Isaev R.D., candidate of agricultural sciences sciences

Currently, the Russian Federation is implementing a program to subsidize the establishment of industrial gardens. As a result of her work, interest in gardening is increasing, and business entities are planning to plant perennial fruit trees - orchards.

This article addresses the following issues:

Subsidies for planting a garden. How to get subsidies.

Where to go for questions about receiving subsidies?

Where to start when planning to plant an industrial garden?

What type of garden to choose?

Which varieties to choose for planting an industrial garden?

Where to order a project?

Where can I buy planting material?

What does it take to effectively cultivate a garden?

Subsidies for planting a garden. How to get subsidies.

The size of the subsidy for planting a garden consists of federal and regional funds, and may differ by region. On average in 2016, for planting 1 hectare of garden they were:

traditional garden (planting density less than 800 trees per 1 hectare) – 80 thousand rubles;

intensive garden (planting density of more than 800 trees per 1 hectare) – 250 thousand rubles.

Conditions for receiving subsidies.

1. You must be an agricultural producer.
2. Land owned or long-term leased (for the life of the garden, at least 20-25 years).
3. You must have a garden plan.
4. The area of ​​the planned garden is at least 1 hectare.
5. Garden planted according to the project, planting acts.
6. Planting a garden must be coordinated with agricultural specialists. management.

For questions regarding subsidizing the planting of gardens, please contact: Regional administration Agriculture state support department , reporting and financial policy.

Where to start when planning to plant an industrial garden?

One of the main activities when planning a garden is examination land plot for garden suitability . If you have a sufficient amount of land resources, select the most optimal fields for placing gardens.

Many novice gardeners mistakenly think that if shrubs and birch trees grow near the site, then an apple tree will also grow. Believe me, this is far from true. For orchards, including apple trees, there are certain requirements for soil conditions. By correctly assessing and choosing a site, you, like the foundation for a house, are laying a high potential for resistance to adverse factors and the productivity of fruit trees. If you plant a garden on a site that does not meet certain requirements, the trees will gradually die, and after some time the thinning can reach 40-60%.

At the first stage, we are looking for a soil specialist or ordering a garden project from a design organization, which includes studying this issue. It is more correct to obtain a preliminary positive conclusion about the gardening suitability of the site, and then order a project. If the site turns out to be unsuitable for a garden, at least save time, money and your nervous system.

What type of garden to choose?

There are now three main types of gardens being established.

1. Traditional.

Seed rootstocks, clonal medium-sized - 54-118, MM 106.

Planting patterns – 5-6 x 3-4 m.

1. Intensive garden without support.

Medium-sized clonal rootstocks – 54-118, MM 106.

Planting patterns - 4.5-5 x 2.5-2.7 m.

Drip irrigation and fertigation are desirable.

1. Intensive garden with support.

Clonal dwarf, semi-dwarf rootstocks – 62-396, B-9 (Paradizka Budagovsky), M 9, R 60.

Planting patterns - 3-4.5 x 1.0-1.5 m.

Installation of drip irrigation and fertigation equipment is required.

Which varieties to choose for planting an industrial garden?

1. Sufficiently winter-hardy for the conditions of your region.
2. 30% of autumn ripening period and 70% winter term ripening or 100% of winter ripening
3. High commercial qualities of fruits for further successful sale (taste, size, color, resistance to storage diseases).
4. Number of varieties within the farm: autumn - 3-4 varieties, winter - 4-5 varieties.

Where to order a project?

A project for laying out a garden can be ordered from a design organization (state research institute) or from an economic entity with an established type of activity in this area. Information can be obtained from the agricultural department of your territorial unit.

The developed project includes:

1. Garden suitability assessment.
2. Soil characteristics based on the content of basic mineral elements.
3. Fertilizer standards.
4. Squares, linear dimensions land plots.
5. Breakdown into blocks, roads, garden protection plantings.
6. Arrangement of rows.
7. Selection of varieties for a specific cultivation region, placing them in blocks.
8. Technological maps with economic calculation of costs.

Where to buy planting material?

High-quality seedlings mean a huge garden potential. It is better to buy from a large nursery with a good reputation. Conclude a contract in advance for the assortment and quantity you need. Visit the nursery during the period of seedling growth and assess its overall condition. The best option take with you a specialist who has an understanding of high-quality planting material. Be sure to watch what you buy. The quality of the seedlings largely determines when you will have your first commercial harvest. Poor-quality seedlings have to be corrected in the garden for 2-3 years, and this costs money, increases the payback period for the garden and reduces the profitability of production.

What does it take to effectively cultivate a garden?

