When and how to transplant cherries in the fall to a new place: terms and rules for transplanting

For one reason or another, the place initially chosen for landing may turn out to be unsuccessful. In this case, the tree will grow poorly, bear little fruit, and sometimes the crop may not be seen at all. Only transplanting cherries in autumn or spring to another, more suitable place can save the situation.

When is the best time to transplant cherries: in autumn or spring

The growing season of cherries begins quite early, especially in its early varieties. Therefore, in the spring there is a very high risk of not having time to transplant a tree while it is still at rest. The transplantation of cherries that have entered the growing season will greatly delay their rehabilitation, the tree in a new place will take root for a long time, will bloom later, and will cease to bear fruit. If the trees have already entered the growing season, then it is better to postpone the transplant until the fall.

If the tree has entered the growing season, then it cannot be transplanted.

Late varieties of cherries wake up after hibernation with a noticeable lag behind the early ones. Therefore, they are transplanted in the spring. As well as spring transplantation is preferable in cold regions where winter begins early. In autumn, there is a great chance that the transplanted tree will not have time to take root in a new place and will die from frost. If the actual timing of the arrival of winter is close to the calendar, then the autumn transplant looks preferable for the following reasons:

1. During the winter, the plant will strengthen the immune system.
2. Trees transplanted in autumn begin to bloom and bear fruit earlier.
3. Cherry quickly adapts to a new place.
4. The probability of development of diseases and the appearance of pests is extremely low.

The older the cherry, the worse it tolerates transplantation. Trees older than 10 years are transplanted only in exceptional cases, while the probability of their death is very high.

The steppe and felt varieties of cherries do not tolerate transplantation very well, especially in adulthood. Even if the plants do not die after the work, their recovery can take a very long time.

Felt cherries do not tolerate transplanting very well.

Cherry transplant dates in the fall

When transplanting cherries to a new place in the fall, you need to focus not on a calendar date, but on local climatic conditions, based on which the tree must be planted no later than a month before the onset of cold weather. In the Moscow region, in the middle lane and central Our Country, transplantation is carried out in the first half of October. In the southern regions, this can be done later, in late October or early November. But in Siberia and the Urals, it is better to refuse cherry transplantation in the fall, the best time to work in these regions is spring.

Site selection and landing pit preparation

An unsuccessful planting site can cause the cherry to not bear fruit at all. If the place was initially chosen incorrectly, then when transplanting, all these factors must be taken into account. There are several main points here:

1. The best place for cherries is a site on the south side of a fence or a low building.
2. The place should not be in the shade of large trees or large structures.
3. Groundwater at the site of planting cherries should lie at a depth of 2 m or less.
4. The soil on the site should be loose, breathable, with a level of acidity close to neutral.
5. Next to the cherries should not be beds with nightshade crops (peppers, tomatoes), since they have the same diseases.

Landing pits need to be prepared in advance

When transplanting cherries, it is necessary to dig planting pits in advance, the size of which should be commensurate with the root system of the transplanted tree. They add compost, a few tablespoons of potash and phosphate fertilizers, wood ash. The pit needs to be spilled with water so that the fertilizer partially dissolves and the soil settles a little.

A short video on the topic of choosing the right place for planting cherries can be viewed at the link:

Rules for transplanting cherries in the fall to a new place

It is more convenient to transplant cherries together, and if the tree is an adult, then more helpers may be needed. The older the tree, the more powerful its root system, respectively, the larger the clod of earth on the roots should be.

Features of transplanting young cherries in the fall

At an early age, cherries, as a rule, tolerate a transplant well to a new place. When extracting a young seedling, it is not always possible to save an earthen ball, especially if the earth is loose and not moist enough. If the roots of the tree have dried up, then before planting it is advisable to soak them for several hours, completely immersing the roots in water.

