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Secrets of growing an apple orchard from experienced gardeners. How to grow an apple tree on your own: planting, care, pruning, top dressing. Is it possible to grow an apple tree from a seed and how to properly care for seedlings at home Growing apple trees from seeds in

Eating apples is a favorite pastime of Russian fruit lovers. Gardeners admire the sweet taste of apples. It is difficult to find a summer resident who does not have an apple tree in the garden. She gives a harvest for forty years. One evening, sitting at home, a person thinks: “Is it possible to grow a fertile apple tree from a seed at home?”. Certainly, it is possible.

For cultivation apple tree houses are required certain conditions. The most important condition- Correct posture.

The main disadvantage of growing an apple tree from a seed is ignorance of the end result. The seed does not inherit all the genetic information of the apple tree. Even if the gardener chooses the most fertile apple tree for collecting seeds, out of ten there will be only three successful ones. Three types of apple trees can grow from a seed.

• apple tree giving good harvest.
• A beautiful plant with juicy, but completely tasteless fruits.
• An apple tree that bears small apples suitable only for jam.

For cultivation lucky apple tree experienced gardeners suggest using the method of grafting a sprout to an adult plant. With this technique, eighty percent of the plants grow into fertile trees. If you do not use grafting, the likelihood of getting a good harvest from an apple tree from a seed is very small. When choosing a tree for grafting, it is better to use undersized varieties. For example, the variety "Delight".

The second disadvantage is the troublesome growing process. But very exciting.

The vegetative method of growing has its advantages.

1. The plant grows strong and frost-resistant, in comparison with other representatives of apple trees.
2. A great way to grow an indoor plant. A small apple tree fits perfectly into any interior.

This method of growing is absolutely not suitable for farmers who want to grow many fertile plants, it is rather suitable for apple lovers or caring housewives who dream of trying themselves as a gardener.

The process of growing an adult apple tree from a seed

To get a fertile apple tree, you need patience, time and knowledge of important information. Without it, growing a tree will not be easy. Only healthy, frost-resistant, strong sprouts should be planted in the garden. In the future, they will bring a good harvest. Trying to plant sluggish, half-dead shoots is not worth it. Probability successful cultivation low.

Seeds: selection and preparation

The whole outcome depends on the choice of seed long work. The seed must be of good quality. Basic rules for seed selection.

1. It is better to collect seeds in late summer or early autumn.
2. The apple from which the seed is selected is juicy, with a pronounced taste.
3. It is better to use apple trees in a well-lit area.
4. The seed has correct form and dark brown.

Preparing seeds for sowing important process, not requiring special efforts. It is necessary to create an environment similar to the environment in the soil during cold winters. The procedure is very simple.

• Wash the seeds thoroughly.
• Dry with a hair dryer or put on the windowsill.
• I put it in warm water for three days. We change it daily. For best result use Efin.
• We collect a few cones and moss in the forest and make a solution out of them. We use activated charcoal to prevent mold.
• After the seeds swell, place them in the mixture.
• We put in the refrigerator for a period of three to six months.

Some gardeners use traditional methods preparation. Taking out the seed of their juicy apple, they thoroughly wash it and plant it in the ground. During autumn and zoom, the same thing happens with the seeds as with the seeds in the first case. In the spring they germinate successfully. It is worth planting twenty days before the onset of stable frosts.

Both methods bring the same effect. Each gardener chooses the method that is more convenient for him.

Planting in a pot

After preparing the seed, it is time to plant. Drainage is installed at the bottom of the proposed planting tank. The soil is laid on top. Only healthy shoots are planted. The earth must contain useful minerals.

1. Two hundred grams of ash, preferably wood.
2. Twenty grams of potassium.
3. 30 grams of phosphate

Planting depth - no more than fifteen centimeters. The distance between plants is at least twenty millimeters, between rows - up to twenty centimeters.

Before growing healthy sprouts, follow standard care: regular watering and monitoring the condition of the plants.

If the plant no longer fits in a pot, it's time to transplant into the garden. The place should be chosen sunny, calm. It is worth remembering that apple trees wither in open areas. The season is the middle of spring.

