Why the apple tree does not grow in height after planting: reasons and what to do

Several factors have been identified that affect the growth, flowering and fruiting of the apple tree. Before asking the question: why does the apple tree not grow, it is necessary to study the features of the planted variety. If a winter two-year-old seedling was planted, it will begin to bear fruit only after 7-8 years. Summer plants begin to please summer residents with their fruits a little earlier - in the 5-6th year. And columnar trees - for the 2-3rd year. If the apple tree was planted on a dwarf rootstock, it will give a harvest after 2 years.

Main causes of poor growth

There are other reasons for the slow growth of the tree. Among them:

variety not suitable for climatic conditions;
the seedling was incorrectly planted;
crown formation process was disrupted;
the soil is not suitable for growing an apple tree;
there is a deficiency or excess of nutrients in the soil;
groundwater is high;
the plant did not receive the care it needed.

The tree is planted too deep in the ground

This is one of the main reasons for poor tree growth. Its root neck needs to be positioned slightly above the soil. Otherwise, the bark will begin to rot due to the fact that the trunk is not adapted to be located in the soil. With such a problem, the plant will not form buds, fruits.

Vertical position of branches

Basically, the apple tree begins to set fruit on horizontal branches. If the summer resident incorrectly formed the crown, the branches will tend upward. To correct this situation, you need to hang a load on the edge of the branch.

Missing an item

Nutrient deficiencies affect tree development. This is especially true for potassium, iron, zinc.

Potassium

Potassium deficiency can be recognized by the paleness of the leaves. At the same time, their color becomes dull, green-blue. Then the foliage begins to curl and wrinkle. Gradually, the foliage turns yellow, acquires a purple-red hue.

Iron

Iron deficiency can manifest itself as a lack of buds, yellowing of foliage. To fix the problem, it is recommended to dig a few rusty things under the tree, spray the trunk with a 0.1% solution of iron sulfate.

Zinc

Zinc deficiency is mainly observed when the seedling is planted in black soil with a high content of phosphorus compounds.You can recognize the problem by small leaves, slow growth of branches, small apples. Gradually, the fruits begin to change their taste, the branches dry up, and the leaves turn white in the vein area.

Excess or lack of a trace element

Not only a nutrient or micronutrient deficiency can affect the growth of a tree, but also its excess.

Nitrogen

Excess nitrogenous compounds can be detected if the foliage of the plant acquires a dark green tint, the branches are characterized by active growth, but a softened structure. At the same time, there are few flowers on the plant.

Nitrogen deficiency can be recognized by the weak branching of the plant. The shoots become short, and the apples are small. Young leaves are distinguished by their small size, the arrangement of petioles at an acute angle relative to the branch.

Phosphorus

With a small amount of phosphorus compounds in the soil, the shoots are characterized by slow growth, curvature. The leaves turn a dull dark green with a reddish, purple tint.

With an excess of phosphorus, the appearance of small foliage is observed. At the same time, the leaves curl, become covered with growths.

Insect infestation and tree diseases

The growth and development of an apple tree can be negatively affected by damage to a tree by pests or diseases. It is worth considering that the tree should be regularly inspected for the presence of their vital activity.

What soil does apple trees grow poorly on?

In some cases, the slow growth of the apple tree is affected by the soil. Therefore, when such a problem appears, it is necessary to find out what kind of soil is located on the site. Apple trees do not grow well on sandstones, sandy loams, loams. This is due to a lack of nutrients in them.

On putrid soil

When planting a plant on rotten soil, it is more likely to be exposed to diseases, it grows worse. This is due to the fact that such soil does not allow for a full flow of oxygen to the roots.Also, it does not contain the required amount of nutrients, water stagnation is formed.

On peat

Peat soil is different in that it forms a deficiency of copper, potassium, phosphorus compounds, magnesium. Peat is also highly acidic, which is why the apple tree cannot fully develop in it.

Why don't apple trees grow?

Apple trees may differ in slow growth in other cases. Sometimes they stop growing after the pruning procedure.

After trimming

When hard pruning involves several skeletal branches, the apple tree will need time to recover, which will cause it to lag behind in growth. You can cope with this situation by feeding the plant with complex fertilizer.

On a dwarf rootstock

Dwarf apple trees can stop growing for any of the above reasons. This is due to the fact that they require the same care as tall plants. The main reason for the poor development of such trees is that they are planted on unsuitable soil.

Dwarf trees differ in that their root system does not go deep into the soil and is able to draw nutrients only from its upper layers.

High

If a columnar apple tree does not grow in height, you need to pay attention to the area where it is planted. If it is in a draft, in the shade, the plant will develop poorly. Also, the apple tree will grow slowly if a damaged seedling was used for planting.

Causes of poor growth of apple seedlings

When buying seedlings, you need to ask the seller where they were delivered from. For cultivation, it is necessary to take seedlings that were grown in the region where planting is planned. In this case, the plant will be resistant to regional climatic conditions.

The best option is to buy a seedling that is 1-3 years old. In this case, the plant should have well-developed roots.

First year

If the seedling does not grow for the first year, it is necessary to check whether an apple tree that has died has grown in this place before. If other adult plantings are located nearby, they should be freed from dry branches, old bark, and then whitewashed. After planting seedlings, their trunks should also be whitewashed.

Second year

When the planting does not grow for the second year, it is necessary to check the soil on the site. Particular attention should be paid to the depth of groundwater. Another reason is the damage to the tree by diseases or pests.

Third year

When an apple tree does not grow even the third year after planting, it means that the soil or climatic conditions are not suitable for it. Also, such a situation can arise if the soil contains the remains of an old tree.

What to do to resume growth

What to do if the landing has stopped growing? First of all, it is necessary to find a factor that affects the slowdown in its growth. Next, the summer resident needs to eliminate it. It is worth considering that after eliminating the cause of the slow growth of the plant, it will need time to recover.