Features and technology of planting plums in spring

Planting a plum sapling seems at first glance to be a very simple task. However, before tackling this interesting business, you should pay attention to many nuances. For beginners, the most difficult thing is choosing a healthy tree that will take root in a certain region without problems.

It is best to plant plums in the spring or fall. Each of the periods has its own advantages and disadvantages. The following features are characteristic of the spring procedure.

• Adaptation and strengthening of plants occurs throughout the season. However, it is important to plant at a certain time - before the sap flow begins. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the tree to take root.
• During the summer months, the root system becomes very strong. The tree will have time to stock up on all the necessary trace elements that will help it survive the cold winter easier.
• It is advisable to carry out the work even in a cool time, when the temperature has risen no higher than 5 degrees. Timely planting will allow the roots of the plum to wake up gradually, along with the warming of the soil.
• On warm and sunny days, it is advisable to shade the seedlingso that the barrel is not damaged by sunburn.
• It is important to properly care for the tree when planting in the spring. Watering should be done a couple of times a week if there is no rain. It is also worth protecting the plant with a pet fence.

When choosing the best time to plant plums, climatic features should also be taken into account, because weather conditions can prevent the plum from taking root.

• For the southern regions, the optimal time for planting is March – April. In early spring, it is better to plant seedlings in the very first weeks. It is important to have time to plant the tree before the buds wake up.
• In the middle lane, plums should be planted no earlier than in the second half of April. However, in the Moscow region, landing can be carried out a couple of weeks earlier.
• In the Urals, as well as in Siberia, trees begin to be planted in the second half of spring. However, one must take into account the local climate, which can be very different. From the end of April, planting of plums can be carried out in the Leningrad region, where there is a late and cold spring.

When choosing a seedling, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the variety, its condition, timing and volume of fruiting. Trees that are sick or severely damaged are not worth buying. Even by creating ideal conditions for them and observing all the rules, it will not be possible to grow them. It is important to pay attention to certain parameters when choosing a variety.

• The date when the crop is harvested. Plum can usually bear fruit from mid-summer to mid-autumn, so it is important to choose a variety for the characteristics of the region. For example, in areas with hot summers and early autumn, it is better to give preference to early or mid-season species. Cultivars that have a long ripening period are suitable exclusively for southern areas.
• Fruits may vary in color, size and flavor. For example, some plums are suitable for fresh consumption, while others are suitable for conservation.
• An important parameter is the regionalization of the variety in the region. Trees should grow normally and bear fruit in a specific climate.
• Plums are thermophilic, and it is worth checking the temperature limits that they can survive. It is better to choose varieties that will definitely survive even the coldest winters in the region.
• Proper pollination is important for trees. It is necessary to foresee the presence of one more plum. It is optimal to plant two or three seedlings of different varieties at once. In the event that there is not enough space, then several varieties can be grafted onto one stock with the help of an experienced gardener.

When the plum variety is selected, you should pay attention directly to the seedling. For normal growth and functioning, he must be strong. This can be determined by following some recommendations.

• An open root system is more cost effective, but plums in containers with soil take root better. Closed roots are better transported (less damage), albeit heavier (more weight).
• The root system should be elastic, strong, with numerous branches. Damage, dry areas, dark putrefactive spots on the roots should alert. When purchasing plums in a container, it is important to pay attention to its bottom. Multiple shoots should not be visible from there, and the soil from above should not be too moist.
• The trunk must be chosen flat, without deformations and branches at the bottom. From the point of transition of the trunk to the root to the grafting, the distance should be at least 7 centimeters. The minimum thickness of the trunk is one centimeter, and the height is at least one meter.
• The kidneys should not be swollen. Otherwise, the tree will have to spend all its energy on forming the crown.
• It is best to purchase plum saplings in special stores or at stations where varieties are tested. The markets often offer the same variety, passing it off as different.

Finding the right place for the tree is important for good growth and fruiting. You will need to prepare it in advance and be sure to clear it of debris, bushes and weeds. When planting plums, consider what they like.

• Light is very important for seedlings. If the tree is in the shade, then the trunk will begin to bend, and the branches will deform. If shading is necessary, it should be done for no more than a few hours a day.
• The tree should be located at a distance of three meters or more from the fence or buildings. This will provide the seedling with normal growth, the crown will be blown out, and the process of caring for the plum will become more convenient.
• There must be a place for a tree without drafts. Also, plum does not like the effects of cold winds.
• It is optimal if the groundwater is at a depth of one and a half meters or more. Otherwise, the plum roots will rot.
• It is advisable to choose a small hill for planting so that the tree is not flooded by melt water.
• Medium-sized trees should be planted two meters away, and tall trees three meters away. There should be at least four to five meters between rows in the garden.
• There should be no plants with a similar root system near the plum that will compete for food.
• For pollination to be successful, the adjacent plum must be within a radius of thirty meters.

