Plum Kabardinka: variety description and characteristics, planting and care with a photo

Plum variety Kabardinka is the earliest and sweetest crop. It ripens at the end of July, and in August it must be cut off, otherwise the fruits will fall off the tree and begin to rot. This variety loves moderate solar heat and moisture, does not tolerate strong winds. Kabardinka is a southern plant, in regions with frosty winters it can freeze. An ideal variety for lovers of sweet and juicy fruits.

History of plum breeding

The Kabardinka plum variety was obtained by breeders of the North Caucasian Institute of Horticulture quite by accident - thanks to the pollination of the plum Anna Shpet.In 1959, Kabardinka was entered into the State Register. The variety is recommended to be grown exclusively in the southern regions. The fruit tree is not as winter hardy as the Hungarian. However, if the plant is protected from frost, every year it will delight summer residents with juicy and fragrant fruits.

Pros and cons of Kabardinka

Variety advantages:

• self-pollination;
• simple separation of the pulp from the stone;
• early ripening;
• resistance to fungal diseases;
• excellent taste characteristics;
• beautiful shape.

Disadvantages of Kabardinka:

• low frost resistance;
• need for regular pruning;
• decrease in taste in drought or rainy weather;
• fall too fast when ripe.

Variety description

Plum Kabardian early ripens in late July and early August. The variety comes from the southern regions. This fruit tree has its own characteristics. It is low, with a strong crown, large, sweet fruits.

Dimensions of crown and root system

Description of the Kabardinka plum tree: trunk of medium height with a wide but rare crown. At 10 years old, the plant reaches almost 6 meters in length. The crown at this age grows up to 3 meters wide and looks like a pyramid. The leaves are dark green, oval, with serrated edges and a sharp tip.

The sapling begins to gradually bear fruit 5 years after planting. The most productive age is 10-15 years. The tree, with proper care, lives up to 30 years. The root system is pivotal, the main part of the roots is at a depth of 40 centimeters.

All about flowering and fruiting

Plum Kabardinka blooms in late April and early May. Flowering is profuse. Description of flowers: small inflorescences, 1.5-2 cm in diameter, white, with 5 petals and long yellowing stamens. The plant is self-pollinating, does not require additional planting of pollinators. True, if other varieties of plums are planted nearby, the yield will be higher. From one tree (depending on age) you can collect 55-125 kilograms of sweet fruits.

Fruits - large, oval, weighing 45.5 grams. Sometimes there are fused plums weighing 90.5 grams. On roundish fruits, the seam is almost invisible. The pulp is dense, juicy, amber in color. The skin is shiny, tough, purple-burgundy. From above the plum is covered with a bluish bloom. Inside the fruit is not a very large bone. In a ripe plum, it is perfectly separated from the pulp.

Fruit palatability

Plum Kabardinka - the most delicious of the early varieties. The flesh of the fruit is refreshingly sweet, with a slight sourness. The plum is very juicy, retains its shape for a long time and does not deteriorate. Kabardinka can be eaten fresh, cooked from it jams, compotes or dried, dried, frozen.

Plum contains fructose, sucrose, glucose, vitamins A, B1, B2, PP, C, H, as well as minerals - potassium, magnesium, iron and others. Plum gently cleanses the stomach and normalizes the activity of the digestive tract. Calorie content - 45 kilocalories per 100 grams.

Main Characteristics of Culture

The tree blooms in the middle of spring, it blooms very profusely. True, not all flowers form fruits. Plum is very sensitive to the vagaries of the weather. In the event of spring frosts, not only flowers, but also ovaries can die.

Resist to diseases and pests

The plant is resistant to many common plum diseases. Kabardian rarely suffers from red, brown spotting, moniliosis. Diseases that can affect this variety: witch's broom, gum disease, plum pockets, clasterosporium. For the prevention of diseases, it is recommended to spray the tree with a solution of copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture.To combat fungi, the following drugs are used: Topaz, Skor, Horus.

Insects that affect Kabardinka: plum codling moth, mites, aphids, plum sawfly. Various insecticides are used to control pests. For example, drugs Gaupsin, Bitoxibacillin.

Resistant to freezing temperatures and drought

Plum Kabardinka does not tolerate drought and too rainy weather. In a dry summer, its fruits become small. In the rainy season, the plum grows large, but sour. Kabardinka does not tolerate too frosty winters. The optimum winter temperature is -10 degrees below zero. If the temperature drops below 15 degrees in winter, the tree may freeze and die.

