How to plant a sweet cherry in the fall
 Planting cherries in the autumn, caring for trees, useful recommendations

Planting cherry, like any other fruit tree, has its own characteristics.

It can be held both in spring and autumn.Therefore, every gardener should be aware of the differences between these types of work.

When to plant sweet cherry - in the spring or in the fall?

For garden plots that are located in the south of Russia or in the Central region, the most preferable will be the autumn planting.

The terms of its holding vary from mid-September to the end of October.

These terms are due to the fact that during this period, the trees are at rest, and all their forces will be directed towards rooting in a new place, and not at flowering and foliage formation.

If the acquired seedling is not transplanted into the open ground until the end of October, then it is instilled in the ground for the winter period and planted in the spring.

Spring planting is optimal for Siberia and other regions with a harsh and cold climate, usually such a procedure is carried out from late April to early May.

Why advised to plant in the fall: the benefits

In the autumn period Many sellers of seedlings make discounts on their products. In addition, for those who have not yet decided on the choice of variety, in the fall you can see the intended result and taste the fruits of various varieties.

As known, heavy precipitation falls in autumntherefore, the gardener gets rid of the need to constantly water the planted tree and monitor the soil moisture level.

The saplings planted in the fall will have time to grow young roots for the winter. Because of this, they will begin to grow much faster than the trees planted in the spring.

 Autumn planting of cherry has more advantages than spring.
Autumn planting of cherry has more advantages than spring.

In the southern regions Autumn landing has much more advantages, than spring. Because it eliminates the risk of a sudden onset of heat.

Young trees may not be prepared for the winter cold. Therefore, they may die due to too low temperatures, gusting winds or snowfall.

It often happens that the tree survives after the winter season, but there are broken or frozen branches. Rodents that gnaw the bark of a tree trunk can also be dangerous.

Simple rules for proper cultivation.

Autumn planting is not recommended in the northern regions., because young trees are more likely to not survive the harsh winter climate and simply die.

Therefore, seedlings purchased in the fall can be prikopat in the ground before the onset of spring. For such a procedure it is necessary to dig a shallow hole into which the roots of a tree will fall at an angle of 45 degrees.

When purchasing several seedlings at once, they are tied together. Driving them into the ground, you need to ensure that the top is directed to the south side.

With the onset of cold weather, the tree should be protected from their negative impact. The branches are covered with earth and snow., they will be reliable anti-frost protection. Also, to avoid sunburn, sweet cherry is covered with plywood.

How to plant a tree

In order for the sweet cherry to develop well after the autumn planting and give a rich harvest, must follow all the rules of preparation, both soil and sapling itself.

Seedlings preparation

Cherry differs from other fruit crops in that if you grow a seedling from a stone, it will not inherit the signs of the parent tree. The quality and quantity of the crop will be either more or less.

Therefore, to obtain the desired result It is recommended to buy an already grown seedling in a garden nursery. To make a purchase successful, you need to pay attention to the following indicators:

  1. On the trunk of the tree should be seen the trunk from the graft. Such seedlings will have all the characteristics of the acquired variety.
  2. When choosing a seedling, you need to pay attention to the presence of the main conductor; if it is absent, the tree will branch out and grow badly, and there will be a risk of the crown breaking into several parts after abundant fruiting.If the conductor is broken, then in the future he may have competitors, such rivalry will adversely affect the state of the cherry.
  3. The roots of the seedling must be well developed and reach a length of at least 15 centimeters. You also need to pay attention to the state of the root system, the absence of mechanical damage and excessive dryness indicates the quality of the seedling, and the proper care of it. The cut must be painted in a light, cream color.
  4. It is best to take root in a tree at the age of 1-2 years.
 For planting cherries, it is recommended to buy an already grown seedling in a garden nursery
For planting cherries, it is recommended to buy an already grown seedling in a garden nursery

Sapling roots with an open root system during transportation wrapped in a wet cloth, and then in an oilcloth.

Before planting, the roots of the seedling are inspected again and eliminate all the flaws that have appeared:

  • all broken ends are cut off;
  • You also need to remove all those roots that do not fit in the dug hole. Too long roots can freeze in winter;
  • before planting, the root system is placed in water for 2 hours so that it is moistened; in the presence of dry roots, this procedure is increased to 10 hours.

If foliage is present on the purchased seedling, it should be removed immediately.so she doesn't dehydrate him.

Selection and preparation of the site

Place for planting and growing seedlings choose, based on the following preferences sweet cherry:

  1. The best way cherry grows in loams or in sandy loam soils, because they can provide good water and air permeability. Also, fertilizers applied to such land will flow to the root system much faster, and ensure its growth.
  2. It is not recommended to grow sweet cherries in clay, sandy or acidic peat soils.
  3. The optimal level of groundwater occurrence is 1.5 meters, if it rises higher, that is, there is a risk of stagnant moisture and subsequently root decay. But this problem can be solved by digging a drainage ditch in which all the excess moisture will be collected.
  4. Cherry also likes sunny and lighted areas, it is best to plant it on the south or south-west side of the garden.
 In the best way the sweet cherry grows in loams or in sandy soils, it likes sunny and lighted areas.
In the best way the sweet cherry grows in loams or in sandy soils, it likes sunny and lighted areas.

