Distance between apple trees when planting.

When laying an orchard, you need to understand that the wealth of the future harvest is determined by many factors, and first of all, on how correctly you plant the seedlings. And the correct planting includes choosing a place on the site where the tree will have enough light and a space where it will not be disturbed by groundwater and unwanted neighbors - plants that can negatively affect the growth of the apple tree. It should also be borne in mind that an adult apple tree has a spreading crown and a very powerful root system, so plant trees in such a way that they do not interfere with each other not only now, but also in a few years, so that their branches do not intertwine, and each tree has enough nutritious substances. In this case, the trees should be placed at such a distance as to facilitate pollination of each other. Next, we will talk about how to correctly plan and plant apple trees in the garden, and what is the optimal distance to keep in order to count on a rich harvest in the future.

Planting rules and arrangement of apple trees in the garden.

Start by assessing the area of ​​the site, the existing plantings and structures, the level of acidity of the soil and the depth of the groundwater. It is likely that your site borders on a neighboring one, then it is important to know that, according to the legislation, large trees are allowed to be placed at a distance of 3 m from the general fence, since a closer location in the future may cause inconvenience to neighbors. In your area, place trees at a distance of at least five meters from any buildings (from a house, shed, bathhouse or gazebo), since the structure creates a shadow, and apple trees need not only enough space, but also a lot of sunlight.

Another important point is the absence of drafts, especially at first, while the tree is still young. Moreover, this will have a positive effect on the future harvest - in the absence of wind, there will be more beneficial insects that are responsible for pollination.

After you have decided on the site and made sure that the groundwater is at a depth of more than two meters, you can start preparing the site. In order to plant an apple tree in the spring, the pit must be prepared in the fall. If you are planning an autumn planting, then start preparing the hole three weeks before the expected date. Gardeners cannot come to a consensus on which planting is considered correct - spring or autumn. In the south of the country, apple trees are planted in the fall, since the fall is warm enough there and the tree manages to take root well before winter, and when planting in spring, on the contrary, it can die in the hot summer. In cooler regions, on the contrary, it is advised to carry out a spring planting, then the seedling will have time to grow stronger. And it is better to refuse the autumn planting, since the rainy autumn can very unexpectedly be replaced by frost.

If you decide to plant apple trees in the spring, then do it not earlier than the second half of April, the soil should have time to warm up. Well, if you give preference to autumn planting, then analyze the climatic features of your area - the seedling should have time to take root before the first frost, and it will take at least a month to root.
The shape of the pit under the apple tree does not matter, it can be either round (a meter in diameter and about 80 cm deep) or square (all parameters are 80 cm each). Carefully remove the top layer of soil (about thirty centimeters) and mix with nutrients (wood ash, humus or compost, phosphorus fertilizers).Pour the resulting nutrient mixture to the bottom, but keep in mind that the root system of the apple tree should not directly touch the fertilizers.

If the soil in your area is clay, then before filling the soil mixture, lay a drainage layer on the bottom (stones, broken brick, gravel, expanded clay), and coarse sand is also added to the dense soil. Conversely, clay can be added to sandy soil to achieve the desired soil condition. You do not need to water the hole with water, the autumn rain will do it for you, thanks to this the soil will settle.

Inspect the root system of the seedling before planting - if you find damaged roots, they should be removed immediately. Then install a support at the bottom of the pit to which you will tie the apple tree, and then loosen the soil at the bottom of the pit a little and place the seedling there. Spread out the roots, they should lie freely, not twisting or bending upward. Gradually cover them with earth, tamping it so that there are no voids with air. After filling the hole completely, compact the soil again and make a small indentation so that water does not spread from the tree when watering. Now the seedling should be well watered and this should be done only with warm water. It will take 25-30 liters, but they must be poured out not in one fell swoop, but gradually, waiting for the water to be absorbed. At first, apple tree seedlings need to be watered once every seven days, then it will be enough to do this once a month, but this should be done only with warm water. Most plants perceive cold water as frost, which means that it will have a bad effect on the health and adaptation of the apple tree. But! Recommendations for watering are valid only for spring planting, in the autumn there will be enough precipitation, additional watering is not required.

