How to choose an apple tree seedling. How to choose a good apple tree seedling

The apple tree is perhaps the only garden crop about the necessity of which summer residents do not argue. There is at least one apple tree on every plot. Often gardeners do not limit themselves to one tree and plant several varieties at once. In order for the apple orchard to delight you with a generous harvest, you need to follow simple but important rules of planting and care.

Apple tree - description

The apple tree belongs to the genus of deciduous trees and shrubs up to 10 m high. This garden crop grows almost throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere. Apple trees are grown mainly to produce tasty and incredibly healthy fruits. There are more than 60 species of apple trees in the world.

Apple trees are conventionally divided into fruit and ornamental. For example, some types of apple trees are specially grown to decorate gardens and parks. The apple tree is also known in carpentry, as its wood is well cut and polished.

According to their height, apple trees are conventionally divided into tall, short, dwarf and semi-dwarf.

In addition, apple trees differ in crown type. This is a very important factor for gardeners, since you need to understand its future geometry. Crowns are:

All types of apple trees are good honey plants.

Apple tree - breeding history

People have always eaten wild apples. Apples are mentioned in the Bible, Greek mythology, and fairy tales. This fruit has always been very important for humanity. In addition to practical benefits, apple fruits also had great sacred meaning. Everyone knows such philosophical concepts as the “apple of discord,” “golden apples,” which supposedly bestow youth, and, of course, “apples of heaven,” which bestow immortality.

Cultivated types of apple trees appeared much later. From historical sources it is known that the birthplace of apple tree cultivation is the territory of modern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. There is also a lot of historical evidence that this plant was highly valued in Ancient Greece. Famous writers and philosophers of that time in their works mention 36 varieties of apple trees.

In Russia, the first apple orchard appeared under Yaroslav the Wise. Since the 16th century, the domestic apple tree has spread to the northern latitudes of our country.

Apple tree - planting

Proper planting is the key to successful growth and a good harvest in the future. This general rule applies, of course, to the apple tree. Following some simple rules when planting will allow the plant to take root well and develop in the future. Otherwise, you may never see the desired apple harvest.

The apple tree prefers well-lit places. It is advisable that there are no large trees nearby.

Soil selection. The soil should be fertile, loose, with a neutral reaction. The apple tree does not like areas with high groundwater levels (at least 1.5 m, and for tall varieties, at least 3 m). The root system of the apple tree is strong, fibrous. The depth of the roots depends on the variety and region of growth. But in any case, this plant does not like stagnant water. The formation of the root system can last up to 20 years.

Preparing a planting hole for an apple tree

The planting hole for the apple tree is prepared in advance (10-14 days in advance). The dimensions of the pit are 100 cm in diameter, depth is 60-70 cm.

The soil for the planting pit should contain humus, rotted manure, peat and compost. If any of the components is missing, any of the available components can be mixed with fertile soil. If your site has clay soil, you need to add sand. Conversely, peat, humus, and compost should be added to sandy soil.

As for mineral fertilizers, many experienced gardeners do not recommend applying them when planting. Very often, an excess of chemicals has a detrimental effect on young apple trees.

When the soil in the hole settles after a few days, you can begin planting. The hole for the apple tree is dug according to the size of the root system. Then a peg is placed in it, and then a seedling. An important condition: when planting, the root collar should be 4-5 cm above the soil level.

The young tree needs to be tied to a peg, and the soil around it must be compacted well.

After planting, the young apple tree needs to be watered well at the rate of 3-4 buckets per plant. And then the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat.

If you are planting an entire apple orchard, then the distance between the seedlings should be:

• vigorous varieties - 4 m, distance between rows - 5-6 m.
• For low-growing varieties, the distance between seedlings and rows should be 3.5 m.
• For low-growing and dwarf varieties - 2.5 m.

Time to plant apple trees

The question of when is it better to plant apple trees - in autumn or spring - is ambiguous. Here the opinions of agronomists and gardeners are divided. The latest debate boils down to the fact that you need to focus on the region of growth. The dormant period for plants in different climatic zones occurs differently.

For example, in the south of our country, it is better to plant young apple trees in the fall, about a month before the onset of frost. Depending on the area in the south, this falls at the end of September - end of October. During this time, apple trees have time to take root and gain strength for wintering.

