Persimmon: varieties, cultivation and care. Unknown persimmon

Why doesn't persimmon bear fruit?

The scattering of the ovary from the persimmon grafted onto the Virginia rootstock may be due to the absence of a pollinating tree nearby. Varietal persimmon is dioecious, that is, female plants bear fruit only when paired with male ones. In the absence of pollination, seeds are not set in the fruits of persimmon, and the tree, "realizing" the uselessness of its own fruits, gets rid of them.

In gardens, persimmon trees can be combined according to this principle: several female plants and one male (in the center). And you can determine whether your tree is female or male by the location of the stalks and the shape of the branches. On the female tree, the stalks are located less often and singly, and on the male tree, they are denser and in groups. In addition, the branches of the female trees are considerably thicker compared to the branches of the male trees.

If you have a small plot and there is no place for planting several seedlings, you can use other persimmon varieties that do not require a pollinator (but their disadvantage is their low frost resistance). Also popular seedless persimmon varieties that are more demanding on the quality of the soil and lighting. Therefore, use the varieties of trees that are adapted for your climatic zone, and do not forget about the peculiarities of growing dioecious!

But the shedding of the persimmon ovary can be associated with other factors. It is known that root system persimmons are underdeveloped, so these trees require special care, associated with periodic loosening of the trunk circle and the introduction of complex fertilizers. With a lack of feeding, the ovary develops poorly and eventually falls off.

How to grow peaches from seed

Sow seeds in the fall without drying them out, otherwise you will have to stratify: store in a basement in wet sand for three months at a temperature of 50. Sow seeds 6-8 cm deep into well-fertilized soil. Mulch the crops with a thick layer of grass. During the winter, the bones will undergo stratification, and half of them can sprout. It is also advisable to regularly spray the seedlings with a solution of Ridomil and Tiovit, otherwise diseases can destroy young plants in a few days.

Orange: which variety to choose? Reference information

Orange pulp contains up to 35% juice. The fruit of the orange is dessert and is valued on a par with the fruit of the Indian mango and peaches. Among the many varieties of orange, especially suitable for room culture are: Gamlin, Korolek, Washington-Navel, Pavlovsky, Sladky and Grozdevoy. The first two varieties are distinguished by significantly early amicable ripening of fruits, their high taste. Recently, the most widespread varieties are Washington-Navel and Pavlovsky.

Tropical fruits in your garden. Growing tropical plants from seeds

An indoor garden can be a lot of joy, especially if there is no large area with fruit trees, a berry, or a vineyard. And even if there is, the main work in it has already been completed by November. Cold months are ahead, when the only joy for the gardener becomes houseplants... You can grow figs, citrus trees, dwarf pomegranate. And you can try to plant something completely exotic that does not grow in our latitudes.

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But it's worth trying to grow, since this exotic tree persimmons will look very beautiful in the garden.

What is the lowest temperature a persimmon tree can withstand? The "Rossiyanka" variety will be able to withstand frost in - 20 s. then comes the variety "tamopan" - up to - 15 s, and the rest of adult plants can survive - 10 s. the Russian variety very actively regenerates shoots that have been damaged severe frosts and in a year it will be able to bear fruit again
... On winter period persimmon trunks should be tied with burlap, spruce branches or other insulation materials.
How to grow a persimmon from a stone.
The first step is to sprout, our seeds obtained from fresh persimmon. To do this, they need to be rinsed under water and put 1-2 centimeters in a pot with damp earth. You can also do this with cotton wool, for this, put persimmon seeds in wet cotton wool, wrap them with cellophane wrap and put them in a warm place, you can put them on a battery if it's winter. Sometimes cellophane needs to be opened and the cotton wool moistened so that everything does not dry out and mold. It is also advisable to keep a pot with a planted bone in a warm place and can be covered with a film. Sometimes open cellophane, and pour the earth one and a half centimeters. So that you know - persimmon is thermophilic, it always needs a lot of light and warmth, so you shouldn't keep it in the shade and in drafts.
Seeds rise in 10-15 days. In the event that there is no result, then do not hold any more, new seeds and we repeat the procedure. If a sprout appears, then the cellophane can and should be removed. If seeds in cotton have sprouted, then they should be transplanted into a pot. Only if a persimmon seed remains at the end of the sprout and for several days it does not want to fall off itself (its valves are strongly clamped), then it should be carefully removed by ourselves, otherwise the plant will disappear. This can be done with a knife, scissors, or needle. Attention! Only if she is already very tired of our tree, then you can spray it warm water, wrap in a bag and put in a warm place overnight. In the morning the bone will be steamed and removed very easily.
Persimmon sprouts grow very quickly, so if several seeds have sprouted, then each small future tree should be transplanted into a separate spacious pot. The root system of this fruit is very active and if there is not enough space, the sprout will wither. Lack of substrate will lead to poor sapling and yellowing of the leaves. So don't skimp on good pot and earth if you want a healthy and fast growing tree.
Tree care.
A young tree in a pot in the summer should be accustomed to the sun little by little, otherwise the leaves may burn and dry out. To do this, a thermophilic plant should be shaded a little in the first days, but this should be done by exposing it already to the balcony, windowsill or taking it out into the yard. Throughout the growing season of persimmon, it should be fed alternately with mineral and organic fertilizers twice a month.
With the onset of autumn in October - November, the tree needs to be transferred to a room with a temperature of 7 to 30 c, it is possible to the cellar, but not desirable, there will be no light there. To do this, you need to lay out a layer of wet sawdust on the ground and systematically spray or pour the earth so that it does not dry out.
With the onset of March, you need to transplant the tree into a larger pot with new soil. Water well and put in a bright place.
Then it's time to produce young seedlings into small trees. To do this, at the level of 0, 4-0, 5 meters, you should make a clothespin for branching a tree. Leaving 2-3 apical shoots, they wait until they grow 30-40 cm, after which they are pinched to form branches of the second order. Then again 2-3 branches are left and so on, a round persimmon tree is grown in height one and a half meters. The first flowers can be seen only in the third or fourth year.
Already mature tree persimmons are transplanted with the arrival of spring in the garden in a bright and sheltered place. It should be continued to be watered systematically and abundantly (but not overfilled) and the leaves should be sprayed. Persimmon bloom usually occurs in June. During the active growing season, the tree is fed mineral fertilizers twice a month with a minimum nitrogen composition.
In winter, the persimmons are kept cool (on average - 5 degrees, but not colder than 10, otherwise long-term work will disappear. Water it periodically with water at room temperature, and spray the leaves. But it should be watered without fanaticism, otherwise the plant will wither. Persimmons are not afraid of cold , it even benefits them, since the content of tannins decreases.
When does the tree begin to bear fruit? 3-4 years after grafting, the tree begins to bear fruit. In the event that you grow persimmon from the seed of the fruit, you will have to wait from 5 to 7 years. If the tree is in a dry permanent room "Climate", then this period should be increased by another one or two years.
You need to feed the plant, like everyone else: with phosphorus, sodium, potassium and trace elements from a well-balanced fertilizer or compost extract.

