How big do nectarine trees grow

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Fruit and berry plants reprinted: 04 February 2022 Last amendments: 04 February 2022

Content

• Planting and Care for Nectarin
• Botanical description
• Entertainment Nektarin
  • When to plant is a variety of peach with a plum-like smooth skin. Nectarine has been cultivated in China for over 2000 years. In Europe, the first description of nectarine appears in the 14th century, in English sources the name nectarine was first mentioned in 1616, and the plant gained popularity in Europe already in the 20th century, when large-fruited varieties of nectarine appeared. Today, on an industrial scale, nectarines are grown in the Mediterranean - in Italy, Tunisia, Greece, Cyprus and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Nectarine is more resistant to diseases and harmful insects than peach, and its winter-hardy varieties are suitable for cultivation even in the Volgograd region.

    It is still not clear whether this plant appeared naturally or as a result of selection. There are claims that nectarine fruits sometimes appear on peach trees, and vice versa. In addition, it is suggested that, in addition to peach, apricot, Chinese plum and almonds took part in the appearance of nectarine. In other words, that the nectarine is a complex interspecific hybrid.

    The name of the plant comes from the word "nectar", since the fruits of nectarine are distinguished by a high content of sugar.

    Planting and caring for nectarines

    • Planting: in warm areas - in the fall, in areas with a cool climate - in the spring, before the start of sap flow.
    • Flowering: from the beginning or middle of May, until the leaves appear.
    • Light: bright sunlight: the plant should not be in the shade for more than one and a half to two hours a day.
    • Soil: loamy or sandy loam soils. Clay soil and areas where groundwater is high are not suitable.
    • Watering: early varieties are watered 2-3 times during the season, mid-season and late - 4-6 times. The first time the nectarine is watered when the stone hardens in the fruits, otherwise they will crack. A month before harvesting, abundant watering is carried out, spending on each fruit-bearing tree, depending on its age, from 30 to 60 liters of water per m² of the trunk circle. After harvesting the fruits, during the laying of flower buds, the consumption is increased to 40-70 liters. In October, water-charging irrigation is carried out, as a result of which the soil should get wet at a depth of 60-80 cm.
    • Top dressing: planted fertilizers in the pit are sufficient for 5-6 years, provided that the root area is mulched annually with humus or compost. In the future, organic matter is applied once every 3-4 years, mineral fertilizers - once every two years. In spring, nectarine needs nitrogen, and in summer and autumn - phosphorus and potassium. In spring and autumn, it is better to apply fertilizers to the near-trunk circle; in summer, nectarine is fertilized 2-3 times on the leaves, including solutions of trace elements missing from the tree.
    • Pruning: in the spring (before the start of sap flow), sanitary and formative pruning is carried out. In autumn, if necessary - sanitary.
    • Propagation: seed and vegetative - by grafting.
    • Pests: Oriental and plum codling moths, aphids, scale insects, striped, miner and fruit moths, flower beetles and spider mites.
    • Diseases: clasterosporiasis, leaf curl, powdery mildew, fruit rot, stone fruit moniliosis or gray fruit rot, cytosporosis, verticillosis, coccomycosis, scab, milky sheen and fungal burn.

    Read more about growing nectarine below

    Botanical description

    The height of an adult plant reaches from 4 to 7 m, the diameter of the crown is from 3 to 4 m. a flowering nectarine is very difficult to distinguish from a flowering peach. The nectarine fruit is also similar in shape and size to a peach, but its skin is not fleecy, but smooth and slippery. The color of ripe fruits can be greenish-yellow, light yellow, yellow with red, red with yellow, red or cherry. Nectarine pulp is harder than peach pulp.

    Nectarine fruits take 3 to 5 months to ripen and need heat to ripen, so the crop is grown only in areas with long, warm summers. As for the winter hardiness of the crop, an adult tree is able to survive frost down to -32 ºC, but flower buds die already at -2 ºC.

    Nectarine is related not only to peach, but also to such fruit trees as almond, plum, quince, apple, pear, apricot, shadberry, cherry plum, hawthorn, mountain ash, chokeberry, cotoneaster, wild rose and medlar. Planting and caring for a nectarine is very similar to growing a peach, but there are still differences. We invite you to familiarize yourself with our selection of materials on how to grow nectarine in your garden, how to properly care for nectarine, how and how to process nectarine from diseases and pests, how to graft nectarine on an annual stock, how to feed nectarine so that it grows healthy and gives good harvests.

    Planting nectarines

    When to plant

    The further south you live, the more reason you have to plant nectarines in the fall. In areas with cold winters, spring planting of nectarine is preferable. In the south of Ukraine and in the Crimea, nectarine can be planted in spring, or in autumn. The optimal soil for nectarines is loamy and sandy soils, and the worst option for it is heavy clay soils. Not suitable for nectarine are areas where groundwater lies too close to the surface, as well as those on which nightshade or melons, alfalfa, clover and strawberries have recently been grown - the risk of verticillium infection of nectarine is too high.

    The best place for nectarine is a south-facing area, where buildings and other trees will not obscure it from the sun - nectarine should not be in the shade for more than 1.5-2 hours a day. The neighborhood with a peach is also undesirable, since the likelihood of nectarine infection with fungal diseases increases, even those that may not cause much harm to a peach.

    Planting in autumn

    Before planting a peach in autumn, two to three weeks before planting, dig a hole measuring 70x70x70, drive a stake about 1.5 m high into the center of the bottom, mix the top layer of folded soil with 10 kg of rotted compost and 150 g of superphosphate, mix thoroughly and pour half of this soil mixture into a slide in the center of the pit.

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    When buying planting material, give preference to annual seedlings of varieties that are adapted to your area. You must make sure that the tree is healthy: the bark of the nectarine should be green on the inside, the root system should be free of dry or rotten roots, and the grafting site should be free of sagging.

    Place the seedling on the mound placed in the center of the hole, spread its roots carefully and fill the hole with fertile mixture. When planting, nectarine seedlings should be positioned in such a way that the grafting site is 3-4 cm above the surface level. After planting, compact the soil from the edges of the pit to the center, pour the tree with 4-5 buckets of water, wait until the soil settles and the grafting site is level with the surface of the site, then tie the seedling to a peg, spud the nectarine trunk with dry earth to a height of 20-30 cm and mulch trunk circle for the winter with a layer of compost 8-10 cm thick.

