Pear care
Caring for a pear is not much different from caring for an apple tree, but there are some small differences.
Landing location
Pear, more than other fruit trees, requires warm places protected from the prevailing winds. Particular attention should be paid to the topography of the site, eliminating microdepressions in which water stagnates and the soil becomes compacted, which leads to the death of trees.
The growth of a pear and its yield are primarily related to the quality of the soil. It should be structural and fertile. This culture tolerates any soil. The only exceptions are sandy and gravelly ones. But the taste and aroma of the fruit, the consistency of the pear pulp depend on the properties of the soil to a greater extent than others fruit plants. The reaction of the soil is also significant. Pear grows best on slightly acidic and neutral, fairly loose soils. When waterlogged, it is more difficult for the roots to absorb iron, and the trees develop chlorosis. Varieties grafted on weak-growing rootstocks, such as quince, need more fertile soils than on vigorous-growing ones (pear seedlings).
Pear at a young age requires more moisture, since at this time the taproot has very few root lobes. And when the roots grow and reach a considerable depth, the pear, on the contrary, reacts negatively to excess moisture in the lower layers of the soil. Moreover, with prolonged waterlogging, the roots die. Excess humidity eliminated with the help of drainage (drying) of the soil and cultural grassing (sowing grass).
Pear refers to light-loving plants Therefore, when lighting is insufficient, trees develop poorly and their yield decreases. With favorable lighting, trees do not stretch out and grow wider; their branches do not become bare. Greatest requirements The pear exposes itself to light during flowering and fruit formation. Due to insufficient lighting flower buds are underdeveloped, and the fruits have a weak color.
Western European, Baltic, as well as many varieties bred in the more southern regions of Russia cannot be grown where frosts reach 26°C or lower. Frosts down to 30–35°C can only be tolerated by the most winter-hardy Central Russian varieties (Tonkovetka) and Lukashovki (Lida, Olga, Polya).
The nature of winter damage to trees depends on the age of the tree, its condition, the degree of fruiting in the previous year, the compatibility of the variety with the rootstock, and finally, on agricultural technology. Young trees are more sensitive to frost for the first 2–3 years due to damage to the roots when dug up from the nursery. Moreover, the frost resistance of different parts of the tree is not the same: for example, for branches the critical temperature is minus 25–30°C, vegetative buds – 30–35°C, flower buds – 25–30°C, opened flower buds -4°C, flowers – 2 –3°C, ovaries -1-2°C and roots – 8-10°C. The winter-spring period with sunny days is especially dangerous, when the trunk and skeletal branches of the pear become very hot during the day and quickly cool down at night. Frost resistance in this case is reduced by about a third, especially in the cambium and bark. With severe cooling and subsequent death of damaged tissue, sunburn occurs.
As a result of selection, new, more economically valuable varieties were developed. Of particular interest are the summer ripening varieties Lada and Chizhovskaya, as well as Vidnaya, Detskaya, Kosmicheskaya, Rogneda. Many good varieties have appeared autumn term maturation. The most valuable are Belorusskaya late, Nevelichka, Otradnenskaya, Velesa, Vernaya, Thumbelina, Moskvichka, Osennyaya Susova, Memory of Zhegalov.
From planting to harvest
You can grow seedlings with my own hands. First you need to take care of preparing rootstock seeds. The best vigorous-growing ones are seedlings of the Tonkovetka variety and local semi-cultivars. You can use shadberry, chokeberry, and mountain ash as low-growing rootstocks. Seeds are extracted from the fruits when they begin to soften: for serviceberry - in July-August, chokeberry - in August-September, rowan and pear - in September or early October. For spring sowing, pear seeds are stratified at 0–2°C for at least 90 days, serviceberry -90, chokeberry - 80, rowan -90 days. Using low-growing rootstocks, such as rowan, the gardener takes a bit of a risk. Such seedlings can develop normally at first, but signs of physiological incompatibility appear when they enter fruiting due to high costs for flowering and fruiting. When purchasing, pay attention to the roots of the seedling: rowan roots.
Seedlings are grafted with an eye (budding) in the summer, with a cutting in the spring, or winter grafting is done. When budding and grafting with cuttings, it takes at least 3 years to grow a 2-year-old seedling; with winter grafting, seedlings are received a year earlier.
Pears on vigorous rootstocks planted in holes with a diameter of 100–120 cm and a depth of 50–60 cm, for low-growing ones - 70 and 50 cm, respectively. To the top layer of soil taken from the pit, add 0.8–1 kg of superphosphate, 0.1–0.15 kg of potassium chloride or 1 kg wood ash and 1.5 kg of lime. 25–30 kg of organic fertilizers (manure is preferable) are added to each pit. It is better to avoid nitrogen fertilizers, since contact with them may cause roots to die and survival conditions to deteriorate. Fill half of the hole with fertilized soil. The root collar of the planted tree should be 4–5 cm above the soil level. Regardless of the weather, the seedling is watered (2-3 buckets per tree). Then the soil is mulched with a layer of peat or compost of at least 5-10 cm. Pears with rounded crowns (regular) on vigorous rootstocks are planted at a distance of 7 m between rows, with flat ones -5 m. The distance in the rows is from 3.5 to 4 m. Rows of trees on low-growing rootstocks are 4–5 m apart from each other and 1.5–2 m apart in a row.
Pears will freeze less if the varieties are grafted into the crown of a skeleton-forming plant. In this case, a single organism is formed, consisting of three parts: a seedling (a weak-growing rootstock is also possible), a winter-hardy insert (Thin-branch or onions) and the selected variety. The skeleton-former is grafted with an eye or a cutting (improved copulation or behind the bark) early spring or at the beginning of the growing season. It is important to graft no closer than 20–25 cm from the base of the branch. In this way, it is possible to form a tree with a frost-resistant trunk and the bases of skeletal branches, which are most susceptible to winter damage. Using this method, anyone can grow a “garden tree”.
In the year of planting, the tree usually grows weakly and needs almost no pruning the following spring. At a young age, when the skeleton of the crown is being formed, pruning should be kept to a minimum and carried out only to form the crown. Excess branches are bent to a horizontal position, pulling them with twine to a nail driven into the base of the trunk. This technique speeds up the onset of fruiting.
Unlike the apple tree, the crown of the pear tree is sparser and lighter, and the annual growth is stronger. If the latter are not trimmed, then few branches will form on them. Therefore, the shoots are shortened by one quarter. Pruning of fruit-bearing trees is necessary for high productivity and good quality fruits This is possible if the length of the annual increments is at least 30 cm.
When pruning pears, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that two-year-old shoots are shortened, and flower buds are formed on shoots that grow steeply upward. Pears are very prone to reshaping the crown due to the appearance of long, steeply growing shoots. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out regular formative pruning, removing powerful branches from time to time. During summer pruning, the internal parts of the crown are thinned out.
As trees age, they fail to provide sufficiently strong growth even with the help of advanced agricultural technology. In this case, shortening pruning - the only way enhance the growth and laying of fruit formations. For this purpose, once every 2–4 years, rejuvenating pruning is carried out along the entire periphery of the crown, and inside the branches are partially pruned to the last annual growth of normal length.
Some rootstock forms of pear form root shoots. In this case, while digging the tree trunk circles, it is dug up to the point of origin and cut out without stumps. For young plants with weakly branched roots great value has soil mulching.
