When to plant trees - in spring or autumn? There is hardly an absolutely unambiguous answer to this question: weather conditions vary from year to year, and the soils on each site are different, and any seedling, like any living organism, is distinguished by its individuality. Each season has a whole set of pros and cons that you need to consider when making a planting decision.
The natural truth is this: wood and earth are two parts of the indivisible. Therefore, you can reunite them - that is, plant a tree in the ground - at any time of the year (except for the period when the ground is not able to accept the root - when it is frozen). Another thing is the sum of other accompanying conditions. This is what determines how the seedling will take root and how it will develop further. Therefore, each plant has its own favorable time for planting and replanting. And since it’s autumn, let’s remember which trees should be planted right now (and why so).
As soon as the autumn chores in the garden beds are over, seedlings with careful care appear in the hands of summer residents heading to their plots. covered with roots. A short but very important time for planting trees begins, and who is convinced of the correctness autumn choice, is not at all wrong.
- It's more profitable
It is much more profitable to purchase seedlings in the fall: both nurseries and private gardeners begin selling newly dug planting material- from here big choice, affordable price and the opportunity to evaluate the quality of the purchase. Plants at this time are often sold with the last leaves, and with fresh roots (which may indicate the health of the seedling). In addition, conscientious gardeners often demonstrate the fruits characteristic of this particular variety, which is very important for the buyer.
- It is easier
Autumn planting won't cause much trouble - you can limit yourself to just watering, and nature will do the rest. Autumn weather and rains will provide the seedling with the necessary soil moisture and comfort. The fact is that, despite the dormant period, the roots of the tree continue to grow until the soil cools to a temperature of +4°C. Plants planted in time before the onset of stable frosts will already have time to grow thin absorbent roots and in the new season they will begin to grow as much as two or even three weeks earlier than those seedlings that were planted in the spring.
- It saves time
A purely “human factor” - planting trees in the fall will free up the summer resident’s energy and time for other garden chores, which in the spring will be “over his head.”
Autumn planting is especially favorable in southern regions, where the winters are “warm”. The ground does not freeze to the depth of the roots, and young trees are not at risk of hypothermia and freezing.
- Strong frosts capable of destroying immature trees.
- Winter is rich in stressful situations for seedlings: strong winds, ice, snowfalls and other weather troubles can break young plants.
- In late autumn and winter, seedlings are often damaged rodents.
- Well, during the absence of the owners, the seedlings at the dacha simply may be stolen other lovers fruit trees.
Experts strongly advise avoiding fall plantingnon-winter-hardy varieties of fruit trees and shrubs:
- Pears
- Apple trees
- Plums
- Apricot
- Peach
- Cherries
- Almond
- Cherries
Well, of course, it would be a mistake to plant in the fall in the northern regions those seedlings that were brought from more southern climatic zones - they simply will not survive frosts that are unusual for their homeland.
In the next video - practical advice what plants are best to plant in autumn
What trees and shrubs take root well when planted in autumn?
- Winter-hardy varieties of apple and pear trees
- Chokeberry
- Currant
- Raspberries
- Gooseberry
- Honeysuckle
- Birch
- Chestnut
- Coniferous trees
Optimal period autumn planting trees are usually considered to be the end of September and all of October, and perhaps even the beginning or middle of November if the weather is warm.
- IN middle lane Russia autumn planting is carried out from mid-September to mid-October.
- IN northern regions- from early September to early October
- IN southern regions- from October to mid-November
The timing is dictated by the weather. Each year the boundaries may “float” and differ significantly from the dates of previous years. There were years when it was possible to plant trees before last numbers November.
- Important condition-guideline
The most best time for planting (transplanting) any seedlings - this is their periodbiological rest.
Its onset is evidenced byend of leaf fall.
It also happens that it was not possible to plant a seedling in the fall. Maybe, at the very end of the season, you successfully found a sale of seedlings at bargain prices, or you managed to get a wonderful desired variety that cannot be planted in the fall... what should you do in this case?
All you need to do is take care of preserving your seedling until spring, so that you can plant it on the site. Based on practice, the three most common methods are used for this:
- storage in a cold, damp basement (cellar)
- snowmaking
- digging in the ground
In the next video, Evgeny Fedotov and Roman Vrublevsky will tell and showhow to bury seedlingsfor storage from autumn to spring planting.
