Table of contents:
- 1. The gardener buried the root collar
- 2. The variety is not intended for cultivation in your region
- 3. Graft and rootstock are not compatible or do not match each other
- 4. Incorrect landing site
- 5. Soil quality
- 6. Lack of any battery
- 7. Pests and diseases of roots
- 8. The seedling is planted in the place where the same plant had died before
- 9. Plant allelopathy
- 10. Mutual competition
Video: 10 Reasons Why Trees Don't Grow How To Fix? Photo
2024 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 00:23
Having planted a seedling, we are looking forward to when it starts to grow and begins to bear fruit or bloom beautifully, if decorative. We are waiting for a year or two, but the tree does not die, but it does not grow, well, not a centimeter at all! Many, following the old tradition, take an ax in their hands and walk around the "unsuccessful" seedling, saying "another season and your song is sung …". Put the ax down and wonder if the seedling is to blame or the gardener? Let's try to understand why this is happening, why trees do not give growth? Literally - point by point. Moreover, let's try to fix the situation.
But first, let's decide what is considered a normal increase? It goes without saying that it is different for different crops in different climates, and much depends on the variety. But, on average, in pome fruits (apple, pear), an increase of 30–70 cm per season is considered normal. In stone fruits (plum, cherry, apricot), it can be even more - up to one meter.
1. The gardener buried the root collar
The root collar is where the topmost root begins to grow. This place is not worth deeply deepening, it is enough - a couple of centimeters. What happens if deeper? The bark of a tree trunk is not used to underground life and will inevitably begin to undermine and deteriorate. The flow of sap and the movement of nutrients will be disrupted. The plant will have no time for growth, it would have survived!
Sometimes such improper planting is practiced by inexperienced gardeners, and sometimes it is a consequence of an unprepared planting pit. If you are planting a seedling in a large hole filled with the correct potting mix, this mixture will gradually settle and pull your seedling down. Therefore, prepare the planting holes and fill them in advance, at least a month before planting the seedlings.
How to fix? If the seedling is very young, dig up and transplant correctly. If it is difficult to replant, then shovel the earth from the trunk to the required depth and do it regularly, once a year.
By the way, too high a seating position is also bad. The upper thick main roots, once on the surface, can dry out in summer and freeze in winter.
2. The variety is not intended for cultivation in your region
Naturally, if you got hold of a southern seedling and plant it in the middle lane, then the seedling will be, to put it mildly, uncomfortable, up to complete death. You can, of course, insulate, but that's another topic and other rules. Also, do not think that the "northern" seedling will enjoy your southern climate. The well-known apple variety "Antonovka" is suffering in the south, it is hot for him, he is not used to that.
Therefore, buy only saplings of zoned varieties from the local nurseries where they are grown.
3. Graft and rootstock are not compatible or do not match each other
This is a fairly common mistake. A novice gardener is happy to find that he is getting the vaccine, and begins to vaccinate everything in a row. Sometimes everything develops well, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the graft is completely rejected by the stock, although the apple tree was grafted onto the apple tree, and sometimes it “stands” for years and does not grow. Here is the advice, either a trial and error method, or study the compatibility of rootstocks and scions.
4. Incorrect landing site
For example, a site in a lowland where water and cold air constantly accumulate. Either groundwater is located close to your site, or, conversely, there is a rock under a thin layer of soil. Let me remind you that the roots of the tree are constantly in the water, simply suffocate and rot. Roots, like humans, need air.
How to fix? To begin with, it is worth finding out at what depth the upper point of the groundwater, and, based on this, select seedlings. Most likely, seedlings on low-growing rootstocks are suitable for you, their roots are relatively shallow. A more costly way to fill hills at least one meter high and plant trees on them.
In the case of a rock, where there is a fertile layer on the bayonet of a shovel, there is nothing else to do but hammer out large planting holes 1mx1mx1 m and fill them with imported fertile soil. Yes, sooner or later the roots will hit the rock, but 1 m³ of fertile soil is not bad. By the way, this is exactly what they do on the Absheron Peninsula and in the Crimea.
