General recommendations for choosing a seedling and planting fruit trees. How to choose the right seedlings

Selection and purchase of seedlings of fruit trees

The choice and planting of fruit trees is the most crucial moment when creating a garden, which will be the main decoration of the site. It depends on whether the seedling is chosen correctly whether it will take root in a new place or not, as well as the future harvest.

Choosing a seedling before buying

Choosing fruit trees is easy. To do this, you need to inspect them, and pay attention to the details that are signs of a healthy and well-grafted seedling.

Young grafted seedlings adapt best to new conditions. It is desirable that the vaccination was carried out 1.5-2 years before planting in a permanent place.
Inspect the root collar of the selected tree. The trail from the cut rootstock must be clearly visible, which must be healed. If it does not overgrow, then perhaps the tree is infected with a tinder fungus, which cannot be cured.

A well-formed smooth stem without fungi and mechanical damage indicates that the seedling is healthy. In a two-year-old tree, the bole has one branching order, the slope should be at least 45 degrees. Then the crown of the future tree will develop correctly and look beautiful.
For annual seedlings, the length of the aboveground part should be 1 meter, for two-year-olds - 1.5 meters. A healthy tree has a whole bark without damage.

What should be the roots of a seedling

Root system deserves no less attention. Small roots must be present, it is better that they are lush and thick (up to 20 cm - in one-year-olds and up to 30 cm - in two-year-olds).

If they are absent, and there is only the main root, most likely, the tree will not take root. It will be very weak and unable to resist disease.

Buying fruit trees: where to buy, who to trust

It is better to buy seedlings in special nurseries or from trusted sellers. Often on a spontaneous market or on the side of the road, sellers lay out the goods without protecting the roots from drying out.

For young seedlings, it is enough to wrap the roots with damp rags, but it is better to keep them in a container filled with a clay mash (a liquid solution of clay in water 1:10, to protect the root system from external damage, drying and exposure to air). If the storage conditions are not followed, the seedlings die. As evidenced by dry or weathered, with a white bloom, roots.
Mature trees (4-5 years old) should be sold with a clod of earth the size of the seedling itself. It is optimal to buy zoned varieties of seedlings grown in such climatic conditions in which they will grow on your site.

Outcome

For planting, both young, one, two-year-old trees, and three to five are suitable. But adults take root worse, due to damage when digging up roots.

Before buying seedlings of fruit trees, it is important to learn how to determine their quality on your own, according to the described signs. Having decided on the variety and age of the tree, you can safely start breeding a beautiful garden.

Is it worth overpaying: the optimal age of the seedling

I believe that the most the best age for planting fruit is 1-2 years... These seedlings are optimal for the buyer both in price (they are cheaper) and in survival rate (it is quite high). You can, of course, be guided by both 3 years and an older age, but in this case it is desirable that the plants have a closed root system (ZKS). After all, seedlings with an open root system (ACS) after planting and transplanting are sick for a long time. So, while the three-five-year plan with ACS is sick, the one-year-old with ACS will already grow up and give the first harvest. In general, I see no reason to buy adult seedlings.

When is the best time to plant

Seedling with ZKS can be planted during the entire growing season (from April to October, and sometimes longer). Autumn planting should be carried out at least 2-3 weeks before the onset of frost. If you decide to plant in hot summer, it is best to wait for the coldest weather. But if you are able to provide the plant with proper watering, it can be planted in the heat - no big deal. Once again, I emphasize that such a planting is safe only against the background of subsequent watering.

But the planting of fruit seedlings with ACS should be strictly confined to the dormant period of the plant. It can be either early spring, or a longer period in the fall (from about mid-late September and further, according to the weather).

When buying seedlings with ACS in the autumn, I believe that it is better not to plant them, but to bury them. This recommendation is due to the fact that the plant does not yet have a sufficient correlation between the underground and aboveground parts. It is recommended to dig in fruit seedlings in an inclined position so that they do not die in winter from dehydration.

Purity of the variety

Unfortunately, there is a global problem of misgrading in our fruit growing, which is associated with the low qualification of agronomic personnel. And, of course, a lot depends on the gardener himself in this matter - you need to be very responsible when choosing a nursery where you buy planting material... I recommend contacting specifically to producers of planting material, and not to nurseries that are engaged in outbidding, because only the first can guarantee the real grade.

What a good seedling looks like

If you buy a plant with ACS in the fall, it should be sniffed, that is, devoid of leaves. The operation of scrubbing according to the rules is carried out even in the nursery before the digging of these seedlings.

If you are planting a plant with ZKS, then smoothening is not required, since you do not actually transplant the plant, but transfer it without disturbing the root ball. You carefully remove it from the container (sometimes it is even better to cut the container) and, without disturbing the root system, plant it in a prepared hole.

Naturally, the acquired plants should not show signs of damage and - the seedling should be healthy, at least externally.

Landing

Necessary good preparation of seats... In our kennel, we always give a memo with recommendations, which describes in detail how and what to do. It is also posted on the website. But if the nursery does not provide you with such information, then you will have to get it yourself. I recommend referring to specialized literature: the most optimal is textbooks on fruit growing for higher educational institutions.

Planting pits must be prepared in good faith, with the introduction of certain norms of organic and mineral fertilizers. For our zone, where the soils are mostly acidic (these norms differ for different cultures), it is also necessary to add dolomite flour or chalk.

If it comes specifically about fruit trees, then when buying, you definitely need to ask the seller, on which rootstock the plant is grafted, since the stock affects both the winter hardiness of the plant, and its durability, and the requirements for fixation (whether or not a stake is needed is very important). In addition, the degree of deepening of the root collar will depend on the type of rootstock. If the plant is on a seed stock, then the root collar does not deepen. If the plant is on a clonal rootstock, on the contrary, it deepens almost to the grafting.

First wintering success

It is important to help young plants that have just been planted overwinter. Necessary mulch the trunk circle, and wrap the plant itself from rodents with nylon material. You can also cut strips of white non-woven material yourself and wrap them around the barrel like bandages. Do this after the fall of the leaves. Wrap the seedling completely, all the way to the top, and tight. It is breathable material that is used for this - I will emphasize again. It is protection against, plus protection against winter dryness.

Additionally on non-woven fabric can be applied. We tried it in our kennel - it really works. The remedy is sold in veterinary pharmacies and is intended for the treatment of animal diseases. And thanks to its strong smell, it also repels mice.

Correct winding of the trunk of a young seedling. Photo from the site askretkova.ru

If there is threat of damage to fruit seedlings by hares, only the fence around the perimeter of the site and the nets around the trunks will be saved (they are sold in stores). That is, in addition, an individual fence must be erected around each tree.

Also desirable. It is recommended to whitewash young seedlings with slaked lime, and not ready-made acrylic paint that is sold in stores. This paint is only suitable for mature plants. Slaked lime will do less harm to the tender bark of young seedlings. It is necessary to whiten as high as possible, and even better to cover with lime not only the trunk but also the bases of the skeletal branches.

The tree is ready for winter: the trunk is whitewashed, the trunk circle is mulched. Photo from the site askretkova.ru

All the talk about the fact that, due to whitewashing, plants stop breathing and die, have no foundation. All our life we have whitewashed, we will whitewash and we will whitewash. It is necessary for the prevention of sunburn... Although, in principle, barrel winding and whitewashing are interchangeable measures. If you have already wrapped the barrel, then whitewashing is not required. Then I recommend removing the winding in the spring in cloudy weather, so that the plants do not suddenly appear in the sun.

In the spring, when the shelter was removed, you need to immediately spend formative

Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Someone might say that it is troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case are repaid a hundredfold. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will consider the most interesting varieties of mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners are sometimes confused by it! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties "for yourself". The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have a lot of energy and time to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettles, and then forgotten by everyone, Coleus today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, Coleus require constant monitoring. But if you take care of them, the bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon ridge baked in Provencal herbs is a "supplier" of tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh leaves of wild garlic. Champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then poured with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled mushrooms and are better for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill get along well in one salad, emphasizing the aroma of each other. The garlic pungency of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of the salmon and the pieces of mushrooms.

A coniferous tree or shrub on the site is always great, and many conifers are even better. Emerald needles of various shades adorn the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils secreted by plants, not only aromatize, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most of the zoned adult conifers are considered to be very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral part of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year begins here on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese are marked by their blossoming. But sakura grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

I am very interested in analyzing how the tastes and addictions of people to certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an object of trade lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for over 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. NS. about 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Delight your family and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your kids will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then they will eat them with the same enthusiasm with milk or tea. How to make such an original cookie for Easter, read our step-by-step recipe!

There are not so many decorative leafy pets among tuberous crops. And Caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of the Caladiums never justify. Care and attention will help to avoid any difficulties in growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply elementary dish for you today. This gravy is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or whatever. Gravy with chicken and mushrooms will save you in moments when there is no time or you don't want to think too much about what to cook. Grab your favorite side dish (you can do it ahead of time to keep everything hot), add the gravy and lunch is ready! A real lifesaver.

Among the many different varieties of these most popular vegetables, we will tell you about three that are distinguished by excellent taste and relatively unpretentious growing conditions. Characteristics of the varieties of eggplants "Almaz", "Black Beauty" and "Valentina". All eggplants are medium-firm. For Almaz it is greenish, while for the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united by good germination and excellent productivity, but at different times. Skin color and shape are different for everyone.

Agriculture belongs to such types human activity, the successful outcome of which is not always directly proportional to the efforts made. Unfortunately, nature does not necessarily act as our ally in growing plants, but often even, on the contrary, throws up new challenges. Increased reproduction of pests, abnormal heat, late return frosts, hurricane wind, drought ... And one of the springs presented us with another surprise - a flood.

