If you don't have much experience in gardening, you can easily make a lot of mistakes. As a result, fruit and berry trees may not produce a crop and even die. For example, is it possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry? If not, why not, and what kind of neighbors does she get along with?
Why Compatibility Matters
There is a science that studies the compatibility of plants.
Since the leaves of trees emit various substances into the atmosphere that fall into the soil with precipitation, its composition changes. The root system functions in a similar way. But in addition to the allocation of certain minerals, it absorbs others. And neighboring plants may develop poorly or die due to the "parasitic" behavior of the neighboring culture. Another factor to consider when planning plantings is the different type and diameter of the root system. Based on this, you can decide whether the neighborhood of an apple tree and a cherry on the site is good, or whether it is worth picking up other neighbors for them.
Compatibility of the apple tree with other plants
Apple tree is not allowedbe called a friendly neighbor. It has a well developed root system. The plant needs various minerals and a lot of water, so the roots are able to take what they need from other plants, restricting their development.
When planning a garden, you need to know if it is possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry. Like other stone fruits, the cherry does not get along with the apple tree. Moreover, stone plants suffer in this conflict. The apple tree does not allow them to fully develop, taking away food. Therefore, such a neighborhood will lead to a lack of cherry harvest.
How to ensure a good harvest of apples
Apple trees are not self-pollinating plants, they need the help of insects. To ensure cross-pollination, it is necessary to group several plants of the same species together. Where to plant an apple tree, if not among their own kind?
Great neighbors for her will be:
- Chive. It is planted around a tree trunk to repel harmful insects and attract beneficial ones.
- Mullein will protect against bedbugs that destroy young fruits.
- Fennel attracts caterpillar-eating insects;
- creeping clover saturates the soil with nitrogen, attracts insects that destroy pests. The flowering period of clover and apple is the same, so it attracts insects for timely pollination.
In order not to waste space in the garden, you can plant early varieties of tomatoes under the apple tree on the sunny side.
Which trees go well and badly with apple trees
Can an apple tree grow next to a cherry? These twotrees can be located in close proximity, but you can not count on the harvest. Instead, it is better to plant a coniferous tree in an apple orchard, such a neighborhood accelerates the development of fruit trees and guarantees a good harvest.
Rowan should be planted away from fruit trees. Moth larvae that prefer to live on it, spreading to neighboring trees, make the crop wormy.
The viburnum, lilac, horse chestnut interfere with the normal development of the apple tree.
Many are interested in whether it is possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry or raspberry.
Raspberry has a root system located on the very surface of the earth, absorbing all the nutrients and water. Since apple roots are also demanding on moisture and nutrition, both plants may die due to conflict. In addition, these two crops bloom and bear fruit at different times. Due to the susceptibility of the apple tree to diseases and pests, many gardeners use chemicals to destroy them. Processing time coincides with the ripening period of raspberries. There is a high probability of getting poison on the berries. The remaining parasites can overwinter in the foliage of the shrub. And next year they will again take up the fruit tree.
Although many gardeners believe that raspberries and apple trees behave quite friendly as neighbors.
Soil for apple trees
The plant prefers loose soil, clay will not suit it. With heavy soil, you need to add sand or peat, humus or compost. If the soil is peaty or sandy, clay, compost must be added to it.or humus.
The ideal location for an apple tree is a hill located far from groundwater. If there are difficulties in providing the tree with similar conditions, it is necessary to create an artificial hill of fertile soil with a height of about 0.8 m. As the plant develops, the earth will need to be topped up.
The pit is prepared weeks before planting. It should be dug to a depth of 0.8 m with a diameter of 1 m. The soil for the apple tree should be well fertilized, so two buckets of rotted manure, one glass of superphosphate and a little ash must be added. A young plant needs support, so a peg is dug into the center of the hole.
Apple planting time
In order for the planting material to take root, it is important to choose the right time to place it on the site. One of the criteria for choosing a period when this is worth doing is the climatic conditions of a particular region. Spring and autumn are suitable for central Russia. When planting in the spring, it is better to work in the second half of April. During autumn work - in the first half of October. In similar periods, young stock is traditionally planted in the south of the country.
In the northern regions, planting apple trees in spring is the only way to ensure that the plant has time to take root. At the same time, work can be performed only when the earth has already warmed up sufficiently. The pit can be prepared in autumn.
Seedling selection
For planting an apple tree in the spring with seedlings, it is necessarychoose high-quality planting material. It is necessary to carefully consider the appearance of the seedling. A young tree should have a label with the name of the variety and recommendations for which climate it is best suited for.
When buying, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the roots. The tree can be sold with an open root system or with a clod of earth. Hidden roots can sometimes have defects, so it is recommended to opt for specimens with roots freed from the ground. It is important to pay attention to their integrity and color. They should be light, without dark spots or growths, the root system should be well developed.
If you choose a bad seedling, it does not matter at all whether it is possible to plant an apple tree next to a cherry - the result will be deplorable. A good young tree should be about one and a half meters high. A lower height may indicate poor-quality care, and too high specimens indicate a violation of the technology for growing planting material.
When buying, it is better to choose young trees that are 1–2 years old. This is due to the inability to extract an older seedling from the ground with full preservation of the root system. It is easier for young trees to recover from transplantation than older trees.
Can I plant an apple tree next to a cherry? No, in order for the trees to give a consistent yield, they should be divided and planted next to other plants.
