IN southern regions in their mild climate, wild cherry plum grows everywhere. In the northern regions, in the middle zone, as well as in the Moscow region, it cannot grow under natural conditions, since it is not winter hardy. But it easily crosses with the ordinary plum, which is more frost-resistant to sudden changes in temperature and frost. In the article we will tell you about the best varieties of cherry plum for the Moscow region and give them a detailed description.
Growing cherry plum in the Moscow region
It was the plum that served as the rootstock for breeding hybrid forms and new varieties of heat-loving cherry plum for the Moscow region. Today, cherry plum is divided into several groups, which are varieties of wild cherry plum growing in the southern climate zone. Domestic breeders brought out hybrid form based on Chinese plum, from which new winter-hardy varieties were obtained.
Now breeders have given these varieties an informal joint name - “Russian plum” - an ordinary plum with a specific sour taste. Cherry plum varieties for cultivation in the Moscow region have best qualities obtained from the plum - high winter hardiness and large-fruited, and directly from the cherry plum itself - excellent taste.
The plant easily crosses with different types plum, which allows you to get more and more new varieties. Most of those bred for the Moscow region have early ripening periods. This makes it possible to harvest before autumn frosts. Such varieties have increased winter hardiness, high yields, resistance to diseases and pests, and are mostly self-fertile. "
The best hybrid cherry plum varieties for the Moscow region
The most important criterion when growing hybrid cherry plum species is climate. Let's consider suitable varieties:
| Variety name | Characteristic |
| Kuban comet | Mid-season variety. The berries ripen in early August. They are bright yellow and large. The center is fine-fiber, juicy, sweet and sour, and does not separate from the stone. High yield. |
| Ruby | The variety is winter-hardy and drought-resistant. The harvest may be unstable due to weather conditions. Large fruits weighing 30-35 g. They have a sweet and sour taste. |
| Timiryazevskaya | An early ripening variety with high winter hardiness. Orange with a reddish tint, small, ovoid fruits with sweet pulp with a honey flavor. The bone is separated from the pulp without difficulty. The peel is thin. The yield is stable - up to 30 kg from each tree. Resistant to fungal diseases. |
| Scythian gold | The variety is early ripening. The light yellow fruits are large, juicy, and sweet. Weight 40 g. Spreading trees, up to 2 m high. |
| Cleopatra | Late ripening variety. Resistant to frost. High-yielding. Large fruits weigh 37-40 g. Dark red. They have a purple waxy coating. The center is red, with small fibers, fleshy, moderately sweet. The variety is resistant to many diseases. |
| Precocious | Early ripening winter-hardy variety. The fruits are small red-orange, large with yellow juicy, aromatic and sweet pulp, with a small stone that is easily separated. |
| Mara | Self-pollinating, winter-hardy variety, resistant to fungal diseases. The yellow round fruits are small. Their weight is 20-23 g. The taste is sweet and sour. In the 7th year of cultivation it yields up to 40 kg of fruit per tree. |
Rating of the best cherry plum varieties for the Moscow region
The following varieties can be grown in the Moscow region:
| Variety name | Characteristic |
| Nesmeyana | The mid-season variety is relatively new. The tree is tall, spreading with strong branches. Large fruits are purple-red in color. The pink center is dense and fibrous. Easily detachable bone. The taste is sweet with a slight sourness. Does not self-pollinate. Productivity is average. Not resistant to diseases. Transportable, lightweight. Used to make wine. |
| Gift to St. Petersburg | A variety of yellow cherry plum. The tree is weak-growing, the crown is similar to weeping willow. Ovoid yellow-orange small fruits are sweet and sour, juicy. The stone does not separate from the pulp. Fruiting is stable and abundant. Gives up to 60 kg of yield per tree. The variety is transportable. |
| Ruby | The fruits ripen at the end of July. They are bright burgundy with a juicy amber center. They have a fruity aroma and are sweet. The variety is very winter-hardy. |
| Anastasia and Gek | These varieties have very tasty and large fruits weighing 32 g. The varieties are resistant to diseases. |
| Dessert | The fruits are large. They are beautiful and delicious. With a dense skin that has a waxy coating. |
| Evgenia | The variety is very different large fruits. They are moderately juicy, with a slight sourness. Good fresh and for preparations. |
| Pioneer | The fruits are very beautiful and tasty. With a small stone, aromatic pulp, thin skin. |
| Pearl | The fruits are large. Their weight is 30 g. The middle is dense. The taste is not for everyone. Suitable for making compotes. |
| Purple | The medium-sized orange berries are very juicy with small seeds that are difficult to separate from the pulp and have a thin skin. |
| Purple dessert | The berries of this variety are very large. Their weight can reach 40 g. The flesh is bright orange and juicy. The skin is dense with a waxy coating. Ripens in mid-July. |
Self-fertile cherry plum varieties for the Moscow region
We must immediately admit that most of them are only partially self-fertile. They bear fruit better if trees of a different variety grow nearby. The best pollinators are varieties: Pramen, Mara, Gift to St. Petersburg. By the way, the latter blooms for two whole weeks and can pollinate both early and late varieties.
