If you look closely at the condition of gardens in dacha and garden plots, it is easy to notice that even in the conditions of the same area, fruit trees differ sharply in their health.
It is especially painful to look at trees whose leaves suddenly do not bloom in the spring. They look like scary scarecrows. It is noteworthy that neither the reasons for this phenomenon nor measures to eliminate it are practically covered in the existing literature. At the same time, I know from my own experience and the experience of many of my neighbors that often such fruit trees can still be saved. Having summarized all the cases known to me, I want to talk about the main reasons for the death of fruit trees and methods for their resuscitation.
High groundwater level
As practice shows, the main reason for the death of fruit trees is most often the high level of groundwater in the area. Moreover, this level often remains in low-lying gardens even after their usual drainage. The following picture is typical: as long as the tree is small and its roots do not reach the water, it develops normally. But then they gradually go deeper and, having reached the water, they find themselves in anaerobic conditions; due to lack of oxygen, the roots partially die and cannot fully nourish the above-ground apparatus of the tree in the spring.
Most often, the life of a fruit tree barely glimmers in the first year, and the next year it usually dies. Does this mean that such an outcome is inevitable? Fortunately, no. The tree does not have to be uprooted, as inexperienced gardeners usually do. If you take timely measures, then all is not lost. Practice shows that even one of the following events is quite capable of giving new life to a fruit tree.
Balancing between the aboveground and underground parts of the fruit tree
This is achieved by cutting off all branches more than 1 cm thick in early spring to avoid nutritional deficiencies in the tree. At the same time, the entire crown, including the central conductor, is significantly shortened. At the same time, thanks to the better proportion between the damaged root apparatus and the above-ground part, the fruit tree (apple tree, pear tree, plum tree, etc.), as a rule, comes to life and in the first year after such pruning is quite capable of producing a modest harvest. The following year, after the same repeated pruning, the crop can be fully restored. This happened in my garden with one of the plums, which I saved from death and returned fruiting to it.
Raising a fruit tree to the level of garden soil
Schemes for saving dying trees by raising the trunk to the soil level (A), replanting strong bushes to the tree (B), grafting the rootstock under the bark around the lesion (C) and eliminating breaks in the trunk and branches (D, E, F);
1 – standard; 2 – support; 3 – lever, shaft; 4 – bulk soil; 5 – wild animals; 6 – zone of inoculation of wild game; 7 – rootstock; 8 – vaccination sites; 9, 13, 15 – fractures of the trunk or branches; 11 – faults; 12 – bolt, 14 – staples; 16 – screw.
This method is suitable for saving a dying tree aged 3-7 years. In this case, at some distance from the trunk, a support for the lever (vaga) is made from a strong pole with a diameter of about 8 cm and a length of 5-6 meters (Fig. A). One end of such a rope is securely attached to the tree trunk, and a load is either hung on the other, or a person carefully presses on it several times. About 10-15 buckets of water are first poured into the soil around the trunk to soak the soil. In this case, the lever gradually lifts the tree. And if the position of the lever is periodically fixed with a support, then after just a few days the required level of lifting the tree is achieved, often without even damaging the roots. It was in this way that one of my neighbors in the area lifted a pear tree, it came to life and gradually restored its previous fruiting.
Replacing a tree trunk with wildflowers and root shoots
This technique (Fig. B) And (Fig. B) well suited for old fruit trees whose trunk has begun to rot and weaken. At the same time, the top of the specified plants - already ready or close to fruiting - is grafted under the bark. One of the neighbors in the area managed to use this technique to get three apple trees in the same place instead of one removed, and in the shortest possible time. Within a year, he received a harvest from this tree that was approximately twice as large as before.
Freezing of the crown and roots
Perhaps this reason leads to the death of fruit trees even more often than the previous one. And apple or pear trees suffer not so much from the frosts themselves, but from the sharp temperature changes characteristic of our climate. In this case, you must first establish the degree of freezing. To do this, longitudinal and transverse cuts are made on the branches or roots so that the color of the wood can be determined. If the pith and cambium are dark brown, the branches or roots are damaged and need help.
