The matter is more complicated than it seems at first glance. Back in 1909 gardening instructor J. Pengerot in an article with the expressive title “Should I plant trees in autumn or spring?” put forward interesting arguments on this topic.
Wise thought
“Autumn planting works out better the earlier it can be done.”A complicated matter
“There is no doubt that a newly planted tree is more sensitive to frost than an already rooted one, and therefore the advantage is to the side spring planting, not autumn.
Although autumn planting cannot be considered impossible... A tree should be planted only at a time when it has stopped growing, when the shoots that have grown during the summer have become completely strong and mature, i.e., from September to October (the further south you go, the earlier you can start transplantation; for example, in the Saratov province you can start already at the end of August); in the spring, now, when the ground has thawed, until the buds begin to bloom.”
The information is correct, but it is still unclear: autumn or spring? However, further the author talks about his experience “in the Baltic region and other northern provinces.”
Autumn wins
“Having been involved in gardening and planting trees for more than 25 years... I adhered to the following: I always gave preference to autumn planting, with the exception of those cases when I had to plant on extremely clayey, wet soil. If planting is done in early autumn, as already mentioned above, at a time when the tree, although it has stopped growing, the sap flow in it has not yet completely stopped, then before the onset of frost it will have time to produce young roots, as well as some root cuts swim. Such a tree will overwinter well and begin to grow quickly next spring. The later the transplant is carried out, the less time the tree has time to take root and in the spring it is slower to take root, and sometimes in winter some of it dies from severe frosts. U planted in autumn Trees need to be trimmed with leaves so that they do not evaporate reserve moisture, since the absorption of nutrients stops before new roots appear.
True, in very cold areas and on damp, cold soils, they should be planted in the spring, because during autumn planting, subsoil water can adversely affect the roots of new plantings. In hot countries, even on moist soil, spring planting has its downsides: if it is not possible to resort to frequent watering, then the summer heat soon dries out the soil, and newly planted trees often die or are poorly received.”
Confirmation from the Volga region
“Autumn plantings, gardeners assured me, completely die in the first winter.
I did not believe this, and when, finally, in the fall of 1908, I had the opportunity to plant in two gardens... To finally resolve the controversial issue, I planted in the fall. I planted 60 apple trees and 10 pears in each garden in the first half of September - at the end of October I covered them with dry weeds from the bottom to the very tops in a thin layer, and handed them over to the power of winter. In one garden, all the trees died, in the other, 2 apple trees and 2 pear trees died.”
And in the summer, the author of the article visited neighboring lands, where seedlings from the same nursery were planted in the spring. The following picture appeared to his gaze: “About 50% of the apple trees and the same number of pears looked healthy, about 10% of the apple trees and 50% of the pears died, and the remaining apple trees are still between life and death, despite the fact that the spring was favorable.”
Based on materials from the magazine “Progressive Gardening and Horticulture”
* the article refers only to seedlings with an open root system
Personal experience
Prepare your sleigh in summer
Frost on bare ground is the nightmare of many summer residents. Especially for those who can only visit their garden on weekends. And for those who, like me, managed to plant a lot of heat-loving plants - and even more so!
Since during my time gardening I managed to “step on the same rake” more than once, meeting the frost without snow with useless moaning and throwing, then in Lately I made it a rule to prepare for a possible cold snap in advance. I hope my experience will be useful to other summer residents.
Firstly, it is better to prepare plants that will have to be covered for the winter early, even if the aesthetics of the garden suffer from this. For example, bend it down and lightly sprinkle it with earth large leaf hydrangeas, lay climbing and shrub roses until their branches became brittle from the cold. It wouldn't hurt to throw on non-woven material: in the absence of snow, it, of course, will not protect you from frost, but it will help “soften the blow” when the temperature drops sharply.
Secondly, be sure to mulch the tree trunks of heat-loving trees and shrubs. A layer of organic matter 10-15 cm thick will protect their roots from frost. For lovers of “sour” things, for example, rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias, you can use peat, pine litter, and sawdust. For others - compost, grass clippings, fallen leaves. This can be done in September or October, without rushing and without making a rush on the eve of severe frosts. In addition, I mulch the soil in flower beds with perennials. In the event of a sudden cold snap, the wet soil literally “explodes,” which often leads to damage to the root system. A thick layer of mulch will protect you from this disaster.
