Planting apple trees in autumn in the Leningrad region

Apple trees are trees without which it is impossible to imagine a single garden. They are beautiful when in bloom. And at the time of pouring apples delight the gardener’s soul, looking forward to the harvest of healthy and tasty fruits. Apple trees are planted almost everywhere. The Leningrad Region is no exception.

Features of the soil and climate of the Leningrad region

The Leningrad region belongs to the North-West region. The proximity of the Atlantic affects the climate – it is humid, with frequent precipitation, a large proportion of which occurs in the summer. The Atlantic also affects the temperature regime, lowering summer and raising winter temperatures. The proximity of the Arctic is affected by a sudden breakthrough of cold Arctic masses, which bring severe frosts in winter, and sharp cold snaps in summer, sometimes down to frost.

Soils on the territory of the region are poor podzolic or peaty, often excessively moistened. The humus layer is thin.

In such conditions, not every variety of apple tree will survive, especially if it is a young seedling. The period of its landing is very important for survival.

Choosing the date for planting an apple tree

Sometimes the time for planting an apple tree is determined only by the time the seedling hits the site. But this approach does not guarantee the survival of the apple tree. If you plan to plant an apple tree in the fall in the Leningrad Region, you must definitely wait until the vegetation of the trees ends and acquire seedlings that have already shed their leaves and have entered a state of dormancy. Then, after planting, all the forces of the apple tree will be directed to the development of the root system, which continues until the earth cools below plus 4 degrees. Such a seedling of an apple tree, most likely, will safely survive the winter and begin the growing season in early spring, without wasting time on survival. But this is provided that the variety is zoned.

Apple varieties zoned in the Leningrad region

The variety of apple trees must be chosen, taking into account not only the climate, but also the type of soil, as well as the height of the groundwater. The gardener himself can improve the soil, and it is very difficult to deal with the close standing of groundwater.

But if it is not necessary to limit yourself in choosing, you can plant apple trees with the usual size of trees.

Summer varieties

White filling

A well-known, but no less tasty variety with white fruits. Hanging on the tree until fully ripe, they become translucent, completely filled with juice. The apple tree is distinguished by enviable winter hardiness, begins to bear fruit in the sixth year. Fruits up to 150 g in young trees, a little smaller when they grow up. Shelf life is short – only a couple of weeks.

Memory of Lavrik

The variety was bred at the Leningrad Experimental Station and is similar in appearance to one of its parents – Papirovka, but much larger. The average weight is about 0,2 kg. The taste is excellent.

Among the apple trees of summer varieties, one can also note: Cinnamon striped, July Chernenko, Medunitsa.

Autumn varieties

Melba

An old Canadian apple variety, which is zoned almost throughout Our Country. Differs in high palatability and the considerable size of fruits, excellent winter hardiness. The term of maturation, depending on the season, is late summer or early autumn. The first apples can be tasted already in the fourth year.

Uslada

An apple-tree variety with a “speaking” name of S. I. Isaev’s selection. It belongs to the semi-dwarfs, therefore it has a compact size. A solid integumentary blush with noticeable stripes on a yellow-green background, as well as the presence of white dots, make the apples very elegant. The taste is dessert. It gives the first apples in the fourth year, and it bears fruit regularly. Practically does not suffer from scab, which is very important for the Leningrad region. Winter hardiness at a high level.

The following winter-hardy varieties of apple trees are very tasty and resistant to diseases: Riga Dove, Baltica, Chosen One, Aelita.

Winter varieties

Antonovka

A well-known old apple variety with good winter hardiness and a good taste of fruits. It can be affected by scab, the trees are of considerable size.

Gift to the Count

An excellent winter-hardy apple variety with large, 200 g or more, fruits of a beautiful purple-red color and good taste. Pleases with a long shelf life – until April.

You can also plant apple trees of Antey, Orlik, Ladoga varieties.

For owners of small plots, there are columnar varieties of apple trees, for which the climate of the Leningrad Region is quite suitable: Vasyugan, President, Medoc. These apple trees do not take up much space, and they can be planted even where groundwater is high, but it is better on bulk ridges.

In order for the tree to take root well, and subsequently please with fruits, you need to choose the right young apple tree.

Selection of seedlings

It happens that the gardener, after several years of waiting, having tasted the first fruits, is disappointed to be convinced that something completely different from what was planted has grown. To prevent this from happening, buy apple tree seedlings only from trusted nurseries. Make sure the quality of the planting material is good. When buying an apple tree seedling with open roots, inspect them carefully, it is especially important to check for small light roots. It is they who feed the apple tree.

As a rule, one-year-old, maximum two-year-old seedlings of apple trees have the maximum chance of taking root; in older trees, when digging out of the soil, the root system is too damaged, they may simply not take root. One and two-year-olds are easy to distinguish: the former do not have any side branches, while the latter have 2-3. Compliance with the declared variety can be checked only when the apple tree gives the first fruits.

