For many years, I have repeatedly heard from eminent gardeners that there are no columnar fruit trees other than apple trees. And all kinds of columnar cherries, cherries, pears and plums are just another trick to deceive gullible summer residents. But one day I found out that my brother (also a gardening enthusiast) had purchased several columnar plum seedlings. I didn’t disappoint him and decided to watch how they would develop for him. At the moment, these trees are already 5 years old, and I can draw some conclusions. I’ll tell you what a columnar plum is and what actually grows from such seedlings in this article.
Columnar plum - expectations and reality
General description of columnar plum
This name is given to plums that have a narrow but dense crown directed vertically upward. The shape of the trees resembles columns, which is what gives them their name. Almost all branches of a plant of this type are directly involved in fruiting and are represented by thin flexible shoots; there is almost no need to form a columnar plum.
Are there columnar plums?
Many gardeners doubt the existence of such trees. The fact is that the first plant with an unusual narrow pyramidal crown was the Mackintosh apple tree - and such a crown was the result of a random mutation discovered in the 1960s.
However, since then selection has greatly advanced. Narrow pyramidal apple trees, pears, plums and other crops were artificially bred.
All these trees are united by the fact that the vertical growth of their branches is a selection feature, and not another mutation and not the result of crown formation. Therefore, the answer will be positive - columnar plums exist.
Important! Beginners often get confused by the names and look for, for example, a description of the Patriot plum. However, there is a narrow pyramidal apple tree with this name.
What does a columnar plum look like?
The plant is easy to recognize. Its branches are thinner than those of ordinary plums and covered with smooth bark. The shoots grow not to the sides, but upwards at an acute angle, as if trying to press themselves against the main trunk of the tree.
Characteristics of columnar plum
Plants of this type differ from ordinary varieties not only in appearance. The description of the columnar plum reports a number of other features.
- The frost resistance of such trees is very high - even temperatures below - 30 degrees do not harm the health of plum plants.
- The root system of trees is less developed than that of ordinary trees. Therefore, they can be planted almost closely - they will not harm either the crowns or the roots of each other.
- The plants are distinguished by their small height - they rarely grow above 3 m. At the same time, the yield is very high - up to 12 kg per tree.
- Narrow pyramidal varieties are early ripening. The fruits appear already 2 years after rooting. Up to 7 years, the yield increases year by year - and then declines. Fruiting usually stops between 13 and 17 years of age.
The advantages include early ripening, high yield, strength and frost resistance. You need to prune the columnar plum very little in the spring, since it has few “extra” branches.
Do columnar plums need a pollinator?
Some varieties have the ability to self-pollinate - for example, Imperial. Others require pollinators for high yields.
Commander
Mid-season and medium-sized (by the standards of this type of tree) plums, with fairly large oval fruits. “Commander” trees enter the fruiting period already in the second year after planting, but reach peak productivity after 6-7 years.
Columnar plum
The drupes of this variety are covered with moderately dense, purple or light purple skin, with a tint towards the red side of the spectrum. The pulp of the fruit is bright yellow, thinly veined, with a delicate consistency and a small, very easily separated seed. The taste of plums is sweet with a subtle sourness, the aroma is typical, subtle, weakly perceptible.
Sometimes columnar plums in the Moscow region (this especially applies to trees of the “Commander”, “Blue Sweet” and “Imperial” varieties) bloom the very next year after planting. However, such a phenomenon is not a reason for joy, but for concern. Excessive load caused by the need to “feed” the formed ovaries exhausts young, fragile plants, and they may not survive the next winter. Therefore, all buds of such “early” flowering must be ruthlessly cut off.
Commander
The best varieties of columnar plums
Among the varieties, there are several that are respected by gardeners.
Ant
It bears its first fruits a year after planting and is harvested in August. The drupes have a dark purple color and a sweet taste; you can collect about 4–5 kg of fruit from one tree. The columnar plum Muravushka is pollinated by plum trees Blue Free, Stanley and others, and is considered one of the best plum varieties for the Moscow region.
Ruby
The height reaches 2 m, the fruits are red in color, the taste is sweet with a slight sour note. Harvesting can be done in early September. Ruby is a large-fruited variety, the weight of one drupe can be 60 g. The plant does not require pollinators. The disadvantages of the columnar plum Ruby include late ripening of the fruit.
Russian
A plant with dark red sweet fruits. The drupes ripen in the second decade of August, and one fruit can weigh up to 40 g. It is successfully pollinated by Ussuri or cherry plum.
