How to feed fruit seedlings. Fertilizing fruit trees and shrubs in spring

Timely top dressing of trees is extremely important for their proper growth, friendly flowering and abundant fruiting. You can fertilize the garden in the spring, after the snow melts, and if necessary, repeat the application of nutrients in the summer and in the fall.

Fertilizers should be applied in the garden depending on the type of soil and varieties of trees and shrubs. However, several general principles can be distinguished. The most important thing for trees in spring is vigorous growth, which fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, such as manure, can provide. However, never use fresh. Decomposed manure or compost should be applied to tree trunks for digging.

Other sources of nitrogen can be mineral fertilizers - ammonium nitrate or urea. Three to four weeks after nitrogen fertilization, mineral fertilizers with a high potassium content can be applied to the soil. It should be borne in mind that the introduction of additional nutrients into the soil is not as important for young trees and shrubs as for fruit-bearing ones. Although both will be grateful for extra food after a particularly cold winter.

Feeding methods

Top dressing of trees can occur in different ways: you can fertilize the ground, providing root nutrition, or you can apply microfertilizers through the crown. The second method is often combined with pest control. The first use of fertilizers occurs when laying the garden. Humus (or compost, or rotted manure), superphosphate, ash, and mineral compounds are introduced into the pit for the seedling. In the first year after such top dressing, additional fertilizers can not be applied.

In the second year of growth, as well as before fruiting, you can feed the tree with manure. Settled manure diluted in water is one of the best fertilizers for an orchard. Usually, it is not recommended to use fresh manure for top dressing - it is preferable to scatter it in the garden in the fall for digging, and then in winter it has enough time to decompose so that its beneficial substances pass into the soil in a form convenient for absorption by plants. However, for liquid top dressing, it is quite possible to use fresh manure. To do this, it is dissolved in water, in a ratio of one to five, and left for a week under a tight lid. This fertilizer should be applied after watering the trees. Such top dressing can be repeated in the summer, but no later than in the second half of July.

Video "Overview of the most popular tree dressings"

Video review of the most popular top dressings for fruit trees, as well as useful tips on their use.

Through the roots

This is a traditional way to apply any fertilizer, both mineral and organic (manure, peat, compost). This method is based on the natural life cycle of any plant. The basic rule of root feeding of the garden is that in rainy weather, fertilizers are used in a dry form, and in a dry tree, you first need to water well and only then feed.

Under the apple trees in the spring, cow dung can be applied (about 4 kg per tree), or bird droppings diluted in a ratio of 1 to 15. Having opted for mineral fertilizers, you can make up for the lack of nitrogen in the soil with the help of ammonium nitrate - 30 grams per square meter. A little later, apple trees will need potassium, which can be obtained from potassium sulfate - 10-20 grams per square meter.

For pear growth, it is good to apply organic fertilizer every two to three years, depending on the condition of the soil. The pear menu in spring is similar to the apple tree - 4 kilograms of rotted manure or compost and one hundred grams of superphosphate must be embedded in the soil. Stone fruits (cherries, plums) should be properly fed with organic fertilizers every two to three years, with autumn digging. In the spring, you can prepare a nutrient solution with nitrogen-containing compounds for them.

Through the crown

This method of applying fertilizer can be compared to an ambulance. Foliar top dressing can be relevant if you need to urgently fill the lack of nutrients. Foliar top dressing should be carried out after the end of flowering. They can be repeated several times - a week after the end of flowering, a month after the first time, and in the summer, but no later than three weeks before harvesting - so all the nutrients will be absorbed, but will not be in excess.

It is necessary to apply fertilizer for foliar feeding in dry, but cloudy and cool weather, it is correct to do this in the morning or evening hours, this way you can guarantee the absence of burns on the leaves. For apple trees, you can use a solution of urea (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) - spray both on the leaves and on the branches and trunk. You can also spray the trees with ash solution, which is a good source of calcium, phosphorus and potassium. To prepare top dressing, you need to insist a glass of ash in 2 liters of hot water, then dilute the resulting suspension in 10 liters of water. You can use liquid manure for foliar feeding - dilute half a liter in a bucket of water, then strain.