Fertilizers
It is better to apply fertilizers in the fall into circular grooves 40–50 cm deep along the projection of the crown or into furrows. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, along with organic ones, are applied every 5–6 years. Nitrogen fertilizers are fed twice per season: in the spring during the first loosening and during the period of increased shoot growth.
Pears are important foliar feeding– spraying trees with nutrient solutions to stimulate growth and crop formation, as well as to increase the frost resistance of trees (1–2% solution of potassium sulfate or nitrate and 2–3% solution of superphosphate). Spraying trees with a 0.5–1% urea solution 8–10 days after flowering and repeating 10–14 days later is highly effective.
A mandatory element of annual care to protect against sunburn is early autumn whitewashing of trunks and forks of skeletal branches with a lime solution or special water-emulsion white paint VD-KCH-577.
You should not wait for the fruits on the tree branches to fully ripen for the following varieties of pears: Naryadnaya Efimova, Moskovskaya, Venera, etc.
Fruits from Vidnaya, Velesa, and Petrovskaya pear trees are collected selectively. Harvest ripen in a cool room.
This text is an introductory fragment. From the book The Golden Book of a Rich Harvest author Samsonov Sergey AnatolievichCare You can water tomatoes rarely, but very generously. For example, in spring and autumn - once every 10 days, and in summer - once a week. If it is hot, watering should be more frequent. You should not water the tomatoes cold water from a well, but with warm, settled water. It’s good if on the site
From the book Cherry, cherry. Varieties, cultivation, care, preparations author Zvonarev Nikolai MikhailovichCare Immediately after the appearance of the first shoots, it is necessary to thin them out, since with late thinning the root crops develop and grow much worse. Then you should loosen the soil well. In the phase of the 3-4th leaf, you need to start feeding the carrots. In the 1st feeding
From the book Berries. Guide to growing gooseberries and currants author Rytov Mikhail V.Care 10 days after sowing the seeds, when cotyledon leaves appear on the beds, the weakest sprouts are removed, leaving a distance of 10 cm between them. The beds are thinned out a second time after the first true leaves appear on the plants, that is, after 7-10 days
From the book Apple and Pear. Growing technology author Pankratova A. B.Care Fertilize radish only if its leaves have turned white. It is best to use a garden mixture as a nutrient (340 g per 10 liters of water). To maximize the effect of the fertilizer, it must be applied after heavy watering or rain. For 3
From the author's bookCare During the growth process, radishes can be occasionally fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. But since it is capable of quickly accumulating nitrates, you can do without fertilizing. Water radishes often and abundantly. Otherwise, it will lose its external and taste
From the author's bookCare After thinning the seedlings, it is necessary to fertilize the plants mineral fertilizers. For this, ammonium nitrate (20-40 g per 1 m2), as well as phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (5-10 g per 1 m2) are used. The second fertilizing is recommended 2 weeks after
From the author's bookCare During the growing season, parsley is fed once, using 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium salt per 1 m2. Nitrogen fertilizers are introduced very carefully, as parsley accumulates certain types nitrates. Water the parsley regularly,
From the author's bookCare If organic fertilizers were added to the soil in the fall, then fertilizing can be omitted during the growing season. Water the parsnips regularly, preventing the soil in the garden from drying out, since a lack of moisture can lead to premature flowering of the plant. After each
From the author's bookCare During the entire growing season, beets are fed twice: the first time after the second thinning, adding 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt per 1 m2 to the soil, and the second time - after 20-25 days, using 15 g for this. ammonium nitrate, 15 g of superphosphate and 15 g
From the author's bookCare Feed onions twice a season. The first time is 12-15 days after planting the seedlings or after the first thinning of seedlings. To do this, use 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of superphosphate and 5 g of potassium salt per 1 m2. The second feeding is carried out during the formation period
From the author's bookCare In the first year of life, caring for chives is no different from caring for onions sown with seeds. But there is one small difference - it is not recommended to thin out chives in the first year. In subsequent years, in early spring, the onions are lightly harrowed with a rake,
From the author's bookCare The onions are watered for the first time 10 days after planting, and then after 5-7 days. The row spaces are regularly loosened, freeing them from weeds. During the season, onions are fed 2-3 times, using 8 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of superphosphate and 2-3 g of potassium chloride per 1
From the author's bookCare During the season, spring garlic is fed at least 2 times: the first time 2-3 weeks after planting, and the second time during the formation of the bulb. To prepare the nutrient mixture, take 15-20 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of superphosphate and 10- 15 g of potassium chloride per 1 bucket
From the author's bookGarden care and tree care The soil in the garden is kept clean of weeds, loose and sufficiently moist, especially during periods of greatest need for water (the beginning and active growth of shoots, ripening of fruits). During the growing season, 3–4 loosening is carried out. in autumn
From the author's book From the author's bookCaring for a pear Caring for a pear is not much different from caring for an apple tree, but there are some small differences. Planting site Pear, more than other fruit trees, requires warm places protected from the prevailing winds. Particular attention should be paid to the topography of the site,
Every gardener dreams of growing a good harvest of sweet apples and tasty pears on his plot. Using the information from our article, this will be very easy to do.
10 most popular summer apple varieties
Early varieties of apple trees are found in almost any garden. They are eagerly awaited for their ripening, because you can enjoy the new harvest even before Yablochnogo Savior- in July-August. Summer varieties of apples have different colors, shapes, aroma and taste. These apples are mainly consumed fresh; sometimes they are used to make juices, preserves and jams. Most often, summer varieties are chosen by amateur gardeners, since they are not suitable for long-term storage and transportation.1. Arkad yellow and Arkad pink
One of ancient varieties, obtained by crossing winter-hardy varieties. The fruits have a sweet taste, but do not last long. The tree has an elongated crown, with sparse, long branches. The fruits are cylindrical in shape with a yellowish tint, and Arkada pink has a reddish blush. Both varieties are characterized by low yields and poor resistance to scab.![](https://i0.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i617/1705/57/882fcbde00c8.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 3-4 years. Harvesting takes place throughout August.
2. Moscow Grushovka (Skorospelka, Spasovka, Parsley)
One of the oldest (known since the 18th century) and winter-hardy varieties (withstands frosts down to -45-50°C). The crown of trees is usually pyramidal, becoming spherical with age. The fruits are small and medium-sized, spherical, flattened in shape. The color of the fruit varies from light green to lemon, pale white. As they ripen, they become covered with a red blush and pink stripes. The pulp is juicy, loose, slightly yellowish, and has a subtle, warm apple aroma.![](https://i1.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i603/1705/56/95d5e456a191.jpg)
A distinctive feature of the variety: at the bottom of the saucer there are five outgrowths, corresponding to the number of carpels. The variety is productive and early-bearing, but is not resistant to hot weather - it can drop its fruits.
Entry into fruiting: 4-5 years. Harvesting - end of July - first ten days of August.
3. Katya
One of the most late varieties with increased winter hardiness. Particularly resistant to scab and powdery mildew apples During the ripening period, the fruits are covered with a bright pinkish-red blush, which is blurred over almost the entire surface. The pulp is cream-colored, dense, juicy, with a pronounced sweet and sour taste. Apples are stored for a long time, especially in the refrigerator or cellar, and are highly transportable. However, they are mainly consumed only fresh.![](https://i0.wp.com/s008.radikal.ru/i303/1705/8c/b9d6d94b812e.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 3-4 years. Harvest - second half of July.
