What year does the apple tree bear?

The minimum period after which an apple tree bears fruit is 5 years. It can be twice as much, it all depends on the selected variety and many other factors. When choosing seedlings, check the fruiting dates of this particular variety, and also make sure that it is suitable for growing in your area. When planting a tree, don't expect quick results. Only after several years of careful care will it delight you with its first fruits. After reading this article, you can study the theoretical side of the issue, and then, in your own garden, in practice, try to bring the fruiting dates of apple trees closer. And believe me, if you approach this issue in detail, then everything will certainly work out.

How long does an apple tree bear fruit

Not only the type of tree determines the timing of fruiting, they are also influenced by the climate of the area and weather conditions. The apple tree prefers dry and warm summers; too much moisture will never do the tree good. In rainy weather, the roots get too much water, which significantly slows down the growing process. That is, the apple tree will begin to bear fruit at different times, even if two trees are of the same variety, but under different weather conditions.

If you are just planning to plant apple trees, then you should take a closer look at varieties that are early-growing, that is, they begin to bear fruit for the first time before many other apple trees. This does not in any way affect the appearance and taste of the fruit, the difference is only in the timing. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following varieties:

1. "People's" apple tree. The fruits of this tree are not very large, of a beautiful yellow, slightly golden color, with a strong aroma and sweet taste, in which there is a slight acidity. The variety can be called early maturing, since apples can be harvested by the end of summer. After you plant a seedling, the next year there will probably be several apples on it. It's too early to talk about a big harvest, but still you can see the result of your efforts. And every next year the apple tree will bear more and more fruit.

2. "Zhigulevskaya" apple tree will present you with golden apples with reddish barrels of sweet and sour taste. Harvesting is carried out in early autumn, the apples are round, slightly flattened at the top and bottom. Starting from the fourth year after planting, the apple tree will delight you with fruits, and the harvest will increase every year, reaching a peak at 8 years. Experienced gardeners say that this year you can harvest about 20 kg of apples from each apple tree.

3. "Lingonberry" apple tree produces red, slightly elongated apples. Harvesting is carried out a little later, in the middle of autumn. The apples are medium-sized, their weight, as a rule, is no more than 100 g, but you will harvest the first harvest three years after planting the tree. This variety has an undoubted advantage over many others, since it is frost-hardy, the apple tree bears fruit stably, and is unpretentious to the composition of the soil and environmental conditions.

There are other varieties of apple trees that begin to yield no later than 4 years after planting, these include White filling, Renet, Borovinka, Volzhskaya and Candy apple trees, as well as many others. All of the above varieties can be planted in the south of Russia, and in the middle lane and in more northern regions. With proper planting and good care, the apple tree bears fruit just in time, and possibly a little earlier.

When the apple tree begins to bear fruit, what measures to take

Gardeners have their own tricks with which you can bring the onset of fruiting closer without harming the tree. These methods have been tested empirically, and they really work.They can be conditionally divided into two categories: chemical and physical. In the first case, we are talking about special preparations with which root and foliar dressings are carried out, stimulating the vegetation process.

The physical impact on the tree consists in carrying out some manipulations that "deceive" nature, affect the branches and trunk of the apple tree, bringing fruiting closer. Since the chemical method does not require special skills, we will not talk about it in more detail - in any agricultural store or garden center, you will be offered a choice of appropriate drugs. But physical methods will require some effort, knowledge and patience from you, so further we will focus on them.

Bending down the branches of an apple tree may sound a little scary, but at the same time, this method of accelerating the growing season is absolutely safe. It is possible to bend down branches only in young trees; in an older apple tree, there is a risk of breaking branches, since the wood becomes more and more rigid every year. The purpose of your actions will be to change the angle of inclination of the branches, this will have a positive effect on the growth rate, and therefore, on the approach of fruiting dates. To achieve the desired result, you will need to take a number of steps:

1. In the spring, choose branches that are thin and strong enough to bend without breaking.
2. Prepare spacers of sturdy material and place them between the apple tree trunk and the branch.
3. Closer to the edge of the branch, tie a rope, the other end of which is tied around the bottom of the trunk.
In the summer, all this can be removed. Be very careful not to break the branches.

Pinching is another effective way to accelerate the growth of an apple tree, although they will work only on very small seedlings, about 25 cm high.It will be necessary to pinch the upper parts of the shoots so that 3 leaves remain from the trunk. After that, the tree will begin to grow much more actively, and, accordingly, fruiting will also come closer. As you can see, the method is very simple, but you will have to wait a bit for the result, since your apple tree is still very small.

Ringing is a more versatile method, suitable for both young and older apple trees. The fruiting rate with this method increases rapidly, perhaps next summer you will harvest the first crop.

You will need sturdy wire and soft cloth. Wrap a number of powerful branches at the base with a cloth, and then wrap with wire, securing it so that a medical tourniquet is attached (use pliers to fix it well). Such a tightening can be removed in a couple of months, the tree will not suffer from this.

Some consider chemical methods of approaching the timing of fruiting as questionable, since, first of all, any gardener wants to get an environmentally friendly crop. But physical methods of exposure are absolutely safe for both you and the tree. So weigh the pros and cons and make your choice.