Fruit trees are transplanted for various reasons. Often the personal plot is re-planned, and the plantations are transplanted to other places, making room for construction. A fruit tree transplant is sometimes necessary to transfer a plant to another garden. In any case, you should find out when and how best to carry out this procedure.
Ideal time for transplantation
Many believe that in the fall, a plum transplant to a new place should occur. 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 ideal.
For transplantation, young trees up to 5 years old are used. Two-year-old seedlings take root best. But old trees have a branched root system, which is easy to damage during extraction from the ground or transportation. The roots grow slowly, so it is hard for a tree to take root in a new place.
Many experts recommend replanting plums in the fall to a new place with an earthen lump. This method allows you to save the maximum number of roots.
In regions with a relatively warm climate, gardeners sometimes use a winter transplant. To do this, cut out a lump with the root system and frozen ground and place it in a previously prepared place. After thawing and the beginning of sap flow, the plant may begin to bear fruit already next summer.
Ideal conditions for growing plums
This fruit tree is demanding on location, moisture and heat. Therefore, the place for the growth of plums should be in a well-lit, windless area. It is necessary to protect the sink from the north and west winds.
The best site for planting plums will be east and west. The southern sides should not be allocated for planting this tree, because it can suffer from severe sunburn.
Pay attention to the composition and quality of the soil. This plant does not like places with dense soil. It is well stagnant moisture. It is better to give preference to loamy, loose soils.
If the soil is too acidic, ash or dolomite flour must be added to it.
It is not advisable to plant plum on soils with abundant gravel and gravel. In such a place, the fruit tree will suffer from excess moisture and desiccation.
Preparing a tree for a transplant
Plum transplantation to a new place in autumn requires special preparation. 20 days before this, you need to dig a hole. The width of the pit should be 70 cm larger than the earthen coma. For example, to plant a 2-year-old seedling, you should prepare a pit 70 x 70 x 70 cm.
For a spring transplant, a pit is dug up and prepared in the fall.
At the bottom should be laid drainage layer of expanded clay or broken brick. It will prevent stagnation of water. The creation of drainage is a prerequisite for areas where groundwater runs close to the surface.
A layer of compost is poured over the expanded clay. A small amount of earth is poured onto it. Remember that plum roots should not be in direct contact with fertilizer.
It should be properly prepared for a fall transplant to a new place in the fall. Previously, 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 a lump of earth in the form of a cone with an immersion depth of about 70 cm. After it, it is carefully removed from the pit.
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 transporting a seedling over a long distance is required. In this case, the roots of the seedling are wrapped several times with a dense film. If transportation of an adult tree is necessary, the roots of the plant are placed in a wooden box.
Plum transplantation occurs as follows:
- Before planting, carefully inspect the roots. Damaged, rotten and large roots must be cut with pruning shears. The places of cuts are sprinkled with wood ash. If the roots have dried out during transport, they must be moistened with water. This will favorably affect the rapid restoration of the roots.
- Together with an earthen lump, the root system of the plum is placed in the pit. In this case, the root neck should be at the same level with the soil,
- Carefully fill the pit with prepared nutrient garden soil. Water is well watered, thoroughly moistening the soil.
- To protect the root system, the landing site is mulched. For this purpose, around the trunk, the ground is covered with peat, earth and sawdust.
Mulching is very important for plum transplants in the fall. It reliably protects the roots from freezing.
When planting a seedling, you should worry about the availability of reliable support for growth. To do this, from the north side, a stake is driven into the pit, to which the plant is tied.
Plum care
Regardless of which time you choose the plum transplant (in autumn or spring), you need to create comfortable conditions for its growth.
After transplanting in the first years, the branches of a young tree grow unevenly. Therefore, gardeners must prune the shoots to form a regular, beautiful crown.
After transplanting in the first year, you do not need to apply fertilizer under the root. A layer of compost placed above the drain will give all the necessary nutrients to the plant. Already in the third year, phosphorus and potash fertilizers should be introduced in the autumn. And in the spring they make nitrogen fertilizers, which contribute to the growth of green mass.
In the first half of summer, the plant should be abundantly watered. Each tree needs 50 liters of water.
If the year turned out to be fruitful, it is imperative to install props under the branches.
Spruce
Many novice gardeners are interested in the possibility of multiplication of plum shoots. After all, if there are small shoots of a fruit tree, maybe you should leave them? Should I transplant plum overgrowth in the fall?
If the tree has been grafted, then the shoot from the root system is useless. Transplanting these processes from the root system, you will get acidic and small fruits from such a tree in the future.
If this tree is initially a good variety with large fruits (grown from seed), then the shoots can be separated and transplanted.
Conclusion
Plum transplantation is necessary in different cases. But knowing how to properly perform this procedure will ensure a good harvest in the coming year after moving to a new place. The plant will be able to quickly restore its root system and will please you with a high yield.