Watering apple trees in summer.

The apple tree is one of the most popular fruit trees that gardeners plant on their plots. Everyone loves apples, regardless of age. They are tasty and healthy fresh, they can be used to make compotes, preserves and marmalades, dry or freeze for the winter. The second half of summer and autumn in a productive year can rightfully be called the season of apple pies. Of course, the yield depends on many factors: the right place for the tree, the correct planting of the seedling and regular maintenance. An important part of this care is watering the apple tree, and often beginner gardeners have a question - is it necessary to water the apple tree? And if necessary, when and how much? You can find answers to these questions in this article.

The importance of the correct watering regime for the condition of the tree and the quality of the crop.

Due to climate change, areas that previously received a sufficient amount of precipitation are now often dry summers. Without water, trees (and other plants) cannot absorb nutrients from the soil, therefore, watering is vital for apple trees during the period of active growth. Mature trees can tolerate a short drought, but this does not mean that they can do without water for months, in which case the ovaries will form poorly, the apples will fall off before they ripen. So in the summer, when the weather is hot and there is no rain, it is imperative to water the apple trees. But this must be done at a certain time in order to help, and not harm the plant. And of course, in rainy weather, there is no need for additional watering.

What water should be watered apple trees.

When watering an apple tree, you will need warm water only in the first weeks after planting a seedling; in the future, a strengthened tree will well tolerate watering an apple tree with cold water (the main thing is that its temperature is above 0). But just in case, remember that many plants perceive watering with ice water as frost and can stop their growth or even get sick, so it is still better not to use too cold water. You can use water from a well, plumbing or well on your site, you just need to make sure that there are no harmful impurities in it, because everything that your apple tree absorbs can then be found in its fruits.

Water can be poured into the trunk circle, into specially prepared holes or ditches, and also use the sprinkling method. This is not a matter of principle, it is only important that the soil is soaked deep enough, not less than 60-70 cm.

How much water a tree needs depending on its age.

The amount of moisture that each tree requires depends not only on its age, but also on the composition of the soil in which the apple tree grows. You can always check and find out if the apple tree has enough water. To do this, next to the trunk, dig a hole about thirty centimeters deep (carefully so as not to touch the roots), take a handful of earth and squeeze - if the earth is dry and crumbles, then there is not enough moisture and additional watering is needed.
For a two-year-old seedling in the year of planting, 30 liters will be enough for one watering of the apple tree. In subsequent years, until the age of five, this rate increases to 7 buckets at a time.

After 6 years, some varieties begin to bear fruit, their crown grows, they need more moisture.Therefore, starting from the age of six, watering the apple tree is increased to 10-12 ten-liter buckets so that the near-trunk circle is soaked to a depth of at least 70 cm.
Well, an adult tree, which is in its prime and bears fruit abundantly, will need about 15 buckets, which are evenly distributed in the trunk circle.

Watering rules for apple trees, depending on the season and weather conditions.

It is important to know not only the watering rates, but also at what time to water this, how many times per season and when it is better to refrain from watering. If you did the planting correctly, then the root collar of the apple tree is 2-3 cm higher than the ground level, which means you don't have to worry about moisture stagnating and damaging the tree in this vulnerable place.

Watering an apple tree can be done in different ways: by installing a drip system, by sprinkling, as well as by irrigating the area of ​​the trunk circle.

And now we will talk in more detail about watering, which is necessary for apple trees in different growing seasons and in different climatic conditions.
After planting the seedling, when you compact the soil, you need to form a hole around the trunk and gradually pour 20-30 liters of water into it. It is very important to do this not abruptly, but gradually, waiting for the water to be absorbed. If the planting of the seedling was carried out in the fall and there is enough rainfall, then the apple tree can no longer be watered. And in the case of spring planting, 2-3 more watering of the apple tree will be required.

If the soil on the site is dense and poorly permeable to water, then the roots may begin to rot. It is important to find out this point before planting seedlings and lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the planting pit. A balance must be struck, as excessive moisture is probably even more dangerous to the tree than a lack of moisture.

