How to prepare fruit trees for frost: basic tips

In winter, the orchard rests and requires no care. The same cannot be said about the autumn season when you need to do your best to prepare the trees for the cold.

According to te.20minut.ua, citing the recommendations of the Phytosanitary Safety Department of the Main Directorate of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Ternopil Oblast, in the autumn months, it is necessary to replenish the resources of trees after the fruiting season, restore them after exposure to pests and infections, as well as strengthen and protect them before frost. And here's what you need to do in time.

Autumn pruning

Pruning of tree branches is important for the care and health of the plant. In the fall, it is carried out to remove dry, broken, or rotten parts of the crown. For the procedure, you need to wait until the tree has shed all its leaves, but the air temperature is still above 0 degrees. If frosts suddenly hit, it is better to postpone pruning until spring. Under such conditions, the cuts on the tree will not have time to heal. This leads to freezing and death of branches.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Many insect pests overwinter in the bark and branches of fruit trees. If they have settled in the plant, they will begin to attack it with the onset of spring heat. In this case, the pests also spread quickly throughout the garden. Therefore, it is worth spraying the trees with appropriate protective agents. And also remove fallen leaves and other organic waste – they are also used by pests as a winter shelter.

Fertilizing for the winter

To ensure that fruit trees recover well from the summer season, they need to be fertilized before winter. In addition, proper fertilization can strengthen the plant's resistance to cold weather. Fertilizers are applied after the branches have been harvested. Nitrogen is not added to the mixture, as it stimulates the growth of new shoots, which can deplete the tree before the cold weather. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are best for the fall season.

Water-charging irrigation

Frozen ground in winter does not allow moisture to reach the roots of trees, and frosty air dries out their tissues. To prevent the garden from drying out over the winter, water-charging irrigation is carried out in the fall. During the procedure, the soil under each plant is properly moistened and mulched to protect the roots from the cold.

To carry out water-charging irrigation, choose a period when the air temperature outside is 1-3 °C. In warmer weather, this can stimulate vegetation and lead to the death of the garden; in colder conditions, the procedure will not work.

As for watering rates, they depend on the tree species and its age. For example, an adult apple tree needs 50-60 liters per 1 square meter of the trunk circle, and young pome crops need 35-40 liters per 1 square meter. Stone fruit crops are watered at the rate of 35-50 liters per 1 square meter.

Protecting against rodents

In winter, trees can be attacked by rodents that do not hibernate, such as hares. They chew through the bark, which can be dangerous for the plant. To prevent problems, you need to wrap the trunks with covering material. Burlap, spruce branches, and the like are suitable. The height of the wrap should be up to 1 meter.

Digging up the trunk circle

Loosening the soil in the fall is combined with fertilization. Before the procedure, remove rotten fruits, fallen leaves, branches, and other debris from the ground. You can put mulch on the dug up soil. For example, cover it with a layer of sawdust from deciduous trees, hay, or non-woven material. However, fallen leaves themselves cannot be used as mulch – during rains they get wet and compacted, so they do not allow air to pass to the roots and also prevent water from evaporating outside. In addition, pests and pathogens overwinter in the fallen leaves.

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