Review of the columnar plum variety Mirabelle, features of cultivation and care

Only a fruit crop grown independently in a garden plot can provide benefits to the body.
Mirabelle plum is a variety that is in demand due to its positive characteristics and a number of advantages. Due to stable yield indicators, excellent taste of fruits, and compactness of a beautiful tree, this variety of fruit crop can often be found in gardens.

Botanical description of the variety and photo

The photo shows the Mirabelle plum, and below are the characteristic species parameters.

Tree

A medium-sized fruit tree from the Rosaceae family can grow up to 1.7-2 m in height. It is enough to recognize this variety by the following basic characteristics :

• compact crown of round shape;
• upward growing shoots;
• rod-shaped root system;
• thin, covered with smooth bark, strong branches that can withstand the weight of ripened fruits;
• rich green leaves, oblong in shape;
• brown-green stalk, up to 2 cm in size;
• snow-white flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, connected in threes in one inflorescence.

Flowering occurs in mid-May. The flowers bloom before the leaves appear.

Consumer properties and composition of fruits

Fruits attract attention:

• slightly elongated spherical shape;
• dense skin, golden yellow in color with a slight red blush;
• sweet, juicy, fleshy pulp of a light yellow hue;
• a small bone that freely detaches from the pulp;
• average value is about 40 g.

The calorie content is low: 100 g of Mirabelle plum contains 40 kcal.

Nutritional value of the product:

Plum pulp is a source of fiber and organic acids. Fruits are also rich in vitamins (groups B, C, E) and minerals (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium).

The fruits are suitable for heat treatment and are used in preparations and in the production of all kinds of culinary and confectionery products. Fresh fruits are especially delicious.

Reviews

Vasily Bordov, Odessa: I grow seedlings of Mirabelle Nancy for sale. They are not very popular because gardeners mainly want a large-fruited tree. However, the dessert taste of Nancy will give odds to any large variety.

Ekaterina Kushch, Volgodonsk: The Honey plum has been growing on my site for a long time. I decided to pair it with Nancy, which is outlandish for our area. And I was right. Despite the fact that the drupes are small in size, they are very tasty and incredibly sweet.

Elena Meschanova, Slavyansk-on-Kuban: I heard a lot about Mirabelle, and so I decided to plant a seedling at home. It took off well after spring planting and survived the winter well. It is growing actively, but is not bearing fruit yet.

Frost resistance and drought resistance

The Mirabelle plum variety is highly frost-resistant; the plant can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C .
The main danger for still immature plants is frost, which can damage the top of the tree.

In this case, development stops, and to compensate for the injury, the plant begins to form ringlets and spears.

This provokes a violation of the crown shape and a decrease in productivity. Therefore, it is important to correctly determine the planting time, based on the climatic conditions of the cultivation region.

Fruit trees tolerate dry weather well. In hot periods with minimal precipitation, it is enough to increase the amount of watering.

Characteristics of the species

Columnar plants are characterized as small trees with an undeveloped crown and a small number of tiny branches. The appearance of the crown vaguely resembles narrow Egyptian pyramids. This tree bears fruit with fairly large fruits. Externally, the plant looks inconspicuous and fragile, but the wood is durable and can withstand harvests of up to 10 kg.

Important! Despite their good hardiness, plants need to be tied up to reduce the risk of trunk fracture.

This species is distinguished by early fruiting. Trees begin to bear fruit a couple of years after planting. There are two types: self-fertile and requiring a third-party pollinator.

During the first few years, the yield only increases. In general, varieties of this type of garden crop can bear fruit for 16 years, and even after this time they will become an excellent designer decoration for a personal plot.

Columnar plum

Yield indicators

The Mirabelle plum variety begins to bear fruit 2 years after planting the seedling. From one tree you can remove up to 10-15 kg of juicy and sweet plums. The fruiting period of a tree is 18 years .
Afterwards, the plant’s productivity decreases, and the plum tree requires replacement. True, in the future it can remain in the garden and serve as an ornamental crop. The lifespan of the plant is 30 years.

Places of growth

Mirabelle is a plum originally bred in Asia Minor. Now its cultivation is widespread in the southern territories of Europe, North Africa, France, Germany and Ukraine in the Odessa region.

But still, the largest part of Mirabel grows on numerous Lorraine plantations (yield approximately 15,000 tons annually).

In Russia, real Mirabels are mostly cultivated in the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, on the plum plantations of the North Caucasus and in the Rostov region.

