We plant plums in the spring according to all the rules of agricultural technology - step-by-step instructions. How to plant plums correctly: nuances and visual instructions When and how to plant plums in the fall

Juicy, sweet, with a delicate taste, plums are one of the most popular fruits growing in summer cottages. You can eat it freshly picked, cook from it fragrant jam, compotes and other preparations. At the same time, plants often become a real decoration of the garden - the plum blossoms very beautifully in late spring, and its trees are lush and can easily create a nice and cozy corner for relaxation in the garden.

Plum is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees that belong to the Rosaceae family. It brings together more than 250 plant species. Thanks to selection, varieties have been developed from some species that are now grown in dachas. They differ in the color and size of the fruit, ripening time, and sometimes taste qualities. The most popular are the following:

There are a great many types of plums that summer residents cultivate in their garden plots. But they have a lot in common:

• fruit - drupe;
• pink or white flowers are collected in inflorescences or single;
• leaves are lanceolate, toothed.

Plum is cultivated almost throughout Russia, but it is rarely grown on an industrial scale.

This plant is not highly resistant to low temperatures Therefore, during sudden and severe frosts, there is a high risk of losing every single tree and being left without a harvest at all.

We buy seedlings

It is best to buy plum tree seedlings in specialized nurseries for growing garden plants, since in spontaneous markets there is a high risk of running into a diseased tree or being deceived and buying the wrong variety that you would like. In nurseries, plums are most often sold on so-called seed rootstocks - these are rootstock plants sprouted from seeds, onto which a scion - another plant - is grafted. This is how we get the same tree that will later give us fruits. Trees grown from these seedlings begin to bear fruit early and abundantly.

You can also sometimes purchase your own rooted seedlings, that is, those grown from root shoots or cuttings. They are good because if the tree freezes, it can be restored, and it is also convenient to grow seedlings yourself.

It is best to choose plum seedlings that meet the following parameters:

Following this table, it will be more convenient to choose the right plum seedlings.

Conditions for growing plums

After planting, a plum tree grows for about 7 years - during this time it bears little fruit. Then, at 12-15 years, the most productive period begins, when the plant will annually delight you with a huge amount of juicy plums. Then the tree begins to age, and gradually the yield decreases. These are average numbers, which largely depend on the plant variety. Before purchasing seedlings, you should create a plum tree optimal conditions existence - the speed of growth and development of the tree, the beginning of the fruiting period and productivity will largely depend on this.

Plum is a light-loving plant, so find a well-lit and sunny place on your site. If it is slightly shaded in the morning or evening, it’s okay, it won’t harm the plum.

You should not plant a tree in a lowland - in spring or autumn cold air can accumulate there, which is detrimental to the plant. It is good if the plum grows in the area of ​​a fence or house, where it will be protected from the winds.

The ideal place for plum growth is near a fence or house

Humidity is also a significant factor when growing plums. It does not tolerate drought well, but you should not plant it where the water in the soil stagnates. The soil should have good drainage and a pH in the region of 6.5-7.2.

You cannot plant a plum near other trees - they will deprive it of the required amount of moisture.

Planting plums in autumn

Plums are planted both in spring, starting in mid-April, and in autumn time until mid-October. The main thing is that there are still at least 25 days left before the first frost. The technology for planting plums in autumn is as follows:

That's it, the plum tree is planted.

When tying a plant, do not use wire - it can damage the tree bark.

Video - How to plant a plum

Video - Planting a plum

Caring for a plum

Pruning of the plum tree is carried out annually, starting from the first year of life - thanks to this procedure, a neat and beautiful crown is formed. Old branches are also cut off - this is a health-improving pruning, which is done in April as needed.

It is important to thin out the fruits of a fruit-bearing tree by removing some of them. The remaining plums will be larger, tastier and juicier.

