How to Plant Apple Saplings? Detailed Planting Methods and Techniques

Choose sandy soil rich in organic matter, with good air permeability and good drainage, as the growing medium. Plant at a spacing of 2 m x 3 m, about 111 trees per mu. Apple pruning is mainly summer pruning, with winter pruning as a supplement. In addition, apple trees require manual supplementary pollination. Apply base fertilizer well at planting time, and do a good job of topdressing during the growing season. In spring, simply water appropriately to keep the soil moist.

I. Raising Seedlings

1. Medium selection

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

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 ripen later.

II. Planting Out

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

In the early stage, for economic benefit, a cultivation method of 222 trees can be used, that is, planting at a density of 1.5 m x 2 m, so that during the young tree period as much as possible can be harvested 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, it must be reasonably arranged according to your own land. For example, relatively poor land can use a density of 2 m x 2 m to reduce wasted land.

III. 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, retain as many weeping branches and skirt branches as possible.

IV. 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 both ensure yield and allow the selection of high-quality varieties with good compatibility for pollination, thereby achieving the goals of increased yield and superior production.

V. Fertilization Management

Apple fertilization should be done well starting from the base fertilizer at planting time, and topdressing should be done well during the growing season 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.

Autumn fertilizer accumulation is generally carried out around early September, mainly with phosphorus fertilizer. When fertilizing, mix phosphorus fertilizer and organic fertilizer together, pile and place them to decompose, and then apply, which is better.

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

VI. Watering and Irrigation

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