Apricot from the pit when to replant seedlings

When and how to replant apricots correctly

Replanting an apricot is not the easiest process with its own characteristics that must be taken into account if you want the tree to take root well in its new location. But the question often arises about the need to replant a young fruit tree, as well as where it is better to replant, how to do it correctly and at what time. Each of them must be carefully considered in order to have a clear understanding of the transplant.

Video: replanting a fruit tree

Replanting an apricot is a responsible process that should not happen too often. It is advisable, in principle, to limit yourself to only one transplant, and even better, to immediately choose the right place for growing - this way the apricot will remain safe and sound and better adapt to local climatic conditions.

Author: Evgeny Udaltsov
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When can an apricot tree be replanted?

There are several reasons why any fruit trees, including apricots, are replanted. Most often, this is a miscalculation when choosing the initial landing site. It is also possible to redevelop the garden, in which some elements remain in place, while others can still be regrouped. Sometimes the weather makes its own adjustments, forcing you to look for a more convenient place for the plant.

Replanting allows you to get a larger harvest, but at the same time shortens the life of the tree if done repeatedly

Replant three times?

There is an opinion that an apricot seedling needs to be replanted three times in order for it to bear fruit better. On the Internet you can find information that apricots grown from the seed also need to be replanted so as not to remain wild. Is it really?

If redevelopment, weather conditions or an initial miscalculation when choosing a location are serious reasons for replanting a tree, then opinions about replanting apricots three times for better fruiting and “ennobling” the variety have no logical basis. It must be remembered that replanting any plant is a serious operation that causes shock. Yes, after transplantation the apricot will indeed bear fruit more abundantly, but at the same time its lifespan will be shortened. After all, when digging, some parts of the roots are inevitably damaged, which negatively affects the condition of the seedling. And even though he easily and quickly takes root in a new place, his safety margin will inevitably decrease.

It is also useless to replant an apricot grown from a seed to a new place three times - it will remain wild in any case, unless you plant two or three good varieties on it.

In other cases, replanting allows you to find a new and final place for the plant, where there are all the necessary conditions for its growth and development.

Do I need to prune apricots when planting?

After planting apricots in the fall, it is important to perform formative pruning every year in early spring. Weak and frozen branches, which are the tallest and thicken the crown, are pruned. Sections must be treated with garden varnish. Apricot seedlings grown from seeds do not have a central trunk, which allows for precise formation.

Pruning is important for the growth and ripening of apricots. They need to create a crown and get rid of parasitic branches. To do this, the crown is pruned, after which the plant is tied to a strong base for proper further ripening. How and when to prune apricots can be found in this article.

Annual shoots are cut to 80 cm above the ground. The skeletal branches of fresh apricots are shortened by one third, the main trunk should remain 30 cm above the nearest skeletal processes. It is forbidden to leave many branches growing from a single point. In spring, fruit-bearing branches are slightly reduced, stimulating the growth of buds on other shoots.

The gardener in his video shares his experience of planting apricots in the fall:

Choosing a time

Transplantation in autumn

Autumn replanting has the right to exist, provided that it is carried out at least a month before the first serious frost. In central Russia, this period begins on September 10 and ends on October 15–20. To replant the plant, you must wait until the dormant period begins - it begins after the leaves have completely fallen off. This will make it easier for the tree to withstand the procedure.

However, if autumn is dry, it is better to postpone the event to early spring.

Autumn planting gives the tree an advantage in terms of adaptation to climatic conditions

The main advantage of planting apricots in autumn is the gradual hardening that occurs with the first frost . As a result, by spring we will receive an apricot tree that is hardened and accustomed to local weather realities. At the same time, a timely planted plant has time to take root and strengthen over the winter, and in the spring it will begin to actively develop and grow.

Opponents of autumn transplantation argue that the wrong time in the fall can negatively affect the condition of the seedling . For example, it is undesirable to replant apricots during periods of strong warming, or too early, when there is too much time left before frost. The seedling can be damaged by cold weather, since in the first case there was a sharp temperature change, and in the second case it had time to get used to the warm regime and reacted poorly to the temperature drop.

Transplantation in spring

In spring, transplantation should be carried out before the buds swell, while the tree is still dormant. The main advantage of spring transplantation is the possibility of better survival of apricots due to warm temperatures. This can be argued, given the frequent return frosts. However, the truly positive aspect is the complete moisture of the soil that occurs after the snow melts. This condition will create more comfortable conditions for the seedling in a new location.

Spring replanting makes it possible to saturate the plant well with moisture and better take root in warm conditions.

But do not forget that an apricot transplanted in the spring will need periodic watering and will spend a significant part of the season on rooting and establishment. In addition, the plant will grow and develop in warm conditions, and with the onset of winter cold it may be at risk, being unprepared for such a change in weather.

Pros and cons

There are a variety of opinions regarding the time to transplant apricots. Some argue that autumn is preferable for tree survival, while others consider early spring to be a more reliable time. Judging from the point of view of adaptation to weather conditions, the autumn transplant looks preferable. Firstly, the apricot has time to undergo hardening before the onset of winter, and secondly, active development begins in the spring. The root system, which has taken root during the autumn-spring period, begins to fully provide all parts of the tree with the necessary nutrients. But it is worth remembering that all this happens only when the plant is planted in a timely manner, that is, when the period between transplantation and frost is not prolonged.

When planted in the fall, apricot grows faster and yields earlier

Mature fruit trees can be replanted even in winter, but provided that the air temperature is not lower than 5 degrees.

The nuances of transplantation for different varieties

Early ripening apricot varieties, for example, Tsunami or Ledana, are replanted from early April to mid-June. They are unpretentious, frost-resistant, and quickly adapt to climatic conditions.

