Without much experience in gardening, you can easily make many mistakes. As a result, fruit trees may not produce crops and even die. For example, is it possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry? If not, then why, and with what neighbors does she get along?
Why compatibility matters
There is a science that studies plant compatibility.
Since the leaves of trees release various substances into the atmosphere, with sediments falling into the soil, a change in its composition occurs. The root system functions in a similar way. But in addition to the allocation of certain minerals, it incorporates others. And neighboring plants can develop poorly or die due to the "parasitic" behavior of the neighboring culture. Another factor to consider when planning plantings is the different type and diameter of the root system. Based on this, you can decide whether the neighborhood of apple and cherry is good on the site, or whether it is worth picking up other neighbors.
The compatibility of apple trees with other plants
An apple tree cannot be called a friendly neighbor. It has a well-developed root system. The plant needs various minerals and a large amount of water, so the roots are able to take what is needed from other plants, impeding their development.
When planning a garden, you need to know whether it is possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry. Like other stone fruits, cherries do not get along with the apple tree. Moreover, in this conflict it is stone fruits that suffer. The apple tree does not allow them to fully develop, selecting food. Therefore, such a neighborhood will lead to a lack of cherry harvest.
How to ensure a good harvest of apples
Apple trees are not self-pollinated plants, they need the help of insects. To ensure cross-pollination, it is necessary to group several plants of the same species together. Where to plant an apple tree, if not among your own kind?
Excellent neighbors for her will be:
- Chives. It is planted around a tree trunk to deter harmful insects and attract beneficial ones.
- Mullein will protect against bugs that destroy young fruits.
- Fennel attracts insects that eat caterpillars;
- creeping clover saturates the soil with nitrogen, attracts insects that destroy pests. The flowering period of clover and apple tree coincides, so it attracts insects for timely pollination.
In order not to lose the place in the garden, from the sunny side under the apple tree you can plant early varieties of tomatoes.
Which trees combine well and poorly with apple trees
Can an apple tree grow next to a cherry? These two trees can be located in close proximity, but you can’t count on crops. Instead, it is better to plant a coniferous tree in the apple orchard , such a neighborhood accelerates the development of fruit trees and guarantees a good harvest.
Rowan should be planted away from fruit trees. Larvae of moths that prefer to live on it, spreading to neighboring trees, make the crop wormy.
Interfere with the normal development of apple trees viburnum, lilac, horse chestnut.
Many are interested in whether it is possible to plant an apple tree next to cherries or raspberries.
Raspberry has a root system located on the very surface of the earth, absorbing all the beneficial substances and water. Since apple roots are also demanding on moisture and nutrition, both plants can die due to conflict. In addition, these two cultures bloom and bear fruit at different times. Due to the susceptibility of the apple tree to diseases and pests, many gardeners use chemicals to kill them. Processing time coincides with the ripening period of raspberries. The probability of getting poison on the berries is high. The remaining parasites can overwinter in the foliage of the shrub. And next year they will again take up the fruit tree.
Although many gardeners believe that as neighbors, raspberries and apple trees behave quite friendly.
Apple tree soil
The plant prefers loose soil, clay will not suit him. In heavy soil, add sand or peat, humus or compost. If the soil is peaty or sandy, add clay, compost or humus to it.
The ideal location for the apple tree is a hill located far from groundwater. If there are difficulties in providing the tree with such conditions, it is necessary to create an artificial hill of fertile soil with a height of about 0.8 m. As the plant develops, the earth will need to be tilled.
A pit is prepared a few weeks before planting. It should be dug to a depth of 0.8 m with a diameter of 1 m. The soil for the apple tree should be well fertilized, so you need to make two buckets of rotten manure, one glass of superphosphate and a little ash. The young plant needs support, so a peg is dug into the center of the pit.
Apple tree planting time
In order for planting material to take root, it is important to choose the right time for placement on the site. One of the criteria for choosing the period when it is worth doing is the climatic conditions of a particular region. For central Russia, spring and autumn are suitable. When planting in the spring, it is better to work in the second half of April. During autumn works - in the first half of October. In similar periods, young growth is traditionally planted in the south of the country.
In the northern regions, planting apple trees with seedlings in spring is the only way to ensure that the plant has time to take root. At the same time, work can only be done when the earth has already warmed up enough. The pit can be cooked in the fall.
Seedling Selection
To plant apple trees in spring, seedlings need to choose high-quality planting material. It is necessary to carefully consider the appearance of the seedling. The young tree should have a label with the name of the variety and recommendations for which climate it is best suited for.
When buying, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the roots. A tree can be sold with an open root system or with a lump of land. Roots hidden from the eyes can sometimes have defects, so it is recommended to make a choice in favor of specimens with roots freed from the ground. It is important to pay attention to their integrity and color. They should be light, without dark spots or growths, the root system should be well developed.
If you choose a bad seedling, it does not matter at all whether it is possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry - the result will be disastrous. A good young tree should be about one and a half meters high. A lower height may indicate poor quality care, and too high specimens indicate a violation of the technology for growing planting material.
When buying, it is better to choose young trees, whose age is 1-2 years. This is due to the inability to extract an older seedling from the ground with complete preservation of the root system. Younger trees are easier to recover from transplanting than older trees.
Is it possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry? No, in order for the trees to give a constant crop, they should be divided and planted next to other plants.