Where and how best to plant a plum. Planting and caring for the plum. Plum care for a good harvest - video

Plum tree on the site allows you to get delicious and healthy fruits, which you can not only eat, but also cook jam, compotes, wine and jelly from them. Plum is a fairly unpretentious plant, so its cultivation does not cause any particular difficulties. The tree is easy to care for and does not require complex pruning. In order to count on a quick harvest, you need to know how to plant a plum.

Autumn planting plum

Although this tree is indeed unpretentious, it is very sensitive in the first few months after planting.

To increase the survival rate of the plant, one should strictly adhere to the transplantation technology, which was developed and tested by gardeners over many years of working with this fruit: planting a plum in the fall allows you to achieve a good survival rate of seedlings.

Selection of planting material

For plums, like absolutely any plant, certain conditions are important. Breeders have been able to develop many varieties that are adapted to different climates and soil composition.

In order for a tree to really have a high yield, you should choose varieties of seedlings that can survive in certain conditions. To do this, you need to ask about popular varieties in your area.

It is very likely to unknowingly choose good variety yielding many fruits, but which is not able to endure frost or local drought. By relying on the right variety, you can increase the chances of a good harvest and survival of the tree.

When buying seedlings, you should pay attention to the root system. It should be well developed, and the root itself should be dug out of the soil to the maximum.

You should not choose trees whose main root has been cut too close to the trunk.

It is desirable that the thickness of the tree be about 1-2 cm or a little more. For some varieties, seedlings, even at the age of two, can be thinner than 1 cm, so deviations as an exception are quite acceptable.

Autumn plum reproduction should take place during the period of cessation of the vegetative cycle, when the seedling has completely shed its leaves and prepared for the coming winter. It is best to plant plums in mid-October. For planting, you can use both annual and biennial seedlings.

Site selection and pit preparation

Before you plant a plum in the fall, you need to choose for it a good place. The tree will be on it for decades, and the future yield directly depends on it.

It is desirable that there are no competitors sucking from the ground in the vicinity of the drain useful material. The place itself should be sunny or in partial shade. For fruit ripening, it is important to get a sufficient amount of light, therefore, with full shade, obtaining full-fledged fruits becomes impossible.

You can plant a plum in the fall with a minimum set, because the plants at this time are in a state of pause, therefore it is completely undemanding. All that is required is:

shovel;
seedling;
3-4 kg of humus;
10 liters of water.

Autumn planting of plums is accompanied by much less effort than spring. It is advisable to prepare a pit a few days in advance.

A hole is dug with parameters of 60x60 cm and with the same depth. The usual humus is introduced into it. It is enough to take it in an amount of 3-4 kg and mix it in a ratio of 1:10 with the earth from the pit. After that, about one bucket of this mixture is poured to the bottom of the pit.

When planting, the tree trunk falls into a hole on a previously poured hill of earth and humus. The trunk of the tree is set on top of the embankment, and the roots are spread evenly along its slopes. After that, the pit is filled up to the edge, and no more than 10 liters of water is poured on top to compact the soil.

A few weeks before the start of the first persistent frost, it is necessary to protect the seedling from freezing. To do this, cover the backfilled pit with straw and protect it from moisture penetration with sheet metal, slate or tarpaulin.

The tree trunk itself should be wrapped in a bag or film. Such a precaution will be needed only in the first year after planting. This will protect the seedling from freezing, so that in early spring it will be able to take root well and begin active growth.

Advantages of autumn planting over spring

All gardeners will think about when it is better to plant a plum in spring or autumn. Both methods have their advantages, but when using purchased material, it is the seedling planted in autumn that gives a higher survival rate.

This is due to a number of factors:

insensitivity to damage;
no impact during spring activation;
the soil is already compacted at the moment of awakening;
freshness of the material.

A seedling grown in autumn develops much better. It is able to start bearing fruit a season earlier than a tree planted in spring.

An important advantage is that the seedling bought in the fall was removed from the nursery at the time of the termination of the growing season. It does not react to damage to the root system when dug up for transplantation.

