How to choose a seedling of a fruit tree or shrub, and not buy a pig in a poke
Many summer residents try to transform their plot by planting various fruit trees and bushes. However, some of them are disappointed - the seedling dies.
To prevent this, together with the expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", scientist-agronomist and landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , we will analyze the main points when choosing a seedling of a fruit tree or shrub.
1. If you buy a seedling with a closed root system (package/container) – check the condition of the root system. A quality seedling should have a root ball entwined with roots.
Check the seedlings for a large number of white, overgrown living roots. But! If the roots stick out of the container, it means the tree has already outgrown it, and this is a minus in karma. It will grow worse, because the root system will be injured. Plus, it is more difficult to straighten outgrown, twisted roots when planting.
We take the container, squeeze it with our hands in a circle and lift the seedling by the trunk - we check the presence of roots and their condition.
If the soil falls in lumps, there are few roots or they are cut off (trimmed), it means that the seedling was placed in a container/bag very recently, because this makes the product more expensive than selling a seedling with an open root system.
2. The size of the root ball should correspond to the size of the seedling. A liter bag a priori cannot contain a 3-year-old tree.
3. It is better to buy a 1-2 year old tree to properly shape it.
4. If you buy a seedling with an open root system (i.e. you dig up the tree yourself or with the help of a nursery worker), take a ribbon with you to mark the orientation of the seedling to the cardinal points on a visible branch, for example, north. Please note that for a seedling with an open root system, it is important that the weight of the roots is approximately equal to the weight of the above-ground part.
5. If you decide to buy a mature tree, it should be trained, not a “wild bush from the wild forest.”
General recommendations and conclusion regarding the purchase of seedlings with closed root system/open root system
When purchasing a seedling, it is recommended to give preference to a seedling with a closed root system.
The pot's volume should correspond to its age. The older the tree, the larger the package.
Try to choose even, strong, healthy-looking seedlings. Without signs of infection and without damage to the bark.
Don't buy seedlings along roads, platforms and at wild markets from dubious people - there may be anything there. In the best case, it may be a different variety, in the worst case - you think you bought an apple tree, but it turns out to be a plum.
Try to buy from nurseries that sell their own planting material, not imported ones.
Imported planting material is very often infected with overseas pests and diseases, not to mention adaptation to our seasonality.
Pay attention to how the branches are located. The central conductor must be, and be straight! And also the side branches from the central conductor must not depart at an acute angle.
The wood of living roots is pure white, dried and diseased roots are yellowish-gray, and dead roots are brown or black.
The root collar of grafted fruit seedlings and the grafting site should not be buried in the soil.
Please note that for a seedling with open root system it is important that the weight of the roots is approximately equal to the weight of the above-ground part.
And of course, the soil must be well-moistened, otherwise you risk buying a cracker in the literal and figurative sense of the word.
