Spring feeding of fruit bushes and trees. Fertilizing trees in spring

Every summer resident takes care of the health of fruit trees and berry bushes, rejoicing lush flowering plants in the spring and delicious juicy fruits in the summer and autumn. The foundation for a bountiful garden harvest for the next season is laid in the fall. The main task during this period is to feed the plants, saturate them with nutrients to help endure the dormant stage and cope with severe winter frosts. Therefore, feeding fruit trees in the fall is a very important stage in garden care.

During the growing season, when fruits ripen on trees and shrubs, plants absorb many nutrients from the soil. First of all, we are talking about nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and other trace elements. The application of organic and mineral fertilizers replenishes the balance of chemical elements, and also helps improve the soil structure and create favorable conditions for the development of beneficial soil microflora.

What fertilizers are used for autumn feeding of the garden?

The choice of fertilizer depends on the preferences of the summer resident. For example, fans of biological farming try not to use mineral fertilizers on the site, believing that traditional organic matter can completely eliminate soil imbalances and restore the optimal content of microelements in the soil.

Phosphorus. They help strengthen the root system, as well as the accumulation of protein compounds and sugary substances in tree sap.
Potassium. They increase the frost resistance of all crops and lead to the removal of excess liquid from plant tissues.
Wood ash or plant ash. It structures the soil, prevents soil acidification, and enriches the soil mixture with all the necessary microelements.
Organic. They increase the percentage of humus in the soil, help improve moisture and air permeability of the soil, prevent soil mineralization, and increase productivity.

As you can see, there are no nitrogen fertilizers among the list of fertilizing compounds. The fact is that after mid-summer, nitrogen compounds are not introduced into the soil. This is due to the fact that this chemical element activates the growth of green mass and stimulates the growth processes of trees and bushes. And, starting from August, plants that have finished and are finishing fruiting are preparing for a period of rest, and such activation of vital forces is simply contraindicated for them.

Mineral autumn fertilizing

Let's look in detail at how to apply each fertilizer correctly and in what quantities.

Phosphorus fertilizers

To enrich the soil with phosphorus, superphosphate or double superphosphate is used. The difference between these compositions is only in the concentration of the main active element. Granular or powdered mineral fertilizer has proven itself in practice, both in small summer cottages, and in large gardens.

All gardeners should know that phosphorus is a sedentary substance and sparingly soluble in water. Therefore, surface fertilizer (spreading the composition on the surface of the earth in the hope that water will deliver it to the deep layers) is ineffective, or, more simply, completely useless. Superphosphate must be embedded deep into the soil in places where suction root shoots occur.

Plowing phosphorus fertilizers into the root layer of soil is recommended to a depth of 10 to 15 cm for trees and 7 to 10 cm for berry fields.

In addition, fertilizer is not applied at the very trunks of trees or at the base of shrubs, since the suction roots are located along the periphery of the trunk circle.

It is best to add superphosphate into holes dug along the projection of the tree crown around the trunk. The depth of the holes is up to 30 cm (shovel bayonet). One handful of fertilizer is poured into each hole, filled with water and buried.

Regular superphosphate (monophosphate) is sealed at the rate of 45-50 g/sq. meter, granulated superphosphate - 35-40 g/sq. meter, double superphosphate - 25-30 g/sq. meter.

The exact fertilizer rates for each crop, depending on the type and age, are given in the instructions on the package.

Potash fertilizers

Potassium sulfate is considered better than potassium fertilizer, since it does not contain harmful chlorine. The rate of sealing for digging is from 5 to 10 g/sq.m. meter. The simultaneous application of phosphorus and potassium compounds is preferable to the mono application of each fertilizer, since in this case phosphorus is better assimilated in the soil complex.

More cheap option– use of potassium chloride. To prevent chlorine from damaging the roots, this fertilizer is applied as early as possible, so that before winter harmful substance washed away by irrigation water and autumn precipitation into the deep layers of the soil.

Potassium magnesia is another fertilizing composition containing, in addition to potassium, so much needed by trees and bushes magnesium. It is advisable to use this fertilizer in the form of an aqueous solution, watering the tree trunks and the ground under the bushes. Please note that the plant's need for magnesium increases in the lungs sandy soils.

Combined fertilizers

Complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, which are used according to the instructions, have proven themselves well. There are many autumn fertilizers on sale, both mineral and organomineral, that do not contain nitrogen compounds. The attached instructions allow you to calculate application rates for each crop with an accuracy of a few grams.

There are specialized fertilizers for fruit trees, for berry crops, for the entire garden, marked “autumn”. For example, “Fruit”, “Orchard”, “Autumn for the garden”, “Universal”, etc., which allow your plants to overwinter and gain strength for the next season, and also double their survival rate.

