It is hard to imagine an orchard in which such a wonderful tree as a cherry would not grow. The fruits of this culture are in great demand, because they make jam from cherries, make jam and compotes, squeeze juice, add it to sweets and pies. Let's look at how to plant cherries in the spring correctly so that you can get the first harvest next summer.
Purchase of planting material
For planting cherries, both own-rooted and grafted plants with 3-4 branches of skeletal roots are considered suitable. It should be noted that self-rooted crops obtained from shoots or cuttings recover faster after winter freezing. At the same time, grafted plants yield earlier.
Along with biennials, one-year-old seedlings with a well-developed root system can also be purchased. Usually, the height of biennial seedlings is on average 1 meter, while one-year-olds reach only 70-80 cm. If the leaves were not removed when buying on plants, then this must be done immediately upon arrival, otherwise dehydration of the seedlings may occur. The roots of acquired treesmust be moistened, then wrapped with a damp cloth and film. This will help keep the planting material from drying out.
Storage of seedlings
Gardeners say that for spring planting it is better to buy seedlings in the fall and dig them in for the winter. For this purpose, as a rule, they dig a trench, the depth of which should be at least 50 cm. On the south side, it is necessary to make its wall at an angle. Lay the seedlings in a row, so that their crowns look south. This arrangement of planting material helps to prevent sunburn on the trunks.
After backfilling, the soil must be pressed tightly against the roots and watered well. Wet earth conscientiously fills all the voids through which cold air could penetrate to the seedlings. It is recommended to put spruce branches around the trench, which is an excellent means of protecting planting material from mice.
Choosing a seat
The question of where to plant cherries is of interest to all novice gardeners. In fact, a lot depends on the right place: the longevity and productivity of the plant. Planting is recommended in sheltered areas to minimize the chance of winter damage.
Also, when choosing a place, it is worth considering that cherry blossoms early in spring, and its flowers are often damaged by frost. Of great importance is the protection of the tree from the winds, which in the winter season increase the risk of freezing, and in the spring they interfere with the work of bees, dry out the pistils of flowers, therebyreducing fruit set.
So, how to plant cherries in spring, which place should I choose? Most experts believe that it is best to place cherries in the upper and middle parts of the gentle slopes of the southern, western and southwestern directions. The eastern, northern and northeastern slopes are considered less suitable.
When choosing a site, one must also take into account the depth of groundwater, the close location of which depresses trees. So, it is important that groundwater run no closer than 2 m from the soil surface.
Soil preparation
How to plant cherries in spring? Great importance is given to soil preparation, which should be carried out in the fall. So, the earth needs to be dug up and various fertilizers (organic, mineral, complex) applied.
Many gardeners recommend liming the soil. The amount of lime depends on the degree of acidity of the soil and its mechanical composition. It is best if the soil solution has a reaction close to neutral.
Fertilization
Speaking about how to plant cherries in the spring, it is important to note that for the full nutrition of the tree, fertilizers are applied not only for digging the earth, but are added directly to the planting pits. However, in this case, lime and nitrogen fertilizers should not be used, as they can worsen the survival rate of seedlings and cause root burns. Experienced gardeners recommend adding up to 15 kg of humus, aged compost or non-acidic peat, 500 g, to the planting pitash, 60 g of potassium sulfate and 200 g of superphosphate. Pits must be dug and fertilized 14 days before the intended planting day.
Landing
How to plant cherries in spring, when is the best time to do this? As practice shows, the earlier cherry seedlings were planted in spring, the better they will take root. Therefore, it is recommended to start planting immediately after the snow melts and the soil dries out slightly.
The survival rate of plants directly depends on the condition of seedlings. On the eve of planting, planting material must be inspected and damaged roots and shoots cut to a he althy place. The seedlings delivered to the proposed place of laying the garden should be temporarily dug up, and just before they are carried along the planting pits, dip the roots in a soil or clay-dung mash.
Every experienced gardener who knows how to plant cherries in the spring claims that the correct setting of the planting depth of seedlings is of great importance in this process. So, the root collar of the tree should be located at the level of the soil, and therefore, when planting, soil subsidence by several cm should be taken into account (from 2 to 5 on average).
For planting cherry seedlings, it is necessary to dig holes, the depth of which should be 50 cm, and the width - 80 cm. When digging a hole, the top layer of soil must be discarded separately from the bottom. In the center of the pit, it is required to install a landing stake and pour a mound of topsoil around it, previously mixed with mineral andorganic fertilizers.
It is more convenient to plant with two people: one person sets up a seedling, spreads its roots in different directions and fixes the future tree in this position, while his partner fills the roots using the soil of the upper layer. It is necessary to fill the hole with earth, trample the soil around the trunk with your foot and water the newly made tree with 2 buckets of water. At the end of planting, sprinkle the soil around the tree with peat, loose earth or humus, which will retain moisture and prevent crusting.
Since planting a cherry and growing it is not an easy task, you will have to set yourself up for a long labor process, because the plant loves attention and care so much. And in gratitude for all the work, a year later you can get a fruitful tree with very tasty and juicy fruits.