Since plum is a heat-loving plant, it needs to be well prepared for wintering. To do this, the plant is fed and the soil around it is well compacted. The tree trunk should be whitened with lime mortar both in autumn and winter - this will help it more easily withstand temperature changes and weather variability in the spring-autumn period. Lime mortar is prepared as follows: 3 kg of freshly slaked lime is mixed with 2 kg of clay and diluted in a bucket of water. Watering the plant also protects well from frost. To protect the plum from birds that can peck the buds, it is covered with a net for the winter.

There is no need to fertilize the plum tree for the first 2-3 years - the fertilizers applied during planting will suffice. But then you should regularly add both organic matter and mineral fertilizers to the soil around the trunk. In the spring, nitrogen-containing complexes can be added to the soil; from the middle of the season, nitrogen-potassium and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied. Before wintering, you can add some organic matter and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

The ground around the trunk is periodically loosened and weeds removed. It is also important to periodically remove root growth, approximately 4-5 times during the summer. It appears at a distance of up to 3 meters from the mother tree. It is necessary to remove it, as the shoots weaken the adult tree and reduce the yield. The procedure is simple: the soil is dug up to the place where the shoot is connected to the main root, and it is torn off. If the growth is removed in this way, it will grow less frequently and more slowly.

Video - Preparing young trees for winter

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

Planting a plum seedling can be done in autumn or spring. Depending on the region, the landing dates vary. 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. To increase the survival rate of a plant, it is important to adhere to the replanting technology that has been repeatedly tested by gardeners: planting a tree in autumn ensures a higher survival rate.

The circumstances of autumn planting give it some advantages over spring planting:

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

A seedling grown in the fall develops much better. Its fruiting begins a season earlier than the tree planted in the spring. It is also important that the seedling purchased in the fall was removed from the nursery at the end of the growing season: the root system does not react to damage when dug up for replanting.

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 is greatly weakened by this, and it may begin to wither. As a result, the plant begins to hurt after planting, may not be accepted and may die. Growing a 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 plums in central Russia, since young trees may not have time to fully mature during autumn planting and will freeze in the winter.

But if the climate is not particularly harsh, a plum tree can be grown in central Russia. In this case, you should not overuse fertilizing, which leads to excessive growth of branches and provokes burns of the roots.

Choosing the best variety

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

Thanks to the work of breeders, a large number of varieties adapted to different soil compositions and climates have been developed. To grow a productive tree, you should choose seedling varieties that can survive in certain conditions.

To do this, it is important to know which varieties of plums are popular in your region. There is a possibility of unknowingly selecting 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. Belorusskaya - a small tree 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 10 years of age the yield reaches 30 kilograms per tree.
2. Hungarian common is a plum variety with medium-sized trees and fruits. It begins to bear fruit in the fifth year, the fruit reaches a weight of 30 grams. The variety does not have any special requirements for agricultural technology and is characterized by increased frost resistance. On practice maximum yield from one tree per season can reach 40 kilograms.
3. Hungarian Italiana is a medium-sized tree with fruit weighing 30-40 grams. They retain their shape well in warm weather, but are susceptible to cracking in cold weather. The harvest is irregular: this variety is characterized by early flowering, which at low air temperatures leads to poor 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 fruit is impressive in size, weighing up to 65 grams. At about 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 zone, more intensive cultivation of plums is hampered 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.

Choosing a landing site

Before planting a plum tree, it is important to choose the best place for it. Do not forget that the tree will grow on it for decades, and future productivity largely depends on it.

It is advisable that competitors that suck nutrients from the soil do not grow nearby. The planting site should be well lit by the sun, but partial shade is also allowed. Sufficient light is important for fruit ripening, so it is impossible to produce full fruit in complete shade.

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

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

Plum is a moisture-loving crop, but does not tolerate excess moisture well. Location groundwater on the site should not rise above 1.5-2 meters from the ground surface.

Soil preparation

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

To feed the future fruit tree, it is good to add rotted manure to the soil. Tillage for proper planting of plums should be carried out to a depth of about 40 centimeters.

Selecting seedlings: what to look for?

One- and two-year-old plum trees are suitable for planting. When purchasing 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 off 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, plum trees are propagated after the vegetative cycle has ceased, when the seedling has prepared for the coming winter and has completely shed its leaves.

