We plant cherries: when to start, in the spring or in the fall?

Cherry - everyone’s favorite shrub or tree with tasty and juicy fruits. Today it is impossible to imagine a garden without this beauty. In spring, it pleases us with delicate white blossoms, and closer to autumn - sweet and sour, bright, glossy berries. However, so that the gardener's hopes for a good harvest are not replaced by disappointment, you need to follow the simple rules for planting a seedling. In this case, the timing of rooting is very important.

When is it better to plant cherries - in spring or autumn

Cherry is an unpretentious plant, thanks to which it is successfully grown not only in the southern regions of Russia, but also in places with a more severe climate. In order to achieve good development of the seedling and in the future - a rich harvest, it is necessary to observe the planting dates.

Cherries grown in a container, that is, having a closed root system, can be planted throughout spring and summer, but no later than a month before the onset of frost.

Closed root system cherry seedlings are planted throughout the summer

Landing dates in different regions

For seedlings with an open root system, planting time is determined by the climatic zone.

Cherry seedlings with an open root system are planted taking into account the climate of the region

In the south of our country, cherry can be planted both in spring and autumn, while in the Central zone of Russia, in the northwest, in the Leningrad region, in the Urals and Siberia, it is desirable to do this in spring.

Spring planting cherry

The best time to plant cherries in spring is the first half of April. In warmer regions this will be the beginning of the month, in colder regions it will be closer to the end. It is important to hold this event before the buds open and when the earth warms up. A plant, planted at the optimum time, will take root better and will be more resistant to various weather conditions. Healthy and well-rooted seedlings are less affected by diseases and pests.

Cherry is a thermophilic plant, so planting must begin with the choice of location - the sunniest part of the garden. Groundwater should not be closer than 1.5 m from the soil surface. When planting several seedlings, you must leave a distance of 3.5 m between the holes so that the overgrown bushes do not interfere with each other.

When planting cherries in a row, it is necessary to leave a distance of at least 3 m between the seedlings

First prepare the landing pit. It is advisable to do this in the fall or at least 2 weeks before planting:

1. Dig a hole taking into account the size of the root system of the seedling and the quality of the soil, but, as a rule, this is 60x60 cm.
2. Fill the hole with a nutrient mixture - garden soil with the addition of rotted manure or compost in a ratio of 2/1.
3. Add phosphorus-potash fertilizers or ash to the bottom so that the roots do not come into contact with them when planting. This can cause burns. It is important to note that cherry does not tolerate acidic soils, therefore, if soil acidity is increased, liming should be carried out before the pit preparation.

Stages of planting cherries:

1. Remove part of the earth from the prepared hole.
   

   When planting a seedling, a pit is prepared in advance

2. Drive a wooden peg into the center.
3. Set the seedling so that the root neck is at ground level.
   

   The root neck of the seedling should be above ground level

4. Fill the root system with prepared soil.
   

   After installing the seedling in the planting pit, it is covered with earth

5. Tamp the ground lightly and water it well.
   

   The earth around the seedling must be tamped
6. Tie the sapling to the peg with a knitted cord or twine.
   

   The seedling must be tied to the support

7. Mulch the near-stem circle with peat or rotted manure.

Video: planting cherries in spring

Planting cherries in autumn

In areas with a temperate or warm climate, autumn cherry planting is preferable. Seedlings planted in early October have time to take root and tolerate winter well.

Before boarding, you must:

1. Remove all leaves so that the plant does not expend moisture.
2. Inspect the root system, remove rotten roots.
3. If the roots are slightly dried, put the seedling in water for 3 hours.
4. Dip the roots in the talker - an aqueous solution of clay and manure, taken in equal parts.

The rest of the landing is no different from the spring.

Autumn digging cherries

It often happens that gardeners wanted to buy a certain kind of cherry, but could not find it in the spring. Autumn assortment is usually richer, although time to plant in many regions is risky. Do not refuse to buy, fearing that the young plant will freeze. Cherry seedlings bought in the fall can be prikopat under the winter:

1. Dig a trench from west to east about half a meter deep.
2. The southern slope, where the tops of seedlings will be laid, should be made inclined.
3. Lay the seedlings in a trench.
4. Sprinkle with earth the roots and part of the trunk, about 1/3.
5. Water well.
6. So that in winter the seedlings do not damage the mouse, you can spread the rags moistened with tar or turpentine, and cover the trenches with spruce branches.

Properly buried cherry seedlings can easily withstand even the most severe frosts

If the winter is not snowy, it will be necessary to rake snow to the dug seedlings, forming a small snowdrift. Such a measure will help young plants survive even the harshest weather.

In the spring, after the snow melts, the seedlings can be dug up, and in April - planted in a permanent place.

Planting cherries on the lunar calendar

Many gardeners and summer residents when planting horticultural crops, "consult" with the lunar calendar. And there is a logical explanation for this, since plants are part of nature, in which all phenomena are interconnected.

Biologists for a long time studied the influence of the phases of the moon on the growth of trees and came to the conclusion that some species develop better if they were planted on a growing moon, others, on the contrary, on a waning one. Cherry, like many plants that stretch upwards, is best planted when the moon gains strength, grows. In the full moon, the trees are at the peak of their development, so they do not need outside help - they can neither be pruned nor transplanted at this time. But the harvest, harvested under the full moon, will be of excellent quality. Plants are resting on the waning moon. At this time, you can do pruning and feeding, and closer to the new moon - the fight against diseases and pests.

As the phases change, the apparent shape of the moon also changes.

Table: lunar calendar planting cherries in 2018

Cherry can be planted in spring and autumn - it is important to choose the right time. In the southern regions, planting dates do not significantly affect the result. In regions with cold winters during autumn planting, it is necessary to provide the young plant with the correct wintering or to dig it.