How to make a mini-garden at home: all about columnar trees and their care

Many people dream of their own country house with a plot of land. They usually want to be able to arrange a cozy green corner and grow homegrown fruits.

However, if you have limited space or live in an apartment - it does not mean that you can not have a garden. GradinaMax talked about how to plant compact columnar trees.

Columnar trees, in particular apple trees, alycha, and citrus crops, are ideal for those who want to grow fruit in limited space - on balconies, loggias or patios. Compact, decorative and at the same time fruit-bearing, they can become a decoration of any corner, creating a real garden even where it would seem impossible.

Planting colony trees

It is best to transplant trees in early spring or fall before the onset of cold weather. For the first few years, a container of 10-15 liters is enough for the tree, but then it should be transplanted into a larger pot to provide space for the root system to develop. The ideal volume for an adult tree will be a container of 25-30 liters.

When planting it is necessary to take care of a quality drainage system to prevent stagnation of water. To do this, put a layer of drainage at the bottom of the container, and then fill it with a special soil mixture.

Colony tree care

Columnar trees need regular care, including proper watering, feeding, removal of side shoots, artificial pollination if necessary and protection against pests and diseases.

In the first years of life, trees need frequent watering, especially in hot weather. To keep moisture in the soil longer, you should lay a layer of mulch around the tree.

You should also choose light-colored plastic pots for your garden. They will be quite lightweight, which will allow you to move the trees around without problems when needed, and light colors will attract less heat.

As for fertilizing, it is applied only from the second year of the tree's life and is carried out in several stages. In the spring before the beginning of flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are introduced to support the active growth of the plant. In the summer, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied, helping the formation of fruits. In the fall, potassium fertilizers should be applied to prepare the tree for the winter dormancy period.

Features of fruiting and pruning

Columnar trees have a unique feature of fruiting. They form short fruiting branches growing straight from the trunk. These branches live for up to 3 years, after which they age and die off. Therefore, over time, fruits are only formed in the upper part of the tree.

To continue fruiting, rejuvenating pruning is carried out. To do this, the trunk is cut at a height of 50 cm, and from the developed side branches leave the strongest shoot and direct it vertically upward. The remaining branches should be removed.

Winterization

If you plan to leave the garden to winter on the balcony, it is necessary to take into account the temperature regime. Column-shaped trees can winter at a temperature not lower than +10 degrees.

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