Persimmon

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Persimmon (lat. Diospyros) - fruit crop; a genus of deciduous shrubs and trees of the Ebony family. It occurs naturally in tropical and subtropical countries. China is considered to be the homeland (presumably). Most of the genus are valued for their tasty and sweet fruits, some for their wood. The average age is 500 years.

Characteristics of culture

Persimmon is a fast-growing shrub or tree up to 30 m high. The trunk is covered with brown or dark gray, deeply cracking bark. Young shoots are gray-brown or red-brown, often pubescent, equipped with orange rounded lenticels. Leaves are alternate, oval, elliptical or ovate, cordate or broadly ovate, narrowed at the ends, ciliate or even along the edge, sitting on thin petioles alternately. On the outside, the leaves are smooth, dark green, with shine; from the inside - pubescent, less often glabrous, gray-green.

The flowers are pale yellow or greenish yellow, collected in semi-umbellate inflorescences. Calyx green, hairy outside, with sharp lanceolate lobes. Corolla tubular-jugular or bell-shaped, with rounded lobes. The fruit is a spherical or heart-shaped fleshy berry, contains 3-10 seeds, can have a light orange, orange and even red color. The root system of plants is powerful, superficial, roots are black, strong. Persimmon blooms in late May - early June. The fruits ripen in September - October (depending on the climatic zone and species).

The subtleties of cultivation and reproduction

Persimmons are propagated by seed and grafting. The first method is used extremely rarely, since the plants do not retain their maternal traits. Sowing is carried out immediately after removing the seeds from the fruit. Dry seeds are not suitable for sowing. Persimmons are sown in containers filled with a mixture of sod and leafy soil and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1, then watered and placed in a room with an air temperature of 3-5C. Thus, stratification is carried out and it lasts about 70-90 days. In March, crops are moved to a warm room, and with the emergence of seedlings - to a windowsill or other lighted place. The dive is carried out in the phase of two true leaves, the composition of the substrate is the same.

Cultural species and varieties are most often grafted onto the Caucasian persimmon. After all, this species has a powerful, well-branched root system and the ability to form a large yield of tasty fruits. In addition, this species easily tolerates a transplant, which is also very important. It is not recommended to use oriental persimmon as a rootstock, it is not cold-resistant and has special requirements for soil conditions and humidity. Inoculate persimmon by budding with a sprouting or dormant eye. This procedure is carried out in August or early spring. Spring budding is most favorable. Cuttings prepared for grafting are stored in a room with high humidity at a temperature of 2-3C.

Growing indoors

Growing some types of persimmons is possible indoors. Contain plants on a windowsill or in a lighted area. With the onset of spring, the plants are transferred to the balcony or garden, but protected from cold winds and heavy rainfall. The soil in the containers is regularly moistened and sprayed daily with warm water. From spring to early autumn, persimmons are fed once every two weeks with liquid solutions of mineral and organic fertilizers. As organic matter, you can use mullein or chicken manure, from mineral - superphosphate, ammonium nitrate or potassium sulfate. With the active growth of thickening shoots, the amount of nitrogen fertilizers is reduced.

As the plants grow, they are transferred into larger pots, non-fruiting specimens are transplanted every 4-5 years, fruiting ones - 2-3 years. Formative pruning is important for persimmons. Plants are formed in the form of compact trees with a height of no more than 1.5 m. Pruning is done every year, but only when the trees are dormant. As you know, among the representatives of the genus there are monoecious and dioecious specimens, they need artificial pollination. To do this, the pollen of male flowers is transferred to the female flowers with a brush. Seedless varieties do not need such a procedure. Artificial pollination can significantly increase the yield and its quality.