Planting pits: terms and rules for preparation

  • May 20, 2021

Some budding gardeners find planting bushes and trees a simple and straightforward business. This is not true. This process, like any other, requires compliance with all the rules and subtleties.

Planting raspberries. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Planting raspberries. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Planting raspberries. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

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In order for the seedlings to take root and develop well, it is necessary from the very beginning to provide them with comfortable conditions for life. And the key to proper growth, abundant flowering and fruiting of young plants is their planting in the ground. The preparation of the landing site plays the most important role in this process.

Prepare the pits in advance. This is done in advance in order to settle the loosened soil and distribute the fertilizers embedded in it deep into the soil. In the case of the autumn planting of seedlings, the place for them is prepared in the summer, in the case of the spring - in the fall.

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Consider the main stages and rules for preparing planting holes.

Preparatory stage

The preparation of the planting pit for the spring planting of garden crops is carried out in the fall, since it will take a long period for the soil to shrink - about 2 to 6 months. But if for some reason you did not have time to prepare the planting site on time, you can do it in early spring, after the snow thaws, but no later than 14-16 days before planting the crops.

IMPORTANT! Responsibly treat the choice of a planting site - the correct development of green plants will depend on it. Take into account the preferences and characteristics of each individual species.

Almost all fruit trees and berry crops are photophilous. When choosing a seat, give preference to the sunny, calm southern and southwestern territories of the site.

Planting currants. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Planting currants. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

Ornamental shrubs such as barberry, snowberry, rhododendron, etc. shade-loving crops can and should be planted away from direct sunlight, in shaded areas.

When planting seedlings of trees and shrubs, take into account the depth at which the groundwater lies in the selected area. In order not to have to build an embankment, when planting tall trees, give preference to soils in which the water level is below 3-3.5 m from the surface.

ADVICE. When preparing the planting pit, pay attention to the soil composition - the size and depth will depend on its quality. If you have fertile soil, you can dig a not very large hole for planting seedlings.

Required depth and area

The size of the root system of the seedling, taking into account the earthen coma, affects the diameter of the planting pit - the size of the pit should exceed it by 1.5-2 times.

But not only the typical composition of the soil and the dimensions of the roots with a clod of earth affect the size and depth of the pit. When preparing it, it is important to take into account the appearance of a young plant. The diameter of the holes required for planting seedlings of pears and apple trees is 1-1.20 m, the depth is 0.6-0.7 m; for plums and cherries, the required parameters are smaller - 0.6-0.8 m in diameter and 0.3-0.4 m in depth; for berry crops and at all - 0.4 m and 0.2-0.3 m, respectively.

RECOMMENDED. When preparing planting holes on loamy soils, take into account the fact that their diameter should be smaller than on fertile ones, and the depth should be the same.

The shape of the depression can be any: round, square, oval - it all depends on the flight of your imagination.

Planting a thuja. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Planting a thuja. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

Stages of preparing the landing pit:

  • dig a planting hole of the required diameter and depth;
  • the soil selected during excavation must be immediately divided into layers: the top layer (fertile) when planting mixed with fertilizers and laid at the bottom of the pit, and the lower (poorer) is used when falling asleep surfaces;
  • drive a peg in the center of the groove;
  • in conditions of planting on clay, heavy soils to the bottom of the pit to create more moisture access to the root system plants, first a drainage layer of expanded clay or fragments of broken brick is laid, and then directly a soil layer.
NOTE! The substrate, which is poured to the bottom, is prepared as follows: soil from the upper layer (1 sq. m) is mixed with 1.5-2 buckets of compost or humus, 120-150 g of potassium sulfate, 250-300 g of superphosphate. Dolomite flour or wood ash is added to acidic soils in proportions of 300-400 g of organic fertilizer per 1 sq. m of land. Heavy soils are diluted with peat or sand.

Thanks to properly prepared planting pits, seedlings of fruit and berry crops in your area will take root faster and will develop correctly. We hope that thanks to our advice, the planted trees and shrubs will delight you with abundant fruiting.

Do you know how to prepare the landing pits?

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