How to plant an apricot seedling. Apricot, or Armenian apple

In the southern regions of our homeland, apricot is a common and ordinary tree. It grows in almost every yard. But in the middle lane, growing apricots will require more effort.

It is believed that the apricot originates from China, from where it traveled through Central Asia to Iran and then to Armenia. And already from Armenia about 2000 years ago, the apricot came to ancient greece, where he was called "Armenian apple" (malum armeniacum), and then ended up in Ancient rome under the name "Armenian plum" (prunus armeniaca ) .

We also call the apricot zherdel, it is widespread in the northern Caucasus, in Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and other southern regions.

Planting an apricot

Apricot belongs to the Rosaceae family; it is a spreading tree with a powerful trunk. This is a southern plant, for planting you should choose the warmest, lightest and highest possible place in the garden.

It is necessary to plant before the awakening of the kidneys - at the end of April. Between the trees about 5 m. The planting pit is prepared in the fall and measures 70x70x70 cm.When planting, keep in mind that root system in diameter is 2 times the crown.

The soil for the apricot should not be dense, it needs to be prepared. Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pit - crushed stone, gravel. Then we add a soil mixture consisting of the top layer of the earth with organic (humus) and mineral fertilizers, wood ash (lime) and ammonium nitrate. It is better to add lime in advance so as not to burn the roots. Stir the fertilizers, sprinkle with a little earth so that the roots do not come into direct contact with them.

The planting hole is filled up to ground level so that after planting the apricot is located on a mound. If groundwater passes through the site, then the elevation needs to be increased. Apricot roots are sprinkled to the level of the plant's neck so that it is not buried. Draw a watering circle around the diameter of the hill. After planting, water the apricot seedling with 2 buckets of water. But do not wash out the mound or expose the root system. There is an option to plant the apricot horizontally, bending the young seedling to the ground, and fasten it to the branches at an angle of 40 degrees. Due to this, the seedling receives a lot of heat from the ground.

Reproduction

Seeds

An apricot grown from the seeds of a native plant will be much more resistant to the climate, and the cultivar traits in the case of apricot are usually inherited. Therefore, the bones - good way for growing apricots.

The seeds are washed and planted either immediately, while still wet, and all summer they make sure that the ridge is wet, or they are stored until autumn in wet sand in the basement and planted no later than early October.

The third option is to plant the seeds in the spring.
To do this, in early March, seeds stored at room temperature should be soaked for 5 days in cold water, constantly renewing it, and then placed in a bag in a moist substrate (sawdust, moss, sand), 1 part of seeds per 3 parts of a substrate. The mixture is kept at + 4 + 12° С, holes are made in the bag for air access. Stratification lasts from 40 to 100 days, depending on the apricot variety. You will know that the seeds are ready for planting when you see that the seeds are cracked and germinated. But if this happened too early, then it is necessary to transfer the seeds to an even colder place, 0 + 2 ° С.

Seeds are planted in early May in neutral soil with organic and mineral fertilizers previously introduced into it. A furrow is made in the prepared ridge, it is well spilled with water and seeds are planted to a depth of about 7 cm. The distance between the seeds should be at least 10 cm, between the rows 50 cm. After planting, mulch the bed with humus, rotted sawdust or peat chips. The apricot grows quickly, during the summer the seedling will grow up to 100 cm. Already in the next winter you can transplant the seedling to its permanent place or use it as a rootstock for grafting. After 3-4 years, the trees will begin to produce crops.

Vaccination

At 1-2 years of age, rootstock seedlings can be grafted with a cutting of a fruiting apricot. For copulation (grafting by combining the trunk of a seedling, cut at a height of 3-7 cm from the ground, and a cutting), the trunk should not be thinner than 0.8 cm. Usually, the grafting is done in April-May, during the period of sap flow.

Another option is grafting at an older age, "for the bark" on separate skeletal branches. This will speed up the fruiting period of the plant, allow different plants to pollinate on the same tree.

Apricot care

Despite the drought resistance, watering is necessary for the proper development of the fruits of the apricot. The apricot should be fed when it is in bloom and when it is fruitful.
If there are too many fruits and this is detrimental to the young, brittle branches of the apricot, as well as to improve the quality of the fruits themselves, the ovaries are thinned out, they do this after the extra ovaries have fallen off. To get a clearer idea of how many ovaries to leave, use a fruit-to-leaf ratio, usually 1 in 20.

Of the insect pests, aphids are the most troublesome for apricot. To scare her away, you can plant nasturtium around.