In the spring, before the tree blooms, some water the apple tree if the winter was snowless. But experienced gardeners do not recommend watering the trees during the flowering period, since in the future this can lead to a decrease in yield, the appearance of mold and rot of ripening fruits. Therefore, it is necessary to water the apple trees for the first time in the coming season 2-2.5 weeks after flowering ends, in the middle lane this is usually the third decade of May. And of course, be sure to check if the ground is wet enough, and, depending on this, adjust the irrigation rates.

If in the summer there is hot dry weather, then it is recommended to water young trees every 10 days. If no abnormal heat is recorded, then after spring watering June can be skipped, and then water the trees in July and August. As for mature trees, they should be watered some time after the end of flowering (we talked about this above), then at the moment when the fruits begin to grow and pour and a couple of weeks before the final ripening of the crop. At this time, only moistening of the soil is allowed, sprinkling should be excluded, since apples may begin to rot. If there is no rain in the autumn, then apple trees can be watered in October, usually by this time the harvest has already been harvested.

The above watering rates require adjustment depending on the climate of the area in which you live. In the middle lane and in the south, the weather can be drier, while in the western regions there is often a lot of precipitation and the soil becomes too wet.

When it is hot for a long time, and the temperature is kept at +30 degrees and above, apple trees should be watered every 7-10 days. The amount of water is calculated based on the size of the tree: 3 winds for each square meter of the trunk circle, if you use less water, then it will not reach the roots.
In areas with severe winters, it is not recommended to water apple trees in August, as the growth of young shoots may begin, which will not have time to get stronger and freeze in winter, which means that the whole tree may suffer.

During a drought, apples often begin to crumble, not having time to ripen, this happens precisely from a lack of water.In an attempt to help the tree, inexperienced gardeners water the tree often and little by little, but this does not work, since the water does not reach the roots. It is important to remember that fruit trees need not frequent, but abundant watering, which will deeply moisten the soil in the near-trunk circle.

Any trees do not tolerate drought very well, but they tolerate excessive moisture even worse - at this time various pathogens and fungal infections begin to activate. Therefore, in rainy weather, the question of watering is not worth it.

How can you feed a tree while watering?

In order for the apple tree to be healthy and strong, and the soil under it does not deplete, it is necessary to regularly fertilize. Plants absorb best of all those fertilizers that come to them in liquid form, so it is recommended to feed the trees during watering. What exactly will benefit the apple tree the most?

Everyone knows that apples are rich in iron; in addition, the presence of iron in the soil in available compounds protects plants from chlorosis. So when watering, you can add inkstone, but in a strictly defined dosage, and this can not be done annually. The use of ferrous sulfate will also have a good preventive effect, protecting the apple tree from fungal diseases. It is better to use it at the end of the season.
But in the spring, you can process an apple tree copper sulfate, but only by spraying, it is not recommended to use it when watering. And when sprinkled, it has a positive effect on the immunity of the tree and protects against the invasion of harmful insects.
When watering an apple tree, you can add bird droppingswhich is a very effective organic fertilizer. Fill it with water in the recommended dosage, leave for several days, and then water the soil in the near-trunk circle (for an apple tree in the first year of planting, one bucket will be enough, for an adult tree - no more than three buckets). Do not forget that fertilization is combined with watering, that is, after the bird droppings, it will be necessary to pour the remaining water rate into the trunk circle.

Do not pour water under the trees that remains after washing the dishes. Soapy water the apple tree will be useful only if dyes and harmful additives were not used in the manufacture of soap.

Often used as fertilizer yeast, but in the case of apple trees, such solutions are not suitable for watering. However, they can be used to spray the fruit tree, as this will help to cope with various diseases (rot, rust).
Many recommend manganese solution, as a method of soil disinfection. This method is not suitable for apple trees, since such a solution contributes to an increase in the level of acidity of the soil, and apple trees do not tolerate acidic soil.

Conclusion.

Caring for an apple tree requires attention and hard work. It is quite possible that as you gain experience, you will make mistakes, the main thing is to notice and correct them in time.

When mulching the soil in the trunk circle, do not put too thick a layer of compost. If you use hay or straw as mulch, make sure that they do not touch the trunk of the tree.

Be sure to check if the soil is wet enough. Frequent, but insufficient watering will not bring results, the water must saturate the soil deeply and reach the roots, without this the apple tree will not be able to absorb the necessary trace elements and nutrients from the soil.