Apple tree planting and outdoor care for beginners

It would seem, what is the difficulty of caring for an apple tree? For many gardeners, the tree grows by itself and at the same time bears fruit. However, if you know how to properly plant a seedling and take care of it in the future, you can double the yield. We will talk about the intricacies of agricultural technology, some varieties and types in this article.

General information about the apple tree

On the territory of Russia, the culture has been cultivated since time immemorial; in the USSR, up to 8 million tons of apples were harvested annually, and this is only in industrial gardens! The tree attracts gardeners with its good winter hardiness, fruiting duration (up to 30 years), and taste of the fruit. And the shelf life is impressive: winter apples do not spoil until spring.

Currently, several types of apple trees are known:

• ordinary;
• semi-dwarf and dwarf;
• columnar.

Depending on the timing of ripening, the culture is divided into three groups:

1. Summer - ripen by mid to late September. The most famous varieties:

• White filling,
• Orlinka,
• Melba.

The disadvantage of varieties is a shelf life of 14 days (in the refrigerator for about a month).

2. Autumn - harvest from early to mid-September. A representative of this group:

• variety Medunitsa.

A feature of apple trees is an improvement in taste in the second week after removal from the tree. The shelf life is 2-3 months.

3. Winter - fruits are harvested from late September to early October. The most famous varieties of this group are

• Antonovka,
• Paping,
• Welsey,
• Semerenko (pictured).

There are other classifications that are not of practical interest to the amateur gardener, so we will not consider them.

How to plant apple seedlings

You have planted an apple tree and after a while the buds have blossomed. Most gardeners calm down on this, they say, the tree has taken root. In fact, this is not the case.The seedling has a supply of nutrients and strength, and therefore leaves appear. But the full survival of a young apple tree occurs only by the middle of next summer. The fruiting of the future garden by 80% depends on the observance of the rules of planting and care until complete survival, so we will analyze each item in detail.

How to choose a good apple tree sapling

First, ask the seller for the name of the variety, find out if it has certificates, if this crop is zoned in your region. This will protect you from purchasing a counterfeit product. If the seller was able to provide all the data on the planting material, proceed to the inspection:

1. Apple seedlings should not have caterpillar eggs, traces of disease and pests.
2. Serious damage to the bark, broken or dry branches are unacceptable. Minor scratches and wounds may occur.
3. An apple tree seedling should have a well-formed crown: 4-5 well-developed, evenly distributed skeletal branches. The stem and conductor are upright and stronger than other branches.
4. Roots at least 25-30 cm long, well developed, do not have a pronounced core. No signs of freezing and drying.

If you buy a seedling that does not meet the requirements, care after planting will cause unnecessary trouble, and the result will be unknown.

It is advisable to plant the tree immediately after purchase, but if this is not possible, protect the roots. Dip in a clay mash. Wrap them in burlap or thick paper overnight and moisten liberally. The structure of the roots is porous, therefore it dries quickly, which negatively affects the survival rate.

Where to grow an apple tree

If we talk about the regions, the apple tree feels good in almost any region of Russia. In the North and Siberia, it is recommended to plant dwarf, semi-dwarf and columnar trees in stanza culture. In other regions, including the Leningrad Region and Central Russia, you can grow an apple tree in any form.

The requirement to the landing site is small:

protection from cold northerly winds and the presence of sunlight.

Planting pit: how to properly prepare

Experienced gardeners recommend planting an apple tree in spring. In exceptional cases, planting can be done in the fall, but only in the Kuban and Crimea. At the same time, remember that the seedling may not survive the winter or take root badly in the future. Regardless of the planting time, prepare the place in the fall according to the following scheme:

1. Dig holes: for autumn planting in 2 months, for spring planting - before the onset of frost.
2. The pits are cone-shaped, the diameter in the middle is at least 1 meter, along the bottom - 40-50 cm, in a depth of 50-60 cm. Such a seat will provide the roots with space for rapid development.
3. It is advisable to sprinkle the grooves with the excavated soil by 2/3. Before landing, it will settle, but not compacted. You will get a kind of pillow on which the roots will feel comfortable. If you have clay soils, it is better not to cover with earth. In this case, the edges of the pit will be weathered, dry out, and vertical cracks will form on them. All this will ensure the flow of air to the roots.

An interesting way came up with amateur gardeners:

in the right place, drive in the stake indicating the seedling. Mark the edge of the hole along the radius, then remove the stake and start digging the soil. This approach allows you to arrange the seedling according to the chosen scheme.

Preparing for planting, feeding

Fertilization will create a supply of nutrients necessary to improve the survival rate and development of the apple tree seedling. Do not use fresh manure, which damages already weak roots. What fertilizers to use:

• humus and peat - to improve the structure of the soil, create colonies of beneficial microorganisms;
• superphosphate and potassium chloride - surface fertilization is useless, therefore it is better to lay it deep when planting;
• nitrophoska - the substance contains a lower dose of nitrogen, in comparison with other drugs, and an excess of nitrogen is harmful for the apple tree.

See the table for the dosage of the described fertilizers.

Light gray forest (kg / place)	Dark gray forest (kg / place)	Chernozem (kg / place)
Compost, peat	60-80	40-50	25-30	20
Humus	35-40	20-30	15-8	10
Superphosphate	0,4-0,6	0,9-1,2	0,5-0,7	0,3
Potassium salt	0,1-0,2	0,3-0,4	0,2-0,3	0,1-0,2
Nitrophoska	0,4-0,6	1,2-1,8	0,8-1	0,3-0,5

Nitrophoska and humus are indicated in the table as fertilizers replacing potassium-phosphorus and peat.

Mix the fertilizers with the excavated soil and fill it into the hole in the fall by 2/3 of its volume. If you have clay soil, mix the soil before planting, taking half of the excavated volume.

Planting a seedling: timing, depth, process description

The most favorable time for planting apple trees in the conditions of Central Russia and Siberia is spring. Autumn planting does not give any guarantees of the survival of seedlings, and is a ditch, and not the most successful one. But also in the spring time must be observed. They are different for each region, therefore, focus on the condition of the soil: as soon as the snow has melted, the top layer has warmed up and dried, start planting immediately. This is the most favorable time: the buds of the seedling have not yet begun to swell, and there is a lot of moisture in the soil.

Many gardeners are interested in the question, what is the optimal planting depth for an apple tree seedling? Focus on the location of the root collar, taking into account the soil settlement:

• black soil - 2-3 cm below the surface;
• light sandy - 5-6 cm below the topsoil.

Most sites recommend placing the root collar at ground level and are scared of the consequences of deepening. In fact, only a significant deepening of the roots (more than 8-15 cm) is dangerous for an apple tree. A slight overstatement of the seedling is permissible.

It is recommended to plant seedlings in a certain sequence:

1. Examine the seedling, cut dry, damaged branches and roots.
2. Soak the roots for 2 hours in water, then dip in a clay mumbler.
3. Place the seedling in the middle of the hole (do not forget to pre-fill with 2/3 of the volume of soil mixture), straighten the roots.
4. Fill in the hole by gently compacting the soil near the roots and stronger at the edges. The last, top layer should be loose!
5. Make an irrigation hole from the remaining soil, according to the schematic drawing below.

It is more convenient to plant with an assistant who will cover the roots while you are holding the seedling and monitor the location of the root collar.

Caring for an apple tree seedling after planting

First, cut the twigs to a third of their length. This will balance the metabolism of the plant, reduce the load on the roots, and improve their development.

The main care of an apple tree seedling after planting is watering and removing weeds. With weeds, everything is clear. And what is the water rate for one seedling?

Apple watering recommendations

The rule that each seedling needs 2 buckets of water is unreasonable and often disastrous. In fact, the amount of water is determined by several factors:

• the size of the landing pit;
• moisture and soil type;
• landing time.

If planting is done in the fall, you need 3-6 buckets of water per hole. In the spring, immediately when planting a seedling, one bucket is enough. In the future, adhere to the following watering scheme:

1. Spring planting on loamy soils - watering three times: on the first day, two weeks later, in July. The second and third irrigation - 2-3 buckets, depending on the condition of the soil.
2. Late planting in any soil, dry summer - two waterings in the spring, three - during the summer.
3. Sandy loam soils - 5-6 waterings.

From the second half of summer, when the amount of precipitation decreases, and the roots begin to develop vigorously, the irrigation rate should be doubled from the spring. In this case, it is necessary to expand the irrigation hole, and watering itself should be carried out in two stages with an interval of 1-2 hours.

If the autumn turned out to be dry, before preparing for winter, you need to do water-charging irrigation (the volume of water is 2 times higher than the spring norm). This will keep the roots from freezing in winter.