4. Quinty
This summer variety is about 30 years old and was bred in Canada specifically for regions with low average annual temperatures. The fruits ripen very early, have a pleasant sweet and sour taste and a persistent aroma. They are small with a smooth surface. The variety is resistant to heat and drought, as well as powdery mildew. However, it does not tolerate well severe frosts and is susceptible to scab. The tree is tall, with a spreading crown.![](https://i2.wp.com/s011.radikal.ru/i317/1705/58/f0d7a77305f4.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 5-6 years. Harvesting is from mid-July to early August.
5. Chinese golden early
An early ripening frost-resistant variety obtained from crossing White filling with Kitayka. The geography of the variety is quite wide and covers not only the middle zone, but also the regions of Siberia and the Far North. It is distinguished by increased frost resistance and early fruiting, pleasant taste and early fruit ripening. The apples are small, amber-colored yellow, are poorly resistant to scab and are not stored for a long time.![](https://i2.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i635/1705/94/22d9178f7a3c.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 4 years. Harvesting - end of July - first ten days of August.
6. Summer striped
The red blush of the fruits of this variety has a striped color, which distinguishes it from other varieties. The rest of the color of the fruit is greenish-white. Apples are consumed fresh and processed - compotes and jams are made from them. Its taste is a godsend for apple connoisseurs. It combines a tasty and fragrant aroma with juicy and tender pulp. In general, the variety is unpretentious, frost-resistant and slightly affected by scab. It can be grown in almost any conditions, obtaining a rich harvest.![](https://i2.wp.com/i056.radikal.ru/1705/53/bcb439202b89.jpg)
If the fruits are not removed in a timely manner, they begin to crumble, but they cannot be stored raw for a long time. About 20% of the apples received are top quality, and another 35-40% - to the first grade.
Entry into fruiting: 5-6 years. Harvesting - late July - early August.
7. Mantet
A variety obtained by Canadian breeders from Moscow Grushovka seedlings from open pollination. It has a pleasant taste and early ripening. The main color of the fruit is greenish-yellow, later acquiring a bright red speckled blush on an orange-red background. The flesh is tender, white. During years of abundant harvest, the size of the fruit decreases and the quantity increases. In rainy years, leaves and fruits may become scabbed, and in severe winters the trees may freeze severely.![](https://i0.wp.com/s018.radikal.ru/i523/1705/49/c454743fccbe.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 4 years. Harvesting - end of July - end of August.
8. Melba (Melba)
The variety belongs to the group of late summers, is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and high yield. The fruits are quite large and, which is not typical for summer varieties, can be stored in the refrigerator until the beginning of winter. In addition, the fruits of this variety can be used to make jams and compotes. When ripe, the skin of apples is yellowish with red stripes that cover almost half of their surface. The pulp is sweet, juicy and tender, with a pleasant sourness.![](https://i0.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i630/1705/19/172d5fc64ccd.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 4-5 years. Harvest - second half of August.
9. Padding (Alabaster, White filling, Pribaltiyskoe)
One of the most popular varieties, bred in the Baltic countries, but has long been successfully grown in middle lane. It is often used as a source for creating many new varieties of apple trees. The fruits are round-conical, slightly flattened, average size. The color of the fruit is light green and does not change during ripening. The pulp is loose, juicy, tender, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste. The variety is winter-hardy, but unsuitable for transportation.![](https://i1.wp.com/s015.radikal.ru/i331/1705/04/96d2f9fde257.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: when planting two-year-olds for 4-5 years. Harvest - August 5-10 and August 20-25.
10. Stark Erliest (Superprekos)
American variety. The fruits are usually of heterogeneous shape - from medium-small to medium in size. With age they become smaller and their number increases. At the same time, commercial and consumer qualities remain at high level. The tree tolerates the most severe frosts and at the same time has a neat crown. The variety is resistant to scab, and its only drawback is that the fruits ripen gradually, and not all at once.![](https://i0.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i637/1705/a9/2d12ead8dc49.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 3-4 years. Harvesting is done in several stages: from the second ten days of July to mid-August.
The most delicious pear varieties according to gardeners' reviews
![](https://i2.wp.com/s11.radikal.ru/i183/1705/a7/d5b5b3fdac7a.jpg)
Surprisingly, very often truly tasty pears are not very beautiful in appearance. Conversely, the fruits of most varieties, which look like they could be sent straight from the branches to the shelves, often do not have any special taste.
1. August dew
High-yielding variety with summer ripening. Pear trees of this variety are considered short and even dwarf. They tolerate frosts down to –25°C and are resistant to diseases. The fruits ripen juicy, sweet with a slight sour accent and white, fine-grained, delicately flavored pulp. Pears are picked while still green, but after ripening they acquire a green-yellow hue with a slight blush. Fruits that have reached maturity do not fall off.![](https://i2.wp.com/s61.radikal.ru/i174/1705/75/55c2e87fc49d.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 2-3 years. Harvest - mid-August.
2. Veles
Frost-resistant variety of pears. The tree is medium-sized, with a spreading crown. The fruits are symmetrical with a smooth surface, greenish-yellow with orange tint. The pulp is cream-colored, semi-oily, juicy, sweet and sour. These pears are great for fresh consumption.![](https://i0.wp.com/s008.radikal.ru/i306/1705/5e/1479e587060b.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 5-7 years. Harvest - mid-September.
3. Duchess Summer (Williams)
High-yielding dessert variety of pears. The fruits are fragrant, juicy, sweet, classic pear-shaped, light green when picked, turning yellow during ripening. Suitable for drying and canning. The pulp is white or creamy, juicy, wine-sweet with a nutmeg aroma. This variety also has disadvantages. Pear trees do not tolerate frost and drought well. Plants require pollinating neighbors, for example, pear varieties Forest beauty or Clapp's Favorite.![](https://i1.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i618/1705/27/d793865fb242.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 5-6 years. Harvest - end of August.
4. Clapp's Favorite
Summer high-yielding variety pears In the southern regions, the fruits are yellow with a reddish blush and ripen at the end of July. The skin of a ripe fruit is smooth, the flesh is white, tender, juicy, aromatic, sweet with a sour taste. When ripe, the fruits quickly fall off and are not stored for long. This is a self-sterile variety, but in the vicinity of Duchess Summer it will be able to fully “realize” its potential.![](https://i2.wp.com/s16.radikal.ru/i190/1705/1f/18eb4512432b.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: in the 7th year. Harvest - early August.
5. Muscovite
A productive variety, excellent for growing in the middle zone. The trees are medium-sized, winter-hardy, but are afraid of drought, which causes a decrease in yield and the loss of pears. The fruits are wide, yellow-green in color, often with abundant rustiness. The pulp is white or creamy, coarse-grained, juicy, melting.![](https://i1.wp.com/s011.radikal.ru/i315/1705/cd/f019827d96cb.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 6-7 years. Harvest - mid-September.
6. Olivier de Serres
Winter variety of pears. The fruits look like a flattened ball with tubercles. The appearance is not very presentable, but the taste is simply excellent. The pulp is sweet with a hint of almond, very juicy, but at the same time quite dense. The fruits are ideal for fresh consumption and for storage, transportation, and preservation.![](https://i0.wp.com/s009.radikal.ru/i308/1705/fa/20866ccf26c0.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 6-7 years. Harvest - early October.
