Lilac, ripe, garden - the secrets of proper planting of plums in the fall. How to grow a plum from a seed at home? Is it possible to plant plums in May?

It would seem that it would be easier than ever to grow a plum. But only a very self-confident and not very knowledgeable person can think this way. This culture has its own specifics and subtleties. These will be discussed in the selection of materials.

Features of growth and fruiting

According to the nature of fruiting, varieties and types of plums are conventionally divided into three groups:

• fruiting mainly on annual growth;
• on perennial overgrowing branches;
• both on annual shoots and on overgrowing branches.

In the first group of plums, group buds predominate on strong annual growths- two or three in one node (usually the middle bud is leafy, and the lateral ones are flowering). Group buds are concentrated in the middle part of the shoot. Below are single flower buds. The apical bud and the few buds closest to it are single leaf buds. The following year, bouquet branches and spurs develop from the lower leaf buds on the annual shoot. Above them, stronger growth shoots develop. Flower buds produce flowers and fruits. The bouquet branches and spurs of varieties of the first group are very short-lived. The yield is determined by the number of flower buds on an annual shoot. After picking the fruits, the branches become very bare, especially if single flower buds predominate. Varieties of the first group are characterized by early fruiting and productivity, but require constant attention to maintaining strong shoot growth. This group includes most varieties of Chinese, Ussuri, American and Canadian plums.

Varieties of the second group are distinguished by the formation of perennial overgrowing branches or fruit branches. The bulk of the harvest is placed on them. For varieties of this group, it is important that there is no excessive thickening of the crown, otherwise there will be a massive death of overgrown branches and fruiting will deteriorate. The second group includes mainly domestic plum varieties of Western European and southern origin.

The varieties of the third group have an intermediate fruiting pattern between the first and second groups. They bear fruit well both on annual growth and on relatively short-lived 3-4-year-old overgrowing branches. For varieties of the third group, along with maintaining strong growth, it is very important to promptly replace bare branches. The crown should also not be allowed to thicken; overgrowing branches should be in favorable lighting conditions. The third group includes the majority of Central Russian plum varieties: Skorospelka red, Vengerka Moscow. Tula black, Ochakovskaya yellow, etc.

When growing plums and pruning, you must remember that stone fruit crops have simple fruit buds, i.e., only fruits can form from them. On strong annual shoots there are group and single fruit buds. On weak growths, mostly single flower buds are formed. Therefore, when the growth weakens, the branches become exposed. It is enhanced by the fact that after two to four years of fruiting, the bouquet branches and spurs die off, forming thorns.

In summer, plum shoot growth may stop and then begin again. In this case, secondary shoots are formed.

The above-mentioned characteristics of plum growth and fruiting must be taken into account when pruning and forming the crown.

Shaping and trimming

The trees are formed with a trunk 25-40 cm high, the crown is made of 5 - 7 well-developed and well-placed branches. It is advisable to form skeletal branches not from adjacent buds, but from those spaced 10-15 cm from one another, shorten them to subordinate them, prevent the formation of forks, and change the direction of growth. The first pruning is carried out in early spring immediately after planting. If the start is late, then it is better to wait until next year.

Pruning plum trees in the first years is necessary to form the main branches of the crown.. Excess branches, which can contribute to thickening of the crown, need to be weakened or removed. In varieties that bear fruit on annual shoots (one-year-old wood), shortening should be minimal so as not to cause the appearance of excessive branches that thicken the crown. Strong (50-60 cm) annual growths of young trees bearing fruit on two-year-old wood (bouquet branches and spurs) need to be shortened further. Well-developed shoots are shortened by 1/4-1/5 of their length to enhance the formation of shoots and the development of spurs.

When the tree enters full fruiting period, pruning is necessary to maintain vigor of shoots. If the crown is formed correctly and there is sufficiently strong annual growth (at least 40 cm), there is no need to shorten it. They are limited to thinning the crown with cutting out thickening, dry, incorrectly positioned and rubbing branches. With weak growth (less than 25-30 cm), without shortening the one-year shoot, cut to 2-3-year-old wood above the nearest lateral branch. If the growth is even less (10-15 cm), rejuvenating pruning is carried out on 4-5-year-old wood, i.e., perennial branches are cut to strong lateral branching.

In grafted, well-developed trees, the root shoots are annually removed down to the main root of the mother plant, leaving no stumps. In native root varieties, shoots are used for propagation. In case of severe freezing or death of the entire above-ground part, rooted varieties can be quickly restored by leaving two or three coppice plants at a distance of about 3 m from one another and forming them according to the described type. In case of death of grafted trees, you can also leave 2-3 coppice plants, but they must be regrafted with the desired varieties.

Work calendar (November to December)

November December. Regularly trample the snow on the tree trunks and around the buried seedlings to prevent mice from getting to the young trees. During heavy snowfalls, shake snow off branches. This will reduce their breakdowns. For better overwintering, sprinkle the buried seedlings with snow.

Before the onset of severe frosts, prepare cuttings (annual shoots 20-30 cm long) for spring grafting. Leaving the preparation of cuttings until spring is risky, since in winter the shoots may freeze and the survival rate of the grafts will sharply decrease. Tie the cut cuttings into bundles and store them in a snow pile until spring. The temperature inside the pile remains at about 0″. Snow protects cuttings from drying out, low winter and high spring temperatures.

