How to plant an apple tree in spring, summer and autumn: seedling care

Spring is the time when every gardener, regardless of experience, thinks about the fact that it's time to replenish the garden with new seedlings. The most popular trees here are apple trees, they dominate the site. Not all beginners know how to plant an apple tree correctly, what features of a tree it is recommended to take into account, how to accurately choose a place to plant.

Features of planting an apple tree

Apple tree is an unpretentious tree that does not require skills in care. Despite this, much depends on planting a seedling - if mistakes are made, there is a big risk of destroying a young plant or waiting for the first fruiting for many years.

Consider everything when boarding:

size and age of seedlings;
location of the future adult tree;
ground features;
requirements of selected variety;
time for planting a young tree.

The chosen planting pattern is considered important - dense plantings make it difficult to care for, prevent the penetration of sunlight and fresh air.

Selection and preparation of seedlings

It is not difficult to choose seedlings - the main thing is not to do it in the markets with dubious sellers. The purchase is recommended to be made in proven nurseries, from persons involved in plant breeding with an impeccable reputation. Ask about the characteristics of the selected variety, the requirements for climatic conditions, soil composition, care.

Annuals and biennials differ in survival rate. It is not difficult to distinguish them - two-year-old seedlings have time to acquire side shoots. They will give a harvest earlier than annuals. When buying, inspect the root system. If the container hides it, ask the seller to remove the plant.

Triple rhizome with ramifications of at least 30 cm and numerous fibrous roots ensure that the seedling takes root without problems.

Carefully inspect the sections on the roots - they should be fresh, with no signs of decay. If the tips are dry, it is likely that they are a little frozen or stored incorrectly, it is better to refuse such a purchase.

When is the best time to plant by season

In addition to choosing a seedling, it is important to choose the time for planting - mistakes can be fatal for a tree. Many gardeners with considerable experience believe that it is better to go to the garden in the fall, but there are many opponents of autumn planting - the spring process has no less positive aspects.When choosing a time, you should pay attention to climatic conditions, so it is recommended to understand the features of seasonal planting in advance. This will help determine what terms are optimal for a particular region and when it is better to go to the garden with the purchased seedling.

Spring

If it was not possible to plant a plant in the fall, you should not worry - there is always an opportunity to catch up in the spring. Be sure to complete the work before May - at this time buds begin to open, flowering begins. If you are late, the plant will take root for a long time.

Benefits of spring planting:

no risk of freezing of the root system;
survival will be faster than in autumn - plants have to be planted in the sun-warmed earth;
with the onset of warm weather, the plants will start to grow.

There are also many shortcomings here.One of them is that moisture during the winter manages to go to great depths, regular watering will have to be carried out, otherwise the root system will quickly dry out, which threatens the death of a young tree. Buying spring seedlings will also be much more expensive than autumn plants, and it is difficult to purchase high-quality planting material - it is often taken apart by more efficient gardeners.

Summer

Summer planting is rare. Often only residents of cool regions are engaged in such work, in which spring begins much later than in warm regions. It is recommended to plant seedlings in a cozy place where strong drafts and direct sunlight do not penetrate - the survival rate will decrease significantly. It should be borne in mind that you will have to deal with frequent watering - even a slight drying of the soil is enough to destroy the plants.

If you only need to transplant a young tree to a new place, it is better to do this in August. There is no longer any particular heat, so the plant will endure the movement without difficulty. Be sure to transplant with a large clod of soil.

Autumn

The optimal time for planting young trees is October. Rooting usually takes up to 20 days - this is enough for the root system to get used to the new place before severe stable frosts and endure the winter without difficulty. Helping plants is easy - put a layer of mulch (sawdust, moss, spruce branches).

The benefits of autumn planting are clear:

during the cold season, the root system will have time to get comfortable and with the advent of spring will quickly start to grow;
mulch over the winter will turn into a layer of nutrients that will penetrate into the ground with melt water;
when planting in the autumn, the plant increases immunity to subsequent frosts - you don’t have to worry about freezing.