Before taking on directly planting a tree, you first need to carry out preparatory work. Ideally, if they are carried out in the fall, and the plum is planted in the spring. Experienced gardeners are preparing the pit for another year.

For a young tree, a light soil should be prepared that allows air to pass through well. Do not be afraid to plant plums in areas with poor or clayey soil. It is enough to carry out a number of works to create ideal conditions for the seedling.

• At a pre-selected place, you need to make a recess, the diameter of which is up to a meter, and the depth is from 70 centimeters. In this case, the shape of the pit is not important, but the soil will need to be removed.
• After that, the acidity of the soil should be determined. If it is high, then you need to apply a fertilizer called dolomite flour.
• In the event that there is a danger in the form of groundwater in the spring months, it is necessary to organize drainage at the bottom.For this purpose, the pit is made twenty centimeters deeper, and broken brick or small stones are poured into it.
• Next, you need to make a nutritious soil from compost (rotted manure), peat and black soil. Potassium sulfate (75 g), urea (75 g), superphosphate (25 g) are added to the mixture. You can also feed by adding nitrophosphate (two glasses) and wood ash (two liters) to the soil.
• This composition is poured into a pit - so that it occupies three quarters of the volume. After that, it is leveled and tamped. Top it up with garden soil, leaving a small bump.

In case of shallow groundwater or the danger of flooding, a hill should be prepared for planting plums. This option is suitable for gardens that are located on a slope from the north or east side, as well as places with heavy and dense soil.

• First, a circle is marked, the diameter of which should be about two meters. Sod should be removed from this place to avoid weed germination.
• Next, you should remove about 30 centimeters of soil.
• Nutrient soil includes peat, humus and black soil, which are taken in equal volumes. For additional nutritional value, add ash (three liters) and nitrophosphate (200 g).
• This mixture is poured onto the prepared area with a layer of 80 centimeters or more. The result is a hill that settles over time. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically add soil. At the end of shrinkage, the height of the hill should be 50 centimeters.

Correct planting of plums in open ground guarantees quick survival and active growth with development. Beginners can follow the step-by-step instructions.

• Dig a hole slightly larger than the root system of the seedling. It is advisable to dip the root in a solution of humus and clay.
• The seedling is placed in a recess, straightening the roots so that there are no kinks.
• Next, you need to sprinkle the root system with soil up to 15 centimeters thick.
• Then pour at least 30 liters of water into the hole. When the soil subsides, it must be additionally poured.
• After that, you need to install a support that will support the seedling in an upright position.
• Now you can fill the hole with soil to the very top. A perimeter furrow will make watering easier.
• The penultimate step is to tie the trunk with a soft twine. In doing so, it is important to avoid over-tightening so as not to damage the bark.
• Mulching with peat completes the planting so that moisture is retained longer.

For a quick adaptation of the seedling, you should adhere to a number of recommendations for caring for it.

• Watering should be done once every couple of weeks, if there was no rain. The tree should take two or three buckets of water. It is desirable that the temperature of the liquid is the same as that of air. The best time to water is in the afternoon when the sun is inactive.
• After each watering, mulching is mandatory so that a hard crust does not form on the soil. For this, peat, grass cuttings, sawdust or straw are suitable. This should leave a clean space near the root collar to avoid rot.
• Without mulch, it will be necessary to carry out regular loosening of the trunk circle. Moreover, the depth should not be more than three centimeters.
• Top dressing may not be carried out in the first few years if the soil has been prepared correctly before planting.
• In the autumn period (a month before the arrival of cold weather), the tree will need to be cut, removing excess shoots according to the scheme. If there is no need to form a crown, then the branches must be shortened by one third.
• If the winter is too cold, then the plant should be protected in the form of a tree frame filled with dry leaves or coniferous branches.
• The stakes that were used to tie the plums should be removed after a couple of months.
• On hot summer days, the tree needs additional shading with an agricultural canvas.

During planting, errors may occur that negatively affect the further growth of plums and their fruiting. To avoid this, you should familiarize yourself with those that are most common:

• landing in a shaded place or with a close occurrence of groundwater;
• excessive deepening of the transition of the trunk to the root;
• damage to the root system during planting;
• transplant after the kidneys have opened.