January. In snowless winters, shovel snow up tree trunks to protect the roots and trunk from freezing. After snowfalls, shake snow off branches to avoid damage. In young gardens, after a snowfall, trample the snow around the trees to protect them from damage by mice and the accumulation of moisture in the soil.

February. Continue work on snow retention in the garden, repairing garden equipment, delivering fertilizers, pesticides, etc. At the end of the month, shovel the snow from the plum stems and free them from the winter binding. It should be immediately taken out of the garden and burned. Whiten the stems and bases of the branches with lime mortar (3 kg of freshly slaked lime -) - 2 kg of clay per bucket of water). This will help in the winter-spring period to smooth out temperature fluctuations on the surface of the bark during the day and reduce the appearance of sunburn.

To keep the snow in the pile where the cuttings are planted longer, sprinkle it with sawdust in a 15-20 cm layer at the end of February.

March. To attract birds in the first half of the month, hang birdhouses in the garden. Start pruning your plum tree in the middle of the month.

April. Continue unfinished work on cleaning the trunks and caring for the crown. Dig grooves to drain melt water.

When planting plums, take into account the strength of tree growth depending on soil and climatic conditions and varietal characteristics. In the southern regions of the country, on fertile soils, plum trees develop more strongly, so plant them more spaciously - with a distance of 3-4 m in a row and 5-6 m between rows; in the middle zone, Siberia and the Far East - thicker: 2-3 m in row and 3-5 m between rows.

The best time to plant plums in the middle and northern zones is spring, in the south - autumn and winter.

As soon as the soil is ripe (becomes loose and crumbly), level the area and start digging holes (if this work has not been done in the fall). The size of the planting holes depends on the size of the root system. Usually, holes are prepared with a diameter of 60-80 cm and a depth of 40-60 cm. When digging holes, throw the top layer of soil in one direction and the bottom layer in the other. Mix the top layer of soil with organic and mineral fertilizers, adding 1 bucket of rotted manure (or 2 buckets of compost), 200-300 g (2-3 handfuls) of superphosphate and 40-60 g of potassium salt (or 300-400 g of wood ash). Then place the seedling against the stake in the planting hole, straighten the roots, cover it with fertile soil, compacting it with your feet so that no voids form between the roots. Immediately after planting, make a hole around the seedling, water it with water (2 buckets), tie the seedling to a stake with twine in the shape of a figure eight (loose), mulch with peat, sawdust or loose soil. Scatter the bottom layer of soil around the area. After planting, the root collar of the plants should be at soil level.

If the garden is already planted, dig up the soil under the crown and between the rows with a fork or shovel. To avoid damaging the root system, the plane of the shovel should always be in a radial direction to the trunk. Closer to the trunk, dig shallower (to a depth of 5-10 cm), as you move away - deeper (10-15 cm). Before digging, scatter nitrogen fertilizers under the tree crown (100-200 g per tree of urea or calcium nitrate in a young garden, 300-500 g in a fruit-bearing one). They will ensure good growth and flowering of plums.

To protect flowering trees from returning spring frosts, prepare smoke piles.

Sometimes cherries and plums are planted in lowlands, where cold air often stagnates in winter, causing damage or death of flower buds and branches. If the site is located in a lowland, you will have to abandon the cultivation of stone fruit crops.

It is necessary to know the depth of gruit water. They should not be closer than 1.5-2.0 m from the soil surface. If they are located closer together, cherries and plums should not be planted.

The importance of crown pruning should not be underestimated: it is sometimes carried out irregularly, causing the crown to thicken, fruit formations to die, and fruiting becomes irregular. Trees overloaded with harvest freeze slightly even in relatively mild winters and bear little fruit. This is why cherry and plum trees need to be pruned annually.

At the end of the month, start grafting the cuttings. This work can be done during the sap flow period.

May. If the air temperature drops to +1°, light the smoke piles. Stop smoking 1 to 2 hours after sunrise. To mitigate the effects of frost, water the soil under the trees and spray the crowns with water.

In hot, dry weather, be sure to water the plums (4-6 buckets of water per 1 tree). Before flowering, it is useful to feed the tree with organic or mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers (cow manure, bird droppings or feces) are diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10 and 4-6 buckets of solution are applied under the tree (depending on the age of the garden). If there are no organic ones, liquid mineral fertilizers are used. One tablespoon of urea is dissolved in 10 liters of water and 2-3 buckets are applied to a young garden, and 4-6 buckets of liquid fertilizer per tree in an adult garden. To reduce moisture loss due to evaporation, immediately after fertilizing, mulch the soil with peat or sawdust.

If the row spacing of the garden is kept under black fallow, weeding and loosening of the soil are carried out 2-3 times a month. With natural grass, mow the grass regularly (5-6 times during the summer) and leave it in place as mulch.

Remove wild growth or harvest it for propagation.

June July. Continue caring for the plum garden: remove weeds, loosen tree trunks and row spacing. In dry years, water (5-7 buckets for each tree). After flowering (early June) and during fruit formation (late June), it is useful to fertilize with organic and mineral fertilizers. The doses of fertilizers are the same as for spring feeding.