Tip #1. Cherry plum trees of the same variety growing on the site do not provide complete information about the taste and color of the berries. Therefore, you need to experiment.
- Strong seedlings of zoned varieties.
- Early-fruiting varieties (they begin to bear fruit after two years).
- Self-fertile varieties, unless others grow nearby.
| Variety name | Characteristic |
| Sigma | The fruits of this variety are very similar to cherries. Wide oval. They are fragrant and tasty. The color is violet-red, there is a waxy coating. Pulp medium density, yellow, sweet and sour. The bone does not separate from it. |
| Huck | Average late variety. The tree is 2 m high. The crown is dense, flat-rounded. The fruits are yellow outside and inside, sweet and sour, large. Weight 31 g. High-yielding, winter-hardy variety. Transportable. |
| Kuban comet | The variety is frost-resistant. The fruits are lilac-burgundy, large, oblong. The pulp is medium density, juicy, sweet. |
| Sarmatka | The variety is early fruiting. The berries are egg-shaped, burgundy with a slight waxy coating. Beautiful, tasty, sweet and sour. The pulp is yellow, medium density. |
| Traveler | Frost-resistant early ripening variety. Medium sized berries. They weigh 25-30 g. Bright yellow, very fragrant, juicy. The pulp is fine-fibrous. The taste is sweet and sour. The bone is difficult to separate from the pulp. The variety is drought-resistant. |
| Granite | Mid-late variety. Winter-hardy. Fruits with a waxy coating, juicy. The pulp is yellow. |
| Chuk | The variety is early fruiting. Winter-hardy, high-yielding. The fruits are dark burgundy with orange pulp and weigh 28 g. The center is aromatic, dense, and juicy. |
| Tent | Early ripening variety. Winter-hardy. High-yielding. Weak tree. Yellowish-green with red sides, burgundy when ripe, large berries with a yellow dense center. With a weak aroma, sweet and sour pleasant taste. With an inseparable bone. |
| Avalanche | Mid-late variety. Winter-hardy. Fruitful. The berries are large, yellow, shiny, with dark red sides. The middle is medium density, yellow, aromatic, juicy, sweet and sour. The bone comes off freely. |
| Yarilo | A very early ripening variety. The fruits are red, shiny, large. Weight 30 g. The center is fibrous, yellow, juicy, dense, aromatic. Sweet and sour taste. Large stone, semi-detachable. |
A cherry plum variety for the Moscow region called Kuban Comet
Mistakes gardeners make when growing cherry plums
Incorrect landing. Cherry plum trees will die if they are planted in deep holes filled with fertile, loose soil in the lower part of the site. As a result, the plants will grow greatly and settle from their own gravity, and rain and melt water will stagnate in them. Then - rot the bark at the bottom of the trunks. "
Gardeners still have little experience in growing cherry plum in the Moscow region. She hasn't gotten into yet extreme conditions unfavorable winters with very low temperatures, with sudden cold snaps after sudden warmings.
Tip #2. Worth growing different cultures and monitor their growth and development depending on weather conditions.
One of the main mistakes experienced gardeners– the desire to buy the largest seedlings. Most often, the largest seedlings are the worst. The fact is that plants in nurseries are dug up with a plow, which in a large seedling leaves only half of the suction roots, or even less. In order for such seedlings to take root in a new place, almost all of its crown should be removed. In addition, such plants will suffer for a very long time.
And in small, ugly seedlings, the crown is not yet developed, or is completely absent, but their roots are much less damaged when dug up. Such seedlings take root much faster and in the future will outstrip three-year-old seedlings in growth. You should not buy seedlings at spontaneous markets or from cars driving into gardens parked along the road. Buy seedlings exclusively zoned and only in the nursery, those that are zoned specifically for your climate.