Other apple tree care jobs

Immediately after planting and watering the apple tree seedling, mulch the tree trunk circle.The best results are obtained by humus and peat: in this case, not only moisture in the soil will be preserved, but also protection of the soil from overheating by the sun's rays will turn out. A less successful, but acceptable option for mulch is sawdust and dry foliage.

In addition to mulching, agricultural technology in the open field consists in regular loosening. Flatten the watering hole two months after planting. In the future, if required for watering, it can be done again.

At the end of autumn, for young seedlings, make hilling with earth to a height of 20-25 cm. An additional layer of soil will allow the tree to better prepare for wintering and transfer it.

Agricultural technology for an adult apple tree is the same as for young seedlings. The only difference is in irrigation. There is no single recommendation in this case. In an adult tree, the root system is deep, so monitor the condition of the soil and do not allow it to dry out.

Care for dwarf, semi-dwarf, standard and columnar apple trees is the same as for ordinary species. Exception in feeding. In the first half of summer, simultaneously with watering, add ammonium nitrate at the rate of 20 g / 10 liters. Beginning in August, feed with potash fertilizers (40-50 g per tree).

A little about pruning and crown formation

You have already done the first pruning at planting, the second one is carried out in a year. Stick to a sparse tiered system, which is most accessible to a wide range of gardeners. Starting from the 15th year of the life of the apple tree, start anti-aging pruning. For an introduction to this technique, see the schematic drawing.

Perform sanitary pruning every fall after harvest. Cut out dry and diseased branches, as well as those that have broken under the weight of the fruit. If root growth appears, cut it out throughout the year.

If desired, from an ordinary apple tree, you can get standard forms, characterized by a higher trunk and a compact rounded crown.

For more information about pruning and shaping the crown of an apple tree, see

in this article

Reproduction of an apple tree and vaccination rules

It is possible to propagate an apple tree only in an indirect vegetative way, that is, by grafting:

• budding (by the kidney);
• copulation (cuttings).

Remember the basic rule: after each cut, the instrument must be disinfected. In addition, do not grasp the cut with your hands, so as not to infect. Forget about pruning shears, to inoculate an apple tree you will need:

• budding and grafting knives;
• disinfectant;
• garden pitch;
• insulating tape.

Let's consider each of the methods in more detail.

Reproduction of an apple tree by budding

Budding is carried out during the summer sap movement. In this case, the bark should be easily separated from the cambium. Two weeks before budding, prepare the stock: cut off all lateral shoots and peel the bark to a height of 20 cm. Before grafting the apple tree, wipe the trunk from the dirt with a clean cloth.

Cut the cuttings for the scion from the south side of the tree. Choose mature shoots, it is easy to identify them: when bending, a characteristic crackle is heard. Remove the leaves, leaving only 1cm stalks. Store cut cuttings in a cool, dark place wrapped in a damp cloth.

Ovaluate in the following sequence:

1. Cut a peephole from the middle of the cutting. Inoculation with a shield is shown in the figure below.
2. Make a T-cut on the west side of the rootstock. The length of the transverse incision is 1 cm, the lengthwise incision is 3 cm.
3. Gently peel back the edges of the bark at the intersection of the incisions.
4. Insert the flap so that the eyelet is about 1 cm below the cross-cut.
5. Press the rootstock bark firmly against the flap.
6. Using a garden knife, carefully remove the protruding part of the shield at the cross-cut.
7. Wrap the graft site tightly with insulating tape (sticky side out).

Often the grafting sites of the apple tree are damaged by birds. To prevent them from sitting in a place convenient for them, attach a vine bent in a semicircle to the stock.

Reproduction of an apple tree by copulation

For this method of propagation of an apple tree, it is better to use a split graft. For copulation to be successful, follow the rules:

1. Do not cut from tops and shoots older than a year.
2. Choose twigs on the south side of the tree.
3. The cut of the scion and rootstock should be smooth and of approximately the same length.
4. There must be a bud at the end of the stock. It will attract sap and accelerate the fusion of the cambium.
5. Wrap the vaccination site at short intervals.
6. Do not forget to treat the grafting site with garden varnish.

The very technique of grafting an apple tree into a split is extremely simple.

1. Wrap the rootstock tightly at a height of 10 cm from the top to avoid excessive splitting.
2. Split with a garden knife or screwdriver.
3. On a prepared cutting with 2-3 buds, make 2 oblique cuts 2.5 cm long opposite each other. You should have a wedge.
4. Insert the cutting into the stock so that the cambium layers match.
5. Lubricate the graft site with garden varnish and wrap with electrical tape.

In the future, regularly inspect the vaccinations, the next year, loosen the harness.

Diseases and pests of the apple tree, control measures

All the main diseases and pests of the apple tree, as well as control measures, see below (click with the mouse on the desired one)

• Scab
• Fruit rot
• Powdery mildew
• Cytosporosis
• Bacterial burn
• Black cancer

A bloom appears on the leaves, first light gray, then brown. The foliage falls off, cracks appear on the apples, the filling stops.	Spraying with preparations: Topaz 2 ml / 10 l Hom 40 g / 10 l

Brown spots on apples, cover the entire surface, after which the fruits fall off	Hom 40 g / lit, solution consumption per tree 6 l

A brown bloom appears on leaves, young shoots and buds, with the formation of small dark dots. The foliage turns yellow, falls off. Shoot growth and fruiting stops.	Speed ​​2 ml / 10 l of water. Treatment by spraying the tree.

Ulcers are brownish-red in color, spreading along the trunk and branches of the tree.	In case of swelling of the kidneys - treatment with Hom (4 g / l), before flowering, a solution of copper sulfate 5 g / l, after flowering again with Hom in the same dosage.

Appears in the middle of summer, characterized by blackening of the foliage.	Cutting off affected branches, treating wounds with garden pitch

There are multiple dark spots on the leaves, the bark is cracking, on the apples there are foci of rot.	Removal of affected branches, spraying a healthy trunk and foliage with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid

Apple tree pests and measures to combat them (click with the mouse on the right one)

• Apple moth
• Apple blossom beetle
• Hawthorn

The pest caterpillars bite into the fruit, get to the seeds and feed on them. The most common pest.	Cleaning the top layer of the bark in the spring, followed by burning the shavings. Digging of near-trunk circles. In June, tie traps (burlap, corrugated cardboard) around the trunks, remove and burn in the fall. If there are a lot of caterpillars, spray the tree with karbofos 20 g / 10 l of water.

The beetle is up to 5 mm in size, brown in color. Eats kidneys in spring.	Spraying with 0.2% chlorophos

Large butterfly laying eggs on the outside of a leaf. The hatched caterpillars eat the leaf, leaving streaks, braiding the surface with cobwebs.	Spraying with entobacterin 100 g / 10 l of water

• Apple sawfly
• Apple honeydew
• Green aphid

In the second week after flowering, worm-like ovaries are found.	Spraying with trichlorometaphos (20 g / 10 l) before flowering

The parasite infects young leaves and buds, and sap droplets can be seen. The damaged parts of the tree are crumbling.	Treatment of a tree before flowering with 3% nitrophene solution

Damages all green parts of the tree, leaving behind a transparent slime. Ants gather on it - this is the most striking sign.	Spraying the tree until the bud swelling phase with 2% nitrophene solution. An important condition: the air temperature during processing must be at least 50C

Harvesting and storage

The most important thing when harvesting is not to skip ripening. It is quite simple to determine that the apples are "ripe": the fruits are covered with a light waxy bloom and are easily separated from the fruit branches.

1. Examine the ground under the tree and remove all the carrion.
2. Wrap the harvest buckets with burlap or other thick cloth from the inside so that the apples do not wrinkle.
3. Start harvesting from the lower branches, preferably 2 days before final ripening.
4. Pick off fruits with a stalk.

The shelf life depends on the variety of apples, we wrote about this at the beginning of the article. If you do not plan on further processing apples, but want to keep them until spring, wrap each fruit in newspaper and carefully place it in a cardboard box. Place newspaper between each layer as well. Store apples in this way at a temperature no higher than 50C, in a dark place. A cellar, basement, or any other unheated room in the house will do. As a rule, the fruits are stored until mid-late March, without losing their taste.

You can pin the material by watching the video.

Conclusion

The correct choice of variety, planting and care at the initial stage of development is half the success of growing an apple tree. There are certain rules that will help you avoid common mistakes in this matter.

