When to plant an apple tree, in spring or autumn?

If you inherited a house in a village, then most likely there are already adult apple trees and the problem of planting trees is not yet urgent for you. But if you have just purchased a summer cottage, then I have no doubt that apple trees will be one of the first trees that you plant on it. Undoubtedly, the question immediately arises, at what time is it better to plant seedlings - in the spring or in the fall? After all, a tree planted incorrectly and at the wrong time will grow painful and weak, develop incorrectly. Chances are good that you will never get a harvest from such an apple tree. Therefore, it is very important to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of planting in the spring and autumn months, analyze the climatic features of your region, and only then start planting trees.

Let's start by determining at what time of the year planting an apple tree is most successful.

What time of year to choose for planting?

It has been experimentally proven that seedlings take root in a new place much better if transplantation occurs when the tree is at rest. That is, in the fall, this is the period when the leaves of the tree have already fallen, vital activity slows down, it does not need to actively grow. And in spring it is on the contrary, a borderline state before the end of dormancy and awakening, before the growing season begins. Your task is to create the most comfortable rooting conditions for the tree, so that when the growing season begins, the roots can supply sufficient nutrients to the aboveground part of the plant.

Planting an apple tree in spring period - pros and cons.

In any question, you can find its advantages and disadvantages, this also applies to planting trees in a given period of time.
The undoubted advantage of spring planting will be that the apple tree will have several months ahead before the onset of frost. Ha, this time the tree will have time to take root and get stronger, to grow a sufficient number of thin roots, which just absorb all the necessary nutrients from the soil. During the growing season, the tree will settle in a new place, accumulate a supply of nutrients in the winter, and if you also provide additional protection from frost, then the tree will winter well. Spring planting of an apple tree is relevant for areas with cold winters and insufficiently fertile soils. And also in the spring it is recommended to plant varieties of apple trees that are not frost-resistant and very young trees 1-2 years old.
But in addition to the pros, there are also disadvantages of spring planting, it is fraught with certain risks and some difficulties.

It is necessary to have time to plant the seedlings before the buds begin to bloom. In the case of insufficient soil moisture, new roots will grow very slowly, and therefore the development of the entire tree will slow down, it will become especially susceptible to disease and may eventually die. So when planting in spring, it is necessary to adjust the watering schedule for the seedlings. After watering, you need to mulch the soil in the trunk circle, this will help prevent moisture evaporation and will also help apple tree in rooting. With a noticeable increase in spring temperature and bright sun, a young, immature apple tree can get burned by newly blossoming leaves and shoots.

Experienced gardeners say that it is much more difficult to find good quality seedlings in springtime.But as an option, they can be prepared in autumn and spring and planted in a permanent place according to all the rules.

Planting an apple tree in autumn period - pros and cons

Experts recommend planting apple trees and other fruit trees in autumn, and you can start from the moment when the leaves have fallen. By this time, the wood has already matured, the tree goes into a state of dormancy and will be able to fully concentrate on growing roots, since the root system does not have a dormant period, until the air temperature drops below + 3 ... + 5 degrees, they continue to develop. That is, before the onset of cold weather, the roots will grow and get stronger, in the spring the tree will not have to spend energy on this and it will be healthier and more resistant to the adverse effects of the environment and insects.

Considering that root damage is possible during transplantation, planting an apple tree in autumn is also more preferable, since in the months that will pass until spring, the apple tree will heal the wounds and restore the roots.

If you chose a frost-resistant variety, then this again speaks in favor of autumn planting. The same applies to trees over two to three years old. On the Internet, you can find information that adult apple trees can be transplanted in the winter months, but this is a very dubious statement, since it is not recommended to transplant adult trees at all, this can lead to their death.
Well, for an objective assessment, it is necessary to mention the disadvantages of planting trees in the autumn. If the autumn is rainy, the groundwater does not run deep enough, and the soil in your area is quite dense and heavy, then there is a high probability of excess moisture. In such conditions, seedlings will not be able to take root and will most likely die.

