Our consultant: agronomist, candidate of agricultural sciences Alexey Rybakov
1. The plant is adapted to our climate. There are a lot of seedlings grown in the southern regions of our country and abroad on the market. Such warm-loving guests will freeze and bear fruit poorly. Ask the seller for nursery documents or invoices to make sure – a tree for our zone. Any seedlings from the Non-Black Earth Region, northern regions and Belarus are also suitable for us.
2. The younger, the better it will take root. Beginners usually think: the larger the plant I buy, the faster it will bear fruit. In fact, large-sized seedlings have a hard time undergoing the stress of digging up, storing and then planting. However, this rule does not apply to plants with a closed root system – in a pot, they can be bought at almost any age, they will take root in almost 100% of cases.
3. The roots must be well protected. If the roots are open, broken off, cut and dried – don’t take it, it’s a waste of money. The roots of the plant must be moist and wrapped in an earthen mash, which protects them from dehydration. When shopping, take a piece of plastic wrap, a dampened burlap, and a piece of string to wrap and tie the tree.
4. Strong twigs and live bark. Very often, varietal seedlings have few leaves – it’s okay, they can be specially treated with special substances that cause dropping. This is done so that the plant does not evaporate precious moisture through the leaves before planting. However, the existing leaves will be juicy and elastic. The branches should not be dried, broken off. Gently pick the bark with your fingernail – in a living plant it will be elastic, and the layer under it will be green, damp.
5. Smooth thick trunk. We examine the section of the trunk from the root to the first skeletal branch: it should be straight and even, the thickness of a two-year-old seedling should be at least 1,5 cm.
6. Correctly formed skeletal branches. Skeletal are the main, thick branches, usually 3-4. Choose such a seedling so that these branches grow in different directions, then an even, beautiful crown of the tree will form. Pay attention to the angle of inclination of the branches in relation to the trunk. If it is 45 degrees or less, do not take the seedling. Branches in the future will bear poor fruit and break off easily.
7. Healed site of vaccination. It is very important for grafted plants that the wound is completely overgrown, otherwise infection easily penetrates there. The vaccination site should not be bandaged.