Plum planting in August. Planting plum trees in spring. Further plum care

Plum can be grown throughout Russia, however, not all gardeners achieve success and large yields, but mainly residents of regions with a short summer. The fact is that plum is a fairly thermophilic stone fruit crop, which means that mistakes in choosing a variety and planting often lead to rather modest results.

Many agronomists and gardeners agree that it is better to plant fruit trees, including plums, in the fall, because. during this period, the young seedling will increase the underground part in an enhanced manner, i.e. its root system (which is necessary in the first place), and not aboveground, in other words, it will definitely not vegetate.

However, spring planting plums has some obvious benefits:

• In the process of growing a seedling in a warm period, you will be able to quickly respond to all possible problems(diseases, pests, lack of moisture) and immediately take necessary measures for their elimination.
• The spring supply of moisture in the soil will allow the root system of the seedling to adapt faster after planting and begin active growth.
• You have the opportunity to prepare a planting hole in advance, since autumn, so that the soil has time to settle by spring in order to avoid deepening the root neck during planting.

Alternative opinion

In fairness, it should be said that some gardeners, on the contrary, adhere to the old rule: pome crops(apple and pear trees) it is better to plant autumn, A stone fruits(plums, cherries, cherries, apricots) - spring.

The fact is that stone fruits culture(including plums) are considered less winter hardy, so they recommended to plant in spring so that before winter they have time to take root well and get stronger.

However, if you are a resident of the South of Russia, then this is not important for you. Another thing is if you are a representative of a region with a more severe (northern) climate.

There is even an opinion that in the southern regions it is better to plant all crops in the fall, and in the northern regions only in the spring.

Video: when is it better to plant seedlings of fruit and berry crops

Planting plums in spring and autumn: optimal timing

Well, we have analyzed several points of view on the subject of when it is better to plant plums - in spring or autumn. The decision is yours!

Note! Plum seedlings with a closed root system (in a container) can be planted all year round- from April to October, unless it is recommended to do this in the middle of summer, when it is very hot.

spring planting

So, you still need to have time to plant a plum in the spring before bud break on the seedling, in other words, before it enters the growing season (i.e. the plant must still be sleeping).

At the same time, an important condition for a successful spring planting is positive air temperature, and not only during the day (it should already be +5), but also at night.

Advice! Don't wait for the ground to completely thaw. It is very good to plant seedlings with an open root system immediately after the snow melts, but the earth has not yet had time to warm up and dry out much.

Thus, it is highly desirable to have time to plant while the seedlings are still “at rest”, otherwise this will necessarily adversely affect their survival and disrupt their natural development cycle.

By the way! Best time for planting seedlings - cloudy and calm weather: early morning or late evening.

As for the approximate dates, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, spring planting of plums is recommended from the end of March-April to the beginning-mid-May:

• So, in the South of Russia, you can plant plum seedlings in open ground in the second half of March-early April.
• In the Middle Strip (Moscow region), plums are planted no earlier than the second half of April.
• In Siberia and the Urals, spring planting of plums is carried out in late April-early May.

autumn planting

The main rule in determining optimal timing autumn planting is to calculate when they will come persistent frosts, and land 3-4 weeks before them, i.e. you should have about a month left. The fact is that the seedlings must have time to take root well before the onset of cold weather and successfully prepare for winter, and this will take time.

However! Too late to plant seedlings in the autumn is also not recommended, because. shoots must have time to mature well in order to successfully survive the winter. This is especially true for planting plums in cold (northern) regions, in the same Siberia.

However, if, God forbid, you are late, and frosts are expected within 1-2 weeks, then it is better to play it safe and postpone planting the plum until spring (you can save the seedling by digging it in the garden and covering it or planting it in a container and putting it in the basement, where the temperature is not higher than +3 degrees).

Interesting! Many experienced agronomists recommend plant plums in spring and buy seedlings in autumn, because their choice is wider, and the quality is much higher.

Thus, depending on the climatic features of the region, autumn planting of plums is recommended from September to the end of October:

• So, in the South of Russia, plums can be planted until late autumn - until the second half of October.
• Gardeners in the Middle Strip (Moscow Region) should have time to plant plums in the fall before the end of September (maximum - in early October).
• In colder regions - in the Northwest (in Leningrad region), as well as in Siberia and the Urals, plums are planted in early autumn - in the first half of September.

Video: planting plums in autumn in October from a container

According to the lunar calendar in 2020

It can help you choose the best date for planting seedlings moon calendar.

So, auspicious days for planting plums in spring and autumn in 2020 according to the lunar calendar are:

• in March - 26-29;
• in April - 11-15, 24, 25;
• in May - 2-10;
• in September - 19-26;
• in October - 3-13, 18-21.

Of course, it is not always possible to get to the dacha exactly in auspicious days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable dates according to the lunar calendar - the days of the New Moon and Full Moon, as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because. this is a barren and dry sign - highlighted in italics.

Unfavorable days, according to the lunar calendar for 2020, for planting plum seedlings are the following dates:

• in March - 9, 19-21 , 24;
• in April - 8, 15-17 , 23;
• in May - 7, 13-14 , 22;
• in June - 5, 9-11 , 21;
• in July - 5, 7-8 , 20;
• in August - 3 , 4-5 , 19, 31 ;
• in September - 1 , 2, 17, 27- 28 ;
• in October - 2, 16, 24-26 , 31;
• in November - 15, 20-22 , 30.

According to lunar calendar, from the magazine "1000 tips for summer residents."

How to plant a plum: instructions from A to Z (choosing a seedling, places in the garden, preparing a planting pit)

Before you run headlong for a seedling to a market or a garden fair, you need to carefully study all the rules for choosing a plant, as well as choosing a place in the garden and preparing a planting pit.

