Transplanting an apple tree in the spring to a new place: timing, video

Replanting an apple tree in the spring to another place should be done only in cases where it is really necessary. Usually they are transplanted due to an incorrectly chosen place or redevelopment of the garden. Work begins in early April or a little later, when a stable positive temperature is already established.

Is it possible and why to transplant an apple tree in the spring

As a rule, apple trees grow in the same place without transplanting for many years and even decades. Normally, fruit trees do not need to change territory. But sometimes it is necessary to transplant apple trees in the spring to another place. The main prerequisites are:

1. Too dense planting – different varieties are planted at certain intervals. If for pyramidal apple trees it is quite enough to withstand 1-1,5 m, then for trees with a wide crown they leave at least 4-5 m, and sometimes more. Do not make a too tight fit. Although you can save space, trees can suffer from the spread of diseases, lack of light, and poor pollinator access. As a result, you will have to do a transplant in the spring.
2. Sometimes summer residents are mistaken with the choice of location. It should be fully lit, dry, away from the house, buildings. The soil should be fertile and loose, the optimal type of soil is light loam with a neutral reaction. If you plant an apple tree in a lowland, in an area with high groundwater (they should come no closer than 2 m to the surface). If you break these rules, you will need an urgent transplant of apple trees, which must be scheduled for the first half of spring.
3. Another possible reason for transplanting in the spring is redevelopment of the garden, planting new seedlings or erecting buildings. Such situations are observed quite rarely, but sometimes redevelopment is indispensable. Then you have to deal with transplanting not only young, but also mature trees.

When to transplant an apple tree in spring

Most gardeners with experience agree that it is better to transplant an apple tree in the spring. Work should begin before the buds appear on the branches, i.e. back in early April. But on the other hand, if there are often return frosts in the region, it is better to wait for the moment when the temperature even at night is consistently above zero.

The specific time for transplanting apple trees in spring depends on the climatic features of the region.

Key dates:

1. In the middle lane and the Moscow region, work begins in early April.
2. In the south, in the Chernozem region, you can start already at the end of March.
3. In the Urals, in the North-West, an apple tree should be transplanted in mid-April.
4. At about the same time, they begin to work in Siberia, in the Far East, but if return frosts are observed, the transplant is shifted by 1-2 weeks.

If the deadline is missed, then it will be possible to transplant a young or large apple tree not in spring, but in autumn. Work is planned for early October, when the sap flow is already slowing down, the leaves are falling, but at the same time it is quite warm outside. But if the autumn is dry, there is practically no rain, then it is better to plan a transplant in the spring, waiting for the next season.

If the optimal transfer time is spring, and autumn is a reserve time, then in no case should you deal with a transplant in the summer. At this point, the plant is actively developing, forming leaves and fruits. Any transplant can be very damaging – weakened seedlings will not recover, and healthy trees may stop producing crops in the coming seasons.

Optimal tree age for transplanting

It is best to transplant a two- or 3-year-old apple tree in the spring, since such trees are still small, it is convenient to work with them, and they will take root well in a new place. The trees have already formed up to 40 branches, and the root system is quite developed, so it will take root in a new place.

It is even easier to transplant younger trees at the age of 1-2 years in spring. This applies to young seedlings acquired recently, as well as trees that were temporarily buried in autumn.

If the seedling is already 4-5 years old or more, transplantation is also possible, but it must be done with caution. It is much more difficult to work with mature trees. But if the apple tree is dwarf or semi-dwarf, then even at 7-10 years old, moving it to a new place is not as difficult as massive trees. This should only be done if absolutely necessary.

It is best to do a transplant in the spring of young seedlings aged 1-2 years

Site Preparation

In the spring, you need to carefully choose a place so that you no longer disturb the seedling. The site must meet several requirements:

1. Open space with very good lighting, no shade.
2. The absence of closely suitable groundwater – they should reach the surface no more than 2 m.
3. The absence of stagnant water after rains, melting snow – the site should be located on a small hill, lowlands should be excluded.
4. Sufficient air flow – when transplanting an apple tree in the spring, you should not choose a “closed” place, for example, next to the house, a barn.
5. Protected from through wind. It is desirable that there is a fence on the north side of the garden.