Despite the hardiness of young plants, with the advent of frost, refuse planting - even covering will not be enough to protect the trees from freezing. Better to postpone planting until spring.

Choosing a landing site

It is important to choose a place for apple seedlings on the site where it will be comfortable and at ease. It is necessary to take into account the size of an adult plant - over time it should not become cramped. It is not recommended to plant if fruit crops used to grow in this place - pests and harmful bacteria can remain in the soil.

The soil should not be too wet. Water close to the surface can damage the root system and cause decay.

Preparation of a planting hole on different soils and fertilization

An important rule is to prepare holes, taking into account all the characteristics of trees. The simplest and most popular planting pattern is in a row. The optimal distance between the pits is three meters. Distance between rows - no more than six meters. This is enough to form a crown.

The pit should be round, with a diameter of up to 1 m. If the root system is too voluminous, you can enlarge the hole. Depth for standard varieties is about 65 cm, but if necessary, it is recommended to deepen the hole. Usually, fertilizers, nutrients, drainage are placed in the pit - it all depends on the composition of the soil and the requirements of the planted variety.

On clay

Planting on clay soils has no special requirements. Standard components are added to the pit when landing:

compost;
some sand;
peat;
garden turf.

If groundwater is too close to the surface, the drainage layer should reach 25-30 cm. Use broken bricks, ceramic or clay shards, large gravel.

On peat

Peatlands are a nutrient soil that almost does not require the addition of additional elements.We should not forget that too many nutrients for plants are also not recommended, so reduce the nutritional value of the soil. Add coarse river sand, simple garden soil when planting. It is recommended to put a little garden soil in the pit, after calcining it in the oven or spilling it with plenty of boiling water for disinfection.

On the sand

If planting is carried out in sandy soil, it is recommended to add a clay layer. Easy to do:

Put drainage into the dug hole.
Pour a small amount of sandstone.
Lay a layer of clay.
Locate the root system.
Fill with a mixture of sandstone, peat, compost, garden soil.

When growing apple trees on sandstones, it should be borne in mind that watering will be the main care process. In sunny weather, such soils get very hot, which is unsafe for plants, so be sure to put a mulch layer.

On the loam

When planting an apple tree on loam, be sure to lay a drainage layer (ceramic fragments, stones, wood trimmings).

To fall asleep the root system, use the mixture:

coarse sand;
regular garden soil;
compost;
superphosphate (20-50g)
peat.

Water clay soils with care, especially after planting - they actively absorb moisture. Even if the surface is dry, water remains at a shallow depth, so it is recommended to apply a mulch to allow drying to occur evenly.

Preparing a pit for different types and varieties of apple trees

An important feature of planting apple trees is to take into account crop varieties when preparing holes. Correctly calculate the distance between trees, rows. Each variety of apple trees has its own crown size, so it is so important to ask the seller about the characteristics when buying seedlings.

For tall apple trees

The distance between the pits in which apple trees of high-growing varieties will be planted is up to 4-5 m. It is recommended to leave a greater distance between rows - up to 5.5-6 m. The depth of the pit after the laid drainage layer is 80 cm. Diameter - not less than a meter. With a large number of small roots and powerful main rhizomes - up to one and a half meters.

For semi-dwarf trees

Medium-sized varieties do not require large pits - one meter in diameter is enough. Depth after drainage is laid, only half a meter. The distance does not change - between apple trees up to 4 m, between rows - up to 5 m. For a good development of crowns, this is enough.

For bonsai

Increasingly, dwarf apple trees appear in orchards, which attract with their compact size, productivity, and ease of care. It is recommended to plant such varieties at a distance of 2-2.5 m.Leave a large distance between the rows - up to 4 m. The depth of the pits is only 40 cm. The diameter is 85 cm. When planting dwarf varieties, be sure to add urea (60 g) to the soil. This promotes survival, stimulates the growth of the root system.