In productive years, place supports under the main branches.

Aug. Sept. In gardens with natural turf between rows, mowing of grasses is stopped. When keeping the soil under black fallow, dig up tree trunk circles and fall plowing between rows. Before digging, scatter organic and mineral fertilizers evenly under the tree crown. Good results are obtained by alternately applying organic and mineral fertilizers (every year). Per one tree, apply 1-2 buckets of organic fertilizers (humus or compost), mineral fertilizers - 200-500 g of superphosphate, 200-400 g of potassium salt (or 1-1.5 kg of wood ash). For young plantings, the doses of fertilizers are reduced, for fruit-bearing ones they are increased. Autumn fertilization improves the ripening of shoots, overwintering of plants and provides them with the nutrients necessary for growth and fruiting next year.

If the soil in your garden plot is acidic, lime it once every three years. To do this, grind the lime materials (slaked lime, ground limestone, dolomite, chalk), scatter them evenly over the area (300 - 500 g per 1 m2 of surface) and dig them up.

In August-September, plums are harvested, canned and processed.

For better overwintering of trees (especially in dry years), carry out moisture-recharging irrigation (5-7 buckets of water for 1 tree).

Start digging holes for spring planting. Purchase planting material in the fall. For better overwintering, it is better to store seedlings in a trench. To do this, dig a groove 30-40 cm deep, lay the seedlings inclined (lowering the roots into the groove), sprinkle them with soil, compact it with your feet, water well (1 bucket of water for each plant), sprinkle soil on top again to form an earthen roller 20 cm high -30 cm. In this condition, the seedlings winter well until spring.

October. Moisture-recharging irrigation is completed, followed by mulching of the soil.

Clean the trunks and bases of branches from dead bark, mosses and lichens. After cleaning the wounds with a knife, rinse them with a 2-3% (20-30 g per 1 liter of water) solution of iron or 1-2% (10-20 g per 1 liter of water) copper sulfate. Then cover the wounds with garden varnish. If there are hollows, seal them with cement. White the trunks and bases of the branches with lime mortar (the concentration is the same as in February).

To protect young trees from rodents (hares, mice), tie the trunks with spruce branches (tops of branches down). For better overwintering, cover the trees with soil in a layer of 15-20 cm. Rake fallen leaves into piles and compost or burn (to destroy pests and diseases).

How to prevent errors

When caring for plantings of stone fruit crops, amateur gardeners often make mistakes, which is why they receive low fruit yields.

One of the typical mistakes is dense tree plantings. When the crowns close, the illumination of the branches deteriorates and they rush upward, which makes tree care and harvesting difficult. This circumstance should be taken into account when planting a garden.

Inexperienced gardeners make many mistakes when applying fertilizers. It is not uncommon to add too much or too little at one time. Large doses of organic fertilizers can cause fattening of young trees, delay the growth of shoots, and impair their ripening, which increases the danger of winter freezing. Increased doses of mineral fertilizers, in turn, increase the concentration of salts in the soil, which has a depressing effect on fruit trees. When applying low doses of fertilizers on poor soils, trees grow and bear fruit poorly. Therefore, you need to adhere to the optimal doses for your specific area.

Often the reason for low fruiting of cherries and plums is the incorrect selection of pollinating varieties. In single-varietal plantings of self-sterile varieties, trees often bloom well, but bear almost no fruit due to premature shedding of the ovaries. In such cases, it is necessary to plant pollinating varieties (the same flowering period as the main varieties) or graft their cuttings into the crown.

Stone fruits may bear fruit poorly due to freezing of fruit buds or their partial damage. If the fruit buds do not bloom, it means they are frozen. Often in early spring, freezing of the pistil (central part) of the flower is observed. In this case, the tree blooms profusely, but does not form an ovary. Therefore, select highly winter-hardy varieties. In addition, you can protect trees from frost by preparing them well for winter: carry out moisture-recharging irrigation in the fall (especially after a dry summer), apply organic and mineral fertilizers, and protect plants from pests and diseases.

Plum is one of the most famous fruit crops. It came from Asia and spread throughout Europe, not forgetting Russia. This shrub is quite unpretentious and takes root easily. in summer cottages, however, you should count on a good harvest only with proper care and proper planting.

When is the best time to plant a plum: taking into account the variety, climatic zones, season

The main rule of any tree planting or replanting is– it must have time to take root before the onset of heat or cold weather, otherwise the whole year will be wasted.

In other words, you need to plant and replant a plum tree:

1. In early spring: It is necessary to plant before the sap begins to flow and the buds appear, that is, already in April, as soon as the earth warms up. In this case, the plum will immediately begin to actively develop and feed, which will give it the opportunity to get stronger before the next wintering. Also, the advantages of spring transplantation include timing: if the gardener slightly delays planting, he will not have to worry about the health of the seedling.
2. In the first half of autumn, from the end of September to the 20th of October. It is important to have time to replant 3-4 weeks before the onset of cold weather, otherwise the plant will freeze. Replanting in the fall helps to fully prepare the garden for next year.

Replanting a plum tree in May is possible, but not advisable: the tree will not have time to gain strength and is unlikely to bear fruit in the first year. Sometimes it can take two years for rooting.

