Spring is planting time fruit trees, this is the "hottest" season for summer residents. The most common horticultural crops in middle lane are apples, pears, cherries and plums. As in any business, it is necessary to follow the rules for planting fruit trees - only in this case, after a certain period, they will be able to please you with a bountiful harvest and will bear fruit regularly.
The organization of any garden begins with trees. Spring planting of fruit trees and shrubs is the most best option, although this can be done both in summer and in autumn. One of the main advantages spring planting seedlings of fruit trees - over the summer, he manages to develop the root system, the bark, which is why it better tolerates the first wintering. After planting seedlings, it is necessary to fertilize them with substances that stimulate the growth and development of plants.
The main goal of the gardener is to grow healthy and beautiful trees that give a good harvest and are pleasing to the eye. In order to plant a tree, you need to dig landing pit. Its depth and diameter depend on the type, variety and age of the seedling. When planting seedlings of fruit trees in spring, the excavated soil of the upper fertile layer is placed separately from the underlying soil. 10-12 kg of humus are added to the ground of the upper layer, thoroughly mixed, after which part of the mixture is poured into the bottom of the pit in a slide. Can add mineral fertilizers for fruit trees in the amount specified in the instructions. In order to tie the seedling after planting fruit trees on the site, a peg is inserted into the pit in the center, which should rise above ground level to a height of at least 1 m.
Having lowered the seedling into the pit, you need to carefully spread its roots along the piled hill of earth. The rest of the fertile layer (with compost and fertilizer) should be poured on top of the roots. After that, the seedling is well watered (1-2 buckets of water) and the soil of the lower layer is poured on top. The earth around the tree is carefully tamped, and the seedling is tied to a peg. Do not forget to observe the optimal distance when planting fruit trees so that they will not be crowded later.
The principle of planting seedlings fruit bushes similar, but the hole needs to be made smaller. It is recommended to pour a hill of earth around the trunk to prevent freezing of still poorly established roots.
Planting and caring for seedlings of fruit trees is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Fruit trees are recommended to be planted under the protection of others that are more frost-resistant, such as mountain ash or spruce. A number of protective plantings are positioned to protect the garden from cold winds in winter. Buildings can also act as such protection.
How to plant apple and pear trees on the plot
Apple and pear trees are the most common garden crops. Apple and pear trees can be grown in almost all regions of the European part of our country, except for the northernmost ones. The apple tree is quite frost-resistant tree. It prefers neutral soils rich in humus and trace elements, does not tolerate marshy soils and earth with high level ground water(less than 1m).
The pear has higher frost resistance, especially in zoned varieties, but the pear gets wet faster than the apple tree, so fruit trees on marshy soils should not be planted in a planting hole, but on a hill that is poured in advance. When planting apple and pear trees, any soil that is on the site, compost, peat, sand, can be used as a starting material for such a hill. The base in wetlands is often broken red brick, fragments of slate and ceramic tiles, small stones. Further, chopped large branches, trimmings and fragments of boards, branches, shavings can be laid on them.
The next layer is dried grass, food waste, torn and crumpled newsprint (no color illustrations). All layers are covered with earth and sand. The last, upper, layer is filled with fertile garden soil with a height of at least 0.5 m, mixed with peat. For at least one season, the hill must stand for the earth to settle. Since trees are planted in the spring, the hill should be ready by autumn.
After planting a tree, it is necessary to add soil to the hill every season, not only under the trunk, but also along the perimeter of the crown.
Distance between apple and pear trees when planting
Before you properly plant apple and pear trees, take care of the quality of seedlings - it is better to purchase seedlings in nurseries, choosing zoned varieties grown in containers, not older than 2-3 years. Such seedlings tolerate transportation and transplanting better, and buying them in a nursery guarantees that the tree matches the desired variety.
If groundwater is very close, the hill is poured in the same way as in the previous case, but first removed upper layer soil, and pieces of slate or similar material are placed at the bottom of the resulting hole to prevent the growth of the roots of the tree in depth.
This technique is especially justified when planting a pear. In this tree, the root grows predominantly vertically downwards, and with this method, the main roots spread over the surface and do not get wet. The distance between apple and pear trees during planting should be at least 4 m from each other, as well as from other trees or buildings.
Fruit trees are planted for 20-25 years. Basically, apple and pear seedlings, after planting, begin to bear fruit at the age of 5, so the choice of planting material and the place for planting a tree should be approached very seriously.
