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Who does not want to have on their site apple trees? After all, the fruits from their trees are much healthier and tastier. But apple trees need to be properly planted and looked after. To update the garden, from time to time, you need to plant new apple seedlings. Most often, gardeners do this in the fall. Subject to the rules and timing of planting, the trees take root well and bear fruit in the future.
The fact is that in the fall, the root system has time to recover and strengthen in the ground. About correct planting apple trees in autumn in central Russia will be discussed in our article.
When to plant apple trees
You can plant apple seedlings in central Russia in a new place in spring or autumn. But gardeners who have been cultivating apple trees for more than one year prefer autumn planting.
How they motivate:
- First, gardeners save their family's budget. The assortment of apple tree seedlings in autumn is much larger, and their cost is pleasantly surprising compared to spring.
- Secondly, it often rains in autumn, and this has a beneficial effect on the rooting of plantings of young apple trees.
But novice gardeners can not always orient themselves in the fall in the timing of planting apple trees, as a result, the seedlings cannot survive the winter. Isn't it a shame? We will also try to tell you about mistakes and ways to overcome them.
Let's figure out the timing of planting apple seedlings in central Russia in the fall:
- Gardeners pay attention to various factors. One of them is the beginning of leaf fall and freezing of the soil. It is during this period of autumn that you need to keep pace with the restoration of the garden.
- Planting of apple trees begins in mid-September. Earlier dates are undesirable due to long daylight hours and high air temperatures. These factors can cause premature awakening, therefore, the apple seedling will "work" not to strengthen the root system, but to develop the buds. Consequently, in the winter in the middle lane, the newly planted apple tree will leave weakened.
- But you can't hesitate either. If the average daily temperatures in autumn are negative, then you are already late with landing.
Features of the autumn technique
- Young apple trees are planted from September 15 to October 15.
- It is imperative to take into account the climate of the region: the specific dates of the first frosts in the fall. Even in central Russia, in different districts and regions, the timing of planting apple seedlings is different.
- Soil temperature is another important consideration. The dormant period in plants begins in the fall from the beginning of leaf fall. At that time, the apple trees no longer grow, but the roots increase in size, while the temperature on the soil is not lower than plus four degrees. Experienced gardeners have special thermometers in their arsenal.
Features of the choice of seedlings
Not only planting dates must be taken into account when planting a garden in central Russia in the fall. The choice of planting material is of great importance. Only good seedlings will delight in the future with a rich harvest of tasty and aromatic apples.
So, what you need to pay attention to:
- First of all, you need to decide which varieties of apple trees will grow on your site. Preference is given to zoned varieties that are already adapted to the conditions of the region. The main classification of apple trees is according to the timing of fruit ripening.They are early ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. In central Russia, apple varieties with late ripening (winter) do not have time to reach technical maturity, so it is better not to acquire seedlings, although they retain their taste and useful properties throughout the winter.
- The second point, which should also not be overlooked, is the place of purchase of the seedling. You should not chase cheapness and buy young apple trees from random sellers. It is best to contact your local nursery or garden center. In this case, the seedlings will be healthy and strong.
Apple trees are sold with a closed or open root system. Planting material grown in a special container is more viable. Apple trees have a well-developed root system, therefore, the survival rate is high. In addition, transportation is convenient because the roots do not break off. Checking the viability of the apple tree root system is not difficult. If you turn the pot over and take out the apple tree sapling, you will see that the roots take up the entire container.
But even here there may be pitfalls. Unscrupulous sellers do not always care about the cleanliness of the soil. And with him they are often brought to the site of the disease. - The size of the apple tree sapling is also important. Don't choose overgrown plants. The age of a tree that can take root should be no more than three years. If the seedling is only one year old, then it is easier for it to form a shape. One-year-old apple trees are best purchased with a closed root system. But plants at the age of two or three years, with open roots, will take root better, will not experience stress.
- You also need to consider what your apple tree will be like in a few years. Tall plants give more fruit, but caring for them is very difficult.
- The scion method is also important. If a clone stock was used, but the apple tree will not be tall. It is determined by the beard on the adventitious roots. The first fruits from such plants are harvested two years after planting.
