Each apple tree in the period of active growing season needs nutrients. Therefore, the further growth and fruiting of the crop depends on the timeliness and literacy of the fertilizers. How to fertilize apple trees in spring, which method to choose and what to bring at a particular stage of development - all this will be discussed later in the article.
- How to fertilize apple trees in spring
- Apple root dressing
- Before flowering
- In the flowering period
- After flowering
- Foliar application of apple trees in spring
- Useful tips
How to fertilize apple trees in spring
The phase of intensive biomass buildup requires additional nutrition with nitrogen-containing substances. In the spring, before budding, gardeners apply manure, compost or mineral complex fertilizers for apples. Experts do not distinguish the best or worst of them, but note that nitrogen contributes to enhanced growth and abundant fruiting. Apples lacking this substance lose significantly in appearance and taste.
Some summer residents scatter dry shredded bird excrement, but in this case it will take time and moisture to penetrate nutrients to the roots. Agronomists note the positive impact of cow dung on sandy and clayey soil.
According to agronomists, mineral complexes are not fully absorbed by the root system of tree cultures. For fruit, it is sufficient per square meter of the stalk zone within 10-40 g of the active chemical element. You can make it in both dry and in liquid form.
The intensity of the growing season and the number of the formed ovary are largely dependent on potassium intake. Potassium sulphate is recognized as the best of this group of fertilizers. In order to obtain a full-fledged development and a bountiful harvest, it will be sufficient to deposit 10–25 g of substance for each barrel.
Apple root dressing
Most gardeners prefer this method of fertilizer application. It is considered more effective because it provides direct penetration of nutrients into the root system of the plant. How to feed an apple tree in spring depends on the phase of its development: before flowering, during and after it.
Only for the season will need no more than 3-4 feedings. We will understand in detail.
Before flowering
In the last decade of April, it is important to fertilize the tree to feed its viability, the formation of amicable inflorescences and annual growth.
To this end, experienced gardeners scatter around 5–6 buckets of humus around apple trunks.You can replace it with a half kilogram dose of urea, which is also introduced under the plants in a dry form.
In the flowering period
The second feeding of apple trees is carried out during the blooming of floral brushes. Moreover, this process can not be delayed. It is important to fertilize fruit crops at the beginning of budding. For this purpose, mainly liquid dressings from 800 g of potassium sulfate, 1 kg of superphosphate, 10 liters of slurry and 5 liters of bird droppings are used. All components are dissolved to a uniform consistency in a 200-liter barrel with water. If you do not have any organic ingredients, you can replace them with 0.5 kg of urea or with 2 vials of Effectan.
The mixture should be infused for 7 days. Then it is poured into the half-meter-deep grooves made in the stem circles.
On average, under 1 apple tree you need to pour up to 40 liters of nutrient fluid. Total solution is enough for 5 trees. Experienced owners advise to pre-moisten the tree trunks so that the fertilizer dissolves faster and penetrates to the roots. After the manipulations, the holes are sealed and the ground is watered again.
After flowering
When the apples begin to fill the branches, the tree needs the following feeding. For this purpose, a solution is prepared from 1 kg of nitrophoska and 20 g of powdered dry "Humate nartrium". The last component must first be dissolved in a small amount of water. All ingredients are poured into a 200-liter barrel of water and mixed thoroughly. Watering adult apple trees is carried out with a calculation of 30 liters under 1 trunk.
Foliar application of apple trees in spring
Spraying crowns of apple trees is often carried out as an additional fertilizer, which is combined with preventive and curative measures against diseases and pests. To do this, use a solution of urea in the proportion of 60 g of substance on a bucket of water.
The first sprinkling is organized before the flowers open, the second - during flowering, and the third - after 20 years later. It is desirable that the liquid fell not only on the foliage, but also on the trunk and skeletal branches.
In addition, caring owners every 2 weeks indulge their apple orchard with manganese, boric, potassium, zinc, molybdenum treatments. Some use multicomponent purchasing products, which include all the necessary trace elements. One of these is Kemira. The working solution is prepared from it at the rate of 10 g of the drug per bucket of water.
Her mother liquor is prepared at the rate of 1 cup of ground substance per 2 liters of warm water. Then the liquid is dissolved in a 10-liter bucket.
Useful tips
In order not to harm the apple trees by excessive and illiterate introduction of nutrients, assess the external condition of the trees in the garden.
Experts focus on the colors of the foliage, according to which at first glance the missing trace elements are obvious:
- If the apple lacks nitrogen, its leaves look pale and cannot fully develop to their full size. Older specimens turn yellow and lifeless, crumbling prematurely. Fruits ripen, but differ in small sizes.
- Unnatural foliage indicates the lack of phosphorus. In this case, the leaves are far behind in growth, there are few of them on the branches.
- On the deficit of potassium can be concluded with a smoky shade on the leaves. Over time, they become dry, but do not fall from the branches. Apples on such a tree are very unsightly.
- The lack of iron leads to the development of chlorosis, which is reflected in the loss of green color on the foliage. As the disease progresses, the leaf plates fade completely.
- If an apple tree needs zinc, its leaves no longer develop, cannot reach their usual size, and start gathering in rosettes. And the yield of wood is halved.
- When young sprouts withered for no reason, consider this signal as a shortage of copper. Young apple trees suffering from a deficiency of this trace element do not grow high, become prone to tillering, and their leaf blades thickly cover with black spot.
- Failure to obtain boron is expressed by prematurely yellowed foliage. It has a clear view of purple streaks, and apples are affected by corking. Moreover, such trees, even in spite of genetic frost resistance, hibernate badly and become very sensitive to a decrease in temperature.