What should be a seedling

When choosing planting material (a particular variety), first of all, you need to pay attention to its origin. Best to choose zoned varieties draining yourself well proven when grown in your climate zone, i.e. They adapted to weather conditions and the soil composition of your growing region.

Worth knowing! Seedlings can be either with an open root system (OCS) or with a closed one (in a container).

It is better for beginner gardeners to buy seedlings in a container (although they are more expensive), while experienced gardeners can also purchase with OKS.

A quality plum seedling should have the following characteristics:

• General appearance seedling should be healthy, without signs of wilting, damage by diseases or pests.
• The seedling itself must be not older than 2 years (1-2 years of age), since at this age the seedlings adapt faster in a new place.
• Height seedlings should be within 1-1.5 m: any deviation up or down indicates not proper care behind it or about excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers.

Another thing is that some sellers immediately sell cut seedlings, but this is rare.

• The seedling must have well developed root system(without any growths and neoplasms), that is, in addition to the main root, there should be several more lateral roots (the older the seedling, the more roots it has), the length of which can be about 20-25 cm, while they should not be dried out and broken.

By the way! Even if you are buying a seedling with a closed root system, you may want to consider lateral roots as they tend to stick out of the container.

Advice! And to check that the seedling really has a closed root system, you need to take it by the trunk and shake it. If it sits tight, everything is fine, if not, then something is wrong here ... the seller just wants to cash in on you by slipping a seedling with OKS, which he moved into a container a couple of days ago.

• At the bottom, on the trunk, you should clearly see vaccination site(combinations of rootstock and scion), which will guarantee that this is a varietal tree, and not a wild one.

As a rule, grafting is done (they also say “grafted with an eye”), less often with a cutting (i.e., copulation).

• It is also worth evaluating the quality of the upper part of the trunk (grafted part): wood must be mature and strong without any mechanical damage, sunburn, frost cracks and bark cracks. And you the trunk must be straight and not bent.

Note! If the bark on the trunk peels off in places without damaging its integrity, then this is a sign of improper storage of the seedling in winter, which led to its freezing.

• It is highly desirable that the seedling had no signs of the beginning of vegetation, i.e. was at rest, which means that its kidneys should still be sleeping (i.e. there should not be leaves on it).

Important! This applies to the selection and purchase of a seedling in the early spring.

However, seedlings with a closed root system (in containers) in the spring are often sold already in the vegetative stage, which is quite normal. Therefore, in this case, you also need to carefully evaluate their appearance, especially the color of the leaves.

Video: how to choose a plum seedling

Preparing for landing

If you want to properly prepare the seedling for planting, then immediately before planting the plum, you should wash its roots from the old soil, then dip them in a clay mash, and then renew their (roots) tips, slightly cutting.

Important! Renewing the tips of the roots by cutting them is highly recommended if they are either too long or you notice that there are damaged, diseased or broken roots (in which case they need to be cut to a healthy place).

Some gardeners recommend completely soaking the seedling in water (possible with the addition of Kornevin) for a day or at least an hour. This will help restore the biological processes in the roots and saturate them with moisture, especially if you see that the roots are slightly dry (and this should never be allowed).

Landing place

Plum loves warmth and a lot of light, which means that this stone fruit will grow well and bear fruit abundantly only in open and well-lit areas of the garden.

The ideal option for planting a plum would be a place that will be protected from the withering winter winds on the north side (this could be your country house, some outbuilding or fence), while the tree itself, naturally, it should be placed on the south side (or at least on the southwest or west) so that during the day it receives the maximum amount of sunlight.

Can't plant a plum in the lowlands, where melt water stagnates for a long time or strongly swampy places.In other words, at the landing sitemoisture should not stagnate in the springwhen the snow melts.Otherwise, the root collar will simply support the plant, and its days will be numbered ..

The occurrence of groundwater in the area intended for planting plums should be at a level of 1.5-2 m from the surface of the earth.

Advice! If ground water lie close, then you have no choice but to make an artificial embankment and plant a seedling already on it.

Important! Plums and other trees should not be planted near large spreading trees (especially oreshin), as this always negatively affects their growth and productivity (if the seedling can grow and bear fruit normally at all).

At what distance

You have chosen the place, now you need to decide on the landing pattern.

If you want to plant several seedlings at once, then it is recommended to plant plums according to the scheme - 3 by 3, i.e. the distance between seedlings in a row and between rows should be 3 meters.

Advice! At exactly the same distance, it is necessary to retreat from other plants on the site so that the wide crown of the plum does not obscure them in the future.

Remember! The closer you plant trees, the more difficult it will be for you to control their crown in the future, in other words, you will need regular and mandatory pruning, including summer.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that some varieties of plums are not able to self-pollinate (self-infertile), so they should be planted only in groups (at least two, and preferably three different varieties).

Required soil

To count on good growth and stable yields, the soil under the plums must have high fertility, be light and loose (water and breathable), and also have neutral acidity level.

Worth knowing! All stone fruits like non-acidic soils and will do better in alkaline soils (7-7.5 pH) than even relatively acidic soils (5.5 pH).

Most suitable types Soils for plum are considered the following: loams, peatlands(but only deoxidized, i.e. limed = acidity reduced to neutral levels) and sod-podzolic.

Of course, the most unfortunate option for planting plums (and almost all fruit trees) is pure sandy and clay soil.

Important! When planting a seedling in excessively sandy soil, add a little clay and more compost to it, and sand to clayey soil, this will help balance the composition of the soil.

