For most people, there is no tastier fruit than the fragrant pink peach oozing with sweet nectar.
This fruit tree requires special attention and care from the gardener who decided to "tame" this difficult plant.
Let's try to figure out what this culture is - a peach, planting and caring for it, which features. In its historical homeland, the peach is accustomed to the sun and a dry, windless climate. This means that these factors must be taken into account when deciding on its landing. Is it possible to plant a peach in the fall? There is no single answer to this question.
Gardener practitioners and scientists argue about the benefits of autumn and spring planting and still have not come to a consensus. However, it is generally accepted that spring planting is suitable for colder climatic zones, and the farther south and warmer, the more justified is planting a peach in autumn. This is logical, since the climate is milder in the southern regions, sometimes frosts do not occur until the end of November, which allows the tree to take root well.
Choosing the right seedling
Don't plant a seed from a tasty fruit bought on the market. Not worth ithope that you can grow a full-fledged plant from a stone - unfortunately, it does not retain the properties of the mother tree, and the quality of the fruit will be much worse. Purchase a seedling from a reliable nursery. Pay special attention to its root system. The roots should be branched, fibrous, like a sponge. This is indicative of their he alth. Do not flatter yourself with one big root, such a tree is weak and will take root for a long time. Planting and pruning peach are interrelated things. Before planting, you need to remove leaves and extra branches (they draw moisture and nutrition onto themselves, preventing the roots from taking root). The best seedling is a bare low stick.
Choose a plot in the garden
Let's take a closer look at how a peach seedling is planted. For a tree, you need to choose a suitable place. The optimal conditions are the sunny side of the garden, protected from the wind by a building or a fence, at a distance of at least 1.5–2 meters from buildings and other plantings. Peach loves humus-rich loamy soils.
Preparing a place of permanent residence
It is very important to carefully prepare a hole for planting a tree. The dimensions of the pit itself depend on the diameter and length of the root system, on average it is 50x50x50, and more can be. When digging a hole, the upper soil (the most fertile) is placed on one side, the lower one on the other side, without mixing them. Harvested humus is mixed with earth from the upper part and covered with a cone to the bottom. For heavy clay soil, river sand can be added. If the seedling is thin and fragile, we insert one or two sticks into the hole in advance for support.still fragile wood.
If you stick them in after planting, you can damage the roots. At this stage, you need to water the hole a little, about a bucket of water. Carefully straighten the roots of the peach and put it on a cone of earth.
Mineral fertilizers do not need to be applied, as this can burn the roots, the tree still has enough organic matter from humus. We fall asleep with the remaining earth from the lower horizon of the pit, again pour 1-2 buckets of water. Gradual watering is necessary to prevent soil sticking. The seedling is carefully fixed to the stakes for support. After absorbing moisture, you can take the landing site. The tamping is done loosely, we put the toe of the foot next to the trunk, with the heel we crush the ground in a circle. The final touch is the mulching of the near-stem circle, which allows you to regulate heat transfer around the root system of the tree. Mulch can be sawdust, shavings, shredded pieces of bark, needles, dry leaves, pebbles, pebbles and more.
Making a shelter for the winter period
Planting a peach in autumn requires protecting it from the winter cold. The degree of shelter depends on the region, the weather, the protection of the site itself. Shelter can be stationary (for example, a pipe frame on which insulation is put on) and temporary. To prepare for wintering, you need to form a mound 30 cm high above the scion around the stem of the seedling. This will keep the heat in the roots and the root collar area. One of the popular solutions is burlap, which is wrapped around the seedling along with sticks. The original way is to put on a seedlinga cardboard box filled with hay. Breathable materials should be preferred, or ventilation holes should be provided on the south side of the shelter. Planting a peach in the fall gives the tree a chance to get strong and grow big next summer.
Pruning and caring
In the spring, when stable weather sets in, warm “clothes” are removed and the peach is carefully examined. Planting and caring for it require some practical skills, especially when it comes to trimming and shaping.
Key peach pruning rules:
- Pruning before flowering in the phase of the so-called rosebud.
- Mandatory pruning of dry dead branches (sanitary pruning).
- Removal of branches growing towards the central trunk and thickening the crown.
- Removal of backup branches and spinning tops that interfere with the normal development of the main branches.
- Cut off one third of the branch.
Properly form the crown
Formation has several goals. It allows you to lighten and ventilate the crown as much as possible, which is an excellent prevention against diseases. It also contributes to the convenience of harvesting. Now the most commonly used shaping is the type of bowl. Formation is carried out up to 5-6 years. It is extremely important to carry out trimming with a sharpened tool. Saw, pruner should be treated with ethyl alcohol after working with each tree. This will help prevent the introduction of spores of microorganisms from a diseased culture to a he althy one. Harvest standardization allowsimprove the well-being of the tree, the taste and size of the fruit. To do this, you need to thin out part of the ovary, removing the clusters and giving preference to single fruits. Peach prefers rare but plentiful watering.
The best reward for a gardener is a he althy blooming peach. Planting and care, pruning and shaping, regular watering and fertilizing - mastering these techniques will allow you to achieve the desired crop!