Late varieties, such as Favorite or Honey, are recommended to be replanted in July. Late-ripening apricot is capricious, so it is better to move it to a new place when the ground warms up enough and the air temperature reaches +25°C. Otherwise, his immunity will weaken and productivity will decrease.

Replanting correctly

Preparing a seedling

3-4 hours before transplanting, the seedling is watered abundantly so that the soil moistens the root system and the soil near it. This way you will have the opportunity to dig up the roots covered, along with a lump of earth - this is much safer for them.

Of course, you can try and free the root system by making it open, but this must be done extremely carefully, preserving even the smallest roots.

We will consider a more labor-intensive, but more reliable transplant option.

The perimeter of the trunk circle (and it is approximately equal in diameter to the crown) is dug up, creating a small trench around the tree with a depth of 60–80 cm - this depth will allow the main roots of the apricot to be kept intact. Long roots are cut with a shovel. Then, using a fork or several shovels, pry up the root ball and move it onto cellophane or burlap prepared in advance. The material is wrapped and tied with an earthen lump so that it does not crumble. If the seedling needs to be transported over a long distance, it is better to place it after digging on a thick layer of sawdust.

Preparing the place

The planting pit for apricot is prepared in advance. For spring transplantation, it is dug in the fall, and for autumn transplantation, 3–4 weeks in advance. The top layer of fertile soil is set aside. The width of the planting hole should be almost twice the width of the crown so that the roots have maximum freedom, and the depth depends on the age of the tree and the branching of its root system .

The place for the pit is chosen on the south side of the garden - it must be protected from drafts.

Apricot loves loamy soils, but if the soil is too heavy, it will require a little work. In this case, drainage made of gravel and dry branches is placed at the bottom, after which it is covered with a layer of turf soil mixed with humus. The smaller the supply of nutrients in the soil, the wider the planting hole should be so that the roots have the necessary space for development.

The hole for transplanting apricots should be twice as wide in cross-section as the root system of the seedling

It is a good idea to add superphosphate (0.5 kg) and ammonium nitrate (0.2 kg) to the soil. If the soil is too acidic, also add 1 kg of lime. The soil is thoroughly mixed with fertilizers so that there is no direct contact of nutrients with the roots, otherwise the tree may get burned. For clay soil, use a mixture of red clay, sand and peat in a 1:1:1 ratio.

Process description

The seedling is placed in the hole strictly vertically, and if it has an open root system, then the roots are straightened along the entire length and they begin to fill it with earth. There is no need to compact it, just press it down to firmly fix the plant.

If you peel apricot roots when digging, save as many as possible to cause the least amount of damage to the tree.

After planting, create a roll of soil around the apricot without covering part of the root area. This roller will hold water when watering, preventing it from spreading. The tree needs to be watered generously. Subsequently, in the first summer season after transplantation, watering is carried out regularly, gradually reducing its intensity by the beginning of autumn, so that root growth slows down to a minimum by the onset of winter. It is necessary to supply the plant with water after harvesting in order to replenish all the energy spent on ripening the fruits.

Optimal time for transplantation

The success of replanting a fruit tree directly depends on what time of year it was carried out. Experienced gardeners recommend starting this work while the plant is in a state of sleep. That is, in early spring. The optimal time is mid-autumn, before the snow has fallen and the first frosts have not arrived. If the summer resident manages to correctly determine the optimal moment for replanting, then the adult tree will not experience severe stress, which can have a detrimental effect on its adaptation to the new place.

The easiest time to replant apricots is in the autumn months. In this case, the tree will have a lot of time to get used to its new home. In order for the procedure to be successful, and for the plant to continue to develop normally, you will need to take care of insulating the seedling in advance. It should be covered with spruce branches, and the trunk should be protected with roofing material. A well-insulated tree is not afraid of any frost. Therefore, it will survive the winter without any problems. In spring, the first leaves will appear on the apricot, and it will begin to grow rapidly.

Apricot seedling

Replanting such a tree makes sense only if there is great need and only if the seed was planted immediately in open ground. A seedling initially grown at home, when transplanted outside, will simply die at the first cold weather. In addition, as we have already noted, the wild one will remain wild no matter how many times it is changed places, and each replanting only damages the suction parts of the roots and injures the tree, slowing down its growth.

An apricot grown from a seed is transplanted according to the same rules as a seedling from a nursery.

Otherwise, an apricot grown from a seed is no different from a purchased “thoroughbred” seedling. Therefore, it is transplanted according to the same scheme as described above.

Selection and preparation of seedlings for planting

The selection of apricot trees for autumn planting should be carried out taking into account the characteristics of a particular variety and its winter hardiness. Planting raw materials must correspond to the climatic zone in which it will grow. This must be taken into account to avoid freezing of plants.

Before choosing a seedling, we recommend reading our article about the best apricot varieties.

When selecting a specific seedling of a future apricot tree, pay attention to the following important nuances:

The trunk of the seedling must necessarily contain a pronounced grafting zone. This indicates that the tree belongs to a certain variety and guarantees the ripening of fleshy and sweet fruits when compared with trees grown from seeds.
You need to choose a seedling for autumn planting that is 2 years old. This stage is most favorable for the plant’s adaptation to a new area.
The selected specimen cannot contain any kind of damage, cracks in the bark, the main trunk must be stronger than the side shoots, without thorns.
The height of the apricot should be from 1 m to 1.5 m. Deviations from the norm, up or down, indicate improper care of the tree, as well as an excess of applied fertilizers containing nitrogen.
The roots of an apricot seedling should consist of 1 main and 2-3 lateral shoots, each 20-25 cm long. It is not acceptable for them to be broken, rotten or overdried.

Do not buy seedlings with obvious signs of vegetation. Such a tree will quickly die.

