Planting each garden tree has its own characteristics. Our goal is to familiarize you with the basic rules for planting a sweet cherry tree in the fall.
After all, it is important not only to buy and plant a tree in your garden, but also to choose the right place and soil, to prepare the pit and the very cherry for planting. We share the main tips on choosing a seedling and caring for it after planting.
Preparation for planting cherry: basic rules and important tips
Before you start planting a sapling, you need to perform a number of mandatory actions. After all, it will depend on the preparation for the autumn planting whether a high-yielding tree will grow on your site, or just an incomprehensible plant resembling a sweet cherry.
Tips for choosing the right soil type
The best growth of sweet cherry can be obtained by planting it in fertile soil with good drainage system. Besides, the soil must be constantly loosened and fairly moist. This can be achieved in the case, if you plant a sapling in loam or in sandy soil.
These types of soil are best suited for the sweet cherry because they are the best conductors of water and air. In addition, fertilizers applied to such a soil will very quickly reach the root system of the tree and influence its growth.
Clay and sandy soils are not suitable for growing cherries.. It is strictly not recommended to plant this tree in sour peatlands. Also, you should take into account the depth at which the groundwater is deposited. If they are very close to the surface - the cherry will not take root and die.
The best option depth is 1.5 meters. In the event that the water rises above, you can dig a special drainage ditch in which excess water will collect.
However, in the event that there is no suitable soil on your site, you should not forever abandon the idea to grow a cherry orchard. There are several tricks due to which for 1-2 years you can prepare an excellent soil for planting a sweet cherry seedling. Read about it below.
How to prepare the soil for planting cherries?
Regardless of the type of soil, preparing it for planting cherries should be carried out prematurely. Before the autumn planting in 2-3 weeks you need a lot dig up your whole lot, which you decided to plant a sweet cherry.
Under the digging is very important to make various fertilizers that will make the soil more fertile. On 1 m2 it is recommended to bring about 10 kilograms of manure or compost.
With regard to mineral fertilizers, it is not worth it to be so generous, just 180 grams of superphosphate and 100 grams of potash fertilizer should be carried on the same area. But the most practical use complex fertilizers for sweet cherries and cherriesusing 200 grams of fertilizer per 1 m2.
If the acidity of the soil is very high, it is recommended to quench it with lime. For sandy soils, the rate of this fertilizer per 1m2 should be no more than 0.4-0.5 kilograms, and for heavy loamy soils - 0.6-0.8 kilograms per same area.
Gardeners are advised to refrain from simultaneously adding lime and other mineral fertilizers to the soil, as they may react and not give the desired result.
We now turn to what to do with clay or sandy soil. In addition to the above fertilizers, it should be very mix thoroughly with opposite soil type.
We add a large amount of river sand to the clay, and clay to the sand. But this should be done a few years before planting cherries, regularly fertilizing the soil after this. You can try to plant annual crops to determine their fertility.
Also interesting to read tips on the care and planting of cherry
Preparing a pit for planting
Preparation of the pit should be done 2 more weeks before the time of the direct planting of sweet cherries. Her depth should be not less than 60 centimeters. This is necessary in order to pour fertilizer on the bottom.
The width of the pit can be from 60 centimeters to 1 meter. It is most convenient to dig a rectangular hole, throwing the top layer of soil on one side and the bottom on the other. A stake is driven into the bottom of the pit, which will serve as a support for the sweet cherry and will not allow it to break down by the action of the wind or under the weight of melting spring snow.
Topsoil, which is more fertile, is mixed with fertilizer. Directly during landing Nitrogen fertilizers cannot be applied. (urea) or lime. They will negatively influence the process of engraftment of the sweet cherry, injuring and burning its roots.
It is very good to use humus (2-3 buckets) or not sour peat. Also, good influence on the growth of sweet cherry aged compost. Among mineral fertilizers it is better to fertilize the soil using 200 grams of superphosphate. It is good to bring sulfuric potassium (no more than 60 grams) and ashes (about 0.5 kilogram).
Thus, this mixture is poured to the bottom of the pit in the form of a mound. Thoroughly tamp down and sprinkle with uncomfortable ground. This should be done simultaneously with the preparation of the pit, so that the soil along with the fertilizers should have a good time to sow.
How to choose a good seedling?
If you can plant cherries using seedlings grown from bones, then with a cherry is a little more difficult. The fact is that a cherry tree grown from a bone may not be very varietal at all and may grieve you with its crops (although, in some cases, it may please). After all, it is thanks to the selection of seedlings of sweet cherries of different varieties that breeders create new varieties.
Therefore, choosing a sapling first pay attention to him trunk. On it should be clearly visible place grafting scion. It is this tree that will be 100% varietal. Moreover, such trees are much earlier able to enter into the fruiting period.
Very good if at the chosen tree many branches. From them it will be possible to form the correct and convenient krone. But, it is important to pay attention to the condition and availability of the main conductor.
If it is not present, the tree will grow badly and branch out, and it can also break into several parts due to abundant fruiting. Therefore, the conductor must be alone and in good condition. If it is broken. Then after the dissolution of the tree he will have many competitors. It is very important to remove them by choosing only one - the most even and strong.
Sweet cherries can be efficiently transplanted at one and two years of age. The main thing is that the roots of the seedlings are not dried, damaged, but well developed and strong. For transportation, the entire root system of a sweet cherry is wrapped in a wet rag and wrapped in oilcloth.
Important advice: if there are still leaves on the seedling that you purchased, it is better to cut them off. Otherwise they will dehydrate it.
