When is it better to replant a plum and how to perform the procedure correctly

There are many reasons to transplant a plum tree to a new location. But the procedure will be ineffective if small errors are made.

They not only threaten the development and growth of the tree, but also lead to its complete withering. Many factors are taken into account in this action.

Firstly, the type of soil and the type of plum tree. Then the age category, reasons for transplantation and time to plan the work. The chosen day according to the lunar calendar will also be important. But you should start by defining the purpose and objectives of the transplant.

Ideal time to transplant

Many people believe that plum trees should be transplanted to a new location in the fall. Experts recommend performing this procedure before the active phase of the plant begins. In addition to late autumn, the period of early spring before the start of sap flow is also ideal.

Young trees up to 5 years old are used for replanting. Two-year-old seedlings take root best. But old trees have an extensive root system, which is easily damaged during removal from the ground or transportation. The roots grow slowly, so it is difficult for the tree to take root in a new place.

Many experts recommend transplanting plum trees in the fall to a new place with an earthen clod. This method allows you to preserve the maximum number of roots.

In regions with relatively warm climates, gardeners sometimes use winter replanting. To do this, cut out a lump with the root system and frozen soil and place it in a previously prepared place. After thawing and sap flow begins, the plant can begin to bear fruit as early as next summer.

Timing for planting plum seedlings in open ground

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?

The optimal time for planting plums in the spring is 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 Territory (Kuban), Northern Caucasus) - at the end of March, in Siberia, the Urals, Leningrad region - it is better to plant at the beginning of May.

The recommended time for the procedure in the fall is usually September-October, the daytime temperature should be about 10 degrees Celsius, and the night temperature should be 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 until 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.

Ideal conditions for plum growth

This fruit tree is demanding of location, moisture and heat. Therefore, the place for plum growth should be in a well-lit, windless area. It is necessary to protect the plum from northern and western winds.

The best area for planting plums will be in the eastern and western directions. The southern sides should not be allocated for planting this tree, because it can suffer from severe sunburn.

You should pay attention to the composition and quality of the soil. This plant does not like places with dense soil. It retains moisture well. It is better to give preference to loamy, loose soils.

If the soil is too acidic, it is necessary to add ash or dolomite flour.

It is not advisable to plant plums on soils with abundant crushed stone and gravel. In such a place, the fruit tree will suffer from excess moisture and drying out.

What fertilizers will be needed for autumn planting of plums?

Plum trees grow quickly and bear fruit abundantly on loam and medium clay soils. Heavy, moist soil is ideal for growing plums.

If the soil is acidic, it is diluted with wood ash, chalk, dolomite flour, and lime.

When planting, mineral fertilizers, peat, and humus are added to fertile soil. It is permissible to use potassium salt, phosphates, nitrophoska.

For quick rooting and growth, crushed eggshells are also added to the planting hole. Manure, peat or humus are used as mulch.

How to fertilize plums when planting:

You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers in the fall, as they stimulate the growth of above-ground parts and greenery. Fresh manure should not be added to the planting hole, as it causes a strong increase in temperature during rotting and contributes to the burning of the root system.

Preparing a tree for transplanting

Transplanting a plum to a new location in the fall requires special preparation. 20 days before this, you need to dig a hole. The width of the hole should be 70 cm larger than the earthen ball. For example, to plant a 2-year-old seedling, you should prepare a hole 70 x 70 x 70 cm.

For spring transplantation, a hole is dug and prepared in the fall.

A drainage layer of expanded clay or broken brick should be laid at the bottom. It will prevent water from stagnating. Creating drainage is a prerequisite for areas where groundwater lies close to the surface.

A layer of compost is poured on top of the expanded clay. A small amount of earth is poured onto it. Remember that the plum roots should not come into direct contact with the fertilizer.

The plum tree should be properly prepared for replanting in the fall to a new location. First, about 50 liters of water are poured under the tree. Now the plant is carefully dug in a circle. At this stage, it is necessary to carefully cut out a lump of earth in the form of a cone with a immersion depth of about 70 cm. Afterwards, it is carefully removed from the hole.

Preparing the plant and site

Before transplanting, it is necessary to prepare the seedlings and the site. The plum tree can be transplanted before it reaches 5 years of age. Gardeners advise replanting one- and two-year-old plants, as they better tolerate being moved to a new location. An adult tree is not only difficult to replant, it is more difficult to tolerate a change of location.