As for the seed stock, it is determined by the main root and lateral roots. On each lateral root, small roots are clearly visible, which perform a suction function. Usually strong and tall apple trees grow on such a rootstock. But they begin to bear fruit late. You will have to wait for the first apples for less than six days.
So, we talked about the timing of planting and the rules for choosing apple seedlings in central Russia, and now we turn to the issue of planting.
Features of planting apple trees in autumn
Fruit trees grow poorly on swampy soils and containing a large amount of gravel. They like light soils with good aeration. You also need to pay attention to the occurrence of groundwater. They should be no higher than two meters. Apple trees are planted at a distance of at least three meters so that the overgrown trees do not touch each other with their crowns. As for the row spacing, it is best to stick to a step of six meters.
Digging a landing pit
If you decide plant in autumn apple trees on a site in central Russia, then you need to decide on the timing of digging a hole. As a rule, it is prepared 30 days before planting so that the soil has time to settle. The pit should be round in shape with a diameter of about a meter and a depth of at least 0.7 meters. The width of the bottom and the top of the recess is made the same in size.
When digging a hole, the soil is laid out on two sides. In one they put fertile soil, and in the other that soil that you will take out from below.
As soon as you dig a hole, immediately drive in a strong peg in the center, at least five centimeters thick, to which the stem of the apple tree sapling is tied. Since the stake will be in the ground and moisture will affect it, over time it will begin to rot. The peg should be 40 centimeters higher than the pit.
If the seedling has a closed root system, then support is not needed.
Backfilling the pit
To plant an apple tree in central Russia and in other regions, you need to prepare the correct soil. Add peat, humus, compost or manure to the soil selected from above, as well as organic fertilizers.
We mix the soil with nutritional supplements. Pour drainage at the bottom of the pit: medium-sized pebbles. They are necessary to maintain water balance. But if your soil is sandy, then stones will not help. In this case, a water-retaining layer is required. For this, clay or silt is used.
Then we load the hole with a fertile composition to make a slide in the center. Before planting the apple tree, the earth will settle. Soil, taken from the bottom of the pit, is scattered between rows to make an irrigation ridge.
Sapling planting rules
When it comes time to plant seedlings with an open root system, the soil in the planting pit will have time to settle. After examining the apple tree and cutting off the brown or damaged roots, we make a depression in the hole, and a slide in the center.
- We place the apple tree sapling on a slide, straighten the roots. An important point is that the support should be on the south side of the plant. Make sure that the root collar and the grafting site do not sink into the ground, but rise above it at a height of 5 cm. Novice gardeners may not understand what is at stake. So, the root collar is called the point where the green bark turns brown. If this place is underground, then the apple tree will further lag behind in growth, therefore, this will negatively affect fruiting. Sometimes because of this, the apple tree dies.
- When planting seedlings with a closed root system, a hole is dug out in proportion to the size of the pot and covered with fertile soil with nutrient supplements, without damaging the soil woven by the roots.
Make sure that the horse's neck is not covered. - Regardless of what kind of root system the plant has, after the first covering the roots with earth, water is poured into the pit. She pushes the earth down, the voids between the roots are filled. This is done until the pit is filled to the top. In total, when planting an apple tree in a hole, you need to pour at least four buckets of water.
- When the hole is filled, the earth is tamped, and the young plant is tied to a support. The rope is not tightly attracted, because the tree will grow.
Care after landing
Whether or not your seedling will take root depends on the grower:
- Firstly, good luck awaits you if the apple tree planting dates were met, and the seedling itself was healthy. As we have already said, in central Russia it is September 15 - October 15.
- Secondly, after thorough spilling of the seedling, mulching is carried out.
For this, humus or peat is used. If it does not rain constantly in the fall, you need to water the planted plants at least once a week. You don't need to spare the water, but you don't need to bring it to the state of the swamp.
Useful tips from Oktyabrina Ganichkina:
Conclusion
As you can see planting apple seedlings in autumn not only in central Russia requires certain knowledge and skills. Before you get started, re-read the article, watch the video. All taken together will help you cope with the intended business. After all, the garden on the site is not only delicious apples, but also the joint work of the whole family when caring for the apple trees planted in autumn.