When four leaves appear, selection can be made and wild plants discarded. They can be identified by the smaller size of the leaves compared to other sprouts. They also have spines with straight spines. The distance between plants increases to eight centimeters. Cultivated apple trees lack signs of wild apple trees, and the leaf shape is more curved.

During the entire period of growing an apple tree, the plant is transplanted several times.

• From common seedlings to a pot to form a tap root.
• After a year and a half, when the plant does not fit in a pot.
• Last time. The plant is transplanted to a garden bed or garden, where it grows for the rest of the time.

You can learn more about landing from the video:

Probably, everyone in childhood asked a naive question: “Will a real apple tree grow from a stone?” And the most inquisitive children even tried to bury a bone in the ground and see how it turns into a tree with delicious apples. Of course, children's expectations in most cases could not be successful, because experienced gardeners know how much work needs to be done in order to achieve good fruiting from an apple tree.

So after all, how to grow an apple tree from a seed, and is the result worth the effort?

Growing apples from seeds is risky because it is impossible to predict in advance what taste they will have.

In fact, experimenting with getting a strong seedling from a small seed is tantamount to buying a "pig in a poke":

• On the one hand, there were cases when a wild game with very tasty fruits suddenly grew out of an abandoned core;
• On the other hand, there is no guarantee that, with careful care of a grown tree, you will get fruits with the same properties as an apple, whose seed you took for germination.

Growing apples from seeds is risky because it is impossible to predict in advance what taste qualities they will have and whether they will be edible at all. But you can taste the experimental fruits only after a few years. In addition, seeded apple trees are very tall and difficult to care for because they were not originally grafted onto a dwarf rootstock like many cultivated apple trees.

Video about growing an apple tree from a seed

If the unpredictable outcome and years of painstaking work do not scare you, and you are still wondering how to grow an apple tree from a seed, follow the recommendations below. Finally grown annual plants can be used as rootstock, to which you then make . Who knows - suddenly you will be able to grow unusually tasty large apples!

Stratification will enhance seed germination

Unlike or tomatoes, apple seeds germinate with great difficulty without special preparation. You will have to put in some effort to achieve successful germination. To begin with, ripe brown seeds taken out of an apple, rinse well in running water to remove a substance that prevents their germination. Soak the seeds in water for three days, changing the water daily. On the last day, you can add an additional stimulant "Epin" to the water.

Soak the seeds in water for three days, changing the water daily.

Next, the seeds are stratification- hardening in the refrigerator. Fill some container with sawdust or wet sand, place the seeds there and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a couple of months. Do not forget to check from time to time: if the sand is moldy and dry, if the seeds have hatched.

You can use another proven method, which was successfully used by the monks of the Valaam Monastery when cultivating an apple orchard. Washed bones, taken out of an apple, were immediately planted in the ground at the end of summer. By winter, the seeds had time to swell and during the winter they went through all stages of hardening, releasing green sprouts by spring.

Planting seeds in the soil

When the apple seeds germinate in the refrigerator, they should be planted in boxes where drainage is first poured into the bottom, and nutritious on top. soil mix. The boxes are placed on the windowsill of a well-lit window. Since it takes 60 to 90 days to prepare seeds for domestic apple trees, start stratification in the first decade of January. Transplant grown seedlings into open ground and water in hot weather.

Drawers are placed on the windowsill of a well-lit window.

You can recognize the wild game at an early stage by the bright green color of the leaves and the presence of thin spines on short shoots. It is better to remove such seedlings immediately so as not to waste time on care. Young plants, from which a good apple tree will subsequently turn out, will be distinguished by the absence of thorns, a symmetrical arrangement of buds, a thick stem and large leaves.

Video about the rules for growing an apple tree from a seed

Growing apple trees will be more successful if you dig up young seedlings closer to winter and transplant them into tall boxes or pots to give the central root of young apple trees enough room to grow. A year later (in autumn), the grown trees are again planted under the open sky on a new bed, tucking the main root at an angle of 90 degrees.

Plant several seeds at once so that during the growing process you can safely reject weak plants and leave the strongest

Now you know how to grow an apple tree from a stone, it remains only to be patient and not be upset in case of failure. Plant several seeds at once so that during the growing process you can safely reject weak plants and leave the strongest ones. Perhaps one apple tree will bring small sour fruits, but the other will delight you with delicious homemade apples, and the tree itself will be frost-resistant and durable.

