How to plant an apple tree?

Vaccination of an adult apple tree helps preserve the varietal qualities of trees. It is not always possible to replace old copies with new ones, and this procedure quickly and with minimal costs updates the garden.

Vaccination of apple trees is a vegetative method of propagation used by gardeners. It is based on combining the shoots of several trees.

Gardening professionals use the following terms:

• Scion - a part of a tree (bud or shoot) grafting onto another plant to obtain new properties;
• stock - a donor tree (the necessary qualities are taken from it).

It is assumed that this effect can be achieved thanks to the cambium - the educational tissue responsible for the secondary thickening of the stems. It is located under the bark. It is important that its layers at the scion and stock are in good condition, because their tight contact is necessary.

Tasks and Goals

The vaccine is made to:

• to save the value of the variety lost during pollination;
• halve the fruiting period;
• get a dwarf specimen giving apples earlier;
• grow varieties unsuitable for the climate of the region;
• one tree produced several varieties at once;
• keep a specimen injured by animals, aggressive environmental influences (for example, wind, hail, frost);
• try a new variety;
• increase fertility, stamina;
• to plant a pollinator;
• renovate the garden at no extra cost.

When grafting on the scion and rootstock, cuts are made. Layers of cambium are combined, well pressed for intergrowth.

The timing

The timing of vaccination depends on the climate in the area. For example, in the middle zone of the country and in the south of the Urals, an apple tree is grafted in the second half of spring, when it departs from winter dormancy and sap flow begins.

They are vaccinated in the summer (from mid-July to the second half of August). When sap flow begins again. In August, it is recommended to plant new gardeners. This time of year is like updating a garden in all regions of Russia.

Winter

In winter, young apple trees are planted, which will land after snow has melted. This should only be done at positive temperature. This vaccine is called "desktop" because it is carried out in special buildings.

Step-by-step execution:

• the most favorable time: January-March;
• done half a month before landing;
• the graft is withdrawn from the donor to frost, at a temperature of at least -8 °;
• until grafting, the branches are kept at 0 °;
• in a couple of weeks the stock is transferred to a warm room;
• grafted apple trees before planting are at temperatures above zero.

Winter grafting can only be done by experienced gardeners, because it is quite difficult.

Autumn

A tree is planted in autumn only as a last resort, for example, when there is a scion of a unique variety that cannot be preserved until spring. The fact is that during this period there is a slowdown in sap flow.

Rules:

• in warm weather when there is no wind;
• if the vaccine is given at the beginning of September, it is better to choose the “budding” method;
• Until mid-October, the methods are used “split” (indoors only), “over the bark” (no later than September, that is, until freezing occurs, otherwise the scion will die and cannot take root);
• temperature not less than -15 degrees.

What kind of methods are these: “budding,” “splitting,” “behind the bark,” read the section “Types and methods of vaccination.”

Has a high rate of survival of stocks from young scions.

Summer

Vaccination is well received by the apple tree. It is recommended to do it in early August, when the second phase begins, the movement of fluid with nutrients from the rhizome to the green. In the southern regions of Russia, the “budding" method is usually used. You can apply other methods.

Spring

The best period for vaccination. Trees easily carry it and quickly regenerate. This also applies to scions and stocks.

The most favorable time according to the lunar calendar: days of the growing month. The temperature is positive, the weather is calm. The best time is morning or twilight.

Selection of scion and stock

The success of grafting depends on the right choice of trees. First, a stock is selected. The apple tree should be healthy, without problems with bark, dry branches, and frost-resistant. Use young and mature trees. When the task is to modify the plant, the specimen is taken young, up to three years old (wildcat). For rootstock varieties are used that produce many fruits and are well developed. They vary by region.

A donor apple tree must be an adult, bearing fruit for at least two years. This will help to understand what the taste of the fruit will be, how many there will be, and also to determine the endurance of the plant.

It is desirable that the scion and stock are close varieties. This ensures survival, but is not a prerequisite.

Harvesting cuttings

An apple tree, from which grafts are taken for grafting, must be fruitful, with good and stable fruiting. Branches cut from the southern part are ripe, one-year-old. They are taken from the middle of the crown.

Scion shoot requirements:

• length - thirty to forty centimeters;
• circumference - six to seven centimeters;
• internodes are not short;
• lack of buds;
• the apple tree is no more than ten years old.

The terms of harvesting cuttings are different. They can be cut at the beginning of winter, spring, just before vaccination.

