The idea to write this article has arisen as a result of own negative experience, connected with the choice of seedlings. How to choose seedlings, what to look for when choosing? These questions worried me at the beginning of my gardening, and now I'm not always calm, buying seedlings for my garden. Much depends on my choice ...
.Not always there is an opportunity to get out into the nursery, therefore, buying seedlings, as if from trusted sellers, often felt disappointed in a year or two after the purchase.
By myself, I know that buyers when choosing seedlings attract beautiful photos, colorful descriptions, affordable or, conversely, a very high price, supposedly to guarantee a good quality of plants. However, not always acquired seedlings correspond to the declared parameters. And after several years of hard work over them comes disappointment: the fruits are small, then the trees or berry bushes produce a weak harvest. It turns out that it is also necessary to buy seedlings.
On what to pay attention at their purchase, then not to regret about the lost time and money?
I still remember how I decided to buy and bought several black-currant seedlings in the autumn. The seller solemnly handed me a few thin twigs with a weak root system, assuring that in the spring these would be chic shrubs with a good harvest.
.Of course, the constant care and desire to get a good result, eventually helped to turn them into luxurious black currant bushes. But it took me three years to do this.
And if I had reacted to the process of selecting seedlings with knowledge of the matter, then the harvest would not have to wait that long.
I knew that the currant fruit on last year's shoots, but the confident tone of the seller "made" me to forget about it. As a result, the next year I got a harvest in the form of 1-2 tassels of currant berries from each twig. And if I bought seedlings with 2-3 branches, then the yield would be 2-3 times more.
The conclusion is obvious: buying a seedling with several branches, you save a whole year.
It is very important to pay attention to the root system of seedlings. After all, even if there are many branches, the main thing is the root, its condition. Check if there are no shoots from it (future branches).
When buying seedlings on the market, watch how sellers get their goods from cars. So you will get an answer to the question, they themselves raised seedlings or bought them somewhere. After all, the person who raised the plant itself, having spent a lot of time and energy on it, treats it very carefully. But often we see the opposite picture: sacks with plants are simply thrown to the ground.
.Sometimes it is useful to listen to the so-called word of mouth. Believe me, the ancient proverb that "good glory is far from audible, and bad even further is still relevant today.
It would be superfluous also to ask where the seedlings were brought from. If from your region, then they easily adapt to your site.
You can also ask the owner, in what conditions did the seedlings grow, did he apply drip irrigation, what fertilizers he used, and so on.
.Unfortunately, there are a lot of seedlings brought from Moldova and Poland in our markets. The Internet is full of ads about the sale of "quality seedlings from Poland." The seedlings are of some quality, but will they adapt to our climate, the conditions of watering, the diet regime? After all, they are grown on drip irrigation, accompanied by an active application of mineral fertilizers, and even completely in greenhouses.
Most likely, such plants still adapt, but not as fast as we would like, and hence, a full crop will not be soon.
In addition, Polish seedlings, as a rule, are oriented to combine harvesting. This means that the main thing for such plants is amicable ripening, easy berry picking, dense skin, enduring transportation, beautiful appearance, but not taste. But we want to grow and eat a sweet, sweet berry that melts in your mouth.
The most delicious berries are from your own garden, grown with love, into which a part of your soul is embedded. And how to choose the right seedlings - now you know. So it's up to you ...
Good luck to you and high yields!
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