Rules for planting cherry seedlings
During planting, cherries prefer gentle slopes. small area from the southwest, south or west side. According to the rules for planting cherries, good aeration should be observed, since the soil in such places warms up better, which affects the plants favorably. However, planting cherries on hills is not recommended, as in winter time the root system of the plant may freeze slightly due to the fact that the snow is blown off the hill by the wind.
If cherry seedlings are planted along the fence, they should be placed on a well-lit side. To avoid shading cherries with other trees (for example, apple trees), plantings are placed on the south side. If you plant a cherry on the north side, the tree will stretch out and practically will not bear fruit at all. Dwarf and semi-dwarf trees also require adequate lighting and warmth.
Cherries grow well in soils various kinds, however, in order to obtain a high yield and sustainable fruiting, it is planted on fertile land with high physical indicators, sufficiently moistened, into which a lot of air enters. Chernozem, light loamy and forest soils have such properties.
Cherry does not tolerate heavy clay soils, as well as acidic ones. Low-lying areas and valleys are unsuitable for planting this crop, because cool air and moisture are concentrated in these places. Most favorable conditions for the full growth and development of cherries - on soils that have a slightly acidic or close to neutral reaction.
Distance between cherry seedlings when planting
The best planting material for arranging a cherry orchard, both in the southern part of Russia and in the middle lane, are annual seedlings with a well-developed crown. However, in the northern regions, it is preferable to plant biennial seedlings.
Before planting seedlings, it is necessary to check the depth of the groundwater. They should be at a distance of about 2 m from the ground. Seedlings are prepared for planting as follows: having taken them out of the winter digging, they are carefully examined, damaged roots are cut off, as well as excess branches of the crown.
The landing is made in early dates, as buried seedlings can quickly take root and begin to grow. If planting is late, the seedlings may not take root (even with satisfactory care for them).
Plowing the soil with the laying of mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as lime, if necessary, is made a maximum of 1.5-2 years before planting trees, and no later than September of the previous year.
If the soils have an average fertility rate, manure, compost or humus are used as fertilizer, which are usually applied at 5-6 kg per 1 m2. In the event that the soil is depleted, the rate of such fertilizers is 8-9 kg per 1 m2. Mineral fertilizers are applied in an amount 2 times less than organic fertilizers.
The distance between cherry seedlings depends on the variety. Trees with a wide crown, cherry varieties such as "Jubilee", "Vladimirskaya" and "Shubinka", are planted at a distance of 3.5 m from each other. The distance when planting semi-dwarf cherries is an average of 2.5 m.
When planting cherries, you can follow a scheme that involves a dense arrangement of trees. This usually has no effect on palatability fruits.
Planting fruit trees: distance between plum seedlings
Plum seedlings, acquired in autumn, are added dropwise for the winter into a pre-dug hole of an elongated shape up to 45 cm deep. They are laid in a trench at an angle, after which they are covered with earth for half the trunk. Then the soil around is tamped. In winter, the seedlings are covered with snow - so they will be better protected from frost. Elevations, light loamy soils are suitable for growing plums. Tree planting is done in the spring. The distance when planting plums is at least 3 m from each other.
In order to plant a seedling, they dig a hole 60 cm deep and 90 cm wide. The upper fertile soil layer is placed on one side, and the lower one on the other. Then a planting stake is installed in the center of the pit and two-thirds filled with the soil of the upper layer. Organic and mineral fertilizers are first added to it: 12 kg of compost or rotted manure, 1 kg of superphosphate, 0.5 cups of potassium chloride or 5 cups of wood ash.
It is convenient to plant plum seedlings together. The seedling must be installed on the north side, the roots are straightened on the surface of the mound, and then fertile soil is poured into the pit. When properly planted, the root neck of the seedling is at a distance of 4-5 cm from the soil surface. After planting, a hole is dug around the young tree, after which the seedling is watered. Plum garter to the stake is carried out using twine or film. If the groundwater level in the garden plot is above 1.5 m, the soil is raised by 0.5 m before planting the plum.
Majority garden plants can be planted in spring and autumn, gardeners usually prefer autumn planting, but in central Russia with fairly early and harsh winters autumn planting seedlings will lead to freezing of plants.
Therefore, for mid-latitudes, spring planting of seedlings is more justified. But it must be carried out strictly before bud break.
Preparatory work in the garden
Pits for planting should be prepared in the fall. This is especially important for dense soils - clay and loamy, where a serious replacement of the soil is required. The rule is simple: for the autumn planting of seedlings, pits are prepared from spring, for spring - from autumn. The prepared pit should stand for 6-7 months.
