Despite the general similarity in the name, the growing season and the growing season are completely different concepts. The second term characterizes the time period of development of a plant species or its variety and is a biological concept that determines the period from seed germination to full maturation. This defines the category of plant culture. It can be late, mid-season and, accordingly, early. Quite different is the growing season. What it is and how the process is characterized will be discussed below.
What is a process
The growing season is understood as a certain period of time in a year, during which a culture develops and grows in a particular area with its own climatic characteristics. In general, the growing season - what is it? A meteorological concept referring to all plants that grow in a particular area.
Experienced gardeners, as well as gardeners, begin to harvest before the seeds ripen. In some cases - even before the start of the fruiting period. For this reason, they call the time from the very beginning of growth to harvest. Only two time parameters are required to determine the growing season for tomatoes, cucumbers, and many other crops that bear fruit several times a year. This is the time of the first and last harvest.
Peculiarities
Depending on the characteristics of the plant species and the change in environmental factors, the growing season is also variable. Few people know that this is a non-constant value. Process times can vary from a few days to several months. For example, if a certain plant culture lacks sunlight, then the growing season will double or triple. That this is at odds with a similar situation under optimal growth conditions, even a novice gardener can say. Vegetation is directly proportional to the growth and development of the plant, occurring in any organism at the same time. They are continuously interconnected, but differ in some cases in the speed of these processes and intensity.
You can control the growing season of plants. What does it mean? The stages of the process can be slowed down or, conversely, accelerated, creating ideal conditions for favorable crop growth, since the environment strongly influences heredity.
Process Control
It is especially important to create favorable conditions for the active growth and rapid development of vegetable or fruit crops that are annuals. This can provide the following:
- excellent fruit growth;
- an increase in the assimilation apparatus;
- fruiting, characterized by abundance and early terms.
If you stop the growing season of cucumbers or tomatoes, you can get a good harvest. However, it is worth considering that this will significantly affect fruiting, namely, all the fruits will not be completely ripe.
There are also reverse situations. To obtain a crop of root crops or stems, it is necessary to slow down fruiting and increase the growth rate due to the loss of nutritional qualities and coarsening of the parts of the plants in question after the appearance of flower stalks. Because of this, in the period between growing seasons, mother liquors of biennial crops are stored in a room with a cool temperature regime. This creates ideal conditions for activating the processes of transition to flowering (at the same time growth is suppressed). Storage conditions for vegetables are optimal if both growth and development are delayed. Possessing this knowledge in vegetable growing, you can independently control, for example, the growing season of cucumbers. What does it give? A rich harvest with excellent fruits.
Development of vegetable crops
The development and growth of crops such as potatoes, tomatoes or cabbage should occur as intensively and in parallel as possible. The same can be said about plum, pear trees. This contributes to abundant fruiting and building up the assimilation apparatus. Suspension of the growing season in cucumbers or tomatoes will make it possible to obtain a tasty harvest. At the same time, this will also affect the fruiting process (uneven ripening of all fruits). On the example of tomatoes: the category (variety) of a vegetable determines the growing season of tomatoes. What could this mean? Tomatoes are divided into:
- late;
- early;
- precocious;
- mid-late;
- mid-season.
The ripening period of early ripening is from 60 to 70 days, early - from 75 to 90, mid-ripening - from 85 to 105, mid-late from 105 to 120, late - about 130 days.
Vegetation period of cucumbers, potatoes and cabbage
Early-ripening cucumbers ripen in 90-100 days, the vegetation period of late varieties - up to 115. The formation of buds in fruit trees that give fruit takes about 90 days, and flower buds are fully laid next year in the spring season.
For gardeners, from the point of view of good fruiting, the growing season of potatoes is important. What is it and what parameters does it depend on? Firstly, the timing depends on the variety, as in the case of tomatoes and cucumbers. Secondly, the growing conditions of the plant have a significant impact. On average, the period takes an interval of 80 to 150 days. Cabbage cultivars are divided into early, middle and late ripening dates. The growing season of the first can take 3 months, and late-ripening varieties - about six months.
Acceleration of the growth process
Plant care and various agrotechnical activities fall on the phenophases of culture development. Most bushes that bear fruit or berries grow and develop due to the plastic material present in the root system and its part above the ground. This material is the result of accumulations over the past year, but not the components present in the soil at the moment.