- Basement storage
If you generously moisten the roots of the seedlings and lower them into a container filled with peat, sawdust or sand, then at temperatures from 0°C to +10°C and a relative air humidity of 87-90%, they will be perfectly preserved in the basement until planting. These seedlings in the basement only need to be watered once every 7-10 days.
- Snowmaking
This is storing seedlings outside: properly packed, they overwinter under a sufficient layer of snow, using it magical power do not allow the temperature around living stems to drop below the “life level”
In conditions Middle zone,
Ural And Siberiafor autumn planting it is best to choose zoned ones, and if necessary - winter-hardy varieties, which are acclimatized and quickly take root. Thus, fruit trees of Siberian and Ural selection - pear and apple trees, rowan, mulberry and cherry plum - tolerate planting in autumn quite well.
For gardeners southern regionsIt is better to plant trees in autumn. In these parts, autumn is long, warm, with periodic rains, which is “just right” for seedlings. But spring here can too quickly give way to hot summer.
Saplings thatdug up ahead of schedule(before natural leaf fall) most often have immature shoots and almost always freeze slightly.
If you bought a “beautiful tree” with leaves for planting, you risk getting not only immature, but alsooverdried seedling, because the main loss of moisture occurs through the leaf plate.
The main thing is to remember: Nature will lend its hands to any of its offspring, and we must try to “hand over” healthy, mature seedlings with a good root system to her in the nursery at the most favorable time. Then the young tree will not have to sit on “sick leave” for years and receive “disability” by the time it reaches adulthood. If everything is done correctly, no matter what season we plant - autumn, summer or spring - the tree will respond with cheerful growth, excellent development and a rich harvest.
Summer residents usually blame the death of a planted tree on a bad seedling, climate or problem area. And even thoughts do not allow that failure may be associated with mistakes that they themselves make when landing. Which ones are the most common?
AUTUMN PLANTING
PROS:
Large selection of planting material - by quality, variety and price
Sufficient period for planting (from late September to mid-October)
Minimum care for seedlings after planting
MINUSES:
Severe frost can kill trees
Strong winds and wet snow can break fragile plants
Seedlings are often damaged by rodents
DUBIOUS PLACE TO BUY A SEEDLING
So many articles have been written on this topic, but summer residents continue to step on the same rake. Do not buy seedlings on the road! Even if they are half the price there. There is a high risk that you will be sold to best case scenario a plant of a different variety or breed than you ask for; at worst, an unregistered variety or a diseased plant, which can also become a breeding ground for diseases and pests in the garden.
In autumn, it is important to finish planting seedlings no later than 20 days before the soil freezes
Take the time to visit a nursery with a good reputation in your area, where they will offer a wide range of seedlings, perhaps even dig them up for you, and give you qualified advice on planting and caring for the plant.
For planting, it is better to choose annual seedlings - they take root well. Biennial plants are also suitable.
INSUITABLE PLANTING TIME
Alas, not all plants are suitable for autumn planting. First of all, this applies to cherries, sweet cherries, and peaches. Their seedlings often do not have time to take root before winter (especially in the northern regions) and die due to an immature root system. But it’s better to buy these plants in the fall and leave them in storage for the winter.
In autumn, apple and pear trees are traditionally planted, as well as berry bushes. In any case, plantings in the middle zone must be completed before mid-October, in the northern regions - before the first ten days of October, and in the southern regions they are often planted until mid-November.
IMPROPERLY PREPARED PILE
Planting holes must be prepared no later than 2 weeks before planting. But if you did not plan new plantings, and then unexpectedly bought or received as a gift good seedling, the hole can be dug 2-3 days before planting. Temporarily bury the plant in a shaded part of the area: make a groove to accommodate the roots, lay the seedling at an angle, sprinkle the roots with soil and pour a bucket of water.
TIP: After planting, prune the seedling, but preferably already next spring(in March). U annual plant To stimulate crown formation, trim the top, leaving 5-6 developed buds from the ground. A two-year-old seedling should have a bole 40-50 cm high, 4-5 main branches diverging at least 40 degrees from the trunk, and a conductor.
Dig the planting hole, focusing on the size of the seedling's roots - they should fit there freely. When digging, put the top fertile layer in one direction, and the lower infertile layer in the other. Place a shovel on the bottom broken bricks, top - mixture fertile soil, humus and river sand (in approximately equal parts), adding 15 g of nitroammophoska. Pour out 10 liters of water. After a couple of days, install the seedling on the mound. Make sure that the roots lie freely, without bends and in no case are directed upwards.