(Diospyros) is a member of the Eben family. It unites almost 300 species, of which for our climatic zone are of greatest interest persimmon, persimmon virgin, kaki and artificially obtained hybrid forms with increased frost resistance.

Persimmon types

Caucasian persimmon (Diospyros lotus)

Natural habitat - the Caucasus. The trees are vigorous, reaching a height of 30 m.

Frost resistance of the ground part is about -22 ...- 24 ° C, and of roots - about -10 ...- 12 ° C. Fruits weighing up to 20 g, tart, when ripe - almost black, with small seeds up to 4 pcs.

Seedlings of this species are used as cultivars. Their root system is branched, fibrous. Saplings tolerate transplanting well, grow on almost any, are sufficiently drought-resistant, do not give shoots in the garden. There are no cultivars.

Persimmon virginiana (Diospyros virginiana)

Persimmon virgin (or virgin) native to North America. The trees are medium-sized, up to 20 m tall, with frost resistance down to -35 ° C. The root system can withstand soil freezing down to -15 ° C, therefore it is recommended to use seedlings of this type as a stock for the promotion of cultivars to the more northern regions.

Another valuable quality of virgin persimmon as a rootstock is that it grows well on heavy clayey waterlogged soils, and also has a longer period of natural winter dormancy, which does not provoke a premature start of sap flow of the cultivar due to prolonged winter thaws.

It should be borne in mind that cultivars grafted on it:

• tolerate transplantation worse (due to the peculiarity of forming weakly branched taproots),
• more hygrophilous,
• develop more slowly
• less productive
• less durable.

There are cultivars called in America persimons(English persimmon - persimmon).

Eastern persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Kaki began to spread from China. By now known more than a thousand varieties with various biological and commercial characteristics. We are interested in varieties with frost resistance of at least -17 ° C, some of which are listed below.

In the post-war years in the USSR in the State Nikitsky Botanical Garden by means of directed selection, for the first time in the world, interspecific hybrid of oriental and virgin persimmon, and from its seedlings the best was chosen, later called " Russian woman "... Its frost resistance is -26 ° C.

Left: fruits of the "Rossiyanka" variety. Right: "Nikitskaya burgundy". Photo: scbook.nbgnscpro.com

Subsequently, an employee of the GNBS Alexander Naumovich Kazas obtained the "Nikitskaya bordovaya" variety, which, when tested for freezing, showed even higher frost resistance. The taste of "Nikitskaya Burgundy" is beyond praise.

Persimmon varieties

According to foreign classification, persimmon varieties are divided into two groups: varyingand constant.

Varying varieties

Varyingcalled those varieties, the fruits of which, depending on how they were formed - after fertilization or parthenocarpic, have different consumer qualities:

• Fruits formed parthenocarpically and without seeds, when ripe the color of the pulp does not change, and they lose astringency only after maturation;
• Fruits of the same varieties, even on the same tree, but formed after fertilization and having seeds already at picking have a hard pulp, and its color changes to darker to brown.

Constant varieties

TO constant include varieties, the fruits of which, regardless of pollination and seed formation, pulp color do not change... They are divided into two subgroups: tart and sweet.

TO tart

• "Hachiya" ("Khachia")
• "Tanenashi" ("Tanenashi")
• "Gosho" ("Gosho")
• "Saijo" ("Soyo")
• "Seedless"
• "Tsuru" ("Tsuru")
• "Costata"
• "Yemon"
• "Aizumishirazu" ("Aizumishirazu")
• "Dream"
• "Russian woman"
• "New"
• "Nikitskaya burgundy"
• "Meader"
• "John Rick" ("John Rick")
• "Weber" ("Weber")

The astringency in their fruits disappears only after complete biological maturation in the process of maturation and softening of the pulp.

