Fertilizer of fruit and berry crops: when and how to feed

Fertilizer for berry crops

Berry plants are perennial shrubs, as well as strawberries, strawberries, blueberries and other berries. When planting young seedlings of these crops, it is necessary to use significant doses (5-10 kg / sq. M. Area) of organic materials (manure, compost), which are applied directly to the pits prepared in advance. Such abundant starting feeding provides plants with organic substances for 3-4 years. Further, berry bushes must be fertilized as follows:

• black and red currants – in the spring it is necessary to add a nitrogen-containing agent at the rate of 7-10 g / bush, in the fall a phosphorus-potassium mixture of 10 g / bush, young seedlings with insufficient development are fed with special liquid mineral mixtures of 25-30 g / bush;

• gooseberries – fertilizer mixtures should contain a lot of magnesium (magnesium sulfate, dolomite flour) and not contain chlorine, magnesium mixtures are applied at a concentration of 50 g / sq. m, complex nutritional – 100 g / sq. m;
• raspberries – for raspberries, the best fertilizer is manure applied in the fall, or when planted in an amount of 3 kg / sq. m, for the main feeding, mineral mixtures of 6-8 g / sq. m, as well as ash;
• strawberries and strawberries – for good fruiting, the soil must be moist and nutritious – a month before planting young seedlings, the soil must be filled with humus, manure or compost, after which everything is dug up, further top dressing consists of liquid organic solutions that are applied under the bush and between the rows 200 -300gsm m.

Fruit fertilizer

Feeding fruit trees depends on the age of the garden. Seedlings are fertilized when planting, so in the first year of life they do not need to be fed. From the second year, young trees should be fertilized with organic matter – peat with compost, manure is applied to the loose soil around the trunks.

In spring, mineral mixtures with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and trace elements are used to feed young fruit crops. It should be borne in mind that young barren trees need more nitrogen, and less, unlike adults, potassium and phosphorus. Fruit-bearing trees, without exception, are fertilized with nitrogen in spring, a little later, during flowering and ovary formation, with potash and phosphorus mixtures. For the entire growing season, trees are fed with potassium and phosphorus at least 3 times.

Apple and pear trees during the period of intensive growth (May – early June) should be fed under the root with liquid organic solutions: 1 part of manure / 8-10 parts of water, or pour this solution into shallow (15-20 cm) grooves. Mineral and organic mixtures are suitable for quince: nirofoska (40 g / 1 tree), superphosphate (30-40 g). Potassium and phosphorus are added under cherries in autumn along with organic matter, nitrogen fertilizers – in spring.

Weakened cherry trees are fertilized with manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5. Every 5 years, the soil under the cherry must be limed. Plums are not fertilized in the second year, from the third year it is enough to apply only 20 g/sq. m.

Video “How and what to fertilize berry bushes”

Recommendations for gardeners on fertilizing and fertilizing berry crops.

Fertilization methods

Fertilizing fruit trees and berry bushes can be carried out in several ways:

1. Surface scattering with subsequent embedding in the ground. The method is most suitable for the introduction of granular or solid mineral mixtures, as well as organic materials such as manure, peat, compost. Under fruit trees, organic matter is recommended to be embedded shallowly into the soil around the trunks so as not to damage the root system. Under berry bushes with a small root system, it is better to close the funds in the aisles.
2. Surface distribution without embedding. In this way, mineral nitrogen mixtures are introduced mainly in early spring or autumn. This method is effective only for well-moistened soil, so it is recommended to scatter nitrogen-containing products when the snow has not yet melted (melt water will penetrate the soil and pull nitrogen with it), or in the fall during the rainy season. In addition, moist soil contains more worms, which loosen the soil, thereby promoting the movement of nitrogen.

1. surface method. Ideal for lawn fertilization where soluble fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus, sprinkled over the surface of the grass in the spring, accelerate its growth and expansion. It is important to distribute urea, or ready-made industrial mixtures evenly over the surface, in order to avoid oversaturation of the soil in certain areas.
2. Local entry. It implies the incorporation of fertilizers into wells, holes near the roots, while creating pockets of high concentrations of nutrients. For focal top dressing, it is necessary to dig recesses along the projection of the crown, into which then lay solid mixtures, manure, compost, or pour a liquid solution. Many gardeners prefer to dig wells and pits 40-50 cm deep, put about 500 g of nutrient mixture in each, thus creating a kind of storage for fertilizers. This is a very effective solution in terms of crop nutrition, but unsafe, since when digging holes, the roots can be severely damaged.