In cases where the plant culture has not accumulated the required amount of nutrients, periodic fruiting is inevitable due to a lack of strength to lay buds in order to obtain a good harvest next year. In order to stabilize the ability to bear fruit, as well as the growth of the crop, it is required to provide the plant with nutrients in the autumn season. For this purpose, fertilizers with a high content of the necessary element - nitrogen are widely used. At the initial stage of the growing season, they will contribute to the formation of buds, thanks to which in a year it will be possible to get an excellent rich harvest.
Seed bags and cultivar literature indicate the length of the growing season for a particular plant. So in agricultural practice they call the period of time from seed germination (or the beginning of sap flow in perennial crops) to harvest. The length of the growing season depends primarily on the climate, the crop being grown, and a number of other factors.
The concept of the growing season
The word "vegetation" in Latin means "excitement", "revitalization". This term refers to the active part of plant life. In a broad sense, the growing season is a segment of the year when the growth and development of a crop is possible.
In the tropics, the vegetation of plants is year-round. As we move north and south from the equator, it is limited to the last spring and first autumn frosts. At the same latitude, the growing season can have a different duration, so on the plains it is longer than high in the mountains. The development of plants can be interrupted annually not only by frosts, but also by droughts.
The length of the growing season is the main factor determining the composition of vegetation in any natural area. In the tundra, it is only two or three months, in the taiga - four. Vegetarian period is the most important bioclimatic indicator, which is used as a basis for the acclimatization of species brought from other latitudes.
This period should be distinguished from frost-free. R mid-latitude asthenia begin to vegetate when the temperature rises to +5 ° C. A frost-free interval is considered a segment of the year with indicators above 0 ° С. For example, in Moscow, the frost-free period lasts from early May to mid-November, and the growing season is somewhat shorter - from mid-May to late October. In other words, the veg period is an annually changing agrometeorological characteristic, depending on the climate of the region.
The duration of the vegetation of plants
Representatives of the flora differ in growth time. Tulips, crocuses, snowdrops vegetate for several weeks. Ephemeroid plants develop only a few days, managing to go through a full cycle during this time - from germination to seed ripening, and the rest of the year they are in a state of deep dormancy. Other crops (conifers) have a veg period corresponding to the length of the frost-free period. So, in the case of cedar, larch, Siberian spruce, after the transition in spring of average daily temperatures beyond 0 degrees, root growth already begins.
The size of the growing season determines the range of species that can be grown in a given region.
In agriculture, the growing season is the time (in days) from the start of crop growth to seed ripening. However, not all agricultural plants are grown for the purpose of producing seeds. They can be cultivated for the sake of leaves (heads), roots, flowers, stems, fruits.
The duration of vegetation of agricultural crops depends on:
- varieties;
- temperature.
When does it come?
For each botanical species, and sometimes varieties, there are threshold temperatures for the beginning of the growing season. For annual crops grown through sowing, it is correct to start the vegetation countdown from the moment the seeds germinate. But this is economically inconvenient, since the rate of emergence of seedlings on the surface varies markedly. It depends on many factors: methods of pre-sowing treatment, depth of placement, mechanical composition of the soil. Therefore, on packages with seeds in the column "vegetation period" indicate the time that will pass from the emergence of seedlings to the start of fruiting.
Perennial plants have the following periods:
- vegetation;
- preparation for rest;
- peace;
- preparation for vegetation.
The growing season of fruit trees and shrubs begins when the air temperature rises to +5 degrees and stays at this level for at least a week. At this time, growth resumes in perennial plants, spring work begins in the fields, and grain sowing begins.
The physiological starting point of the growing season can be considered the beginning of sap flow, when the roots grow and the buds swell.
In heat-loving perennial species, vegetation begins later. So, some grape varieties resume sap flow at temperatures above 10 degrees. Of the berry crops, honeysuckle and gooseberries are the first to start growing, and raspberries are the last to “come to life”. Vegetation ends in late autumn after the leaves fall.
How long does it take?
The length of the growing season by region:
The sum of active temperatures is an indicator that expresses the need of plants for heat. Temperatures of 10 degrees and above are considered active.
The need for crops in active temperatures during the growing season:
The most early crops ripen in 60-70 days at a sum of active temperatures of about 1000 degrees.
The division of varieties into groups according to the length of the growing season:
Growing season management
The growing season for each crop and variety is a variable value. Its duration is influenced by many factors. In plants lacking light, moisture or nutrients, the growing season is extended. They start fruiting much later than specimens of the same variety grown in good conditions.