Apple tree seedlings with closed roots, that is, grown in large containers, take root completely when planted according to all the rules.

Finally, a quality apple tree seedling is selected. It remains to plant him according to all the rules.

The subtleties of planting a seedling

Seedlings with open and closed roots are planted differently. But there are patterns that are common to all types of seedlings.

• Apple trees grow well where there is a lot of sun and there is no stagnation of air. Therefore, lighting and ventilation is essential. An exception is made only for dwarfs with a weak root system. Where they will grow, strong winds are undesirable.
• Apple trees do not tolerate stagnant water.
• The groundwater level should be below 3 m for tall varieties, 2,5 m for semi-dwarfs, 1,5 m for dwarfs.
• The distance between tall trees is chosen at least 5 m. Between medium-sized apple trees – 4 m, and 3 m between dwarfs.
• The size of the planting hole is determined by the type of soil. If the soil contains a lot of clay, a hole is dug at least 1 m in diameter, but at the same time shallow, it is enough to go deep by 40 cm. A drainage layer is required. For other types of soil, they dig a hole with a diameter of about 90 cm, deepening it by 60 cm.

  

• You need to dig a hole and fill it with soil in advance, no later than 14 days before planting, so that the earth settles.
• To fill the pit, a couple of buckets of well-rotted humus, 150-200 g of superphosphate, 150 g of chloride or potassium sulfate are enough, they can be replaced with 1 kg of ash. These components must be mixed well with the top layer of soil taken out of the pit and filled ¾ of it. Fresh manure is not used for planting. Peat soils are improved by the addition of clay and sand, and sandy peat and clay. Sometimes a handful of grain, better germinated, is placed under the roots of a tree. It is believed that this contributes to a better survival of the apple tree seedling.
• It is impossible to deepen the root neck into the ground, it should be flush with the soil surface or a couple of centimeters above it.

  

  The root neck connects the roots and trunk of the tree. Do not confuse it with the place where the vaccination was made, it is located above

• Be sure to provide a landing peg, and preferably a narrow board, well-fortified. It will become a support for the seedling, put it with a reference point to the south. So she will save the trunk of a young apple tree from the scorching sun.

How to plant apple trees with open roots

The roots of a young apple tree are lowered before planting for 4-24 hours in water with a root formation stimulator, diluted according to the instructions. Before this, an audit of the roots is carried out, if necessary, all damaged roots are cut with a sharp cutting tool.

A mound is formed in the center of the dug hole, a seedling is placed on it, spreading the roots well, trying to deepen them into the soil. The seedling is covered with prepared soil, spilled with water, pouring near a bucket. Again covered with earth.

Lightly trample the ground around the seedling. The foot in this case is located along the radius of the circle, mentally outlined near the stem. A hill of earth should form around the seedling, it will settle after the first wintering. The seedling is tied to a peg with an eight-shaped loop.

They make a recess for watering – pour a side around the perimeter at a distance of about half a meter. Pour a couple more buckets of water into the hole. The soil around the seedling is covered with a layer of mulch. Pinch the top of the tree.

How to plant apple trees with a closed root system

• We prepare the planting pit, as in the first case, only we fill it with fully prepared soil.
• Before planting, we make a hole according to the size of the container in which the tree is planted and water it.
• A well-spilled seedling is carefully released from the container and placed in a hole. An earthen ball on the roots of seedlings is completely preserved.
• We plant an apple tree at the same level in relation to the soil as in the container in which it is grown.
• We install a peg, to which we tie the seedling.
• We completely fill up the empty spaces between the seedling and the walls of the pit, while simultaneously watering and compacting the soil.
• Then we proceed in the same way as in the previous case.

Planting an apple tree in soil with a high content of clay

No matter how hard they try to make drainage in a hole dug in clay, there is always the danger of the seedling dying due to stagnant water. On such soil, it is advisable to plant young apple trees superficially, without digging a hole for planting. This method is especially good if the seedling is grown in a pot.

We prepare the soil for backfilling, as indicated above. We prepare the soil by digging and removing weeds. We put hay on top of it, completely rotted sawdust or fresh grass. Installing the peg. Add some soil and compact. In the center we put a layer of turf about 40 by 40 cm, grass down. We put a seedling on it, freeing it from the container in which it grew. We fall asleep with the prepared soil, spilling it and compacting it. It should turn out to be a gentle hill. We make a hole for watering, watering, mulching.

Even in the conditions of the Leningrad region, it is quite possible to lay an apple orchard during autumn planting. The main thing is to choose seedlings of zoned varieties and good quality that have completed the growing season and plant them correctly.