Propercare of fruit trees after plantinghas a huge impact on their further growth, yield and he alth. Freshly planted trees must be provided with appropriate conditions for development, so that their growth is strong and that it is possible to quickly form a tree crown with a large fruiting area. Therefore, it is extremely important topruning fruit trees after planting , as well as fertilizing them and a number of other, often underestimated, care treatments. Here's how to care for newly planted fruit trees.
Care of fruit trees after planting - staking
Pruning fruit trees after planting
First cut of fruit trees after planting
Fruit trees after plantingneed pruning. If we plant a tree in the fall, we make the first cut in the coming spring - in March or April (before the bud breaks and develops). The trees planted in spring should be pruned immediately after planting. The method of cutting depends on the species, the chosen shape of the crown, as well as the thickness of the trunk, height and number of side shoots. The crowns of fruit trees can be formed in various ways, but it is important to take appropriate action when the tree is young and its stems are still flexible.
How to form the crown of a fruit tree after planting
Currently, low-growing trees on dwarf rootstocks are recommended for allotment gardens. They occupy a small area of the plot in relation to the size of the crop that can be harvested, and moreover, you do not need to use a ladder to pick the fruit.
It has been accepted thatlow-growing fruit treescare is much easier than large-sized trees. However, they also have disadvantages - the practice of recent years (after their spread in allotment gardens) has shown that, unfortunately, fruit trees on dwarf rootstocks are less viable and more susceptible to diseases. You can read more about this in the article on old varieties of fruit trees.
We suggest leading trees on dwarf rootstocks in the form of a spindle crown (photo above left). This type of crown has one vertical, central branch, the so-called guide. Side shoots depart from the conductor, which should grow horizontally, that is, form a right angle with the guide. The lower branches are much longer than the slightly higher branches. This form of guidance requires the use of a stake at which the tree will be led to a height not exceeding 2.5 meters. However, the remainingmaintenance of fruit treescarried out in the form of a spindle crown does not pose any major problems.
Cutting a one-year-old maiden without side shoots
The least troublesome istrimming the fruit tree , which is a one-year-old maiden without side shoots (picture on the right - the places of cuts are marked in red). Such a specimen should be trimmed at a height of 70 to 90 cm, depending on the thickness of the trunk. If the diameter of the trunk is up to 11 mm, cut it at a height of 70 to 80 cm. If the trunk diameter is 12 mm or more, cut 80 to 90 cm above the ground. We always cut over the bud located on the guide on the west side. As a result, the emerging shoot will grow almost vertically. Remember to make the cut at a slight (not too large!) Slant. We will increase the wound surface, but in the event of rainfall, the water will run off diagonally faster, which will facilitate the drying of the wound and reduce the risk of infection.
Cutting unbranched maiden (left) and cutting branched maiden (right)
Cutting branched maiden
More complicated is cutting branched maiden trees. In this case, first of all, cut out the shoots that are lowest on the trunk, so that there are no branches below 50 cm above the ground. We also cut out the shoots growing out of the guide at an acute angle - the recommended angle of emerging shoots should be close to the right angle. Ultimately, up to 5 side shoots should remain, evenly distributed on the conductor. If the length of the left shoot exceeds 40 cm, it is good to shorten it a bit. Trim the guide itself at a distance of 30 to 40 cm from the uppermost side shoot.Forming the spindle crown
In the first years offorming the spindle crownwe allow the free development of lower shoots. In the upper part of the crown, leave only the weaker shoots, cutting out all the shoots growing strongly and vertically upwards. When the trees enter the fruiting period, we make an illumination cut in order to thin the shoots and let more light inside the crown, as well as to maintain the shape and size of the tree crown.
Bending fruit tree twigs
As mentioned before, it is advisable to keep wide angles between the conductor and the shoots growing out of it. Angles close to the right angle prevent the branches from breaking under the weight of the fruit. Unfortunately, angles close to 90 &176 rarely arise spontaneously. Therefore, in addition to cutting out the shoots emerging at an acute angle, bending of the shoots is also used to form fruit trees. This is an important methodof forming the crown of fruit trees , as pruning too intensively slows down tree growth significantly and may delay the trees entering fruiting. Bending the shoots weakens growth to a much lesser extent than cutting and does not delay the entry of trees into fruiting at all, which is an unquestionable advantage of this method. Clippers (such as are used to hang up the laundry) or toothpicks are used to bend the shoots. You can also hang weights tied with a rope on the twigs.
Bending shoots with clamps and a toothpick
Fertilizing fruit trees after planting
For the proper growth offruit trees after planting , it is necessary to provide them with an appropriate dose of fertilizers. Proper fertilization is of particular importance in the first years of cultivation, because without it, the tree will not grow at the appropriate pace and we will not be able to quickly form its crown in such a way as to obtain a large fruiting area.
Nitrogen fertilization of trees fruit after planting
In order to obtain strong growths allowing the formation of the tree crown, the first dose of fertilizers (eg Polifoski or ammonium nitrate) is sown in the first year of cultivation, around mid-May. The next dose of fertilizer is administered after another 4 to 5 weeks. If the growth of the trees is too strong, the next year nitrogen fertilization is limited to one dose, administered in May. Mineral fertilization of fruit trees in spring is continued every year in the following years of cultivation. However, when we get to the stage where the crown is somewhat formed, nitrogen fertilization should be reduced to a minimum, which will slow down shoot growth and stimulate the plants to bear fruit. If the shoot growth is very weak and the leaves have a faded light green color, the dose of nitrogen fertilizer should be increased. Dark green leaves and very long increments indicate the need to limit the dose of nitrogen fertilizers.
Other mineralsApart from nitrogen fertilization, it is also necessary to provide young trees with other minerals. For this purpose, multi-component fertilizers are used, administered in early spring. Mulching the soil around the trees with manure or compost also gives good results. Cover the spilled manure with a thin layer of soil, thanks to which it will decompose more slowly and provide the plants with nutrients evenly.
Binding shoots loaded with fruit
Protection of fruit trees after planting
Newfruit trees after plantingare rarely attacked by diseases of fruit trees, but pests of fruit trees can become a nightmare. Therefore, it is important to carry out the recommended protection treatments.
Before the onset of winter, you should not forget to protect tree trunks from rodents and hares that can gnaw the bark in the lower parts of the trunk. Therefore, let's check the condition of our plot's fence and put plastic orchard covers on the trunks.
We should also remember to protect young fruit trees from frost after planting. Peach, apricot and walnut require special care. We need to protect not only the above-ground parts of plants but also their roots, so around the base of each trunk it is worth making a mound of earth, which will constitute an additional insulation layer.It will also be useful to mulch the soil around the tree trunks.
