How to mulch tree trunk circles. How to insulate fruit trees for the winter

Material prepared by: Nadezhda Zimina, gardener with 24 years of experience, industrial engineer

By using various agricultural techniques, you can achieve better results when cultivating your personal plot with less effort. For example, once using the mulching technique to treat the soil surface, you can for a long time forget about watering, loosening and weeding. Plants will feel comfortable without additional care. And decorative mulch, which is available in a huge assortment, will allow you to decorate the garden, place accents and fill empty spaces in the beds.

Mulching technology

Before covering the ground with a protective layer of covering material, it needs to be prepared.

You need to do the following:

• Remove weeds from the entire area of ​​the treated surface;
• Water the bed so that moisture remains in it, which we will retain;
• Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 5 cm;
• Ventilate, dry slightly upper layer soil so that when mulching it does not sag or become compacted.

When to mulch?

Covering measures that promote long-term moisture retention around flowers constantly growing in one place must be carried out in the spring, after the soil has thawed and warmed up well. If you do this earlier, when the soil is cold, the layer of mulch will prevent thawing by keeping the cold close to the roots. This can lead to plant death.

In the fall, they also cover the soil. After all, under the protective layer it is much longer than in environment the vital processes of soil organisms will continue, which will lead to additional production of organic matter from the covering substrate. In autumn, it is possible to plant various varieties under mulch. cultivated plants, For example, . It winters well under cover of pine sawdust, which, among other things, also protects it from diseases and pests.

Many garden vines also need autumn shelter, otherwise they do not survive the winter, freezing out at the roots. For successful protection from the cold above, climbing roses, actinidia, clematis, they build a dry shelter with their own hands. You can’t just cover them with sawdust - during thaws, water will wet the covering substrate, and if the temperature drops significantly, it will turn into an ice shell under which the plants can die.

To build a reliable shelter use wooden frames or boxes under which whips and vines are placed, they will be in a dry air environment. Then the protective structures are covered with a “blanket” of sawdust. But this is not enough, since wood shavings do not in any way protect plants from excess moisture. It is necessary to make another layer on top to prevent it from entering. To do this, use mulching film.

winter shelters for grapes

The quality of covering measures largely depends on the material used. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages that can help or harm specific plants. For the right choice it is necessary to have information about the properties of protective materials.

Mulching with green plant debris

Green manure

For spring soil mulching there is an original, and very economical way, which allows you to grow healthy seedlings right in the ground. Of course, we are not talking about tomatoes and peppers (although southern regions You can also try). First of all, you can plant zucchini, eggplant, and pumpkin this way.

In the spring, as soon as the ground thaws, they dig it up and sow green manure; rye is best suited. When the soil warms up well and constant positive temperatures are established, you can begin planting seeds of cultivated plants. Rye will serve as a natural protection, shading young shoots at the initial stage, creating comfortable conditions for their development. When the cucumbers and zucchini grow, the grains around them are removed and the soil is covered with the resulting straw. She serves good material for mulching, while simultaneously feeding the soil with nitrogenous compounds.

It must be remembered that green manure cannot be used immediately after removal from the soil. They must be dried within 24 hours, otherwise the straw will smell bad and rot, as a result of which pathogenic microflora and fungi may appear on it.

Cut grass

After weeding the garden or mowing the lawn, a lot of grass remains. Throwing it away is irrational, so this species plant waste two ways of implementation. The first is to compost them. The second is to organize grass mulching of beds, flower beds and tree trunks of fruit trees.

You can also throw mown grass over weeded potatoes instead of hilling them. The tubers will develop well in a loose layer of half-rotted substrate, and in the fall the potatoes can be easily removed by pulling the bushes by the tops.

But melons, cucumbers and cabbage cannot be mulched with grass, as they can become infected with rot or fungus. There is no need to leave fresh grass mulch for the winter, as it can harbor pests. It is best to use plant residues a second time by composting them. As a covering material before winter, well-dried hay is used to cover tree trunk circles trees just before frost.

Video: example of mulching tomatoes with plant residues

Mulching with sawdust

The main function of mulching is the ability to create comfortable conditions for plants. By using organic materials, you can significantly increase soil fertility, reduce the amount of watering and loosening, and get rid of weeds.