Why dig a hole for seedlings in advance
If you plant trees or shrubs in a hole freshly dug in the spring, then the earth will gradually settle and pull the seedlings behind it, they will be below the level of the site, i.e. in the hole. This means that puddles of water will accumulate, melt water will stand, and the melting of snow will be delayed. If the pit is hilled, then there is a risk of deepening the root neck, and it should only be covered with a thin layer of soil (1-2 cm).
Trees that are too deep when planting lag behind in growth, develop slowly and bear fruit worse. A planting error needs to be corrected (lifting the plant out of the ground) to save the seedling, but this is a very time consuming job, so just try to avoid planting incorrectly.
How to dig holes for planting seedlings
The depth and diameter of the pit for planting seedlings depends on the crop:
- For pears and apple trees 60-70 cm deep, 80-90 cm in diameter
- Plums and cherries - 40 cm deep, 70-80 cm in diameter
- Currant, honeysuckle and gooseberry - 35-40 cm deep, 60 cm in diameter
- Sea buckthorn, irga - 40 cm deep, 80 cm in diameter
- Raspberries - 30-40 cm deep, 50 cm in diameter
The distance between future trees: for apple, pear, cherry plum, cherry, sweet cherry - 5 m.
The technique of digging a hole and then filling it with earth is also special. For fruit trees, pits are dug deep enough, and the excavated land is heterogeneous. The excavated soil conditionally has two fractions - the arable layer - about 20 cm of the upper earth (half of the bayonet of a shovel) and the subsoil layer - the one that is deeper than the upper 20 cm.
When digging a hole for seedlings, throw the earth into two different piles - into one arable layer, into the other the lower horizon. The lower, infertile soil is then partly evenly scattered over the site, partly - made from it trunk circle, or immediately unload into a wheelbarrow to take out of the garden. The walls of the pit must be sheer!
Preparation of a pit in an abandoned area
If fruit plantings are carried out in an abandoned area overgrown with turf, the scheme is different: you need to remove a layer of turf (10-15 cm, depending on the herbs) and put it aside, then remove the subturf fertile layer (another 15-20 cm) and fold it into a separate bunch. Then dig up all the earth below, on required depth(about the bayonet of a shovel) and place in a garden cart.
At the dug hole, we align the walls (vertically, as in a well) and fold the sod to the bottom of the hole, turning the layers of grass down.
Filling the pit
The dug hole must be filled, it must not be left empty until spring, otherwise melt water will remain in it for a long time, and the hole will become unsuitable for spring plantings - until the water leaves, all planting dates will expire.
Therefore, we fill the pit in the fall. For this you will need:
- 1-2 buckets of well-rotted manure (3 years old)
- 1-2 buckets of leaf humus (either peat or fertile land from other plantings on the site)
- about 100-200 g of ash per 1 sq. m of soil (1-2 faceted glass)
- fertile layer of earth taken out of the pit
We pour all the constituent components into the pit in parts: a third of each in three additions, and mix with a shovel. After each layer, you need to trample the ground with your feet. The total volume of filling for the pit should be in such an amount that a mound about 20 cm high forms in the place of the pit.
Humus (rotted manure) is ideally horse, it is the best suited for top dressing, in second place is mullein. Absolutely not suitable for seedlings bird droppings. Manure is unacceptable to use fresh, it must lie down well, at least two years, better than three.
Fertilizing when planting seedlings
Whether or not to apply mineral fertilizers to the pit when planting seedlings is a moot point. The root system of seedlings is severely injured during digging and is sensitive to contact with fertilizers, young growing roots are burned and die. Instead of building up the root system, the plant freezes in growth or dies.
Plant roots are especially sensitive to nitrogen and potassium fertilizers. The only way to avoid root burn is to apply them at some distance from the seedling's root ball.
But this is impractical due to the fact that mineral fertilizers do not have time to wait until the accustomed roots grow to them, and absorb painlessly - they dissolve in water and are washed out into the lower layers of the soil much earlier.
Phosphorus fertilizers could act somewhat softer on the roots if they contained phosphorus in its pure form. However, simple or double superphosphate in addition to phosphorus ions, they contain impurities that are far from harmless for roots, especially young and injured by transplantation. Therefore, phosphate fertilizers can also be added when planting only at some distance from the root ball of seedlings.
Traditional agronomy taught us to apply fertilizer when planting seedlings as follows: nitrogen fertilizers (rotted manure, compost) necessary for good growth seedlings, mix with soil to fill the pit (with the fertile layer taken out). Mix phosphorus and potash fertilizers with a small amount of earth (shovel scoop) and pour into the bottom of the pit. Do not add mineral fertilizers to the soil of the upper half of the pit, where the root system of the plant will be placed.