Types and methods of vaccination

There are a large number of grafting techniques; they are selected based on the weather and age of the apple tree. The following tools must be prepared in advance:

• garden saw;
• a well-ground knife or pruner;
• ligation material: compacted fabric, patch;
• garden var.

Before any method of vaccination, you need to disinfect the instruments, wash your hands thoroughly and try to avoid prolonged contact of the sections with air.

Budding

This technique is based on a kidney shot. The advantage of this method is the minimum trauma to the apple tree.

If vaccinated in the spring, last year’s kidney is used. It is taken from a cuttings harvested in the fall. Gardeners who do not have much experience are advised to take a dormant bud, it is harder to damage it.

Crafting step by step:

• an incision is made on the stock from the northern region (cambium cannot be damaged);
• the kidney is inserted slice close to the trunk;
• the injured area is covered with dressing;
• the vaccination site is lubricated with garden var;
• all actions are fast.

When the stalk begins to grow, the dressing is removed. If the vaccination is unsuccessful, a second is done in the same place.

Fumigation in the butt is done the same way. A kidney with bark is used, which is applied to the stock in place of the cut shield. Their sizes must exactly match. The method is used for young apple trees. Usually it is resorted to in spring and summer, when the bark peels off well.

Vaccination for bark

Usually used in autumn, no later than September. It is made to update the garden, to restore the dead aerial parts with a living root system. The bark should be well torn from the trunk to expose the cambium.

Step-by-step instruction:

• a root cut is made on the rootstock, similar to a pocket;
• the stalk is cut along an oblique line;
• tightly pressed against the cambium;
• fixed by bark;
• tied up and processed by var.

In this way, it is possible to plant several branches at once in the wild.

Copy with tongue

Used when stock and scion are the same diameters. Oblique incisions are made on both branches and connected. For strong fixation, notches can be made on the alignment line.

After vaccination, the damaged area is not tightly tied up, treated with var. Copulation can be used for grafting several varieties at once. Methods for grafting an apple tree

Into the cleavage

Used to update the old garden. Vaccination helps revitalize the tree, improve the condition of the crown. It is carried out as follows:

• the top of the rootstock is cut;
• a horizontal cut is made on the stump of five to six centimeters;
• a stalk is inserted into the recess;
• when the rootstock circumference is twice as large as the shoot, several branches of the graft are taken;
• the damaged area is covered with dressings, treated with var.

When the stalk has taken root, the dressing is removed.

In autumn, vaccination is carried out indoors: after the steps described above, the stock and scion are planted in a container and taken to the basement, where with a small plus, they will remain until spring, then the grown seedlings will need to be transplanted.

Into the notch

Methodology:

1. On the scion, an incision is made seven to ten centimeters at an angle of 30 degrees.
2. The stock is turned on both sides, the bark is removed.
3. The handle is inserted into the incision, processed by var.
4. If the shoot adheres well to the trunk, the dressing is not done.

The method is used when the bark poorly leaves the trunk, damaging the cambium.

Implantation

The diameters of the scion and stock should be identical. Implantation technique:

1. The rootstock cuttings are cut, which is fifteen to twenty centimeters above the surface of the earth.
2. The resulting stump is cut obliquely, stepping back from the branch two centimeters;
3. The upper end of the shoot is coated with var;
4. The lower tip is cut off, the branch is pressed against the stock;
5. The vaccination site is wrapped with polyethylene or PVC tape;
6. A package is put on top and bandaged.

When the first green leaves appear, the dressing is removed.

Trees suitable for planting an apple tree

An apple tree can be planted on various trees. Plants of the same species grow best. However, vaccination is appropriate for other cultures. What vaccination is done on:

Reasons for failure

To avoid failures, consider the following:

• budding is not performed from the south side: direct sunlight can ruin everything;
• vaccination is not done in the rain;
• you can not use fresh scion: the shoots are cut off when the tree is at rest;
• after grafting, careful care is needed, otherwise the apple tree will tear off the stalk;
• ligation is removed after the branch has taken root (if this is not done, growth will slow down);
• shoots below vaccination are removed;
• the growth of branches above the damaged area is restrained until nutrients begin to flow into the new stem.

When all the rules and requirements are met, the vaccination is successful. In the future, there are no problems with the tree.

Mr. summer resident warns: safety measures are an important component

Safety regulations:

• vaccination takes place in dry weather when there is no wind;
• Do not be distracted;
• when making incisions, make sure that the other hand is not under the blade of the knife;
• mentally trace the movement of a sharp instrument before an incision;
• when processing the end of the handle, the blade of the knife should be directed “away from you”.

For vaccination, dangerous tools are used. Therefore, adherence to safety is an important component.