Honey
It bears golden-yellow, very sweet fruits weighing up to 50 g. The columnar plum Honey White ripens from the end of July. Pollinated by Hungarian donetsk and Renclad Karbyshev.
Commander
A medium-ripening variety with reddish-purple fruits. Columnar plum Komandor bears fruits weighing up to 55 g. Self-fertile.
Imperial
The most popular variety among gardeners, up to 2 m tall with large fruits up to 55 g. The drupes have a rich dark red color. Ripens towards the end of August. Refers to self-pollinating columnar varieties of plums for the Moscow region and other regions.
Blue Sweet
Prunes with dark purple fruits weighing up to 75 g. Ripens in August, produces up to 13 kg of sweet-sour drupes from one tree. Pollinated by Blue Free and Stanley varieties.
Olenka
Tree with bright red small fruits. The weight of one drupe is only about 25 g. It is self-sterile; if there is a Stanley or Blue Free nearby, it will produce abundant harvests.
Mirabella
A variety with yellow sweet drupes up to 40 g each, reminiscent of apricots in appearance. It bears fruit from mid-August; one tree can produce up to 15 kg of fruit. It can pollinate on its own.
Angers
A mid-ripening variety with burgundy-purple fruits weighing up to 40 g each, and has a pleasant sweet-sour taste. Advantages: self-fertility, good tolerance to low temperatures.
Yellow
Description of the Yellow columnar plum looks like this - this is a variety up to 2.5 m tall with the earliest fruiting. Drupes ripen by the end of June. The plant produces round and large golden fruits with a honey taste and is self-pollinating.
Oscar plus
A tree with round red or dark brown fruits of 45 - 55 g each. Ripening time falls at the beginning of September. The variety requires pollination from trees with similar flowering periods.
Collection and storage
Harvest time depends on the variety and the climate of the region. In the Urals and Siberia, plums ripen towards the end of summer or September. In southern latitudes, the harvest will be ripe by the end of June. Early varieties of fruits are harvested over several weeks, and late varieties are harvested immediately. The procedure should only be carried out in dry weather. If the variety is early ripening, remove fruits from the branches in several passes, since they ripen unevenly.
You need to store plums in a place with an air temperature of 0-2 degrees Celsius and a humidity of at least 85%. Store fruit in low trays with paper on the bottom or in wooden boxes. When transporting, try not to damage the wax coating. Plums that will not be stored should be eaten immediately or stored for the winter.
Unripe fruits should not be stored in the refrigerator, this will slow down the ripening process and worsen the taste. The fruits will keep intact for 3 weeks at a temperature of no more than 7 degrees Celsius.
Self-fertile columnar plum
The main reason why gardeners prefer self-pollinating columnar plums is that there is no need to plant extra trees. This is especially true for small gardens, where it is difficult to place several even small trees at once.
This category includes many varieties, for example:
- Imperial;
- Angers;
- Ruby.
Imperial
The size and elegant appearance of the fruits of this magnificent variety will amaze even experienced gardeners. Unknowingly, the large, violet-pink “Imperial” drupes, weighing about 60 g, can easily be confused with nectarines. Beautiful, round, with a slight depression at the stalk, plums are covered with a rather dense, but by no means rough skin, under which lies a deliciously juicy, tender and aromatic, golden-yellow pulp.
The taste of the fruit is harmonious - moderately sweet, with a well-defined refreshing sourness. Plums collected at the stage of technical maturity (which, as a rule, occurs in mid-August) can easily withstand long-term transportation and are perfectly stored for half a month.
Imperial
The Imperial trees themselves are medium-sized, not exceeding two meters in adulthood, with a very compact crown and a rather weak root system. Plum trunks, despite their small thickness, are very strong, but in particularly fruitful years the trees are so densely hung with heavy fruits that they have to be tied to supports.
Judging by the reviews of gardeners, the only drawback of this plum for the Moscow region is its increased susceptibility to low temperatures, due to which the first years of the tree’s life must be carefully insulated for the winter. Another distinctive characteristic of “Imperial” is its ability to self-pollinate, which is actually very rare for plums of this type.
Columnar plum varieties for the Moscow region
The Moscow region is considered quite mild for plum trees, from a climate point of view. In the Moscow region, plants receive enough light and natural precipitation, but sometimes cold winters and sharp frosts in the spring occur in the region.
Columnar plum varieties for the Moscow region are represented mainly by Imperial, Medovaya, Blue Sweet, Mirabella and others.