Thirdly, it is worth preparing a “strategic reserve” of free covering material - fallen leaves. Oak ones are best, but in the absence of such, you can use any that you have on hand. I usually take half an hour, rake leaves from under nearby trees and collect them in large garbage bags. In the event of a sudden cold snap, it is enough to cover the cut perennials with leaves - they will serve as insulation instead of snow.
S. A. Gulyaeva, Moscow region.
Planting fruit crops requires a responsible approach. Every nuance is important: the timing of when to plant fruit trees, the choice of site and seedling, preparation landing pit. Let's talk about the secrets of arranging an orchard.
Article outline
When to plant fruit crops - in spring or before winter?
Let us immediately outline the factors that influence the timing of planting fruit crops:
- Type of fruit tree.
- Weather phenomena of the current season.
- Cultivation region.
- Soil type.
All fruit trees are conventionally divided into stone fruit and pome fruit types. It is believed that the optimal time for planting pome crops in the regions of the middle zone is autumn, and stone fruits - spring.
Stone fruit crops, which include cherries, plums, apricots, cherry plums, and sweet cherries, are more thermophilic and do not always have time to take root in the fall before the onset of winter cold. The best time The period for planting them is from mid-March to mid-April. More precise dates depend on weather factors and the region of crop cultivation.
Pome crops, the most common of which are pear trees and apple trees, are less demanding to care for and more resistant to cold climates.
They are usually planted in the fall, about a month to a month and a half before the first frost.
You can postpone the planting of pome trees to spring in case of early frosts and prolonged autumn precipitation. Pome trees are planted only in the spring in the northern regions and in the zone of risky agriculture, where in the conditions of short summer and autumn no species of plants have time to take root.
But in the southern regions, any fruit trees are planted in the fall, since the first cold weather there does not arrive until November, and sometimes in mid-December. In addition, in the southern regions, dry weather sets in too early in the spring, which is not conducive to the rooting of seedlings.
Sometimes the planting of seed crops is postponed from autumn to spring, if garden plot heavy soil predominates. But planting holes are still prepared in the fall in order to adjust the structure of the natural soil.
Let's summarize when is the best time to plant fruit trees:
Selecting a location and layout of fruit trees
The main mistake gardeners make is increased attention to the type of soil and a completely ill-conceived planting scheme. The nuance is that the type of soil is not so important for fruit trees, since the structure and composition of the soil can be adjusted when forming planting holes. Illumination of plantings and good natural ventilation are important.
Trees planted close together lack nutrition and moisture, and the root system is constantly in a depressed state.
If the crown of an adult tree shades neighboring plantings, the risk of infection with fungal and viral infections increases on the site, the process of pollination flowering plants becomes difficult, and this will affect the number and size of the fruits.
Compliance with the planting scheme will ensure comfortable care in the future: pruning and spraying of trees. Before forming planting holes, the planting density is calculated and a plan for the future garden is first drawn up on paper. If single plants are planted, it is important to correctly determine their distance from the house, outbuildings, fences, and garden paths.
Distance of seedlings from each other and from economic objects when planting:
- seedlings of vigorous crops - at least 5 m - 6 m;
- medium-sized species – 4 m;
- low-growing (columnar and dwarf) trees – 2 m – 3 m.
Note! For rational use areas between fruit trees are planted garden strawberries or currants.
The area for fruit crops should be illuminated by the sun for at least half a day. In the first years, young plantings must be protected from draft winds; the availability of water to the root system is important. Fruit crops consume a lot of moisture, so areas with high groundwater levels are allocated for them.
Selection of seedlings
The best thing fruit seedlings purchase from nurseries where trees are grown according to all the rules of agricultural technology. In the nursery you can get advice on planting and caring for a certain variety, and the likelihood of seedlings becoming infected with pests and infections will be almost zero.
Sapling with bare roots
To prevent your purchase from becoming useless, choose zoned varieties that are common in your region.
A healthy seedling with an open root system should have many branches, growths and Brown color On the cut there are signs of diseases.
The roots must be at least 25 cm - 30 cm in length, the trunk must not have visible damage.
The roots of the planting material are stored wrapped in a damp cloth. If the tree does dry out, immerse the roots for a day or two in settled water, to which you can add growth stimulator Kornevin or special resuscitators for weakened plants.
Saplings with bare roots are cheaper than in containers and may take root less well, but you can visually assess the condition of the rhizome and the tree as a whole when purchasing.