In the northern regions, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, it is advisable to plant in the spring, since the autumn weather here is often unpredictable, and young plants may not withstand sudden frosts. When planted in spring, the survival rate of plants is better. Planting should be done while the young plant is dormant.

In the central regions of Russia, planting is carried out both in autumn and spring, depending on the weather.

How to choose the right apple tree seedlings

Choosing an apple tree variety is a very important issue. You should only choose varieties that already grow in your region. If your neighbors presented you with an apple tree seedling, there is no need to worry. It’s another matter if you are offered to buy some elite variety from overseas countries. The temptation is great, but it’s still not worth the risk. Remember that you are choosing a type of tree that should grow and bear fruit for many years. Therefore, you need to choose only zoned varieties of apple trees, adapted to your region. It is best to buy apple tree seedlings at the nearest nursery or gardening center.

The next thing you should pay attention to is the timing of fruiting. Remember that summer apples ripen approximately in July-August, autumn apples - with the onset of autumn, and winter apples - later, depending on the variety and region.

The best seedlings for planting are considered to be 1-2 year old seedlings. They take root easier and get sick less. Externally, the age of the seedlings can be determined as follows: annual apple trees do not have developed branches. Biennial seedlings have 2-3 branches growing at an angle of 45-90 degrees.

Also, when purchasing, you should pay attention to the condition of the root system. The roots should be white when cut and look healthy. A gray tint means that the roots are frozen or rotted. The optimal length of the roots is about 30 cm.

You should not buy seedlings that have various kinds of swellings and formations on the roots or stems. This may be a sign of illness. Also, the roots should not look dry.

Apple tree care

Caring for apple trees is simple, but still necessary. It consists of regular weeding and loosening of the tree trunk circle. It is advisable to loosen the soil with a pitchfork so as not to damage the roots.

If you did everything correctly when planting, you don’t need to feed the young apple tree for 2-3 years. Then fertilizing should be done regularly. Fertilizing should be alternated with mineral and organic fertilizers. Their frequency and quantity depends on the type of soil on your site. Water the apple tree as needed.

However, the most difficult care involves pruning and shaping the tree crown. Regular pruning is necessary for proper plant development and good fruiting. In order to form the correct crown, pruning of the apple tree is carried out already at 2 years of age. To do this, you need to leave 2-3 skeletal branches on the trunk, directed in different directions.

Annual crown formation begins 2-3 years after the first pruning. This is done as follows: all branches that have grown below the first skeletal branch are removed. Branches growing upward are also removed to prevent thickening of the crown from forming. Diseased and broken branches also need to be removed. It is preferable to prune the apple tree in the spring, before the sap begins to flow.

Caring for apple trees also includes annual whitewashing of the trees. This is done in early spring or autumn in order to protect tree trunks from pests.

To plant an apple tree, you need to purchase a high-quality seedling. The harvest depends on the correct choice of seedling. What should you pay attention to? What to ask the seller?

Apple trees grow better and bear fruit more abundantly if there are several of them on the site. But in a small garden I would like to plant other trees! Perhaps your close neighbors have apple trees, then the problem is solved.

On a fairly large area, it is better to plant several apple trees of different varieties, so that there are both early and late apples.

When choosing seedlings, you need to consider several important points:

Seedling size and rootstock

The size and dimensions of the apple tree must comply with the standards and be sold with woody branches. Previously, almost all varieties of apple trees were tall; they began to bear fruit 6-7 years after planting. Now there are both medium-sized and dwarf ones. The size of the tree depends largely on the rootstock. You should ask the seller about this. If he finds it difficult to answer such a question, then he has nothing to do with seedlings, and it is unknown what can be bought from him.

All varietal apple trees are grafted onto a specific plant - the rootstock. The root system of the apple tree depends on it. There are a large number of well-known apple tree rootstocks in the world.

• Vigorous rootstock- This is basically a seedling grown from the seed of a wild apple tree or an apple tree of the Antonovka variety. Apple trees on this rootstock grow five to seven meters high. They begin bearing fruit in the sixth year. The lifespan of a tree is up to eighty years. They have deep roots, so such apple trees are not suitable for areas where groundwater is high. Currently, tall rootstock is used less due to the strong growth and late entry of trees into fruiting.
• Medium-sized and semi-dwarf The rootstock is obtained vegetatively; it gives a tree height of 3.5 – 4 meters. Apple trees on this rootstock live for 30-35 years and begin to bear fruit in the fourth year.
• Dwarf rootstock Mainly used in intensive gardening. The height of the tree is 2-2.5 meters, fruiting lasts for 2-3 years. With anti-aging pruning, trees live up to 30 years. This is the best option for areas where the groundwater level is above 1.5 m.