The timing of transplantation is also influenced by the selected variety.: For example, winter-hardy varieties can be planted immediately after the snow melts.

The terrain is equally important: For the Moscow region and the Middle Belt, the transfer times described above apply. In Siberia and the Urals, it is worth starting autumn replanting a little earlier, when there is about a month left before frost, and it is also necessary to focus on specially bred varieties.

Advantages and disadvantages of autumn planting

Transplanting plum trees in the fall has a number of advantages:

1. The opportunity not to lose a year if the tree does not take root. If during the autumn replanting the plum tree fails to take root or is damaged, in the spring the bush can be replaced with a new one without wasting a whole year.
2. No need to rush in the spring. In the spring, it is important to plant a plum before it begins to bud, but the ground does not always have time to warm up, and you should not forget about night frosts.
3. In the fall, replanting can be combined with other agricultural work without wasting time.
4. The plum will receive a double “portion” of fertilizers - in the fall when transplanting and in the spring.
5. Having transplanted a plum in the fall, in the spring the bush will begin to develop immediately, which will allow it to grow faster.

The disadvantages of autumn work include lack of opportunity to monitor the plant. If in the spring the gardener regularly appears at the dacha and immediately draws attention to the problem, then in the winter the tree will have to wait until the thaw.

Also, in some regions, winters are unpredictable (they can be too hot or, on the contrary, warm), which also affects the characteristics of transplanting and growing.

When choosing the time for a transplant, it is important to focus on your own convenience and climate. For example, if winter is not constant and seedlings often die due to temperature changes, it is worth planting them in the spring.

Basic landing rules

Before you start transplanting, it is worth remembering a few important rules:

• Only young trees, no more than 2-3 years old, can be replanted. At an older age, the plant already develops a huge root system, which will make replanting difficult;
• When digging, it is important not to damage the roots, otherwise the bush will need an additional year to restore the system. It is best to replant without cleaning the roots;
• when transporting a plant from one place to another, it is important to handle the roots carefully;
• When planting plums in the spring, it is necessary to prepare the holes in the fall; for autumn work, 2-3 weeks before they begin.

Step-by-step guide to planting in open ground, cultivation and care

A successful transplant depends on several factors; we have prepared for you a step-by-step guide on planting and caring for a garden plum seedling.

Preparation of seedlings: It occurs in three stages. First, you need to water the bush abundantly to make it easier to dig out. To do this, pour 4-5 buckets of plain water onto the plum roots.

Then you need to dig around the tree in a circle at a distance of 70 cm from the trunk, dig out a cone-shaped piece with roots and carefully pull out the plant, trying not to damage the roots.

If a tree needs to be transported, its roots should be wrapped in a bag or film, secured with a rope.

Selecting a location: Plum loves a sunny, warm place with protection from the wind, without excess water and without stagnant melt water. The plant takes root best in moderately moist and fertile soils; clay soil is not suitable for it.

Other large crops should not grow close to the bush, otherwise they will draw all the nutrients from the plum tree and create shade.

It is also important to remember that the roots of the plant reach several meters - the distance between trees should be at least 3 meters.

Articles that may be of interest to you:

• The benefits and harms of plums for human health.
• The best varieties of plums to grow on your site.
• Caring for plum trees in the fall at the dacha.

Planting in open ground: The first step is to prepare the ground in advance. When transplanting in autumn, this is done in 2-3 weeks, that is, at the beginning of autumn.

It is necessary to dig holes 70cm * 70cm * 70cm at a distance from each other. Then add a layer of drainage (broken brick or stone) - this will help remove stagnant moisture.

Afterwards, you need to pour a layer of compost and cover it with a thin layer of soil - this will protect the roots from the overly strong effect of fertilizers. The remaining soil is mixed in equal proportions with humus, 300 grams of wood ash are added and poured into the hole.

When planting, dig a hole in the ground and carefully move the bush there, straightening the roots. Then the seedling is watered abundantly and the ground is mulched.

When planting, you must ensure that the root collar is 3-5 cm above ground level.

Aftercare: for the first 2-3 years, the main care of the plum will consist of its growth and crown formation.

To do this, you need to regularly care for it, remove lower branches, shorten excessively long ones and thicken the crown. It is important to do this while the branches are young, then pruning will be painless.

Plum requires regular watering(about 5 buckets of water for each tree), loosening the soil and removing weeds. If the harvest is abundant, it is necessary to provide the branches with supports so that they do not break.

In the first year after planting, the plant will have enough fertilizer already added to the pit, then you will have to feed it.

in spring As complementary food, you can use a solution of bird droppings or barnyard, and nitrogenous fertilizers are also suitable. in autumn It is worth adding superphosphate or potassium sulfate - 100 grams for each plum.

Proper preparation for winter

Preparations for winter must begin a few weeks before the onset of cold weather. For each plum, it is necessary to apply fertilizer: per square meter of land you will need a bucket of humus, 200-300 grams of ash and 30 grams of superphosphate or potassium sulfate.

Fertilizers must be lightly dug in, loosening the soil, and watered abundantly.

Then you need inspect the crown and trunk, removing all pests. Damaged leaves and branches are cut off and burned away from the trees, damaged bark is cleaned off with a scraper and a metal brush.

