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Often, novice gardeners are faced with the problem that the apple tree froze in winter. Moreover, this can happen regardless of the age, height of the tree and its crown shape. Therefore, you need to know what to do correctly when it freezes in order to save the apple tree, speed up its recovery and increase productivity to the maximum level. It is also recommended to familiarize yourself with what to do to preserve the garden from the negative effects of low temperatures in the future.
Errors in care are the main reason for the decrease in tree stability
Why do apple trees freeze in winter?
On forums you can often read complaints from gardeners that the apple tree froze in winter. Moreover, this can happen even with those trees that in previous years successfully withstood cold periods and consistently bore fruit. It turns out that the cause of freezing is not extreme cold, but sharp temperature changes and the lack of sufficient snow cover, which have been increasingly observed in all regions of the country in recent years.
Other factors that reduce apple tree resistance:
- depletion of the tree against the background of increased yield in the previous season;
- excessive pruning or lack of pruning for a long time;
- low winter hardiness of the variety;
- adding fresh manure to the planting hole;
- excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers;
- damage to the tree by pests and diseases;
- close location of groundwater.
Excessive watering in the fall can also provoke freezing of an apple tree.
Signs of freezing apple trees
In some cases, you can tell by the appearance of the tree how much it suffered in winter. After all, the shade of frozen branches is much darker than healthy ones. In this case, the bark gradually dies off and becomes brownish-brown in color.
Also, when there is severe freezing, longitudinal cracks appear on the trunk of the apple tree - frost holes. They are formed as a result of frequent sharp temperature changes in winter, when thaws give way to high frosts. This leads to disruption of the integrity of the cortex.
However, sometimes it is difficult to immediately determine the degree of freezing of branches. And, in order to accurately determine at what level to remove damaged areas, you can use two methods. In the first case, it is necessary to cut off several suspicious branches and examine the shade of the cambium inside. In healthy shoots it is whitish-green, in slightly damaged shoots in winter it is yellowish, and in case of severe freezing it is light brown.
To determine the viability of branches using the second method, it is necessary to place the apical shoots cut from them in water. After some time, buds will begin to swell on them. This sign indicates that the branches are healthy or slightly damaged. The absence of signs of vegetation indicates freezing of the shoots.
How to save frozen apple trees
To save an apple tree that has frozen in winter, it is necessary to properly remove the damaged areas. However, pruning is recommended taking into account the degree of damage to the fruit tree.
What to do if young apple trees are frozen
If the apple tree seedling freezes slightly, then it is necessary to shorten the damaged shoot tips to healthy tissue. Moreover, in this case, removal can be carried out not in early spring. It is best to do the procedure at the beginning of the growing season of a young apple tree, that is, when the branches and leaves begin to develop. This will make it possible to accurately determine the degree of freezing of the shoots and at what level to cut them.
If a young seedling is severely damaged in winter, right down to the rootstock, it is necessary to completely cut off the crown and part of the damaged trunk. And later the wild bird can be regrafted with the crop variety you like.
If a young apple tree has been severely damaged by frost, but the level of healthy tissue is located above the grafting site, then the crown must be completely removed. And from the remaining buds on the trunk of the surviving cultural part, after freezing, new young shoots will subsequently grow. From these, you need to form a new crown of the apple tree in the future.
To do this, it is necessary to select the strongest shoot, and restrain the development of the rest by shortening it throughout the season. The next year, after freezing, excess branches must be completely removed. If all conditions are met, the young seedling will form a crown much faster than when planting a new young apple tree.
Pruning should be carried out with the aim of helping the apple tree after freezing, and not harming it
What to do if an adult apple tree is frozen
If there is minor damage to an adult tree in winter, it is necessary to remove the affected shoot tips to healthy tissue. The optimal period for pruning after freezing is early spring, when the air temperature is confidently above +5 ° C, but sap flow in the plant tissues has not yet begun. However, the procedure does not have to be intensive. It is better to remove more shoots in the next season, when the tree gets stronger after freezing.
An adult apple tree that has been severely damaged in winter should be pruned at the stage of vegetative bud opening. This will make it possible to determine the degree of freezing, as well as which areas and shoots need to be removed. Large damaged branches should be cut into rings and the wounds should be allowed to dry for several days, and then covered with garden varnish.
Sometimes it happens that an adult apple tree freezes on top and only the lower branches remain. In this case, you need to cut the main conductor obliquely slightly below the damage zone. Moreover, the cut should be level with the base of the upper living bud, without leaving a stump. This subsequently leads to increased growth of tops inside the tree after freezing. Of these, you need to select the strongest one, pinch it, and gradually remove the rest over 2-3 years. From the new shoot you can form a new crown of the apple tree.
It is recommended to clean the tree crown from damaged areas after freezing in the morning in dry weather.
What to do if the top of a columnar apple tree is frozen
For columnar apple trees, the growth point of the main conductor is very important, which allows for the correct formation of the crown. Its damage in winter increases the branchiness of the tree. In this case, only regular pruning can ensure the full development of the tree.
Therefore, if the top of a columnar apple tree froze in winter and several shoots began to grow at the same time, then it is necessary to isolate the strongest one and remove the rest. It is this that will continue the growth of the tree after freezing.
Caring for a frozen apple tree
You need to start treating a weakened apple tree as soon as the frosts end. First of all, it is recommended to treat wounds that have formed on the trunk due to sudden temperature changes. They must first be cleaned from damaged parts of the bark to healthy tissue, and then treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. A few days after this, the wounds must be covered with garden varnish and wrapped in burlap.
In spring and early summer, after freezing, the apple tree must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers and organic matter. To do this, you can use urea at the rate of 30-50 g per 10 liters of water or chicken manure 1:15. Two weeks after this, it is recommended to spray the crown with any growth stimulant. And in the second half of summer, it is recommended to fertilize with superphosphate 40-80 g and potassium sulfide 25-60 g, depending on the age of the tree.
In the absence of rain, the apple tree must be watered regularly.And after each moistening, loosen the soil in the root circle and remove growing weeds. To speed up the recovery of the tree after freezing, it is also necessary to regularly treat it against diseases and pests.
It is recommended to remove flowers during the period of tree restoration
How to keep an apple tree from freezing
To prevent the apple tree from freezing in winter, it needs to be prepared for the upcoming cold period of the year. Because proper care helps reduce the likelihood of damage to the tree to a minimum.
Measures to prevent freezing:
- correct crown formation;
- regular sanitary pruning;
- timely repair of damage to the bark;
- application of fertilizers taking into account the stage of development of the apple tree;
- periodic liming of the soil in the root circle;
- carrying out moisture-charging irrigation in the absence of rain in the fall;
- normalization of load in case of excess ovary;
- selection of zoned varieties.
Conclusion
If an apple tree freezes in winter, this does not mean that the tree is doomed. However, we must not hesitate. As soon as the weather is favorable, you need to start treatment. Only in this case does the apple tree have a chance to quickly recover from freezing and restore its life potential. This means that soon it will be able to produce a good harvest.