TO sweetconstant varieties include:

• "Jiro" ("Jiro")
• "Crimean 55"
• "Nakhodka"
• "Kiara"
• "Meotse saukune"
• "Mishirazu" ("Mishirazu")
• "Fuyu" ("Fuyu")
• "Twentieth Century"

The fruits of these varieties, regardless of the presence of seeds in them, become sweet after they acquire a characteristic varietal color: already during picking, even hard, without softening in maturation.

Persimmon oriental grade "Jiro". Photo from growables.org

In the USSR, they adhered to a slightly different classification and subdivided all varieties into 3 groups:

1. tannid(or constant), which corresponded to constant tart;
2. bestannid(or sweet), which corresponded to constant sweet;
3. varying(or blotches, or chocolate).

Varieties and forms of oriental persimmon

Among those introduced and obtained by breeders, the following can be distinguished varieties and forms of oriental persimmon:

• "Seedless" ("Sidles") - constant, mid-season, fruits are round-quadrangular, red-orange, very sweet, weighing 90-150 g.
• "Aizumishirazu" ("Aizumishirazu") - constant, late ripening, flat-rounded fruits, orange, weighing 60-140 g.
• "Tanenashi" ("Tanenashi") - constant, mid-season, round-conical fruits, yellow-orange, weighing 80-260 g.
• "Hachiya" ("Khachia")- constant, late ripening, cone-shaped fruits with a black dot at the top, orange, very sweet, weighing 60-200 g.

Eastern persimmon, grade "Khachia"

• "Costata"- constant, very late ripening, fruits are conical-ribbed, orange, weighing 40-120 g.
• "Tsuru-gaki"- constant, very late ripening, fruits are cylindrical with a conical top, orange, weighing 50-130 g.
• "Tamopan big"- constant, very late ripening, flat fruits with a constriction, dark orange, weighing 150-270 g.
• "Dream 459" ("Kuro-kuma" x "Fuyu") - constant, mid-ripening, round-flat fruits, red-orange, weighing 45-200 g. Monoecious.
• "Satellite"- constant, mid-season, fruits are round-ribbed, orange, weighing 40-100 g. Monoecious - a good pollinator for eastern persimmons.
• "Zenji-maru"- variable, mid-ripening, round, orange fruits, weighing 20-100 g. Monoecious - a good pollinator for eastern persimmons.
• "Kuro-kuma"- variable, mid-ripening, flat-round, orange fruits weighing 40-70 g.
• "Hyakume" -variable, late ripening, orange fruits, weighing 60-220 g. Often completely sheds the ovary without pollination.
• "Yankin-tsuru"- variable, late ripening, cylindrical or oval fruits, orange, weighing 50-90 g.
• "Shagotsu-gaki"- variable, late ripening, fruits are broadly conical, dark orange, weighing 80-210 g.
• "Ukrainian"- variable, early ripening, cylindrical, orange fruits, very sweet, weighing 40-100 g. Monoecious variety.
• "Dawn 187"- variable, mid-ripening, round-flat, sometimes ribbed, orange fruits weighing 50-200 g.
• "Chocolate 326"- variable, mid-season, round-conical, orange fruits, weighing 45-150 g.
• "Daughter of Saburoza"- varying, mid-ripening, oval-ovoid fruits, orange-red, weighing 35-90 g.
• "Star"- variable, late ripening, fruits are round, orange, weighing 60-120 g. Male flowers are formed in a year.
• "Excellent"("Chinebuli", "Jiro" ("Giro"), "Delicious" ("Delicious") - full-bodied, late-ripening, flat-oval rectangular fruits, orange, weighing 60-220 g. Male flowers are formed in a year.
• "Fuyu" ("Fuyu")- smooth, late ripening, round-flat, red-orange fruits, weighing 30-110 g. Monoecious variety.

Eastern persimmon, grade "Fuyu"

• "Ishi kick her jiro"- a clone of the "Excellent". The fruits are larger, impatient.
• "Crimean 55"- hardy, mid-ripening, round, dark orange fruits, weighing 60-120 g, very sweet.
• "Nakhodka"- hardy, late ripening, round fruits, yellow-orange, weighing 30-150 g. Monoecious variety.

Persimmon varieties virgin

• "Meader"- constant, very early ripening, flat-rounded fruits, dark orange, fragrant, weighing 30-50 (very rarely up to 100) g.
• "John Rick"- constant, early maturing, flat-rounded fruits, orange-dark red, small.
• "Weber"- constant, early maturing, fruits are round, dark, small.

Hybrid varieties of Nikitsky Botanical Garden

• "Russian woman 18"- constant, mid-season, flat-rounded fruits, orange, very sweet, aromatic, weighing 45-60 g.
• "Nikitskaya burgundy"- constant, mid-season, flat-rounded fruits, reddish-claret, sweet aromatic, weighing 50-150 g.
• "Mount Hoverla"- constant, mid-ripening, flat-rounded, orange fruits, of a pleasant peculiar consistency, weighing 60-300 g.
• "Mount Roman Kosh"- firm, mid-ripening, flat-round, orange fruits weighing 70-200 g.
• "Mount Rogers"- constant, mid-season, flat-round, orange fruits weighing 40-150 g.
• "New"- constant, mid-season, medium-sized fruits. Monoecious variety, good pollinator for all persimmon varieties.