Seedlings that are sold in the spring can spend quite a lot of time with the seller. For this reason, the tree may begin to activate growth even before it hits the ground. This greatly weakens the viability of the seedling, and it begins to fade.

As a result, after planting, the plant gets sick and can often die or not be accepted at all. Of course, in the spring there is no need to take care of protecting the plum from frost, as it would be in the fall. The question of how to grow a plum from a spring seedling has its own specifics, which requires pre-soaking the tree.

plum care

Planting a plum tree in the open field and caring for it is not too complicated. With the arrival of spring warmth and the retreat of severe frosts, the tree opens from burlap or a film wrapping its trunk and branches.

With the first signs of awakening of the kidneys, you can proceed to periodic watering. To begin with, the soil around the trunk lends itself to loosening. Keep the soil around the trunk moist, but allow it to dry completely before adding more water. This will protect the root system from decay.

The first year of life, caring for a tree is quite simple. The main task for the gardener is to form the correct direction of growth. To do this, a stake is hammered near the trunk and the tree is tied up. By setting the right direction without slopes in the first year of the plum's life, you can achieve an even trunk.

To speed up the cultivation, it is possible during the summer drought to make a special solution of chicken manure at the rate of 1:20 once when watering instead of clean water. Just 10 liters is enough to reinforce the tree with the nutrients it needs.

Starting from the second year, watering with such a solution should be carried out 1 time in 2 months. When the tree trunk reaches 5 centimeters, this will mean that the root system has already developed sufficiency and the plum will be able to independently extract everything necessary for active growth.

Starting from the second year, from the moment of plum transplantation, in March it is recommended to carry out sanitary pruning of the crown. The top of the central part of the trunk is removed. This contributes to the growth of the crown in width, and not in height. As a result, harvesting will be possible without the need to use a long ladder.

In addition, branches are removed whose growth is directed inside the crown, because the fruits will not fully ripen on them, due to insufficient sunlight. As a result, they will become just a useless load weakening the tree. After removing the branches, the cut must be covered with garden pitch, which will reduce the loss of juice at the time the tree awakens to active growth.

Such sanitary pruning can cause a decrease in the active development of the tree, so you should try to remove branches to a minimum. It is advisable to do this no more than once every two or three years.

In the third or fourth year, the plum begins to multiply, so the first fruits appear on it. When this happens, the tree strongly draws nutrients from the soil. To avoid skipping the harvest for the next year, you should take care of the autumn top dressing after the end of fruiting. For this you will need:

40 liters of water;
2 tbsp. spoons of potassium chloride;
3 art. spoons of superphosphate.

Growing a plum is quite a simple task that can be compared to a peach, apricot or cherry. It is important to pay attention to tree planting and watering in the first year, after which care will become much easier and will be reduced to only annual autumn top dressing. On good soil, the tree may well do without additional manipulations and all that remains is to cut the shrunken branches in time, harvest and remove the fallen leaves.

Having gained experience in caring for apple and cherry trees, it's time to think about how plums are planted. This stone fruit culture is no less popular, occurring on every third suburban area. A lot speaks in favor of its breeding: the interesting taste of juicy and fragrant fruits, the variability of their use, the variety of varieties, the simplicity of agricultural technology. Plum trees can bear fruit even in regions with cold winters: in Siberia and the Urals. The main thing is to choose the right hybrid for the garden.

Site Requirements

Yellow or purple, columnar or tall - all plums love light and warmth. For trees, it is better to take a place as open as possible to the sun, where the soil warms up quickly. It should be located in the southern, southwestern or western part of the site. Even before planting, you need to calculate how long the tree will stretch, whether it will be in the shade of neighboring plants and the walls of buildings. The lack of light will slow down the development of the plum and negatively affect the crop: the fruits will be small and sour, and their number will decrease. The decorative effect of the tree will also suffer: its leaves will fade and begin to turn yellow.

