TOP 11 important rules for growing a healthy apple tree

Site selection

Of course, you need to start planting an apple tree by choosing a site. The main thing to remember is that a healthy apple tree loves light, so you need to plant it not in the shade, but on an area where the sun's rays most of all fall.

The soil

The soil needs to be prepared. An apple tree only needs fertile soil. But at the same time, it should not be too sour. If necessary, the earth must be deacidified. This is done simply. While the earth is being dug up, flour needs to be introduced into it.

Healthy Apple Tree: Young Tree Pits

This issue is resolved in advance, 1-2 months before planting apple trees. It must be filled with a special mixture, which consists of fertile soil with rotted manure. There it is also necessary to add a kilogram of super phosphorus. Another important detail, the width of the pit should be about 1 m. 70-75 cm deep.

Distance

Each apple tree needs its own space. The distance between small-bonsai trees should be 3 × 2 meters; for semi-dwarf 4 × 3 meters; middle-aged 4 meters; and finally, for the tall 5 meters.

Healthy apple tree: correct planting

You need to start by putting a peg in the dug hole, to which the seedling will be tied after planting. Spread out the roots carefully. The root collar of the tree should be about 5-6 cm above the ground surface. At the end, cover the roots with soil. Tamp the soil, but do it carefully. Then you should water. Water a lot until the water runs out. Further, sprinkle the entire nearest circular area with sawdust, compost, thereby increasing the thickness of the soil. The next steps are the simplest. Water your saplings weekly.

Pruning apple trees

This is a mandatory procedure that must be performed annually. If you do it less often, then you will only make the tree worse. Someone may have a question, why cut the apple trees?

It is done for several reasons: to strengthen and heal the tree, so that more light falls on the crown, because huge branches obscure the sun's rays, to improve the quality and size of the fruits, for better air flow, which affects the tree only positively.

Pruning time

There are two options, autumn or spring. Each gardener chooses his own time, which has its own advantages.

Healthy Apple Tree: Spring Pruning

Let's start with the benefits. Firstly, the conditions are much better than in the fall. Secondly, this is an excellent opportunity to remove frozen, dead shoots from the tree. Spring pruning should be done between -5 and before the buds begin to show.

Autumn pruning

There are also advantages to pruning at this time of year. For example, the fact that pruning takes place in combination with spring fertilizers and water-charging irrigation. This brings the apple tree better to the winter period.

There are no clear time periods for autumn pruning. You can start after the last harvest and finish in the fall.

Types of pruning: sanitary, rejuvenating, shaping, normalizing, restoring

Top dressing is carried out in the same way as pruning. Autumn and spring. Top dressing needs to be done correctly, this is an important part for a healthy, growing apple tree.

Healthy apple tree: correct tree propagation

There are many ways to breed.However, there is only one that the average gardener can take advantage of. It's pretty straightforward. This is the way of seedlings.

Varietal features

In fact, it is difficult to count the number of apple orchards. There are about 2000 of them.

The first feature of the variety is at what time the fruit ripens:

Summer variety. There are both positive and negative aspects. The fruits can be eaten immediately. And not only is it possible, but also necessary, because they are not stored for a long time. Ripening period: July-August.

Autumn grade. Ripening period: September. They are stored longer than summer ones, from a month to three.

Winter grade. Ripening period: end of September. Shelf life: from three to five months. But, unlike summer ones, winter ones cannot be eaten right away. They need to lie down for a while.

Apple trees by the time of entry into fruiting: early-fruiting (after planting they begin to bear fruit in 3-5 years), medium-fruited: 6-8 years, late-fruited: 9-14 years.

The apple tree is the most widespread tree in Russia. But this does not mean that caring for these trees is unnecessary. You need to be more careful about the plants in your garden.