Mulching is one of the most common methods of such shelter. They are especially often used for. Under a warm blanket of large shavings, strawberries and garden strawberries overwinter well and do not get sick various types rotten. Pathogenic flora is a negative factor that significantly affects the yield. But when using sawdust, which acts as a sorbent, a significant part of the berries will quietly ripen on the bushes and will not rot, since they do not come into contact with wet soil.

Strawberry mulching technology is simple and effective:

Before adding sawdust, the bed is weeded, loosened and watered. After a light crust has formed on the top layer of soil, the main work begins. To do this, take cardboard (it’s better not to use newspaper, since the printing ink contains lead) and cover the space between the rows with it. Sawdust is poured on top of the cardboard. That's it, the work is finished. By the way, this method protects not only from the appearance of weeds, but also from excessive growth of the strawberries themselves.

Mulching with hay and straw

These natural materials, which are easy to find in any village, began to be used by summer residents for planting new technology, for the use of which you need to stock up on cardboard (you can ask for boxes at your nearest store), planting material and dry grass.

The process itself can be divided into several stages:

• Covering the ground with cardboard. It can be laid directly on overwintered grass as soon as the snow melts. The point of this action is to prevent light from reaching the weeds, which will die along with the roots within a few weeks.
• Germination and disinfection of potatoes. You can disinfect it using a solution of any ready-made biostimulant, and germinate it in the sun, greening the tuber. These preparatory procedures have a healing effect so that subsequently the potatoes under the mulch do not become ill with late blight.
• The next stage is planting the planting material. To do this, holes are made in cardboard sheets, whose radius should be twice as large as the radius of the tubers. After this, the seed potatoes are placed directly on the ground, with the sprouts facing up so that they point towards the sunlight.
• The final stage of planting is mulching the entire row with straw. To do this, dry remains of cereal crops are poured directly on top of the cardboard, in a layer of at least 15-20 cm. Some use hay for covering, but it has a significant drawback - it is a carrier and accumulator of weed seeds.

This method, revolutionary for many gardeners, has many advantages. Firstly, it is minimal in terms of labor costs. Imagine, you don’t have to plow, weed or hill up your plantings. Potatoes grow well under mulch without unnecessary intervention. The exception is drought, when you will have to water your plantings a couple of times. And still, the amount used physical labor incommensurate with the traditional planting method.

Harvesting potatoes that have grown under a straw cover is also a cakewalk compared to traditional digging. This is a fairly clean job, since it is very easy to get to the tubers - you just need to push the straw aside and harvest the crop.

After harvesting, the beds are left without digging. They are already natural compost, which will quietly rot into the remainder before the onset of winter cold time, and next year these beds can be used for planting without additional processing. Using the straw mulching method, you can achieve a significant improvement in soil fertility on the site in 2-3 years.

Video: comparison of potato yield when mulching different types

Mulching with textiles and film

This type of protective procedures is used in two cases:

1. The first is the construction of “dry blankets” for the winter for various ornamental plants and vines, as already described above.
2. The second type of use is to protect beds from weeds and moisture evaporation.

A mandatory condition when using rolled covering materials is compliance with all preparatory procedures (weeding, moistening, loosening) before covering the beds with polyethylene. Applying this method in summer time, use only transparent film and agrotextiles. But the black film is used before planting begins. It has too strong a depressing effect on any plant flora, therefore, even with the use of partial perforation, it is not suitable for summer use.

mulching with agrotextiles (left) and film (right)

The film is spread on the beds at the end of March, when it is already warm enough and weeds begin to grow. Within 3-4 weeks, they all die under a black film, and their roots, which die naturally, can be easily removed with a rake.

Agrotextiles are very often used for mulching strawberries. Usually they take non-woven tightly, which allows moisture to pass through. It is spread over all surfaces of the bed, cutting out circles at equal distances for berry bushes. When using this method, strawberries bear fruit well throughout the season and require virtually no additional care.

