How much do red plum tree saplings cost? Plus transplanting, flowering and planting and pruning methods

Red plum is a type of plum blossom, a deciduous small tree in the Rosaceae family, Prunus genus. The plant height is about 10m, the trunk is brownish-purple with many longitudinal cracks, and the twigs are green. So how much does a red plum tree sapling cost? When to transplant and when does it flower? How to plant it? What are the pruning methods? According to the Suqian nursery stock base, red plum tree saplings are generally best transplanted in March before the plants start growing, or in October when the plants finish growing.

How much does a red plum tree sapling cost?

When does the red plum tree bloom?

In southwestern China it blooms from December to January of the following year, in central China from February to March, and in northern China from March to April. From the first flower to full bloom takes 4~7 days, and to the final flower 15~20 days.

How to plant the red plum tree?

1. Site conditions. Red plum likes warmth and sunshine, tolerates drought and poor soil, and fears waterlogging. It is not demanding about soil and can grow well in well-drained clay, loam, sandy loam and slightly alkaline soil. It is best to plant it on a wind-sheltered sunny slope or semi-sunny slope with sandy loam rich in humus.

2. Soil preparation and hole digging. The red plum tree is a deciduous small tree and can be planted appropriately densely as needed; a spacing of generally 3—5 m is suitable. The red plum tree is a shallow-rooted species, with roots distributed in the top 40 cm of soil, so a tree hole of generally 50cm×50 cm×40cm is sufficient.

3. Seedling selection. In line with ecological requirements and matching tree to site, 2-year-old grafted seedlings are best. For example, for upright-branch plum, Huannangongfen, double-petal green calyx and others can be used; for weeping plum, Shuangbi Weizhi, Jinhong Weizhi and others can be used; for early-flowering types, Pink Cinnabar, Xuemei and others can be used; for mid-flowering types, Pink, Xiaogongsha and others can be used.

4. Planting time. Planting can be done from November to March of the following year, and it is generally best to plant before winter, which helps the plum take root and grow earlier. When planting, mix manure into the dug tree hole; if the soil is too clayey, add fine sand and gravel, chopped straw or coal ash into the tree hole to help drainage. Before planting, trim any overly long roots; if conditions permit, it is best to dip the roots in mud slurry before planting. Rooting powder, carbendazim, plant growth regulators and the like can be added to the slurry. The planting depth should be the same as the original ground level of the seedling; after planting, water thoroughly, cut back the sapling when it is 50—70 cm, and to prevent strong winds from shaking it, fix it with a tripod of bamboo or wooden poles.

Appendix: Red plum tree pruning methods

Red plum has different pruning methods for different tree ages, and its growth and flowering states also differ, so the pruning method at each stage is also different;

1. Young trees: Young trees grow very vigorously during the growing period, so there will be many water sprouts; in order to expand the crown and enable more flowers and earlier blooming, the extended parts on the main branches should be cut off, while other branches can be allowed to grow long, which allows more water sprouts to grow and lets the flower-bearing shoots bloom.

2. Mature trees: The branches of mature trees grow very slowly, and their water sprouts noticeably decrease, so they produce many flowers; in order to improve their growth state, prevent the lower branches from aging and withering, and maintain a good tree shape, the number of prunings increases year by year, and the trunk must be renewed in time, which can keep the lower branches healthy; in addition, if the inner canopy becomes hollow, promptly prune away the strong branches on its upper and outer parts to restore normal growth.

3. Fine pruning: In order for the red plum tree to produce many flowers, thin, diseased and weak, short, and sparsely flowering dead branches must be pruned back more heavily, so that its main framework branches retract; the method is to choose a position 3-6 years old for the renewal cut, which allows its hidden young buds to sprout and grow into new branches, thereby restoring the vitality of the red plum tree to produce large numbers of flowers.

Pruning according to different growth vigor:

The growing conditions in each place differ, and management methods also differ, so many trees of the same variety and same age differ greatly in growth state; therefore when growth is vigorous, the amount of pruning should be small, otherwise too much pruning will cause many water sprouts, a dense crown, very few flowers, and poor flower quality; for those growing weakly, the opposite applies and pruning should be heavier, to promote new branches and increase flowering.

Pruning methods for potted plum blossoms:

Forming flower buds on the current year's new branches is the main characteristic of potted plum blossom flowering; in order for red plum to bloom more, it must be pruned in time to form enough new branches; the specific method is to prune once each year in early spring after the flowers fall, cutting off the upper part of the one-year-old branches and leaving only 2-3 young buds; when the new branches have four or five leaves, pinch them back, leaving only two or three leaves, thereby forming more flowering branches; repeating this process can form a graceful shape and produce many flowers.