Such a system helps to avoid burning the roots, but it is likely that by the time the root system recovers, grows up and reaches the soil layer with embedded fertilizers, the nutrients from it will be washed out or intercepted by grass roots.
From the point of view of modern agronomy, no mineral fertilizers need to be applied to the pit during planting seedlings. You can cause serious harm to young trees or shrubs, up to the death of the plant.
How to speed up the growth of seedlings
After planting, it is especially important to achieve the development of a good root system of fruit crops. Therefore, top dressing should be safe - use weak solutions of liquid organic fertilizers (mullein, green manure), but not immediately after planting, but approximately in the second or third year after planting.
The need for mineral fertilizers increases much later, when the plants reach fruiting age.
If you are going to plant a garden on poor soils, then you should stock up on several carts of imported fertile land in advance. Do not use the lower, nutrient-poor soil layer when digging a hole.
If the planting pit is filled with fertile soil, then there is no need for additional refueling with fertilizers.
Planting seedlings
First of all, we plant winter inoculations of seedlings that were stored in a cold basement or rootstocks buried before winter.
Conduct an audit: inspect the root system of plants, remove rotten roots to healthy tissue (it light color). Cut the cuts in a straight line, without sawing, with a very sharp knife - the smoother the cut, the faster the callus forms. If the seedlings have cuts or breaks on thick roots, sprinkle them with crushed coal.
If you have purchased seedlings whose root system is covered with clay talker, you need to wash the roots from it!
For planting in the area prepared in the fall and seasoned with nutrient soil, we dig a hole, but not over the entire area where the hole was dug in the fall, but much less - the recess should be sufficient to freely fit the root system of the seedling, but no more. The depth is such that the root neck of the seedling placed in the pit is at ground level. Do not allow deepening even by 5-7 cm.
The root neck of a seedling is the place where the first roots depart from the trunk. Not to be confused with the grafting site - it is about 10-15 cm higher than the root collar.
To plant the seedling at the correct depth, use a level - a long stick laid across the hole so that the ends lie on flat surface land around the hole.
It is better to plant seedlings together, so that one person holds the tree by the trunk, maintaining its even vertical position, the second one digs in. If the seedling has many roots, when falling asleep with earth, you need to lightly shake the trunk so that the earth is well distributed into the voids between the roots.
Do not compact the soil around the planting site too hard. Just water the soil, when the earth settles, throw more. In the first two weeks, the earth will cover, and if necessary, it is necessary to spud again if the root collar is exposed.
After digging the seedling, around it you need to form a near-trunk circle, or "saucer" for watering. About 50-60 cm in diameter, 7-10 cm high. Be sure to fix the stem of the seedling - stick a wooden peg into the ground next to the trunk. It is important to sharpen its lower end sharply so that it does not tear the roots of the tree, but easily passes between them. Tie the trunk to the support with jute or a piece of nylon tights. Do not use wire or fishing line for garters!
If it is planned to use not a thin peg, but a large pole as a support, it is necessary to sharpen its end and drive in the pole before planting the seedling!
After planting, it is necessary to water the plant abundantly, the near-trunk earthen circle will not allow water to spread over the site. Watering is necessary in any weather and soil moisture. After watering, the earth becomes heavier, settles and compacts naturally. How much water to pour: a full bucket, but not at once, but in two or three doses.
When planting winter-grafted seedlings, a month after planting, you need to remove the film strapping.
If you did not have time to prepare landing pits in the fall
What to do in this case? You can plant cultivated shrubs and trees, but you will have to limit yourself not to wide pits filled with prepared soil, but to small holes the size of the root system of seedlings. But later it will be necessary to cultivate the soil around the plantings, the mechanism of which will depend on the type of soil.
Without pre-training pits are planted with fruit and berry bushes and trees only on soils with a close occurrence of groundwater. In this case, the hole is dug shallow - just on the bayonet of a shovel, but the nutrient soil is poured not only into the hole, but also from above with a high mound. The mound should be at least 40-50 cm high and about 100 cm in diameter. In this case, it is necessary to form a watering "saucer".
If the groundwater runs deep, and there is no seedling on the hillock, then it is possible to carry out the technique of planting seedlings with subsequent mulching without prior preparation. The pit is dug shallow, on the bayonet of a shovel. Then, around the seedling in a diameter of one and a half meters, 3 buckets of old humus are distributed in an even layer, and digging is carried out. We water the soil and mulch with a thick layer of straw or peat (height 5-7 cm).
In any case, remember that the root neck of the seedling cannot be buried, and young plants need abundant watering.