Such fertilizers are applied to the tree trunk circles of young seedlings, and in a mature garden they are applied not only to them, but also to the inter-rows of trees and bushes or to the crown projection.

Vegetable ash for autumn feeding

Autumn feeding of fruit trees and shrubs in the fall can be carried out with plant ash. The ash contains practically no nitrogen compounds, as well as chlorine, which is dangerous for some crops.

Ash is considered a natural source of phosphorus and potassium, the concentrations of which vary depending on the original material burned. In addition, it contains magnesium, iron, calcium, fluorine, boron, iodine and all other components necessary for plant life.

Many gardeners successfully replace potassium-phosphorus mineral fertilizers with ash.

The only disadvantage of using ash is the need for large quantities. But zealous owners who burn plant residues from the beginning of spring to the end of summer (cut trunks, branches after pruning, tops vegetable crops, leaf litter, straw, etc.) and storing it in paper bags in the barn are always provided with the required amount of ash.

Norms for applying ash in the garden: ½-1 bucket for each adult plant. Throughout the summer, it is recommended to scatter the ash in circles around the tree trunks, and in the fall to plow it into the soil when digging up the berry patch and garden.

Organic fall fertilizers

Fresh farm animal manure under fruit trees and shrubs are not used, since this product contains high doses of ammonia, which can significantly damage (burn) the roots.

The best organic matter for a garden is considered to be:

Aged compost (so-called “black gold”).
Peat or peat-manure compost.
Humus (composted or completely rotted mullein).
Dry cow and bird excrement.
Vermicompost. Vermicompost granules are added according to the instructions on the package.

For each plant, apply from 1 to 5 buckets of organic fertilizers, depending on age. Incorporation is carried out during digging, trying to thoroughly enrich the soil with a nutrient substrate through deep plowing.

Complex autumn fertilizing of garden crops

According to reviews from experienced gardeners, the best fertilizer for the garden is considered to be a combination of organic and mineral fertilizers. It is complex feeding that ensures the assimilation of all nutritional components in the soil and transforming them into forms that are easily accessible to absorbent roots.

Apple and pear trees. For trees up to 8 years old, take 10 kg of humus or compost, from 8 to 10 years old - 30 kg, and over 10 years old - 50 kg. The nutrient substrate is enriched with 0.3 kg of superphosphate and 0.2 kg of potassium sulfate. The fertilizer is plowed deep into the tree trunk circles and in the projection of the crown using the digging method.
Berry bushes (raspberries, gooseberries, currants). For each bush, take 15 kg of humus or compost, add 60 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium salt. The nutrient mixture is placed in ditches (about 20 cm deep) dug at a distance of about 0.3 m from the plant in a circle or in row-spacings.
Plum and cherry. Spread dry bird droppings or cow excrement in an even layer and embed them in tree trunks or in the ground under bushes using a shovel. After a few days, water with a nutrient solution. For an adult tree, take 40 liters of water and dissolve 10 tbsp in it. spoons of superphosphate and 8 tbsp. spoons of potassium sulfate. The resulting liquid is poured around the tree trunk in early autumn. Fertilizer consumption for young trees from 3 to 5 years old is 2 buckets of the composition.

When to fertilize the garden in the fall?

In order for all plants to prepare for winter and retire “well-fed”, fertilization should be planned as early as possible.

After fertilizing, it is recommended to insulate all tree trunk circles with compost. “Black gold”, laid out in a layer of 5-6 cm, will not only protect the roots from freezing, but will also enrich the soil with the necessary nutrients as it decomposes. There is no need to remove the mulch layer; it is enough to dig it up along with the soil in early spring (after the snow has melted and the soil has warmed up).

Intensive development of the root system of trees and perennial shrubs occurs at the end of September. Sufficient quantity moisture and the whole range of nutrients are provided to plants vital forces and allows them to properly prepare for the winter.

Autumn is the most favorable time for fertilizing perennial plants. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this event. Enriching the soil with nutritional compounds is not only a guarantee of a future harvest, but also a serious help in increasing the resistance of all crops to diseases and pest invasions. Wishing you excellent garden harvests every season!

The productivity of fruit crops and their stable growth are significantly influenced by timely feeding, which must be carried out regularly and taking into account the growing season of plants.

Fertilizer fruit bushes and trees in the summer - an integral part of proper garden care. When organizing garden feeding, it is important to take into account the development of the root system, shoots and the timing of fruiting of trees and shrubs. This approach will protect plants from certain diseases, increase frost resistance and ensure a stable harvest for the current and next year.

The importance of summer feeding for the development of fruit bushes and trees

Fruiting and growth of fruit trees and shrubs directly depends on the supply of nutrients in the root system and above-ground plant organs. It is clear that the necessary useful elements for the normal development of shrubs and trees are constantly consumed and they must be replenished in a timely manner by feeding the plants with organic and mineral fertilizers.