2-3 weeks before the preparation of the landing pit you need to thoroughly dig the entire area to which you plan to plant cherries and apply the following fertilizers for digging:

  • 10 pounds of manure or compost are brought per square meter;
  • 180 grams of superphosphate will be spent on the same area;
  • 100 grams of potash fertilizers;
  • Acidic soils should be preliminated with lime or dolomite flour. For sandy soil use 400-500 grams of composition per square meter, and for loamy 600-700 grams.
Lime can not be applied simultaneously with mineral fertilizers, because they can react and not bring the desired result.

If the area is sandy type of soilthen for several years before planting the cherry is mixed with clay, and vice versa. At the same time, throughout the entire time before planting, the ground must be carefully fertilized in order to make it more fertile.

2-3 weeks before planting cherries digging planting hole, the depth of which will be 60-80 centimeters, and the width can vary from 60 to 100 centimeters.

When digging a hole, it is necessary to separate two layers of soil: the fertile (top) is folded in one direction, and the barren in the other.

After the pit is ready, a stake is driven into its bottom.which will serve as a support for the future of the tree. Then the topsoil is mixed with the following fertilizers:

  • 2-3 buckets of humus or non-sour peat;
  • 200 grams of superphosphate;
  • 60 grams of sulfuric potassium;
  • 500 grams of ash.

Then the resulting mixture is poured into the bottom of the pit in the form of a mound and carefully tamped, then sprinkled all the barren soil.

Nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied when preparing the pit., because they can damage the seedling's root system.

Planting in open ground

Experienced gardeners recommend when planting cherries adhere to the following technology:

  1. The seedling is placed in a hole so that the root neck is 3-5 centimeters above ground level and is tied to a support stake.
  2. The root system should be gently straightened and spread out on the surface of the hill.
  3. Then the tree sprinkled with the lower layer of soil, gradually shaking it, thereby filling the voids between the roots.
  4. After the seedling is half buried, 1 bucket of water is poured into the pit, then the process continues.
  5. At the next stage, a hole is dug around 5 cm in depth around the trunk, and the earth is laid out in the form of a roller. This design will help moisture evenly distributed and settle to the roots of the tree.
  6. The final step will be tamping the soil, abundant watering and mulching.
 The seedling is placed in a hole so that the root neck is 3-5 centimeters above ground level, tied to a support stake.
The seedling is placed in a hole so that the root neck is 3-5 centimeters above ground level, tied to a support stake.

Water and natural processes can begin to stimulate the settling of the soil around the trunk and the formation of the hole, which will need to be equalized with the level of the rest of the soil.

Cherry planting and initial pruning. Tips for buying a sweet cherry:

Departure in the first year after landing

The main danger for a tree planted in autumn is frost and too low temperatures. Therefore, the cherry must be well cared for and carefully prepared for climate change:

  1. The barrel should be wrapped with burlap. Since winters can flow with sufficiently high temperatures, care should be taken to ensure that the tree does not abut.
  2. With the falling snow, the lower part of the trunk is added, thereby protecting it from frost and gusting wind.
  3. For best efficiency, lapnik can be wound over the burlap.
  4. To protect the tree from the attacks of rodents in the winter, various pesticides are scattered around it.
 After planting, you must carefully prepare the cherry for the winter, the trunk should be wrapped with burlap
After planting, you must carefully prepare the cherry for the winter, the trunk should be wrapped with burlap

Average, the tree is watered once a month, but in case of severe drought, this procedure is repeated every week. It is best to water the cherry through the hole, which, as the tree grows, gradually expands to a diameter equal to 2 meters.

2-3 young buckets of water are consumed for a young tree, and 6-7 for an adult.

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In the first 3 years of life, the tree will have enough fertilizers made during planting. The only exception will be nitrogen fertilizers that are applied in the early spring in the second year after planting.

Such dressing well stimulates the growth of sweet cherries. Then the tree can be fed with stubborn humus and mineral fertilizers.

Insofar as birds love to feast on berries of sweet cherry, it is very important to protect the young tree from their attacks. To do this, you can bind to the branches of the old disks, cans, tinsel or rain.

Also, all these items can be attached to the scarecrow. Another way would be to tighten the nets above the tree.

How to transplant a sweet cherry

Often there are situations when you need to transplant the already growing sweet cherry to a new place. If you strictly follow the following scheme, the autumn transplant will take place for the tree as painlessly as possible:

  1. It is best to transplant healthy trees at the age of 5-6 years.
  2. Preparation for this procedure should be carried out in advance. In early spring or late autumn, a groove is dug around 40–50 centimeters deep and 20–30 wide.
  3. Sweet cherry roots are carefully chopped and trimmed, then coated with garden pitch.
  4. In the next step, the groove is filled with peat or humus.
  5. During the summer, the tree should be watered abundantly, so that new surface roots could develop.
  6. Transplant performed immediately after leaf fall.
  7. At the same time, the landing pit should be 1.5 times larger than the root system of the sweet cherry tree.
 If necessary, it is better to transplant healthy cherry trees at the age of 5-6 years
If necessary, it is better to transplant healthy cherry trees at the age of 5-6 years
When transplanting must always remain oriented relative to the cardinal points. Otherwise, sunburn or bark injuries may appear on the tree.

Autumn planting is ideal for southern and central regions.Proper procedure can ensure the active growth of the tree from the next spring.