Pruning apricot

After planting, the skeletal branches and trunk must be trimmed. The most suitable crown pattern for an apricot is a sparse-tiered one. 5-6 skeletal branches are selected. Avoid the growth of branches from one place in the trunk; skeletal branches are laid at a steep angle to the trunk.
Apricot fruits develop on annual shoots, the most big harvest is formed on the continuation shoots. In the spring, fruiting branches need to be cut in half to give development to flower buds on the remainder
Thinning of the crown is also necessary for better light penetration. Rejuvenating pruning is done in the summer after harvest. But mature trees don't like heavy pruning.

Harvesting

For drying and eating, the fruits are harvested when the apricot is fully ripe. For transportation - when the green color changes to light yellow. Fruits with firm pulp, not overripe, are selected for canning.
Harvesting should be done in dry weather after the dew has melted. When harvesting in cold or hot weather, the quality of the fruit is impaired.

Apricot varieties

For residents of the middle lane, frost resistance is extremely important first of all. In winter, the apricot is in a state of sleep (rest), this state determines the winter hardiness of the variety. The longer the tree does not wake up in spring, the less the risk of losing the ovary during thaws and frosts after them.

Some of the most suitable varieties for the middle strip:

Hardy- bred by selection in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Ripens in early August and has medium-sized fruits, weighing about 40 g. Fruits are golden-orange, oval, with a carmine blush. Begins to bear fruit 5-6 years after planting. Trees of this variety grow quickly and bear fruit well (up to 80 kg per tree). Refers to self-fertile varieties.

Son of the red-cheeked- obtained by crossing Krasnoshchekiy and Golden Summer varieties. Widely distributed in the Astrakhan region. A vigorous or medium-sized tree. Fruits are oval or round, slightly flattened, juicy, weighing from 40 to 60 g. Fruit color is orange with red-orange splashes. Flowering time is medium or late. In the South, the Black Earth Region ripens on average, somewhere in mid-August. Its lack of freezing of flower buds.

Orlovchanin- This variety is suitable for the Central Black Earth Region, obtained as a result of selection from seedlings of free pollination of the Triumph Severny variety. Medium-sized tree, fruits are collected on annual shoots inside the crown. The shape of the fruit is round-ovoid, the color is yellow with carmine-red blotches. They begin to bear fruit in the third year of life. Good frost resistance and winter hardiness, but flower buds can freeze slightly. Average yield and flowering.

A rare gardener does not dream of an apricot tree on his site. Its fruits are good for everyone. They contain a complex of minerals and vitamins. This is a favorite treat for children and adults. To make your dream come true faster, plant an apricot in the spring in your garden. Not every summer resident manages to grow it. Not only because of the natural conditions. Currently, the apricot is already adapted to the regions that are cool for it. A tree needs painstaking, competent and constant care. Where to start.

Preparing for landing

In the recent past, no gardener would tempt fate by planting an apricot in a cold region. But breeders have done a lot of work to make this happen. We plant an apricot in the spring on a garden plot, and a wonderful spring apricot, with a lush color, tasty and healthy fruits, allows us to enjoy our spring color and fragrant fruits with garden plot... But soon the tale takes its toll. Painstaking owners ask themselves many questions when faced with the problems of growing apricots:

How to choose the right soil.
When and how to plant a tree
How to plant an apricot correctly
How to properly care for a plant in order to get the return on your labor.

Preparing the soil for planting

Not all soil is suitable for growing apricots. The most beneficial are light, well-ventilated soils:

On all rootstocks, except cherry plum, trees tolerate loamy compositions well, in which there are no toxic salts and excess nitrogen. But they have required amount mineral substances, chernozem, they are characterized by weak or neutral acidity.
Apricot on cherry plum rootstock tolerates compacted soils better.

Despite the fact that the tree is unpretentious, it takes root well, the following types of soils are not suitable for it:

Having poor air and moisture permeability.
low-lying areas groundwater(less than 2 meters).
Soil, consisting of heavy clay compositions, you need to add peat and sand at the rate: 1x1x1.

The best place for a tree is in well-lit, elevated places that are reliably protected from cold air currents. Therefore, it is better to plant it on the southern and southwestern slopes.

How to grow a seedling from a bone

To make the sprout easier to adapt, you need to take a bone from a fetus that has grown in your area, since the fetus has already acclimatized in these conditions. It is also important that he retained all the characteristics of the variety. To select a seed, certain requirements are imposed on the fruit:

They must be of the correct shape, ripe. There should be no defects on it.
The bone is soaked in warm water for a day.
Then it is washed, dried and stored at room temperature in a dry place until spring.
At the beginning of March, the seed is soaked in cold water for 4-6 days, constantly changing it.
Planting material kept in a container with access to oxygen in a substrate (sand, moss or sawdust) that exceeds the planting material in volume.
Seeds develop within 3 months at temperatures from +4 to +12 degrees Celsius.
Seed is planted after the peel has cracked and a sprout has appeared in it.
The sprout is planted until May 15. The depth of the track is 6-7 cm. The sprouts are placed at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other.