When selecting an apricot seedling, the shade of the bark plays a big role:

A red standard or with a dark shade of brown is characteristic of winter-hardy varieties;
the light green trunk is characteristic of southern representatives of fruit trees.

What apricot kernels are suitable for planting?

The regional fruit of the first harvest is suitable as a starting material, that is, one that is successfully grown in your area and withstands all the natural and climatic conditions of your area. A non-regional apricot may not produce a good harvest or may not take root at all.

Where can I get a bone?

You buy local first ripe apricots from summer residents, specifying the variety and taste characteristics. You eat them with pleasure, but don’t throw away the seeds. Do not forget to pay attention to the fact that the seed is easily separated from the fruit pulp - this is a sign that it is ready for future planting.

You also need to decide whether you would like the pit to be sweet or bitter. A seed with any taste characteristic is useful: both sweet and bitter seeds contain a large amount of fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. At the same time, bitter seeds contain more vitamin B17.

Seed selection

Selected seeds of only ripe fruits are washed well under running water, dried and stored in a ventilated place with low humidity. It is better to collect a lot of seeds, since not all of them will be able to sprout in the spring.

Choosing an apricot variety

Apricot is predominantly a southern fruit, so it thrives in warm climates. However, varieties have been bred that grow and bear fruit in temperate latitudes, for example, in central Russia and even in the Urals.

When choosing a variety for planting, they rely primarily on the geography of the area. We offer the top 5 best apricot varieties, which are adapted to almost all latitudes, with the exception of the Far North and the arid desert.

Northern Triumph

Self-fertile early variety. It is a tall, powerful tree. The fruits are slightly elongated, with a noticeable blush on one side. The pulp has a sweet taste with almond notes. Successfully grown in central Russia.

Dessert

This variety comes from France. However, it has taken root well in cold Russia. Winter-hardy Dessert apricot is a large tree with a spherical crown. The fruits are yellow, without inclusions or blush.

Saratov ruby

Another representative of the frost-resistant apricot. Partially self-fertile, therefore it is recommended to replant a pollinator, or, as an option, replant a bud to a tree of a different variety. The fruits have a bright orange color with a ruby side.

Academician

The variety, adapted for the Far East and the Amur region, is frost-resistant. It is distinguished by large, elongated fruits with a characteristic “beak”. The kernels are sweet.

Alyosha

A relatively new variety, universal, early ripening. The fruits are bright orange with red splashes. The bone is large and easily separated. Grown in central Russia.

Growing in open ground

Planting apricot kernels in a garden or vegetable garden is better than growing a tree at home, since this process will harden the seedling, and it will be able to withstand any bad weather in the future, while domestic ones may not survive the first cold weather.

Landing place

The choice of place to plant the future tree is not important. It can be anything, since you will subsequently have the opportunity to transplant the seedling to another place after it has become strong enough.

Landing in the ground

Before autumn planting, the seeds undergo preliminary selection. To do this, they are placed in water for about a day. Those that flare up are immediately eliminated, since they are empty inside and nothing will come out of them.

Everything that has passed the selection is placed in a pre-prepared trench 5-6 cm deep. Humus, straw, sand, chernozem are laid out at the bottom of the trench, followed by bones, then sprinkled with the same composition, and sprinkled with earth on top.

You should not plant the seeds too shallowly, as in this case birds may eat them. But planting too deep is not acceptable. A relatively average location will harden the seeds, leaving the strongest representatives for germination.

Spring planting, unlike autumn planting, involves several nuances. Seeds are subjected to stratification, that is, long-term keeping of seeds at a certain temperature for their further fruitful germination. Seeds planted in the fall go through the same process, only in a more natural way.

Around the end of January, the seeds are placed in a box of damp sand, which is then lowered into the cellar or refrigerated until April. The storage temperature should always be +2°C and the sand should always be moist.

Or, at the beginning of March, the seeds can be soaked in water for three days, changing the water every day and preventing souring. After the seeds have been saturated with moisture, they are placed in damp sand, lowered into the cellar, and in April they are planted according to the same scheme as in the autumn.

How to grow apricot seedlings from seed by planting in open ground is shown in the following video:

Caring for seedlings after planting seeds

In the spring, when the first leaves and stems appear, future trees must be protected from birds, rodents, cats and other living creatures by making shelters from trimmed plastic containers, which will serve as a fence for the tender seedlings.

They do not require complex care - watering once every two weeks (or more often depending on the temperature) and loosening the soil around the stem. Over the summer, the seedling will mature, and in the fall it can be transplanted to another place.

It is worth keeping in mind that at least two seedlings must be left in the garden to ensure good pollination. They need to be planted at a distance of 3-4 meters from each other.

Transplanting a young seedling to a new place

The place for further replanting can be any, but it is better that it is not too shady so that the fruits grow better. Dig a hole, fill the bottom with a mixture of humus, black soil, grass, tops and other organic matter, and sprinkle the litter with earth. After this, straighten the roots of the seedling and thoroughly fill the entire planting hole with soil.

In the first year, at the beginning of spring, the tree is pruned, removing dried twigs and shoots. Further care consists of abundant watering in the summer once every couple of weeks. The root part is covered with sawdust or grass to avoid drying out. Five years after planting, the tree should produce its first harvest.

How to care

After planting a seedling in open ground, it is necessary to provide it with proper care. It will help the tree adapt to a new place.

To properly care, you must do the following:

Water. As mentioned above, after planting it is necessary to water the plant abundantly. Then you need to water as needed; you should not allow the roots to dry out or become overwatered.
Mulch. You can use humus, sawdust, peat. The thickness of the mulch should be about five centimeters.
Trim. After the event, the trunk and skeletal branches should be trimmed. A sparsely layered crown is optimal for this tree.
Eliminate weeds and loosening. After planting in the spring, it is necessary to regularly remove weeds and loosen them.
Disease and pest control. If pests or diseases encroach on the apricot tree, then it is necessary to carry out treatment in a timely manner.
There is no need to fertilize in the first year, because fertilizers were added to the hole during planting.

