Preparing Apple Trees for Winter in the Urals – A Complete Guide

Apple trees, like other fruit crops, require careful preparation for winter. This is the only way they can survive low temperatures and produce a good harvest next year. This is especially true for trees growing in harsh climates. Pre-winter procedures in the Urals include: top dressing, pruning, whitewashing and covering of trunks.

Features of the Ural climate

The climate in this region varies significantly due to the extensive north-south Ural Mountains. In the northern part (the polar and subpolar zones), conditions are extremely harsh: low temperatures are combined with frequent strong winds. Summer, just as cold as winter, lasts no more than 1–2 months.

In the central Urals, the climate differs significantly between the eastern and western parts. In the east, it is relatively mild, with moderate frosts and abundant snow, while in the west, sharp changes are typical: winters can be severely frosty, while summers are hot and dry.

Not all fruit crops thrive in such climates. To protect the trees from freezing, they are provided with reliable shelters. Otherwise, the apple trees will stop bearing fruit and will suffer from pests and various diseases.

Sequence of autumn works

Preparing fruit trees for winter should begin immediately after the harvest. All preparations must be completed before the first frost.

Principles of pruning

This procedure is necessary for the formation of the tree crown: the length of the lower tiers should significantly exceed the length of the upper ones.

Old and unproductive apple trees are pruned to rejuvenate them. For saplings under five years old, a more gentle technique is used, removing only damaged and dead branches. Pruning in the fall strengthens the tree's immune system and makes it less susceptible to environmental stress, disease, and pest attacks.

After completion of the event, open areas are treated with garden pitch or an alternative product.

Collection and disposal of waste

Fallen leaves are used to insulate the root system of apple trees. The soil around the trees is cleared beforehand: debris, fallen fruit, dry and cropped Branches, all of this is carried outside the garden and burned. Ignoring the debris will lead to larvae settling in the pile, which will subsequently cause damage to the apple tree.

Pests can also nest in tree bark cracks. To eliminate them, clean the bark with a brush and lay plastic sheeting under the apple tree. Debris that falls during the cleaning process should also be burned. Various scratches on the trunk can be treated with garden pitch.

Top dressing

In the Urals, to successfully prepare apple trees for winter, it's necessary to apply fertilizer to the tree trunks. To stop branch growth in the fall, potassium-phosphorus preparations in liquid or granular form are used. For top dressing, prepare the following mixture, the amount of components calculated for 1 m² tree trunk circle:

• humus or compost – 5 kg;
• superphosphate – 100 g;
• potassium sulfate – 100 g.

At the same time as digging the soil near the trunk, dry substances are added, and liquid compositions are introduced into the ground.

Treatment against infections and pests

After removing the debris, in order to create additional protection in the tree trunk circle, the soil is dug up and then treated with a solution copper sulfateThe crown is sprayed with insecticides that destroy pests, for example:

• "Aktaroy";
• "Karbofos".

To prevent scab or powdery mildew, use Horus or urea diluted in water at a ratio of 5 g per 10 liters. If these are not available, prepare a mixture of 400 g of soda ash, 50 g of soap shavings, and 10 liters of water.

This procedure is performed on a dry day to prevent the whitewash from washing off in the rain. The trunks of young apple trees are coated with lime without any preparatory work. Moss is removed from mature trees. lichen and dead bark. To simplify the process, the trunks are treated with iron sulfate: after a week, the lichen and moss die off. Before whitewashing, all damaged areas of the tree are covered with garden pitch or oil paint.

To prepare lime or chalk mortar, several components are used:

• 200 g PVA glue;
• 10 liters of water;
• ½ kg copper sulfate;
• 3 kg of lime or crushed chalk.

The resulting mixture is applied to the trunk, covering the lower portion of the skeletal branches. Whitewashing will protect the apple tree from pests and hungry rodents during the winter, such as mice and hares. Furthermore, the applied layer will prevent damage to the tree from ultraviolet rays and young shoots from severe frosts.

