Variety Alenushka (plum): description, care, characteristics and reviews

к группе так называемых китайских слив. The Alyonushka plum variety belongs to the group of so-called Chinese plums. They appeared in our country quite recently and differ from the popular and well-known domestic varieties, without which there is not a single garden plot.

которой сегодня можно увидеть во многих изданиях по садоводству, была получена в НИИ РФ по селекции плодовых культур. Plum Alyonushka, a description of which can now be seen in many editions on gardening, was obtained at the Russian Research Institute for Selection of Fruit Crops. The variety is derived during the crossing of such famous and popular varieties as the Red Ball and Chinese. In 2001, it was zoned in the Central Black Earth regions of Russia .

Plum Alyonushka: description of the variety

The tree of this variety is medium-sized, which greatly facilitates the care of it. Its height is not more than 2.5 meters. Crown raised, pyramidal, differs in average density. Shoots are reddish-brown, straight, with medium internodes, there is no pubescence completely. Lenticles of medium size, convex, located quite rarely. The buds are slightly deflected from the shoot, conical shape, medium size.

Leaves

They are elongated, having obovate shape, pointed, colored in light green color. The tip is pointed, the serration of the edges of the leaves is double-filed. Sheet plate matte, smooth, slightly curved upward. Iron from one to three are located at the base of the sheet, as well as on a small stalk (20 mm). It is pigmented, of medium thickness.

Flowers

Alyonushka is a plum with three-flowered inflorescences. Petals touching, white. The corolla is open, its diameter is 12.7 mm. In the inflorescence, as a rule, three flowers. The stigma of the pistil is slightly above the anthers. The calyx has a bell-shaped form, sepals do not have serrations . , а длина пестика не превышает восьми миллиметров. The length of the stamens is 5.5 mm , and the length of the pistil does not exceed eight millimeters.

8 мая. In the middle belt, flowering begins on May 4 - 8. года после посадки. Plum Alyonushka (reviews of gardeners confirm this) begins to bear fruit three years after planting. It is self-fruitful, but rather early variety. Full ripening of fruits occurs in the second half of August. The yield of a tree can not be called very high, but it is stable.

But it has a high frost resistance Alenushka. , отзывы опытных садоводов свидетельствуют о том, что дерево способно выдерживать очень низкие температуры — до –37 °C. Description of the variety , reviews of experienced gardeners indicate that the tree is able to withstand very low temperatures - up to -37 ° C. Surprisingly, for this sort of fatal warm winters, because the tree can prop up the bottom of the trunk of the bark.

Fruit

Alyonushka is a plum, which has large round shaped fruits weighing up to 40 grams. Outwardly, they resemble dark pink or reddish balls with a well-marked wax coating. . Many gardeners and summer residents like the sort of plum Alyonushka . Reviews of her gustatory qualities are enthusiastic.

Flesh of medium-density fruit, orange, extremely juicy. It has a sweet and sour taste and is characterized by tenderness. The tasting evaluation of plums is 4.6 on a five-point scale, the fruit evaluation is 4.8 points in appearance. Ossicle bone, poorly separated from the flesh. Fruits contain 1.39% of acids and 8.77% of sugars.

Landing

Alyonushka is a plum that has a fairly shallow root system, so it is extremely demanding on the amount of moisture in the soil. In addition, she loves well-lit solar patches. This must be taken into account when planting a young tree on its site.

First you need to pick up a well-protected from the wind place - for example, a piece of land near the fence. This plum variety does not accept low soils with a close groundwater table. As the tree starts to bloom early, care must be taken to ensure that it does not suffer from frost. It is best to plant this plum in autumn, on open, high and sunny areas, best on a hill that can be artificially made.

The soil must be non-acidic, fertile and unsalted, easy enough. Prepare it for about thirty days before planting. The site for planting should be well dig, remove all weeds, and if necessary - lime. At the same time, a landing pit is being prepared for Alenushka and for three or four varieties of pollinators. Thus it is necessary to strictly observe the scheme of landing: 5х3 meters.

Alyonushka is a plum which does not need too much pit: its depth should be no more than 50 cm at the same width. Two buckets of manure, well reburned, half a bucket of dolomite flour, very little ash and 200 grams of potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added to it. The mixture is thoroughly mixed, and in the very center of the landing pit a small hillock is poured from the upper soil layer.

разместите на нем саженец и прикопайте корни плодородной почвой. Carefully place a seedling on it and prick the roots of fertile soil. Root neck should be buried two or three centimeters. After planting, the seedling is watered abundantly at the rate of forty-fifty liters per tree and mulch the hole. To seedling more quickly and easily caught on, it should be watered in the first thirty days after planting a little more often, not allowing the soil to dry. Then the watering is gradually reduced.

It is necessary to think about prevention of barking. To do this, the trunks of seedlings for the winter are covered with covering material. Perfect for this purpose spruce branches.

Care

In the spring, next year, Alyonushka should be fed with nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate or urea). At the same time, the forming pruning is carried out. Slightly shorten the central trunk, with the lateral processes cut off a few centimeters below the top.

In the summer, fertilizing is carried out at least twice. For this, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used, to which a little wood ash is added. In addition, the spruce should be regularly weeded, loosened and watered. In hot and dry weather, watered more often and more abundantly.

In the spring, it is necessary to treat the tree with preparations for protection against pests and diseases, and regularly and very carefully examine the crown in order to identify patients and frozen branches that need to be removed in a timely manner.

Diseases and pests

Alyonushka is a plum which is quite resistant to such diseases as moniliosis and klysterosporiosis. It is extremely rarely affected by other fungal diseases. The most terrible enemy of this variety is the plum aphid, which annually attacks this plant massively.

It is a small, but very dangerous pest that feeds on shoots and leaves of plum. It is quite easy to detect it by looking at the underside of the sheet. A little later, the affected leaves turn pale, dry and curl, and the tree begins to weaken, its growth slows down considerably.

It hibernates this pest in the cortex of the main branches, close to the kidneys. It is activated in May before the beginning of flowering. Therefore, it is so important to conduct timely treatment of the tree before the buds swell.

How to deal with aphids?

First of all, you need to get rid of the old, damaged bark, dry branches and leaves, thoroughly weed and loosen the soil around the trunk. Then carefully spray the tree with any insecticide. We recommend you to use the domestic drug "Iskra".

Many gardeners prefer to use folk remedies: an infusion of tobacco or potato tops with the addition of lime, a solution of soap. In the fight against aphids, garlic or onion broth, an infusion of wormwood or chemist's chamomile helps well.

In the autumn, when the leaves completely fall from the tree, the plum can be sprinkled with a concentrated urea solution and, of course, whitewash trunks with lime. For the Chinese plum Alyonushka is easy to take care of. If timely carry out the necessary preventive measures to protect and care for the plant, it is enough just to get a good harvest of delicious and healthy fruits.

Plum Alyonushka: reviews of gardeners

Despite the youth of this variety, it has already gained popularity and recognition among Russian gardeners and summer residents. The reason for this - the many advantages of wood and fruit. These include increased frost resistance, average yields, small sizes of trees that adorn the plot very much.

Most owners note the excellent taste of fruits, resistance to many diseases and simple care for the tree. The variety has some drawbacks, which you need to know about. This is primarily susceptibility to damage to aphids and self-infertility, which forces planting pollinators in the neighborhood. However, this is not a serious disadvantage if such plants grow on your site.

Chinese plum Alyonushka is ideal for growing in the country. This is really one of the most favorite varieties cultivated for the mid-latitudes. And gardeners note that Alyonushka is very decorative. It can become an ornament of any garden site.