Visual inspection of the seedling

The height of annual apple trees should correspond to an approximate size of 120 to 130 centimeters. If the seedling is below the standard size, this indicates improper care. For example, about insufficient feeding, watering, seedling diseases, and the presence of pests. If the seedling is too tall and the shoot is immature, this is an example of insufficient use of fertilizers or watering.

When cut, the roots should be light and juicy. The trunk of the seedling should not be damaged, and the shoots themselves should be free of traces of pests and disease. When selling a tree, there must be a tag with information about the species and variety.

The roots of a good seedling have branches and many small roots. If one taproot or roots are broken, it should not be taken.

Imported apples calibrated in size, which often lie for half a year or more in their inedible spacesuit, glisten at us with a paraffin gloss. We eat them ourselves, and out of habit we buy them for our children, because “Apples are healthy!”...

And at the same time, in many areas it has become fashionable NOT to plant anything other than lawns and conifers... Excuse me, people! But how can it be - your own garden, okay, not a garden, but a plot) and without an apple tree?..

However, since you are reading this, it means you have decided to plant an apple tree. For that, let me shake your hand!

So, let's start boarding (Buckle up!).

The apple tree is our northern storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. And even though times have changed and it has become unfashionable to plant tall trees on seed rootstocks, many new varieties and wonderful low-growing rootstocks have appeared.

Which apple tree to choose - dwarf or tall?..

The agony of choice is hard, oh hard, when the market is oversaturated with seedlings. If you want columns, please. If you don’t want columns, here are “big” apple trees on a seed-bearing rootstock. And what kind of trees to plant depends mostly, according to your wishes.

Mostly- because there are some restrictions. For tall apple trees, for example, it is necessary that the groundwater level on the site be no higher than 2 meters (on light sandy soils, you can plant with a groundwater level of 1-1.5 meters, using some small tricks).

But for dwarf apple trees, on the contrary, it is necessary to take into account that the roots lie shallow and the harvest is large. Therefore, if you have an arid region, then watering (or other agricultural techniques that increase the amount of moisture in the soil) will be necessary.

Benefits of tall apple trees.

• They are large and beautiful; in the summer it is pleasant to sit under such an apple tree in the shade. And between two large trees you can hang a hammock!
• A large harvest, and if you graft skeletal branches of different varieties, you will have a large and varied harvest.
• A large apple tree lives longer and bears fruit.
• Since the roots of a large apple tree penetrate to great depths, it is not necessary to water it.
• Such a tree is, in principle, more resistant to all weather vagaries. Unlike dwarf ones, there is no need to tie it up and be afraid that the branches with the harvest will break from the first strong wind.

Advantages of low-growing apple trees.

• They take up little space! In a small area this is often vital.
• They provide little shade! In old, shady areas, people sometimes forget what “full light” is when the sun illuminates a plant from sunrise to sunset. The difference in plant development is huge. It is therefore important to keep our garden as sunny as possible if we want to grow vegetables, fruits or flowers there. As for the lawn, on the contrary, it often works better in partial shade.
• They begin to bear fruit early. In the third year, the dwarf apple tree will already have a dozen apples, and in the fourth year, you can get a couple of buckets of selected, large fruits!
• Yes, yes, the fruits on dwarf apple trees are larger. Or maybe even tastier, although this is a controversial issue.
• Having made a small planting hill, an apple tree on a dwarf rootstock can be planted in the dampest area, because its roots penetrate only half a meter deep.
• On dwarf apple trees it is much easier to deal with pests and diseases - you can always notice and remove them on time, while we may not even be able to guess what is going on at the top of a large apple tree.

How to choose apple tree varieties for planting?..

This question is very complex and individual. It’s good if you have the opportunity to walk through the market in the fall and taste the apples by variety. But unfortunately, most city residents are deprived of this opportunity - they often sell apples without a name in the markets, or even the same imported ones.