If the cuts on the wood are brown, this indicates slight freezing. In doubtful cases, it would not be superfluous to carry out a check in which the cut branches are placed in water in a warm room, covered with film, and their condition is assessed after a week. If the buds do not swell and bloom, then the branches of the tree are clearly damaged. Experience has shown that the following measures can best help:
A) If the branches of a tree are slightly frozen in the spring, even before the buds open, it is necessary to trim the crown, this will ensure reliable resuscitation of the tree. But if the branches are severely frozen, there is no need to rush to trim the crown. In this case, you should wait until the tree begins to grow, and only then prune for the tops growing from dormant buds;
b) Instead of trimming the crown, a technique that has recently been practiced by experienced gardeners works well. It involves spraying obviously frozen trees with cold water before sunrise. If this technique is carried out in a timely manner, the branches of the crown take a long time to thaw, since the water released from the cells in the form of tiny ice crystals is formed under conditions of slow heating. In no case should warm water be used in this case, since rapid self-thawing causes the crown of the tree to usually die;
V) When the trunk or roots of a tree freeze, its reliable resuscitation is achieved by planting 4-5 strong two- or three-year-old wildlings with a developed fibrous system to the tree. If these wildflowers are planted in holes filled with fertile soil and watered well, and the tops are grafted under the bark of the doomed tree’s trunk in the same way as shown in Figure B, then it receives effective nutrition, moisture and comes to life. At the same time, mineral fertilizers cannot be added to the water, as they increase the concentration of the solution and impede its movement through the vessels to the above-ground part. If buds form on a revived tree, they should be cut off so that it becomes stronger by winter and prepares for the cold.
Damage to trunks by rodents
Such lesions usually occur when the trunks were not properly covered for the winter or this was done haphazardly. To revive such trees, the following activities can be carried out:
A) if only the bark of the trunk is damaged by rodents and only partially bast and wood, then such a tree can be saved by grafting a rootstock with pointed ends under the bark above the affected area, i.e. graft with a “bridge” on three or four sides of the trunk (Fig. B);
b) if the tree has been damaged by rodents up to half the diameter of the trunk, then to save it you can use either root shoot plants or specially grown rootstocks with their grafting to the trunk above the damage, similarly as shown in Figure B. As experience shows, with systematic watering, fertilizing and shading, the root system of rootstocks within 1- After 2 years it reaches the garden soil, and its development intensifies. It should be noted that in cases shown as in the figure B, as in the figure IN, the grafting sites should be wrapped with polyethylene film, which should be replaced in the second year so that the wood is not constricted. Of no small importance in this case is the fastening of the scion and rootstock through the film with thin nails and cardboard washers.
Excessive crown load
This phenomenon quite often occurs due to a large mass of stuck and frozen snow, abundant harvest, strong wind, and sometimes due to careless handling. The result of all this most often is the breaking of double trunks growing at an acute angle, breaking off of large fruit-bearing branches and breaks of individual branches. Experienced summer residents use the following measures to save such trees, references to which are not available in the specialized literature:
A) when breaking double trunks it is justified to first tighten them with wire or ropes over the break, and then a bolt is inserted into the drilled hole, screwed with a nut (Fig. D);
b) when breaking thinner trunks with a diameter of 4-5 cm or when a large fruit-bearing branch is broken off after a screed similar to the previous one, it is effective to use construction staples driven in crosswise from opposite sides (Fig. D);
V) when a small branch is broken off from the trunk a reliable connection is achieved by installing it in the place where the screw breaks off, but so that its end does not come out (Fig. E).
It should be noted that before installing a temporary screed, the fracture site must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, and after installing a bolt, bracket or screw, all fracture lines must be thoroughly coated with garden varnish, which protects the joints from moisture and rot.
Speaking of faults, one cannot fail to mention the occasional broken trunks of old trees: apple trees, pear trees, etc. Such trees should be cut down and uprooted, and then a place should be prepared for new plantings. If a young tree (apple tree, pear tree, plum tree) is broken, it should be cut down just below the break point, the cut should be cleaned and thoroughly coated with varnish. In this case, the sleeping buds below the cut are awakened. From the emerging shoots, you need to leave the more powerful one and form a new trunk and a new crown from it. The above examples from the experience of gardeners prove that in the vast majority of cases, fruit trees under threat of death can be successfully saved and their fruiting and beauty restored.
Anatoly Veselov, gardener
Pear is a fruit tree that is very popular among gardeners all over the world. The plant has juicy fruits, rich in vitamins, and with proper care produces a good harvest every year. However, there are times when the pear tree cannot bloom in the spring or even dries up without surviving the winter period. Such moments will upset any gardener. It’s worth figuring out what the reason is and how to revive your tree.
