You can expect fruit and berry yields, hoping for favorable weather conditions and Mother Nature, and you can try to improve them with the help of dressings. In addition, regular measures to fertilize plants make it possible to improve the soil and maintain its fertility at the required level, as well as its physical properties, and strengthen the immunity of trees.
And here the main thing is to carry out this process correctly, since the erroneous application of fertilizers can be harmful, not good. How to produce feeding of fruit trees and shrubs in early spring, we will tell in this article.
How to feed
Like any plants, fruit trees and berry bushes for normal growth and development require the supply of such required nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Nitrogen helps plants grow and bear fruit; phosphorus activates their development and makes a strong root system; Potassium contributes to the fact that trees are better able to survive the adverse environmental conditions, increases their resistance to diseases and affects the quality and keeping quality of fruits.
For fertilizing seed crops (apples, pears) large doses of fertilizers are needed, rather than stone trees (plums, cherries).
Organic and minerals are used as fertilizers. Organic substances are suitable:
- manure;
- compost;
- humus;
- bird droppings;
- peat;
- leaf mulch, straw, sawdust, etc.
- superphosphate;
- potassium sulfate;
- sulfur potassium (chloride);
- nitroammofosku;
- urea;
- ammonium nitrate.
Basic tips and tricks
Before proceeding to the description of the process and timing of feeding specific plants, we give general recommendations for making fertilizers for fruit and berry bushes and trees:
- Start feeding should be at the stage of planting. As a rule, organic matter is introduced into the landing pits: peat, humus, compost. As well as phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Potassium mixed with earth is put on the bottom. Phosphorus is introduced into the upper layer of the pit.
- There is no need to plant nitrogen when planting.
- To feed the fruit trees start from the second year of their life. For yearling plants, this procedure is not needed.
- Phosphate-potassium supplements should be introduced in the fall, nitrogenous - in early spring.
- If in the fall fertilizing was not made, then in the spring it should be fed with complex fertilizers.
- If the soil on which fruit trees grow is poor, then organic matter should be added to the tree trunk every year. In other cases - after two or three years.
- Organic fertilizers must be diluted in water. Mineral fertilizers are used both in dry and diluted form, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Organic fertilizers can be mixed with minerals. In this case, their dose should be reduced.
- Stone trees require additional feeding up to four, five years old.
- For garden trees, foliar application is also possible.
- In the first five years, fertilizing is sufficient only in the near-stem circle; in the future, the territory will need to be expanded.
- Any fertilizer applied only on well-moistened soil. After their introduction is carried out abundant watering.
- Before feeding, a prerequisite is weeding the tree trunk and getting rid of weeds.
- As a rule, feeding in the spring is carried out two to three weeks before the start of flowering.
- Fertilizing for fruit crops directly under the trunk is wrong.
- If a mixture of substances is used, then each of them is diluted in a small amount of water, and only then mixed. Water is added to the required volume.
Features fertilizer fruit trees
Apple trees
In the spring, after waking up and getting out of the state of rest, trees especially need help and feeding with necessary elements.
The first top dressing of apple trees in the spring is carried out at a time when it is snowing. During this period, they require the replenishment of nitrogen, which can be applied using mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizers and organic: manure, bird droppings and compost.
It is interesting to read about the varieties of apple trees and the peculiarities of their cultivation: "Gloucester", "Semerenko", "Dream", "Shtreyfling", "Orlik", "Silver Hoof", "White filling", "Zhigulevskoe".
They make a digging in the near-stem circle, at a distance of 50-60 cm from the trunk, around the perimeter of the crown, previously irrigating it abundantly. In the soil is groove 45-50 cm deep. Directly under the barrel fertilizers are not applied.
The first feeding is better to do before flowering with the help of organic matter. Three to five buckets of humus, chicken manure or mullein are kept in the near-trunk circle. Also for the first fertilizer suitable 500-600 g of urea, ammonium nitrate, nitroammofoska: 30-40 g
The second dressing is carried out already in the course of apple blossom. During this period, use 10-liter diluted water tanks:
- superphosphate (100 g), potassium sulfate (65-70 g);
- chicken manure (1.5-2 l);
- slurry (0.5 buckets);
- urea (300 g).
Important! Fertilize feed, diluted in water, it is necessary in dry weather. If it is either planned to rain, then you can enter them in a dry form.You can apply the following mixture, diluted in a 200-liter container with water and infused during the week:
- potassium sulphate (800 g);
- superphosphate (1 kg);
- bird droppings (5 l) or liquid manure (10 l), urea (500 g).
In the spring, for apple trees, a third dressing will be needed - it is made after flowering, when the fruits begin to tie. At this time, a mixture of nitroammofoski (0.5 kg), dry potassium humate (10 g) diluted in 100 liters of water is suitable. The solution should be used on the basis of consumption: three buckets for each tree.
It is also possible to feed with green fertilizers, which are made from green grass, filled with water and infused under polyethylene for 20 days.
In addition to root dressings, it is good to feed apples and foliar way. It is used after the formation of leaves and when it will be 20 days after the flowering phase. It is used in the form of spraying leaves, stem and branches. Most often, apple trees are fed with urea (2 tablespoons / 10 liters of water), which not only feeds the tree, but also fights with certain diseases.
