Are you wondering why your neighbor’s apple trees bear fruit as if he were watering them with a magic solution from a fairy tale, but yours has neither yield nor decorative appearance? It is worth thinking about the gaps in caring for this wonderful tree. Watering, treatment, mulching, pruning... What about fertilizing? Some gardeners believe that it is superfluous on this list, since the “chemistry” supposedly penetrates the fruits and poisons them, thereby causing harm to health. But this is just a myth that you need to stop believing and finally provide your trees with adequate nutrition.
What is it for?
Regular and proper feeding of an apple tree is a multifunctional procedure that allows you to solve several problems at once:
- replenishment of resources spent in winter (early spring);
- increasing winter hardiness (in autumn);
- stimulation of root formation (after planting);
- prevention of diseases and pest invasions, strengthening the immune system;
- enhancing growth and development;
- increasing productivity;
- increased budding;
- stimulation of photosynthesis;
- nutrition, prevention of vitamin deficiency.
As you can see, fertilizing is needed not only for the apple tree to bear fruit. Its purpose is much broader. Without this procedure, care will be incomplete.
Why do you need feeding in summer?
To grow tasty and healthy fruits, it is necessary to fertilize the apple tree in the summer during fruiting. As a rule, all fruit crops require intensive nutrition during the ripening period, because this process takes too much strength and energy. When watering a plant, you should also remember to “feed” it. Indeed, during the period of active ripening of fruits, the laying of buds also occurs, which will become sweet apples next year.
Important! The apple tree should be fed in the summer with balanced compounds that will help grow tasty fruits this year and get an equally generous harvest the next year.
At the same time, it should be noted that the balance of microelements in the soil helps to increase the supporting forces of the plant. In winter, it will be much easier for a “fed” tree to cope with unfavorable environmental factors and severe frosts.
What to feed?
Fertilizers can be natural (organic), chemical (mineral) and mixed (complex).
Organic
- Manure
When to apply: spring and autumn.
Types: cattle (cattle), rabbit, equine, sheep and goat. Both fresh and half-rotted, as well as humus, are recommended. Fertilizing with mullein is very popular among gardeners, as it helps increase yields.
What you need to know: The ammonia contained in this fertilizer can harm the roots. This is especially true for young trees. To get rid of it, the manure must lie in the open air for about a week.
- Humus
It is applied in spring and autumn. It is a mixture of rotted remains of animal (manure) and plant (weeds, foliage) origin. Completely harmless to roots.
- Bird droppings
It is applied during the first spring feeding, before digging. But in the fall it is undesirable to do this, since bird droppings contain a large amount of nitrogen. Used in dry and liquid form. It is best to feed with chicken manure.
- Wood ash
Fertilizing with ash is one of the best for apple trees. Deoxidizes the soil. Used for prevention against insect infestations, fungal diseases and gray rot. Completely replaces store-bought potash fertilizers.
- Bone flour
Apply in spring and summer. Contains large amounts of calcium and nitrogen. Deoxidizes the soil. It has a long-lasting effect: it dissolves in the soil for up to 8 months. Can be purchased at a specialty store in liquid or powder form. Dosages and regimens are described in detail on the packaging.
- Yeast
May leaf feeding of apple trees with yeast promotes the active formation of ovaries and accelerates the growth of young trees. 100 g of regular baker's yeast are diluted in a bucket of water. The solution is thoroughly mixed. Don't add sugar! Spray the plant immediately after preparation (no need to insist).
- Green manure
The apple tree can be fed with ordinary infusions of herbs that grow right on the site or somewhere near it. For this purpose, nettle (contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), celandine (iodine, boron and molybdenum), dandelion (iron), woodlice and shepherd's purse (phosphorus and potassium compounds), wild oat, wheatgrass, chicken millet (nitrogen) are used.
For more information about the dosages of organic fertilizers, see the table:
* Here and further in the tables: feeding columnar apple trees is carried out according to the same scheme as dwarf varieties.
Minerals
Why do you need to feed the apple tree with mineral fertilizers if there is safe and natural organic matter? Firstly, neither mullein nor bird droppings contain the complex of micro- and macroelements that are present here. Secondly, they do not contribute to the development of fungal diseases and do not accelerate the growth of weeds.