Among fruit crops, the apple tree is one of the most popular. In cities, in summer cottages and in the wild, you can find this plant. All new methods of planting and care are being invented, new varieties of apple trees are being developed. And this is no coincidence, the fruits of this tree are very useful and easy to store. Therefore, in this article, we will take a closer look at planting and caring for young apple trees.

Landing rules

If you are the happy owner of a large summer cottage, you can safely choose medium and tall apple trees. Such varieties can be up to eight meters in height, and their lifespan is usually about sixty years.

So that the trees, when they grow up, do not interfere with each other with crowns, they should be planted at a distance of at least five meters from each other.

Apple varieties of medium and small growth can be placed a little closer to each other - with an interval of 3-4 meters. Such varieties bear less fruit than tall ones, but you can place more of them on the site.

For planting, it is very important to know the level of groundwater in your area. If the waters pass too close to the surface, they can seriously damage the roots. The yield of the damaged tree is low, it tolerates frost with difficulty, and dies rather quickly.

The higher the tree, the deeper its root system lies. In tall species, the roots go two and a half meters deep into the ground.
When choosing a seedling before planting, special attention should be paid to the condition of the branches and roots. They should be elastic, neat in shape, without growths and ulcers.

Soil preparation

Apple trees are planted in autumn or early spring. As a rule, in the year of planting, the land under the apple tree is not fertilized. But watering the seedlings should be carried out regularly and quite often.

If you decide to plant a tree in the fall, you need to do this a month before frost. Usually, planting takes place from September 20 to October 15. Saplings purchased after October 20 are buried in, and planted in spring - by the end of April.

Loamy soil types are best suited for apple trees. If the soil in your area is clayey, you can add compost, peat, or coarse river sand to it. This is done to improve aeration, because the lack of air negatively affects the condition of the tree. If the soil is sandy, then it is necessary to dilute it with peat, humus or compost.

After the soil is prepared, they proceed to digging holes for planting.

They are usually about 70 cm deep and about a meter in diameter. The upper fertile layer is carefully folded on one side, and the lower, extracted from the depths, on the other. It is better to dig holes in advance - 7 days before planting.

After you have made a depression in the ground, you need to loosen its bottom.For this, you can use a narrow, sharp shovel or crowbar. The tool should be immersed about 25 cm deep. There is no need to get the soil. You can pour walnut shells on top.

Further, the humus layer removed from the top should be laid out on the bottom of the pit. After that, it is necessary to lay out fertilizers: potassium sulfate in the amount of 4 tablespoons, superphosphate - 1 glass, wood ash in the amount of 10 tbsp. l., as well as about three buckets of dung.

When you put all this in the pit, you need to thoroughly mix its contents. You can add some fertile soil to make the hole half full. Then mix everything again.

After that, the pit is covered with a slide with the same earth. The result is a mound, about 20 cm high. A wooden peg is placed in its center (you can simply hammer it in with a hammer) 40-50 cm high above ground level.

This is followed by landing.

Landing

First, the seedling needs to be installed from the north of the peg above the mound. Next, you need to straighten all of its roots. It is most convenient to do this together.

As the roots spread out, you need to lightly sprinkle them with soil and lightly tamp the embankments.

After all the roots are in the ground, the seedling must be fixed. It is tied to a peg with a plastic twine in a figure-eight knot.

This is followed by abundant watering. So much liquid is needed so that it goes into the pit - about five buckets.

The next step is mulching. A five-centimeter layer of mulch - peat or humus is applied on top of the soil. This procedure is especially important when growing a columnar apple tree.

After a week, the apple trees need to be watered again.

As already mentioned, the condition of apple trees is strongly influenced by groundwater. If they run too close to the ground, young apple trees growing in this area may die. To solve this problem, special grooves are made to drain groundwater.

And the seedlings themselves are planted on the hills. Such hills can be created artificially. To do this, dig up a part of the garden (three meters in diameter) to the depth of the shovel blade, then scatter fertilizers (mineral and organic). Further, the compositions must be carefully leveled with a rake, and a layer of fertile soil should be laid on top (up to 70 cm).

Young apple trees are planted according to the same principle that is used on the plains.

In the first year of growing apple trees, vegetable crops can be planted between them. Well suited for these purposes: peas, radishes, beans, beans. The root system of these vegetables is shallow, and minimal care is needed in both autumn and spring. Also, these plants help the growth of the apple tree.

In the summer, it is easy to care for these plants in the open field - water them in a timely manner, treat them from pests and feed them.

If you want variety, you can plant a mixed garden - the apple tree coexists well with many crops, for example with a pear. It is convenient to look after such plantings - the scheme for these crops is about the same. The only negative is that many diseases are dangerous for both species and are easily transferred from tree to tree. Therefore, if, for example, problems arise with a pear, the apple tree has to be saved as well.

Care

Taking care of apple trees is easy, but you need to do it almost all year round. In the spring, pruning of branches is mandatory. Thus, they form the crown and regulate the amount of the future harvest. Excess, as well as dry and diseased branches should be removed. Such pruning is done at least once a year so that the branches grow in the right direction, the crown does not thicken, and the tree has enough light. The latter is needed primarily for the prevention of diseases.

For a columnar apple tree, crown-forming pruning is especially important. In the first year, in spring, the side branches are cut into two buds so that they do not take energy from the tree for their growth.

In addition to pruning branches, spraying of trees is carried out in spring. The procedures begin at the end of April, when the buds open.The tree is sprayed with drugs against pests and various fungicides for diseases.

When the buds begin to protrude, spraying is carried out again.

In the spring, it is also necessary to feed the plantings. For this, urea is usually used (half a tablespoon per square meter) or saltpeter with ash (one and a half tablespoons and 2 glasses per square meter, respectively).

In addition, in the spring, you can add a solution of boric acid (per square meter - half a gram) and copper sulfate (2 grams per square meter) to the soil.

The grass around adult apple trees is mowed as it grows, nitrogen fertilizing is done and well watered so that it does not take useful trace elements and moisture from the tree.

And for young apple trees, especially in their first year of life, it is important to keep the soil under black steam in the spring. In the summer, you can sow leaf crops in order to embed them in the ground in the fall. Such green manure plants absorb excess nitrogen from the soil, which only prevents the trees from switching to winter mode. In autumn and winter, plants will decompose in the ground, and by next spring they will turn into a nutritious substance that will provide additional nutrition for fruit trees.

It is also important to provide high-quality watering to your garden, especially if the weather is hot and dry. Can be watered around the crown using the furrow method.

The columnar apple needs constant drip irrigation. And twice a month, in spring and summer, you need to arrange showers for the trees. In the fall, plantings should be fed with superphosphate, compost, ash, potassium chloride, dolomite. If the soil is acidic, it is necessary to add lime and carefully dig up the soil around the trunk, being careful not to damage the roots. You can dig a little deeper around the crown. And if in the summer you planted green manure, it's time to embed them in the ground.

In the first year, it is recommended to feed the tree with nitrogen fertilizers. In total, there are five such dressings per year: one root (in early spring), two foliar (in May), two foliar (in June).

In the fall, tree trunks are whitewashed. This procedure helps protect the tree from diseases and rodents.

As you can see, planting and caring for an apple tree is easy. Therefore, if you do not have an apple tree on the site yet, this is an excellent argument in favor of its appearance!

Often novice gardeners hear that the apple tree is an unpretentious plant and that care for it should be minimal.

But experts in their field can quickly convince you otherwise: you need to take care of the apple tree all the timeso that the tree stays healthy and delights you with its delicious fruits.

And proper care begins with planting.

If you make mistakes at this stage, the young tree may simply not take root in the future. Let's figure out together how to correctly plant apple trees in the fall.

Can apple trees be planted in autumn?

The first question for beginners is: "How and when to plant apple trees in the fall." It is not devoid of logic, because soon it will be cold, and winters in our latitudes are too harsh.

But, oddly enough, to do planting an apple tree is advised in the fall... However, one should not forget about the peculiarities of each individual region.

In the regions of the Non-Black Earth Region it is better to choose the early spring months, for the Ukrainian regions the period of late summer - early autumn will be ideal, and the Ural, Siberian and Belarusian gardeners are trying to complete this business as early as possible.

Planting an apple tree in the fall is considered the optimal time.

Why is autumn considered the right time?

This time of the year is quite humid. The rainy season usually lasts until mid-November. At the same time, the air temperature is high enough to start planting a tree.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to plant an apple tree at least a month before the onset of frost, when the foliage has already completely fallen out.

Even a slight minus temperature negatively affects the development of the plant's root system.

The fact is that before the onset of winter, trees hibernate, all biological processes in them slow down.In this state, the seedlings are better able to tolerate digging and "relocation" to a new place.

It is imperative to give a young tree time to adapt in new conditions before frost hits.