    How to plant in the spring

    If you plant a nectarine in the spring, it is still best to prepare a hole for it the previous autumn. The procedure for preparing the pit is the same as for the autumn planting, and the planting procedure itself is no different. The only thing you don't have to do in the spring is hill up the trunk of the nectarine.

    Nectarine care

    Spring care

    In mid-April, nectarines in the garden are treated for swollen buds from pests with Karbofos. In the green cone phase (when the tip of the leaf is shown from the bud), the nectarine is treated with a three percent solution of Bordeaux mixture, and when buds appear on the tree, the nectarine is formed by pruning.

    At the same time, it is necessary to treat nectarine simultaneously from fungi and pests, but Bordeaux liquid, like other copper-containing preparations, cannot be used during the period of active growth. Instead, drugs such as Polycarbacin, Kuprozan or Benlat can be used against fungi, combining them with pest control drugs such as Fozalon or Karbofos. After flowering, the treatment of nectarine with such a mixed composition should be repeated.

    When the excess ovary falls off, normalize the load of fruits: for every 10-15 cm of the shoot, one fruit is left, and the rest of the ovaries are plucked, otherwise the tree may not withstand the weight of the fruits after they have been filled.

    Nectarine care in summer

    Nectarine needs watering in summer. The number of irrigations and water consumption directly depend on weather conditions. In order to combat leaf curl, nectarine is treated two or three times with Delan's solution or other preparations of a similar effect during the summer period.

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    In the growth phase of fruits, to increase their sugar content and increase the intensity of color, the nectarine is fed several times over the leaves with a solution of potash fertilizer, and a month before the fruit is harvested, the tree is watered abundantly - in this way, you can increase the size of the fruit by a third, provided that before harvesting no more watering.

    Autumn care

    Since the winter hardiness of flower buds directly depends on the amount of water in the soil at the time of their laying, nectarine must be watered in August or September - immediately after you have harvested the entire crop.

    In order to prevent fungal diseases in early October, before the leaves begin to change color, the nectarine is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.

    After leaf fall, in late October or early November, the area around the tree is cleaned, removing fallen leaves and other plant debris from it, in which pests settle for the winter, after which water-charging watering of the nectarine is carried out. After watering, nectarine is treated for fungal diseases with copper sulfate, and then with Nitrafen from pests wintering in the bark of a tree or in the soil under it.

    Watering the nectarine

    The first watering of the nectarine should be carried out only when the stone in the fruit hardens, otherwise the fruit will crack. In total, during the growing season, early varieties of nectarine are watered 2-3 times before harvesting, and mid-season and late - 4-6 times.

    A month before harvesting, in order to increase the sugar content of the fruit, nectarine is watered at the rate of 30-60 liters of water per 1 m² of the tree circle, depending on the age and size of the tree. After harvesting, at the time of laying flower buds, the water consumption per m² of the near-stem circle is increased to 40-70.

    Water recharge irrigation is carried out in order to saturate the soil with moisture to a depth of 60-80 cm, where the lower roots of the tree are located.

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    Top dressing

    If you treat nectarine with a 7% urea solution in spring, you will kill two birds with one stone: feed the tree with nitrogen fertilizers, which it needs most at this time, and carry out prophylaxis against pathogens and insects wintering in the trunk and in the upper soil layer - pests. However, before treating the nectarine with urea, make sure that the buds are not swollen yet, otherwise you risk burning them. If you are late, and the sap flow has already begun, then postpone the processing of nectarine with urea until the fall - you will have time for this after leaf fall.

    During the growing season, it is necessary to carry out 2-3 foliar top dressings of nectarine. How to feed nectarine leaves? The following composition gives good results: 100-150 g of an aqueous extract of superphosphate, 50-80 g of ammonium sulfate (or the same amount of ammonium nitrate, or 30-50 g of urea), 30-60 g of potassium chloride (or 50-70 g of potassium sulfate ), 10 g of borax and 15 g of manganese are dissolved in 10 liters of water. If you are fertilizing already at the fruit ripening stage, exclude nitrogen and borax from the solution.

    Strictly speaking, the fertilizers that you put into the soil when planting nectarines should last the tree for 5-6 years, especially if you annually mulch the tree trunks with compost or humus. But if there is a need for fertilizers, then we remind you: organic matter is applied to the soil once every few years, in spring the plants need nitrogen, and in summer and autumn they need phosphorus and potassium. Based on this, and plan top dressing.

    Treatment

    In order to maintain the health of the nectarine, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatments of the tree from pests and pathogens. We wrote about the treatment of nectarine with urea for still sleeping buds. In the green cone phase, it is advisable to spray the nectarine with a 3% Bordeaux liquid.

    In the rosebud phase, nectarine is treated against fungal diseases and pests with a combined solution in 10 liters of water of Kolicarbacin (40 g) or Cuprosan (40 g) with the addition of colloidal sulfur (150 g) or Karbofos (30 g). After flowering, the nectarine can be treated with the described composition several more times if you notice signs of leaf curl, powdery mildew or the presence of pests on it, but the last time you can do this no later than two weeks before the fruit ripens.

    After leaf fall, nectarine is sprayed against pathogens of fungal diseases wintering in the bark of a tree or in the soil of the near-stem circle with a three percent solution of Bordeaux mixture, and then treated against insects settled for the winter with a three percent solution of Nitrafen. Although you can replace both of these nectarine treatments with one - a seven percent solution of urea.

    Wintering of nectarine

    After all the autumn activities - cleaning the site, water-charging irrigation, fertilizing and processing - as soon as stable frosts set in, mulch the nectarine tree trunks with pre-prepared mulch. It can be straw, tops, peat, sawdust or dry foliage. Do not install mulch in wet weather, as root collar rot can begin underneath. The trunk and base of the skeletal branches of nectarine for the winter are preferably treated with lime.

