All gardeners should know the structure of trees that grow on their sites. This is necessary in order to properly care for them. In addition, the root system of the apple tree can say a lot about the whole seedling. Knowing the type of structure of the underground part and its condition, one can correctly determine the method of landing.
The aboveground part of the apple tree
The aerial part of the fruit tree consists of a stem and a crown, which, in turn, has many different formations within itself.
- A stamp is a part of the trunk that is located between the root neck and the first lateral process. When buying a seedling, you need to pay attention to the condition of the trunk: it should not be visible to any damage in the form of violations of the integrity of the bark, smudges and traces of frostbite.
- Crohn - the totality of all branches on the tree.
- Shoots are an annual neoplasm, consists of a stem and leaves.
- Leaves - the green part of the tree, in which many important processes take place, for example, photosynthesis and gas exchange. This element can have a different shape and color, depending on the variety of apple trees.
- Forming branches are divided into many subspecies and components.
Consider what the forming branches consist of:
- Fruit twigs change every season, their length does not exceed 15-20 cm, the apical bud is flowering (reproductive), and the side buds are vegetative.
- Spear - annual processes, the length of which is from 2 to 15 centimeters. Lateral buds are vegetative, apical can be both reproductive and vegetative.
- Gloves. The age of such branches can vary from 1 to 5 years, their size is not more than 5 centimeters, the lateral processes are underdeveloped.
- Podushki arise as a result of the formation of fruit bags after flowering gloves. They are perennial (from 3 to 6 years).
- The fetuses are the oldest formations (from 6 to 18 years). Formed from gloves, plaques and fruit twigs.
The difference between reproductive and vegetative buds is that some form flowers, while others form shoots and leaves. As a rule, fruit buds are large and round.
Biological description of the root system of the apple tree
The root system of the apple tree is not much different from the systems of other trees both in structure and function. Thick skeletal roots extend from the root neck, from which processes of the second order are formed, and from them the third. The farther the branch is, the thinner and smaller it is. The most distant part is called fouling, and the most subtle formations are called “root lobes”.
The young part of such branches is the most important in the structure and activity of the tree. It is covered with thick thin hairs that actively seek and absorb water, providing all parts of the apple tree with this resource.
Open root seedlings
An apple tree, the type of root system of which is characterized as open, before planting is an aerial part and bare roots. Seedlings of such trees are easier to examine and see the flaws.
To avoid buying a low-quality plant, you need to consider the following factors:
- The roots should be white and have processes in all directions.
- An important indicator of quality and health is the absence of mechanical damage and flexibility.
- Over-dried roots that crack at the folds are most likely not to take root in a new place.
- A small number of lateral processes or their absence can indicate an older age of the seedling, such material is unlikely to be rooted or will hurt a lot.
- If bloating is visible on the roots, then most likely this tree is infected with root cancer.
- Apple trees with an open root system cannot be without soil for more than 2 weeks. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the date of delivery of the seedling to the store.
Choosing a place to plant an apple tree
When choosing a place to plant an apple tree, regardless of the type of root system, you must adhere to the following rules:
- The site should be well lit, so tall and spreading trees should not be nearby.
- It is advisable to choose a place where there will be no strong and gusty winds.
- Apple trees are best placed on a site isolated for this culture; proximity to other fruit and berry stands is not welcome.
- In order to ensure high-quality pollination for trees, it is customary to plant various varieties next to each other that differ in fruiting time.
Apple tree planting in autumn
The root system of the apple tree should be strengthened so that the tree can begin to produce crops. Therefore, choosing the time for planting, many gardeners opt for the autumn period. This method is suitable for southern regions or for seedlings with a closed root system. It is customary to carry out these works from the end of September until the beginning of October, while the soil should be loose, let air and moisture through.
- About a month before planting a seedling, you need to dig a pit 70-80 cm deep and 1 meter in diameter, the fertile soil layer must be separated and set aside.
- So that the future apple tree has support, you need to dig a peg, which should protrude from the ground by 40-50 centimeters. So that the lower part does not rot, it is pre-fired.