In cases where there is a lot of seed, the rows are located at a distance of half a meter from one another.

The garden bed is well moistened. During the summer, the seedlings are looked after:

fertilized with ammonium nitrate, wood ash, humus infusion;
watered;
weed.

Saplings can only be planted in the fall of next year. They can also be used as grafting material. The trees that have grown from the seed will begin to bear fruit in 4-5 years.

Planting apricot seedlings

For planting, take an apricot seedling, grown independently or brought from a nursery with detailed information about it. It is generally accepted that a planted two-year-old seedling has the best qualities for growth. For a seedling bought on the market, you need to clarify detailed information (about the variety, age).

The root system is checked before planting. The roots must be dry and healthy. All and diseased shoots are removed. A tree is planted after moistening the roots in a liquid mixture of cow dung, clay, and water.

The soil is prepared in the fall as follows:

The mixture includes a fertile soil layer and humus.
Fertilizer is added to it, containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.

Deepening in the ground for planting a seedling that is 2 years old is done in a ratio; 70x70x70. If we plant a three-year-old seedling, the ratio will be: 80x80x80. The finished mixture is poured onto the bottom of the pit, filled with water (1 bucket). Then the plant is covered with earth.

In order for an apricot planted in spring to develop normally, it is recommended to arrange it in a checkerboard pattern. The distance from tree to tree is three meters. The gap between the rows is five meters.

Planting and transplanting plants in spring

Planting apricots in spring, taking place while the buds are still dormant, in April, May. Apricot reacts negatively to transplants. Therefore, it is better to transplant the tree in the spring, before the buds awaken.

The transplanted seedling may die. Therefore, it is undesirable to transplant it.

Drainage (crushed stone, broken brick) is laid on the bottom (depth from 70 to 80 cm) so that the plant does not stagnate in excess water. The soil is laid on the drainage, which is mixed with fertilizer, having the following composition:

superphosphate (about 5 kg);
ammonium nitrate (200g);
lime (1 kg);
wood ash and humus (2 kg).

The fertilizer mixture is mixed with the soil to protect the plant's roots from scalding. We strengthen the seedling with a peg for support. It is more convenient to plant seedlings together. We make a roller near the trunk circle. Gently water the plant with 15-20 liters of water so that the root collar is at ground level. This is an indicator correct fit plants.

Proper care of the apricot tree

After planting, the plant needs to be provided with competent care so that the tree receives protection from diseases and pests on time, watering, feeding. You need to take care of the apricot constantly.

We plant an apricot

You can plant an apricot from 2 years old. The order of this procedure is as follows:

The trunk of a two-year-old apricot seedling is cut at a level of 7 cm from the ground and combined with the cutting.
To do this, take young trees with a trunk thickness of up to 10 cm, such an shoot is better grafted.
Inoculation of adult apricot trees in spring is done through implantation of the cuttings into the bosom of the branch. Several varieties grow on such trees. These trees begin to bear fruit earlier.

The optimal time for vaccinations is from April to May.

Plant care and protection

Caring for apricots in spring protects plants from frost, diseases, pests; this is feeding, watering and other agricultural activities. Plants need to be whitened before the winter cold. This is done to protect the tree from frost.

The seedling is directly dependent on the surrounding trees as diseases are transmitted. Tree protection measures include:

collection of garbage, foliage;
waste disposal or storage on a compost heap.
protect the young tree from weeds;
monitor the cleanliness of the near-stem part of the plant;
monitor its development and, when signs of a disease appear, remove pests and their larvae.

In order for a tree to bear fruit well, you need to choose a variety that is resistant to fungus and process it in the spring:

At the beginning of March, you need to spray the apricot with copper sulfate (200 g of funds per bucket of water) against fungal disease.
Then it is processed before flowering. This period is usually called the “pink cone” moment, when the color hardly appears. Trees are sprayed with the same vitriol or fungicides.

Feeding the tree

The optimal periods when feeding the apricot is also spring and autumn. It is better to feed with peat and mineral mixtures. From the second year of tree growth after planting, it is fertilized with superphosphate (110-130 g), potassium chloride (40 g), ammonium nitrate (50 g). After 4-5 years, the amount of fertilizers increases, respectively: 200 g of superphosphate, 60 g of potassium chloride, 110 g of ammonium nitrate are added.

Organic fertilizers are not recommended before the tree is 5 years old. Then fertilizers are applied once every 4-5 years in the following composition: the compost or mullein is combined with a solution of bird droppings (10%), which has fermented well.

Cut the apricot in the spring

Not everyone knows how to prune an apricot. The harvest depends on the correct pruning of the apricot tree in the spring. Trees are pruned in the spring, forming its crown. From this, it is well lit and warmed up. This has a direct effect on increasing the yield.