If your seedling is taller than 70 cm, then you need to trim it a little. For an annual apple tree, it is enough to prune the top, and for a two-year-old plant, the side branches are pruned, this is necessary for the correct formation of the tree.

For the first couple of years, you don't have to worry about fertilizers, the apple tree will be enough that you fall asleep at the bottom of the pit.

How to place apple trees of different varieties in the garden.

As we said earlier, it is very important to place the trees at the correct distance from each other. Previously, there were only tall trees, but now there are many low compact varieties that do not require much space, but at the same time give an excellent harvest.

Large trees should be at least four meters apart in a row, and the row spacing should be about six meters. The distance between medium-sized apple trees should be about three meters in a row and four and a half meters between rows. Compact, low trees can be placed at a distance of two meters from each other, and the distance between rows will be approximately four to four and a half meters.

You can place trees in a checkerboard or linear order, each tree must have at least ten square meters of land.
If you place apple trees along the edge of the cliff, then the distance between the seedlings can be made smaller, since the sunlight will come to the plants not only from above, but also from the side.

Suitable and unwanted neighbors for apple trees.

The apple tree is one of the most popular and beloved by many fruit trees. But pear, cherry, plum have almost the same popularity. How to place all these trees on the site so that they do not interfere with each other? Can I put them next to each other? But there are also berry bushes, vegetables and flowers - they can also have both positive and negative effects on the growth of an apple tree.

The pear is a similar crop, so it can be planted in close proximity to the apple tree, at the same distance as another apple tree.In the early years, while the trees are still not very spreading, some vegetable crops can be planted between them: nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes), zucchini or squash, beans or peas, radishes, radishes or beets.

Cherries cannot grow next to an apple tree; the distance between these trees must be at least fifteen meters. Despite the fact that both trees present the same conditions for soil, light and environment, the neighborhood can become unpleasant for one of the crops, and in different circumstances it can be both an apple tree and a cherry.

Apricot has established itself as a very capricious crop, which, in principle, does not like being close to other trees. Therefore, as in the case of cherries, a distance of 10-15 meters must be observed.

Close proximity to the plum is also undesirable, although some gardeners claim that these trees are similar and coexist well in close proximity to each other. But if you don't want to risk it, then, as in previous cases, keep a distance of 10 meters.
Raspberries get along well next to apple trees, but only in the first years, until the apple tree grows and begins to cast a large shadow. The proximity to raspberries increases the apple tree's resistance to various harmful insects.

Many people like to plant coniferous compositions on the site, the basis of which is a juniper, so it is better not to place it next to the apple tree. Juniper can infect apple trees with rust. The coniferous plant dries and changes color, and the apple tree becomes covered with red-orange spots, foliage and apples fall off, sometimes the bark cracks and dries. It is very difficult to cure this disease, therefore it is better to avoid such a neighborhood - plant juniper not in the fruit, but in the ornamental part of the garden.

In addition to juniper, hazel will be an extremely undesirable neighbor, but it will not get along with other fruit trees. Therefore, if you really really want to plant hazel on the site, place it at the opposite end of the site, away from the orchard.
Well, currant and gooseberry bushes are also better planted at a respectable distance from the apple tree, since in the case of close proximity, one of the crops will give an extremely poor harvest.

Columnar apple trees.

Columnar apple trees are a separate story, they have their own rules for planting and placement on the site. These are short trees with weak roots. They can also be planted in spring and autumn (second half of April or September). A hole should be prepared with a diameter of eighty centimeters and a depth of just over half a meter, as fertilizer, add 50 grams of phosphorus and potassium to the bottom of the hole about a week before planting. As with the rest of the apple trees, make sure that the roots of the plant do not come into contact with fertilizers. The distance between the columnar apple trees will be enough to leave 1-1.2 meters. And if you plant very little kids - columnar dwarf apple trees, then 60-70 cm between the plants will be enough.
Of course, when planting you, first of all, you will start from the place in which the site is located, existing buildings and previously planted trees. But if you try to arrange everything correctly so that the crops do not interfere with each other, but, on the contrary, have a positive effect, then the plants will be very comfortable and after a while they will thank you with an excellent harvest.