Like any garden tree, the plum has its own timing and planting requirements.
It is very important to take them into account, since the slightest error can deprive you of both the tree itself and the long-awaited harvest.
In this article, we will describe all the features and schemes for planting plums, tell you how to choose the right place for it and care for it throughout the entire growth period.
Preparing for landing: what to consider?
Garden trees are mainly bred by breeding methods, as a result of crossing different ones. Not only the taste of the fruit depends on this, but also which region is most suitable for the tree, what its size, resistance to frost and various pests.
Therefore, the most important stage of preparation is study of various varieties of plums, the choice of those that you like the most and are suitable for your climatic region.
Choosing the right place for a plum
The second step in preparing for planting a plum is choosing a place suitable for its growth. In particular, it should take into account the degree of illumination, whether other trees or buildings will shade the tree.
Even when planting a garden, it is important to consider the distance between the trees and to know how large it can grow. If the plum falls into the shade, it will grow worse, its leaves may turn yellow. Also, very strong shading can cause a deterioration in the quality of the crop and the size of the fruit.
Also, Plums don't like wind very much., because they can simply blow off their flowering and deprive you of the harvest. Therefore, the relief of the area on which you are going to plant the plum should be broadly undulating and have gentle slopes.
Thanks to this, good air drainage will be provided for the tree - cold air will not approach it, and it will not accumulate in one place. The area where there are many depressions and ravines is not suitable.
We select the soil
The best soil for plums are loess-like loams and sandy loams. It is very good if drained loams or layered deposits with a large amount of sandy loam lie under the indicated types of soil.
Plum has a fairly large root system, which in no case should be washed away by groundwater, although the plum is a very moisture-loving tree.
In this way, the optimal level of groundwater is 1.5 -2 meters. If they are higher, special drainage grooves are the best option, which are dug next to the garden. All unnecessary excess water will drain into them.
You should not even think about planting plums on peaty-boggy soils, as well as where sands or clay-sandy moraine lie at a depth of less than a meter.
It is also important to know that after uprooting plum orchard wait at least 4-5 years before laying a new one in the same place. After all, previous trees have already pulled out of the soil all the most necessary plum substances, so it will be difficult for a young tree to take root in the same place.
Rules for preparing the soil for planting a seedling
Before planting a plum orchard, the soil is dug up very well so that it is saturated with enough air.
Up to this point, large trees should not grow on the site, after which there will be little nutrients for the plum.
Planting a plum seedling
Most plums are medium to tall trees that take up a fair amount of garden space. That's why, take account of you need not only where to plant a tree, but also how far to retreat from other garden pets.
Plum Orchard Planting Scheme
The distance between the plums should be such that they do not shade each other and practically do not get one tree to another with branches. This will not only allow them to receive a lot of sunlight, but will also not complicate the movement in the garden and harvesting.
So, if the plums are medium-sized, then the distance between the trees of one row should be at least 2 meters. If the trees are vigorous, then it should be increased to 3 meters. row spacing between medium plums must be at least 4 meters, and for vigorous growth this distance increases to 4.5 meters.
The most important thing to remember when planting a garden is that you won't achieve bountiful harvests with a large number of trees on your site, even if you fertilize the soil regularly. After all, trees need not only nutrients and sunlight, but also space for their root system.
Plum planting dates
Most often plum planting is carried out in the spring. In more northern regions, autumn is also suitable. However, in autumn there is a big risk that the young tree will not have time to take root normally in the new soil and for this reason it will simply freeze in winter.
Spring planting is carried out already on the 5th day after the soil for planting plums has completely thawed from frost. The term for planting is not very long, only 10-15 days.
If the tree is planted later, it may become less accepted or damaged by high temperatures and moisture overload. Also, if a seedling is transplanted at a later date, it will have time to bloom in the same place of growth and will not take root well in this state in a new one.
Preparing a hole for planting
The hole is being dug premature, about 2-3 weeks before planting. This is done in order to pre-fill a mixture of organic fertilizers and fertile soil on its bottom and so that it has time to settle before the time of direct planting of the seedling.
For the same reason, the pit should be deep enough, about 60 centimeters. Its diameter should be the same.
When you dig a hole, it is recommended to immediately dig a stake into it, to which you will later tie the seedling. It should be borne in mind that the distance between him and the tree should be at least 15 centimeters. The stake should be located north of the seedling.