Planting and growing Kabardinka on the site

Kabardian plum is desirable to plant in the spring. In the case of autumn planting, young seedlings may die during the winter. During the spring planting, the plant will have time to take root well in a new place over the summer and gain strength.

For plum, it is advisable to choose a place lit by the sun, protected from winds and drafts. Kabardinka prefers fertile, loose, not acidic and not waterlogged soil. The distance to groundwater must be at least 1.5 meters. It is advisable to plant a plum away from pears, poplars, birches. Neutral neighbors - apple trees, gooseberries, raspberries.

A hole is prepared for planting, 50-70 centimeters deep. It is advisable to purchase seedlings up to 2 years old. A bucket of rotted humus or compost is brought into the dug hole. In addition to organic additives, the plant needs mineral fertilizers. The earth is mixed with superphosphate (100 grams), potassium sulfate (120 grams), potassium chloride (80 grams), wood ash (500 grams). The seedling is lowered into the hole and sprinkled with soil to the root collar. Then the soil is compacted, watered, sprinkled with sawdust on top.

Tree care

Kabardinka plum must be constantly looked after: cut regularly, water, feed on time, take preventive measures against diseases and pests. With the right agricultural technology, the tree will delight every year with a plentiful sweet harvest.

Irrigation frequency

Plum Kabardinka is demanding on moisture, but does not tolerate waterlogged soil. At the end of spring, when the ovaries appear, the tree must be watered during the dry season. Watering is carried out twice a week. The earth should be well saturated with moisture. In dry summers, the tree is watered during fruit ripening. Under the tree, depending on the size, pour from 1 to 5 buckets of water.

Feeding frequency

To obtain high yields, the plant must be constantly fertilized. In September, it is advisable to add half a bucket of rotted humus, as well as 40 grams of double superphosphate and potassium sulfate.In spring, the plant is fertilized with urea (30 grams). Before fertilizing, the soil near the tree is watered, then loosened. If the earth is too acidic, add 300 grams of lime or 500 grams of wood ash.

Caring for the trunk circle

It is desirable to water, loosen and treat the land near the tree with insecticides. In the spring, the trunk can be whitewashed with slaked lime. The soil will not lose moisture if it is mulched with tree bark or sawdust. In autumn, all fallen leaves and dry branches must be removed from under the tree and burned. They may contain pests.

Crown formation

Crown pruning is carried out in the third year after planting. Fan molding of twigs is done. The crown is shortened by 20 centimeters in early spring, before the buds awaken, or in late autumn, after leaf fall. Be sure to remove dried and diseased branches. They make less often a too dense crown.

Preventive treatments

As a preventive measure, you can spray the plum with a solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture. If signs of any fungal disease appear on the tree, then all diseased branches, fruits and leaves must be removed. Then the plant is sprayed with a solution of any fungicide. A tree is less likely to get sick if you constantly cut off excess branches and regularly fertilize the roots.

To prevent pest attacks in spring and autumn, the plant is irrigated with insecticides. Apply such drugs: Chlorophos, Karbofos, Apollo, Neoron. You can use folk methods and spray the plum with a tincture of wormwood, needles, a solution of gasoline.

Methods of reproduction

The plant can propagate in various ways: cuttings, grafting, root shoots. Seed propagation is used only to obtain rootstocks. Cuttings - small branches cut from the mother plant, they are grafted onto another variety of plum in the spring, when the juices from the earth move upwards.This usually happens in April or May. Kidney vaccination is carried out in the summer, during the period of the most active movement of juices (in July or August).

When propagating by root shoots, the root is cut, which connects the young shoot to the mother tree. The plant is transplanted to a new place in the spring. It is advisable to choose the seedling that is farthest from the mother tree. Such a plant feeds almost independently. A shallow hole is prepared for a young seedling. The earth is fertilized with organic matter and minerals. The plant is planted in a hole, sprinkled with earth and watered abundantly. The trunk soil can be mulched.

Plum can be propagated by root cuttings. To do this, in the autumn, they dig out the roots at a distance of one meter from the tree. Planting material should be 15 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters thick. The dug roots are stored in a sand-peat mixture until spring.

At the end of April, root cuttings are planted in specially prepared (fertilized) soil. They must take root and sprout. When the seedlings grow a little, they are transplanted to a permanent place.

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