The end of summer, the beginning of autumn, the apple harvest has been harvested and it’s time to take care of the new season. The future productivity of apple trees largely depends on proper autumn care of the plant and its proper wintering.
The preparations for the new season are simple. Even a novice summer resident can handle them.
Cleaning up leaves and debris
After harvesting, it is necessary to remove all fallen leaves and carrion - apples from the ground near the trunk. It is not advisable to leave them on the ground. The leaves will complement the compost pit well and act as fertilizer in the spring.
If you do not collect leaves and dried or rotten fruits, the risk of contracting diseases from them increases. After all, rot is such a good place for bacteria to overwinter.
Pruning branches
Sanitary and health pruning includes the removal of dry, damaged and diseased shoots. For the same purpose, branches that thicken the tree crown are removed.
Smooth areas of cuts are treated with copper sulfate diluted in water, and then with a solution of garden varnish. The same procedure is done with all visible cracks in the tree bark. Thanks to such manipulations, tree fungi will not settle on the trunk of the apple tree.
Mulching
After collecting carrion, removing dry leaves and trimming branches, it’s time to work on the soil. It needs to be dug up and loosened. They do this so that insects that have fallen asleep in the ground near the trunk freeze in winter and cannot harm the tree when it gets warmer.
After this, the soil is sprinkled with mulch. Compost, humus or manure, dry bark or peat are suitable for this. Sprinkle mulch in a thick layer in the circle around the trunk, avoiding touching the trunk.
Fertilizer application
Thanks to the nutrients in the ground, the apple tree produces fruit. After collecting it, their supply decreases and needs to be replenished. This way the tree will withstand the cold season more easily and next season will please its owner with no less good fertility.
Fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus will enrich the soil with microelements and help the tree stop growing shoots.
Ready-made nutritional mixtures are sold in agricultural stores or made independently. To do this, take superphosphate and potassium in equal parts of 100 grams per 5 kilograms of humus.
Nitrogen-based fertilizers are contraindicated for application to the soil in the autumn. They make the crop more sensitive to frost.
Whitewash
When the autumn rainy season is over, usually in November, whitewashing can begin. Most often they whiten by hand, sometimes using a spray gun. Whitewashing will rid the trunk of ice and rodent infestations.
Ready-made solutions are purchased in the store. Homemade ones are prepared from wood glue, copper sulfate and water. The solution is applied to the tree trunk and lower branches.
Insulation
A good winter without frostbite and icing is one of the keys to a rich harvest next season. Therefore, the trunk of the apple tree must be insulated. To do this, it is wrapped in burlap or non-woven fabric, secured with tape or twine and placed on the soil.
All procedures for preparing an apple tree for the new season are carried out after harvesting, but before the onset of the first frost.And then the rested, grateful plant will delight you with a rich, tasty and healthy harvest.