After removing the seedlings, the root system is checked for damage. Rot and dried areas should be cut out. The proposed landing site must be selected in advance according to certain criteria. The area where the plum tree will grow in the future must be protected from strong wind currents. At the same time, it cannot be completely isolated from fresh air, because airflow is extremely important for the development of the plant.

The plum should be illuminated by sunlight. Shade and partial shade will negatively affect yields. In this case, it is better to plant plums in groups so that the plants bloom at the same time. This way the plantings will be pollinated and produce more fruit. It is also necessary to take care of the quality of the soil. Plum trees grow best in non-acidic soil. Groundwater should not be higher than 1.5–2 m to the surface. Site preparation is carried out no less than 14 days before the day of transplantation.

Do it like this:

1. Dig up the area 15–20 cm.
2. If the soil is highly acidic, add fruit ash when digging.
3. Dig a planting hole 0.8 m deep and 0.7-0.8 m in diameter.
4. Drive a supporting stake 10 cm from the center of the hole, to which you will then need to tie the trunk.
5. Mix half the soil obtained when digging a hole with humus and peat. Pour the fertile mixture into a small mound at the bottom of the hole and compact it.

After carrying out the above procedures, you can begin to transplant the plum.

Transplant technology

Transplanting an adult plum in the fall requires care and caution. This fruit tree is quite demanding. The prepared seedling must be delivered to the transplant site with maximum preservation of the root system. Sometimes it is necessary to transport a seedling over a long distance. In this case, the roots of the seedling are wrapped several times with a thick film. If transportation of an adult tree is necessary, the roots of the plant are placed in a wooden box.

Plum transplantation occurs in this way:

• Before planting, carefully inspect the roots. Damaged, rotten and large roots must be trimmed with pruning shears. Wood ash is sprinkled on the cut areas. If the roots dry out during transportation, they must be moistened with water. This will have a beneficial effect on the rapid restoration of roots.
• Together with a lump of earth, the root system of the plum is placed in the hole. In this case, the root collar should be flush with the soil,
• Carefully fill the hole with nutritious garden soil prepared in advance. Water the ground well, thoroughly moistening the soil.
• To protect the root system, the planting site is mulched. For these purposes, the ground around the trunk is covered with peat, soil and sawdust.

Mulching is very important for replanting plum trees in the fall. It reliably protects the roots from freezing.

When planting a seedling, you should be concerned about having reliable support for growth. To do this, a stake is driven into the hole from the north side, to which the plant is tied.

Is it possible to plant plums in the fall: advantages and disadvantages of autumn planting

Plum tree seedlings are usually planted in open ground both in autumn and spring. A tree planted in the spring grows actively in the first growing season and gains strength by the onset of cold weather. However, in the spring the growth of the above-ground part begins, and the strengthening of the root system occurs simultaneously with it.

However, it is the strengthening of the root system that plays a dominant role in the post-planting rehabilitation of the tree.

Let us highlight the main advantages of autumn planting:

• end of the growing season, slowdown of sap flow processes,
• sufficient rainfall and soil moisture level,
• wide selection of planting material,
• better rooting and adaptation to a new place,
• increased immunity, death of possible pathogens causing infection of the seedling.

There are also negative aspects associated with autumn planting. These include incorrectly chosen planting time and the associated consequences. For example, if a seedling is planted long before the onset of cold weather, its leaves may begin to grow and the process of sap flow may resume.

If planting is done too late, the seedling will not have time to take root by the time frost sets in and will not survive the first winter.

Plum care

Regardless of what time you choose to transplant the plum (autumn or spring), you need to create comfortable conditions for its growth.

After transplantation in the first years, the branches of a young tree grow unevenly. Therefore, gardeners must prune the shoots to form a correct, beautiful crown.

After replanting, in the first year there is no need to apply fertilizer to the root. A layer of compost placed over the drainage will provide all the necessary nutrients for the plant. Already in the third year, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied in the autumn. And in the spring, nitrogenous fertilizers are applied, which promote the growth of green mass.

In the first half of summer, the plant should be watered abundantly. Each tree requires 50 liters of water.

If the year turns out to be fruitful, it is necessary to install supports under the branches.

Errors during landing

Planting plum seedlings is a classic task that does not cause any difficulties for experienced gardeners. But no one is immune from mistakes. The most common problems arise when choosing a variety - regional climate characteristics can greatly affect the condition of the tree after planting if the plant freezes or cannot tolerate drought. Errors also include the following:

1. It is not worth planting the plant on a slope in the fall - the tree is fragile and strong winds can break it.
2. The amount of fertilizer must be strictly dosed - problems often arise when overfeeding young plants.
3. Abundant watering often leads to rotting of the root system or its freezing during early frosts.