Kidney development begins during winter. Gradually the buds burst, first turning green and then white. The first flowers on pears begin to appear in early spring. It depends on the climate zone and the type of tree.
If you planted a plant a couple of years ago and it still hasn't started to bloom, don't worry. Often flowers on a pear appear at 5-6 years of age.
What to do if a tree that previously bore fruit has dried up? How to protect the rest of the garden and revive seriously damaged plants? First you need to figure out what causes drying out.
Main reasons
The reasons for drying out of a pear can be different. Much depends on weather and climatic conditions and plant care. The stability and general appearance of the plant depends on the age of the tree, its variety and the quality of the soil.
Disadvantages during care and planting
A pear requires a more careful approach when planting than an apple tree. It will feel great on hills or slopes. The plant loves loose soil, into which water and air easily penetrate. The tree also requires a sufficient amount of water.
In order for the soil to accept the seedling well, it needs to be prepared. In the fall, it is necessary to evenly fertilize and dig up the area. Add lime to acidic soil. The planting hole should be as follows: 0.9-1 m wide and 0.5-0.6 m deep.
When preparing a hole in the spring, make sure that the transition point between the trunk and the root is 3-5 cm above the ground level. A pear can freeze if the root collar is too exposed. Therefore, if it protrudes, be sure to sprinkle it.
Weather and climate conditions
The pear can also dry out due to various environmental factors. If the leaves and small branches of a pear tree have dried out, it means that something is disturbed in the root system of the tree. The reason for this may be excess groundwater.
Frequent rains contribute to the development of various diseases. Excessively moist soil is deprived of part of the air necessary for plants, which is why the roots will rot, the pear gradually dries out - the leaves fall off, the shoots die.
Root soaking can most often be observed on mature trees whose root systems reach deep groundwater. This can be avoided by planting trees in areas where there is clay or sand under the ground. Also make sure that the groundwater level is no higher than 2 meters.
You can dry excessively wet soil by adding humus to it. It is also worth taking precautions here: excess peat can lead to drying out of the roots.
If you live in a dry area, it is worth organizing drip irrigation for your trees. With it, your pear will wake up faster after wintering.
Pest Infestation
Why does a pear dry out if you have created ideal conditions for it? The reason for this may be moles and other pests.
The passages dug by moles prevent the roots of the plant from absorbing the nutrients necessary for life. This leads to drying out of the leaves and then the entire tree.
You can eliminate rodents in the following ways:
- abundant watering of the plant, which will help destroy the burrows and give the roots free access to the soil;
- install special devices that make noise from the wind. They are sold in specialized stores, and you can also make them yourself.
In addition to moles, the pear is also threatened by fungal infection. By not disinfecting tools after pruning, you increase the risk of spreading the disease. The fungus has the following symptoms: first, pigmentation appears on the leaves, which will eventually spread to flowers and fruits.
Here, timely pruning of the affected branches will help. The resulting “wounds” need to be treated with garden varnish.
An unopened tree may also suffer from scab. In this case, antibiotics are used, and the affected green mass is cut off and burned.
Bacterial infection is a common disease. Often the death of cuttings and young trees occurs due to the so-called bacterial burn. Its first manifestations are blackening of the edges of the foliage, after which the disease spreads, and curled, blackened leaves appear throughout the tree. Plant tissues quickly die, and the surviving part can be saved by spraying with antibiotics and removing the dried areas.
How to save a tree
If your pear is frozen or black spots appear on its leaves, you should act immediately. Before you take decisive action, determine why your tree does not want to wake up or has begun to die.
First, assess whether your plant is in a sufficiently lit area. The pear should be exposed to sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Late blooming flowers may be a sign that your tree needs more UV light. Try to give it access to the sun by trimming branches or bushes that shade it.
It is also necessary to provide the pear with sufficient moisture. Water it at least once a week to get a good harvest on time. If the soil contains excess water, try to drain it using peat or humus.
Remember that excess fertilizer often causes flowering to stop. If previously the tree blossomed without problems, but now, after applying fertilizer, the flowers have disappeared, try to avoid feeding the plant in the future. Often it helps branches and leaves grow, stopping flowering.
Improper pruning is another factor that affects yield. Flowers on pears are located on short shoots. Without knowing the rules of pruning, you can greatly slow down the process of flowering and fruiting.