Spring budding of fruit trees, active growth of shoots, roots and flowering of the garden occur mainly due to nutrients accumulated over the previous summer and autumn. Therefore, it is necessary to lay the foundation for the future harvest in advance, namely in the summer.

In addition, the most active absorption of nutrients by fruit and berry plants occurs in the spring and with the onset of summer, so it is at this time that it is important to support and feed trees and shrubs. However, we must act carefully to prevent an overabundance of mineral and organic fertilizers - this can have a detrimental effect on plants, and even destructive for young shrubs and trees.

Types of fertilizers and their effect on the growth of fruit trees and shrubs

Fruit and berry plants in the garden can be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers include:

compost;
manure;
green manure crops;
slurry.

Compost is a fertilizer consisting of rotted waste and plant waste.

Do not use undecomposed compost - there is a possibility that it contains viable weed seeds

Manure is considered a complete organic fertilizer, enriching the soil with useful elements and improving its thermal conditions, air and water permeability.

When using manure, you need to pay attention to its condition - rotted manure is a dark brown loose earthy mass. Poultry manure has the most effective fertilizing effect on fruit and berry plants (pig manure has a low nutrient content).

Adding composts to the soil improves the use and digestibility of mineral fertilizers.

The following are used in gardening: mineral fertilizers:

nitrogen;
phosphorus;
calcium;
potash;
microfertilizers.

Nitrogen mineral fertilizers (urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate) show the best results on sandy soils, and chernozems require the least replenishment of nitrogen reserves. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers accelerate the growth of trees, shrubs, and participate in the formation of fruits.

Nitrogen fertilizers are not fixed in the soil and if they have not been used by the plant, they are simply washed out of the soil over time. Therefore, nitrogen must be applied regularly - several times throughout the year. It must be remembered that in order to obtain a visible effect from fertilizers, the soil must be slightly moist when applying fertilizer so that ammonia does not evaporate.

Phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate, double superphosphate, bone meal and phosphate rock) in gardening are usually used in granular form. Phosphorus-based fertilizers are applied deep into the soil, since phosphorus fertilizers are firmly fixed in the soil.

The effectiveness of phosphorus fertilizers largely depends on their solubility. Superphosphate is a fast-acting fertilizer, and it is advisable to mix slowly soluble phosphorus fertilizers thoroughly with the soil.

Top dressing in summer orchard Phosphorus fertilizers are usually not used, but rather the plants are fertilized in the fall.

Feeding fruit plants potassium fertilizers (potassium sulfate) help plants synthesize sugar, improve winter hardiness, drought resistance and increase resistance to fungal diseases. Potassium accumulates well in chernozems, and in sandy and peaty soils is held weaker.

Wood ash has a high potassium content and is often used by gardeners to feed fruit trees and shrubs.

Equally important for the proper development of plants and high yields is the timely application of microfertilizers, which contain the entire complex of necessary microelements, such as manganese, copper, iron, boron, zinc, sulfur, molybdenum.

Organization of fertilizing of fruit trees

how to determine the amount of fertilizer for an orchard

You need to add one to the diameter of the tree crown and multiply the resulting value by 3.14 - the calculation result shows the area of soil for applying fertilizers.
The calculated area must be multiplied by the required area for 1 sq. m dose of fertilizer.

When organizing fertilizing of fruit trees, the following points must be taken into account:

the intensity of the irrigation regime affects the amount of fertilizer applied - abundant irrigation requires several large doses of nutrients;

if it is planned to carry out significant pruning of trees, then the amount of fertilizer must be increased for better growth of young shoots;
liquid fertilizers should be applied around bushes and trees, extending beyond the crown projection by about half a meter;
if the soil is regularly fertilized with ash, then there is no need to fertilize with microelements;
it is necessary to reduce the acidity of the soil (optimal acidity is 5.5-6.5 pH) by liming the soil - add lime plaster or powdered slaked lime;

to feed young plants it is necessary to use less concentrated preparations;
when simultaneously applying mineral and organic fertilizers, their rate should be halved.

summer feeding of pome and stone fruit trees

Summer feeding of fruit trees is necessary to activate the activity of the root system, as well as to enhance its nutrition. The increased ability of roots to absorb nutrients promotes the formation of buds already in the summer, when fruits are weighing on the trees.

It should be noted that pome fruit trees (pear, apple) require larger doses of organic and mineral fertilizers than stone fruit trees (cherry, apricot, sweet cherry, peach).

To feed apple and pear trees (9-10 years old), you can adhere to the following fertilizer consumption rates per day square meter monthly (June, July, August):

potassium salt - 3 g;
superphosphate - 5 g;
montan saltpeter - 6 g.