Seedlings in a container
Planting material in containers has almost one hundred percent survival rate, but it is still necessary to check its viability.
Turn the pot over; strong roots will grow even through the hole for excess moisture.
Carefully lift the seedling by the trunk at the root part. If the tree can be easily removed from the pot, it means that it was transplanted a long time ago and has had time to develop its roots well. For recently transplanted plants in nurseries, the rhizome is usually trimmed to fit the size of the container.
Preparation of planting holes
The optimal option is when pits for spring planting of fruit species are prepared in the fall.
In cases where autumn gardening is planned, the pits are formed in the spring.
If the deadlines have been missed, planting holes can be formed in the current season, but no later than two weeks before planting the fruit plants. This time is necessary for the soil to settle and voids to form, which can lead to rotting of the root system.
Stone fruits and pome trees, and berry bushes differ in size at two and three years of age. Therefore, for pome seedlings with an open rhizome, dig a hole 60 cm deep and 90 cm - 100 cm in diameter. For seedlings of stone fruit crops and shrubs, the dimensions are slightly smaller: 40 cm - 50 cm deep and 75 cm - 80 cm in diameter. For seedlings with a closed With the root system, the pits are increased in depth and diameter by 20 cm.
Note! Fruiting occurs faster in seedlings planted in wide but shallow holes.
Wide holes with a diameter of 1 m are made in areas with heavy soil, but the depth is left no more than 60 cm - 80 cm. On dense soils, the main part of the nutrients is concentrated in the upper, fertile layer of soil. Excessive deepening of the root system will lead to nutritional deficiency and poor adaptation of the tree.
To make it easier to dig a hole, a support is driven into its center, a twine is tied, and a metal peg is attached to one end of it.
The peg will serve as a marker with which to draw along the ground smooth circle with the required diameter, after which they begin to dig.
The soil from the pit is laid out in two piles: on one side the dark soil of the fertile layer, on the other side the lighter soil of the lower layer.
10 – 15 days before disembarkation fruit trees acidic soil is limed dolomite flour or chalk, fertilizers are applied directly to the planting.
How to plant fruit trees correctly
Under fruit plants either mineral-organic mixtures or chemical additives without adding organic matter are introduced.
If organic matter is used, nitrogen agrochemicals are no longer needed. The following fertilizers of your choice are applied to a pit with a meter diameter and a depth of 60 cm under the seed trees:
- 4 ten-liter buckets / 400 g (or 200 g double) / 200 g;
- 3 buckets of humus/bone meal 1 kg/simple superphosphate 200 g/potassium sulfate 200 g.
Potassium sulfate in the fall can be replaced with potassium chloride, and lovers of environmentally friendly farming can use ash 1 l/1 planting hole instead of potassium additives.
Note! In pits for stone fruit crops, 40 cm deep and up to 80 cm in diameter, the amount of fertilizer applied is halved!
Planting bare-rooted seedlings
Half of the fertilizer is mixed with part of the top layer of soil and the nutrient mixture is placed in a cone at the bottom of the depression.
A seedling is placed on the resulting hill, the roots are evenly distributed around the circumference and the second half of the fertilizer is poured directly onto them.
In the process of adding fertilizers, the tree is slightly shaken to prevent air voids between the roots.
Next, water is supplied: 2 – 4 buckets/1 hole (depending on the age of the seedling). The hole is filled to the level of the root collar, using the remainder of the top layer of soil. The bottom layer is useful for forming a root hole around the perimeter trunk circle.
The tree is watered again, supplying water to the root hole, and then the trunk circle is mulched with leaves, straw, and mown grass. On alkaline soils, wood chips and sawdust can be used as mulch.
Note! Deepening the root collar of a seedling delays the first fruiting for several seasons. When planting, it is better to leave the neck slightly open. This deficiency can be easily corrected by simply adding fertile soil.
Planting seedlings with closed rhizomes
Planting plants with a clod of soil is much easier. Part of the fertilizer, as in the previous version, is mixed with half of the fertile soil and evenly distributed over the bottom of the pit.
Then a tree with a lump of earth is placed in the hole, the second half of the fertilizer is added along the edges, watered abundantly and the hole is sealed at the level of the top layer of the earthen lump with the remaining fertile soil, the tree trunk circle is watered and mulched again.
Caring for fruit trees immediately after planting
In the first two seasons fruit species need abundant and regular watering. Even those trees that were planted before winter are well watered; the water supply is stopped only with the onset of cold weather.
