The apple tree can be seen in any garden of the Moscow region. It is unpretentious, bears fruit regularly, pleases with beautiful flowering. The abundance and variety of varieties opens up a wide selection for every taste. To get a rich apple harvest, you need to know how to properly plant an apple tree in the spring in the Moscow region.

Natural conditions of the Moscow region

The moderate continental climate of the Moscow Region is characterized by rather mild winters and warm, humid summers. The weather is quite changeable. Soils for the content of nutrients are classified as medium and poor, marginal. In the north - sod-podzolic, heavy loamy cold and excessively moist soils. The east is occupied by peatlands and wetlands. In the west there are lighter soils. The most favorable environment for gardening is in the south of the region. Under not very favorable conditions for the gardener, you have to create them on your own.

How to plant apple trees in the spring in the suburbs

Planting an apple tree in spring

When is it better to plant apple trees in the suburbs? For planting apple trees, both spring and autumn are perfect. Planting apple trees in spring is good for 1-2 year old seedlings. During the warm season, the trees manage to gain strength and get stronger in order to withstand frost. The spring planting period begins from the last days of April to mid-May. The night frosts have stopped, but the buds have not yet begun to open.

Planting apple trees in spring with seedlings

An unpredictable spring can be early or late. In this case, warming up the soil on the bayonet of the shovel serves as a guide. Many gardeners are guided by the lunar calendar. On the growing moon there comes a period when planting apple trees in the Moscow region is favorable.

Site preparation

First of all, you need to decide on the planting site for the apple orchard. The apple tree loves good sunlight, the absence of strong winds. The groundwater occurrence indicator should be at least 3 m.

Important! Tall trees need about 5 meters of space free from other trees, and half-dwarf trees need 3 meters. Closer neighborhood is undesirable.

Variety selection

Winter-hardy varieties that can withstand frost and a small amount of snow are best suited for the Moscow region. The growing season should be short. Columnar apple trees are popular among gardeners. The columnar tree has a number of advantages over classic apple trees: compactness, early maturity, shallow root system.

These apple trees can be grown even with high groundwater levels. The fruits can be obtained in the first or second year. Despite all the advantages, the columnar type of apple trees has low frost resistance, so not all of its varieties are suitable for the Moscow region. If, nevertheless, there is a desire to grow this particular variety, then it is better to purchase annual seedlings.

Apple tree seedlings

Apple tree varieties that grow best in the Moscow region:

  1. Summer: Antonovka, Papirovka, Melba, Candy, Mantent, Medunitsa;
  2. Autumn: Zhigulevskoe, Brown striped, Anis, Spartak;
  3. Winter: Moscow Winter, Golden, North Sinap, Zvezdochka.

Note! It is recommended to select varieties of apple trees with different ripening periods in order to receive fruits throughout the season.

Sapling selection

Planting an apple tree in the spring in the Moscow region largely depends on the planting material.A competent choice of a seedling is the basis for the successful cultivation of an apple orchard. Healthy planting material has the following characteristics:

  1. No mechanical damage to the roots;
  2. The cut of the roots is light and moist, there should be no brown tint. If the root is dry, then you should not take the seedling;
  3. The presence of at least 4 shoots on a seedling;
  4. No rot, parasites and defects.

Important! Before planting, seedlings must be carefully prepared. Remove dead and broken parts of roots and bark, root growth to the base. The damaged parts are cleaned and covered with garden pitch.

Planting an apple tree in spring

Pits are being prepared 2 weeks before planting. Soil with insufficient fertility should be improved with imported soil. The minimum thickness of the fertile layer is 60 cm. Planting should be carried out taking into account the type of soil and their adjustment:

  • clayey heavy soils are improved by adding sand and compost;
  • sandy soil requires the addition of peat and humus.