Note! Apricots begin to bear fruit at about 4-6 years.

If you plant an apricot seedling according to all the rules (it doesn’t matter whether you do it in autumn or spring), then your garden will be replenished with another beautiful fruit specimen. The fruits of the crop are truly delicious and your efforts will pay off many times over.

Mulching and watering

The first watering is carried out before the ovaries begin to form. In most climate zones we are talking about April. The second watering is the peak of growth activity (May). The third watering is 14 days before the fruit begins to ripen. We are talking about July. The next stage is mulching. It is carried out 12 and 24 months after planting.

Trimming

Crown pruning helps reduce foliage density. Removing rotting and dry leaves and branches in early spring promotes the appearance of new shoots and also has a beneficial effect on fruiting.

How to fertilize

Nitrogen fertilizers are a favorite “dish” of stone fruits, which they tolerate well. Every year, 30 g of the composition of the same name is used per 1 m2 of plantings. Fertilizers are placed strictly near the tree trunk. The specified dosage must not be exceeded. The growth rate will not change, but the chances of losing the tree will increase exponentially. Botanists have developed step-by-step instructions for feeding:

organic fertilizing is carried out once every 3 years;
highly acidic soil is supplied with calcium - 500 g for every 1 m2;
as soon as the tree begins to bear fruit, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium salt are added every 7 months.

Thermal protection

As soon as permanent snow cover has fallen, it is better to compact it near the tree trunk. As soon as the thaw sets in, even if it is temporary, the melted snow is immediately removed from the tree trunk circle.

Carrying out autumn pruning

The gardener, having completed planting apricots on the site in the fall, removes dry and damaged branches. The procedure cannot be ignored. Otherwise, the seedlings will not survive the winter. Large branches must be removed. Pay attention to the top. It shouldn't be too tight. Pruning is carried out 12 months after planting.

Carrying out spring pruning

Apricots are pruned in early autumn or spring for two reasons. The first is to make the seedlings resistant to the coming winter. The second is to accelerate growth. The last reason is relevant for spring stimulating pruning. More fruits are formed on apricots in the spring, provided that weak and large branches are promptly removed. As soon as the summer resident sees that one or more branches have begun to dry, they are removed. Otherwise, the plant will spend part of the nutrient “juices” on maintaining non-viable parts.

The second rule is that the crown should not be excessively large. The development of apricot in the Moscow region and Siberia is slow if its top is too thick and heavy. The following recommendations will help minimize the likelihood of errors:

identify shoots with generative buds - such shoots are no more than 1 year old;
if the shoot has stopped growing, perform anti-aging pruning;
it is allowed to trim a shoot whose length is more than 30 cm;
to form the crown, leave up to 8 branches;
between the branches in the crown they maintain a distance of 35 cm.

Growing at home

The process at home is not much different from regular planting, so you already have the information you need for a successful growing experience. However, there are several nuances that will be highlighted below.

Soil for apricot

There are no specific conditions for choosing soil. You can purchase both ordinary soil and peat soil. Before planting, the soil mixture must be well moistened with settled running water or rainwater.

Pot for planting

For the first time, an ordinary plastic cup will be enough, but as the seedling develops, it will need to be transplanted into a deep pot, since the root system of the apricot tree is quite long. It is better to choose a pot from natural, eco-friendly materials. A wooden barrel, clay or stone pot works well.

Planting apricot seeds

To plant, you need to stock up on the required number of plastic cups or special nurseries, which are sold in gardening stores. You also need to stock up on drainage, which is placed at the very bottom of the cup. A moistened soil mixture is placed on top of the drainage, into which the sprouted seed is planted.

Growing sprouts

Seeds for home cultivation also undergo a period of stratification, which lasts approximately 100 days, and the same selection as described above. After the hardening period has passed, the sprouted planting material is planted in plastic cups with a hole in the bottom so that excess liquid can drain out.

In this video, the gardener talks about growing an apricot tree at home:

In what cases do they resort to transplantation?

The need to replant adult fruit trees and bushes may be due to the following reasons:

poor lighting due to the appearance of a new building or fence on a neighbor’s property;
flooding of plants with melt or rain water due to changes in topography.

Transplantation is also planned in order to thin out a group of fruit crops located close to each other. As a result of such an event, plants receive more space for development. Shrubs growing separately receive more nutrients from the soil and are easier to care for.

Ornamental species are transplanted for aesthetic purposes.

As you can see, this is a very common and useful procedure. But when doing it, you need to follow some rules.

Apricot tree care

An apricot tree grown at home requires constant care. It is very important to fertilize and rid the tree of various pests and diseases.

Diseases and pests

Various diseases and pests can reduce the yield of any tree, including apricot. However, there are different types of diseases.

Diseases caused by viral or bacterial infections:

Diseases caused by fungal infections:

Prevention and treatment:

Beware of eggs and larvae of pests such as aphids (deforms leaves), codling moth (its caterpillars settle inside the fruit, eat the pulp, accelerating rotting), fruit striped moth (caterpillars eat buds and shoots), weevil (spoils inflorescences, leaves, in the summer - fruit). Treatment with a solution of laundry soap and insecticidal agents is effective against pests.

Fertilizer and feeding

It is best to feed the tree in the fall after the leaves have fallen, so that the soil can be enriched with useful nutrients and be ready for spring.