The pear is a more delicate tree compared to the apple tree. It can also be fed with urea, but it would be right to reduce the concentration - 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. Kostochkovs need a little more nitrogen fertilizer for optimal growth. Therefore, the concentration of urea for foliar feeding should be higher - 3-3.5 tablespoons per ten liters of water. Also, for the growth of any fruit trees and berry bushes, fertilizing with microelements is necessary. To do this, you can use a solution of complex mineral fertilizers.

How to understand that the plant is missing something

If the tree does not grow well, is covered with small leaves, the fruits do not set or do not ripen, then it is time to fertilize. By the appearance of plants, it is sometimes possible to determine which elements in the diet it lacks.

Pale green, yellowish or white leaves indicate a lack of nitrogen, especially in sandy soils. If the plant does not grow well at the same time, flowering is delayed - it is necessary to add manure or compost. With a lack of phosphorus, the leaves may take on a dark green, bluish or purple hue. After detecting such a problem, it is necessary to apply superphosphate, nitroammophoska or phosphate rock. When a plant lacks potassium, the leaves wrinkle, curl, flowers crumble, even from young trees. This problem can be solved by using potassium chloride, potassium sulfate or potassium nitrate. Well-nourished trees will create a well-kept garden that will delight both winter and summer.

Video "How to feed the trees in the spring season"

Demonstrative video on how to feed the trees in the spring.

Seed propagation in the garden strawberry familiar to us, unfortunately, leads to the appearance of less productive plants and weaker bushes. But another type of these sweet berries - alpine strawberries, can be successfully grown from seeds. Let's learn about the main advantages and disadvantages of this crop, consider the main varieties and features of agricultural technology. The information presented in this article will help you decide whether it is worth giving her a place in the berry.

Often, at the sight of a beautiful flower, we instinctively bend over to smell its fragrance. All fragrant flowers can be divided into two large groups: nocturnal (pollinated by nocturnal butterflies) and diurnal, whose pollinators are mainly bees. Both groups of plants are important for the grower and designer, because we often walk in the garden during the day and relax in our favorite corners with the onset of the evening. We are never put off by the fragrance of our favorite fragrant flowers.

Pumpkin is considered by many gardeners to be the queen of the beds. And not only because of its size, variety of shapes and colors, but also for its excellent taste, useful qualities and a rich harvest. Pumpkin contains a large amount of carotene, iron, various vitamins and minerals. Due to the possibility of long-term storage, this vegetable maintains our health all year round. If you decide to plant a pumpkin on your site, you will be interested to know how to get the largest possible harvest.

Scotch eggs are amazing! Try to cook this dish at home, there is nothing difficult to prepare. Scotch eggs are a hard boiled egg wrapped in minced meat, breaded in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and deep fried. For frying, you need a frying pan with a high rim, and if you have a deep fryer, then it's just great - even less hassle. You will also need deep-frying oil so as not to smoke the kitchen. Choose farm eggs for this recipe.

One of the most amazing large-flowered tub cubanola Dominican fully justifies the status of a tropical miracle. Heat-loving, slow-growing, with huge and in many ways unique bells of flowers, cubanola is a fragrant star with a difficult character. It requires special conditions in the rooms. But for those who are looking for exclusive plants for their interior, the best (and more chocolatey) candidate for the role of indoor giant cannot be found.

Chickpea Curry with Meat is a hearty hot dish for lunch or dinner inspired by Indian cuisine. This curry is quick to prepare, but requires pre-preparation. Chickpeas must first be soaked in plenty of cold water for several hours, preferably overnight, the water can be changed several times. It is also better to leave the meat in the marinade overnight so that it turns out juicy and tender. Then you should boil the chickpeas until tender and then cook the curry according to the recipe.

Rhubarb can not be found in every garden plot. It's a pity. This plant is a storehouse of vitamins and can be widely used in cooking. What is not prepared from rhubarb: soups and cabbage soup, salads, delicious jams, kvass, compotes and juices, candied fruit and marmalade, and even wine. But that's not all! A large green or red rosette of plant leaves, reminiscent of burdock, acts as a beautiful backdrop for annuals. Not surprisingly, rhubarb can also be seen in flower beds.

