Planting an apple tree with a closed root system in summer

Most modern plant nurseries sell seedlings of fruit crops with a closed root system. Young plants in pots can be planted on the site both in spring and summer or autumn. Apple tree seedlings with ZKS take root easily, which is a significant advantage. Below you can familiarize yourself with the planting technology, the features of plant care and study the possible mistakes that gardeners devoid of experience make when planting.

Advantages and disadvantages of a closed root system in apple trees

When purchasing seedlings with a closed root system, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of such planting material. The main advantages of ZKS include:

• the possibility of planting plants at any time during the growing season (spring, summer, autumn);
• almost 100% guarantee that the seedling will survive in a new place, because the roots of the apple tree are not injured;
• no need for pruning the crown;
• preservation of decorativeness after planting seedlings;
• ease of transportation;
• fast adaptation of the seedling;
• acceleration of the onset of flowering and fruiting.

When buying a seedling, you should pay attention to the condition of its root system.

Among the disadvantages of seedlings with a closed root system, it is worth highlighting:

• high cost due to laborious care;
• the inability to determine exactly where the culture was grown.

Which apple tree to plant: variety selection

Planting an apple tree with a closed root system in the summer will allow you to grow a healthy plant that will quickly take root on the site and will delight you with abundant fruiting.

Gardeners recommend paying attention not only to the taste of fruits and the period of their ripening, but also to the requirements of the variety for growing conditions. You should also pay attention to:

• Zoning. Even if the selected variety of fruit crop has the best taste, but at the same time was bred in the Central Black Earth Region, Moscow Region, there is no point in planting it in areas of the North-West Region. The seedling may take root, but the plant will be so weak that it will not be able to resist diseases and cope with the invasion of pests. Frost-resistant apple species bred in Siberia, when planted in the Central region or the Leningrad / Moscow region, may suffer from the winter thaw.
• Groundwater level. The well-being of a young tree after 4-5 years depends on this characteristic.
• Dimensional characteristics. If you plan to plant seedlings in an area with groundwater levels below 3 m, you can purchase vigorous trees with a deep root system. In cases where the groundwater level is located at a depth of 1-1.5 m, experts recommend giving preference to dwarf and columnar fruit crops.

If you plant a seedling in a prepared hole in a rocky ground on the same day, the chance of successful rooting will decrease.

How to choose apple seedlings for planting

Can apple trees be planted in summer? If the planting material is chosen with a closed root system, then young plants can quickly take root and please gardeners with an early harvest. When choosing apple seedlings, it is worth adhering to the recommendations of specialists, which can be found below.

• Gently taking the seedling by the stem, you should try to gently pull it out of the container. When the soil is loose, it can signal that the plant has recently been planted in the soil. It is better not to purchase such a seedling.
• In cases where the lump is penetrated by white roots that completely come out of the container, we can talk about high-quality planting material, which is worth purchasing for your garden plot. The leaf plates of a young tree should be elastic to the touch, and the branches should not be dry.
• It is not recommended to purchase an apple tree, a large root system of which crawls out of the drainage holes of the container. As a rule, the roots of such a plant are too dark and a layer of mold can be found on them. This indicates a continuous cultivation of a crop in an unsuitable pot size.

Preparation of a planting pit on different soils and fertilization

Can you plant an apple tree in July? Experts believe that seedlings with a closed root system can be planted on your site at any time of the growing season. The deepening for planting a seedling should be no more than 1.2 m in diameter. The depth of the hole should be within 50-60 cm. If the site is clay, it is best to make the deepening wider, and to dig the depth no more than 45 cm. Below you can familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of preparing planting holes on different types of soil.

You can not add sand to the peat soil

On stony ground

The recommended planting pit depth on rocky ground reaches 55 cm, and the width can exceed 100 cm.

The deepening must be prepared 3-4 weeks before the planned planting date of the crop. In the top layer of soil, add a couple of buckets of humus, rotted manure (1 bucket), 220-240 ml of double superphosphate, 100 ml of ammonium nitrate.

It is advisable to pour wood ash (500 g) into acidic soil. The listed ingredients are thoroughly mixed and poured into the planting pit. The top dressing layer is compacted.

On clay

Is it possible to plant an apple tree in June, and even in clay? Yes, if the seedling was purchased from ZKS. The clayey soil is rather heavy, not very fertile. Gardeners should take into account that clay is poorly permeable to moisture. The root system will receive less water and will not be able to fully absorb oxygen.

It is recommended to prepare the planting hole a couple of months before planting the seedlings. A layer of branches or small stones is laid out on the surface of the bottom of the depression. To create favorable conditions for the growth of a young tree, it is necessary to fertilize before planting by mixing the following components:

• river sand - 40 kg;
• peat soil - 20 kg;
• sawdust - 12 kg;
• a small amount of manure;
• ready-made compost - 5 kg;
• slaked lime - 500 g;
• humus - 12 kg.

After thoroughly mixing the components, pour the composition onto the bottom of the planting pit.

On peat

Planting an apple tree in summer is a common occurrence. Indeed, often summer residents simply do not have time in spring to keep up with the processing of the garden, and even plant garden trees.