- Nitrogen
Application time is in spring. The goal is to form a beautiful and healthy crown. Without nitrogen, the leaves will actively turn yellow and fall off prematurely. Some gardeners deliberately fertilize with urea or nitrate (ammonium or potassium) in the summer so that as many fruit ovaries as possible form on the tree. However, here you need to be as careful as possible, because an excess of this substance will negatively affect the condition of the plant. Application rates:
- Phosphorus
Organic matter does not contain the amount of phosphorus that apple trees need for normal life. And they simply need it in order to fully absorb nitrogen. It also strengthens the root system, accelerates flowering and increases productivity. Goes well with wood ash, manure, and humus. Fertilizing with superphosphate has a particularly beneficial effect on fruiting. Application rates:
- Potash
Potassium promotes proper growth and development of young apple trees. Mature trees need it to enhance qualities such as drought and frost resistance. The time for fertilizing is autumn, so that by spring the fertilizer has time to dissolve in the soil and begin to work. Application rates:
- Calcium-containing
They increase stress resistance, activate the growth of the apple tree and the development of the root system, help the absorption of nitrogen, saturate the cells with water, and prevent infection with gray rot. But the most important importance of calcium is to improve the quality of fruits. If the tree does not lack it, the apples will have juicy and crispy pulp, excellent taste, a pleasant aroma and resistance to rot. The shelf life will automatically increase. Foliar feeding with calcium is carried out several times a season, starting from the ovary formation phase and until ripening. From fertilizers, you can choose calcium nitrate and calcium chloride, as well as various store-bought products.
- Complex
The greatest effect is achieved by a complex fertilizer, which includes several minerals at once. This allows you to solve various problems: increase productivity, strengthen immunity, strengthen the root system, etc. One of the most popular is feeding with nitroammophos (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus). Application rates:
Gardeners note that the best results are obtained if organic and mineral fertilizers are correctly combined.
Symptoms of malnutrition
The apple tree reacts very quickly to a deficiency of micro and macroelements and shows “hunger” in its appearance.
Root feeding of an apple tree is necessary if:
- The size, color and shape of the leaf plate have changed.
- The leaf changed its location (went up or went down).
- The growth of shoots has stopped.
- Spots and necrosis appeared.
- The fruits have become atypical in size, color, and shape.
- Deformation and shedding of the crop began.
- The taste of apples has changed and an uncharacteristic bitterness has appeared.
The lack of each nutrient manifests itself in its own symptoms:
- Nitrogen deficiency - small leaves with a light green or even yellow color, early leaf fall, weak shoot growth and growth arrest, small fruits that fall off prematurely.
- Lack of phosphorus - dull green color of the leaf blade with a bronze tint, prolonged flowering and formation of ovaries, early shedding of foliage.
- Potassium deficiency - pale bluish-green leaves with chlorosis, the leaf blade is drooping, dried tissue, thin shoots and short internodes are observed along the edges.
- Lack of calcium - the young leaf blade turns pale and curls upward, the ovaries and leaves fall off, slow growth, lack of new growth points. Fertilizing apple trees in summer is carried out in a comprehensive manner using ready-made compositions of microelements and organic matter.
When to feed?
The second important question is the timing of when exactly it is best to carry out the procedure. Here is an approximate scheme for feeding apple trees in central Russia.
in spring
As you can see from the table, the first spring feeding of apple trees is carried out in April. The emphasis is on nitrogen fertilizers so that the trees have enough strength to grow and develop throughout the growing season. In this case, urea can be replaced with humus, nitroammophos or ammonium nitrate.
In May, already during flowering, the following fertilizers are applied:
- complex mineral, humic, mixture of amophoska and wood ash (see the table for dosage);
- a mixture of superphosphate with potassium sulfate (100 g/70 g - per bucket of water);
- a solution of liquid chicken droppings (2 liters per bucket of water);
- manure (5 liters per bucket of water);
- urea (300 g per bucket of water).
For each tree - approximately 4 buckets of the prepared mixture. However, this parameter depends on the crown height, age and variety. After the apple tree has finished blooming, you can use the following recipe to ensure that the fruits are full:
- nitrophoska - 0.5 kg;
- dry sodium humate - 10 g;
- water - 1 bucket.
In the spring, foliar feeding will also come in handy. After the crown turns green, it can be sprayed with urea. The trunk will be the conductor that will deliver nutrients directly to the root system.
In summer
In June, you need to consolidate the result and once again add urea to the tree trunk circle.
In July and August, nitrogen and phosphorus with potassium can be added at intervals of 2 weeks.
In summer, apple trees are often fed as needed. For example, to cure an infection or stop an insect infestation.
in autumn
Autumn fertilizing prepares trees for the winter. At the beginning of September, if the weather is warm, you can do the last spraying with urea. After harvesting, the following fertilizers will need to be applied at the root (optional):
- double superphosphate, potassium monophosphate, potassium sulfate (see table);
- store-bought complex fertilizer designed specifically for apple trees;
- calcium.
