Agricultural technology for growing and caring for fruit trees. Growing fruit trees

One of the important biological features of fruit trees is that they are perennial plants that grow in one place for decades and bear fruit many times during their life. The age of fruit trees, as well as the time during which they bear fruit, depends on the species. Thus, fruit trees of pome species, such as apple and pear, live longer, on average 50-60 years, and stone fruit trees (plum, apricot, as well as cherries and cherries) live less - on average 25-35 years.

Within the same breed, pome or stone fruit, the age of individual fruit trees is also different and depends on the characteristics of the variety, rootstock, agricultural technology, inspection and soil and climatic conditions. The condition of fruit plantings, as well as their productivity, is strongly influenced by the system of agrotechnical measures. Practice has shown that in gardens where proper agricultural technology is used, fruit trees develop well and bring high annual yields, whereas where proper care no, they are weak and produce insignificant yields.

To better understand the tasks and individual techniques for caring for fruit trees, you need to become familiar with the main parts and organs of the fruit tree, that is, with its structure. In fruit trees, the above-ground part consists of a stem (trunk), which grows vertically and bears many lateral branches and lateral shoots on which leaves, small buds, as well as fragrant flowers and juicy fruits develop. Along the stem, from the root to the leaves, water absorbed from the soil and minerals dissolved to an easily digestible state move, and nutrients move from the leaves to the root and to other parts of the plant. organic matter.

The lower part of the tree trunk, from the surface to the first lower side branch, is called the trunk, and the continuation of the trunk within the crown is called the central conductor. The trunk plays a fairly important role in the life of the fruit tree. Damage to the trunk, to a greater or lesser extent, disrupts the normal exchange of important nutrients between the root system of the fruit plant and the above-ground part, this usually leads to depression and even death of the fruit tree. The central conductor carries lateral branches. The main lateral branches of the tree, those that extend from the main - central conductor, are called branches of the 1st order, and those that extend from these branches are called branches of the 2nd order, etc.

In mature trees of pome fruit tree species, the number of branching orders reaches 6 - 8, and sometimes even 10; in stone fruit trees there are fewer of them. Branches of different orders have unequal life expectancy and growth vigor. The branches of the first order are developed and more durable. The central conductor, together with all the lateral branches, creates the crown of the fruit tree. Depending on the biological characteristics of the tree species, as well as its variety, growing conditions, as well as agricultural technology, the shape of the crown can be different: spherical, pyramidal, spreading, etc.

Both adults and children adore pears, peaches, cherries and other fruits. And what could be better than fruit grown in your own garden? If you want to grow fruit trees on your property, check out a number of simple tips that will greatly simplify the life of a novice gardener.

Growing and caring for fruit trees

• Choose fruit trees that can grow in your climate. Apples, pears and cherries feel normal even in the northern regions, but for successful cultivation For example, for peaches the climate must be warm enough.
• Fruit trees love plenty of sunlight.
• For some fruit trees need a pollinator. That is, trees of other varieties are selected, which, when cross-pollinated, provide a significant increase in yield. But most often, fruit trees are self-sufficient.
• In early spring, bare-root fruit tree seedlings are used, but at the end of the season it is better to use seedlings that have been previously planted in pots. The soil is removed from the pot along with the plant.
• Dig a hole twice the diameter of the rhizome. It is desirable that the soil has good drainage. Place the seedling in the hole, fill it completely with water and let it soak.
• The seedling must be planted so that the soil reaches the same level as before it was dug up. Fill the hole with soil and tamp it down with your feet.
• Place three pegs in the soil around the trunk and secure the plant in an upright position with straps. Thanks to this, the plant will take root better. It is advisable to use straps with pegs for two years.

Watering and fertilizing

• In the first year, fruit trees need to be watered once a week. If the weather is too hot, you can do it a little more often.
• Use a general purpose fertilizer or one made specifically for fruit trees. It is best to apply fertilizers in early spring.

Pesticide use and disease control

• Timely detection of disease symptoms and their prevention is the key to a healthy garden.
• At the end of winter, spray the trees with a solution of solar oil, which can be purchased at specialized gardening stores. Thanks to this treatment, you can prevent the appearance of pests. Solar oil destroys the larvae and eggs of pests that could successfully overwinter on the plant.
• Carefully inspect each plant throughout the spring. If signs of diseases are detected, immediately take measures to combat them.

Fruit tree pruning

• Most novice gardeners are afraid to prune trees themselves, considering this procedure extremely difficult and responsible. But don't take pruning so seriously. The main thing in pruning is to form a normal crown and remove excess branches.
• At the end of summer, after harvesting, trim off any protruding branches, trying to give the crown the correct shape. Be sure to trim crossing and damaged branches. The same procedure can be repeated at the end of winter.
• In the spring, when the fruit begins to set, the plants need to be thinned out. There will be fewer fruits, but they will be larger and healthier. And the branches will not break from excessive weight.

