What are the key considerations for growing plums? An analysis of the latest growing points

The plum is a traditional fruit variety in our country, widely distributed across the country, and can basically be grown in every region. Plums and prunes are also very similar, but there are still essential differences between them. Today we will mainly look at some issues that need attention during the process of growing plums. Let's take a look below.

1. Seedling selection and planting

There are now many plum varieties, so when planting we should choose plum seedlings that are pure and excellent in variety, have well-developed root systems, plump flower buds, are robust, and are free of pests and diseases. When planting, land resources should be used rationally, and the field ventilation and light penetration should be well controlled. Generally, the row spacing of each plum tree is about four meters, and the plant spacing is 2.5 to 3 meters.

2. Arrangement of pollinator trees

In order to improve the fruit set rate and quality of plums, the planting number of pollinator trees needs to be distributed reasonably when planting. Generally, planting is carried out at ratios such as 3 to 1, 4 to 1, and 8 to 1. Also, it is best for the plum trees planted to be of multiple varieties; a single variety is actually not the best planting plan. We can plant varieties such as Black Amber, Black Gem, Beauty Plum, American late-maturing large plum, and Royal Gem together.

3. Management during the flowering and fruiting periods

If the plum flowering period encounters rainy weather, in order to avoid rainwater washing away pollen and affecting pollination, a layer of film can be covered over the tree canopy to shield against rain. Of course, the pollen can also be collected for artificial pollination. During the full flowering period of plums, we need to properly thin the flowers, removing some flowers with poor growth and development, flowers damaged by pests and diseases, and flowers growing too densely. After the fruit sets, in order to ensure the yield and quality of plums and reduce fruit drop, fruit thinning is needed, removing deformed fruit, pest- and disease-damaged fruit, dense fruit, weak fruit, and so on. Do not be reluctant to do it.

4. Pruning and shaping

During the growth of plum trees, reasonable pruning needs to be carried out according to their tree age, tree vigor, growth stage, plum tree variety, and so on. Pruning cannot be done blindly, otherwise it will also affect the yield and quality of plums. During the young tree period, frequent pruning should be carried out to form a complete tree shape, and at the same time the tree body should be dwarfed as much as possible and the canopy expanded. Adult plum trees need their tree vigor controlled, with appropriate heading back, branch thinning, and branch cultivation to maintain the vitality of the tree body and ensure yield.

5. Light regulation

Light also has a very large impact on plum growth. During the growth of the fruit trees, we should reasonably control the distance between the branches, which can enhance the ventilation and light penetration of the canopy. Second, in summer, proper shading should be carried out, and the light transmittance can be controlled at about 30 percent. When the sunlight is relatively mild and the light intensity is weak, the light transmittance can be appropriately increased, and at this time about 60 to 80 percent light transmittance can be achieved. During the fruit ripening period, the light requirement is relatively large, and it should be controlled at at least above 85 percent.

6. Temperature and humidity management

During the growth of plum trees, temperature and humidity management is very important. During the flowering period of plum trees, the temperature is best controlled at 20 to 25 degrees, which is beneficial to the spread of pollen. During the fruit growth and development process, there are no strict requirements for temperature; it is enough as long as the minimum temperature is not lower than 10 degrees. Finally, the humidity during the plum growth and development period is generally about 50 percent, the humidity during the flowering period is 60 percent, and the humidity during the fruit growth period can be between 40 and 50 percent.

When growing plums, in addition to the points mentioned above, we also need to pay attention to rational pesticide use and scientific fertilization. These have a great impact on the yield and quality of plums. If you have other questions to consult, remember to leave a message below.