Content
The taste of plums is one of the most important indicators when choosing a variety for growing on your site. Plum Candy has not only outstanding taste, but also good yield and winter hardiness.
Breeding history of the variety
Plum variety Candy was bred at the IV Michurin VNIIGiSPR located in the Tambov region. The institution is engaged in genetic research and selection of fruit crops. The author of the variety "Candy" was the doctor of agricultural sciences Kursakov Gennady Aleksandrovich.
Description of the plum variety Candy
Plum Candy is a medium-sized tree with a spreading crown. By forming, you can get a bush-shaped or standard plant. The plum height is 2.5–3 m.
Description of Candy Plum Fruit:
- medium sizes;
- weight - 30–35 g;
- rounded shape;
- thin skin;
- rich color with purple and red hues;
- juicy green-yellow pulp;
- the juice has no color;
- small elongated bone, partially separated from the pulp;
- middle peduncle.
According to the reviews of summer residents about the Candy plum, the taste of its fruits deserves special attention - marmalade and very sweet. Evaluation of taste - 5 points.
The Candy variety is suitable for planting in most regions of Russia with a warm and temperate climate. When grown in harsh conditions, it is recommended to plant the Candy plum on a winter-hardy zoned variety.
Variety characteristics
Before planting, the main characteristics of the Candy plum variety are taken into account: resistance to drought, frost, the need to plant pollinators, yield, resistance to diseases and pests.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Plum Candy has an average drought tolerance. The tree is watered according to the standard crop scheme.
Winter hardiness of the variety - up to -20 ° C. In regions with cold winters, additional shelter is provided for the tree.
Pollinators Plum Candy
Plum Candy self-fruitless. For the formation of ovaries, pollinator planting is necessary.
The best pollinating varieties for Candy Plum:
- Zarechnaya early;
- Collective farm renklod.
As a pollinator, you can choose another zoned variety that blooms early.
Plum blossom depends on the weather in the regions. Usually, the first buds bloom in early May. Flowers are susceptible to spring frosts. The first fruits ripen at the end of July.
Productivity and fruiting
The yield of the Sweets variety is estimated at an average level. When the recommendations for planting and caring for the Candy Plum are followed, 20-25 kg of fruits are removed from each tree. The berries ripen at the same time, making harvesting easier.
Ripe plum begins to crumble, so it is not recommended to delay harvesting. The harvested fruits have low transportability and keeping quality.
Scope of berries
Due to the sweet taste of plum, Candy is preferable fresh. Also, dried fruits, jam, compotes and other homemade preparations are obtained from plums.
Disease and pest resistance
The resistance of the Candy variety to diseases and pests is average.To protect the plantings, preventive treatments are required.
Advantages and disadvantages of Candy Plum
Advantages of the Candy variety:
- stable high yield;
- good fruit taste;
- resistance to winter frosts and unfavorable climatic conditions;
- resistance to diseases and pests.
Disadvantages of Plum Candy:
- ripe fruits begin to crumble;
- low keeping quality and transportability of the crop;
- the need to plant a pollinator.
Landing features
For planting Plum Candy, choose the autumn or spring period. A place for growing a crop is chosen taking into account its illumination and the quality of the soil.
Recommended timing
In the southern regions, the culture is planted in the fall, after the leaves fall. Such seedlings have time to take root before the beginning of winter.
In cold climates, planting is postponed to spring. Work is carried out before bud break.
Choosing the right place
Plum Candy prefers lighted areas located on the south or west side of the garden. The permissible level of groundwater occurrence is more than 1.5 m. The site must be protected from the wind.
Any soil is suitable for the tree, except for acidic ones. If the soil is clayey, a drainage layer is laid.
What crops can and cannot be planted nearby
- Plum Candy coexists well with berry bushes: currants, gooseberries and raspberries.
- It is removed from other fruit trees at least 4–5 m.
- You should also remove the plum from poplar, birch, hazel and hazel.
- Shade-loving grasses or spring flowers can be planted under the tree.
- Tulips and daffodils will have time to bloom before the leaves at the plum blossom.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Plum seedlings Candy buy in nurseries. High-quality planting material has no traces of rotting, mold, broken shoots. One- or two-year-old seedlings are chosen for planting.
If the roots of the plant are dry, they are immersed in clean water for several hours.
Landing algorithm
Stages of planting Plum Candy:
- At the chosen place, a hole is dug with a depth of 70 cm and a diameter of 60 cm.
- If the soil is clayey, a layer of expanded clay or crushed stone 10 cm thick is poured onto the bottom.
- Fertile soil is mixed in equal amounts with peat and humus, 200 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium sulfate are added.
- A third of the soil is poured into the planting pit. For 3-4 weeks, soil shrinkage will occur, then you can proceed to planting.
- The seedling is placed in a hole, the spread roots are covered with soil. The root collar is left to rise 3-4 cm above the ground.
- The rest of the earth is poured into the pit with a mound.
- The soil is tamped and moistened abundantly.
- The ground around the trunk is mulched with peat.
If the planting of plums is carried out in the spring, places for trees are prepared in the fall. If several varieties of plum are planted, then 3 m is left between them.
Plum follow-up care
When growing Candy Plum, it is important to provide the culture with care. The tree needs watering, feeding and pruning.
- When watering, the soil should remain moistened by 40-50 cm. Warm settled water is poured under the tree. Plantings are watered 3-5 times per season, taking into account weather conditions. It is especially important to ensure the flow of moisture during flowering and fruit formation.Important! 4-6 buckets of water are poured under young trees. An adult drain requires up to 10 buckets of water.
- For spring feeding, nitrogen fertilizers (urea, ammonium nitrate) are chosen. During flowering and fruit formation, 60 g of potassium salt and superphosphate are added. Substances are embedded in the ground or dissolved in 10 liters of water for irrigation.
- Every 4 years, the soil under the drain is dug up and fertilized with compost.
- To form the crown and obtain a high yield, the Candy plum is pruned. The crown is formed of a pyramidal shape. In spring or autumn, dry, frozen and broken branches are removed.
- To prepare a young plum for winter, it is covered with agrofibre, burlap or spruce branches. Polyethylene and other materials that are poorly permeable to moisture and air are not used.
- The adult Candy Plum winters well. The trunk of the tree is spud, the soil is mulched with humus. In a winter with little snow, a snowdrift is additionally thrown over the plum. So that the trunk is not damaged by rodents, it is wrapped with roofing material.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Major diseases:
Name of the disease | Symptoms | Treatment | Prophylaxis |
Clasterosporium disease | Brown spots with a border on the leaves, deformation of the fruit. | Spraying the tree with Bordeaux liquid. | 1. Regular pruning of the crown. 2. Elimination of fallen leaves. 3. Spraying with fungicides. |
Moniliosis | Fruits, leaves and shoots soften and turn brown. | Removal of the affected parts of the tree. Treatment with Nitrofen solution. |
Cultural pests:
Pest | Signs | Ways to fight | Prophylaxis |
Plum aphid | It lives on the underside of leaves, which curl up and dry out. | Wood treatment with Karbofos. | 1. Digging up the soil. 2. Burning fallen leaves. 3. Removal of root growth. 4. Prevention with insecticides. |
Moth | Caterpillars of the moth feed on fruits and make holes in the pulp. | Collecting fallen fruits, disinfecting the bark, spraying the tree with Chlorophos solution. |
Conclusion
Plum Candy is a proven universal variety. It is appreciated for its unusual sweet taste, compact size and resistance to external factors. To get a good harvest, the tree is provided with regular maintenance.
Reviews of gardeners about the Candy plum