If you don't have the space on your property to grow full-size fruit trees, consider dwarf and columnar varieties.

Fruit and berry plants are divided into woody, shrubby and herbaceous forms. Tree forms include apple, pear, plum, cherry, sweet cherry, apricot, and peach. About features of growing citrus crops at home, tangerines and lemons in your home, a separate website is dedicated! These plants are natural state have a clearly defined central trunk - an intermediate link between the crown and the root system. Shrub forms (currants, gooseberries) do not have such a trunk. Herbaceous forms are strawberries and strawberries. Raspberries are classified as semi-shrub forms. The root system of plants consists of numerous large and small roots located in the soil in a radial direction.

Through the roots of plants, they absorb from the soil the water and minerals dissolved in it that are necessary for their life. The roots produce important substances such as hormones that are not produced in the leaves. In addition, the roots, being anchored in the soil, hold the plants in a certain stable position. Large (main) roots are called skeletal. Smaller ones branch off from them, which branch into tiny roots - lobes. The latter are densely covered with root hairs, which absorb moisture from the soil with nutrients dissolved in it, and direct them to larger roots and above-ground parts of the plant. The root collar is the boundary between the root system and the above-ground part of the plant. The root collar determines correct position plants when planting. It starts from the root collar of trees

trunk, in shrubs - crown. Crown - the totality of all branches formed on the trunk - the central conductor of the tree. Large skeletal branches, called first-order branches, extend from the trunk; develop on them
branches of the second order, then there are branches of the third, fourth orders, etc. The branches on which fruit formations with flower buds are formed are called overgrowing. The leaf is the basis of plant life. Only in the leaves, during the process of photosynthesis, are organic substances (sugar, starch, etc.) produced, necessary for the growth and development of all parts of the plant and the formation of the crop. In young plants, only vegetative buds are formed in the axils of the leaves, from which they then grow vegetative shoots. In apple and pear trees, many vegetative buds are in a state of rest; they are called dormant. From the latter, spinal shoots subsequently develop, which can, if necessary, replace dying or damaged shoots.

Rice. The structure of a fruit tree: 1 - vertical root; 2 - horizontal roots; 3 - root collar; 4 - standard; 5 - main branches of the first order; 6 - overgrowing branches; 7 - central trunk; 8 - escape continuation of the central conductor

On adult fruit plants, in addition to vegetative buds, flowering buds are formed, from which flowers and then fruits are formed. Apple, pear, currant and gooseberry have mixed buds. Flowers and vegetative organs - shoots and leaves - are formed from them. In plums, cherries, cherries, peaches, apricots, fruit buds are simple: only reproductive organs - flowers and fruits - develop from them. Fruit and berry crops, depending on internal structure fruits and seeds are divided into pome, stone fruit, and berry. Pome plants (apple, pear, quince, rowan, hawthorn, etc.) form fruits with more or less developed fleshy pulp inside of which seeds are located in the seed chambers - false
drupes with a soft shell. In stone fruit plants (cherry, plum, sweet cherry, apricot, peach), seeds with a hard shell are formed in the juicy pulp of the fruit - real drupes. In berry crops (strawberries, raspberries, black and red currants, gooseberries) edible fruits develop - juicy berries, which contain small seeds. Since each type fruit plants differs in some structural features of the vegetative and reproductive organs; let’s consider the morphological features of each culture. This is important to know for correct application various agricultural techniques.

Mature apple and pear trees in the soil and climatic conditions of the Non-Chernozem zone, depending on the variety, age and agricultural conditions, reach a height of 5-7 m with a crown diameter of 4-6 m. The productive period of the apple tree lasts up to 60 years. It is most advisable to cultivate fruit trees with low, compact crowns, which are early-bearing (begin bearing fruit early), bear fruit intensively and annually for 20-30 years. To do this, it is necessary to select appropriate varieties. From the moment of planting until complete death, a tree goes through a series of successive age periods. The first period begins with the intensive formation of vegetative organs, increased growth of roots, branches, branches and overgrowing twigs.

Stone fruits (cherries, sweet cherries, plums) are more precocious than pome trees, they bloom early, almost all at the same time. They produce relatively high fruit yields and, as a rule, annually. The fruits are distinguished by high taste qualities; they are used fresh and for making preserves, jellies, and marmalade. They are propagated mainly vegetatively (by budding), partially by root shoots. Varieties cultivated in the Non-Chernozem zone, according to appearance(habitus) are divided into bush-like (3-5 m high) and tree-like (up to 7 m high) forms. This distribution is due to the characteristics of fruiting.