Choosing varieties based on descriptions on the Internet is also a dubious task; everyone’s tastes differ. So all that remains is to follow the scientific method.

I think it would be unnecessary to repeat “do not buy seedlings in dubious places, from roadside vendors, etc.”... Somehow I can hardly imagine a person who would buy a tree “I don’t understand what kind, I don’t understand from whom.” After all, there are enough good quality apple tree seedlings in nurseries and large retail outlets.

It is important that the variety is zoned in your region; it is better to be sure of this issue before purchasing. Otherwise, you can get either a variety that freezes in winter, or one that doesn’t have enough summer to ripen apples.

Well, one of the most important qualities of the variety is resistance to diseases, mainly to scab. Because, as you yourself understand, planting apple trees and then complaining that they may be tasty, but are all covered with scab, which is why they are clumsy and unattractive - why is this necessary? Plant resistant varieties!

Exposed root? Closed root? What a difference!

Indeed, the main thing is that the seedling is strong and healthy, and only then you can think about whether it is good that it has an open (closed) root system or not.

Saplings in pots - what's the catch?

It would seem that this is nonsense, because an apple tree in a pot (or a plastic cup) is much better - you can buy it in the spring or in the summer and plant it right away. But not everything is rosy with these pots.

Firstly, they often shove an apple tree that has just been dug up in the field into a pot, and there is no earthen lump penetrated by thin roots there. When you first try to pull a seedling out of a pot or glass, all the soil falls off and you can enjoy the view of the root system of your seedling.

It’s good if that’s the case, otherwise it can be worse – inside the plastic bag there is a large-mesh nylon mesh. At first glance, there is no need to remove such a mesh - after all, it does not interfere with the growth of roots. But I strongly recommend removing the mesh, even if all the ground crumbles (as often happens). Because many sellers stuff the roots into the net at random - crumpled, bent up, all in one direction... And if the roots are not straightened, then instead of a fruitful tree you will have sheer torment and tediousness. The tree doesn’t seem to die or grow – it sits still and complains that it has a headache. More precisely the leg.

The second possible bad option for apple tree seedlings in a pot is when the pot is too small and the apple tree has been languishing in it for several months. Sometimes in stores there are such poor things, they have already bloomed in this pot, and the apple is hanging on them... What is the root system like there, in such a volume?.. Moreover, the store workers diligently fill this seedling with water... Because by evening it dries out thoroughly (the evaporation is wow). And so every day - in the evening it dried out and withered, in the morning - they watered it and flooded it.

This does not mean that seedlings cannot be taken in pots. It is very possible, but it is best to do this in early spring, before the buds open, or, in extreme cases, before flowering. Of course, we are talking about trees that arrived on sale for the first year. And it happens that an apple tree in a pot for a whole season in a store or nursery has been sold out, no one bought it, but take it and survive the winter... and then it is sold a second time.

You can also plant trees with apples and flowers at your own risk. But be sure to remove apples and flowers - there is no time for the tree to harvest in this difficult first year. No matter how much you want to taste an apple, it is better to postpone the tasting until next year - let the apple tree grow roots.

Now about seedlings with an open root (literally a couple of pages).

In general, it’s easier with them. Because you can see the root, and not a pig in a bag (pot). If you take the tree on time (in early spring - before buds open, or in autumn, after leaf fall), then there will be no special problems with it. Taking seedlings with bare roots and blossoming buds is a disastrous business.

Well, since we can see the roots, let’s look at them carefully. In dwarf apple trees we will see a sponge of numerous and rather thin roots sticking out horizontally in all directions. And tall apple trees should have powerful 1-2-3 roots going almost vertically down. The roots, when picked with a fingernail, should be white. We don't need rotten and dried ones. Tap roots roughly cut off with a shovel right next to the ground are also bad.

Appearance of a seedling - who do we need?

Let's talk about the above-ground part of the seedling. Due to inexperience, it is easy to do stupid things. Firstly, you should buy either an annual twig - a vertical stick ranging from a meter to more than two meters in height, with practically no branches. Or a two-year-old, on which the rudiments of the crown are formed - 2-3 skeletal branches for tall apple trees, or 3-4-5 skeletal branches - for dwarf ones.

