Planting apple trees in autumn in the Urals

Content

1 The best varieties of apple trees for the Urals
2 Conditions for growing apple trees
3 How to plant an apple tree in the fall
4 Preparing a seedling for a harsh winter

The apple tree is a fruit tree that can traditionally be found in every garden. Fragrant and tasty fruits are grown even in the Urals, despite the harsh climate. For this region, breeders have developed a number of special varieties that are adapted to extremely low temperatures, sharp fluctuations in weather conditions and short summers. Plant such apple trees possible not only in spring, but also in autumn, since they are not afraid of freezing. At the same time, planting apple trees in the fall in the Urals should be carried out within certain periods in compliance with certain rules, which we will discuss in detail later in the section.

The best varieties of apple trees for the Urals

When choosing an apple tree variety, you need to pay attention not only to the taste and aesthetic qualities of the fruit, but also to their ripening period, the hardiness of the plant and its adaptability to frost. For the Urals, you can choose summer, autumn or winter varieties. In one garden it is recommended to grow several apple trees with different periods of flowering and fruiting. This will allow, in the event of unexpected spring frosts, to preserve the harvest of at least one variety.

Specifically, in the Urals it is preferable to grow the following varieties of apples:

Apple tree "Uralets" was bred by breeders specifically for cultivation in harsh climatic conditions. The fruits of this variety ripen in early autumn (mid-September) and are characterized by small size (weight only 50-60 g). The color of the apples is creamy, with a slight blush. The Uralets tree itself is vigorous, durable, and highly resistant to severe frosts, diseases, and pests. The disadvantage of the variety is the short storage period of the crop, which is only 1.5 months.
Variety name "Snowdrop" already indicates a late period of fruit ripening. Winter apples are very tasty, aromatic, reddish in color, and are medium in size. The apple tree is low-growing, up to 2 m high, and is perfectly adapted to unfavorable climatic conditions. The apple harvest can be stored for 4 months. The disadvantage of this variety is its low resistance to drought.
Sweet and sour, yellow apple varieties "Ural liquid" ripen in mid-autumn. The variety is zoned for the Urals and is not afraid of any weather “surprises”. Medium-sized apple trees adapt well to new conditions and delight with fruits within 2 years after planting. The rich harvest of this variety can be stored for 2 months after ripening. Among the disadvantages of the variety, small fruits should be highlighted.
"Silver Hoof" - This is a summer apple variety that is known in many regions of Russia. It is famous for its excellent fruit taste and unpretentiousness. The variety is not afraid of severe winter and spring frosts and is resistant to diseases. A medium-sized tree produces many branches, so it needs high-quality, regular pruning. The first fruiting occurs 3-4 years after planting.The disadvantage of this variety is its low resistance to moth parasitism.

In addition to the listed varieties, apple trees “Persianka”, “Gift of Autumn”, “Summer Striped”, “Papirovka”, “Melba” and some others are suitable for the climate of the Urals. It is worth noting that the famous “Antonovka” is also widely popular among gardeners in the Urals.

You can learn more about some varieties of apple trees adapted for the Ural climate in the video:

Conditions for growing apple trees

Having decided to grow an apple tree in the Urals, it is very important to correctly determine the best time for planting, select a suitable site in the garden and take care of creating a landing site. We will try to understand all these nuances in more detail.

Optimal timing for planting

Most gardeners prefer to plant apple trees in the Urals in early spring (late April). The absence of frost and a large amount of moisture have a beneficial effect on the survival rate of the plant. However, there is nothing “scary” about planting apple trees in the fall.

Plant fruit trees in the Urals it is necessary in strictly defined terms, since early planting of an apple tree will cause untimely awakening of the buds, late planting will expose the plant to freezing. Thus, the optimal time for planting apple trees in the fall is at the beginning of October.

Important! You need to plant an apple tree in the fall 3-4 weeks before the onset of severe frosts.

Choosing a suitable place in the garden

It is recommended to grow apple trees on a sunny piece of land, where there is no access to strong northern winds. The terrain of the site should preferably have a slight slope to drain excess moisture. It will not be possible to grow apple trees in lowlands, since the root system of the plant will be susceptible to rotting.For the same reason, special attention should be paid to the location of groundwater:

If the groundwater is deeper than 7 meters from the surface of the earth, then tall apple trees can be planted.
If the groundwater is at a level of 3-4 m from the surface of the earth, then you should give preference to dwarf and low-growing varieties.

If necessary, artificial drainage can be provided on the site in the form of a drainage ditch or pond.