The wide distribution of the apple tree is associated with its wide species and varietal composition, adaptability to various soil and climatic conditions, high winter hardiness, resistance to pests and diseases, longevity of trees, high yield, various ripening periods, good transportability of fruits. Fruits the best varieties They are distinguished by high taste and dietary qualities. They contain sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), organic acids (malic, citric), mineral salts, and aromatic substances.

This is a widespread culture. Many varieties of cherries are quite frost-resistant, so they are grown even near St. Petersburg, in the Vologda and Kirov regions. Cherry is also of particular interest as an ornamental plant.

Varieties.

Vladimirskaya . An ancient Russian variety. Recommended for all republics and regions of the Non-Black Earth Zone. The trees are medium-sized, bush-shaped, characterized by high winter hardiness and moderate yield (4-8 kg per tree).

Depending on the timing of consumer ripeness and fruit harvest, apple tree varieties are divided into summer, autumn and winter.
Summer.

White filling. An ancient variety of folk selection.
It is recommended to grow in the Non-Black Earth zone. Frost resistance is average. In rainy, cold weather, fruits and leaves are affected by scab. The crown of young trees is pyramidal, while that of adults is rounded. Trees grafted on dwarf rootstocks begin to bear fruit in the 2-3rd year, on vigorous-growing ones - in the 5-6th year. The fruits ripen in August and last for a month. Fruiting is abundant, but periodic. Fruit average size, often small, round-conical or broadly ovoid in shape.

Southern heat-loving crop. It became slightly widespread in home gardens of the Non-Black Earth Zone (in Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia) and only after more winter-hardy varieties were bred. The trees are vigorous, 4-6 m high, with a pronounced trunk and sparse crown. They begin bearing fruit in the 4th-6th year. The longevity of trees is 15-20 years. The harvest is formed mainly on bouquet branches.

Varieties.

Drogana yellow . Recommended for amateur gardens in the western and southwestern parts of the Non-Black Earth zone (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kaliningrad region and Belarus). The trees initially form a pyramidal crown, later - a spreading one.

Varieties.

Precocious . Bred in the Moscow region. Recommended for the entire Non-Black Earth zone.

Bergamot flying . French origin. Recommended for all republics and regions of the Non-Black Earth Zone. The trees are vigorous, with a wide pyramidal crown, winter-hardy, suffer from scab in years with excess moisture, and are unpretentious to soil. They begin to bear fruit in the 6-7th year. The fruits ripen in August and are not stored for long. Productivity is high, but fruiting is periodic. The fruits are medium in size (weighing 80-120 g), flat-round in shape, reddish-yellow in color, with a dull, weak blush on the side facing the sun; the pulp is white, juicy, sour-sweet; They are used mainly fresh, as well as for drying and preparing compotes.
Bessemyanka. An ancient Russian variety. Valued for the good taste of the fruit, unpretentiousness to growing conditions, durability and high yield. It begins to bear fruit in the 6-7th year. Fruits every year.

In order to grow a fruit tree of the variety you like, you need two basic conditions. First- buy a good seedling. Second- the variety must correspond to climatic conditions. Further fate seedling depends entirely on you. Whatever conditions you create for him, that’s how he will live.

When purchasing seedlings, I would give preference to small private nurseries or farms. In a small nursery it is easier to establish high-quality production. To survive in competition with former state nurseries, they are forced to grow high-quality, competitive planting material.

When is it better to buy planting material: in spring or autumn? Certainly, better in autumn. In the fall, you buy “products with your face.” A tree with leaves that should begin to fall, that is, be yellow or red (depending on the crop and variety). It is often recommended to tear off the leaves. What for? Nutrients in autumn they go from leaves to wood. Preparations for winter are underway. So let her go, don’t bother her. But if the leaves are green and the seller tries to tear them off, then it is not advisable to buy such a seedling. This tree has not finished its growing season, the wood has not matured and may die in winter.

I think that the best seedlings should be from 50 to 100 cm tall and about the thickness of a pencil, with a well-developed root system. Larger specimens take root less well. If you buy a pear or apricot seedling, pay special attention to the root. The root should be thick and straight, with few branches. If the root is fibrous and has many branches, then perhaps it is a different crop. Pears are often grafted onto apple or rowan trees, apricots onto plums or sand cherries. These seedlings will be of little use; they will grow when good care, of course, they will, but they will not be able to achieve all the quality indicators of this variety. It's a different matter if you want to conduct experiments, but that's a different question.