In areas blown by cold winds and drafts, plums will not bear fruit well. Air currents will blow pollen from them, and the trees will not be able to pollinate. It is more productive to grow them on gentle slopes or on plains with broadly undulating relief. This is where the plums will get the air drainage they need. Plants will be protected from cold air and from its accumulation in one place. Trees should not be planted in the lowlands. They bloom in early spring, when the threat of frost is still strong. Therefore, plums growing in low-lying places bear fruit irregularly, leaving the owners without a harvest for years.

In relation to the type of soil, the culture is unpretentious. Only acidic soil does not suit her. Ideal for plums loose soils, well passing air to the roots of trees. The ground should be moist, but not waterlogged. Optimal level for culture ground water- 1.5-2 m from the surface of the site.

You can also grow a plum on light, quickly drying ground, if you enrich it with organic fertilizers before planting and do not forget to regularly feed the tree.

Plants develop best on gray forest soil, loam, sandy loam soil and chernozem.

It is not necessary to set up a garden in areas with peaty-marshy land and with close (less than 1 m) sand occurrence. The effort you put in will not pay off.

It will be possible to return plums to their original place when 4-5 years have passed since the uprooting of old trees. During this time, nutrients will accumulate in the soil again, and it will be easier for the seedlings to take root.

Soil preparation

Before planting a plum, the soil is carefully dug up, deepening into it by 1 bayonet of a shovel. So the soil is saturated with oxygen. Usually start the procedure in October. If stock nutrients scarce in the ground, fertilize. Organic and mineral compounds are suitable for plums. The following components are scattered over 1 m² of the surface of the site before digging:

humus or compost (6-8 kg);
superphosphate (40-50 g);
potassium salt (20-30 g).

If a columnar variety of culture is chosen for breeding, it is better to give preference to organic fertilizers. They are added only in preparation for landing, but not in its process. Otherwise, abundant feeding can harm the root system of trees.

On acidic soils carry out liming. Dolomite flour or ash is used for this. For 1 m² of land they spend 600-800 g of the substance.

The area allotted for growing plums must be freed from tall fruit and berry trees at least 2-3 years before planting the crop. After them, a minimum of nutrients remains in the soil, so it should be well fertilized.

Pit dimensions

A hole for a seedling is dug in advance. The minimum period for its preparation is 2 weeks before placing the plum in open ground. Dig a hole for spring planting better in autumn. It should be deep (50-60 cm) and wide enough (70-80 cm). Extracted from the pit upper layer soil is mixed with other nutrients:

humus (1-2 buckets);
peat (2 buckets);
superphosphate (300 g);
potassium sulfate (60-80 g). You can replace it with wood ash. 500-600 g of the substance is placed in each pit.

If the soil on the site is poor, the pit is made larger. Its depth is brought to 60-70 cm, and the diameter is up to 100 cm. The dosage of fertilizers is also increased. It is enough to mix peat or humus into fertile soil. All components are taken in equal proportions. Sand is added to the heavy earth (1 bucket per pit). When planted in seasoned soil, the tree will require top dressing only after 3-4 years.

In the center of the pit, a support is installed - a long and durable wooden stake. After the pit is filled up, its height should be at least 50 cm. Then a nutrient substrate is poured onto the bottom, filling the pit by ⅔.

Empirically, the answer to the question of how to properly plant a plum in the lowlands was obtained. The tree is not placed in a hole, but on a hill 40-50 cm high. Its base is made wide - 1.8-2 m. A plum is also planted near fences and in areas where little snow accumulates in winter. With a close location of groundwater, professionals advise equipping drainage ditches next to the trees, where excess moisture will go.

Dates and landing scheme

more popular spring planting plums. It can be carried out in early autumn, but most summer residents prefer not to risk it, because there is no guarantee that the tree will have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. Especially high is the risk of freezing of young plums in the first year of life on a site in the northern regions: in the Leningrad region, in Siberia, in the Urals. You should not postpone planting until autumn even if a columnar variety of a tree is chosen for it.