Choosing a good seedling

When buying an apple tree seedling, you need to pay attention to its varietal characteristics and some external signs of quality. Thus, the following rules for selecting seedlings can be determined:

You should choose apple tree varieties that are zoned for the Urals or have a high level of resistance to frost.
It is recommended to buy seedlings from gardening or nurseries.
When choosing planting material, you should give preference to seedlings that are 1 year old (such trees do not have branches) or 2 years old (seedlings with 2-3 branches). Young apple trees adapt faster to new conditions and are more likely to take root successfully.
Saplings with an exposed root system should be carefully inspected. The roots of the apple tree should have a healthy appearance without thickening, unevenness and a length of 30 cm. When cut, the color of the root should be white. A gray tint indicates freezing or rotting.
The shoot of the apple tree should be smooth, without cracks or growths. Under the top layer of thin bark, when scraped, you can see the green skin of the plant.

The listed signs will help you choose from a huge variety of seedlings only the best, healthy apple trees for your garden.

Soil for apple trees

The above varieties of apple trees are distinguished not only by their high frost resistance, but also by their unpretentiousness.All of them can grow in different types of soil. At the same time, preference when planting apple trees should be given to fertile soil with a high organic content. It is important to remember that nitrogen is essential for the plant during the period of active growth. In the future, the quality and quantity of apples will be directly affected by the presence of potassium and phosphorus.

Important! Acidic soils can cause low yields and slow development of fruit trees, so before planting such soils should be deacidified by adding lime.

How to plant an apple tree in the fall

You need to take care of planting an apple tree 2-3 weeks before the seedling is purchased. Already at this time, you should determine the growing location and begin preparing the planting pit. The diameter of the hole should be approximately 90-110 cm, its depth should be 60-80 cm. After digging the hole, you need to carry out the following steps:

Fill the hole with nutritious soil with the addition of compost, manure (rotted) or peat. If desired, you can combine all of the listed components in equal parts. If the site is dominated by heavy clay soil, then sand must be included in the nutrient substrate. In autumn, fallen leaves can be added to the bottom of the planting hole, which will become organic fertilizer as they decompose.
The nutrient soil that filled the hole should be watered generously and left alone for 2-3 weeks. When subsidence occurs, the amount of nutrient substrate should be replenished.
After 2 weeks, you can proceed directly to planting the apple tree. To do this, in the still loose soil, you need to make a small hole, the size corresponding to the dimensions of the roots.
Place a peg in the center of the hole, then place the seedling, carefully straightening its roots.The planting depth should be such that the root neck of the tree, after compacting the soil, is 5 cm above ground level.
The soil around the entire perimeter of the pit must be compacted, and the trunk of the apple tree must be tied to a peg.
After planting, the young seedling should be watered generously, using 20-40 liters per fruit tree. The soil on the tree trunk needs to be mulched with peat or humus.

Important! It is not recommended to use mineral fertilizers when planting fruit trees, as they have an aggressive effect on the plants.

The only mineral that an apple tree needs at an early stage of development and rooting is phosphorus. It can be added to the soil in the form of superphosphate.

You can see the entire planting sequence and highlight for yourself some important points of the work from the video:

If there are other fruit trees in the garden or if several apple trees are planted at once, the recommended distances between plants should be observed. Thus, tall trees cannot be placed closer than 6 m, for medium-sized varieties this distance can be reduced to 4 m, and dwarf and low-growing trees will feel good at a distance of 2.5-3 m from each other. Maintaining distance allows fruit trees to be maximally exposed to sunlight, ensures adequate air circulation, and increases crop yield.

Preparing a seedling for a harsh winter

Choosing a frost-resistant variety for planting is only one of the prerequisites for successfully growing apple trees in the Urals. After all, if you plant a young apple tree in the fall, it may not even survive the first harsh winter. In order to preserve a young fruit tree, you need to take care to follow some rules:

It is prohibited to prune a young seedling after planting in the fall.
After planting, a fruit tree needs abundant watering before frost sets in.
You can protect your fruit tree from parasites and diseases with a chalk solution. They coat the trunk of a young apple tree with it a few weeks after planting.
The tree trunk must be insulated (tied with burlap). At the foot of the fruit tree you need to lay a dense carpet of spruce spruce branches, which will protect against freezing and rodent parasitism.
Apple tree branches should be wrapped with polyamide film. It will protect the plant from intense sunlight, which can burn the tree. The film can be removed from the apple tree after the first leaves begin to appear.

A set of such simple rules will protect a plant planted in the fall from freezing, pathogenic bacteria and rodents. In subsequent years, caring for the apple tree will consist of watering and loosening the soil, fertilizing and pruning the crown.

Important! After intensive watering or heavy rains, the soil around the perimeter of the apple tree trunk needs to be loosened to ensure oxygen access to the roots of the fruit tree. Otherwise, the apple tree may die.

Being a gardener in the Urals is quite difficult: capricious weather, cold and short summers, harsh winters. It is this “set of arguments” that discourages many owners from planting an orchard in their yard. But it is quite possible to grow your own, natural and very tasty apples in such a climate if you know how to plant plants, how to protect them from the cold and care for them.The information presented above allows you to successfully plant apple trees in the fall so that, with the arrival of spring, their root system is adapted to new conditions, and the fruit tree itself develops fully and in a timely manner, without delays or stunted growth.