Apple tree propagation methods
To correctly reproduce the apple tree, determine the purpose of this process. To obtain young trees, cuttings, seeds or cuttings are used. For rejuvenation, eyes or grafting methods are used. The time of work is autumn or spring.
Apple tree propagation methods
Training
The procedure for breeding an apple tree at home is carried out only after preparation. First, the tree is examined for disease and damage. If signs of disease are detected, the apple tree is cured.
After that, a material is prepared with which reproduction will be carried out. It is impossible to immediately procure a large amount of material so that it does not disappear. If you decide to propagate an apple tree using cuttings, you need to remove all the leaves from it.
In the process, use only sterilized tools so as not to infect the tree. To do this, use special chemicals (copper sulfate or "Crisp") and folk remedies (potassium permanganate or ammonia). Dilute the preparations according to the instructions so as not to burn the material during work, but to remove all bacteria and fungi.
You will need:
- plastic bottle with a volume of 2 liters;
- large plastic bag (up to 40 cm long);
- substrate.
Garden soil, humus or sawdust are used as a substrate. You can mix manure with compost or soil with vermiculite in a 1: 1 ratio. Its properties help it retain moisture in the soil.
Good germination of seedlings is observed if sphagnum is used as a substrate. Remember to water it every few days.
Periodically, the substrate is replaced with ready-made hydroponic cotton wool cubes. Due to its sterility, it is used several times per season. Do not forget to adjust the moisture level of the cotton wool, because otherwise it will lose its beneficial properties.
Cuttings
To propagate an apple tree using cuttings, they are first harvested. The right time for this is spring or autumn. If you prepare the material in the summer, it will quickly give roots, because did not have time to stiffen. Try to take cuttings from the bottom of the tree. They will form roots faster.
The best cuttings are the growths of the current season, which appear in the spring. The older the material, the more difficult it is to work with it. The denser the inner layer of wood, the more likely it is that the cutting will break and it will be impossible to carry out further actions.
Scheme
Step-by-step instructions for growing apple trees from cuttings will help to carry out the process correctly:
- cut the cuttings, the size of which is 10-15 cm, in the morning. At this time, more moisture accumulates in them. Cut a few spare cuttings at once;
- Sprinkle the cut off branch with "Kornevin" (40 g per 6 l of water) to speed up the formation of roots. After that, they put it on the windowsill, dipping it into a vase of warm water. Under the influence of water and sun, roots will appear on the cuttings in a few weeks;
- when the roots on the branch are 8 cm in size, it is prepared for planting in open ground;
- plant cuttings with a group trench method. Dig and fertilize the trenches in advance. The smaller the distance between the bushes, the better the chances of getting a healthy apple tree.
When the cuttings are finished, they start caring for the culture. Water it every 14 days so that the soil does not have time to dry out. Loosen the soil in the trunk circle every week. So you will improve access to the roots of air and nutrients. To reduce the likelihood of moisture evaporation from the soil, mulch the trunk circle with straw and rotted manure.
The advantages of cuttings include the possibility of obtaining plants that will be used for grafting, performing the functions of a stock, and the constant renewal of productive apple varieties.
The first drawback is that summer apple cuttings do not always reach the rooting stage and the gardener will have to repeat the procedure, spending time and effort. The second drawback is the inability to carry out actions in the spring or autumn. Only in summer can a gardener cut an apple tree.
Layers
This method is used in early spring, after the snow has completely melted. The soil should still be cold and moist. For layering, adult branches (2-3 years) with a diameter of 2-3 cm are used. Choose only those that have been in the sun for a long time and do not have branches.
Due to the fact that the air layers are only half woody, they have a small young growth of green. In the place where the leaves did not have time to form, they wrap the branch with plastic wrap. With electrical tape, everything is fixed and left until the end of spring. The heat will soften the branch.
At the end of May, the film is removed and cuts are made. It is better to do them at the junction of the age shoot and the young growth. The width of the first annular notch shall be 10 mm. On both sides of it, 2 more incisions are made. If fruit buds appear, get rid of them.
Scheme
Rooting of the air layer is as follows:
- inside any container suitable for planting, pour the prepared substrate;
- cut off the bottom of the plastic bottle, and wrap the lower part of the layering with polyethylene and electrical tape;
- the inside of the bottle is treated with Kornerost or Kornevin;
- the branch is placed in a container with a substrate and covered with a cut bottle - this will take place faster;
- the whole structure is placed in a shaded place to root the tree more reliably.
Air layering maintenance consists of weekly watering. A month before planting a branch in open ground, dig a hole and feed it with humus. A seedling is placed inside together with a soil lump, taking it out of the container. The first fruits will be formed in a few years: 3 years should pass.
Broken branch method
Vaccination methods are different
The method of propagation of the apple tree called the method of the broken branch is used both in the spring and in the fall. Propagating an apple tree by cuttings at home is not entirely correct. A better and more progressive way is the broken branch method. The main goal is to create an artificial stimulus for root formation in trees.