1. Labor resources - agronomist-gardener, machine operator, seasonal workers for pruning and harvesting (this is at a minimum).
2. S.-kh. technique.
3. Installation of support structures, drip irrigation and fertigation equipment..
4. Refrigerator (or renovated apple storage room).

Thus, planting a garden is a responsible and costly undertaking. There are many details that need to be considered. Based on my own experience in gardening, I tried to highlight some of them in this article.

Contacts: Isaev Roman Dmitrievich

e-mail: [email protected]

Apples are one of the most popular types of fruits that are present in the grocery market. They are useful and are often used not only in fresh, but also for making preserves, jams, and also for preparing dried fruits. The demand for apples is simply huge, and not very high prices make this fruit very popular among customers.

Due to new varieties and growing technologies, the apple business has reduced the period of profit from 5–7 years to 1–2 years.

Apple tree varieties

There are both summer, autumn and winter varieties of apples. If you are planning a serious approach to business in apple trees, then you need to first look towards planting all these types of apples. Thus, you will be able to work and sell products throughout almost the entire year, plus this format reduces the risk of crop loss. There are both tall and dwarf varieties apple trees The choice of variety must be made based on the requirements for the technology of growing one or another variety.

Here are the most popular ones:

• Golden Delicious;
• Simorenko;
• Red Delicious;
• Starking;
• Royal Delicious;
• Jonared;
• Idored;
• Stayman.

More detailed information on each of these types of apple trees can be found on specialized resources.

So in our calculations we will consider the option of planting a garden with an area of ​​1 hectare. Depending on the variety of apple trees and the size of their crown, from 5 to 10 sq.m are allocated for each apple tree. area. So per 1 hectare it will be possible to plant about 1000 - 2000 pieces. seedlings that will bring profit in the future.

At the same time, to care for such an orchard, in your business plan for an apple orchard you need to take into account the purchase of tools, and these are a chainsaw, branch cutters, a brush cutter, as well as the purchase of a drip irrigation system.

Growing apple trees

The soil for planting apple trees is prepared in the fall, it is plowed and added organic fertilizers. In the spring, during planting, they also add a little manure and about 40 grams of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers per hole.

The row spacing is usually about 3 - 4 m, and the distance between trees in a row is 1.5 - 2 m. These indicators largely depend on the type of tree shape and the technology for pruning it.

A seedling is installed in a prepared hole with a size of 0.6x0.6 m, sprinkled with earth, after which abundant watering is carried out.

Care

Growing apples as a business also involves certain techniques for caring for trees. Firstly, it is advisable to install supports under the trees; this will not only ensure an even structure of the tree, but will also protect against strong wind, which can break tree branches. Secondly, this is the constant removal of weeds and grass between the rows. This can be done using a lawn mower. Thirdly, this regular watering, either manually or using a drip irrigation system. Fourthly, this correct pruning trees, it is better to read about its technology in specialized literature. Fifthly, this is the treatment of apple trees to protect them from insects; insecticides are used for this: Simazine, Curb, Roundup, Glyphosate, Fosulen and others.

With proper care, your apple orchard will become a stable business for many years. If you have in your possession perennial garden, the yield of which is already at a low level, then you will need to use special techniques for maintaining an old apple orchard, namely, replacing old apple trees with new varieties, gradually rejuvenating your planting.

Apple collection and storage

Making a business plan apple business you need to add to the costs the cost of personnel to collect this fruit. So the harvest usually begins from September to November. Apples are picked by hand to avoid damage, after which the apple quickly rots and can be thrown away. When harvested, the stalk is preserved. Picked apples are stored in boxes (wooden or plastic) and covered with paper to increase the shelf life.

For example, winter varieties of apples, after they are sent for storage, also undergo a ripening period. Usually the harvest is stored in basements.

Sales markets

There are two main directions for selling apples:

• wholesale: large grocery store chains, apple buyers, canneries, dried fruit factories.
• retail sales: markets, bakeries, private individuals.

IN winter time the cost of apples increases by 50%.

As an additional income, you can produce and package dried fruits based on apples, which are bought by many restaurants and cafes, as well as people at food markets.

Profitability

The cost of seedlings varies from $3 to $9 pcs. Also, according to the business plan, you need to take into account the following expense items: taxes, costs of soil preparation and fertilizers, organization of irrigation and supports, purchase of tools.

Among the fixed costs, we can also highlight the costs of seasonal workers, which include security and harvesters.

The payback period for the apple business is about 4–5 years.

Its profitability reaches 100%.

The average price for 1 kg of apples on the market is about $1. In winter you can increase this amount by 50%.

Conclusions. Growing apples as a business is a very profitable activity. There are risks here, but high profitability attracts many entrepreneurs.

