A beautiful orchard is the dream of every summer resident. In spring, in such a garden, you can enjoy fragrant blooms, and in summer and autumn, a variety of fruits. In order for the trees to bear fruit well, they need to be fed in the spring. Carefully selected fertilizer compositions, timely pruning and watering will help you grow a gorgeous garden with your own hands.
Features of feeding fruit trees
As a rule, the soil for the garden is not cultivated, which means that it is necessary to take seriously the preparation of the soil for planting a certain tree. In each hole prepared for the seedling, such types of fertilizers as phosphorus, potash and organic are applied. Potassium is mixed with soil directly in the hole. Phosphorus is introduced when filling the hole, in the upper layer, and the very last – organic matter in the form of peat, humus.
Fertilizer table for fruit trees
For a pome tree, for example, a pear or an apple tree, a greater amount of mineral fertilizers and organic matter is needed than for a stone fruit tree – cherries and apricots. I would like to note that the stone fruit tree needs fertilization for the first five years..
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How to plant seedlings correctly
The most common mistake made by novice gardeners is to fertilize a fruit tree in the first year of planting. While, it is recommended to start feeding seedlings from the second year, using mineral-organic complexes such as compost, manure.
Organic mineral fertilizers that enrich the soil are used based on its fertility. With high soil fertility, organic matter is used every third year. In case of depletion of the land, its scarcity, the trees should be fed every year..
Watch the video: How and what to properly fertilize fruit trees
Autumn is the best time to apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. They are applied within the location of the main root system. With the onset of spring, during the first loosening of the soil, the soil is flavored with nitrogen additives.
Another type of fertilizer is lime complexes, represented by limestone, dolomite flour. They are used quite infrequently: once or twice every ten years, that is, every 5 years. At the same time, one kg is introduced per square meter..
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The amount of fertilizer applied depends on the fertility of the soil in your orchard. Highly fertile soils require less fertilizers than soils with low fertility, for which the dose is increased several times.
Don’t be in a hurry to be disappointed when you don’t get a big harvest in the first two years. The result from the dressings carried out will manifest itself as the seedling grows up and is ready for fruiting.
Top dressing of fruit trees in spring
New seedlings at the peak of their growth are in dire need of feeding. At this point, it will be good to fertilize with urine, slurry, poultry or cow droppings. At the same time, slurry and urine are diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 6, for droppings, a ratio of 10:12 is taken. Fertilizer consumption – 10 liters per square meter.
The application of mineral fertilizers is carried out by the following method: liquid or dry. It is important after top dressing with dry mineral fertilizer, be sure to shed the soil under the tree.
With the arrival of spring, at the time of digging the soil under fruit trees, more than half of the dose of all fertilizers is applied. Summer feeding is carried out only for weakened plants that are in dire need of it. And so the second main feeding is carried out at the time of active development, the third – in a month.
Mandatory fertilization time
At the moment of active development, during the growing season, plants are responsive to additional mineral complexes.
There are the following periods of acute need for a fruit tree for feeding:
– spring Summer. It is necessary to take care of the intake of all nutrients and, first of all, nitrogen. This allows for better, more abundant flower formation and subsequent fruit set..
– Summer autumn. At this time, there is an active process of growth and development of the roots of the tree, the process of accumulation of nutrients for winter, the future harvest begins.
You can grow a rich orchard in just a few years if you fertilize the trees in a timely manner and properly care for them. We hope our article will help you choose the right fertilizer for different trees.