DEEPENING THE ROOT NECK
For a newly planted seedling, the root collar should be at a height of 2.5-3.5 cm from the soil surface. After watering, the soil will settle and the root collar will be at soil level. If you deepen the root collar, the tree will later begin to bear fruit.
OUR HELP
The root collar is the place where the roots enter the trunk. Beginning gardeners sometimes confuse the root collar and the grafting site (located 5-7 cm above the root collar). And as a result, the tree is planted incorrectly, deepening it to the grafting site.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH PLANTING SCHEME
The desire of summer residents to plant small area as possible more plants quite natural. But over time, growing trees obscure each other and compete for food in the soil. Next to the table are planting patterns.
OVERWATERING
After planting, seedlings are often filled with water. In autumn, one watering (Yul) after planting is enough, and then rains will provide the necessary soil moisture and comfort to the seedlings. If there is a drought and heat air, you can water it with a bucket of water every three days.
360 Moscow region spoke about the most typical mistakes.
The annual event "Our Forest. Plant Your Tree" will be held in the Moscow region on September 12. Plants will be planted both in cities and on forest lands. It is planned that in one day the participants will plant more than 1.5 million trees - spruce, pine and oak. Autumn planting of trees and shrubs in the Moscow region has its own specifics. "360 Moscow Region" publishes rules that will help you avoid common mistakes.
Rule 1
Plants with an open root system, with bare roots, should not be planted in the fall if they by nature do not tolerate autumn planting well and if they were grown in other climatic zones and have not overwintered a single winter here. And even more so, it is impossible if a given variety or species has a problem with winter hardiness.
Do not tolerate transplantation well deciduous trees with a taproot and slightly branched root system (birch, oak, chestnut, walnut), as well as hawthorn. Bare root replanting is bad for all conifers except larch.
Almost all fruit trees are at risk, with the exception of the most winter-hardy local varieties of apple trees. Planting trees that have just been brought from European nurseries and have not had time to adapt to our biological rhythm will also become problematic.
If the tree is in a container, you can plant it in the fall, but be sure to look at the roots that have escaped from the bottom of the container: twisted and overgrown roots will not be able to take root immediately.
Trees and shrubs with a clod of earth are replanted in the same way as container ones, but carefully inspect the condition of the clod. Try not to injure it again, don’t shake it, don’t throw off the earth, don’t expose the roots. If the lump is packed in a metal or thread mesh, do not remove it. Such packaging, as nursery employees assure, is made from materials that decompose in the ground and will not harm the growth of roots.
Rule 2
In the fall, only those plants are planted whose growing season has completely ended this season. If the shoots are woody along their entire length and the apical buds are formed, active vegetation is completed. Otherwise, the tree will definitely freeze. This happens in dry years when the rains start late, in August. This is not our case, but we will definitely remember this. Especially when buying seedlings brought from other climatic zones: it will be difficult for them in urgently master the biological rhythms of a new area.
Rule 3
Don't be late with autumn planting dates. You must complete the planting season by October 10th. After all, the seedlings should still have time to put out young roots in a new place. New roots are the key to success; a tree with new roots that have grown will successfully survive all the hardships of winter. Everything, of course, will depend on the autumn: if it turns out to be long and warm, then the planting period can be extended. Container seedlings and seedlings with a clod of soil in the event of a prolonged golden autumn will be able to postpone planting and take root until November, before the onset of frost. But still, don’t forget about the date October 10th.
Rule 4
Do not overdo it with fertilizers when planting in autumn. It is enough to add only phosphorus fertilizer to the planting hole, which promotes the formation of roots and is absolutely safe even at high concentrations. Nitrogen, potassium and calcium introduced in the fall, on the contrary, will become destructive for the transplanted plant, complicating the development of both those roots that exist and those that are about to appear. Accordingly, neither manure (neither fresh nor rotted) nor lime can be added to plantings in the fall! All this should be applied in the spring, during general soil preparation.
The only thing that is allowed is drugs - root formation stimulants. They are diluted with water and applied during irrigation.
Rule 5
Do not forget about such measures to help the planted plant, such as mulching the trunk circle, protecting the trunk from sunburn, mice and hares, installing supports and protecting the crown from snowbreakers. Any mulch is suitable organic material: peat, crushed bark, sawdust, straw. It will save the roots from frost and help retain moisture in the soil. Downside mulch is a problem for mice, which take over warm “apartments” and happily destroy fruit stems, as well as decorative varieties apple trees, plum trees, pear trees. To combat them, use plastic spiral nets that fit over the tree trunk, or, the old fashioned way, wrap tree trunks with old tights. This technique, by the way, works great for protecting against hares. Hares are also afraid of spruce branches.
