When is the best time to transplant saplings, autumn or spring?
Today, sapling landscaping has become a major development highlight, and the number of economic forests such as gardens is also constantly increasing. Development is always good, but the key is to first keep the saplings alive. For transplanting saplings, what matters is how to choose the appropriate timing. Many people know that autumn and spring are the two important times for transplanting saplings, but which season can better improve the survival rate of saplings?
Transplanting saplings in autumn: In autumn, sunlight is still fairly abundant, and the heat radiated to the ground is still plentiful, which can greatly raise the soil temperature and promote the activity of soil microorganisms. If transplanted in autumn, the soil temperature can accelerate the activity of the sapling's root system, allowing it to quickly adapt to the soil, and the activity of microorganisms can also help the roots merge into the soil. After the sapling has gone through a winter of low-temperature climate, the sapling's self-protection strengthens its own adaptability, that is, the low temperature helps train the sapling, so that after the beginning of spring it can quickly adapt to the environment, send out new roots and buds, and wait to bloom. Although the leaves of saplings transplanted in autumn wither quickly, this is precisely a sign that the sapling's self-protection awareness has strengthened. Although it looks unremarkable, its adaptability is quite strong.
Transplanting saplings in spring: In spring, the heat radiated from the sun to the ground is relatively little, the soil temperature is much lower, and the microorganisms in the soil are also dormant. Transplanting saplings at this time places the sapling's root system in a low-temperature environment. At this time the root system is in a dormant state. Low temperature will accelerate root respiration, decompose the nutrients in root cells, weaken the internal structure of the root system, and make it difficult to adapt to this environment. Only after the soil temperature rises does the root system slowly adapt. The sapling's leaves will not fall off naturally in a low-temperature environment, but the internal nutrients of the leaves are decomposing.
Overall, transplanting saplings in autumn is better than in spring, and the survival rate is also higher. Although the leaves of saplings transplanted in autumn wither, and on the surface the sapling looks as if it has died, in fact it has not died. This is simply a manifestation of protecting itself and better adapting to the environment.
Pay attention to these points when transplanting, and there will be far fewer diseases later
When transplanting saplings, paying attention to the following specific technical points will play a significant role in preventing diseases later.
Before transplanting
(1) Strengthen management during the hardening-off period
Seedlings coming out of the nursery are generally virus-free and disease-free, but after transport, hardening off, and human contact, there are many ways for disease to arise. Therefore, management during the hardening-off period should be strengthened to avoid the seedlings already carrying disease at the seedling stage.
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For example: pay attention to fertilizer management and avoid the situation of fertilizer deficiency, which can avoid a “disease-prone” constitution caused by fertilizer deficiency at the seedling stage. Another example: too heavy fertilizer during the hardening-off period may very likely cause root damage, and after transplanting the probability of root black rot disease increases geometrically. Another example: if the growing environment during the hardening-off period is too poor (near livestock pens; near trees that shed oil, pollen, and so on), the probability of contracting viral disease after transplanting increases markedly. Paying attention to management during the hardening-off period and avoiding improper management can effectively avoid the later occurrence of root black rot, mosaic disease, and various viral diseases.
(2) Never omit disinfection of the field before transplanting
Many farmers omit the step of disinfecting the field before transplanting. In fact, whether it is winter fallow field or a field from the previous crop, various types of viruses, pathogens, and even pests inevitably exist in the field. Before transplanting, necessary pest and disease control measures suited to local conditions should be carried out on the field.
When transplanting
(1) Strictly control the row direction, row spacing, and plant spacing in the field
Uniform row direction, row spacing, and plant spacing are in fact effective measures to ensure field ventilation and uniform lighting, and can avoid various diseases caused by poor ventilation and uneven light.
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(2) Do a good job of reasonable fertilization
Improper application of fertilizer during transplanting can very easily cause fertilizer burn to the seedlings. More severe fertilizer burn can directly lead to dead seedlings after transplanting, while milder cases may also cause “burn” damage to the roots and stems, leading to no growth or even later death of the plants.
(3) Do a good job of sanitation during transplanting
In the process of handling sapling transplanting, the disinfection of relevant operators and tools should be fully carried out, and smoking during transplanting is strictly prohibited.
(4) Select strong seedlings for transplanting, and harden weak seedlings further
Everyone will select strong seedlings for transplanting, but discarding the relatively weaker seedlings left after selection and not planting them is highly inadvisable. First, it wastes the saplings that were bought, and second, it cannot guarantee the number of transplanted plants. Weaker seedlings that continue to be hardened in the hardening pool for one or two more days can also reach the standard of high-quality seedlings, so all seedlings should be transplanted as much as possible.
After transplanting
Everything you want to know about transplanting saplings is here
After transplanting is completed, the field conditions should be inspected regularly to check whether there are early related signs of pests and diseases. If early symptoms appear, following the concepts of “prevention first, combining prevention and control” and “green, ecological, high quality,” and with the thinking of treating early where possible and using fewer chemical methods where biological, physical, and green methods can be used, pests and diseases in the field should be discovered and treated early.