Of course, apple trees are one of the most popular fruit trees in the world, because it is not for nothing that many food products and seasonings are created on the basis of apples (take, for example, the same ketchup). And in private gardens, apple trees have been and remain leaders, since they are present on almost every personal plot. And this is due to ease of care and almost always guaranteed harvest.

How to grow an apple tree - soil preparation

The apple tree, depending on the variety, requires a certain amount of space for free growth and development. At the maximum, she needs at least 5 meters.

Before you buy an apple tree (in the form of seeds or seedlings), you should choose a place for planting it on the site. In principle, there are varieties that are unpretentious and can successfully bear fruit on almost any soil, but it is still better to choose the area in the area where the soil is loamy. If not, then it is quite possible for better rooting and accelerating growth young tree will have to partially "reproduce" it. Made by adding some clay directly to landing pit, and this must be done at least two weeks before the intended landing. But if the soils are not sandy and not loamy, but belong to the clay type, then already in this case sand is introduced into the planting pit two weeks before planting.

The introduced elements should occupy from 1/5 to a quarter of the entire volume of the pit.

The most unfavorable soil for apple trees is soil with big amount stones, marl or chalk clay. In this case, you will have to work hard and ensure a good growth of the root system by complete replacement earth to a depth of one and a half meters and a diameter of up to a meter. New land is prepared for planting immediately: humus is mixed with sand, peat, compost and pure clay in a proportion of 50% / 20% / 15% / 10% / 5%.

When preparing a planting pit, you should also immediately pay attention to the initial fertilization: about a quarter of the pit is filled with peat, coarse sandstone and compost (or purchased humus) in a combination of 35% / 15% / 50%, respectively. The hole itself should be somewhat larger than root system seedling. On average, the soil is removed to a depth of about 0.6 m (with a total depth of the roots of a seedling of 0.4 m), in diameter it corresponds to about half a meter (with a transverse dimension of the root system of 0.3 m).

It should be borne in mind that when digging a hole, the soil to be extracted should be clearly divided: fertile ( upper layer) is removed immediately to the full depth and folded separately from the soil that follows under it. Soil that is not fertile is not used when planting an apple tree, since the entire remaining volume of the planting hole after planting is filled only fertile soil, and if there is a lack of it, then you can purchase ready-made land in a specialized store, or you can collect soil in the forest. To improve the aeration of the roots of a young tree, a little needles can be added to the upper layers of the soil, which will also protect the planting from freezing if the apple tree is planted in autumn, into winter.

Growing seedlings from seeds

In principle, it is possible to grow an apple tree directly from a seed, although it is somewhat difficult to do this at home. Germination of seeds is carried out only in the fall, the process begins approximately at the end of October. To do this, the seed of a ripe fruit of fresh harvest is placed without washing in a humid environment at a slightly positive temperature. The medium is prepared from a mixture of sand, sawdust and activated carbon. Some gardeners find it necessary to add a little mashed apple pulp, but it can provoke the development of mold or even putrefactive processes. The first week, the seeds are kept on the balcony or outside the window on the north side, but here it is necessary to ensure that the temperature does not drop to 0ºС, but does not exceed 5-7ºС. Next, the seed is placed in the refrigerator on the top shelf in the same prepared environment and kept in it for at least six months. In this case, you will have to ensure that the substrate does not dry out, but it should not be over-moistened either. In no case should a bag with a seed be closed to ensure gas exchange.

Usually, the seeds begin to germinate within 2-6 months, so as soon as the first shoots are seen, it is necessary to prepare the soil for transferring the seeds to more natural environment. Is taken flower pot with drainage with a capacity of 2 to 5 liters, into which soil for seedlings is poured, which is easiest to buy in a store, or dig up in your backyard in compost pit ready humus. Seeds are planted at intervals of 10-20 centimeters to a depth of 2 cm.