You need to cut off growing up, sick and weak shoots. Since only annual shoots bear fruit, in the spring they are cut in half so that they give shoots with new buds. After harvesting, the crown is pruned in the summer to rejuvenate it. Adult plants do not undergo deep pruning, as they tolerate it painfully.

About watering plants

Watering the plant must be carried out 3-4 times per season. The most active shoot growth is observed from mid-spring to late May. During this period, watering is carried out twice. It is also needed before the fruit ripens. At the end of summer, the last watering is carried out in order to enable the tree to prepare for the cold season. In the fall, watering is reduced. Watering depends on the weather. If it is dry, irrigate the tree crowns.

Thanks to the persistent mastery of the rules of caring for apricot, he ceased to amaze him with his presence in the gardens. Proper care of plants turns out to be a hundredfold. A well-groomed plant gives the patient gardener a bountiful harvest.

Until recently, apricot was considered a heat-loving southern crop.

In sufficiently cool climatic conditions, its buds and flowers can be damaged, the fruits are inferior in taste and size to those trees that require a warm climate for successful ripening.

However, breeders were able to develop apricot varieties that, when planted and cared for, are able to withstand low temperatures, bear fruit in different climatic zones.

Selection of apricot variety and preparation for planting

The yield of a fruit tree depends on the right choice apricot varieties, from planting and care, timely detection of diseases of the trunk, bark, branches and leaves. The selection of one or another type is determined by the taste preferences of gardeners (sweetness, juiciness of the fruit) and aesthetic, such as appearance an adult tree. Nevertheless, the planting material and its survival rate are directly related to climatic conditions different latitudes.

To grow apricot trees in the middle lane, you need to take only those varieties that are distinguished by high frost resistance and endurance. These include the following types - Red-cheeked, Honey, Northern Triumph, Lel, Russian, Countess, Hardy, Snegirek, Favorite, Aquarius, Alyosha. For the northern regions, the varieties Pogrebok, Success, Son Krasnoshchekogo, Michurinets, Iceberg, Monastyrsky are suitable. They tolerate frost and unexpected thaws well in winter.

An apricot tree can be grown in three ways: from a stone, by cuttings or planting a seedling. It is necessary to choose a place for planting taking into account the fact that this plant is light and heat-loving, it is afraid of drafts and northern winds. Planting apricots in the lowlands is also not recommended, as it will be cold there. Best of all, this fruit tree takes root on loamy, loose or sandy loam soils. The soil must be well drained to ensure an uninterrupted supply of oxygen. In addition, soil moisture is of great importance: excess water can lead to decay of the rhizome.

How to grow an apricot tree from a seed

The seeds for growing this fruit tree are taken from those apricots that grow in the planting area. Fruit fruits must be ripe or overripe, large, free from flaws and defects. If you plan to plant seeds in the spring (usually in April), then you need to soak them in cool water for 5 days. Then the seeds are placed in a bag with holes, where there is a moist substrate (sand, sawdust, moss), for 40-100 days, until the seeds are cracked and germinated.

The soil is fertilized with mineral and organic fertilizers before planting. Seeds are planted at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other and 50 cm between rows, to a depth of 6-7 cm. The garden should be watered abundantly.

When planning the planting of apricot pits in the fall, you must wait for the first frost. Seeds are dried from spring, before burying, they are placed in water and only those that have laid down on the bottom are selected. Next, you need to dig a trench, put grass (or humus, sand, black soil) on the bottom and place the bones. Top should be covered with humus or grass.

How to plant an apricot by cuttings

To grow apricots using this method, cuttings must be prepared in the summer (mid-June - mid-July). They should be from the strongest outgrowths. The optimal time for planting is mid-September.

The place for planting the cutting should be a groove of any length, 85 cm wide and 50 cm deep.About 4 cm of river sand (coarse) and broken brick should be laid on the bottom, then covered with soil from earth, manure, sand (3: 1: 1) and wood ash. After that, level the soil and compact it a little, pour it with a solution of water and potassium permanganate.

The scion is placed in the groove at an angle of 45 degrees and instilled.

Planting an apricot seedling

When choosing an apricot seedling, you should pay attention to the root system of the tree itself and its general external condition. It should be strong and healthy, the roots should not be damaged, not dried or frozen. It is better to purchase seedlings in specialized stores in order to avoid buying unplanned varieties, give preference to annual plants.

The pit for planting a medium-sized seedling should be about 50 x 80 cm (80 x 80 is possible). It should be borne in mind that an adult apricot tree is quite large compared to other fruit trees, so the distance to neighboring seedlings should be at least 5 meters. It is necessary to place a young seedling on a small hill, when the root collar is several centimeters above the ground, not taking into account its shrinkage. The rhizome must be carefully straightened, covered with soil from the lower ground of the dug hole. After the soil is compacted, an earthen roller (less than 10 cm high) must be made around the planting site so that the water remains near the tree during irrigation, and does not spread.