Another mistake is purchasing and planting seedlings that have an open root system very early. Planting most seedlings garden crops produced from September 15 to October 5-10. For cherries and plums - until September 25.
“Question and answer” section about growing cherry plum
Question No. 1. How can a rainy summer affect cherry plum?
Due to lack of heat, the fruits of many crops have significantly deteriorated their quality (taste, marketability). But the prolonged rains had no effect on the cherry plum. Some of its fruits turned out to be even much larger than usual. When the soil is very waterlogged, the fruits of many crops usually crack, rot and become inedible.
Cherry plums can also crack, but if such fruits are removed in time, they remain very suitable for consumption. In addition, we should not forget that cherry plum is less susceptible to fungal diseases, in particular fruit rot, but only if there is no thickening inside the crown and between plantings. "
Question No. 2. Does cherry plum need a pollinator?
Judging by scientific sources, some cherry plum varieties are partially self-fertile. But it’s better not to count on this partiality. You just need to plant 2-3 nearby at the same time flowering varieties or place them by grafting into the crown. If you only like one variety, or there is no space on your site, you can regraft only one branch with other varieties - its flowering will be enough to pollinate the entire tree.
Question No. 3. What are the features of growing cherry plum?
Many new cherry plum varieties are winter-hardy. One of the main features of cherry plum is its rapid growth. Experienced gardeners recommend shortening strong growth shoots so that they have time to ripen. However, there are experts who dispute this method. In spring, cherry plum buds may freeze slightly. Otherwise, cherry plum is very attractive for growing. It begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Fruits annually and abundantly. The culture is relatively resistant to diseases and pests. Neutral to close standing waters.
A valuable stone fruit crop, cherry plum, the varieties of which today are distinguished by an impressive diversity, thanks to the efforts of breeders, was able to significantly expand its original habitat in a fairly short time. Despite the fact that the warm countries of Southeast Asia are considered its homeland, it is successfully moving north, which is of interest to many domestic gardeners. What varieties of cherry plum are popular today, including in regions with a completely non-southern, harsh climate?
A little about the origins
The emergence of new cherry plum varieties was facilitated by its unique property interbreed with plums and representatives of other fruit crops. Taking advantage of this feature, scientists managed to breed so-called varieties by crossing with other types of plums. "hybrid cherry plum".
Since the appearance of the very first results of breeding work, special productivity, high quality fruits and their rather respectable size (in comparison with wild-growing forms), the Obilnaya, Violetovaya dessert and Dessertnaya varieties have distinguished themselves. After this, the work was continued by the famous scientist - professor and academician G.V. Eremin, as a result of which a new fruit crop appeared at the disposal of gardeners - Russian plum. It is known that only 3 varieties of true cherry plum are included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, while the rest are directly related to the Russian plum.
Cherry plum varieties: what to look for when choosing?
The main indicators characterizing the value of this or that cherry plum varieties, are:
- - ripening terms;
- - productivity;
- - size and weight of fruits;
- - winter hardiness.
Which indicator is considered the main one when choosing depends on the area where the purchased seedlings are supposed to be grown. So, planning to grow them in the Moscow region and other regions middle zone First of all, you should pay attention to winter hardiness. Practical observations show that sharp changes in ambient temperature, recurrent frosts, early cold weather, snowless and light snow winters can be detrimental to most varieties of hybrid cherry plum. Even though high-yielding specimens have now been bred that can withstand frosts down to -37°, experienced gardeners strongly advise using shelters for this crop in the winter - first of all, this applies to regions where frosts in winter reach -30° and below.
Cherry plum varieties: description and characteristics
Among all the known varieties of cherry plum grown in regions with very different climatic conditions, the following names most often receive the highest ratings from gardeners and summer residents.
Kuban comet is a winter-hardy, partially self-pollinating and early-bearing cherry plum variety, loved by gardeners for its unpretentiousness, excellent productivity and delicious taste of rich burgundy, large fruits (about 30 g), the juicy pulp of which has a subtle sweet and sour taste.
Among the disadvantages of the Kuban Comet, they usually note the poor separation of the stone from the pulp, as well as the tendency for the fruit to become smaller when the trees are heavily loaded with ripening crops. Among the advantages are resistance to moniliosis, clasterosporia, and bacteriosis.
