Apple tree is a popular fruit tree that pleases with tasty, healthy fruits. But for it to bear fruit for many years, care is needed, which consists not only in pruning, protection from diseases, pests, but also in feeding. Moreover, the application of fertilizers should be systemic, occur according to the rules for each season, age, apple variety.
The need for nutrition
Fertilizers are introduced into the soil for a number of reasons:
- soil change;
- seedling nutrition at the initial stage;
- annual top dressing.
Planting soil
The apple tree prefers light, loose soil of neutral acidity, with a low alkaline reaction.
To adjust the composition of the soil, you must:
- To reduce acidity, add wood ash, dolomite flour, chalk, fertilizers containing lime.
- To reduce the alkaline environment: peat, sawdust.
Nutrition for a young sapling
When planting a young seedling, fertilizers are also applied:
- ash (400 g) or potassium-based fertilizing (10 g);
- black soil or purchased soils (Aquaise, Ecofora universal bio-soil);
- superphosphate (20 g);
- soil mixture and humus (equal parts).
Complex fertilizers are laid in the upper layer of the planting pit, but only when planting a seedling in spring, they are not applied in autumn. Top dressing is left until spring: azofoska (2 tbsp. L. Scatter around a tree or 30 g in 10 l of water - pour), possibly - decomposition of manure.
Fertilizer annual
For many years, the apple tree grows in one place, taking all the nutrients from the soil. Soil depletion occurs. If you do not make up for the losses, then the lack of the necessary elements will lead to a decrease in the yield of the tree, and will affect its health.
For this, a complex of fertilizers is introduced every year, and for each age and season of life of the apple tree there are fertilizers.
Features of top dressing depending on age
Depending on whether a young seedling or an adult actively bearing fruit needs additional nutrition, the concentration of fertilizers varies. An apple tree that has not reached the time of fruiting (5-8 years) is considered young. If she crossed the 10-year threshold - an adult.
| Age (year) | Barrel circle (m) | Organics (kg) | Ammonia saltpeter (g) | Superphosphate (g) | Sulfate potassium (g) |
| 2 | 2 | 10 | 70 | 200 | 80 |
| 3-4 | 2,5 | 20 | 150 | 250 | 140 |
| 5-6 | 3 | 30 | 210 | 350 | 190 |
| 7-8 | 3,5 | 40 | 280 | 420 | 250 |
| 9-10 | 4,5 | 50 | 500 | 340 |
Feeding Methods
Fertilizers are applied by various methods:
- by spraying;
- digging;
- hole bookmark.
The method is selected depending on the age of the apple tree, climate conditions, season.
Important: You must strictly adhere to the recommended dosages. The harm from an excess of fertilizers is no less than from a shortage.
Foliar top dressing
It is carried out to quickly fill the shortage of certain substances, the result can be achieved in 3-4 days. It is necessary to spray the solution on the crown, trunk and soil surrounding the tree. For this treatment, use water-soluble fertilizers: potassium sulfate, superphosphate, a complex of mineral additives.
The disadvantage is the fragility, the effect lasts less than a month.
Root dressing
Before starting the introduction of nutritional supplements in this way, it is necessary to shed the trunk circle well. Their strong concentration can burn the roots of the tree.
Further dressing is introduced in two ways:
- Fertilizer is scattered around the apple tree, the diameter of the bedding is determined by the width of the crown. The trunk circle is dug to a depth of not more than 20 cm. Then, it is watered and mulched again (sawdust, peat, straw).
- They dig a trench to a depth of 20 cm and a distance from the tree of about 60 cm in diameter. Pour the necessary nutrients into it, mixed with soil and dig it up. This distance is determined by the approximate location of the main roots that nourish the adult plant.
Root top dressing is used very carefully for a colon-shaped apple tree whose roots are in the surface layer of the earth.
Young seedlings are fed with liquid fertilizers.
Hole method
This method is suitable for actively fruiting trees:
- Dig holes at a distance of the location of the main roots (50-60 cm) to a depth of 40 cm.
- Make a mixture of various fertilizers.
- Bury, water, mulch.
Seasonal fertilization
The apple tree needs nutrition all year round, it is necessary to feed the plant in spring, autumn and summer.
Spring
Even in early spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers were laid. For example, one of: urea (0.5-0.6 kg), nitroammophoska (40 g), ammonium nitrate (30-40 g) or humus (50 l) per adult tree.
During flowering, make one of the mixtures per 10 l of pure water:
- superphosphate (100 g), potassium sulfate (70 g);
- bird droppings (2 l);
- liquid manure (5 l);
- urea (300 g).
For each apple tree, 4 buckets of the resulting top dressing are poured.
When pouring fruit, use the following mixture on 10 l of water:
- nitrophoska (500 g);
- sodium humanate (10 g).
Basal top dressing combined with foliar. When the foliage grows, they spray the apple tree with a urea solution.
Summer
For this time, not only preparations containing nitrogen are suitable, but also phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. The frequency of feeding - once every half a month, they need to be alternated. Especially during this period it is good to use foliar applications. Urea can be a necessary element for this.
If it is rainy, fertilizers are scattered dry.
Autumn
The main rule of autumn feeding is not to use foliar spraying of nitrogen-containing preparations, otherwise the apple tree will not have time to prepare for frost.
Also, root application is more effective in rainy weather, typical for autumn.
During this period, the following formulations are used: potassium (25 g), superphosphate (50 g) dissolved in 10 l of water; complex fertilizers for apple trees (according to instructions).