Plum planting technology

Compared to spring, autumn planting of plums requires significantly less effort.

It is advisable to prepare the pit in advance by digging a hole measuring 60x60 centimeters and the same depth a few days in advance.

It is enough to add 3-4 kilograms of ordinary humus mixed with soil from the pit in a ratio of 1:10. About a bucket of such a mixture is poured into the bottom of the pit.

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

After this, the hole is filled to the edge with earth, and no more than 10 liters of water are poured on top to compact the soil.

A few weeks later, before the first frost, the seedling needs to be protected from freezing. For this purpose, the filled pit is covered with straw and protected from moisture penetration using tarpaulin, slate or sheet metal.

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

Plum care

Caring for plums after planting in open ground is no different. When spring warmth arrives 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, tree care is quite simple. The gardener must provide young plant the right direction of growth. For this purpose, a stake is driven near the trunk, to which the tree is tied. The correct direction given in the first year of a plum’s life allows you to achieve a straight trunk without bending.

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 in good soil can do without additional annual autumn fertilizing: you only need to timely prune dried branches, harvest and remove fallen leaves.

The formation of a tree crown is necessary for its proper development. The crown should be of medium density, the top should be open to illuminate the internal branches. Optimal height tree - 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, tying it to the branch below.

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

Tree trunk circle

The trunk circle, the size of which must be at least 2 meters for a plum, requires careful care. The soil around the trunk must be regularly loosened, removing weeds in a timely manner. It is important to regularly uproot root growth: by 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; complete drying should be allowed only before the next watering. This will serve as protection against rotting of the root system.

Watering

Regular watering is one of the main components of good plum tree care. It is recommended to start periodically watering the plum tree after the buds awaken.

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

The tree needs watering most of all after flowering, when the fruits are set and the ovaries are growing intensively. Also, plum trees especially need watering after the seeds have formed.

Mulching

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

Feeding

To speed up the growth of a plum tree during the summer drought, when watering instead clean water You can add a solution of chicken manure prepared in a ratio of 1:20.

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

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

Plum begins to reproduce at 3-4 years: The first fruits appear on it. During this period, the tree intensively extracts nutrients from the soil. After the end of fruiting, you should take care of autumn feeding, so that next year prevent missed harvest.

To prepare the fertilizer 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 the weather is cold and cloudy, their absorption slows down and the plants need to be fed less frequently.

Planting green manure in the circles around the trunk once every 2-3 years has a positive effect on plum trees: phacelia, mustard, vetch, winter rye. During 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. Into the soil autumn green manure closed in early May, summer ones - in the fall, when their flowering period begins.

Green fertilizers are very effective in caring for trees: by replacing the application of manure, they help improve the physical and nutritional properties of the soil, increase immunity, and develop the root system and the entire tree.

Trimming

In March, in the second year from the moment of transplanting the plum tree, sanitary pruning of the crown is recommended. In this case, 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, you need to remove branches growing inside the crown, since due to insufficient lighting, the fruits on them will not ripen fully. 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 varnish, so that when the tree awakens, active growth reduce juice loss.

You should try to remove branches to a minimum, since sanitary pruning may lead to a decrease active development tree. It is advisable to do this no more often than once every 2-3 years.

Pest and disease control

Diseases and pests cause enormous damage to plum trees. A full harvest cannot be obtained without regular and timely implementation of protective measures.

The fight against diseases and pests of plums, and 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, before the buds bloom, overwintered pest nests must be removed and burned. It is necessary to collect and burn dried fruits in the crown and under the tree.

It is recommended to thoroughly spray the crowns with N30, using 500 grams of product per 10 liters of water. This spraying is aimed at destroying eggs of aphids and mites, pathogens of fungal diseases, roseate leaf roller, and fruit moth caterpillars.

To protect trees from the larvae of leaf-eating pests, mites, aphids, and sawfly larvae, spray the white bud (from the beginning of bud break to the end of flowering) with insecticides Aktara, Fufanon-Nova, Alatar, adding Abiga-Pik or HOM. It is recommended to use all drugs strictly according to the instructions.