Advice! In a cold and harsh climate, and also if the earth is heavy, or the site is very waterlogged and the groundwater lies very close, it is recommended to plant a plum (like any other fruit trees, especially stone fruits) on gentle hillocks("according to Zhelezov").

Video: planting a plum seedling in Siberia on a hill

Landing pit preparation: optimal dimensions

Naturally, as always, it is recommended to prepare a planting pit for planting a plum seedling or any other plant in advance. It is best to do this in the fall or at least 1-2 weeks before planting the seedling. During this time, the soil will just have time to settle to the desired level.

Important! When digging a planting hole upper layer soil is thrown aside for further use.

Width (diameter) and depth of the landing pit for all fruit trees should be within 50-80 cm. At the same time, the walls of the recess should not taper downward: it is better to make them sheer.

By the way! As a rule, on average, they dig a hole 60 by 60 cm. However, for planting plums, many recommend digging a hole 1 meter wide and 60-80 cm deep.

And here is the planting hole for the seedling with a closed root system make it easy 2-3 times larger than the container itself.

If necessary, immediately fit to the bottom drainage layer of 5-15 cm from broken bricks or small stones (it is optimal to use lime or chalk gravel, in which there is a lot of calcium and which perfectly deoxidizes the soil \u003d lowers its acidity), and then the prepared nutrient mixture is poured.

Important! If you have to plant in clay soil, then, in addition to the obligatory drainage layer, you also definitely need to dig the deepest possible hole.

How (with what fertilizers) to fill the planting pit - we prepare the nutrient substrate

In order for the plum seedling to be able to easily adapt to a new place and begin to grow actively, it is recommended to fill the planting hole with a nutrient substrate when planting it.

To do this, it is recommended to pour a specially prepared soil mixture into the planting pit (which is thoroughly mixed to a uniform consistency). The nutrient substrate is usually prepared from the following components (mineral and organic fertilizers):

• all top fertile soil (upper 20-30 cm) that you removed when digging a hole;
• a bucket (8-9 kg) of good humus or compost;

Additionally:

• a bucket (8-9 kg) of non-acidic peat (purely optional and possible, or if you have sandy soil);
• a bucket (8-9 kg) of sand (if you have relatively heavy/clay soil)

• 1-2 cups (200-500 grams) or 400-600 grams of bone meal (organic analogue);
• half or 1 cup of potassium sulfate (100-200 grams) or 2-4 cups (200-400 grams) (an organic analogue of potash fertilizer).

Or instead of superphosphate and potassium sulfate, you can take 300-400 grams of nitroammofoska (it contains 16% nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) or diammofoska (10:26:26). At the same time, nitroammophoska is best used when spring planting, and diammophoska - with autumn.

Worth knowing! When planting a tree (even in spring), you do not need to specifically add nitrogen fertilizers (another matter if it is a complex fertilizer), as they stimulate the growth of the aerial part to the detriment of the development of the root system (especially when planting in the northern regions).

Important! However, some gardeners and agronomists do not at all recommend laying mineral fertilizers into the planting pit, but it is advised to bring them in the future and already as top dressing, because. there is an opinion that a plant (seedling) does not need fertilizer until it begins to bear fruit. Another thing is organic fertilizers such as compost, bone meal.

After filling the pit with a nutrient substrate, it is necessary to drive a wooden stake, which will later serve as a support for the young seedling.

Note! If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when leaves grow on it, due to its high windage strong winds will shake the trunk and cut off young roots.

Direct phased planting of seedlings

Step-by-step instructions for planting plum seedlings in open ground in spring and autumn:

• Fill the planting hole with fertile soil in advance, leaving a recess the size of the root system of the seedling.

• If you are planting a seedling with an open root system (OCS), then you need to fill in a small mound in the center of the planting hole.

Another thing is if you plant a seedling with a closed root system (ZKS). In this case, no mounds need to be made, but simply planted in a prepared planting hole without disturbing the clod of earth.

• drive in wooden support or a peg (if you haven't already done so).

If you do not tie a young seedling to a peg, then when leaves grow on it, due to the high windage, strong winds will shake the trunk and break off young roots.

• Set the seedling in the center of the mound and spread the roots along its (mound) sides down (the roots should in no case bend and stick up!), because. the roots should be placed in the hole as comfortably as possible for them, without twisting or bending.

Advice! If you have a seedling that was, then the place of budding (eye = a new shoot that grew from the graft) should face north, and the cut point should face south.

• Cover with earth, while shaking the seedling to eliminate voids between the roots.

Remember that the grafting site should initially be located 10 centimeters above the soil level. At the same time, it is convenient to control the landing level with a rail, which must be placed horizontally on the sides of the pit when the pit is almost filled with soil.

• Compact (tamp) the soil, starting from the edges at the base of the seedling.

Important! Do not confuse the root neck (the place where the first root leaves the trunk) with the graft, which is higher (on the trunk) and should eventually be located 3-5 cm (you can just attach 2-3 fingers) above the soil surface. After the tree settles in loose soil the root neck in any case will take a normal position.

Attention! If you deepen the root collar, then the tree will grow poorly and gradually die (because the root collar will swell). On the contrary, if you plant too high, the roots of the seedling will be exposed and may simply dry out in the summer heat or freeze in the winter.

• Next, you need to make a hole (roller) along the diameter (perimeter) of the near-stem circle 5-10 cm high.
• Pour abundantly with water, pouring out at least 2-3 buckets (pouring gradually - waiting for it to be absorbed and topping up more).
• Tie the seedling to the prepared support with soft twine and secure in the correct position.

• Level the roller, loosen the soil in the trunk circle and mulch it with peat, humus or compost.