Mulching with peat

This fertilizer from the swamp is often used as a mulch layer for the soil when planting various plants. serves as an excellent protection against weathering and leaching of fertile components from the soil, and does not allow pathogenic flora to grow and develop. After the end of the season, this substrate is left on the beds, and it gradually passes into the soil, improving its composition.

decorative use of peat

The homogeneous structure of peat allows it to be used as decorative filling. Peat is also used in the garden for mulching. different cultures that require extra care, such as tomatoes. This substrate is applied to nightshades when they are well rooted, a couple of weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground.

Peat is ideal for mulching. He creates optimal conditions for the growth and development of this moisture-loving shrub. The soil constantly retains moisture and becomes loose, which allows the raspberry root system to develop well.

Mulching with bark and wood chips

This method of garden care is gaining more and more fans every year. Bark mulch is commonly used for paths and large open areas. In our climatic zone Pine bark is the most widely used. This material is for landscape design has a number of useful properties.

decorative mulch from bark and wood chips

Decorative bark mulch stays in one place unchanged for a long time, perfectly protects the soil from weeds, and protects from the sun on hot days. It also does not compact for a long time due to its porous structure and textured surface.

Pine bark

This type of covering material is very popular throughout the country. The advantages of pine bark are its lightness, thickness and high content of fungicides, which suppress unfriendly microflora and prevent the appearance of insect pests.

Features of mulching tree trunk circles with bark/chips

Bark has been used for mulching for many centuries. This type of protection has become especially popular for those who constantly need comfortable conditions. The bark retains moisture for the root system and perfectly decorates the tree trunk, which saves time when caring for these capricious flowers. It also serves as a winter shelter from freezing.

wood chips

When purchasing this material, you should pay attention to the number indicated on the packaging. It corresponds to the size of the chips and indicates the dimensional characteristics of the product. Chips can be small (5-8 cm), medium (8-15 cm), and large (more than 15 cm). It is advisable to purchase this covering material from manufacturers who guarantee minimal inclusion of chip dust in the composition. This property helps protect the beds from oxidation.

Mulching chips perform the same functions as other materials. It keeps the soil moist and loose, stimulates the development of beneficial microflora, and naturally forms humus. In addition to all the above advantages, this material Perfect for decorating a site.

decorative mulch options - based on wood chips and bark

Decorative mulch can be of any color and size. It is used in young flower beds, or in ridges made in a minimalist style. It is resistant to external influences, so it can be used to cover flower beds and garden paths.

Precautionary measures

The choice of wood chips must be approached more carefully than when purchasing other materials. When buying it, it is advisable to...smell it! If the substrate emits a sour, vinegary smell, then it is better to postpone the purchase. Most likely, wet wood chips were stored without access to oxygen, and they began to produce rotting products that were very harmful to plants.

But, if the acquisition has already been made, the situation can be corrected. The wood chips need to be dried well. As soon as the sour smell disappears, you can use it to mulch the soil.

Unusual types of mulch

Leaves

They are used everywhere, this is the most affordable covering material, which serves to protect plantings with perennial flowers and wintering bulbs.

pine needles

Needles are used to mulch plants that are susceptible to massive pest attacks, such as garlic.

Eggshell

This species is used as an obstacle to slugs by scattering the shells in a thin layer around rose bushes.

Using various available materials for mulching beds, you can greatly simplify your life. Protected plant roots fully use all the moisture brought into the ground, which provides them with excellent nutrition. There is no need for constant watering, as well as for constant loosening. Mulching the soil will help put the garden in order, and free up time to finally straighten up and admire the beauty and order created by your own hands.

Video comparison of different mulching materials

In order for trees to grow quickly, be strong and tall, they need care. This applies to both decorative and fruit species. If earlier the trunk circles around trees were left in the form of open areas of soil, which were dug up and fertilized in the fall and spring or covered with mulch, then in our time an increasing number of summer residents plant flowers, herbs and vegetables on them or sow lawns.

This not only decorates the garden and benefits the trees themselves, but also allows you to save area in favor of other types of plants.

To dig or not to dig?

For many gardeners, the pressing question is how to properly care for fruit trees and when to dig up the ground around them, whether to do it at all, or whether it is better to sow this area with grass. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages of digging are the following:

• There will be fewer pests or they will disappear altogether.
• Since the tree trunk circle of fruit trees expands as they grow, this makes it possible to use this land profitably, for example, to plant a flower garden.