Fruit collection and storage

The Mirabelle plum variety is harvested in mid-August. The fruits can remain on the tree for a long time without falling off.

Harvesting should be done on a dry, sunny day . It is recommended to pick plums with stems. It is better to start collecting from the lower and then the upper branches. At the same time, you need to try not to crush the fruits, without damaging the wax coating.

To prevent the crop from spoiling quickly during storage, it is important to maintain a temperature of 0-2°C and humidity of at least 85%. It is better to store plums in wooden boxes. Under such conditions, the fruits will be suitable for consumption within 7-10 days.

The most popular Mirabels

Mirabelle (plum) in its group is represented by the two most common typical representatives: Mirabelle yellow, Mirabelle Nancy (or double).

Today there are many varieties and varieties of Mirabelle plum. Among them, the most common (besides the two above) are:

• Small;

• Large;

• September;

• Bona.

And among the collection plantings in scientific institutions there is the newest wonderful variety - Mirabel Krasnopakharskaya.

The new plum was bred at the experimental Pavlovsk station of the All-Union Research Institute of Plant Growing (N.I. Vavilova), located in the Leningrad region. And the new yellow plum variety has rounded fruits with juicy, pleasant-tasting pulp.

Landing rules

In order for the plum to have a beautiful appearance and boast good immunity, as well as bring a generous harvest, it is important to make every effort when planting and create comfortable growing conditions for the fruit tree.

Recommended timing

The optimal period for planting Mirabelle plum seedlings is spring and autumn. Planting work should be planned based on the climate of the growing region. Spring planting is suitable for the middle zone: end of April.

Over the course of the season, the seedlings will get stronger and accumulate strength to endure the cold winter. In the south, you can plant trees in the fall, but it is important to do this a month before frost.

Site requirement

Important aspects to consider when choosing a location:

• 
  sunny, open, windless area;

• southern, southwestern direction;
• distance to other nearby trees – 1.5 m;
• non-waterlogged, fertile soil, well permeable to moisture and air;
• occurrence of groundwater at a depth of 1.5 m.

The best neighbors for the Mirabelle plum are apple trees, cherry plums, raspberries, currants, and gooseberries.

The plant does not get along well as a fruit tree with pear, peach, sea buckthorn, cherry and sweet cherry. Also, you should not plant conifers, birch, or hazel trees nearby.

Selection of seedlings

When buying seedlings, it is important to inspect them carefully. The root system must have many branches, be intact, alive, without any damage. Also the absence of any signs of disease on the branches.

The older the seedlings, the worse they take root in a new place. The optimal age is 1 year.

Planting technology

To avoid mistakes when disembarking, it is important to follow the following step-by-step recommendations :

1. For 2 weeks, treat the selected area with humus, dig it up with a shovel, and then level it.
2. Prepare a planting hole with a volume of 30x40 cm and a depth of up to 50 cm.
3. Pour fertile substrate into the bottom of the hole. It is better to take compost and sprinkle it with a thin layer of soil to protect the root system from burns. The fertilizer rate for 1 seedling is 3-4 kg. The use of mineral substances is prohibited, since the roots of the columnar plum are delicate and easily damaged by chemical elements.
4. Lower the seedling into the prepared hole so that the root collar is 3-4 cm above the ground level. If the plant's bark is buried too deep, it will begin to rot and the movement of sap will be disrupted.
5. Fill the hole with fertile substrate, shake the tree gently to avoid the formation of voids between the roots.
6. Lightly compact the soil.
7. Water using 2 buckets per plant.
8. Mulch the tree trunk area using peat.

When planting in the fall, it is important to bury the seedling at an angle with soil so that in winter the snow cover completely covers it, protecting the plant from the cold.

Tree pruning

Pruning is necessary to increase frost resistance, form the crown and prevent its thickening, and give the tree a beautiful appearance. Plums can grow a lot of extra branches, thickening the crown and reducing yield. Regular pruning helps correct the situation.

Requirements

Rules for pruning plum trees:

• Pruning is carried out in spring, autumn and summer. Some gardeners also carry out winter pruning, but it is specific and unsafe for the tree. The best time for pruning is spring.
• Young seedlings are pruned minimally; pruning is aimed mainly at crown formation.
• Varieties with weak branching shorten less than strongly branching plums.
• When the tree begins to bear fruit, pruning is carried out only as a last resort.
• Most often, the plum forms a cup-shaped crown.

Tools needed for cutting:

• garden knife;
• garden saw;
• pruner

All cutting parts must be well sharpened to ensure even cuts. All instruments are cleaned and disinfected.

