One of the main stages of apple tree care is autumn feeding. The culture is preparing for winter, since next year it is important that it accumulates nutrients, and the depleted soil does not saturate. In this case, you cannot do without dressing.
Do apple trees need fertilizers in the autumn?
After harvest, the apple tree weakens greatly and needs autumn feeding. The tree must recover, increase its immunity in order to endure the winter period without unnecessary problems and be sufficiently resistant to parasites and diseases.
Fertilizers should be applied to wet soil so as not to burn the root system.
From the autumn feeding of apple trees, the formation of flower buds and the effectiveness of the ovary for the next year increase.
Types of dressings used in autumn
The autumn complementary foods include more than one type of fertilizer. The apple tree needs both organic matter and minerals. Many summer residents love to use folk remedies.
Mineral dressing
Autumn minerals include potassium and phosphorus. Preparations based on these substances are used to feed both young and fruiting plants.
Known mineral fertilizers:
- ammophos;
- superphosphate;
- potassium chloride;
- potassium sulfate;
- potassium metaphosphate;
- ash powder.
Phosphate-potassium fertilizers are added at the same time. You can use complex formulations. Many summer residents use the preparations "Ecolist", "Florovit", "Active".
You can not use nitrogen-containing products in the fall, because they cause vegetative growth.
Organic feeding
In the fall, there is not enough mineral feeding for the apple tree, therefore organic matter is also added to the soil
Effective organic fertilizers include:
- Manure. Used when digging soil under an apple tree (10 kg / 1 sq. m).
- Bird droppings. It is used dry for digging: the substance (100 g) is added to water (15 l), infused for a week.
- Humus. The basis includes the remains of plant and animal origin. Dilute with liquid 1:10.
- Rotten horse manure. Due to the presence of ammonia, fertilizer is applied carefully so as not to harm young apple trees.
- Biohumus. Organic matter is diluted in liquid in a ratio of 500 g / 10 l, used for irrigation.
- Siderata. These include: mustard, legumes and forage plants, rapeseed.
- Wood sawdust. Helps improve soil composition. Can be used as mulch, compost and mixed with manure.
Folk ways
Many gardeners prefer to use folk recipes for feeding fruit trees:
- Yeast. Preparation of the infusion: yeast (500 g), sugar (3 tablespoons) and water (9 l), insist for a week. Before watering, it is diluted with a liquid 1:20, used in an amount of 3 liters per tree.
- Potassium permanganate solution. A poorly diluted solution is used to irrigate the soil in the near-trunk circle.
- Clay talker. Peat and clay are diluted in water (10 l) in equal volumes.
Methods and timing of feeding
All feeding must be carried out on time.
Terms of feeding
As soon as the crop is harvested, you should start applying fertilizers. Apple trees are fed in the fall, starting from the first days of September, and the procedures are stopped 14-20 days before the first frost.
Root method
Before applying fertilizers, the soil in the near-trunk circle must be dug, stepping back 50-70 cm from the trunk.
Fertilizers are scattered over the dug-up land. Liquid products are applied in dry weather, dry - on a rainy day.
Foliar method
This method consists of spraying foliage, branches and trunk. The procedure is performed in early autumn, until the rainy days come, since spraying in the rain will not bring any benefit.
Dimple method
Similar to root, but there is a slight difference. You need to dig holes around the tree, fill them or pour fertilizer. Dry products are sprinkled with liquid, and covered with mulch on top.
The method is used for feeding adult plants, the root system of which is located deep in the ground.
Does top dressing depend on the age of the fruit tree
The fruit tree is considered young up to 5-6 years of age.
The concentration of dressings and the composition of fertilizers are selected depending on the age of the apple tree. Dry formulations are not suitable for young trees, because they are capable of burning the roots. Compositions should be prepared in half the dose specified in the instructions. In the autumn, organics are of great benefit. Apple trees survive better in winter and thrive in spring.
Mature and mature trees equally need mineral and organic fertilizers with a precisely selected concentration.
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