Basic requirements for direct landing
When starting to plant a seedling, it is important to consider the following very important requirements:
- The root neck of the tree must necessarily remain above the soil surface by about 2-5 centimeters. Later, with the subsidence of the soil, it will sink a little more on its own. However, do not overdo it with raising the seedling above the soil surface, as there is a risk of washing out and drying out of the roots.
- It is necessary to bury the seedling only with soil, without the admixture of various fertilizers. Having fallen asleep a seedling, the ground around it must be very well tamped so that air does not remain near the roots (it can cause the horse system to dry out).
- From the soil that was dug from the very bottom of the pit, a small mound is made around the tree, which will contribute to the excellent absorption of water by the seedling.
Care after landing
Thus, immediately after you have planted seedling, his must be watered. At the same time, even if the soil is wet after the snow melts, watering should be mandatory, it is only possible to use less water.
The required amount of water per tree should be at least 3 buckets. Since the plum is very fond of moisture, watering can be repeated after 2 weeks. Also, the soil around the trunk should be mulched with peat or humus, which will contribute to a longer preservation of moisture.
The main rules for caring for a plum
The plum tree and the garden in general do not require much attention and care when compared to other fruit trees. But still, in order to get regular and plentiful harvests, it is worth not only fertilizing the tree, but also building the right scheme for protecting the tree from various pests.
How to prevent damage to plums by diseases and pests in time?
First, you need to find out which diseases the variety that you planted on your site is least resistant to and which pests can harm it. In the process of dew the tree stands conduct periodic inspections of the garden, considering what kind of pests appear on your trees.
The simplest and very reliable means of fighting with pests and fungal diseases is pruning and burning damaged branches. You also need to burn all the leaves that have fallen from the plum and damaged fruits. In the spring, even before the onset of consistently high temperatures (up to 10 degrees Celsius), insects that are trying to take root on the drain should simply be shaken off and destroyed.
Of course, chemical treatments are a more effective means of preventing various diseases and pest damage to a tree.
If your tree is struck by a scale insect or false scale insect, even before the tree buds swell and before the air temperature rises to + 5ºС, the tree should be treated with nitrofen, with a concentration of 3%. Thus, you can still destroy ticks and aphids that are still in a dormant winter state.
spring when the plum has already blossomed, it treated with bordeaux acid 1% concentration. Bordeaux acid can be replaced with polycarbocin 4% concentration. In the case of using the latter, spraying should be repeated even after plum blossom.
To combat caterpillars that infect plum leaves, after the flowering period, the tree is treated with drugs such as dendrobacilin, entobacterin (1% concentration). It should be borne in mind that the treatment of plums with these preparations should be carried out at a temperature not lower than 15ºС.
They fight against aphids with the help of a drug such as karbofos. Its concentration during processing should be no more than 0.2%.
To combat plum codling moth you need to first, hang a pheromone trap on a tree. If you notice that a codling moth has got into it, then you need to hang pheromone rings all over the tree. Also, plums are processed with 0.2% karbofos.
Pruning and crown shaping
When buying a seedling, all of its shoots are usually very different from each other: some can be very developed and overtake the main conductor in growth, others, on the contrary, only 10 centimeters away from the trunk.
Also, on a young plum tree, a lot of absolutely unnecessary branches can grow, which only interfere with each other and obscure their own fruits. In order for the plum to be beautiful, fruit well and not create difficulties when picking fruits, it is very important form regularly her crown.
The first pruning of the plum is carried out immediately after planting the seedling in a permanent place of growth. In this case, the branches are not just shortened, it is important to choose the most even and strong of them, forming several tiers of them, 4-6 branches each
In addition, it is worth choosing the main conductor and cutting it so that it remains longer than all other branches. Each subsequent tier that goes below the conductor should be shorter than the one that goes below it. That is, the longest branches should be on the lowest tier.
When choosing branches that you want to leave for growth, keep in mind that they must depart from the main trunk at an angle of at least 40 degrees, otherwise they will break off from the crops.
The distance between the tiers should be approximately 40-60 centimeters, depending on the height of the tree itself. Also, the number of branches with each subsequent tier, starting from the bottom, should decrease.
