Selection Of Seedlings And Planting Rules

The period of planting work in the garden begins. It's time to choose seedlings. The main thing is not to make a mistake in your choice. What should you look for in order to choose high-quality planting material?

Seedlings are sold in two types - with an open root system (ACS) and with a closed root system (ZKS).

If the root system is open, then the roots should not be overdried, that is, they are elastic, do not break at the fold, do not crack. Well-developed annual and biennial fruit and ornamental seedlings should have at least 4-5 main roots. Fruit and ornamental shrubs should have a thick brush of roots, and not two or three frail roots.

The seedling must have a central conductor (trunk) and the number of branches corresponding to its age. The trunk and branches should also be elastic, without mechanical damage. The kidneys must be alive. It is better if the leaves have not yet blossomed, and the buds have just swollen or a green cone appears, that is, the very tips of the leaves. If the leaves have turned around, then the evaporation of water by the leaves has begun, and this worsens the survival rate of the seedling.

How to tell if a seedling is grown in a container initially or planted in it shortly before sale? Firstly, a seedling grown in a container cannot be easily removed from it, since the entire earthen ball is braided by roots. And when excavating, the earth does not crumble from the roots. Also, the distinguishing feature is the density of the soil in the container, the presence of a small amount of weeds and green algae or moss.

And if the seedling comes out easily and the earth crumbles from the roots, you are misled.

Of course, you should not try to remove the seedling from the container yourself, ask the seller to do this.

Planting dates:

In the spring, planting of deciduous plants begins from the moment the soil thaws and ends on May 10-15. Coniferous plants are planted until May 1.

A hole for planting fruit and ornamental trees must be dug in the fall so that the soil has time to settle. The size of a hole for a tree should be at least 1 meter in width and depth, for a shrub 60x60 cm, for a vine 50-60 cm x 1-1.2 m. The larger the size of the hole, the more likely the plant will live normally. The shape of the hole should be cylindrical, since the roots of the plant fill this volume faster.

When planting, the roots must be straightened along an internal soil mound 25-30 cm high. It is very important that the root collar during planting is not buried, but is located at soil level or above the ground. If it is deepened, decay of the bark will begin, the plant develops poorly and subsequently dies.

If the soil is sandy or sandy loam, no drainage is needed. If clay or loamy, put a drainage layer of 20 cm.

Watering is carried out until the water starts to stagnate. If after 1-2 hours the water is gone, repeat the watering.

A support stake with a height of at least 2 m is driven in at a distance of 5-10 cm from the stem of the seedling. Tied in two places in the form of a figure of eight with soft material to avoid damage to the bark.

Helping the seedling at first after planting:

Abundant watering. Do not let the soil dry out - in conditions of high humidity, the roots grow faster and the leaves do not suffer from drying out so much.
Shade from 10 am to 4 pm.
Use rooting drugs such as Kornevin, Heteroauxin. After abundant watering, pour a bucket of solution (2 g / 10 L) onto the plant.
Use of adaptogenic paraparatov such as Epin, Zircon. Spray on the bark and leaves every other day.
Prune to reduce the crown.

Choosing a healthy seedling and following the planting rules is only half the battle. The main thing is to treat everything with soul and love, and then your plants will thank you with a consistently healthy look, decorative qualities and yields.