Finally, you bought or received the long-awaited seedling by mail. What to do next? First of all, soak the seedling in water for a day. If the ground is frozen, put it in the basement, and if not, plant it in place. Before planting, pay attention to the roots. Often sellers dip root system into a clay mash- this preserves the roots well. Before planting, be sure to wash off the mash. Clay isolates the roots from the ground, and they receive poor water and nutrition. If the clay is not washed off, the tree will be alive, but in the first years it will grow very poorly. Prepare a planting hole of such a size that the roots can easily fit into it, plant the tree, fill it with garden soil, water it well and that’s it. No fertilizers or humus. I think it’s ideal when the land on the site is fertile. If there are stones and sand, then you need to dig a hole large sizes. Which ones? Probably no one has an answer to this question. From personal experience I am convinced that apple and plum trees are almost always at low fertile land do not go beyond the landing pit. Often, having mastered the space of the planting pit, by the age of 10-15 they die of hunger, despite the fact that the pit was large and well fertilized. On fertile soil, the roots go far beyond the planting hole, and a beautiful, healthy, productive tree grows.

When planting on low-fertility soil (sand, stones), I advise you to cultivate the rows of the garden well; you can grow vegetables, flowers, and strawberries. This way you will increase soil fertility and the trees will feel great. Apricot and cherry, regardless of fertility and size of the planting hole, develop a powerful root system that goes deep down and to the sides; they are more drought-resistant than apple and plum trees.

Let's go back to autumn planting. If you think that the planted tree does not have time to take root before frost, then hammer 4 pegs around it at a distance of 50-70 cm from the tree. When the ground freezes, cover them with burlap or other material and cover the tree with sawdust, leaves or other insulation. Take measures against damage to the stem by mice. This technique will save the tree from drying out. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, remove the “fur coat” and water the tree well. No pruning, do not trim any branches or roots. Do not straighten it if it grows obliquely. Let the first year grow as it wants. It is advisable to treat the leaf apparatus with growth stimulants and provide foliar feeding with a complete mineral fertilizer. And only in the second year, if the tree is well rooted and has given normal growth, begin to shape and feed it, but be careful not to overfeed, otherwise it will become fat and freeze or will not bear fruit for a long time.

Now let's talk about the seedlings that you purchase in the spring. At this time, the likelihood of buying a “pig in a poke” is much greater. First of all, inspect the roots. They should be elastic and not wrinkled. When cut, the root should be white or light yellow. If the cut color is black or dark brown, then the root is frozen. It will grow poorly or die completely. Inspect the stem. It should be smooth. If the bark is wrinkled, then that tree has lost a lot of water. Before planting, it must be soaked in water for 3 or more days, changing it daily. Cut the stem, the cambium should be green. An experienced seller always carries a garden knife with him when trading. And as soon as the buyer has doubts about the quality of the seedling, the seller makes a cut and shows healthy wood.

Particular attention should be paid to stone fruits. Apricot and felt cherry often suffer from damping off of the root collar. The root may be completely healthy, the stem too, but the root collar is gone. If the support is ring-shaped, then the tree will die, if not, then it will hurt for a long time. The rotted root collar gives the impression that it has been scalded with boiling water; it is somehow loose and soft. If you cut it with a knife, the core will be brown.

So, when buying a seedling, pay close attention to the roots, trunk and root collar of the tree. Ask the seller what the tree is grafted on and where the product was imported from. Often they sell seedlings that have been grown for a long time south of the zone, where you will plant them, and on rootstocks that are not adapted to your climatic conditions. Such seedlings may fall out after the first winter. If there are no seedlings grown in your climate zone, then it is better to purchase planting material imported from harsher places.

E. Piskunov

Do not prevent the seedling from taking root

Autumn- fruit planting time. Gardeners are asking the usual questions at this time: “Which seedlings should I give preference? When is the best time to plant? How much should I prune?” Nurseryman Evgeniy Ivanovich Piskunov , Abakan, shares his experience of the most successful planting of fruit seedlings.

***

Every year, my wife and I “shovel” more than 10 thousand seedlings. This means working with seedlings of different ages, experiments with fruit trees, selective planting, etc. In a word, there is very little time for continuous transplants. Therefore, I wanted to find the simplest, fastest and reliable way preparing planting holes and planting. There is so much written in the scientific literature about planting that after reading all the recommendations, your head is spinning. Moreover, there is a lot of contradictory information. In the end, the decisive factor was... my own experience.