In a pot, the seedling keeps until spring, in the spring it can be placed on a garden bed, having prepared a planting hole in accordance with all the rules. In early to mid-October, the grown tree is removed from the ground and again sent to the pot, corresponding to the volume of the root system. It is necessary to keep the seedling in a cool and shady place so as not to disturb the apple tree that has fallen asleep for the winter. For the second spring, the tree is planted in a new place, while the planting pit is again prepared. Experienced gardeners recommend bending the stem root 90º, or cutting it off. The apple tree can spend its second winter already in the open ground, but in autumn the trunk is tied with cotton cloth, burlap is thrown over the stem growth, a “hut” is erected around the future tree from poles about a meter in diameter, densely covered with spruce branches. This is necessary to prevent freezing of the trunk, shoots and root system in case of severe frosts. In winter, you will have to make sure that the young tree is constantly covered with a layer of snow. On the third spring, the seedling can be placed in its permanent place.

Selection of seedlings in the nursery

It is much easier to purchase ready-made seedlings from a specialized nursery. This is not only more practical in terms of convenience, but also guarantees the conformity of the variety. climatic conditions apple planting region.

Seedlings are sold in three types:

• annuals;
• two-year crowned;
• biennial uncronated.

An annual seedling is never placed immediately in its place. constant growth, since it belongs to the preparatory material and requires special growing conditions, which have already been mentioned above. But two-year-olds differ only in crowning, depending on the capabilities and expectations of the gardener himself. Crowned are bought if it is possible to grow a full-fledged in height fruit tree, but the uncropped apple tree is chosen by gardeners who want to get an apple tree higher or lower than the varietal. These can be situations associated with a lack of space for the full development of the crown in breadth (then the apple tree is allowed to grow in height), or in height (the location of the site next to the power line supports, etc.).

Self-crowning is carried out according to the number of stem buds: at a height of 0.7 meters from the butt, the required number of buds is counted in accordance with the required number of future branches of the crown, and the tip is pinched or bent 90-120º with fixation with electrical tape

By default, the number of buds is 3-4, although it may vary depending on the variety, since vigorous, medium-sized and semi-dwarf varieties differ. Dwarf varieties crowned only in nurseries.

When choosing planting material, it is necessary to choose such seedlings of apple trees that have at least three skeletal processes relative to the central root, which has already been cut (which is very noticeable by the characteristic end of the stem root). The stronger and more branched the root system of the seedling is, the more trouble-free the cultivation of apple trees will be, since they are less susceptible to diseases and pests, and they will “take over” the land faster, and the harvest of the first harvest will be closer by a year or more!

Planting a seedling

As mentioned above, for planting seedlings, it is necessary to first prepare a planting hole. If it so happened that the seedlings are already on hand, and there is no pit, then they are dug in the most suitable place (the coolest and most shaded), and the pit is prepared according to the above instructions and aged for at least a week, but not more than 10 days, since over a longer period, seedlings will begin to die. And for a shorter period, there will be no proper mixing and caking of the prepared “layer cake” under the root system.

Before planting an apple tree, a stake of such a height is driven into the center of the pit that, after filling the pit, it equals or even exceeds the height of the seedling. This stake is used as a support for a young tree, since the trunk of a young apple tree is not yet strong enough and may break due to impact. external factors-strong wind, animals or curious children. The peg is placed with south side relative to the seedling, since in this case it prevents the bark from burning during an excessively sunny summer.

At the bottom of the pit, a small mound is arranged, on which a seedling is installed and the roots of the apple tree are evenly distributed along the slopes.

It should be ensured that the roots do not get too tangled with each other and, moreover, do not “stick out” upwards, albeit at an angle, since the exposure of even one root after a few years can destroy the entire tree.

To simplify this action, the roots should be dipped in a mud mash, but before that you need to carefully examine them for damage. Damaged roots are removed, or wrapped in a cloth before planting, which must be removed before planting. The binding of the apple tree to the peg is made by the "eight", the twine is not strongly rubbed against the tree, because otherwise there may be a risk of damage to the young and tender bark.

Backfilling is carried out only with fertile soil, tamping is carried out carefully, starting from a level of approximately 15 cm. Tamping is done with a small log, which is slightly pressed over the entire surface of the layer. Further tamping is carried out every 10 cm of piled soil. Do not compact the soil too much, as this may interfere with the aeration of the roots. root collar should be slightly above ground level, but it should not be raised too high. Therefore, if more than 5 cm from the ground level is left to the neck, it should be baseed by making a small hill. After planting, the tree is carefully spilled with 50-60 liters of water for a two-year-old and 40-50 for annual apple tree. The soil that has settled after watering is mulched with sawdust, humus or straw.