That is, if you joyfully grabbed a lush apple tree, which in the second year has 10 branches coming off the trunk, then there is nothing good here, it will be a thickened seedling and you will still have to cut off half of the branches. And the tree grew them, spent energy...

The second thing you look at is the trunk itself. The stem is the part from the bottom of the trunk, near the ground, to the first fork. This part should not be too low, not too high. Figure out for yourself where (at what height) you want to see the first branch. The trunk should be straight, and the top should not bifurcate, be out of alignment, etc. That is, the central conductor - the highest branch, running upward as a continuation of the trunk, should be alone, without competitors sticking out nearby.

In general, all this, of course, is perfectly cut and formed, so if you bought a crooked seedling that you liked, let it live in good health, be happy and make you happy. But if you have the opportunity to choose, think immediately about the future, imagine the tree in a year or two... How these branches will grow, where and why.

How to plant an apple tree?

Here's another question of questions. How can I plant it? It’s clear that it’s in the ground, but there are probably some secrets? Avon, one neighbor’s apples are always large and beautiful, while another’s are crooked and small. Perhaps the first one planted it correctly, but the second one didn’t?

It may be so, but there are no special tricks or difficulties with landing. If, of course, you have never planted a tree before, then it will all be new, and some may find it difficult. And so - there is nothing special.

The first one is a hole. (I guess there is a seedling, standing and waiting?..)

Where does all this advice come from - to dig meter-long holes?.. I can’t say who came up with the idea of ​​digging a hole meter by meter by meter under an apple tree. Maybe this sage was just bored, or maybe he loved to dig.

That is, if you make such a hole, no harm will happen. But you won’t notice the difference in tree growth between a 50x50x50 pit (eight times smaller) and a meter by meter, WITH CORRECT CARE.

What is traditionally recommended to be poured into a meter-long hole? Humus, organic and mineral fertilizers. But everything that is buried to a meter depth (organic matter, humus) ends up in anaerobic conditions, where, decomposing, it remains in a form indigestible for plants.

As for the much-loved superphosphate, you can, of course, pour it into the hole. But show me that apple tree that in an ordinary garden suffers from a lack of phosphorus? I haven’t seen one like this yet, maybe I didn’t look well.

What else is usually recommended to sprinkle? Complex mineral (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium). Why do we need all this at a meter depth? Well, maybe the potassium will somehow be absorbed. Nitrogen will go even deeper, with rains and in the first spring with melted snow it will not remain there. We already have enough phosphorus in our soil...

So it turns out that there is not much point in digging a huge hole. There are exceptions - if the land is completely unsuitable in its structure. Well, that is, the land is such that nothing like trees grows there! If there is maple, oak, alder, and ash in the area, then everything is fine with the soil, and there is no need to develop a hernia or develop calluses.

What should you put in a 50x50 hole?

Add ash to the nutritious soil, if any. Half a liter for such a hole is what you need. Unless, of course, you have alkaline soil. And then, when planting, fill it almost to the entire depth with ordinary black soil. If you want, add superphosphate.

But in the top layer (10 cm) you can creatively put any organic or complex mineral fertilizers. We now have a wonderful selection - all sorts of “ideals”, “vermicomposts” and “crystallons” have filled the store shelves. Choose according to your taste, but I can personally recommend “Universal Ideal”, but it is only for spring. If you plant in the fall, and the autumn is warm, then maybe the apple tree will start to grow something else, we don’t need it.

In general, when planting in the spring, you can put any fertilizer on top, it is better that all the main nutritional elements are there. And when planting in the fall, it is better not to plant anything at all until the onset of stable cold weather. Then you can sprinkle it on the snow with complex mineral water, or in the spring - with organic water. When the snow melts, mineral fertilizers will dissolve well and penetrate exactly to the depth where they will be accessible to the roots.

Autumn planting of apple trees.

They say that it is better to plant an apple tree in the fall - after the leaves fall. At this time, the tree is busy actively growing its root system, and the above-ground part is already sleeping in anticipation of spring. Therefore, our task is not to disturb the tree. A large amount of nutrients is no longer required for root growth, that is, just good black soil in a hole will be enough. You should not add additional nitrogen (vermicompost, manure, humus, compost) because the buds may wake up, which in turn can cause the seedling to freeze.