In the summer, 3-4 sprays are carried out at two-week intervals against mites, plum moths, and pathogens of fungal diseases. For this purpose, use Horus (3 grams per 10 liters of water) or Abiga-Pik (30 milliliters) in combination with the preparations Fitoverm and Fufanon-Nova.

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

Each summer resident, in addition to traditional vegetables and ornamental plants, has several fruit trees growing on his plot.

Plums are also often found among them. For successful cultivation It is correct to plant a plum in the spring, taking into account the climate in the region. If the seedling is properly cared for, over the summer it will have time to gain strength and take root well in order to successfully survive the winter.

When growing this fruit crop, they usually use planting seedlings purchased from various stores and nurseries, but there are other methods. Plum propagates by seeds and vegetatively, but for simplicity, the second method is used.

Planting with seeds is used only to obtain seedlings for rootstocks. Seeds are removed from healthy fruits without signs of damage and soaked for 4 days, periodically changing the water. The seeds are then dried and stored in a closed container until planting. In the fall, they are mixed with wet sand and kept at temperatures from 0 to -10 degrees for six months. At the end of April, seeds are planted for germination.

Another way to grow plums is by grafting. To carry it out, you need a rootstock seedling from a variety with high winter hardiness. For scion cuttings, shoots of existing trees are used or purchased specially. The grafting is carried out in the second half of spring or at the end of summer, when active sap flow occurs.

Good, strong seedlings are obtained from root shoots. To do this, in September, the root that has produced shoots is cut off from the mother plant. With the onset of spring, they are dug up along with the roots and transplanted to a new place.

Another method of independently obtaining seedlings is growing from root cuttings:

1. To do this, dig up roots at a distance of 1-1.5 m from an adult tree.
2. Roots 15 cm long and 10.5 cm thick are selected.
3. Before planting, they are stored in the basement, placed in moistened sawdust with the addition of moss.
4. In May, the roots are planted in deep boxes with a peat-sand mixture in a vertical or slightly inclined position, with the upper end buried 3 cm.
5. The soil is mulched with sand and the box is covered with film.
6. The boxes are placed in a dark place until shoots appear.
7. During the summer, seedlings are fed with organic matter 2-3 times.
8. After a year, the seedlings are transplanted into separate containers and grown to a height of 1.5 m.
9. Then the young plants are transplanted to a permanent place.

Favorable time for planting

When choosing a favorable time for planting plums, they are guided by the climatic conditions of the region. In the Moscow region and in the middle zone, as well as in the southern regions of Russia or Ukraine, plums can be eaten. Seedlings planted in early autumn have time to grow stronger and tolerate mild winters well.

WITH autumn planting It is not recommended to experiment with plums in the Urals or Siberia, since the seedlings will probably not survive the harsh winter and will die. In these regions, unlike the Moscow region, plums are planted in April. In this case, they focus on the condition of the soil. It should thaw completely. Planting plums in the spring in the Leningrad region or in Belarus is carried out 5 days after the soil has completely thawed.

Although yellow and blue plums belong to heat-loving plants, thanks to the work of breeders, varieties with good frost resistance have been developed. Some varieties can successfully survive mild winters without shelter at all.

The maximum temperature that plums can withstand for a short time without loss is -30 degrees.

Site selection

For successful cultivation, it is important to know how and where to plant plums in the spring, and to choose suitable site taking into account biological features plants. This fruit crop does not tolerate cold northern or eastern winds. Therefore, a site is selected that is protected from drafts on a gentle slope.

Plum prefers good lighting. For this they choose open place away from tall trees, houses and outbuildings. Constant exposure to the shade causes the trunk to bend and reduces the number of fruits. The root system of this plant is superficial. Therefore, groundwater must be deep in the area. A place in a lowland with a large accumulation of snow and melt water is not suitable for plums.

It is good when the plum falls into partial shade for a short time. Sometimes in summer in particularly hot weather Sun rays The crown and trunk are especially burned. Then a light shadow becomes a real salvation.

