How to plant an apple tree in spring in the Urals

The apple tree, in spite of any climatic conditions, is grown everywhere. It adapts to a wide variety of environmental conditions. To get a good harvest even in harsh climates, you need to know how to properly plant an apple tree in spring in the Urals.

Climatic features of the Urals

Most of the Urals is represented by a mountain system, therefore this area belongs to the non-black earth zone and is not very suitable for fruit gardening. This is due to the continental climate, characterized by frequent weather changes and uneven rainfall. Rain, hail and strong winds can occur during a sunny day.

This area is characterized by severe winters. Moreover, in different regions of the Urals, there is a strong discrepancy in climatic conditions. The rocky soil also makes it difficult to grow apple trees. Therefore, in order for the planting of apple trees in the spring with seedlings in the Urals to be successful, gardeners have to adapt and resort to various tricks.

Apple variety selection

In such climatic and natural conditions, gardeners are forced to more strictly select zoned varieties.

Summer varieties:

1. Melba. Fruits, weighing from 120 to 140 g, bright red with stripes, sweet and sour. Fruiting begins in the 4th year;
2. Glory to the winners. The apples are large, red, sweet with sourness, weight - from 120 to 180 g. The yield of a 14-year-old tree is up to 75 kg;
3. Sunflower. Bright fruits, weighing from 90 to 120 g. Pure white pulp with a small amount of reddish veins. The taste is sweet and sour, slightly tart.

Summer varieties also include White filling, Silver hoof, Ural pink, Candy, Sweet bliss, Summer red and others.

Autumn varieties:

1. Uralets was specially created for the Urals. Small apples have a creamy color with a blush, there is a waxy coating. Fruiting begins in the 4-6th year;
2. Antonovka. The variety has the best characteristics. Fruits are yellow, with a slight tinge of rust. Weight - from 100 to 150 g, sometimes up to 300 g, with aromatic, sweet and sour pulp. The yield reaches 500 kg from one tree;
3. Mountain Sinap. The color is golden with a red blush. The average fruit weight is from 100 to 150 g. It has high winter hardiness.

Of the autumn varieties for the Urals, Sokovoe-3, Samotsvet, Uralskoe bulk, Autumn stunted, Pamyat Biryukov and others are also suitable.

Apple tree Memory of Biryukov

Winter varieties:

1. Yuzhnouralskoe. Possesses high winter hardiness, productivity. Fruit weight - up to 100 g. Cream color with carmine blush. Very sweet fruit pulp;
2. Bayan. It is considered one of the best Siberian varieties. The apples are golden purple, with a purple bloom at their peak. Weight - up to 140 g;
3. Welsey. It bears large fruits, weighing up to 160 g, of a yellow-orange hue with a blush. The taste is sweet and sour, with hints of rose.

You can also grow such winter varieties as Yantar, Pervouralskoe, Altynai, Snowdrop and others.

The love of experienced gardeners of the Urals is enjoyed by undersized varieties of apple trees: columnar, semi-dwarf and dwarf.Of the columnar varieties, characterized by compactness and early maturity, it is worth planting President, Iksha, Currency, Medok, Vasyugan, Ostankino and others. Among the varieties of dwarf apple trees, characterized by endurance and high yields, Sokolovskoe, Detskoe, Prizemlennoye, Chudnoe and others are suitable for the Urals.

Preparation of seedlings

How to plant apple trees in the Urals to get the maximum yield? The most successful proportion of planting several varieties of apple trees: 2 summer, 2 autumn, 6 winter. Nearby must be pollinating varieties with different growing seasons, duration of flowering, crop appearance. The frost resistance index should also be different.

Such a garden will withstand unpredictable frosts, preserving the harvest from several varieties. Seedlings must be purchased locally, then they will take root better. Compliance with these rules will provide the whole family with fruits for the whole year.

Landing features

The planting algorithm for apple trees in the Urals is the same as for other areas, but some nuances must be taken into account. It is best to plant seedlings in spring or fall when they are dormant in winter. Planting an apple tree from the beginning of October will prevent the seedling from growing and becoming vulnerable to frost. Spring planting, at the end of April, should occur early, as soon as the last snow has melted. This will allow the root system to adapt to the soil. The land should be with deep groundwater. It is necessary to saturate it with nitrogen.

