Agricultural Technology Of Fruit And Berry And Flower Crops In The Leningrad Region

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Read the previous part. ← Climate and soil of the Leningrad region, growing vegetables

Growing fruit and berry crops

In winter, in Lodeynopolsky and Podporozhsky districts there are often strong frosts and strong winds. Therefore, the growing season of plants is shortened. Here spring comes later and winter comes earlier, there is little fertile soil. Therefore, there are almost no gardens here. They freeze out in harsh winters. In the spring, you also need to harvest needles, last year's leaves, rags for smoking in case of frost.

For gardening, first of all, it is required to thoroughly improve the soil. To do this, it is lime, cultivated by the introduction of compost from household waste, branches, grass, leaves, sawdust, wood chips and even paper, mineral fertilizers and ash, fresh manure. Siderata are sown - lupine, phacelia. Lime and fertilizers are applied according to the needs of each crop. This is taken into account when laying planting holes, since then it is almost impossible to correct the error. Lime is introduced into the soil 1-2 years before mineral fertilizers. As a last resort, lime - in autumn, and mineral fertilizers - in spring.

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With the joint application of lime and phosphorus fertilizers, the availability of phosphorus decreases in them, in nitrogen fertilizers, nitrogen is lost, in the presence of lime, potassium is less assimilated by plants, and some microelements pass into insoluble compounds. To lighten the soil structure, sanding is carried out with the simultaneous introduction of organic fertilizers. Spread them before loosening and digging. They introduce a lot of ash, which enriches the soil with potassium, calcium, trace elements, and reduces its acidity.

The winter varieties of apple trees grown in the Non-Chernozem zone do not grow here. Therefore, gardeners grow mainly small-fruited Chinese women and ranetki. At the same time, some of them grow apple-weevils. These are apple trees grown from the seeds of northern winter-hardy varieties. Of course, this is a laborious and lengthy way of obtaining varietal apple trees. But it is known that fruit trees that have grown from seeds, that is, self-rooted, adapt more easily to harsh climatic conditions than grafted ones, although they enter fruiting later - at 12-15 years. They are hardy and have a longer life expectancy. This is a unique opportunity to grow a garden with beautiful large-fruited apples. All that is needed is desire, time and patience.

Steppe cherries are also grown here, they are also called bush, Siberian, Ural, Samara. Indeed, this is a low-growing shrub - usually 40-80 cm tall, sometimes this cherry grows up to 3 meters. Its most valuable property is winter hardiness. For this property, it ranks first among cherries. In addition, wild cherry is drought-resistant due to its deep root system. The fruits are sweet and sour, tart, practically unsuitable for fresh consumption. But they can be used for various types of processing. High productivity, short stature, ability to give root shoots made it popular.

Selected forms of steppe cherry, its interspecific hybrids served as material for the creation of varieties valuable for the conditions of northern gardening: Grednevskaya, Tagilka, Zvezdochka, Mayak, Schedraia and others.

Gardeners grow fruit crops here mainly in a creeping form. Such trees are winter-hardy, since the branches are preserved under the snow, they can grow in low places. They are easy to protect during flowering in case of frost. The plate-bush-like (northern) form, arctic, minusinsk, melon-creeping, Krasnoyarsk (two-armed) forms are widespread here.

The high level of groundwater forces the planting of all fruit and berry crops in these areas on hills and embankments. Hills are built up to 60 cm high, that is, their height corresponds to the depth of conventional planting holes. Usually, the hills are arranged without removing the sod. Under these conditions, enthusiastic gardeners grow currants, strawberries, winter-hardy varieties of apple trees, sea buckthorn. True, northern agriculture does not yield positive results every year.

In severe winters, branches in the upper part of the crown freeze slightly without shelter. A good way to preserve plants is to install a box of planks, mesh or plastic wrap around the bush in the fall at a distance of 50-70 cm from the trunk. The height of the box is up to 1.5 m. With the onset of the first stable frosts of at least 5-10 degrees, the box is tightly packed with straw … In this state, the plant hibernates.

In case of damage from low temperatures, the entire crown is cut off above the sheltered place. The non-frozen part of the tree completely restores the crown in a year. At the same time, a small yield is preserved in the lower protected part of the tree, especially with an improved bush cultivation.

But man does not live by bread alone.

Flower beds

Long winter, lack of vitamins, longing for greenery, natural craving for the earth encourages many to create flower beds. Perseverance and knowledge helps to adapt to local conditions and achieve excellent results.

It is difficult to create a beautiful flower garden in cold climates. Therefore, container plants and indoor flowers are very popular here. When the danger of spring frosts has passed, they are taken out into the air. The benefits are twofold: the plants grow luxuriantly, gain strength, bloom brightly and profusely. The site is colored with bright splashes of geraniums, begonias, fuchsias and other beautiful plants.

To enhance the decorative effect, they are placed in ceramic pots, wooden containers made of laths or in other containers that hide the pots and also protect the earth from drying out. Hanging baskets and vases on stands look especially elegant. Ampelous floral decorations are impeccable. Most often, in sunny places, protected from the wind, there is ivy-leaved pelargonium with cascading shoots up to 1 m long, which is surprisingly good in wall hanging vases. Tuberous begonia with numerous hanging stems covered with flowers is very beautiful. With good care, the flower diameter reaches 7 cm. They form a whole cascade of yellow, orange or pink buds.

Fuchsia grows successfully in shady places. Gardens are decorated with a wide variety of nettles, coleus, campanula, succulents and other flowers. Caring for indoor plants in the air is complicated by more frequent watering, since the soil in pots dries out faster than at home.

Berry and ornamental bushes are very popular here. Common lilacs with bluish-purple or white flowers are grown everywhere. It grows in gardens, in gardens, on lawns, along roads.

In a sharply continental climate, only winter-hardy plants that are resistant to sudden temperature changes live.

This region is also rich in medicinal plants typical for the Leningrad Region, so there is no point in listing them. But I will dwell on one remarkable plant separately - burdock-burdock with its large leaves. It is very convenient to wrap garden herbs and flowers in them in several layers when transporting them from the dacha. These leaves help keep greens fresh for several days.

Locals wrap cheese, fish, meat in burdock leaves. They also close cans with blanks. Burdock is used for sunburn, and the wound is tied with leaves instead of bandages. People who do not tolerate heat put a burdock leaf with the green side to the head under the headdress on the crown of the head. As a result, they are not afraid of the most intense heat.