Mulch will help prevent drying out of the roots and excessive evaporation of moisture.

Note! Mulch should not be placed close to the trunk of the seedling, as this can cause the bark to warm up and, consequently, the cause of the development of fungal diseases.

In any case, the grafting site should be above the mulch.

Video: how to plant a plum

Plum care after planting: the main activities

Immediately after planting, a plum seedling must cut to level the root system with the above-ground part (this is done for a kind of “resuscitation” of the seedling after planting, since any planting and transplanting is trauma and stress for the plant).

How to prune a plum after planting in spring or autumn?

• You need to leave the main trunk 50-60 cm high, making a cut above a healthy kidney.

If there are side shoots, then they also need to be shortened, leaving 2 buds each.

It will not be unreasonable to argue that one of the main conditions for the successful rooting of plums is a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. Therefore, if the weather is dry, then after planting, timely and regular watering should be carried out (1-2 times a week), pouring 2-3 buckets of water. In the future, watering will need to be carried out as needed, depending on weather conditions (in spring and autumn, you can water 2-3 times a month, and in a hot and dry summer period - 1 time per week). And after each watering, if you have not mulched the trunk circle, it is recommended loosen the soil at the base to improve the access of oxygen to the roots and at the same time weeding the trunk circle from weeds.

By the way! It is very simple to determine that the earthen clod is dry and the drain urgently needs watering: dig a hole deep into a bayonet of a shovel (25-30 cm), take a handful of earth from the bottom, and if it is dry, then immediately water it.

Advice! Either make a new hole every year, or initially dig a not very deep hole (maximum - 3 cm) so that moisture does not accumulate in it in the winter-early spring period and the root collar does not get wet and rot.

Additional dressings during this season it is no longer necessary to carry out, since all the necessary nutrients were introduced during planting, and they should be enough for the next few years (2-3 years).

And if in the future you don't like the variety or you want to have several different varieties on the same tree at the same time, You can graft a plum one of the known ways.

Of course, it is required closely monitor the condition of your tree so that it is not suddenly struck by any diseases, pests do not attack.

The most annoying diseases that affect plums (however, like cherry plums) are clasterosporiasis (perforated spotting) And polystigmosis (red spot of the plum or cherry plums).

Plum polystigmosis

If the plum was attacked by aphids, then in the fight against this malicious pest of fruit trees you will help .

And in the fall, do not forget to properly prepare the plum for the winter.. It is especially important to mulch and slightly cover (warm) young seedlings.

And next spring, you will again have to perform a series of simple activities to care for your stone fruit.

Well, now you know everything that is required for the proper planting of plums in spring and autumn, as well as what will be needed in the post-planting period. A few years later, the plum will certainly thank the owner in full for the care rendered by a plentiful harvest of sweet plum fruits.

Video: how to plant a plum

Plum is a good heat-loving tree that gives a bountiful harvest. Growing and caring for plums is quite simple. But when and how to plant a plum in the spring? How to choose a plum seedling? And what kind of fertilizer should be applied to the soil? Below you will find the answers to these questions.

The best planting period starts at the end of April and ends at the end of May. In this case, the roots of the seedling will fall into the heated soil, which will favorably affect the health of the plum tree.

You can also plant a plum in the fall, and the best time for planting will be a period of 1.5-2 months before the soil freezes (usually the soil begins to freeze in late October, so plums should be planted in September in autumn). Also, when landing, you need to take into account climatic conditions.

Experienced gardeners recommend that residents of the southern regions plant plums in autumn (September) or spring (April and early May), and residents middle lane- only in spring (in April and early May). Plum loves heat very much, so it is not recommended for residents of the northern regions to plant this tree.

How to choose a place?

Plum is a light-loving plant, so you need to plant it in areas with good lighting. Also, the plum must be planted in areas that are not blown by the wind. Other trees should not shade the plum tree, so the plum tree should be planted south of other trees.

The minimum distance between trees should be at least three meters. Also, it should be remembered that the plum is a cross-pollinated plant, so it is recommended to plant at least two plums at the same time in order to get a good harvest.

Soil requirements and preparation

Plum grows well in loose fertile soils. Plum grows best in loamy soils with neutral acidity (pH level - from 6.8 to 7.2). Plum cannot be planted in a swamp; it is also not recommended to plant plums in soil that contains a large amount of gravel and gravel.

1. In the case of loamy or podzolic soils, a mixture should be added to the ground, which consists of 15-20 kg of humus, 200-300 g of superphosphate and 40-50 g of potassium (per 1 square meter land).
2. When peat soils it is necessary to add 300-400 g of superphosphate and 40-50 g of potassium to the ground, and it is not recommended to add humus to the soil.
3. When chernozem soils you need to add 5-10 kg of humus, 100-200 g of superphosphate and 20-30 g of potassium to the ground.
4. If necessary, you can perform liming of the soil.

landing pit

2 weeks before planting a seedling, you need to dig a special hole in the ground. The diameter of the pit should be 60-80 centimeters, and the depth - 50-70 centimeters. Also, a thin wooden peg must be driven into the pit, to which the seedling will be tied during planting.

This hole needs to be filled 2/3 fertile soil and fertilizers. As fertilizers, components such as humus or compost (1-2 buckets), peat (2 buckets), superphosphate (300 g) and potassium sulfate (60-80 g) are used. If you plan to plant a plum on infertile soil, then you need to increase the volume of the pit by 1.5 times (at the same time, the volume of fertilizers also increases by 1.5 times).

Seedling preparation and selection

Let's now learn about how to choose a good plum seedling.