While working, you need to be careful not to touch healthy areas.

After leaf fall to protect against insects the trunk is whitened with a special solution from the store or a mixture of equal parts of lime, clay and cow cow. You can also add copper sulfate - 30 grams per liter of whitewash.

Just before the frost the trunk is insulated with burlap or straw. If winter promises to be cold, you can use slate or roofing felt. If the bushes are still small, you can cover them on top with a bag or spruce branches and make a “hut” from boards.

Any “shelter” must be carefully secured so that the wind does not blow it away. The soil under the tree is being hilled up and spread with manure.

Is it possible and how to replant a plum tree in the fall?

Only young trees up to 4-5 years old can be replanted. Older trees have overdeveloped roots, making it extremely difficult to dig them out without damaging them.

Wherein plum is extremely sensitive to any wounds and because of this it will take longer to settle down in a new place.

When transporting, you need to pay attention to branches and roots: the first ones can be carefully tied with a rope, the second ones can be wrapped in a bag. Otherwise, the transplant occurs according to the method described above.

At first glance, plum trees may seem rather capricious and difficult to care for, but this is not true. Careful and careful care is mainly required for young seedlings that are just starting to grow.

A few years later already the formed tree will require a minimum of effort– watering, feeding and insulation for the winter.

Post How to plant plums in the fall? About the farm appeared for the first time.

Plums can be grown throughout Russia, however, not all gardeners achieve success and large harvests, but mainly residents of regions with short summers. The fact is that plum is a fairly heat-loving 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 intensively grow the underground part, i.e. its root system (which is necessary in the first place), and not aboveground, in other words, it definitely will not vegetate.

However, spring planting plums has some obvious advantages:

• As the seedling grows during the warm period, you will be able to quickly respond to all possible problems (diseases, pests, lack of moisture) and immediately take the necessary measures to eliminate them.
• The spring supply of moisture in the soil will allow the root system of the seedling to quickly adapt after planting and begin active growth.
• You have the opportunity to prepare the planting hole in advance, in the fall, so that the soil has time to settle by spring, in order to avoid deepening the root collar during planting.

Alternative opinion

To be fair, it should be said that some gardeners, on the contrary, adhere to the old rule: pome crops(apple and pear trees) are better to plant in autumn, A stone fruit(plums, cherries, cherries, apricots) - in the spring.

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

However, if you are a resident of the South of Russia, then this is not important for you. It's another matter 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: at what time is it better to plant seedlings of fruit and berry crops

Planting plums in spring and autumn: optimal timing

Well, we have examined several points of view on 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, although it is not recommended to do this in the middle of summer, when it is very hot.

Spring planting

So, you still need time to plant a plum in the spring before the buds bloom on the seedling, in other words, before it enters the growing season (i.e. the plant must still sleep).

At the same time, an important condition for 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 until the ground thaws completely. 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 advisable to have time to plant while the seedlings are still “in the dormant stage”, otherwise this will certainly negatively affect their survival rate and disrupt their natural development cycle.

By the way! The best time to plant seedlings is cloudy and windless weather: early morning or late evening.

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

• Thus, in the south of Russia, plum seedlings can be planted in open ground in the second half of March-early April.
• In the Middle Zone (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 when determining the optimal timing for autumn planting is to calculate when stable frosts will arrive and plant 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! It is also not recommended to plant seedlings too late in the autumn, because... The shoots must have time to ripen well in order to successfully survive the winter. This is especially true for planting plums in cold (northern) regions, such as 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 burying it in the garden and covering it, or planting it in a container and putting it in the basement, where the temperature stays no higher than +3 degrees).

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

Thus, depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, autumn plum planting 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 Zone (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 North-West (in the Leningrad region), as well as in Siberia and the Urals, plum trees 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

This can help you choose the optimal date for planting seedlings. moon calendar.

So, favorable 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 on favorable days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable dates according to the lunar calendar - New Moon and Full Moon days, as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because this is a barren and dry sign - in italics.

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

• 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 the lunar calendar, from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”

How to plant a plum tree correctly: instructions from A to Z (choosing a seedling, place in the garden, preparing a planting hole)

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

What should a seedling be like?

When choosing planting material (a specific variety), you first need to pay attention to its origin. It's best to choose zoned varieties drain who themselves proven well when grown in your climate zone, i.e. They adapted to weather conditions and the composition of the soil in your growing region.

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

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

A high-quality plum seedling must have the following characteristics:

• General appearance there must be a seedling healthy, without signs of wilting, damage by diseases or pests.
• The seedling itself must be no older than 2 years (1-2 years of age), since at this age seedlings adapt faster to a new place.
• Height there must be a seedling within 1-1.5 m: any deviation upward or downward indicates improper care or 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 or new growths), 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, but they should not be overdried and broken.

By the way! Even if you buy a seedling with a closed root system, you may want to consider lateral roots because... they tend to stick out from 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 tightly, everything is fine, if not, then something is wrong here... the seller just wants to make money on you by slipping a seedling with ACS, which he moved into a container a couple of days ago.

• At the bottom, on the trunk, you should clearly see vaccination site(joint 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 assessing the quality of the upper part of the trunk (grafted part): the wood must be mature and strong, without any mechanical damage, sunburn, frost damage and bark cracks. And you The trunk must be straight and not curved.

