Planting plums in autumn: step-by-step instructions

One of the most beloved and sought after crops in our gardens is plum. A native of Asia, she quickly spread throughout Europe, having got to Russia. In order for this unpretentious shrub to take root and give a rich harvest, not only good care, but also proper planting is necessary. In the middle lane, it is preferable to plant a plant in spring (April). But the autumn landing, made before mid-October by all the rules, is also possible.

Advantages and disadvantages of autumn planting

Planting plums in autumn has its advantages:

1. If the plant does not survive the winter, then in the spring it can simply be replaced by another.
2. Return frosts will not be able to affect the planting time - the tree is already in the ground.
3. Awakening buds require moisture and nutrition, and compacted soil at this point will provide everything you need.
4. The specimen will begin to bear fruit a season earlier than during spring planting.
5. The seedling dug in the fall is not sensitive to damage to the root system, as it was removed from the soil after completion of the growing season.
6. There is no need to store the tree in the trenches for spring planting.
7. Double dose of nutrition (with autumn transplant and spring care).

There are disadvantages:

1. Thorough warming is required for wintering the plant.
2. Plum should be planted after the end of the growing season, but not less than 3-4 weeks before the onset of frost.
3. Inability to constantly monitor the state of the seedling.
4. Winter with temperature differences is very difficult for the survival of a young tree. Many specimens die in the winter.

Outdoor landing

In order for the seedling to take root and successfully winter, it is necessary to observe the following rules in preparation for planting:

• The landing pit should be dug up in advance, a few weeks before planting.
• The size of the pit is 70x70x70, if there are several seedlings or a whole row - the distance between them should not be less than 3 m.
• At the bottom of the pit for drainage of spring water is placed drainage from broken brick, gravel with sand, small pebbles with a layer of 10-20 cm.
• The next layer is organics. It can be ripened compost or humus.
• It is followed by a layer of ordinary soil with a thickness of 3-5 cm, so that the tender immature roots of the seedling are not burned. The temperature of the organic layer will be much higher than ordinary soil, and a full-fledged autumn diet will provoke the beginning of the growing season (swelling and budding of the buds) in the winter. This must not be allowed. Organics are laid for use by its seedling in subsequent seasons, because the tree will grow in this place for many years.
• The rest of the planting land is mixed in half with organic and wood ash (0.5-1 l). This ground will fill the pit when placing the plant.

Seedling Selection

A few tips:

1. When choosing a seedling, focus only on zoned varieties.
2. It is very important to consider the factor of self-fertility: for many varieties of plums, pollination is required, without it the fruits do not set. Self-fertile varieties bear fruit better when there is a neighborhood of pollinator drains.
3. For a small household territory, it is better to purchase undersized plum varieties (up to 2 m).

The table of the best varieties for the Moscow region and the central region will help.

For the Yakhontovaya variety with partial self-fertility, the best pollinators will be Skorospelka red or Pamyat Timiryazev.

Planting plums in Siberia and further care for it are carried out in the same way as throughout Russia. It is important to choose a zoned variety that can vegetate and bear fruit in the conditions of severe Siberian winters. And another feature is the formation of the plant with a low-stem bush.

Location

In the early years, the main function of the plum tree is to increase the vegetative mass, that is, to grow in breadth and height.

In the period of full fruiting, the plum will come later. But the correct development and laying of the crop occurs already when choosing the place of planting.

This culture is afraid of drafts, freezes in the cold of lowlands, where damp air stagnates. Really dislikes the shadow. It may come to terms with partial shade, but it will bring the best crops in a well-lit place.

Experienced gardeners plant plums under the protection of fences and houses, but taking into account the daily illumination.

The soil

Plum prefers fertile loose soil with a neutral level of acidity. It does not matter if the soil is loamy or loamy, the main condition is the regular receipt by the tree of a sufficient amount of nutrients.

1. Clay soil is not suitable for plum. Despite its rich composition, it holds moisture, and the culture does not tolerate this. Also, in drought clay, tree roots cannot find water and die without constant watering.
2. Plum will not grow well on acidic soil, so the owners of such sites in the planting pit contribute deoxidant. Slaked lime, dolomite flour and even ordinary wood ash play this role.
   Culture is not at all adapted to the conditions of waterlogging. Stagnant moisture is destructive.
3. Wetlands and soils with high standing groundwater categorically do not resemble. If the owner of the low section decided to plant a tree, then it can grow only on the bulk ridge, where there is at least 1.5 m to the water.

Step-by-step instruction

Detailed step-by-step instructions on how to plant a plum in the fall:

1. A wooden peg is driven into the center of a pit prepared in a month or a half month, which in the first years of life will serve as a support for the plant.
2. A mound is formed from pre-excavated soil on which a seedling will be placed.
3. The roots are carefully inspected: damaged and bad ones are removed, too long are cut, dried up - soaked in water. Do not shake off the ground in which the tree was bought.
4. The plant is placed in the center of the landing pit, directly on the mound. The roots straighten around the edges and gently fall asleep with the ground. The peg is located 5-7 cm from the north. The soil should not close the root neck, it remains 3-5 cm higher.
5. The roots of the tree continue to be covered with earth, gently compacted so that underground voids do not form in the pit.
6. Garter of a sapling to a peg is possible only with a thick cord or piece of cloth, but not with wire.
7. The last stage is abundant watering (up to 2 buckets per plant), after that - loosening the soil and mulching the soil of the near-trunk zone.

This culture is easy to grow, even a novice can handle it, the main thing is proper planting and further care. Namely, the application of fertilizers, weeding of tree trunks from weeds, the formation and thinning of the crown, spraying from diseases and pests, removal of root shoots, whitewashing of the trunk from frost pits.

Watch the video: Totally Preventable Mistakes When Planting Fruit Trees (November 2024).