A step-by-step guide with which to choose a seedling looks like this:

1. When buying, you need to make sure that there are no defects or damage on the seedling. A good seedling should have a powerful root system (at least 3-4 roots, the length of which should be at least 25 centimeters).
2. Also, during the inspection, it is necessary to make sure that there are no broken branches on the seedling.
3. If you bought seedlings in the fall, then you need to dig them in for the winter. To do this, you need to dig a narrow wide hole, and the hole itself should be inclined; after that, it is necessary to place seedlings in the pit and sprinkle them with earth.

How to plant?

Scheme (photo):

So, you have fertilized the soil, dug a hole and bought a seedling. Let's now learn about how to plant a seedling.

Step-by-step instructions for planting seedlings in open ground look like this:

1. Before planting, make a small mound of earth in the hole next to the wooden stake.
2. Place the seedling on a mound in the hole, and then spread the roots of the seedling.
3. Slowly fill the hole with earth about 2/3 (at the same time, you must hold the seedling with your hand so that it is in vertical position and didn't skew).
4. After that, you need to carefully tie the seedling to a wooden peg.
5. Now completely fill the hole with earth.
6. Gently tamp the ground with a shovel and pour 2 buckets of water into it.

Care after landing

Now you know what planting plum seedlings looks like.

Let's now find out how to care for the plum after planting:

1. Watering the plum should be 2-3 times a month in the case of a climate with an average level of humidity. If the humidity is very high, then watering can be done less frequently; if the humidity is low, then watering should be done more often.
2. The first dressing of the plum must be done 1 year after planting. Urea should be used as the first top dressing, and its concentration should be 20 g per 1 square meter of land. Top dressing with urea should be done every year until the first fruiting.
3. During the first fruiting, you need to fertilize the land. To do this, mix 5-8 kg of compost, 50 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium chloride. This mixture is enough to fertilize a plot whose area is 1 square meter.
4. After the first fruiting, you need to fertilize the land every year. In the spring, you need to add compost, urea and manure to the ground, in the fall - compost and manure, as well as various fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus.
5. Also, after planting, you need to trim the crown of the tree by 1/3 every year. If the lower branches have more coverage than the upper ones, then they also need to be disposed of.

Plum is a rather unpretentious plant, so its cultivation does not cause any special difficulties. To get a rich harvest, it is important to know how to properly plant and care for plums.

Plum seedlings can be planted in autumn or spring. Departure times vary by region. If the seedlings manage to take root normally before the arrival of winter frosts, then even in the cold season it will be much easier for them to grow and develop.

In the first months after planting, the plum tree is highly sensitive. In order to increase the survival rate of a plant, it is important to adhere to the transplant technology that has been repeatedly tested by gardeners: autumn planting of a tree provides a higher survival rate.

The circumstances of the autumn planting give her some advantages over the spring:

• fresh planting material;
• the soil compacted by the time the awakening began;
• low sensitivity to damage;
• no interference during spring activation.

A seedling grown in autumn develops much better. Its fruiting begins a season earlier than a tree planted in spring. It is also important that the removal of the seedling purchased in the fall from the nursery occurred at the time of the cessation of vegetation: there is no reaction of the root system to damage during digging for transplantation.

Seedlings 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 enters the ground.

The viability of the seedling from this is greatly weakened, it may begin to wither. As a result, the plant begins to hurt after planting, may not be accepted and die. Growing plum from a spring seedling requires pre-soaking the tree.

The optimal time for planting plums is mid-October. In the spring, it is recommended to plant a plum in central Russia, since young trees autumn planting may not have time to fully grow stronger and freeze in winter.

But if the climate is not particularly harsh, a plum tree can also be grown in the conditions of central Russia. In this case, top dressing should not be abused, which lead to excessive growth of branches and provoke a burn of the roots.

Selecting the best variety

For normal growth and development, a plum tree requires certain conditions. Betting on the right variety increases the survival of the tree and the chances of a high yield.

Thanks to the work of breeders, a large number of adapted different composition soil and climate varieties. To grow a productive tree, you should choose varieties of seedlings that can survive under certain conditions.

To do this, it is important to know which plum varieties are popular in your area. There is a possibility of unknowingly choosing a productive variety that is unable to tolerate drought or frost in the region.

Modern varieties of plums are distinguished by a wide variety. The most popular among them:

1. Belarusian - a tree of small height with a rounded crown and large sweet and sour fruits weighing up to 50 grams, begins to bear fruit in the 5th year from the moment of planting, at the age of 10 the yield reaches 30 kilograms per tree.
2. The Hungarian common is a plum variety with an average size of the tree and the fruits themselves. It begins to bear fruit in the fifth year, the fruit reaches a weight of 30 grams. The variety does not impose special requirements on agricultural technology, it is distinguished by increased frost resistance. In practice, the maximum yield from one tree per season can reach 40 kilograms.
3. Hungarian Italian - a medium-sized tree with fruits weighing 30-40 grams. Perfectly retain their shape in warm weather, and in cold weather they are prone to cracking. The harvest is irregular: this variety is characterized by early flowering, which at low air temperatures leads to weak fertilization. This variety begins to bear fruit in the 4th year.
4. Large-fruited - a tall tree with a beautiful pyramidal crown and light yellow fruits with some redness. The size of the fruit is impressive, the weight reaches 65 grams. Approximately for 4-5 years, the plum tree begins to bear fruit. From a 10-year-old tree, you can collect about 25 kilograms of fruit with excellent taste.

In the middle lane, more intensive cultivation of plums is hindered by insufficient winter hardiness. It is for this reason that it is important to select frost-resistant varieties for planting and growing trees in this region.