Whitewash protects against sunburn. Best to use water-based paint, preferably a special garden one, with the addition of fungicides that protect the tree from pests. Just keep in mind that autumn rains can wash away the whitewash, and you will have to renew it somewhere at the end of February, when the sun begins to get hot.
Yes! Do not forget about tying the support of the newly planted tree. Under no circumstances should the tree sway in the wind, causing it to move. root system. There can be no talk of any rooting. For a small tree, one or two supports are enough; for an adult, a system of guy wires is enough.
And finally, protection from snowbreakers. Tie the crown with twine. This is especially true for trees with a pyramidal and columnar crown shape, whose branches extend from the trunk at an acute angle, as well as for conifers with such a crown: junipers, thujas, cypress trees. It also wouldn’t hurt to secure the bushes with twine, protecting them from breakage by snow.
Let us remind you that anyone can join the “Our Forest. Plant Your Tree” campaign. Well-known politicians and public figures. On current issues The head of the department for interaction with the media of the Forestry Committee of the Moscow Region, Svyatoslav Neklyaev, responded about the action.
Every year gardeners ask themselves: When is the best time to plant fruit trees and berry bushes?, autumn or spring. Each season has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Let's take a closer look why is it better to plant trees in autumn when and how to land on your summer cottage.
Each plant has its own favorable time for transplanting and planting in a new place.
Let's figure it out what fruit trees can be planted in autumn and why.
When all the harvest has been harvested from the garden bed, it’s time to start planting seedlings. This is an important time, the main thing is to plant the plants on time.
The main advantage of autumn planting is the reasonable price of seedlings. It is more profitable to buy seedlings in autumn: large selection of freshly dug seedlings, affordable price, quality material easy to distinguish.
Plants are often sold with leftover leaves, fresh roots (which indicate healthy plant). In the fall, some gardeners, along with seedlings, often display the fruits inherent in this variety, which is very important for buyers.
Planting in the fall requires a minimum of care for seedlings at their summer cottage. Sometimes one watering is enough, then autumn weather and rains will create favorable conditions for seedlings.
The root system continues to grow, despite the fact that a dormant period has begun. Root growth continues until the soil temperature drops to +4 degrees.
The main thing is to plant the seedlings in time so that young roots have time to form before the onset of stable frosts. These new roots will begin to grow with the onset of spring, even 2-3 weeks earlier than the seedlings planted in the spring.
A significant plus of autumn planting of trees and shrubs in autumn– lack of other work in the garden and in the garden; in the spring there will be a lot of them.
In regions with warm winters, it is better to plant in the fall; the ground does not freeze to the depth of the roots, and young trees are not at risk of freezing and hypothermia.
Disadvantages of autumn planting
Ice, strong winds, snowfall and others weather young seedlings can be damaged.
Main disadvantages:
-- severe frosts can harm fragile trees.
-- rodents can damage seedlings in late autumn and winter.
-- young seedlings can simply be stolen while you are away from the dacha.
Video - Compatibility of fruit trees
Which trees and shrubs take root well when planted in the fall?
From fruit trees we can distinguish winter-hardy varieties of pears and apple trees.
Also take root well:
Chokeberry, currant, raspberry, gooseberry, honeysuckle, walnut, chestnut, birch, coniferous trees.
Avoid planting non-winter-hardy varieties of trees and shrubs.
Apple trees, pears, apricots, plums, peaches, cherries, cherries, almonds.
Do not plant seedlings in the southern regions that were grown in the northern regions; they will not tolerate frosts that are not typical of their homeland.
The optimal period for planting trees and shrubs is the end of September and all of October. In warm weather it can last until mid-November (southern regions).
Every year the weather is changeable and planting dates in autumn depend largely on weather conditions.
Important to remember: The guideline for planting and transplanting seedlings is the dormant period of plants, which begins after the end of leaf fall.
Video - When is the best time to plant seedlings of fruit and berry trees?
It happens that it was not possible to plant in the fall. Do you still have seedlings or purchased seedlings that are not suitable for autumn planting - what to do in this case?
Storage in a cool and damp room (basement).