Late feeding in August for adult plants will not cause harm, unlike young trees, since all nutrients will be involved in laying the crop for next year, and not for the active growth of young shoots.

Stone fruit trees need to be fed three times during the growing season: the first - before flowering (spring), the second - during the period of fruit filling, and the third - after harvesting.

Feeding cherries in summer can be organized as follows:

During the period of fruit filling, the tree should be watered with a solution of “Berry Giant” (300 grams per bucket of water) with the addition of two tablespoons of urea. “Berry giant” can be replaced with three tablespoons of nitrophoska.
After harvesting, the tree must be fertilized with the following solution: three tablespoons of superphosphate and two tablespoons of potassium sulfate per bucket of water.

Carrying out such fertilizing will help the trees to winter well and protect them from many diseases and pests.

Organization of fertilizing of fruit bushes

They need intensive feeding in summer berry bushes. It is advisable to carry out four feedings during the season:

the first - during flowering (mid-May);
the second - during the period of intensive shoot growth (early June);
the third - at the moment of formation of the ovary, filling of berries (June-July);
the fourth - after harvest.

Feeding berry bushes should be done after watering or rain.

It is advisable to fertilize raspberries at the beginning of summer with mineral fertilizers (liquid): per bucket of water - 10 grams of potassium chloride, 40 grams of superphosphate, 20 grams of urea (consumption for 6-7 bushes). After applying fertilizers, the soil under the plant must be loosened.

Once every three years, raspberries should be fed with organic fertilizers per 1 sq.m. - 0.5-1 bucket of humus or manure.

Currants are very sensitive to fertilizing. When organizing fertilizing of berry bushes, it is important to remember that currants react poorly to the chlorine content in fertilizers, so it is important to correctly calculate the doses of potassium fertilizing.

You can fertilize currants in summer in the following steps:

If organic fertilizers were applied to the currants in the fall, then the plant must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers (for 10 liters of water - 35 grams of calcium nitrate, 15 grams of ammonium nitrate, 12 grams of urea). If organic fertilizers were not applied before winter, then in spring and summer the bush should be fed with organic fertilizers (manure should be diluted in water and urea should be added). Such fertilizing should be done three times: the first - in the spring before flowering, and every subsequent one in two weeks.
To increase the content of vitamins in berries, improve their taste qualities and aroma, it is necessary to fertilize from ready-made fertilizer mixtures: “Berry”, “Ideal”, “Berry Giant”. During the summer you can carry out three feedings (the last one should be immediately after picking the berries).

Gooseberries need larger doses of potassium fertilizers than currants. In the first half of summer, gooseberries should be fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers (13-16 grams of dry active substance per 1 sq. m) with the addition of potassium and phosphorus (30 grams of superphosphate and 15 grams of potassium sulfate). If fertilizing is carried out in dry weather, then dry fertilizers must be dissolved in water.

It is impossible to feed gooseberries with nitrogen fertilizers in the second half of summer, otherwise the young shoots of the plant will become brittle and susceptible to powdery mildew. In addition, such a shrub may not tolerate harsh winter weather conditions.

Foliar feeding

As an additional method of feeding in the summer, foliar feeding of fruit trees and shrubs is often used. When foliar feeding (spraying) plants receive nutrients directly through the leaves.

For such fertilizing, both organic and mineral fertilizers are used. Gives a good effect foliar feeding microfertilizers. Zinc increases the resistance of trees and shrubs to diseases, boron promotes active and abundant flowering, and manganese increases yield and sugar content in fruits.

When foliar feeding, it is necessary to use weak fertilizer solutions so as not to damage the leaf tissue. The concentration of urea for foliar feeding in summer should be no more than 1%, potassium sulfate or chloride 0.5-1%, superphosphate - up to 5%.

Foliar feeding of pear and apple trees can be carried out with a solution of zinc sulfate (0.2 g/l), borax (1 g/l) or manganese sulfate (0.2 g/l). If you combine all three microelements at the same time, then the dose of each should be halved.

After harvesting, the currant bush can be treated with a solution: for one bucket of water - 5 g of potassium permanganate, 10 g of copper sulfate, 2 g of boric acid. Currant bushes should be sprayed in the evening.

For gooseberries, foliar fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus (1-2%) fertilizers, as well as microelements: manganese sulfate (0.1-0.5%) and boric acid (0,01-0,05%).

At the beginning of summer and after harvesting, raspberries can be treated with zinc or manganese sulfate (5-10 g per 10 liters of water), copper sulfate(about 5 g per 10 liters of water) or molybdenum ammonium (1-3 g per bucket of water).

Timely feeding of trees and shrubs will allow you to annually receive a high harvest and enjoy beautiful, well-groomed appearance orchard.