Also from foliar fertilizing it is possible to advise spraying the crown with dissolved ash (1 cup / 2 l of hot water). This spring dressing is suitable for both apple and pear trees during fruit ripening. Spraying can be done several times, taking intervals in 10-15 days.
Did you know? The largest apple grown in the world - the work of the Japanese gardener Chisato Ivasagi, who has grown giant fruits for over 20 years. The giant apple had a mass of 1 kg 849 g. And the Guinness Book of Records records an apple weighing 1 kg 67 g. It was raised by an Englishman Alain Smith.
Pears
The first fertilizer under the pear is made from the moment of its awakening and the descent of snow. They are introduced by radical method for digging in solid and liquid species, depending on the presence of precipitation. Like other plants, at this time the pear requires nitrogen replenishment. It is better if this addition is made with the help of organic matter: mullein, slurry, bird droppings. Korovyak and slush simply diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 5. Litter must ferment for several days.
The fertilization technique under the pear is the same as under the apple tree - in the tree trunk, departing 50-60 cm from the trunk.
Of mineral fertilizers recommended use such nitrogen containing:
- ammonium nitrate (30 g / 1 sq. m, diluted with water 1:50);
- carbamide (80-120 g / 5 l of water / 1 tree).
In subsequent feedings, if organic matter is not available, complex fertilizers can be used: nitroammofosku, nitroammfos, etc. The nitroammophosk is diluted in a ratio of 1: 200 and poured three buckets under one barrel.
Cherries
Fertilizing cherries is advised when she will be three years old, provided that fertilizers have been applied to the planting pit. For feeding in the spring, as a rule, only urea solution is used (100-300 g per tree depending on age). However, if a tree grows poorly and gives poor yields, it should be fed with fertilizer mixtures. So, recommended following supplements:
- mullein (0.5 buckets), ash (0.5 kg), water (3 l);
- fermented bird droppings (1 kg);
- potassium sulfate (25-30 g / 1 tree).
Important! It is recommended to carry out any top dressing in the absence of the afternoon sun or in the evening.
Plums
Plum loves an alkaline environment, so when applying fertilizer when planting, ash must be present. The first dressings of plums are recommended to be carried out at the age of two. This should be carbamide (20 g / 1 sq. M.).
In three years, the drain will require three supplements, one of which should be at the beginning of May. During this period, use 2 tablespoons of urea, diluted in a bucket of water.
Plum is a very tasty and healthy fruit, which has the following subspecies: deciduous, peach plum, Chinese plum, Hungarian.
From the fourth year, the plum will already become an adult fruiting tree, which will need three root dressings and one foliar: before flowering, after flowering, during the ripening of the crop. Before flowering is administered:
- urea mixture (2 tablespoons), potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons), diluted in 10 liters of water;
- Berry fertilizer (300 g / 10 l).
- carbamide (2 tbsp. l.), nitrophoska (3 tbsp. l.);
- Berry Giant fertilizer.
In the fruit ripening phase, the plum is fed with organic matter. Fermented chicken manure, diluted with water 1 to 20, is well suited for this.
Manure and ashes recommended to make no more than once every two to three years.
For plums are good mulching of peat and compost. Also effective are green fertilizers (green manure), consisting of the following herbs: winter rye, mustard, phacelia, etc.
Did you know? In England, plum is considered the royal fruit, since Elizabeth II begins her day by eating two plums and only then begins to eat other food. She eats a certain variety that grows in the royal garden, - "Brompcon"The fact is that physicians advise you to add several plums to your daily diet in order to improve digestion and improve the functioning of the nervous system. In addition, the drain does an excellent job with lowering cholesterol.
Apricots
Apricot is fed from the second year of life. Up to four or five years, fertilizers sprinkle or pour around, but not near the trunk. In the future, as the root system grows, the area for adding supplements increases by half a meter every year.
The most popular for apricot during and after flowering are considered following feeds:
- humus (manure) (4 kg), nitrogen (6 g), phosphorus (5 g), potassium (8 g) per 1 sq. km. m;
- compost (5-6 kg / 1 sq. m);
- bird droppings (300 g / 1 sq. m);
- urea (2 tbsp. l. / 10 l).
Fruit shrubs
Feed the fruit bushes (raspberries, currants, blackberries, etc.) in the spring is best the following substances:
- ammonium nitrate (25-30 g / 1 sq. m);
- ammonium sulfate (40-50 g / 1 sq. m.).
Under the root make:
- diluted in 10 liters of water, urea (3 tbsp. l.) and ash (half a cup);
- manure (1 bucket) and saltpeter.
In May, foliar dressing will be helpful. Spraying with potassium sulphate and superphosphate, manganese sulphate and boric acid is used for them.
Good yields are observed in plants sprayed with potassium permanganate (5-10 g), boric acid (2-3 g), copper sulphate (30-40 g) dissolved in water (10 l).
The introduction of the required nutrients is an important and necessary step in the care of any plants. However, it must be remembered that both the lack of substances and their overabundance can be disastrous for trees, shrubs and crops, and lead to the development of diseases and the invasion of parasites.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that nutrition is balanced and is carried out only if it is really needed for plants and soil, and in the quantities that are recommended for this particular culture.