Plums are placed early in the open ground in spring. It will take 5 days from the moment the soil thaws, and you can already start planting. You need to spend it quickly - in just 10-15 days. If you plant a plum in the spring too late, it will take root worse. Will negatively affect the rooting of the tree high temperatures and oversaturation of the soil with moisture. For the same reason, plum transplantation should not be delayed. It is carried out while the buds on the plant are still sleeping. The only exception is the columnar plum. It is recommended to plant it in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region only when the frosts are left behind.

The layout of trees is determined by their varieties. If the plums are of medium height, at least 2 m of free space is left between seedlings, and 4 m between rows. Tall trees will need more space. The interval between them is increased to 3 m, and the row spacing is up to 4.5 m. Compact columnar plums are placed closer. Only 30-40 cm can be left between their seedlings. Rows are made with an interval of 1.5 m.

Seedling selection

When purchasing a plum seedling, you need to consider all the nuances:

his age;
variety features.

Nurseries offer grafted and own-rooted trees. The former enter the fruiting period earlier. A grafted plum planted on the site begins to bear fruit already for 3-4 years. From own-rooted plants, it will take longer to wait for the first berries - 5-6 years. But they have other advantages: durability and the ability to recover quickly.

The vigorous growth of the plum determines the survival rate of its seedlings. She is higher than annual plants, the root system of which receives less damage when excavated. In trees at the age of 2 years, it is more developed, so it is more difficult for them to adapt to new conditions. They get sick longer and often die.

So that growing plums does not bring disappointment, you need to choose the right varieties for planting. Trees that have been bringing crops in the south for years will not be able to please the same in the conditions of the Moscow region or the Leningrad region. In these areas, it is better to plant cold-resistant varieties of crops. But not all of them are suitable for the special conditions of Siberia. Ussuri and Canadian plums and hybrids that combine the properties of plums and cherries are successfully grown here.

Choosing Trees different varieties, you need to take into account their compatibility, otherwise you can leave hopes for a good harvest. There is a self-fertile plum, which does not need pollinators to form ovaries. But to neglect their landing is still not worth it. next to the plums suitable varieties more berries are formed on it.

Landing Rules

Before being placed in the ground, the seedling is inspected. Cut off damaged roots. You can shorten them by ½ length. If the roots are dry, they are dipped in a bucket of water for several hours. Before planting, they are dipped in a clay mash.

The seedling is placed in a hole on a mound so that the support is on the north side, and the distance to it is 15 cm. Its roots should not come into contact with fertilizers, so they are covered with ordinary black soil. The root neck of the tree is not deepened. In regions where the plum is threatened with freezing (in Siberia, in the Urals), it can be covered with earth by 5-7 cm, but then the risk of its dampening will increase. In areas with a favorable climate for growing crops, the root neck should remain above the soil surface (2-5 cm from it). After watering, the soil will settle, and it will sink to its level. It is undesirable to overestimate the seedling. For the roots of the tree, this is fraught with washing out and drying out.

The soil around the planted plum is well compacted. There should be no air voids around the roots, otherwise the plant will dry out. Having made a hole, carry out abundant watering. For each tree spend 3-4 buckets of water. It is good to add drugs to it that stimulate the growth of roots. Planting is completed by mulching the near-stem circle, for which any organic matter is used. It is recommended to immediately carry out preventive spraying of trees. Seedlings that have not yet established roots are especially vulnerable to diseases and pests.

Watering and fertilizing

Caring for a plum orchard is easy. It includes standard activities:

watering;
top dressing;
pruning.

Plum can easily tolerate drought, but it is moisture-loving. The regularity of watering determines the quality and quantity of the crop. The first is carried out when the tree is preparing for flowering - 10-15 days before it starts. After the same amount of time after flying around the last petals, moisturizing is repeated.

In dry summers, care in the form of watering is carried out at the end of each month. They do not stop it in September either, this is important for laying flower buds for the next season. When watering, you need to take into account weather conditions and the natural moisture content of the soil. The lack of water will lead to yellowing of the leaves of the tree, and its excess - to cracking of the fruit.