    Seedlings planted in the ground in autumn must be protected from the cold: stick two longer slats on both sides of the seedling and put on them, and at the same time on the seedling, a bag of sugar, the lower part of which is sprinkled with earth so that it is not torn off by a strong wind.

    In the northern regions of Ukraine, it is necessary to cover both two- and three-year-old trees for the winter. Three long slats are driven in around each tree, tied in the upper part with wire, and with the onset of frost they cover this frame with spruce branches or corn stalks, and then wrap it with agrofiber. To prevent the shelter from being torn off by the wind, the agrofibre is tied with twine from above. Trees cover only when frosts come.

    Pruning nectarine

    When to prune

    Cultivation of nectarine requires the formation of its crown. Since fruiting in nectarines, like in peach, occurs on annual growths, the main task of its annual pruning, in addition to maintaining tree hygiene, is to ensure a strong growth of annual shoots while preventing fruiting from shifting to the edge of the crown. That is why it is necessary to thin out and shorten the nectarine branches every year.

    Nectarine planted in autumn is cut for the first time only next spring, before sap flow begins. At the same time, sanitary and formative pruning of young nectarines is carried out. In autumn, if necessary, sanitary pruning of trees is carried out.

    How to prune a nectarine

    The crown of the nectarine is shaped into a bowl (or vase) - this shape gives it strength, and it will be easier for you to care for the tree and harvest from it. The formation of the crown is carried out in the spring during the first four to five years. Formation begins with the laying of skeletal branches.

    In the first year, select 2-3 skeletal branches with a wide angle of origin, shorten them to 10 cm on the outer buds, and remove the remaining branches. Each subsequent year, add 2-3 more skeletal branches located at the right angle. On last year's skeletal branches, form branches of the first order, on the year before last - of the second, and so on.

    While the crown is forming, the conductor should be 20-25 cm higher than the uppermost skeletal branches, but when the crown of the nectarine is formed, the conductor is cut to their level. The recommended stem height is 50-60 cm. The shoots that form in the trunk area are broken out until they are woody. Some gardeners prefer a stemless form, in which skeletal branches can move away from the trunk almost at the very ground - this form allows you to restrain the growth of the tree for a long time, as well as harvest and care for nectarines without a ladder. The rational height of a nectarine is 2.5-3 m.

    Spring pruning

    In April, in addition to the nectarine forming pruning, a rose bud is sanitary, removing broken, dry, diseased and frostbitten branches. At the same time, the nectarine is cut for fruiting: on the skeletal branch, two correct, developed shoots growing side by side are selected. The one that grows closer to the end of the branch is cut into 8-10 buds and left to bear fruit, and the one that grows closer to the trunk is cut almost completely, leaving only 2 buds on it - a shoot will grow from this replacement knot that will bear fruit in next year.

    What does "correct escape" mean? This is a shoot that has both growth (giving leaves) and fruit buds. The next year, a new fruit link is formed from the replacement knot. Such pruning of nectarine is carried out annually in the spring, which allows you to get stable and full-fledged crops.

    When the nectarine has faded and shed excess ovaries, adjust the crop load: the nectarine branch should have one fruit for every 10-15 cm of length, the remaining ovaries should be plucked.

    Summer nectarine pruning

    Fruiting nectarines are not pruned in summer. Instead, unnecessary shoots are broken out or pinched to stimulate the formation of branching and the formation of fruit twigs.

    Pruning in autumn

    After the end of leaf fall, if necessary, carry out sanitary pruning of nectarine - remove weak, broken, dry and diseased shoots.

    Nectarine propagation

    Propagation methods

    Nectarine is propagated in two ways: by seed and by grafting. A more reliable method is considered to be the budding of a nectarine scion on a peach or almond rootstock. When growing nectarine on heavy, moist soils with a close occurrence of groundwater, it is better to use seedlings of domestic plum or cherry plum as a stock. As for seed reproduction of nectarine, this process is simple, but the fruits of trees grown from the stone are not of high quality.

    Growing from seeds

    Try to get seeds from those trees that grow successfully in your area: during fruiting, raid the neighboring plots and ask the owners of the nectarines you like for seeds. Soak them for three days in water, changing the water twice a day, then dry them in the shade, carefully remove the seeds from them and plant them in a sunny area away from trees and buildings: make a trench in the bed, fill it with fertile soil, deepen the seeds into it on 5-6 cm, keeping a distance of 20-25 cm between them, close the trench and water abundantly.

    When the water is absorbed, cover the bed with grass, leaves or sawdust.

    You can plant seeds in spring, summer and autumn - when planting in winter, the seeds will undergo natural stratification in the cold season, and in the spring, when you remove the shelter from the bed, they will quickly and amicably grow.

    During the period of active growth of seedlings, keep the soil loose and slightly moist, feed the seedlings with a solution of humus and treat pests and diseases with Thiovit or Ridomil solutions.

    Nectarine Grafting

    Nectarine cuttings are grafted onto peach or almond rootstocks by budding. The advantage of this quick and easy method is that any well-formed bud can produce a new plant with all the characteristics of a parent variety. However, for successful grafting, certain conditions must be met:

    • the thickness of the stock should not be thinner than a pencil, and the bark at the grafting site should be thin, smooth and elastic;
    • graft nectarine at the time of active sap flow, when the bark is easily separated from the wood;
    • Scion buds must be well developed;
    • budding is carried out only with sharply ground and sterile instruments.

    Scion cuttings are harvested in the morning when the shoots are saturated with moisture. The length of the cutting should be no shorter than 30 cm, and the leaves on it should be well developed. Leaves with stipules are removed from the cutting, leaving only a piece of the petiole 1 cm long, after which the cutting is lowered into the water with the lower cut.

    On the bottom of the rootstock, remove all lateral growths, wipe the bole from the root collar 20 cm upwards with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt and dust. After that, make a T-shaped cut in the bark on the cleaned section of the stock, being careful not to damage the wood: the cross cut should be 1.5 cm long, and then a perpendicular cut 2.5-3 cm long should go down from its middle. At the junction of the two incisions, carefully unscrew the corners of the cortex by the width of the transverse incision.

