Alyonushka is an attractive variety of Chinese plum that does not lose popularity. Its planting and cultivation are associated with some difficulties due to the characteristics of the variety. We will familiarize the gardener with them in detail and give the necessary instructions for planting and care.
Description of plum variety Alyonushka
Alyonushka is a fairly young variety of Chinese (loosestrife) plum. It was received in the Oryol region by breeders of the All-Russian Research Institute for Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK) at the end of the last century. In 2001, it was registered in the State Register for the Central Black Earth Region.
Alyonushka tree does not grow high - usually its growth is in the range of two to two and a half meters. Straight shoots with smooth brown bark extend from the trunk at an angle of 30-40 °. The growing branches of medium density form a raised pyramidal crown. Flower buds are laid on fruit twigs. They bloom in the first decade of May, and the fruits ripen in the second half of August.
Fruit twig is an annual fruit formation, on top of which is a flower bud.
Plum Alyonushka bears fruit on fruit rods
The tree has an average winter hardiness of wood and increased frost resistance of flower buds. Drought tolerance is not different, therefore, needs regular watering. The variety is prone to bark heating at the base of the stem as a result of water accumulation during periodic thaws. It has moderate immunity to moniliosis and kleasterosporiosis. It is strongly affected by aphids, especially in the first half of the growing season, when the leaves and young shoots are very tender.
The variety belongs to self-infertile, therefore the presence of pollinators is mandatory. In their quality, Skoroplodnaya plum is best suited, as well as other varieties of Chinese and domestic plums, the flowering of which coincides in time. Alyonushka has a high early maturity - the first berries can be tasted already in the third year after planting, and the plum reaches its maximum productivity by the age of 7-8 years. Productivity is high and regular. From one hectare, on average, 147 centners are received, and the maximum recorded yield was fixed at 199.8 c / ha.
Rounded fruits have aligned dimensions with an average weight of 35 grams. Orange juicy flesh has a gristly structure and excellent sweet and sour taste. The bone is small, poorly separated from the pulp. Tasting assessment depending on the place of cultivation ranges from 4.2-4.8 points. Resistance to cracking and good separation of the fruit from the peduncle cause high transportability. Appointment of fruits - table. The variety is widely used both in home gardening and for industrial cultivation.
Plum Alyonushka has dark red rounded fruits
Advantages and disadvantages of the plum variety Alyonushka
Summing up the description of the variety, we briefly list its positive and negative properties. So, about the advantages:
- High early maturity.
- Compact, low tree with a sparse crown.
- Good winter hardiness, including fruit buds.
- Regular and abundant fruiting.
- Great taste.
- High commercial quality of fruits.
The most significant drawback of the variety is its strong susceptibility to aphids. The second drawback is the tendency to preheat the root neck.
Landing
Given the tendency of Alyonushka plum to heat up the stem, when planting it should give preference to seedlings grafted onto stable stocks of local varieties or game. The height of the vaccination above ground should not be lower than the snow level characteristic of local winters. If you still use a root seedling for planting, you will have to plant it on a hill. When choosing a landing site, you need to remember that Alyonushka will not grow on acidic soils - neutral or slightly alkaline are suitable for her. The permissible level of groundwater shall not be less than two meters. The distance between the trees in a row during group planting should be within 2-3 meters, and the row spacing - 4 meters. In the Central Black Earth region, it is better to plant plums in early spring (before the buds swell). In general, the planting process does not have any features inherent in this particular variety, and is typical. Briefly list the main steps step by step:
- In the fall, a landing pit is prepared with a depth of 0.8 m and the same diameter.
- If the soil is heavy, then a drainage layer 10-15 cm thick is laid on the bottom.
If the soil is heavy, then a drainage layer 10-15 cm thick is laid at the bottom of the landing pit
- The pit is filled with fertile loose soil with the addition of organic matter (2-3 buckets per seedling) and superphosphate (80-100 grams per planting pit).
- In the spring on the day of planting, the roots of the seedling are soaked for several hours in water with the addition of Heteroauxin, Zircon or another rooting agent. Dosage - according to the instructions.
- Part of the soil is removed from the landing pit so that a hole is formed in the center with a volume sufficient to accommodate the root system of the seedling.
- In the middle of the hole, you need to form a small mound, on which the heel of the root of the seedling rests, and the roots are spread along the slopes.