What can you say about this business? We are waiting for your advice and recommendations.

Old rule: “The amount of fruit harvest from a tree directly depends on the size of the crown” no longer works. Beautiful gardens with wide alleys, along which everyone loves to walk, remain only in old estates and small private farms. The professional community is moving to more modern technologies.

Types of Apple Orchards

There are several types of apple orchards, which differ from each other.

By rootstock and vigor:

• vigorous (height more than 3.5 m);
• medium-sized or semi-dwarf (2.5-3.5 m high);
• low-growing or dwarf (1.5-2.5 m high).

Intensive apple orchard

According to yield, duration of operating period and level of profitability, all gardens are divided into:

• extensive, or classic (service life - up to 35 years);
• semi-intensive (service life - up to 25 years);
• intensive (service life - up to 15-20 years);
• super-intensive (service life - up to 10-15 years).

Extensive and intensive gardens. What is the difference?

Apple orchard area

Intensive technologies allow you to get maximum yield per limited area. Planting pattern: 2.5-3 m between rows and 0.5-1 m between trees, in classic, extensive gardens: 7-8 m x 3-4 m.

Professionals believe that an intensive garden is profitable when planting 30-40 hectares, that is, approximately 2-4 blocks of plantings (one quarter for intensive and super-intensive gardens is 8-10 hectares; for semi-intensive (semi-dwarf) - 12-15 hectares). At the same time, the size of one block for extensive, vigorous gardens is, as a rule, 15-18 hectares.

Intensive garden with hail protection, Golden Delicious variety

Fruiting dates for apple orchards

In intensive and super-intensive gardens, a high yield (40-60 t/ha) can be obtained in a short period of time.
The vigorous classical gardens that are familiar to us begin to bear fruit in the 7-8th year, uprooting them in the 35th year, while the lifespan of gardens on semi-dwarf and medium-sized ones is 25 years, and on dwarf rootstocks - only 10-15 years.

All the advantages of the extensive method are fully manifested in large apple orchards, where it is possible to grow and harvest even in unfavorable conditions, while apple trees bear fruit only once every 2-3 years. The requirements for growing conditions for large apple trees are lower, but their endurance is higher. But behind the spreading and tall trees difficult to care for: spraying, pruning, harvesting.

For industrial cultivation, vigorous orchards of the extensive and semi-intensive type with late periods of fruiting, slow rates of crop ripening, low productivity, high labor intensity of cultivation, insufficient fruit quality and low profitability do not have serious prospects.

Extensive garden

Modern seating arrangement

Quarter is a very important concept in professional gardening. Dividing the territory into blocks and pre-planting preparation are quite a high cost item in organizing intensive gardens, since they require the participation of highly qualified specialists. In one block (on one allocated area of ​​the garden) varieties of the same ripening period are placed, which makes it easier to care for the plantings and allows for maintenance technological measures to be carried out at the same time. Seedlings of the main variety are planted in wide strips (several rows), and pollinator varieties are planted in rows between them. The main variety occupies 80% of the area, pollinating varieties occupy the remaining 20%. When choosing seedlings, everything is taken into account: the type of rootstock, variety, yield level, time of fruiting, resistance to diseases and pests and, of course, winter hardiness.

In intensive gardens, trees are planted much more densely than in classic ones: depending on the technology, the number of seedlings varies widely and reaches 5.5 thousand per 1 hectare. Gardens at the planting stage are equipped with systems for fixing trunks and automatic watering. Good yields are ensured, in particular, by installing equipment for drip irrigation and fertigation (applying liquid fertilizers or pesticides simultaneously with irrigation). Crowning continues continuously from the first year after planting during spring formative pruning. Then, throughout the life of the garden, the plants are annually pruned and normalized. In addition, in the summer, the ovaries are thinned out, removing excess ones in order to obtain fruits of better quality.

The columnar garden has the highest planting density - up to 20 thousand trees per 1 hectare. Planting distance - 0.4-1.2 x 0.4-1.2 m. The height of the apple tree at 7-8 years of age is 1.5 m, maximum - 2.5 m, yield - 100-140 t/ ha and more! Research and testing of this type of garden for industrial use mainly practiced in England.

Intensive garden during fruiting period

What's happened M-9 rootstock?

In most European countries, apple trees are grown on M-9 rootstock (East Malling 9), but the main disadvantage of this rootstock is its low frost resistance (-10 ° C). In this regard, in Russia the possibilities of using this rootstock are very limited. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to more. It is better to select planting material in nurseries, where it has been grown for many years and whose winter hardiness has been confirmed in practice. Apple tree varieties grafted on a dwarf rootstock are placed in the garden at a distance of 1.5 x 2 m.

