How to grow a plum from a stone: choosing a variety, planting and care at home

How to grow a plum they like from a stone, gardeners think at a time when they are unable to get ready-made planting material of the desired variety. It happens that it is not even possible to recognize the name, but the eaten fruit left an unforgettable impression on itself, and the person was set on fire with the desire to grow such a tree in his garden. There are many subtleties and nuances in this process that must be taken into account.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing plums from seed

Growing plums from seeds is mainly done by breeders or summer residents who set themselves the goal of obtaining a quality stock. The disadvantage of this method is that it is almost impossible to preserve the characteristics of the mother plant. Another disadvantage is that the bone does not germinate immediately. Sometimes this process takes 1.5-2 years.

A tree grown from seed shows the most unpredictable results. It can be either a new variety with improved characteristics, or an ordinary game, the fruits of which are almost unsuitable for consumption due to the sour taste and small size. By venturing into the experience of growing a seedling from a stone, you always get an excellent material for rootstock and cultivation of a plant with the desired characteristics.

Recommended varieties of plums

For growing a plum tree in the climatic conditions of the middle lane, the following varieties should be preferred:

• Minsk yellow;
• Belarusian;
• Volga beauty;
• Vitebsk Late.

Growing is practiced in the climate of the warm south:

• Kuban comet;
• Victoria;
• Cromani.

The first of the listed varieties is a hybrid of cherry plum.

Sharply continental weather conditions enable successful cultivation:

• Chinese precocious;
• Ussuri;
• Morning;
• Egg blue;
• Eurasia;
• Canadian.

Will plum from the stone bear fruit

When growing a plum tree from a stone, it was possible to get acquainted with the characteristics of the first harvest no earlier than 4.5-6 years after germination.

Selection of planting material

For the cultivation of plum from the stone, it is necessary to select planting material of varieties that are resistant to crossing. The fruit at the time of harvest must be fully ripe, because the seed of an unripe fruit contains an incompletely formed embryo. You should not take only one seed for planting. In order for the chances of germinating a seedling to be high, you need to take several seeds at once.

Sprouting the seed

The most important and crucial moment is the proper germination of the seed.

Stratification

The main stage of plum seed germination is called stratification. Its essence lies in the fact that the seed is kept in cool and humid conditions. The stratification process is the placement of the collected seed into a nutrient soil mixture consisting of:

• perlite;
• sawdust;
• crushed moss;
• peat;
• coarse river sand.

Before being sent to such a nutrient mixture, the seed is soaked for 3 days in water. In this case, the immersion is performed only at half the length of the bone, which provides oxygen access to the embryo. Pre-soaking ensures that the components that inhibit the development of the embryo are washed out.

Stratification is carried out within 2-3 months. In the first couple of weeks after planting the seed, the air temperature is maintained at + 16-21 C. After that, dishes with plum stones are sent to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, where the air temperature is +1-+6 C. Planting material is stored there for about 65-80 days.

Just before sowing the seeds, plums into a pot, the temperature in the place where they are kept is lowered to 0 C.The length of time they are kept in such conditions is 25-30 days. Ideally, you can recreate the desired temperature in the basement. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the moisture level of the nutrient substrate, in which mold can appear. In this case, immediately treat with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Planting in a pot

You can plant a seed in a pot when it swells well and the skin bursts. If such changes did not occur, then the probability of emergence of seedlings from such planting material is minimal. To plant a plum seed in a pot, you need to choose the right composition of the nutrient substrate. A mixture of expanded clay is laid at the bottom, providing good drainage. After that, a layer of coarse river sand is poured, and then the main layer of nutrient substrate is added.

The bottom of the pot must be perforated. This will help protect the plant from the development of fungal diseases, as well as avoid stagnant water, leading to decay of the root system.

Pot dimensions

A pot for cultivating a plum tree from a stone must be at least 19 cm in diameter. Otherwise, the plant will not be able to receive enough nutrients and develop normally, as a result of which it will die before planting in open ground.

Required soil composition

The main layer of soil for sprouting plum stones in a pot is mixed from the following components in equal parts:

• vermiculite;
• leaf land;
• any humus.

Drainage

As a drainage layer, which is laid on the bottom of the landing tank, expanded clay is most often used, on top of which coarse river sand is poured.

Procedure technology

The prepared earth is first moistened, and then the bone is deepened into it by 5 cm.It should be placed as close to the center of the pot as possible. Previously, it is recommended to hit the seed with a hammer so that it does not split into 2 parts, but cracks a little. Such actions contribute to the awakening of the fetus inside.

If several seeds are planted in one container, they should not touch each other. After planting, the container is covered with cellophane and cleaned in a warm, well-lit place. After 1.5 months, a sprout should appear.

Conditions for sprouting

Sprouting a plum seed will be successful only if a number of necessary conditions are met.

Temperature

The air temperature in the room where the plum seed is germinated should be maintained at + 20-25 C. An equally important indicator is humidity. With low humidity, there is a need to take measures for additional moistening with a spray gun or a humidifier specially designed for such purposes.

Irrigation

Irrigate the soil should be no more than twice a week. Watering should be plentiful. For these purposes, warmed to room temperature and pre-settled water is used.

Feeding

After germination, the plum grown from the seed begins to be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Suitable for fertilizer ammonium nitrate. However, it must be used with extreme caution, in accordance with the attached instructions. Otherwise, the root system is burned, and the plant dies.

When to wait for sprout shoots

Plum sprouts, sprouted from the seed, hatch about 45 days after planting in a pot. In order for the plant to be able to bear fruit in the future, the seedling must be transferred every 3 months into a new vessel of a larger volume. It can be sent to open ground only after a year.

If you do not want to mess with pots and seedlings, you can plant a plum stone right in the garden. For such purposes, a small amount of any humus is added to slightly acidic soil, the planting site is moistened and the existing bones are planted there to a depth of 10 cm. A pit for planting is prepared with a size of 15 x 20 cm.In order to protect the planting from rodents, poison should be spread around the hole.

In open ground, plum stones are recommended to be planted on an elevated place on the north side. With this arrangement, the snow will linger longer, and the seedling will be protected. The landing area is chosen well-lit, protected from drafts. It is better to give preference to places along the fence.

For a better survival of the seedling, any organic fertilizer should be poured into the bottom of the hole, as well as a little calcium-rich eggshell.In the process of growing a young tree, it is important to constantly keep the soil moist, but at the same time not to allow excess water to stagnate. When planting seeds in open ground, seedlings may appear only after 1-2 years.

Recommended