Planting fruit trees is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Here you need to buy seedlings correctly, and prepare the place, and carry out all the necessary care activities. So that the trees you planted not only take root, but also give an excellent result in the form of a rich harvest, study the tips we have given.
So that you do not have problems growing fruit trees in the future, it is better to purchase seedlings in specialized stores or nurseries. There is one important advice- try to choose seedlings of those varieties that are suitable for growing in your area. Since when buying "overseas varieties" there is a high probability that such plants simply will not take root in your area.
Be careful when buying seedlings and pay attention to the following indicators.
ground water
If we are talking about vigorous seedlings with a long root system, then the depth of groundwater should be at least three meters. For semi-dwarf varieties, this figure should be no more than 2.5 m, and when planting dwarf fruit trees, the depth should be at the level of one and a half meters.
Soil quality
You should not choose a place for planting apple trees at random, because of which the trees may develop weakly, begin to bear fruit late or not take root at all. When choosing a place, you should focus on the requirements of cultures. For example, if you are going to plant apple trees, then for these plants you should choose forest soils, black soil, sod-podzolic soil.
Pears grow best on sandy loam, loam or slightly podzolized soils. Cherries prefer light loam.
illumination
For the normal development of the tree and the high-quality fruiting of fruit trees, they need quality lighting- the more sun, the larger the fruits will be. That is why it is best to plant seedlings on the south side of the site, choosing a place protected from the wind.
Square
The site must be selected after you have counted the number of seedlings. After that, determine that there should be a distance of about 7 m between the trees. If the trees grow thicker, this will lead to the fact that they will begin to grow not in breadth, but at the top and, when intertwined with branches, will begin to shade each other.
Age of seedlings
It is best to choose seedlings that are not yet two years old. To determine the age, you just need to study planting material- on the seedlings suitable for us, there will be no branches on the trunk. Also, you should not choose trees that have branches, the roots are dry, there are growths on the stems - most likely, such seedlings are sick or old.
Own-rooted or grafted seedlings
It is best to purchase grafted seedlings, especially if you will be planting pear or apple trees. To understand if the seedling was grafted, pay attention to the trunk - it should be slightly curved.
Choosing the right time to plant trees
Departure times depend on biological features plants, climatic conditions. Pears and apples, for example, can be planted either in early spring or early autumn. But let's look at each season in more detail.
Spring
Spring planting begins immediately after the ice melts and should be completed two weeks before the appearance of the "eyes". When planting such fruit trees as pears, apple trees and cherries, it is necessary to choose a natural fertilizer - manure, which is applied directly to the hole before planting. After a couple of weeks, when the plant takes root, add growth activators to the ground.
Autumn
Fruit trees planted in autumn will take root almost 100%. This is due to the conditions: loose and moist soil, fairly warm weather - this is what contributes to the survival of plants. The main thing is not to forget to insulate the plants so that the frost does not destroy the young plantings.
Winter
Work in winter can only be carried out if we are talking about large-sized plants, but young seedlings are not planted in frozen soil - they will die.
Summer
Gardeners strictly do not recommend carrying out such work in the summer, because due to the heat, the root system of plants will not have enough moisture, which is why the survival rate drops sharply. Thus, the trees planted during this period will simply die.
Planting fruit trees in spring - step by step instructions
In order for the trees to take root, grow and yield a crop in a couple of years, you should carefully study our advice and plant according to a given pattern.
Land preparation
Clean the selected area of weeds using mechanical control methods or the use of herbicides. Be sure to plow the land deep and add organic matter and mineral supplements to it (this process is called cultivation).
Well preparation
If you decide to plant in the spring, then the pits for seedlings should be prepared in the fall. To do this, make a square hole about 60 cm deep and up to 1.5 m in diameter for each seedling. Place old leaves, plant tops, cut branches in the resulting pit, cover it all with earth on top and leave until spring.
If you are going to carry out work in the fall, then prepare the holes in about a month and a half. Make holes for landing, put a layer on the bottom broken brick or river sand, cover it all with a layer of rotted manure or peat, add mineral fertilizers. It remains to close the pit with a layer of earth and humus up to 10 cm thick.
Important point: some gardeners smooth the walls of the pit with a shovel, tamping the ground. Doing this is strictly not recommended, because it impairs the access of oxygen to the roots and limits the appearance of new roots.
Planting seedlings
After the soil settles a little, drive a wooden stake into the center of the hole - due to the stable support, the seedlings will not sway in the wind, which means that there will be no voids that are destructive for the trees between the soil and the roots.
The day before planting, remove broken branches from the seedlings, and cut the roots a little with a pruner.
An important rule when planting: the root neck of the seedling should be located above ground level. If it is deepened, this will lead to rotting of the bark and death of the plant.
