Firefly Plum: Variety Characterization and Cultivation

Plum is one of the most popular fruit crops in Russia, only apple and cherry trees are more common. The large fruits of plum have excellent taste and contain many vitamins and beneficial trace elements.A variety of varieties allows you to grow this tree in regions with different climates. For the regions of the Central Chernozem region with rather frosty winters and often arid summer, the unpretentious and generous crop of “Firefly” was bred.

This is a fairly new variety: its first tests were carried out in 2004, and by 2012 it had already become widespread among amateur gardeners and professionals. His appearance, he is obliged to the work of the staff of the oldest breeding institute of the country - the All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Fruit Plants. I.V. Michurin. Scientists have made the crossing of the Volga Beauty dessert variety already loved by many with the Eurasia 21.

"Firefly" can be attributed to the varieties of the average term of ripening - the tree begins to bear fruit for the 3-4th year. Fruits weighing about 30-40 grams have a rounded shape and a rather large size. They are distinguished by a characteristic yellow color, which gave the variety an unusual name.

The stem is thin enough and effortlessly detached from the branch. The bone of the fruit is small, easily separated from the sweet, juicy honey pulp. The skin is thin, with a small wax coating.

The strong-growing plum tree of the Firefly variety can reach five meters in height. Its crown of average density has dark green foliage. At the time of flowering, which is considered quite early, the tree is dotted with white buds. The ripening period of the fruit falls on the end of July-August.

The advantages of this variety include the following characteristics:

• excellent taste;
• large fruits;
• cold resistance;
• plum tolerates drought;
• the variety is sufficiently resistant to diseases of fruit crops;
• high yield.

Professional tasters rated the taste of "Firefly" at a rather high 4.5 points. Sweet, slightly sour plums make it one of the best table varieties. Fruits can be consumed fresh, as well as harvested for the winter in the form of compotes, juices, preserves. Skilled housewives can easily make jelly and marmalade of a beautiful golden color from these plums.

The variety developed especially for the Black Earth region withstands winters with 20 degree frosts and returnable spring chills. Its resistance to dry periods of hot summer is also high.

This variety is good against disease. But cases of infection with the fungus are possible: moniliosis, coccomycosis or root rot. The leaves suffer from these diseases, the quality of the fruits deteriorates, even the death of the tree is possible. Therefore, it is necessary to timely remove the foliage and regularly sanitize the garden.

This variety has almost no flaws. The only point is the issue of yield. In some gardeners, the number of collected plums grows from year to year, in others it decreases. When the trees are blooming, but only a small number of ovaries are formed, the reason lies in the absence of a suitable pollinator, since all the varieties, among whose “parents” were “Eurasia 21”, are distinguished by self-barrenness.

Sometimes, unexpected frosts that have fallen during the period of flower bud formation can affect low yields.

For landing "Firefly" fit the southern places of the site, remote from groundwater more than two meters and well lit, without shading from buildings. If your goal is a plum orchard, then the trees should be at least 3 meters apart, and the distance between the rows should be about 4 meters.

Sprinkle the roots evenly, compact the soil and water abundantly. Pristvolny circle must always be mulched. For mulch fit humus, mowed grass, compost, peat.

Caring for a plant is a regular, but moderate watering, loosening and weeding. Especially abundant watering should be before flowering and at the time of formation of the ovary and be about 30-40 liters per tree. Every three years fertilizing is carried out with organic fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers are added in the fall.

The first pruning is done in the spring after planting. Clean and sharp tools need to form a crown. Such events should be held annually, maintaining a neat and healthy tree appearance. Be sure to handle cuts and cuts garden pitch and solution of copper or iron sulphate.

To protect against pests using insecticides. Codwick, dangerous for all species of plums, is fought with environmentally friendly bio-compounds (Lepidocide, Iskra Bio, Fytoverm) or chemicals are used (Sonnet, Bankol, Alatar, Detsis). In the fall, they collect fallen leaves and burn them, because they are a shelter for insects.

Once a season, the Bordeaux liquid (an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide and calcium sulfate containing copper hydroxide) should be sprayed over the ovary without gaps. Sheet is processed on both sides. When mosses or lichens appear, it is necessary to clean the tree trunk from them, then to whiten them. You also can not ignore the cracking of the bark in adult trees. These places must be cleaned and processed.

Pollination of flowering plums occurs in a cross-way using insects: bees, wasps, bumblebees. For samobosplodnyh varieties required to plant a number of plums of other species that coincide in terms of flowering, so they played the role of pollinators. The best neighborhood for "Firefly" will be the varieties "Renklod", "Mayak" or "Record". Ideal will be the planting of 2-3 trees simultaneously flowering with "Firefly".

Sometimes, if there is not enough space on the plot, and there is no possibility to plant another tree next to it, the grafting method is used: in the spring or summer, cuttings of other varieties are grafted onto the self-infesting species.

A fairly young variety of plum "Svetlyachok" has already taken a worthy place in the gardens of residents of central Russia, this is evidenced by their many reviews.

Users note the only problem when breeding this variety - the difficulty in selecting a pollinator. If it is possible to solve this issue correctly, a strong fast-growing tree with bright sunny plums becomes a real decoration and pride of the site.

An overview of this variety of plums, see the following video.