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 the growing season, i.e. was in the dormant stage, which means its buds should still be dormant (i.e. there should be no leaves on it).

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

However, seedlings with a closed root system (in containers) in the spring are often sold already in the growing season, 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 a seedling for planting, then immediately before planting the plum, you should wash its roots from the old soil, then dip them in clay mash, and then renew their (root) tips, slightly trimming them.

Important! Renewing the root tips by trimming 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 trimmed to a healthy place).

Some gardeners recommend soaking the seedling in water (possibly with the addition of Kornevin) for a day or at least an hour. This will help restore 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 location

Plum loves warmth and a lot of light, which means this stone fruit crop 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 is protected from the drying winter winds on the north side (this could be your country house, some kind of outbuilding or fence), while the tree itself, Naturally, it should be placed on the south side (or at least on the southwest or west side) so that it receives the maximum amount of sunlight during the day.

You can't plant plums in the lowlands, where melt water stagnates for a long time or is heavily wetlands.In other words, at the landing sitemoisture should not stagnate in the springwhen the snow melts.Otherwise, the plant’s root collar will simply get stuck, and its days will be numbered..

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

Advice! If groundwater lies close, then you have no choice but to make an artificial embankment and plant a seedling on it.

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

At what distance

You have chosen the place, now you need to decide on the planting scheme.

If you want to plant several seedlings at once, 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! It is necessary to retreat exactly the same distance from other plants on the site so that the wide crown of the plum tree does not shade 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 pruning.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that Some plum varieties are not able to self-pollinate (self-sterile), 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 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 grow better in alkaline soils (7-7.5 pH) than even relatively acidic ones (5.5 pH).

The most suitable types of soil for plums are the following: loams, peatlands(but only deoxidized, i.e. calcified = acidity reduced to neutral level) and soddy-podzolic.

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

Important! When planting a seedling in excessively sandy soil, you should 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 cold and harsh climates, and also if the soil is heavy, or the area is very waterlogged and groundwater lies very close, then it is recommended to plant plums (like any other fruit trees, especially stone fruits). gentle hills(“according to Zhelezov”).

Video: planting a plum seedling on a hill in Siberia

Preparation of the planting hole: optimal dimensions

Naturally, as always, it is recommended to prepare the planting hole 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 have time to settle to the desired level.

Important! When digging a planting hole, the top layer of soil is thrown aside for further use.

Width (diameter) and depth of the planting hole for all fruit trees should be within 50-80 cm. In this case, the walls of the recess should not narrow downwards: it is better to make them vertical.

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

And here is the planting hole for the seedling with closed root system they do it simply 2-3 times larger than the container itself.

If necessary, it is immediately placed on the bottom drainage layer 5-15 cm from broken bricks or small stones (it is optimal to use lime or chalk crushed stone, which contains a lot of calcium and which perfectly deoxidizes the soil = reduces 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 need to dig the deepest possible hole.

What (what fertilizers) to fill the planting hole with - preparing the nutrient substrate

So that the plum seedling can easily adapt to a new place and begin to grow actively, when planting it, it is recommended to fill the planting hole with a nutrient substrate.

To do this, it is recommended to pour a specially prepared soil mixture into the planting hole (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 (top 20-30 cm) that you removed when digging the hole;
• a bucket (8-9 kg) of good humus or compost;

Additionally:

• a bucket (8-9 kg) of non-acidic peat (purely at will and opportunity, 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 equivalent);
• half or 1 glass of potassium sulfate (100-200 grams) or 2-4 glasses (200-400 grams) (an organic analogue of potassium fertilizer).

Or, instead of superphosphate and potassium sulfate, you can take 300-400 grams of nitroammophoska (it contains 16% nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) or diammophoska (10:26:26). At the same time, it is better to use nitroammophoska for spring planting, and diammophoska for autumn planting.

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

Important! However, some gardeners and agronomist scientists do not recommend putting mineral fertilizers into the planting hole at all, but advise applying them in the future as fertilizing, 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 and bone meal.

After filling the hole with nutrient substrate, it is necessary to drive a wooden peg, which will subsequently 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 tear off young roots.

Direct step-by-step 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 depression the size of the seedling's root system.

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

It’s another matter if you plant a seedling with a closed root system (ZKS). In this case, there is no need to make any mounds, but simply plant the seedling in a prepared planting hole without disturbing the earth.

• Drive in a wooden support or peg (if you haven't done this beforehand).

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

• Place the seedling in the center of the mound and spread the roots along its (mound) sides downwards (the roots should under no circumstances bend or 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 budding site (eye = new shoot that grew from the graft) should face north, and the cut site should face south.

• Cover with soil, shaking the seedling while doing so to eliminate voids between the roots.

Remember that the grafting site should initially be located 10 centimeters above the soil level. In this case, it is convenient to control the planting level with a rack, which must be placed horizontally on the sides of the hole when the hole is almost filled with soil.

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

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

Attention! If you bury the root collar, the tree will grow poorly and gradually die (because the root collar will dry out). 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 tree trunk circle with a height of 5-10 cm.
• Pour plenty of water, pouring out at least 2-3 buckets (pour out gradually - wait for it to be absorbed and add more).
• Tie the seedling to the prepared support with soft twine and secure it in the correct position.