Apricot care

Apricot trees, planting and caring for which require special attention and effort to obtain good yields, need to be watered, timely protected from pests, fed and cut off the crown.

Despite the fact that the plant is quite drought-resistant, in the months of active growth (May - June) it is necessary to water it regularly. Watering is best done in the evening or early morning. It is worth paying attention to the amount of moisture in the soil: if there is excess water, the procedure does not need to be carried out.

In the spring proper care behind the apricot tree includes crown pruning. This allows you to create good lighting, increase yields, fruit quality. You need to remove dried, spoiled branches. Overloading trees with fruit will weaken and deteriorate the condition of the plant.

V autumn time the apricot must be prepared for the winter cold. To prevent the plant from freezing and dying, it is necessary, first of all, to protect the root system of the tree. To do this, within a radius of 1–2 meters, you need to dig in the ground and sketch out leaves, humus, peat in a layer of about 10–20 cm. The apricot root collar suffers greatly in cold weather: it warms up from temperature changes, which negatively affects the tree's resistance to cold weather. To protect it, the trunk should be wrapped in several layers of burlap. If you wish, you can completely wrap the fruit tree in plastic. So, despite the frost, the apricot will bloom in the spring.

Top dressing of apricot trees

Organic fertilizers are used to feed apricots. Manure is introduced into the soil at the rate of 4 kg / sq.m. 2-3 times a year, compost at the rate of 5-6 kg / sq. m., mineral fertilizers are added to them.

In the spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be applied to the soil (approximately 20-30 g / sq. M. Of the trunk circle). After the tree has begun to bear fruit, it is advisable to fertilize with the following mixture: ammonium nitrate, potassium salt, superphosphate in a ratio of 4: 3: 1. For 1 sq. m. soil needs 50 g of a flavoring compound.

If the soil is acidic, then calcium must be added to it, preferably in a liquid state.

Pests and diseases of apricot trees

Apricot, planting and caring for which are important, but not the only components for the overall health and productivity of the tree. Fertility depends on the timely detection of plant diseases and taking measures to get rid of pests.

The main insects that harm the apricot:

aphid- these insects drink leafy juice, thereby drying out the foliage. It fades, changes its color, photosynthesis is disrupted and therefore the productivity of the fruit tree decreases;

moth- caterpillars that hatched at the end of summer, eat apricot fruits, then wrap themselves in a pupa and hibernate near the trunk circle;

leaf roll- These butterfly pests lay eggs in the bark and fallen apricot leaves for the winter. In spring they wake up, eat foliage and buds, in summer butterflies emerge from them, which, in turn, lay eggs again for wintering.

You can deal with insects using commercial insecticides or make them yourself.

Diseases of the apricot tree include the following:

moniliosis- a fungal disease, the reproduction of which occurs very quickly by wind, rain or insects. The foliage on the tree looks shriveled, like after a fire. You can save the plant by treating them with preparations that contain copper. At the slightest suspicion of a disease, it is worth treating all the fruit trees around.

perforated spot- affects primarily leaves and fruits. The leaves are covered with reddish-brown spots, after 7-14 days they turn into holes. The fruits begin to suffer from the disease while still green, and in the period when they should already ripen, they become irregular and deformed.

Valsa mushroom- this disease manifests itself when an infection enters the wound of a tree. Outwardly similar to orange ulcer. It is scraped off and the place is treated with antifungal drugs and garden varnish.

So, in order to get a good harvest, you need to be attentive to the health of the apricot tree, properly care for and fertilize in a timely manner.

In the southern regions of Russia, in almost every yard you can see a green tree covered with yellow-orange fruits, the bones of which are oval in shape. This is an apricot. Planting and caring for it is not difficult in warm climates. In the middle lane and in the Urals, this requires more effort, but the result is worth it.

What varieties are better to choose

In areas with cold climates, it is necessary to plant varieties specially bred for such weather conditions. Some frost-resistant apricot trees reproduce by self-pollination, therefore, it is advisable to root several types of seedlings with different ripening periods in the summer cottage.

"Kichiginsky". The hybrid tolerates severe frosts and grows quickly. Bears fruit for 5 years. Ripe fruit juicy, aromatic, medium-sized, sweet kernel;
Snezhinsky. Feels great in arid and cold climates. The first fruits appear 4 years after planting. They have a bright yellow color with a red blush on the sides. Sweet pulp quickly leaves the stone;
"Spicy". Grows well in central Russia. The variety is frost resistant. Small yellow fruits ripen in early August, they are juicy, delicate aroma and piquant bitterness.

