Watering apple trees in summer during ripening and fruiting
Content:
The apple tree is considered one of the most common horticultural crops. It can be found at any summer cottage. The tree is unpretentious to care for, however, in order to obtain a good and high-quality harvest, it is necessary to remember about timely watering. This procedure should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of experienced gardeners, so that the apples are juicy and tasty.
General rules
When growing a garden, you need to know how to water apple trees at any time of the year. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules:
- Watering a young apple tree is carried out only with settled water. It shouldn't be too cold. Several buckets of liquid are required per tree. If an adult tree is moistened, then this rate increases.
- During a summer drought or particularly hot days, you need to regularly check the soil moisture level and, if necessary, carry out additional moistening.
- The first time you need to water before the onset of summer. The best option is in the spring, as soon as the seedling is planted.
- In the July heat, you should not spray the leaves of the apple tree. This can lead to sunburn.
The apple tree is one of the most common fruit trees
Irrigation principles at different times of the year
For a tree to bear fruit properly, it needs to ensure optimal watering at any time of the year. The future harvest depends on this. Therefore, the frequency and amount of humidification must be adjusted based on weather conditions.
How to properly water apple trees in spring
Spring moistening of the tree is necessary for its recovery after wintering. This procedure is not difficult, even a novice gardener can cope with it. Watering during this period allows you to strengthen the root system, which in turn has a direct effect on the number of fruits grown. The spring procedure is carried out in two stages.
With the onset of the first warm days, the first watering is performed before the buds appear. It should be done when the risk of night frosts disappears. In order to additionally nourish the roots, it is recommended to make additional fertilizing together with water.
A young tree needs 2-3 liters of water
The second stage of hydration is carried out during the flowering period - from May to June. The exact time depends on the variety of the crop. In this case, you must first make sure that the soil is dry, since it is not recommended to water wet soil. When the fruit begins to form, the frequency of hydration increases. They need to be performed as the soil dries up, combined with spraying the leaves with a hose.
How often do you need watering during flowering
In regions where a little snow falls during the winter, it is recommended to moisturize mature trees at a certain time. It will be optimal when the first buds bloom. In general, experienced gardeners recommend watering flowering apple trees only if absolutely necessary. The fact is that with excessive moisture, the following can happen:
- the number of ovaries will be less;
- mold may appear;
- ripening apples will start to rot.
Therefore, watering should begin about two weeks after flowering ends. In regions with a temperate climate, this period occurs in mid-May.
Watering apple trees in summer and during ripening
Each summer, an adult tree begins to grow new shoots, and at this time the old branches are covered with a thick layer of bark. That is why correct and regular watering is very important for the apple tree in the summer. Moisture is one of the most important factors affecting the formation of ovaries. To help flowering, you need to constantly monitor the weather and if it is dry or too hot, then you need to organize abundant watering. If precipitation is rare, but it does happen, then you need to moisten the soil around the tree a little less often and with a smaller volume of water.
Sprinkler humidification
Next, you need to wait for the ovaries to grow up to a couple of centimeters in diameter and re-irrigate. In this case, the volume of liquid must be sufficient for the fruits to begin to pour out with juice. Specifically, how often you need to water the apple trees in the summer depends on their variety. This will have to be done almost until autumn. However, it is important to stop the procedure about two weeks before harvest. If this requirement is neglected, then the fruits may begin to fall ahead of time and crack right on the branches. In order to prevent waterlogging of the soil, you need to regularly loosen the ground.
In the fall, the last period of apple moistening begins. This must be done during leaf fall or after its completion. Moreover, if the autumn is too dry, then a lot of water must be poured under the tree. This will allow him to successfully survive the cold season. If it rains abundantly during leaf fall, then the plant does not need additional moisture.
How often to water the seedlings after planting
For those apple trees that are less than two years old, it is necessary to provide a special moisture regime at any time of the year. Especially you need to pay attention to the first month after planting, because at this time the seedling is growing especially actively. However, in rainy weather, do not overdo it.
After planting, the moistening procedure must be carried out in the following sequence:
- A week after planting, 10-20 liters of water are introduced into the trunk circle, depending on the weather. Further, the soil is loosened.
- Then, if there was no precipitation, the procedure is repeated every seven days for a month.
- Until the end of the season, the seedling is watered several times a month, depending on weather conditions.
The biennial plant is watered twice a month in the summer.
Optimum water temperature
For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled water with a temperature of + 20-22 degrees. If you use a cold or too hot liquid for these purposes, you can cause serious harm to large and destroy small roots. If this happens, metabolic processes will be disrupted and the tree will stop growing. All this will lead to the fact that fruiting will come later than usual.
Can I use water from a septic tank
The fact is that bacteria, microbes and viruses do not die in standard septic tanks. To do this, you must use special tools. Thus, watering an apple tree with water from a septic tank can lead to negative consequences for its growth. It is better to use liquid from the well, but bring it to the required temperature first.
What you need to add to the water for feeding trees
In order for the tree to develop faster and more actively, various minerals and nutrients can be added to the water. It is worth remembering the features of some of them:
- Soapy water. It is used if harmful insects and bacteria are found in the soil. A soapy solution will help get rid of them.
- Copper sulfate. It is not recommended to use copper sulfate for watering an apple tree, as it can lead to degeneration. It is allowed to spray in the spring.
- Chicken droppings. One of the best organic fertilizers, which contains a lot of nutrients. To prepare it, you need to mix a bucket of droppings with a bucket of water and infuse this solution for a day.
- Inkstone. It can be used no more than once every few years. Iron vitriol protects the tree from fungus, chlorosis and nourishes the fruits with the necessary elements.
- Boiling water. Watering with water temperatures above +50 degrees will lead to the death of the root system.
- Yeast. You can use fermented wine or kvass. However, such a solution is not used for watering, but for spraying the leaves of the tree. It helps the fruit become even sweeter.
Spraying with yeast solution
Major mistakes
Among the main mistakes made when watering, the following can be noted:
- Watering during the rainy season. As a result, the roots begin to rot.
- Frequent but not abundant hydration. It's just useless. It is necessary to water less often, but with plenty of water.
- Adding fluid only under the barrel. As a result, the suction roots do not receive the moisture they need.
Only by properly watering the apple tree, you can get a bountiful and high-quality harvest.
