Content
Landing apple trees in autumn in the Moscow region includes several stages: selection of seedlings, soil preparation, fertilization and further care.
Selection of seedlings
Seedlings for further cultivation of apple trees are selected taking into account the ripening period and taste of the fruit. Depending on the size of the trees, a planting scheme is selected.
According to ripening period
To choose the right seedling, you first need to decide on the variety of apple tree. According to the ripening period, several types of varieties are distinguished:
- summer;
- autumn;
- winter.
There are intermediate varieties of apple trees that ripen in early summer or autumn (early summer, early autumn) or later (late winter).
Summer varieties They produce a harvest in July, but are not stored for long. Fall varieties can be harvested in late summer until September. They are recommended to be used within 60 days.
Winter varieties are harvested in September or later, after which they are left to ripen for a month. The shelf life of winter varieties is six months or more.
By tree size
When choosing a variety, other factors are taken into account:
- external and taste properties of fruits;
- resistance to diseases;
- tree size.
Tall apple trees produce a large harvest, but they are more difficult to care for: forming a crown, treating them against diseases and pests. Such trees are planted in a row or in a checkerboard pattern with an interval of 5 m.
Medium-sized apple trees are planted according to a 3x3 m pattern. Dwarf varieties can be planted every 0.5 m. Columnar apple trees are planted every 1.2 m.
The yield of such varieties is lower compared to tall apple trees, but due to more compact planting they produce a good harvest.
In containers, seedlings are easier to store and transport, they are easier to transplant and adapt to new conditions. In healthy seedlings, the root system completely fills the container.
The best varieties for the Moscow region
Below is a list of which varieties of apple trees are recommended to be grown in the Moscow region:
- White filling is an early variety that ripens at the end of August. The fruits have a sour taste and a green-yellow color that turns white as they ripen.
- Antonovka golden is a productive variety of apples with a sweet and sour taste. Ripening occurs at the end of the summer period.
- Autumn Joy is a frost-resistant variety that can produce crops for 20 years. Juicy sweet and sour fruits ripen in autumn.
- Golden Delicious is a variety of apple tree that is frost-resistant and produces a harvest in late fall. The fruits are stored until spring.
- Moscow Winter is a high-yielding, late-ripening variety distinguished by large fruits. They can be stored until April.
Terms of work
The best time to plant apple trees is autumn.In September or early October in the Moscow region, the soil temperature is about 8°C, which ensures good survival of seedlings.
When to plant apple trees depends on leaf fall. After it begins, planting work begins. During this period, shoot growth stops, but the dormant period has not yet begun.
Planting work needs to be completed two to three weeks before the cold snap. If planting dates are observed, the seedlings will have time to strengthen and prepare for winter.
Choosing a landing site
Apple trees are planted in an elevated and open area. Cold air and moisture accumulate in the lowlands, which negatively affects the development of the apple tree.
This tree does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater, the action of which leads to rotting of the root system. If the waters lie high enough (less than 1.5 m), then an additional drainage layer is installed.
It is advisable that no apple trees have grown at the planting site for the last 5 years. Perennial herbs or vegetable crops are considered good predecessors for it. A year before planting an apple tree, you can sow the selected area with green manure (lupine, mustard, rapeseed).
Apple trees are not planted in the fall in the Moscow region near fences, buildings or other tall trees. Seedlings need protection from the wind. For this purpose, rowan or sea buckthorn can be planted on the northern side of the site.
Summer varieties do not tolerate cold weather well. Therefore, it is imperative to provide them with protection from wind loads. The place for summer apple varieties should be well lit by the sun.
Autumn varieties also require good light.To ensure high yields, it is necessary to protect the plantings from drafts and sudden temperature changes. Autumn varieties do not require frequent feeding.
Winter varieties are highly frost-resistant. During the growing season they require a lot of heat. These apple trees need to be fed more often than other varieties.
Soil preparation
Before planting an apple tree, you need to prepare the soil. Previously growing crops are removed from its surface, and weeds. The soil is dug up to the depth of the fertile layer. This promotes the accumulation of moisture and nutrients.
Clay soil is first dug to a depth of 0.5 m. To improve the structure of the soil, fertilizers are added in equal proportions: humus, river sand, sawdust, compost. This combination of components ensures air exchange in the soil.