Ripening terms

According to the ripening period, or rather the removal of fruits, persimmon is divided into three groups of varieties:

1. earlyfilmed (in the south) from mid-September to mid-October;
2. mid-season- from October to early November;
3. late- ripening from the second half to the beginning of December.

The ripening time is significantly influenced by weather conditions. The fruits can be removed a little earlier than the required time, they can ripen in maturation, but the quality will then be worse.

Pollination

Persimmon is characterized by the fact that its plants form three types of flowers: female, maleand (very rarely) - bisexual.

Other varieties form only female flowers, these are: "Hyakume", "Aizumishirazu", "Sidles", "Gosho gaki", "Khachia", "Tanenashi", "Tamopan" ("Tamopan"), "Tsuru", "Meotse saukune", "Emon", "Tsurunoko", "Kostata", "Rossiyanka", "Nikitskaya bordovaya" and others. Some of them, under favorable agrotechnical conditions, can produce fruits without fertilization.

Other varieties besides female form and male flowers – annually and in large numbers: Shagotsu gaki, Nakhodka, Gailey, Zenji Maru, Dream, Novinka, Sputnik.

There are varieties that form along with female and male flowers, but periodically, after 1-2 years: "Star", "Fuyu", "Jiro", "Adorable".

It should be borne in mind that pollination significantly affects the consistency of the fruit pulp and its taste. Seedless fruits are always tastier than seedless ones... Interestingly, even in the same fruit with 1-2 seeds, the pulp surrounding the seeds is always softer and tastier than in the part where there are no seeds.

For higher yields and high quality fruits most varieties require pollination of female flowers... However, there are varieties that bear fruit well even without fertilization, forming seedless fruits. On this basis, persimmon varieties can be divided into three groups:

1. Varieties requiring pollination: "Hyakume", "Gosho gaki", "Zenji maru", "Tiedimon", "Aman Kaki", "Tracta Kaki", "Huro Kuma", "Tsurunoko", "Kaki Mela", "Yankin Tsuru", "Step otsu gaki "," Gailey "," Maru "," Ezo ichi ";
2. Non-pollinated varieties: "Sidles", "Big Tamopan", "Tanenashi", "Gosho", "Kostata".
3. Intermediate varieties: "Khachia", "Adreula", "Jiro", "Aizumishirazu", "Emon", "Soyo", "Nikitskaya Burgundy", "Rossiyanka" and others.

Trees of the intermediate group of varieties bear fruit even without fertilization. But in order to increase yields, as well as increase the size of the fruits and improve their taste, pollination required... Such varieties as "Khachia", "Aizumishirazu", after pollination of flowers form seed fruits with sweeter pulpthan seedless fruits.

Influenced by pollination the color of the pulp changes, in some varieties it takes on a dark brown color: either around the seeds ("Khachia", "Aizumishirazu"), or throughout the fruit ("Zengi" - synonyms "Zengimaru", "Zenjimaru"). In varieties "Twentieth Century" and "Fuyu", only small brown spots appear around, and the main color of the pulp remains orange.

It is noticed that in fruits with immature seeds, the color of the pulp does not change and only as the fruits and seeds ripen, it gradually begins to darken.

Generally, not only the yield, but also the quality of the fruits depends on the fertilization of persimmon flowers, therefore, when laying a persimmon garden, it is recommended to plant one pollinator tree for every 8-9 trees with functionally female flowers. If it is not possible to plant a pollinator, it will be necessary to process persimmon flowers, and then the set fruits (if they start dropping) aqueous solution gibberellina.

The concentration of the solution will have to be selected empirically, primarily due to the quality of the phytohormone on sale. With irregular soil moisture, gibberellin treatment is required.

Choosing a place for planting persimmons

When choosing a place for planting persimmons, you need to be guided by the following conditions:

• The best soil for persimmons - alluvial loamy or sandy loamy, fairly fertile, with a depth of occurrence groundwater no closer than 0.75 m from the surface of the earth: the bulk of the roots is located in a layer of 0.1-0.5 m.
• Plant nutrition area - 25 m² for low-growing varieties and before 64 m² - for vigorous, with possible compaction by plantings of short-lived fruit, for example, columnar forms or.
• The place should be.
• Persimmon is photophilous, in a shaded place, its leaves are deformed, shoots acquire signs of etiolation, fruits fall off.
• Should be foreseen, but waterlogging will be harmful - increased growth of shoots will begin to the detriment of the nutrition of the fruits, which will begin to fall off.

In more northern latitudes, unusual for persimmons, you can try to grow it in wall formationplanting on the south side of the heated building, but not on the insulated wall. Persimmons can also be formed in a creeping form.

Selection and planting of seedlings

You need to purchase seedlings from the manufacturer. Some addresses are given in the appendix. Remember: only the manufacturer can give you their address and warranty! When buying from dealers in the market, you can buy not even a persimmon, but if it is a persimmon, then wild. Even a seedling purchased at the exhibition may not correspond to the named variety and may not be frost-resistant enough for your climatic zone, that is, it will freeze out in the first winter.