If the plum is planted correctly, then there are few difficulties in further growing the fruit crop - special care is needed only in the first year. When the tree is properly rooted, it is enough to get rid of pests in time, prepare it for winter and water it on schedule. If a plum has produced a bountiful harvest, this does not mean that the plant needs fertilizer this year; sometimes you need to give the plum a rest.

On a note!

Plums often grow without additional care, giving a good harvest, but much depends on the age of the plant, its variety and planting time.

Overgrowth

Many novice gardeners are interested in the possibility of propagating plums by shoots. After all, if there are small shoots of a fruit tree, maybe it’s worth leaving them? Should plum trees be replanted in the fall?

If the tree has been grafted, then the growth from the root system is useless. By transplanting these shoots from the root system, you will get sour and small fruits from such a tree in the future.

If this tree is initially of a good variety with large fruits (grown from a seed), then the shoots can be separated and replanted.

How do you know when a tree needs to be replanted?

Objective reasons for replanting make the gardener think about the correctness and sequence of actions in this process.

If you notice a plum tree that is blooming but not producing a crop, you need to replant it so that it bears fruit. Or an unsuccessful procedure for planting a seedling, without taking into account the type of soil, forces the selected location to be replanted.

The reason for replanting may be the need for cross-pollination and the presence of cherries, cherries or other stone fruit trees next to the plum tree.

Insufficient space, windy side or lack of light are also factors when planning. To prevent the tree from dying, all that remains is to find a good place, dig it up and plant it again.

Varieties

About 250 varieties of plum trees have been developed. Previously, the plum tree was considered a southern tree, but now there are regional hybrids that are 100% adapted to the conditions of the region. They produce good harvests both in northern latitudes and in southern regions.

The Svetlana plum was bred by seaside gardeners; it tolerates frost easily and produces stable yields. The fruits are yellow, round, one weighs 26-28 g. It blooms after May 10. Harvest in August. It has a sweet and sour taste and the seeds are separated from the pulp. From one tree you can get up to 30 kg of plums. The first fruits are harvested in the fifth year.

Giant is a fast-fruiting variety with high yields. The fruits appear in the 3rd year after planting a two-year-old tree. It has subspecies with burgundy, yellow-orange and purple fruits. The pulp is sweet. Harvested in mid-September, weighing up to 100 g.

Hungarian - this species is used for the production of plums. Varieties: Italian, Voronezh, Michurin, Belarusian. Medium-sized trees grow up to 4 m in height. The first fruits grow at 6-7 years of age, large, up to 5 cm long, elliptical in shape. Color purple, violet or blue. Harvest at the end of August. Drought-resistant variety with a lifespan of 25-30 years.

The pearl of the Urals is a winter-hardy, drought-resistant, high-yielding plum. The fruits of the Chinese variety are 25 g in size and have compact, sweet flesh. The pearl bears 17-19 kg of fruit per tree in the 4th year.

Short fruiting - plums appear in the 3rd year of life. The tree lives 20 years. The yield is up to 10 kg per plant. Every 3 years there is a crop failure. The weight of the fruit is 20-30 g, round in shape, yellow-orange in color with a red side. The flesh is yellow, aromatic and sweet with a slight hint of acidity.

How to properly plant a cherry seedling in the fall?

For planting, you need to choose the sunniest place, preferably on a hill, because the root neck of the cherry

prone to overheating.
The soil should be fertile, light, loose and moisture-permeable. When planting in spring, prepare it in the fall
.
A planting pit for cherries
is prepared 60-80 cm wide and 50-60 cm deep.

Interesting materials:

What types of Christmas tree garlands are there? What types of punching bags are there? What kind of berries and fruits are there? What types of table lamps are there? What types of plastic panels are there? What kind of window sills are there? What breeds of egg-laying chickens are there? What instruments are there for measuring temperature? What kind of photo frames are there? What kind of hive frames are there?

Optimal growing conditions, site selection

During the first 4-6 years, plum trees take root and produce little fruit. The production period is from 10 to 20 years of life. After 17-20 years, the yield begins to decline and the tree ages.

The plum tree loves light, so plant it in a well-lit area. Cold air accumulates in low places, which can harm the plant. Near the house or fence, the plum tree will be protected from the wind.

The plum tree is relatively drought-resistant and loves moisture. It should not be planted in stagnant soil, as the roots may rot. If groundwater is at a depth of 1.5 m, it should be drained.

Along with other fruit trees, a young tree may not survive. Mature plants take up all the moisture and nutrients.