The most important advantage of autumn planting is that the tree will have time to "settle" in the soil, its root system will get stronger, and in the spring the apple tree will already begin to develop actively.

Site preparation

Planting any tree begins with preparing a suitable place... It is worth taking care of a plot for an apple tree in advance, no later than two to three months in advance (it is best to do this in spring). Ideal will be the area where fruit trees have not grown before.

The depth of the pit is of particular importance for the apple tree..

If the planting site is too deep, then the air will no longer flow to the root system in sufficient quantities. In this case, the roots may even start to rot.

A shallow hole will also bring only problems: exposed roots will begin to deteriorate due to exposure to low temperatures.

Watch a video about preparing a place for planting an apple tree:

To form the pit correctly, follow these rules in the sequence below:

1. Carefully remove the sod, then the topsoil is the most fertile. Fold them separately.
2. Remove the next 20-30 cm of soil.
3. Dig up everything and carefully align.
4. The depth of the resulting hole should be approximately half a meter, and the width should not be more than a meter.
5. Place the turf on the bottom (grass side down). This is necessary so that the grass, microorganisms and other "population" of this layer rotted and turned into humus, thereby increasing the quality and quantity of nutrients for the young tree.
6. Prepare wood ash, leaf compost, stale cow dung in advance (it can be replaced with horse manure, but in no case with bird droppings). Mix these ingredients well. They must be placed in the pit, continuing to mix thoroughly to ensure sufficient looseness and moisture.

   Planting an apple tree in a prepared place.

7. Be sure to put a mark so that after a while you can find a prepared place.
   Be attentive to the peculiarities of the soil. If it has a clay texture, do not dig too deep a hole. Maximum - 30 cm. But make it wide enough (up to 1.5 meters). So nothing will prevent the root system from growing in breadth.
8. Be sure to provide a normal flow of air and moisture into the pit. To do this, you need to replace the clay with sand and humus.

IMPORTANT! It is advisable to avoid clay, loamy and sandy soil for planting.

Groundwater bedding is also important.... Ideal would be the conditions in which groundwater will be located no closer than 2.5 meters.

If unfavorable conditions cannot be avoided on the site, it is better to plant a tree on a small mound, the height of which will be about half a meter, and the width - about a meter.

These mounds are made from turf and topsoil.

Sapling selection

The main criterion for choosing a seedling is its health... Buying a young plant from an unverified person is a big risk. A suitable place to buy is a special nursery.

It is best to choose a plant for planting no older than two years.

Before the purchase ask experienced gardeners which varieties do best in this climate... Give them preference.

Pay special attention to the roots... They must be free of signs of damage, mold or mildew. A healthy tree usually has many roots. They are usually of different lengths. This is a normal feature.

If you think the roots are too long, don't worry, they can be trimmed slightly.

Smooth (this means, without any suspicious damage) the bark should be dark brown - this is the natural color... The crown of a young tree should already consist of more than 4 branches. The graft should be located approximately 5 cm from the root.

Correct planting of an apple tree in autumn

Before proceeding directly to planting, the tree must be placed in water for a day. This is necessary to avoid root drying.

Take a close look at the bark of the apple tree.

The place where the color of the bark is slightly darker than in other places is the root collar, which should be slightly higher in the ground level than the rhizome.

When they plant an apple tree the neck must be covered with earth a little. However, over time, the soil subsides and this place is exposed.

It is impossible to cover the vaccination site with earth.... It should be raised at least 5-9 cm. It is prohibited to tamp the ground during planting, because this will interfere with the free access of oxygen to the root.

Immediately after planting, you need to tie the tree to the pegs.... Their number depends on climatic conditions. The main thing is to ensure the safety of the young tree and protect it from breakage.

Pay attention to the color of the bark of the seedling.

For this you need to use either wet rags or films so as not to harm the bark. Even in rainy weather, the seedling needs to be watered after planting.

IMPORTANT! 4 meters is the ideal distance for an apple tree with another fruit tree.

How to plant with a closed root system?

A closed-root apple tree is a seedling bought directly in a pot or container. Such a plant requires a special attitude towards itself.

What are the rules for planting an apple tree in the fall in this case?

1. Necessary prepare the pit (you need to follow the rules above). Its size should not exceed half a meter in depth and a meter in width.
2. The bottom layer, which is not fertile, must be removed... Instead, fill the hole with topsoil, ash and fertilizers (optional).
3. In this hole, you need to make a hole the size of a pot or container.
4. Turn the pot upside down. Carefully, while holding the seedling together with the earth, remove the container. To make it easier, water the plant first. This will minimize the risk of root trauma.
5. Place the seedling together with the ground in the hole, so that the level of the soil from the pot coincides with the level of the soil in the pit or slightly rises above it. It is impossible to fill up the soil from the pot, so as not to displace the correct position of the root collar.
6. Place a peg next to the pit to tie up the sapling.

Tie the seedling to a peg.

1. Fill the space between the hole and the soil from the pot with soil, watering abundantly.
2. Lightly tamp the ground around the perimeter of the hole with your feet (this must be done very carefully, the toe should look at the seedling itself).

Fertilizer question

When planting an apple tree in the fall, it is useless to use a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers. They are best applied in the spring when you need to stimulate plant growth.

Fresh manure (horse or cow) should be applied to the very bottom of the planting pit and separated from the root system with a layer of soil. But it is best to use already rotted manure in combination with compost, ash and sand.

IMPORTANT! Fresh manure should not be abused when planting young trees. Getting into the ground, it releases ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, thereby poisoning the rhizome.

Of the mineral fertilizers, it is best to stop at phosphorus and potash.

Convenient also buy fertilizers with the name "Autumn"... They usually contain sufficient amounts of phosphorus, potassium and a small proportion of nitrogen.

Very it is important for autumn planting to reduce soil acidity... This is facilitated by the introduction of dolomite flour, slaked lime, and meadow marl into the soil.

It is impossible to use these substances together with phosphorus, because they make it difficult to dissolve.

If you are going to set up a garden on a new plot of bad soil, start fertilize the soil at least one year before the start of tree planting.

It is best to start domestication in 2-3 years.

Watering

When we plant an apple tree in the fall, we need to understand that the first watering is most important for the further development of the plant.It not only provides the root system with sufficient moisture, but also compacts the soil.

Pouring water in one stream directly under the seedling is very harmful. For these purposes, use a simple watering can.

If the first watering should be abundant, then do not abuse the amount of moisture in the future. It provokes the appearance of a crust near the rhizome, blocks access to oxygen.

Use a watering can for watering.

IMPORTANT! It is best to water a young apple tree in the evening.

Correct care

In addition to the question of how to properly plant an apple tree in the fall, the question arises of further caring for the seedling. Young apple trees require that they regularly watered and pruned branches.
Pruning is necessary so that the tree begins to bear fruit faster and is more resistant to frost.

When planting at any time of the year cut the apple tree only in spring.

The first time the plant should be pruned in the second year after planting. This is done in early spring, before the buds begin to swell. At this time, you need to trim the crown and remove the dried branches.

New branches will begin to grow faster and the yield of the plant will increase.

Mulching is also of great importance in caring for a young tree. It is best to do this with stale horse or cow dung or humus.

It is not necessary to cover the newly planted plant with a large layer of manure. A small amount, covered with mowed grass or straw on top with a layer of 5 cm, will be enough.

Under this layer, ideal conditions for life and reproduction of earthworms will be created. and other living organisms that will provide good conditions for the apple tree.

Features of planting in frost

It happens that the seedling was bought too late. Many are tempted to cut prices. According to the rules, all deadlines have been missed. Is it possible in this case and how to plant an apple tree in the fall in frost? Are there any technologies for planting a tree at low temperatures?

Important! Experts advise that it is better to postpone all activities until spring, and at this time make sure that the seedling is viable by the onset of the warm season.

You can store a young plant in a cool cellar. To do this, you need to place the root system in a container with peat or sawdust. In the room itself, the temperature should not drop below zero. If you water the apple tree at least once a week, you can plant it in early spring.

Digging in apple seedlings until spring.

In snowy regions, it is also possible to store the seedlings under a sufficient layer of snow (assuming the seedling is well packed). Snow will keep the temperature from dropping around the plant below its vital level.