Since there are more disadvantages to digging up soil around trees, many summer residents have abandoned this practice. This is due to the fact that:

• When digging up the soil in the fall, not only pests are destroyed, but also beneficial microorganisms. For example, aerobic bacteria living on the surface require oxygen. When digging, the top layer of soil turns over and they end up underground. Deprived of oxygen, they die, and since exactly aerobic bacteria supply plants with basic nutrients, then the trees are thereby deprived of elements important for life.
• When digging there is always a risk of damaging the roots. This is especially true for those that are closer to the surface and receive the necessary nutrition from it.
• Autumn digging reduces the frost resistance of trees, as the soil becomes open to the cold.

Each summer resident decides for himself how to care for his garden, but more and more people are inclined to believe that the soil around the trees is an area that can be used wisely and beneficially both for the plant and for themselves.

Flower beds and beds around trees

In light of the above, gardeners prefer to use tree trunk circles and sow them with either forbs, flowers, or healthy vegetables and spices. This has its advantages:

• Gradually, the untouched soil is enriched by the plants growing on it, which, having outlived their useful life, become natural nutrition for the tree.
• It is especially useful to sow tree trunk circles for additional insulation root system. The roots of the “neighbors” create a kind of cushion that prevents frost from penetrating into the soil.
• In summer, the lawn or flower garden protects the roots from the sun, and the tree needs less watering.
• Tree trunk circles filled with vegetation do not require digging or special weeding, which not only frees you from unnecessary work, but also helps preserve the fertile layer of the soil.

Considering all the advantages, more and more gardeners are using the soil around trees to plant beautiful or useful plants.

It is important to know: plants do not always combine with each other. Before planting something, you need to make sure that the “neighborhood” will be mutually beneficial. This is especially important for fruit trees, since their harvest can be significantly reduced by satellites that will have a depressing effect on them.

Types of tree trunk circles and care for them

The design and care of the soil around the tree begins with its planting. So, when he is 2-3 years old, he is 2 m, by the age of six he reaches 3 m, and by 10-12 - 3.5-4 m. Along with the growth of the crown, its trunk circle grows, the design of which as the tree matures can change.

Soil care depends on how the soil around the seedling looks:

• If the soil remains fallow, then it needs regular weeding and light loosening after each rain or watering. In the presence of heavy soil, autumn digging should be carried out annually, while on loams this can be done once every 2-3 years.
• Although mulching is the best way preserving moisture, improving soil quality and protecting from cold, is nevertheless considered by many gardeners to be a waste of land space. Mulching methods are described below.

• Decorated tree trunk circles are becoming increasingly popular, as they simplify their care and allow you to create beautiful flower beds, lawns or mini-gardens.

It is important to know: if you plant plants around a tree, you should take into account that its trunk should already be quite high (from 75 cm), and the branches should be raised above the ground.

Materials for decorating tree trunk circles

Long gone are the days when the design of the tree trunk circle consisted only of mulching or “bare” soil. Today landscape designers use natural and artificial materials, flower and herb seeds.

Summer residents are not far behind them and are improving their gardens:

• decorative stone;
• crushed stone and pebbles;
• glass;
• fabrics made of synthetic fiber, for example, agril;
• lawns;
• beds with spices;
• medicinal herbs.

It's important to know: the soil around trees is a usable area when used correctly. What is permissible on large landscaped lawns does not make sense on a plot of 6 acres, where every meter of land counts.

Stone decoration

The use of small pebbles or gravel to decorate tree trunks is especially popular among summer residents who cannot devote much time to their garden. These “helpers” are capable of:

• retain moisture;
• protect roots from hot sun rays and severe frosts;
• prevent weeds from growing;
• keep pests away.

This decor of the tree trunk circle frees the gardener from weeding, loosening and digging up the soil. Stones are a natural material that is durable, does not fly apart from gusts of wind and looks impressive.

Mulching

In regions where rain is rare and frost is not, summer residents use dry manure, straw, peat or leaves with reeds in the form of mulch. There are reasons for this:

• this is a natural fertilizer that is dug up in the spring and gives the roots additional nutrition;
• such mulch warms the soil;
• retains moisture well.