With the coming of the season summer cottage works the question arises of growing strong and healthy seedlings of our favorite vegetables: cabbage, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant and many other crops. Along with this, the question arises - how to grow worthy seedlings and in the future to get from it healthy plants and a decent harvest? For example, I have been growing seedlings for a single season and protecting my garden from diseases with the help of biological preparations Alirin-B, Gamair, Glyokladin, Trichocin.

I will allow myself to confess my love today. In love for ... lavender. One of the best unpretentious, evergreen and flowering shrubs that can be successfully grown in your garden. And if someone thinks that lavender is Mediterranean, or at least southern, then you are wrong. Lavender grows well in more northern regions, even in the Moscow region. But in order to grow it, you need to know some rules and features. They will be discussed in this article.

The correct choice of seedlings is one of the most important tasks both when setting up a garden and when expanding it. At good care an orchard lives on average for 20 years, and in the future, yields become smaller - and old trees have to be replaced with young seedlings.

In order for the garden to delight with flowering and an abundance of fruits as long as possible, it is necessary to approach with all responsibility both the acquisition of planting material and the choice of a place for planting seedlings. These factors determine not only the survival rate of plants, their growth and development, but also the quantity and even the quality of future crops. To acquire healthy seedlings that will “settle” in the garden for many years, it is enough to adhere to simple rules, which we will dwell on in more detail.

You can buy and plant young trees and shrubs in spring or autumn- the main thing is to do it not during the growing season plants. As a rule, the main sale of seedlings in nurseries is carried out in the autumn, while their prices are much lower. Many gardeners are sure that when autumn planting(until mid-October) seedlings take root better and "relocation" is easier to tolerate. However, in this case, it is necessary to pay due attention to the winter hardiness of the selected variety.

At the same time, most summer residents and gardeners are thinking about expanding their garden holdings with the onset of spring. In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the buds on the plants have not yet begun to bloom, since seedlings with already blooming buds take root worse.

First of all, it is worth deciding which trees can be safely called an integral part of any fruit garden. This is of course stone fruits (cherry, sweet cherry, plum, peach, apricot) and pome fruits (apple, pear, quince).

Almost all stone fruit crops are cross-pollinated. For cherries, for example, cherries will be a good pollinator, for apricots - cherry plums or plums. There are also varieties that do not need a pollinator.

It is best to buy seedlings in nurseries or specialized stores and garden centers. At the same time, it is important to pay attention not only to their zoning (suitability for growing in a specific soil and climatic zone), ideally, young plants should be acclimatized, that is, grown in such conditions.

Stone fruits (unlike pome crops) begin to bear fruit earlier, so it is recommended to plant them in spring. The seedlings of such trees need to find a warmer, wind-protected planting site. In turn, pome crops are distinguished by good winter hardiness, therefore, their experts advise to plant them on the site in the autumn. But in any case, you should be guided by the weather conditions.

Experts and seasoned gardeners alike agree on what is best to give preference for seedlings that are about 2 years old, because they take root better and faster than their age "counterparts". Plant roots should be fresh, thick and moist. Small roots must be present, ideally - lush and dense: up to 20 cm long in annuals and up to 30 cm in biennial plants. In the absence of small roots, the tree will most likely not take root or be very weak. It is good if the lump of root soil is not removed (for example, the seedlings are placed in containers or plastic bags). But it is better to refrain from buying seedlings with dry and chapped roots.

Non-zoned seedlings can also be purchased, but this should be done exclusively as an experiment. Such plants require careful maintenance, which only a truly experienced gardener can provide.

On root collar of a young tree, the vaccination site should be visible. If it is absent, there is a risk of acquiring root growth or wild. The bark of the plant should be smooth, not wrinkled or cracked.

Mature trees (4-5 years old) should be sold with a clod of earth the size of the seedling itself.

Scratch lightly before buying bark trees. If you see a greenish layer under it, then the seedling is alive and relatively healthy. Saplings having outgrowths on the trunk or roots, acquire Not recommended.

Trunk the seedling must be elastic and have up to 5 multidirectional branches about 60 cm long. In this case, the branches must be deflected from the trunk by at least 45 °, otherwise it will be difficult for them to withstand the load from ripe fruits. The kidneys should be clearly visible, well formed and free from damage. Shoots should be dense, lignified.

On sale you can find both plants in containers and seedlings with open root system... I advise you to give preference to the latter. Why? The fact is that such planting material was grown in open ground, which means that it had the opportunity to develop a more powerful root system and a stronger crown due to a larger feeding area. But this medal also has a downside: open root seedlings when digging lose some of the roots... Therefore, before buying such seedlings, you need to examine especially carefully, fortunately, an open root system makes it possible.

First, what I would recommend to pay attention to when choosing a seedling is his age... Not all gardeners know that plants transplanted at the age of 4-5 years take root with great difficulty, often get sick and can die even with good care. Therefore, for your garden I only buy 1-2 year olds seedlings.

Secondly, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the aboveground part of the seedling. The tree should have a good stem about 1 cm thick.The height of a one-year-old seedling should be about 1 m, a two-year old - about 1.5 m.With regard to berry crops, their seedlings should have 2-3 well-developed lignified shoots and a sufficiently developed root system. This is very important nuance, because during autumn planting, a non-lignified shoot may not survive the winter.

The next thing we look at is root system sapling. She must be fibrous, in other words, resemble a beard. That is, thin roots will depart from the main roots, which just feed the plant. In this case, the roots themselves must be elastic and dense. Before the purchase make a small cut on the spine(or just scratch it with your fingernail). If there is a spine inside light, the plant can be bought. And here dark color signals that the spine has rotted. If the rest of the seedling looks healthy, you can take the risk and buy it, but in this case, before planting, the affected roots will have to be cut to a "living" place.

When buying a seedling, make sure that there are no any thickenings since they can be a sign of dangerous diseases(for example, root cancer). The bacteria that live in the soil penetrate the root system through the cracks and force the plant cells to divide rapidly. As a result, outgrowths... The pay for inattention in this matter is very high: the plant will not only die, but it can infect the soil in the garden... This rule applies to almost all fruit trees, but there are exceptions. If you see growths on the roots of seedlings acacia, sea buckthorn or wisteria, do not rush to refuse to buy them. In the case of these crops, the growths do not hide harmful microorganisms, but nodule bacteria that have the ability to bind nitrogen from the air. In no case should these nodules be removed from the root system of seedlings, since the plant may die.

The influence of the human factor should not be underestimated either. Note how salesman protects the root system of seedlings from drying out. Ideally, at the stage of preparation for sale, the seedling should be dipped in clay talker thus creating reliable protection all, even the smallest roots.

The bark of a young tree should be smooth. Shriveled bark, which has lost its turgor, as it were, warns the gardener that the plant has been experiencing a moisture deficit for a long time. As a rule, its root system is also damaged. I recommend refusing to buy such a seedling. If, out of ignorance, you nevertheless acquired it, you will have to resort to “ resuscitation measures"- namely, before planting, place the entire seedling in a container with water for quite a long time (at least a day).

Give preference zoned varieties, since seedlings from warm countries and more southern regions are unlikely to take root in the climatic conditions of our middle zone. And here plants from local nurseries- quite.

Returning to the human factor, I want to warn you: buy plants only in proven nurseries with a good reputation. Often we are attracted by the variety of seedlings presented at the bazaar in large quantities, but in this case there is a high probability of buying plants that do not correspond to the declared variety.

If the choice is made in favor of a seedling with closed root system, carefully examine the soil in the container before purchasing. If it is compacted or even covered with moss, the plant must have grown in this container for a long time and managed to build up a powerful root system. To dispel any last doubts, gently pull the sapling by the stem at the base. After removing the plant from the container, you will see how densely the earthy clod has managed to grow roots. If, during this study, the trunk easily pulled out of the ground, it is better to refuse the purchase.

Saplings apple trees and pears must be necessarily vaccinated (on rootstocks). When purchasing such plants, you need to inquire on which rootstock this or that variety is grafted, since the height of an adult tree will directly depend on this.

Culture and type of rootstock

The "health" of the future garden also depends on the correctly chosen type of rootstock, and hence the quality of the future harvest.

Dwarf(weak) rootstock it has a superficial root system, is exposed to weather disasters and is short-lived. Seminal(tall) rootstock is more durable and resistant to negative conditions environment... Experienced gardeners prefer vigorous rootstocks, as they are more resistant to the vagaries of nature and are distinguished by their durability.

For comparison, fruit trees on dwarf rootstocks bear fruit for no more than 20 years, and on seed vigorous ones - up to 80.

If the suburban area is large enough and located on a flat surface with deep groundwater, you can buy seedlings on a vigorous seed stock. The root system of crops with such a stock is pivotal and penetrates into the soil to a depth of 3 to 4 m. Such an "anchor" holds the tree well in the soil even when strong winds and floods. At the same time, trees on vigorous rootstocks reach a height of 9 to 15 m, which makes it difficult to care for them.

If the site is small and located in the lowlands, it is more practical to purchase seedlings on semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstocks. Especially if the fertile soil layer does not exceed 60 cm, and the groundwater is close to the surface.

How to distinguish the type of rootstock when buying a seedling

Having decided what type of seedling it is advisable to purchase for your garden plot, carefully examine it root system... All roots of the dwarf rootstock extend from the root collar, they are the same in thickness and length. The type of such a root system is fibrous, with small suction roots. The root of the tree is on a vigorous (seed) rootstock, rod, straight. In this case, lateral roots extend from the central rod, which are thinner than the central one and are located almost horizontally in relation to it.

In addition, young grafted seedlings adapt better and faster to new conditions. In this case, it is desirable that the inoculation was carried out 1.5-2 years before planting the plant in a permanent place. It is necessary to carefully examine the root collar of the selected tree - the trace from the cut rootstock must be healed, otherwise there is a danger of infection of the seedling with tinder fungus (and this disease cannot be cured).

