How to plant a dwarf apple tree: planting scheme with photo

Recently, many gardeners are interested in dwarf apple trees, which are grafted onto undersized rootstocks. After reading this article, you will find answers to questions regarding the merits of low-growing apple trees, learn how to purchase and properly plant a seedling of such a tree in your summer cottage.

Benefits of dwarf apple trees

Due to the fact that dwarf apple trees have considerable advantages and advantages compared to vigorous ones, their popularity in the world is growing at a tremendous pace. Why are undersized varieties so attractive to gardeners?

Early fruiting

They begin to bear fruit early. This is a very important factor for gardeners, as fruit trees are planted in order to get a rich and generous harvest. So, for comparison, vigorous varieties begin to bear fruit only 5 years after planting, they will need at least another 10 years to increase their yield. And you can get a constant harvest only after 17 years, when the period of active fruiting is reached. While with low-growing varieties, the situation looks different. Already 3 years after planting, she will delight you with the first fruiting. Already after 8 years, you can collect a constant full-fledged harvest of apples. Simple arithmetic shows that “dwarfs” begin to give a constant harvest 10 years earlier than usual. Agree, which of the summer residents will refuse such an instance in their area.

Ease of care

Based on the fact that the height of the bonsai does not exceed 2,5 meters, all measures for caring for it are very easy and simple to carry out. You can easily harvest, trim and spray. At that time (for comparison) an ordinary fruit tree has a height of up to 9 meters. With such a height, the crown will be at least 8 m. With such growth rates, only a small part of the crown remains at an accessible level for a person. Accordingly, harvesting, and simply carrying out all the necessary agrotechnical measures, becomes quite problematic. In this regard, it is necessary to resort to the help of special tools and equipment.

Compactness

For example, the feeding area of ​​an ordinary fruit tree is from 40 to 48 square meters or even more. While the feeding area of ​​the “younger brother” does not exceed 9 meters. Hence the conclusion and another advantage: on the area of ​​​​one ordinary fruit tree, you can plant up to 6 dwarf ones.

Features of the root system

The roots of low-growing varieties are very strongly branched and most of them are located in the upper layers of the earth. Due to this feature, such gardens can be perfectly grown in areas with a surface location of groundwater. While vigorous apple trees take root in such conditions, they often get sick and often die.

High yield

Yields of low-growing trees are much higher than those of ordinary ones. This fact has been repeatedly proven and confirmed by agronomists and professional gardeners. At the same time, the fruits are of excellent quality.

Based on the above advantages, solid conclusions can be drawn that explain the popularity of these varieties among gardeners around the world.

How to choose an apple tree seedling

In order to acquire exactly a stunted apple tree, and not be deceived and buy an ordinary wild game instead, one should know and distinguish the grafted seedling from the unvaccinated (wild). If it is grafted, then in the place where the root passes into the trunk (root neck) and between the trunk, you will notice a distinct knee-shaped protrusion. And a fused cut over an already grafted kidney will be visible.

As a rule, a grafted two-year-old “dwarf” has a trunk up to 50 cm high and 4-7 developed branches. The branches should have large buds at the ends. While there will be a lot of branches on the wild and they are all pointed, without buds.

Carefully inspect the root system. The roots consist of small roots, they are elastic, without damage. In wild game, the root system is represented by one main taproot. Do not forget about the top of the tree: the branches should not be injured, and the bark should be dry.

The choice of variety will depend on the location of groundwater in your garden. In the event that groundwater runs deep, below 3 meters from the surface, you can choose a plant on any of the rootstocks: dwarf, semi-dwarf or vigorous.

If, on your site, groundwater is located no deeper than 2,5 meters from the surface of the earth, then a vigorous variety will no longer suit you. Its roots will be oversaturated with moisture, as a result – frequent illnesses, poor harvests, low winter hardiness. For such summer cottages, the best option would be varieties on a semi-dwarf stock.

In the area where groundwater is located near the surface, at a depth of up to 1,5 meters, strictly dwarf rootstocks can be grown. They have a highly developed surface root system, they do not exceed 2,5 meters in height.

If, when buying a seedling, you want to make sure that the seller is professional, ask him a question: what is the stock of the variety you have chosen. If you don’t get an intelligible answer, then you have a scammer trying to sell you some kind of wild game instead of a stunted variety. You shouldn’t buy anything from this seller. Of course, you need to purchase seedlings from horticultural farms and nurseries. Specialists of such organizations will always offer the best option for your site and give valuable advice on care.

After you have purchased an undersized seedling, its root system should be carefully wrapped in a wet rag and placed in a plastic bag. During transport, make sure that the branches are not damaged. To do this, it is recommended to fix them to the trunk with twine. It is advisable to plant the acquired seedling immediately after purchase. If this is not possible, the tree should be buried in moist soil so that the roots do not dry out.

Planting technology for dwarf seedlings

Planting low-growing varieties is similar to planting an ordinary apple tree, but there are some differences. Remember that the soil should be as fertile as possible. If the soil leaves much to be desired, then you will have to dig a large hole up to 1,5 meters deep and up to 1 meter wide, which should be filled with fertile soil. Groundwater should be located close to the ground, since the root system of adult dwarf trees goes 1 meter deep, no more.

It is better to plant in calm weather; both elevated areas and slopes are suitable for planting. It is good when the landing site is illuminated by the sun, but if this is not possible, there is nothing wrong with that, it is acceptable.

Before planting, inspect the roots of the seedling, in what condition they are. If the root system has had time to dry out, then it is advisable to place the roots in water for a day or at least overnight.

If the soil is previously deeply dug up, then there is no need to prepare a hole for planting in advance. Dig a hole 50 cm deep and up to 70 cm in diameter. Put the top layer of the earth (the most fertile) aside – you will need it later. Pour a bucket of humus into the bottom of the prepared pit, add the deposited earth and fill it all with several buckets of water. Carefully place the seedling in this viscous slurry, but so that the grafting site is not covered with earth, but is located 2-3 centimeters above the edge of the pit. Then sprinkle the seedling with the remaining earth, compact and form a near-stem roller. Its height is 10 centimeters, and its diameter should not exceed 65 centimeters. It is desirable to mulch the trunk circle with humus.

If you are planting several low-growing apple trees at once, remember that you must adhere to a certain distance between them. It is advisable to plant trees no closer than 2 meters from each other.

Planted seedlings should be regularly looked after throughout the summer. First of all, you need to establish proper watering. It is recommended to pour 2 buckets of water under each weekly. Don’t forget about feeding. It is recommended to conduct it with mullein infusion in a ratio of 1:10 or chicken droppings (1:20).

After each watering or immediately after rain, be sure to loosen the soil around the young tree.

After reading this article, you can independently lay a garden of dwarf apple trees. After all, now you know all the subtleties of this process. And in a few years, the garden will thank you for your efforts and care with a generous harvest of bulk apples.

Video “Planting dwarf apple trees”

This video will show you how to properly plant dwarf apple trees.