Subsequent pruning will be aimed at maintaining the shape of the crown and removing competitors from the main guide and main branches.
Also, it is important to apply a differentiated system to the plum tree, cutting the branches of a tree with a strong awakening of the buds by only a quarter, if the awakening is medium, annual branches are cut to a third of their length, and for branches with very weak awakening, we cut the branch in half.
This will allow even a small number of kidneys to actively develop.
pruning adult fruit trees directed to remove damaged and broken branches and branches and for thinning the crown (if necessary). After pruning, the branches are burned.
Plum tree fertilizer requirements
Plum does not like frequent and abundant fertilizers. In addition to the fact that the soil is mixed with organic fertilizers directly during planting, in the first years of growth, the tree does not need to be revived.
Further, with a frequency of 2-3 years during the late the soil around the tree is fertilized with humus mixed with superphosphate and potassium sulfate. For 1 m2, you need to use half a bucket of compost, 50 grams of superphosphate and only 20 grams of potassium sulfate.
In spring, it is good to fertilize the tree with ammonium nitrate, the required amount of which per 1 m2 is only 20 grams (it is convenient to dilute it with water and apply it to the soil in the form of irrigation).
Don't forget to water
Plum watering should be regular, since water not only nourishes the tree, but also affects the quality of the fruit. The first watering should be 1.5-2 weeks before the tree begins to bloom, and will be repeated after the same amount of time has elapsed after the tree has faded.
During the dry summer, it is worth watering the tree at the end of each summer month. in August and September, the tree also needs abundant watering, which improves the quality of the fruit of the tree.
It is important to consider that plum watering should be regular and consistent with weather conditions and soil moisture. Otherwise, you may cause cracking of the fruit, or yellowing of the leaves of the plum tree.
Preparing plums for winter
Most of all, young seedlings and one-two-year-old plum trees are afraid of winter and its frosts. Therefore, they should be very carefully prepared for the winter.
Firstly, costs well dig the soil around the tree so that it contains enough oxygen for draining.
Secondly, the crowns of young trees, in addition to being tied to a strong stake, should be tied into one broom - this way it will be easier for them to resist the winds.
Having gained experience in caring for apple and cherry trees, it's time to think about how plums are planted. This stone fruit culture is no less popular, meeting in every third summer cottage. A lot speaks in favor of its breeding: the interesting taste of juicy and fragrant fruits, the variability of their use, the variety of varieties, the simplicity of agricultural technology. Plum trees can bear fruit even in regions with cold winters: in Siberia and the Urals. The main thing is to choose the right hybrid for the garden.
Site Requirements
Yellow or purple, columnar or tall - all plums love light and warmth. For trees, it is better to take a place as open as possible to the sun, where the soil warms up quickly. It should be located in the southern, southwestern or western part of the site. Even before planting, you need to calculate how long the tree will stretch, whether it will be in the shade of neighboring plants and the walls of buildings. The lack of light will slow down the development of the plum and negatively affect the crop: the fruits will be small and sour, and their number will decrease. The decorative effect of the tree will also suffer: its leaves will fade and begin to turn yellow.
In areas blown by cold winds and drafts, plums will not bear fruit well. Air currents will blow pollen from them, and the trees will not be able to pollinate. It is more productive to grow them on gentle slopes or on plains with broadly undulating relief. This is where the plums will get the air drainage they need. Plants will be protected from cold air and from its accumulation in one place. Trees should not be planted in the lowlands. They bloom in early spring, when the threat of frost is still strong. Therefore, plums growing in low-lying places bear fruit irregularly, leaving the owners without a harvest for years.
In relation to the type of soil, the culture is unpretentious. Only acidic soil does not suit her. Loose soils are ideal for plums, allowing air to pass well to the roots of trees. The ground should be moist, but not waterlogged. The optimum groundwater level for culture is 1.5-2 m from the surface of the site.
You can also grow a plum on light, quickly drying ground, if you enrich it with organic fertilizers before planting and do not forget to regularly feed the tree.
Plants develop best on gray forest soil, loam, sandy loam soil and chernozem.
It is not necessary to set up a garden in areas with peaty-marshy land and with close (less than 1 m) sand occurrence. The effort you put in will not pay off.
It will be possible to return plums to their original place when 4-5 years have passed since the uprooting of old trees. During this time, nutrients will accumulate in the soil again, and it will be easier for the seedlings to take root.