Spring pruning

Spring is the most favorable time for pruning. It is carried out at the end of March or at the beginning of April, before the sap flows. During the first three years of life, the tree’s crown is formed; if time is missed, the branches will grow beyond measure, become entangled and interfere with each other.

In spring, all shoots that are growing incorrectly and old branches that do not bear fruit are clearly visible. Spring pruning rules:

• In the first year of life, all side shoots of the tree are cut off, and the main conductor is cut off so that the height of the seedling is 60 cm.
• In the second year, the main conductor is cut to 40-50 cm, along with the upper bud located above the cut. At the bottom, the side branches are cut off almost completely, leaving stumps 7 cm long. All other side shoots are cut off by 1/3 of the length. The angle of inclination of the skeletal branches should be 50-60 degrees.
• In the third year, 6-8 skeletal branches are selected, all others are removed. No more than 4 buds are left on the remaining branches.

In the future, spring pruning comes down to maintaining the given crown shape:

• Remove all branches that grow incorrectly - inside the crown or located at an obtuse angle.
• If the crown is lush, it is thinned out and old branches are removed.
• Last year's growth is shortened - this helps the tree to form new fruit branches.
• Remove branches that are broken and frozen over the winter, as well as those on which birds have damaged the buds.

Summer pruning is applicable only to young trees; it is harmful for adults, and is carried out only if absolutely necessary - for example, when diseased branches are detected.

Autumn pruning

Autumn pruning is carried out after leaf fall - from about mid-September. It is necessary to leave enough time between the procedure and frost - the tree must get stronger after stress. Autumn pruning is carried out mainly in regions with warm climates. In regions with harsh winters, it is preferable to prune in the spring.

Autumn pruning scheme:

• Remove all diseased, dry and broken branches.
• The main conductor is cut off if it becomes too long during the growing season.
• Fast-growing, competing shoots that thicken the crown are pruned. All cut branches are burned.

Depending on the age of the tree, the pruning order changes:

• In the first year of life, in the fall, the main conductor is cut off by 1/3, other branches by 2/3.
• Regardless of age, thin out the crown and remove incorrect and rapidly growing branches.
• After 4-5 years of life, anti-aging pruning is carried out. The frequency of such procedures is once every 4-5 years.

General care recommendations

Proper care of the Mirabelle plum will increase its productivity, extend its life, prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests, and also give a beautiful appearance to the garden plot.

Watering and fertilizing schedule

Mirabelle plum prefers abundant watering . It is recommended to moisten the soil once every 2 weeks. Under the young tree you need to pour up to 30 liters of water at a time. An adult plant should use up to 50 liters.

For health and full growth, Mirabelle needs feeding: for 1 plant you need to use 2 liters of urea solution (50 g per 10 liters of water).

The procedure must be carried out in 3 stages:

1. At the time of intense growing season.
2. 2 weeks after the first.
3. 15 days after the second.

You can also use mullein or saltpeter as fertilizer.

Loosening and mulching

It is recommended to systematically loosen the soil in the tree trunk zone. This manipulation will provide oxygen access to the tree’s root system and make the soil lighter. During loosening, it is important to remove all weeds .

To prevent excessive evaporation of moisture, the tree trunk circle must be mulched with peat or humus.

Trimming

There is no need to trim and shape the crown, since the plant does not form side shoots. It is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning, removing dry, damaged branches.

Also, pruning may be required if the top is frozen and the tree subsequently forms several shoots. In this case, you need to choose one of the strongest ones, and carefully trim the rest so that they do not interfere with the normal development of the crown.

Wintering

Young plum trees of the Mirabelle variety are sensitive to frost because they do not have time to harden after planting. Therefore, if the winter is snowy, you need to install a sheet of slate near the plant and throw snow on it.

This design will protect both from low temperatures and from rodents. When expecting a snowless winter, it is important to cover the trees with spruce branches.

Features of columnar plum

The tree is low-growing, the height of some varieties reaches up to two meters. The crown is narrow, formed by fruiting ringlets with spears. This structure makes it possible to obtain high yields already in the fourth year after planting.

What are the advantages of columnar plum over other types of fruit crops?

Productivity

Depending on the variety, each tree is capable of producing 6-10 kg of plums. This is explained by the shape of the crown: the absence of many side branches allows the incoming nutrients to be spent directly on fruiting.

In addition, an important condition for plums is the abundance of sunlight and the crown in the form of a column contributes to this.