7. Just Maria
High yielding winter-hardy variety pears The tree is medium-sized. The fruits are pear-shaped, green-yellow in color with a slight pink blush. The skin is thin and dry, the flesh is yellowish-white, oily, fine-grained, sweet and sour with a faint aroma, very tasty. The variety is resistant to a range of diseases.![](https://i1.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i638/1705/ea/68cbd4fb91e2.jpg)
Entry into fruiting: 3 years. Harvest - October.
1. How to buy high-quality apple and pear seedlings?
Buying seedlings is a very responsible matter, because you are purchasing a plant for decades. Perhaps its harvest will delight more than one generation of your family.When choosing seedlings, there is no need to rush, just as you should not purchase them at spontaneous markets or from private sellers. They can easily slip you a plant of a completely different variety than the one you would like to buy, replace the seedlings by passing off the poplar as an apple or pear tree that is very similar to it, and it is extremely difficult to return or replace low-quality planting material on the market.
It is best to purchase seedlings from a specialized nursery. Perhaps the prices there will be higher than those of private sellers, but the risk of buying wild game instead of a varietal plant is minimized. So, when to buy and plant?
Some gardeners claim that it is better to plant apple and pear trees in the fall, others - in the spring. I will describe the advantages and disadvantages of planting depending on the season, and you decide which one to prefer.
Autumn planting
1) A large selection of seedlings in nurseries: at this time they are dug up en masse, and they are all fresh. Even if the seedling’s root system is slightly dry at this time, it’s not scary, because it simply won’t have time to dry out. The choice of varieties is also very wide - you can easily choose the one you need.
2) If you plant in the fall, there is a lot of moisture in the soil after the rainy season. In addition, these crops have sufficient winter hardiness, so even if planted late, they do not freeze. A gardener also has more free time in the fall, unlike in the spring, when he has a lot to do.
3) To the disadvantages autumn planting can be attributed to the rather high prices for seedlings, and the need for them winter storage- if you do not have the opportunity to plant plants right away.
Spring planting
1) In spring, especially towards the end, prices for seedlings fall. But at the same time, most often the “remains” of slow-selling varieties are sold off. In addition, the quality of seedlings decreases.
2) Spring is a fleeting and troublesome period of the year. You may simply not have time to plant the seedlings on the site in time, before the buds open, and in this case there is a high probability that they will not take root.
How to distinguish a one-year-old seedling from a two-year-old one?
Apple. Both annual and biennial seedlings are suitable for planting. The price of the latter is much higher, but this does not mean that they are much better. One-year-olds take root much faster, so this overpayment is not always appropriate.
It is very simple to distinguish a one-year-old apple tree seedling from a two-year-old - a one-year-old has no branches, it is just a twig a little more than 1 m long with roots at the base, but a two-year-old seedling should have at least 2-3 branches directed towards different sides and extending from the trunk at an angle of 45°.
Pear. It is better to give preference to annual planting material. The root system of biennial pear plants is quite powerful, and it is very difficult to dig it up without damaging it.
Even a one-year-old pear seedling can have branches, so distinguishing a one-year-old from a two-year-old is a little more difficult. If the seedling is unbranched, then it is definitely a one-year-old plant. Usually its height is about 120 cm, the diameter of the stem is about 1 cm. A branched annual has 1-2 shoots no more than 12 cm long, the diameter of the stem in this case is slightly more than 1 cm.
A two-year-old can have 2-3 shoots at least 20 cm long, and the stem diameter is about one and a half centimeters or a little more.
In a branched one-year-old, the trunk (the lower part of the trunk from the roots to the first branches) reaches 45-55 cm, in a two-year-old it will be 2-5 cm higher.
Inspection of a seedling: what should you pay attention to?
1) Carefully inspect the root system and above-ground parts. There should be no damage or growths on them. At the top of the seedling's head, the bark of the seedling can be slightly peeled off with a fingernail; underneath, the color of the tissue should be green, this means that the seedling is healthy and not dried out. The roots must be moist, but not wet. If they are over-watered, they may rot.
To check if everything is in order, you can lightly pull the root; the healthy one will not come off.
Check the roots for elasticity - small, pencil-thick, they should bend well, but not break. The number of roots may vary, but the seedling must have a clearly visible main root (much thicker) and several additional ones 35-40 cm long.
2) There is a lot of debate about whether it is possible to buy seedlings with leaves. My opinion is that this is not worth doing. Moreover, in accordance with GOST for seedlings, there should be no leaves on them. In a nursery that respects itself and its clients, seedlings are scrubbed (all leaves are removed) even before digging. After all, leaves evaporate moisture, and therefore can dry out the plant.
On the market, seedlings are almost always sold with leaves to prove that this is exactly the variety and species that are declared. For a doubtful buyer, this is a plus, but in this case you need to carefully examine the condition of the root system. The roots of the plant should be soaked in mash (a mixture of soil and clay) and well packed.
Beginner gardeners, when purchasing a seedling, must find out:
> whether the variety is zoned in a given zone, whether it meets its conditions (drought resistance, winter hardiness, etc.).
> main characteristics of the variety - time of fruit ripening, flowering period (to select pollinating varieties), taste of the fruit, suitability for storage.
How to preserve seedlings before planting?
Plants are best preserved when buried. If there is little time before planting, then all you need to do is dig a hole the size of the roots, lay the seedling horizontally on the soil so that the roots are in the hole, sprinkle them with soil, compact it a little and water (1-2 buckets of water ).
If there are several months before planting, then the above-ground part of the seedling should be covered with burlap, and a mouse control agent should be sprinkled around the planting area. You can additionally insulate the root system by digging a deeper hole or throwing it on the roots more soil, and in winter - snow. Try to bury seedlings that you plan to save until spring in those places where the snow melts first.
Rules for planting apple and pear trees
As a rule, fruit trees grow poorly in heavy clay soil and often get sick. But what to do if the land on the site is exactly like this? Do you really have to give up planting altogether if the soil is unsuitable? Not at all. Even on heavy clay soil you can harvest a good harvest of apples and pears. To do this, follow the rules described below.1. Make the planting hole wide and shallow
The optimal pit size when planting a seedling in clay soil– 0.8-1×0.5 m. To prevent groundwater from penetrating the roots of a young plant, create a so-called “clay castle”. The essence of this method is that the bottom of the pit is well compacted with feet or using a small roller, and the side walls are coated with raw clay (it can be taken directly from landing pit) layer 2-3 cm.
Then the pit is left for a while to allow the clay to dry. If the clay coating begins to crack as it dries, wipe the walls of the pit with a wet rag or spray them with water from a spray bottle.
2. Do not cover the seedling with soil from the hole.
Clay soil has very little humus, so it cannot be called fertile. If you want to harvest a good harvest in the future, then the planting hole should be filled with a nutrient substrate of approximately the following composition:
> 3-4 buckets of humus, compost or black soil;
> 2-3 buckets of peat;
> 2-3 buckets river sand;
> 2-3 cups of sifted ash;
> 1 glass of superphosphate.
3. Make drainage at the bottom of the hole
Drainage is a necessary condition when planting fruit trees. To prevent rain and irrigation water from stagnating, add a 10-15 cm layer of drainage to the bottom of the planting hole. This can be crushed stone with a fraction of 20-40 mm, river pebbles, sand and gravel mixture, broken brick.
4. When planting a seedling, follow the procedure
If the hole is ready, you can proceed directly to planting the fruit tree in clay soil. First, pour half of the previously prepared nutrient substrate into the hole in a heap. Drive a peg into the center of the resulting mound (thick as an average pole and 1.8-2.2 m high). Then straighten the roots of the seedling and distribute them evenly along the sides of the mound.
