Apple trees are a source of delicious and sweet fruits.
But in order for the tree to produce a large harvest, it needs to be carefully looked after.
Timely watering, frequent feeding and pest control should be carried out regularly, informs the expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", agronomist and landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
Caring for an apple tree in June
The first month of summer arrives, and apple trees begin to actively spend energy on the growth of their fruits and ovaries.
At this time, trees need abundant watering and a large amount of fertilizer.
Root feeding should be carried out if:
• the tree itself freezes;
• fruits lack nutrients;
• too intense nutrition.
Fertilizing the tree speeds up the ripening of fruits and makes them healthier.
After flowering, apple trees should be immediately fed with a urea solution (45-55 grams per bucket of water).
Consumption should be one or two buckets per tree.
It is important to take into account the age of the tree - the older it is, the more concentrated the solution should be.
It is advisable to spray the tree trunk with this mixture. This will protect the fruits and leaves from harmful insects.
If it is often rainy outside, you should pour a urea solution around the tree trunk circle.
During the first month of summer, it is recommended to feed the trees once every two weeks, otherwise there is a risk of ruining the fruits.
Protection from pests and diseases
All insects that threaten apple trees can be scared away by properly planted plants next to them.
Nasturtium is excellent at repelling aphids, and wormwood and garlic prevent attacks by codling moths.
Coriander planted nearby will help protect against rodents. Fumigation of trees plays an important role in getting rid of apple leafhoppers.
In the evening, you need to put piles of straw between the apple trees and slowly burn them for two to two and a half hours, fumigating the fruit trees.
Watering apple trees
In summer, the number of waterings of apple trees is reduced compared to spring. But each watering becomes much more voluminous.
Apple trees need to be watered so that the water reaches a depth of 90 centimeters – directly to the roots of the tree.
The most suitable water temperature for apple trees is about 20 degrees Celsius.
On average, an adult apple tree requires 7 buckets of water during watering, while a young tree requires only 3 buckets.
Young apple trees up to 3 years old need to be watered, having first made special holes in the trunk circle.
For mature trees, it is better to organize watering through furrows that go to a depth of up to 60 centimeters.
In hot weather, watering apple trees is postponed until the evening, since drops of water remaining on the plant under the scorching sun can cause severe burns.
In order for oxygen to reach the roots in sufficient quantities, holes must be made in the ground around the tree to a depth of at least 34 centimeters. The distance from the trunk to these holes should be no more than 55 centimeters.
Loosening, digging and mulching
After two days of watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil and add a little mulch of humus and peat inside.
You cannot mulch the soil with sawdust alone, because it sharply reduces the nitrogen content in the soil.
Mulching with sawdust can only be done in combination with ammonium nitrate (25-30 grams per square meter).
The soil should remain loose, so you need to periodically get rid of new weeds that appear.
They take moisture and nutrients from the soil that your apple tree needs. In addition, harmful insects can live in weeds. After collecting this grass, you can add it to compost.
Important! In the first month of summer, sometimes ovaries and leaves fall off. Most often, this happens due to attacks by pests and diseases.
Therefore, immediately burn the leaves and ovaries that fell in June. Sometimes, apple trees that have experienced severe cold in winter may develop shoots.
It must be cut off in time, otherwise the entire tree may die.
Sometimes the shoots grow deep. In this case, you need to dig up some of the soil at the base of the apple tree and cut it off at the root with a hacksaw.
Trimming
Pruning is usually done in the winter season, but it can also be done in the summer.
The purpose of summer pruning is to straighten the crown and cut off excess branches or those that shade the trunk too much.
It is also advisable to pluck out the tree shoots that have appeared by this time.
After pruning, the apple tree will definitely be stressed. Therefore, it is advisable to treat the cut areas with special healing agents.
Earlier we told you which vegetables should not be planted next to an apple tree.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