If the winter in your area is long, cold and harsh, then the seedlings planted in the fall are likely to die, even if you additionally insulate them. If the tree has not had time to fully take root, then no amount of insulation will help it survive the winter.
Speaking of autumn planting, we mean September and the first half of October, since seedlings need at least a month to root. If you did not have time before this time, then it is better to dig the apple tree horizontally, and in the spring, plant it in a permanent place. A properly dug and well-insulated tree will not suffer during the winter.

There are cases where the tree has taken root well when planted and in late autumn, but this can only happen in southern regions with mild winters.

Planting an apple tree in different regions - features and recommendations

It is impossible to give unequivocal recommendations for planting in spring or autumn throughout Russia. Our country is huge and in each of its parts the climate dictates its own conditions. And the farther north the area of ​​residence is, the colder and longer winters there, which means that the tree's chances of survival when planted in autumn are reduced to zero. Therefore, in order to grow strong and healthy trees, seedlings must be planted in the spring.

For example, in the Moscow region, apple trees can be planted both in spring and autumn. But since in recent years the weather has become more and more unpredictable, during the winter period there are significant temperature drops and strong winds often come, it is still better to plant seedlings in the spring. The same rules apply for the entire Middle Lane.

If we talk about St. Petersburg and the region, then gardeners do not have specific recommendations and preferences, they are guided by the weather of the current year and plan planting with this in mind.

In Siberia and the Urals, only spring planting is recommended, in which trees have time to fully adapt and prepare for winter. And even already rooted trees need to provide additional protection from freezing. When planting in autumn in a local winter, the plants will simply die, since they will not have time to take root and gain strength.

In the Volga region, summers are hot, and winters are unpredictable and often harsh, so local gardeners practice spring planting of fruit trees, this gives the best results.

Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory practice planting in autumn and spring, and sometimes in winter months - mild winters, with frequent and prolonged thaws, so that trees take root without problems.

Our neighbors in Belarus also practice both autumn planting (no later than October) and spring planting (usually in April). But since the trees need additional watering in spring, preference is still given to autumn planting.

Summarizing.

In order to grow a strong and healthy tree that will delight you with a magnificent harvest, you need to take into account many different nuances: choose the right time for planting, choose and prepare a place for a seedling, plant without damaging the roots of the plant and correctly positioning the root collar. Well, for that annually and carefully take care of the apple tree, creating the most comfortable conditions for it. But this whole path begins from the moment of planting a seedling, everything else depends on how correctly and at the right time you act.

Planting seedlings should be carried out at a time when the tree is sleeping. Either it is autumn, after the leaves have fallen, or spring, but before the buds begin to swell - when choosing the time, start from the climatic features of your area. If you are late with the planting dates in the spring, then this threatens with a delay in the development of the apple tree, since it will simultaneously be forced to grow both roots and green mass. But if you are late with the dates in the autumn, then this threatens the death of the seedling, since, without having time to take root, the tree will not survive the winter.

To plant an apple tree, you must carefully choose not only the time, but also the place. Whoever says what, transplanting mature trees usually does not bring good results. So find out in advance all the information about groundwater, the level of acidity and soil fertility, and also make sure that the tree will have enough light and unwanted neighbors (hazel, currant, apricot, cherry) do not grow nearby.

Regardless of what time of year you prefer to plant an apple tree, the work must be carried out in cloudy and calm weather, this will save the seedlings from mechanical damage, as well as from drying out and withering under the sun's rays.

In autumn, there is usually enough rainfall, but during spring planting, experienced gardeners recommend soaking the roots of the apple tree in water for 24 hours so that they are well moistened. After the planting work is completed, the tree will need to be watered, and then watered for another month quite abundantly (but at the same time focus on the amount of precipitation).

With the necessary knowledge and sufficient diligence, you can grow beautiful apple trees on your garden plot, which, over time, will thank you for your care, giving you a rich harvest of juicy apples.