Soil preparation
Before planting a plum, the soil is carefully dug up, deepening into it by 1 bayonet of a shovel. So the soil is saturated with oxygen. Usually start the procedure in October. If the supply of nutrients in the ground is scarce, fertilizers are applied. Organic and mineral compounds are suitable for plums. The following components are scattered over 1 m² of the surface of the site before digging:
- humus or compost (6-8 kg);
- superphosphate (40-50 g);
- potassium salt (20-30 g).
If a columnar variety of culture is chosen for breeding, it is better to give preference to organic fertilizers. They are added only in preparation for landing, but not in its process. Otherwise, abundant top dressing can harm the root system of trees.
Liming is carried out on acidic soils. Dolomite flour or ash is used for this. For 1 m² of land they spend 600-800 g of the substance.
The area allotted for growing plums must be freed from tall fruit and berry trees at least 2-3 years before planting the crop. After them, a minimum of nutrients remains in the soil, so it should be well fertilized.
Pit dimensions
A hole for a seedling is dug in advance. The minimum period for its preparation is 2 weeks before placing the plum in open ground. For spring planting, it is better to dig a hole in the fall. It should be deep (50-60 cm) and wide enough (70-80 cm). The top layer of soil extracted from the pit is mixed with other nutrients:
- humus (1-2 buckets);
- peat (2 buckets);
- superphosphate (300 g);
- potassium sulfate (60-80 g). You can replace it with wood ash. 500-600 g of the substance is placed in each pit.
If the soil on the site is poor, the pit is made larger. Its depth is brought to 60-70 cm, and the diameter is up to 100 cm. The dosage of fertilizers is also increased. It is enough to mix peat or humus into fertile soil. All components are taken in equal proportions. Sand is added to the heavy earth (1 bucket per pit). When planted in seasoned soil, the tree will require top dressing only after 3-4 years.
In the center of the pit, a support is installed - a long and durable wooden stake. After the pit is filled up, its height should be at least 50 cm. Then a nutrient substrate is poured onto the bottom, filling the pit by ⅔.
Empirically, the answer to the question of how to properly plant a plum in the lowlands was obtained. The tree is not placed in a hole, but on a hill 40-50 cm high. Its base is made wide - 1.8-2 m. A plum is also planted near fences and in areas where little snow accumulates in winter. With a close location of groundwater, professionals advise equipping drainage ditches next to the trees, where excess moisture will go.
Dates and landing scheme
Spring planting of plums is more popular. It can be carried out in early autumn, but most summer residents prefer not to risk it, because there is no guarantee that the tree will have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. Especially high is the risk of freezing of young plums in the first year of life on a site in the northern regions: in the Leningrad region, in Siberia, in the Urals. You should not postpone planting until autumn even if a columnar variety of a tree is chosen for it.
Plums are placed early in the open ground in spring. It will take 5 days from the moment the soil thaws, and you can already start planting. You need to spend it quickly - in just 10-15 days. If you plant a plum in the spring too late, it will take root worse. High temperatures and oversaturation of the soil with moisture will negatively affect the rooting of the tree. For the same reason, plum transplantation should not be delayed. It is carried out while the buds on the plant are still sleeping. The only exception is the columnar plum. It is recommended to plant it in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region only when the frosts are left behind.
The layout of trees is determined by their varieties. If the plums are of medium height, at least 2 m of free space is left between seedlings, and 4 m between rows. Tall trees will need more space. The interval between them is increased to 3 m, and the row spacing is up to 4.5 m. Compact columnar plums are placed closer. Only 30-40 cm can be left between their seedlings. Rows are made with an interval of 1.5 m.
Seedling selection
When purchasing a plum seedling, you need to consider all the nuances:
- his age;
- variety features.
Nurseries offer grafted and own-rooted trees. The former enter the fruiting period earlier. A grafted plum planted on the site begins to bear fruit already for 3-4 years. From own-rooted plants, it will take longer to wait for the first berries - 5-6 years. But they have other advantages: durability and the ability to recover quickly.
The vigorous growth of the plum determines the survival rate of its seedlings. It is higher in annual plants, the root system of which receives less damage during digging. In trees at the age of 2 years, it is more developed, so it is more difficult for them to adapt to new conditions. They get sick longer and often die.