How to plant an apple tree in the fall: a step-by-step guide

1. Place the seedling in the ground shortly after purchase, so that avoid drying out the root system.
2. The belief that a large seedling will take root better is a myth. In fact, they adapt much worse to new conditions.
3. Trees should not be planted not in a properly prepared hole. Be sure to use fertilizers. However, mineral fertilizers should not be abused. There is a risk of burning young, fragile roots.
4. After planting, the young plant must be watered immediately. This is necessary not only in order to saturate the tree with nutrients, but in order to compact the soil to the required state. For this purpose, you must use a watering can. If the season is not rainy, the tree should be watered regularly (at least once a week) before frost. Until the soil in the planting pit is compacted enough, you need to use watering cans. Only then can you start using hose irrigation.
5. Usually apple trees are recommended to be planted at a distance of at least 4 meters from each other. For low-growing trees, this distance can be reduced to 3 meters.

Features for different regions

We already mentioned at the beginning that the peculiarities of how to plant an apple tree in autumn largely depend on climatic conditions.

• In outskirts of Moscow it is best to plant apple tree seedlings in the fall from the third decade of September to the end of October. In November, frosts may already begin in these places, and for young plants they are often destructive.
• Leningrad region known for the poverty of its soils, so special attention should be paid to fertilizing the planting pit. The best time for gardening activities is late September - early October.
• In central Russia you also need to take into account the time of the onset of the first frost. Mid September - the first two weeks of October will also be ideal. However, due to the weather, it is sometimes better to postpone the planting of the apple tree in the spring.

Landing dates depending on the region.

• In the south of Russia this period can extend to early November. Always keep an eye on the weather forecast though. Nobody cancels the sharp onset of cold weather.
• Frosty Siberian winters it is very difficult for young trees to survive. In these regions, it is better to postpone the planting of an apple tree until the beginning of spring.
• No less destructive and Ural climate for seedlings... Most likely, they simply will not have time to adapt to the new land, and the early frost will destroy them.

Advice! Experienced gardeners recommend that planting apple trees in autumn in Belarus should also be completed as early as possible. It is advisable to complete the entire process by mid-September.

Ukraine is famous not only for its fertile soils, but also for the favorable conditions for the autumn planting of apple trees. Better autumn seedlings than spring ones will take root in the southern regions of the country.

Selection of varieties

Columnar apple trees, which appeared some 40 years ago, thanks to the efforts of breeders, are very popular among gardeners.

Like other types of fruit trees, such apple trees are recommended to be planted in spring or autumn (no later than the end of September).

The survival rate of dwarf apple trees also depends on the planting time. In the fall, such seedlings need to be replanted when growth partially stops and some leaves fall off.

Particular attention must be paid to ensure that the roots of the tree do not remain exposed for a long time in the air. Because of this, they can dry out. Otherwise, the standard rules should be followed.

Ousually apple trees are planted with two-year-old seedlings, however, one-year-olds can take root well.

To do this, they need to be booked. For autumn planting, this procedure is carried out in the spring.

Instead of a conclusion

Autumn planting is considered more profitable... In nurseries at this time the largest selection of material: in the fall, seedlings better tolerate digging due to the onset of hibernation.

Such a fit will bring less trouble. For example, you do not need to worry too much about watering - they are often limited to one, the rest is already the concern of nature itself.

The roots of a young tree continue to grow at temperatures above 4 ° C... In the spring, such seedlings will begin to develop earlier than a week for 2-3 spring apple trees.

Autumn planting is also good because it frees up time for the gardener for other things, which usually accumulate quite a lot by the spring period.

In the same time you need to be careful in choosing the time to start work... If you plant a tree too late, there is a chance that it will not survive the winter.

Young apple trees need to be tied well, because severe weather conditions (blizzards, gusty winds, etc.) can injure a fragile plant and nullify all your efforts.

Advice! Novice summer residents are advised to additionally take care of the safety of their site. There are sad cases of theft of seedlings during the absence of the owners. Additionally, young plants need to be protected from rodents and other pests.

We hope that after reading our recommendation, the question of how to properly plant apple trees in the fall has become clearer for you. Ask questions in the comments!

Useful videos

See how to plant an apple tree in autumn video from an experienced gardener:

Details of how the apple tree should be planted in the fall video:

Video about planting an apple tree, general principles:

By observing all the rules, you can grow a healthy tree that will delight you with a wonderful harvest every year. Pay special attention to watering and fertilizing the soil. Be attentive and patient - and the apple tree will delight you for a long time.

The correct choice of variety, planting and care at the initial stage of development is half the success of growing an apple tree. There are certain rules that will help you avoid common mistakes in this matter.

Among fruit crops, the apple tree is one of the most popular. In cities, in summer cottages and in the wild, you can find this plant. All new methods of planting and care are being invented, new varieties of apple trees are being developed. And this is no coincidence, the fruits of this tree are very useful and easy to store. Therefore, in this article, we will take a closer look at planting and caring for young apple trees.

Landing rules

If you are the happy owner of a large summer cottage, you can safely choose medium and tall apple trees. Such varieties can be up to eight meters in height, and their lifespan is usually about sixty years.

So that the trees, when they grow up, do not interfere with each other with crowns, they should be planted at a distance of at least five meters from each other.

Apple varieties of medium and small growth can be placed a little closer to each other - with an interval of 3-4 meters. Such varieties bear less fruit than tall ones, but you can place more of them on the site.

For planting, it is very important to know the level of groundwater in your area. If the waters pass too close to the surface, they can seriously damage the roots. The yield of the damaged tree is low, it tolerates frost with difficulty, and dies rather quickly.

The higher the tree, the deeper its root system lies. In tall species, the roots go two and a half meters deep into the ground.
When choosing a seedling before planting, special attention should be paid to the condition of the branches and roots. They should be elastic, neat in shape, without growths and ulcers.

Soil preparation

Apple trees are planted in autumn or early spring. As a rule, in the year of planting, the land under the apple tree is not fertilized. But watering the seedlings should be carried out regularly and quite often.

If you decide to plant a tree in the fall, you need to do this a month before frost. Usually, planting takes place from September 20 to October 15. Saplings purchased after October 20 are buried in, and planted in spring - by the end of April.

Loamy soil types are best suited for apple trees. If the soil in your area is clayey, you can add compost, peat, or coarse river sand to it. This is done to improve aeration, because the lack of air negatively affects the condition of the tree. If the soil is sandy, then it is necessary to dilute it with peat, humus or compost.

After the soil is prepared, they proceed to digging holes for planting.

They are usually about 70 cm deep and about a meter in diameter. The upper fertile layer is carefully folded on one side, and the lower, extracted from the depths, on the other. It is better to dig holes in advance - 7 days before planting.

After you have made a depression in the ground, you need to loosen its bottom. For this, you can use a narrow, sharp shovel or crowbar. The tool should be immersed approximately 25 cm deep. There is no need to get the soil. You can pour walnut shells on top.

Further, on the bottom of the pit, the humus layer removed from the top should be laid out. After that, it is necessary to lay out fertilizers: potassium sulfate in the amount of 4 tablespoons, superphosphate - 1 glass, wood ash in the amount of 10 tbsp. l., as well as about three buckets of dung.

When you put all this in the pit, you need to thoroughly mix its contents. You can add some fertile soil to make the hole half full. Then mix everything again.

After that, the pit is covered with a slide with the same earth. The result is a mound, about 20 cm high. A wooden peg is placed in its center (you can simply hammer it in with a hammer) 40-50 cm high above ground level.

This is followed by landing.

Landing

First, the seedling needs to be installed from the north of the peg above the mound. Next, you need to straighten all of its roots. It is most convenient to do this together.

As the roots spread out, you need to lightly sprinkle them with soil and lightly tamp the embankments.

After all the roots are in the ground, the seedling must be fixed. It is tied to a peg with a plastic twine in a figure-eight knot.

This is followed by abundant watering. So much liquid is needed so that it goes into the pit - about five buckets.

The next step is mulching. A five-centimeter layer of mulch - peat or humus is applied on top of the soil. This procedure is especially important when growing a columnar apple tree.

After a week, the apple trees need to be watered again.

As already mentioned, the condition of apple trees is strongly influenced by groundwater. If they run too close to the ground, young apple trees growing in this area may die. To solve this problem, special grooves are made to drain groundwater.

And the seedlings themselves are planted on the hills. Such hills can be created artificially. To do this, dig up a part of the garden (three meters in diameter) to the depth of the shovel blade, then scatter fertilizers (mineral and organic). Further, the compositions must be carefully leveled with a rake, and a layer of fertile soil should be laid on top (up to 70 cm).

Young apple trees are planted according to the same principle that is used on the plains.

In the first year of growing apple trees, vegetable crops can be planted between them. Well suited for these purposes: peas, radishes, beans, beans. The root system of these vegetables is shallow, and minimal care is needed in both autumn and spring. Also, these plants help the growth of the apple tree.