Our grandmothers, growing garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, did not particularly worry about mulching. But today this agricultural technique has become fundamental in achieving High Quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's a hassle. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very diverse. Despite the fact that “little ones” have always been considered more fashionable, the range of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it’s worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of prickliness, impact on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article we will tell you about the five most fashionable succulents that amazingly transform modern interiors.

The Egyptians used mint as early as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils, which are highly volatile. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article we will look at the most interesting varieties mint, and also tell you about the features of growing this plant in open ground.

People began growing crocuses 500 years before our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the harbingers of spring next year. Crocuses are one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, flowering times may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article is dedicated to the earliest varieties of crocuses, which bloom in late March and early April.

Cabbage soup made from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, aromatic and easy to prepare. In this recipe you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. Early cabbage It cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as other vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup turns out tastier than freshly prepared cabbage soup.

Looking at the variety of tomato varieties, it’s hard not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners are sometimes confused by it! However, understanding the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself” is not so difficult. The main thing is to delve into the peculiarities of the culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest groups of tomatoes to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been valued by those gardeners who do not have much energy and time to care for their beds.

Once very popular under the name of indoor nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleus today is one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. It is not for nothing that they are considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are primarily looking for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant monitoring. But if you take care of them, bushes made of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provençal herbs provides tasty pieces of fish pulp for a light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. The champignons are lightly fried in olive oil and then sprinkled with apple cider vinegar. These mushrooms are tastier than regular pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Wild garlic and fresh dill get along well in one salad, highlighting each other’s aroma. The garlicky pungency of wild garlic will permeate both the salmon flesh and mushroom pieces.

A coniferous tree or shrub on a site is always great, but a lot of conifers is even better. Emerald needles of various shades decorate the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils, released by plants, not only aromatize, but also make the air cleaner. As a rule, most zoned adults coniferous plants, are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require proper care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the canopy flowering trees have long become an integral attribute of welcoming spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. The financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent cherry blossoms bloom. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese take place under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

I am very interested in analyzing how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and was an item of trade, lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century B.C. e. About 6 varieties of quince were known, and even then methods of its propagation and cultivation were described.

Delight your family and prepare themed cottage cheese cookies in the shape of Easter eggs! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration as the pieces of dough turn into real ones. Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read our step by step recipe!

Among tuberous crops, there are not so many decorative deciduous favorites. And caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of interiors. Not everyone can decide to own a caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all, it requires care. But still, rumors about the extraordinary capriciousness of caladiums are never justified. Attention and care can avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And the plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply easy-to-prepare dish for you today. This sauce is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or anything. Chicken and mushroom gravy will save you in moments when you don’t have time or don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Take your favorite side dish (you can do this in advance so that everything is hot), add some gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.

Among the many different varieties We will tell you about three of these most popular vegetables, which are distinguished by their excellent taste and relatively unpretentious growing conditions. Characteristics of the eggplant varieties “Almaz”, “Black Beauty” and “Valentina”. All eggplants have medium-density pulp. In Almaz it is greenish, while in the other two it is yellowish-white. They are united by good germination and excellent yield, but in different time. Everyone's skin color and shape are different.

When applying fertilizers, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the soil of the site: the degree of its fertility and supply of nutrients, as well as the reaction of the environment (whether it is favorable or not quite for the growth of fruit and berry plants), mechanical composition of the soil (heavy, clayey or light, mixed with sand), age of the plantings, etc.

Fertilizer use

In the first years of life, plants are especially demanding of phosphorus, since it stimulates root growth and ensures the growth of above-ground mass.

Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, as noted above, are characterized by low mobility and are fixed mainly in the zone of application to the soil. Therefore, it is very important to apply them deeply, even before planting trees and shrubs, in increased doses designed for a long period of action.

The use of nitrogen fertilizers when caring for the garden due to their good solubility and mobility in the soil is not particularly difficult. The main task when using them is to prevent loss of nitrogen, since its ammonia form is volatile, and its nitrate form is mobile, especially on light soils and during irrigation.

Therefore, all nitrogen fertilizers applied in dry form must be immediately incorporated into the ground.

On light soils and with irrigation, high one-time doses of nitrogen fertilizers are not used, but they are applied fractionally and more often than on heavy soils and without irrigation. The gardener should remember that in the first half of summer, plants need all three main nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Excess nitrogen in the second half of summer can cause protracted growth and therefore reduce winter hardiness, especially of stone fruits.

