Plum President

Fans of delicious plums will certainly want to plant their favorite fruit tree in the country, which will not require complex care, while giving a bountiful harvest. The unpretentious plum is the President of the English selection.

Plum President is a fruit crop with a long history that has been developed in the UK (Hertfordshire). The variety is massively grown in Western Europe, but in the past 20 years, plum has been gaining more and more popularity in Russia. The most productive will be a tree grown in the middle zone of the Russian Federation.

The President is a vigorous tree reaching a height of 3 meters. It is characterized by a massive oval-spherical crown with a medium thickening of dark green foliage, strong erect reddish-brown shoots, and a developed root system. The fruits are tied mainly on bouquet branches.

Flowering at the tree begins in mid-May. During this period, the crown is densely covered with large snow-white pink-shaped flowers, pleasantly fragrant.

Large-fruited plum. Under favorable conditions, the tree is abundantly covered with fruits weighing 43-58 grams. The shape of the fruit is elongated and rounded with a smooth surface covered with a pronounced bloom. At the stage of technical maturity, the fruit is green with a burgundy blush. Ripe plums acquire a more uniform dark color - blue-violet. The rind of the fruit is of medium density, firm but not tough. If you look closely, you will notice the abdominal suture and numerous subcutaneous dots of a light color. Inside the fruit there is an ovoid, medium-sized bone, which can be easily separated from the pulp.

The purpose of plums is universal - they are eaten fresh, used in cooking, processed into jams, compotes, marshmallows, marmalades. Plums are characterized by excellent transportability and long-term keeping quality - up to 18 days.

The fruit has a pronounced, memorable taste. The greenish-yellow or amber flesh is characterized by a moderately firm, tender and juicy consistency. The plum has a deep taste, sweet and sour, harmoniously combined with a bright aroma. Experts estimate the palatability by 4.5-4.72 points according to the tasting scale.

The culture belongs to the middle late varieties. The tree begins to bear fruit in the 5-6th year after planting. The yield is stable, annual. The first plums can be tasted in mid-August (under favorable conditions). The active phase of fruit ripening occurs in September, however, it may shift due to the peculiarities of the climate of the region where the tree grows. It is not recommended to overexpose plums too much on the tree, otherwise they may crumble.

Plums of this variety are considered high-yielding. The older the tree, the higher the yield. On average, 1 tree can produce 40-47 kg of plums. The lowest rates are observed in 6-8 years - from 15 to 18 kg, and the maximum - 50-70 kg of plums.

The president is a highly self-fertile species, therefore he does not need donor trees, but in practice, pollinators planted on the site can significantly increase productivity indicators. The following fruit crops are suitable as pollinators - Skorospelka red, Stenley, Ternosliv Kuibyshevskaya and Renklod Altana.

The plum tree is not whimsical to care for, but rather demanding on the place of growth and the quality of the soil. The site is recommended to choose a bright, sunny, weed-free and protected from the wind. The plum soil loves fertile, breathable and moist, but with a deep passage of groundwater, since the rhizomes of the tree negatively accept stagnant moisture.

Plum can be planted in the vicinity of any fruit crops, except for the apple tree. Do not forget also that the plum loves a huge space, so it will not tolerate shading due to the crowns of other trees. You can plant seedlings both in spring (March-April) and in autumn (end of September - October).

Comprehensive care of the plum tree consists of a number of activities: watering, feeding in spring and autumn, sanitary and rejuvenating pruning, crown formation, protection from insects and diseases. Particular attention should be paid to protection from rodents - mice and hares. The first method is whitewashing, which makes the bark bitter, which becomes unattractive to rodents. The second method is the construction of a fence made of fine metal mesh, which is reliable in case of an invasion of large rodents. Sometimes the whitewash is replaced with glass wool or roofing material. According to experienced summer residents, whitewashing can also prevent debate.

The resistance to standard diseases of plum trees is average. The tree easily tolerates scab and most fungal diseases. The variety is less resistant to rust, spotting, moniliosis and cercosporosis. Of the harmful insects, the most dangerous for the tree are: shoot moth, plum moth and pollinated aphid.

As a preventive measure, effective: cleaning and loosening the soil in the autumn, removing old bark from a tree, cleaning root shoots and pruning damaged branches.

Due to its resistance to stress, the tree is not afraid of frost, drought, or heat. In addition, the plum perfectly tolerates temperature fluctuations and short shading.

Plum President is a frequent visitor to summer cottages. This is due to the fact that this variety is absolutely not capricious in care, quickly adapts to the climate and soil characteristics, easily takes root after planting, and also bears fruit stably and abundantly. It is also worth noting the incredible taste of the fruits, their keeping quality and versatility.

Among the shortcomings that were practically not revealed in the variety, it is worth emphasizing only a weak immune system, which does not protect against all diseases. Some gardeners note the fragility of the branches, which often break off under the weight of the plums.