Cherry is a fruit tree that needs care after a period of flowering and fruiting. At the end of the season, it is necessary to carry out a number of activities that will allow the tree to continue to delight its owners with a bountiful harvest.
Important things after fruiting
Fruiting takes a lot of strength from the tree, it becomes vulnerable to diseases and pests. Certain activities will help to strengthen the strength for the upcoming wintering and future harvest.
Weeding and loosening near-stem circles
It is very important to get rid of weeds in the near-trunk circles, since they are breeding grounds for pests. To do this, it is advisable to loosen the soil to a depth of 15 cm, deeper loosening can damage the roots. If there are fallen leaves and fruits in the near-trunk circles, they are collected and burned. It should be borne in mind that the area of loosening must correspond to the diameter of the tree crown.
Top dressing
At the end of September, it is necessary to fertilize with the root method. From organic fertilizers, humus and bird droppings give a good effect, from mineral fertilizers - potassium, calcium, phosphorus.
Preparation for the winter season excludes the use of nitrogen fertilizers, since they stimulate the growth of new shoots, and in the fall the tree should go into a dormant state.
Protection against diseases and pests
Treating trees from pests in autumn reduces the number of larvae that hibernate in cracks in the bark and in the soil. This requires:
- Carry out a thorough examination of the tree and cut down diseased branches.
- Disinfect and cover cracks in the bark with garden pitch.
- Clear debris from the trunk circle.
- Spray the cherries with a 5% urea solution with the arrival of the first frost.
Watering
Watering in September will protect the roots of the tree from frost, since dry soil freezes deeper. With a rainy autumn, watering can be carried out 1-2 times, with a dry autumn - 3-4 times. It is advisable to carry out this procedure when the cherry has almost dropped its foliage and the air temperature is 2-3 ° C. The optimal one-time watering for a young tree up to 5 years old is 40 liters of water, from 5 to 10 years old - 60 liters, from 10 to 15 years old - 70 liters, over 15 years old - 100 liters of water.
Pruning
Pruning can be done as soon as the foliage falls. The main thing is that frost does not come yet. Branches are subject to deletion:
- Dry and broken.
- Sick.
- Growing improperly.
After pruning, the cuts must be processed with garden pitch.
Whitewashing the trunk
The whitewashing of the trunk is carried out to close cracks and wounds, to prevent the reproduction of pests and to protect against rodents. Iron vitriol is added to the lime solution. Adult trees are whitened to a height of 1.5 m, young trees - until the trunk branches.
Preparing for winter
At the end of October, it's time to warm the tree for the winter, although cherry is a winter-hardy crop that can withstand frosts of -25-35 ° C.
A young tree requires mulching the trunk circle with compost to a height of 10 cm. The trunk must be tied with cardboard. The trunk circle is insulated with snow, straw, sawdust. When mulching the trunk circle of an old cherry tree, the mulch should not touch the trunk. The trunk itself is insulated with spruce branches.
Before winter, young felt cherries are wrapped in propylene bags and the soil under the trunk is mulched. Column-shaped cherries are covered with light material and fixed to the ground. Bush cherries are tied up to prevent branches from breaking under the weight of snow, covered with light material, and the trunk circle is mulched.
Timely measures for the care of cherries will allow the tree to preserve health in the winter cold and maintain the ability to bear fruit in the new season.
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