So that growing plums does not bring disappointment, you need to choose the right varieties for planting. Trees that have been bringing crops in the south for years will not be able to please the same in the conditions of the Moscow region or the Leningrad region. In these areas, it is better to plant cold-resistant varieties of crops. But not all of them are suitable for the special conditions of Siberia. Ussuri and Canadian plums and hybrids that combine the properties of plums and cherries are successfully grown here.
When choosing trees of different varieties, you need to take into account their compatibility, otherwise you can leave hopes for a good harvest. There is a self-fertile plum, which does not need pollinators to form ovaries. But to neglect their landing is still not worth it. In the neighborhood with plums of suitable varieties of berries, more are formed on it.
Landing Rules
Before being placed in the ground, the seedling is inspected. Cut off damaged roots. You can shorten them by ½ length. If the roots are dry, they are dipped in a bucket of water for several hours. Before planting, they are dipped in a clay mash.
The seedling is placed in a hole on a mound so that the support is on the north side, and the distance to it is 15 cm. Its roots should not come into contact with fertilizers, therefore they are covered with ordinary black soil. The root neck of the tree is not deepened. In regions where the plum is threatened with freezing (in Siberia, in the Urals), it can be covered with earth by 5-7 cm, but then the risk of its dampening will increase. In areas with a favorable climate for growing crops, the root neck should remain above the soil surface (2-5 cm from it). After watering, the soil will settle, and it will sink to its level. It is undesirable to overestimate the seedling. For the roots of the tree, this is fraught with washing out and drying out.
The soil around the planted plum is well compacted. There should be no air voids around the roots, otherwise the plant will dry out. Having made a hole, carry out abundant watering. For each tree spend 3-4 buckets of water. It is good to add drugs to it that stimulate the growth of roots. Planting is completed by mulching the near-stem circle, for which any organic matter is used. It is recommended to immediately carry out preventive spraying of trees. Seedlings that have not yet established roots are especially vulnerable to diseases and pests.
Watering and fertilizing
Caring for a plum orchard is easy. It includes standard activities:
- watering;
- top dressing;
- pruning.
Plum can easily tolerate drought, but it is moisture-loving. The regularity of watering determines the quality and quantity of the crop. The first is carried out when the tree is preparing for flowering - 10-15 days before it starts. After the same amount of time after flying around the last petals, moisturizing is repeated.
In dry summers, care in the form of watering is carried out at the end of each month. They do not stop it in September either, this is important for laying flower buds for the next season. When watering, you need to take into account weather conditions and the natural moisture content of the soil. The lack of water will lead to yellowing of the leaves of the tree, and its excess - to cracking of the fruit.
Often you don’t have to feed the plantings, the plum does not like frills. Nutrient formulations are applied to the near-stem circle every 2-3 years. In late autumn, the soil is enriched with humus or compost (0.5 buckets per 1 m² of soil surface), after mixing them with superphosphate (50 g) and potassium sulfate (20 g). At the beginning of the growing season, trees are fed with ammonium nitrate, diluted in water at the rate of 20 g of the substance per 1 m².
plum pruning
So that the growth of the plum is uniform, and the extra shoots do not draw strength from it and do not obscure the fruits, its crown is formed. Regular pruning makes it easier to harvest and care for the tree. For the first time, a newly planted plum is subjected to it, leaving only the most powerful and even shoots on it. They should form several tiers, each of which consists of 4-6 branches. The main conductor is made the longest.
The branches of the upper tier should be shorter than the branches of the lower. It is correct if the left shoots form an angle of 40˚ or a little more with the trunk. So they do not break off under the weight of the berries. Tiers should be at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other. Most of the branches are left in the lower one, in each subsequent their number is reduced. When the formation of the crown of the tree is completed, the task of the gardener will be to maintain it in perfect condition. You will have to carry out sanitary pruning and remove shoots that thicken and grow incorrectly.
In the gardens of Siberia, plum is a bush. This form is given to it intentionally to help the plant adapt to adverse weather conditions. Columnar trees are pruned only when necessary, removing dry, broken and damaged by frost or disease branches. They may need to form a crown in 2 cases.