Selecting a landing site

Before planting plums, it is important to choose for her the best place. Do not forget that a tree will grow on it for decades, and future yields largely depend on it.

It is desirable that suckers from the soil do not grow nearby. useful material competitors. The landing site should be well lit by the sun, but partial shade is also allowed. Sufficient light is essential for fruit ripening, so it is not possible to produce full fruits in full shade.

For planting plums, well-drained, loamy, moist soils rich in nutrients are suitable. Trees planted on cold, heavy, alkaline, acidic, waterlogged soils develop poorly, bear fruit poorly, and often suffer from frost.

Dry sandy and saline soils, heavy loams are unsuitable for planting this crop. Clay soil prevents the plum roots from penetrating beyond the planting pit and into the depths, their location remains superficial.

Plum refers to moisture-loving crops, but does not tolerate excess moisture. The location of groundwater on the site should not rise above 1.5-2 meters from the soil surface.

Soil preparation

The soil on the site that does not meet the requirements for growing plums must be deeply dug up, mineral and organic fertilizers, and sand must be applied.

To feed the future fruit tree, it is good to introduce rotted manure into the soil. The cultivation of the land for proper planting of the plum should be carried out to a depth of about 40 centimeters.

The choice of seedlings: what to look for?

One- and two-year-old plum trees are suitable for planting. When buying seedlings, you need to carefully examine the root system, which should be well developed, and the root itself should be dug out of the soil as much as possible. Trees with the main root cut too close to the trunk should not be selected.

The seedling should have a thickness of 1-2 centimeters or a little more. As an exception, deviations are quite acceptable: seedlings of some plum varieties, even at the age of 2 years, can be thinner than 1 centimeter.

In autumn, plums are propagated after the vegetative cycle has stopped, when the seedling has prepared for the coming winter and has completely shed its leaves.

Plum Planting Technology

Compared to spring, autumn plum planting requires much less effort.

It is advisable to prepare the pit in advance, digging a hole 60 × 60 centimeters in size and the same depth in a few days.

It is enough to add 3-4 kilograms of ordinary humus mixed with earth from the pit in a ratio of 1:10 into it. At the bottom of the pit, about a bucket of such a mixture is filled up.

When planting, the trunk of a tree is lowered into a hole and set on top of a mound of humus and earth, and its roots are evenly spread along the slopes.

After that, the pit is then covered to the brim with earth, and no more than 10 liters of water are poured from above to compact the soil.

A seedling after a few weeks, before the start of the first frost, must be protected from freezing. For this purpose, the backfilled pit is covered with straw and protected from moisture with the help of a tarpaulin, slate or sheet metal.

To wrap the tree trunk itself, use a film or bag. Such precautions will only be required in the first year after planting the seedling. This will protect it from freezing, so that it can in early spring take root well and begin to grow actively.

plum care

Caring for a plum after planting in open ground is not difficult. When spring warmth comes and severe frosts recede, the tree needs to be opened from the film or burlap with which its trunk and branches were wrapped.

In the first year of life, caring for a tree is quite simple. The gardener must provide the young plant with the correct direction of growth. For this, a stake is hammered near the trunk, to which a tree is tied. The correct direction given in the first year of the life of the plum allows you to achieve an even trunk without inclinations.

In the first year, it is important to pay attention to planting and watering the tree, after which it will become much easier to care for it. A tree growing on good soil can do without additional annual autumn dressings: you just need to trim the shrunken branches, harvest and clean the fallen leaves in time.

The formation of the crown of a tree is necessary for its proper development. The crown should be medium dense, the top should be open to illuminate the inner branches. The optimal tree height is about 2.5-3 meters. When the tree reaches 2.5 meters in height, you need to gradually bend the central conductor to the east side, tying it to the branch located below.

In case of a high yield and too much load of fruit branches on a tree, it is necessary to strengthen them with props. The points of contact between supports and branches must be insulated with rags, roofing felt, tow or other soft cushioning material. Otherwise, if the support of the tree bark is damaged, gum healing may begin.

trunk circle

The near-trunk circle, the size of which at the plum must be at least 2 meters, requires careful maintenance. The soil around the trunk should be loosened regularly, removing weeds in a timely manner. Root growth is important to uproot regularly: weakening the tree, it negatively affects the yield.

To slow down the formation of new shoots, it is recommended to remove root shoots 4-5 times per summer. The soil around the tree should remain moist, allowing it to dry completely just before the next watering. This will serve as protection against rotting of the root system.

Watering

Regular watering is one of the main components good care behind a plum tree. Periodic watering of the plum tree is recommended to begin after the awakening of the kidneys.

In the spring-summer period, you need to water the plum 3-5 times, using 3-4 buckets of water per 1 square meter. The intensity of watering directly depends on weather conditions, the timing of fruit ripening, and the age of the trees.

Watering is most needed for the tree after flowering, when the fruits are tied and the ovaries grow intensively. Also, the plum especially needs watering after the pits are formed.

Mulching

After watering, the earth must be mulched with dry earth, straw or wood shavings so that moisture is not lost from the subsoil.

top dressing

To speed up the cultivation of a plum tree during a summer drought, when irrigating, instead of pure water, you can add a solution of chicken manure, prepared in a ratio of 1:20.

To reinforce the tree with the useful substances it needs, just 10 liters of such a solution is enough. It is recommended to water the plum every 2 months with such a solution, starting from the second year of life.

A tree trunk that has reached 5 centimeters indicates a sufficient development of the root system, so that the plum can get everything it needs for active growth on its own.

