Growing persimmon trees is a moderately challenging activity. If you are thinking of growing this tree in your surrounding, this post will help you out by suggesting steps to follow to carry out this task.
Persimmon tree is known for its fruits and wood. The type of persimmon found in America is scientifically known as Diospyros virginiana, which is a huge tree growing around 50 feet tall and 25-30 feet wide. It is extremely drought resistant and looks beautiful during fall.
Fruits of this tree are orange in color with a reddish tinge and are known to soothe indigestion. The tree is categorized into separate male and female counterparts and both of them are required for pollination. It grows slowly and starts bearing fruits only after four to six years. Here is what you can do if you want to grow this tree.
Grow a Persimmon Tree Using Seeds
If you want to grow this tree using seeds, you need to give in a lot of time and effort, and have a lot of patience because it takes a long time. Steps to be carried out are given here.
For growing this tree you will need seeds, which you can choose to buy from a garden center, collect them after they have fallen from the tree, or harvest them from fruits.
Once the seeds are with you, subject them to chilly stratification by placing them in a refrigerator at extremely cold temperatures in a plastic bag. This treatment has to be continued for around three to four months to trigger germination in seeds and bring them out of a dormant state.
Sow the seeds during late winter or early spring. To do this, take a deep container, fill it with potting mixture and sow the seeds about 2 inches below the surface of potting mixture.
Using a deep container becomes necessary because the seeds develop a long taproot before actually growing above the surface. If the root does not get enough space to grow, it will push the seed out of the soil.
Seeds require a temperature setting of 70-85 degrees and a moist and warm environment to germinate. The seeds take around 6-8 days for germination.
After the seeds germinate, seedlings should be transplanted outside the house as they require a lot of sunlight for growth.
For transplanting, make a deep hole in the soil and place the seedling carefully. Make sure the hole is large enough to accommodate the taproot.
Insufficient space will lead to failure in growth and the plant will wither away. Cover the root completely and tap the soil to dislodge any air pockets. Once done, water the seedling to provide enough moisture for growth. Ensure not to flood the area with water as it can hamper the plant's growth.
Make it a point to check whether the area of transplantation is capable of providing enough sunlight for growth as well as protect it from strong winds.
Cage the tiny plant to protect it from damage. Water the plant regularly and provide essential requirements for growth till, the plant develops a strong hold over the soil and is able to draw its required nutrients from it.
Do not plant any other tree around the young plant so that it does not have to struggle for deriving nutrients from the soil.
Lastly, have a lot of patience because your tiny plant will take a lot of time to turn into a huge tree capable of bearing fruits.
Once your persimmon tree has grown significantly, its pruning has to be done at regular intervals. Prune branches that are dangling or crossing over each other to facilitate proper growth.
This also helps in preventing the tree from developing the tendency of fruiting every alternate year. Once your tree starts fruiting after several years, pick its fruits during fall and treat your taste buds with its juicy astringent fruit!