Planting persimmons in autumn with seedlings: terms and rules

Content

1 Planting dates for persimmons in autumn
2 How to plant persimmons in the fall
3 Persimmon care in autumn
4 Harvesting and storage
5 Conclusion

Planting persimmons in the fall is carried out in early November in the southern regions or in mid-October in the middle lane and the Volga region. A seedling at least two years old is bought in special stores or nurseries. Before planting, the roots are soaked in a growth stimulant solution.

Planting dates for persimmons in autumn

Planting of persimmon seedlings is planned in the fall 1–1.5 months before the onset of the first frost. In the open field, the tree is grown mainly in the southern regions of Russia. Here, the first ground frost occurs in mid-December. Therefore, the main planting date in the fall is the first decade of November. For the middle zone and the Volga region, this is mid-October.

If the autumn deadline is missed, planting can be planned for the spring - in the first half of April. In this case, the seedlings will take root more slowly, but on the other hand, they will definitely not suffer from frost. Thus, planting persimmons has advantages both in autumn and spring.

How to plant persimmons in the fall

Planting persimmons in the fall can save you time. Before winter, the seedling will have time to take root, and in the spring it will start to grow. To ensure normal adaptation, it is necessary to choose the right place and prepare it a month before planting.

Choosing a place on the site

In nature, persimmon grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Therefore, the place for planting a seedling in the fall should be:

Well lit - even the smallest shadow is undesirable.
Spacious - trees are placed at a distance of 4 m from each other, and one persimmon requires a large area of 8-10 m².
On the heights - in the lowlands, water constantly accumulates.
No strong drafts - the site should be covered with trees or buildings (while the shadow from them cannot fall on the seedling).

The site for planting persimmons must be protected from the wind.

Site preparation

In the fall, it is important to prepare the soil in 1–2 months. The best option is fertile, loose loam or sandy loam soil with a slightly acidic reaction (pH about 6.0–6.5). The selected area is cleaned in August and dug onto a shovel bayonet. Then add humus or compost in a 2 m bucket²... If the soil is fertile enough, it is not necessary to make additional fertilizing, since persimmon grows well in nature even on rocky soils.

Sometimes on the site comes across heavy clay soil. Then, before planting persimmons, you need to dig it up (at the beginning of autumn) and add sand or sawdust in an amount of 1 kg for every 2 m²... If the reaction of the medium is alkaline (pH 7.5 or more), you will also need to water the soil with a solution of 9% food vinegar (100 ml per 10 liters of water for each square meter of the plot).

Choosing a persimmon seedling

Persimmon seedlings for planting in the fall are purchased in special stores, nurseries or from trusted suppliers. This must be done no earlier than the end of October, since it is by this time that the plants are covered with bark.

Basic requirements for planting material:

In appearance, the seedling should be healthy, without dry, damaged shoots.
Also, do not buy plants with green bark - they take root worse. Such specimens may not survive the winter frost even in the southern regions.
Another important criterion is the ability to pollinate. Most varieties of persimmon are dioecious, that is, male and female flowers are located on different plants. Therefore, for planting, it is better to take 3 seedlings at once - 2 female and 1 male.Although if the variety is self-fertile, it is not necessary to take this feature into account.
The optimum age of a persimmon seedling for planting in the fall is 2 years.
The root system is closed. During planting, it can be transferred along with an earthen clod. For this, the soil must be watered first.

Rules for planting persimmons in the fall

Instructions for the autumn planting of persimmons:

Planting holes need to be prepared in a few weeks. They should be spacious - at least 50 cm deep and wide. The roots should be placed freely without touching the walls.
A layer of small stones (pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick) with a height of 5 cm is laid on the bottom.It can be immediately mixed with the ground.
Fertile soil is poured on top: a sod layer with humus, peat and sand (2: 1: 1: 1) and tamped a little.
A day before planting, in the fall, take a persimmon sapling, straighten the roots, if necessary, remove damaged or rotten parts.
Put in a chatterbox from the ground with water and a solution of a growth stimulator - "Epin", "Kornevin", "Zircon" or freshly squeezed aloe juice.
Rooted in the ground so that the root collar is slightly below the surface.
They spread the roots, fall asleep "loosely", without tamping the soil.
A wooden peg is placed. A persimmon sapling is tied to it.
Then it is poured abundantly with warm, previously settled water.

