It is necessary to prepare the apricot tree for the cold weather in advance, without waiting until winter comes. Proper autumn care will provide you with a bountiful harvest next year. Getting ready is a rather troublesome task. What procedures need to be carried out in the fall, I will tell you in this article.
Autumn pruning
Most fruit trees, including the apricot, are usually pruned in early spring. But sometimes the procedure is carried out in the fall.
In autumn, the trees stop defense mechanisms, but a huge number of pathogenic fungal spores fly around. Also, after the arrival of cold weather, the cambium freezes, because of which the wounds heal worse. In other words, the autumn pruning worsens the winter hardiness of the tree and weakens it. Therefore, in the fall, only winter-hardy varieties that are not afraid of freezing are most often cut off.
But in autumn it is important to carry out sanitary pruning of apricots. All diseased, broken and dry branches should be cut off.
Protection from pests and diseases
To protect the tree from pests wintering in the bark and various pathogens, it is necessary to treat the plant with fungicides and insecticides after the leaves fall off. But it should be borne in mind that most of these drugs will be effective only at temperatures of about +10 and above. Therefore, it is necessary to process before the arrival of cold weather.
One of the most popular remedies is Bordeaux liquid. It is a fungicide that not only provides protection against fungal diseases, but also kills pests and their larvae that hibernate in the folds of the bark.
Before processing, I remove all lichens, mosses and dried bark. Then I dilute the product to a concentration of 3% and spray it on the tree. In this case, special attention should be paid to the trunk and skeletal branches.
Whitewash
Every year I whitewash apricots without fail. The procedure is carried out in late autumn. Whitewashing is essential to protect trees from sunburn during winter. If this is not done, the bark may crack. Large cracks expose the wood. Whitewashing prevents the bark from heating up and reflects the sun's rays, so that the tissue does not leave dormancy prematurely.
To prepare the solution, I take 1 part of fresh mullein, clay and slaked lime. Additionally, ash and copper sulfate can be added to the mixture. It turns out a thick chatterbox, which will have to be stirred frequently.
You can also use dry whitewash, which is sold in stores. But it is advisable to add copper sulfate to it. To prepare the solution, you need to use hot water, since the product does not dissolve in a cold one.
I do not recommend anyone to use a ready-made whitewash with adhesives, which stays on the tree for several years. Adhesives clog the pores and reduce air exchange.
Fertilization
After fruiting, it is important to feed the apricot with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. These substances will help the tree recover from fruit formation, and will also allow it to better prepare for the onset of winter.
I usually use special "fall" fertilizers for the garden. They contain all the necessary substances in the correct proportions.
If you don't feel like using chemistry, you can use bone meal and wood ash.
Unripe shoots
When the autumn is very warm, you can observe long-term growth of shoots on fruit trees. Frosts will come soon, and the branches are still green and not lignified. In winter, such shoots will freeze out anyway. To prevent this, foliar feeding with potassium monophosphate should be carried out. After that, the branches will begin to ripen much faster, and the growth of new shoots will stop.
Too much nitrogen fertilization may be the reason for the prolonged growth of young shoots. From July, you need to stop adding nitrogen to the apricot.
Trunk circle mulching and shelter
Before the arrival of stable frosts, it is necessary to mulch the trunk circle. To do this, you can use compost, peat, humus or sand mixed with sawdust. The layer thickness should be about 15-20 cm. Mulch will protect the root system from freezing in the event of a cold winter.
There is not enough mulch in the northern regions. It is advisable to completely cover the apricot. A piece of film is thrown over the tree, and its ends are fixed to the ground with pegs. Young trees should be especially carefully covered, since they still have a weak root system, which can freeze under severe frosts. Young seedlings are additionally wrapped in burlap or other dense cloth.
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#apricots#preparing for winter#autumn garden work