When choosing seedlings, you need to take into account the soil cover of the area where the plants will be grown. For apple trees, for example, soddy - podzolic, gray forest soils and chernozems are optimal. Pears grow well on slightly podzolized loams with sufficient moisture. Plums and cherries are best placed on medium to light loamy soils. Cherries prefer sandy loam soil.

The best time to plant seedlings apple trees- autumn. And here pears with a delicate root system, it is best to plant in spring (April). Spring planting is also preferred for plum, cherry and sweet cherry... If the seedlings of these crops were purchased in the fall, until spring they can be stored in a so-called trench - a trench about 60 cm deep.

Plums, cherries and cherries vaccinated much less frequently than apples and pears. When purchasing seedlings of these crops, you need to inquire whether the grafted plant is in front of you or is rooted. Grafted seedlings, as a rule, begin to bear fruit earlier and do not give root growth.

As practice shows, it is important not only to choose healthy seedlings adapted to specific climatic conditions, but also to plan their planting well, taking into account a number of factors. It is necessary to take into account the level of occurrence of groundwater, the degree of illumination, the topography of the soil and its characteristics, as well as the area allocated for the garden.

The relief of the site may have a slight slope (from 5 to 7 °), while it is better if it is southern, southeastern or southwestern. But experts do not advise laying a garden on an absolutely flat area. In addition, the landing site should be well lit. It is necessary to arrange seedlings in a place protected from the wind on the south or southwest side of the site.

You should not discount such a factor as the area of the garden plot, since the height and number of future trees will depend on it. Excessive thickening of the plantings can lead to shade and poor fruiting of trees, which in this case will begin to grow upward, and not in breadth.

With the choice of a place for each specific seedling need to decide in advance, even before buying plants, since planting pits are best prepared in advance (in some cases - 6 months before planting).

If a fruit tree is grafted on a vigorous rootstock, the depth of groundwater should not exceed 3 m, for a semi-dwarf - 1 rootstock - 2.5 m, but for dwarf trees the optimal groundwater depth is 1.5 m.

Observing these simple conditions, you can count on good survival rate, rapid growth of seedlings and start creating a beautiful garden.

What needs to be done before buying seedlings

Write in your garden diary which seedlings of which crops, varieties and ripening times you need to purchase this season. Calculate their number and draw a landing pattern in advance.
Determine the depth of groundwater, the depth of the fertile and underlying layer.
Prepare planting holes in advance.

Do not make the wrong choice

The seedling must have a tag indicating the type of crop (apple, pear, etc.), variety name, zoning (local, other region, country), ripening period (early, middle, late), type of rootstock and age of the seedling ...

1-2 year old seedlings are best for planting. In terms of external parameters, they should have standard sizes: 1-year-old seedling: stem height - from 0.7 to 1 m, stem diameter - from 1 to 1.3 cm, root system length - 25-35 cm, aerial part without lateral branches; 2-year-old seedling: stem height - about 1.5 m, stem diameter - up to 2 cm, root system length - from 30 cm, aerial part may have 1-2 lateral branches; 2-3-year-old seedling: a well-defined central conductor (trunk) and from 3 to 5 lateral (future skeletal) branches, lateral shoots depart from the trunk at an angle of 45 to 90

The root system should look healthy, smooth and firm, free from growths and ulcerations.

The stem of the seedling should be straight, with smooth bark without dark spots or points.

You should not buy seedlings with leaves (especially if they have wilted and lost their turgor). Most likely, such plants were dug up too early.

It is important to carefully examine the vaccination site. In some cases, it is present on the plant, but is accompanied by thorny outgrowths on the scion. Most often, this "sin" plums, peaches, apricots and pears. In this case, it is better to refrain from buying, since unscrupulous producers of planting material, most likely, planted the wild in the wild, counting on an inexperienced buyer. A real graft has a thornless graft.

An annual sapling of columnar fruit crops can be distinguished from ordinary "counterparts" by a thicker (from 1.5 cm) central conductor. In 2-3-year-old seedlings of columnar crops, lateral branches are practically absent on the central shoot (aka the future trunk), while ordinary seedlings by this age have already formed from 3 to 5 lateral shoots.

How to preserve a seedling before planting

After purchasing the seedling, it is necessary to immediately properly pack it in such a way that during transportation it does not break off the graft and does not dry out the roots. Going to the nursery or garden center for young trees, you need to have a wet rag, burlap and a tall bag with you.

Experts advise to wrap the roots of the seedling with a damp cloth, gently pull it off with twine and put it in a damp burlap. And only then can the plant be placed in a tall plastic bag. Having fulfilled these conditions, you can be sure that during transportation the seedling will not lose moisture and will not be damaged.

It is important to pay attention to the coordination of the root system and the number of shoots. Even if the bush is very beautiful, but its root is weakly branched or even chopped off, I would not recommend buying it. By the way, for the growth and development of the plant, it is enough to have 2-3 good shoots.

With the onset of spring, you should not postpone planting seedlings for a long time: after the leaves begin to unfold on the shoots of plants, their survival rate will sharply decrease. That is why the spring planting "boom" is rather rapid and fleeting. At the same time, the autumn planting period can be called more measured and solid.

The process of planting trees and shrubs can be called one of the most important stages of their cultivation. It is on him that the beauty of the future garden and its yield largely depend. At the same time (along with the choice of the optimal planting site and healthy seedlings), a huge role is played by correct conduct planting in optimal terms and competent care of plants in the future.

When purchasing seedlings with an open (freed from the ground) root system, it should be remembered that in dry weather they can be outdoors for no more than 15 minutes. With a longer exposure to air, the delicate root endings that suck in water begin to dry out and die off. For transporting small plants, you can use boxes (preferably plastic) with small ventilation holes, for medium-sized seedlings, trash bags (20 to 40 liters in size) are suitable, and for transporting large seedlings it is better to purchase a double plastic wrap up to 1.5 m wide in advance ...

Seedlings with an open root system are best purchased and transported in cool, cloudy (and even rainy) weather.

Having delivered the planting material to the site, it is recommended to dig in the seedlings as soon as possible. For this, a ditch is prepared with one vertical and another inclined wall (approximately at an angle of 30 °), into which the seedlings are laid. Sprinkle the root system of plants with earth. In such a hole, seedlings can be stored for a long time without losing their viability.

Before starting planting, you need to carefully evaluate the conditions in which young plants will grow and develop (sunny or shaded place, waterlogged or dry, poor or rich soil, etc.). The most common mistake of beginner (and not only) gardeners is planting too close, and it is caused by the fact that many of us simply do not know what size this or that plant will reach in adulthood. Finding relevant information today is easy both on the Internet and in specialized literature.

The seedlings taken out of the pin are installed in the center of the pit in such a way that their roots, without bending or resting on the walls of the pit, evenly diverge into different sides... If the roots are too long, they are pruned with a pruner or ax.

Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are carefully examined. All broken off roots are cut with pruning shears, and large roots are cut by 0.5-1 cm.

When planting, it is important to ensure that the root collar of the plants is located above the soil surface. To do this, from the pit filled up on a third, if necessary, choose (or, conversely, add) the right amount earthen mixture. After the seedling has taken place in the planting pit, it is covered with about 2/3 of the total depth with an earthen mixture, which should cover most of the root system of the plant. After that, the planting site is watered abundantly until the water level is set at 2/3 the depth of the planting pit. After that, the pit is covered with dry soil mixture.

During planting, the seedling must be kept upright, twitching slightly and pulling it up.

According to experienced gardeners, this planting method most often guarantees plant survival. With other planting methods (including the most common dry planting followed by abundant watering), plant survival is lower - due to less close contact of the root ends with the soil and the formation of air sacs in the root zone.

By pouring water directly into the planting hole, you can avoid the formation of dirt around the planting site, which is inevitable when watering from above.

After planting the seedling, a planting mound must be formed around the annular roller. It is he who will retain moisture in the near-turne zone during irrigation. It will not be superfluous to mulch the surface of the mound with a suitable material in order to avoid the formation of a soil crust and slow down the evaporation of moisture.

Planting seedlings with a closed root system

According to experts, seedlings with a closed root system can be planted in a permanent place almost throughout the year. The technology of such planting is quite simple and does not differ significantly from planting seedlings with an open root system. However, there are some specific features that are worth paying attention to.

Not all gardeners know that soil (earthen mixture) is included in the list of quarantine materials that are prohibited from being transported across state borders. In this regard, for official delivery from abroad, seedlings are placed in containers with peat or other material permitted for transportation. As a rule, such a substrate is completely unsuitable for further growing plants.

When purchasing an overseas plant, try to remove it from the container as quickly as possible and plant it in a permanent place in the open ground. If for some reason it is impossible to do this, the seedling can be transplanted into another container with a high-quality potting mix.

The seedling is carefully removed from the container just before planting. If the roots of the plant have twisted along the sides of the container, they must be cut off. This should be done with multiple vertical movements around the entire circumference of the coma, and with the sharpest knife possible.

In the future, the planting process is not much different from a similar operation with seedlings with an open root system. An earthen mixture is poured into the planting pit so that the surface of the earthen coma placed on it protrudes 5-10 cm above the soil level.After that, water is poured into the pit and covered with dry earth in the cracks between the clod and the edge of the planting pit along its entire perimeter, carefully tamping.

I would recommend for better survival rate seedlings (it doesn't matter which way they were planted) to use root formation stimulants... Most often on sale you can find the drug " Kornevin". The working solution of this drug is prepared at 0.0001% concentration - according to the instructions. I strongly recommend not to exceed the indicated dose of the drug, since solutions of a higher concentration can lead to burns of the root tissues of seedlings and their death.

Mature trees are held in the soil by roots that tightly cover a large volume of soil. As for the seedlings, they are deprived of such support, therefore, after planting, they need additional support.