The best way to apply fertilizer is through root feeding. Wood ash, peat, sawdust with sand, and eggshells are used as top dressing. During the summer, it is useful to feed young seedlings with nettle infusion mixed with manure.

Features of autumn and spring transplantation

If a gardener intends to replant apricots in the fall, he must know the specifics of this work. Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that there will be no severe frost next month. In the end, it can destroy the seedling very quickly. Therefore, it is best to transplant from early September to mid-October. By this time, the plant should enter the dormant phase. To understand this, pay attention to the branches of the tree. No leaves should be hanging on them. Apricot seedlings that have lost all their leaves tolerate the transplantation procedure much better.

Dry autumn is not the best time to carry out such work. In this case, it is recommended to postpone the transplant to a more favorable time, for example, to the beginning of spring.

Autumn transplantation of a seedling grown from a seed has the following advantages:

The tree has the ability to adapt normally to new conditions.
The apricot gradually hardens, making it resistant to many diseases.
The plant has time to establish roots over the winter. This allows it to develop magnificently in the spring.

What else to read Features of choosing and applying fertilizer when planting an apple tree in the fall

But there are also ardent opponents of replanting garden plants in the fall. They believe that this season it is very difficult to predict the weather, which increases several times the risk that the plant simply will not take root and die. It is also dangerous to start the procedure during strong warming. This phenomenon often occurs in the fall. The seedling will quickly get used to the warmth and will not have time to prepare for the first cold weather. Even experienced gardeners very rarely calculate the time for replanting correctly. And beginners are almost always wrong in this regard.

Like autumn replanting, spring replanting has its advantages and disadvantages that should not be ignored. It is best to do this before the buds swell. Ideally, the tree should remain dormant. This makes it easier to move it to another location.

The biggest advantage of replanting in the spring is that the air temperature will be above freezing and the risk of frost will be minimal. Warm weather helps seedlings quickly get used to an unfamiliar place. Also in spring, the soil is well moistened due to melting snow, so the apricot has enough moisture.

The gardener should prepare to spend most of the season on the property caring for the transplanted tree. After all, the apricot tree will constantly need watering. In the spring it will be possible to grow a healthy plant that will have time to take root well.

There is a huge downside to replanting in the spring, which can undo all the hard work the gardener has put into caring for the tree. During the warm months, the tree will not know what cold weather is like. Therefore, when autumn arrives, it will face unnatural conditions that can cause a lot of stress.

Replanting an apricot grown from a seed

An apricot seedling will require frequent replanting: a young tree must be replanted once a year, a grown one - once every 4 years, and the diameter of the pot will increase by 10 centimeters each time. Keep in mind that a tree grown indoors will most likely die at the first frost if you decide to transplant it outside.

Is it necessary to graft an apricot?

You need to know that the seed contains the genetic information of many generations, as a result of which the planting material collected from a tree with large and beautiful fruits may not always grow into a tree with a similar harvest.

If you are disappointed that you were unable to grow a tree with certain characteristics, try grafting onto it with a more “successful” specimen. However, to avoid this problem, it is necessary to plant a large number of seeds at a time in order to select the best seedling in the future.

Common Mistakes

Improper transplantation of a pine seedling from the forest to a house plot or dacha will certainly lead to the fact that the tree does not adapt well to the new place, does not grow, gets sick for a long time, or even dries out completely, seemingly for no apparent reason. Often owners are at a loss and cannot understand what is going on. The reason for this condition of the seedling can be gross mistakes made when replanting the conifer. The most common ones are:

improper digging of the seedling, insufficient size of the earthen ball, as a result of which the roots are damaged;
a long stay of a dug seedling in the open air with exposed roots, which leads to drying out and death;
incorrect placement of the tree in the planting hole with deepening of the root collar;
incorrect choice of landing site;
non-compliance with the optimal timing of transplantation, which significantly reduces survival rate;
planting in unsuitable soil composition.

It should be noted that ancient Slavic beliefs have survived to this day, according to which it is believed that pine, oak and birch have strong energy, and their presence on the site strengthens the house and household members. According to other signs, it is impossible to grow strong forest conifers near the house; they “survive” the owners from the house. Of course, for most of our contemporaries, superstitions and signs are irrelevant, but there are still many suspicious people who continue to believe in something like that. It is better for such people to refrain from planting pine trees on their plots.

To learn how to plant a pine tree correctly, watch the following video.

Pine and its other relatives fill the air with phytoncides, which have a beneficial effect on humans, their nervous and respiratory systems. Thanks to wood, the air becomes better and gets rid of harmful bacteria. There is no need to talk about the bewitching aroma, the energy is mesmerizing!

Many people want to have this wonderful plant in their garden, but stories that it is difficult to care for it, and even more difficult to replant a pine tree correctly, deter them from doing so. Such an opinion can only be spread by people who have no experience. This article talks about how to properly “relocate a tree” to your site.

Growing apricot from seed and fruiting time: photo + video

In my dacha there is only one old tree of this wonderful healthy fruit. And everyone loves apricot fruits.

At first I wanted to buy a seedling, but my neighbor dissuaded me, arguing that very good young trees grow from the seeds, resistant to diseases and weather conditions, adapted in advance for the climate.

It turns out that even a beginner can easily grow an apricot from a seed. Yes, and you don’t need to spend money, but at the same time you can experiment, which is something we, flower growers, can’t do without.

Today I want to talk about my successes in growing apricots from stones, what recommendations need to be followed in order to get not one, but several seedlings.

Where is the best place to plant apricots?

A place for planting apricots should not only be chosen as the sunniest one, but more importantly, it should be well protected from cold, especially winter, winds. In the wild, apricot trees often grow on slopes, sometimes quite steep. Our garden plots are usually quite flat, and this is good for us: it is easier to care for a variety of beds. Nevertheless, modern gardening experts advise planting apricots on artificial hills, and mounds should be made on any soil. This artificial hill should be at least 30–40 centimeters high. When choosing a place, you need to take into account that apricots can grow for up to 30 years or more . Apricot grows very poorly in heavy clay soils. The best survival rate and growth are on light loamy soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.

