Instructions for beginner gardeners: how to plant an apple tree in spring

Apples are sold in any supermarket, but the taste of a ripe fruit just picked from a tree will make you abandon store fruits forever. Growing an apple tree is easy, but there are a few things you should definitely pay attention to.

The article will tell you how to properly plant an apple tree in spring and care for it to get a harvest of juicy fruits.

Spring planting

Apple trees are planted both in spring and autumn.... Each of these periods has advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a season, first of all, the climatic features of the growing region are taken into account.

In the south, young trees are planted in autumnas winter is mild here and the soil does not always freeze. In such conditions, the plants planted in autumn have time to take root by the beginning of spring and begin to develop with the arrival of heat.

When grown in central regions, Siberia and in the north, the optimal time for planting is spring... If you do this in the fall, the early arrival of winter will prevent the seedlings from taking root and they will die. Spring planting begins as soon as the soil thaws (before the buds awaken).

Pros and cons

Let's highlight the main advantages of planting apple trees in spring:

• no threat of frost damage;
• the soil is saturated with moisture;
• over the summer, the seedling will root well and get stronger, and subsequently successfully overwinter;
• Buying a seedling with blossoming leaves in spring allows you to assess its condition.

Minuses:

• obligatory regular watering (especially when planting in the southern regions): the spring sun quickly dries up the soil, and the root system of the seedling is undeveloped, therefore, if there is a lack of moisture, it will die;
• return frosts can damage buds;
• higher price of seedlings.

Thus, spring planting is recommended for the central and northern regions, autumn planting for those where the weather is mild and humid during the cold season.

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Timing

Spring planting of apple trees in the south is carried out in mid-April, in the middle lane - at the end of April, in Siberia and the Urals - in mid-May. At this time, the soil is already well warmed up, but still saturated with moisture.

The lunar sowing calendar helps you choose good days for planting fruit trees.

Such days are considered a favorable period for this in 2020.:

• March - 3-7, 10-12, 24-25;
• April - 12-13, 20-22, 27-30;
• May - 18-19, 24-26.

Unfavorable:

• March - 13-15, 19, 27-28;
• April - 9-11, 14, 23-24;
• May - 7-8, 12-13, 20-21.

Seat selection

When choosing a place for an apple orchard take into account the type of tree, its features and the area of ​​the site... In particular, it is important to know the level of the groundwater table. Tall varieties, reaching a height of 6–8 m, are suitable for areas with low groundwater levels (at least 3 m). Such trees are planted at a distance of 4–6 m from each other.

Medium-sized apple trees are planted in areas with a groundwater level of 2-2.5 m, undersized or dwarf varieties (2-3 m in height) - about 1.5 m.

Reference! Depending on the variety, it is determined on which side of the plot to place the seedlings. Tall plants are placed in the northern part, low-growing ones in the southern.

For apple trees, choose an open, spacious and sunny place., on which trees did not grow before.Pear, plum, mountain ash are considered favorable neighbors.

Preparation of seedlings and pits

For planting, choose a two-year-old tree 60-70 cm high with at least 3 shoots... Annual seedlings are also used, but they take root only if they are sufficiently developed. The root system of a regular plant has 3 branches 30–35 cm long or more.

The plants selected for planting form the future crown... With a sharp knife or pruner, cut off the top of the tree, retreating several buds (lateral branches will grow from them). The kidneys that look up are removed. Leave 5-6 healthy buds looking to the side and evenly spaced along the length of the seedling. Skeletal branches will form from them.

Directly before planting, the seedlings are placed in water for a day.

Important! The vast majority of apple trees require another variety growing nearby for pollination. And although some plants self-pollinate, they all produce more fruit in the vicinity of another tree. In this case, apple trees must bloom at the same time in order to pollinate each other.

Landing pit

The hole is dug 1-2 weeks before planting.... The hole diameter for tall and medium-sized varieties is 90–100 cm, depth is 60–70 cm, for dwarf ones - 90 and 50 cm, respectively. Digging a hole, the top fertile soil layer is set aside. If the soil is clay, sand is added (2: 1), if sandy - humus and peat (2: 1: 1).

Attention! A properly prepared planting hole provides the tree with nutrients for several years. Therefore, even for small annual seedlings, they dig a large hole.

The bottom of the dug hole is loosened by 20-30 cm and filled with a mixture from the upper fertile soil layer, humus, peat, compost (in a ratio of 1: 1) and mineral fertilizers (6 handfuls of superphosphate and 1 handful of potassium sulfate). The pit is filled with soil with a slide of 15–20 cm, leaving a margin for soil shrinkage. If the ground is dry, watered it with water.

Step-by-Step Disembarkation Guide

Prepared the pits are left to settle for a couple of weeks... After this time, start planting. In a previously prepared hole, a hole is made to fit the size of the roots of a seedling or an earthen coma.