Fertilizer application

Fertilizers for apple trees, pears, cherries, and plums are applied to planting holes, and in areas designated for berry gardens - for digging. In this case, rotted manure and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used. It is better to apply superphosphate in the form of an organo-mineral mixture. Take 300 g of simple superphosphate or 150 g per bucket of poured manure. - double. Superphosphate is mixed with wet organic matter 2 weeks before application. Under the apple tree, 2-3 buckets of this mixture are brought into the hole; in total this amounts to 15-25 kg of manure, 450-900 g of superphosphate. Potassium fertilizers are applied in 200-300 g increments. For stone fruit crops, the dose of fertilizer is halved. It is not recommended to introduce unrotted manure and nitrogen fertilizers into the pits. With good pre-planting soil filling, trees usually do not need additional phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the first 4-5 or more years. In the first year after planting, manure is applied in the form of mulch and covered during digging. In the future, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers for 4-5 years, before the garden begins to bear fruit.

The application of nitrogen fertilizers should begin 2-3 years after planting, when the plants have taken root and become stronger. If applied during the year of planting, they can cause burns to young roots and impair the survival rate of plants. IN young garden on fertile soil, the need for nitrogen in fruit plants usually occurs in early spring, when the process of natural microbiological formation of nitrates is suppressed. In this regard, nitrogen fertilizers containing nitrogen in nitrate form (ammonium nitrate) are applied at a dose of 15-20 g per 1 m 2. This work is carried out when the bulk of the snow has melted, but in the morning the soil is still frozen. If for some reason it was not possible to apply fertilizer at this time, then it is applied before the first spring loosening of the soil (harrowing).

In the first years, fertilizers have little effect on tree growth, but as they approach fruiting, their effect increases more and more. With the entry of tree species into fruiting, the fertilizer application system consists of autumn (main) application, spring application and fertilizing. The main thing is that in the fall, before digging, organic fertilizers (manure, compost) and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied (30-45 g of superphosphate and 20-25 g of potassium sulfate or chloride per 1 m2). The autumn application of chlorine-containing potassium fertilizers helps to wash out chlorine from the soil.

Deep application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, as already noted, promotes the development of a powerful root system. It is carried out into furrows, annular grooves, etc. The best way is focal. The outbreaks are holes made along the periphery of the crown to a depth of 30-35 cm. One hole is placed per linear meter. The amount of fertilizer intended for application under one tree is distributed equally to all holes.

Joint application of mineral fertilizers with organic fertilizers is effective. The rate of mineral fertilizers is reduced by half.

Spring application of fertilizers for fruit trees usually involves the use of ammonium nitrate, this has already been discussed in detail above. But if organic and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers were not applied in the fall, they need to be applied in the spring (preferably in the holes).

For fruit bearing trees great importance They also have supplements. In non-irrigated gardens, they are most often limited to the early spring application of ammonium nitrate, since in the absence of watering, fertilizing is ineffective. The application rate is 15-20 g per 1 m2 during the period when the garden enters fruiting and 20-25 g when it is fully fruiting.

In irrigated gardens, there is a danger of leaching of mobile nitrogen into deep layers, especially on light soils. At the same time, fruit-bearing orchards especially need nitrogen fertilizer. Therefore, in a fruit-bearing irrigated garden, in addition to the early spring application of nitrogen fertilizers, one or two additional feedings are carried out during the growing season. The first - with nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) after physiological shedding of the ovary - in a dose of 10 g per 1 m 2. If the harvest is high, a second feeding should be done after 20-25 days. It is carried out with complete fertilizer and promotes the normal formation of flower buds for next year's harvest. It is advisable to use complex fertilizers: nitrophoska (25-30 g per 1 m2) or nitroammofoska (20 g per 1 m2) with the addition of potassium sulfate or chloride (10 g per 1 m2).

In a lean year, they limit themselves only to basic fertilizer and spring application of nitrogen, since in this case the consumption of nutrients goes only to the increase in vegetative mass and the formation of flower buds for the next year's harvest. It is necessary to restrain the formation of buds so as not to overload the tree with the harvest in a year.

When feeding, mineral fertilizers can be applied in either liquid or dry form. In the first case, the fertilizer should be dissolved in water - 20-30 g per 10 liters, in the second, subsequent watering is required.

Good results are obtained by feeding with local liquid organic fertilizers - slurry, bird droppings, which are applied at the rate of 1 bucket per 2-3 m of furrow. They are cut along the periphery of the tree crown on two or four sides, one or two at a time, with a depth: for apple and pear trees - 15-18 cm, for plums and cherries - 12-14 cm. Bird droppings are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:12, slurry—1:4. Fertilizing is best timed to coincide with rains. If the weather is dry, the furrows need to be watered. Fertilizing can be done simultaneously with watering. When using fertilizing, it is necessary to remember, however, that this method of fertilizing is auxiliary and cannot replace the main fertilizer. The use of nitrogen fertilizers, especially in young orchards, must be approached carefully, strictly observing the doses and timing of application. A constant excess of nitrogen, especially in the case of a lack of other elements, leads to the fact that young plants may experience a state of so-called “fatification,” that is, violent growth in the absence of fruiting. It is not immediately possible to induce fruiting in fattening trees. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to weaken the nitrogen supply, and at the same time, increase the phosphorus-potassium supply, and reduce watering. In some cases, it is necessary to resort to the use of special techniques: constriction of branches, ringing, etc.