In the summer, it is easy to care for these plants in the open field - water them in a timely manner, treat them from pests and feed them.

If you want variety, you can plant a mixed garden - the apple tree coexists well with many crops, for example with a pear. It is convenient to look after such plantings - the scheme for these crops is about the same. The only negative is that many diseases are dangerous for both species and are easily transferred from tree to tree. Therefore, if, for example, problems arise with a pear, the apple tree has to be saved as well.

Care

Taking care of apple trees is easy, but you need to do it almost all year round. In the spring, pruning of branches is mandatory. Thus, they form the crown and regulate the amount of the future harvest. Excess, as well as dry and diseased branches should be removed. Such pruning is done at least once a year so that the branches grow in the right direction, the crown does not thicken, and the tree has enough light. The latter is needed primarily for the prevention of diseases.

For a columnar apple tree, crown-forming pruning is especially important. In the first year, in spring, the side branches are cut into two buds so that they do not take energy from the tree for their growth.

In addition to pruning branches, spraying of trees is carried out in spring. The procedures begin at the end of April, when the buds open. The tree is sprayed with drugs against pests and various fungicides for diseases.

When the buds begin to protrude, spraying is carried out again.

In the spring, it is also necessary to feed the plantings. For this, urea is usually used (half a tablespoon per square meter) or saltpeter with ash (one and a half tablespoons and 2 glasses per square meter, respectively).

In addition, in the spring, you can add a solution of boric acid (per square meter - half a gram) and copper sulfate (2 grams per square meter) to the soil.

The grass around adult apple trees is mowed as it grows, nitrogen fertilizing is done and well watered so that it does not take useful trace elements and moisture from the tree.

And for young apple trees, especially in their first year of life, it is important to keep the soil under black steam in the spring. In the summer, you can sow leaf crops in order to embed them in the ground in the fall. Such green manure plants absorb excess nitrogen from the soil, which only prevents the trees from switching to winter mode. In autumn and winter, plants will decompose in the ground, and by next spring they will turn into a nutritious substance that will provide additional nutrition for fruit trees.

It is also important to provide high-quality watering to your garden, especially if the weather is hot and dry. Can be watered around the crown using the furrow method.

The columnar apple needs constant drip irrigation. And twice a month, in spring and summer, you need to arrange showers for the trees. In the fall, plantings should be fed with superphosphate, compost, ash, potassium chloride, dolomite. If the soil is acidic, it is necessary to add lime and carefully dig up the soil around the trunk, being careful not to damage the roots. You can dig a little deeper around the crown. And if in the summer you planted green manure, it's time to embed them in the ground.

In the first year, it is recommended to feed the tree with nitrogen fertilizers. In total, there are five such dressings per year: one root (in early spring), two foliar (in May), two foliar (in June).

In the fall, tree trunks are whitewashed. This procedure helps protect the tree from diseases and rodents.

As you can see, planting and caring for an apple tree is easy. Therefore, if you do not have an apple tree on the site yet, this is an excellent argument in favor of its appearance!

Determining the most successful time for planting an apple tree is perhaps one of the popular topics. In many regions of Russia, summer residents and gardeners are trying to plant several varieties of fruit trees, with different ripening periods, so that apples are present on the table from late spring to late autumn. To increase the yield of an apple tree, it is recommended to pay special attention to the choice of a site when planting, preparing the land and a seedling, do not forget about constant care.

The choice of the best period for planting a plant in open ground depends on climatic and weather conditions, variety and growing method. The best periods and methods of planting a plant will be discussed in the article. A detailed description is presented in the photo and video at the end of the article.

Choosing a season for planting an apple tree

In order for the seedling to take root faster and better on the site, it is necessary to provide it with peace. In the cold season, in particular in winter, the trees fall asleep. But planting a plant in frozen ground is unacceptable. Therefore, it is best to choose the spring period, when sap flow from roots to buds has not yet occurred, or autumn, when this process has already ended. Additional information is needed to clarify the exact dates.

Landing times by region

In order to exclude the possibility of a negative effect of cold soil on the root or drying of branches and buds during a drought period, it is necessary to plant an apple tree only in heated soil at an average air temperature. Recommended periods for transferring the plant to open ground in areas with different climatic conditions:

• In the northern regions of Russia: in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Leningrad region, it is best to transplant a plant into open ground from the end of April to the beginning of the second half of May. This spring period is optimal, since the root system will strengthen during this time and subsequently the apple tree will not suffer from temperature changes. Planting trees in the fall in these climatic zones can lead to the death of the apple tree from frost, even with proper care.
• In the regions of the middle zone, including in the Moscow region, it is recommended to plant apple trees in spring and autumn. The spring period is considered the most successful, because planting in winter can lead to freezing of the root system and the entire plant, since winters in these areas are characterized by frequent temperature changes and strong winds. If there is a “warm” winter ahead with an abundant amount of snow, you can transfer the shoot to open ground from late September to mid-October. Three weeks after the scheduled date, severe frosts begin, so it is strictly forbidden to plant an apple tree later.
• In the southern regions, planting can be carried out both in spring and autumn.Closer to the north, it is best to replant shoots in the spring, which lasts from mid-April to mid-May. And in more southern ones - in autumn, no later than mid-October.

Apple tree planting weather

In order to plant a plant in the optimal period, it is necessary to take into account not only climatic conditions, but also the weather. Before planting an apple tree in the spring, you need to check if it has warmed up enough.

The check can start from mid-April. Carefully observe whether the shovel enters the soil easily. If it is light and the soil is soft, the apple tree can be planted.

Advice! If the bayonet is hard to enter and bends, then you should not move the plant, since the ground is not yet ready.

In the autumn, the soil is still warm, so you should not plant the apple tree ahead of time. Planting early in well-heated soil can result in the plant's roots not taking root. It is recommended to plant seedlings in open ground when leaves begin to fall from the trees. If you still had to transplant the plant at the end of summer, then you should carefully follow all the rules of care regarding watering and feeding. It is necessary to transplant the apple tree in the summer along with an earthen lump so as not to damage the root system.

Planting work is best done on a calm, cloudy day. The high air temperature will dry out the seedling, and the wind can break it. In the spring, it is best to choose the evening time for planting, since in the morning the soil is cold, and during the day it warms up.

Apple tree seedlings

When choosing a variety, it is necessary to take into account that its features will affect the period in which the plant should be planted and the rules for care.

• Age. In the spring, it is best to transplant young seedlings, not older than 2 years. Older plants are best planted in the fall. It is recommended to replant large apple trees at the end of autumn, because at this time the growing season of the plant stops. This is necessary to protect against death when changing the site.
• Roots. A plant sold with open roots will thrive best in mild climates. For the owner of land plots near St. Petersburg, in the Urals and Siberia, it is best to purchase an apple tree in any container.
• Grade. In the spring, columnar apple trees are planted, since they have developed roots. During the period of active growth of the plant, the roots will take root well in the soil, so in winter it will be necessary to insulate it. Planting of dwarf apple trees and semi-dwarf varieties follows the same scheme, since the root system is as well developed as that of ordinary apple trees, these varieties are very demanding on planting dates.

When choosing a seedling, do not stop at tall trees. The root system of large plants is severely injured, since in nurseries where apple trees are grown, they are taken out of the ground using a special mechanism. Large branches of such plants should be cut off immediately after planting, otherwise they will die.

Advice! It is better to opt for small one-year or two-year-old seedlings, since their roots are much more compact.

When buying seedlings from random sellers or on the street, you should be aware of the high probability of acquiring an unvaccinated and unzoned plant. Therefore, it is best to make a purchase in a specialized store or nursery, where various varieties are grown specifically for a specific region, differing in their yield, winter hardiness, and drought resistance.

Watch the video! 100% seedling survival rate

Preparing the landing site

There is a misconception that the apple tree takes root and yields a good harvest in any area. However, this culture needs:

• Sunlight;
• Well prepared soil;
• Lack of swampiness;
• A well ventilated area that is protected from harsh winds.

Comfortable conditions that affect the growth of the plant and its yield can be created on your own.It is possible to rid the soil of excess moisture with the help of drainage, increase its nutritional value with the help of fertilizers, and protect it from the wind with a fence. You should not plant a tree in the place where the apple tree was previously grown. Since this culture, as it grows and develops, is able to secrete special substances that can negatively affect a young seedling. An area where plum and cherry trees were previously grown is best suited. It is best to choose an area where nettles are actively growing.

When planting an apple tree that does not belong to the self-pollinated category, it is necessary to provide options for pollination by insects, bees or plant a certain type of tree nearby. For example, for the regions of the middle lane, an apple-tree of the Antonovka variety can become a pollinator.