1. Layered spot application. It is more often used on fertile soil with a high content of humus, since the roots of fruit plants in such soil are located deeper. Layered application involves the incorporation of fertilizers into wells, grooves at different depths (in layers). It should be borne in mind that the nutrition of the root system depends on the moisture content of the soil during a certain growing season: if the soil is moist, the roots (mainly lateral) take useful elements from the more surface layers, if the soil is dry, the main roots feed from the deep layers of the soil.
2. Application in liquid form. The method is a little laborious, since liquid fertilizers must first be prepared, but at the same time quite effective – liquid solutions, unlike dry mixtures, penetrate the soil faster and reach the roots. This method is used mainly for the rapid supply of useful components, in case of their obvious deficiency, or plant disease.

6. Fertilizing with watering. This is a fairly effective method, since, together with irrigation water, fertilizers penetrate the soil faster and easier, but laborious. Before applying to the soil, the fertilizer is preliminarily diluted with water, after which the trees are watered with the resulting mixture as with ordinary water. If the garden area is large, containers with irrigation solutions can be connected to artificial sprinkling devices.

What drugs to use

Nutrition of fruit and berry crops during the growing season occurs in two stages: the first – from the beginning to the completion of shoot growth, the second – from the completion of shoot development to autumn (leaf fall). At each of these stages, garden plants need to be fed with certain substances:

1. Nitrogen. Trees and bushes consume the most nitrogen during the period of intensive growth of foliage and shoots, a little less during flowering and fruit formation, and by autumn the need for nitrogen is significantly reduced. Fertilizing fruit trees with nitrogen is carried out with nitrogen-containing mixtures, as well as organic materials: bird droppings, humus. Special nitrogen preparations, such as ammonium nitrate, are considered more effective – the nitrogen contained in it is in a form readily available to plants, which cannot be said about organic fertilizers.

2. Phosphorus. This element is necessary for the formation of buds, flowers, fruits. Trees experience the greatest need for phosphorus at the very beginning of growth, and during fruiting. Phosphorus has a positive effect on the quality of fruits – with a deficiency of phosphorus, the rafts are acidic and poorly preserved. 
3. Potassium. With a lack of potassium, plants become weak, susceptible to diseases, and do not tolerate drought and frost. Mineral potash fertilizers (potassium sulfate), or organic (furnace ash) are used to fertilize crops with potassium. Ash can be applied periodically throughout the spring and summer, while it is better to mix it with other organic materials: compost, sawdust.
4. Manure. It is the most valuable and effective among organic fertilizers, with bird manure in the first place in terms of efficiency, sheep manure in second, horse and cow manure in third. For fruit crops, humus (rotted manure) is used. Fertilizer should be applied to the soil of near-stem circles, preferably in the fall, but it can be done in a small amount in the spring. For spring application, gardeners use liquid manure, which should be diluted with water at a concentration of 1:5.

5. Compost. Under garden trees, compost is applied in the spring by scattering or shallow digging into the near-stem circles.
6. siderates. Plants intended for embedding in the soil for the purpose of rotting are sown in the aisles of the garden. Peas, phacelia, barley are most suitable for fruit trees. To feed the garden, it is not necessary to plant green manure plants in the soil – they can be left mowed on the ground. To improve rotting, green manure is recommended to be crushed.

Another organic fertilizer for garden bushes and trees are solutions of fermented plants. Many gardeners consider this remedy to be very effective, and it is specially prepared for feeding the garden. For the preparation of solutions, you can use various plants: green manure, grass, tops of legumes. The green mass must be crushed a little, placed in a large barrel, poured with water, and insisted for about 3 weeks. Before watering, dilute with water in a ratio of 1:10.

It is important to remember that both simple mixtures (superphosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate) and complex ones with microelements can be used to feed plants with phosphorus.

A nutrient solution for horticultural crops is prepared at the rate of 200 g of the drug / 30 liters of water. At the beginning of the growing season, fertilizer is applied to the soil by irrigation, during the period of flowering and fruit formation, the deciduous part of the trees is treated with a solution. From organic matter, bone meal can be used as a phosphorus supplement.

Video “Feeding fruit crops»

Video review on the proper feeding of fruit trees during the flowering period.