It is important to know: such mulching should be done not only 10-15 cm from the trunk, as many gardeners do, but throughout the entire circle around the trunk.

However, in warmer regions, an increasing number of summer residents prefer not only to mulch the circle of fruit trees, but also to decorate it. Perfect for this Pine cones, For example. They look beautiful, hold heat well, transmit and retain moisture, are not blown away by the wind and do not give weeds a chance to grow through such a barrier.

In any case, what is the choice? natural material used for mulching is up to the summer resident, based on weather conditions and the needs of the tree itself.

Lawn around trees

A beautiful, well-groomed lawn always looks impressive. It is no exception when it covers the trunk circle of an apple tree, for example, or other fruit trees. Owners of large plots can afford this luxury. As the grass grows, it is cut with a lawn mower and removed. As practice has shown, a lawn in tree trunk circles is beautiful decoration, which provides the tree with additional care:

• protects from the sun;
• protects from cold;
• retains moisture well;
• The roots of the grass themselves loosen the soil, and it breathes.

It is important to know: the lawn requires constant maintenance, otherwise the garden will look overgrown and abandoned. Trees also need regular spring feeding, which is best applied directly under the roots.

Seedling of tree trunk circles with forbs

The lawn is not suitable for the owners of the coveted six acres, so the best solution is to create cultural sod, for which grass seeds are used. It is better to sow perennial grasses, for example, a cereal mixture of meadow fescue (up to 60%) and meadow bluegrass (40%).

As the grass grows, it needs to be mowed and stored under the trees, as this is the best natural fertilizer that frees the gardener from additional organic fertilizers. Such turf serves as a natural “carpet” that protects tree roots from the scorching sun, severe frosts and drought.

Flower garden

Before you start creating a flower garden, spice bed or medicinal herbs, you should find out which plants in the trunk circles will bring the tree maximum benefit. For example, the following flowers are combined with an apple tree:

• daisies;
• daffodils;
• lungwort;
• pansies;
• forget-me-nots;
• bells;
• nasturtium;
• periwinkle.

They will not only decorate the tree trunk, but will also have a beneficial effect on the yield of the tree. Among the spices and vegetable crops The apple tree gets along well with:

• dill;
• radishes;
• feather bow;
• salad;
• sorrel;
• basil

Today, cultivating tree trunks is a widespread practice, and not a tribute to fashion. When the land can not only be used wisely, beautified and decorated, but also without special effort improving its composition is a chance to make your site ideal.

Everyone prepares for winter differently. People buy warm clothes and take skis out of the attic, animals carry grains into a hole, and fish burrow deeper into the mud. Garden trees also need to be prepared for snow and cold weather. Apple tree care requires special attention in this regard. Preparing this fruit tree for winter requires pruning branches, cleaning the trunk and many other activities. You can find many videos and articles on this topic on the Internet. A gardener who is armed with useful knowledge will be able to save trees and future harvests.

Branch and trunk care

The first thing you need to work with when preparing a tree for winter is the branches and trunk. The apple tree needs to be carefully examined and dry, broken, diseased branches and those that grow inside the crown must be removed.

Attention! Branches can be trimmed only in clear weather at a temperature not lower than -10°C. If you do not follow this rule, then cracks will appear on fresh cuts, which will increase over time and destroy the apple tree.

Branches must be removed in such a way that the cut is as even and smooth as possible. It is unacceptable to leave scuff marks on the bark. After pruning, damaged areas should be thoroughly treated with a solution of copper sulfate at the rate of 1 tsp. for 1 l. clean water. Then the sections are also treated with garden varnish. These measures help prevent the emergence and proliferation of fungal diseases.

Pruning branches

And finally, you need to remember about whitewashing the trunk, which will protect the tree from rodents and sunburn. You need to process the trunk from the root to the lower branches or slightly higher. The best recipe formula for whitewash mixture for apple trees: lime - 3 kg, wood glue - 200 g, copper sulfate- ½ kg, water - 10 l.

Advice. If the apple tree variety is not frost-resistant, you can wrap its trunk with spruce or pine branches for the winter, and you can also wrap it in roofing paper.

