A transplant for a plant is a traumatic operation that is best performed during the period of natural rest, then it takes place almost “under anesthesia”. This especially applies to seedlings with bare roots.
Most fruit trees are best planted in a permanent place after the end of the growing season - in the fall. Roughly, this is a month before the topsoil freezes. Some trees are best planted in spring. Let's talk more about the timing of planting seedlings of fruit trees, how to fertilize and properly care for them.
Table of contents
When is it best to plant fruit trees in spring or autumn?
Determining that a tree is ready for transplanting is very simple. The main criterion - the tree dropped half the leaves. They are guided when landing winter hardy varieties of pears and apple trees, as well as all berry bushes.
Varieties of apple and pears with insufficient frost resistance, as well as all stone fruit (cherry, sweet cherry, plum, apricot and peach), it is better to plant in spring.Moreover, it is necessary to do this as early as possible - the moisture has not yet disappeared and the buds have not blossomed.
In any case, landing pits are prepared in advance - for spring planting, for example, in the fall (August - September). The minimum deadline for the preparation of pits - 2 weeks.
How to choose a sapling for planting in the Moscow region and other regions
In order not to throw money away to the wind and grow a truly fruitful fruit tree, the choice of seedling should be approached with understanding and responsibly.
Choosing a sapling with an open root system
- First of all, the grade must be zoned.
- To increase the chance of buying the desired variety, purchase them in a specialized nursery, and not "with hands" on the road.
- Roots should be no shorter 25 centimetersfresh and intact. The more branched thin roots, the higher the probability of success.
- On the roots there should be no growths - This is a symptom of root cancer. The root slice should be white.
- Carefully inspect the trunk for bark damage.
Wrap the roots with a wet sacking or newspapers in several layers. If the sapling dried up, immerse it in water for a day or two, until the bark returns a fresh look.
You can treat the roots with stimulants just before planting. (Kornevin or Heteroauxin) according to the instructions.
Especially make sure that the roots are not mopped. These areas will surely rot - they must be carefully removed to the healthy part.
Choosing a seedling in the container
Such planting material is more expensive. If you choose it correctly, you can land at any time convenient for you. Survivability guaranteed ...
How not to be mistaken
The easiest way to check how long a tree has been growing in a pot is to gently lift the plant by the root part. If the earth lump is taken out together with the roots, you need to buy - the seedling “lives” in the container for a long time.
Additionally, it will help you to make sure that the choice is correct spine sprouting through a hole in the bottom of the container.
The tree is set in a prepared landing pit, without violating the integrity of the earth’s clod. Watered and filled with prepared soil mixture without deepening the seedling.
Rules planting seedlings in the garden at different times of the year?
The choice of a place for planting a fruit tree - it is produced once and for all, and success or disappointment depends on this choice. If the place turns out to be unsuitable for the fruit tree, it will be impossible to correct the error in a few years.
Choose to land a sunny place, protected from the wind. The proximity of groundwater is unacceptable - a tree can successfully develop in 5-7 years, and when its roots reach the aquifer, it will die from rotting. At this age, it is incredibly difficult to transplant a tree.
Preparatory activities
Even soil selection is not a critical condition for planting a fruit tree. By improving the structure of the soil and proper fertilizing almost any area is suitable for gardening.
Landing Pit Training
Even in the case of fertile black soil, it is necessary to start planting a tree with the preparation of a landing pit. It is necessary to dig at least a month before planting the seedling. During this time, the excavated earth will have time to be compressed. This is a factor of extraordinary importance - there will be no problems with the correct penetration of the root neck of the seedling.
The root neck is where?
It would be useful to clarify what this “root neck” is. Often, inexperienced gardeners take the place of grafting by the root of the neck, and as a result, the seedling is deepened for extra 10 centimeters. In fact, this is the section where the trunk goes to the root. At this point, the dark color of the root turns into a lighter trunk bark.
After planting, the sapling should not be deficient in nutrients, at least until it takes root. At this stage, the gardeners “overfeed” seedlings with fertilizers very often for the best of reasons.
It is especially dangerous for young plants to add fresh organic matter and too much mineral fertilizer to the pit.. These two extremes act equally oppressively on soil microorganisms, namely, they help the seedling roots to absorb nutrients from the soil and air.