Soil selection

It is best to plant plums in the spring in areas with soil consisting of loess-like loam and sandy loam. The second layer should be drained loam or layered sediments with a high sandy loam content.

This tree should not be planted in swampy and peat areas. Areas with high sand or clay-sand moraine are not suitable for cultivating plums.

Plum prefers fertile, loose soil with a neutral pH of 5.5-6. If the acidity in the area is too high, the quality of the soil is improved by adding dolomite flour or lime every 4 years.

Soil preparation

The soil for planting fruit crops is prepared in advance, 2 or 3 years in advance. Planting plums in the spring is done only after careful digging of the garden. This procedure saturates the earth with oxygen. If the soil on the site contains substances of little use, additional mineral complexes and organic matter are added to improve the fertile qualities.

For each square meter of soil add:

• 10 kg of humus or compost;
• 50 g superphosphate;
• 30 g of potassium nitrate.

You cannot plant plum seedlings immediately after uprooting other fruit trees from the site. In such soil there are too few useful substances left for the qualitative development of the crop. Therefore, the land is allowed to rest for 3-4 years.

Selection of seedlings

For ease of care and improved survival rate of seedlings, choose only high-quality, healthy planting material and buy it from a nursery. The tree is carefully inspected before purchasing. You should not choose seedlings with visible defects:

• with broken or damaged branches;
• with hail-damaged trunks;
• too dry plant with mold or rot;
• with suspicious spots and thickened areas on the roots;
• with a curved or crooked grafting site;
• with dying, drooping roots;
• with useless branches near the root collar;
• with a split stem.

The best survival rate is shown by seedlings aged 1-2 years.

Root system quality seedling well branched, normal color. In this case, the volume of the root system, consisting of 3-4 tap roots and many lateral roots, corresponds to the size of the above-ground part. The grafting site is 10 cm away from the root collar and is entirely covered with bark.

Landing Features

Most plum varieties are tall trees that need a lot of space to develop well. Therefore, when planting a plum garden in spring, it is important to take into account the planting pattern and maintain the correct distance between plants. There should be enough space so that the branches of individual specimens do not touch or cast a shadow on each other. This will improve illumination, simplify planting and care, and eliminate problems during harvesting.

For medium-growing varieties, maintain a distance in the row between trees of 2 m; for tall-growing varieties, the interval is increased to 3 m. The gap between the rows is 4 and 4.5 m, respectively, for medium-growing and tall-growing varieties.

Pit preparation

3 weeks in advance, dig a hole for planting plums in open ground. At the same time, fertile soil is poured onto the bottom with the addition of mineral complexes. Then the soil will have time to settle before the seedling is planted. The dimensions of the planting pit are 60 cm on all sides and in depth.

At the same time, they dig a stake into the bottom of the hole, which will later become a support for the young tree. It is not placed in the center of the hole, but on the north side, retreating 15 cm. This is necessary to maintain the distance between the support and the table of the future tree.

Fertilizer application during planting

Immediately after digging a hole, two-thirds of it is filled with a filling mixture consisting of fertilizers and fertile soil. It includes:

• 2 buckets of compost or humus;
• 2 buckets of peat;
• 300 g superphosphate;
• 80 g of potassium sulfate.

If the soil on the site has low fertility, then the amount of the dressing mixture is increased by 50%. At the same time, the landing hole is also made larger.

Seedling preparation

If plum seedlings were purchased not in the spring, but in the fall, they are dug in for the winter so that they survive the winter well. To do this, dig a trench 60 cm deep and lay planting material in it obliquely so that the tops of the plants are directed to the south. Then the trench is covered with earth.

In the spring, the plants are removed from the trench and the root system is examined. Damaged, broken roots are cut off to healthy tissue. The sections are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.