    Holding the cutting with the apex facing you with your left hand, make a 12-13 mm long transverse incision in its bark below the kidney you are about to transplant. Make the same transverse cut at the same distance above this kidney and from it begin to smoothly cut off the bark with the kidney to the lower cut. The cut shield about 2.5 cm long should be flexible, and the kidney should be intact.

    Grasping the shield with your index finger and thumb by the remainder of the petiole, insert it under the folded bark of the T-shaped section of the rootstock. If the shield is longer than necessary, cut off the excess along the border of the cross section on the rootstock. Strongly press the bark with your thumbs along the longitudinal section to the shield inserted under the bark, tie the grafting site with plastic tape round by round from top to bottom.

    If after two weeks the remainder of the stalk separates and falls off with a light touch, the inoculation has been successful.

    Diseases of nectarine and their treatment

    Diseases and pests of nectarine and peach are the same. Most often, the culture suffers from diseases such as clasterosporiosis, leaf curl, powdery mildew, fruit rot, stone fruit moniliosis, or gray fruit rot, cytosporosis, verticillosis, coccomycosis, scab, milky sheen and mushroom burn.

    Pests and diseases of peach

    If you take good care of your trees and take preventive measures regularly, it is likely that you will never know what the symptoms of these diseases look like, and you will not have to watch the nectarine wither and die. But if your nectarine gets sick, find the article “Peach - planting and care, pruning and grafting” on our website and read the “Peach Diseases” section. We only recall that Topsin M, Horus, Topaz, Vectra, Strobi, Skor have proven themselves well in the fight against fungal diseases, and the treatment of nectarine for viral or mycoplasmal diseases will not lead to anything - a diseased tree will have to be destroyed to avoid infection of other plants.

    Pests of nectarine and their control

    In the same article you can read the section "Pests of peach", which describes insects dangerous for peach and nectarine: eastern and plum codling moths, aphids, scale insects, striped, mining and fruit moths, weevils - flower beetles and ticks.

    The best insecticides today are Chlorophos, Zolon, Karbofos, Aktara, Mospilan, Aktellik, Intavir, Bankol, Metaphos and Durban.

    Nectarine varieties

    Early varieties

    Among the varieties of early ripening nectarines, the most famous are:

    • Fleming Fury is an ultra-early variety of American selection with large fruits, almost completely covered with a red blush. The pulp of the fruits of this variety is tender, yellow;
    • Big Top is a high-yielding and unpretentious ultra-early American variety with round fruits weighing up to 200 g, rich cherry-violet color with yellow firm and juicy pulp, which turns red closer to the stone. The taste of the fruit is sweet with a slight sourness and honey flavor. The stone is poorly separated from the pulp;
    • Ruby 4 is a high-yielding early-growing variety of Ukrainian selection with oval large fruits weighing up to 200 g with shiny skin and yellow, with a reddish tint, tender-fibrous juicy pulp of sweet taste with barely perceptible sourness. The stone is separated from the pulp poorly. The variety tolerates transportation well;
    • Rebus 028 is a productive, early-growing, winter-hardy and disease-resistant variety of Italian breeding with round, slightly elongated large fruits weighing up to 200 g, yellow with a bright red blush covering almost the entire surface of the fruit. The pulp is yellow, dense, juicy, fragrant and sweet in taste;
    • Caldesi is a high yielding Italian variety with spherical large greenish-yellow fruits with a bright red marble blush covering almost the entire surface. The pulp is white, dense, juicy, the stone is semi-separable.

    Mid-ripening

    Mid-ripening nectarines are represented by the following varieties:

    • Stark Red Gold is a high-yielding variety of American selection with carmine-red fruits of regular shape, large size, reaching a mass of 240 g or more. The pulp is bright yellow, dense, slightly fibrous, acquires a red tint around the stone. The stone is easily separated from the pulp;
    • Vang-3 – disease-resistant, high-yielding, early-growing and winter-hardy variety of American selection with round, bright red fruits with yellowish fragments, weighing up to 220 g. The flesh is yellow, cartilaginous, of high palatability;
    • Alitop is a high-yielding variety of Italian selection with round-oblong large fruits weighing up to 250 g with a bright red blush, which occupies almost the entire surface of the fruit. The pulp is yellow with red veins, dense, juicy and fragrant, excellent taste;
    • Harko is a disease-resistant, winter-hardy, high-yielding variety of Canadian selection with greenish-yellow medium-sized rounded fruits, almost completely covered with a red-violet blush. The pulp is yellow, juicy, fleshy, sweet with a barely noticeable sourness. The stone easily moves away from the pulp;
    • Ishunsky is a variety of Ukrainian selection with small (weighing up to 150 g) yellow fruits with a carmine blush. The flesh is yellow with red veins, fibrous, tender and juicy. The stone is easily separated from the pulp.

    Late varieties of nectarine

    The most popular varieties of late ripening nectarines are:

    • Poseidon – a domestic variety with universal rounded fruits of average weight of about 80 g of yellow color with a slight carmine blush in the form of strokes. The flesh is yellow with slight red streaks, fibrous and juicy. The stone is easily separated from the pulp;
    • Harblaze is a dessert variety with oval yellow fruits, almost completely covered with a bright red blush. The pulp is yellow, sour-sweet, very juicy. The bone separates easily;
    • Sweet Lady is a disease-resistant productive variety of Italian breeding. The fruits are large, yellow with a bright red blush, weighing up to 300 g or more. Pulp of excellent taste, yellow color, dense and firm. The stone departs well from the pulp;
    • September Queen – late ripening variety with light green fruits with a dark red blush, dense and fragrant sweet and sour cream-colored flesh and excellent taste, with a loose stone;
    • Yevpatoriya is a self-fertile variety bred in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden and recommended for cultivation in Transcaucasia, Ukraine, Moldova and the Krasnodar Territory. The fruits are yellow with a carmine blush covering from a quarter to a half of the fruit. The flesh is yellow with red veins, fibrous and juicy, acquiring a pink hue in the area of ​​​​the stone. The bone separates well.

    In addition to those described, such varieties of nectarine as Nikitsky 85, NIC 19 are also popular, Flavor Top, Kolonovidny, Krimzon Gold, Krymchanin and others.