- For conditional seedling 1-2 years of age is necessary dig a hole about the size of 80x80 centimeters and the same depth. In the process of digging a hole, the top more fertile layer is folded separately from the bottom. All the stones and roots of perennial weeds are removed. The bottom of the pit must be dug up on the spade bayonet.
- To the bottom of the pit to improve the water balance is desirable sprinkle last year's leaves, house waste, wood ash. It will be not only good drainage, but also an excellent additional feeding to the tree.
- Into the pit add 2 compost or humus buckets, and proceed as follows.
- One bucket is mixed with the more fertile top layer of earth and poured into the bottom of the pit. On this mound you install a sapling, spreading his roots and fall asleep the second part of the compost directly on the roots. At the same time shake the sapling, so as not to leave air voids, not filled with soil.
- Good watert (minimum 2 buckets of water).
- Pit fall asleep to the top. To do this, use only the upper fertile layer.
- From the bottom layer of the earth form a root well around the trunk circle.
- Watered again in the formed well and fall asleep to her mulch (peat, rotten sawdust, foliage, chips), it will not only save water, but also will not allow a dense crust to form.
The scheme of planting fruit trees and shrubs
The density of tree planting depends not only on the species, but also on:
- such as root rootstock seedlings,
- method of further formation,
- features of the site layout.
The most common mistake novice gardeners, too tight landing. It is very difficult to see trees at least 2.5 meters high in the twigs of one-year-old saplings after 10 years. A recommended plantation for shrubs and trees is shown below.
Apple trees and pears on vigorous rootstocks have a distance 5 meters, sredneroslyh - 3.5-4 meters, dwarf - 2.5-3 meters. Colon shapes can be planted even after 0.5 meters in a row.
Not less distance should be laid when planting seedlings around the house, this is especially true for tall fruit forms, and especially pay attention to the location walnut - over time, it will be a 10-meter spreading tree.
Care for the newly planted tree in the spring and autumn period
After planting a young tree, in addition to the need to feed the sapling, it should be followed up with proper care. The first time after planting the most seedlings need watering. Among experienced gardeners of the old school there is an opinion that saplings need watering for 2 years, even if they have successfully taken root. It is necessary to water even the trees planted in autumn to the frost.. Only then the tree will grow strong and healthy.
No matter how great the desire to try the harvest from a young tree, the first flowers must be removed. This applies particularly to the first year after planting, otherwise the tree will give all its strength to the first few fruits, and the root system and the developed crown will not grow.
In addition to watering, saplings require preventive measures to protect against pests and fungal diseases.. Do not overlook them during each processing garden. The loss of branches and leaves from the invasion of pests or any disease can be critical for a young tree.
Preparation of young trees for winter includes:
- mulching wheel circle
- whitewash for the prevention of sunny and frosty winter burns,
- protection against rodents and hares.
The mulch layer must cover the tree trunk not only during the summer period in order to preserve moisture in the root zone. Especially needed mulch in the autumn-winter period. Even in the middle zone and the suburbs, the roots of a tree or shrub seedling can suffer from freezing, especially if the snow cover is insignificant.
Fertilizers and fertilizer for fruit tree
A well-filled planting pit provides food for a planted tree for 2 years. Practically, it only needs watering.
Top dressing of a garden are carried out by the settled rule:
- in the spring - nitrogen and organic fertilizers,
- in the autumn - potash and phosphorus.
Fertilization is usually carried out in tree circles in early spring (1) or in autumn (2).
In the root zone, fertilizers are applied at the rate of 1 hundred square meters of garden.:
- organic 300-500 kg (every 2-3 years),
- inorganic N: P: K in proportions 1.5: 1: 0.6 (calculated per kg of chemically pure substance).
In addition to root dressings, gardeners often practice leafy ones. In this case, the so-called “tank mixtures” are used - joint solutions of chemical preparations, for example, against pests and a complex of foliar dressings.
Another plus of this treatment - minimum fertilizer consumption. For example, for nitrogen fertilizers prepare a solution of 1 tablespoon of nitrate to 1 bucket of water.
The only inconvenience can not be handled immediately before the rain.
Conclusion
The optimal time for planting fruit trees depends on many factors:
- From the climatic conditions of your region.
- From winter hardiness seedling.
- From the type of seedling - container or “bare root”.
In order not to get confused, Ukrainian gardeners have an old rule, which is all the more necessary for colder regions - All stone fruits are planted in spring, pome seeds - in autumn.