How to care for an apple tree in the fall and properly prepare it for winter

A gardener has a lot to do in the fall. First and foremost, it's time to prepare the trees. Properly preparing apple trees before winter ensures their productivity next season. Trees shouldn't be neglected, as they may not survive severe frosts.

Rules for preparing apple trees for winter

Many people mistakenly believe that apple tree care simply involves clearing fallen leaves, digging around the trunk, and watering the trees. Proper autumn care and preparation for winter involves much more: pruning, weeding, and trunk treatment. treatment against diseases and pests, whitewashing, mulching and covering trees.

Cleaning up fallen leaves

Immediately after the apples ripen, all fruit is removed from the tree. No fruit should be left on the tree, as scab and moniliosis will overwinter with them.

The next step is clearing away debris, dry leaves, and fallen fruit from under the tree. Everything is removed thoroughly, as they can harbor bacteria and pest larvae. In the spring, the wind carries the larvae back to the tree.

All fallen fruit is sorted. Some is used, some is destroyed. However, the collected waste cannot be stored, as it will contain larvae and caterpillars, which become active in the spring.

Fallen leaves are burned, especially if signs of scab or other diseases are noticed. The resulting ash is used as fertilizer.

Autumn pruning

Trees must be pruned before winter. This should be done according to the regulations. Branches are trimmed after most of the leaves have fallen.

1. First, all branches that show signs of disease or damage are cut off.
2. All branches growing into the crown and broken ones are removed.
3. To treat cuts, use a solution of copper sulfate (1 teaspoon of the solution per 1 liter).
4. After drying, the cuts are treated with garden pitch.

Pruning should only be done in dry, windless weather. Branches should also not be removed when temperatures are below 10°C. ^OWITH.

Autumn whitewashing of apple trees

It's a good idea to treat the lower part of the tree trunk with lime before winter. Many people ignore this procedure, but it's important for several reasons.

1. Protecting trees from pests. Many insects can become active in late autumn if the weather remains consistently warm. Many pests also adapt to colder climates and hibernate much later.
2. Sometimes, whitewashing isn't possible in the spring (the sun is too bright, or access to the site is impossible). Whitewashing trees, applied in the fall and left on until spring, will help protect the plantings from pests.

Before whitewashing, the trunks of mature trees are prepared: moss, lichen, and dead bark are removed. Such debris can harbor pests. The removed bark is burned.

Digging

Preparing an apple tree for winter won't be complete without digging around the area around the tree's trunk. The soil around the tree is where a large number of bacteria and pests accumulate. If left untreated, they will reactivate in the spring and begin to destroy the tree.

To eliminate pests, dig the soil to a depth of no more than 15 cm. This procedure is carried out carefully to avoid damaging the root system. Outside the crown, dig deeper (a spade's depth).

Autumn watering and fertilizing

In summer, trees stop watering in August. After this, the trees stop growing, shed their leaves, and prepare for the coming cold weather in their own way. In October, according to agricultural practices, apple trees are watered for the last time.

Pour water into the hole near the trunk until it's completely filled. Once the water has been absorbed, water again. Pour about 200 liters under each tree. This good moisture will create favorable conditions for the tree's wintering.

The ideal option is a combination autumn feeding and watering. Nutrients will reach the roots much faster. In the fall, use a potassium-phosphorus solution (2 tablespoons of double superphosphate and 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate diluted in 10 liters of water). If the tree is less than 10 years old, pour 10 liters of nutrient solution onto each square. For older trees, double the amount.

Using nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the fall is unacceptable. This element stimulates shoot growth, which weakens the tree before the cold weather sets in.

Preventive treatments

Before wintering apple trees, carefully examine the condition of the bark. Pests and pathogens can hide in cracks and crevices to survive the winter. Cleaning and treating the bark will help improve the health of the orchard.

Before beginning the procedure, spread paper or cloth under the plant to be burned along with the removed bark sections. Moss and lichen are easier to remove if the areas are first coated with a solution of clay and slaked lime (mixed to the consistency of thick sour cream). After the solution dries on the bark, the moss and lichens are easier to remove without damaging the bark. If the bark is damaged, treat the affected area with garden pitch.

All areas of loose bark are also removed. These are the areas where pests overwinter.

After removing all visible pests, the apple tree is sprayed with a 3% solution of copper (iron) sulfate (add 300 g of the product to 10 liters of water).

If the fruit shows signs of scab or fungal rot, additionally spray the tree with a urea solution (500 grams of the solution diluted in a bucket of water). Although urea is a nitrogen fertilizer, it should be applied 10-14 days before frost. Spraying earlier could damage the apple tree, as nitrogen stimulates growth.