Persimmon seedlings open root should be purchased in the fall, and the less time has passed since digging, the better. Persimmons, with proper digging, should retain thin branched roots, which are very sensitive to both drying (die after 1-2 hours) and waterlogging. If the fibrous roots nevertheless died, but the taproots are healthy, then the seedling is quite suitable for planting, but it will start growing in the spring with a delay, maybe even in July.

In the southern regions on permanent place can be planted until November, but earlier, while the ground is warm, the root takes root in the soil.

In more northern areas (and in the south, if they could not plant within the specified time), it is advisable to postpone the landing until the spring after the threat of the strong has passed.

Rules for planting persimmon seedlings

1. When planting, it is imperative to install a support stake.
2. Place, if it is made on the root collar, deepen 5-10 cm below ground level.
3. In order to avoid the breakage of fibrous small roots during the compaction of the soil, the seedling during planting must be installed not in the center of the planting pit, but placed against the wall, straightening the roots along it, which must be pressed with soil.
4. Right after autumn planting hilling the stem, and when frost sets in, put the box and fill it with insulating material, you can even earth.
5. In subsequent years of growth, in winter, insulate the bole and skeletal branches, and apply a reflective layer on top. In the southern regions, you can limit yourself lime mortar, but it should be borne in mind that after a long warm period at the beginning of winter followed by a sharp cold snap, even in very frost-resistant varieties of Virginia persimmon, the trunk is damaged in the form of delamination of the bark from the wood with the death of cambium within 20 cm above and below the level of snow cover.
6. Insulate the trunk circle with the material at hand. This is especially important if the rootstock is Caucasian persimmon.

Persimmon is a very early-growing culture: a Caucasian persimmon grafted on a rootstock can begin fruiting in the second year after planting in a permanent place, and virginian on a rootstock - for 3-4 years. "Nikitskaya Burgundy" is especially fast-growing.

Crown formation

But do not flatter yourself and get carried away with the primary harvest, it is more important form a crown, otherwise the trees will look untidy, fruiting will move to the periphery and up, and the branches will begin to break off.

As the main form of the crown, experts recommend changed leader, which is characterized by strength, good illumination and low tree height. The interval between skeletal branches in such a crown is 20-40 cm. Their number can be 4-6 pcs.

Most experts agree that a cultivar grafted on a high (over 1 m) virgin persimmon stem is more resistant to low temperatures in winter and avoids frost damage to the stem. For industrial plantings, this may be true, but in the home garden, under the close attention of the gardener, there is always the possibility of protecting the trunk and skeletal branches at critically low temperatures. Moreover, if a cold winter happens, a tall bole will not save the cultivar, and it is possible that it itself will suffer. But if the seedling is planted with a deepening of the graft site, then new shoots will grow from the dormant buds located in the underground part, from which it will be possible to form a new crown.

Features of persimmon care

The main criteria for success are agricultural technology, protection from diseases and pests.

A prerequisite is preparation for winteringlike this:

• Stop watering 1-1.5 months before the end of the growing season, so that the shoots ripen;
• and that contribute to the good maturation of wood. They need to be added in higher doses. in the second half of summer... Especially effective is foliar feeding with 0.5-1.5% 1-3-day water extract with 0.5% potassium sulfate with the addition of potassium permanganate (0.02-0.05%) or potassium iodide (0.02%). Spraying begins with lower concentrations at the end of summer and is carried out weekly, gradually increasing the concentration of the working solution to maximum values.

Persimmon plants are able to accumulate in fruits iodine... If in the coastal regions the absorption of iodine comes from the air saturated with it, then in the continental the addition of potassium iodide to the solution for foliar feeding is more than desirable.

On the issue of frost resistance persimmon, there are different opinions, and the difference sometimes reaches 3-5 ° C. Indeed: even nearby identical trees growing nearby often differ in frost resistance.

With good preparation for wintering, the frost resistance of the plant can be 2-3 ° C higher. In northern areas where there are no thaws, you can experiment with late autumn tree treatment with available cryoprotectants: 0.2% dimethyl sulfoxide solution, 0.05% glycerin, "Mars" or "Vympel" preparations. By the way, treatment with "Vympel" accelerates the ripening of fruits, increases their size, increases sugar content.

In areas with withering winter winds, you can try to treat trees after leaf fall with solutions of latex or PVA glue at a dose of 30-50 ml per 10 liters of water.

Persimmon bears fruit on the shoots of the current year, in last year's buds (as in grapes) all the information for the future branch with leaves and flowers is laid. Flowers will only come from well-executed buds located at the end and in the middle of the future shoot. Pledge good harvest is getting strong one-year growth... Which, in turn, depends on the provision of trees with nutrients and water and on.

Strong pruning is used only when forming a crown. In the fruiting period, they are limited to thinning, removing damaged and drying branches. Only branches longer than 50 cm and branches with numerous short (less than 10 cm) shoots are shortened. In addition, it should be borne in mind that heavy pruning after laying the crown skeleton negatively affects the durability of the trees.

A vegetative bud is laid in September-October of the year preceding flowering; by the end of winter, it acquires a conical shape. Two outer scales cover it 2/3 of the length, two inner ones are densely pubescent. There are up to 18 rudimentary leaves. In early spring, the formation and development of flower buds begins in the axils of these leaves.

Note: You can try to stimulate an increase in the number of flowers by treating the trees with an aqueous solution of caffeine. For this purpose, you can use the pharmacy tableted caffeine-sodium benzoate.

