How to Cultivate an Apple Tree in a Pot
A comprehensive introduction to the cultivation of apple trees in pots and the knowledge of apple tree planting techniques and management, hereinafter the editor will introduce to netizens.
Apple trees are deciduous trees of the Rosaceae family, Malus genus, and one of the most famous fruits in the world. Apples are native to eastern Turkey and are mainly distributed in Liaoning, Hebei, Gansu, Sichuan, and other places in China. Next, let's introduce the cultivation methods of apple trees.
1. Potting Soil
If cultivating apple trees in pots, it is best to use a clay pot; the soil should be loose, fertile, well-ventilated, and good at drainage, maintaining a pH value of around 6.5; garden soil, coal slag, decayed leaf soil, sawdust, etc., can be mixed in proportion as the soil for cultivating apple trees. Before potting, the roots of the seedlings should be pruned, removing rotten and overly long roots.
2. Lighting
Apple trees need a lot of light for photosynthesis to accumulate nutrients and ensure the quality of the fruit; ensure that there are 180 frost-free days during the growing period, as well as as much light and heat as possible.
3. Temperature
Apple trees have a strong adaptability to the climate, suitable for growing in temperate regions, with an optimal growth temperature of about 23 degrees Celsius; apple trees are cold-resistant but not frost-resistant, able to survive in cold weather at minus 4 degrees Celsius, but low temperatures and frost can affect the yield and quality of apples. Therefore, it is necessary to take warming measures for them in winter.
4. Fertilization
Fertilization is mainly divided into two stages: in the spring, when the buds sprout, apply a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer to promote sprouting; during the flowering period, spray boric acid solution and pause fertilization, after the flowering period, use phosphorus and potassium fertilizers instead of nitrogen fertilizers to supplement the plant's nutrition and ensure the growth of the apple tree for the following year; after the autumn harvest, replace the soil and add new nutrient-rich soil to the potting soil to prevent soil compaction and malnutrition.
5. Watering
Watering should follow the principle of "water when dry, and water thoroughly when watering," keeping the soil moist, especially in the early fruiting stage, as insufficient water can affect the quantity and quality of the apples. During the plum rain season, reduce the amount of watering, focus on drainage and avoiding rain, to prevent waterlogging and affect fruit setting.
6. Pruning
Different varieties of apple trees have different pruning methods, mainly including steps such as pruning buds, thinning blossoms, and compound pruning. At the end of March to early April, make a cut in front of the central main branch and remove the buds from the other branches; thinning blossoms means removing excess flower buds from the same branch in late April to achieve the effect of "determining fruit with flowers"; compound pruning refers to delaying the winter pruning until after germination for non-fruiting trees, and reducing flowering branches if there are too many.
7. Bagging
During the fruiting period of apple trees, bagging should be carried out to make the apples more colorful and prevent pests and diseases. The choice of bags is very important, as they should be breathable, non-permeable, and have strong shading properties, with non-fading inner bags and air holes. Therefore, bags that meet the standards should be carefully selected during cultivation.
8. Diseases and Pests
Brown spot disease and spotted leaf fall disease are the most common diseases in apple trees. Brown spot disease usually occurs before the rainy season and can be controlled by spraying with fungicides such as thiabendazole, carbendazim, and methytobuzim; for spotted leaf fall disease, mancozeb can be used for control. It is also important to clean the orchard and promptly remove diseased branches and leaves to prevent infection of other fruit trees.
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