Regarding pruning seedlings. In the spring of 1995, I planted 2 thousand pear seedlings. I divided them into three parts. The first part, about 700 pieces, was cut off in the generally accepted way, one might say scientifically: I removed the central root so that the roots were fibrous, and cut off one third of the above-ground part to bring it into line with the root system. In the second part I simply removed a third of the shoots. I didn’t touch the third one with pruning shears at all. Planting and caring for all seedlings were the same. Autumn came, which greatly surprised me. The unpruned pear seedlings were ready for budding, while the scientifically pruned ones turned out to be barely alive; only after 2 years did they become suitable for grafting. After this incident, I began to be more careful about pruning. To confirm my discovery, I learned about experiments at the Rossoshan experimental station. There, they simultaneously planted properly pruned and unpruned seedlings- the result was unexpected: the trees, untouched by the pruning shears, began to bear fruit 2-3 years earlier than the pruned ones. The conclusion I made: until the tree takes root and has enough strength to heal the wounds from the cuts, it should not be touched. You need to understand the biology of the plant: the root feeds from the leaf, so preserved green leaves help quickly grow roots lost during transplantation. If, having damaged the roots, we also remove the leafiest parts of the shoots (tops), then the plant will be dealt a severe blow.

Studying the bitter experience of past plantings, we also came to the conclusion that the second reason for the poor survival rate and even death of fruit seedlings is well-fertilized planting pits. People believe that the more they pour into the hole mineral fertilizers, those better than wood. In addition to burns to the roots, these fertilizers create a killing environment for soil microorganisms, without which the tree cannot feed normally. And here’s what’s remarkable: in the book “Fruit Growing” (N. M. Kurennoy, V. F. Koltunov, V. I. Cherepakhin.- M.: Agropromizdat, 1985) I read that several horticulture research institutes have discovered the harmful effects of organic and mineral fertilizers on the survival rate of seedlings. They came to the conclusion that “in our country, on basic soil types, pre-planting pits should not be filled with fertilizers.” Gardeners in the USA and Canada came to the same conclusions.

I believe that it is better to plant fruit trees in the fall. It is important to determine the acidity of the soil in advance, since most fruits grow well only when the soil pH is close to neutral. If the soil is acidic, lime should be added several months before planting, and if alkaline- it's plaster. The planting hole should not be made wide and deep: only so that the roots can freely fit in it. Young plantings should be watered so that the soil is soaked to a depth of 70 cm or more, at least once a week. To do this, you need to pour at least 5 buckets of water under each tree. Although starting next year we will stop watering the trees in mid-August, since winter watering is very harmful in our area. Back in the 70s of the last century, the famous gardener of Altai V.S. Putov wrote that winter watering leads to the death of trees. Our warm autumn soil, having received moisture, provokes trees to grow, and the shoots do not have time to prepare for the sharp cold snap.

So, based on science and personal experience, we have found a planting method in which the natural loss of trees is only 2%. In conclusion, I would like to quote an excerpt from a letter from our respected regional fruit grower R.F. Sharov, with whom I have been communicating for many years. Summarizing the reasons for my failures, he wrote: “It is impossible to convey all personal experience to other gardeners; it can only be acquired through trial and error.”- many years of work. If you think that somewhere there are instructions on how to plant and grow a garden, then you are mistaken."

(Garden and vegetable garden No. 6, 2008)

(Some amateur gardeners grow to satisfy their needs required amount seedlings of fruit and berry crops. This section provides brief information about growing seedlings)

The garden is usually started with 2-3 year old seedlings.

To obtain the desired varieties, fruit trees are grafted in nurseries, and berry plants are grown without grafting by cuttings, layering and root suckers.

To graft, you must first grow rootstocks (wildflowers) from seeds, which are already suitable for grafting in the second year after sowing the seeds.

Apple trees

Vigorous rootstocks: Chinese apple tree (plum-leaved), wild apple tree, Siberian apple tree (berry), seedlings of local Antonovka, Anise and other resistant varieties.

Weak-growing (dwarf) rootstocks: Dusen, paradizka (raika), Michurin variety Taezhnoe.

Pears

Vigorous rootstocks: wild pear, Ussuri pear

Weak rootstocks: Irga, hawthorn, northern quince Michurina

Cherries

Vigorous rootstocks: sour cherry

Weak rootstocks: steppe cherry

Plums

Vigorous rootstocks: wild plum, damson plum, Michurin plum variety Mopr

Weak rootstocks; turn

Procurement of seeds

Seeds for growing rootstocks are obtained from healthy, frost-resistant, durable and productive trees.

Fully ripe fruits taken from the trees are crushed in fruit crushers. The resulting pulp is squeezed out and dried in the shade, stirring constantly, and then winnowed to separate the seeds. The juice of the fruit is used to prepare various drinks.

A small amount of seeds can be obtained manually by selecting them from the fruits.

Dried seeds are stored in a dry and cool place, protecting them from damage by mice.