Care after landing

The apple tree in the first year after planting needs special care. First, it is watering. The first year, and the best three apple trees need to be watered depending on the frequency and abundance of rainfall. In rainy summers, watering apple trees is minimal and involves pouring 3-5 buckets with a frequency of no more than 2 times a month. In hot and dry times, the frequency of watering increases to 1 time per week in a volume of up to 5 buckets. Water is poured not under the tree trunk, but into the grooves along the perimeter of the crown, since this ensures the best supply of the tree roots. Best time for watering - late evening.

Also in the first year, the ground under the apple tree should be loosened to a depth of 20 cm and regularly weeded from weeds, especially bindweeds. Light mulching of the soil is allowed.

Pests must be disposed of as soon as they are noticed. For a young tree, 2-3 sprays are allowed.

• Harvest assurance

Naturally, the fruiting of an apple tree does not occur immediately after planting, but it can be brought closer by the usual tree care, which will be relevant for the second and all subsequent years of the tree's life.

Growing apples means:

1. watering an adult tree up to four times a year. The first time is watered at the beginning of flowering (May-beginning of June), the second time with the formation of fruit ovaries, the third time when apples ripen and the fourth time after harvesting (late August-September);
2. timely removal of shoots and branches affected by pests or diseases;
3. timely spraying up to three times a year - after swelling of the kidneys, when the buds appear and after harvesting, if necessary. Funds are selected depending on the need;
4. uniform pruning at the end of autumn with a complete fading of sap flow;
5. soil insulation for winter period spruce branches or mulch;
6. trunk insulation at a height of up to 70 cm with straw, which is covered with roofing felt or wax paper;
7. caring for apple trees in the spring, which includes the removal of insulation, the remnants of mulch or spruce branches, whitening the trunk and watering. Top dressing is made with urea and boric acid according to the fertilizer instructions.

Harvesting

Criteria for the start of harvesting can serve as:

• abundance of padans with no pest damage;
• darkening of the seeds in the fruits on the tree;
• easy separation of fruits from branches.

Harvesting apples involves sorting them by size, since only medium and small-sized fruits are suitable for storage, but large apples are distinguished by high palatability and are suitable for both eating and preparing blanks. It should be remembered that not all varieties are suitable for long-term storage, however, fruits harvested on time can lie for at least a month in the cellar in boxes with straw.

Apples, depending on the variety, begin to ripen by mid-August - early September, but late varieties can ripen until mid-October.

An apple seed planted in the ground and properly watered can also germinate at home. But there is a specificity here, since the apple tree has its own characteristics in relation to genetics and vegetation. There is little guarantee that an apple tree seedling will inherit the characteristics of a varietal specimen. You will know what the taste and color of the fruit will be only during its fruiting period, and it is expected no earlier than in 5 - 10 years. For the cultivation of a varietal apple tree, a seedling is grafted onto an adult trunk. This procedure will help increase the success in obtaining a quality copy by 80%.

But how to grow an apple tree at home? Let's talk about it in the article.

Growing an apple tree from a seed

If the apple tree is not grafted, then in its own way the process will resemble “Russian roulette”, since the planted seed can develop:

• Varietal tree with productive fruiting;
• Decorative specimen with inedible fruits;
• A wild child that brings small apples.

Careful selection of seed material will lay the foundation for the entire operation in the future. High germination is obtained from seeds selected in late August - early September.

Take only ripe apples large in size, having a sweet taste and a strong aroma.

Little secret from gardeners: the most ripened fruits are usually located on the extreme branches, where they receive enough light and heat. Seeds suitable for sowing have big size, the correct teardrop shape and a rich dark brown tint. If you plan to get sprouted shoots in the spring, the seeds are cold-hardened in advance (stratification).

Selecting and preparing seed

To prepare seed for planting, follow the presented algorithm of actions:

1. harvested seeds washed in water and slightly dried;
2. Soak them in warm water with a growth stimulator in a Petri dish. Leave them to reach for 2 - 3 days, changing the solution from time to time;
3. After swelling, the seeds are placed in wet sawdust mixed with moss or fine sand. The container with the material is removed to the basement or refrigerator for two to three months. To prevent the grains from becoming moldy, a crushed tablet of activated carbon is added to the mixture.