During the first flowering of a fruit tree, it is necessary to remove all inflorescences, since the seedling will begin to devote energy to fruiting and will stop the development of roots and crowns.
In the first three years, formative pruning and regular treatment against pests and diseases will be required.
In winter, the tree trunk circle must be mulched so that young plant roots do not freeze, and the trunk is protected with special materials against damage by rodents.
It takes a lot of effort to grow a fruitful garden. Careful care of fruit crops is important at every stage of their development, and caring for the garden begins with determining the optimal time for planting, purchasing healthy seedlings and proper preparation landing pit.
Autumn is a fertile time for a gardener - it is still warm, but there is no summer heat and, if there is no rain, you can do a lot in the garden that was not possible in the summer. One of these important activities is planting trees in the fall.
IN middle lane autumn planting of trees, both fruit and ornamental, is successful, since natural conditions at this time are favorable for plant replanting
1. Outflow of nutrients from branches to roots. Roots grow and leaves fall.
2. The soil contains a lot of moisture necessary for plant growth.
3. The soil remains warm for a long time. Its temperature allows the roots to grow for a long time.
As a result, the seedlings have time to take root and overwinter safely, and in the spring they begin the growing season on time, without wasting time on establishment.
A few more points to the plus of autumn planting of trees and shrubs.
- Large selection of planting material on the market. In the spring they sell the remains of the autumn trade.
- Availability of free time for the gardener. The autumn planting period is longer than the spring one.
How to choose a seedling
Criteria for choosing a seedling: the more powerful the roots (number, length, fibrousness) and the smaller the upper part of the plant, the greater the likelihood of its successful establishment and further growth
- If we plant plants with an open root system, it is advisable to choose 1-2 year old seedlings. They are easier to dig up without damaging the root system.
- Make sure the roots are not cut off.
- The leaves are “scraped”, that is, removed. If left, they will draw moisture from the plant, drying it out.
- The wood is mature, not grassy, green
What's good to plant in the fall?
By the way, the vast majority of shrubs need to be planted in the fall.
- Fruit bushes such as honeysuckle, currants, and gooseberries are cold-resistant, take root well, and in the spring they begin the growing season very early and you simply may not have time to plant them.
- And it is recommended to plant remontant raspberries at the very latest - the end of October.
- Planting of shrubs and plants with a closed root system (growing in containers) can be extended until the first frosts - usually they occur during the November holidays.
- Apple trees, especially those grafted onto clonal rootstocks, tolerate autumn planting and subsequent overwintering well.
- Conifers are replanted in the fall
Disadvantages of autumn planting
What could be the disadvantages of autumn tree planting? So, about the cons.
1. They planted it late and the seedling did not have time to take root and, as a result, did not survive the winter well.
2. You yourself need to take care of the safety of the tree trunk from the winter invasion of rodents.
How to avoid losses during autumn planting
- Firstly, we try to adhere to calendar planting dates. In central Russia, digging up plants in nurseries according to technology should begin on September 20, after the beginning of leaf fall. By this time, the wood of the trunk and branches will already be mature and ready for overwintering. Seedlings dug up before this time will have unfallen leaves and immature wood and may be severely damaged by frost.
Thus, the optimal time for autumn planting will be from September 20 to mid-late October
Apple trees on clonal rootstocks take root faster than on seed ones. This is due to the presence of a larger number of small roots in clonal rootstocks.
- Secondly, you need to know that different cultures take root in different ways. Stone fruits need more time for this than pome fruits. And among the pome trees, the pear tree takes longer to root than the apple tree.
Therefore, we plant pears and all stone fruits (cherries, plums, sweet cherries, etc.) early in the fall, late landings not for them.
How to plant
We make the following planting holes:
- for apple and pear trees measuring approximately 60x60x80 cm,
- cherries, plums, cherry plums, sweet cherries 40x40x60 cm,
- fruit bushes 40x40x40 cm.
The fertilizers that we will add are mixed with the entire volume of soil for the planting hole. And when planting, we will add soil without fertilizers to the roots of the plants.
When filling the roots, we compact the soil slightly with our feet.
Do not add nitrogen to the planting hole! We'll add it in the spring.
An important point to pay attention to when planting trees on seed rootstocks is where the root collar is located.
Root collar - the place where the roots pass into the stem of the plant
What is the easiest way to identify it? At this point, the color of the bark changes: from greenish to brown.