When planting an apple tree in peat soil, it should be borne in mind that it contains a small percentage of nutrients. That is why it is important to add chalk or slaked lime into the recess. Potassium sulfate, phosphate rock, superphosphate, humus and cow dung are also added to the soil.

The recommended planting pit depth in the area with peat soil reaches 55-60 cm.

On the sand

A planting hole in a sandy area, it is recommended to prepare 3-4 months before planting a seedling. The diameter of the recess should not exceed 1 m, and the depth can reach 55 cm. A layer of clay should be placed on the surface of the bottom of the pit, which will act as drainage. Before planting the apple tree, it is recommended to add top dressing to the recess, for the preparation of which you will need to mix:

• clay - 45 kg;
• humus - 13 kg;
• lime - 500 g;
• superphosphate - 60 g;
• potassium - 35 g.

Before planting, you can dip the root system of the apple tree in a chatter box with a root stimulant.

On loam

The loam contains not only sand, but also clay. However, these components are not enough for the apple tree to grow quickly and bear fruit abundantly. Experts recommend adding fertilizer to the planting pit. To prepare top dressing, mix thoroughly:

• rotted manure - 12 kg;
• potassium sulfate - 30 g;
• superphosphate - 55 g.

Technology of planting seedlings with ZKS

Can you plant an apple tree in July or August? Experienced gardeners believe that it is possible. How to plant a fruit crop correctly is described below.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. On the surface of the bottom of the planting recess, it is necessary to pour the soil mixture and pour a couple of buckets of water. It is advisable to add a drug to the liquid that destroys pests along with the larvae.
2. The container with the seedling will need to be abundantly moistened and left for a couple of minutes.
3. The container is very carefully cut with scissors, and the plant must be carefully removed from the pot along with the root system and a moistened lump of soil.
4. The roots of an apple tree with a soil clod are placed in the planting recess. On the sides, you need to drive a couple of pegs.
5. The voids formed in the pit are filled with earth. The tree is abundantly watered with settled water.
6. The soil in the near-stem circle is mulched, and the stem part is strengthened with the help of stretch marks that can be tied to pegs.
7. The earth is compacted.

Why seedlings can die

In some cases, it is not possible to grow an apple tree. To avoid the death of a seedling, you need to pay attention to:

• Dimensional characteristics of the landing pit. It is important not to be lazy and dig a large hole, because the earth is very dense at depth. The root system of a young plant is not able to break through this clod of earth. Against the background of a lack of moisture and such cramped conditions, the fruit crop dies.
• Root collar, which should never be buried in the soil. If you want to grow apple trees, you need to learn how to find the root collar on seedlings. To do this, you can use a wet cloth to wipe the lower trunk of the tree. Where the shade turns light brown is the border of the root collar.
• Fertilizers. Before planting young trees, it is worth adding top dressing to the soil. Experts recommend different formulations of fertilizers for each type of soil.

It is important to properly care for the seedlings

How to increase the survival rate of seedlings after planting

To ensure good survival of young apple trees after planting them in the soil, you need to take care of:

• Sprinkling in the crown. To do this, the gardener must install a nozzle in the upper area of ​​the crown and connect it to an automatic irrigation. Irrigation should be periodic. Sprinkling allows the young tree to adapt faster.
• Shading. It is important to protect the seedling from the ZKS from direct sunlight. For shading, it is recommended to use a non-woven material that scatters light and creates a favorable microclimate. If desired, you can stretch the material on the frame.
• Mulching the soil in the peri-stem circle, which allows you to retain moisture and air and prevents the germination of weeds.

Caring for an apple tree planted in summer

After planting seedlings in one of the summer months in open ground, it is important to establish proper care for the plants. Experienced gardeners recommend:

• Water the young apple trees systematically. It is advisable to add a drug to the water that helps to cope with pests and their larvae.
• Weed weeds in the peri-stem circle or mulch the soil.
• Apply top dressing systematically. In June and July, it is recommended to spray the foliage with sodium humate. You can also use a drug like Effekton.
• Apply a small amount of ash to the soil before each watering.

Possible mistakes

Gardeners deprived of experience often make mistakes that negatively affect the development of fruit crops and often lead to their death. Most often the gardener:

• Disassembles an earthen ball and washes the roots of the seedling, which provokes the development of stress in the plant.
• Removes a dry earthen lump from the container. Dry seedlings are difficult to remove from the container, the lump begins to crumble, which can accidentally damage the roots of the apple tree.
• Buries the root collar. If you do not open it, the fruit crop will start to hurt and die.

Do not plant young seedlings near old trees.

Useful Tips

Gardeners recommend that you familiarize yourself with tips before starting planting work that will help you avoid mistakes and avoid frequent plant transplants.

• When planting columnar varieties, it is worth observing a distance between seedlings equal to 70 cm.
• If there is a need to plant apple trees in a too wet area, care should be taken to organize a drainage layer.
• For planting young trees, it is recommended to select areas with loose soil. It is in such a soil that the root system develops best.

Planting fruit trees in summer is a simple process. However, it is very important to purchase seedlings with a closed root system in the nursery. Before proceeding with planting plants, it is necessary to apply fertilizer to the soil and take care of the organization of the drainage layer. If it is difficult for an apple tree to take root on rocky ground, it is best to transplant it to a new place in a timely manner.