Planting an apple tree

An established apple tree can grow on any type of soil, with the exception of swampy soil. On good soil, the hole is deepened by 60 cm. If the quality of the soil leaves much to be desired, then the depth is increased to 70 cm. The diameter can be from 60 to 80 cm. It is recommended to loosen its bottom to the depth of a shovel bayonet in order to facilitate the development of roots. The bottom of the pit is filled with a drainage layer (gravel, sand).

Next, the apple tree itself is being prepared, planting and leaving in the Moscow region requires compliance with some rules. To protect the roots from drying out, the seedlings are left to stand for 4-6 hours in a container with water. To increase the survival rate of the tree, a root formation stimulator (Kornevin, Kornerost, Epin) is added to the water. You can use a solution of 1 tsp. honey in 2 liters of water or a solution of 100 g of yeast and a bucket of water.

Important! Before planting, the roots are dipped in a mixture of clay and mullein, diluted to thickening sour cream. This will help the roots adhere better to the soil.

Landing Algorithm:

  1. Immediately before planting, a one and a half meter peg is stuck into the prepared hole to tie the seedling;
  2. The planting depth of the tree should be such as not to immerse the graft site and the root collar in the soil. It should rise 4-5 cm above the ground;
  3. Now you need to fill the hole with soil in the form of a mound, about 20 cm high, add 2 buckets of warm water, fertilizer in the form of 2 buckets of manure, wood ash, compost. You can add 1 cup superphosphate and 3 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate;
  4. At the top of the elevation, you need to plant a seedling next to the peg, which should be on the south side, and gently spread the roots. The remaining fertile soil is added and crushed;
  5. One of the features of spring planting is increased watering. The seedling is watered abundantly with water until the earth is saturated with moisture. Usually 3-4 buckets of water are required. To retain moisture, the surface of the soil is covered with dry grass and humus;
  6. The seedling is tied to a peg at the top and bottom with a soft cloth, twine or film. The place of contact of the garter material with the tree bark should not injure it. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically loosen the garter;
  7. It remains to shorten the central conductor by 2-3 buds to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, while it should rise above any lateral branch.

Seedling care

Top dressing of an apple tree

Further care for the apple tree consists in regular loosening, removing weeds, feeding and watering. If it's a rainy spring, then watering can be reduced. While loosening the trunk circle, nitrogen fertilizer is added, which helps the roots and branches grow faster.

Planting an apple tree in the spring in the Leningrad region

Watering in the first month is carried out every week, 2 buckets of water for each apple tree. In the future, 4-5 buckets every 3 weeks will be enough.

Important! For the winter, the trunks of young apple trees must be insulated by wrapping them with covering material for the first 3-4 years. This measure will also protect the tree from rodents.

Diseases and pests

The main diseases affecting apple trees in the Moscow region are scab and powdery mildew. Therefore, it is worth choosing varieties with high immunity to fungal diseases.

Planting cherries in the spring in the suburbs

Scab control measures include the destruction of infected leaves in early spring, spraying the soil in the near-stem circles with urea (7%), potassium chloride (10%). Before bud break, spraying with Bordeaux liquid (3%) helps. It is also used to combat powdery mildew at the beginning of the spring season. During the growing season, you will need 1% Bordeaux liquid. It is good to use a mixture of 50 g soda ash, 40 g shavings of laundry soap and 10 liters of water. The drug "Topaz" has proven itself well.

From the category of dangerous pests can be called aphids, fruit mites. Aphids on an apple tree can be defeated with wood ash. In the spring, immediately after the snow melts, a thick layer of ash is poured under the apple tree, dug up and poured with hot water. You can use drugs: "Fitoverm", "Iskra", "Decis".

On a note! A solution of 4-5 ml of Apollo per 10 liters of water helps against brown fruit and red apple mites. You can make an infusion of onion peel - half a bucket of peel is poured with 5 liters of hot water, insisted for 2 days. The filtered solution is brought to 10 l and used fresh.

You can provide yourself with a good harvest of apples for the whole year even in the difficult conditions of the Moscow region. You just need to correctly determine the planting time, competently prepare the soil, follow all stages of growing an apple tree.