History of appearance
Trees with such unusual shapes, including columnar plums, appeared very recently and, one might say, by accident. In the sixties of the last century, that is, a little more than half a century ago, a breeder from America noticed an unusual branch on his apple tree, growing upward, bearing fruit abundantly and much thicker than its surroundings. Two-year attempts to propagate such a successful shoot were crowned with success, and the first columnar apple tree, called “Leader,” was born. The profitability of this form of trees prompted scientists to start breeding other trees, as a result of which, first, similar pears appeared, and then columnar plums. So we can say that we should thank for such successful and convenient trees not breeders or genetic engineers, but nature, which gave such a mutation, and the observation of an individual person.
Planting and caring for columnar plum
Basic rules that are the same for most types of plants will help you plant a columnar plum correctly in the spring.
Site selection and soil preparation
The soil for the plant is light, not swampy, preferably sandy loam. The tree feels good in southern sunny areas.
Caring for a columnar plum begins in advance - fertilizer must be added to the hole for the seedling. You can do this immediately before planting, but it is better to do this several months before planting the columnar plum in the spring.
Selection of columnar plum seedlings
The main requirement for a young tree is one thing - it must have healthy, well-developed, strong roots.
How to plant columnar plum
Planting a columnar plum in the spring is carried out because in the fall the plant may not take root before the onset of cold weather. For a seedling, dig a fairly spacious hole, lower the tree onto soil mixed with fertilizers, and cover the roots with soil.
After this, the plant must be immediately watered and the circle near the trunk mulched. For even growth, it is recommended to additionally tie the plant to a support.
Attention! The root collar should remain above the soil surface.
Feeding columnar plum
For the first 2 - 3 years, the tree receives enough fertilizers applied initially. Then fertilizing is introduced three times a year: with nitrogen substances in the spring, potassium substances in the summer, and phosphorus-containing substances in the fall.
How to prune a columnar plum
You can watch the pruning of a columnar plum in the spring in a video for beginners. Briefly, the basic rules look like this:
- The formation of a columnar plum is usually carried out in the spring before the buds swell.
- When pruning, the top is not touched, but the side shoots are thinned out.
- In the first year of life, pruning a columnar plum includes removing flowers so that beneficial substances go to strengthen the root system.
- In spring or autumn, you need to prune the plum for sanitary purposes.
Watering, mulching and preparing columnar plums for winter
The tree needs to be watered once a month; in severe drought, more often as the soil dries out. To retain moisture, the tree trunk circle can be sprinkled with mulch. However, it is impossible to over-moisten the roots of the tree - the plant does not tolerate waterlogging.
Preparing the plant for winter consists of final autumn watering, applying phosphorus and organic fertilizers under the trunk. It is recommended to cover the trunk and the ground around it with spruce branches - this will prevent the roots from freezing.
Advice! After snow falls, it can be compacted tightly, also forming a protective layer against rodents.
Features of growing a tree
Columnar plum does not require unique growing techniques. The variety is unpretentious in care; you need to look after it in the same way as your brothers. The main thing is to choose a good seedling, water the plant on time, and loosen the soil.
Boarding time
Planting of columnar plums should be carried out in the fall, if we are talking about the South. In northern latitudes and the Urals, postpone planting until spring, when the snow melts and there will be no night frosts.
Selecting a location
You need to plant the plum in a place where the sun shines strongly and there is no shadow. Culture loves good lighting. The variety should not be exposed to northern winds, and the planting site should be free of melt water. The desired groundwater level is 1.5 meters. If you ignore the above requirements, the rhizome will not form, the trunk will be damaged, and the plum will become sick.
Planting principles
Agrotechnical work must be carried out in accordance with the following stages.
- Dig a hole 30*40 cm, determine its length by the number of seedlings. There should be a distance of 50 meters between them.
- On industrial plantations, the width between rows should be 1-1.5 meters.
- Pour fertile substrate - compost - onto the bottom; 3-4 kg is shown per seedling. You cannot use mineral fertilizers when planting; the rhizome is delicate and can easily be damaged by chemicals.
- Place the planting material in the prepared hole, carefully straightening the root system. The neck should be 2.5-4 centimeters above ground level.
- Cover the trees with soil, lightly compacting the soil. Use root growth stimulants - Heteroauxin. A solution is prepared in the proportion of 1 g of product per 3 liters of water. Water the seedlings with the mixture immediately after planting and 2 weeks later.