Found - a highly productive variety of hybrid cherry plum, medium ripening, resistant to diseases, but self-sterile. When providing favorable conditions The harvest from one mature tree can reach up to 80 kg. Recommended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth zone. The burgundy-colored fruits, weighing up to 30 g, have a pleasant dessert taste.
Ariadna is a medium-growing, highly productive variety, resistant to diseases. The fruits are ruby-red in color, weighing up to 30 g, with a good sour-sweet taste.
The tent surpasses even the Kuban Comet and the Tsar’s in its productivity. Tent trees are weak-growing, however, their winter hardiness is above average (freezing of individual branches is often noted). The fruits are large, up to 40 g, rich ruby color with golden flesh. The taste is rated as excellent.
A gift to St. Petersburg, it was loved by gardeners for its phenomenal productivity, excellent winter hardiness, resistance to most known diseases, and also for its ability to quickly recover from mechanical damage. Unfortunately, it is not without its drawbacks – primarily, such as:
- - self-sterility,
- - vulnerability to temperature changes in late winter and early spring,
- - a small mass of small orange-yellow fruits (only 10-12 g),
- - tendency for ripe crops to crumble.
Tsarskaya is a cherry plum variety characterized by high winter hardiness, medium growth and early fruiting. Valued by gardeners for its good disease resistance and excellent yield. The fruits are large, apricot-yellow in color, weighing about 30 g and partially detachable from the pit. The taste is dessert.
June Rose ( July rose, Comet early) - characterized by early fruiting and high productivity, while demonstrating good winter hardiness. During the fruiting period, it forms large ruby-red fruits with an easily separated seed.
Red meat is a brilliant result of the work of Far Eastern breeders, characterized by excellent winter hardiness. The trees are tall and strong and are not affected by aphids. The fruits are large, weighing 35-50 g, dark cherry in color. The raspberry-colored pulp is particularly juicy and has an excellent dessert taste.
Pramen (Promin) - developed at the Research Institute of Belarusian Selection, in terms of productivity it is not inferior to the Kuban Comet and Shatru. It has excellent frost resistance. The trees are partially self-fertile, during the harvest period they form yellow-green fruits with a scarlet blush, weighing about 25 g. The taste and aroma of the pulp are assessed as excellent.
Scythian gold is characterized by average productivity with a high degree of winter hardiness and early ripening. Forms large (30-36 g) golden fruits with yellow aromatic pulp and a pronounced dessert taste.
Sigma - invariably receives positive reviews from gardeners, due to its winter hardiness, impressive productivity and large fruit. The fruits (weighing, on average, up to 30 g) have a bright golden color with a carmine-red blush. The taste is sweet with a slight sourness.
Mara is a universal, self-sterile variety of cherry plum, medium and late dates maturation. The trees are distinguished by their strong and rapid growth, winter hardiness and resistance to cluster blight. The color of the skin of the fruit is light yellow, the color of the pulp is golden amber. The stone is medium sized and cannot be separated. The pulp is loose, very juicy, with a pleasant sweet taste with a slight sourness.
Chuk - has won the recognition of many gardeners in the middle zone, thanks to its high winter hardiness, impressive yield, resistance to diseases and pest damage. Fruits late, but very abundantly. The fruits are rich burgundy in color, have a pronounced fruity aroma and a sour-sweet taste.
Gek is an equally highly productive representative of the hybrid cherry plum as Chuk. It is worth noting that for many gardeners it is a special priority - due not only to its excellent winter hardiness, early fruiting, resistance to diseases and pests, but also due to the abundant harvests of large yellow-pink fruits with a delicate raspberry blush, characterized by pronounced sweetness with an almost imperceptible sourness.
Cleopatra is, according to some data, a descendant of the already mentioned Kuban comet. Just like her predecessor, Cleopatra is characterized by good growth, immunity to most diseases and winter hardiness. According to gardeners, ripe fruits (37-40 g) are not only distinguished by their respectable size and excellent dessert taste, but also by their delicious fruity aroma.
Nesmeyana – popular variety cherry plum, considered one of the best, due to its winter hardiness, high productivity and excellent quality of large (30-35 g) fruits of pale red color with light scarlet pulp and an easily separated stone. Of course, the list of the most popular and, according to experienced gardeners, the best varieties of cherry plum does not end there.