Often you don’t have to feed the plantings, the plum does not like frills. Nutrient formulations are applied to the near-stem circle every 2-3 years. In late autumn, the soil is enriched with humus or compost (0.5 buckets per 1 m² of soil surface), after mixing them with superphosphate (50 g) and potassium sulfate (20 g). At the beginning of the growing season, the trees are fed ammonium nitrate, diluting it in water at the rate of 20 g of the substance per 1 m².

plum pruning

So that the growth of the plum is uniform, and the extra shoots do not draw strength from it and do not obscure the fruits, its crown is formed. Regular pruning makes it easier to harvest and care for the tree. For the first time, a newly planted plum is subjected to it, leaving only the most powerful and even shoots on it. They should form several tiers, each of which consists of 4-6 branches. The main conductor is made the longest.

branches upper tier should be shorter than the lower branches. It is correct if the left shoots form an angle of 40˚ or a little more with the trunk. So they do not break off under the weight of the berries. Tiers should be at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other. Most of the branches are left in the lower one, in each subsequent their number is reduced. When the formation of the crown of the tree is completed, the task of the gardener will be to maintain it in perfect condition. You will have to carry out sanitary pruning and remove shoots that thicken and grow incorrectly.

In the gardens of Siberia, plum is a bush. This form is given to it intentionally to help the plant adapt to adverse weather conditions. Columnar trees are pruned only when necessary, removing dry, broken and damaged by frost or disease branches. They may need to form a crown in 2 cases.

If the apical bud, located on the main shoot, becomes unviable. It is cut off, and a side branch is made central. You can leave several shoots (2-3), subsequently removing the less developed ones or using them for scioning.
For decorative purposes. Then pruning is carried out regularly, especially in the first years of the tree's life. But keep in mind that it can negatively affect its yield.

Preparing seedlings for winter

Frost is a formidable enemy of young plums (at the age of 1-2 years). Seedlings can safely survive the winter only with proper preparation for it. It consists of the following activities:

careful digging of the soil around the trunk (it will saturate the soil with oxygen, which is important for plum roots);
tying tree branches to reliable support and pulling them together. After the procedure, the crown of the tree should resemble a broom. This will protect the shoots from breaking off under gusts of wind.

In the first year of life on the site, the plum is added dropwise for the winter, covering it with a thick layer of snow. Such preparation will not be superfluous for adult trees, especially in regions where severe frosts are the norm. Snow is raked to the trunk, and covered with hay on top. Under the branches of tall trees, extending at an acute angle, they put props. So they will not break under the weight of snow caps.

Requires preparation for cold weather and frost-resistant columnar plum. The soil between the trees is covered with a layer of mulch. It is better to use softwood sawdust for this purpose. So that tree trunks do not suffer from rodents, they are wrapped.

There are subtleties in growing plums, but you can’t call it complicated. Even with no breeding experience fruit trees it can be successfully managed if the advice of professional gardeners is taken into account and the requirements of the culture are met. Plums are cultivated almost everywhere. And the variety of its varieties is breathtaking. Yellow, red, blue, purple, black - any of the varieties of culture will delight you with a generous harvest, without requiring tireless attention and care from the gardener.

Plum is one of the first fruit trees cultivated by man. And this is not surprising, because the branchy graceful tree has rich green foliage. In early spring it's amazing beautiful flowers and allows you to enjoy the exquisite aroma. Truly, a plum is an adornment of any site. Is it necessary to talk about delicious fruits?

Every gardener tries to plant this tree on his site without fail. And only a few know how to grow a plum from a seed. Let's see how this process happens.

What caused the interest?

Surprisingly, many summer residents are wondering how to grow a plum from a seed. Why are they interested in this particular tree?

This desire is due to several reasons:

Plum easily adapts to our climate. However, it is not "capricious". Even minimal care is enough for an amazing tree to please with a delicious and plentiful harvest.
In addition, it should be said about the benefits of fruits for the human body. The concentration of nutrients in the plum is quite high. According to their content, the tree occupies an honorable second place, second only to raspberries.
Plum is widely used in a wide variety of dishes. Juicy fruits become the basis of excellent sauces. They make delicious desserts. Plums are used to make compotes, jellies, juices, jams. In addition, delicious fruits are one of the favorite treats of children.