Planting a seedling

In spring, plums are planted in open ground, following step-by-step instructions:

1. Lay a level rail across the prepared hole for planting and place the seedling in the hole as in the photo so that its root collar is 5 cm above the level of the rail. This will help avoid the plant from sinking after being covered with soil. If the level is insufficient, add more fertile soil into the center of the pit with a mound.
2. The root system is spread over the surface of the earthen mound so that the roots do not bump into the walls of the hole, but lie freely.
3. Cover the roots with fertile soil to a depth of 15 cm. Then pour 30 liters of water into the hole. The soil, softened by moisture, will settle and fill all the resulting voids.
4. Fill the hole completely with the remaining soil and do not water it. The earth will compact and settle on its own. The root collar will be at the desired level.
5. A small trench is made around the perimeter of the pit for irrigation.
6. The seedling is tied to a support with a soft rope. The loop is made in the shape of a figure eight and is not tightened tightly. Only after a month, when the soil settles, the piping is compacted.
7. The upper end of the peg should not rise above the level of the lower skeletal branch. Therefore, if necessary, the excess is sawed off.
8. The soil around the trunk is covered with peat to reduce moisture evaporation and suppress the growth of weeds.

For beginning gardeners, it is not always clear where exactly the root collar is located. This place is easy to find by the transition of the trunk to the root system. The neck should not be deepened. Otherwise, from contact with the ground, the trunk begins to become damp, rot, the bark gradually peels off and the tree dies.

Care after landing

Compared to other fruit trees, plums do not require close attention. But you can’t leave them without care either. To ensure an abundant and high-quality harvest, the plants are watered on time, fed with fertilizers, and pruned.

Watering

During the first growing season, young plum trees are watered weekly. At a time, 30 liters of water are poured under each plant. To prevent the soil from eroding, water is poured gradually, in small portions over two hours. In dry, hot summers, water the seedlings more often. If the weather is rainy, the intensity of irrigation is reduced. In the second year of life, the tree is watered as needed.

A useful alternative to conventional watering is sprinkling. This method of irrigation is used only in the evening, so as not to provoke sunburn. The procedure makes the seedlings more resilient and prepares them for the upcoming cold weather. After watering, the circle around the trunk is mulched with sawdust or peat.

Feeding

In the first year of development, plum seedlings do not need additional feeding. The fertilizer applied at the time of planting is sufficient for them. Additional portions mineral fertilizers introduced from the third year of life. In the fall, during digging, fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus are added to the soil. At the end of spring, after flowering has completed, nitrogen fertilizers are used.

This fruit crop is also good for organic fertilizers. From the third year of development, it is useful to fertilize the tree with mullein. To do this, dilute 500 ml of infusion in 10 liters of water and pour it under each plant.

Trimming

When a plum is dug up in a nursery, it root system is violated. This affects the quality of nutrition of the aboveground part. To compensate for violations, immediately after planting it is recommended to trim the crown by a third or half. The intensity of pruning depends on how severely the roots are damaged. Cut off the side branches by a third at the top and bottom of the tree.

During the first years after planting, the plum tree grows at a high rate. The development of branches occurs unevenly. Therefore, they are pruned to form the crown correctly. They shorten frozen tops and reduce the density of the crown.

10 skeletal shoots are left, growing at equal intervals at an angle of 45 degrees to the main trunk. Branches growing under more acute angle, cut off completely, since there is a high probability that they will break. The remaining shoots are shortened by a third of the length. Branches that grow too low on the trunk are completely cut off into a ring.

Prevention of pests and diseases

One of effective ways timely pruning helps to resist diseases and reduce the likelihood of damage by pests. All broken, weak and diseased branches are cut off and then burned to prevent the infection from spreading. It is much more effective to fight insects and diseases with modern drugs.

If the plum is attacked by scale insects or false scale insects, in early spring the tree is sprayed with a 3% solution of the drug “Nitrophen”. The treatment is carried out until the air temperature rises above +5 degrees and sap flow begins. This is the same one for ticks.

After the leaves bloom, it is useful to treat the plum with Bordeaux mixture or a solution of Polycarbocin at a concentration of 4%. If the last preparation is used, re-treatment is carried out when the plum blossoms.

To eliminate caterpillars devouring leaves on a plum tree, after flowering is completed, the tree is sprayed with Entobacterin or Dendrobacillin. These drugs are diluted according to the instructions and the plum is processed at temperatures above +15 degrees.