It would be worth mentioning separately such names as:
- - Bounty;
- - Vitba (Vitsba);
- - Wind;
- - Baby;
- - Sonya;
- - Sarmatian;
- - General;
- - Lodva;
- - Seedling of Fibing;
- - Timiryazevskaya;
- - Avalanche, etc.
Also worthy of gardeners’ attention are highly productive cherry plum varieties, which are distinguished by their delightful decorativeness, which is given to them by their unusual red foliage - Lama, Krasnolistnaya.
If you intend to grow hybrid cherry plum in your garden, it is worth remembering that most of its varieties are self-sterile - i.e. they are not pollinated by their own pollen. The exceptions are the Traveler and the Kuban Comet, which are partially self-fertile.
For this reason, trees of not one, but two or three types should be planted on the site for their mutual pollination. Good pollinators are the varieties Asaloda, Skoroplodnaya and Red Ball. At the same time, if you select varieties of different ripening periods - from very early to very late - the harvest can be continuously harvested for 2-2.5 months.
It is worth considering that at a young age this crop stretches upward very quickly, and after fruiting begins, it actively grows in breadth, requiring free space. This feature is important to take into account when planting plants - it is desirable that the distance between them varies from 3.5 to 6 meters.
For planting cherry plums, sunny areas are usually allocated, reliably protected from cold winds and frosts. This could be a place near the southern wall of the house or, as a last resort, an area surrounded by buildings (house, bathhouse, greenhouse, etc.) that could protect the garden from northeast winds.
This crop is propagated by several basic methods. Among them, the most widespread are: budding, improved copulation on sloe and plum, as well as rooting of green or lignified cuttings.
Cherry plum is a fruit tree belonging to the genus Plum. It is distinguished by the varied colors of its fruits and their excellent sweet and sour taste. It belongs to the southern plants, but work on crop selection has made it possible to grow it in the central zone of our country, the Moscow region and even in colder climatic zones. Today, various varieties of cherry plum are found in the gardens of many regions. During the flowering period, the plant is very decorative, which can be seen when viewing the photo. Therefore, it is often used in landscape design.
Varieties and varieties of cherry plum
Cherry plum does not have good frost resistance, so it is not found growing wild in regions with cold winters. But it crosses quite easily with different varieties of plum. As a result of such interspecific hybridization, its cultivation in the climatic conditions of the middle zone became possible. Back in the last century, the cherry plum was crossed with the Chinese plum, which is characterized by frost resistance, and obtained new culture, on the basis of which many different varieties were then created. All of them can be united under one common name “Russian plum”.
Cherry plum blossom
The varieties bred by breeders for the Moscow region and the central climate zone can withstand low winter temperatures well, as well as changes with alternating frosts and thaws. At the same time, they have large and juicy fruits with magnificent taste qualities. The fruits are excellent for fresh consumption and for further processing. When choosing a particular variety for yourself, you need to first familiarize yourself with its description and characteristics; it would also be useful to get to know it from a photo of the plant.
The most famous for growing in the middle zone are such quite frost-resistant varieties, How:
- Kuban comet– high-yielding, regular fruiting, red-burgundy fruits with yellowish pulp and high taste;
Variety Kuban comet
- Scythian gold– characterized by very early ripening, average yield, juicy fruits, yellow in color;
Scythian Gold variety
- Traveler– characterized by abundant harvests, the fruits are yellow with a reddish-purple bloom, ripen already at the end of July;
Variety Traveler
- Gift to St. Petersburg– tolerates frosts well, ripens early, fruiting is regular and quite abundant, the fruits are bright yellow-orange;
Variety Gift to St. Petersburg
- Nesmeyana- relatively new variety early ripening, pink-red fruits with dense pulp.
Variety Nesmeyan
The list of cultivated varieties is not limited to those indicated. Others, such as Mara, Cleopatra, and Late Comet, have proven themselves well in the conditions of the middle zone and the Moscow region. All of them tolerate frost well, are distinguished by early ripening, good and stable fruiting, and excellent taste. Most cherry plum varieties are self-sterile. Therefore, to obtain better yields, it is necessary to plant several varieties of this fruit tree on the site at once.
Advice. When choosing a variety that is suitable for yourself, it is better to choose those that were grown in your area. Such plants take root better and are more resistant to temperature changes.