Important! Persimmon grows only in the southern regions of Russia.

But even in such mild climates, after planting in the fall, it is important to lay a layer of mulch. This can be cut grass, straw, hay, sawdust, wood chips, and other breathable materials. Layer height - at least 5 cm.

When planting in the fall, persimmon seedlings must be protected from rodents using a netting

Persimmon care in autumn

Caring for a tree in the fall after planting is quite simple. It is necessary to water the seedling 1-2 times, as well as mulch the soil and cover it for the winter.

Watering

Even in October-November, a short-term drought can be observed in the southern regions. Therefore, the plants are planted in well-moistened soil, and then they act according to the circumstances:

if the weather is rainy, additional moisture is not needed;
if there is no rain, watering is done only at the moment when the surface layer dries up. For this, settled water is used.

In the warm season, watering is carried out regularly. In a drought up to twice a week, in normal weather - 2-3 times a month. In no case should the soil dry out, although it should not be swamped either.

Top dressing

If the soil is fertile enough or the day before, compost, humus, and other organic matter were introduced into it, then there is no need to fertilize the plants in the autumn. You can sprinkle wood ash on the near-stem circle (100 g per plant) and then water immediately. Having received nutrients, the roots will be able to quickly take root in a new place. Nitrogen fertilizers are categorically excluded - they are used only in spring and early June.

Pruning

In the first 4–5 years after planting persimmons, it must be cut, and this should be done every autumn (end of October) or every spring (third decade of March). Pruning is carried out for different purposes:

Sanitary - removal of damaged, weak branches.
Shaping - to create the correct crown.
Rejuvenating - for mature trees over 5-7 years old.

After planting, special attention should be paid to formative pruning:

After a year, the main shoot should be shortened to a height of 80 cm. This stimulates the growth of the root system.
After a year (in autumn), 4 main branches are outlined. They will carry the main load. Two kidneys are left on them. The rest of the parts are removed.
Thin branches are also shortened, leaving 5 buds on each of them.

Shelter for the winter

Full-fledged shelter is required only for young plants belonging to frost-resistant varieties. Moreover, in the south of the planting it is enough to mulch with peat, sawdust, straw or other materials.

In other regions (the Volga region, the middle strip), mulch is also laid, its height should be at least 7–8 cm. The seedlings are insulated with spruce branches or burlap, fixing it with a rope.In early April, the shelter is removed, otherwise the plant may overheat.

Young seedlings after planting in the fall can be covered with agrofibre

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting is planned for the period from mid-October to early November. The specific period depends on the characteristics of the variety, as well as on the distance over which the harvest will be transported. If it needs to be transported too far, the fruits are harvested earlier - still greenish.

When harvesting, it is necessary to work exclusively with a pruner. The fact is that the stalks are very strong, and if you tear the fruit with your hands, you can damage the pulp and even break the branch. Such fruits will quickly rot. Since the tree is very tall (3-4 m and more), it is necessary to use a ladder, observing safety measures.

All fruits must be sent for ripening. They can be put in wooden boxes or on newspapers (in several layers). Moreover, you can keep it both at room temperature and in a cool room or in the refrigerator (on the bottom shelf), The only requirement is moderate humidity and regular ventilation. The result is the same - the fruits ripen within 10 days.

If some fruits are not ripe, they can be put in a bag with tomatoes or apples for several days or immersed in warm water. The quickest way is to put the fruit in the freezer overnight. Then they can be eaten the very next day. Optimal storage conditions:

darkness;
temperature 0–2 degrees Celsius;
high humidity (90%).

In such conditions, the fruits are stored for up to three months. If some of them began to rot, then it is better to use them for making jam, jam and other dishes.

Persimmons are stored for several months at a temperature of no more than two degrees Celsius.

Important! During ripening, it is better to exclude the contact of the fruit with light.

To do this, they are placed in a dark room or covered with a cloth on top, like tomatoes.

Conclusion

Planting persimmons in the fall should be carried out 1.5 months before the first frost. At this point, the soil should be warmed up to + 14-15 ° C, and the optimal daytime temperature is + 18-20 ° C. The site is prepared in 1-2 months. It is dug up and fertilized, if necessary, sand or sawdust is added to reduce the density.

How to plant persimmons in the fall in open ground