It is a mistake to believe that cherries do not require care after picking berries. Indeed, a tree spends a lot of energy on fruiting. To replenish the strength of the plant and lay the foundation for the future harvest, the cherries should be given the necessary care. There are 5 most important things to do. Let's tell you more about them.
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A tree weakened after fruiting is susceptible to diseases and pest attacks. In addition, at the end of the season, fruit trees need to be prepared for the coming winter. And it's time to take care of the future harvest. What should be done with cherries at the end of the season?
1. Process near-trunk circles
After picking sweet berries, do not forget about the trunk circles. The weeds must be carefully weeded out first. Many neglect this, but in vain: the roots of weeds are carriers and accumulations of pests. Therefore, weeding should be a top priority.
Then shallow digging of the soil of the near-trunk zones is necessary (by 15-17 cm). You cannot dig deeper: the roots may suffer. During the digging, it is necessary to remove the remnants of the roots of weeds and discovered pests. After that, the near-stem areas should be mulched.
2. Carry out sub-winter watering
The function of such watering is not only to replenish the moisture level, but also to prepare the tree for winter frosts. Moist soil will protect the cherry roots from freezing.
Irrigation dates may vary by region, but usually it is October-November. It is optimal to do podzimny watering after the cherry has dropped most of the leaves, when the thermometer is about + 2-3 ° C. Previously, watering is not worth it, otherwise the cherry will give new shoots that will not get stronger before winter and will take a lot of strength from the plant.
Don't rely on autumn rains. It is easy to check if the area needs water-charging. You need to dig a hole near the tree by 0.3-0.5 m, take a handful of earth from this depth. If a handful crumbles, watering is necessary, and if there is a formed lump, then watering is not required.
Reference! Watering new or last year's seedlings requires up to 4 buckets of water, older ones - 5-7 buckets. 10-15 year old trees need 7 buckets, and if they are older than 15 - up to 10.
3. Feed the cherry
After harvesting, top dressing is necessary, because the trees gave everything to the fruits, and they did not have a supply of food for wintering and the future harvest. If you apply the necessary fertilizers, cherries easily overwinter, and in the spring they will meet the season with renewed vigor.
But in the fall, nitrogen fertilizers cannot be applied: this will provoke the growth of unnecessary shoots that will harm the plant. The amount and frequency of end-of-season fertilization usually depends on the age of the tree and the previous fertilization.
4. Make a trim
It's not just pruning in the spring or fall that matters. Pruning in summer after harvest increases yields. It can be made for trees from 3 years old and older.
At sanitary pruning remove dry branches and shoots growing inward, overgrowth at the roots and thick or crossed branches. At stimulating pruning completely remove last year's bare branches, cut the half-meter current growth to 30 cm. Next year, these branches will branch out and give a harvest. Formative pruning carry out so that the tree does not stretch: the top is cut to a height of 2-2.5 m.
Reference! Pruning skeletal branches in summer should not be done. It is performed in early spring before the sap moves.
5. Whitewash the trunks
Autumn whitewashing of trunks is important for the prevention of diseases, prevention of sunburn and frost damage. After all, snow that has melted during the day, falling into cracks on the trunk, freezes at night, and the bark cracks. In addition, the whitewash reflects sunlight and also prevents moisture from penetrating the cracks.
First, the trunks must be cleaned with a stiff brush and disinfected with the HOM fungicide (30-40 g per bucket of water) or copper sulfate (100 g per bucket). The wounds on the trunk should be repaired with RanNet or BlagoSad products. Then whitewash the trunks with a purchased or homemade whitewash.
As you can see, caring for cherries at the end of the season does not require a lot of work. But it will help the trees gain strength, it is easy to overwinter and give a bountiful harvest next summer.
Have you already planted cherries in your garden?
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