For columnar apple trees

Columnar plants are often planted in small gardens - they do not require much space to grow. The distance between the rows is up to 1.5 m. Place the pits every 55-60 cm. When planting columnar varieties in the soil, add organic matter (3 kg), ash (200 g), superphosphate (a handful is enough). For too poor soil composition, the addition of mineral elements is recommended.

For apple tree Melba

It is recommended to grow the Melba apple tree on light loam. Silty or clay soil is not suitable for this variety - it will take a long time to bear fruit. The diameter of the hole is standard - within a meter, with a depth of 75 cm.Be sure to add humus, superphosphate when planting. You can't do without a drainage layer - these varieties do not tolerate soil moisture well.

Planting apple tree seedlings with a closed root system

The advantage of plants with a closed root system is that they are planted immediately in special containers. This significantly reduces damage during transportation, increases survival in a new place, and prevents the development of diseases.

For planting, it is enough to remove the apple tree from the container, trying not to shake off the substrate, and move it to a prepared hole. It is recommended to start planting a plant at any time of the year - seedlings will take root perfectly in autumn, summer, early spring.

If near groundwater

Excess water is dangerous for many fruit crops, and the apple tree is no exception. For the root system, the abundance of moisture is dangerous and often leads to decay of the root system, followed by the death of the plant.An artificially created mound will help to cope with high humidity and prevent the death of a tree. It is easy to make it - land on a raised tubercle (about half a meter). With each loosening of the soil, add earth to the mound - you get a gentle low slope.

How far to plant

Incorrectly determined distance between seedlings will certainly lead to thickening of crowns. Dense planting will provoke the development of diseases, facilitate the movement and work of pests, and make it difficult to collect fruits. The root system, which is fully developed, will also not have enough space, which will affect the development of the apple tree and its fruiting.

The distance, even if the apple trees are in the same row, is not recommended for different varieties. The distance should be for large crops - up to 5 meters, for small (columnar, dwarf) varieties - up to a meter.

Basic landing steps

After preparing the pits, you can start planting. The process is carried out in several stages, each of which should be strictly followed:

3-5 hours before planting, lower the root system of the plant into a container with warm water (it is recommended to add 5 g of potassium permanganate per 10 liters of water).
It is recommended to drive a support (up to 5 cm in diameter) into the prepared pit in advance, burn the lower part first - this will prevent decay.
Pour the prepared soil mixture into the hole with a low mound.
In a circle, make a low (up to 5 cm) border that will facilitate watering.
Dip the root system into the prepared mash (mix clay, water, sand), wait a quarter of an hour until the mixture dries.
Insert an apple tree into the hole, make sure that the root collar rises 3-5 cm above the soil surface.
Spread the root system, spread the roots evenly over the mound.
Sprinkle the roots with the prepared mixture, tamp with your hands.
In the process of sprinkling, gently shake the young tree - this will fill the voids between the roots.
Irrigate abundantly. Introduce water in small portions, waiting for absorption.
Lay a layer of mulch (chopped straw, sawdust, pine bark).

Complete planting by tying the plant. This will allow you not to worry about the condition of the tree in a strong wind - it will not be able to damage the trunk. At a height of 65-80 cm, cut off the main shoot, remove side branches if necessary.

Features in regions

When planting an apple tree, one should take into account not only the characteristics of the selected variety, but also the climatic features of the regions. This will allow you to grow a he althy tree without the hassle, which will begin to bear fruit quickly. When buying, be sure to find out for which latitudes the selected plant is recommended.Heat-loving varieties should not be planted in cold regions - it will not work to wait for the harvest.

Moscow Region

If you are going to grow an apple orchard in the suburbs, you need to know just a few useful rules:

landing is best done in autumn (from September until the first cold snap);
do not plant young plants in November - there is a risk of destroying apple trees;
purchase for growing apple trees with early and medium ripening.