Today, experiments with non-banal combinations and non-standard colors in the garden are in trend. For example, plants with black inflorescences have become very fashionable. All black flowers are original and specific, and it is important for them to be able to select suitable partners and a position. Therefore, this article will not only introduce you to the range of plants with slate-black inflorescences, but also teach you the intricacies of using such mystical plants in garden design.

3 delicious sandwiches - cucumber sandwich, chicken sandwich, cabbage and meat sandwich - a great idea for a quick snack or for a picnic in nature. Only fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and a little spice. There is no onion in these sandwiches, if you wish, you can add an onion marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches, this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, it remains to collect a picnic basket and go to the nearest green lawn.

Depending on the variety group, the age of seedlings suitable for planting in open ground is: for early tomatoes - 45-50 days, medium ripening - 55-60 and late terms - at least 70 days. When planting seedlings of tomatoes at a younger age, the period of its adaptation to new conditions is significantly extended. But success in obtaining a high-quality crop of tomatoes also depends on the careful implementation of the basic rules for planting seedlings in open ground.

Unpretentious plants of the "second plan" sansevieria do not seem boring to those who appreciate minimalism. They are better than other indoor decorative foliage stars for collections that require minimal maintenance. The stable decorative effect and extreme endurance of only one type of sansevieria are also combined with compactness and very fast growth - Khan's rosette sansevieria. The squat rosettes of their stiff leaves create striking clusters and patterns.

One of the brightest months of the garden calendar pleasantly surprises with the balance of the distribution of favorable and unsuccessful days for working with plants according to the lunar calendar. In June, gardening and gardening can be done throughout the month, while the unfavorable periods are very short and still allow you to do useful work. There will be their optimal days for sowing with plantings, and for pruning, and for a pond, and even for construction work.

Meat with mushrooms in a pan is an inexpensive hot dish that is suitable for a regular lunch and for a festive menu. Pork will cook quickly, veal and chicken too, so this meat is preferable for the recipe. Mushrooms - fresh champignons, in my opinion, the best choice for homemade stew. Forest gold - mushrooms, boletus and other goodies are best harvested for the winter. Boiled rice or mashed potatoes are ideal as a side dish.

I love ornamental shrubs, especially unpretentious and with an interesting, non-trivial foliage color. I have different Japanese spireas, Thunberg barberries, black elderberry ... And there is one special shrub that I will talk about in this article - the viburnum vesicle. To make my dream of a low maintenance garden come true, it's probably the perfect fit. At the same time, it is able to diversify the picture in the garden very much, moreover, from spring to autumn.

For the quality development of the garden, you will have to take care of it all year round. Plants require not only pruning and watering, but also timely fruit tree nutrition. Fertilizers are applied throughout the growing season, and they are selected depending on the time of year and the type of plant.

If necessary, our specialists with many years of experience in gardening will help identify the shortage and cope with the lack of elements by applying the necessary fertilizers. We will take good care of your fruit-bearers! :)

autumn feeding

Feeding fruit trees in autumn implies addition of minerals. This is a great time to fertilize your garden. calcium, potassium, phosphorus. All flavoring compounds are applied to the soil in liquid form or for digging. A plants try not to saturate with nitrogen, because it interferes with normal "falling asleep". Fruit trees actively grow and stop preparing for winter sleep, as a result of which they do not have time to hibernate before the onset of frost and die.

It is considered effective fertilizing fruit trees with ash. This is the simultaneous feeding of the soil with phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Ash is brought in for digging to a depth of about 8-10 cm. About 150 g of ash falls on 1 sq. M of the near-stem circle. Sometimes the substance is diluted with humus or peat, as a result of such mixing, a mineral-organic mixture is obtained. Permissible proportions: 1:2 or 1:4, that is, 1 kg of ash accounts for 2 to 4 parts of humus or peat.

Bon appetit to your garden! :)

Top dressing of fruit trees video

Competent and timely application of fertilizers is the key to the harmonious development of seedlings. However, many gardeners are ill-informed about when and what kind of dressing to apply. This article will help you understand all the intricacies of an important process aimed at increasing the productivity of plant growth.