Determination of germination of apple and pear seeds

To determine seed germination fruit crops they are pre-germinated in sand.

The fastest and most accurate method is to dye the seeds in a solution of indigo carmine. The seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours, then the skin is removed with a needle and dipped in a solution of indigo carmine (2 g per 1 liter of water). The seeds are kept in the solution for 3 hours, then they are removed and examined. Healthy viable seeds do not stain in solution. Non-viable seeds that have lost their germination are colored completely or partially (only the embryo).

Seed stratification

Seeds collected in the fall and sown in the spring do not germinate immediately without prior preparation. For three or more months (depending on the breed), they must undergo so-called post-harvest ripening under conditions of a certain temperature and humidity. For these purposes, the seeds are stratified (sanded). The stratification technique is as follows.

Apple and pear seeds are mixed with three parts of coarse-grained river moistened sand and stored in boxes. Box dimensions: length 60 cm, width 30-40 and height 25 cm. A small amount of seeds is stored in flower pots.

Sanded seeds are placed in basements and stored at a temperature of +3, +5° or buried in snow, protecting the seeds from damage by mice. Seeds should not be allowed to germinate in the spring before sowing.

When the temperature in the basements rises and signs of seed germination appear, boxes with. The seeds are placed on ice or buried in the snow before sowing. To prevent snow from melting, it is covered with manure and peat.

Duration of stratification. The table below shows how many days before sowing seeds in the ground they need to be sanded to ensure normal germination.

Stone fruit seeds are usually sanded immediately after being removed from the fruit, avoiding drying.

Sowing seeds

On light soils that are not swollen by autumn and spring precipitation, seeds of fruit plants can be sown in the fall without prior sanding.

Plum and cherry seeds are sown immediately after they are removed from the fruit and lightly dried, and apple and pear seeds are sown approximately 2-3 weeks before the onset of stable frosts.

Sanded seeds are sown in early spring. Sow seeds on ridges with well-fertilized and deeply cultivated soil. Longitudinal or transverse grooves are arranged on the ridge at a distance of 15 cm from each other. Seeds are sown in the grooves without separating them from the sand. The distance between seeds is 1.5-2 cm.

Seed placement depth

The larger the seeds, the deeper they need to be embedded in the soil, and vice versa. On heavier soils, the seeds are planted somewhat smaller. On medium-density soils, seeds of fruit plants are planted to a depth (in cm): apple trees and pears - 2-3, cherries - 3-4, plums 4-5.

Crop care

After sowing the seeds, the soil surface is mulched (shaded) with humus and peat, then watered. Until the emergence of seedlings, watering is continued, avoiding drying out.

This is basically what caring for crops before germination consists of.

Without waiting for mass germination, well-developed seedlings need to be picked.

Picking seedlings

To obtain a well-branched root system from the rootstocks (wildstocks), the seedlings are pricked, that is, transplanted from the sowing area to the growing area, after pinching off the roots of the seedlings, leaving them 3-4 cm long from the root collar.

Picking time is from the cotyledon state to two true leaves. The later the picking is carried out, the worse the seedlings take root and subsequently develop.

Good results are obtained by picking seedlings with “keys” (when the seeds have sprouted in the soil, but the cotyledons have not yet appeared on the soil surface).

Picking distances: 7-8 cm in a row and 15-20 cm between rows of plants. In order to ensure good survival, plants should not be picked during the hottest part of the day.

After picking, the soil is watered abundantly and mulched with humus and peat, and the seedlings are shaded, protecting them from heating by the sun. If necessary, watering is repeated during the summer.

Growing seedlings in peat pots (nutrient cubes)

Growing apple and pear rootstocks in peat pots makes it possible to budding a significant part of the rootstocks in the year of sowing the seeds. This means that much less time and money is spent on growing seedlings.

Stratified apple and pear seeds are sown in greenhouses at the end of March - beginning of April, where then the seedlings, after germination, are planted in peat-humus pots. Around mid-May, seedlings are planted in the ground along with pots.

Composition of the mass for making pots:

1. Two parts humus, two parts greenhouse earth and one part of turf land.

2. Fifteen parts of peat, four parts of turf land and one part of mullein.

Sometimes 3-4 parts of humus are added to the mixture.

Mineral fertilizers are added to 1 cubic meter of mixture: ammonium nitrate 1 kg, superphosphate 1.5, potassium chloride 0.75 and lime 7-10 kg.

The size of the pots is 8x8x8 cm. Approximately 200 pots can be made from one quintal of the mixture.