Planting a cherry plum seedling
To place a cherry plum seedling, you need to choose a well-lit, sunny place on the site, protected from frost and cold winds. The best time The time for planting is spring, after the snow has melted and the ground has sufficiently warmed up, but before the plant buds swell, which in the middle zone corresponds to approximately the first half of April. Seedlings with a protected root system in containers can be planted in the ground later.
It is not advisable to plant cherry plums in the fall, as they may not have time to prepare for frost. When purchasing a seedling in the autumn, you can simply bury it in an elevated place until the next season.
Cherry plum seedlings
Cherry plum is not very demanding on soils, but, of course, it prefers well-drained, fertile, rich in humus and organic matter. It is not advisable to plant a tree in soil that is too acidic or too alkaline. Before planting, it is better to first improve such soil.
When planting a prepared seedling in a permanent place, you must follow a certain sequence of actions:
- Dig a hole approximately 50 by 50 cm in size and about 50-60 cm deep.
- Mix the top fertile soil with rotted manure or compost, you can add a small amount of ash and double superphosphate (about 0.5 kg each).
- Place a strong stick or planting stake in the hole and fill it with prepared soil.
- Bury the seedling, straightening its roots in the ground, cover it with soil, lightly shaking the plant and carefully compacting the soil with your hands so that there are no voids.
- It is good to water the cherry plum seedling at the root in the amount of about 1 bucket per small plant.
- Mulch the root zone with peat or compost to maintain soil moisture.
- Carefully tie the tree to the planting stake with twine or a rag rope.
Attention! The root collar of the plant should be 3-5 cm above the soil level. When planting a seedling, you need to ensure this.
Proper care of cherry plum
So that the cherry plum takes root on permanent place, grew well and bore fruit, it is necessary to properly care for it. Tree care consists of:
- regular weeding of weeds from the tree trunk zone;
- sufficient watering of the plant;
- applying the necessary fertilizers;
- trimming excess branches;
- preventive measures against diseases and pests.
When watering the plant, moderation should be observed. Cherry plum does not tolerate excess moisture in the soil. But root system The plant is located superficially, so watering is still necessary. It is carried out several times per growing season, approximately 5-6 buckets of water per adult tree.
Maintain moderation in watering cherry plums
An important part of care is trimming the crown and excess branches. Cherry plum can be grown as a tree or bush. The plant is characterized by rapid growth of shoots. When pulled strongly, young, still green shoots are pinched. When forming the crown, the tree is not pruned too much. Only damaged, diseased, overly elongated and top-shaped branches are cut out. Root shoots are usually removed. Severe thinning of the crown can lead to both sunburn and freezing of the plant in a climate zone with severe frosts.
In winter, the tree trunk area is usually mulched; the plant can be covered during the cold period to avoid freezing in severe frosts. To protect the tree from rodents, the lower part of the trunk and the root area is covered with spruce branches. This helps protect the plant from damage by mice and other small rodents.
Fertilizers and fertilizers
Cherry plum, like any plant, is quite favorable to fertilizing. In the first year after planting a tree, additional fertilizer is usually not required if landing hole sufficient nutrients have been added. Further, as the cherry plum grows, and especially during fruiting, it must be regularly fed with both organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Nitrogen is added in the spring, and potassium and phosphorus are added in the fall. You can fertilize the tree with manure or compost both in spring and autumn.
Apply fertilizer twice a year
Cherry plum loves neutral soil, so it is necessary to monitor its condition. Those that are too acidic need to be limed or ash added to them about once every 5 years. And when the soil on the site is alkalized, you can add gypsum to the soil.
How does cherry plum propagate?
Reproduction of cherry plum can occur in several ways:
- through vaccination;
- by seed method;
- layering.
A fairly common way to propagate cultivars, is a graft. But there are also some disadvantages. Grafted plants lose frost resistance and can freeze out almost completely in severe winters.
Cherry plum cuttings
The method of rooting cuttings and layering has also become quite widespread. For better survival, they can be placed in a greenhouse. Don’t forget about growing your own cherry plum. It is resistant to frost and recovers well after freezing in severe cold.
Diseases and pests of cherry plum
This plant is not very susceptible various diseases, as well as attacks by insect pests. Pests that are quite dangerous for cherry plum include:
- plum moth;
- apple scale;
- sawfly;
- black and copper borer.
Copper borer
To save plants, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the garden and carry out preventive measures in a timely manner. Spraying the tree with the appropriate preparation is usually done before flowering begins.