The deepening of the root collar threatens to preheat and rot the bark and wood. Therefore, we carefully monitor that after watering and settling of the soil, the root collar of fruit and ornamental trees grafted onto the seed rootstock was at soil surface level.
Only on light sandy soils is sometimes a slight deepening possible, about 5-7 cm.
Plants grafted onto vegetatively propagated (clonal) rootstocks can be planted deep down to the grafting itself, leaving 5-7 cm to it.
Having planted trees, they must be
- water at the rate of 1-2 buckets per plant, if you planted shrubs, then you can use 1 bucket to water 2-3 plants;
- the soil around is mulched, and when taking into account autumn planting, and especially if your soil is sandy, an additional layer of mulch is also covered with pieces of cardboard to reduce severe autumn-winter freezing;
- The stem of the planted tree must be protected from the winter invasion of hungry rodents. To do this, it is wrapped various materials, permeable to air: fine mesh, nylon stockings.
We are waiting until spring.
How to properly bury seedlings before spring
If for some reason optimal timing Autumn planting has passed and there is a danger that our plants will not have time to take root before winter, then in this case we send them to the trenches for the winter.
Crops such as cherries, cherries, cherry plums, plums, and pears are usually added in for the winter. Their landing on permanent place It would be safer to move it to spring
- Protected from the wind, high place, not in a lowland - otherwise meltwater will flood in the spring, dig trenches 60-50 cm deep and 50 cm wide.
- Seedlings are placed in trenches at an angle of 45 degrees, I place them so that the tops “look” to the south - this technique will help avoid sunburn in the spring.
- The seedlings in the trench are covered a quarter full of soil and watered.
- After established frosts, they are finally covered with soil 20-25 cm above the root collar.
- A groove is made around the trench to drain water and poison against mice is laid out.
- In the spring, they try to remove buried trees from such storage as early as possible, in order to avoid the bark on the trunks from becoming warm, and plant them in a permanent place.
Here are some considerations for fall tree planting. We are glad that our advice helped you cope with such important gardening work like planting trees in autumn.
Autumn is the optimal time to plant seedlings with an open root system or bare root. Planting time without reference to climatic zones– from the moment the leaves fall naturally until the ground freezes. Having purchased seedlings with foliage, immediately tear off all the leaves to reduce moisture loss through them and drying out of the seedling itself.
Good in autumn frost-resistant varieties apple trees, pear and cherry seedlings, currant bushes, gooseberries, raspberries. The root system does not have a dormant period, and by spring the seedlings will have time to take root. If you did not have time to plant the seedlings before the onset of frost, send them to the basement, packing the roots in plastic bag with a small amount of sawdust or sand. Or dig in, for which you dig a groove 30-40 cm deep, deeper to the north, into which you place the seedlings with the crown facing south and sprinkle with loose soil to the tips of the branches. The seedlings are stored in the container until completely thawed.
What fruit trees are planted in spring?
Trees with open system non-frost-resistant roots (this includes some varieties of apple and pear trees, heat-loving apricots, peaches and some varieties of plums and cherries) are better. It is better to prepare holes for spring planting in the fall. Then you will begin planting seedlings immediately after the ground has thawed, while the soil is saturated with moisture. The period of spring planting of trees ends with the appearance of the first leaves.
The basic rule of planting is that the earlier you plant, the easier the seedling adapts and the more likely it is that it will take root well.
IN high humidity plant the tree on mounds prepared ahead of time in the fall. They are definitely planted in the spring.
Timing for planting seedlings with a closed system and in containers
The timing of planting seedlings with an earthen ball (closed root system) is more extended. In the spring, the planting period is extended until the onset of hot days if planting is carried out in cloudy weather, and the crowns of seedlings with leaves are shaded by throwing white gauze.
Seedlings with a closed root system need abundant watering for a month after planting.
In autumn, seedlings with a clod of earth can be planted as soon as the heat subsides, without waiting for the leaves to fall. The seedlings will require watering and shading. Another option is to cut off the leaves on the tree. Planting dates in the fall last until the onset of frost.
The timing of planting seedlings in containers is from early spring to late autumn. On hot, dry days it is better to refrain from planting. The crowns of planted fruit trees are shaded, and the seedlings are regularly watered.
Having learned about the benefits of planting seedlings in autumn, I am sure that the purchased tree will take root, and money and labor will not be wasted.