Proper fertilization of the soil will create favorable conditions for the existence of crops and avoid problems in the future. But it is necessary to fertilize with knowledge of the matter. Uncontrolled introduction of organic matter or complex dressings can harm. So, how to feed the seedlings?

Young plants primarily need phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Usually it is they that are lacking in the soil, which means that this should be compensated. Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon are no less important components of "excellent health". If the nutritional value of the soil leaves much to be desired, then the seedlings will lack these elements of the periodic table. But calcium, sulfur, magnesium, manganese at the beginning of the journey requires a minimum amount.

The need for certain fertilizers depends on the type of crops that you have planted. So, pears and apple trees are more in need of organic matter. Cherry and apricot - in minerals.

How to find out what exactly is missing?

If the seedlings are not rooting well, you should take a closer look at them. With a careful visual inspection, you will definitely find the characteristic signs of a deficiency of one or the element.

Thin weak stems, small pale leaves indicate that the seedlings lack nitrogen. Leaves dry at the edges, turn yellow or brown? You need potassium. An acute shortage of magnesium manifests itself in the form of blanching of the leaves, which subsequently turn yellow and fall off.

Small and almost black foliage, mainly in the lower part of the plant, is a signal that phosphorus should be fed. Intensive wilting of leaves and shoots indicates a lack of iron. Most often, raspberries, grapes, apple trees, and plums need iron. But when there is not enough copper, the leaves at the tips brighten, become lethargic and soon die off.

Phosphorus and potassium: what you need to know

Experts advise to make phosphorus and potassium only in the 4th year after planting. It is better to do this in the fall, because. such complexes contain hardly digestible substances. An exception is made for fruit-bearing plants - they are fed in the spring.

Many make such fertilizers during fruit set. And they do it right - it favorably affects the quality and quantity of the crop.

So what fertilizers for seedlings containing potassium and phosphorus should be applied first?

• potassium sulfate used as the main fertilizer for fruit-bearing crops. The content of the main active ingredient is 50%. It is applied mainly in spring;
• potassium salt. Universal top dressing is suitable for any type of crops. The content of the main substance is 40%. It is brought in in the fall;
• superphosphate. Fertilizer in granules. The content of phosphoric acid - up to 20%. It is brought in at the rate of 35-40 gr/m2;
• phosphate rock. Not only a valuable fertilizer, but also an effective neutralizer of high soil acidity. Phosphorus content varies from 15 to 35%. Oriented to top dressing of any fruit trees.

There are special mixtures containing other substances in addition to potassium and phosphorus. For example, nitrophoska and diammofoska include potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in different ratios.

Nitrogen: when and how to apply?

If the soil was fertilized with nitrogen during planting, then the first top dressing is practiced in the 3rd year after planting. Most of the nitrogen is applied in spring, the smaller part in autumn. Calculate as follows: 20 g / m2 (for poor soils) or 10 g / m2 (for fertile soils). If you plan to apply nitrogen, then you should use:

• urea (carbimide). Contains rapidly digestible nitrogen. Young plantings can be fertilized with urea in two ways: by instilling a dry mixture into tree trunks or spraying the trunk and leaves with a solution (for this, 0.5 kg of urea is dissolved in a bucket of water);
• ammonium nitrate. Feeding in granules is well absorbed by seedlings. Saltpeter can be used in dry (15 g/m2) and liquid (25 g/bucket of water) form;
• compost, bird droppings and manure. Designed to feed the soil of medium fertility. Contains a small amount of nitrogen. Optimal as an addition to other mineral complexes.

Weak seedlings should not be fertilized with nitrogen. This will significantly extend the growing season and reduce frost resistance.

Organics: rules to remember

The most useful fertilizer for seedlings is manure. It should be made in the 3rd year. Chicken manure is especially valuable. They fertilize the land in the spring at the rate of 5 kg / m2. For fertilizing fruit trees, manure is diluted with water (1 kg / bucket of water) and infused for 4-5 days. In autumn, the dosage of manure is reduced to 0.3 kg/m2. Manure from domestic animals is brought in only in a rotted state. Fertilize with manure once every 3 years. If the land is very poor, you can once every 2 years.