Proper preparation of wood for winter
Often the reason that pears do not bloom on time is improper preparation of plants for winter. In order for the tree to feel comfortable, it is necessary to carry out autumn cleaning: all fallen and spoiled fruits, as well as carrion, must be removed.
The next step in preparing the tree for wintering will be pruning. All damaged branches are removed, the crown is sprayed from scab. Existing bark defects are cleaned and treated with a solution of copper sulfate.
To prevent trees from freezing, you can increase their resistance with the help of phosphorus or potassium fertilizers. Nitrogen-containing preparations are not suitable in this case.
The pear tree does not bloom after winter if the autumn is dry. In this situation, it is worth resorting to moisture-charging watering - up to a ton of water is poured under each adult plant.
The revival of a tree in spring is often prevented by rodents. To keep them away from young plants, wrap the trunks with burlap or special plastic covers. The pear is a very capricious tree, so pay it due attention in the fall in order to get a good harvest in the future.
Video “Treatment of bacterial burn on a pear”
From this video you will learn how to treat a bacterial burn on a pear.
Growing trees, in particular cherries, is a troublesome task and requires the gardener to have certain skills and knowledge, and material costs. After all, you want to buy and plant a promising variety in order to get beautiful and tasty fruits in three to four years. Purchase fertilizers, phytoncides, insecticides and other preparations and materials. The gardener cares for the cherry throughout its growing season.
Winter passes and active work begins. Preparing for the first treatment of the garden against diseases and illnesses, the gardener suddenly sees that the tree has not woken up. That is, all the deadlines have passed, the leaves on the apricots, apple trees, pears, and cherries have turned green, and the cherries, which should have bloomed before them, stand without color or leaves. The first thing to do is to identify the causes of this phenomenon in order to save the tree and prevent a recurrence in the future. We will discuss below why the buds on cherries may not bloom, as well as methods of combating this pathology.
Causes
There may be several reasons for buds not blooming on cherries:
We will consider in more detail the reasons for cherries not budding below.
Violation of cultivation rules
This point applies mainly to young seedlings of all varieties, such as and other cherries. When planting them in the fall or spring, certain mistakes were made or mistakes were made during care and cultivation, which include the following points:
Watering
It is necessary to water trees in the south, but if there is insufficient rainfall, then also in more northern regions of the country. Fruiting cherries are watered 2-3 times per season, usually in the first half of summer. The soil must not be allowed to dry out. Garden irrigation mode:
- First time a week after flowering;
- Second time approximately a month after the first watering;
- Third time after leaf fall.
If there is excess moisture in the soil in the second half of summer, the wood will not ripen completely, as the growing season will be delayed. In severe winters, the buds of such trees will be damaged by frost, which means they will not wake up in the spring.
Be sure to cover the furrows with loose soil after watering.
Trimming
The way out of this situation is to delay the beginning of cherry blossoms. To do this, you need to keep the snow under the tree for as long as possible.
Diseases
Diseases greatly deplete the vital resources of cherries. The branches do not ripen, and this can cause them to freeze. The main diseases that affect the condition of the crown and the yield of the tree include: tubercularosis, brown spot, cercospora blight, flat tinder fungus, monilial burn, chlorosis. Some of them cause necrosis of the bark, others damage the leaves and in mid-summer they completely or partially fall off. The branches do not ripen and in severe frosts the buds on them simply freeze. To properly deal with diseases, you need to know their main characteristics, which we will consider below. We will also dwell on methods of combating various cherry diseases that can cause buds not to open.
Tuberculariosis
Control measures. When pruning trees, if the diameter of the removed branch is about 1 cm or more, the cut area must be covered with oil paint. It is advisable to treat all mechanical damage with a 1% solution of copper sulfate. In the spring, before the buds open, cherries are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture for preventive purposes. And also Captanol, Homecin or Topsin M. Find out how to grow Chinese cucumbers.
Sick and dry branches must be cut to the ground and burned.
Brown spot
Fungal disease (fungus Phyllosticta prunicola). Both leaves and their petioles, as well as young shoots, can be affected.
Initially, brown spots appear on the leaves, which quickly grow and the leaf blade, becoming completely brown, falls off.
Control measures. Burning fallen leaves and keeping the tree trunk clean. After flowering, treat trees with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. It is necessary to spray the garden with this preparation twice more with an interval of 2 weeks.
In case of this disease, it is necessary to treat leaves on both sides.