For growing an apple tree from a seed at home, the following varieties of apples are suitable.

Summer varieties:

• White filling. mature tree reaches up to 5 meters in height, apples ripen in early July. The fruits of this variety are strong, firm, Green colour;
• Melba. The fruits of this variety are fragrant small apples with snow-white flesh. The tree begins to bear fruit as early as 4 years old;
• Candy apple. sweet variety, fruits ripen by mid-August;
• Mantet. Resistant to diseases and insect attacks, the variety, however, does not tolerate frost. It has sweet and sour fruits that ripen by the end of August.

Autumn and winter varieties:

• Mac. It grows into a spreading tree with mighty branches, the fruits are medium, dark, pleasantly spicy. The tree has low frost resistance, therefore it is not recommended for breeding in northern latitudes;
• Glory to the Winners. hybrid variety, a cross between White Pouring and McIntosh. The harvest of this apple tree ripens by the beginning of autumn, the last fruits appear by the beginning of winter;
• Antonovka. Famous winter variety. Antonovka fruits are yellow, sweet and sour with a pleasant pulp texture. However, you can taste an apple from this tree only 7 years after planting the seedlings;
• Golden Delicious. Another yellow variety, ripens by September. A frost-resistant tree, but it is guaranteed to die in a drought.

If you wish, you can try to grow an apple tree from the seed of a fruit of any other variety, in addition to those listed. The main thing is to give preference to healthy seed, not spoiled by diseases or insects.

The appearance of sprouts

When the peel of the seeds bursts, and sprouts appear from the crack, select the most viable of them and plant them in a container for seedlings. Suitable for plastic or paper cups, small pots, but it is better to take a rectangular container. The depth of embedding should not exceed two centimeters. In one container, the grains are planted at a distance of about 10 - 12 centimeters from each other. Stratified apple seeds can be sown directly in open ground, however, for the winter, fresh seedlings are transferred to a greenhouse, after which they take root in a permanent place.

When the seedling has a second pair of leaves, you will be able to determine the type of planting. If a wildling has grown, you will recognize it by small leaves with a bright green color and the presence of thin spines on the stem. In a cultivated tree, the leaf is larger, may be pubescent, and there are no thorns on the trunk.

Apple tree seedlings are rather fragile, they need to be shaded from the bright sun and the trunk tied up to protect it from bending and breaking.

A home-grown tree is transplanted annually in the first four years of development into a pot with a large volume so that the root system receives everything necessary elements nutrition. Watering is carried out moderately, but plentifully, 1 - 2 times a week. pour water from high altitude we do not recommend, as the top layer of the substrate will be washed away. After watering, the pot should not be left in the sun so that evaporation from the soil does not occur too quickly. Avoid getting drops on the leaves, otherwise the plant will get burned.

We grow a cutting from an apple tree branch

A broken branch of an apple tree is not a waste, but an additional planting material. A seedling obtained from a branch will retain all the properties of the parent tree. But not all plants can be used for such a procedure, and the root system will not be too strong, which will require more careful care of the tree in the future. Optimal material- a branch growing on sunny side, from a tree that is 2 to 3 years old. All fruit buds are removed from it. Next, follow the instructions below:

• Remove the ring of bark from the section of the apple tree branch where the cut will be;
• With a sharp knife make a small incision and separate the branch, grabbing the heel;
• The heel is split into several parts;
• Dip the resulting apple stalk in water and add a couple of drops of a growth stimulator. Instead of water, you can use a potato tuber. In this case, the branch is stuck into the flesh of the tuber and dug in with soil.

Boarding is covered protective film or a cellophane bag. Needs to be watered once every 4 - 5 days. If the process is underway normally, the branch will be covered with swollen buds. The strongest and strongest cuttings are moved to the nutrient substrate for growing.

Planting cuttings in open ground

You can grow an apple tree from a seedling at home without transplanting it into open ground if you plan to use the tree as an indoor tub culture. In the fifth year of life, the seedling is transferred to a pot or tub, which will be its final capacity for growth. Cramped roots will slow down development, and the apple tree will not stretch to height and size. garden tree. And still indoor seedling by 12 - 15 years it can grow to 1.5 - 2 meters. To simulate natural conditions for the winter, the tub is cleaned in a dark, cool place, as the tree sheds its leaves.