See also
Description of the best varieties of plums for the Urals, their planting and careRead
When using root growth enhancers, it is important to strictly follow the instructions. Otherwise, the plant may get a chemical burn.
Feeding rules
If you decide to plant columnar plums on your site, planting and caring for them will not differ too much from similar procedures for ordinary plums. Trees need to be fed three times a year. The first time this is done after the buds have completely bloomed. Each subsequent time, fertilizers are applied after two weeks. To feed, 50 grams of urea (two matchboxes) are dissolved in a 10-liter bucket of water. Two liters are poured under each tree.
Harvest dates
Columnar plums ripen in late August - early September, so harvesting occurs during this period. It is recommended to collect fruits in dry and sunny weather to reduce the risk of crop rotting and poor storage.
Important! Early ripening varieties of columnar plums ripen unevenly, so harvesting from these trees can take 2 weeks.
If you plan to store the fruits for a long time, then you need to harvest the fruit together with the stalk and immediately place the plums in fruit trays. Try to ensure that the fruits have minimal contact with your hands, since the protective coating erased from the skin will reduce the shelf life of the crop.
Fruits must be stored in a cool, dark room or refrigerator. The crop can be stored in the cellar for up to 1 month if rotten units are regularly inspected and removed. The preservation in the refrigerator is slightly worse: the fruits can be stored for up to 2 weeks without loss of appearance and taste.
So, columnar plums are an excellent alternative to ordinary vigorous plums due to their compactness and high yield. Caring for columnar plants is very simple, and to obtain a high-quality and abundant harvest, it is recommended to pay attention to recommendations for growing at home.
Features and Benefits
Why are such pyramidal trees, including columnar plums, attractive? First of all, they are not tall, growing on average from one and a half to two meters, which greatly facilitates both plant care and harvesting. The second plus is the extremely underdeveloped crown. There are virtually no branches in it. The crown is formed by fruiting ringlets with spears, which give a very rich harvest: the tree is strewn with ripe fruits almost close to each other. The weight of fruit collected from one such plum ranges from six to 12 kilograms. Moreover, the tree begins to bear fruit from the second year of life, and up to seven years the yield increases annually. For several more years it remains stably at the achieved level, and upon reaching 13-17 years of age, fruitfulness stops, although the tree still lives for a long time. The lack of a lush crown is another attractive feature: the compactness of the trees allows them to be planted very close to each other. And an additional bonus is the keeping quality of their fruits: they do not deteriorate when transported over long distances.
Columnar plums have only one drawback: their seedlings are much more expensive than other varieties. On the other hand, investments pay off after the first harvest. And if you value convenience and ease of care, then virtually from day one.
Felt cherry care and growing pruning
After flowering, cherries are usually fertilized with nitrogenous fertilizers, which are applied at the very edge of the trunk circle. To do this, the soil must be loosened to a depth of 3-4 cm, but very carefully so as not to damage the root system of the plant.
With the onset of autumn, nitrogen is excluded from complex fertilizers, which can activate the growth of young shoots so that they are not destroyed by frost. During this period, felt cherry bushes should also be watered moderately (10 liters per week in dry weather), since excess moisture has a bad effect on the fruiting of plants and their preparation for the winter.
Trimming
To form a beautiful and neat tree, young seedlings are shortened to a height of 40 cm, and from the second year of life, all side branches are cut off by a third.
The crown of the felt cherry tree also requires regular care. It should not be allowed to thicken near the trunk. For good growth and productivity, branches are pruned every spring, leaving up to 10 strong shoots, removing diseased, old and fruit-bearing shoots.
Result:
To decorate your garden with felt cherries, you need to follow simple rules of care and pruning. The main thing is not to leave plants unattended. Then they will certainly delight you with an excellent harvest!
How to plant
Planting a columnar plum is primarily determined by its small size. Trees are planted in rows with a distance of one and a half meters between them and 30-40 centimeters between plums in one row. Before planting, the soil is well fertilized, mainly with organic matter - good fruiting is possible only on rich soils. However, no fertilizing is applied during planting: the root system of the trees is relatively weak, and the seedlings cannot cope with excess nutrition. A hole is dug of such a size that all the roots fit freely in it. For planting, it is better to buy annual trees - they take root quite quickly and confidently. Older seedlings have already developed root systems, accustomed to certain soils, and after planting they get sick for a long time and sometimes die. After planting, the trees are well watered with water mixed with root stimulants. It is also recommended to immediately treat them against garden pests and diseases: until the seedlings take root, they are very susceptible to both.