To determine the root collar, just look at the seedling - this is the border on the bark, where it "flows" from green to brown. Also, when planting at a seedling, carefully straighten the roots and sprinkle them with soil. Do not forget to shake the plant a little so that the resulting voids between the roots are filled with soil. This will prevent them from drying out.
After planting, lightly compact the soil and pour it with a small stream of water - about 3 liters of liquid per tree. After the soil settles a little, water again.
For the first couple of years after planting, trees need to be looked after and simple care measures taken. So, you can not do without moderate, but regular watering, top dressing, loosening the soil and weed control. For example, in hot weather, after each watering or rain, the soil around the seedling needs to be loosened.
Be sure to mulch the soil around the trunk. It is best to use cut grass cereals, which will perform the following functions:
- Aeration of the root system of fruit trees.
- Weed protection.
- Protection against freezing of the earth and roots.
- Supply of organic matter.
- Prevention of the appearance of an earthen crust.
True, it should be remembered that too wet soils do not need to be mulched - this can lead to rotting of the roots. In autumn, trees need to be insulated, protecting them from frost, for which you can use either coniferous "legs" or burlap. The first option also scares away rabbits and hares, who will not mind eating young bark.
Pear, apple and cherry are the most popular fruit trees in Russia. Let's look at the basic rules for their landing on the site.
Apple tree
If you have chosen early-growing varieties, then they usually bloom in the first year after planting, but the trees will not be fully developed, therefore, by the fall they will not be able to form a full-fledged crop.
For good survival, the buds of the trees are best cut off before they bloom.
Among the most adapted varieties of these fruit trees, the following are distinguished:
- Antonovka.
- Brown new.
- Oval.
- Candy.
Pear
Most varieties of pears are quite undemanding to the composition of the soil, but all the same, these trees will take root better and give good yields when planted in fertile soil. Also remember that young pear seedlings can die from drought, so they need to be watered abundantly in the first two years after planting.
Among the most popular varieties of pears are:
- Lada.
- Nectar.
- Allegro.
Cherry
When planting cherries, you need to carefully approach the choice of location, since the quality and quantity of its fruiting depend on it. Remember also that the root system of this tree is located close to the soil surface, and therefore is very sensitive to drought. For the same reason, loosening the soil should be carried out as carefully as possible.
It is best to choose the following varieties of cherries:
- Shubinka.
- Robin.
- Generous.
In contact with
Summer residents and gardeners responsibly approach the issue of choosing and planting fruit trees. Such a position is fully justified, because planting a tree is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. The quality of the future harvest directly depends on this. Let's figure out when to plant trees - in spring or autumn, and consider the advantages and disadvantages of spring planting.
Buying seedlings
The first thing to start with is to buy young tree for landing. Eat different variants where it can be done. It would be best if you go to make a purchase in a specialized store or nursery.
In addition, there are many offers to buy seedlings from hands in spontaneous markets, and not so long ago, online stores began to provide a huge selection of planting material. The last two options do not give any because there is a risk that in the end you will not get what you expect.
The right choice of planting material
So, you went to a garden exhibition or a specialized nursery to select seedlings. How not to get lost among all the variety, how to choose high-quality planting material?
First of all, you need to pay attention to the presence of clothespins. Any fruit tree must be grafted, otherwise it is just a wild growth that is of no value and does not have varietal characteristics.
Next, you need to inspect the roots. It is desirable that they grow evenly on all sides of the trunk and do not have visible damage or cone-shaped growths. The bark should not be flaccid, dry or wrinkled. Before the sale of seedlings, all their leaves are removed to avoid dehydration of the tree.
Any, even annual plant, prepared for disembarkation, must have a height of at least one meter. Make sure that the trunk of the seedling is evenly developed.
Now you have learned to choose and are ready to start landing, but the question arises: when? Planting fruit trees in spring or autumn is entirely up to you. The optimal disembarkation time can be determined by many factors.
When to plant trees, spring or fall?
The very first rule is that trees should be planted when they are at rest. It happens in the fall, after the cessation active growth, and in early spring - until the sap flow began. But then another question arises. When to plant trees in spring, and when is it better to give preference to autumn landings?
Firstly, it depends on the climatic conditions of your region. In the northern regions and the middle lane, planting seedlings in the spring gives top scores. In autumn, young trees can freeze here. In places with sufficient snow cover, seedlings planted in autumn are protected from freezing by a layer of snow.
Secondly, the optimal planting time can also be determined by the type of seedlings. Some crops tolerate spring planting better, while others, on the contrary, fall.