Plum begins to multiply at 3-4 years: the first fruits appear on it. During this period, the tree intensively draws nutrients from the soil. After the end of fruiting, you should take care of autumn top dressing in order to prevent skipping the harvest next year.

To prepare top dressing, you will need 3 tablespoons of superphosphate, 2 tablespoons of potassium chloride and 40 liters of water.

It is not recommended to use the same fertilizers throughout the season. It is important to consider that all fertilizers are absorbed faster by the tree in warm sunny weather. If it is cold cloudy weather, then their absorption slows down and the plants need to be fed less often.

A positive effect on plum trees is planting green manure in near-trunk circles every 2-3 years: phacelia, mustard, vetch, winter rye. During the autumn planting, which takes place from August 15 to 20, winter rye provides the root system with protection from winter damage and serves as a good green cover for the soil.

In mid-July, summer green manure is planted. Autumn siderates are embedded in the soil in early May, summer - in the fall, when their flowering period begins.

Green fertilizers are very effective in tree care: replacing the application of manure, they improve the physical and nutritional properties of the soil, increase immunity, develop the root system and the whole tree.

pruning

In March, in the second year after transplanting the plum, it is recommended to carry out sanitary pruning of the crown. At the same time, the top of the central part of the trunk is removed, which contributes to the growth of the crown not in height, but in width. As a result, harvesting can be carried out without the use of a long ladder.

In addition, it is necessary to remove the branches growing inside the crown, since due to insufficient lighting, the fruits on them will not fully ripen. As a result, they will become just a useless weight that weakens the tree.

After removing the branches, the cut should be covered with garden pitch, so that at the moment the tree awakens to active growth, the loss of juice is reduced.

Branches should be removed to a minimum, as sanitary pruning can lead to a decrease in the active development of the tree. It is advisable to do this no more than once every 2-3 years.

Pest and disease control

Diseases and pests cause great harm to plum trees. A full-fledged harvest cannot be obtained without regular and timely protective measures.

The fight against plum diseases and pests, sanitary and preventive measures must be carried out taking into account the phases of plant development that coincide with the most vulnerable periods of pest development.

In the spring, until the buds have blossomed, the overwintered nests of pests must be removed and burned. In the crown and under the tree, it is necessary to collect and burn dried fruits.

Crowns are recommended to be carefully sprayed with N30, using 500 grams of product per 10 liters of water. This spraying is aimed at the destruction of aphid eggs and mites, pathogens of fungal diseases, rose leafworm, fruit moth caterpillars.

To protect trees from larvae of leaf-eating pests, mites, aphids, sawfly larvae, spraying is carried out on a white bud (from the beginning of bud break to the end of flowering) with insecticides Aktara, Fufanon-Nova, Alatar, adding Abiga-Peak or HOM. All drugs are recommended to be used strictly according to the instructions.

In summer, with a two-week interval, 3-4 sprays are carried out against ticks, plum codling moth, pathogens of fungal diseases. For this purpose, Horus is used (3 grams per 10 liters of water) or Abiga-Peak (30 milliliters) in combination with Fitoverm and Fufanon-Nova preparations.

In autumn, you need to collect and burn dried leaves with nests of pests, fallen fruits. A well-organized system of protective measures in combination with careful care and the necessary agricultural technology contributes to obtaining good harvest drain.

Plum is a tree that is often found in gardens and home gardens. Like any other fruit crop, it has its own terms and requirements for planting. It is very important to take them into account, since a small mistake can deprive the gardener of both the crop itself and the long-awaited harvest. The main stage of preparation for planting is the study of plum varieties and the choice of those that are most suitable for the climatic conditions of the region.

Plum and its varieties

The plum tree came to Europe from Asia and there are currently more than 250 species of this plant. The most popular varieties are:

• Belarusian;
• Hungarian;
• Victoria;
• large-fruited;
• Sadovaya.

Plum is considered a natural hybrid of cherry plum and blackthorn. There are currently many new fruit varieties. Plum trees also differ in the color of the fruit. Most often found:

• yellow;
• green;
• purple;
• dark blue;
• almost black.

The degree of fruit ripening is also different. There are plums of early, medium and late varieties. An early harvest in the garden can be harvested from varieties such as Alyonushka, July Rose, Opal. The fruits on them ripen at the end of July. Early maturing varieties are considered early maturing.

Among mid-season gardeners, Hungarian, California Garden, Giant are especially loved by gardeners. Ripe fruits appear from mid-August to mid-September.

Late varieties of plum trees begin to bear fruit from mid-September to October. This is Hungarian Italian, Vikana, Zhiguli. They are often found in the gardens of central Russia.

Plum Planting Instructions in the Fall

A step-by-step guide to planting plums in the fall for beginner gardeners looks like this:

• choice of location;
• seedling;
• digging a hole;
• fertilizer application;
• watering.

Before planting a plum personal plot or in the garden, you need to decide on the place and choose the right plant variety that will take root well in climatic conditions. Experts recommend choosing seedlings that are 1-2 years old.

Site and seedling selection

When choosing a tree, it is worth carefully studying its root system. It should be developed and without wilted shoots. It is also not recommended to buy plants whose trunk bifurcates.

Plum trees love bright places without drafts and do not tolerate waterlogged soils. It is necessary to plant a plant on a permanent site where groundwater does not rise closer to the surface than 1.5-1.6 meters.

If you had to plant plum seedlings in the fall, then it is recommended to do this 30-60 days before the onset of cold weather and the first frost. The ideal state is when young plant has already stopped the abundant movement of juices, but can still adapt to a new habitat.

Preparation for planting a plant in the ground begins with digging a hole, which should stand open for 10-14 days. At the same time, its diameter is 40 by 40 or 40 by 60 centimeters. It should be noted that the roots of plum trees usually do not lie deep, but are located 25-45 centimeters from the surface.