Such factors make people look for ways to grow a plum from a seed.

Tree varieties

If you are serious about growing plums from seeds (the photo shows a beautiful tree that you can get), there are a few things to consider.

One of them is right choice varieties. The tree from which you take the stone must necessarily grow in your climate zone. Only in this case, the seedling will be able to please you with beautiful fruits.

If the parent tree grows in a warm climate, then it is difficult to count on the success of the venture. Most often, a "wild" grows from such planting material. But even if this does not happen, the drain will "freeze". This means that a beautiful plentiful harvest is not to be seen. Therefore, we will consider which varieties are best used so that a plum from the stone appears in your garden.

Grow in middle lane the following varieties are possible:

"Belarusian";
"Minsk";
"Vitebsk late";
"Volga beauty".

In dry regions, varieties will take root perfectly:

"Egg blue";
"Morning";
"Eurasia".

For warm areas suitable species:

"Kuban comet";
"Victoria";
"Cromagne".

Is it possible to grow a plum from a seed?

This is a question often asked by beginner gardeners. Sometimes such a dilemma arises for experienced specialists. After all, from time to time there is a desire to plant a completely different variety from those that are available on the site.

Initially, we note that 3 ways allow you to get a tree:

Propagation by green cuttings.
Use of root cuttings.
You can grow a plum from the seed.

The last method is of the greatest interest. However, before considering this method, you should learn about some features:

The landing process is quite laborious. It will require a lot of patience from you.
Not every tree grown from seed will bear fruit.
Sometimes plums differ in taste characteristics from their "parent".

However, do not rush to despair. Is it possible to grow a plum from a stone that will have excellent characteristics? Experienced breeders say yes. After all, it is from the seeds that new varieties are derived. And maybe you will be the second Michurin.

As you can see, a stone plum may well appear on your site. Even novice gardeners can grow a tree at home.

You just need to listen to the advice of experienced professionals:

Planting material should be taken from ripe juicy plums.
It is best to take a few bones. Since in the first year some seedlings may not withstand frost and die.
It is recommended to plant the seedling initially at home - in a pot. And only in the fall to transfer it to open ground. Such conditions will provide a greater likelihood that the seedling will take root and begin to bear fruit.

Preparatory stage

Now let's look at how to grow a plum from a seed. Initially planting material needs to be prepared.

Such a procedure is as follows:

Planting in a pot

Having considered First stage, allowing you to understand how to grow a plum from a stone, let's move on to the next one.

Now your planting material needs the following activities:

It should be noted that the tree does not need special conditions. If you provide him with the same care as anyone else houseplant, then the plum will quickly please with its sprouts.

Transplant to the ground

If you provided proper care growing plants, then by autumn, medium-sized seedlings are formed from your seeds. They can already be planted on the site.

Rest assured that the growing process will take approximately 4 years. And the tree will please with fruits only after 5-6 years. Initially, the plums will be quite small. However, year after year their size will increase.

The second option for growing a seedling

If you are confused by such a long process, it can be greatly accelerated.

Consider another method on how to grow a plum from a stone at home:

Site selection

When thinking about how to grow a tree from a plum seed, you need to consider a few more important points:

It is best to plant a seedling on a small hill. Plum is a lover of sunlight. Therefore, to get a great harvest, provide her with a bright area.
It is recommended to plant trees along the fence. Like many plants, plums do not like drafts. It is along the fence or barn that it is easier to find calm places.
Northern areas are preferred for plums. Because it is on them that the snow lingers longer.

Required soil

Now let's talk about soil.

Gardeners, explaining how to grow a plum from a stone, are advised to follow the rules:

Third landing method

Experienced gardeners do not use long preparatory stages. They plant the seeds directly in the open ground.

However, the seed with this approach needs protection. Therefore, mouse poison is laid out around the planting. After all, rodents are very fond of germinated seeds.

Unfortunately, weather conditions cannot be predicted. And, therefore, there is no guarantee that seedlings will appear in the spring. Sometimes the first sprouts sprout from the seeds after 1.5 years.