Step-by-step planting instructions:

1. At the bottom of the hole, a hill is formed with a height of about 15–20 cm.
2. A support for a tree (a wooden peg) is installed in the center.
3. A seedling is placed next to it, spreading its roots evenly in a circle.
4. The roots are covered with fertile soil and carefully tamped so that there are no voids left. At the same time, make sure that the base of the tree (the junction of the trunk and root system) is several centimeters above ground level. This will prevent the plant from settling.
5. The apple tree is tied to a peg so that strong wind and precipitation do not tilt it.
6. The plant is watered with water (3-4 buckets for each seedling).

The topsoil is additionally mulched with straw or humusto retain moisture and prevent weed growth.

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Landing nuances

When determining the timing and technology of landing, take into accountwhat is the root system of the seedling: open or closed.

If you buy open root seedling (roots are not hidden in a container or other container), plant it in late April - early May or late September - early October. Seedlings with a closed root system (in a container) are not so demanding in terms of planting dates. They are planted even in summer.

A plant with an open root system is carefully examined to remove damaged roots. When planting, the tree is placed on a formed mound of earth on the north side of the stake so that the root collar is 5-6 cm above the ground level. The roots are evenly distributed, watered abundantly and sprinkled with the deposited earth.After 5-10 minutes, the soil is lightly tamped in the center and harder at the edges, so that the small roots adhere more tightly to it.

When planting an apple tree with a closed root system the bottom of the hole is made in the form of a flat area so that an earthen lump can be put. In this case, the root collar is also located 5-6 cm above ground level. Water the seedling, cover the hole with soil and tamp it.

Further care

Caring for apple trees after planting consists in regular watering, mulching of the topsoil, protection from pests and frost in winter.

Watering

Young trees require more moisture than adults with a well-developed root system. Therefore, regular watering is the key to the survival of the seedling in a new place. The frequency of watering is influenced by the type of soil: clayey is watered less often, but more abundantly than sandy ones.

The first watering is carried out immediately after planting.... The soil is moistened to a depth of 40 cm to eliminate air pockets and ensure soil density. After that, the seedlings are watered abundantly 2 times every 7 days for the first few weeks, until the root system takes root.

Important! Waterlogging of the soil is detrimental to young trees. Watering too often will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.

If the top 5-10 cm of soil is dry, then it's time to water the apple trees... A small trickle of water from a garden hose left in the root zone for several hours is preferable to watering with a bucket.

Mulching

After absorbing water into the hole within a radius of 0.5 m, the soil is mulched with a thin layer of humus or peat crumb. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent moisture evaporation. and contain the growth of weeds.

In autumn, after the soil freezes, the mulch layer is increasedto protect the root system from freezing.

Protection against frost, disease and pests

In addition to warming the root system, in regions with frosty winters, young trees are tied with spruce branches, paper, etc., to protect the bark from frost and sunburn in early spring.

Apple trees are susceptible to pests and diseases. Keeping the area around the tree clean by removing weeds and cleaning of plant residues reduces the risk of spreading diseases and the appearance of insects.

Tips & Tricks

If there is not much space in your garden, take a closer look at dwarf varieties. apple trees. Achievements of modern breeding make it possible to grow small and compact trees, while giving a decent harvest. In addition, small plants are easier to care for, they are more resistant to disease.

Another important tip is not to neglect your annual tree pruning.... It stimulates active fruiting, helps to avoid thickening of the crown and the development of diseases. Without regular pruning, the apple tree produces too many fruits, which leads to a decrease in their taste and weakens the tree.

Common mistakes

We list the most common mistakes made when planting plants:

1. Planting young seedlings in a freshly prepared hole with soil. Apple trees are planted a couple of weeks after the pit has been prepared (or even better, in a month), when the soil has settled and settled. This is important for proper placement of the root collar.
2. Deepening of the root collar. This error follows from the first. The root collar (the border between the root system and the trunk is the place where the color of the bark changes from greenish to light brown) is placed at the level of the soil or 2-3 cm above it.
3. Confusion of the concepts of "root collar" and "vaccination site". Saplings purchased from the nursery are usually grafted. It is made in the wild, 4–8 cm above the root collar. Novice gardeners often incorrectly determine its location, and therefore plant plants, burying them in the soil to the grafting site.
4. Shallow fit. Insufficiently deep planting leads to drying out of the root system and poor plant survival.Spring shallow planting of seedlings is especially dangerous in dry years.
5. The introduction of a large amount of mineral fertilizers into the planting pit. From their excess, bacteria, which must process nutrients into a form accessible to plants, die. Also, fresh or weakly decomposed manure is not introduced into the soil. With a lack of oxygen at the bottom of the pit, manure decomposes poorly, releasing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which suppress the root system of plants.

Conclusion

Correctly conducted spring planting of an apple tree is the main condition for its future full-fledged growth and early fruiting. When planting, it is important to prepare the pits in advance and place the seedlings in them correctly. Plant care consists in regular watering, protection from diseases and pests.