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

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

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

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

Video: how to plant a plum

Caring for plums after planting: basic measures

Immediately after planting, the plum seedling must trim to level the root system with the above-ground part (this is done for a kind of “reanimation” of the seedling after planting, since any planting and replanting 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 bud.

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

It is not unreasonable to assert that one of the main conditions for successful rooting of plums is a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. Therefore, if the weather is dry, then after planting you should carry out timely and regular watering (1-2 times a week), pouring out 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 the hot and dry summer - once a week). And after each watering, if you have not mulched the tree trunk circle, it is recommended loosen the soil at the base to improve oxygen access to the roots and at the same time weed the tree trunk to remove weeds.

By the way! It is very simple to determine that the earthen lump has dried out and the plum urgently needs watering: dig a hole as deep as a shovel (25-30 cm), take a handful of earth from the bottom, and if it is dry, then water it urgently.

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

Additional fertilizing there is no need to carry out any more during this season, since all the necessary nutrients were added 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 will want to have several different varieties on one tree at the same time, You can graft a plum one of the known methods.

Of course it is required carefully monitor the condition of your tree so that it is not suddenly struck by any diseases or pests.

The most annoying diseases that affect plums (as well as cherry plums) are Clusterosporiasis (hole spotting) And polystigmosis (plum red spot or cherry plums).

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, don’t forget to properly prepare your plums for winter.. It is especially important to mulch and lightly cover (insulate) young seedlings.

And next spring you will again have to carry out a number of simple measures to care for your stone fruit crop.

Well, now you know everything that is required for proper planting of plums in spring and autumn, as well as what will be needed in the post-planting period. After just a few years, the plum will certainly fully thank the owner for the care provided with a bountiful harvest of sweet plum fruits.

Video: how to plant a plum tree correctly

You can plant a plum tree in both autumn and spring. But very often, when planted in autumn, plum seedlings do not have time to take root well and become stronger, which is why they freeze out in winter. Let's look at the question - how to plant a plum tree correctly and what to fertilize it with.

Plum prefers clay and medium clay, that is, heavy, moist soils. Among fruit crops, it tolerates high soil moisture best of all.

Plum develops well and produces a large yield on soils with sufficient Ca (calcium) content, but on acidic soils it gets sick, withers, and reduces yield. Therefore, when planting plum seedlings, 300 g of lime - fluff (instructions) or dolomite flour, or chalk, or wood ash - is added to each hole.

Types of plums

These mineral fertilizers can be replaced with 2 cups of nitrophoska. The main thing is not to forget to add 300 g of lime - fluff, or dolomite flour, or wood ash. Mix everything well and, if there is not enough soil mixture for the hole, add regular turf soil.

The eggshells accumulated over the winter are thrown into the bottom of the hole - this is very useful for plums. Then the entire soil mixture, well mixed with fertilizers, is placed in the hole, after which it is watered well. If the hole is not filled to the top, add soil and water again.

When planting, you must ensure that the root collar of the plum is at soil level or slightly higher. Sprinkling soil on the straightened roots, watering and compacting are carried out at the same time. To prevent water from evaporating, after planting and watering, add peat or sawdust to the tree trunk circle.

Plum is a very healthy and tasty fruit. But in order to get a high-quality and abundant harvest, you need to try, since plums require proper care. From this article you will learn when you need to plant seedlings so that they take root, and also in what time frame you should plant this tree in your garden.

The first thing you need to know when growing plums is when to plant them. The right time for planting is half the success. Plum trees need to be planted in the spring. And this needs to be done early. At the same time, you can plant a seedling in the fall. This is done approximately 1.5-2 months before the soil freezes.

Also, the time when a tree can and should be planted is determined by the climatic conditions of the place where it grows. In the middle zone it is recommended to plant plums in the spring, but for the southern regions autumn is more suitable. Also, slight variations in planting dates are possible depending on the type of tree.

But still, experienced gardeners consider spring to be the best time to plant plum seedlings. It is in spring that the survival rate of seedlings is maximum. The best period for planting is considered to be the end of April (20th) and until the beginning of May (the first 10 days). When planting seedlings in spring, their roots fall into the heated soil. As a result, the above-ground part of the young tree develops normally. In addition, the plum becomes resistant to the conditions of the winter growing season.

Video “Growing plums in the garden”

The most important aspect that needs to be taken into account is the choice of high-quality and viable seedlings. If you select the seedling correctly, the planting will be effective, and in the future you will receive a high-quality and abundant harvest of delicious plums. As you know, plum trees need to be planted only with high-quality planting material. A good seedling can be selected based on the following selection criteria:

• absence of defects and various types of damage on seedlings;
• absence of broken branches;
• the presence of a powerful root system. The seedling must have 3-5 strong roots, the size of which should be from 25 cm.

Such seedlings can not only be planted in the spring in a suitable place in your garden plot, but also later transplanted to a new one. When choosing planting material, you should know that plums can be:

• vaccinated;
• rooted. In case of freezing, they can recover on their own.