Strawberry fertilizer

When preparing the site for its August planting, it is necessary to add organic fertilizers in advance, at the beginning of summer for digging: half-rotted manure, humus or compost - 4-5 kg per 1 m2, as well as mineral fertilizers: double granulated superphosphate - 20-25 g per 1 m2 and potassium sulfate - 25-30 g each. Early in the spring of next year and annually thereafter, nitrogen fertilizing with ammonium nitrate is given in a dose of 20-25 g per 1 m2. After harvesting, full mineral fertilizer is applied annually when digging between rows. For this purpose, complex fertilizers are used: nitrophoska or azofoska in a dose of 40-50 g per 1 m2.

Instead, you can add ammophos at a dose of 15-20 g per 1 m2 and potassium sulfate - 20-25 g. This will help to ensure good fruit bud formation for next year's harvest.

Maybe instead mineral fertilizing use bird droppings in liquid form, diluted 12-15 times.

And shrubs are the most important agrotechnical measure, on which the further growth of crops depends, their decorative properties and fruiting. Fertilizers applied in the spring saturate the soil with the nutrients necessary for plants, which contributes to abundant flowering, ovary formation, and increased productivity. Fruit crops grow for many years in the same soil, from which they continuously consume nutrients. Fertilizers applied in the fall are not able to fully cover the plants’ need for useful elements. Therefore, by spring, when intensive tree growth resumes, the soil is in especially dire need of mineral and organic fertilizing. A lack of nutrients during the growing season can seriously weaken the plants, which will certainly affect fruiting and the quality of the fruit.

What fertilizers to use

With the onset of warmth, plant growth and vegetation are activated, and these processes are best carried out with the participation of nitrogen. Therefore, nitrogen-containing products are among the first to be used. The second most important are potassium and phosphorus. They are introduced later, at the stage of intensive growth and flowering.

Important substances for the development of fruit trees in spring are hydrogen, carbon, magnesium, calcium, iron, and sulfur. If trees consume hydrogen and carbon from the soil, then chemical elements they need to be delivered through the addition of complex mineral mixtures. Ready-made industrial mixtures are more effective because they also contain many microelements: copper, manganese, cobalt, boron in a form accessible to plants. Among organic materials, manure of various origins (poultry, cow, pig), peat, and compost can be used as fertilizer in the spring. Green manure crops introduced in the fall have a good effect. By spring, they completely rot and form an effective natural fertilizer. It is recommended to grow green manure on sandy and sandy loam soils, where there is a particularly lack of humus.

The first fertilizing with nitrogen is necessary for everyone without exception. fruit and berry crops. For each species, you can choose the most optimal fertilizer option, but to do this you need to know which plants to feed with what:

apple and pear trees are good, with humus, droppings, after flowering it is necessary to add superphosphate, potash (potassium sulfate);
for cherries and plums, the first feeding in the spring may consist of urea or ammonium nitrate, during flowering - from bird droppings, at the end of flowering - from manure, compost, dry organic mixtures;
In the spring, berry bushes are fertilized with potassium nitrate, nitrophoska; you can also add ash with urea (3 tablespoons of urea, 0.5 cups of ash/10 liters of water) or rotted manure with the addition of nitrate (1 bucket of manure/handful of nitrate) at the root.

Video “Expert’s opinion on fertilizing”

Video review of the most popular fertilizers for fruit trees, as well as useful tips on fertilizer.

What to do in March

The first fertilizing of fruit crops is carried out in early spring, when the snow cover has just begun to melt. During this period, nitrogen-containing products are used - industrial mineral mixtures that stimulate the growing season. It is recommended to sprinkle soluble mineral fertilizers on top of the snow in circles around the trunk, which should have been well loosened in the fall. Such surface fertilization of the soil is good because melt water, penetrating into the ground, will dissolve and pull nitrogen along with it. Nitrogen agents are evenly distributed around the trunks within a radius of approximately 50 cm - ideally, the radius of fertilizing is outlined by the width of the crown. It is in this zone that greatest number radical endings that actively absorb beneficial elements. An adult tree requires 2-4 handfuls of nitrogen mixture (100-120 g), a young tree needs one, approximately 40 g.