Apricot planting scheme

Depending on the available space, region and variety, different planting patterns are chosen, and if we are talking about an apricot orchard, trees are usually planted according to a 5 x 5 m pattern and form rounded crowns. But at a summer cottage, these distances may differ slightly.

One of the options for apricot placement in an industrial garden is 5 m between trees and between rows

Distance between seedlings when planting

In industrial production conditions, apricot trees are planted according to patterns from 3 x 5 to 5 x 5 m, and in the case of varieties with very tall trees, the distances are even greater. It is unlikely that we will plant many apricot trees on our small plot. Well, unless we live in the south and the plantation is far from 4–6 acres. Therefore, we are talking about a maximum of three copies. And if there are even three of them, it’s one row. The distance between the trees should be left at 3–4 meters, taking into account that in a few years their crowns will still close together.

Some agricultural scientists believe that thickening apricot plantings is even useful: it somehow affects certain “tricky” processes that increase winter hardiness, and they even advise trying to plant trees even more often.

How many trees should be planted on the site?

I don’t want to advise planting more than two trees on six hundred square meters. Mature apricots take up a lot of space and spread their roots very far, sucking out all the nutrition and moisture from neighboring beds. Its root system is twice as large in diameter as the crown. It is often said that for good pollination you need up to 3 trees. When planting 3 trees at the dacha, after a few years there will be no room left for parsley and cucumbers! From the point of view of pollination, they will find a companion somewhere in the gardens nearby. If in your conditions you like the apricot, then one is enough for the family. And if you don’t like it, it’s easier to buy delicious apricots at the market and not suffer.

Last summer, at a neighbor’s (40 km north of Saratov), for the first time in 10 years, a huge apricot produced a harvest of large, tasty fruits. All the neighbors got 20–25 buckets, and how many more were missing!

What can you plant next to apricot?

The apricot grows into a huge tree, shading everything around and draining the soil many meters away. Therefore, little will grow near it, and this must be taken into account: valuable square meters will be lost for the farm. Next to the apricot you can plant low flowers that bloom in early spring (tulips, daffodils, primrose). They, as a rule, vegetate at a time when there is still enough moisture in the soil, and grow in the spring, when there is still no foliage on the tree and there is enough sun.

Early spring flowers are quite appropriate under a tree

Apricot does not like the proximity of raspberries and currants. Apricot generally prefers to live his own life. When planting trees, one must also remember about their predecessors. You should not plant apricots where other stone fruits (plum, cherry, peach) grew.

If old pear trees, oak or ash grow somewhere nearby, that is, trees with deep-penetrating roots, apricot will most likely like the soil. But nothing will grow well within a radius of five meters from it.

Landing Features

All these advantages are certainly worth trying to grow your tree from the very beginning. Before planting, study the material and recommendations of plant growers.

Which bone to choose

If you don’t have apricots on your plot at all, and the climate is not warm, then it is recommended to choose varieties for Siberia and the Far East, for example, Red-cheeked, Hardy, Russian. Also, you can try to choose a variety yourself, but before planting, consult with experts.

When buying fruits at the market, choose not the largest specimens. Seeds from imported apricots that are too large may not take root. The best option would be to ask your neighbors who grow this tree for the fruit you like.

Choose sweet and juicy fruits. It is better if the pulp is easily separated from the stone. And the seeds will taste good. Seeds with bitter seeds will produce tasteless fruits.

Preparing the bone

You should not first plant the seed in a pot and grow the seedling at home.

Very often it turns out that sprouted seedlings in a pot do not take root in the open ground. Therefore, immediately plant them in the fresh air.

Landing technology

In some areas, the seeds are placed in a jar of soil and buried in the open ground in the fall. In the spring they dig it up and inspect it. If the seed has sprouted, then it is planted in a permanent place.

For the winter, the shoot is mulched with manure, and in the spring of the next year it is raked out. Judging by the reviews, the bones undergo stratification naturally, and then develop and grow well.

Transplanting a seedling to a permanent place

After 2 years, the seedling can be replanted. By this time, it is already clear which young trees are the strongest and healthiest.

Selection of location and soil

A sunny place is best for heat-loving apricot. The tree really does not like dampness, drafts and cold winds. Melt water must not be allowed to accumulate around the tree trunk, as this can cause the root collar to become rotten.

It is not recommended to plant seedlings in a place where cherry plum, sloe or plum trees previously grew. These crops are considered relatives of the apricot and leave secretions from the roots in the soil, which negatively affect the growth of young apricots.

Try to find light loamy soil for the seedling; a slight level of acidity is possible. On the site, groundwater should not flow too close to the soil surface. Permissible distance 2 m.

Do not forget that to get a harvest you need to plant at least 3 - 4 seedlings. Keep in mind that the crown and root system of the tree will grow over time, so make the distance between seedlings at least 2 - 3 m.

Step-by-step instructions for planting an apricot seedling

The scheme for planting apricots in spring or autumn is not particularly complicated. Every gardener, including beginners, can plant this crop on their plot without any problems. All you need is desire, hard work and knowledge of the key stages.

Selecting a location

Comfortable growing conditions for apricots are very important. The yield, quantity and quality of fruits, and their taste properties depend on this.