    Literature

    1. Read related topics on Wikipedia
    2. Peculiarities and other plants of the Rosaceae family
    3. List of all species on The Plant List
    4. More information on World Flora Online

    
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    Nectarine

    "Agrariy"

    Nectarine, also called bare peach, is a type of peach whose skin is smooth, like that of a plum. In China, this plant has been cultivated for more than 2 thousand years. The earliest description of this culture in Europe dates back to the 14th century. The first mention of nectarine in English sources was noted in 1616, while in European countries it became popular only in the 20th century and only after large-fruited varieties of such a plant were obtained. Today, the cultivation of this culture on an industrial scale is carried out in the Mediterranean, namely, in Tunisia, Cyprus, Italy, Greece, and also in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Compared to peach, nectarine is more resistant to pests and diseases, and frost-resistant varieties of this crop can be cultivated even in the Volgograd region.

    To date, scientists do not have a clear answer, how did the nectarine originate? Is this the result of the work of breeders or did it appear naturally? It is believed that sometimes nectarines grow on a peach tree and vice versa. In addition, there is an opinion that in addition to peach, Chinese plum, apricot and almond also participated in the formation of this new crop. In this regard, this plant is a complex interspecific hybrid. The name nectarine comes from the word "nectar", the fact is that these fruits contain a large amount of sugar.

    Features of the nectarine

    The height of the nectarine can vary from 4 to 7 meters, while the diameter of the crown can be 3-4 meters. Sheet plates have a serrated edge. Flowering begins before the leaves grow. Covered with pink flowers, the plant is very similar to a flowering peach tree. The fruits of these two crops are also very similar in size and shape, but the skin of the nectarine is slippery and smooth, while that of the peach is fleecy. Ripe nectarine fruit can be colored yellowish, yellow-red, cherry, yellow-green, red-yellow and red. The pulp of a peach is softer than that of a nectarine.

    Fruit ripening lasts 3-5 months and at the same time they need warmth. In this regard, this tree is cultivated only in regions with a long and relatively warm summer period. An adult plant has high frost resistance, it can withstand frost down to minus 32 degrees, however, it should be noted that the death of flower buds is already observed at minus 2 degrees.

    In addition to peach, nectarine is considered to be related to the following fruit crops: almond, plum, quince, apple, pear, apricot, shadberry, cherry plum, hawthorn, mountain ash, chokeberry, cotoneaster, wild rose and medlar. Nectarine is planted in open ground and cared for in almost the same way as when cultivating a peach, but there are still differences.

    Planting nectarine outdoors

    When to plant

    In more southern regions, it is recommended to plant nectarines outdoors in autumn. If the winter period is frosty in the region, then it is recommended to plant such a crop in the spring. In the Crimea and in the southern part of Ukraine, the planting of this plant can be carried out both in spring and autumn.

    Nectarine grows best on sandy and loamy soils, but cannot be planted on heavy clay soils. Also, for its planting, one cannot choose those areas where the groundwater occurrence is shallow, and those places where gourds and nightshade crops, clover, alfalfa and strawberries grew not so long ago, because there is a high probability that the tree can attack verticillium. It is best to choose a site for planting this plant located on the south side of the garden plot, while it should be noted that it is impossible for the nectarine to be in the shade for more than 1.5–2 hours a day, so there should not be any buildings or other trees. It is also not recommended to plant it near a peach, because the risk of fungal diseases increases, even those that are practically harmless for a peach.

    Planting nectarines in autumn

    Planting holes should be prepared 15–20 days before planting. The size of the pit should be 0.7x0.7x0.7 m. In the center of the bottom of the pit, you need to install a wooden stake, which should reach a height of about 150 cm. When preparing the pit, the topsoil must be thrown aside, then it is combined with 150 grams of superphosphate and with 10 kilograms of rotted compost. ½ of the resulting earth mixture must be poured into the center of the bottom of the pit so that a slide is obtained.

    Experts advise to purchase annual seedlings for planting, while preference should be given to a variety adapted to the climatic conditions of your region. Make a thorough inspection of the seedling, as it must be absolutely healthy. Its root system should not have rotten or dried roots, the inside of the bark should be colored green, and there should be no sagging at the grafting site.

    A seedling should be planted on the mound that was filled in the center of the bottom of the pit. When its roots are neatly straightened, the pit needs to be filled with the remaining earth mixture. When planting a seedling, make sure that the grafting site rises 30-40 mm above the level of the surface of the site. Tamp the soil well from the edges of the hole to the center, and then pour 40–50 liters of water into the resulting “hole”. After the liquid is completely absorbed, the grafting site should be flush with the ground surface. After that, the tree is tied to a peg, and then it is hilled to a height of 0.2–0.3 m and dry soil is used for this. For the winter, the surface of the trunk circle must be covered with a layer of mulch (compost), the thickness of which should be from 8 to 10 centimeters.

    How to plant a nectarine in spring

    For spring planting of nectarine, it is recommended to start preparing the pit in autumn. In this case, the pit is made and prepared in the same way as during planting in the fall. At the same time, a seedling should be planted in spring in the same order as in autumn. However, there is still 1 difference: during the spring planting, hilling of the seedling is not carried out.

    Nectarine Care

    Spring Nectarine Care

    Preventive treatment of nectarine from pests is carried out in mid-April, while the plant is sprayed over swelling buds with Karbofos. The second spraying of the tree is carried out in the green cone phase - this is when the tip of the leaf plate “peeps out” from the kidney. For this treatment, a solution of Bordeaux liquid (3%) is used. Formative pruning is done after the buds appear on the plant. After pruning, it will be necessary to carry out preventive spraying against pests and fungal diseases, but it should be noted that in this case it is impossible to use products containing copper (for example, Bordeaux mixture). At this time, the use of such pesticides as Karbofos and Fozalon is recommended, while they are combined with a drug for fungal diseases, for example, Kuprozan, Polycarbacin or Benlat. When the plant fades, this treatment is carried out again.