Young shrubs after planting, as a rule, hold well in the soil, since their shoot system has a low center of gravity. At the same time, the center of gravity of the trees is much higher, therefore, at the first time after planting, young trees need to be fixed.

You can strengthen the landings with the help of supports. For seedlings with an open root system, one support is often enough... It is driven into the bottom of a hole 10-15 cm from its center before planting a seedling. Saplings planted in a permanent place with a clod of earth, experts recommend strengthening with pyramids of three supports... And in the case of large-sized seedlings, a safety attachment system will come to the aid of gardeners, which will not interfere with the correct development of the tree (for example, the “ Cobra"For seedlings).

Tree planting rules

If you plant young seedlings at the required interval, for the first couple of years the garden will seem empty to you - and you will want to fill the vacant (in your opinion) places with new plants. In no case should you do this! After 8-10 years, your "pets" will grow, and if they are too densely planted, their crowns will begin to close. And then you will be faced with an unpleasant choice: either part with a part of the plants (dig up or even cut down), or annually cut them heavily, forgetting about decorativeness.

Some summer residents who want to save money on buying seedlings ornamental plants, do not acquire them in special nurseries, but dig them up in the forest or in other territories. And few people think that doing this is prohibited by forestry and environmental legislation. In addition, not all species of dug-out wild animals take root in a new place after transplanting. The fact is that in nurseries, seedlings are transplanted several times, forming compact root systems with a large number of root ends. As for wild animals, they grow in a permanent place all their lives, which leads to the growth of skeletal roots and weak branching of the root system. Digging up these trees (even with the utmost care), you will most likely cut off most of the root system, resulting in a plant with stumps of skeletal roots that are practically devoid of root lobes.

Naturally, the survival rate of such planting material will be very low, and miraculously, the surviving plants will be stunted and painful.

At first, the density of the soil should not exceed 30 kg / cm. it maximum value, in which the roots (albeit with difficulty) can penetrate the soil.
Secondly, 1 mg of the crown of the tree should provide 0.5 m3 of the volume of soil space for the roots. Let's give a simple example: a tree with a crown diameter of 12 m requires at least 50 m3 of soil volume.
Thirdly, the maximum depth of the planting pit should not exceed 1 m.

Proper landing rules

If the crown of the seedling has wilted, it can be cut to living tissue. However, this can be done no more than a third of the length.
After planting and watering, the root collar should be 3-5 cm above the soil level.
We fill the fertile soil into the hole evenly and carefully tamp it around the roots.
We draw a circle on the ground - the edges of the future pit. Place the top arable layer (1) on the bottom, fertile soil (2) on top. The depth of the pit is about 60 cm, the diameter is about 100 cm.For stone fruit crops, the dimensions of the pit are 40 × 80 cm.
The top layer of soil (taken out during the digging process) is laid on the bottom of the pit with a mound, we place the seedling on top, carefully straightening its root system.
After filling the hole next to the seedling, we drive in a stake, to which we attach the trunk of the plant.

In the first 2 years after planting, seedlings require special attention from the gardener. Correct care at this time is not only crucial for the further development of young trees, but also allows you to correct mistakes made during unsuccessful planting.

Immediately after planting the seedling in the ground, experts advise to form the so-called trunk circle... With its presence, it is more convenient to water and feed the plant - moisture and nutrients will go directly to the root system. The near-stem circle must be regularly cleaned of weeds and the soil in it must be loosened well to provide oxygen access to the root system of the seedling.

* In the first year of a seedling's life, its near-stem circle averages from 30 to 40 cm.After the plant is 1 year old, its near-stem circle is expanded by another 0.5 m.

To protect against adverse weather conditions, the plants are tied to supports and make sure that the garter does not cut into the bark, as damage to it can lead to the death of the plant.

To avoid drying out the tissues in spring, in dry and windy weather, tree trunks can be wrapped in damp cloth or moss.

Sometimes in the first years of a seedling's life, there may be an imbalance between the volume of its root system and the aboveground part. In this case, post-plant pruning is carried out, shortening the shoots by a quarter.

In the 1st year life, the root system of the seedling develops within the planting pit. At this time, the plant uses fertilizers applied during planting, and additional fertilizing can be omitted. If the fertilizers applied are insufficient and the seedlings grow poorly, 10 kg of rotted manure, 120 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium chloride and 60 g of ammonium nitrate are introduced into the trunk circle.

On the 2nd year, the trunk circle is expanded by about 50 cm and the same amount of fertilizer is applied. It should be borne in mind that with the onset of spring, young trees feel an acute need for nitrogen fertilizers, which means that the dose of ammonium nitrate can be increased to 80 g and urea can be added.

If the soil on the garden plot is poor, it is better to apply fertilizer in parts, superficially and cover with a rake. After feeding, the trunk circle is watered and mulched with peat or

Fertilizing seedlings is best combined with watering. Plants need additional moisture especially in the first year after planting. With its deficiency, the top of the aboveground part of the seedling will gradually die off. This process, which is negative for the plant, lasts until the normal moisture level is restored in the root layer of the soil.

For fruit crops on loamy and clayey soils, an average of three waterings per season is sufficient: immediately after planting, in the second half of May and in July. At the same time, at least 3 buckets of water are poured under each tree. If the summer is hot and dry, as well as with late spring planting, the number of waterings increases to 4-5: 2 in spring and 2-3 in summer. If the soil is in garden light sandy loam, it will take at least 5-6 waterings.

In August (or early September), watering should be suspended in order to allow young plant growths to woody well and prepare for the onset of winter. At the end of September-October, gardeners carry out abundant (double rate) watering of plants, which promotes root growth even under snow cover. It is podzimny watering, according to experts, that strengthen the winter hardiness of the seedling.

In order for moisture to accumulate and remain in the soil, experienced gardeners resort to mulching... Cover the trunks with humus, compost, peat, chopped straw, etc. sawdust(especially conifers) use for mulching Not recommended... The thickness of the mulch layer should be 3-5 cm. Lay the mulch all over the trunk circle, with the exception of small area around the trunk with a radius of 10-15 cm.

The first mulching is carried out immediately after the first loosening of the soil. If you do this later, when the ground is already dry, mulching not only does not give a positive result, but in dry years it can even harm the plants. During the summer months, the soil under the mulch layer is loosened as it compresses, moving the mulching material to the side. After loosening, the mulch is re-distributed around the plant's near-stem circle. In the fall, mulch is embedded in the soil as fertilizer.

Fresh leaves of young seedlings are a real treat for leaf-eating caterpillars and green aphids. It is necessary to collect these pests manually, and if this does not work, it is necessary to use biological or chemical means of protection.

In late autumn, the main cultivation of the soil is carried out in near-trunk circles with the introduction of fertilizers. It is at this time that fruit trees finish growing and leaf fall ends. The soil is dug up with a shovel with a turnover of the seam, while the soil clods are not crushed. Thanks to such an event, pests wintering in upper layers soil. And the "blocky" soil surface retains moisture better.

When digging up the soil in the near-stem circle of a young plant, care must be taken. The shovel should not be too deep so as not to damage the root system of the seedling. In this case, the shovel itself should be facing the trunk with an edge. Near a young stem, it is better to use rippers or cultivators to a depth of no more than 6-7 cm, at a distance from the stem, the soil can be cultivated deeper - by 14-15 cm.

Before digging the soil in the trunk circle, it is necessary to remove all weeds and burn the fallen leaves.

In the spring, loosening of the soil is carried out without turning the layer. For the first time, the soil is loosened to preserve the stock after the snow melts and the earth dries out a little. Later, during the spring and summer months, the soil in the near-trunk circles of young trees is loosened at least 3-4 times, carefully getting rid of weeds.

In the 2nd year of the growth of the seedling, it is pruned. This procedure allows you to balance the rapidly developing aerial part of the plant and its root system, as well as to lay the foundations for the formation of the crown.

As a rule, fruit trees on vigorous rootstocks are formed according to a sparse-tiered scheme, according to which the tree has 5-7 skeletal branches of the first tier and 4-5 of the second. To do this, in the 2nd year, the lateral branches are cut by a third with a shoot length of 70 cm and by half at a length of 100 cm. If future skeletal branches develop in the same way, the lower shoots are cut off weaker than the upper ones. To obtain the second tier of the crown, the central conductor is also shortened, leaving 45-50 cm long.

With proper care, the growth of shoots in one season should be 60-70 cm for pome crops and 80-100 cm for stone fruits.

The first winter is a serious test for a young plant. To help him through the winter, you can purchase a special shelter material. It will not only heat the plant in cold period and in early spring will save it from burns, but also protect it from rodents. By the way, whitewashing, used as a remedy, is not always effective for young trees. It is necessary to free the trees from the fabric strapping on cloudy (preferably rainy) days in the late afternoon. As for strong winds, the correct support will protect the young tree from them, which will not damage the bark of the tree.

The future yield of young trees directly depends on how strong the plant is. Annual apple and peach trees bear the first fruits 2-3 years after planting, apricots, cherries and plums - in 3-4 years, and a pear - no earlier than 5 years. If young trees bloom earlier than the specified time, all flowers must be removed so as not to weaken the plants.

Apple and pear feeding calendar: from spring to autumn

April

After the buds of apple and pear are awakened, they are fed with urea: at the rate of 30 g per 1 mg of the trunk circle for trees under 3 years old and 50 g per 1 mg for fruiting trees. After fertilization, the trees are watered abundantly.

Urea must not be mixed with superphosphate, lime and chalk. Urea saturates the soil with easily digestible nitrogen, helps the tree build up green mass, and also helps prevent scab and purple spots.

May

In May, 1.5 glasses of ash and 30 g of ammophos per 1 mg are placed in the trunk circle of each tree. Fertilizing is best done in the holes. They are dug out along the perimeter of the crown to a depth of 20-25 cm. Since fertilizers are rich in phosphorus and potassium, they contribute to the development of the root system, active fruit setting and increase the resistance of plants to drought and disease.