Cover the seedling with the remaining soil, shaking it periodically and watering it a little so that voids do not form between the roots. When the hole is filled, compact the soil with your feet, pointing the toes of your shoes towards the tree trunk. And then water the young tree generously.
5. Build a groove to drain excess water
After the irrigation water has been absorbed, make a simple drainage system that will promptly drain water from the tree in the event of heavy rains or massive snow melt. To do this, dig a shallow hole around the perimeter of the tree trunk circle and fill it with sand or small stones.
How to water apple trees correctly?
The apple tree is planted so that the root collar is 2-4 cm above the soil surface and covered with a soil mound. This will ensure that water flows when watering to the outer edge of the tree crown. Stagnation of water in the area of the root collar leads to its rotting, disease and death of the plant.![](https://i2.wp.com/s019.radikal.ru/i643/1705/62/33d917cd2dd5.jpg)
After watering, be sure to loosen and mulch the soil in the tree trunk circles. Loosening is necessary to aerate the zone of suction roots and root hairs. Mulching reduces water evaporation and prevents the formation of soil crust.
You cannot use materials that increase the acidity of the soil (pine sawdust) for mulching apple trees. The mulch must be scattered at a distance of 10-15 cm from the tree trunk. Otherwise, decomposing plant debris will lead to fungal diseases of the tree trunk and root collar.
If on a flat area furrows and rollers are often leveled during loosening, then on slopes to retain moisture around the trunk, permanent holes, rollers, and bowls are made along the diameter of the crown. Their purpose is to hold water and direct it to the root zone.
Methods for watering an apple tree
Watering apple trees can be done by surface, subsoil, drip or sprinkling methods.Surface watering carried out along furrows and special ditches between the rows of the garden using a hose. Water around the circumference of the crown, not the tree trunk. To do this, mentally lower a straight line from the longest side branches to the ground, draw a circle. This will be the area where small suction roots are located. Dig an irrigation ditch in a circle 10-12 cm deep or 1/3 of a spade's length, being careful not to damage the roots. Pour water into the furrow gradually until intense absorption stops.
Sprinkler irrigation carried out using fan, impulse, pistol and other types of sprinklers. Proper sprinkling is shallow, uniform, and scattered. The soil should get wet to a depth of 60-80 cm. Shallow watering (5-15 cm) will only worsen the situation of the crop, especially in hot weather.
It is best to carry out drip irrigation
. In this case, water is constantly delivered directly to the root system of the tree.
You can combine watering with liquid fertilizing. In hot and dry weather, sprinkling can be added to drip irrigation to create a humid microclimate in garden plantings. It is better to do it in the morning or evening.
Depending on the age of the tree watering rates change. For the first 1-5 years of life, seedlings need relatively little watering, which is carried out more often than adult trees. For one time you need:
* annual trees - 2-3 buckets of water per 1 sq.m of trunk circle;
* biennial trees – 4-5 buckets of water;
* 3-5 year old apple trees - at least 5-8 buckets of water;
* mature apple trees that have begun to bear fruit (6-10 years old) - up to 60-100 l/sq.m of trunk area or until the soil is wet to a depth of 60-80 cm.
When to water apple trees?
The first spring watering is carried out before the buds open. When warm and dry weather sets in, seedlings and young trees up to five years of age are watered once a week in any way, but in sufficient quantities. For mature trees, the second watering is recommended after flowering during the phase of mass fruit set.
If the weather is hot, dry, then additional watering is carried out during the fruit growth phase. Lack of moisture during this period can lead to crushing and falling of some fruits.
The last watering during the active growing season is carried out in the mass ripening phase or 2-3 weeks before harvesting. Watering during fruit harvesting or immediately after it is not necessary. Moisture can cause the growth of young shoots and their freezing during winter frosts, which weakens and sometimes even destroys the tree.
If necessary (dry, hot, long autumn), a fourth preventive watering is carried out in October. Its main purpose is to protect the wood from drying out and freezing in the winter cold.
* * *
As you can see, everything is not so complicated. You just need to put in a little effort to ensure that your orchard will delight you for many years.
Popular wisdom says that it is impossible to grow good wood from a bad seedling. Therefore, when choosing and purchasing seedlings for our plant, we must remember this. In this article, we will try to give some tips on how to choose seedlings: apple trees, pears, cherries.
But it is recommended to plant peach seedlings only at one year of age. This is explained by the fact that older trees lose most of their fibrous roots when they are dug up. And the “health” of any plant largely depends on the condition and viability of its underground part - the root system.
It must be remembered that the loss of a tree's root system must be compensated by cutting off its above-ground part. In this way we contribute further growth tree. This rule must be followed when replanting trees. Considering that when digging up an adult tree, many fibrous roots are lost and, as a result, many of its branches are cut off. When transplanted, such a tree will lose a lot of energy and will be more susceptible to disease. Naturally, in this case the fruitfulness of the tree will be quite low.
High-quality fruit seedlings are characterized by a developed root system - skeletal and overgrowing roots without cancerous growths, which must have a length of at least 35-40 cm. The above-ground part of the seedling must have at least three well-developed lateral branches. The seedling trunk itself must be smooth, without mechanical damage. The thickness of the plant near the root collar should be at least 15 mm.
Some gardeners prefer to choose wildly growing seedlings that have thick trunks and long branches that have not completed their growth. Or they simply choose seedlings with a trunk height of more than 1.5 m and without branches. In this case, it is necessary to remember that if you choose low-quality planting material, our trees will often get sick in the future. And we will not be able to form the necessary crown, which can significantly affect not only the shape of the tree, but also its productivity.
The height of the future tree directly depends on the height of the seedling trunk. A seedling with a taller trunk will grow into a taller tree. And therefore they allocate optimal height standard for each species of fruit tree. For example, for apple trees and pears it should be 70-90 cm, for cherries - 50-70 cm, for medium-sized cherries - up to 60 cm, for low-growing cherries - 40 cm, for apricots - 50-70 cm, for peach - 50-60cm.
Most the best option is to purchase seedlings that were dug up on the same day and plant them immediately. But this is not always possible. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend immersing the roots of seedlings in a solution made from humus and clay. So that the seedling can survive after it has been dug up, to replenish lost moisture, it is placed in water with a temperature of about 18 degrees Celsius. You can add a few tablespoons of bee honey to the water. In this way, the seedling is preserved for 8 hours.
Video: How to choose seedlings
To make it juicy ripe apples and pears delight the gardener all year round, he should familiarize himself with the varieties of these fruit trees and the features of caring for them. It is important to understand that proper pruning, planting, watering, fertilizing and spraying against pests are effective ways to maintain the beauty and health of the garden.
What is a garden without an apple tree? This fruit crop can be found in every corner of Russia. Gardeners grow pears less often: they are more heat-loving and do not always succeed in northern regions. Despite their undoubted differences, these cultures still have a lot in common. The main thing is that in your garden they become friends and bear fruit well!
Apple and pear tree in the garden
Apple and pear trees are the most prominent representatives of pome-bearing fruit tree species. Caring for them is almost the same: watering, fertilizing, pest and disease control, complete and timely harvesting.