An adult tree grows to a large size, its crown becomes spreading and wide, and the culture itself is heat-loving and light-loving. It is because of these features that the landing site must meet certain criteria:

The place should be perfectly illuminated by the sun; the crop does not tolerate growing in the shade.
The site is reliably protected from cold, northern winds.
Moisture should not stagnate in the chosen location, and the groundwater level should be at least 3 m from the ground surface.
The selected area should not be shaded by any buildings, trees, or shrubs.
It is better to plant a tree on a hill; growing the crop in lowlands is not recommended.
It is optimal to plant the crop on the south or south-west side of the garden; it is advisable that the tree is protected by a wall or fence on the north or north-west side.

What soil is suitable?

The main requirement for soil for planting apricots is excellent breathability. This is important for the root system of the plant, which needs a regular flow of atmospheric air masses during the growing season.

Excess moisture, even for a short time, has a negative effect on apricots. Flooding of the area where the seedling is located often leads to the death of the tree. Fading leaves will help you notice the deterioration of the plant’s condition.

The choice of place for planting an apricot tree should be made taking into account the composition of the soil. Chernozems are an ideal variation. Due to the fact that the soil is highly permeable to moisture, air, and solar heat, sandy loam and medium loamy soils are suitable.

It is not recommended to plant apricot trees on soils with a high clay content, as they retain water, which leads to slower growth of the plant in the cold season and, as a result, poor wintering and cessation of fruiting. In terms of its content, the earth can be slightly alkaline or neutral.

Acidic soils require liming and the addition of dolomite flour. Planting in sandy soil cannot be done without adding a layer of clay to the bottom of the hole, and adding some sand to clayey soil. This simple manipulation will give the tree a chance to grow a strong and strong root system until the roots grow to the main soil.

Soil preparation

Before planting apricots, you need to prepare the land - dig up the soil to the width of a shovel and clear it of weeds and roots. Next, the surface layer of soil is leveled, depressions are filled in and hills are removed.

The ideal variation is to prepare the soil for apricot trees 1-2 years before planting. The land is cultivated for the fertility of the layer. In autumn, the area must be plowed so that the depth around the trees is 15 cm.

Selection of seedlings

When choosing an apricot seedling, you need to give preference to varieties that grow normally in your climate zone. If you do not live in the southern region, then the variety must have good winter hardiness. In addition, in the northern regions it is important to plant early ripening varieties, otherwise the fruits simply will not have time to ripen.

Note! When choosing a seedling for your garden, be sure to ask the seller for information about the variety you are interested in; it should be suitable for growing in your region.

When choosing an apricot seedling, you should pay attention to certain parameters that will help you choose a good, healthy specimen:

Age no more than 2 years.
The height of the specimen is 1 or 1.5 meters, but no more.
There should be a visible grafting site on the trunk.
The root system of the plant is well developed, there is no damage, and there is also a main root and 2-3 lateral ones.
The seedling should not show signs of wilting, damage, pests or diseases.
The bark is healthy, without damage, cracks, its integrity is preserved.
The central conductor is stronger and stronger than the lateral branches.

Important! The seedling must be in the dormant stage, otherwise when planted in the growing season, it may not take root or even die.

Video: how to choose an apricot seedling.

Recommended distance

Since an adult apricot tree is large in size and has a spreading crown, it is extremely important to follow the optimal planting scheme for the crop on the site.

The recommended distance between apricots when planting is at least 5 meters. It is highly not recommended to reduce the distance, otherwise the trees will interfere with each other, and this will affect fruiting.

Preparing the planting hole

The landing site and planting hole should be prepared in advance. If planting is planned in the spring, then preparatory work should take place in the fall. And if you plant in the fall, it is better to prepare in the summer or spring. If you do not have the opportunity to prepare in advance, then do it at least a month or 2 weeks before planting.

First of all, you need to prepare the planting site itself: dig up the area, remove debris, weeds, and level the soil. And after that you can begin preparing the planting hole.

It is necessary to forge a landing hole 70 centimeters wide and 80 centimeters deep. At the same time, the soil from the top fertile layer must be thrown into a separate storage area. Place a drainage layer (10-15 cm thick) at the bottom of the recess; crushed brick can be used for this purpose.

Three weeks before planting, fertilizers should be applied, which are very important when planting apricots. They will serve as sources of essential nutrients that will stimulate adaptation and survival. You can add a mixture to the pit (three-quarters full) of the following ingredients:

fertile soil from the top layer (two buckets);
humus (one bucket);
nitroammophoska (400 grams).

It is necessary to pour a small layer of fertile soil onto the fertilizer to make a slight elevation. Now water and leave for three weeks to allow the soil to settle.

Seedling preparation

In addition to the planting hole, you also need to prepare the seedling. A day before the gardening event, it is necessary to immerse the roots of the plant in clean water. Soaking activates biological processes.

Immediately before planting, it is recommended to dip the roots in a creamy mash (a mixture of water, manure and clay). Let the roots dry a little.

Planting scheme

The following step-by-step instructions will help you plant an apricot seedling correctly:

We place the seedling in the planting hole and carefully straighten the roots. The root collar should be 5 centimeters above ground level.
We fill it with soil, and you can shake the seedling a little so that the soil is evenly distributed between the roots.
Drive a long peg into the side of the hole, which will be needed to support the young seedling.
Now you need to compact the soil at the planting site with your foot.
We tie the apricot seedling to the peg using twine.
We make a circle near the trunk and thoroughly water the planting site.
The final step is mulching.

Rules of care

Cover young shoots with halves of plastic bottles on top. In this way you will protect the seedlings from destruction by rodents. Cut off the bottom of the bottle or glass, it turns out that the plant will be closed on all sides.

Trimming

Watering

Seedlings need to be watered abundantly. On hot, dry days, moisten the soil at least several times a week. Closer to autumn, the amount of watering should be reduced. The tree must still prepare for the winter period.