Cercospora
Fungal disease (Cercospora cerasella fungus). Red-brown spots with a purple border appear on the leaf blades. And holes soon appear in their place. Leaves affected by the fungus turn yellow and fall off. In spring, the buds on such branches may not awaken. Because the danger of cercospora blight is not in damaging the plant, but in weakening its immunity. Therefore, during severe frosts, the buds freeze completely or partially.
Control measures. Treatment of the crown, trunk and trunk circle with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. This must be done on unopened buds. In addition to this drug, you can use fungicides such as Cuprozan, Polychom, Khomecin, Polycarbacin, Ridomil Gold. Treatments with drugs should be carried out regularly and alternated, because the fungus gets used to it very quickly if only one product is used. In autumn, all plant debris should be removed and burned. Read about the care and cultivation of the Karatal onion variety.
Flat tinder
The disease is caused by the fungus Ganoderma applanatum. Grayish formations may be covered with a light brown coating.
Control measures. Cut off the mushroom, disinfect the wounds with a 3% solution of copper sulfate, and then cover it with oil paint or garden varnish. Bordeaux mixture is a good remedy against fungal diseases. This solution (3%) can be used to treat trees for unopened buds, and 1% for green leaves.
Monilial burn
A very dangerous fungal disease of almost all stone fruit crops. As soon as the leaves appear, they begin to darken, change color, become brown, and then the affected shoots, leaves, and inflorescences dry out. The disease got its name because the tree appears to be scorched by fire. After this pathology, the cherry tree weakens, and after winter frosts the buds may not bloom in the spring. Auria will tell you about the tomato variety.
Control measures. Treatment of plantings in the spring on bare trees with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture, fungicides Horus, Skor. After harvesting, the trees need to be sprayed two more times. This should be done in dry and windless weather. Best in the evening. Be sure to add an adhesive to the solution. This can be soap (30 grams per 10 liters of water) or two tablespoons of sugar. For better effectiveness, it is better to alternate the drugs, and it is advisable to consume the fruits 20-25 days after spraying. Leaves must be burned in the fall.
Chlorosis
When there is a lack of iron salts in the soil, plants often develop chlorosis.
The causes of this pathology can also be:
- Summer or spring droughts;
- Prolonged flooding of plants;
- High lime content in the soil;
- Soil depletion.
The main symptom of the disease is the tips of the shoots and leaves of the cherry trees turning yellow. First, the tops of young shoots begin to die off, then the larger branches. Such trees freeze slightly in winter because there was no accumulation of nutrients during the previous growing season (starch, lignin, lipids, etc.).
Control measures. Treating trees with iron sulfate solution. You can dig shallow grooves near the tree, put 300–400 grams of iron sulfate there and fill it with water. An even better effect will be from adding vitriol directly with watering. Pour 5 buckets of water into the tree trunk area, having previously dissolved iron sulfate in it. 100 grams per 10 liters of liquid is enough. Find out how to grow Cherry tomatoes on a windowsill.
If chlorosis is detected on the site, then you cannot practice adding fresh manure to the soil.
Video
Video about leaf chlorosis.
conclusions
In spring, the buds on the cherry may not bloom. There are several reasons for this phenomenon:
- Violations of landing rules. Read about.
- Excess water or deficiency.
- Incorrect tree pruning.
- Freezing of roots, trunk, crown branches.
- Diseases such as chlorosis, molar burn, cercospora blight, brown spot, tinder fungus and others. These are mainly fungal diseases that reduce the immunity of trees. Therefore, at very low winter temperatures, the buds freeze completely or partially.
The main methods of disease control are to treat the garden in early spring before buds open with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. It is advisable to spray not only the tree itself, but also the tree trunk circle. And also in the fall, collect and burn the leaves of diseased plants.
What a shame when in the spring an apple tree stands with buds that don’t open or when a pair of leaves dries out….
The apple trees did not bloom: what is the reason
Fruit trees are most harmed by low temperatures in winter (up to 35 - 40 degrees below zero), which persist for a long period, and sudden changes in temperature, when a thaw gives way to an unexpected cold snap. In this case, the bark and wood of the apple tree trunk may be damaged, and the flower buds are especially affected. The possibility of death of annual shoots depends on the ripening of their wood. Growths with developed apical buds are less damaged. Shoots may not ripen well due to high humidity and excess nitrogen in the soil.