Scheme
The technique consists in performing 7 simple steps:
- in winter or early autumn, they choose an annual shoot on a tree, break it. It is impossible for the bark to crack, otherwise it will not be possible to grow a healthy apple tree;
- fix the branch in this state with wire and electrical tape;
- at the end of March or November, the electrical tape is removed, and the upper part of the shoot is cut with a knife from the mother tree;
- in the lower part, several lateral buds are left and a cut of the old apical bud is carried out (it is formed at the very top of the shoot, representing a new rudiment);
- the neck is cut off from a dark plastic bottle, 300 ml of water is poured inside and 3 capsules of activated carbon are thrown;
- cuttings, which were prepared by the method of a broken branch, are dipped in a bottle and placed in a well-lit place (balcony or windowsill);
- roots will appear after 3 weeks. When their length exceeds 5 cm, the seedling is placed in open ground. In the case of the procedure in the fall, planting is carried out in December, first in a bucket and placed on the balcony. Planting in open ground is performed in April.
Eyes
Vaccinations are sensitive to bacteria, moisture and dust that enter through the wound. To prevent this from happening, adhere to certain rules for budding. It is carried out in the spring, until the bark of the young branches has time to stiffen.
Scheme
Carrying out the process at home will not take much time and effort:
- examine a mature tree and select a suitable stock. A small T-shaped incision is made in its lower part;
- the upper part of the bark is pushed back, exposing the inner wood. A stalk of an apple tree is inserted into the incision, which has buds and bark. Its size should be 2 cm;
- the previously pushed back rootstock bark is leaned against the attached bud;
- tie the bark to the trunk without grabbing the kidney;
- a week later, the seedling is examined for survival. If the peephole is green, budding was successful and it will be possible to grow a healthy tree.
It is better to propagate the apple tree with eyes in the morning or in the evening. You can't let the sun hit the cut. If reproduction is carried out in the spring, the probability of survival will be 15%. In autumn, it reaches 70%.
The advantage of budding is the formation of several crowns on one trunk. The disadvantages are the inability to carry out actions during rain or heat, the inexpediency of carrying out work in the spring, tk. in the fall, the chances of survival are higher.
other methods
There are several other methods by which fruit trees are propagated. You can grow new seedlings using seeds. This method is used in the spring. It is used if you want to develop a new apple variety.
To propagate an apple tree with seeds, in the fall they are taken out of the fruits of different varieties and washed under running water. After that, they are treated with "Epin" (400 g per 5 liters of water), a strong growth stimulant. After that, the seeds are placed in small grooves to a depth of 1 cm.
The distance between the seeds should be within 15 cm. For the propagation of apple crops by seeds at home, the planting material is hardened. To do this, place them in damp sand and refrigerator for a few days. Only in the spring are they planted in the grooves. When the first shoots appear, the seedlings with few leaves are removed.
The advantages of this method of apple propagation include:
- the safety of varietal properties that are transmitted from the parent tree;
- improvement of commercial and taste qualities, t. to. the new apple tree has the advantages of several varieties, between which pollination took place;
- the lifespan of trees obtained from seeds is longer than after grafting.
The disadvantages include the impossibility of applying the method by beginners, because it is suitable for experienced gardeners (it is often used in nurseries to obtain more resistant varieties), a long process of work (not always successful), the timing of fruiting when compared with grafted seedlings.
Transplant method
It is carried out in early spring, 3 weeks after the snow has completely melted. In this case, root seedlings are used, which are located at a distance of 2 m from the mother tree. Choose "offspring" only healthy and fruitful varieties.
In spring or autumn, seedlings are dug up from 1 to 2 years old. Their root system must be developed. It is better to replant young trees in the fall according to the standard procedure. As a result, you will receive valuable "copies" of the apple tree, only with a low survival rate.
Vaccination with an insert is carried out in the fall, a month and a half before the onset of frost.The essence of the method is that inserts of weak varieties are grafted to the root system of a strong variety. For reliability, they are fixed with electrical tape or tape.
As a result of the work, a root system is formed, which takes root in infertile soils and is resistant to frost. This method is necessary for growing apple trees in the northern regions of the country, where the climate is very cold. For grafting, varieties are used that are not subject to frost in winter:
- Red-leaved paradise;
- Antonovka;
- Folding.
Reproduction of an apple tree in nature
Under natural conditions, the apple tree propagates with the help of seeds. After germination, seedlings are formed. Mother trees do not transfer varietal properties to their “offspring”, therefore, there are more wild apples in nature, the size and taste of which leave much to be desired.
At home, it is preferable to use vegetative propagation methods for the apple tree in order to preserve all the advantages of the variety. Due to the difficulty of seed reproduction, gardeners like to use vegetative methods. They are the most effective rootstock methods that do not require a lot of time and effort.