Nitrogen fertilizers stimulate the growth of vegetative organs - stems, roots, leaves - and "push back" the laying of the generative parts of the plant (flowers). Abundant nitrogen fertilization noticeably lengthens the growing season. If tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, gourds are often fed with nitrogen, their growth process will be so lengthened that you can not wait for the fruits.
In practice, it is more effective not to slow down, but to accelerate the passage of the growing season. In the climate of our country, the reduction of the vegetation and flowering periods allows obtaining guaranteed yields of heat-loving crops.
For this use:
- top dressing;
- growth stimulant treatments;
- temporary and stationary shelters for plants.
If the seed bag indicates that the growing season of this variety lasts 150 days, this means that it cannot be grown in regions where the growing season is shorter. The average value of this period for your region and district can be found in agro-climatic reference books and other specialized literature.
Many gardeners confuse the concept of the growing season in plants with the growing season of crops. These terms differ significantly from each other, in the first case we are talking about a certain time period of development in a particular climatic zone. The second term refers to the period of activity of certain species and varieties.
What is the growing season in plants
This period of time will be different for different types of garden and horticultural crops. This concept means the active growth of a plant, for a cucumber from 90 to 110 days. If we talk about fruit trees, then the vegetative period of a plant of this type begins with swelling of the buds in early spring, ends in autumn, after the leaves fall. In winter, crops are in an inactive phase, so this period of time does not apply to vegetation.
Each of the known plant species has its own growing season.
If we talk about trees that grow on the equator or in the tropical zone, then their development is a little different. Let's get acquainted with this on the example of a banana, the term in question takes into account the interval from the moment of flowering to the harvest of the first harvest. After harvesting the fruit, the tree remains green for a long time, but such an interval is not considered the vegetative period of the plant.
What is the growing season
This term refers to crops that grow in a particular climatic zone. Consider this on the example of vegetables and fruit trees in our gardens and orchards.
The development of perennial crops during the season can be divided into several phases:
- vegetative development in the warm season;
- autumn transition period;
- inactive resting phase;
- transitional spring.
Such a cycle of perennial crops in our climatic zone is repeated every year. The vegetation period of plants consists of three points (first, second and fourth). In winter, perennials are at rest, metabolic processes in them stop. Depending on weather conditions, the inactive phase may start earlier than usual or be delayed. This is affected by temperature fluctuations and precipitation in the form of rain or snow.
The temperature of the vegetation of plants depends on the specific species and variety. For example, cabbage seeds sprout much earlier than tomato seeds, and an apricot tree blooms before cherries, apples or pears. Biologists believe that to start the development of most crops, it is enough to heat the soil to a temperature of +5 degrees. This applies to fruit trees and vegetables.
The application of organic or mineral fertilizers to the soil will help accelerate the vegetative growth of the plant.
It is worth noting that the growing season of annuals differs from the phases of development of perennial crops. The beginning of the process in such plants is usually noted by seed germination. The end of the growing season determines the drying of the tops. If plants produce several crops during one season, then vegetation is considered to be the period of time from the formation of inflorescences to the ripening of the crop.
How to determine the growing season
The time of development of different types and varieties of crops is significantly different. Depending on the characteristics of a particular plant, this interval can vary from several days to 3 or more months.
The length of the growing season is affected by:
- the condition of the soil in the garden;
- weather in a particular area;
- illnesses and;
- hereditary traits of cultures.
Depending on the combination and influence of all these factors, the time of plant development from the moment of planting to the ripening of the crop can reach 9 months. The harvest of some garden crops in our climatic zone does not have time to fully ripen. In this case, they say that the growing season did not end correctly.
The growing season is easy to determine, for this you should read the information on the bag of seeds. Here the manufacturer indicates the time for the favorable planting of the grains and the estimated time for harvesting. The development of potatoes begins with the formation of the first sprout, ends after the tops dry out. At this time, you can start harvesting. In fruit trees, the vegetation begins with swelling of the buds, ends with the fall of the leaves in the autumn.
Features of the development of different types of cultures
Each plant growing in a particular climatic zone has its own characteristics of development.
Let's look at this issue in more detail:
- Vegetation of different varieties continues for 115-130 days. First, a sprout appears on the surface of the soil, then the phase of flowering and pollination comes. At this time, the formation of the crop crop begins, fruits with seeds appear in place of the inflorescences. The development of potatoes ends after the drying of the tops.
