Planting persimmon seedlings in autumn: terms and rules

Content

1 Dates for planting persimmons in the fall
2 How to plant persimmons correctly in the fall
3 Caring for persimmons in autumn
4 Harvest 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 zone and the Volga region. A seedling that is at least two years old is purchased in special stores or nurseries. Before planting, the roots are soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator.

Dates for planting persimmons in the fall

Planting of persimmon seedlings is planned in the fall 1–1.5 months before the onset of the first frost. The tree is grown in open ground mainly in the southern regions of Russia. Here the first frosts on the soil occur in mid-December. Therefore, the main time for planting in autumn is the first ten days 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, there are advantages to planting persimmons both in autumn and spring.

How to plant persimmons correctly in the fall

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

Choosing a location 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 a slight 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.
At higher elevations, water constantly accumulates in lowlands.
Without strong drafts - the area should be covered with trees or buildings (their shadow cannot fall on the seedling).

The place for planting persimmons should be protected from the wind

Preparing the site

In autumn, it is important to prepare the soil 1–2 months in advance. 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 up on the bayonet of a shovel. Then add humus or compost in a 2 m bucket². If the soil is fertile enough, fertilizing is not necessary, since in nature persimmon grows well even on rocky soils.

Sometimes there is heavy clay soil on the site. Then, before planting the persimmon, you need to dig it up (in early autumn) and add sand or sawdust in the amount of 1 kg for every 2 m². If the reaction of the environment 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 area).

Selecting a persimmon seedling

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

Basic requirements for planting material:

In appearance, the seedling should be healthy, without dry, damaged shoots.
Also, you should not buy plants with green bark - they take root worse. Such specimens may not survive winter frosts even in the southern regions.
Another important criterion is the ability to pollinate. Most persimmon varieties 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 optimal age of a persimmon seedling for planting in the fall is 2 years.
The root system is closed. During planting, you can move it along with the earthen lump. To do this, the soil should be watered first.

Rules for planting persimmons in autumn

Instructions for autumn planting persimmons:

Planting holes need to be prepared in a few weeks. They should be spacious - at least 50 cm in depth and width. The roots should be placed freely, without touching the walls.
A layer of small stones (pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick) 5 cm high is placed at the bottom. It can be immediately mixed with the ground.
Fertile soil is poured on top: a turf layer with humus, peat and sand (2:1:1:1) and compacted a little.
A day before planting in the fall, take a persimmon seedling, straighten the roots, and, if necessary, remove damaged or rotten parts.
Place in a mash of soil with water and a solution of a growth stimulator - “Epin”, “Kornevin”, “Zircon” or freshly squeezed aloe juice.
Root into the ground so that the root collar is slightly below the surface.
Straighten the roots and cover them “loosely” without compacting the soil.
They put up a wooden peg. A persimmon seedling is tied to it.
Then water generously with warm, pre-settled water.

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

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

When planting in the fall, persimmon seedlings must be protected from rodents using a chain-link mesh

Caring for persimmons 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, short-term drought may be observed in the southern regions. Therefore, plants are planted in well-moistened soil, and then 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. For this purpose, settled water is used.

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

Top dressing

If the soil is sufficiently fertile or compost, humus, or other organic matter was added to it the day before, then there is no need to fertilize the plants in the autumn. You can sprinkle the tree trunk circle with wood ash (100 g per plant) and then immediately water it. The roots, having received nutrients, will be able to quickly take root in a new place. Nitrogen fertilizers are strictly excluded - they are used only in spring and early June.

Trimming

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

Sanitary – removal of damaged, weak branches.
Formative - to create the correct crown.
Rejuvenating – for mature trees older than 5–7 years.

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

After a year, you need to shorten the main shoot to a height of 80 cm. This stimulates the growth of the root system.
A year later (in autumn), 4 main branches are outlined. They will bear the main load. Two buds are left on them. The remaining parts are removed.
Thin branches are also shortened, leaving 5 buds on each of them.

Shelter for the winter

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

In other regions (Volga region, middle zone), mulch is also laid; its height should be at least 7–8 cm. The seedlings are insulated with spruce branches or burlap, securing it with rope. At the beginning of April, the shelter is removed, otherwise the plant may rot.

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

Harvest and storage

The harvest 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 to which the crop will be transported. If it needs to be transported too far, the fruits are harvested earlier - while still greenish.

When harvesting, you must work exclusively with pruning shears. 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 above), it is necessary to use a ladder, observing safety precautions.

All fruits must be sent for ripening.They can be placed in wooden boxes or on newspapers (in several layers). Moreover, you can keep it either at room temperature or 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 placed in a bag with tomatoes or apples for several days or immersed in warm water. The fastest way is to put the fruit in the freezer overnight. Then they can be eaten the 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 begin to rot, then it is better to use them for making jam, marmalade 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 avoid contact of fruits 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 done 1.5 months before the first frost. At this moment, the soil should be warmed 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 density.