To avoid scalding the root system, before (or immediately after) fertilization, the plants are watered abundantly: 5-6 buckets of water for each tree, 2-4 buckets of water are spent on non-fruiting apples and pears.

After 2 weeks, it is advisable to carry out foliar feeding - spray the crown with humic fertilizer: 5 g of dry powder is diluted in 10 liters of warm (25-28 ° C) water, a solution of a liquid preparation is prepared according to the instructions. Humic fertilizers increase the immunity of trees and their resistance to adverse weather conditions.

For tree crowns, it is best to use sodium humate, but if it is absent, potassium humate can also be used. In this case, it is desirable to give preference to a preparation containing trace elements.

June

After flowering, the plants need to be fed with microelements - first of all, boron and copper, which increase the immunity of plants and contribute to the active laying of flower buds for the next season. At this time, 0.5 g boric acid and 2 g copper sulfate diluted in 10 liters of water. This amount of fertilizer is enough to feed 1 adult tree or 2 young plants.

In June, it is also useful to repeat spraying with humic fertilizer in the same proportions.

July

In the first days of July, the soil in the tree trunks is loosened to a depth of 15 cm and green manure is sown into it. After about 5 weeks, the green mass is mowed and embedded in the soil.

It will not be superfluous this month to repeat spraying with humic fertilizer in the same proportions.

August

Every 3 years (starting from the second year of the plant's life) in August, the trees are fed phosphorus fertilizer: 30 g of double superphosphate per 1 m of the trunk circle. Fertilizer is embedded in the soil to a depth of about 5 cm, after watering the plant abundantly.

September

Every year, with the onset of autumn, 30 g of sernbislogr must be added to 1 mg of the trunk circle. potassium. Alternatively, at this time, apple and pear trees can be fed with complex autumn fertilizer (according to the instructions) or potassium monophosphate: 10-15 g per 10 l of water (10 l of solution per 1 mg of soil).

Autumn fertilizers do not contain nitrogen, since they are intended to prepare fruit crops for winter. They contribute to the lignification of young shoots and bark, and also help plants survive frost.

The best fruit and berry bushes for the garden

Raspberries

Many of us have heard about the wonderful properties of this tasty and aromatic berry. By the way, before, the bushes we were used to grew only in the forests, and only over time this culture began to be planted in garden plots. Today on sale you can find varieties of early, middle and late ripening. The advantages of this culture include its ability to adapt to almost any conditions, and the main disadvantage is its low yield.

Large-fruited varieties of raspberries are considered high-yielding, since the mass of one berry can reach 12 g. And the most popular are remontant varieties.

The shrub needs regular watering, loosening the soil and timely feeding.

You can plant raspberries on the site in the spring (before the buds appear) or in the fall (until mid-October). The place for planting should be chosen as illuminated as possible, since in the shade the yield of this crop will be much lower, and the berries will be smaller. It is best to plant raspberry bushes so that from the north (and northeast) side of the plants are protected from cold winds by a fence or wall.

Gooseberry

This berry is often called the northern grape or Russian cherry plum... With relative unpretentiousness, the culture gives good yields, thanks to which gooseberries can be found in almost all regions. Fruiting usually occurs in the third year. The berries can be green, yellow or red-brown - currently there are about 1,500 varieties of gooseberries.

The plant prefers lighted areas and is not afraid of drought, but shading and waterlogging when growing this crop should be avoided.

European gooseberry varieties have gained popularity due to their high taste, but they are prone to disease and do not tolerate low temperatures. American varieties give a good harvest even with a lack of moisture, although the size of the berries is inferior to European varieties. Hybrid varieties, in turn, combine best qualities, therefore, it is they who can most often be found at summer cottages and household plots... Currently, large-fruited, frost-resistant, high-yielding varieties that are resistant to various diseases have been bred.

A well-lit area protected from cold winds is suitable for planting gooseberries. With constant waterlogging (especially if the plant is in the shade), it is possible to be affected by various fungal diseases.

Gooseberries cannot tolerate acidic soils, but feels great on light loams.

In a pit (or trench) for planting, you can add garden compost or lime.

Blackberry

This culture has settled in our gardens relatively recently. For a long time, its habitat was wild nature. In terms of taste and healing properties, blackberries are not only not inferior to raspberries, but also surpass them. An interesting fact is that the shrub was not in demand by gardeners because of the sharp thorns, but now, thanks to the work of breeders, varieties without thorns have appeared.

Blackberries have a deep root system, so you should not place plants in places with a close occurrence of groundwater.

The most common today is considered to be a straight-growing blackberry. The bushes give a good harvest and save space on the site. But semi-creeping varieties, although they are extremely rare, are a real treasure for experienced gardeners. Also noteworthy is the remontant blackberry, which allows you to harvest twice a season.

Blackberries prefers fertile, loose and moisture-absorbing soils and the most illuminated areas of the garden. When planted in the shade, the shoots stretch out, resulting in a loss of yield. This culture is quite thermophilic and needs protection from cold winds, so the south or southwest side of any structure or fence would be the best place for it. It is necessary to plant shrubs in a trench strictly along the line to avoid difficulties in leaving. During the fruiting period, plants need frequent and abundant watering.

Honeysuckle

Edible varieties of honeysuckle are often called " rejuvenating berries". And since shrubs also bloom beautifully, they are often used for decorative purposes.

Honeysuckle ripens in mid-May. The berries of this culture have a slightly bitter specific taste.

Bushes of long-fruited honeysuckle are medium-sized with cylindrical berries. Hybrid varieties were bred by breeders by crossing several varieties of the berry. Medium late varieties of honeysuckle bear fruit until late autumn.

Honeysuckle does not tolerate shade, preferring sunny places in the garden.

The culture is suitable for planting both in spring (before the beginning of the growing season) and in autumn. The plant is quite hardy. Doesn't have any special requirements for the soil. For honeysuckle, watering is important (especially in spring and in hot dry weather), but flooded areas and close occurrence of groundwater are detrimental to plants.

Honeysuckle grows rather slowly. In order for the bush to take root and bear fruit well, it must be fed regularly. Bushes over 6 years old need sanitary pruning.

Most varieties of honeysuckle are self-fertile, so it is necessary to plant 2-3 bushes of different varieties at a distance of 2-2.5 m from each other.

Honeysuckle can make an interesting hedge. For this, the bushes are planted at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other.

Currant

Unpretentious currant bushes in care allow you to collect rich harvests of tasty and healthy berries. It is impractical to choose a single variety for the site - growing several species at once would be an excellent option. On sale you can find black currants of early, middle and late ripening... Moreover, the most popular are large-fruited varieties... A distinctive feature of red currants is heavier bunches. In this case, the bushes can grow without transplant up to 20 years... As for the white currant, it is not inferior to the red currant in terms of taste and benefits. They are deservedly popular today and hybrid varieties, bred by breeding gooseberry and currant varieties.

Currants grow best in the most illuminated areas, and in the shade they will bear fruit worse and may be affected by various fungal diseases. Since the root system of the currant is shallow, the plants need regular watering. The currant is quite frost-hardy and with a sufficient thickness of the snow cover it can withstand frosts down to -40 ° C.

Blueberry

This berry has not yet received widespread in summer cottages and household plots and for many of us remains a "representative" of the wild. Outwardly, blueberries resemble blueberries.

Tall blueberry varieties can be used to create hedge: their bushes are branched, and the berries have an intense blue or blue color. Low-growing blueberries bloom magnificently in spring, and also pleases with good yields. Southern blueberry varieties have been hybridized for cultivation in arid climates.

It is better to grow in the garden not wild, but more cultivars plants. They easily take root in a new place, regardless of the method of planting (by seeds or dividing the bush). Plants over 5 years old need pruning.

Blueberries will grow and bear fruit well in areas with acidic, loose, peaty soil. The landing site should be open and well lit. This culture will feel good in heather garden or next to conifers. The plant is frost-resistant. In one place, blueberries can grow up to 100 years.

Since blueberries belong to the heather family, the plant will grow well and bear fruit only in symbiosis with saprophytic mushrooms (which help blueberries extract nutrients from the soil).

Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn bushes can be "settled" in almost any area. This plant is prized for its berries, which are widely used in folk medicine... In our gardens you can find early, middle and late varieties of sea buckthorn. The growing popularity of the botanical variety, almost devoid of thorns. Large-fruited varieties with sweeter berries do not have them either.

The sea buckthorn bush will bear fruit only if female and male specimens of sea buckthorn are planted next to it.

The plant is hardy and frost-resistant. It can grow not only as a bush, but also as a tree. Experts recommend planting sea buckthorn in open and well-lit places - in the shade, the plant may die. The soil for cultivation should be light, loose and fertile.

Irga

This beautiful plant is most often grown as an ornamental shrub, since few know about the beneficial properties of berries growing on it, to taste with something cherry-like... The plant is winter hardy and can withstand adverse climatic conditions.

The alder-leaved irga is abundantly flowering shrub... With the onset of autumn, the leaves are painted with a bright color. From a plant, you can get up to 10 kg of berries. Canadian Irga is a tall, tree-like shrub with fleshy and palatable berries. Irga blood-red is a slender, medium-sized shrub with juicy berries.

Irga is considered an unpretentious plant and practically does not need care. At the same time, shrubs will appreciate abundant watering - especially during the growing season. In the first 3 years, a bush is formed, and at a later age, they rejuvenate.

Irgi berries attract birds, so the crop must be harvested in a timely manner - as it ripens.

Irgi bushes can be used to create hedges. For this, young seedlings are placed at a distance of 0.5 m from each other. Since the shrub produces a lot of root growth, the hedge can soon turn into a dense fence. If the irgi bushes are intended for harvesting, they must be placed at a distance of at least 3 m from each other.

