How To Prevent Freezing Of Cherries And Plums

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

Forecasters now and then scare the arrival of the coldest winters in the history of mankind. Such predictions do not always come true. However, those who grow cherries and plums in their garden need to be prepared for such a turn. After all, stone fruit crops, in comparison with other fruit trees, tolerate a sharp drop in temperature to low negative values much more difficult. And for them, in any case, you need to take measures to prevent freezing

Trunks and trunks - a weak point

Stone fruits are vulnerable not only to winter frosts, but also to spring frosts. From significant temperature fluctuations and sunburn, damage is observed more often on boles, bark of trunks and skeletal branches. Here, wounds caused by frostbites are formed, as well as deep cracks from the bright February sun.

It must be remembered that the weakest points of trees are those parts of the trunks that face south and southwest. The sun is very hot here, when from the opposite side - in the shade - the air surrounding the bark is quite cool. And without the necessary protection from the rays, in warmth, in bright light, this part of the tree, in spite of the season, begins to come out of a state of dormancy. After sunset, the plant tissues cool down sharply, which causes damage.

Cracked barrels also cause a sharp drop in temperature. When frozen, ice crystals damage wood at the cellular level. From the increasing tension in the intercellular spaces, the tissues begin to collapse. If you observe the state of the cortex, you will notice that such injuries are more often than others accompanied by gum flow.

Protection of cherries and plums from frost cracks and burns

To prevent such unpleasant phenomena as burns, frost damage and other damage, with the arrival of late autumn, they whitewash the most vulnerable parts of the trees. It often has to be repeated during the winter and even in early spring.

You can use a ready-made solution or prepare it yourself. For this you will need:

• freshly slaked lime - 3 kg;

• clay - 2 kg.

The ingredients are poured into 10 liters of water and brought to the maximum homogeneous state. You can add a little wood glue to the solution - this way the composition will better adhere to the bark.

You should not neglect such a simple but effective method of protecting boles, trunks and skeletal branches as strapping with heat-insulating materials. Their task is not so much to insulate the plant as to protect it from sudden changes in temperature. Ordinary spruce branches do an excellent job with these goals.

But if, despite all efforts, it was not possible to avoid damage, the tree must be provided with timely assistance. For this, sore spots are smeared with garden varnish. It is prepared from melted beeswax and rosin with the addition of linseed oil in proportions of 4: 20: 1.

Protection of young shoots and trees during flowering

Severe frosts threaten not only unprotected trunks and skeletal branches, but also the shoots of annual growths. Fruit buds may be frostbitten. And during spring frosts, significant damage can be done to blossoming flowers.

It is difficult to apply shelters to these parts of the plant. Therefore, it is necessary to take preventive measures. For this:

1. On the site they are engaged in the cultivation of winter-hardy and zoned crops.

2. In the summer, at the end of the season, do not forget to add a portion of the force-potassium fertilizers.

3. In autumn, in dry years, water-charging irrigation of the garden must be carried out.

In the spring, you also need to be ready in order to carry out protective spraying of trees with water on the crown cone during flowering in time.