Features of autumn planting of an apple tree

Good weather and climatic conditions make it possible to plant seedlings in the fall. When the leaves stop falling off, a 1-2 year old tree is planted in the prepared hole and sprinkled with earth. Time after planting is the period of growth of the root system. Features that must be considered when planting an apple tree:

1. Preparatory work before transferring a seedling to open ground must be started 4 weeks, but no later than 11-13 days before planting. A pit is pre-formed with a depth of 70 cm, with parameters 1m by 1m. In the center of the resulting square, a stake is driven in, at a distance of 0.3-0.4 m above the ground. The top of the soil must be laid out separately from the rest of the earth;
2. The top layer of soil is mixed with the rest of the earth and 1/3 part is allocated. Add to this mixture 3 buckets of pre-prepared manure, which is perepil, 10 tablespoons of ash, 4 tablespoons of potassium salt and a glass of superphosphate, all components are thoroughly mixed. The fertilized, soil mixture is spread on the bottom of the recess, and on top it is covered with a layer of the remaining earth;
3. On the selected day, the tree is planted in a prepared hole, into which black soil is also added and sprinkled with a layer of earth;
4. The roots of the plant are well covered with earth and leave the root collar at a level from the ground up to 5 cm. The seedling is fixed with twine to the installed support;
5. After carrying out this procedure, the plant is watered abundantly with water (about 3-4 buckets) so that the roots can stick to the ground;
6. To avoid rapid evaporation of the liquid, it is necessary to add humus or peat crumbs to the resulting hole.

There are a lot of methods on how to preserve an apple tree seedling in winter. The thickness of the mulch must be increased with the onset of the cold season. Small trees must be protected from frost by wrapping pine, spruce or thick paper with branches. Such measures will help not only not to freeze the plant, but also save the shoots from sunburn and pests.

Recommendation! If the winter is snowless or is typical for a certain region, then the trunk of the apple tree must be dug in with soil to a height of 22 cm.

Watch the video! Planting an apple tree in autumn

Features of spring planting of an apple tree

1. The deepening is prepared in advance, after the soil has warmed up, 6-9 days before the transfer of the seedling to the ground. The parameters of the dug hole are 60 by 80 cm, and the depth is from 60 cm - for good quality soil and 70 cm - for poor soils;
2. In order to protect the root system of the plant from drying out, it is necessary, before planting it in the soil, to put the seedling in a container with water to saturate the roots with moisture;
3. The apple tree is planted in the soil in the same way as in the fall. The technique differs only in the volume of water used for irrigation. Water the plant until the soil stops absorbing it;
4. For planting columnar species, a hole is prepared in advance, which is dug to a bayonet depth, its parameters are 3m by 3.5m. The soil is fertilized with a special mixture, which consists of: a bucket of compost, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, 2 tablespoons of potassium salt, which is taken in a proportion of 1 m 2.The soil must be scored with a rake and another layer of ordinary earth, 60-70 cm thick, must be added. The seedlings are planted in 2-3 weeks, special grooves are added between the rows to drain groundwater.

Errors when planting apple trees

When planting a tree in the ground, you should pay special attention to the deepening of the root collar. It is necessary that it rise 5 cm above the ground level. If the neck is deeper, then the apple tree will grow poorly. If the roots are located higher, then they will simply dry out, and the plant will die. The line of the beginning of the root collar can be determined independently, it begins where the color of the bark turns from green to brown. Grafting on a plant, which also leaves brown marks on the trunk, is no higher than 4.5 - 8 cm.

A number of useful tips will help novice gardeners when planting apple trees:

• The volume of mineral fertilizers that are used to feed the soil should not be exceeded, since a large dose can destroy bacteria that help the plant to assimilate nutrients;
• Fresh manure should not be placed on the bottom of the prepared recess, since it, subsequently, being in an environment where there is no oxygen, releases ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. These compounds have a negative effect on the growth and development of the apple tree, complicate the survival rate;
• Sapling roots that are dry or damaged need pruning. The tree should be placed in a container with water for 1-2 days. In order for the roots to take root better in the open field, they are dipped in a special mixture, for the preparation of which the following scheme is required: 3 parts of red clay and 1 part of mullein. The rooting agent - "Grandis", "Rival", "Epin" is added to the resulting mixture;
• When planting, the roots must be directed strictly downward or left in a horizontal position;
• After the plant has been planted, and the hole is covered with earth, it must be crushed by hand or with a shovel. It is forbidden to tamp using special devices or feet;
• The twine, with the help of which the seedling is fixed next to the plant, is twisted in the form of a figure eight, which allows the plant to swing less when the wind gusts. A piece of roofing material should be placed under the twine so as not to damage the delicate bark of the plant.

Apple tree care

The planted plant does not require special care; in the first years of life, it is enough to water it and remove growing weeds. It is recommended to either keep the trunk circles under black steam and loosen, or lay out a layer of straw or dried grass on top. It is recommended to plant green manures between the rows of apple trees, which serve as fertilizer for the tree in the autumn.

A plant planted in autumn needs to be watered only once, since water evaporates poorly during the cold season. A plant that has been transferred to open ground in spring is best watered 2-3 times in 7 days. It is recommended to pour 2-3 buckets of warm water under the root. Then the number of irrigations is reduced, on clay soil up to 1 time in 4 weeks, in a dry period on soils, mainly sandy, 1 time per week.

It is recommended to close the tree for the winter for the next 5 years. In the second year, a crown is formed with the help of branches. To increase the growth of side branches, you need to cut and shorten the bushes in the area of ​​the branches. The first couple of years on apple trees completely remove flowers, then increase the load.

Conclusion

Planting apple trees is carried out both in spring and autumn. The main thing is to choose the right time depending on the region of planting.

Watch the video! Planting an apple tree. How to plant an apple tree

Dwarf apple trees have recently been very popular with gardeners. This species is not some new kind of plant, it is varietal cuttings grafted onto low-growing rootstocks. Do they need special care? Today we will tell you about dwarf apple trees, planting and caring for them, the advantages of this culture, why it is profitable to plant it in your garden.

Description of the variety

To obtain a dwarf apple tree, varietal cuttings are grafted onto a dwarf stock. It turns out apple trees that grow no higher than 2.5 meters. Ordinary apple trees live 35-40 years, dwarf ones less.

Sometimes gardeners confuse columnar and dwarf apple trees. But columnar apple trees are medium-sized or vigorous, and there are dwarf columnar apple trees, they do not have a special crown, they have the crown of an ordinary apple tree.

The best varieties of dwarf apple trees

If we talk about varieties of dwarf apple trees, the planting varieties can be called the best in terms of ease of care, taste, frost resistance, resistance to pests:

• Carpet;
• Wonderful;
• Bratchud;
• Snowdrop;
• Sun;
• Early sweet.

Planting dwarf apple trees

The propagation of a dwarf apple tree by root cuttings is different from the propagation of ordinary apple trees. It is difficult to vaccinate independently to obtain a dwarf apple tree, it is easier to purchase a ready-made seedling in a special nursery. It is easy to make mistakes when purchasing seedlings from the market. When buying, you need to make sure that there is a clear knee-shaped protrusion between the stem of the seedling and the root collar. This is the vaccination site. A two-year-old grafted seedling has at least 4 branches with large buds. The wild will have many branches without buds.

A dwarf apple tree has a root system with small roots, and a wild seedling will have a taproot. After purchase, the seedling is wrapped in a damp cloth, and covered with polyethylene on top. Before planting, you should shorten the branches. When are dwarf apple trees planted? Dwarf apple trees are planted in autumn or early spring.

Planting a dwarf apple tree in autumn

Autumn planting of an apple tree on a dwarf rootstock in the fall occurs during the period when the plant plunges into a state of dormancy (September-October). Apple trees of this species love places protected from the wind, partial shade or sunny. The soil should be fertile, moist, loose. Better to choose loam or light soil.

A planting pit with a diameter of 59 cm and a depth of 70 cm is being prepared. When digging a hole, you need to discard the top layer separately, mix part of this soil with peat or humus, add wood ash and superphosphate. Drive a stake into the center of the hole, sprinkle nutritious soil around it, a layer of ordinary soil on top. Place the seedling, straightening the roots, fill the hole with the remaining soil without fertilizer.