- The soil should be as fertile as possible, so you need to pour a mixture of humus, manure, compost, peat and a fertile layer of soil into the pit, which was removed in advance.
- During planting, you need to make a shallow hole in which the roots of the tree are placed, then they must be sprinkled with soil. In this case, the root neck should protrude from the ground by 5 centimeters.
- Then you need to tie the seedling to the peg and pour plenty of water.
- On average, the distance between the trees should be 3-4 meters. When choosing a planting scheme, you need to pay attention to the variety of apple trees.
Apple tree planting in spring
This method is best for areas with a temperate climate and frosty winters. Also, apple trees with a closed root system protect themselves during spring planting.
Its features are as follows:
- Landing is best done on the 20th of April.
- The whole process technology is completely similar to the autumn period, except that in spring and summer it is necessary to provide the young tree with the right amount of moisture.
- Before planting, the roots of a seedling with an open system need to be moistened, leaving them for a day in a bucket of water.
- The soil around the pillar must be mulched to preserve moisture.
Closed root seedlings
Apple trees with a closed root system are not grown in open ground, but in greenhouses in special plastic containers or bags. Moreover, each sprout has its own individual packaging.
Advantages of such seedlings:
- In plastic containers, the root system of the apple tree is securely hidden in the ground, so this planting material can be used at any time, without fear that it will become worthless.
- When a tree is transplanted into open ground, the roots are not damaged and take root more quickly in a new place.
- After planting, such apple trees begin to bloom and bring crops faster. This is due to the fact that the root system, which is in a container with the earth, is more developed than that of those seedlings that were extracted from their usual habitat.
What to look for when buying a seedling with a closed root system
Many gardeners, coming to the store, can not decide which seedlings are better to buy - domestic or foreign. Based on the issue of adaptation and regionalization, gardeners most often choose Russian trees, but such a decision may turn out to be erroneous. Apple trees grown in the southern regions will not take root well in the middle lane, but seedlings from Poland, Germany or Finland will show the best stability.
When making a choice, first of all, you need to build on the characteristics of the variety, its frost resistance and other factors:
- The container must have drainage holes.
- Visible roots should have a healthy appearance.
- When removing the seedling from the container, the soil should retain its shape.
- If weeds are present in the container, this indicates that the tree was actually grown in a container and not transplanted there.
- If the foliage is yellow in the summer and falls, this means that the apple tree was poorly looked after. Such a seedling will not take root well in a new place and will often hurt.
How to plant an apple tree with a closed root system?
The easiest process is planting an apple tree with a closed root system. In autumn, spring or summer, such a seedling will take root in the open ground and will delight gardeners. This type of planting material is stronger and more stable.
- First you need to dig a hole with a depth of not more than 60 centimeters and a diameter of 1 meter.
- The lower part of the soil should be removed, and in its place to fill up fertile soil, humus, compost and mineral fertilizer.
- Then, a depression is made in the resulting mixture, equal in size to the container with the seedling. The resulting hole is watered, as well as the root system of the tree.
- The apple tree must be carefully removed from the container and placed in open ground. According to the rules, you can not sprinkle the seedling with earth on top, you need to ram the soil on the sides.
- The holding peg should be installed so that the integrity of the planting material is not compromised. Then you need to bind a tree to it.
- Planting apple trees with a closed root system ends with the watering procedure. On average, 2 buckets of water are required per seedling. To moisture evaporate as slowly as possible, the soil around the tree pillar must be mulched.
Column-shaped apple trees
The main difference is that the root system of the colon- shaped apple trees is devoid of a core root that goes deep into the soil. It is completely at the surface level, located approximately in a radius of 25 centimeters from the tree trunk. Another difference will be the compactness of such landings. The root system does not grow much, in this regard, you can plant a whole garden on a small piece of land.
Apple tree is one of the most common fruit trees in central Russia. In garden nurseries you can find many varieties of various varieties. But there are general rules that were described above, they are associated with planting and selection of seedlings.