Seedling care

During the summer, the soil in the area with picked seedlings is kept loose and free from weeds, watered several times with water, and also fed with slurry diluted with 4-5 parts of water, or with a solution of ammonium nitrate - 40 g per bucket of water (per 1 linear meter of row 1/4 bucket). When aphids appear on seedlings, the plants are sprayed with poisons (see section “Pests and diseases of fruit and berry plants”).

Digging up rootstocks

In early October, the rootstocks are dug up. By this time, the leaves on the plants usually have not yet fallen. Before digging, they must be removed to prevent excessive evaporation of water from the plant.

After digging, the rootstocks are sorted and planted for the winter separately by variety. Before digging, the roots of the rootstocks are trimmed, leaving them at least 16-18 cm long.

Planting rootstocks

Best time to plant rootstocks in areas middle zone USSR - early spring, before the buds swell. Rootstocks can also be planted in the fall, before frost sets in. Planting distances: between rows 70 cm, between plants in rows 30-35 cm.

Before planting the rootstocks, if this was not done after digging them up, shorten the roots to 15-18 cm, simultaneously removing broken, dry, diseased and frozen ones. The above-ground part (bole) is shortened to 30 cm (Fig. 43).

To prevent the roots from drying out, they are dipped in soil mash with a small amount of mullein added to it. Rootstocks cannot be kept for a long time outdoors, especially in the sun. They must be buried.

Figure 44 shows the depth at which rootstocks should be planted.

During the summer, the rootstocks are watered and the soil is kept loose and free of weeds.

Budding (grafting with a kidney - “eye”)

IN central regions Budding begins in the last ten days of July and continues for 10-12 days. If there is a delay in budding, sap flow in the rootstocks stops, and if there is too much early stages buds may begin to grow prematurely and freeze.

Before budding, the lateral branches on the lower parts of the rootstocks are cut off (Fig. 45).

Budding is carried out as follows. Using a sharp budding knife, cut off a piece of bark on the handle - a shield at least 2.5 cm long with a small layer of wood. It is carefully inserted into a T-shaped cut in the rootstock bark, made on its northern side, closer to the root collar. Then the budding site is tightly tied with a washcloth or soft twine, without covering the grafted bud (Fig. 46, 47). After 15-20 days, the survival rate of the occultated buds is checked. Rootstocks with dead buds are budded again.

Good results are obtained by budding rootstocks with two buds, one of which is inserted under the bark with north side, and the other - from the opposite side, 6-7 cm higher.

Subsequently, when shoots from both established buds begin to grow, one is left - the most developed one - and cut out with a yarug. Advantage is given to the shoot located on the north side of the rootstock.

Budding rules

When carrying out budding, the following rules must be observed: work only with a sharpened knife;

cut and insert the eye under the bark of the rootstock quickly, without allowing it to dry out;

after budding, immediately carry out tying;

stop working during hot periods of the day and in rainy weather;

bud only with healthy and well-developed buds, cut from the middle part of the cutting; the buds located in the upper and lower parts of the cutting are poorly developed and are not suitable for budding.

Cuttings for budding

Cuttings (one-year growth of a tree) are prepared on the eve or on the day of budding from varietal, healthy, high-yielding and frost-resistant trees. Leaves are removed from the cuttings with a knife or pruning shears, leaving petioles no more than 1 cm long. The cuttings are stored in damp moss or with their lower ends dipped in buckets filled with about 5 cm of water.

To avoid mixing varieties, cuttings of only one variety are stored in each bucket. Labels are hung on the bucket with the name of the variety and the date for harvesting the cuttings.

When sending cuttings over long distances, they are packed in boxes, lined with slightly moistened moss.

Methods of grafting with cuttings

Rootstocks are grafted with cuttings in spring. During the period of sap flow, the rootstocks are grafted using the “bark” method, and during the dormant period - by copulation, splitting and other methods (Fig. 48).

Cuttings for grafting are prepared in the fall or in early spring, before the start of sap flow.

The cuttings are stored in basements, in moderately moistened sand, avoiding bud germination and damage by mice. You can store cuttings in bunches under the snow.

As with budding, the grafting site is tied with a washcloth, and in addition, coated with garden putty.

Making garden putty

After pruning fruit trees, as well as when grafting and re-grafting in the garden, the wounds should be covered with garden putty.

There are many recipes for making garden putty. Let's list some of them.

I. Flaxseed oil (raw) - 2 parts, spruce resin - 1.5 parts, turpentine - 1 part, wheel ointment - 0.5 parts.

Flaxseed oil is poured into the resin heated over low heat, followed by wheel ointment. After this, the mixture is boiled for a short time, cooled, turpentine is added and mixed thoroughly.