What trees are best to plant in the spring
Many people wonder what trees are planted in spring? The answer is simple. In the spring, you can plant almost all fruit trees. There are times when spring planting is the only possible variant. Some winter-resistant pears, plums, apple trees are doomed to death if they are planted in the fall. It is also desirable to plant sea buckthorn, cherries and apricots in spring.
When to plant trees in spring
It should start with the fact that you need to prepare for spring from the fall. You can choose a place in advance, dig a pit, enrich the soil with natural fertilizers. An important point is not to miss the time when it is best to plant trees in spring.
Beginning gardeners start planting young shoots with the onset of warm days, while they make a huge mistake. In order for young plants to take root, they should be rooted in a new place as soon as the snow melts, but keep in mind that the ground should not be frozen by this time.
Stop planting plants should be at least a week before the appearance of the kidneys. It is difficult to name specific numbers, as it depends on specific weather conditions.
Benefits of spring tree planting
- By planting a tree in the spring, you will have a harvest a year earlier than when planting in the fall.
- Over the winter, you can properly prepare for spring work, draw up a schedule and work plan.
- Some garden work can be carried out in autumn or winter, for example, the preparation of fertilizers, the formation of pits for planting.
- During spring plantings, it is almost immediately clear which of the seedlings have taken up normally and started to grow, and which ones require additional care or transplantation.
What is problematic spring landing
- In spring, the range of planting material on the market is less than in autumn.
- After planting, it will be necessary to water the young seedling more often, protecting it from spring droughts.
- It is necessary to clearly select the time when to plant trees in the spring, to calculate so that the tree has time to take root before the start of sap flow.
Features of spring gardening
Inexperienced amateur gardeners believe that the way to plant a tree is the same at any time. In fact, each season has its own characteristics. Let's learn how to properly plant trees in spring.
Trees sit down before the onset of heat, so Special attention must be drawn to the ground. The soil may not be as soft and pliable as in autumn. To strengthen the adhesion of the roots to the ground, you need to additionally dip them in a clay mash. When planting, natural fertilizers, such as manure, are used.
The first time after planting, plants require careful care. Make sure that the soil does not dry out, try to hide young shoots from overly active sunlight.
In the spring, 5-7 days after planting, growth activators can be used - nitrogen fertilizers that promote the appearance of young shoots in the plant.
- In order not to miss the timing of spring planting, all preparatory work should be carried out in autumn.
- When choosing a landing site, consider the level of groundwater. It shouldn't be too high. It is also not recommended to plant trees in places of accumulation of melt water.
- Be sure to pay attention to the fertility of the soil. Apply fertilizer if the soil in the place where you are going to plant a tree is poor.
- Tall seedlings must be planted together with a support. It will protect fragile stems from gusty spring winds.
And most importantly, you need to remember: a tree is a living being and requires an appropriate attitude towards itself. Young seedlings, like small children, need constant attention and care, getting what they need, they will surely please you with a good harvest.
Every gardener wants to see his garden healthy, beautiful and abundantly fruitful. The key to good growth lush flowering and getting a harvest is a properly carried out planting of fruit trees in the spring.
Unfortunately, the site owner does not always take this procedure responsibly, choosing the first available place for the tree, somehow organizing a planting hole, or placing seedlings too often, not taking into account their growth. Looking forward to fruition and good harvest in this case is not necessary. How and when to plant seedlings of fruit trees in spring? Are there any secrets that allow plants to take root faster and start growing?
Planting dates for seedlings of fruit trees in spring
First of all, it is worth clarifying the timing of planting plants. The literature often indicates that autumn planting is preferred for tree seedlings, however, it should be borne in mind that this recommendation applies to the southern regions.
In the conditions of a long warm autumn, winter-hardy trees and shrubs have time to acclimatize and take root, enduring the winter quite well and starting to grow from early spring. The further north is garden plot, the greater the risk of freezing of the tree.
Therefore, in the northern regions, planting of fruit trees in the spring is more often undertaken. At the same time, it is possible to save seedlings of even the most heat-loving crops, as well as successfully transfer plants with an open root system to the ground. True, such a landing has one feature. It should be carried out as early as possible so that the seedling meets the beginning of the growing season already in the soil on permanent place residence. Still "sleeping" trees are not sensitive to the active sun and possible frosts.
When to plant fruit trees and shrubs in the spring, on which foliage has already appeared? Indeed, today at spring sales you can buy planting material already with opened buds and even leaves. Such bushes and trees cannot wait. But it's best to drop them off:
- upon the onset of stable heat, when there is no danger of frostbite of the shoots and root system, especially at night;
- in cloudy weather, when there is less risk of sunburn of the buds and foliage that is not accustomed to direct sun.
