Plum Bolkhovchanka

Lovers of plums always try to plant one or two favorite species in their summer cottage, which are not capricious in their care, but give a good harvest every year. These include the late-ripening plum variety Bolkhovchanka of domestic selection.

Bolkhovchanka plum appeared more than 30 years ago as a result of many years of work by a group of scientists from the All-Russian Research Institute for Breeding Fruit Crops (T.A. Trofimova, G. B. Zhdanova and A. F. Kolesnikova). For 20 years, the culture passed variety trials, and only in 2006 was it entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia. The parental forms of plum are: Iskra, Severnaya Vengerka and Tambov prunes. It is recommended for growing a plum tree in the Central and Central Black Earth regions.

Late-ripening plum is a medium-sized tree with a spherical and raised crown shape. In favorable conditions, the tree grows up to 2.5 meters in height. It is characterized by a highly thickened crown of light green foliage, gray and smooth bark of the trunk and branches, a powerful root system and generative buds that form on fruit twigs.

The tree blooms from May 10 to 12. During this period, the spherical crown is densely covered with large snow-white flowers, and 3 flowers are formed in each inflorescence.

Bolkhovchanka plum represents a class of large-fruited species. Fruits weighing 34.4 to 40.5 grams ripen on the tree. The plums are not very neat in shape - ovoid with a rounded top. The surface of the fruit is smooth, shiny, slightly covered with a waxy coating. The abdominal suture at the plums is noticeable. Ripe fruits are covered with an unevenly pale green color, diluted with a burgundy-brown blush almost over the entire surface. The peel of the fruit is of moderate density, not hard.

Plums are used for universal use - fresh, in cooking, canned and processed. Fruit transportability is good, and keeping quality is average. Fruit can be stored for a long time only at the appropriate temperature.

Excellent taste compensates for the not very attractive appearance of the plums. The yellowish pulp of the fruit has a tender, fleshy and very juicy consistency. The taste is dominated by sweetness, harmoniously combined with piquant sourness. Fruit juice is colorless, and the aroma is not very pronounced. A small bone inside the fruit is easily separated from the pulp. The pulp contains 7.4% sugars and 18.3% acids.

The culture begins to bear fruit in the 5th year after planting. The plum ripens late. The active phase of fruiting occurs in late August - early September. Plum bears fruit steadily - annually. The fruits do not ripen at the same time, therefore, the period of active ripening of the plums is somewhat stretched.

Bolkhovchanka has high yields. On average, 119.9 centners of ripe plums can be harvested from 1 hectare. A yield of 160 kg / ha can be achieved provided that all the rules of agricultural cultivation are fulfilled.

Bolkhovchanka is a self-fertile plum variety, in which only 4-5% of flowers are pollinated without donor trees. The situation can be corrected with the help of cross-pollination. The best donor trees are varieties with medium flowering periods, for example, Record and Renklod collective farm. The work of bees can be effective at a distance of up to 40-50 meters.

The best season for planting a Bolkhovchanka plum sapling is spring - a week after the soil has completely thawed. The distance between seedlings or other plantings should be at least 2.5-3 meters. The site should be chosen on a small hill with a deep passage of groundwater, so that moisture stagnation does not form, which can destroy the root system of the tree.

The agricultural technology of fruit crops is standard, but special attention should be paid to care in the first year of tree growth. You need to water the plum according to the scheme - after flowering, during the mass appearance of ovaries and before winter, if the autumn was dry. Fertilizers are applied three times per season - in spring (nitrogen-containing), after flowering (potash and organic fertilizing), at the time of autumn digging (superphosphate mixtures). The shaping of the Bolkhovchanka crown is carried out in the form of a bowl, which ensures easy maintenance and sufficient ventilation. In addition, the tree will need sanitary pruning and thinning.

The variety is characterized by good resistance to clotterosporia and aphid infestation. Preventive treatments with special preparations will help protect against scab, powdery mildew and spotting. Whitewashing the trunk and branches will help prevent the settlement of parasites - the first is carried out before flowering, and the second - in late autumn.

The area where the considered plum tree will grow comfortably should be sunny, protected from drafts and gusty winds.The optimal soils are considered fertile, breathable and with neutral acidity. It can be loam, chernozem or sod-podzolic soils.

It is worth noting that the Bolkhovchanka plum is frost-resistant, easily tolerates heat, but it is uncomfortable for it to grow with prolonged shade and excessive dampness.

Bolkhovchanka is a frequent visitor to farm plantations and summer cottages. Plum is loved to grow because of its unpretentious agricultural technology, quick adaptation to the climatic features of the region, stable yield and excellent taste. The disadvantage of a fruit crop is the need for regular pruning and thinning of branches.