Conclusion

It seems complicated only at first glance. If the procedure was performed according to all the rules, the young plum begins to bear fruit at the age of three. In the future, high-quality care will ensure a stable harvest of healthy, juicy fruits every year.

Plum has a wonderful sweet-honey taste. You can make delicious preserves, jams, compotes, and dried fruits from this fruit. Thanks to its composition, the fruit is not only tasty, but also extremely healthy, so it will become a wonderful part of a healthy diet. For these reasons, many summer residents do not deny themselves the pleasure of growing crops in their garden.

A gardener who has decided to start growing a crop may have a very obvious and important question: “When is it better to plant a plum seedling - in spring or autumn?” . Definitely, the crop can be planted both in spring and autumn. But there are certain rules.

It is recommended to plant seedlings in the fall only in southern, warm regions. And it is optimal to plant crops in the spring in more northern and colder regions (in the central zone, including in the Moscow region, in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Volga region) and there are good reasons for this. During the autumn procedure in these parts, there is a high probability that the plant will not have time to take root and will die.

Dates for planting plum seedlings

Autumn and spring planting of any fruit crops and shrubs should be carried out at the most suitable and comfortable time for them. The survival rate largely depends on this. When is it better to plant this fruit crop, in what month?

Optimal timing for planting plums in spring- in March or April before the buds open, but the air temperature should be consistently above 5 degrees Celsius. In the middle zone (Moscow region) - it is optimal to plant at the end of April, in the South ( Krasnodar region(Kuban), Northern Caucasus) - at the end of March, in Siberia, the Urals, Leningrad region - it is better to plant in early May.

R Recommended procedure time in autumn- standard September-October, daytime temperature should be about 10 degrees Celsius, and night temperature - 5. It should be planted one month before the onset of cold weather. In Siberia, the Urals, and the Leningrad region, it is better to plant in September, in the South - throughout October, in the Middle Zone - from the end of September to the end of the first half of October.

By the way! The natural desire of any gardener is to find out: at what year after planting does a plum tree begin to bear fruit? So, as a rule, fruiting begins after 3-5 years.

Instructions for planting plum seedlings

When planting any fruit tree, you must follow a certain pattern that will help you complete the procedure correctly. In addition to the planting itself, every step is important: the choice planting material and places in the garden, preparing the pit.

Selection of seedlings

Plum was originally a heat-loving and fastidious crop, but thanks to selection, adapted, frost-resistant varieties appeared. Therefore, to grow fruit crops from the Middle Zone, the Urals, and Siberia, it is necessary to select zoned varieties suitable for the weather and climatic conditions of a particular region. There is no point in buying seedlings intended for other regions, because most likely they will not take root or will bear fruit poorly.

Choosing an adapted variety suitable for a specific region is the key to normal tree growth and fruiting.

The characteristics of a healthy, good plum seedling will help you choose a suitable specimen for autumn or spring planting:

1. The above-ground part of the plant must be healthy - without damaged, dry shoots. There should be no signs or traces of disease. The bark has no damage, its integrity is preserved.
2. A healthy and powerful root system with three to five strong roots at least 25 centimeters long. Also, the central conductor must be well developed. The seedling should not have dry or rotten roots or suspicious growths.
3. The seedling must have a semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstock.
4. The optimal age of a seedling is one or two years. You cannot plant specimens older than three years, as they most likely will not take root.
5. The diameter of the seedling trunk is 1-1.5 centimeters.
6. The seedling has a central shoot and at least three lateral branches.

Important! When purchasing a seedling, also check with the seller whether the variety is self-pollinating or cross pollination. If the seedling belongs to the latter type, then one or two more plum seedlings of different varieties should be planted on the site.