Another useful organic fertilizer is peat. Improves air permeability and soil structure. Furnace ash reduces the acidity of the earth. Make it at the rate of 100 g / m2. Mix with other organics or prepare a solution.

Compost deserves special attention. It is introduced in the first year after planting. Increases the nutritional value of the soil, enriches it with humus and improves aeration. Contains substances necessary for seedlings to grow.

High-quality compost can successfully replace any mineral mixtures. It is also easy to make compost. To do this, they dig a trench in the fall and fill it with leaves, grass, sawdust, tops, tea leaves and other waste. The compost pit is covered with earth and safely forgotten about it until spring. During the winter, everything that you threw into it will turn into a wonderful fertilizer.

The interval between top dressing is 2 seasons. The optimal time for fertilizing with compost is September-October. Important: compost is lightly dug into the top layer of the earth or simply laid out near tree trunks.

Don't know what else to feed the seedlings? Ready-made fertilizers - Aquarin, Kemira, Ecofoska, AVA, Uniflor-growth, Florist, Ferovit, Uniflor - have proven themselves to be excellent. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions (the composition of the drugs is different) and follow the dosage.

In autumn, there is much more time for planting trees and shrubs than in spring, so it is possible to carefully prepare everything, purchase the necessary materials, soil components (peat, sand) and fertilizers.

In the middle lane, autumn planting of plants with an open root system traditionally begins in mid-September. In the northern regions, you can start planting work 1-2 weeks earlier, and in the south, respectively, later, when the growth of the shoots ends.

A very important operation in preparing seedlings for planting (more correctly, for digging in a nursery) in the fall - sniffing. This funny word is often found in horticultural literature and means the mechanical removal of the leaves of a seedling with a hand movement from the bottom up or from the base of the branch to its tip. Moving the hand in the opposite direction can damage the buds of a tree or bush. If the leaves do not come off completely when sniffing, say, their central veins remain on the shoot, it’s not scary, the main thing is to reduce the evaporating surface of the plant.

This removal of leaves prevents the seedling from losing water, and therefore delays the drying of its shoots. This improves the survival of plants during transplantation. In addition, when sniffing, the top of the shoot, which is not mature, easily fading and not adapted to normal wintering, is often removed.

Seedlings with a closed root system (growing in pots, tubs or bags of soil) do not need so much sneezing, since their roots do not suffer during transplantation, of course, if the earthen ball is not disturbed. However, the removal of part of the leaves and unripened tops of the shoots in this case will also have a positive effect on the survival rate of seedlings.

For plants with an open root system, as with spring planting, the main thing is prevent roots from drying out, for which a damp cloth, plastic bags, clay talker and others can be used.

Soil preparation and fertilizer

Digging holes for fruit and berry crops in autumn does not differ from a similar spring operation. Under apple and pear trees, they dig a hole with a diameter of 0.8–1 m, a depth of 0.7–0.8 m, under stone fruits - a little smaller in size, under berry bushes - with a diameter of 0.5–0.6 m and a depth of 0.3–0. .4 m (about 1.5 shovel bayonet).

But other fertilizers are used when filling the soil in the fall. First of all, at this time it is useless and even harmful to introduce a large amount of nitrogen. First, it stimulates plant growth and, if applied in the fall, can prevent seedlings from preparing for winter. And secondly, nitrogen is very mobile in the soil, it is easily washed out of the root layer by rain and melt water. By spring, when this element is needed by awakening plants, it will have to be re-applied.

If fresh manure is used, then it is poured into the bottom of the pit and separated from the roots of the seedling with a layer of soil. But it is much better to use rotted manure when preparing the soil, adding it to the planting pit in an amount from 2 (for berries) to 5-7 buckets and mixing it with a substrate of peat or old compost, sand and original earth.

The main mineral fertilizers used in autumn planting are phosphorus and potash. For one planting pit for fruit crops, double superphosphate is applied at the rate of 100200 g (depending on the size of the pit and soil fertility), potassium sulfate - 150–300 g. Under berry crops, the application rate is two times lower, since the volume of pits dug under them is less.