Endurance

The branches are quite strong and do not break under the weight of the fruit. Seedlings need a garter, but its purpose is to prevent the branches from bending and changing the direction of growth. Columnar plum easily tolerates frosts down to -30 0 C.

This expands the breeding geography from the Moscow region, where severe frosts are observed in winter, to the Krasnodar Territory, where spring frosts are not uncommon. Gardeners also note such a feature as high resistance to kleasterospiriosis, gommosis, coccomycosis and gray rot.

Fruiting

The first harvest appears in the second year after planting. By the fourth year, the columnar plum reaches its peak yield, which lasts for ten years. Then the number of fruits decreases and by the 15th year of life the tree stops bearing fruit. For a visual representation, see the graph.

In general, the size of the harvest does not change throughout the 10 years of active fruiting. Small fluctuations are acceptable and depend on weather conditions and agricultural technology.

You can use one of two approaches:

1. Annual planting. After 15 years, the first planted seedlings are uprooted and young trees are planted in their place.
2. Partial replacement of the garden. Some trees are uprooted in their 13th year of life, and new ones are planted in their place.

For private farms, the second option is optimal. Trees do not need to be uprooted, but used as garden decorations.

Crown structure

The absence of multiple trunks and strong branches eliminates the need for pruning. Thanks to this, injury and the associated recovery of the tree’s strength are reduced. Saving the gardener’s time on care is also obvious.

Diseases and pests

The Mirabelle plum variety boasts good immunity, but it may decrease if the plant lacks nutrition or is frozen in the winter. Diseases that can affect plums are cleasterosporiasis, coccomycosis, and gommosis. To prevent and treat them, fungicides must be used.

Among the pests that can attack a fruit tree:

• plum moth;
• plum sawfly;
• aphid;
• rose leaf roller.

To prevent the plant from becoming a center of accumulation of harmful insects, it is necessary to treat the plant with insecticides.

It is better to prevent any disease than to treat it for a long time. Effective preventative measures include :

1. Timely and moderate watering.
2. required amount of sunlight.
3. Removing all damaged branches.
4. Treatment with protective agents.

It is important to spray trees with chemicals long before harvesting, adhering to the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.

Disease Prevention

Columnar plum varieties are disease resistant, but if the root system or branches are damaged, the tree may become diseased. Control and prevention measures are necessary.

Advantages and disadvantages

The popularity of the Mirabelle plum variety is due to the following advantages :

• stable productivity indicators;
• good winter hardiness;
• high decorative features;
• increased immune reaction to characteristic diseases and pests;
• ease of fruit collection due to the compact shape of the crown;
• versatility of crop purpose;
• transportability;
• undemanding to the place of growth;
• Possibility of growing in small areas.

When describing a variety, it is important to identify the disadvantages of the variety:

• the need for pollination;
• poor tolerance to drafts and wind;
• short period of fruiting of the tree.

The fruits of this variety serve as the basis for the production of the famous French Mirabelle pie, a symbol of Lorraine.

Reviews from gardeners

Gardeners recommend the Mirabelle plum for growing not only because of the good harvest of large fruits, but also due to the compactness of the fruit tree; there is no need to use a ladder when picking fruit and no fuss with pruning.
Also, many summer residents consider this plum variety to be one of the most popular standard varieties.

If there is not enough space on the plot, but you want to plant a plum tree, which will not be very tall, but will form a high-quality harvest, you can give preference to the Mirabelle variety.

You can find out what gardeners say about this plum variety here.

History of creation

It is believed that Mirabelle was originally grown in Asia Minor in the region of the eastern Bosphorus Strait, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It was obtained from a wild fruit tree and, over time, cultivated.

When it reached Europe, it received its greatest recognition in France. Today, the Mirabelle Nancy and Metz varieties are the hallmark of the northeastern French region - Lorraine.

Since 1996, Mirabelle de Lorraine has been recognized as an exclusive product of the region and is produced with the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) mark. That is, fruits with this label must meet certain parameters (size, sugar level, etc.), and their export is limited.

However, these and other varieties are actively grown in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, as well as in Russia (Mirabel Nancy can most often be found here). The most suitable territories for cultivating this crop are the North Caucasus and Central Black Earth economic regions.

Lorraine hosts an annual festival in August dedicated to the Mirabelle plum. There are fairs, exhibitions, competitions, live music, and fireworks light up the sky in the evening. In 2006, the largest tart with this plum was baked in the city of Nancy, which was recognized as a world record.