Selecting a location

The place where your choice falls on the site will serve as a home for the tree on long years. And the quantity and quality of the harvest will depend on how comfortable it is for him to grow in this place. The following recommendations will help you choose a place:

1. The place should be sunny, the south or south-west side of the garden is ideal (the absence of sun is critical for this crop, shadow can have a very negative effect on the harvest).
2. Also, the place for the plum must be reliably protected from the wind, which is very critical and unpleasant for the crop.
3. Stagnation of moisture and excessive moisture are not acceptable, so wetlands and places with high groundwater levels should be avoided (suitable depth is at least 1.5 m).
4. You should not choose a place to plant plums close to tall trees with a wide, spreading crown, as they will cast a large shadow.

Soil selection

The crop can grow on different soils, but they must have the following characteristics:

• Fertility;
• Looseness;
• Neutral pH - 6.5-7

If the soil in your area is too acidic, the situation can be corrected. Apply wood ash or dolomite flour (0.4 kg per square meter) to the soil. At clay soil sand should be added, and if it is sandy, on the contrary, clay should be added.

The best option for growing a tree is sandy, loamy soil. If there is a lack of nutrients in them, then it is necessary to fertilize in a timely manner.

The distance between trees in a garden is the key to a successful vegetable garden. After all, trees that compete for resources and interfere with each other are unlikely to produce a bountiful harvest. Therefore, it is so important to consider the optimal planting scheme.

The recommended distance between plum seedlings when planting is at least three meters. If you have chosen a tree variety that reaches large sizes, then it is recommended to increase the distance to 8-10 meters. And also trees should not be too close to buildings and fences.

Important! Also, when planting in open ground, it is necessary to prevent an unfavorable neighborhood. You should not plant plums next to cherries, sweet cherries, pears, walnut. Such neighbors will inhibit growth and fruiting.

Preparing the planting hole

The planting pit should be prepared in advance. If planting is planned in the spring, then preparation is carried out in the fall, and if in the fall, then in the summer or a month before the event. But it also happens that the gardener cannot prepare the hole in advance, so this needs to be done at least 3 weeks in advance. First you need to level the area and remove weeds.

Then you need to forge a hole. R Recommended dimensions of the planting pit are depth 60-70 centimeters, width 70 centimeters. When digging a hole, throw the soil from the top fertile layer in one direction, and the rest of the soil in the other.

At the bottom of the planting hole, make drainage layer 10 centimeters thick. You can use crushed bricks and expanded clay.

Then you need to enterfertilizers, which will serve good source nutrients when planting plums in spring and autumn. The following ingredients are recommended: superphosphate(250 grams), humus(1 bucket), top fertile layer of soil(1 bucket).

After pouring fertilizer, place a wooden peg on the side of the hole, which will serve as a support for the young tree. When choosing a location for a peg, keep in mind that there should be a gap of 15 centimeters between the peg and the seedling.

Direct landing

If you have completed all the preparatory activities and waited for the deadline, it is time to carry out the activity. Plant a plum seedling correct scheme will help step-by-step instruction:

• Place the seedling in landing pit, straighten the roots.
• Fill it with soil; you can shake the trunk slightly to avoid the formation of voids. The grafting site should face south, and the root collar should be 3-4 centimeters above the ground surface.
• Lightly compact the planting area.
• Water using four buckets of water.
• After absorbing the water, mulch the tree trunk circle.

Planting a seedling with a closed root system (that is, a container type) is carried out in the same way, but the tree must remain at the same ground level as it previously grew in the container.

Video: how to plant a plum seedling correctly.

How to care for a plum after planting

After planting in open ground, a plum seedling needs quality care. Neglecting key aspects of caring for a young tree can have serious consequences. For example, the seedling will not take root, will grow poorly and slowly, the lack of proper care will affect the future harvest, it will begin to bear fruit with a delay, or the seedling will not take root at all and will die. To prevent all this from happening, you should properly care for the plum seedling after planting in spring or autumn:

Planting fruit trees is an excellent investment in the future. At proper care and compliance with growing conditions, trees will bring good harvest, which can be used in pure form, and make preparations for the winter. The procedure itself does not require large investments, effort and your time, as does cultivation. And regardless of whether you live in the South or in the Middle Zone, in Siberia or the Urals, you can achieve amazing results.