    After the shedding of the excess ovary is over, it is necessary to normalize the fruit load. So, on 10-15 centimeters of the shoot there should be only 1 ovary, and the extra ones must be removed, otherwise, during the period of fruit pouring, the plant may not withstand their severity.

    Caring for a nectarine in summer

    In the summer, this tree needs watering. Weather conditions affect the frequency of irrigation and their abundance. During the summer, the nectarine will need 2 or 3 treatments to get rid of leaf curl, for this, Delan's solution or other means of a similar effect are used.

    During the period of fruit growth, in order for them to be more sugary and have a rich color, several nectarine dressings are made on the foliage, using a solution of potash fertilizer for this. 4 weeks before harvest, the plant will need abundant watering, as a result of which the size of the fruit may increase by 1/3. However, it should be noted that it is no longer possible to water the nectarine until the very harvest.

    Caring for nectarines in autumn

    How much water will be in the soil during the laying of flower buds, their frost resistance directly depends. Therefore, when all the fruits are harvested, usually in August-September, the tree should be watered very abundantly.

    In the first days of October, before the change of foliage color begins, the plant must be treated with Bordeaux mixture to prevent fungal diseases.

    In the last days of October or the first of November, when all the leaves have fallen, the area where the nectarine grows should be cleaned. To do this, you need to rake up all the fallen foliage and other plant debris and destroy the fact that various pests could settle in them for the winter. Then produce water-charging watering of the tree. When the plant is watered, it should be sprayed with copper sulfate from fungal diseases, as well as Nitrafen - to destroy pests that have settled for wintering in the upper soil layer under the plant and in its bark.

    Watering the nectarine

    After the stone in the fruit has hardened, the nectarine must be watered for the first time. If this procedure is carried out ahead of schedule, then the result of this may be cracking of the fruit. During the growing season, late-ripening and mid-ripening varieties should be watered 4 to 6 times before harvesting, and early-ripening varieties 2 or 3 times.

    To make the fruits more sugary, 4 weeks before harvest, abundant watering is arranged, depending on the size and age of the plant, 3-6 buckets of water are taken per 1 square meter of the near-stem circle. When all the fruits are collected, in the phase of laying flower buds, when watering the nectarine, 4 to 7 buckets are taken per 1 square meter of the near-stem circle.

    During water-charging irrigation, the soil should be saturated with water to a depth of 0.6–0.8 m. It is at this depth that the lower roots of the plant are located.

    Top dressing of nectarine

    If a tree is sprayed with a solution of urea (7%) in the spring, this will not only destroy all pests and pathogenic microorganisms wintering in the bark and the surface of the near-stem circle, but also this substance will become a source of nitrogen for the plant, in which it is in dire need at this time. But it should be noted that it is necessary to spray the tree on the buds that have not yet swollen, otherwise they may burn out. In the event that sap flow has already begun, and urea treatment has not yet been carried out, then this procedure must be canceled. In this case, it is carried out in autumn, when all the leaves have fallen from the plant.

    During the growing season, you will need to feed the nectarines foliarly 2 or 3 times. For top dressing, it is recommended to use the following mixture: for 1 bucket of water, from 50 to 80 grams of ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate (you can replace 30-50 grams of urea), 10 grams of borax, from 100 to 150 grams of water extract of superphosphate, from 30 to 60 grams potassium chloride (or 50-70 grams of potassium sulfate), as well as 15 grams of manganese. If you feed the plant when it is in the fruit ripening phase, then borax and nitrogen should be removed from this nutrient mixture.

    If during the preparation of the pit for planting you have applied all the necessary fertilizers to the soil, then the nectarine will not need nutrients for 5 or 6 years, especially if the surface of the tree circle is covered every year with a layer of mulch (humus or compost). If the time has come to feed the tree, then it should be remembered that organic fertilizers are applied to the soil once every few years, in spring the tree needs nitrogen, and in summer and autumn - potassium and phosphorus. It is necessary to feed the nectarine taking into account the described needs of this culture.

    Nectarine treatment

    In order for such a fruit tree to always be healthy, it needs systematic preventive spraying against diseases and pests. How to process nectarine for unopened buds was described above. In the green cone phase, the tree is recommended to be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture (3%).

    The following treatment for fungal diseases and pests is carried out in the rosebud phase, using a combined solution: 40 grams of Cuprozan or 40 grams of Kolicarbacin are taken per 1 bucket of water with the addition of 30 grams of Karbofos or 150 grams of colloidal sulfur. When the tree fades, it can be sprayed with a similar composition several more times, if necessary, for example, if harmful insects were found on it, as well as if there are signs of powdery mildew or leaf curl. However, remember that half a month before picking the fruit, you need to stop any processing.

    When all the leaves fall from the plant, it must be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture (3%), which will destroy all pathogenic microorganisms that prefer to winter in the nectarine bark, as well as in the upper layer of its near-stem circle. Then the nectarine is sprayed with a solution of Nitrafen (3%) to destroy all pests that have decided to overwinter on the tree and in the near-trunk circle. One spray can replace both of these treatments, for which a solution of urea (7%) is used.

    Nectarine wintering

    In autumn, before the onset of frost, it will be necessary to remove fallen leaves and plant residues from the site, carry out water recharge watering, feed and process the tree. After that, when the frosts become stable, the surface of the trunk circle will need to be covered with a layer of mulch (tops, sawdust, straw, peat or dried leaves), while it is prepared in advance. In rainy weather, mulching of the near-stem circle cannot be done, otherwise rot may appear on the root neck, covered with a layer of mulch. Also in autumn, it is recommended to whitewash the base of the skeletal branches and the trunk of the plant; lime is used for this.

    Seedlings planted in autumn need shelter for the winter. To do this, it is necessary to install sufficiently long slats on both sides of the seedling. Then a bag of sugar is put on them and on the plant itself. To prevent gusts of wind from tearing the bag, it should be sprinkled with soil from below. In the northern part of Ukraine, two-year-old and three-year-old plants will also need shelter. To do this, around the nectarine, you need to install 3 long slats, driving them into the ground. In the upper part, they must be tied using wire for this. When frosts come, the resulting frame must be overlaid with corn stalks or spruce branches, and then it is wrapped with agrofiber. To prevent this structure from being destroyed by strong gusts of wind, it should be tied with twine. Remember that you should cover the nectarine only after the onset of frost.