5. Soil quality
If you have a heavy clay soil on your site, and you bought a container seedling, then take care of a large planting pit. Otherwise, what will happen? The seedling in a container grew in comfortable conditions in a light fluffy soil mixture, most likely based on peat. The roots grew in all directions easily and simply. When faced with your clay, they will probably “say NO”. And they will not grow where they need to, but will still remain in the volume of the container, winding rings.
There is even such a term "self-strangulation of the seedling" - the roots, indeed, developing in a limited space and destroy themselves.
Another option is poor sandy soil. It has little or no nutrients and does not hold water at all. Therefore, again - large planting holes and imported fertile soil, regular and frequent feeding and watering. You can try to grow seedlings on seed stocks, they have a deep root and, perhaps, such a plant will be more tenacious.
Another problem of sandy soils is that in winter, if there was no precipitation and there were frosts, there is a high probability of freezing of the roots, and this is a guarantee of no growth. Therefore, the obligatory pre-winter water-charging watering (and, maybe, in the winter thaw and repeat) and mulching with a thick layer of trunks.
6. Lack of any battery
Everyone knows that nitrogen is responsible for the active growth of shoots and foliage, and its lack inhibits plant development. But a lack of phosphorus can also reduce growths and make them rickety. By the way, the PH of the soil sometimes makes it impossible to assimilate one or another element. Therefore, it is very desirable to do a laboratory analysis of the soil and, based on the results, to carry out regular feeding with these or other fertilizers and preparations.
Do not think that the chemical elements contained in the soil work each by itself. No, they actively interact, sometimes strengthening (synergism), and sometimes weakening or even completely blocking each other. In general, it is important to understand that it is not the amount of a chemical element that is important, but the correct balance between them. The presence of meso- and microelements in the fertilizer is also incredibly important, and not in sulfate, but in chelated, easily assimilated by plants form. Yes, too much fertilizer is bad too!
7. Pests and diseases of roots
If you do not have the above reasons, and the seedling does not grow, does not develop, it is worth digging it up and studying the root system, for sure, the answer is there. These may be the larvae of the May beetle, which simply "stupidly" eats the roots, or there may be some kind of disease leading to decay and death of the roots. Such roots should be trimmed alive and treated with a fungicide. Now there are even rooters with fungicidal additives.
Surely, after such treatment and transplantation, the process will go. If the seedling is adult and it is difficult to dig it out, you can try to shed the soil under it with special preparations for both larvae and diseases.
There are also slightly exotic options for why the tree does not give growth.
8. The seedling is planted in the place where the same plant had died before
Exactly, the same. You should not plant the apple tree in the place where the apple tree died. Step back a little. Experts talk about the accumulated toxins in the soil, which will poison the life of a young plant.
9. Plant allelopathy
There is such a term "alleopathy", and it means incompatibility and "bad" influence of plants on each other. Like humans and animals, plants can also defend their space, their territory, releasing various substances. Sometimes these substances inhibit the growth of everything around.
The classic example is the walnut. Its leaves contain juglone, a substance that gets into the ground with precipitation and makes the life of other plants unbearable. Even weeds refuse to grow under a walnut. In fact, allelopathy is a little studied issue and, perhaps, you have your own observations about the positive and negative effects of plants on each other.
10. Mutual competition
Plants compete rather fiercely with each other. We can see part of this struggle. Let's say a tree with a spreading and dense crown intercepts all the light from the plants that are under it. You should not expect good growth from them (unless, of course, these plants are shade-tolerant).
But underground competition is hidden from our eyes. If two plants are planted next to each other, the root system of which is located at the same level in the soil, then it may happen that the more active one will braid its passive neighbor and take away all the “food” and moisture.
The classic version is birch with its superficial and widespread roots. All plants with a shallow root, planted under a birch, need regular watering. Birch pumps out all the water, leaving neighbors dry rations. It is quite another matter if something with a deep taproot grows next to a birch, they are not competitors to each other.
PS Now, go to your "brake seedling", analyze what is wrong with this list. Or maybe you have your own version? Write in the comments!
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