Bloom occurs in May-June, less often in July and lasts 1-1.5 months. The life span of a male flower is 1-2 days, they are small, 2-4 pcs. in a bundle. Female flowers are larger, have a pitcher-like shape. They are four-petal, pale green in color, solitary and capable of fertilization within 3-4 days.

Fruit size is highly dependent on growing conditions. For example, the fruits of "Nikitskaya Burgundy" can weigh 130 and 30 g.

Yield at different varieties different, dependence is manifested on the formation, and on nutrition, and on the fertilization of flowers. At the age of four, the tree can give about 10 kg of fruit, at the age of ten - up to 200 kg, with a subsequent constant increase in yield. With a plentiful harvest, apply chat room (installation of backwaters).

When the growth of shoots decreases and fruiting stops, a good effect gives anti-aging pruning... In the year of such pruning, the trees do not yield, but the next year they bear fruit on a par with the rejuvenated ones, and then increase the yield.

Soil in the garden recommend to contain under black steam from autumn sowing , which are plowed in April-May of the next year or mowed and crushed into mulch. When the garden reaches the age of 8-10 years, it is recommended to apply, based on the active ingredient: nitrogen and phosphorus - 1.5 kg each, potassium - 0.5 kg per one hundred square meters.

Pest and disease control is usually not done, since no serious damage was noted by them. Although in fairness it should be noted that persimmons can also be affected by phomopsis, from which it is enough to spray twice (before and after flowering), or better systemic drugs - at least "Ridomil".

From persimmon, the Californian scale insect and ticks can definitely harm, the leaves can be eaten by some types of caterpillars. The root system of the Caucasian persimmon can be affected by root cancer.

Harvesting and storage of crops

Cleaning is done from stairs or stands. Carefully, without damaging the skin of the fruit, cut the stalk with a pruner closer to the fruit.

Placed for storage in boxes on a layer of loose material (sawdust, chaff, shavings) with the stalk down close to each other; the next layer is laid with the stalk up. These two layers are sprinkled with packaging material, on the layer of which the fruits are again laid with the stalk down (third layer), stalk up (fourth layer), then again a layer of packaging material - and so on.

You can store packed fruits at a temperature of 0 ... + 1 ° C and an air humidity of 80-90% for two or more months.

If you need to urgently consume tart fruits that have not reached consumer standards a little, you can simply freeze them in the freezer. After thawing, they lose their astringency. Strongly unripe fruits should not be frozen - the taste will turn out to be unimportant.

The ripening of fruits is also accelerated by pricking in 10-12 places and rubbing them with ethyl alcohol.

Joint storage of persimmon fruits and in hermetically sealed bags accelerates the loss of astringency due to the release of ethylene by apples.

Heating fruit tart constant varieties (even those that have lost astringency after softening) up to +50 ... + 60 ° C (during drying or canning) returns them to their former astringency.

application

The addresses of some scientific institutions, experimental farms, amateur gardeners, where you can purchase a small amount of varietal planting material:

• Trading House at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, Nikita settlement, Yalta, Republic of Crimea. Tel .: + 380654-335597.
• All-Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops, Fabritiusa st., 2/28, Sochi, Krasnodar region, Russia, 354002.
• Bogdanovsky Yuri Evlampievich, st. Panova, 59, city of Feodosia, Republic of Crimea.
• Gerasimov Gennady Kornilovich, st. Fontannaya, 45; the village of Nizhnegorsky, Republic of Crimea. Tel .: +380973576249; +380631145970; +380669968914. +79788443893 (MTS of Russia)

Compiled according to available publications and his own experience Gerasimov Gennady Kornilovich in 2002 with additional study on July 15, 2012.

The article it comes about one of the most frost-resistant subtropical crops, about its origin, methods and time of planting seedlings, about the reasons for the decline in yield. It tells in detail about the persimmon varieties grown in the Crimea.

Eastern persimmon is one of the most frost-resistant subtropical crops. Usually it tolerates frost -16-18 ° С without damage. At -19-20 ° C, annual and partially biennial wood freezes. More low temperatures detrimental to the whole plant. Its fruits are tasty and nutritious. Fresh they contain from 13 to 25.9% sugars. Basically, these are glucose and fructose. The sucrose content is insignificant - from 0.3 to 4.7%.

Persimmon fruits are rich in vitamins and polyphenolic substances (in mg%): C - 6.4-96.5; P - 0.2-0.4; carotenoids - 0.15-11.8; leukoanthocyanins - 102-535, and organic compounds potassium, calcium, iron, iodine. Organic acids were also found in them - citric, malic, carotene, dyes and tannins, 25 macro and microelements were identified, nine of which are necessary for humans. Microelements Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo contained in fruits are part of enzymes and hormones. Distinctive and very valuable quality persimmon fruit - high iodine content.

Persimmon fruits are characterized by low acidity and are used to treat catarrh and stomach ulcers, anemia, Graves' disease. Their juice has bactericidal properties, in particular, against intestinal and hay bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, used for gastric diseases and as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for scurvy.

Persimmons, as a dietary product, are used fresh and dried. They are used to prepare marshmallow, preserves, jams, syrups.