In the middle of the hole, you need to form a small mound on which the heel of the root of the seedling rests, and the roots are spread along the slopes
- They fill up the hole and compact the soil around the plant well. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the root neck does not turn out to be buried - it is better to first raise it 5-7 cm above the ground, and after settling the soil it will drop to the desired level.
- A trunk circle is formed along the diameter of the landing pit.
- Abundantly water the sapling with water until the trunk circle is completely filled. After absorbing water, watering is repeated two more times.
- After 2-3 days, the soil is loosened and mulched with humus, peat, hay or other suitable material.
- The central conductor is cut to a height of 0.8-1.2 m, if there are branches, they are shortened by 50%.
In the case of planting a root seedling on top of the prepared planting pit, a hill of fertile soil is poured 0.5-0.6 m high and 1.2-1.5 m in diameter. In this case, a hole for planting is dug in the center of the hill and otherwise act as it is described above.
Own seedlings should be planted on a bulk or natural hill
Features of cultivation and subtleties of care
Plum Alyonushka is rather unpretentious in leaving. They grow it according to the same rules as other varieties of plums and cherry plum. But there are several important points that should be paid close attention.
Crown formation
It is best to give this grade a cupped, compact crown shape, which is convenient to care for and harvest. The formation is started already at the time of landing, as indicated above, and is carried out for the first 4-5 years.
Watering
Since the variety is not drought tolerant, it needs to be watered fairly regularly. Watering is especially important at the end of April before plum blossoms, in mid-May after the flowers fall, and also in summer with an interval of 1-2 weeks. With the onset of August and until the end of the harvest, watering is stopped so as not to provoke cracking of the fruit. In October - November, according to the usual rules, water-charging irrigation is carried out.
Prevention of base boiling up
For this purpose, at the end of winter, it is necessary to scoop up snow from the stands of root plants and form grooves to drain melt water. The same applies to grafted seedlings, the grafting sites of which are located below the snow level. If the region is characterized by winter thaws with subsequent frosts, then the snow zone should be cleaned regularly from season to season.
Diseases and pests: the main types and solutions to the problem
Since the variety has medium resistance to major fungal diseases, we will not dwell on them in detail. In most cases, typical prophylactic measures are quite enough, the list and composition of which, for convenience, are summarized in a table.
Table: preventive measures for the prevention of diseases and pests of plums
| When do | What do | How do | What effect do they achieve? |
| Fall | Collect fallen leaves and burn | Pests and spores of fungal pathogens wintering in leaves and cracks of the bark are destroyed | |
| Sanitary pruning | Cut all dry, broken and diseased branches, which are then burned | ||
| Late fall | Deep digging soil | The soil in near-stem circles is dug to the depth of the bayonet of a shovel, turning over the layers of earth | Pests and fungi spores wintering in the upper layers of the soil are raised to the surface, after which they die from frost |
| Processing of crown with vitriol | Spray the bark of all branches and trunk with a 5% solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux fluid | Prevention of fungal diseases and pests | |
| Early spring | |||
Spring:
| Comprehensive treatment against fungi and pests | Three times sprayed the crown with a tank mixture of Horus (fungicide) and Decis (insecticide) | |
Fungicides - a group of chemical and biological drugs for the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases.
Insecticides - a group of chemical and biological preparations for controlling harmful insects.
Fighting aphids on the sink
Since aphid is the main problem of Alyonushka plum, we will dwell on this issue in more detail.
Signs of aphid plum damage and methods of control
The first thing that should alert the gardener is the appearance on the drain of folded leaves in a tubule. You should tear such a sheet and expand it. If there are small insects in large numbers inside, then this is aphid. She eats the juice of young leaves and shoots, causing significant damage to the plant. When there will be a lot of aphids on the sink (and it multiplies quite quickly), then it will already be not only in folded leaves, but will also cover the surface of many shoots with a continuous carpet.
The first sign of the presence of aphids on a plum tree is folded leaves
Typically, preventative measures can significantly reduce the population of insects and even completely eliminate their presence. But in the case of Alyonushka, perhaps this will not be enough. The fact is that even if in the spring it is possible to completely get rid of the aphids, then soon ants can bring it to the crown and settle it on the leaves and shoots. They do this in order to subsequently be able to eat sweetish aphid secretions called honey dew. Therefore, for a more successful fight against aphids, it is also necessary to fight ants. The simplest thing that can be done is to install a hunting belt on the plum branch 30-40 cm from the ground. And also ants stop fresh whitewashing with a solution of slaked lime with the addition of 3% copper sulfate.