In addition, during a drought, which is possible in May, small apple trees may stop growing too early. If it starts to rain in July and August, the shoots may begin to grow again; they do not have time to ripen before frost and may die in winter. Damaged annual shoots are pruned in the spring, cutting down to healthy wood.
The apple tree has not blossomed: how to determine the extent of the problem
The level of damage to the wood of mature trees is determined by its color- slight freezing - light yellow, significant damage - dark brown. If the wood is severely damaged, the branches and trunk become brittle and you can notice a soot-like coating on the bark. The resistance of affected trees to low temperatures is reduced, and under unfavorable conditions, diseased apple trees may die.
The development of the tree is negatively affected by cortical injuries. By the end of the season, ripening occurs from the periphery of the crown and continues to the trunk. For this reason, in the areas where branches join and in the trunk area, the resistance of fabrics to low temperatures is always worse. In these places, the bark freezes first. At the beginning of spring, the bark can be damaged by the bright rays of the sun, causing burns that arise from uneven heating of the bark and sudden changes in daily temperatures.
The injured bark is reddish or brown, and after a while it will begin to die. After a summer or autumn drought, trees are more damaged by burns next spring. To reduce the risk of their appearance on the bark, trees are whitewashed in the autumn. Freshly slaked lime is suitable for this (in the proportion of 2 kg of lime per bucket of water), with the addition of 1 kg of mullein or clay to the solution.
In mature trees, after severe frost damage, flowers do not appear from the buds in the spring. If the plant is not badly damaged, flowers may appear, sometimes even ovaries grow, but the bulk of them will quickly fall off. To protect trees from winter damage, you need to take good care of them - protect the bases of skeletal branches and trunks with the help of snow, slate forms are completely covered with snow, fight diseases and pests, trim the crown in time, fertilize the plants and irrigate.
The apple tree did not bloom in spring: what can be done
In winter, the damage that occurs is mainly to unkempt tall trees and standard trees. Low-cut stamens, the crown of which can be hidden under the snow, do not suffer from frost even in cold winters. Pruning of damaged adult trees is carried out in the first ten days of summer, after their regrowth area has formed. Injured branches are pruned near the place where new shoots form.
Trees on which leaves grow only at the ends of the branches, and the buds located below have died, need to be well fed so that new shoots can form from the dormant buds. For faster recovery of damaged trees, they It is necessary to prune in spring in areas where new shoots are vigorously growing.
If there is significant damage to the tree crown, and new shoots appear only near the trunk, the tree can only be restored from cultivated shoots growing above the grafting site. The injured crown is cut off to the stump, and a new one is created from the emerging shoots using pruning. Each of the shoots must be oriented vertically, forming a conductor from it; new growths accelerate the healing of the large wound that appeared when pruning the shrunken crown.
If the tree has died completely and shoots grow directly from the rootstock, then it is necessary to grafting with a suitable apple tree variety, and a new tree will grow on the old roots. The most developed shoot is selected, the rest are cut out or simply shortened to allow the remaining shoot to develop well and provide nutrition to the roots. Apple tree varieties released in a given area develop faster and, five years after grafting, are capable of producing a small harvest of apples. If the trees are significantly damaged and it is necessary to trim ½ or more of the crown, you can not try to restore them, but plant another apple tree. If the main reason for the death of a plant is an unsuitable place for planting (a low area where cold air collects), then there is no point in restoring it or planting a new tree.
Protecting apple trees from frost
A strong drop in temperature during apple tree flowering can not only significantly reduce the yield, but can also completely destroy it. Temperatures dropping to 2 degrees below zero are disastrous for blossoming inflorescences.
Severely frostbitten flowers and ovaries quickly fall off, and from not severely damaged ones, gnarled fruits grow. If the decrease in temperature is short-lived, with a drop in temperature to 1.0-1.5 degrees below zero, then standard trees may not be affected. They only allow natural removal of excess flowers, which will not reduce the overall yield. The most dangerous thing for an apple tree is recurrent cold, during which the temperature drops significantly, and this is accompanied by strong gusts of wind, and all the flowers can die.
To protect against frost, you can use it in calm weather. smoke cones or smoke using a fire. In strong winds, the effectiveness of using smoke is greatly reduced.