It is also useful to lime the soil after fruiting if it has high acidity.
This article will be useful to you: Pruning an apple tree - how to do it correctly
Fertilizing apple trees in natural farming
More and more people are abandoning mineral fertilizers and switching to natural farming. Basic natural supplements:
- compost;
- humus;
- herbal infusion;
- mulch;
- vermicompost;
- ash.
In early spring, add 1-2 buckets of compost or humus under the tree.
It is better to mulch the tree trunk circle under apple trees with organic matter.
After the soil has warmed up, the tree trunk circle is mulched with grass, lawn mowing, weeds, and watered with biological preparations for rapid rotting. Once every 10–14 days you need to water the apple tree with herbal infusion, Orgavit, and vermicompost.
The herbal infusion is made using beneficial bacteria.
- Finely chopped fresh greens of nettle, quinoa, dandelion, burdock or other weeds are placed in a bucket.
- Fill with water and add a handful of granulated horse manure or bird droppings.
- Sugar or old jam and bacteria from Siyanie or Baikal EM-1 preparations are added.
- Infuse the solution for 3–7 days.
- 1 liter of infusion is diluted in 10 liters of water and watered over the mulch.
Bacteria decompose organic matter and allow roots to quickly absorb nutrients.
Half a glass of the drug Radiance 3 fills the herbal infusion with beneficial bacteria
Foliar spraying on the leaf works very well, and you can dilute both liquid vermicompost and a special cocktail of Ecoberin granules, Healthy Garden and HB-101 drops.
In July, apple trees begin to be watered with an ash solution to enrich the soil with potassium and phosphorus.
How to do this correctly?
An apple tree can be fed in different ways. There are 2 main methods - subroot and foliar.
Subroot
- Traditional root feeding
Applying fertilizers to the tree trunk circle around the perimeter of the crown, stepping back from the tree by about a meter. If these are granules or powder, they are poured into small holes or grooves and covered with earth on top. If it is a liquid solution, normal watering is carried out in the same radius.
- Through buried pipes
Step back from the trunk at a distance approximately equal to the size of the crown. Drill 4 holes from different sides. Using a screwing motion, insert the pipes into them (diameter - about 10 cm, length - 70 cm) so that they rise a few centimeters above the ground. You can water trees through them. Liquids will go directly to the roots. After completing the desired action, the holes should be closed so that they do not become clogged.
- Deep loosening method
Held in summer and September. The goal is nutritional feeding of young apple trees (seedlings). Carefully shed the tree trunk circle and loosen it as deeply as possible. Step back 25 cm from the trunk and apply the necessary fertilizers according to the diameter of the crown.
Foliar
Experts recommend not to forget about foliar feeding, i.e. spraying. The leaves actively absorb beneficial substances, so the result is noticeable after 2-3 days. This should be done early in the morning or late in the evening, in the absence of rain and wind. How can you feed trees in this way:
- boron (during flowering);
- urea/urea (spring);
- superphosphate must first be diluted in boiling water, as it does not dissolve well in water;
- potassium sulfate.
You can add insecticides and fungicides to these solutions for prevention.
Foliar and root feedings do not replace each other! The latter are the main ones, the former are auxiliary.
Recommendations
How to get the maximum benefit from the procedure and not harm the tree.
- Dry or liquid?
Liquids are introduced in dry weather. If it rains, it is better to choose granules, powders and briquettes that are not diluted with water.
- Is it better to under-report or over-report?
An excess of nutrients is just as dangerous as a lack of them. Therefore, strict adherence to the recommended dosages is mandatory. More in this case does not mean better.
- Where can I get organics?
Collect fallen leaves, plucked weeds and other unnecessary plant debris in one place in the garden. Soon, excellent compost will form there - a natural and useful fertilizer for any fruit tree.
Additional article: Scab on an apple tree
For planting hole
How to properly fertilize the planting hole for the first time:
- Dig a hole measuring 50 by 50 cm.
- Pour 200 g of ash or 10 g of potassium magnesium into it.
- Sprinkle chernozem (or any other nutritious soil mixture) on top.
- Add about 20 g of superphosphate.
- Place the seedling in the hole and straighten the roots.
- Sprinkle them with soil mixture and humus (taken in equal quantities).
- Apply any complex fertilizer at the root (if it is spring).
- Spread manure along the diameter of the tree trunk circle (if it is autumn).
One of the most common mistakes is making the planting hole too deep. When fertilizers are added to it, they turn out to be completely useless, since the roots simply cannot reach them. But it is imperative to feed the young seedling, because in this case there is no need to do this for almost a year after planting.
