Fertilizing fruit trees and shrubs in autumn

Severe frosts can be dangerous for lovingly planted trees and shrubs. This raises the question for gardeners: how to preserve their gardens during the cold season without losses? Autumn feeding of fruit trees and shrubs (in the fall, meaning from the first day of cold weather) is crucial for this. After all, if you take care of your plants in advance, you'll be pleased with the results – a bountiful harvest next year.

They begin to feed garden shrubs and trees during the period when they have already borne fruit, up until the end of September – beginning of October.

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Top dressing with mineral fertilizers

Mineral fertilizers are inorganic compounds with a narrow spectrum of action. Specifically, a specific type of fertilizer solves a specific problem. The main types of mineral fertilizers are: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

When choosing fertilizer for your perennial crops, it is important to follow certain rules:

1. Choose specialized formulations designed specifically for shrubs, conifers, perennials, or fruit plants. Then you'll find the perfect fertilizer for your plants.
2. If you decide to fertilize your garden in the fall, choose formulations with a minimum of nitrogen. This element promotes vigorous growth, and it's best applied in the spring. Keep this in mind when choosing.

Typically, nutritional supplements are labeled "fall." These supplements contain virtually no nitrogen, but they do contain other nutrients that plants need to cope with the cold. calcium, potassium and phosphorusThey will support plant immunity and their resistance to sudden drops in air temperature.

• Phosphorus This will help strengthen the roots and increase the sugar and protein content of the sap. This will undoubtedly have a positive effect on fertility.
• Potassium It removes excess moisture from garden crops, thereby preparing them for cold weather. Trees and shrubs fertilized with potassium in the fall will successfully survive even severe frosts.

Phosphorus and potassium can be applied to the soil together; they complement each other perfectly. Furthermore, organic matter enhances phosphorus's effectiveness. Pre-mix it with peat at a ratio of 300 grams of double superphosphate per 10 kg of peat (humus). Add a little water and let the mixture sit for a couple of months. As autumn approaches, apply this fertilizer to the tree trunks, ensuring it penetrates as deeply as possible to ensure the plant roots are fully saturated.

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Top dressing with organic fertilizers

There are fertilizers that consist exclusively of organic compounds. These include, for example, peat, compost, bird droppings, manure. As a result of decomposition, they form valuable microelements and also enrich the soil with carbon dioxide, which promotes photosynthesis.

• Manure and litter are added to the soil during tilling to make it more fertile. Avoid applying this fertilizer to the roots of plants, as this can cause damage. Fertilize garden soil with manure once every 2-3 years, at a rate of 300-400 kg per 100 m².
• Ash is an equally valuable element for fertilizing fruit trees and shrubs in the fall. It is obtained by burning weeds, unwanted branches, and plant tops. It is also applied during soil tillage, every 3-4 years. You will need up to 1 kg of ash per 1 m² of soil.

• Peat is another autumn fertilizer for fruit trees and shrubs. It consists of rotted and compacted plant and animal remains. This substance accumulates in marshy areas. Soil enriched with this element breathes well, allowing air and water to penetrate easily. However, peat contains few nutrients, so it's not recommended to use it exclusively for fertilizing your garden crops.
• Compost ensures long-term soil fertility, making it especially valuable to gardeners. Apply 3-4 kg of compost per square meter.
• Sawdust is another ingredient that helps make soil fertile. While it doesn't have any nutritional properties on its own, it helps loosen compacted soil. In sandy soil, sawdust helps retain moisture for a long time and prevents it from drying out. Furthermore, over time, sawdust turns into useful humus.
• Green manures are plants that help improve the condition of garden soil. These include clover, alfalfa, lupine, oats, and rye. Experienced gardeners sow them in late summer around fruit trees.

Fertilizing of individual species of trees and shrubs

Different plant species require different nutrients. What works for one garden crop may cause irreparable harm to another. That's why choosing the right fertilizer is so important.

Apple trees are typically fertilized several times per season. The tree's roots require phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Therefore, these nutrients are applied to the root system.

Acidic soil will hinder apple tree productivity. Lime can help combat this problem. It's added during tilling.

Pear trees also need phosphorus and potassium. They are traditionally applied to the roots. Ash is also a good fertilizer for this fruit crop.

Blackcurrants also require high-quality nutrition in the fall. Apply 4-6 kg of organic fertilizer, 10-20 g of potassium, and 50 g of superphosphate to the bushes in the fall. This mixture will provide your bushes with all the necessary nutrients. It's also a good idea to plant legumes under the currant bushes in the fall. This will help ensure a good summer harvest of large, healthy berries.

Sea buckthorn also readily responds to autumn fertilization. Fertilization should be done in October, every 2-3 years. A mixture of compost, superphosphate, and potassium salt should be evenly spread over the entire surface of the plant and buried 10-15 centimeters deep in the soil.

Plum trees also require fertilizing in the fall. Organic mixtures are a great help here. They promote the restoration and development of the root system. To ensure a good harvest next year, feed the tree with potassium fertilizer. And if your plum tree grows in sandy soil, it definitely needs phosphorus.

There are many ways to fertilize fruit trees and shrubs in the fall. Each gardener decides for themselves which method to choose. However, it's important to fertilize the soil consistently. Only by following this guideline can you achieve a great harvest.

In addition, trees and shrubs need to be well watered before the winter season begins. This should be done at the end of October, and then your garden will delight you with an abundance of berries and fruits next year.

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