How to grow persimmons at home: tips

Gardening is evolving every year, so today it is difficult to surprise anyone with the cultivation of exotic fruits. If you follow some rules, you can get a delicious and plentiful harvest even at home.

Planting and caring for persimmons is not an easy task, but it is quite real. Zelena Sadyba publication told us how to succeed and enjoy the delicious fruits of your own production.

The climate in which persimmons usually grow is radically different from the Ukrainian one, so if you do decide to grow this fruit, you should be prepared to take good care of the plant and protect it from all dangers.

Choosing a variety

The first step to successful persimmon growing is to choose the right variety. Unfortunately, not all of them are suitable for growing in Ukraine. As a rule, only Virginia or American persimmons take root in our climate. They have a powerful taproot and relatively small fruits, but they are no worse in taste.

Where to plant persimmons

Persimmon is a sun-loving plant. It should be planted in the warmest, brightest place on a plot of land near a house or other structures that will protect the tree from any drafts.

Soil

Persimmons will develop normally only in light soil without alkaline reaction. Also, to prevent the plant from getting sick and take root without any problems, it should be planted in loose, permeable soils with additional sand or peat and an acidic or neutral reaction: pH from 5.0 to 8.0. The culture will not tolerate dampness and moisture retention.

Seedling

Due to the peculiarities of the root system, persimmon does not tolerate transplanting and digging.

When buying a seedling, you should choose plants that are already 1-2 years old. It is best to keep it in a container with closed roots because the slightest drying out can destroy the plant. Open seedlings can only be chosen if they are dug up right before the sale and transported in peat, wet sawdust, or sand.

Planting

Seedlings should be planted in deep pits (up to 70 cm deep and wide) with drainage as soon as possible. Before that, they are abundantly watered or soaked and shortened in height by about half.

In the south of Ukraine, persimmons can be planted in the fall, but, as a rule, in most areas this is done in the spring before the buds awaken.

Seedlings should be placed in the hole evenly, spreading the roots and lowering the site by 3-5 cm. If you bought a tree in a container, then you need to plant it directly with soil.

The soil left over after digging the hole should be mixed with equal parts of sand and peat, compost or humus and covered with the mixture, leaving no voids. Finally, you need to water the persimmon abundantly and mulch it. Then the mulch should be renewed constantly, and weeds that break through it should be removed.

Caring

Within a month after planting, you need to water the plant weekly. Then, once every seven days, it should be watered (5-6 buckets) only if it is hot and dry.

Twice a year, you need to acidify the water or add acidifying fertilizers to the soil.

In general, in the first 4-5 years, persimmons do not need any fertilization. As a rule, an excess of organic matter and minerals only disrupts preparation for winter and negatively affects fruiting. When the plant is 6 years old, mature organic matter or complete mineral fertilizers can be applied in early spring.

In the first three years of a tree's growth, it should be covered for the winter even if you have purchased a frost-resistant variety.

Pruning

The persimmon crown should be formed according to the rules common to fruit trees. But do not allow branches that grow at an acute angle and thicken the crown to develop.

Standard pruning includes shortening the branches by a third or half of their length. Over time, after several years of fruiting, you need to remove old branches that are older than 3 years.

Fruiting

The tree can produce its first crop in the fourth year, but more often the first fruits appear only 5-6 years after planting.

In the first years of fruiting, it is better to thin out the ovaries, leaving 2-3 persimmons per branch. Also, be prepared for the fact that due to the weight of the fruit, the branches will have to be propped up with something.

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