Creating a winter shelter

To protect mature apple trees from severe frosts, their trunk circle is insulated with coniferous branches and dry wood after digging. humus or peat. If necessary, the trunk can be wrapped with special mesh, burlap, spunbond, paper, or spruce branches for additional insulation. The covering material should be 1 to 1.5 meters high and secured at the top of the trunk with twine or tape.

A high-quality shelter will protect fruit crops not only from severe frosts but also from rodents. After snowfall, a snowdrift 50 cm to 1 m high is formed near each tree and renewed throughout the winter.

A properly prepared orchard will successfully survive the winter and produce a good harvest next year.

Protecting seedlings

During the first year, seedlings should be tied to a stake driven in nearby to prevent the young tree from bending or breaking in strong winds. In preparation for winter, the area around the tree trunk is dug up, a layer of mulch is laid, and then a wooden frame is erected over the seedling. A perforated film or spunbond is stretched over the covering. After snowfall, a snowdrift of 50–80 cm is piled on top and maintained throughout the winter.

For apple trees under two years old, the area around the tree trunk is dug over and covered with mulch (20 cm thick). This can be peat, sawdust, manure, or fallen leaves, which prevents the root system from freezing. A mound of earth up to 30 cm high is created on top of the mulch. The trunks are wrapped in burlap, a special material, or spruce branches, then secured with tape or twine. In the spring, the mulch is removed and the plant mulch is renewed.

Columnar apple trees

These apple trees are very popular in Siberia and the Urals. They lack a lush crown and lateral branches. Columnar apple trees reach a height of up to 2.5 meters, which is especially suitable for small orchards. A distinctive feature of these trees is the main shoot growing from an apical bud. If the bud freezes, the apple tree's shape is completely disrupted, so these varieties are completely covered for winter. Covering can be achieved in various ways.

Method No. 1

The trunk of columnar apple trees is whitewashed with lime, many gardeners add lime to this solution copper sulfateTree protection is provided after low temperatures have fully set in, ranging from -8 to -10°C. Under these conditions, sap flow ceases. The following steps are then taken:

• a pyramid is built from wooden planks around the trunk;
• humus is poured inside the structure;
• cover the outside with suitable material;
• secure the shelter with paper clips, rope or tape.

Method No. 2

Some gardeners in northern regions plant columnar trees in buckets and store them in a basement or outbuilding for the winter.

Alternatively, you can cover this type of tree in a regular garden bed, using the following algorithm:

• whitewash the tree trunks with water diluted with copper sulfate lime;
• wrap the trunk and branches with burlap;
• abundantly water;
• wrap the trees horizontally in a wooden frame;
• cover with covering material on top.

The appearance and treatment of frost cracks

Frost cracks are caused by extremely cold winters or prolonged thaws, as well as sudden temperature fluctuations. They appear as depressions at the base of branches or on the trunk. The wood loses its ability to receive nutrients and changes color, from white to brown or light brown. The blood vessels inside the apple tree become clogged, preventing nutrients from reaching the young shoots.

If this problem isn't addressed promptly, it can lead to hollows and a reduced lifespan of the apple tree. Experienced gardeners recommend following a few rules:

• When choosing apple tree varieties, give preference to frost-resistant species and those suitable for growing in a particular region;
• do not plant trees in damp areas of the garden;
• regularly apply fertilizer to the soil.

Frost crack treatment begins as soon as they appear and continues until they are completely healed. This may take several weeks. The solution is as follows:

• Use a knife to remove dead wood along the groove until white tissue is visible;
• Use a brush to treat the wound using a mixture of copper sulfate (5%);
• cover with garden pitch or a mixture of cow dung and clay in a ratio of (4:6);
• wrap the trunk with burlap.

This procedure is continued until the apple tree has fully recovered. Each spring, the dressing is removed from the wound and an incision is made along the edges of the newly formed bark to encourage bark growth onto the exposed area.

For gardeners, autumn is considered a very busy time, as it is the time when the harvest is collected, prepared for storage or processingHowever, we mustn't forget about the apple trees that remain over the winter. Only an orchard that is well prepared for harsh conditions will successfully survive the winter and reward you with a bountiful, high-quality harvest.