Tilling the soil around the tree

Tilling the soil around the apple tree in preparation for winter includes 3 stages: harvesting, digging, mulching.

1. Cleaning. You need to start this stage by removing fallen leaves and carrion. It is in this mass that pathogenic bacteria and pests hide and multiply. Leaves and rotten apples are best thrown into a compost heap, sprinkled with lime. Then in a year it will be possible to feed the tree with this.
2. Digging. When the ground under the tree is cleared, you can move on to digging the soil. In this case, the shovel is immersed parallel to the ground by 20 cm. If the gardener works with a pitchfork, you need to carefully watch so as not to damage root system. You also need to dig up the soil that extends beyond the crown, since there are no roots there, the shovel can be immersed deeper.
3. Mulching. This procedure can be carried out using compost or manure. It is also recommended to use peat, sawdust, straw, shavings or pine needles.

Identification and neutralization of pests

Autumn is an excellent time to identify and neutralize pests that have settled on fruit trees. Most often they can be found under the old bark of an apple tree. You need to bend it back and inspect the trunk underneath it. Insects found there should be destroyed immediately. It is best to remove too large growths of old bark completely.

Processing the trunk of an apple tree

For the purposes of treatment and prevention, the apple tree is treated with insecticides in the fall. For example, a urea solution will help overcome powdery mildew or scab. Laundry soap is also used soda ash, copper sulfate. If there is no desire or opportunity to prepare solutions yourself, you can use ready-made fungicides, such as Aktara, Karbofos, Horus.

Autumn feeding of apple trees

• Organic fertilizers such as compost or humus are applied at the rate of 4-8 kg per 1 m² of soil.
• If it is not possible to deposit organic fertilizer, you can use a mixture of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. At the same time, nitrogen is needed in very small quantities, about 10 g. Such fertilizing will be useful for root growth.
• Acidic soils under apple trees are neutralized with lime, which is applied once every 3-4 years. For this they use ground limestone or even old plaster, marl, dolomite flour, chalk.
• To make trees more easily tolerate severe frosts, they need to be fed with superphosphate, diluted 30-50 g per 1 liter of water.

Advice. Dense fertilizers must be crushed before applying to the soil. For example, burnt lime is quenched with water at the rate of 3 liters per 10 kg.

The owners of some household plots prefer to postpone apple tree care until spring. But this is the wrong approach, which can significantly damage the tree and reduce the harvest. But the due autumn preparation will help the tree endure a harsh period.

How to prepare an apple tree for winter: video

Autumn processing of apple trees: photo

One of the main techniques that any farmer must master is soil mulching. In the garden, mulch serves many functions to help preserve soil. But any agricultural technique becomes useful only with a competent approach. In this article we will talk about mulching trees and bushes in the garden, and consider the main methods.

The biological meaning of soil mulching

Mulching is covering the surface of the treated soil with a layer of organic or inorganic material. In nature, there is no bare ground under trees. It is always covered with fallen leaves or covered with growing grass. This natural mechanism performs the following functions:

• protects the soil from erosion;
• prevents the evaporation of moisture from the upper layers;
• improves air exchange, preventing the appearance of soil crust;
• protects plant roots from overheating in hot weather and from freezing in winter;
• becomes a barrier to the penetration of insect pests and pathogenic microorganisms;
• becomes a source carbon dioxide and plant nutrients;
• increases the activity of beneficial soil flora and fauna.

Observing nature, people began to intuitively use this soil protection mechanism, using different means. Depending on the materials used, mulching is divided into two types - organic and inorganic.

Mulching as an agricultural technique arose thanks to observations of nature.

3 mistakes when using mulch in the garden

Wanting to benefit their trees, gardeners sometimes make a number of mistakes:

1. Leaves fallen from fruit trees are used as mulch. Leaf litter can be infected with spores of pathogenic fungi. Instead of being useful, such mulch harms the garden, becoming a source of infection.
2. Place mulch on unheated soil. Mulching materials absorb the sun's rays and prevent the soil from warming up in the spring.
3. Apply a thick layer of mulch in wet weather. In rainy spring or summer, putrefactive bacteria develop in waterlogged mulch, which can damage the bark of trees and shrubs.