With a short drop in temperature, sprinkling and watering the soil, which is done when the temperature drops to 2 degrees Celsius, helps a lot. Near the soil surface, sometimes there is a strong decrease in temperature. For this reason, the harvest on stlants can be severely damaged by frost; the risk of damage can be reduced by using the following operations:
1. It is best to plant stlanzas on elevations where cold air does not collect and low places move;
2. During the flowering of slate varieties, they can be covered with plastic film or several layers of burlap. It is necessary to cover the plants in such a way that cold air cannot penetrate under your shelter. Trees must be covered in the evening, and in the morning the frost protection is removed;
3. Remember that on the branches of the trees raised above the soil, inflorescences form later than on low-lying ones; you can raise the crowns of the trees with the help of stakes or poles; they must be raised to a height of 30 - 40 cm;
4. Regular pruning of the crown improves air circulation inside the crown. This is important because dense thickets of branches increase the risk of damage to the tree during frost.
An unpleasant surprise for the gardener is the situation when the leaves on the apple tree do not bloom well in the spring. A couple of fresh leaves appear on the bush, after which development stops.
Apple tree problems in spring
The greatest danger to apple trees is cold winters. If frosts below -30˚ C prevail in the region in winter, or sharp fluctuations from frost to thaw and back often occur, then the apple orchard is at risk. In such conditions, the bark and wood are often damaged, and the likelihood of a lack of flowering due to bud damage increases many times over. Young shoots of the first year of development may also not bloom if the wood has not had time to ripen during the spring and summer seasons. This can happen if the tree grows in conditions of excess soil moisture and nitrogen saturation. Annual branches with developed apical buds suffer much less from wintering.
Another factor under the influence of which a young apple tree does not bloom leaves is dry spring weather. If dry, warm weather sets in in May, new shoots stop growing. Then, when the rains begin in the summer, the branches begin to develop again, but do not have time to gain strength before the onset of winter. As a result, after the first severe frost, these branches die. In the spring, the gardener will have no choice but to cut off these shoots to a healthy bush.
The main problems why the apple tree does not bloom in the spring:
What measures to take
The absence of leaves and buds after winter may be due to specific reasons related to the individual characteristics of the tree itself (variety, age), violation of growing rules, and even due to insufficient snow cover on the site.
Apple tree leaves do not bloom in spring
When leaves do not bloom on a young apple tree, you must first assess the extent of the damage. Cuts are made on the branches horizontally and vertically. By the shade of the wood you can understand the degree of freezing; the darker, the greater the damage. In addition, you can take several branches home, put them in water and cover them with a bag, creating a greenhouse effect. After about 7-10 days, the buds should swell.
If this does not happen, the apple tree is very frozen.
To restore, you can take the following steps:
A winter with little snow is the main reason why the leaves of an apple tree do not bloom in the spring. At the same time, there are leaves, but they are small and difficult for them to open. You can get rid of this problem with organic fertilizers. Organic matter itself is a good insulating material, since when it gets into the soil, it begins to warm the roots. And manure laid out on the surface acts as a shelter. To awaken the plant, it is recommended to use stimulant drugs, such as Zircon, Narcissus, EM drugs and other similar means.
The buds on the apple tree do not bloom in spring
There is a situation when the buds on an apple tree are swollen, but do not bloom. This means that the plant does not have enough strength. This situation occurs when a gardener makes mistakes in care. It will not be possible to force the buds to bloom; measures must be taken to increase cold resistance and reduce susceptibility to negative factors. To do this, it is necessary to revise the agricultural cultivation technology compiled in previous years. After proper, timely watering has been organized, a clear fertilizing scheme has been developed in compliance with dosages, all types of pruning and hilling of the trunk circle have been carried out, the protective function of the plant against frost will increase many times over, and bud bloom will occur strictly on schedule, taking into account weather conditions. It is also very important to monitor the thickness of the snow cover around the apple trees. If necessary, you can shovel snow towards the trunk.
In a columnar apple tree, the apical bud may freeze, after which the trunk stops growing. This can happen in two cases:
- Poor shelter for the winter
- Wrong choice of seedlings with low frost resistance.
If the apple tree does not bloom in the spring, what to do in this situation? The situation will be saved by the correct organization of winter shelter. Most columnar varieties are not suitable for growing in temperate climates. They need a mild winter. Most often, 2-3 year old seedlings die from severe frosts. The crown and root zone must be covered with canvas or rags. The tree trunk circle is additionally mulched with a layer of straw and sawdust, at least 10 cm thick.