- If the apical bud, located on the main shoot, becomes unviable. It is cut off, and the lateral branch is made central. You can leave several shoots (2-3), subsequently removing the less developed ones or using them for scioning.
- For decorative purposes. Then pruning is carried out regularly, especially in the first years of the tree's life. But keep in mind that it can negatively affect its yield.
Preparing seedlings for winter
Frost is a formidable enemy of young plums (at the age of 1-2 years). Seedlings can safely survive the winter only with proper preparation for it. It consists of the following activities:
- careful digging of the soil around the trunk (it will saturate the soil with oxygen, which is important for plum roots);
- tying the branches of a tree to a reliable support and pulling them together. After the procedure, the crown of the tree should resemble a broom. This will protect the shoots from breaking off under gusts of wind.
In the first year of life on the site, the plum is added dropwise for the winter, covering it with a thick layer of snow. Such preparation will not be superfluous for mature trees, especially in regions where severe frosts are the norm. Snow is raked to the trunk, and covered with hay on top. Under the branches of tall trees, extending at an acute angle, they put props. So they will not break under the weight of snow caps.
Requires preparation for cold weather and frost-resistant columnar plum. The soil between the trees is covered with a layer of mulch. It is better to use softwood sawdust for this purpose. So that tree trunks do not suffer from rodents, they are wrapped.
There are subtleties in growing plums, but you can’t call it complicated. Even in the absence of experience in the cultivation of fruit trees, it can be successfully managed if the advice of professional gardeners is taken into account and the requirements of the culture are met. Plums are cultivated almost everywhere. And the variety of its varieties is breathtaking. Yellow, red, blue, purple, black - any of the varieties of culture will delight you with a generous harvest, without requiring tireless attention and care from the gardener.
Agronomists argue whether planting plums in the fall is appropriate. The period when the active movement of juices begins, which means that the survival rate will be high, is spring. This is the best time to plant a garden. But there are also supporters of planting plums before winter.
Nuances of spring planting
It is necessary to plant plums in the spring in open ground as early as possible. For this, the time from April 20 to May 10 is suitable. During this period, the soil has already frozen and the plum seedling will take root. Planting later is not worth it. The choice of the warm season guarantees:
- High chance of engraftment, because the roots are in warm soil.
- Fast growth.
- Winter resistance.
Before planting, it is necessary to prepare seedlings, tools, study the technology and find out how and with what to treat a young garden from pests in the summer.
Seedling preparation
Trees can be bought or grown by yourself. Before planting, you need to process the rhizomes from pests.
Requirements for seedlings:
- without defects and broken sections;
- rhizome at least 3-5 pcs. 25 cm;
- without plaque and foreign formations.
Process
Temperature, light and humidity are important for plums. On the site choose a sunny, not too windy place. It is optimal to plant a plum near a building or fence that will protect it from the north and west winds. The acidity of the soil should be 6.8-7.2. You can not plant a tree on clay or marshy soil, on the southern slopes. Landing is best done together.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Dig a planting hole 50 cm deep and 1 m wide.
- Fill 2/3 of the height with a layer of soil. Mix with ashes, compost and other fertilizers.
- Place the root neck of the seedling 5 cm above ground level.
- Set the stem vertically.
- Fill the hole with earth.
For young trees put a vertical support. Pour 2 buckets of water at once, water at least 4 times per season. The distance is adjusted depending on the type: folding ones require at least 3 m, compact - 1.5 m.
autumn planting
Not recommended for young plants when it comes to a permanent place. More often, trees have to be planted before winter, which are then transferred to another place. This can be done in 1-1.5 months. before freezing of the soil, after the end of the vegetative period of the plant. In autumn, no further maintenance is required.
Seedling preparation
In order for the tree to endure the winter well, certain specimens are chosen for planting:
- plums with a well-developed root system, over 1 year old;
- healthy trees;
- low temperature resistant varieties.
Planting a tree in the fall will have to be different than in the spring. It is also necessary to fertilize the soil and prepare covering material for wintering seedlings.
Process description
Simple rules on how to plant a plum in the fall in open ground in the country:
- Prepare the ground. For 2 weeks, pour soil, sand and fertilizers into a pit 60 × 80 cm - manure, potassium salt, superphosphate.
- Put the seedling at an angle, obliquely to the ground. In autumn it is necessary to cover it for the winter.
- Water.