Mulching

Apple trees will survive the winter cold much more easily if their root system is insulated. To do this, apply a 5 cm layer of mulch. Bark, pine needles, peat, humus, and compost are all suitable for this purpose.

Don't overdo it with peat and sawdust, as they increase soil acidity. Black peat is less acidic than black peat. Using bark and sawdust isn't the best solution. They'll compact and mold by the end of winter.

Shelter rules

Mature apple trees don't require extensive protection from rodents and frost, but young trees need to be covered. This will not only help them cope with frost but also protect them from rodents and pests.

The best way to protect the trunk is to wrap it in soft material. This will protect it from rabbits and mice and provide additional insulation. An excellent option is to tie the tree with spruce branches.

You can also install hemispheres made of polyethylene foam. When the walls are tightly joined around the tree, a dense hemisphere is formed. The advantage of this type of shelter is that it can be used multiple times and is very quick to set up.

In spring, it's important to remove the protection promptly, as the greenhouse effect will harm the tree. In spring, it needs light and fresh air.

Rules for caring for old apple trees

Just because a tree is old doesn't mean it doesn't need pre-winter care. Protecting such trees is easier than preparing a young apple tree for winter. Protecting mature apple trees involves a number of simple procedures.

• cleaning under apple trees;
• digging the soil around the trunk;
• watering and fertilizing;
• insulation with mulch.

To protect against rodents, the tree trunk is wrapped in a special net or spruce branches. After snowfall, a 0.5-meter-high snowdrift is piled around the trunk. If the snow melts, more snow is piled around it.

Winter preparation guidelines in different regions

During the winter, apple trees are exposed to a number of dangers and stresses. They suffer from subzero temperatures and rodent infestations. People can help trees cope with these challenges by preparing them. Apple trees begin to be prepared in the fall.

The climate of each region varies significantly, so the timeframe for completing some work varies. It's important to time the preparations correctly.

When choosing preparation dates, we focus on the average dates for a specific area and weather conditions in the current season.

Middle zone

The warm climate of this zone allows young and old trees to overwinter without additional insulation. Preparation involves removing old foliage, pruning, fertilizing, watering, and preventative spraying.

Residents of warmer regions should avoid heavily insulating trees. Since winter temperatures are relatively high, only young seedlings planted this season will require a little cover.

In general, apple trees require protection from rodents and hares. Otherwise, the winter preparation process remains the same.

Central stripe

Apple trees in the Moscow region and other central Russian cities are prepared for winter starting around mid-October. By this time, the leaves have fallen from the trees and they are already dormant.

Covering the apple trees only when a stable temperature is established within 8-10 ^OS. Trees definitely need shelter in areas with severe frosts – in the Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and Smolensk regions.

The Leningrad Region is characterized by a harsher climate. Preparing trees for winter begins as early as the second half of September. By this time, night frosts have already begun. If the weather is damp, the winter preparation process is postponed for several days.

Cold regions

In the Urals, apple trees are prepared for winter as early as September. By this time, the trees will have shed their leaves and the last of their fruit. The roots and trunks are insulated once the cold, subzero weather stabilizes.

In Siberia, apple trees' readiness for winter is signaled by the leaves on their branches. They should turn brown. Don't delay, as the cold weather can set in abruptly.

If the winter is snowy, plant trunks are additionally insulated with snow. These snowdrifts will help protect the roots from freezing. In the spring, the meltwater will provide excellent moisture.

Possible errors

When growing apple trees, gardeners make mistakes and perform certain procedures incorrectly. Knowing the most common and typical ones can help prevent apple tree death and disease.

1. Don't use fallen leaves and small twigs to insulate roots and trunks. They can only be used for insulation if they are pre-treated with insecticides or fungicides. If fallen leaves aren't disinfected, bacteria and larvae that become active in the spring will overwinter with them.
2. Incorrect selection of varieties. Many people mistakenly choose apple tree varieties for their gardens that are unsuitable for their particular location. If the tree isn't adapted to cold winters and frosts, it will die at the first frost.
3. If winters are very cold, then the shelter at the bottom of the trunk is not enough for the young tree.
4. Improper fertilizing and watering regimens. If fertilizer dosages and application schedules are not followed, the trees will weaken and not survive the winter.
5. Late watering. The last time you water a tree is 25-30 days before the first frost. If you water too late, the roots will freeze in subzero temperatures, and the tree will die.

Autumn is a challenging and busy period, with much work to be completed in a timely manner, especially preparing apple trees for winter. Without protection, these fruit trees, despite their cold hardiness, can die. If they survive the winter without preparation and protection, they will take a long time to recover in the spring and will not produce the desired results. Additional videos will help you understand the specifics of each procedure.