Important to remember! First of all, you need to wisely select a variety suitable for growing in the region, for example, Antonovka, Borovinka, Welsey and others.
Apple tree seedling does not bloom
Seedlings suffer from wintering much more often than adult plants, especially those planted in the fall. If the leaves do not fall off before the onset of frost, the likelihood of freezing increases significantly, since the plant does not have time to prepare for the onset of cold weather. What to do if an apple tree seedling does not bloom after winter? First you need to check the condition of your kidneys. In random order, you need to separate 3 buds from the branches and open them. If the bud is green inside, then the plant should be left alone and wait for it to move away and bloom. If the inside of the bud is brown, then the seedling is frozen.
To activate the development of healthy buds, the seedling can be sprayed with Epin or HB-1 twice a day until new branches begin to grow. It is also recommended to water the bush generously with cold water. It is not recommended to fertilize seedlings with organic and mineral fertilizers during this period. They are in the adaptation phase, so they are not able to absorb nutrients. Within two to three months of regular watering, the young apple tree usually leaves. Twigs and leaves appear on them. During this period, you can start feeding in doses. If you overfeed an apple tree with nitrogen fertilizers, its frost resistance will become even worse.
Important! A day before applying fertilizer, you need to pour 10 liters of water under the bush.
In a situation where the seedling has frozen and the trunk has died, it is worth waiting for the dormant buds to awaken. It is likely that shoots will appear at a level above the graft. Then the frozen trunk needs to be cut off at the level of the topmost shoot, and the cut area should be covered with garden varnish.
To avoid freezing of seedlings, it is worth remembering that they need at least 20-25 days from the moment of planting to acclimatize with positive temperatures day and night (at least +3˚C...+5˚C). At this time, the seedling should have time to take root in a new place. To increase frost resistance, you can use the smoke method. The procedure can only be done in calm weather, otherwise its effectiveness tends to zero. A fire is made or a smoke bomb is lit near the seedling. The distance must be fireproof, and the tree must be fumigated with sufficiently thick smoke.
Every summer resident who is faced with the problem of dead branches and buds thinks what to do if the apple tree does not wake up in the spring. Indeed, the extreme measure of uprooting can be avoided by taking resuscitation measures.
Apple tree seedling
Perhaps the middle layers of the trunk, in particular the cambium, were not destroyed, and in the next season the tree will be able to be revived when the dormant buds awaken. Therefore, if the apple tree has not leafed out, it needs to be given at least one year, and only then monitor its condition and take further action. If the root system is not severely damaged, then the tree can be completely revived in a few years. This will be much preferable to planting and nurturing a new seedling, from which you will have to wait even longer for the first harvest of apples than from a frostbitten old apple tree.
Even if the entire trunk was frozen, the part that was under a layer of snow remained protected. It is in this half that the variety’s grafting area is located. The tree needs to be given the opportunity to grow for 3-4 years. There is no need to do any trimming. At this stage, all the shoots that come from dormant buds are important. The only thing that can be done is to pinch a couple of centimeters of shoots from the rootstock so that they do not outstrip the development of varietal branches. In 4-5 years, it will be possible to select a new main trunk from the newly grown branches. From this point on, you can begin to form the crown, removing unnecessary rootstock branches and weak varietal branches.
In a situation where the apple tree has frozen below the level of the cultural graft, you can cut down the trunk in the fall of the second year. Wild shoots will begin to grow from the root collar. Over the next few years, a skeletal trunk will emerge from the branches. It can be re-grafted with the desired variety. Or you can graft several branches at once. Ungrafted branches need to be pruned to stop their development. When the main trunk and crown base are finally formed, these branches can be removed completely.
Important! The process of restoring an apple tree is very long and slow, so there is no need to rush with pruning.
Throughout the entire recovery period, it is necessary to ensure abundant watering, since it is very difficult for the apple tree itself to absorb moisture from the soil due to severe depletion. To keep moisture in the soil longer, it is recommended to mulch the tree trunk circle with peat or sawdust.
If the apple tree does not wake up after winter, what should the gardener do with the tree? First of all, it is worth understanding that this happened due to neglect of the rules of planting and care, since any apple tree needs protection. There is no need to get rid of the plant immediately; it needs time to recover. In subsequent years, it is imperative to take measures to protect the branches and trunk from frost so that the apple tree can sleep peacefully in winter and gain strength for further development.