It’s also too late to sprinkle potassium and phosphorus “which helps the tree prepare for winter” - the tree has already prepared itself without you. So basically, just cover the seedling with soil and you can sing it a lullaby (although the roots won't sleep until the ground freezes). The only thing worth doing right away is to tie the seedling to a peg. This completes the autumn planting.

Spring planting.

I prefer to plant trees in the spring. Although this is not always good for open-root apple trees, spring planting is optimal for those that grew in a pot.

We will immediately see how the tree grows, the speed of shoot growth, the color of the leaves, etc. If something is wrong, you can adjust it with timely feeding.

And if there are no tricks when planting (transferring) a tree from a pot, then a plant with an open root will need some attention in the first month. Immediately after planting, water the seedling. Bucket of water on a tree. So that it turns out to be complete dirt. It is also good to pour water into the hole before you fill the roots with soil, mix the water with the soil at the bottom of the hole, and spread the roots into the resulting mud mash and fill the hole almost to the top with soil. Then pour another bucket of water, and when it goes away, fill the soil up to the level.

Water the apple tree once a week, in a bucket, for the first 5-6 weeks. Well, unless the weather is damp and everything is already flooded, then you don’t have to water it.

Planting depth.

This is important. If you plant a tree too deep, as sometimes happens, it will grow poorly and will hardly bear fruit, and then most likely will die in a few years.

On grafted apple trees, the grafting site is clearly visible - in any case it should be ABOVE the ground.

If planting trees is a new activity for you, then carefully look at where the root part of the seedling begins. Here comes the very top root... And literally a centimeter above it you will see the transition of the above-ground part to the underground. The bark will have a different structure and shade. The seedling cannot be buried deeper than this level! But vice versa, of course, planting a tree so that the roots stick out is also unacceptable.

We mulch and fertilize. Care in the first year.

Regardless of when we planted the tree - whether in spring or autumn, we begin to “look after” it in the first spring.

Basically, care will consist of activities such as fertilizing, mulching the tree trunk circle and crown formation. And of course – searching for and dealing with pests, where would we be without them...

Feeding an apple tree is the way to a harvest!

To achieve a harvest in the second year after planting (for dwarf trees, of course... For tall ones, it’s good if in the fourth year...), you need to give the tree everything it loves! In spring it is primarily nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilizers are organic and mineral. Any will suit us.

Feeding options. Mineral fertilizers.

Azofoska (nitroammofoska), a couple of tablespoons for the seedling. The most popular fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal parts. We scatter it around the tree early in the spring, ideally in the snow.

Carbamide (urea), potassium nitrate and everything else that contains nitrogen in an equal or greater proportion than other elements are also suitable.

If the snow has already thawed, but you still need to feed it, then the best way is to apply fertilizer under a layer of mulch. But we will describe this a little lower, under the heading “Mulching”.

Next we watch the growth of the tree. If the growth is growing, the leaves are green and cheerful, then everything is in order, and there is no need to add additional nitrogen. If the tree is in no hurry to grow, despite good watering, then at the end of May you can feed it with a liquid solution of nitrogen (urea), a tablespoon per bucket of water, for 1-2 trees.

Starting from July, nitrogen fertilizers should no longer be given. It is the turn of potassium and phosphorus. Sprinkle mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium, but without nitrogen, around the tree, about 1 tablespoon. Or, what's even better. A glass or two in the tree trunk circle.

Organic fertilizers.

Apple trees love organic matter, and fresh too (yes, yes, even fresh manure). Fresh, in addition to the specific (hee hee) smell, has another drawback - it can burn the trunk if placed close to the trunk. So you don’t put the manure close together, and that’s all? . Otherwise, manure is a real benefit in the spring, and you shouldn’t be afraid that the apple tree will begin to fatten or there are other nitrogen imbalances. By mid-July, all the nitrogen will be gone, and everything will be fine, except that the leaves will be large and green to behold.

How to apply manure? Yes, just put it in the tree trunk circle around the apple tree. But, as mentioned above, make a distance of about five centimeters from the trunk.

It is good both as mulch and as a fertilizer in itself... And let’s move on smoothly to mulching, because it is important!

Mulch your apple trees!

Especially in the first years of life, mulching is very useful for apple trees. But since we haven’t finished talking about organic fertilizers, let’s continue here. So, above we talked about mulching with manure.