On a traditional plot of six acres, it is quite possible to place several apple and pear trees of various varieties. When choosing, follow not only your tastes and preferences, but also take into account the degree of winter hardiness of these crops, their resistance to the fungal disease to which they are susceptible - scab. Pay attention to the time of the appearance of the first harvests, the regularity of fruiting, and the size of the tree.
We will pay special attention to the correct selection of apple and pear varieties.
The most important question when choosing a variety of apple or pear is the ripening period.
Summer varieties are especially necessary for families with children spending the summer at the dacha. However, it is not at all necessary to grow a whole tree of each variety! It is better to regraft half of an apple tree of one summer variety with other summer varieties that differ in ripening time. Or half a summer pear - for autumn.
As for apple trees, it is more rational to grow more autumn varieties in the family garden. Then the family will be provided with their own apples until late autumn - straight from the tree!
Early ripening varieties of apple and pear trees
They are so long-awaited and delicious, but, unfortunately, they are short-lived! And practically non-transportable. Therefore, I recommend removing summer apples and pears from the tree a little earlier than they are completely ripe.
Grow apples different terms maturation.
The apple season in the garden opens with Summer Striped, Red Early, Arkad Yellow, Kitayka Golden Early, Cypress, Iyulskoye Petrova, Grushovka Early, Iyulskoye Chernenko.
About a week later, Grushovka Moscow, Mantet, Papirovka, Korobovka, Solntsedar, Ottawa ripen.
Successfully fills the “empty” period from the end of summer to the appearance of autumn varieties Dessert Budagovsky, ripening 10-12 days later than Melba.
And the first harvest of sweet and fragrant pears is given to us by Skorospelka from Michurinsk, which ripens at the end of July. By mid-August, other annuals such as Avgustovskaya Rosa, Kosmicheskaya, Lada, Severyanka, and Chizhovskaya also ripen.
Long-term storage varieties of apple and pear trees
Apples and pears of these varieties are distinguished not only by their high taste, but also by their long shelf life.
Apples from the good old Antonovka store well until the New Year. And modern varieties of apples until spring! Among them are Lobo, Mekanis, Orlik, Zvezdochka, Beforest, Memory Michurin, Uelsi, Calvil golden, Student, Polinka, Noris, Berkutovskoe, Spartan, Bogatyr, Kulikovskoe, Mekintosh, Imrus, Stroevskoe, Bolotovskoe, Celandine.
Record holders for keeping quality: Moscow later, Moscow winter, Rossiyanka,
Northern synap, Orlovsky sinap, Belarusian synap, Palm tree, Winter beauty, Freshness. Their fruits last almost until next summer!
And among pears there are “long-livers”. All of them are autumn and winter varieties. I recommend the following: Moskvichka, Memory of Yakovlev, Lyubimitsa Yakovlev, Elegant Efimova, Memory of Zhegalov. You will keep these pears until mid-winter.
Sweet varieties of apple trees
Having such apples in the garden is especially important for people who do not like regular, sweet and sour apples or who are contraindicated for them.
Among the sweet varieties, Bessemyanka Michurinskaya, Vityaz, Candy, Medok, Melba, Pepin saffron, Rozovoe excellent, Renet Chernenko stand out.
Intensive apple varieties
These varieties are distinguished by early fruiting, abundant and regular harvests. For example, while most varieties begin to bear fruit in the 5-7th year, intensive varieties begin to bear fruit already in the first 3 years after planting. Choose Folk, Winner, Student, Melba, Lobo, Wellsie, Dessert Isaeva, Mekanis, Young Naturalist, Orlik, Zhigulevskoe, Northern Synap, Antey, Darunak, Imant, Memory Kovalenko, Pospeh.
The so-called spur varieties are famous for their super intensity. Low-growing trees with shortened internodes are completely covered with “fruiting points” - ringlets. Most of them come from American varieties and are grown mainly in our south: Delicious, Golden Delicious, Mekintosh.
Apple varieties with annual fruiting
Do you want to have an apple harvest every year, and not once every 2 years, as usual? Then choose varieties such as Narodnoe, Autumn Joy, Zhigulevskoe, Northern Sinap, Rossiyanka, Pepin saffron, Antey. Trees of such varieties are characterized by moderate flowering, are less tall, and relatively compact. This makes it possible to plant them more densely, increases productivity per unit area and makes them easier to care for. The varieties Narodnoye, Brusnichnoye, Young Naturalist, Zhigulevskoye, Studencheskoye are distinguished by their relatively small tree size.
Apple and pear varieties resistant to scab
Scab is a common fungal disease of fruit trees. It especially often affects apple and pear trees in rainy springs. The only salvation from it is to spray the trees with chemicals.
Plant more scab-resistant varieties. From apple trees I recommend Bessemyanka Michurinskaya, Autumn Joy, Cinnamon New, Renet Chernenko, Winner, Dessert Isaeva, Wellsie, Young Naturalist.
Of the pear varieties, the most resistant to scab are Kosmicheskaya, Lada, Severyanka, Severyanka red-cheeked, Skorospelka from Michurinsk, and Chizhovskaya.
How to care?
The main thing in caring for apple and pear trees is proper watering and fertilizer. I offer you an effective way to water them - through pipes. We retreat from the trunk a distance equal to the radius of the crown projection onto the ground. Use a rotary hammer to make a hole in the ground and dig a piece into it. plumbing pipe with a diameter of 10 mm and a length of 1 m. Its upper edge should rise slightly above the ground. Through this pipe we will water the tree and add liquid fertilizers to the soil. After each watering, we close it with a lid to prevent dirt and fallen leaves from getting inside. There should be at least four such pipes around each tree. With such a watering and fertilizing system, the nutrient solution immediately goes directly to the roots of the tree!
And a few more words about watering. Apple and pear trees require at least 4 abundant waterings over the summer. How much water should I pour? To answer this question, estimate by eye the size of the tree's trunk circle in square meters and multiply the resulting number by 3. That's how many buckets of water the tree needs!
What to do if the apple tree does not bear fruit?
Apple trees, with the exception of intensive varieties, usually begin to bear fruit 5-7 years after planting. But sometimes the onset of fruiting is delayed. Why? There may be several reasons. First, we check whether we deepened the neck of the tree too much when planting. If this is the case, the apple tree will have to be raised. The second possible reason is vertical growth of branches. Fruit shoots of an apple tree are formed only on horizontal branches. Therefore, using weights or guy ropes, we give them a horizontal position.
There is another old “grandfather’s” way to make an apple tree bear fruit. We drive several rusty nails into the trunk of the apple tree or simply bury various metal objects in trunk circle.
With this we replenish the missing supply of iron for fruiting. Try it! Don't trust your grandfather's advice? Then do not forget to spray the apple tree with a 0.1% solution 2-3 times per season. iron sulfate(1 teaspoon of vitriol per 10 liters of water).
How to plant correctly?
Apple and pear trees can be planted in both autumn and spring. We plant immediately in a permanent place - these transplants fruit crops they don't like it. And it’s better to have several varieties at once - for pollination.
We dig deep planting holes (100-120 cm), since the root system of these fruit trees has a diameter of up to 80 cm and is located at great depth. In the hole we put manure or vegetable humus (2-3 buckets), 1 glass of superphosphate, 3 tablespoons of potassium sulfate, 1 kg organic fertilizer“Berry giant” or “Berry”, 2 buckets of coarse sand. Mix everything with the soil previously removed from the hole. Then dilute 2 glasses in 10 liters of water dolomite flour or lime fluff and pour it into the hole. We pour 2 buckets of water there and leave the hole for 6-7 days.