In recent years, interest in this culture has noticeably increased not only on the southern coast of Crimea. The boundaries of persimmon distribution have expanded significantly thanks to frost-resistant varieties, obtained in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, such as Rossiyanka and Nikitskaya Bordovaya, which withstand -25-27 ° C.

Persimmon grows well in sufficiently illuminated areas. It grows on all soils, except for swampy, saline, pebble and calcareous soils. The best are deep, water-intensive, well-drained loamy soils that contain ample amounts of humus.

Persimmons are planted in autumn or spring. Each term has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of the autumn planting period is that due to the early regeneration of the root system, the plants grow together in spring. But in frost-prone areas, cases of freezing of young unrooted plants are not excluded. Disadvantage spring planting long-term storage of seedlings in the digging hole, which negatively affects the safety of their root system.

Spring planting of persimmon seedlings is carried out in March - the first half of April.

When the trees reach their fruiting period, hobby gardeners often complain about the lack of fruit or shedding of the ovary. There may be several reasons.

1. Poor fertilization.

Oriental persimmon is a dioecious or polygamous plant (bisexual). Some varieties form exclusively only female flowers (Hyakume, Khachia, Tanenashi, Aizu-Misherazu, Sidles, Kostata); others, besides female, form a large number of male flowers (Geyli, Zenji-Maru, Shagotsu-Gaki, Nakhodka, Sputnik); and only a few varieties are monoecious, with both male and female flowers on the same tree. However, in most polygamous varieties, the number of female and male flowers is not the same. Some do not form male flowers every year, but after a year or even two (Fuyu, Excellent, Tsyganochka, Zvezdochka).

The nature of persimmon dioeciousness makes it necessary to place pollinator varieties in the garden. As pollinators, varieties are used that, in large numbers, form male flowers.

Some persimmon varieties in some years are able to set a large number of seedless (parthenocarpic) fruits in the absence of pollination. However, when these varieties are provided with pollination, the yield is always several times higher, and the taste of the fruit also improves.

Varieties in which the color of the pulp changes under the influence of pollination are called variable. In the absence of seeds in the fruit, the color of the pulp is light. In fruits that contain seeds, the flesh is darker in color. Such varieties are often called "korolki" by the people. "Korolki" are absolutely impatient, sweet, edible in a solid state (Hyakume, Zenji-Maru). Pollination affects not only the color of the pulp and taste, but also the external shape of the fruit (size, presence of concentric circles).

Varieties that do not change the color of the fruit pulp depending on pollination are called constant varieties.

2. Insufficient inflow of plastic substances to the fruiting organs (the tree “fattens”).

Persimmon is a light-loving breed. With a lack of lighting, leaf blades are deformed, the fruits fall off. In shaded areas, the plants have an elongated rare crown, and the yield decreases.

Persimmon trees form according to a modified leader system with well-discharged branches. In early spring, before the leaves bloom, light thinning and pruning of the crown is performed, removing dry and damaged branches. Thinning branches is the main technique for creating a fairly sparse crown, uniform distribution new growth within the crown, improved fruiting conditions. When thinning, the sprouted shoots are usually cut out together with the two-three-year-old branches carrying them, which enhances the growth of shoots and the zone approaches the main skeletal branches. Depending on the overall development of the tree? such cutting of branches up to three to four years old wood is carried out once every 2-3 years. With the age of the trees and the movement of the fruiting zone to the periphery of the crown, all greater importance acquires anti-aging pruning, i.e. pruning on old wood, which is carried out taking into account the appearance of "tops". Trees need partial rejuvenating pruning already at the age of 15-20 years. When determining the degree of pruning, the characteristics of fruiting varieties are taken into account. In varieties with a pronounced frequency of fruiting in the year of harvest, a stronger pruning with thinning and shortening of the annual growth is carried out, which enhances the growth of shoots and reduces the frequency of fruiting. The main pruning is done in early spring... Its effectiveness is significantly increased by the addition of summer pinching. In summer, those branches are cut more, the growth of which should be weakened.

3. Unfavorable meteorological conditions during the flowering period (fog, rain).

4. Lack of moisture.

The culture comes from an area of \u200b\u200bhumid subtropical climate and therefore needs a lot of moisture. Watering is one of the main activities for plant care. Irrigation should start from late May - early June and continue until the fruits ripen, i.e. until September-October.

But you must not allow excess moisture (waterlogging), as there is a strong growth of shoots and roots, the fruits do not receive enough moisture, nutrients and fall off.

5. The presence of diseases.

On the southern coast of Crimea, persimmon plants sometimes suffer from diseases. The most common diseases are gray rot and phomopsis (drying out of branches).

Gray rot. The disease is caused by the fungus Botrytis. The disease affects young shoots, leaves, causes rotting and massive shedding of fruit ovaries. On healthy bark, usually at the base of the shoots, a small brown area is formed, which quickly grows and covers it in a ring. Affected young shoots droop, gradually turn black and dry out. Appears on leaves as light greenish-gray spots that spread from the top or edges, gradually taking up more space. In the place of attachment to the calyx of the set fruit, the tissue turns brown. In the future, the fruits soften and fall off.

Phomopsis (drying out of branches). On the trunk or persimmon branches, depressed blackened spots appear. The bark in this place dries up and cracks. When strong development disease, the plant completely dies.

As a preventive measure - the creation of an agrotechnical background that ensures the normal development of plants. This is pruning and burning affected branches, collecting and destroying fallen leaves and fruits, spraying with Bordeaux liquid before and after flowering (1% solution)

Persimmon varieties.