The hunting belt can be made from improvised materials.
To combat aphids, various chemical and biological preparations are also used. Preference should be given to systemic drugs, since contact ones, most likely, will not be able to penetrate the folded leaves.
Table: Some aphids
| A drug | Active substance | Mode of application | Dosage | The waiting period, days |
| The drug is 30 plus | Mineral oil emulsion based on liquid paraffin and mineral additives | A drug diluted in water is sprayed onto the crown of a tree. After application, the oil forms an airtight film, clogging the respiratory system of aphids and other insects. | A bottle with a capacity of 250 ml is diluted in 5 liters of water (or a bottle with a capacity of 500 ml in 10 liters of water). Two liters of working solution are enough for a young tree under the age of three years, and for adult trees this norm increases to five liters. | 0 |
| Nitrafen | Nitrafen | Due to its high toxicity in its pure form and the ability to persist for a long time in the soil, it is rarely used. If necessary, it is allowed to use by spraying the crown in late autumn or early spring, when the plant is at rest. | 150-200 grams of the preparation paste are dissolved in a bucket of water | Durable |
| Decis | Synthetic Pyrethroid Deltamethrin | Spray the crown at an air temperature of 15-25 ° C. Two hours after treatment, the rain does not wash off. | 5 ml per 10 l of water | 20-30 |
| Iskra Bio | Concentrated emulsion of avertin, a waste product of soil streptomycetes (Streptomyces), or radiant fungi | Dissolve the drug in water immediately before use and spray the plants. Most effective at temperatures above +28 ° C. | 8 ml per 1 liter of water | 2 |
Table: folk methods against aphids
| Means | Recipe | Mode of application |
| Mustard infusion | Dissolve 200 grams of mustard powder in 10 liters of water and insist for two days | Apply for spraying with an interval of two weeks |
| Soap solution | Household, and preferably tar soap in the amount of 250 grams is rubbed and dissolved in 10 liters of water | To process the crown, it is better to use a plastic bottle with holes made in the lid, as the holes of the spray gun or sprayer will quickly clog |
| Vinegar solution | Dissolve 10 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a bucket of water and add an adhesive | Spraying on the leaves is carried out with an interval of 3-5 days |
| Tobacco infusion | Two glasses of tobacco dust insist in a bucket of water for 1-2 days | Spraying on leaves and shoots is carried out three times with an interval of 3 days |
Video: how to recognize aphids on a sink and what to do
Gardeners reviews
I have been growing Alyonushka for many years. I am very pleased with the variety. First of all, its taste and aroma. Very fragrant with spicy taste plum. Good for food, great in compotes. Slivovitsa from it is also very fragrant! The size varies from year to year, when it is quite large, - grams under fifty - sixty, when smaller - 30-40! Productivity is good and regular. It is quite resistant to diseases and pests. Her only scourge is aphids. In general, the variety is quite winter-hardy, but in 2014 noted a decent freezing of annual growth. But nothing, dawdled. I still don’t really like that she has an inseparable bone, but it’s not so scary. The tender, tasty and very fragrant flesh of Alyonushka is everything!
Apple, Belgorod
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Re: Alyonushka
Plum with beautiful fruits, constant generous yield and guaranteed bulk aphids, twisted shoots, poor sour taste. Disappointed a long time ago. Although I met a sample that was not affected by aphids, but still the taste is poor.
nuitoha, Sumy
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I know only Alyonushka. Dignity Large tasty fruits and long flowering (important for avoiding spring frosts). Disadvantage; yields are below average.
toliam1, St. Petersburg
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Grade Alyonushka is my favorite! Fruits 70g, flesh with peach flavor. It’s just going to the market on the market !!! The tree is very fruitful.
Antipov Vitaliy, Syzran
//forum.vinograd7.ru/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=407&sid=076a0fa6d5b7d4c3cf6cc9adae8b7a71
Plum Alyonushka is a tried and tested variety. Despite some shortcomings that can be successfully overcome, the variety can definitely be recommended for cultivation not only in private households, but also in farm gardens.