- The growing season of cucumbers depends on the characteristics of the variety, in early ripening crops 95-100 days, in late crops - 105-120 days. From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the beginning of flowering, at least 1-1.5 months pass, after which the formation of the crop begins on the bush. At the same time, flowering continues. In early autumn, the bush dries out.
- A short growing season is from 60 to 75 days for ultra-early varieties, for early varieties 75-90 days, for late-ripening varieties - 125-130 days.
The use of seedlings will help speed up the vegetative process in vegetable crops. Seeds are sown in late February or early March.
After the onset of stable warm weather and the threat of return frosts has passed, the seedlings are moved to a permanent place in open ground.
The development of trees is different from the vegetation of vegetables. Active plant growth begins in early spring with the onset of warm weather with an average daily temperature of +5 degrees. At this time, the process of sap flow begins, the buds open. Vegetation ends in late autumn after the leaves fall.
Seedling care during the growing season - video
One plant can still withstand this temperature, but the other dies at the same temperature. Climatic summer is taken as the growing season, the duration of which depends on the climate and geographic latitude.
As the name suggests, these plants only live for one year. This means that only one growing season passes in a lifetime. During it, annual plants go through the following phases:
- seed germination;
- bud break;
- the appearance of buds;
- bloom;
- fruiting;
- seed formation;
- death.
Decorate the garden - step by step instructions.
Annual plants are the familiar peas, cauliflower, dill, growing in summer cottages. They also include weeds, medicinal and ornamental plants, vegetables.
Annual plants are most common in deserts, since their growing season lasts one year there.
The growing season for annual plants can last from 40 to 150 days.
The growing season for perennials
Perennial plants go through a growing season many times in their lives until they die. Usually they lose only their above-ground part for the winter, and in the spring they begin to grow again. They do not require annual sowing or transplanting.
The most durable plants go through the growing season 6-7 times. During this, the following phases take place:
- seed germination;
- the formation of small shoots;
- bud break;
- the appearance of buds;
- bloom;
- fruiting;
- seed formation;
- death of the aerial part.
The growing season in perennial tundra plants
Then all phases go on again, until the plant dies completely.
A large number of perennial plants are herbs, for example: dandelion, burdock, St. John's wort. They also include ornamental plants, such as: gladiolus, dahlia, poppy.
Perennials grow almost everywhere, even in water. But their dominant number grows in the steppes and tundras (where trees simply do not grow).
The growing season for perennials can be 80 to 110 days long.
Vegetation in the trees
With trees, things are much more complicated. They also go through a growing season, but the whole year is divided into 4 phases.
- Vegetation period.
- Transitional autumn period.
- period of relative rest.
- Transitional spring.
Let's look at each period separately.
growing season
This period is the longest period. During it, everything happens the same as in the growing seasons of annual and perennial plants, with the exception of death. Also during this period, the roots of the tree actively grow.
In the middle of the growing season, the growth of the tree is no longer so significant. But the leaves continue to work, so starch accumulates in the plant and fruits. Tree shoots are covered with wood. The root system becomes less active.
The growing season for trees begins with bud break.
Transitional autumn period
During this period, wood covering is completed. The starch accumulated in all parts of the plant turns into sugar. It provides good stability during the winter. During the entire period, there is an active growth of small suction roots. They grow until frost.
Period of relative rest
During this period, the trees appear to be dead. But at a depth of 40 cm, the work of the roots is still ongoing. Therefore, the tree receives water and nutrients from the soil for some time. This is how the whole period goes.
Transitional Spring
During the last period of the year, the roots are just starting to grow again, but the aerial part is active. Nutrients and moisture enter the crown of the tree, contributing to the better development of the tree and its fruits during the growing season.
Flowering fruit tree - a sign of spring
This happens every year for any tree. These include fruit tree species: apple trees, cherries, sweet cherries. And trees such as birch, oak, maple, poplar, chestnut. And even such rare trees as baobab, eucalyptus, sakura in Japan.
There are a huge number of tree species, and listing them all is very long. The bottom line is that trees have the most difficult growing season, and it can be repeated for many, many years.
How to grow a beautiful lawn in the country, readVegetation is a stage in the life of a plant, characterized by its active vigor. It is associated with changes in weather conditions, usually with the advent of spring. In spring, the plant comes to life, grows, breeds.