Sidles. American variety. Refers to the group of constants. Forms only female flowers. The tree is vigorous with a hemispherical or spherical crown. The average fruit weight is 90-100 g, the shape is flat-round, the color is orange or orange-red. Hard, tart fruits, ripe have a jelly-like, very sweet pulp. Transportability remains until January, keeping quality until March. In the conditions of Crimea, it produces up to 100 kg of fruits from an 11-year-old tree. Fruits can be set parthenocarpically. Table variety, good for drying, as it does not contain seeds.

Zenji-Maru. Japanese variety... Refers to the group of varying. Forms female and, in large numbers, male flowers. Medium to vigorous tree with a spherical crown. Fruits are small (from 30 to 100 g), round in shape with dark brown butter-like pulp, sweet taste, transportable. Keeping it kept until January. Productivity - up to 40 kg from a 17-year-old tree.

Hiakume (kinglet). Japanese variety. Refers to the group of varying. Forms only female flowers. The tree is vigorous, the crown is round.

Round fruits, average size (60-220 g). The hard fruit is yellow-orange with a thin waxy coating, the pulp is orange, in the presence of seeds with a brown dotted darkening, sweet, densely shaped. Seedless fruits are tart in solid form. Stored in prone for up to 2 months. Productivity - up to 130 kg of fruits from a 20-year-old tree.

Satellite. Breeding variety of Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Refers to the group of varying. Forms female and, in large numbers, male flowers. The tree is medium-sized, the crown is broadly oval. The fruits are round-ribbed. Orange skin with purple blush, orange pulp. The maximum weight of the fetus is 100 g. Keeping quality is 2-2.5 months. Productivity from a 20-year-old tree is up to 40 kg.

Russian woman. Breeding variety of Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Refers to the group of constants. The variety is more frost-resistant than oriental persimmon varieties. Forms only female flowers. Partially self-fertile (develops parthenocarpic fruits). The crown is pyramidal with drooping branches. Fruits are flat, weighing 40-60 g. Solid yellow-orange fruit, the pulp of a ripe fruit is orange, densely shaped, sweet. Productivity from a 15-year-old tree is up to 40 kg. Bears fruit annually. Table variety and dried fruit variety.

Nikitskaya Burgundy. Breeding variety of Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Refers to the group of constants. Fruits are flat - rounded, weighing 70-130 g. Hard fruit is bright red-orange in color. The pulp is very sweet and aromatic. Prone to parthenocarp. Yellowing of fruits in late September - early October. Keeping quality - up to December inclusive. Table variety. Productivity from a 10-year-old tree is up to 30 kg. Increased winter hardiness.

Khachia. Japanese variety. Refers to the group of constants. Fruits are cone-shaped, large, fruit weight 65-200 g. Hard orange fruit. The pulp of a ripe fruit is liquid - butter-like with a slight fiber, very sweet dessert taste. The variety is suitable for technical processing and drying. Fruiting is periodic.

Jiro. Japanese variety. Refers to the impatient group. Bears fruit without pollination. Fruits are flat, weighing 65-200 g. The firm fruit is orange-red. The pulp of a ripe fruit is slightly mealy, butter-like, of a darker color, without fibrillation, moderately sweet. The variety is good for technological processing and fresh consumption. Late ripe. The yield is high.

Only a full range of activities: selection of varieties, site selection, pruning, fertilization, irrigation, soil cultivation, pest and disease control will not only allow you to admire the beautiful eastern persimmon trees, but also enjoy tasty healthy fruits.

E. SHISHKINA, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Yalta, Nikitsky Botanical Garden - National Scientific Center.

I have persimmon growing (grafted on a virgin rootstock). She is already 5 years old, but we have never tasted the fruit. Every spring the tree blooms, the fruits are tied, but then the stalk turns black and all the fruits crumble as one. And so for 2 years. Maybe the tree needs special care, or is it some kind of illness? Although you can't tell by sight: it grows well and the leaves are large, healthy.

The scattering of the ovary from the persimmon grafted onto the Virginia rootstock may be due to the absence of a pollinating tree nearby. Varietal persimmon is dioecious, that is, female plants bear fruit only when paired with male ones. In the absence of pollination, seeds are not set in the fruits of persimmon, and the tree, "realizing" the uselessness of its own fruits, gets rid of them. In gardens, persimmon trees can be combined according to this principle, several female plants and one male (in the center). And you can determine whether your tree is female or male by the location of the stalks and the shape of the branches. On the female tree, the stalks are located less often and singly, and on the male tree, they are denser and in groups. In addition, the branches of the female trees are considerably thicker compared to the branches of the male trees.

If you have a small plot and there is no place for planting several seedlings, then you can use other persimmon varieties that do not require a pollinator (but their disadvantage is their low frost resistance). Also popular "seedless" varieties of persimmon, more demanding on the quality of soil and lighting. Therefore, use the varieties of trees that are adapted for your climatic zone, and do not forget about the peculiarities of growing dioecious!

But the shedding of the persimmon ovary can be associated with other factors. It is known that the root system of persimmon is underdeveloped, therefore, these trees require special care associated with periodic loosening of the trunk circle and the introduction of complex fertilizers. With a lack of feeding, the ovary develops poorly and falls off over time.