It is convenient to use mineral fertilizers labeled "Autumn". In addition to phosphorus and potassium, they may contain some nitrogen (2-5% - an amount that is not dangerous during autumn planting), as well as trace elements, which is useful for the further development of the plant. Under

In seedlings in containers, the roots do not suffer during transplantation, which cannot be said about plants with open roots, they must be protected from drying out. small holes and fertile soil).

Application doses found in the literature, as well as those recommended on packages, may differ from those given above. But when calculating, proceed from simple numbers of concentration - 1–2 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of pit soil. We are talking about all mineral fertilizers applied to the soil, except for lime. For example, it is easy to calculate that a landing pit with a diameter of 0.8 m and a depth of 0.7 m with vertical walls has a volume of about 350 l (πR 2 x h, where π = 3.14; R is the pit radius of 0.4 m; h is depth 0.7 m). The application of 300–500 g of fertilizer marked “Autumn” or 200 g of superphosphate and 300 g of potassium sulfate (all introduced substances are summed) into the soil with which it will be filled fits well into the optimum concentration of fertilizers in the soil. It is important that the walls of the pit are vertical. The volume of the pit with conical walls tapering downwards is much less than the calculated one, which can lead to an excessive concentration of fertilizers that is detrimental to the roots of the plant. When introducing the recommended amounts of rotted manure, the dose of mineral fertilizers is reduced by about half, since organic matter contains phosphorus and potassium, as well as calcium, magnesium, sulfur and other macro- and microelements.

calcium and magnesium

More about calcium and magnesium. Most often, in complex fertilizers with microelements, whether it be "Spring", "Spring-Summer" or "Autumn", calcium is absent. But it is he who neutralizes soil acidity, contributes to the normal development of beneficial soil microflora, including nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Calcium contributes to the normal growth of roots and aerial parts of plants, improves the process of photosynthesis, plays an important role in the movement of carbohydrates. At the same time, calcium itself practically does not move from “adult” organs to young ones. With its deficiency, the growth of new leaves is delayed, light yellow spots appear on them, then the growth point dies off, while the old leaves remain normal.

Fruit crops, especially stone fruits, need calcium and develop better on soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. And in many parts of our country, the soils are acidic and need liming. Calcium not only normalizes acidity, but, in scientific terms, coagulates soil colloids, that is, improves the structure of clay soils. This contributes to their better aeration and water permeability, reduces the likelihood of soil crust formation. But for the same reason (coagulation, transformation and binding of silt particles) on sandy soils poor in clay, liming should be applied with great care. It is preferable to do this after the improvement of such soils with powdered clay (see the April issue of the magazine) and the introduction of peat.

Magnesium is also not present in all complex fertilizers. But it is part of chlorophyll, that is, it participates in the most important process of photosynthesis, the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into sugars, promotes the movement of phosphorus in the plant, and activates some enzymes. With its deficiency, most crops have a characteristic interveinal chlorosis - the leaf blade turns yellow, while large veins and areas around them remain green. Magnesium, unlike calcium, is mobile in the plant, easily moves to young organs, so its deficiency manifests itself primarily on old leaves.

Of the fertilizers containing calcium, ground limestone and dolomite flour are most often found on sale. Pure water practically does not dissolve these substances, but they dissolve much better in soil water containing carbon dioxide. Dolomite flour, in addition to calcium carbonate, also contains magnesium carbonate (usually from 9 to 20% in terms of MgO), therefore it is considered the preferred fertilizer for application to almost all fruit, berry and vegetable crops. Do not apply lime fertilizers for gooseberries, as well as for cultures that love acidic soil - blueberries and cranberries.

lime fertilizers

Lime fertilizers, like phosphate fertilizers, move very little in the soil, so they must be carefully embedded in the root layer, evenly mixing with the entire thickness of the soil of the planting pit. The amount of lime applied depends on the acidity of the soil, its composition (loam, sandy loam or peat) and the volume of the pit. On acidic clay soil, up to 500 g of limestone or better dolomite flour is added to a pit with a volume of about 350 liters (for an apple or pear tree) (on very acidic and poor soils, it is advisable to make wider pits, 1.21. up to 0.8–1 kg of dolomite). The application rate on heavy acidic soils for stone fruits is 300–400 g, for berries - 150–200 g. On peat bogs, depending on acidity, the amount of lime fertilizers is increased by 20–30%, and on light soils it is better to limit yourself to half of the recommended norms application after adding clay and peat. Also reduce the dose of lime on slightly acidic soils.