Trees can also be:

• self-fertile;
• self-sterile. This plum should be planted only in combination with self-fertile trees.

To properly plant or replant a plum tree, you need to know certain nuances. Tips for planting and caring for a tree include the following:

• plum is a rather demanding tree in terms of moisture, heat and location. Therefore, the optimal area where you can plant a plum is a place with sufficient access to light and little exposure to wind. The tree needs full protection from western and northern winds. The best choice would be a site close to buildings or a fence;
• the depth of the landing pit should be approximately 0.5 m and the width more than one meter;
• if the soil is poor in nutrients, then planting holes should be dug deep from 40 to 60 cm and widened to 100-120 cm. Such dimensions make it possible to create optimal conditions for soil nutrition of seedlings;
• The best area to plant a plum will be in the southwest, southeast or east direction. It is not necessary to allocate southern slopes for planting sites. Otherwise, the plum may get a fairly severe degree of sunburn;
• You should avoid low places where the tree will wither away, and during flowering there may be a negative impact of spring frosts;
• In terms of soil selection, preference should be given to loamy soils that have a soil solution that is close to neutral. The soil pH should be in the range of 6.8-7.2. Swampy areas with a gley horizon are considered unsuitable for planting. In addition, soils with abundant gravel and crushed stone are not suitable. Here the plant will suffer from drying out or excess moisture;
• the dug hole is filled 2/3 with the top layer of soil, which is mixed with fertilizers. Approximately 15 kg of compost, 400 g of wood ash, 300-400 g of superphosphate, 40 - 60 g of potassium chloride are placed in the pit;
• The seedling should be planted so that the root collar is located approximately 5 cm higher than the existing ground level. The same condition remains if the tree needs to be replanted;
• The distance between seedlings is determined based on the type of tree purchased. For spreading and wide plums, this figure is approximately three meters. With a small crown, the distance can be reduced to 1.5 meters;
• To ensure that the young tree grows evenly, the seedling is supported with a peg on the north side.

If the seedlings were purchased in the fall, they should be buried for the winter in a trench specially dug for this purpose. The trees are placed in it at an angle and sprinkled with earth on top. Young trees need to be covered with soil about half the bole. In most cases, our country is characterized by podzolic soils. Therefore, in this situation, it is necessary to carry out the liming procedure in order to obtain a strong and healthy tree as a final result, as well as a high-quality and tasty harvest.

Liming can be carried out correctly according to the following scheme:

1. at a soil pH of 5.2-5.6 – peat soil - 400 g/m², podzolic soil - 450 g/m²;
2. at a soil pH of 4.5-5.0 – peat soil - 600 g/m², podzolic soil - 650 g/m².

In addition, before planting, in the presence of loamy and podzolic soils, pre-planting soil fertilization is carried out. The following fertilizers should be applied here:

• humus - most of all (about 15-20 kg);
• superphosphate - noticeably less (no more than 200-400 g);
• potassium chloride - quite a bit (about 40-50 g).

The fertilizer application scheme changes slightly in the presence of peaty soils. In this situation, pre-planting fertilizer includes the application of:

• a small amount of superphosphate (approximately 300-400 g);
• potassium chloride in small volumes (up to 50 g).

In the presence of prepared chernozems, this scheme involves the introduction of:

• humus – 10 kg less;
• superphosphate - about 100-200 g;
• potassium chloride - even less than for loamy and podzolic soils (only 20-30 g).

This amount of fertilizer should be applied to one hole.

Many gardeners recommend planting together. This will allow for better planting, since one person will hold the seedling in a level position, and the second will fill it with fertile soil. Taking into account the above tips, you can plant a plum according to all the rules.

After care

After the plum has been planted, an important point is to properly care for it. The most important thing is to create the necessary water regime. The water regime for plums during the post-planting period looks like this:

• after direct planting, two buckets of water are poured under the tree;
• During the season, the planted plant is watered 2-4 times (here we proceed from the existing climatic conditions);
• during hot periods, watering is increased more often, taking into account the needs of the plant.

After watering, the ground around the plant is mulched, sprinkled with peat chips and fertilized. You can also sprinkle the ground with fallen leaves.

Also a prerequisite for care is the application of fertilizers. Feeding application scheme:

• first year – it is not recommended to apply fertilizers;
• subsequent years - add approximately 20 g of urea per 1 m2;
• during the fruiting period, per 1 m2 of tree trunk circle you need to add manure/compost (up to 10 kg), a little superphosphate (about 60 g), even less urea (no more than 25 g) and very little potassium chloride (only 20 g). Potassium can also be replaced with 200 g of wood ash;
• spring feeding - consists of urea;
• autumn feeding - includes potassium and phosphorus supplements;
• spring and autumn feeding - compost and manure.

In addition, after planting, it is necessary to organize a procedure for trimming the crown by about 1/3. Be sure to trim the lower branches with a larger grip than the upper ones. Leave extensions on the shoot up to 20-30 cm above the upper side branch.

As you can see, planting and caring for plums is not a difficult task. Here you just need to follow the recommendations listed above, and everything will work out as it should.

Video “How to plant a plum tree”

It would seem that planting a plum tree is a very simple and easy process. However, it has its own subtleties and tricks, the observance of which will help you grow a healthy and fruitful tree.