Many novice gardeners mistakenly believe that plants need feeding at the initial stage of the growing season and are limited to fertilizing in the spring. However, the end of the season is always accompanied by work on preparing the culture for wintering. And one of the important events is the introduction of a nutrient mixture to strengthen the root system and immunity in general. How and how to feed garden fruit trees in the fall in the garden we will discuss further.
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The importance of autumn fertilizers for fruit trees for the winter
Enrichment of the soil with nutrients in autumn allows the plants to obtain, before the onset of cold weather, the necessary trace elements that strengthen the protective functions. A sturdy tree winters without much loss and actively enters the growing season, intensively throwing out new shoots and buds. The absence of stress contributes to abundant flowering and a long period of fruiting. Good immunity provides resistance to attacks of insects and pathogens.
For each types of fruit trees, it is recommended to use a universal mixture or familiarize yourself with the norms for the introduction of a particular mineral substance.
- For apricot, cherries or plums more suitable liquid feedconsisting of 2 tbsp. l potassium sulfate, 3 tbsp. l superphosphate and buckets of water. On one plant 4 buckets of solution are spent.
- Quince is better to fertilize dry, spreading the stem circle 30 gr. superphosphate and 20 gr. potassium salt (per 1 m2).
- To fertilize the land on which the peaches grow, you need 110-150 grams. superphosphate and 45-65 gr. potassium salt. Minerals are embedded in the soil along the stem circle.
Dates for autumn dressing
It is possible to carry out work on the preparation of landings for winter through September and part of October, up to the first frost. But the procedure is not time-consuming, too, the plant will take time to assimilate the nutrients received during processing. If the land is enriched before the establishment of stable cold weather, the tree will not have time to gain strength, which means that top dressing will be ineffective.
Before applying the nutrient mixture, it is recommended to clean the soil surface from the fallen leaves, cut off the dried and damaged branches, seal up the traces of mechanical damage on the trunk, if any. Also, the preparation provides for digging the trunk in a circle with a slightly smaller immersion than a shovel bayonet. The result is a barrel circle.
How to fertilize planting before winter
There are several types of fertilizers, each of which deserves attention. Before applying it, it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the advantages of one or another option in order to choose the most effective top dressing.
Mineral autumn dressing in September and October
This type of food for plants has a simple chemical composition of trace elements safe for the environment and the environment. Existing mineral fertilizers are conventionally divided into simple and complex. These definitions are conditional, since even simple options contain enough nutrients for normal culture development. Complex formulations contain 2-3 main components and several additional, presented in a small dosage.
Pellets can be distributed over the soil surface around the stem of the tree, followed by watering and embedding or dissolved previously in water for watering the plant at the root.
For the autumn feed it is recommended to use the following types of mineral fertilizers:
Phosphoric compounds for fruit trees
The most popular fertilizers in horticulture from the group of phosphate are considered superphosphate and ammophos. There is an opinion that it is better to choose double superphosphate, in it the amount of gypsum is less, and the dosage of the main component is increased.
Phosphorus slows down the process of dissolving compounds used in top dressing. This increases the efficiency of the nutrient enrichment procedure. The advantages of phosphorus compounds is the ability to strengthen the root system, give the plant strength and energy. Phosphorus also contributes to the accumulation of sugar and protein in the sap of the tree.
Good potash fertilizers
Autumn dressings with potash make it possible for even fragile plants to survive the bitter cold. There are two types of fertilizers: chloride and sulphate. Before use, you should familiarize yourself with the susceptibility of each fruit tree to chlorine and sulfur. For example, a pear and an apple tree react well to chlorine, which is not the case with fruit bushes.
Combined fertilizers to increase yield
The use of mixed dressings is also important for autumn preparation for the winter. As an option, put a mixture of the following components in the wells at the roots:
- humus (5 kg);
- superphosphate (50 gr.);
- chloride or potassium sulfate (30 gr.).
The composition must first be well mixed so that all substances are distributed evenly. After thrashing the pit should be watered.
One more kind of the combined food is phosphorus-potassium structures. A balanced product facilitates the application and enriches the soil with all the necessary valuable minerals.
Vegetable ash for garden autumn feeding
Vegetable ash is considered a universal remedy, which can be applied in a dry form and in dissolved water. This feeding is suitable for almost all crops. Thanks to the ash, the soil is deoxidized, enriched with trace elements necessary for normal growing season:
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- potassium;
- zinc;
- copper;
- sulfur and other substances.
When using this fertilizer, it is worth considering that the proportions of the microelements included in the composition vary depending on the feedstock (grass, straw, peat).
Feeding from ash has the following advantages:
- stems and stems of plants strengthened;
- immunity is strengthened, which increases the chances of survival in the winter;
- resistance of the culture to various infections and viruses increases;
- the presence of potassium keeps from the rapid growth and premature ripening of fruits;
- the main component is involved in photosynthesis, converting nutrients into starch.
When using plant ash for feeding plantings it is recommended to adhere toconsumption rates: 250 grams per m2.
How to feed organic bushes in the garden
To ensure the nutrition of fruit plantations it is appropriate to use almost all types of organic fertilizers: humus, compost, manure, bird droppings. Organic matter is often combined with mineral fertilizers, which creates optimal conditions for the soil to be saturated with valuable trace elements and to maintain the vitality of the plants during the cold season.
Organic top dressing more often it is embedded in the soil around the trunk to a depth of 10-15 cm. But it is also allowed to enrich the soil with a solution prepared on the basis of manure or bird droppings. In the manufacture of liquid food should strictly adhere to the norms of consumption and dosage, so as not to burn the plant.
Argued that under the fruit plantations can bury fallen leaves. In fact, this is not worth it, because in the remnants of plants can be arranged for wintering harmful insects, larvae and microorganisms. Such a neighborhood with the root system will do more harm than good. But overripe cucumbers or zucchini (without signs of damage by diseases or parasites) are permissible to be instilled into the circumstantial circle, thereby creating a mini compost pit.
Liquid top dressings in the fall
It is necessary to feed in a dry form. Nutrients are buried in the ground around the trunk of a tree or cover the surface of the soil as mulch. If you use the same minerals or organic matter in combination with water, you get no less valuable liquid sub-feeds that are watered under the root. The effectiveness of this treatment is that all components used are distributed evenly in the soil.
The most popular fertilizers are based on bird droppings or manure. To prepare the solution, at first a small part of the organic matter is infused for a week in water, obtaining a concentrated liquid. For further use, it will be necessary to dilute the billet with water and water the plants at the root 2-3 times per season, including autumn.
Properly conducted shrub autumn dressing will strengthen the immunity of fruit trees, which will allow them to survive a harsh winter and increase the harvest. And what kind of fertilizer to choose and make under fruit trees and berry bushes is up to you!