- Mulch with peat or hay.
In late autumn, the seedling is sprinkled with earth and covered. Fallen snow will protect from low temperatures. In the spring, such a tree is transplanted to a permanent place.
Agronomists agree that planting in the fall is a necessary measure. You can not leave the tree in a permanent place in the cold season. It will not take root, the root system may rot, and the tree may get sick.
How to care for a plum
To get a good harvest, you need to take care of the seedlings. When planting before winter, care is not needed, because. the tree does not grow. If you managed to plant a young plum in the spring, then you need to follow a few rules:
- water 2-4 times depending on the weather and climate;
- mulch the ground around;
- fertilize (except for the first year);
- cut the crown by 1/3, leave shoots 20-30 cm above the upper side branch on the shoot.
Don't forget about typical plum pests and diseases. In the spring, in the second year of life and beyond, they are fed with urea. During the harvest - manure and ash. In autumn - potash and phosphorus supplements.
Conclusion
Practice proves that it is better to plant fruit in a permanent place in the spring, when the juices are actively moving. In autumn, they choose a temporary place for wintering, and in April they move. Care is simple, but annual - includes pruning and fertilizer.
For successful plum cultivation, the main factor is the selection of the right planting site. She is well suited to the upper parts of the slopes. Drainage must be good and airy. This culture needs warm landing sites that are reliably protected from gusty winds, regardless of their general direction.
In no case should you plant a plum in low-lying areas to avoid stagnant air, as well as heavy accumulation of snow during the winter period. In general, there is an acceptable snow rate for the entire winter season, acceptable for plums - it ranges from half a meter to sixty centimeters. If your site is usually heavily covered with snow masses in winter, you should not plant the crop in holes. It is better, on the contrary, to build hills up to half a meter high from the soil. The width of the base of such a hill should be approximately two meters.
The minimum allowable diameter is 180 cm. Before the construction of such a mound, it is advisable to add organic matter, which is mixed with the soil, after which the site is dug up to a depth equal to the length of the shovel bayonet. And only then we begin to pour the notorious mound. Dig planting holes in the center of the mound, after which you can proceed with the usual process of planting a seedling.
It is necessary to plant a plum in fertile soil with light mechanical composition. It is desirable that the subsoil be sandy or sandy-pebble. Food area for each tree should be at least four by two or three by three meters - then the plum will have enough of all the nutrients. In the process of preparing planting pits for plums, it is also necessary to apply fertilizers similar to those that you use when planting apple trees.
When to plant plum trees?
Best time to plant plum trees- these are, of course, early spring days, when the buds have not yet had time to bloom. As planting material, it is best to give preference to one-year well-developed seedlings. The very same technique for planting plum species is similar to planting apple crops, although in the case of plum trees, it is advisable to cut the seedlings at least half or at least two-thirds of their total length - this way you will increase the survival rates and subsequent plant growth.
Immediately before planting, be sure to conduct a thorough inspection of the seedlings to identify diseased and damaged branches or parts of the root system - they will need to be cut off. Then prepare a clay or soil mash, in which you will dip the prepared seedlings. To do this, simply mix water with clay or soil in equal proportions.
Plum grows well on loamy soils with a neutral acid reaction. Therefore, if the soil in your area is sour, be sure to lime it in advance. But in no case do not allow waterlogging of the soil. Depth groundwater at the site should be at least one and a half meters. If the soil in your garden is sandy or peaty, the bottom of the pit should be “covered” with clay. The thickness of the layer should be at least ten centimeters.
In addition, you will have to take care of the good protection of the site from gusts of local winds. It is better that it warms up with the sun to the maximum.
Plum planting is allowed both during autumn, in particular, in October, and in the second half of spring, that is, in April-May.
It would be good to do the preparation of the pit at least a couple of weeks before the proposed planting of the plum. Preparation without fail includes soil enrichment with complex mineral fertilizers, although if the soil is light enough, you can limit yourself to only manure or compost. The latter can be applied in the amount of five liters per square meter.
By the way, before planting plum It would also be nice to drive a peg into the hole so that the seedling has support. The volume of the pit should easily accommodate the fully extended root system of the seedling. The distance between plum seedlings should be at least four to five meters. Immediately after planting, firmly press the soil, after which the newly-made tree must be thoroughly watered.