After transplanting a young cherry seedling, you need to form a watering zone

Be sure to do a thorough inspection of the root system. If some roots show signs of rot, then they must be cut off. To prevent the cut from causing infection, it is cauterized with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

Transplantation of adult cherries in autumn to a new place

Transplanting an adult cherry to a new place is a simple, but time-consuming procedure. It is produced in several stages:

1. The trunk circle is abundantly spilled with water so that the earthen ball, if possible, does not crumble.
2. The tree is dug in a circle at a distance of about 0,75 m from the trunk and to a depth of at least 0,6 m.
3. Cherries, along with a clod of earth, are carefully removed from the pit. Due to the significant weight, it is better to do this with several assistants.
4. The roots chopped off and damaged during the extraction process are cauterized with potassium permanganate. If rotten ones come across, then they are cut off. Sections are also treated with potassium permanganate.
5. The tree is moved to a new location on a piece of tarp or on a garden wheelbarrow.
6. On the spot, they check the compliance of the dug planting hole with the size of the earthen clod on the roots. If necessary, the pit is expanded and deepened.
7. Install the cherry in the planting hole. In this case, the lump should rise slightly above the surface of the earth.
8. All voids are filled with earth and well rammed.
9. Along the border of the root zone, an earthen ridge is formed as the border of the irrigation zone.
10. Produce abundant watering of the tree.
11. The trunk circle is mulched with humus, straw or sawdust.

All voids must be filled with earth and tamped

Is it possible to transplant bush and felt cherries in autumn

Both of these varieties of cherries are not recommended to be touched after planting. Transplantation of these varieties in the fall is allowed as a last resort and only on condition that the age of the bushes does not exceed 4-5 years. In addition, the following requirements must be met:

1. The bush should be at rest, it should not have leaves.
2. Frost should be at least 1 month away.
3. It is important to transplant as carefully as possible and only with a clod of earth.

The very transplantation to a new place of felt cherries in the fall is not difficult.

Autumn care for cherries after transplantation

After transplanting with cherries, all necessary measures are taken to prepare for winter. Young seedlings are covered with a metal mesh and spruce branches, this will protect them from frost and hares. In adult trees, it is imperative to whitewash the trunk and lower skeletal branches to a height of about 1,5 m. This will protect the tree bark from sunburn in the spring.

Cherry whitewashing should be done not only in autumn, but also in spring

After the first frost, the trees are sprayed with a solution of urea, diluting 30 g of the substance in a bucket of water. This will not only increase the winter hardiness of the trees, but also kill the larvae of insect pests wintering in the folds and cracks of the bark.

Cherry transplant pro tips in autumn

To avoid unnecessary problems when transplanting cherries in the fall, professional gardeners advise adhering to the following recommendations:

1. When choosing a landing site, it is advisable to immediately take into account all possible scenarios. If in the future construction, expansion or other activities are planned on the site, the consequence of which may be the need for a subsequent transplant, this must be taken into account and cherries should not be planted in this place.
2. Transplanting cherries is a painful procedure, and the older the tree, the less likely it is to be successful.
3. Before transplanting, it is advisable to prune the tree, removing excess shoots, standard shoots, as well as all dry and damaged branches.
4. It is undesirable to transplant cherries in the fall in the rain. Contrary to popular belief, excess moisture does not contribute to better survival.
5. You should always try to keep the earthen ball on the roots as much as possible. The more whole and larger it is, the greater the likelihood of success in transplantation.

Dried cherries – the result of an incorrect transplant

A late transplanted tree will either freeze in winter or die in the spring due to the so-called “biological drought”, when the root system, which has not taken root in a new place, simply cannot cope with the supply of water and nutrients to the tree that entered the vegetation early.

Conclusion

Transplanting cherries in the fall can give new life to a tree, but this procedure is quite risky. Young trees, most likely, will endure it well, if all the rules and deadlines are followed, but with adult specimens everything is much more complicated. In this case, you need to use common sense and take into account the age of the tree and the associated risks. Perhaps it would be more correct to plant a young seedling in the fall than to spend energy and money on moving and rehabilitating a specimen of “pre-retirement” age.