Such a southern plant as cherry plum has long been grown in the middle zone. By choosing the right most suitable variety and by following the recommendations for caring for the tree, you can regularly obtain rich harvests of the tasty fruits of this plant.
Growing cherry plum in the Moscow region: video
Growing cherry plum: photo
Until the nineteenth century, those living on the territory of European Russia did not know such a plant as cherry plum. This culture was known to the local population in the Foothills and valleys of the North, Caucasus and Dagestan. By the middle of the last century, cherry plum began its victorious march into the gardens of Russia and other countries of the former USSR. At first, its fruits were used only for preservation. In the mid-60s, it was possible to obtain propagable hybrids of plum and cherry plum. These plants had larger fruits and higher taste qualities of ripened fruits, so they were successful in spreading not only in the gardens of summer residents, but also in industrial fruit plantings. By selecting the most frost-resistant trees, we developed those varieties that can be cultivated up to the Belgorod - Orel - Moscow line.
This is a very fast-bearing breed; it is capable of producing the first normal harvest three years after planting it in the garden.
Bears fruit consistently in clay, saline or flooded areas. All forms and varieties require pollinator varieties.
The crown grows vigorously and requires annual pruning. Cherry plum fruits are good for making compotes with pulp and jam.
Modern varieties begin to be harvested from the end of June and end at the beginning of September. Therefore, varieties are usually divided into early, mid- and late-harvested varieties.
Early varieties of cherry plum: description of varieties
Early fruits provide an opportunity to diversify the table fresh products after a long winter. They are used not only as dessert, but also as raw materials for jam.
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| Tent- This is a cherry plum with early harvesting, large fruits up to 42 grams. The pulp of the cherry plum is yellowish, sourish-sweet, with a pit that is very difficult to remove. Medium height with a rounded spherical crown. First fruits for 4-5 years. Tolerates frost very well. Resistance to various diseases is good. The variety, when pollinated additionally by other varieties, produces a harvest. The fruits of cherry plum are used for fresh consumption, good in canned form and in jams. Can be transported over long distances. |
Mid-season cherry plum varieties: description of varieties
Medium ripe fruits good in compotes. They are also well stored and transported, especially if collected at the very beginning of ripeness.
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 globe- a tree with strong growth and a broadly rounded crown. The fruits of the cherry plum are very large, round-spherical, up to 43 grams. The skin is reddish-purple and has numerous whitish spots in the skin and a coating of wax. The pulp of the cherry plum fruit is yellowish-sandy, dense, sweet with a slight sourness, the taste is good. The bone is small and can be easily removed. The fruits can be transported, used in food and canning, in the form of jam, compote, jam. Cleaning in mid-late August. The variety produces a harvest only when pollinated by other cherry plum varieties. Productivity is stable and high. Tolerant to frosts during the flowering period. Resistant to diseases.
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Late varieties of cherry plum: description of varieties
Late harvested fruits can be stored and transported. You can make jams and preserves.
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 Melon– a medium-sized tree with a flat, round-spherical crown and sparse branches. The fruits themselves are large (up to 44 grams), oval-elongated, with a dark red skin and a medium-strong coating of wax. The pulp of the fruit is yellow, medium-dense, sugary, aromatic, of excellent taste. The pit is easily removed from the pulp. This cherry plum is very valuable for consumption raw, as well as for jam, preserves and compotes. Tolerates frosts down to -19 very well. Resistance to various diseases and pests is good. It produces a harvest only when pollinated by other cherry plum varieties. The harvest is stable and high.
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Cherry plum, which many people consider a plum, is firmly associated in the minds with the warm south. And I wanted cherry plum to be native to the Moscow region, and represented by its best varieties. Such varieties were bred precisely thanks to the plum, with which the cherry plum was crossed. Now cherry plum is just as appropriate in the Moscow region as in the subtropics.
Did you know? On the Crimean coast, archaeologists found cherry plum seeds from the 9th century BC. e.
Among the berries there are bright cherry plums yellow The Scythian Zlato variety stands out. In addition to their spectacular yellowness, large, early-ripening fruits are distinguished by a pleasant moist sweetness and softness. In this regard, they are suitable not only for serving directly on the table, but also for canning. The crop grows to medium size. The tree, which is not sensitive to temperature changes, stretches to a height of up to 3 meters. It is crowned with a cone-shaped spreading crown, framed by light green small leaves. Gardeners recommend transforming the Zlato Scythian cherry plum into bushes. White flowers do not pollinate themselves. 