Preparation of a sweet cherry sapling for planting
Planting a sapling in the fall has its own characteristics, because after planting the tree will have to go through a very difficult winter period. It is recommended before planting once again well inspect the roots of sweet cherries.
If they have broken endsthey are recommended to cut off. Also, all roots that are not visited in the hole dug by you are cut. Too large root system can freeze in winter, so there’s still no great sense from it.
If during the inspection you notice dry roots, then place the seedling at 10 o'clock in water. Even if the roots are eaten in good condition, it is recommended to put them in water for 2 hours early in order to moisten them well. But it is impossible to keep cherries in water all the time, as the roots can become too wet and rot without sufficient amount of oxygen.
Tips for planting a sweet cherry tree in the fall
Planting cherries in the fall is a rather risky procedure. After all, there is a risk that the tree will freeze in winter. Therefore, in more northern regions, gardeners advise not to plant a sweet cherry in the fall, but to drop it in the garden until spring. To do this, you need to dig a not deep hole into which the seedlings lie at an angle of 45º.
If you have acquired a lot of trees, tie them together and thus drop them. The top should be facing south. Roots need to be covered with soil very well, sprinkling even a small mound.
Upon the onset of frost, branches also fall asleep in half by sand. Very carefully the branches should be covered with snowIt is he who will save them from frosting. In order to prevent seedlings from being damaged by sunlight, you can cover them with pieces of plywood.
Autumn planting: advantages and difficulties
All fruit trees can be planted in both spring and autumn. The advantage in planting cherries in the fall is that during this period, the market can choose the largest number of different varieties of this beautiful tree. Thus, you will select not only the desired variety, but also choose the best from the presented specimens of saplings.
Autumn planting of cherries is recommended more in the middle and southern climatic zones. On the territory of more Northern regions, there is a high probability that the saplings will freeze completely or partially damage the tree, which will make it impossible to fully restore it in spring.
Terms of planting cherries in the fall will depend on the climatic region. It usually takes place a few weeks before the onset of constant frosts. So even if snow has fallen, and the soil has not frozen yet, you can still plant sweet cherries.
Thus, the soil around the planted tree will still have time to sow well, but the sapling itself will not have time to begin and grow, maintaining the "sleeping" state throughout the winter.
However, in the territory of the Middle Volga region, taking into account the climatic conditions of this region, Cherry planting is best done in the first half of autumn. The period from the 20th of September to the 20th of October is best, but not like no earlier and no later.
Depth and technology of planting saplings of sweet cherry in the fall
Lowering the seedling into the pit is not very deep. It is very important that its root collar protrudes slightly above the soil surface. If you raise the seedling by 5-7 centimeters, then it will sink to the right place along with the settling of the soil.
The roots of the tree should be well laid out on the surface of the mound, which we poured into the hole earlier. Gradually filling the pit with the bottom layer of soil that we got out of the pit, you should shake the seedling a little so that all the voids between the roots are well filled. When planting cherries can in the middle of the burrowing pit pour one bucket of water into it, and only after that bury the hole completely.
Already after the complete instillation of the pit, the soil around the tree is well trampled and watered. To water was good, you need around the trunk to dig a hole 5 centimeters deepand the earth they put it around in the form of a shaft. Thus, all the water we pour out will be evenly distributed in the hole and settle to the roots of the cherry.
Since both water and natural processes will stimulate the settling of the soil, a hole may eventually appear around the trunk with time. Its best to lay the soil, aligning with the level of the rest of the soil.
Caring for a cherry tree after planting
In addition to watering, the soil around the trunk should be covered with peat or humus, that is, to mulch. With this we will be able to retain moisture in the soil for much longer, which is especially important when autumn cherry planting. It is this moisture that will protect the tree from the effects of frost and freezing of water from the branches of the seedling.
Since most sweet cherry varieties are moderately resistant to low temperatures, they should be prepared very well for the onset of frost. First of all, as soon as frosts begin to approach, trunk just planted tree stands wrap sacking. However, since the winters of the Southern regions can be very warm, it is necessary to regularly monitor the condition of the tree, not to allow it to become clear.
In addition, the snow worth well wrap the bottom of the trunkthus warming it. In winter, the tree can damage various rodents. To protect against them, you can simply scatter various poisons around the tree. Also, a tree trunk on top of the burlap can be obliged with spruce branches.
Cherry watering rules
Sweet cherry is demanding of moisture, although its excessive presence in the soil can have a very negative impact on the growth and development of the tree. Therefore, watering should be not only regular, but also taking into account weather conditions and soil conditions. Water should be added no more than once a month. under normal conditions, and during severe droughts - even once a week.
It is best to water the cherry in the hole dug around the trunk. Naturally, with the growth of the tree, it is impossible to use the hole that we dug during its landing, it must be constantly expanded to a radius of 1 meter.
About 2-3 buckets are used per young tree, about 6 buckets should be used for adult and tall sweet cherries.
How to feed cherries?
The sweet cherry does not need regular top-dressing. Best confined top dressing in the form of the persistent puswhich is introduced in the form of watering on more often than once every 2-3 years. But in order to stimulate the active growth of the tree and to set large berries, it is also necessary to use mineral fertilizers.
In particular, all the types and doses of fertilizers that we applied are used in preparing the soil for planting the seedlings. It is best to begin to make such dressings for the 3rd year, after planting cherries to a permanent place. Indeed, before this period, the amount of fertilizer that was applied to the soil during direct planting will be sufficient.
However, in the second year, in the spring, you need fertilize the soil around the trunk with urea. Nitrogen has a very positive effect on tree growth.