In addition to these varieties, apricots Amur, Khabarovskiy, Sibiryak Baikalova, Minusinskiy Yantar and Seraphim are successfully grown in Siberia. All of them are adapted to the harsh climate and are recommended by breeders for planting in the northern regions of the country. The main feature of these trees is that their fruits have time to ripen in the short Siberian summer and taste no different from juicy southern apricots.

How to choose seedlings

To plant apricot seedlings successfully, you need to choose the right place. A southern tree loves the sun, so prepare a well-lit, elevated area that is carefully closed from drafts and wind. In such conditions, you can quickly get fruits in the Urals.

When purchasing seedlings, make sure of their quality. It is better to purchase trees that are one year old, they root well. Examine the branches carefully. They should not have thorns, as this is a sign only of wild-growing varieties. Be sure to check the small thorn that always forms at the site of the vaccination. Pay attention to the root system, if it is frozen or shows signs of rotting, do not buy the plant. The chance that it will take root is zero.

Planting a tree

The optimal time is to plant an apricot in the spring. Over the summer, a fragile seedling will get stronger, take root, gain strength. This will help him to calmly survive. cold winter in central Russia.

Apricot is unpretentious in the choice of soil, but it is better to plant it in fertile loose soil. Dig it up before winter and feed it with mineral and organic fertilizers. An adult tree has a fairly wide crown. He needs a lot of space for normal development and fruiting, so dig holes in the fall at a distance of 5 m from each other. Over the winter and spring, the soil will settle in them, and they will be ready for the rooting of seedlings. The deepening should be such that the root system of the tree fits freely in it, and there is still a little space left. Usually, about 80 cm is dug inside, and 70 cm wide.

To protect the roots from moisture stagnation, lay a thick layer of drainage on the bottom of the pit. It can be broken brick, rubble or small pebbles.
Then add 2 buckets of mullein, a half-liter can of superphosphate, 250 g of wood ash and 350 g of potassium sulfate. Add some soil from the garden and mix the mixture thoroughly. It should fill the hole 1/3.
Place the seedling inside and cover it with earth so that the root collar is 4 cm above the ground level.
Tamp the earth under the tree and make a wide roller of earth around it. It is necessary so that the water does not spread during watering.

Finally, moisten the young tree with 2 buckets of water and tie it to a wooden peg.

How to care for

Growing apricots in cold climates has some peculiarities. You need to take care of him all year round... When snow falls, the root collar must be cleaned of it so that the ground near the trunk is thoroughly frozen. It will not damage the tree.

During the period of snow melting, a dangerous time for the apricot comes. A large number of water pours into the root collar. Night frosts freeze the water again, and the neck begins to rot. Such a phenomenon - common reason death of apricots in Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk regions and in Siberia. To avoid this, in the spring, be sure to shovel the snow away from the trunk, dig small grooves to drain water and mulch the soil thoroughly.

When it gets warmer outside and the tree blooms, it needs regular, moderate watering. Moisten it every two weeks using 5-6 buckets of water, but make sure that it does not stagnate in the root system. A few days after watering, gently loosen the soil under the tree and systematically remove the weeds.

Pruning

If pruned correctly, the tree bears better fruit and becomes more frost-resistant. When the buds open, the branches growing inside the crown and thickening it are removed. This stimulates the growth of young twigs, on which fruits will set in a year or two. Experienced summer residents are advised to form a tree in a sparse-tiered type, when the shoots grow at a distance of 35 cm from each other. It is recommended to remove old branches on which fruits are not tied.

Thaw in winter is dangerous for apricots. Young buds instantly awaken from her near the tree. When the air temperature drops again, they freeze and die. The apricot begins to grow poorly and does not bear fruit. To avoid this, experts advise pinning the tips of all young shoots in June. This procedure prevents them from waking up during thaws in winter.

Advice. Remember to do sanitary pruning. Get rid of sick and drying shoots in time.

How to fertilize

Growing apricots in central Russia requires timely feeding. If a sufficient amount of minerals was applied during planting, start fertilizing the soil the next year.

In the spring, it is useful to feed a 2-year-old tree with infusion of fresh chicken droppings. For its preparation, a bucket of droppings is diluted with water in a 15 liter barrel. Let it brew for several days, and add 10 liters of liquid under each barrel. Instead of organic matter, you can use a purchased nitrogen-containing fertilizer according to the instructions.
Before flowering, 1 tbsp is diluted in 10 liters of water. l. potassium sulfate, 2 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate and poured with a nutritious liquid apricot. This dressing is repeated after flowering.
In the fall, the area where the trees grow is dug up and fertilized with compost or rotted manure.

The older the plant gets, the more fertilizer it needs. At the 4th year of life, the number of ingredients should be doubled, at the 8th year, when it is already actively bearing fruit, by 3 times, and so on.