An apple tree is a fairly large tree, so when choosing a place to plant it on a site, take into account the potential diameter of the annual increase in the root system. best example- planting along the perimeter of the site away from trees with a large crown. The transfer of domestic seedlings is carried out in mid-spring to the end of May and in the first decade of autumn. If you are transplanting an apple tree in the fall, time it so that it has time to get used to it. external environment and acclimatized before the onset of cold weather.

The pros and cons of autumn planting are presented below:

• If the apple tree seedling was grown in accordance with all the rules, then by the onset of winter frosts it will be strong enough to overwinter painlessly;
• Not scary autumn plantings And spring frosts. The immunity of autumn seedlings of apple trees is much stronger than that of spring ones;
• The disadvantages of spring sowing is that in winter the fragile root system of the future tree may suffer. Therefore, before the onset of frost, mulch the ground with peat and mowed grass, and also cover the seedlings with spruce branches so that the plant does not die.

An apple tree seedling grown on a stock is dug up in October and cut off at a level of up to 20 cm from the base. Leaves are completely removed. This is necessary so that the growth of the tree slows down and fibrous roots form. The processed stock is removed for the winter in a dark basement.

Care and watering

Saplings in the first 12 months are fed only with infusion of humus. organic fertilizers during this period they are not shown, as they provoke burns. The exception is fresh mullein or bird droppings diluted with water. In order for the tree to better ripen the wood, you can apply top dressing based on potassium and phosphorus, 15 and 30 grams, respectively, for each square meter landing. During the procedure, the near-stem soil circle is thoroughly loosened.

Young seedlings are watered once a week or 10 days. The substrate must receive good moisture, drying out and the formation of a hard crust on its surface is unacceptable.

Fruit trees as opposed to horticultural crops grow much more slowly. Growing an apple tree is like raising your own children.

Properly selected location, regular feeding and watering provide the plant physical prosperity.

Crown formation and pruning - develops the nature of fruiting. Timely prevention from pests and diseases will protect landing health.

Skipping or inattentive attitude to any of these stages will lead to consequences that are difficult to correct, and sometimes impossible.

Growing an apple tree starts with variety selection from a huge list.

To begin with, you need to decide on maturity:

• summer varieties — early ripening, lie for a short time;
• autumn- ripen in early-mid-autumn, stored for 2-3 months;
• winter apples- ready for harvest from mid-autumn, some varieties ripen by next summer.

Advice! The best option- buy seedlings at a local nursery. This is a guarantee of survival and successful growth tree.

If this is not possible, choose a variety suitable for growing in the region.

The last is to choose according to taste, color, size.

Location selection

The bulk of the varieties unpretentious to soil acidity. Best of all, apple trees feel in the middle of the southern and southwestern slopes. There is no accumulation of cold air and ground water. In addition, the snow is not blown out, as on the peaks, and the trees winter well.

Soil preparation

earth dig up 2-3 months before planting, at the same time removing perennial weeds. You can reschedule the event for the fall. Then as nitrogen fertilizers landed green manure(lupins, beans, clover and others).

siderates.

Dense clay soil dig deep into the shovel for 2 bayonets. It is recommended to apply for each m²:

• 2 buckets of sand;
• 1 bucket sawdust;
• 12-15 kg of finished humus or compost;
• 0.5 kg of fluffy lime.

Light sandy soils should be compacted by adding per m²:

• 2-3 buckets of clay;
• 1 bucket of peat, rotted manure;
• 0.5 buckets of ash.

landing pit

The next step is preparing landing pit. To do this, in the intended place, we dig a recess of a suitable size. We fold the upper, fertile layer on one side. Lower, empty - to another:

• For tall trees - 100-120 cm * 60-80 cm;
• For semi-dwarfs- 100 cm * 50 cm;
• For a tree on dwarf rootstock- 90 cm * 40 cm.

Important! A landing stake is driven into the center, on which the tree will rest for the first time.

The location of the peg in the landing pit.

