How to choose and plant seedlings: the advice of the gardener Dmitry Kastritsky

Do you dream of your own garden, where every tree pleases the harvest, and shrubs abound with berries? Then the choice of planting material should be approached as carefully as possible. What to pay attention to when buying seedlings of fruit trees and berry shrubs, when and what crops are better to plant, said gardener Dmitry Kastritsky.

First of all, the root system is evaluated. As a rule, it should be packed in wet peat or sawdust. Open root seedlings should not be long without any shelter, because the root system dries up quickly. It is important that the plant has many small lateral roots. Sometimes unscrupulous sellers offer planting material with a severed main root and without lateral branching - such seedlings will certainly not take root.

Also carefully inspect the above-ground part. It should not have any mechanical damage, as well as signs of various diseases and pests.

The most important thing is the top of the escape. It must be fully matured. There should be no leaves on the seedling. If they are, then the plant hastened to dig too early. Because of this, the kidneys were poorly formed, and the upper part of the escape did not mature, which in winter will inevitably lead to freezing.

In seedlings of apple trees or pears, it is necessary to carefully examine the place of vaccination. There should be a characteristic foam, where the seedling was cut and the cultural escape itself has already formed from the kidney. If there is no such characteristic hemp, it is likely that ordinary game is sold under the guise of a varietal plant.

What crops can be planted in the autumn? For this, apple and pear are excellent. From stone cultures, you can safely plant plum or cherry. As for more thermophilic plants, such as apricot, peach or mulberry, their planting is better postponed for spring.

Do not buy planting material from roads, random people or in places where they cannot provide documents. In such conditions, there is no guarantee that the seedling is varietal and healthy. Always study the characteristics of a particular variety and choose regionalized plants designed for cultivation in your area. Southern varieties, not adapted to the local climate, will freeze strongly and will not give a good harvest.

See also:

Preparation for winter in September: what work in the garden and garden must be done before the first frost

• When heating in Minsk and regions of Belarus will be turned on in autumn 2026: temperature standards and heat inclusion schedules in houses