How to grow an apricot yourself

In central Russia and in the Ural regions, many gardeners prefer to grow apricot from a stone. Such a seedling adapts better to the climate, is less likely to get sick and bears fruit more abundantly.

In summer, seeds are collected from large ripe fruits, washed thoroughly, dried and stored in a canvas bag at room temperature throughout the winter. In order for the seeds to take root, you need to know how to properly plant an apricot in the spring.

In early March, be sure to soak the bones in cold water for a week, which you replace daily with new.
Then mix equal amounts of moss, sawdust and sand, moisten them and place with the apricot seeds in a plastic bag. Planting material should occupy 1 part of the prepared substrate.
Punch small holes in the plastic for air circulation and store the bag at about 4-10 C.
Check the seeds after a month and a half or two. They must crack and germinate. In some varieties, this happens quickly, in others, germination needs to wait for several months.

In early May, the bones are planted in open ground after digging up and fertilizing the ground. On the site, they dig holes 20 cm apart from each other with a depth of about 10 cm, place the bones there, cover them with earth and water them. At the end, the bed is mulched with peat. The sprout quickly hatches out of the ground, buds appear on it, and over the summer it stretches up to 100 cm. The next year it can be transplanted.

In northern latitudes, some summer residents do not transplant a tree grown from a stone. At the same time, its varietal qualities change, but the plant tolerates severe frosts better.

Graft

Apricots are often propagated by grafting. To do this, you need to pick up a young stock and get an apricot stalk that bears fruit. This is done in the spring, when the sap begins to move and the buds wake up. The procedure is quite complicated, so experienced summer residents resort to it.

The number of apricot trees planted in the server regions of Russia is increasing every year. Enthusiastic gardeners are not afraid of the vagaries of nature, and they manage to get a large harvest. If you don't have an apricot at your dacha yet, be sure to purchase a frost-resistant seedling or grow a tree from a stone. With proper care, it will quickly thank you with sweet fruits.

In order for the apricot to regularly bear fruit and develop fully, it is necessary to provide it with proper care in the spring. Compliance with the rules and recommendations will help gardeners get the desired result, while spending a minimum of effort. But for this you need to familiarize yourself with the basic procedures for caring for a peach in spring.

The main tree care takes place in the spring, as the apricot comes out of hibernation and requires special attention. Due to the early growing season of this culture, care must be started from the end of March.

Trimming

According to the rules, this procedure spring care for the apricot, it is necessary to carry out before the movement of juice in the shoots begins. But if the winter was too harsh, and the frosts dropped to 30 degrees, then pruning is carried out at the beginning of the growing season in order to determine the damage done to the tree. In case of severe frostbite of the branches, only the damaged shoots should be cut off, and cardinal pruning should be postponed until autumn or until the next season.

If the apricot has wintered well, then the procedure should be carried out according to the plan: young seedlings - to form a crown, and old trees - to rejuvenate the branches.

The peculiarity of apricot is that it bears fruit on one-year-old shoots, so for it pruning is mandatory procedure... Fruiting shoots regularly produce crops for 3-4 years, after which they must be removed during spring pruning. In case of untimely trimming, the main trunk will be exposed.

In addition to the main pruning, the crown is cleaned from damaged, dry and thickening branches.

Spring grafting

Vaccination of apricots should be carried out when the air temperature is positive, not only during the day, but also at night. Commensurate with how high the tree is needed, a suitable rootstock is selected. Grafting of apricot on cherry plum and peach ultimately gives tall trees with a powerful spreading crown, on wild apricot or plum - medium-sized, and on thorns - allows you to get small dwarf specimens.

Important! Vaccination must be carried out before spraying against diseases and pests.

You can graft an apricot using several basic methods:

copulation;
into cleavage;
for the bark;
in a cut;
budding.

The choice of vaccination method depends on the gardener's experience and individual preferences.

Advice! You can find out all the detailed information about the vaccination.

Transfer

If it is necessary to transplant an apricot in the spring, it should be carried out before the buds begin to swell. This will help the plant quickly adapt to its new location and start growing on time. The main advantage of a spring transplant is that the moisture level in the soil is high, and therefore the crop reacts minimally to the stress received.

After the performed procedure, the apricot should be watered with Kornevin's working solution at the rate of 5 g of the product per 5 l of water and the soil should be compacted so that no voids are formed between the roots. After that, it is recommended to shorten all lateral branches by a third of the length in order to reduce the load on the roots.

By the way! How to plant an apricot correctly in spring - .

Protecting the tree from diseases and pests

Apricot is susceptible to many fungal diseases and pests. In order to prevent their development, trees should be treated in time in the spring against diseases and pests.