If late-bearing plants are grown, it will not always be possible to get a harvest - the weather in the Moscow region is unpredictable, and winter may begin earlier than usual.

Siberia

The frosty winters that Siberia is so famous for are the main reason for planting young apple trees only in spring. Autumn plantings are not recommended - even the most resistant varieties will not be able to survive severe frosts if the root system has not had time to acclimatize.

It is better to choose frost-resistant varieties, otherwise you will have to cover the plants. Even such a precautionary measure does not always help - apple trees freeze completely before spring.

Ural

No less dangerous for apple trees is the unpredictable Ural climate, replete with frosty days that can come as early as mid-autumn. It is not recommended to engage in planting before winter - it is better to postpone this process for stable spring warmth. If you had to plant young trees in the fall, be sure to take care of a warm cover. After snow falls, pour a high snowdrift around the plant - this will partially prevent freezing.

Further care

It will be possible to grow a full-fledged tree with some effort and following the basic rules of agricultural technology. The first requirement that will have to be met annually is pruning. In young trees that have actively begun to grow, systematically remove damaged, dry branches.Young growth, if it appeared near the trunk, cut out completely. It is better not to penetrate the soil and remove the shoots only on the surface - there is a risk of damaging the root system, which often rises.

Thickened branches must also be removed - they reduce growth, preventing the penetration of fresh air and sunlight.

First-years are recommended to be watered throughout the summer, especially if the warm season does not indulge in rain. It is recommended to pour up to 3 buckets of water per seedling. Preheat the liquid in the sun for a day. Cold moisture is no less dangerous for young apple trees than hot sun.

Before each watering, carry out shallow loosening. Moisture will penetrate into fluffy soil much faster, evenly distributed in the depth of the soil. Remove weeds regularly - weeds actively absorb useful elements from the soil, reducing the growth rate of apple trees.

During the first year, it is recommended to carry out about five dressings. Use complex or mineral fertilizers as nutrients.

Pre-carry out abundant irrigation of the soil surface. Top dressing is carried out only under the trunk - fertilizers on the leaves will not bring the desired results.

If flowers appear in the first year, you do not need to leave them - there will be no fruits. The empty flower only takes away the strength of the apple trees, so it is better to go to the garden at the time of the appearance of the buds and completely remove them.

Possible errors

Most of the mistakes gardeners, even experienced ones, make when planting apple trees. The main defect, often made by garden owners, is the excess of the deepening of the seedling. If the root neck is below the ground surface, the tree will develop and grow extremely slowly. The norm that is allowed is the elevation of the root neck by 3-6 cm above the soil.Some varieties grow well if the point is on a par with the ground, but it is better to find out in advance, even when buying a seedling.

Another big mistake newbies make is applying fertilizer too early. Mineral compounds are able to completely destroy the microflora, which contains bacteria that are beneficial to the plant. It is recommended to start feeding only after the tree begins to actively develop and release young shoots.

An excess of organic matter is also often harmful to young apple trees. Unripened manure, which provokes diseases, is especially dangerous. The ammonia released by fresh organic matter completely displaces oxygen from the voids between the roots, leading to death. In manure that has not had time to rot, there may be pests that can destroy plants that have not had time to take root.

Beginning gardeners can make a mistake even when buying, acquiring young plants too early. It is quite difficult to keep them at home before planting - a stable cool temperature and high humidity are required.

The only way not to damage the planting material is to send it to the basement with a temperature of about 0 degrees. If this is not possible, it is better to go shopping just before planting - this will prevent unpleasant consequences. When buying, carefully examine the plant materials - there should be no rot, mold, dry areas. Too dry roots should also alert - often even soaking is not enough to bring the seedling back to life.

Planting an apple tree is a process that, if carried out correctly, will certainly end in the active growth of a seedling. If you do not make mistakes in care, in just a few years a young tree will please you with a harvest. We must not forget that the plant requires constant attention - watering, pruning, top dressing throughout the year. Gratitude will not keep you waiting - the tree is sensitive to care.