The specific dates for planting fruit trees and shrub seedlings in the spring depend on the climatic and weather characteristics of the region, the composition of the soil and the location of the site. As a rule, in the lowlands, snowmelt is less active, the soil dries out worse, which delays planting.
Whatever the time for planting seedlings of fruit trees in the spring, preparations for work begin in the fall, choosing a place for plants in advance and preparing planting pits.
The scheme of planting fruit trees and shrubs on the site
Looking for a place for the future orchard, it must be remembered that for plants it is extremely important not only soil fertility and, but also lighting. For young plants, the site is selected so that the seedlings are in the light for at least half a day. At the same time, for fragile trees, it is necessary to provide protection from the cold wind.
For speedy acclimatization, it is advised to plant fruit plants the way they grew up in the nursery. It is possible to determine the orientation of a tree along the cardinal points, starting from the age of two, along the length of the side shoots. On the south side, they are usually better developed than on the north.
But how to plant a seedling of a fruit tree in the spring if a three-year-old or older plant with an asymmetric crown was brought from the nursery? In this case, it is more useful to deploy it so that the short branches look south. In a couple of years, taking into account corrective pruning, the crown will become uniform and correct.
Mastering a new site, novice gardeners often make a serious mistake. When planting fruit trees in spring, they do not take into account that the height, width of the crown and the characteristics of agricultural technology in the planted species can be very different. The young garden looks well-groomed and grows amicably, but after a few years it turns out that a large pear completely obscured the undersized ones, and berry bushes are not visible under the cherry crowns.
Even at the planning stage, the exact layout of the trees is determined. The health of the plants and the yield they bring will subsequently depend on this plan.
How to determine the minimum distance between fruit trees when planting?
When measuring the distance between seedlings, they are guided by the total value of the height of neighboring adult trees. For example, a fruit-bearing cherry reaches a height of three meters, which means that there must be at least six meters between neighboring trees of the same species and variety. This will create all the conditions for development, as a result of:
- the crowns of grown trees will not overlap and will not shade each other;
- nothing will stop pollination flowering trees, growth and filling of fruits;
- much easier to care for the crop and harvest.
In addition, with such planting of fruit trees and shrubs on the site, the risk of infection of the garden with fungal infections and insect damage is seriously reduced.
How to plant seedlings of fruit trees in spring?
It is not enough to purchase high-quality planting material. Any seedling can die if the preparation for its planting was carried out "slipshod". The planting of fruit trees scheduled for spring suggests that the pits for them will be laid in the fall. If this cannot be done, and the summer resident takes the shovel in the spring, then at least two weeks should pass from the moment the pit is laid until the roots of the tree fall into it.
Two- or three-year-old, pears, plums and other stone fruits differ little in size, so they dig a hole under them at least 80 cm in diameter and the same depth. When planting a plant with a closed root system, it is convenient to focus on the size of the container, making the hole 15–20 cm wider and deeper.
To tie up a new garden dweller, a strong support is immediately driven into the bottom of the pit, which will help the plant maintain its verticality in the coming years.
Oddly enough, caring for a fruit tree does not begin after planting, but before it, with fertilizing and preparing the soil into which the seedling will fall. From autumn, fresh manure can be brought into the pit, which will overheat during the winter and will not have a burning effect on the roots of the tree. If the soil in the area is too acidic, it is lime or mixed with dolomite flour. If necessary, excessively dense soil is mixed with sand, and fertile black soil is added to the sandy loam.
H So that during planting in the spring the seedling of the fruit tree does not come into contact with manure or granular products, a layer of fertilizers is sprinkled with a small amount of fertile soil.
How are fruit trees planted in prepared pits in spring? Step by step:
- The roots of plants with an open root system are straightened, if necessary, soaked overnight to restore tone to wilted areas.
- The seedling is installed on a cone of fertile soil so that the roots are freely located in the pit, and the root neck is five centimeters above the soil surface. You can check the correct installation of the seedling with a shovel.
- The tree is sprinkled with soil, avoiding voids between the roots and under the trunk.
Planting a seedling with a closed root system is much easier. You just need to put a moistened earthen clod in a pit, check the level of the neck and sprinkle the voids with a substrate. At the end of the procedure, young trees and shrubs must be watered.
A video about planting seedlings of fruit trees in the spring will help you figure out the intricacies of the process on your own. Attentive attention to the needs of the plant and careful preparation will be a guarantee that the theoretical knowledge gained will be useful in practice.
Rules for planting seedlings - video
