and diseases.
2. Large plants are more difficult to transplant, and young seedlings 1-2 years old take root quickly.
3. When choosing planting material, it is important to pay attention to the root system. Saplings sold in pots do not allow for detailed study of the roots, but such seedlings take root faster and are planted in open ground at any time.
4. Leaves should be free from parasites, various stains and rot.

When buying seedlings with open roots, pay attention to their pruning. With a root system that is too short, a young plum tree will most likely not survive.

Determining the landing site

Choosing the right place for planting plum seedlings is the key to a large and tasty harvest in the future.

1. Tree loves good lighting. Sunlight affects the growth, ripening of fruits and their taste. The south side of the plot will be the right choice for planting a seedling.
2. The seedling should not be planted in a place where groundwater accumulates.
3. Take into account the size of an adult tree, which, if improperly planted, can block the access of light to other plants and interfere with buildings on the site.
4. Cold air currents and winds can also hurt. The proximity of a high fence or a wall of a house located at least 2-3 meters from the seedling will serve as protection.

Following these rules when planting young trees, you can count on an abundance of delicious and juicy fruits.

Preparing the soil and planting seedlings

The soil for planting plums is best prepared in the fall. Earth with a high acid content is not suitable, therefore it is diluted with lime.

1. The soil is mixed with humus, sulfate fertilizers and wood lime.
2. Dig holes no more than 70 cm deep, 90-100 cm in diameter.
3. A seedling is placed in the hole, the roots are straightened and carefully buried. Each spine should be well dug in and leave no empty space around it.
4. The earth is being compacted and carefully watered.
5. In a young seedling, after planting, both the central and side shoots are cut off.

Care for a young and mature tree

A young fruit tree needs more attention. This is especially true of good soil moisture during rapid growth and flowering. If during planting the soil was well prepared and fertilized, then for 1-2 years additional feeding is not needed for seedlings. But trees planted in soil not saturated with useful substances require additional care.

Basic care rules:

1. Annual spring pruning.
2. Quality and timely watering.
3. Plum is fertilized once every 3 years.
4. Weed control around the plum.
5. Treatment and loosening of the soil.
6. Annual winterization.

Water frequency

Plum variety Smolinka is not resistant to arid climate. And young and flowering trees require additional moisture, because the quantity and quality of the crop directly depends on it. If the amount of water in the soil is insufficient, then the crop will begin to crumble.

In the first year of growth, the seedling is watered as needed, as soon as the soil seems dry. Adult plums require less moisture, so they are not watered as often. They receive enough water with abundant watering once every 10 days.

What kind of fertilizer does plum like: fertilization technology

Plum Smolinka is a large-fruited species, so it needs additional nutrition. During the period of fruit ripening, the plum is fed with fertilizers with a high content of potassium. And after fruiting, the tree needs replenishment with sulfates and phosphates.

Shaping cut

The first formative pruning of a seedling is done a year after planting in open ground. Further, this procedure takes place annually for 4-5 years, until the tree is fully formed.

Initially, the main trunk is cut to 60 cm. Every year it is necessary to form 2-3 tiers of the crown from several of the strongest branches. After 5 years, the upper stem conductor is cut off, which limits strong growth and plum height.

Caring for the trunk circle

In order for the plum tree not to be exposed to frost and harmful effects, special care is needed for the near-stem circle. In autumn, it is mulched with organic fertilizers with the addition of sawdust. This allows the root system to endure the cold season without freezing and unnecessary stress for the plant.

Diseases and pests: control and prevention

Like other plants, plums are prone to fungal and other diseases. Although this variety has developed immunity against fungi, but sometimes the plum is exposed to the harmful effects of diseases such as:

1. Fungal lesion clasterosporiosis appears on the leaves with holes. Treatment takes place with special preparations that are sold in specialized stores
2. Moniliosis fungus contributes to the drying of flowers on the plant. To fight, the affected areas are cut off and treated with special solutions.
3. Homoz, or the release of resin. The areas are treated with solutions with the addition of copper sulfate.
4. When fruit rot appears, complete pruning of affected fruits and affected areas is necessary.

The most common pests in Smolinka plum are the pachypod, codling moth, sawfly, aphids and gall mites. To combat such pests, special preparations are needed.

Reviews of gardeners about the variety

Nina, Moscow.

Plum Smolinka is simply gorgeous, large and very high in taste.

Ivan, city of Krasnodar.

Grows in the garden plum variety Smolinka, we get a full harvest not every year. And I don’t like that we don’t have time to harvest the entire crop, the berries fall off.

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