Did you know? The white color of this cherry plum variety appears directly on the tree trunk.
The variety appeared 13 years ago. This winter-hardy cherry plum amazes with the exquisite beauty of its very large purple-black fruits, slightly covered with a thin layer of wax, leaving a clear side seam visible. The sweet core is also impressive, its structure reminiscent of gristly meat, the bone in which is already half separated. The tree, by the standards of the middle zone, is quite tall with a spherical crown. The breeders turned out to be a self-sterile variety, but with excellent winter hardiness and natural protection from diseases, including viral ones. 
Cherry plum Kuban comet served as the basis for the creation of many other varieties. Numerous research by breeders led to such results. The hybrid Kuban Comet itself, perfectly adapted to the climate near Moscow, at the beginning of each (starting from the third year) August brings bountiful harvest large amber berries. Fine fibers of juicy pulp firmly entwine the non-separating seed. The sourish sweetness of the fruit is not cloying. The tree is low, with a rounded crown, well-groomed and compact. 
Belarusian breeders invented a particularly sweet, loose-juicy variety called Mara, which produces 0.4 centners per tree by the age of 7 years. The tall (up to 3 m) trunk of this cherry plum requires additional care for the appearance of the crown when grown. From July until almost October, the plant is decorated with clusters of bright yellow fruits. Mara is valued by gardeners for its effective natural resistance to any fungi, including those that cause clasterosporiosis. 
Nesmeyana has been known since the mid-2000s. The variety turned out to be tall and strong, with a wide crown. Large berries play red and purple tones, and the fibers of the pink core almost do not hold the stone. The sweet fruit has a pleasant sour taste, which may have prompted winemakers to use it as a raw material for the production of an intoxicating drink. 
Among the advantages of a medium-sized harvest are the early ripening of berries and their ability to withstand long-term transportation (up to 4 days). In addition to cherry plum wine, Nesmeyana is used to make numerous preparations for the winter. This cherry plum among others hybrid varieties It is characterized by partial self-fertility and good yield starting from the third or fourth year (0.4 quintals during the season). Moreover, the first ripe berries often appear in early July. The low trunk is surrounded by a green dome of the crown with slightly downy reverse side leaves. White flowers emerge from the buds in pairs. In the dense berry peel, which is difficult to remove from small fruits, the red color predominates over the purple, and underneath it reveals juicy pulp, with a well-attached seed. Pleasant aroma fruits are perfectly preserved in drinks and any dessert dishes.
The variety easily tolerates the cold of the middle climate zone and the relatively infrequent dry weather here. The cherry plum variety donated to St. Petersburg has wonderfully established itself in the Moscow region. The tree has drooping crown branches combined with a short standard part and a low trunk. Numerous white flowers appear already in the last days of April. But the harvest, superior to all other varieties (0.6 centners per tree), begins to be harvested in late July - early August. Moreover, grafted plants are considered mature trees that produce such an abundance of fruits already in the third year after this procedure. The ovoid, orange-yellow fruits have oval seeds attached to the fibers of the pulp, and the pulp itself, splashing with juice, has a peculiar sweet-sour taste. 
Important! During the ripening period, you need to hurry, as the fruits literally fall from the branches.
Precocious
Red cherry plum berries with an orange admixture arrived in the Moscow region from China. The tree most often bears its first harvest in the second year. Hidden in the yellowing, aromatic berry pulp, the oval of a medium-sized seed is easily separated from the pulp. The hybrid berry of the Skoroplodny variety, obtained by crossing, turned out to be the leader among cherry plums in terms of vitamin C content. The late summer harvest is preceded by exuberant May flowering against the backdrop of a wide crown formed by the darkness of the foliage. Small growth does not prevent the cherry plum of this variety from coping well with any diseases, as well as with frosts and winds not only in the Moscow region, but also in the north of Russia. 
Important! If you have several hybrid varieties on your plot, there will be no problems with cross-pollination.
This cherry plum got its spectacular name for the dark, ruby redness of the large (one berry can weigh more than 30 grams) fruits. In taste, the juicy orange fibrous pulp successfully combines sweetness and sourness. You can't just tear off a bone. Good yields fluctuate with significant weather changes, but the plant itself tolerates both drought and frost almost perfectly. 