Before planting, we drive a stake into the ground that will support the young tree. Its length is not important: the main thing is that it ensures the stability of the seedling. Add soil to the hole until a mound is formed. We take a seedling, place it on a mound, spread the roots evenly and cover it with soil. In this case, the root collar should be 5-6 cm above the ground surface. When planting, shake the seedling several times so that there are no voids between the roots and the soil. Then we lightly trample the soil, water it and mulch with a small layer of dry humus to retain moisture.
How to prune?
In most varieties of apple and pear trees, the crown forms naturally and does not require significant pruning. The only exceptions are vertically growing top shoots. We cut some of them into a ring, and leave some as a continuation.
To repel pests, plant tansy of skeletal or semi-skeletal branches under an apple or pear tree. At the same time, we give the tops a horizontal position - otherwise they will not bear fruit.
How to prepare fruit trees for winter?
For the successful overwintering of apple and pear trees, not only the degree of frost resistance inherent in the variety is important, but also proper preparation trees. If the first does not depend on us, then the second is our direct responsibility!
Timely and complete harvesting of fruits, watering, fertilizing, pest and disease control ensure not only a high yield, but also a safe overwintering of the trees.
To mitigate the effects of winter cold, you can use frost-resistant stamp formers or hill up tree trunks with forked skeletal branches with snow. A good effect is achieved by growing apple and pear trees in a “creeping” form, which allows you to easily protect them from frost with some kind of covering material.
Please note that young pears freeze slightly more often. Therefore, in winter we insulate them more thoroughly with snow and cover the trunks.
In order for our fruit trees to winter well, the garden needs to be disinfected in late autumn. Typically, solutions of preparations containing copper and iron are used for this. But these elements accumulate in the bark and soil, and in high concentrations they become toxic. In my garden I use a soap-ash solution for disinfection. For 10 liters of water I take 5 cups of wood ash. I put it in an old nylon stocking so that later I don’t have to strain the solution. I fill it with water and let it sit for 2 days, periodically stirring the stocking with ash. Add 40 g to the prepared solution laundry soap- for better adhesion to the bark. In dry, clear weather, I treat all branches and trunks of fruit trees with this solution.
Don’t forget about autumn watering and fertilizing of apple and pear trees. The immunity of trees to low temperatures depends on this.
In autumn, when active growth ends and the need for nitrogen decreases to a minimum, trees need phosphorus and potassium. It is these elements that are washed out of the soil especially actively in winter.
We free the tree trunk of the plant from mulch and apply fertilizer. We rake it into the soil. Then water and mulch with a thick layer of dry grass.
Now our garden is ready for winter!
A good garden will delight its owner for many years.
But to get such a treasure, you first need to work hard.
At any stage you can make a mistake, which will bring all efforts to naught.
The “wrong” seedling may simply not take root. Taking an apple tree seedling yourself without a clear understanding of how to choose an apple tree seedling is too risky.
In this article we will tell you how to avoid these mistakes and successfully grow an apple tree that will delight you for many years.
This first step should not be underestimated. It is the choice of seedling that largely determines whether you will be able to grow a healthy tree.
Take this issue seriously:
- Find out which apple tree varieties suitable for your region. This is very important, because a young tree, unadapted to such a climate, can die long before it begins to bear fruit.
- It is best to contact your local gardening organization or nursery with this question. Their addresses can be found on the Internet.
- Pay attention to customer reviews. Choose a company responsibly.
- The most difficult stage of selection is practical. It all depends on knowledge and attentiveness.
![](https://i2.wp.com/sadsezon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/original-1-e1489851276542.jpg)
First of all, everything seedlings can be divided into three groups depending on the level of the rootstock, i.e. the stem and root system. When choosing one type or another, you need to take into account the characteristics of the site.
There are these types:
![](https://i0.wp.com/sadsezon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/image1.jpg)
IMPORTANT! If the seedlings have thorns, do not buy it. Most likely they are passing off a wild apple tree as a varietal apple tree.
Contact of the root system with groundwater is extremely undesirable. Such an apple tree will be weak and sickly, its harvest will be extremely meager. When purchasing a seedling, do not forget about the importance of this factor.
The ideal age of a seedling is 1–2 years. The youth of a tree is a guarantee that it will take root better in a new place.
How visually determine the age of the seedling? annual plant It should not have developed branches; in a two-year-old tree you can count 2-3 additional branches.
Inspect the root system. It must not be damaged. Healthy roots a little damp, but by no means rotten; they should be elastic, not brittle.
The condition of the cortex is also of great importance. Gently pick off the bark with your fingernail - the stem should be green.
Better do not buy trees that have leaves. They most likely will not take root.
How much do apple tree seedlings cost?
Saplings with an open root system are cheaper than those sold in a container. The cost of an apple tree seedling depends on the variety and quality of the tree, as well as specifically on the selling company. On average, focus on a price of about 300 rubles, although some nurseries may ask for 800 rubles.
Watch the training video on how to choose the right apple tree seedling:
How are apple tree seedlings grown?
Daring gardeners can try grow a seedling yourself. This is not so difficult, especially if you have at least basic knowledge of a school biology course. Let's look at the main methods.
Growing apple tree seedlings from seeds
Method one - . Even small children wonder whether an apple tree will grow from an accidentally dropped seed.
In reality, everything is not so simple. There have been cases where a seed grew beautiful tree with tasty fruits, but there is a possibility that a grown apple tree will not lose its “maternal” wild properties and all your efforts will be in vain.
But if difficulties and possible risks do not frighten you, follow our advice:
- Rinse the mature brown seeds in running water to remove the substance that prevents it from germinating. Best place the seeds in water for 3 days.
- Then place the seeds in the refrigerator (this process is called stratification). To do this, you need to prepare a bowl filled with slightly damp sand. The seeds should stay in the refrigerator for about two months. It is best to start stratification in early January..
- The seeds should germinate in the refrigerator. They need to be planted in specially prepared boxes (drainage should be poured at the bottom and a nutrient mixture on top). The boxes should be placed on a well-lit windowsill.
- It's easy to recognize a wild one still in the early stages: its leaves are bright green, and the shoots already have short spines. It's better not to waste your time on them. Or use the wildflower as a rootstock, to which the desired variety can be grafted.
From a cutting
Apple trees can also be propagated by cuttings.
How to make a seedling from an apple tree branch has been known for a long time. In order to grow a tree in this way, you need prepare the rootstock– choose a tree grown from a seed or (which is much better) a wild one.
![](https://i1.wp.com/sadsezon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DSC09105-300x175.jpg)
You need to graft a cutting from the tree you want to the roots of such a tree. It is very important to correctly combine the rootstock and cuttings.
For a wild dwarf tree, a cutting of a columnar apple tree is better suited, while an apple tree grown from a seed will take well to a cutting of an ordinary tall tree.
The stalk must be no older than one year. We will tell you in detail how to make a seedling from an apple tree below.
How to grow apple tree seedlings from a branch
Another way is bury a branch in the ground.
In autumn, the tree is planted at an angle so that the young shoots touch the ground. In spring, the branches are attached to the bud with staples. During the summer they need to be earthed up, and in the fall ready-made seedlings are obtained.
Air layering or how to get seedlings from an old apple tree
![](https://i0.wp.com/sadsezon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/122892134_5621234_timthumb-e1489850501263.jpg)
It is more difficult to graft a seedling from a branch, so it is often more advisable to use the air layering method.