Sandy soil is dug up to a depth of 0.5 m. Clay, manure, compost, peat, humus, lime, and clay are added to each square meter. The preparation procedure is the same as when working with clay soils. The only difference is the use of more peat and compost.
Regardless of the type of soil, the following fertilizers are used:
- superphosphate (70 g);
- potash fertilizers without chlorine (50 g).
Preparation of seedlings
How to prepare seedlings for planting depends on their quality. It is best to choose two-year-old plants with a height of 60 cm. It is advisable that the apple tree have three side shoots, the distance between which is 0.5 m.
Annual shoots have no lateral branches. To prepare an apple tree of this age, it is pruned, leaving about 70 cm in height and 5-6 buds.
The root system of the seedling should have 2-3 branches up to 40 cm long. Roots that are too long need to be trimmed. To strengthen the roots, they are briefly placed in a mushy mixture of clay, mullein and water.
When the roots dry, they are immersed in water for several days. Immediately before planting, the root system of the seedling is placed in a growth stimulator. You can use the drug "Kornerost", two tablets of which are diluted in 10 liters of water.
Boarding order
A month before planting the apple tree, a hole measuring 1x1 m in length and width should be prepared. The depth of the hole is 0.8 m. A stake made of aspen or hazel no more than 5 cm thick is driven into it. The support should rise 40 cm above the ground surface.
Fertilizers are added to the soil dug out from the planting hole depending on the type of soil. Due to the resulting mixture, a small hill is formed around the support.
The following order indicates how to properly plant an apple tree:
- You need to install a seedling on the resulting hill and straighten its root system.
- The root collar of the seedling should be 5 cm above the soil surface. You can identify the root collar by the place where the color of the bark changes from greenish to brown. When filling a hole, soil from the top layer of soil is used, from which a layer 15 cm thick is made.
- The seedling must be shaken when falling asleep with soil. This will avoid voids near the root system of the apple tree.
- Then the soil on the roots is carefully trampled down so as not to damage the roots.
- Loose soil is poured on top.
- The seedling should be positioned vertically. It is tied to a peg at the base and at the top.
- The apple tree is watered so that the moisture reaches a depth of 50 cm. Each seedling requires 3 buckets of water.
Care after landing
Preparing apple trees for winter in the Moscow region is done by watering the seedlings, treating them against pests and diseases. Summer varieties may require additional cover.
Watering seedlings
To water the seedling, a round hole is formed in the soil. Its diameter should correspond to the diameter of the pit. To maintain a high level of moisture, the soil is mulched with humus, compost or dry soil. The mulch layer is 5-8 cm.
Autumn watering depends on the intensity of precipitation. If there are prolonged rains in the fall, then there is no need for additional moisture. When the rains are rare and drizzly, you need to water the planted apple tree well for the winter.
Caring for apple trees in autumn in the form of watering, it increases the strength of branches and bark against frost. Each seedling uses 3 liters of water. Watering is done into the formed hole.
Treatment against diseases and pests
Processing apple trees in autumn against diseases and pests is carried out in dry weather in the absence of wind. After the first frost and at zero temperatures, the procedure is not performed.
To protect against fungal diseases and codling moths, treatment is carried out with preparations containing copper (copper and iron sulfate, Oxychom, Horus, Fundazol, Fitosporin).
A solution is prepared based on iron sulfate, including 500 g of the drug and 10 liters of water. Copper sulfate is dissolved in an amount of 100 g per liter of water.
To prevent the plantings from being damaged by hares and rodents, a chain-link mesh is placed around them.The trunk can be protected with spruce branches, roofing felt, and fiberglass.
Shelter for the winter
To prepare apple trees for winter, the soil is first loosened. Then a layer of peat, sawdust or manure is applied around the trunk. The height of the mound is 40 cm. Additionally, the trunk can be wrapped in several layers of paper, fabric or spunbond.
Apple tree shelter roofing felt and other materials that do not allow air and moisture to pass through can lead to the death of the seedling. In the Moscow region, zoned varieties are planted that can withstand winter frosts.
Conclusion
Depending on the variety, apples are harvested in summer and autumn. Proper planting ensures the further development of seedlings. In the Moscow region, work begins in September. Be sure to prepare the soil and planting pit, improve the composition of the soil, and apply fertilizers. Apple trees planted in autumn They need watering, protection from diseases and pests, as well as shelter for the winter.