The most common apricot diseases are:

In order to reduce the risk of viral infections and their further spread, a set of protective measures should be carried out in the spring. Initially, it is recommended to whitewash the trunk of the apricot and the base of the skeletal branches.

It is necessary to prepare a special whitewash solution, consisting of the following components:

1 kg - lime;
200 g of copper sulfate;
8 liters of water.

Apricot whitewashing in spring should be carried out in the first decade of April.

In the future, it is recommended to spray the apricot crown in spring three times: until the buds protrude, during the formation of buds, immediately after flowering. For fungal infections, the following fungicides should be used: "Skor", "Horus", "Switch", "Hom".

In addition, the apricot is attacked by the following pests:

Insecticides should be used against pests: "Aktellik", "Karbofos", "BI-58".

Important! Apricot treatment against pests and diseases can be carried out simultaneously by choosing compatible preparations in the tank mixture, which significantly saves time and reduces the number of procedures.

When processing apricot chemical means they should be alternated, as pests and pathogens become addictive, and as a result, resistance to their action appears.

Video: spring spraying of apricot from moniliosis and scab

Fertilization and feeding

After winter, the apricot tree needs feeding, which will help it develop, bloom and bear fruit throughout the season. Spring is the optimal period for this, since the roots of the plant are susceptible at this time and respond to feeding.

Fertilization is allowed from the second year after planting the apricot in a permanent place. In the spring, three main apricot dressings are carried out: during the growing season, before flowering, after flowering. For first stage it is recommended to apply urea(120 g), which should be scattered in the trunk circle and covered with moist soil. For the first feeding of apricot, you can also use fermented mullein or bird droppings solution in a ratio of 1:10.

Second and third stage apricot dressing includes ammonium nitrate(50 g), potassium chloride (40 g), superphosphate (100 g), which must be scattered into the trunk circle and covered with soil. Starting from the 5th year after planting, the amount of fertilizer required should be increased by a third.

Important! It is necessary to apply fertilizers only on wet soil, therefore, in the absence of rain, it is necessary to first water the apricot.

Video: apricot dressing

Features of watering, loosening and mulching

Apricot belongs to the category of crops that do not tolerate both overflow and drought, therefore it is necessary to water it when long absence seasonal rains. This is especially important during the active growing season, since a lack of moisture leads to the fact that leaf plates are formed weak, and therefore the entire process of photosynthesis in them is inhibited. In addition, with insufficient watering, not all buds on the tree will wake up after winter.

Watering rates for apricot are:

one- and two-year seedling- 1.5 buckets for each square meter trunk circle;
T one-year-old sapling and older- 2-3 buckets per square meter at the base.

Also, an important feature of spring apricot care is the timely loosening of the soil after rain and watering, which will provide full air access to the roots and exclude the development of infectious diseases.

To significantly reduce watering and prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil, the apricot tree trunk should be covered with mulch. To do this, use straw or peat, but in such a way that the layer thickness does not exceed 3-4 cm.

Important! Mulch should not be poured close to the trunk, as this contributes to the heating of the bark and can cause fungal diseases.

Spring apricot care in different regions

In the Middle Strip (Moscow Region), when growing apricots, there is a high probability of frost return during the flowering period of the crop, therefore it is necessary to cover the tree during this period with non-woven material, making small holes in it (covering material) for pollinating insects.

Video: secrets of growing and caring for apricots in the Middle Lane

The secret of successful cultivation of apricots in the Volga region is that it is necessary to select crop varieties that have proven themselves in this climatic zone, otherwise no care will save them from the cold wind.

Video: growing and caring for apricots in the Volga region

In the Urals and Siberia, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is necessary only during the beginning of the growing season, since late application will cause the active growth of young shoots that will not be able to prepare for wintering and will eventually freeze out.

Typical mistakes in apricot care in spring

The reasons for the lack of a regular harvest and inadequate development of the tree are mistakes made during the spring care of the crop. Sometimes a small detail can become an obstacle to the growth of the tree and the formation of fruits. To avoid them, you must first familiarize yourself with them:

The lack of regular pruning leads to the fact that the fruits are formed especially at the top of the tree, and the lower branches are bare.
Constant freezing of young shoots, as a result of which there is no harvest. Late application of nitrogen fertilizers does not allow the shoots to ripen in time and prepare for winter.
Discharge of flowers and ovary is a consequence of a lack of moisture during this period; it is necessary to regularly water the apricot in the absence of seasonal precipitation.
Excessive application mineral fertilizers leads to an increase in the concentration of salts in the soil, which has a depressing effect on the tree.

Apricot is a crop that, with proper care, produces a stable high-quality crop. But ignoring the rules and recommendations of spring care will lead to premature aging of the tree and the lack of a quality crop.

Video: why apricot does not bear fruit, what is the mistake of spring care

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