    Nectarine pruning

    When to cut

    Nectarine needs shaping pruning. Fruiting in this plant is observed on annual growths, therefore, during regular pruning, it is very important not only to maintain plant hygiene, but also to ensure an intensive growth of annual shoots while preventing fruiting from shifting to the edge of the crown. It is because of this that it is necessary to annually thin out and shorten the branches of this plant. The first pruning of an autumn planting tree will be needed only with the onset of next spring before the sap flow begins. In spring, young plants need formative and sanitary pruning. In autumn, sanitary pruning of nectarine is carried out only if necessary.

    How to prune a nectarine

    As a rule, the crown of a tree is shaped into a vase or a bowl. Thanks to this form, the crown becomes stronger, and it is also easier to remove fruits from such a plant and easier to care for. Crown formation is done in the spring during the first 4–5 years. First lay the skeletal branches. In the first year, it is necessary to select 2 or 3 branches with a wide angle of discharge, they are shortened up to 10 centimeters to the outer buds, while all other branches must be cut. Every year, 2 or 3 skeletal branches should be added, which should be located at the right angle. Form a first order branch on last year's skeletal branches, a second order branch on the year before last, etc.

    During the formation of the crown, the conductor should rise 0.2–0.25 m above the uppermost skeletal branches. After the formation of the crown is completed, the conductor must be cut at the level of the upper skeletal branches. The optimal stem height is from 0.5 to 0.6 m. There are gardeners who prefer the stemless form, in which case the skeletal branches can extend from the trunk almost at the very surface of the soil. This form contributes to the long-term restraint of the growth of nectarine, and it is also much easier to collect fruits and care for the tree, since in this case a ladder is not needed. The recommended height of such a plant is from 250 to 300 cm.

    Nectarine pruning in spring

    Formative and sanitary pruning of nectarine is carried out on a pink bud in April, for this all dried, injured, frost-affected or diseased branches are cut out. At this time, pruning for fruiting is also carried out; for this, 2 correct developed shoots should be selected on the skeletal branch, which grow side by side. The shoot growing closer to the top of the branch should be shortened by 8-10 buds, it will have to bear fruit in the current season. Another shoot, located closer to the trunk, must be greatly shortened so that 2 buds remain; an shoot will appear from this replacement knot, which will bear fruit next season. "Proper escape" - what is it? On this shoot there are fruit, as well as growth (giving foliage) buds. From the replacement knot in the next season, it is necessary to form a new fruit link. In a similar way, the tree is pruned every year in the spring, as a result of which the crops will be stable and the fruits will be of high quality.

    At the end of flowering and the shedding of excess ovaries, it is necessary to adjust the yield load. So, on a branch for every 10-15 centimeters of length there should be only 1 fruit, while the extra ovaries must be removed by plucking.

    How to prune in summer

    If the tree is fruitful, do not prune it in summer. But at this time, they pinch or break out unnecessary stems, this will stimulate the growth of new branches and the formation of fruit branches.

    How to prune in autumn

    When all the leaves have fallen from the tree, sanitary pruning is carried out if necessary. To do this, cut out all the weak, dried, injured and diseased stems.

    Nectarine propagation

    Two methods are used for nectarine propagation: seed and generative (grafting). The best results are shown by budding of a nectarine scion, while an almond or peach seedling is used as a rootstock. If the site has wet heavy soil, while groundwater lies close to the surface of the earth, then a seedling of cherry plum or domestic plum is ideal as a stock. Growing nectarines from seeds is fairly easy. However, you should be aware that a tree grown in this way does not produce fruits of very high quality.

    How to grow from seed

    Seeds are recommended to be taken from plants adapted to the conditions of your region. To do this, during the fruiting period, go around the neighboring garden plots and take the fruits from those trees that you liked the most. The fruits should be placed in water for 3 days, which is replaced twice a day, then they are removed to a shaded place to dry. After that, the bones are carefully pulled out of the fruit. For sowing seeds, choose a well-lit area that is away from buildings and trees. First you need to make a trench, which is covered with nutrient soil. The bones are buried in it by 50-60 mm, while the distance between them should be equal to 20-25 centimeters. Then the seeds need to be sealed and watered very well. After the liquid is absorbed into the soil, the surface of the bed should be covered with a layer of mulch (leaves, grass or sawdust).

    Seeds can be sown in spring, summer and autumn. If the seeds are sown before winter, then the seeds will undergo natural stratification during the winter months, in the spring, after the garden bed is freed from shelter, seedlings will appear together and start growing.

    When the seedlings are growing vigorously, make sure that the soil in the bed is loose and slightly damp at all times. For their feeding, a solution of humus is used. If necessary, they are sprayed against diseases and pests with a solution of Ridomil or Thiovit.

    Nectarine grafting

    Cuttings of this plant are grafted onto almond or peach rootstocks by budding. This method of propagation is very fast and easy, and its plus is that each fully formed bud is able to produce a new plant that will retain all the characteristics of the mother variety. But in order for the vaccination procedure to be successful, you need to follow some rules:

    1. Do not use a stock thinner than a pencil. At the same time, keep in mind that the bark at the grafting site should be smooth, thin and elastic.
    2. Grafting is carried out during the period of intensive sap flow, at this time the bark easily lags behind the wood.
    3. The buds located on the scion must be well developed.
    4. A very sharp and pre-disinfected instrument is used for budding.

    Cuttings for grafting are harvested in the morning, at which time the shoots are saturated with moisture. The stalk in length should reach 30 centimeters or more, while the leaf plates on it should be developed. Stipules and leaf blades should be cut off, while the petiole remaining after trimming should reach 10 mm in length. Then the lower cut of the cutting is immersed in water.

    At the bottom of the rootstock, cut off all existing lateral growths. All dirt and dust should be removed from the trunk. To do this, take a clean, moistened cloth and wipe the bole, moving up from the root neck by 20 centimeters. Then, in the place where the rootstock was cleaned of dust, it is necessary to make a cut in the bark of a T-shaped shape. Be careful not to damage the wood while doing this. The length of the transverse incision should be equal to 15 mm, then a perpendicular incision is made from its middle down, reaching a length of 25 to 30 mm. Where 2 incisions are connected to each other, it is necessary to carefully unscrew the corners of the bark to the width of the transverse incision.

