How to properly prepare young apple trees for winter and why to cover them, materials and step-by-step guide

In winter, the apple tree continues to grow at a slow pace. Therefore, it is important to protect it from frost and pests. Every summer resident must take care of the plant and properly prepare apple trees for winter. Even frost-resistant varieties need to be covered during the cold period to protect them from rodents. They begin to prepare in advance, before the onset of frost.

Why do you need to cover young trees?

Many summer residents are sure that the plant is covered for the winter so that the apple tree is not damaged by frost. But this opinion is wrong. First of all, it is protection from rodents who like to feast on young bark in winter. It is also good protection from cold winds, which dry out the bark excessively, and from the spring sun, which causes burns. Therefore, shelter is a mandatory autumn event, which is carried out before the onset of frost.

Young trees are at risk of drying out by winter winds and sun. Therefore, they provide cover not only for the trunk, but also for the entire crown. Burlap is ideal as a material for this purpose. From the age of 7 years, the plant does not so urgently need protection for the winter period in the form of covering material.

When do you need to cover apple trees?

The main condition is to choose the right shelter time. The health and life of a culture depends on it. Warming too early will provoke the growth of shoots, which will inevitably lead to the death of the tree. The protection is constructed when sap flow is completely completed and the temperature reaches -10 °C. Before covering the plant, it is properly prepared.

Preparation for the process

In cold regions, varieties grow that can withstand cold well. If frosts last for several days, they will not cause much harm to the plants. Roots located near the soil surface and weak basal branches may only be slightly damaged. But hungry hares can seriously damage the plantings. Therefore, before sheltering, it is necessary to decide for what purpose it is being done.

Timely and securely covered bark is an important condition for the development and growth of the culture.Such shelter is especially necessary for young crops, since damaged bark causes diseases that lead to the death of the tree.

Every gardener should know how to prepare a plant for winter. A number of activities are carried out before the shelter:

1. Remove fallen leaves from around the plant. It is a breeding ground for bacteria and insects. It must be burned to prevent the spread of infection.
2. To remove lichen, the culture is treated with copper sulfate.
3. Remove rotten fruits that lie around the tree and hang on the branches. Larvae overwinter in apples and, as the weather gets warmer, they begin to damage the tree.
4. To destroy beetles and various dangerous insects, the tree trunk circle is dug up.

If a hunting belt was installed on a tree in the summer, it is removed before wintering. Beneficial insects and ladybugs must be released. You can hang a feeder on a tree, in which tits are fed in winter. Birds will help destroy pests.

Necessary materials

There are a lot of materials suitable for barrel winding:

• reed;
• nylon stockings;
• old rags;
• toilet paper;
• spruce forest;
• plastic bags;
• cellophane;
• several layers of newspaper.

It is not recommended to use straw from grain crops, which attracts rodents to the tree. Also, you should not use wire, as it injures the plant bark. You can insulate trees with plastic bottles. They will properly cover the trunk and root collar, and will perform the function of scaring away, since the bottles make noise from every breath of wind.

The insulation is removed after the snow melts. If the plant is covered with roofing felt, it is removed with the onset of the first thaw.

Insulation technology

Seedlings and their root system are completely covered. The wind poses a great danger to them.It is recommended to dig a peg nearby and tie the plant. It is also advisable to place a barrier around it in the form of dry branches, which will hold back the wind. And the fallen snow will serve as additional protection against freezing.

It is imperative to cover the seedlings. Damaged bark will lead to cracking and disease, and rotten frozen roots will cause the death of the plant. This is taken into account when insulating all types. A young apple tree is covered with a layer of sawdust around the trunk. This will serve as good protection against freezing of the roots. Then the trunk is insulated with burlap. Spruce branches are laid on top, which will protect the plant from pests.

Sanitary pruning

Before the winter period, diseased and dry branches are pruned. It is recommended to shorten living ones by a third. The cut is made at an acute angle with a well-sharpened tool. A pruner or hacksaw is suitable for these purposes. The cut area is coated with garden varnish. Damaged branches are completely cut down; stumps cannot be left. The tree is given the shape of a bush and the maximum height is 3 meters.

