- Authors: Kh.K. Enikeev, S. N. Satarova, V. S. Simonov, I. V. Popova (All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture and Nursery)
- Name synonyms: Prunus domestica Yakhontova
- Year of approval: 2008
- Growth type: vigorous
- Crown: spherical, compact, medium density
- Tree height, m: 5–5,5
- Fruit size: large
- Fruit weight, g: 30
- Fruit shape: rounded
- Fruit color: from yellow to golden honey, with a blush
The plum variety Yakhontovaya was bred in 2008. The culture belongs to homemade plums. Her appointment is dessert. The synonym for the name is Prunus domestica Yakhontova.
Description of the variety
This high-yielding variety is vigorous. The height of such a fruit tree is 5-5.5 meters. Its crown is compact, of medium density, its shape is spherical. The shoots of the plant are straight, glabrous with a brown color.
The leaf blades on the trees are elongated, light green in color. The surface of the leaves is matte and smooth.
Fruit characteristics
Ripe plum is large in size, the average weight of one fruit is 30 grams. The shape of the fruit is round. Coloring starts from yellow and ends with golden honey. A slight blush can be seen on the surface.
The skin on the berries is rather thin, with a slight waxy bloom. The pulp of ripe fruits is tender and juicy. Her color is yellow. The size of the bone is average. Separability from the bone is good.
Taste qualities
This variety is dessert. Its taste is pronounced, sweet and sour. The tasting score was 5 points.
Ripening and fruiting
The plum will bear fruit in the third year after planting in the ground. Ripening dates are early. The fruiting period is in August.
Yield
Plum Yakhontovaya is considered a high-yielding variety. From one such fruit tree, you can collect about 45-50 kilograms of ripe fruits.
Growing and care
First you need to find a suitable place for planting such a culture. It is not recommended to select areas where groundwater flows. The best option would be black soil, loam, sandy loam soils.
If the soil is too acidic, then dolomite flour or ash is added to the ground in advance. When planting, remember that the distance between individual rows and individual trees must be at least 3 meters.
Planting pits begin to be prepared in the fall. Their depth should be at least 50 cm, and their diameter should be at least 70 cm. A straight stick or peg is placed in the central part of each dug hole. After that, they take young plants and begin to gently lower them into the pits, first straightening the root system.
Then everything is covered with earth and lightly compacted, and the soil is watered abundantly. One plant should have about 4 buckets of water. Remember that it is preliminarily recommended to add superphosphate, potassium chloride, clean river sand, ammonium nitrate to the soil.
The planted plum will need periodic watering. The soil should be well moistened to a depth of about 40 cm. About 5 buckets of water should go per tree when watering. Fruiting crops will require more fluid.
After watering, the land should be mulched. To do this, you can use straw, wood shavings, cardboard scraps.This procedure will avoid the loss of moisture from the soil.
And also the plum will need additional feeding. In the first year after planting in the ground, they do not need to be brought in. In the second year, different nutrient formulations with a high nitrogen content are applied. In garden stores, you can find ready-made fertilizers.
When the vegetation begins to bear fruit, it needs to be fed three times a year. The first time this is done before flowering, then during the pouring of berries and after harvesting. In this case, it is better to use urea and potassium sulfate (two tablespoons per 10 liters of pure water). Moreover, the earth during feeding must be sufficiently loose.
In addition, compositions containing potassium and phosphorus are suitable for such a culture. You can also use slurry, bird droppings. You should not take the same fertilizers throughout the season.
When using a variety of fertilizers, it should be borne in mind that in sunny and warm weather, they will be absorbed by the plant much more actively. In cool and cloudy weather, absorption will be much slower.
In the summer season, it is better to add peat or humus to the near-trunk zone. They will protect the plum from harmful weeds.
Plum also needs pruning. For the first few years of its life, it will grow very actively, so it is important to form the crown correctly. When strong growth begins, you need to select 10 main branches. At the same time, they should be placed at the same distance from the trunk.
These branches are shortened by about 1/3 of their own length. Brittle and sore parts are simply removed immediately. All cut sites are treated with disinfectants.
The tree trunk circle around the trees also requires care. It must be at least 2 meters long. It must be loosened regularly. Weeds need to be removed in a timely manner. All root shoots must be uprooted, because it can greatly weaken the plum, negatively affect its yield. During the summer season, the shoots are removed 3-4 times.
Disease and pest resistance
Plum Yakhontovaya is highly resistant to diseases and pests. But still, sometimes it is affected by brown spot, moniliosis. To cure a diseased tree, you can take the drug "Fufanon-nova" or "Fitoverm". First you need to prepare the solution in strict accordance with the instructions. Then the resulting composition is sprayed. To achieve a positive result of the treatment, it is necessary to carry out 3-4 times with an interval of a couple of weeks.
And also the culture is often damaged by various pests, including the sawfly, fruit mite, moth, plum aphid, leafworm. To destroy all these parasites and restore the tree, you can use "Fitoverm", "Horus", "Aktara". At the same time, sulfur is added to the medicinal compositions for maximum effect (no more than 100 grams).
In any case, before processing, you need to carefully cut off all damaged parts of the vegetation. They must be completely burned immediately. Otherwise, they can become a source of infections and infect all crops in your summer cottage.
To avoid diseases and pests, it is better to carry out preventive treatments. Ready-made fungicides are perfect for this purpose. You can also prepare medicinal tinctures at home. They are made on the basis of garlic, onion husks, dandelion, nettle and other components. You can add a little crushed laundry soap to the finished composition.
Despite the fact that plum is considered more hardy than many fruit trees, it is not immune from diseases. It is attacked by viral, fungal and bacterial infections, and parasitic insects harm it. It is necessary to notice and recognize the signs of plum disease in time. They are easier to deal with and defeat early on. Well, in order to protect the garden tree from such a misfortune in the future, preventive procedures can be carried out.