Of course, it is possible (and even better) to mulch with rotted manure, as well as compost, vermicompost, chicken manure... No, no, you don’t need to sprinkle a thick layer of manure or vermicompost. Put adequate the amount of organic matter you have. And on top - cover it with a layer of mowed, slightly dried grass or straw, 5 centimeters thick.

Under the hay-straw, ideal conditions will be created for the life of earthworms and other companions, who will happily eat rotting grass and snack on manure, simultaneously loosening and fertilizing the soil to the required depth. Exactly to the very depth that is needed. It is in this layer of soil that the roots that feed our apple tree should be located. And that’s why we don’t need to dig a hole a meter deep and wide for planting(I hope you haven’t forgotten that we talked about the pit at the beginning of this long article). By the way. Thank you for reading this far, not everyone is worthy of this, but you were able to do it.

Next about mulch. In general, they write about it everywhere now, but for some reason not everyone tries it. But try it and make sure that the soil under the mulch layer becomes of excellent quality over the years, it is light and fertile.

And of course, we must mention such a very important quality of mulch as inhibiting the growth of weeds in the tree trunk circle of a young tree. Weeds significantly inhibit the growth rate of a seedling for the first few years, so you either have to put up with them or fight them. And so we mulched - and please: no weeds for you, and fertility is a plus.

The pest will not pass! It will not fly or crawl (Optimistic).

The subtitle, of course, is too optimistic. Because the pest does not sleep, but wants to eat. Who are we especially interested in in the first years after planting?

• Leaf-eating caterpillars - larvae of hawthorns and various moths.
• Weevils (there are no fruits yet - their larvae).
• Tireless aphids and their companions - ants.

The host of these lawless people is great and terrible, but there is no point in being afraid, we must fight. Moreover, I prefer not napalm and potent poison, but a reasonable approach and manual gathering.

In fact, while the trees are small (and dwarf apple trees are always small), it is enough to thoughtfully and slowly take a walk around the tree once a week, examining its leaves. Have you noticed the hooligans? Put them in the toilet, and then you know what to do with them. Yes, yes, exactly what to wet. Usually this is enough. But if you are overcome by a pest epidemic, you should think about the ecological balance in your area. Perhaps everything is fallow, all the weeds have been weeded out and the main enemies of harmful insects have nowhere to live?

Hello, dear readers and subscribers of our site!

I hope that even novice gardeners understand that in order for an apple orchard to bear fruit well, the trees must be properly cared for, and as I have repeatedly repeated in my articles about other crops, for this you need to know the biological characteristics of the apple tree. Regarding the biological characteristics of the apple tree, today I would prefer to introduce you to the fundamental concepts of origin (production), structure of varietal apple tree seedlings and their main classification and characteristics.

In nurseries, apple tree seedlings are obtained using grafting, since seed propagation does not preserve the purity of the variety. It happens like this. Seedlings (rootstocks) are grown from seeds. They are grafted onto a specific variety. Therefore, all parts of the plant located above the grafting site are varietal and cultivated. And everything that is below is the rootstock, it is usually called wild.

The height of the apple tree largely depends on the rootstocks, which can be 1.5 or 10 m. The largest trees are those grafted onto vigorous varieties (Antonovka vulgaris, Grushovka Moskovskaya and others). And small ones grow from apple tree seedlings on semi-dwarf rootstocks (3.5 - 4 m) and dwarf (2.5 - 3 m).

Vigorous apple trees are less demanding, they have a longer fruiting period (35 - 50 years), but compact apple trees begin to bear fruit earlier, although after 25 years they already need replacement, and they are more demanding of care.

The fruiting period of columnar apple trees is even shorter (15 - 17 years); depending on the rootstock, they are also vigorous, semi-dwarf and dwarf.

Please note that the rootstock is not only the root, as is sometimes mistakenly believed, but also the lower part of the trunk of the apple tree seedling up to the grafting site. The shoots growing below the scion are not varietal shoots; they are called wild shoots.

The grafting site is often confused with the root collar, which is actually located on the border of the above-ground part of the tree and the root system (see figure “Components of a two-year-old grafted apple tree”).