Tip #1. Sometimes a thick layer of compacted mulch becomes dense and loses its breathability. Such mulching will also not benefit the garden. The mulch must be turned up from time to time, and the soil under it must be combed with a rake.

Mulching trees with organic materials

For mulching tree trunk circles in orchard You can use various natural materials:

Mulching trees with inorganic mulch

U inorganic materials, used for mulching, have significantly fewer functions than organic matter. Inorganic mulch only protects the soil from erosion and moisture loss. For mulching tree trunks garden trees and shrubs, the following materials can be used:

To give the garden a special decorative look, you can use colored crushed stone for mulching.

Mulching the garden using the tinning method

One of the options for mulching fruit plants is growing under trees and between them. lawn grass. This method is called tinning. Tinned soil naturally retains moisture and all the qualities of fertility.

It is important to keep in mind that full grassing is only suitable for a mature garden. It is still necessary to leave the tree trunk circle around the seedlings without grass, mulching it with something else.

When using this method, you should pay attention to mulching the lawn itself. The soil on it also needs care. Good help A lawn mower with a mulching function will help with this. It turns the mown grass into fine chops and evenly scatters it over the grass between the trees.

A good and inexpensive mulching mower is produced by Greenworks. For example, model 2505107 has a grass catcher. With its help, you can collect ready-made mulch and scatter it around the trees yourself. Another worthy option in terms of price-quality ratio is the Champion LM4215 mower.

How to properly mulch trees and bushes?

When mulching tree trunk circles, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not push the mulch close to the root collar. A margin of 5-10 cm is necessary to prevent damping and rotting of the neck.
2. Spring mulching should be carried out after the soil has warmed up at a depth of 20 cm to +12-14⁰С.
3. In the fall, replace undecomposed organic mulch with peat or sawdust.
4. When using cut grass as mulch, it must be dried first.
5. Spread mulch only wet soil– after rain or watering. Read also the article: → "".

How to water mulched soil

If you use material that allows water to pass through, you should water directly through the mulch cover. It is curious that mulched soil has to be watered much less often than open soil. This is due to the mechanism of the so-called “auto-watering”: warm air under the mulch it cools, and water vapor falls out of it in the form of dew.

To prevent thick layers of organic mulch from becoming moldy from moisture, they must be turned over from time to time. EM preparations will help quickly decompose the biomass into components and prevent it from rotting.

Tip #2. You can accelerate the mineralization of organic matter by mixing mulch with mineral fertilizers.

How to fertilize mulched soil

Using organic mulch reduces the need regular feeding trees. Mulch itself is an excellent nitrogen supplement. You can add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in spring and summer:

Fruit trees, like other cultivated garden plants, need preparation for winter. Beginning gardeners have questions about when to whiten trunks, whether they need to cover trees for the winter, and what to spray with to get rid of diseases. We will try to answer them in our article.

Pest Control

First of all, take a good look at the trunks of your fruit trees: if they have “ winter quarters» spider mite, plum moth, apple caterpillar and others, then they need to be peeled off onto thick paper and burned.

Those insects that plan to winter in the tree trunk circle will die from frost if the soil is dug up. To prevent diseases and pests, you need to treat all skeletal branches of trees with a solution of iron sulfate for the winter.

Painting trees for the winter serves as protection against rodents and various diseases such as lichen and scab. It is also necessary to whiten the trunks so that they do not overheat in the sun during the day and do not cool down at night.

You can also cover tree trunks with spruce branches and craft paper to protect trees from rodents. How to wrap trees for the winter: cut the paper into strips 30 cm wide and wrap it around the trunk from bottom to top, then tie it with spruce branches (construction bag).

Mulching tree trunk circles

Preparing fruit trees for winter also involves mulching - creating a kind of fur coat to retain heat in the tree trunk. First you need to loosen the soil to a depth of about 5 cm - loose soil freezes less. Then lay 10-20 cm of mulch. This can be peat, compost, humus, sand, sawdust. This must be done before persistent cold weather sets in.

When snow falls, it is thrown into the tree trunk circle and trampled down well - this serves as additional heat protection.