Seat selection

Apple trees are best planted on the south side, in a warm and sunny place. In this case, it is desirable to protect trees from the penetration of drafts and cold air masses of the north wind. An ideal place for a garden would be a sloped surface that prevents moisture stagnation. If planting is carried out in a lowland, then root rot is likely due to the accumulation of cold air and moisture.

The soil

The apple tree grows best on fertile light loams or sandy loams, the reaction of the environment should be neutral. If the soil is heavy clay, then it must be diluted with sand before planting seedlings. The acidic soil is neutralized with lime. The stage of active vegetation requires the presence of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium in the soil. The future harvest directly depends on these substances. Too close groundwater is detrimental to apple trees. For tall varieties, this indicator should be at least 7 m, and for undersized varieties - from 3 to 4 m.

Planting scheme for seedlings

Landing

How to plant an apple tree in the Urals in spring or autumn? Step by step guide to planting seedlings:

1. The soil is cleared of weeds, carefully dug up, organic matter is introduced;
2. A couple of weeks before planting, a hole is prepared according to the size of the roots, with a diameter of 70 to 100 cm. The top layer of soil is removed. To avoid stagnation of water, the bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of drainage (expanded clay, gravel, broken brick). You can dig a drainage ditch;
3. Before planting a tree, one third of the hole is filled with a mixture of the top layer of soil and humus (peat, compost). Fertilize the soil well with phosphorus and potassium. You can add rotted manure;
4. A peg must be dug into the hole. After placing the seedling on the soil embankment, its roots must be straightened. After that, you can fill up the soil by tamping it. In this case, the root collar should be left above the soil surface at a distance of about 5 cm;
5. It remains to tie the seedling to the support so that the material does not injure the bark of the tree. A soft garter should always be loose. Planting is watered with 2-3 10-liter buckets of warm water;
6. The trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus.

Planting seedlings too tightly must be avoided. Apple trees need ample space for aeration and better lighting. Therefore, when planting pollinating varieties, the following rules must be observed:

• between tall varieties leave at least 5-6 m;
• between medium height - 4 m;
• the gap between low-growing apple trees is from 2.5 to 3 m;
• for columnar varieties, the row spacing is about 1 m, and between seedlings - 0.5 m.

Care features

The list of activities for the care of the Ural apple trees includes traditional procedures: watering and loosening, feeding, pruning, preparation for the winter period.

Watering

You need to water on average 1 or 2 times a week. For a mature tree, the frequency of watering is reduced, except in dry summer months. After that, it is necessary to loosen the trunk circle to ensure good air access to the root system. It is recommended to mulch the root area.

Top dressing

In the 2nd year of development of the seedling, in spring or autumn, it is required to fertilize the soil. It is recommended to use nitrogen-containing fertilizers in spring, and potash and phosphorus fertilizers in autumn. You can periodically spray the crown of the tree with the nutrient solution. If the summer is dry, then the apple trees are additionally fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. For better penetration of nutrients, after feeding the plant, you need to water it abundantly.

Top dressing of an apple tree

Pruning

Spring planting is carried out by cutting off the center conductor to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots. When planting in autumn, this should not be done, since the seedling may freeze slightly.

Preparing for winter

The Urals are characterized by deep freezing of the soil, which is dangerous even for winter-hardy varieties of apple trees. To protect the root system of trees, during preparation for winter, it is necessary to insulate the circumferential circles. It is recommended to cover them with a 10 cm layer of humus and peat, and on top with foliage and snow. Spruce branches can be used. This measure will at the same time serve as protection against rodents.

Warming a tree for the winter

To insulate the above-ground part of the trees, they are wrapped with a covering material for the winter. For the trunk, you can use burlap, and for the crown - film, agrofibre.

Branch breakage from gusts of strong wind can be avoided by tying a young tree to a peg. For complete safety, each branch can be fixed with a support.

Diseases and pests

As a protective measure against pests and diseases, the apple tree trunk is covered with lime, chalk solution.

The most common apple disease is a fungal infection - scab. The vegetative mass of the tree is attacked: flower buds, fruits, leaves, shoots. In early spring they begin to spray apple trees with copper-containing preparations (1% Bordeaux liquid) and fungicides (Horus, Fitolavin). In autumn, preventive work is carried out, destroying dried fruits, leaves and branches. The crown must be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate (5%).

The correct choice of varieties, competent planting of seedlings and regular maintenance make it possible to obtain an excellent harvest of apples even in the difficult climatic conditions of the Urals.