II. Rosin - 6 parts, propolis (bee glue) - 2 parts, wax - 3 parts, turpentine - 1 part.

Melt wax and propolis over low heat, then add crushed rosin and boil. When the mixture has cooled, add turpentine and stir well. Before use, knead the putty with your hands.

III. Rosin - 4 parts, beeswax - 1 part, fresh unsalted lard - 1 part.

First, melt the lard, add wax and crushed rosin. After boiling for 20 minutes, cool the mixture, knead it well with your hands and wrap it in parchment or oiled paper to prevent it from drying out.

IV. Rosin - 10 parts, beeswax - 2 parts, linseed oil (raw) - 0.5 parts, crushed and sifted charcoal - 1 part.

I add resin to the melted wax, and then linseed oil and charcoal. After boiling, the mixture is cooled. Before use, the putty is slightly warmed.

V. Rosin - 16 parts, fresh unsalted lard - 1 part, wood alcohol - 8 parts.

Melt lard and rosin. The mixture is cooled and alcohol is gradually added to it. Store in a tightly sealed container.

VI. Resin (resin) - 830 g, shoe pitch - 15 g, mutton fat - 30 g, fine ash - 80 g, alcohol - 80 g.

Melt the resin, pitch and fat and add ash while stirring vigorously. Then cool, pour in alcohol and stir.

VII. Pork lard - 400 g, resin (spruce, pine) - 800 g, beeswax - 400 g.

Wax and lard are added to the molten resin, and the mixture is thoroughly mixed.

VIII. Beeswax - 400 g, turpentine - 400 g, rosin - 400 g, lard - 85 g.

Crushed rosin and lard are added to the melted wax. After the mixture has cooled, turpentine is added to it.

IX. Resin - 400 g, alcohol - 50 g, linseed oil - 25 g.

Melt the resin, cool it and add oil and alcohol to it.

Note. In all cases of preparing putty, precautions must be taken to prevent the mixtures from igniting.

Growing annuals

In the spring of the next year after budding, the rootstocks with established buds are cut “on a spike” at a height of 12-15 cm (Fig. 49).

The occulants that have started to grow from the buds, when they reach a length of about 10 cm, are tied with a soft washcloth to the thorn, and when they grow to 15-18 cm, they are tied a second time above the place of the first garter (Fig. 50).

Using a garter, the growing occulants are given a vertical direction.

In the same autumn or early spring of the next year, thorns are cut out on annuals (Fig. 51).

When growing annuals, observe general rules agricultural technicians: loosen the soil, fight weeds, apply fertilizers.

Crown formation in annuals

The grown annuals are formed in the spring of next year - a crown is laid on them.

Apply various systems formations described in detail in most gardening manuals.

Mentioned here is only the five-leg system of formation, which is accepted as the main one in gardening.

Tiered (five-legged) system for forming apple and pear trees (Fig. 52). At the height of the established size of the trunk, six buds are counted upward and the annual plant is cut off, leaving a spine with two buds removed from it.

When the shoots grow, the top one is tied to a spine and the next five shoots are given the opportunity to develop, which subsequently form a crown, and all underlying so-called thickening shoots are pinched when they reach a length of 12-15 cm.

In the second half of summer (end of July), the shoots of the thickening are cut into rings, and the spine is cut out.

Rice. 53. Growing apple and pear seedlings in a nursery: A - spring planting (wild ones); B - budding of the rootstock at the end of summer; B - pruning the rootstock “on a spike” in the spring; G - one-year-old, grown by autumn; D - the thorn is cut out and the annual tree is crowned (spring); By autumn, a formed two-year-old tree grows, suitable for planting in the garden.

Digging up seedlings

Formed seedlings are dug up in the second half of September - early October. If by this time the leaves on the seedlings have not fallen off, they are removed before digging. To avoid damage to the buds, the leaves are removed by moving your hand upward along the branch, and not vice versa. Seedlings are dug up with a shovel.

The roots of dug up seedlings should be no shorter than 30-35 cm, without damage; The boles and branches should not be damaged.

The roots should not be allowed to dry out; After digging, the seedlings are temporarily covered with soil or covered with matting, bags, straw and other materials. Each seedling is labeled with the exact name of the variety.

Seedlings left in the garden for spring planting are buried for the winter to a depth of 30-40 cm above the root collar. If the soil is dry at this time, water it.

Access to the digging area should be prohibited for mice. To do this, ditches are dug around the site, which winter time cleared of snow. Mice do not climb the steep walls of a ditch. Poisoned baits have been laid out on the site since the fall (see above).

Dimensions of two-year-old seedlings

Note. The height of the trunk is measured from the root collar to the base of the first lower branch, and its thickness is measured at a distance of 5 cm above the grafting site.