Treatment against diseases and pests

After all the debris has been removed around the tree trunk, it is necessary to treat the plant with a solution of vitriol. You can spray with both iron and copper. This will help protect the apple tree from possible diseases and the spread of insects.

Cleaning and whitewashing of the trunk

Be sure to cover the trunk with lime mortar. The branches of the first row are also coated. This event is important because:

• Serves as protection against pests. During a long and warm autumn, some insects may become more active and begin to damage the crop.
• The product will help prevent frost damage caused by sudden temperature changes;
• If fungicides are added to the composition, the solution will help fight diseases and stem pests that overwinter in the plant bark.
• Lime will protect the crop in early spring from the first scorching sun.

Before starting whitewashing, prepare the trunk. They rid it of moss, dead bark and lichen. Before starting to clean the trunk, a tarpaulin is spread around, onto which organic residues will be sprinkled. The procedure is carried out in calm, dry weather. The air temperature should be +2…+3 °C. The collected dust is burned. After the whitewash has dried well, you can apply insulation to the standard.

Fertilizing and water-recharging irrigation

Be sure to carry out pre-winter watering. By the autumn period, the green branches have already become woody; excess moisture will not provoke their growth. Depending on the soil for one apple tree bring in 30-40 buckets of water. The soil should be saturated with liquid to a depth of at least 1.5 meters.

Watering is necessary to provide the root system with moisture throughout the winter, which will allow the roots not to freeze. Well-distributed moisture will prevent cracking of the soil, which will eliminate the risk of frost penetrating the roots. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers play an important role, promoting the ripening of wood. Superphosphate or potassium salt is added at the time of loosening the soil around the trunk.

Rodent protection

In the fall, it is necessary to cover the trunk for the winter from rodents that like to feast on the bark. The ideal option is a spruce forest. Sharp needles will scare away animals and keep the bark intact. Hares mainly damage trees. Due to their height, they cannot gnaw plants high. Therefore, the trunk and branches located at a low height are protected. Roofing felt is often used.This material will protect against pests, keep you warm in winter and save you from sunburn.

Does variety affect cover?

Frost-resistant varieties from 7 years old do not need to be insulated. This applies only to plants with strong bark that is free of damage and signs of disease. This tree easily withstands frost. The ground part of the trunk can withstand frost down to -35 °C without special shelter.

But the columnar apple tree should be covered especially carefully. This does not depend on her height and age.

The plant does not have long branches around the central shoot, so it should be completely covered. To do this, a pyramid of wooden planks is assembled around the plant. Humus is poured inside. And the pyramid is wrapped in tarpaulin. Such protection will help the crop survive frosts.

Features in different regions

In Siberia and the Urals, special varieties are grown that can withstand severe frosts. Nevertheless, it is recommended to cover apple trees for the winter. In Siberia, the trunk is insulated by 1.5 meters. Fabric or pine needles are used as cover. Secure the top with tape. This helps protect the crop from sunburn, cold and rodents.

In the Urals they cover the roots. For this use:

• sawdust;
• peat;
• manure.

A mound about 30 centimeters in height is made around the trunk. Seedlings in cold regions should be covered completely in late autumn. In winter, snow is thrown over the plant and compacted, which serves as additional protection from frost. In the Moscow region, they diligently prepare the crop for wintering and observe all the necessary conditions, since severe weather conditions are possible, which are characterized by sudden changes in temperature.

For insulation, the following conditions are met:

• Loosen the soil around the plant.
• The seedlings are being spudded. The hill should be 30 centimeters.
• Mulch the tree trunk circle with sawdust. The thickness of the layer is about 30 centimeters. This will serve as reliable protection for the root system from severe frosts.
• The trunk is insulated with covering material.
• Snow is thrown and compacted around the plant. The bigger the slide, the better.

Compliance with the listed procedures for preparing a plant for wintering will help protect the tree and maintain its health, which will contribute to a good harvest next season.