Irga can be planted even in a shady area of the garden, the decorativeness and fruiting of the shrub will not suffer from this. Irgu is planted in early spring or in the middle of autumn (during leaf fall). In one place, a shrub can grow up to 70 years.

Actinidia

This decorative variegated shrub (more precisely, a liana shrub) is distinguished not only by its decorative effect, but also by its delicious vitamin fruits... Actinidia is best planted in a well-lit area, but it can grow in partial shade. The plant needs loose, breathable soil, as well as support. The best time to plant actinidia is early May. Since the plant is dioecious, it is best to plant 1 male plant and 5 women.

Barberry

This thorny shrub is rather unpretentious, drought and frost-resistant. To obtain fruits, it is worth choosing non-decorative species, since it is in them that maximum amount useful substances.

The berries of decorative barberries will taste bitter. They eat only well-ripe fruits (harvested in September), unripe fruits can be poisoned.

All barberries are light-requiring, but not at all demanding on the soil.

Gumi

This plant is a rare guest in our gardens. But the gumi bushes are decorative, and the berries are not inferior to sea buckthorn in their useful properties (by the way, they belong to the same family - Lokhovye). This plant is an excellent honey plant and attracts many pollinating insects to the garden.

It is better to plant gumi bushes in light fertile sandy loam or loamy soil. On acidic soils the plant may die. The landing site should be sunny and protected from cold winds.

Young plants need to be covered for the winter; in adults, it is enough to cover the trunk circle with mulch to protect the bush from frost. Even if the branches of an adult shrub freeze in winter, the plant quickly recovers with the onset of spring.

It is best to buy seedlings of fruit and ornamental shrubs in nurseries

we are guaranteed to get a plant of the desired variety;

the shrub will be acclimatized;

you can purchase a seedling with a closed root system, which is easy to plant almost the entire season;

you can get a crop as soon as possible;

the staff of the nursery will make necessary trimming before boarding.

It is possible to purchase shrub saplings on the market if the seller has been well known for a long time and has an impeccable reputation.

Dishonest sellers use the following scheme: pour boiling water over plant roots, so at first they grow and develop well, and then die. This is done so that next year the gardener comes for a new seedling.

Choosing grape seedlings

Any gardener has learned a common truth: the best time to buy seedlings - just before boarding... In this case, you do not have to worry that due to improper storage, the root system will dry out or rot, and the plant itself will freeze. Since in Russia grapes are planted in mid-May - early June (when the threat of returnable spring frosts), it is also advisable to go for seedlings in the spring.

Grape seedlings are vaccinated and own-rooted. Own-rooted grape seedlings always cheaper vaccinated. The main argument in their favor is that in frosty winters the vine may die, and only the root system will survive, in some cases the scion may break off from the rootstock at the grafting site. In this regard, a reasonable question arises: why pay for a scion, which may not survive the first winter or break under the weight of the harvest?

Concerning vaccinated seedlings, they are easy to identify at the site of grafting (the junction of the scion and rootstock should be noticeable). If the trunk of the seedling is completely smooth (without growths and signs of inoculation), this indicates that in front of you self-rooted seedling. This point is worth paying attention to, since unscrupulous sellers may try to sell an unvaccinated seedling at the price of the grafted one.

What is benefits of vaccinated grape seedlings? At first, they bring a richer harvest due to the "cultivation" of the stock with a good variety. Secondly, such plants are not afraid of phylloxera, which often destroys own-rooted grapes.

When planting grapes, the grafting site should be above the soil level. If the plant is too deeply buried, the cultivated graft can take root and become a victim of phylloxera.

A healthy seedling should have a strong and well-developed root system: the more roots a plant has, the better and faster it will take root.

To check the quality root system grape seedling, pinch off a small piece of root with a pruner: on the cut it should be white and moist, in other words, like a cut raw potato. Black, brown or dry roots indicate that the plant has died.

After that, pay attention to trunk: it must be healthy and free from damage. Gently push the bark along the fibers with your fingernail: you should see green, fresh wood, and the dark color again indicates the death of the seedling.

Now inspect kidneys grapes: when pressed, the eyes should not peel off and even more so fall off.

What should be alarming

If the seedlings sold in the fall have leaves. The fact is that foliage weakens the plant. Most likely, it will not survive the winter in the basement.
The seedling roots are simply kept outdoors. In this case, there is no guarantee that the plant did not have time to dry out due to the inattention of the sellers.
At least one of the seedlings in the batch shows signs of disease or pest infestation. The disease could well spread to other plants - just until its symptoms showed up.

Seedlings purchased in the fall for spring planting should winter in a cool room at a temperature not lower than 0 and not higher than 10 ° C.

The ideal temperature for storing grape seedlings is 2-3 degrees above zero. With hypothermia, the plant may die, and with overheating, it may start to grow prematurely and not take root after planting.

You need to watch out so that the root system plants was constantly moisturized... It is best to store grape seedlings in damp (but not wet!) Sand. It is not difficult to check the moisture level of the substrate: it is enough to squeeze a handful of sand in the palm of your hand, it should turn into a dense lump, but in no case crumble. The other extreme is also dangerous, in which water simply drips from the sand.

The moisture content of the substrate must be checked throughout the winter, moistening it if necessary. Seedlings waiting for planting in separate containers can get by with one watering during the winter, but plants planted in common containers need more frequent moistening.

If you bought seedlings in containers in the spring, experts strongly do not recommend planting them in the ground immediately. To begin with, the plants should be taught to a new temperature and light regime. To do this, first, the grapes are stored indoors - for example, on a windowsill. And after the bud has blossomed, the container can be transferred to the greenhouse. After some time, young shoots will appear on the seedling. As soon as the temperature becomes stable above zero at night, I start hardening the grape seedlings. I start by taking them outside and leaving them for a day - always in the shade. A few days later, I leave the grapes to spend the night outside. And after another 2-3 days I take it out in the sun. And only after that, young grapes can be planted in open ground.

Tatyana Olegovna VRUBLEVSKAYA, Nesvizh

If the room intended for storing seedlings is too damp, treat them with a 3-5% solution of ferrous sulfate - this will protect the plants from being damaged by fungal diseases.

Choosing rose seedlings

On sale you can find grafted or self-rooted rose seedlings (growing on their own roots and obtained by cuttings). If the seedling is grafted, you first need to find out on. what type of rootstock was inoculated, since the winter hardiness of the plant largely depends on this.

When buying, experts advise giving preference to one-year-old rose seedlings (their root system will already be three years old, since the stock has been grown for at least two years) with a closed root system. Grafted plants at this age must have at least 3 well-developed shoots.

The best stock is considered to be the canina rose (R. canina). It is on this rootstock that roses grow and develop well in the conditions of Russia.

Do not be afraid to buy seedlings of roses with an open root system: if the plants have been dug up recently, they have every chance to take root in a new place. And there is also the opportunity to thoroughly study the state of the root system of plants.

Rose seedlings with an open root system should have several live elastic roots and at least 2 green stems about 20 cm high with green buds. When buying rose seedlings in the spring, you need to make sure that the buds are dormant, that is, they have not yet started to grow. There should be no spots on the leaves of a healthy seedling, the bark of the stems should be smooth, not wrinkled, green.

Having decided on the seedling, the bare roots of the plant must be immediately packed in a damp cloth and tied with foil so that the root system does not dry out during transportation. When purchasing leafless seedlings, the roots of which are placed in the ground and sealed in a film, do not unpack the plants until the moment of planting.

After purchasing rose seedlings with an open root system, you need to disinfect: dip in a solution of copper sulfate (30 g per 10 l of water) or “ Fundazola"(1 tbsp. L. Per 10 liters of water).

If the roots of the rose seedling you bought have dried out, put it in a bucket of water for a day.

If the planting of a seedling is postponed for some time, open roots should be wrapped in a damp cloth or overlaid with moss, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a cool place for several days.

I really love roses: they are so majestic, aristocratic and always different. Seeing a sapling of a new variety for me, I cannot resist and buy it regardless of the season. Therefore, the issue of storing planting material is very relevant for me. To preserve the rose seedlings before planting, as they say, "in good health", I lay the plants in a shallow groove - along one of its sides. I cover the roots and the lower part of the shoots with earth and tamp it tightly. I put the rose seedlings bought in late autumn in a box with wet sand and store in an unheated (but always frost-free!) Basement until spring. At the same time, I slightly shorten the shoots and cut the roots up to 30 cm, and also remove all broken and dry parts of the shoots and roots.

Valentina Porfirovna GOLNIK

Today on sale (since January) you can find imported rose seedlings. As a rule, they are packed in boxes and bags, and their roots are sprinkled with moist peat. Most often, in this way, the remains of seedlings that were not sold in the fall are sold by nurseries in Poland and Holland. These seedlings are already weakened by long winter storage, and it is rather difficult to help them "survive" before planting at home. If you nevertheless decide on such a risky purchase, carefully examine the root system of plants - it is she who is most vulnerable during storage and transportation.

I began to notice that often the shoots of such seedlings are covered with wax. After purchase, this layer must be carefully removed (in other words, scraped off), while being careful not to damage the kidneys. You should not plant such a bush in a pot and leave it at room temperature. Under such conditions, the seedling will start to grow, and when transplanted into the ground, the shoots will have to be cut off - and this is new stress for an already weakened plant.

By the way, seedlings of roses with leaves, the root system of which is placed in a container or bag, can be planted in the ground not earlier than mid-May. Until that time, I advise you to store them in a bright and cool room, water them if necessary, and be sure to "accustom" them to open air.

Since roses are thermophilic plants, the planting site should be sunny and protected from cold winds. The groundwater level should be within 1-1.5 m. If the bushes are in the shade for most of the day, they will stretch, and dew on the leaves can contribute to the development of fungal diseases.