To prevent water from spreading, mulch the soil around the trunk with sawdust. The moisture will remain much longer, and weeds will not pester young trees.

Fertilizer

In the first year of life, in the second half of summer, apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers. They will help develop the root system and crown of the young tree.

Whiten the lower part of the tree trunk in the spring so that insects cannot attack the tree. For the winter, some cover the seedlings with burlap. And if the sprouts are too small, then use plastic bottles. Try to ensure that young trees grow straight and do not lean to the side.

Favorable and unfavorable neighborhood

Apricot loves the sun, so if the surrounding trees and shrubs block the sun's rays, it will die. The crop has a powerful and developed root system, which takes all microelements from the soil, leaving nothing for nearby plants.

Unfavorable neighbors: apple tree, plum tree, walnut, black currant, raspberry (the crops deplete each other). Suitable neighbors include garlic, lettuce, dill and green onions. They are even planted in the tree trunk.

Nerd recommendations

The biggest problems arise in the first two years of a tree's life. The gardener monitors the absence of moisture, temperature shock and pests. The root zone is maintained in excellent condition until spring field work begins. Other recommendations are presented below:

Loosen the soil to a depth of 8 cm every 4 weeks;
Use only organic mulch;
Make sure the plant is not producing an excessive amount of fruit;
Recommended leaf to fruit ratio: 1:20.

Apricots are planted in a garden plot in the Moscow region in early to mid-September. In other climatic zones, weather conditions are taken into account. Think in advance about the location on the site. There should be no stagnation of water. If necessary, the apricot is replanted. The only condition is that he cannot be more than 5 years old. During the first 2 years of life, the fruit tree is more susceptible to negative external influences. Beginning gardeners, before planting seedlings on the site, become familiar with a mandatory set of procedures. This includes wrapping, watering, mulching and fertilizing.

When growing apricot trees, many gardeners are faced with the need to replant trees. In order for the seedlings to take root in a new place and continue to develop, you need to know how to correctly perform the procedure and when to replant apricot trees. Transplantation methods depend on the season, variety of crops, weather conditions and soil conditions in the garden.

Spring planting (mature tree)

Plant an adult tree in the spring, before the buds open - in April or early May. Apricot reacts negatively to transplants, so it is better to carry out this procedure before the buds wake up.

To transplant an adult tree, you need to follow the following sequence of actions:

Dig a hole about 60 cm deep.
Place drainage at the bottom of the hole so that the roots do not stagnate in water.
Add soil mixed with fertilizer - 2 kg of humus and wood ash, 1 kg of lime, 200 g of ammonium nitrate, 500 g of superphosphate.
Be sure to mix the fertilizers with the soil, thereby protecting the roots of the tree from being burned.
Place the apricot in the hole and cover it with soil, lightly compact the soil on top.
Be sure to water the plant after planting.

Landing rules in different regions

Depending on the region in which the apricot will grow, there are some differences in planting technology. When planting in the Moscow region and the middle zone, it is better to choose apricot varieties that can easily withstand thaws and minor frosts.

Trees can only be planted in the spring, before the buds open. The ideal choice would be a well-lit area protected from the winds. Fine gravel or broken brick is laid at the bottom of the planting hole to act as drainage. During growth, the root system will diverge to the sides and is protected from getting wet in groundwater.

In the conditions of the North, southern varieties of apricots do not take root. But breeders have developed unique varieties that can withstand even severe frosts. For this purpose, the crossing of heat-loving varieties and northern wild plants was carried out. The new species do not have the same taste properties as the southern ones, but in terms of nutritional values they are in no way inferior.

Depending on the region, the timing of planting apricots will be determined, which will help avoid various negative consequences:

In the Volga region, plant seedlings in late March or early April. It is better to choose northern varieties of apricot (read about apricot varieties here).
In the Moscow region and the conditions of the central zone, replant the apricot tree to a permanent place no earlier than the end of April. Be sure to take weather conditions into account.
In the Urals and Siberia, it is better to plant northern varieties, but not earlier than the end of April. If frost returns, cover the tree with non-woven material.

How to prepare a planting hole

A place for planting should be chosen that is sunny and well protected from cold winds. Under natural conditions, apricot usually grows on slopes, sometimes quite steep. Often this tree is even used to strengthen rock against landslides. Our dacha plots are most often flat, at least we are usually happy if this is the case: working on the plain is much easier. Therefore, gardening experts advise planting apricot trees on artificial hills, and they have to be formed on any soil. If the soil is clayey and underground water is close, then this hill will have to be made as high as possible.

How to make an artificial hill? The height of the embankment should be at least 25 centimeters, and ideally up to half a meter, but first you still have to dig a landing hole.

The planting hole for spring planting must be prepared in the fall. To plant an apricot, dig a hole measuring at least 70 x 70 x 70 cm. The worse the soil’s fertility, the deeper you will have to dig.

The hardest thing when planting apricots is digging a hole, especially in clay soil.

In the case of clay soil, drainage should be placed at the bottom of the hole - crushed stone, broken brick, pieces of slate, coarse sand and any other similar materials. On sandy soil, drainage is not needed. On the contrary, you can put a palm-high layer of clay at the bottom of the hole to better retain water and fertilizers. Then pour in the soil taken out of the hole, having previously mixed it with fertilizers: humus, potassium salts, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate. All these mineral fertilizers can be replaced with one, complex one. For example, azofoska, 400–500 g, is suitable, but you need a lot of humus (or half-rotted manure), at least six buckets. Compost will also work fine. If the soil is acidic, it is worth adding about half a bucket of slaked lime. Don't forget about wood ash - the main source of potassium. After all, apricot fruits are famous for their high content of this element, which means it must be taken from somewhere! There is never too much ash in the garden.

Ash is the main source of microelements for the apricot tree