It is necessary to control that the vaccination site is 3 centimeters above the surface. The roots of the seedling should not come into contact with the fertilized soil, otherwise the fertilizer may burn the roots. When planting several trees at once, you need to place them at a distance from each other. The soil around the seedling is trampled, stepping back half a meter from the trunk, making an embankment about 15 cm high. About 30 liters of water are poured onto the trunk circle. The near-trunk circle, after water has been absorbed by the soil, is mulched with a layer of peat. You can use humus. The seedling is tied to a support. Lay a layer of mulch, slightly stepping back from the trunk of the apple tree. The scheme of planting dwarf apple trees in relation to buildings, fence and other crops is shown in the figure.

Planting a dwarf apple tree in spring

Planting apple trees on a dwarf rootstock in the spring is carried out only when the snow has melted, the soil is no longer frozen, soft, but the buds have not yet opened. It is better to prepare pits for planting in the fall, immediately fill them with soil mixture, leave until spring. During the winter, the soil in the pit will be compacted, settle, the fertilizers will dissolve.

In the spring, a stake is driven into the hole, a layer of good soil should be poured around it without top dressing, and a seedling is installed. Further, all the manipulations repeat the process of autumn planting.

How to care for dwarf apple trees

Caring for dwarf apple trees in spring

Dwarf apple trees are easier to plant, take care of them, but you need to know some features. In early spring, young seedlings need to shorten the branches. In mature plants, sanitary and formative pruning should be done.Until the flow of sap has begun, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment against pests and diseases. Trapping belts are installed from harmful insects, they are fixed on the trunks.

The root system of the semi-dwarf is superficial, so you need to make sure that the soil in the trunk circle does not dry out. After watering, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5-7 cm. Mulching will help prevent moisture from evaporating. In April, it is necessary to whitewash the bases of skeletal branches and trunks with lime. Low-growing trees need spring feeding with complex or nitrogen fertilizers.

Caring for dwarf apple trees in summer

In summer, it is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the soil around the trees. It is very important to pay attention to the fight against harmful insects. You can use special chemicals, you can use folk remedies.

Top dressing in the summer is carried out by the foliar method, microelements are added to the fertilizer solution, for example, iron, which is often lacking in apple trees. After the apples have begun to ripen, you need to think about supports for the branches.

Caring for dwarf apple trees in the fall

Most of the semi-dwarf apple varieties ripen in autumn. The main task at this time is to harvest. The tree trunks must be kept clean, and the carrion must be removed in a timely manner. After harvesting, apple trees are fed with mineral fertilizers, sanitary pruning is carried out.

In the near-trunk circles, the soil is cleaned of scraps of branches, fallen leaves, and then loosened. This will break the insulation and prevent pests from remaining in the soil for the winter. By the middle of autumn, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the dwarf apple tree from pests and diseases. Trees for wintering begin to prepare in late autumn.

Processing dwarf apple trees

Before the buds swell in the spring, dwarf apple trees must be sprayed with Bordeaux liquid (1%) or Nitrafen. These products will destroy pests that have successfully overwintered in the soil and in the bark of trees. Trees can be treated with urea solution (7%). It will be both nitrogen fertilization and protection from insects and pests.

Processing is carried out before the buds open, otherwise the plant will burn. After leaf fall, the autumn preventive treatment of apple trees is carried out with a solution of Nitrafen or Bordeaux liquid (1%).

Watering dwarf apple trees

Apple trees that are not yet fruitful are watered three times a year (5 buckets of water per tree). At the beginning of August, the last watering is carried out. Apple trees that bear fruit need to be watered more often. They are watered up to five times a year.

Each tree growing on sandy loam needs four buckets of water, on loamy soil six buckets. With dry summer and autumn without rain, it is necessary to carry out a subwinter watering of dwarf apple trees. Moisture should soak the soil to the depth of the roots. You will need 10 liters of water per square meter of garden. Sub-winter irrigation is not carried out if the plots already have a high level of groundwater.

Top dressing of dwarf apple trees

The root system of a dwarf apple tree is small with high fruiting. It is necessary to carry out fertilizing with fertilizers regularly - once every 14 days. Apple trees in the second and third year of life are fertilized with complex fertilizer at the rate of 30-40 g per bucket. Twice a season, a dwarf apple tree is fertilized with a solution of chicken or cow dung.

In summer, apple trees need foliar feeding with complex mineral fertilizers. The leaves are sprayed on both sides. Do it in dry weather without wind. Foliar feeding of apple trees with urea is effective. But it must be remembered that the solution must be weak so as not to burn the plant. It is held no later than September.

Nitrogen is not included in the autumn feeding, otherwise it will delay the preparation of trees for winter. Apple trees in the fall need phosphorus and potassium. You can use double superphosphate, you need two tablespoons for a ten-liter bucket of water.

Wintering a dwarf apple tree

The dwarf apple tree can freeze in frosty winters, since the root system is very shallow. To prevent the death of the plant, you need to cover the trunk circle with a thick layer of compost. Be sure to lay spruce branches on top. If the winter is snowy, you can remove the spruce branches and add a large layer of snow. Under the snow, apple trees will not be afraid of any frost.

Pruning dwarf apple trees

In order for dwarf apple trees to please with a high yield, you need to form a crown. It needs to be formed in March-April. At the same time, rejuvenating and sanitary pruning is carried out. Sanitary pruning of trees is carried out in the fall, when the crop has already been harvested.

There are several types of bonsai crowns: flat spindle, dwarf pyramid, slender spindle, loose palmette. The most popular type of crown is the "dwarf pyramid". With this pruning, a low tree is obtained, the average length of the branches of which is about a meter.

The most famous among fruit crops is the apple tree. Such a tree can be found today in any garden. And all because apples are considered the most useful fruits for the human body. Fruits can be consumed immediately after ripening, late varieties can be stored, cook compotes and jam, squeeze juice from them. Apple tree - planting and care, in the open field we will consider it below.

Basic rules for planting an apple tree

For owners with a large plot, varieties of medium and high growth can be planted. Growing up, they reach a height of eight meters, live about sixty years. When planting seedlings in the ground, it is recommended to maintain intervals of 5x5 meters. Medium sized gardens are best suited for medium sized varieties. They should be planted every four or three meters, depending on the height of the trees. Their yield is lower, but it is well compensated by the density of tree planting.

When purchasing seedlings for planting, it is necessary to clarify the level of groundwater. This is important, because the root system, once in such a site, gives a poor development to the tree. The apple tree bears little fruit, loses its resistance to the transfer of winter, and may die early.

Remember! The root system of a tall apple tree reaches a depth of two and a half meters. When purchasing a seedling of one or two years old, you should pay attention to the elasticity of the branches and roots.

Planting of apple trees is carried out depending on its variety and climate conditions. As a rule, this period begins at the end of September and ends three weeks before the onset of stable frosts. A seedling pit is prepared in the size of 100x100x70, for a period of about a month. This is so that the fertilizers introduced into the soil have time to decompose at least partially. The following composition must be added to the third part of the excavated land:

• humus - three buckets,
• wood ash - ten tablespoons,
• superphosphate - one glass,
• potassium sulfate - four tablespoons.

The bottom of the pit is loosened, the mixed mixture is poured there. The remaining space in the pit is filled with ordinary earth. Such a pit must be watered, add earth when subsiding.
If a large number of seedlings are to be planted, a plot of 3x3.5 meters must be prepared for each of them. To do this, they dig it up, scatter a fertilizer on the surface and level everything. Planting can be done after a few weeks.

When planting an apple tree, you should check the depth of the root collar. It should be ten centimeters above ground level. The roots in the pit should be located neatly, the ground should be compacted when backfilling. The final stage is considered to be abundant watering - about three buckets of water. The circle near the trunk of the seedling is sprinkled with earth or humus, a week later, repeated watering is carried out.

How to properly care for an apple tree

At the initial stage (two to three years), young apple trees should be watered regularly, weeds should be removed. Many people recommend not planting anything on the trunk circle.But planting various green manures in the summer is considered a good tool in order to further embed them in the soil. This will create a kind of feeding the tree with nutrients.

Watering in the summer is carried out on average once a month, pouring up to four buckets of water under each tree. If the soil is sandy, water much more often, every week. The amount of water required for the tree is taken at the rate of one bucket for one year of the apple tree.

For the first few years, young trees should be tied for the winter to protect them from hares and mice. To prevent the trees from depleting, the first couple of years it is necessary to cut off all the color, excluding the harvest. Then carry out a kind of regulation so that the harvest is approximately the same every year.

Reproduction of an apple tree

Reproduction occurs mainly by grafting apple cuttings from a fruit varietal tree to wild, and is considered the best way. Since the wild is stronger and more resistant to external unfavorable conditions. Another way is to plant a ready-made apple tree seedling (which is desirable to acquire in nurseries).

Following all the recommendations, a few years after planting the apple tree, you will get the first harvest.