As for the wind, it damages plants by constantly swaying the bushes and dehydrating the leaves.

Do not plant seedlings roses to the area where roses have already grown. As a rule, the soil here is already depleted and can be infested with pests and pathogens. In this case, young rose bushes will hurt and may even die.

If it was not possible to find another place for the shrub, it is necessary to remove a layer of soil with a thickness of at least 50 cm and replace it with fresh soil. It is not recommended to plant roses under large trees and shrubs, as well as in low areas where there is a risk of flooding.

Most of the grafted roses do not have any special requirements for the soil, since they grow on a stable and unpretentious rootstock. However, this culture will like cultivated loamy and light clay soils, rich in humus and well aerated. In order for roses to feel comfortable in areas with heavy clay soil, it is necessary to drain, add sand, humus, compost and peat to the planting pits. As for light sandy soils, they can be improved by adding sod or compost soil, organic fertilizers.

Since the root system of roses penetrates deeply into the soil, its cultivation should be deep: 50-70 cm for grafted plants and at least 40 cm for self-rooted plants. Up to 30 kg / mg (or more) of manure, humus or peat compost are applied to the entire depth of the treated layer. The reaction of the soil should be slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.5). On more acidic soils, lime must be added: 500 g / mg.

The right time for planting grafted roses in our climatic conditions is autumn (from September 1 to October 10) or spring (from April 20 to May 20).

Novice gardeners are often afraid to plant roses in the fall, because they are afraid that the bush will not have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. In fact, with timely planting, the plants will have time to take root and, with the onset of spring, they will start growing faster. The exception is standard and own-rooted roses, which are planted only in spring.

Before planting, each rose seedling must be carefully examined. If the plant is slightly dry, its roots are immersed in water for several hours. Having found damaged roots, they must be removed. In addition, during autumn planting, shoots are additionally shortened (up to 5-8 buds) and leaves are removed.

When planting roses, it is useful to use a clay mash (clay, manure and water in proportions of 3: 3: 10), to which you can add a rooting stimulator (for example, “ Kornevin»).

If the area on which roses will grow is only being developed, the size of the planting pit should be 60 × 60 cm, and its depth - up to 60 cm.A drainage layer of pebbles or broken brick should be laid on the bottom, then a 40-cm layer of fertile earthen should be poured mixtures. If the soil on the site is already fertile, the planting hole can be made smaller - 30 × 30 or 40 × 40 cm (depending on the size of the root system).

Do not immediately bring into the planting hole mineral fertilizers, it is better to give the plants time to take root.

When planting, it is important not to bend the roots, but to evenly place them in the hole, covering them with soil. So that the soil is well distributed between the roots, the plant is gently shaken, pressing the soil around the bush with your hands. In this case, the planting depth should be such that the root collar is completely in the ground.

After planting, the seedlings of roses are watered abundantly (even if the soil is moist enough) and covered with earth by 10-15 cm. This will protect the base of the shoots from drying out and retain moisture in the soil.

Own-rooted roses look weaker than grafted ones, therefore they are sold only with a closed root system - in containers. On sale they can be found almost all year round, however, such a seedling can be "settled" on the site only from May to August. Such seedlings do not have a very well developed root system, therefore they often die in the first years after planting due to unfavorable environmental conditions. Moreover, most often the plants do not tolerate the first winter. In the third year, self-rooted roses build up a stronger root system and winter better.

On the eve of planting (about a week), the seedlings are hardened in partial shade. Shoots are pruned, because often from a change in location and temperature, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The planting hole should be dug about 2 times wider and slightly deeper than the container. It is important to preserve an earthen lump when planting. Plants are buried in the soil 2-3 cm more than it was in the container, they are spud and watered. It is important for the first time to shade the roses from direct sunlight.

It is better to plant self-rooted roses on raised ridges to protect the plant roots from getting wet.

When choosing rooted roses, experts advise paying attention to miniature, polyanthus, climbing or ground cover varieties that grow well on their own roots. At the same time, the varieties of other groups (especially hybrid tea, large-flowered climbing, floribunda, scrubs) bloom better and tolerate cold more easily when grafted onto the stock.

Preparing a rose seedling for spring planting, I soak it for a day in a solution " Heteroauxin"(It is a root formation stimulant). After such treatment, the plant tolerates planting better and takes root faster. I cut too long or damaged roots to healthy wood. I also keep container roses in water before planting in the ground until the soil is completely saturated with moisture.

After soaking, I cut off the seedlings, leaving 3-4 shoots with 2-3 buds on each. The length of the stems should be about 20 cm. I must remove diseased and dead stems without fail. As for the roots, I remove only their dead parts, you can shorten the old roots a little (by 15 centimeters) so that new ones grow faster. I do not cut the roots of seedlings from containers.

After planting and compacting the soil around the bushes, I make an earthen roller - so that during subsequent irrigations the water does not spread over the site. I finish planting roses by hilling a layer of about 15 cm.With an autumn planting, such protective layer I leave it until spring, and then I level it. When planting in spring, I keep it for about 2 weeks - until the buds of the rose begin to open. Then I level the soil and mulch.

Valentina Porfirovna GOLNIK

Planting density is essential for the further development of roses.

miniature roses are planted at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other;
floribunda and hybrid tea roses- at a distance of 60-80 cm from each other;
park roses - at a distance of 100-110 cm from each other;
climbing roses - at a distance of 1.2-2 m from each other.

I want to tell you how you can prepare the ground for planting roses. This can be done in several ways.

1. Before crushing the soil for 1 mg, I add 8-10 kg of decomposed manure, 300 g organic fertilizer"Deoxidizer", 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and 2 tbsp. l. Agricola for flowering plants. I dig the soil to a depth of 35-40 cm.

2. For 1 mg of soil I add 8-10 kg of peat compost or peat-manure compost, 0.5-1 kg of flower soil (for example, "Rose" or "Senpolia"), as well as mineral fertilizers - 1 tbsp. l. "Agricola" for flowering plants, 2 tbsp. l. nitrophosphate, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 300 g of wood ash. I dig the soil to a depth of 35-40 cm.

3. I dig a planting hole and put into it 2 kg of manure humus, 200 g of organic fertilizer (for example, "Flower"), 2 tbsp. l. Agricola for flowering plants and 1 glass of wood ash. All fertilizers are mixed with the ground and left in this form until planting.

4. Into the planting hole I bring in 2 kg of peat-manure compost or vegetable humus, 200 g of "Deoxidizer" and mineral fertilizers - 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Not rotted manure should not be used, as it can cause rotting of plant roots.

Veronika SALKEVICH

DIY container garden

With this interesting element landscape design you can easily and quickly change the look of your garden, divide it into functional zones or "settle" thermophilic exotic cultures on the site. A container garden is a flight of your imagination, not limited by the square meters of an apartment or house.

An interesting fact is that containers in gardens appeared a very long time ago: back in antique greece it was customary to build the so-called "gardens of Adonis". For this, clay pots and baskets of earth were put up near the houses, where women and girls planted seeds of fast-growing cereals and flowers.

Container crops in the modern garden find different uses. They are especially relevant in the case when it is not possible to plant plants directly into the ground (for example, on sites with decorative filling or paving) or you need to decorate the most seemingly “hopeless” places (for example, in the shade). Container landings can “travel”, giving the impression of a dynamic, ever-changing garden.

In such containers, the most capricious plants can grow, which cannot withstand the difficult climatic conditions of our country - they can be easily protected from the weather by taking them into the house.

Containers for plants delight in variety, but they are all divided into specific groups. By design, containers with holes are distinguished ( flower pots) and containers without holes (pots). Both those and others can be very small or, conversely, giants with a diameter of more than a meter.

For planting plants in pots, special conditions are needed, since there is no water runoff, which means that it is more difficult for the roots to breathe. Most often, ordinary (corresponding in size and shape) flower pots with holes are inserted into the pots and flower or ornamental crops are already planted in them. If the planting is carried out directly into the pots, the drainage layer should be larger: the container is filled with expanded clay and sand by at least a third, and the soil is chosen light.

Containers are made of ceramics, plastic, wood, metal. Since each of these materials has its own characteristics, planting and caring for them will also have to be different. Our "green pets" love ceramics most of all - it is hygroscopic (allows moisture to pass through), it maintains an optimal temperature regime, and plant roots breathe over the entire surface of the container. But these containers also have disadvantages: they are fragile and rather heavy. Plastic containers retain moisture well, are light and durable, but at the same time "steam" the roots, the air to which comes only from the soil surface. Wooden containers resemble ceramic ones in their merits, but they are extremely short-lived. As for metal containers, which look original and differ in variety, the roots of plants in them do not breathe at all, and the containers themselves react to the slightest temperature fluctuations: they get very hot in the heat, and in the cold the roots quickly freeze.

Watering the plants in the pots should be done carefully and little by little.

When planting in containers, the main thing is to ensure the correct soil to drainage ratio. For ceramic containers, it is enough to close the bottom with expanded clay, and pour soil on top of it and plant plants. Planting in a wooden container is similar, only expanded clay is required more. V Plastic container on top of the expanded clay layer, a layer of coarse-grained river sand with a thickness of about 1 cm is poured, the soil is chosen light and mixed with perlite. When planting in a metal container, expanded clay should occupy about 1/3 of the height of the container, a layer of sand and light soil are poured over it.

Plants in containers experiencing constant lack of soil, nutrients, moisture. In this regard, such plants need to be watered and fed much more often than those that grow in open ground. In this case, fertilizers can be used the same as for the main stationary flower beds, or you can purchase special ones - more concentrated.

Almost any garden flowers can be planted in large containers (with a diameter of more than 30 cm), and containers with a diameter of about 50 cm are also suitable for perennials.

