When and how to plant apple trees in the spring in open ground

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

Each summer resident tries to plant at least one apple tree on his site. It is believed that this should be done in the fall. However, it is also possible to plant an apple tree in the open ground in spring, if you choose the right timing and know how to plant seedlings correctly.

Features of growing an apple orchard

The presence of at least a few fruiting apple trees in a suburban area is the dream of many amateur gardeners. But in order for the apple tree to please with a bountiful harvest, you need to try hard when planting seedlings in open ground.

Apple trees form the basis of the garden in suburban areas. This plant is appreciated for its tasty and healthy fruits, as well as for its unpretentiousness and good survival rate on different soils and in most climatic zones of Russia.

But even for such a viable culture, it is required to observe the correct planting dates and choose the most favorable places on the site. If, during planting of apple tree seedlings, all the recommendations of specialists are followed, then the plant will quickly take root and, after a few years, will delight you with a bountiful harvest.

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It is especially important to observe the timing of planting apple seedlings in open ground in spring, as this must be done before buds begin to bloom on them.

Terms of spring planting of an apple tree

Most gardeners choose to plant the apple tree in the fall, when the seedlings are ready for the dormant period by shedding their foliage. In the spring, an active growing season begins, during which transplants into open ground are undesirable, since the plant will take longer to take root.

Although the apple tree belongs to hardy crops, transplanting during the growing season is perceived by the seedling as stress, so gardeners need to choose the right timing for planting in spring.

For the correct planting of an apple tree in the spring, two important conditions must be met:

• choose a period when the buds and leaves will not begin to swell on the seedlings;
• plant in open ground only when night temperatures are at least +5 degrees for a long period.

In most Russian regions, it is quite difficult to comply with such conditions, but there are a number of useful rules that will help you plant an apple tree correctly in spring.

If the seedlings have an open root system, and the plant variety corresponds to the conditions of a particular region, then you can not wait until the ground warms up and the snow melts completely. An apple tree with open roots will root well during the dormant period and will dissolve its leaves by the end of spring.

This is due to the fact that while in the dormant period, the plant does not have time to notice the transplant, which becomes stressful, and continues to develop in its usual life cycle.

For most Russian regions, planting apple seedlings in spring is best to start from the end of March and carry out until the beginning of May. At the same time, you need to choose cloudy days for planting. The plant should be planted in the early morning or late evening.

Benefits of spring planting

Traditionally, it is believed that the best time to plant fruit trees is autumn. In this case, the trees root better by the spring, being in a dormant period. However, it is not always possible to carry out the autumn planting of seedlings because of the changeable weather: often already in the middle of autumn, when the best time for this work comes, frosts can begin.

If for this reason it was not possible to plant an apple tree in the fall, planting can be postponed to spring by digging in the seedlings in a dark and cool place, the temperature of which will not exceed 0 … + 2 degrees.

This can be a basement, in which the planting material is placed in boxes, and the roots are covered with earth, or an open area where dug-in seedlings in winter will be protected from freezing by a thick layer of snow.

After the end of winter, at the end of March, you can pick up a site for planting an apple tree and, at a suitable time for this, plant a still dormant plant in a permanent growing place. Few people pay attention to the fact that spring planting has a number of important advantages:

• the gardener can control the entire period of plant survival, reacting in a timely manner to negative external factors and eliminating them: lack of moisture or nutrients, the appearance of diseases or pests;
• in spring there is more moisture in the soil, therefore, if the timing of planting is correctly observed, the vegetation of the plant will be more active, and the adaptation period will be reduced;
• before planting in spring, it is easier to prepare pits for planting in the fall. During the winter, the soil will settle and there will be no risk of deepening the root collar of the seedlings, leading to the death of the plant.

There are special techniques for growing planting material that allow you to plant apple seedlings from April to October. To do this, you need to purchase planting material with a closed root system.

Agricultural technology for planting apple trees in open ground in spring

In order for the seedlings planted in spring to take root and take root, a number of important rules should be observed when planting:

• choose the right place for the apple tree;
• calculate the distance between trees if several seedlings are planted at once;
• prepare the seedlings themselves for planting in open ground.

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This will allow the plant to quickly adapt in a new place, take root and start growing.

Seat selection

Apple trees love outdoor areas that are well lit by the sun and free of drafts. It is best to choose areas that are protected on the north side by buildings or a fence.

The tree should be placed on the south side so that during the growing season it can receive the maximum amount of ultraviolet radiation.

Not suitable for disembarkation:

• lowlands;
• places with swampy ground;
• areas with a close occurrence of groundwater.

The apple tree loves hills where water will not stagnate during melting snow or heavy summer rains. In soil with a high level of moisture, the plant will simply die due to the fact that the root collar will rot.

If there is groundwater close to the surface on the site, an artificial embankment should be created and only then a seedling should be planted. Groundwater should not be less than one and a half meters from the upper soil level.

Layout of the site for the pit for disembarkation

Before planting, you should draw up a planting scheme if you plan to plant several trees. The distance between plantings plays an important role in the development of the apple tree and can affect fruiting - a lack of light and space will lead to a decrease in yield.

The choice of distance depends on the type of seedlings:

• plants on a tall stock should be planted at a distance of 5-7 meters;
• seedlings on a medium-sized rootstock are planted at intervals of 3-4 meters;
• trees on a low-growing rootstock are planted at a distance of 3 to 1.5 meters;
• between dwarf apple trees, you can leave a distance of 1.5 meters;
• columnar apple trees can be planted at a distance of 0.5 meters.

Preparation and placement of seedlings open ground

Only healthy planting material should be planted, choosing zoned varieties for your region. The height of the plant should not be more than one and a half meters, and the life span should not be more than 2 years. The root system must be well developed.

The seedling should show no signs of vegetation if planted with an open root system. Before planting, the roots must be soaked for a day in a special solution that stimulates the growth of the root system.

When planting material with a closed root system, the seedling can be lowered into the pit along with the peat container.

You need to plant in pits, corresponding in depth to the root system of a young plant. It should be deepened to the root collar, without covering it with earth. You also need to watch so that the vaccination site is not buried. The higher the graft is placed, the faster the apple tree will begin to bear fruit.

The seedling is installed in the hole and its root system is straightened, if it is open. Planting material with a closed root system is simply installed in a prepared hole and covered with earth to the root collar.

After that, the soil around the trunk is compacted, watered abundantly and the seedling is tied to a peg. In the absence of side shoots on the seedling, its top must be trimmed so that side branches begin to appear.

Even a novice gardener can follow all these rules. If all the recommendations are followed, the apple tree takes root quickly and after 3-4 years it can please with the first harvest.

Summarize

There are several important recommendations to remember about planting an apple tree in spring:

1. The plant should be planted in the spring, while it is still dormant, when the buds have not yet swollen and leaves have not appeared on it. In this case, it will take root faster.
2. An apple tree seedling can also be planted in unheated soil in late March - early April, choosing the right time of day for this.
3. Before planting, you need to choose the right place for the apple tree. It will not grow in waterlogged and too wet soil.
4. When planting, it is impossible to deepen the root collar and the grafting site, which is located in the lower part of the trunk. Otherwise, the tree will die or will not bear fruit.
5. Seedlings should not be placed too close to each other if they are grafted onto a tall and medium stock.
6. For plots of a small area, columnar varieties of apple trees are best suited, which can be planted from each other at a distance of 0.5 meters, since they do not have a spreading crown.