How to Plant Apple Saplings: A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques

Apple is a deciduous tree, usually able to reach 15 m in height, but cultivated trees generally grow only about 3-5 m tall. The trunk is grayish-brown, with bark that peels off to a certain degree. Today let's learn how to plant apple saplings.

1. Raising seedlings

1. Substrate selection

There must be clear requirements for the substrate used in raising seedlings. To cultivate excellent apple plants, we need to choose a relatively deep soil layer that is rich in organic matter, has good air permeability and good drainage, and is a slightly acidic sandy soil as the substrate.

2. Purpose of raising seedlings

The main purpose of raising seedlings is to effectively solve the problems of uneven plants and small fruit, while also increasing fruit yield and making the fruit late-maturing.

2. Field planting

The planting density should be determined according to local soil conditions. Dwarf apple trees are usually planted on fertile land at 2 m x 3 m, about 111 trees per mu.

In the early stage, for economic benefit, a planting method of 222 trees can be adopted, that is, planting at a density of 1.5 m x 2 m. In this way, as much as possible can be harvested during the young tree period to increase economic income. When the young trees gradually grow until they block each other's light and shade, thinning is needed. The method is to remove one tree from every two, likewise returning to a density of 111 trees.

Of course, you must configure it reasonably according to your own land. For example, relatively poor land can use a density of 2 m x 2 m to reduce wasted land.

3. Pruning and dwarfing

Apple pruning is mainly summer pruning, with winter pruning as a supplement. The main purpose is to improve fruit quality, increase yield, and promote early ripening of the fruit. This requires pruning and managing excessive vegetative branches and leaves to achieve sufficient light and ensure that plants do not affect each other.

Apple tree pruning usually starts when the apple tree begins to form a canopy. For young trees, light pruning is generally the main approach, ensuring that it does not hinder the tree's main scaffold branches and ensuring ventilation and light penetration. For delayed shoots, pinching should be done when growth stops, as this will better help flower formation and fruit set. Under conditions that do not affect light penetration, keep as many drooping branches and skirt branches as possible.

4. Pollination

We know that pollination of plants in nature is generally carried out through wind, butterflies, bees, and so on, but this method has many uncertain factors and uncontrollable elements, such as the massive death of butterflies and bees under the effect of pesticides, and natural phenomena such as little wind. Therefore, yield and high quality cannot be guaranteed. Thus, the action of manual supplementary pollination is needed. This can not only ensure yield but also allow the selection of high-quality varieties with good compatibility for pollination, thereby achieving the goals of increased yield and superior production.

5. Fertilization management

Fertilization of apples should start well from the base fertilizer at planting time, and topdressing should be done well during the growing period of the fruit trees.

Each year around early April, a fertilization action should be carried out. This is called pre-flowering fertilizer, to ensure nutrient supply before flowering; then in mid-to-late May, fertilize again. This is called post-flowering fertilizer. These two fertilizations are quite important. They are important actions to ensure the flowering period and new branch growth, and can effectively improve the fruit-setting rate of the fruit trees.

After autumn, apply accumulated fertilizer. This is generally done around early September, mainly with phosphorus fertilizer. When fertilizing, mix phosphorus fertilizer and organic fertilizer together, pile them for decomposition, and then apply them.

Fertilization methods: young fruit trees are generally fertilized by combining trench application and supplementary fertilization; when the fruit trees grow into mature plants, spraying fertilizer and then watering can be used.

6. Watering and irrigation

Apple trees should not be irrigated with too much water. As I said earlier, a precipitation amount of 500~60 mm is sufficient. Therefore, when watering apple trees, attention must be paid to the timing and weather conditions. Appropriate watering in spring to keep the soil moist is enough; another time is during the flowering period and fruit enlargement period, when an appropriate amount of water should also be given to ensure the fruit-setting rate of apples and the enlargement of the fruit, thereby ensuring high quality and high yield.