    Take the cutting with your left hand, pointing towards you. Next, a small (length 1.2–1.3 cm) transverse incision is made on its cortex, while it must pass below the kidney, which will be used for transplantation. A similar transverse incision of the same length must be made above this kidney. To cut off the bark with a kidney, you need to start from the top cut, while smoothly moving towards the bottom. The length of the resulting shield should be about 25 mm, it should be flexible, and the kidney should be intact.

    Grasp the escutcheon with your thumb and forefinger by the remainder of the petiole, and then carefully place it under the turned back bark of the T-shaped incision made on the rootstock. In the event that the length of the shield turns out to be greater than necessary, then it is necessary to carefully cut off the excess along the border of the transverse section into the rootstock. With your thumb, firmly press the bark along the lengthwise cut against the shield set under the bark. Then take the polyethylene tape and wrap it around the vaccination site, moving from top to bottom.

    After half a month, you need to check whether the budding was successful. To do this, lightly touch the rest of the petiole, if everything went well, then it should separate and fall off.

    Nectarine diseases

    Peach and nectarine are affected by the same diseases. Most often, nectarine can affect clasterosporiasis, leaf curl, powdery mildew, fruit rot, stone fruit moniliosis, or gray fruit rot, cytosporosis, verticillium, coccomycosis, scab, milky sheen and mushroom burn.

    If you provide the plant with proper care, as well as adhere to all the rules of agricultural technology for this crop and systematically carry out treatments in order to prevent diseases and pests, then your tree may not get sick. If the nectarine is still sick, then you need to remember that mycoplasma and viral diseases are considered incurable today, and therefore the affected specimen must be removed from the ground and destroyed. In the fight against fungal diseases, the most popular are the following means: Horus, Vectra, Skor, Topsin M, Topaz and Strobi. It should also be remembered that the signs of diseases and the procedure for their treatment in nectarine is exactly the same as in peach.

    Nectarine pests

    Nectarine and peach also have pests in common, which also need to be dealt with using the same methods. Most often, these crops are affected by oriental and plum codling moths, aphids, scale insects, striped, mining and fruit moths, flower beetles and mites.

    Pests are controlled with insecticides, for example, you can use drugs such as: Chlorophos, Zolon, Karbofos, Aktara, Mospilan, Actellik, Inta-vir, Bankol, Metaphos and Durban.

    Nectarine varieties

    Early ripening varieties

    The following early ripening nectarine varieties are most popular among gardeners:

    1. Fleming Fury . This ultra-early variety was created by breeders from America. Large fruits are almost completely covered with a red blush. The yellow flesh is quite tender.
    2. Big Top . This ultra-early variety, created in America, is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and high yield. The fruits have a bright purple-cherry color and a rounded shape, they weigh about 200 grams. The pulp is firm, juicy and yellow, closer to the stone it acquires a red tint. The sweet pulp has a honey flavor and a slight sourness. The bone is separated from the pulp with difficulty.
    3. Ruby 4 . This early-growing variety was created by Ukrainian breeders, it is distinguished by its yield. Large oval-shaped fruits are covered with a glossy skin, weighing about 200 grams. The pulp is juicy, soft-fibrous, it is colored yellow with a pale red tint. The taste of the pulp is sweet with a barely noticeable sourness. The bone is separated from the pulp with difficulty. The fruits tolerate transportation quite well.
    4. Rebus 028 . The early-growing variety, created by Italian breeders, is distinguished by its yield and resistance to diseases and frost. The shape of large fruits is round, slightly elongated, they weigh about 200 grams. The fruit has a yellow color, while almost on its entire surface there is a deep red blush. Juicy dense fragrant pulp has a yellow color and sweet taste.
    5. Caldesi . The variety of Italian selection has a high yield. Almost the entire surface of large spherical fruits of yellow-green color is covered with a marble rich red blush. Juicy dense pulp has a white color. The stone is semi-separable.

    Mid-season varieties

    The most popular mid-season nectarine varieties are:

    1. Stark Red Gold . This variety, created in America, has a high yield. Large carmine-red fruits have the correct shape, weigh about 240 grams or more. The slightly fibrous dense pulp has a rich yellow color, and near the stone it becomes reddish. The pulp can be easily separated from the stone.
    2. Wang-3 . This early-growing variety, created by American specialists, is distinguished by its productivity and resistance to frost and diseases. The shape of the fruit is round, their color is rich red with light yellow fragments, they weigh about 220 grams. Cartilaginous pulp of yellow color has high palatability.
    3. Alitop . This variety, created in Italy, has a high yield. Large fruits of an oblong-rounded shape weigh about 250 grams, almost their entire surface is occupied by a rich red blush. Juicy dense fragrant pulp has a yellow color with red streaks, it has high taste qualities.
    4. Harko . The variety, created by Canadian breeders, has a high yield and resistance to frost and diseases. Almost on the entire surface of not very large yellow-green rounded fruits there is a purple-red blush. The fleshy juicy pulp has a yellow color and a sweet taste with a slight sourness. The bone is separated from the pulp with ease.
    5. Yishun . This variety was created by Ukrainian breeders. On not very large yellow fruits there is a carmine blush, they weigh about 150 grams. Delicate fibrous juicy pulp has a yellow color and red streaks. The pulp can be easily separated from the stone.

    Late-ripening varieties

    Most popular late-ripening varieties:

    1. Poseidon . Variety of domestic selection. The universal fruits are round and yellow in color with a slight carmine-colored blush arranged in strokes. Juicy fibrous yellow flesh has a small amount of red streaks. The pulp separates from the stone with ease.
    2. Harblaze . This variety is dessert. Almost the entire surface of the yellow oval-shaped fruits is covered with a rich red blush. Very juicy flesh has a yellow color and a sweet-sour taste. The pulp can be easily separated from the stone.
    3. Sweet Lady .

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