For the twig to begin to take root, you need to surround it with moist soil. To begin, select a twig that will become a seedling - healthy, without branches, and as thick as a regular pencil.
When the snow melts, this branch needs put on a polyethylene sleeve. It is advisable to attach it with electrical tape. It will remain on the apple tree until steadily warm weather arrives. Then the sleeve is removed.
Need to find the boundary between an adult branch and new growth– from this point about 10 cm is retreated and a circular incision of about 1 cm is made, small incisions are also made to the left and right of it. All buds above the incisions must be removed.
Then a sleeve with a container is put on the branch. In the first three days, place in a container (you can use a cut plastic bottle) root growth stimulating liquid, then specially prepared soil, which must be kept moist at all times.
You can try any of these methods yourself at home. It is advisable to additionally consult with competent specialists.
Look detailed video on how to get a seedling from an apple tree using the air layering method:
You can take a seedling from an apple tree yourself. You don’t have to be an experienced gardener to do this.
If you want to receive varietal apple tree, then you can use the parent shoot, which sometimes just needs to be dug in correctly.
The procedure is carried out in the spring. You can use young shoots no more than 1 year old.
They are placed in a hole about 10 cm deep. The branch is attached to a peg. Thus, a shoot of 30–40 cm should remain above the ground. It also needs to rid the nearest area of weeds.
To be sure, root several branches in this way. In a year, some of them will take root. In the fall, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting.
IMPORTANT! Remember that large-fruited apple trees root less well in this way than other varieties.
Pruning an apple tree seedling
Do not forget that this is a rather complex process that must be carried out strictly according to agrotechnical instructions.
The seedling needs to be pruned when it is dormant.
In warm climates perfect time There will be an autumn-winter period, in a moderate one - the end of winter. Anyway, Pruning cannot be carried out at temperatures below -10°C.
The first pruning takes place in the first year after planting. Trimming in this early age will provide the laying of future skeletal branches.
One-year-old seedling it is necessary to remove side shoots located up to 70 cm from the ground level. Above this point, only those branches that form an acute angle with the trunk are removed. If the angle formed by the branch with the trunk is close to 90°, the branch is cut to the fifth bud.
Two-year-old seedling looks almost like a mature tree. How to prune such apple tree seedlings? In this case, the following goal is pursued - to leave from 3 to 5 of the strongest shoots, forming a wide angle with the trunk.
In the future they will become the main branches of the tree. It is necessary to form and center conductor. It is best to do this from the most developed bud, which is located about 3 buds higher than the others. The lower branches should be longer than the upper ones. So wood.
Next 3–5 years It is better not to touch the apple tree, let it develop on its own.
How to distinguish a pear seedling from an apple tree?
It is sometimes difficult even for experienced gardeners to distinguish different types of trees at such a young age.
This is almost impossible before the leaves appear.– the seller at the market could experiment with vaccinations. Let us remind you general rules , which will allow you not to become a victim of deception and determine how to choose an apple tree:
- Annual apple trees have dark red-brown shoots, while pears have yellowish-green shoots.
- The shoots of apple trees have slight pubescence; pears usually do not have this feature.
- The shoots of pears have more pronounced geniculation.
- The buds of apple trees are wide and large. They fit tightly to the shoot. Pear buds are pointed and small, and do not fit tightly to the shoot.
- The buds of apple trees swell and bloom later than those of pear trees.
- The root system of apple trees is more branched, while that of pears is stem-like.
There is no need to know about the characteristics of pear and apple tree leaves when purchasing a seedling. If the seedling already has leaves, you should not buy it. It is unlikely to take root successfully, and your efforts will be in vain.
How to grow an apple tree from a seedling? ![](https://i1.wp.com/sadsezon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/original-1-e1489851276542.jpg)
First to any gardener you need to choose the time to plant the apple tree.
This could be spring or autumn, depending on the specific circumstances and climatic conditions of your region.
In any case, tree care begins in the spring.
Before planting you need to prepare the soil. This means that the soil needs to be loosened well, rid of weeds, fertilized (depending on the time of year) and dug up again.
The planting hole will be a house for the seedling, it will reliably nourish it.
Choose your location responsibly. This should be a well-lit place, preferably protected from the wind.
IMPORTANT! Preparation of the planting pit should begin 2 months before the actual planting.
The seedling is still too vulnerable. Our task is to protect it from negative weather conditions. The tree needs to be secured to a stake. It can be removed 2 years after planting. This must be done with extreme caution so as not to damage the root system.
In the first week after planting, regular watering is very important, which will not only help saturate the tree nutrients, but also compact the soil. Gradually watering intervals need to be reduced, but in hot weather, spare water for young tree it is forbidden.
A tree trunk area is a must mulch. To do this, use compost, chicken manure, vermicompost and rotted manure; put a small layer of straw on top of this layer.
Watch the video on how to mulch trees:
Necessarily One-year and two-year apple trees need to be pruned to form its skeletal branches.
In summer, all care consists of regular watering and protecting the tree from pests. To avoid using chemicals, try attract birds to the garden.
It's easy to do - Arrange feeders on tree branches. This will let the birds know that there is a tasty treat waiting for them in your garden.
If pests appear, you can collect them by hand from a young tree. In hot weather, do not water the tree during the day to avoid burns.
To allow air to flow to the root system, make punctures 30 cm deep at a distance of 60 cm from the trunk.
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- A young apple tree needs to be hilled to a height of 10–20 cm;
- The area near the trunk must be mulched with humus or peat;
- You can apply nitrogen or potassium fertilizers. The lack of these substances will affect the quality of future fruits, so it is best to use complex fertilizers;
- The trunk of the apple tree must be whitened with a chalk solution;
- To avoid breaking the weak young tree, it can be done in advance.
An apple tree seedling is drying up, how to save it?
Before you can solve a problem, you need to understand it reason, due to which the apple tree may begin to dry out. Then you can understand how to save a dried apple tree seedling.
Growing too much can prevent a seedling from developing. close trees or bushes. In this case, you can transplant the tree to the required distance.
The problem can also be caused by lying too close groundwater . Excess water simply displaces excess air from the soil, which is so necessary for the young root system. The problem can also be solved by replanting or regularly loosening the soil.
If groundwater is disturbing more than just one apple tree, you can dig drainage ditches which will help get rid of excess water.
IMPORTANT! The key to successful growth of an apple tree is air access to the root system, so loosen the soil regularly. Do not plant an apple tree in a sandy or clay bud.
Gardening is not only difficult, but also very interesting. To grow from a seedling good apple tree, you need to show both intelligence and care.
- Remember the most important stage is the choice of seedling.
- It is better to buy them from professional breeders. At a spontaneous market, you can unknowingly purchase another tree (an apple tree can easily be confused with a pear tree before the leaves appear).
- In the first year, do not overuse fertilizers. The tree only needs watering and mulching.
- Do not forget to rid the young apple tree of weeds. In the autumn period you can add.
- A very important procedure is tree pruning. Remember to do this to form the “skeleton” of the apple tree.
- Pests can negatively affect the development of an apple tree. However, try not to poison them in the early years chemicals. Attract to this matter of birds.
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- Be responsible where you plant. Groundwater lying too close and trees and shrubs growing nearby can destroy an apple tree.
- Provide sufficient air access to the root system. She really needs him.
A responsible approach to business will ensure your success.