Of course, these figures are indicative. If you apply a smaller or larger dose of fertilizer within reason, nothing bad will happen. Lime fertilizers, due to their very low solubility, are much less dangerous in excess concentration in the soil than nitrogen fertilizers. But there are some subtleties here. Before applying to the soil, neither lime nor dolomite flour can be mixed with manure, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, because due to the reaction with calcium carbonate from organic matter and ammonia fertilizers, part of the nitrogen can evaporate in the form of ammonia, and the properties of superphosphate, in particular solubility, can get worse. Therefore, it is better to first mix lime fertilizers with the soil, and only then add manure and mineral fertilizers there.

A sign of acidic soil in the area is the presence of horsetail and horse sorrel. For a rough estimate of the level of acidity, litmus paper is used, but acidity can be more accurately determined by analyzing the soil in an agrochemical laboratory. An important factor contributing to the increase in soil acidity is the use of physiologically acidic fertilizers, such as potassium sulphate, ammonium sulphate, etc. These fertilizers are salts, of which plants use only cations (potassium and ammonium ions), and the remainder of the acid is stored in the soil and combines with hydrogen ions, acidifying the soil. Therefore, it is desirable to alternate such fertilizers with physiologically alkaline ones, such as ash or (spring) calcium nitrate. Such alternation is one of the foundations of the competent use of fertilizers.

In addition, once every 2–3 years, lime fertilizers can be added to the trunk circles of fruit trees and berry bushes, thoroughly mixing them with the soil to a depth of 20 cm. Of course, the maximum depth of fertilizer application should be on the periphery of the trunk circle, and near the tree trunk or the base of the bush, it is better not to loosen the soil at all, so as not to damage the roots. Approximate application rate - 200-300 g per 1 sq. m circle. The best time to do this is in the fall. Recommendations for the annual application for stone fruits - 1-2 kg of dolomite flour per trunk circle after harvesting - I consider it quite legitimate, but it is better to first check these recommendations on one tree, then, if the experiment in your site is successful, extend this technique to the rest fruit garden plants.

Variety selection

But back to autumn plantings. No matter how competently and carefully you prepare the planting hole, if a non-hardy plant is purchased, all the work will be in vain. First of all, buy seedlings in trusted places, preferably in nurseries or retail outlets where you or your friends have already taken seedlings and were satisfied with the purchase. Try to purchase only zoned varieties that winter well in your area. Of course, it happens that they bought an ordinary Antonovka, and the Pouring grew white or it’s not known at all. The risk of acquiring regrading, and even brought from the southern regions, increases when buying planting material "on the road", from random sellers. If in your or neighboring village there are craftsmen who plant and grow fruit seedlings, it is more reliable to negotiate with them. At the very least, the variety will most likely live up to its name and winter well in your conditions.

If groundwater is located close to the soil surface on the site, plants on semi-dwarf rootstocks are preferable than on vigorous ones. After all, even quite winter-hardy varieties, for example, Antonovka ordinary, being grafted onto a vigorous (seed) stock, freeze slightly in a harsh winter due to prolonged autumn growth in nearby waters. Grafted on semi-dwarfs, Antonovka vulgaris and other apple trees suffer much less from groundwater.

The powerful tap roots of the pear also react negatively to the proximity of water. Therefore, in problem areas, it is better to grow pears on semi-dwarf rootstocks: in the southern regions - on quince, in the middle lane - on mountain ash.

Stone fruits, especially tender ones like cherries and apricots, are more reliable to plant in spring. At the same time, it is possible to prepare and fill the pits with soil and fertilizers (except nitrogen) from the fall. This will save time during spring planting.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied only in spring. Plants planted in September-October must be fed on melting snow or when the buds swell with urea, ammonium or calcium nitrate (1–1.5 handfuls per plant) on the surface of the trunk circle without embedding into the soil or with minimal loosening. Nitrogen fertilizers are also applied under plants planted in spring in pits prepared and seasoned in autumn.