When fertilizing, you should pay attention to the location of the planting. If the site is located on a slope, it is better to wait a little while applying fertilizer, as the product may be washed away melt water, which usually do not linger on the slopes. It is also undesirable to apply the mixture to frozen ground with a lot of snow - in this case, the fertilizer will lie on the soil surface for a long time, due to which the nitrogen may partially evaporate.

When applying nitrogen-containing preparations in the spring, the dosage should be observed - the principle “the more, the better” does not apply here. Excess nitrogen in the soil can provoke fungal diseases, and also weaken the immunity of plants. Experienced gardeners It is not recommended to feed trees with complex mixtures labeled “spring”. In such products, as a rule, the concentration of nitrogen is very high, and they also contain potassium and phosphorus, which should be added a little later.

More suitable for seedlings and young fruit trees organic fertilizer urea, liquid manure and litter. These fertilizers are diluted with water and applied directly to the soil under the tree or bush. When preparing an organic solution, it is recommended to adhere to the following ratio: 300 g of urea/10 l of water, 1.5 l of liquid manure/10 l of water, 4 l of liquid manure/10 l of water. The approximate consumption of the solution per tree is 4-5 liters.

What to feed in April

April marks the period of flowering and active formation of the deciduous part, so it’s time to feed garden trees potassium and phosphorus. Both elements are necessary for the strengthening and normal growth of trees. Phosphorus strengthens roots, promotes their growth and anchorage in the soil. Potassium promotes the formation of side shoots, so it is especially important for young trees and seedlings.

It is advisable to use these components separately, so complex complex mixtures containing both components are not suitable in this case. It is better to apply phosphorus fertilizer (superphosphate) in the first half of April, deepening it into the soil of the root zone in close proximity to the roots. Each adult tree requires 60 g of product; a young tree needs half a portion.

It is not advisable to add potassium in pure form - it is better if it is included in simple mixtures: potassium sulfate, potassium magnesium, potassium salt, stove ash. Potassium fertilizer is applied in a dosage of 20-25 g/1 tree.

At the end of flowering, garden trees can be pampered with organic matter. In April, you definitely need to pay attention to feeding pears and apple trees. Many people prefer to use so-called green fertilizer for this purpose, which must be prepared in advance, since it takes 3 weeks to mature. The mowed grass should be placed in a barrel, filled with water, covered with polyethylene, in which small holes should be made, and left to infuse. The finished product is diluted with water 1:10 and applied to the root zone.

Fertilizers in May

In the last month of spring, the ovary forms and fruit growth begins, so fruit crops must be additionally fed with organic materials: rotted manure, compost, vermicompost. In the absence of organic fertilizer, you can purchase a complex mixture with a slight predominance of nitrogen, most suitable for this type of soil. In May, fertilizer can be applied in different ways:

embed into depressions in the soil;
dig with soil;
mix with loosened soil in the tree trunk area;
mix with mulch, as well as straw, rotten leaves.

To fertilize apple and pear trees, you can simultaneously use mineral and organic products. In mid-May, during the period of active flowering, it is necessary to feed the berry bushes - apply liquid manure or urea with a small addition of saltpeter and ash at the root. May feeding mineral mixtures can also be carried out in a foliar manner. In this case, the solution for treating the crown should be slightly weaker than indicated in the instructions. It should be understood that the green part absorbs well useful material and the trees become saturated faster, but still, root feeding is preferable, since trace elements remain in the soil longer with this method of application.

What you need to know

When growing fruit and berry crops, you need to know what subtleties and features should be taken into account in the feeding process:

the root system of any plant better absorbs subcortex in liquid form;
young trees are not fertilized in the first year of life - seedlings should be fertilized only after complete rooting, which is usually achieved in the second year after planting;
It is advisable to apply any product in the evening, in cloudy weather;
Dry fertilizers are best applied when wet ground, when adding dry compost or manure, the soil must be well watered - the exception is nitrogen mixtures scattered on the snow in the spring;
liquid solutions are applied only to moist soil - applying fertilizer to dry soil can lead to burns of the roots;
in the first years of a tree’s life, the effect of applying fertilizer is less noticeable than during the period of maturation and active fruiting;
the root system of an adult fruit tree significantly extends beyond the boundaries of the crown projection (on average by 0.5 meters);
organic fertilizer can be applied to fertile soils not annually, but once every 2-3 years; poor soils need annual and repeated fertilizing;
Lime fertilizer can be applied to the soil no more often than once every 5-6 years.

Every gardener knows that getting a high yield is impossible without special fertilizing in the spring. Fertilizer, applied correctly and in a timely manner during the growing season, plays a role vital role in the further development of the plant - increases its chances for a healthy existence and successful fruiting.

Video “Caring for fruit trees and shrubs”

Informational video about caring for and fertilizing trees to improve fertility and pest control.