When transplanting in the spring, choose suitable soil for apple trees. Fertile loamy soils with a loose structure and a slightly acidic or neutral reaction (pH = 6-7) are best suited.

The site should be prepared in advance, 2-3 months in advance. It is cleaned, the soil is dug up on the bayonet of a shovel and compost or humus is added in the amount of 8-10 kg per 1 m². In the absence of organic matter, it is allowed to apply complex mineral fertilizer up to 50 g per 1 m². If the soil is too dense, clayey, then before transplanting the apple tree in the fall, sawdust or sand in the amount of 3-5 kg ​​must be patched up in the same area.

How to transplant an apple tree in spring to a new place

When transplanting an apple tree in the spring, you need to be especially careful not to damage the young seedling or tree. The holes are planned in advance, they should be such that the main part of the roots is placed freely. If the seedling is small, you can choose dimensions of 80-100 cm in width and depth. In this case, the interval between plantings depends on the trees:

• dwarf apple trees are placed at a distance of 1-1,5 m;
• columnar – 70-100 cm;
• medium height – 3-4 m;
• tall – 5-6 m.

Transplanting seedlings

It is easiest to transplant a young seedling at the age of 1-2 years. Usually it is bought in the fall and added dropwise until spring, and then transferred to a permanent place. For a correct transplant, proceed as follows:

1. They dig several holes, lay a layer of small stones on the bottom.
2. Install a wooden peg in the center.
3. Carefully water the seedling in the old place a day before transplanting to form a dense earthen ball around the roots.
4. Dig up a seedling for transplanting, working with a sharp shovel.
5. Transferred to a new place, covered with soil.
6. Tamp a little so that the root neck remains 7-8 cm above the surface.
7. Tied to a peg.
8. Watered with settled water.
9. After a few days, lay down a layer of straw, hay, sawdust, or other mulch.

During transplantation in the spring, it is necessary to preserve the earthen room as much as possible.

Transplanting a young apple tree

Transplanting a young apple tree is a more difficult process because the tree is larger. The technology is about the same, but during irrigation to form an earthy clod, you need to use more water – up to three buckets. While digging, you can help with a rake to free the roots from the ground and not damage them.

Transplanting an adult apple tree

It is rather problematic to transplant a 5-year-old apple tree or older specimens in the spring. You should work with at least two people, because the tree is heavy and can fall. When extracting the roots, they help with a rake, then they carry it with a drag, after putting on gloves. They root in a new place to the same depth, keeping an earthen lump (3-4 buckets of water are used for irrigation). In this case, the apple tree itself must be placed strictly vertically, checking several times.

Post-transplant care

Even if the transplant in the spring is successful, the tree will be sick for 1-2 seasons, which is normal. To speed up recovery, it is necessary to organize careful care:

1. Weekly watering with settled water.

   

2. Periodic loosening of the soil and weeding.
3. Monthly application of complex fertilizer can be alternated with liquid organics, for example, mullein infusion 1:10.
4. In the first year after transplantation, all flowers are removed from the tree – it must gain strength and restore green mass.
5. For the winter, the trunk circle is carefully mulched.

Possible difficulties

Properly transplanting an apple tree in the spring is not always easy. Even in the case of a small seedling, problems can arise. To avoid them, it is recommended to pay attention to the advice of experienced gardeners:

1. Pits should be prepared at least 10 days before transplanting, because otherwise the apple tree will not take root so quickly and may even die. If the soil is loose, loamy, preliminary preparation is not needed.
2. The peg must be strong and tall so that it can be planted deep into the soil.
3. You need to tie the seedling to the support during transplantation with a rope, and not with wire or other materials.
4. Part of the roots of the apple tree during transplantation will inevitably protrude beyond the earthen coma. They are cut off, and the places are sprinkled with charcoal (powder).

Conclusion

It is not so difficult to transplant an apple tree in spring to another place if it is a young tree under the age of 3-4 years. But if it is older than five years, transplantation is possible only in case of emergency. Work should be done as a team to avoid the fall of the tree. At the same time, it is better to prepare the site and holes in advance, having determined the timing of the transplant.