Compliance with agrotechnical rules allows you to consistently obtain a high-quality harvest. One of the agricultural techniques is watering trees. When understanding the question of how to water apple trees in the summer, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the variety, the biological specificity of the crop, climatic conditions and other nuances. Violation of watering rules leads to the death of plants and a reduction in yield.
Types of irrigation
There are several ways to moisten the soil on which apple trees are grown.Most often, gardeners use surface tillage in furrows and ditches between rows. For surface watering, use a hose to water the apple tree along the projection of the crown. On the ground, under the ends of the longest branches, it is enough to dig a small groove about 15 cm deep and fill it with water in portions until intensive absorption stops.
Watering trees using the sprinkling method involves using a fan, pulse, pistol or other type of sprinkler. The gardening device sprays the apple trees evenly and dispersedly with fine jets. Proper treatment with a sprinkler requires moistening the soil to a depth of 60-80 cm. Insufficient moisture will only worsen the condition of the crop, especially in drought conditions.
With subsurface irrigation, water is delivered directly to the roots using high-pressure humidifiers. This method is especially useful in constant dry weather.
Optimal temperature and composition of water for irrigation
Proper watering of apple trees allows you to use water from a well, borehole or other natural sources. When treating trees with cold water from a well or stream, it is important to make sure that the temperature of the liquid is not close to the freezing point.
Ice water can damage developing roots and slow growth.
To grow healthy and large apples, you also need to check the composition of the liquid. The water must be free of harmful impurities and chemicals.
General recommendations for irrigation in summer
When processing trees in the summer, it is recommended to follow a number of general rules. In particular:
- When irrigating young seedlings less than one year old, it is necessary to use 2-3 buckets of settled water for each.For apple trees growing for more than 5 years, the amount of liquid should be doubled.
- In July, when the maximum temperatures of the season are observed, it is necessary to constantly check the soil moisture and prevent it from drying out.
- The first watering can be done before the onset of summer - immediately after planting in the spring.
- In hot weather, you should not spray the surface of the leaves, as they may fade due to exposure to sunlight.
Saplings
Immediately after planting green seedlings, it is necessary to moisten the soil. For uniform watering, use a watering can or sprayer. If planting is done before the onset of summer and there are frequent rains, then additional watering is not required, since the soil will be sufficiently moistened.
With further growth of seedlings, watering should be done every 3-4 days, provided there is no rain. In case of dry weather, it is allowed to go beyond the norm and increase the number of sprays.
young trees
Beginning gardeners are always faced with the question of how often and how to properly water growing fruit trees. During the first year of development, a young apple tree is watered on average 4-5 times per season, each time using no more than 3 buckets of water. Over the next couple of years, the number of applications should be reduced, while increasing the amount of liquid used per tree.
Young and intensively growing trees are less sensitive to lack of water, unlike old and fruit-bearing trees. If there is insufficient moisture, the ovary crumbles, and the fruits of mature apple trees fall off.
During the flowering period
After apple trees begin to bloom in the summer, you should pay special attention to the nuances of watering.If there is frequent rain, additional watering should not be carried out, since excess moisture in the soil can lead to rotting of the root system and subsequent death of the trees. The need for moisture arises only in stable dry weather and the absence of moving water in the ground.
Insufficient moisture during the flowering period leads to a lack of nectar in the inflorescences. As a result, yields are reduced and the quality of ripening fruits deteriorates.
During fruiting
When the period of active fruiting begins, you need to know how much water apple trees need to obtain the greatest harvest. A suitable amount of moisture and timely irrigation will also have a positive effect on the taste characteristics of apples. During fruiting, the size of the apples, their structure, and the juiciness of the pulp are formed.
If there is insufficient moisture during the period of active ripening and development of fruits, they will grow small and not juicy. The apple pulp will acquire a pronounced sour taste, and the appearance will differ from varieties with the correct characteristics.
How do heat and drought affect watering?
High temperatures and dry air in hot summers require adjustments to the apple tree watering schedule. Adding water in small quantities will be ineffective, since the moisture will not reach the depth of the bulk of the roots. In order for the root system to receive a sufficient amount of liquid, grooves should be dug around each tree along the projection of the crown and 20-25 buckets should be poured into them.
The soil must be moistened to a depth of 70 cm for the proper formation and development of the root system. After each watering, the soil should be loosened and covered with mulch.The time of the next watering depends on the ambient temperature and, on average, is carried out after 2-3 weeks.
Basic mistakes
When caring for apple trees in the summer, many gardeners make common mistakes. One of them is incorrect mulching, which is designed to retain moisture in the root system area. A large amount of mulch creates an obstacle to the flow of liquid into the soil, which causes the roots to dry out.
It is important that the mulch does not come into contact with the trunk of the apple tree, as this can provoke the development of disease and rot.
Also, gardeners often encounter classic mistakes associated with a lack or excess of moisture. Proper watering involves regularly monitoring the condition of the soil. By monitoring the degree of moisture, you can adjust the amount of water and create favorable conditions for the development of trees.
Another mistake is choosing the wrong time to water. It is recommended to process apple trees early in the morning or in the evening, 2-3 hours before complete sunset. The choice of such time intervals is due to the fact that during the day most of the liquid evaporates due to exposure to sunlight, as a result of which the roots do not receive the required amount of moisture. Watering apple trees at other times is allowed only in cloudy weather.