Flower crops can be planted in small containers that do not suffer from soil deficiency: petunia, viola, lobelia, ageratum, marigold, undersized varieties zinnias, asters, daisies, verbena, salvia, calendula, begonia, as well as all spring bulbs. And here climbing plants space is required, the only exception is sweet pea.

A container garden can become a convenient mobile composition, the appearance of which can be changed at will quite often. It is better to arrange containers with plants not in even rows, but along an arbitrary geometric path. As unifying elements, you can use beautiful stones, garden figurines or small lamps (for example, on solar powered). The soil in containers can be decorated with colored stones or shells. Large containers can be wrapped in embossed cloth or burlap, thick twisted rope, or coconut coir.

According to landscape designers, a container garden will look stylish and original, where all plants are placed in containers of the same color, shape, material. Another option is to plant flowers in each container with the same color as the container itself: for example, in a yellow container - yellow tulips.

When creating a container garden with your own hands, there is no need to adhere to any strict rules (except for timely watering and following the recommendations for caring for a particular plant, of course). But there are several secrets that will help such a garden become even more beautiful and interesting.

So, if the composition does not include at least one tall plant, it will seem expressionless. The role of "giants" can be played by:

amaranth;
astilba;
bamboo;
bougainvillea;
sharp-flowered reed;
hibiscus;
canna;
dwarf spruce;
dull cypress;
laurel noble;
boxwood;
thuja western;
yucca.

Also, container gardens look especially attractive if they are not deficient in plants. So that not a single centimeter of soil is wasted, you can add low ground cover plants to the tall "neighbors":

ornamental cabbage;
caladium;
coleus;
ashy groundwort;
chard;
multi-grate fennel;
spurge bordered;
blue fescue;
stonecrop;
celusion;
cineraria;
bristle flower.

After getting a taste and mastering the simple wisdom of container gardening, try to make your garden grow in all directions; in breadth, up and down. To do this, it is enough to supplement the composition with plants hanging down and stretching upwards.

Suitable ampelous plants for a container garden are:

asarin;
alissum;
petiolate immortelle;
brachycoma;
verbena;
Iberis;
laurentia;
lobelia;
nasturtium;
pelargonium ivy;
petunia ampelous;
zinnia angustifolia.

From climbing vines, you can grow fast-growing vines:

sweet peas;
nasturtium;
fiery red beans;
morning glory.

In order for the container garden to delight with bright colors and magical aromas throughout the season, plants for it need to be selected according to the principle of a flower bed of continuous flowering... You can also plant evergreens in containers - for example, thuyu or boxwood, stonecrop or rejuvenated.

Pharmaceutical gardens

Many of us use medicinal herbs, but not everyone has the opportunity to procure medicinal raw materials. This problem is especially relevant for urban residents. In this regard, more and more summer residents are trying to grow such plants on their own plot - simply, beautifully and useful.

It is believed that the first pharmaceutical gardens appeared in the Middle Ages in Italy, gradually spread to Europe and Russia, where for a long time they were the property of botanical gardens. Today, small pharmaceutical gardens can be found in summer cottages and household plots almost everywhere, but many gardeners do not even suspect how many medicinal and spicy plants can be grown with their own hands.

The beginning of the collection of home medicinal plants can be put by potted crops, which can be purchased at garden centers: rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, lemon balm other. It is not necessary to plant these plants in open ground - in the summer they can decorate the garden as potted plants, and with the onset of cold weather they will take place on the kitchen windowsill. Fans of container gardens can create compositions of several types. medicinal herbs in larger containers or decorative containers. Interesting design solution will become vertical placement of plants resembling a green wall of medicinal and herbal herbs. At the same time, stationary beds with spicy and medicinal plants can also be an excellent addition to the garden, since many of these crops are valued not only for beneficial features, but also for decorativeness.

Most medicinal plants prefer sunlight, but some can grow and in partial shade: mint, lemon balm, catnip, lovage and other wild medicinal plants ( St. John's wort, chamomile pharmacy) in the garden, it is necessary to create conditions close to natural.

There are no strict rules when creating a pharmacy garden. Plants for planting are chosen at will, taking into account the compatibility of crops.

Novice gardeners are better off choosing undemanding, easy-to-grow crops ( dill, coriander, calendula, mint, catnip, oregano and others), as well as pay attention to wild herbs - as a rule, they are extremely picky.

Making a choice in favor of a pharmaceutical garden, every gardener seeks to combine the benefits of plants with their attractiveness. An excellent solution would be flowering plants, crops with a spectacular texture or foliage color: lavender, flax, bergenia, thyme and etc.

In the pharmaceutical garden, perennial and annual crops can coexist with each other, however, it is necessary to think over their planting schemes in advance so that the composition remains attractive throughout the season. For example, chives after flowering take on an unkempt look and need to be pruned, nasturtium blooms only by mid-summer, and coriander forms flower stalks a month after germination, so it will have to be sown regularly throughout the season.

It is worth thinking in advance about the preparation of medicinal raw materials and seasonings for the kitchen. Plants from which rhizomes will be harvested should not be planted next to perennials that are valuable in flowers or leaves.

How to choose raspberry seedlings Autumn. Home ... Subscribe to updates in our groups.

Every year in spring and autumn, many gardeners face the problem of choosing seedlings. Someone wants to renew plantings, try a new variety, but someone bought land and laid their first garden. Compliance of the variety with the declared on the label will remain on the seller's conscience, but we will determine the quality of the seedlings ourselves by eye. What should you pay attention to?

Most popular and available open root seedlings... In this case, you will be able to see the state of the roots. Have seedlings with closed roots Examine the soil and bottom of the pot to see if the plant has grown in this container or has been transplanted there before selling. Rooted

For plants, the root system usually fills the volume of the container. You also need to pay attention to the stem and shoots, bark. You should imagine what requirements good seedlings should meet.

Saplings of fruit crops

Depending on the age, strength of development, as well as the quality of the root system, trunk and crown, the planting material of fruit crops is divided for 2 commercial grades - first and second.

To the first grade include seedlings with a well-developed root system, which has at least 5 main branches, evenly directed in different directions, without mechanical or other damage; in biennials - at least 30 cm long, in annuals - 25 cm.

The stem of the seedling should be healthy, straight, with a slight bend that does not interfere with normal planting, completely or partially overgrown with cut wounds. Slight superficial damage to the bark, not affecting the layers of the bast, is allowed. The thickness of the stem (5 cm higher than the grafting) in seedlings in the central and northern zones, as well as in Siberia and the Far East, should be at least 1.5-1.8 cm, in the south - 2 cm, and in low-growth and annuals - 1-1.8 cm. The height of the trunk: in the southern, middle and northern zones for vigorous pear and apple trees - 60-80 cm, for low-growing apple tree seedlings - 40-50 cm, for a pear - 50-60 cm, for apricots and cherries - 60-70 cm, cherry - 40-60 cm, plum - 50-60 cm.

It is assumed that the crown of the seedlings is well formed, consists of a developed extension shoot and at least 5 healthy, correctly placed main shoots (with a sparse-tiered and non-tiered crown, 2 spare shoots) at least 60 cm long in the south and 50 cm in the middle zone. In the Urals and Siberia, as well as in dwarf plants in the south, lateral shoots can be somewhat shorter, but not less than 40 cm. Competitors are allowed in the crown - shoots with sharp angles of discharge (less than 40 °), located above the main shoots of the crown.

Indicators of the length of roots and shoots for seedlings in the northern regions are usually less than for the south and middle zone of the country.

For seedlings of fruit crops of the second grade present slightly reduced requirements: a decrease in the number of roots to 3, and their length - by 5 cm, a slight curvature of the boles, single fresh wounds from cut shoots, a decrease in the number of main branches of the crown by 1 shoot (except for bush cherry), and their length - by 10 see The absence of a guide in the crown is also allowed if there are at least 4 main shoots, of which the upper one can be used to breed a new continuation shoot.

For seedlings of fruit crops, slight infestation is allowed powdery mildew, scab, rust, leaf spots - no more than 2-5%. In no case should there be signs of viral diseases, as well as a bacterial burn, moniliosis (monilial burn), milky shine.

Berry seedlings

Gooseberry seedlings are pure-bred plants obtained from cuttings or cuttings of plants not older than 8 years. Their root system consists of 4 skeletal lignified roots at least 25 cm long with a darkened bark and a well-developed lobe, and the ground part consists of 3 main branches more than 30 cm long with cut ends not affected by spheroteka (powdery mildew). Seedlings of the second grade differ only in a decrease in the number of main roots to 3 pieces and their length - up to 20 cm, and skeletal branches - up to 2 pieces with a length of more than 25 cm.

Pure-grade black currant seedlings the first grade - one- and biennial, red and white - biennials are grown from cuttings and cuttings of plants not older than 6 years, not infected with bud mites and terry. The root system of seedlings should consist of 5 skeletal roots at least 20 cm long with a darkened bark and a well-developed lobe. The ground part consists of 2 or more branches extending from the bottom of the bush, at least 40 cm long.There are generally similar requirements for second-grade seedlings, but it is allowed to reduce the number of skeletal roots to 3, their length - up to 15 cm and the number of main branches - up to 2 with a length of more than 30 cm.

Raspberry seedlings must be dry, without mechanical damage, have at least 3 roots at least 15 cm long (first grade) or 10 cm (second grade). The aboveground part of the seedlings consists of one shoot. The diameter of the base of the shoots is 1 cm (first grade) or 0.8 cm (second grade). For seedlings with a closed root system, as well as for the Siberian zone, this indicator, respectively, for varieties 0.8 cm or 0.6 cm.The length of an uncut shoot in first-class raspberry seedlings should be at least 50 cm, in the second grade - 40 cm (for the zone Siberia - at least 25 cm). Infection with viruses and phytoplasma of overgrowth, as well as infestation by pests (gall midges, kidney moth, glasswort and stem fly) is not allowed.