Of course, young trees can be planted not only in autumn. Planting time depends on the weather, the condition and age of the seedling, and the climate in a particular region. Each season has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Rooting a seedling in the soil - natural process, occurring in any season except winter frosts, when the ground freezes. Concomitant factors influence the survival rate and well-being of the plant.
- Autumn - traditional time updating the garden, replenishing the composition of fruit trees. During this period, nurseries export young trees for sale at a reasonable price. Once at a specialized fair, a gardener can purchase healthy planting material, get advice from a specialist, see the fruits (after all, this is when they ripen), and get acquainted with the varietal characteristics. The roots of seedlings purchased in the fall are fresh and healthy.
- The work will not be labor-intensive. For the tree you only need to prepare a hole, and watering will be provided by autumn moisture, cool, sunny weather will be very comfortable. Despite the slowdown in metabolism in anticipation of the dormant period, the roots of the young plant continue to develop until the soil cools to +4 degrees. From the moment of planting until this time, the seedling has time to grow additional roots to absorb moisture and nutrients. This will give the tree a significant advantage over those planted in the spring - the autumn seedling will continue to actively develop two to three weeks earlier than its spring counterparts.
- There is a lot of work on the site in spring. By planting trees in the fall, the gardener will free up valuable spring days for other tasks.
The further south the region is, the greater the advantage of planting seedlings in autumn: the ground will not freeze early and deeply, and the trees will not be in danger of dying or freezing.
Possible disadvantages
- If the soil freezes early, the seedling may die.
- Strong winds and ice freezing on the branches and trunk can damage a fragile tree.
- The trunks of young trees often become food for hares and rodents.
- If a seedling is left to spend the winter in an uninhabited dacha, there is a risk that it will be stolen.
- cherries;
- peach;
- plums;
- almonds;
- pears;
- apple trees
If someone decides to adapt a plant from a warmer region to their plot, then autumn planting is also not recommended.
Which plants will tolerate autumn planting well?
Autumn planting would be ideal for frost-resistant varieties of fruit trees.
Timing for planting trees in autumn
October is the best month for planting seedlings. If the gardener comes across good planting material, then it can be planted at the end of September and early November, if there is no frost.
Deadlines by region:
- middle zone - second half of September - first half of October;
- northern regions - all September;
- southern regions - October and the first half of November.
It is important to choose the time of planting - the procedure is performed when the plant has entered a dormant period, all the leaves have turned yellow and fallen off. Plants dug up before leaf fall have immature shoots. Such trees are usually susceptible to freezing.
Landing young tree covered with foliage can result in the seedling drying out: through the leaves goes strong loss of moisture.
When the deadlines have passed
If the desired seedling is found after the desired time for planting, there is lingering slush or frost has begun, the tree can be saved until spring.
Methods for storing seedlings:
- room in the basement;
- dropping;
- storage in snow.
If there is a cellar where the temperature is stable within 0-10 degrees, then the seedling can be placed in a bucket with moistened sawdust or peat and stored in the basement. From time to time the sawdust needs to be moistened (once every 7-10 days).
If there is no basement and the weather promises heavy snowfalls, the plant is packaged and stored in a snowdrift.
Preparing for landing
Planting holes of the following size are prepared for seedlings:
- pear and apple tree - 1.2 x 0.8 m;
- cherry and plum - 1.0 x 0.6 m.
To prevent overmoistening, expanded clay will be placed at the bottom of the pit.
The soil mixture consists of:
- 3 parts rotted manure;
- 2 parts of fertile land;
- 1 part plain garden soil.
When preparing the mixture, use bird droppings not recommended; other fertilizers must be applied with caution so as not to burn the roots. If any seedling is planted in such a mixture, in the first year you can do without fertilizing.
Sequence of actions when landing:
- The bottom of the planting pit is covered with an even layer of expanded clay.
- Fill in a third of the prepared soil mixture, level it and water it.
- Pour another portion of the mixture into a mound and spread the roots over it.
- An obligatory step is checking the level of the root collar: it must be exactly level with the soil surface. Deepening of the neck leads to a lack of fruiting. A raised neck is the cause of future exposure and drying out of the roots.
- Refilling and leveling the remaining soil.
- Watering and decorating the tree trunk circle, mulching.
An important difference between autumn planting is that the roots of the seedling are not shortened, as is customary to do in the spring. Only dried or broken edges can be cut off. Good survival rate is facilitated by maintaining the orientation of the seedling relative to the cardinal directions.
