In terms of popularity among gardeners, plum is second only to apple and pear. However, fruit trees do not always give a rich harvest. Sometimes plums ripen poorly or grow unpalatable, the solution to the problem will be grafting garden culture.
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Step-by-step instructions for the vaccination process
Before grafting, wipe the stock with a damp cloth. On the day of the procedure, cut the branch to the desired length and clean the cut with a knife. Add the graft to a warm place the day before the procedure, before which you cut it into pieces up to 15 cm long. Cuttings from the central part of the shoots take root better.
Then you can proceed directly with the vaccination:
- In the center of the cut growth, make a cut along the length of 4 cm. Insert a wedge made of wood into it to avoid closing the split. You can use a clean screwdriver.
- At the bottom of the scion, make 2 cuts on 2 sides. You will get a wedge that matches the cut in the rootstock. Do not touch the wood with your hands to prevent infection.
- Combine the scion and stock by introducing the cut into the split. The cambium layers must match up to heal better.
- Sometimes the branch is thicker than the cutting. Then insert 2 divisions into the incision from different sides, aligning the cambium layer.
- At the end, remove a wedge from the cleft, and tie the vaccination site with a bast sponge, foil or electrical tape. Treat unprotected areas of wood with garden pitch. He shouldn't hit the wound.
Harvesting cuttings
To plant plums in the summer, you need to prepare the cut shortly before the procedure. For winter and spring - cut them in the fall. Store them in a cool place. The preparation of cuttings is considered a very important stage in which there are many features.
Procurement rules:
- Cut the cut in late November before the onset of frost. If the winter was not too cold, do it in the spring.
- Harvest cuttings from annual branches about 50 cm long. For cutting, take the end of the growth before the branch.
- Pre-wipe the shoots with a clean cloth and cut the desired number of 30 cm long divisions.
- Do not touch the slices. Otherwise, the scions may not take root well.
When harvesting cuttings of various varieties, it is easy to confuse them during storage. It is recommended to tie the dividers into bundles by attaching sheets of paper with names. If there is no basement, keep the cuttings in the refrigerator.
Why do you need to plant a plum
Sometimes trees begin to bear fruit poorly, but this situation is not hopeless. You can improve the varietal properties of the crop and increase its resistance to natural whims. Plum grafting is used for this purpose.
There are a few tricks you need to know to follow the procedure correctly. A fruit tree can only be grafted onto cuttings of certain crops. These include:
- apricot;
- cherry plum;
- plum.
The plum is not “friendly” with other fruit trees. For the scion, you need to take health and strong plants. The rootstock must be resistant to disease and severe weather. Plums older than 10 years must not be planted, because they age quite quickly. It is advisable to take into account the timing of the procedure, they depend on the season of the year.
In winter, the vaccination is carried out indoors. The ideal time is the end of December - early February.
The method is also used for annual seedlings or young root growth. Then the seedlings and cuttings need to be prepared in the fall, when the leaves fall off. Cut the cuttings from strong annuals. Dig out the seedlings or shoots and keep them in the cellar.
In the spring, depending on the climate, the culture is planted in late February - early March. Another suitable period is from 15 March to 15 April. Popular methods of grafting are: butt, bark, and splitting. In the last 2 cases, the procedure is carried out earlier, if possible. The bark is grafted at the time of the movement of the juice. The listed methods are intended for adult plums with thicker stepsons than delenki.
Sleeping eye budding in summer should be carried out from mid-July to August. The method is only suitable for young plums no older than 1-2 years old.
Grafting a crop in the fall is very risky. The grafted trees may die due to a sudden cold snap. This method of increasing fruiting should be abandoned.
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