In most cases, the root collar of an apple tree seedling cannot tolerate being buried (the bark rots). We will learn how to properly plant an apple tree seedling in order to prevent the root collar from deepening in our next article. Therefore, throughout the life of the apple tree, the root collar should be no lower than the general level of the site.

Having become familiar with the types listed above apple tree seedlings, with their brief characteristics, you will be able to competently select them correctly for your garden and competently begin growing them on your site.

Read more on the website about apple trees:

Thank you for visiting our site!

If this article was useful to you, or you have your own opinion on the subject of the article, or you disagree with something, then do not be lazy to leave your comment. It is quite possible that you do not have time for this, or you simply do not want to bother yourself with unnecessary writing, but the topic raised is interesting to you, share it with your friends on social networks and use the free subscription form to be the first to receive new articles about apple tree growing from our website to your email:

Let's block ads!(Why?)

Many summer residents and amateur gardeners dream of having maximum trees on your site. And here they make the main and very serious mistake of filling the garden with too many seedlings, which in 5 years will lead to the appearance impassable thicket.

And in order to avoid such mistakes, you need to think in advance which apple trees are suitable for the conditions of this site, and only then select the seedlings that you like. And after that, decide which apple tree is best to plant first in the new garden.

According to fruiting period

• Gornoaltaiskoe;
• Ermakovskoe Mining;
• Bayan;
• Altai Purple;
• Altai Dove;
• Altai souvenir;
• Dark-skinned;
• Seedless Michurinskaya.

Gornoaltaiskoe.

Ermakovskoe Mining.

Altai Purple.

Altai Dove.

Altai souvenir.

Dark-skinned girl.

Seedless Michurinskaya.

Ural

For the Ural region, which is characterized by particularly harsh winter climate, special shapes of apple trees are required. Here are the apple tree representatives most suitable for its climate:

• Uralets;
• Belarusian sweet;
• Sverdlovsk rouge;
• White filling;
• Anise Sverdlovsk;
• Bugler;
• Ural one-time;
• Beauty of Sverdlovsk;
• Silver hoof.

Belarusian sweet.

Sverdlovsk blush.

White filling.

Anise Sverdlovsk.

Ural pink.

The beauty of Sverdlovsk.

Altai

Even at the beginning of the twentieth century, apple trees in Siberia were grown either with small fruits or in the form of slates, covered for the winter. This is due to the fact that there bigfrosts, but there is not a lot of snow everywhere. But after winters in these areas have warmed up, and selection has brought out very cold-resistant forms, it is now possible You can also grow regular apple trees from the following varieties:

• Bayan;
• Mountain Synapse;
• Surkhurai;
• Tolunay;
• Altai souvenir;
• Ermakovskoe mountain.

Mountain synapse.

North-West Russia

The climate features of this region are such that In winter, severe cold is replaced by a sharp thaw. This complicates the cultivation of apple trees and requires careful selection of varieties suitable for a given climate. For example, here are the varieties that bear fruit well in this region:

• Anise;
• Fragrant;
• Lungwort;
• Star;
• Arkad is sweet;
• Bogatyr;
• White filling;
• Dream;
• Baltika.

Arkad is sweet.

Belarus

Apple trees, resistant to diseases, frosts and pests - this is the right choice for the Belarusian gardener. The most suitable varieties for these criteria include:

• Syabryna;
• Vesalina;
• Zaslavskoe;
• Imant;
• Antey;
• Belarusian sweet.

Vesalina.

Zaslavskoe.

Imant.

Belarusian sweet.

Ukraine

Ukraine has many climatic zones and it is impossible to say that there are any universal varieties that are suitable for different climates throughout the country. But we can list those that most persistent and least painful:

• Glory to the survivors;
• Mavka;
• Rosavka;
• Gala;
• Richard;
• Renet Semirenko;
• Violet;
• Scythian gold;
• Perlyna Kieva.

Scythian gold.

Perlyna Kieva.

Useful videos

Watch the video below for tips on choosing apple tree varieties for your garden:

Watch a video review of apple tree varieties for the North-West zone:

Watch the video below about the best summer varieties of apple trees:

A guide to the best winter varieties of apple trees is presented in the video below:

Conclusion

By choosing the right apple tree varieties for their climatic conditions, gardeners will receive fresh, flavorful applesnot only in summer and autumn, but also in winter they will be able to pamperthemyourself and friends.