The day before planting, the roots of the seedling are soaked in water if they are sluggish. Specialists it is recommended to pour a small tubercle in the center of the planting pit from a mixture of surface soil and fertilizer, preferably manure. You can add 60 grams of potassium salt or 330-350 grams of superphosphate to the soil.

To improve the carrying capacity of dense earth, sand or fine gravel is added to it. Also, gravel has a warming effect, which stimulates the rapid growth of the plant after its spring awakening.

Landing - the subtleties of the process

The seedling is lowered into the pit and placed on the tubercle. After that, the roots are straightened and gradually sprinkled with earth. During the next round of falling asleep a plum tree with soil, experts recommend slightly trampling the already covered ground. This is done so that there are no voids with air between the roots.

A planted seedling must be watered with 1-2 buckets of water. After watering, the root neck of the plum should be at a distance of 3.5-4 centimeters from the ground. If necessary, the fragile young stem of the plant can be loosely tied to a stick that is stuck into the center of the pit when planting. This will serve as additional support for the young tree.

First departure

The first care after planting a young plum includes rodent control. For this, the stem of the plant is wrapped natural material or thick fabric. This method will not only protect the culture from pests, but also help to transfer the wintering.

If the plum tree is fragile enough and the gardener wants it to overwinter normally, then its trunk must be dug in with earth and overlaid with coniferous branches.

During a snowfall, you can additionally sprinkle the plant with snow to keep it warmer. The sprinkling procedure should be repeated throughout the winter, methodically trampling down the snow around the seedling. This will not only seal the "white blanket", but also scare away rodents.

Autumn chores

The best time for planting in the northern regions is spring. And in places with warmer winters, you can do this in the autumn. It is worth remembering that even a plant of a self-fertile variety bears fruit better if it grows not one, but with trees of its own species, but of different varieties.

After the planting is done and the culture is accepted, it is necessary to continue to care for it every year in spring, summer and autumn. During the awakening period, it is recommended to feed plum trees with urea to accelerate the growth of foliage, roots and fruit ovaries. In the summer, during fruiting, plums need additional nutrients for a good harvest.

In the fall, gardeners are waiting for a new pre-winter stage of caring for a plum orchard. After the crop is harvested, it is necessary to prepare the trees for winter. For this, pruning of branches, processing of the trunk, collection of leaves and digging of the soil is carried out.

pruning

When the last plum has left the fruit tree branch, gardeners are busy trimming unnecessary branches and forming a crown. First of all, broken and diseased branches are removed, then those that grow inside the crown and are competing. The cuts must be even so that the bark of the plant at the junction does not bulge, otherwise pathogens and viruses will easily penetrate the dormant tree.

The first pruning of the branches on the plum is carried out immediately after it is planted. To do this, all branches are cut so that in the spring they can grow freely and not interfere with each other. Further, the formation of the crown of the fruit tree is carried out every year for four years. With proper care, a crown should be formed in a five-year-old plant.

When all pruning and stripping are done, the places of cuts and wounds must be treated with garden pitch or oil paint. This procedure will protect the tree from diseases and pests.

The next step in the autumn care of the plum orchard is the cleaning of fallen leaves and padanki fruits. All this must be placed in a compost pit to obtain natural fertilizer - humus. To speed up the process, the collected material can be covered with lime.

Tree whitewashing

Mandatory is the annual autumn whitewashing of fruit trees in the garden.

To do this, use a solution of 10 liters of water, 3 kilograms of slaked lime and 500 grams of copper or iron sulfate. This mixture is applied to the trunk of the plant, starting from the lower branches and ending with the place where the trunk goes into the soil.

Soil preparation and top dressing

After whitewashing, it is necessary to loosen the earth around the plum to a depth of 20 centimeters from the beginning of the shovel bayonet. Going beyond the territory of the crown, you can dig deeper without fear of damaging the root system of the plant. You should also water the plant abundantly before it plunges into winter dormancy. One adult plant usually takes 6-10 buckets of water. Young trees are filled with 3-4 buckets each.

Preparing the plum for the winter, it is necessary to pay attention to its autumn feeding. For this, it is best to use potassium phosphate fertilizers or slurry. It is strictly not recommended by experts to use nitrogen-containing nutrient mixtures, which can cause the plant to freeze in winter.

You can prepare the composition yourself. To do this, mix 10 liters of water with 2 tablespoons of potassium and 3 tablespoons of superphosphate. It is worth considering that for each adult plant it will take from 30 to 40 liters of nutrient mixture. The last autumn top dressing is done when the crop is harvested, and the leaves and carrion are sent to the compost pit.

Pest control

If pests attacked a plum tree, then it must be treated with a special solution before wintering, which can be purchased at the store. As a preventive measure, experienced gardeners recommend using a more natural option and spraying it with onion peel or garlic tincture with laundry soap. The next treatment is done in early spring, until buds appear on the plum.

Reproduction methods

To propagate plums at home, you can use several methods:

• bones;
• cuttings;
• grafting.

Despite the fact that growing a tree is possible even from a seed, experienced gardeners consider the grafting of a plum cutting to an already adult plant to be the most the right way. In order for the shoot to take root, it must be prepared and grafted onto the carrier tree until the buds open.

A plum graft is considered to have taken root when the stalk reaches a length of 1.3-1.5 meters. After that, the branches of the carrier tree are cut off, and the culture begins a new life.

Choosing a plum as garden plant, the gardener must remember that she also requires seasonal care from the owner. A garden is a rather troublesome business, but a rewarding one.