The increase in air temperature and the arrival of daylight stimulates its active development. Vegetation primarily depends on the terrain and weather conditions in which the culture grows. At this stage, only some horticultural crops are able to bring more than one crop. Others, on the contrary, do not have a chance to bear fruit under not very favorable conditions.
What is the growing season
This is a specific time period during which the plant going through an active growth phase. For example, in early ripening cucumbers, the growing season lasts 95-110 days. In such perennial crops as apple, pear, plum and others, the vegetative stage begins to emerge during the swelling of flower buds, and ends with leaf fall in autumn. In winter, the trees begin an inactive growth phase, which is no longer a growing season.
The growing season for trees growing in tropical and equatorial conditions proceeds according to a slightly different scenario. For example, in a banana tree, the growing season is an interval of time: starting with flowering and ending with the collection of fruits. After that, the tree briefly leaves the growing season, despite the fact that it remains still green.
Vegetative period
This term covers all plants of a particular climate zone. We will talk about some of the plants in our zone, about what is the vegetation of fruit trees, about methods for determining it, and about some vegetable crops. The lifespan of perennial plants is divided into 4 stages:
- vegetative growth.
- Autumn transition.
- Relative peace.
- Spring transition.
Perennial crops in our natural climatic zone repeat these cycles from year to year. The growing season covers only 3 points from this list: the first, second and fourth. The winter period is not considered the growing season. The 4-point interval may start with a slight delay, or, conversely, earlier than expected. It depends on when the spring heat comes, the snow melts and the night frosts pass.
For each species or variety of plant, the temperature required to start the growing season is different. For example, in an apricot tree, the growing season will come earlier than in a cherry or pear. The temperature for the onset of the growing season should be at least +5 degrees Celsius.
In annual vegetable crops, the growing season is still different. The beginning of the process is the emergence of seeds, and the end is the drying of the plant. Some crops in the warm season bear fruit more than once. The beginning of the appearance of flowers and the full ripening of fruits will be the growing season.
How to determine the growing season in plants
In different species and varieties of plants, the growing season is different from each other, so it cannot be enclosed in a specific framework. This period can vary from three days to three months. However, plants are affected by most factors, namely:
- Soil condition.
- Weather conditions.
- Various diseases and pathologies.
- Heredity.
It is from these factors that the growing season can vary in time frames, and sometimes last up to 9 months. Different cultures of our natural-climatic zone fail to mature fully, so they are harvested earlier, as there is not enough time for ripening. Then it should be said that the growing season ended incorrectly.
Still, there is a method for determining the stage of vegetation. For example, you bought a bag of seeds, and the growing season must be indicated on it from beginning to end. With regards to fruit trees, which we have already talked about, the beginning is the swelling of the buds, and the end is the fall of the leaves. For example, in different varieties of potatoes, the growing season will begin with the germination of the sprout and end when the plant is completely dry and the potatoes can be dug up.
Plant Vegetation Control
In order for trees, shrubs and other fruit crops to produce good fruits, it is important to control their vegetation. Her can both speed up and slow down, depending on the desired results. In order for cucumbers and tomatoes to give a good harvest, it is better to slow down their activity at the very beginning. In root crops, it is better, on the contrary, to delay flowering so as not to spoil the taste of the vegetable. Dry and hot summers inhibit the growth of horticultural crops, so they should be watered more often.
rest period
With the onset of winter, the plant goes into hibernation. It maintains its vitality thanks to what it has accumulated during the growing season. With the onset of spring, stocks are already depleted. With the onset of a thaw in winter, the plant can wake up and be active. Such a picture can be seen in cities during abnormally warm weather in December or January, the grass on the lawns begins to turn green again. Therefore, it is important feed trees and shrubs in autumn so that they have enough nutrients until spring. In winter, the plant loses moisture. If the winter is very windy, it may even die. To avoid this situation, it is recommended to water it in the autumn so that it has enough moisture.
Period shortening
If the cultivation is intended to produce greens, roots or stems, stimulate growth while slowing down fruiting. This the method is effective when growing potatoes, cabbage and other garden crops. This is explained by the fact that in these crops at the flowering stage, the fruits coarsen and lose their taste. The same thing happens with perennial horticultural crops; in the cold season, they must be stored in a cool room. This condition will help ensure an active flowering process, thereby inhibiting their growth. Suspension of growth allows you to save the crop for a long time.
Loading...