- Digging into the ground.
- Snowmaking
Digging into the ground - Properly buried trees will be well preserved and will survive the winter. Dig a ditch 30-40 cm deep and wide in the direction from west to east. The northern side of the groove is vertical, and the southern side is inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Place the seedlings at a distance of 15-25 cm from each other, the roots are directed to the north, and the crown to the south. Fill the ditch with soil, stamp it down and pour plenty of water. Before frost, sprinkle with dry soil, sawdust or fallen leaves.
Snowmaking – seedlings are stored outside. Well-packed young trees overwinter under a sufficient layer of snow, which does not allow the temperature to drop for normal plant storage.
Basement storage
At low temperatures basements from 0 to 10 degrees, seedlings are stored well until spring if well-moistened roots are dipped in sand, peat or sawdust. Relative humidity in the basement it should be 87-90%. When stored in the basement, seedlings must be watered once every 10 days.
Video - How to preserve seedlings until spring
When purchasing seedlings, pay attention to their external condition. Seedlings may have immature shoots if they were dug up before natural leaf fall.
Trees with numerous leaves may be unripe and overdried, since the main loss of moisture occurs through the leaves.
Fruit trees require light, so choose southern areas for planting seedlings. You can plant trees in stages - tall ones to the north, low-growing ones to the south, and there will be enough light for everyone.
Also take into account the distance to buildings and communications from trees; it should be at least 4.5 m. When planting, you must know the size of the crown and root system. The roots of mature trees can cause damage even to the foundation.
Combine trees on the site correctly: Cherries grow well next to apricots. The nut oppresses all the trees that grow next to it. Do not plant apple and peach trees together. For more information about the compatibility of fruit trees, see .
Autumn tree planting and shrubs has its own important specifics, without taking into account which you can ruin the plants you planted in the fall. Firstly, not all trees are suitable for autumn planting. Secondly, you should not plant trees whose growing season has not yet ended, that is, the state in which the plant is actively growing and developing. And thirdly, planting dates and measures to prepare the plant for winter cold must be observed. Let's look at each point in more detail to avoid mistakes that can lead to the death of your plants.
Which trees are not suitable for autumn planting?
First of all, it is worth mentioning many fruit
trees, such as apricot, peach, cherry, pear, which are definitely better to plant in spring period. To the best of your ability biological features Almost all fruit trees experience problems with winter hardiness, with rare exceptions; for example, specially bred winter-hardy varieties of apple trees tolerate our winters quite calmly.
Also, you should not plant such deciduous
trees like birch, walnut, oak, chestnut and almost everything conifers
– spruce, pine, cedar, fir, juniper. Due to the characteristics of their root system, they do not tolerate transplantation well and require more time to take root, so it is better to postpone their planting to a more favorable time.
It is worth noting that the above especially applies to planting bare-root trees. Container trees and trees with a lump of earth They tolerate replanting much easier and can be planted in the fall, but in this case you should make sure that the root system is not damaged and the planting is carried out as carefully as possible.
Active growing season
The growing season is the period during which the plant actively grows and bears fruit, that is, the period of its active life. In the pre-winter season, plants go into “hibernation” and it is during this period that they most easily tolerate digging and replanting. Therefore, autumn and early spring are the best time to plant seedlings of fruit and ornamental trees and bushes.
You can determine whether the active growing season has ended by whether the seedling's shoots have become lignified along their entire length and the tips of the buds are fully formed.
Autumn dates for planting trees and shrubs
The optimal planting period is considered to be the end of September and throughout October , perhaps even early to mid-November if the winter is warm. Seedlings must be planted with a small margin of time so that they have time to take root and take root before the onset of winter. severe frosts. Seedlings that have taken root are much easier to tolerate winter frosts, and in the spring they will begin to develop faster.
Preparing seedlings for winter
Mulching soil around the seedling and tying its trunk to a support will help the plant, which has not yet matured, survive the first winter. Sawdust, peat, straw and even fallen leaves can be used as mulch.
Garter a tree may be even more important than mulching, because by swaying in the wind the seedling will set its root system in motion and it simply will not be able to strengthen enough.
Important: Unlike spring planting, in autumn seedlings can only be fertilized phosphorus fertilizers , which stimulate the development of the root system. A high concentration of nitrogen fertilizers during this period can be detrimental to plants, since the plant may re-enter the growing season and will not have time to prepare for winter. For the same reason, manure is not applied.