Planting a seedling

1. Before planting, inspect the root of the seedling;
2. Cut off rotten, broken and dry parts;
3. The seedling is placed in the center of the finished pit;
4. Spread the roots evenly;
5. Sprinkle with earth, shaking slightly to fill all voids;
6. They trample down the ground, putting their toe to the trunk;
7. The apple tree is watered abundantly and tied to a stake.

Read more about that here.

Crown formation and care

The first years the tree actively grows. Therefore, the crown is molded every spring and autumn.

On the conductor leave 2-3 skeletal branches each tier. Care must be taken to ensure that the angle of inclination is close to 45°. At the same time, they will receive enough light and it is convenient to approach them for processing.

top dressing

A good harvest can be obtained by feeding the tree. But action is needed. Surplus will lead to "obesity", underfeeding - to "dystrophy". Young apple trees are fed fertilizer solutions in the water, protecting trunk circle mulch. By the third year, fertilizers are applied to the pits along the perimeter of the crown.

Protection

Timely prevention and protection fruit trees get rid of 90% of problems planting care. Methods to help:

• Agrotechnical– variety selection, weed control, fertilizers;
• Physical and mechanical– collection of pests, shelter;
• Biological- preservation beneficial insects, attracting birds;
• Chemical- insecticides.

Attention! The disease is easier to prevent than to fight it.

Watch the video tips Oktyabrina Ganichkina for growing apple trees:

How to grow an apple tree from an old apple tree?

It happens that in a fierce winter the apple tree freezes. The variety is excellent and it is a pity to part with it. If lower part alive, there is a chance to grow on it new tree.

Before the start of sap flow, saw off the trunk to living wood. cover up garden brew. After a while they will appear new shoots. Shoots from the stock should be removed immediately. And on the basis of the rest, you can form a new crown.

New sprouts on the stump of an apple tree.

Another way from old apple tree grow a new one, possible if available cuttings the desired variety. Without waiting for the overgrowth, do grafting into split or bark. Further care like a young tree.

How to revive an apple tree?

The apple tree has grown, grown old and does not yield? Do not rush to uproot it. On its basis, it is really possible to grow young tree, which again will delight you with a delicious harvest.

First of all, carry out sanitary check. With a sharp knife cut the bark trunk and skeletal branches to detect rot and rot. 2/3 of the crown is ruthlessly cut out, leaving young, strong shoots shortened by half. Affected areas are cleaned to the healthy part and treat a mixture of clay and mullein.

A radical way is to cut down the tree at the root. Grow a new tree from the young growth. Tempting but risky. The tree may not survive such an execution.

Resuscitation of an apple tree from young shoots.

How to grow an apple tree from a seed, a cutting, from a branch?

Grow your seedling much more reliable than buying from strangers. A stalk of a favorite variety, grafted onto a local wild, has more chance of survival than a tree brought from afar.

A seedling purchased on the market is a pig in a poke. However, an apple tree grown from a seed does not always inherit the properties of its parents.

That's why fruit crops propagated by cuttings or branches.

Read more about and read here.

Methods for propagating apple trees

For propagation of apple trees, it is mainly used vegetative way:

• Inoculation;
• Grafting with a cutting;
• Reproduction by layering;
• Rooting cuttings.

Inoculation.

Read more about all of them in this section.

Air layers

enjoys great popularity rooting by air layering. The bottom line is simple:

1. The fatty shoot of the lower branch of the crown is pulled with wire, slowing down the supply of nutrients;
2. Pinned to the ground just above the constriction.
3. The branch has no choice but to release its roots.

creeping apple tree

In areas with harsh winters it is more profitable to grow an apple tree in a creeping form. In this form, she freezes out less often.

The crown begins to form on 2nd year, bending the branches to the sides, preventing them from growing in height.

Read more about here.

apple tree not growing

Knowing how apple trees grow, you can conduct a complete audit of what they lack:

• Location(ground water, light);
• Nutrition(feeding, water);
• Health(diseases, mice, insects).

Then restore the ecosystem in which the trees will be comfortable.

You can also watch a video about the reasons why an apple tree does not grow:

Find out all about that in this article.

P.S. In conclusion, I would like to wish rich harvests, for which we, in fact, grow an apple tree. And give a little advice: learn to communicate with pets. They will tell you what they need with their twigs and leaves.