Advantages and disadvantages of intensive gardens

Advantages:

• Early entry into fruiting: extensive type garden - in the 6-8th year after planting, intensive type - in the 2nd-3rd year.
• Ease of harvesting: shorter trees with an evenly distributed crown.
• Increasing processing efficiency due to planting density and crown compactness.
• Reduced costs for fertilizer treatment due to the presence of micro-drip irrigation.

Flaws:

• The garden is laid out according to a special project, which is developed by an accredited organization based on a comprehensive study of the site.
• It requires the involvement of highly qualified specialists both at the stage of planting a garden and for subsequent care.
• Purchase of special seedlings of low-growing apple trees, on which compact, small-sized, well-lit crowns with low fruits are then formed.
• The root system of dwarf rootstocks is more vulnerable to low temperatures.
• Costs for technical equipment of the garden: drip irrigation system, trunk fixation system. If necessary, use an anti-hail net (in areas with increased hail risk).
• Garden maintenance costs are significantly higher than with classic version: such seedlings have increased requirements for soil fertility, irrigation, protection from pests and diseases.
• Errors at the orchard establishment stage lead to serious losses in yield and increased costs.
• Shorter depreciation period (from planting to clearing up the garden).

Professional apple orchards

Modern industrial horticulture is not just apple orchards, but a whole huge complex, which includes all the additional infrastructure, in particular its own vehicle fleet and fruit storage.

In the south of Russia, in Kabardino-Balkaria, near the city of Nalchik, apples have been grown in intensive orchards since 2008. Due to the similarity of the natural conditions of the Nalchinsky region with South Tyrol (a historical region in the eastern part of the Alps), it became possible to bring the experience of Italian gardening to the south of Russia. In total, more than 14 varieties of apples are grown in the gardens, but the main ones are: Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Red Chief, Red Delicious (Erowan).

After harvesting, all apples enter a special fruit storage facility with a controlled gas environment, which allows apples to be stored for up to 12 months. Such long-term storage is made possible by maintaining a low oxygen concentration in the atmosphere of the chambers. (ULO - Ultra Low Oxygen).

After picking, the apples are prepared in a special chamber for long-term storage. Gradually, over the course of a week, lower the fruit’s own temperature from +25...+30 °C, which is established during ripening, to +2...+3 °C. At the same time, the storage facility is gradually replacing the composition of the main gases: oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the storage is reduced to 1-1.5%, in return increasing the nitrogen content. This blocks the processes of aging and destruction of fruits. During storage in the room, the airtightness of the environment is maintained, and the automation monitors the state of the atmosphere. After opening the chamber, it is ventilated for 1-2 days, the apples are calibrated and sent for sale.

There are intensive gardens in Kabardino-Balkaria - Fruit-Trade LLC, in the Tambov region - Bioprogress LLC, Dubovoe JSC and Michurinsky Gardens Agrofirm LLC, in the Voronezh region - Razdolye JSC, in the Krasnodar Territory - JSC “Giant Garden”, in the Volgograd region - “Pridonia Gardens”, in Belgorod region - LLC “Fedoseevsky Gardens” and others.

Modern technologies in the summer cottage

If you want to grow two or three classic apple trees in your dacha to sit under on a hot sunny day, then no problem - buy suitable seedlings on a vigorous rootstock at any local nursery. But with medium-sized and dwarf plants it is a little more difficult. But they can also be found in the assortment of large garden centers that sell zoned planting material.

And despite the fact that intensive gardens are considered promising only in large, industrial scale, they are of considerable interest for small private plots. Of course, you will have to immediately accept that you will not achieve such stunning success; you will need a lot of special knowledge on care and pruning. But anyone can grow a strip of columnar apple trees along the perimeter of a fence.

You can also try working with low-growing, winter-hardy apple tree seedlings. Most problems with their cultivation are associated with the close location of the root system. Therefore, when planting, it is necessary to immediately provide support for the trees: wind and crop load in unfavorable conditions can even uproot the plants. In the summer, combine watering the trees with watering the flower beds or vegetable garden; mulch in the winter trunk circle peat.

Illustrations for the material: Shutterstock/TASS, Olga Petina

Intensive gardening today is a fairly progressive technology for growing fruit (pome and stone fruit) crops. With proper organization economic efficiency plot will be many times higher than in the case of using traditional technology.

In our article we will describe the basic principles by which intensive gardens are developed, as well as citing a number useful recommendations for those who plan to engage in this type of activity.

General Process Characteristics

Traditional technology for breeding fruit trees and growing fruits is not very effective. Fruit growing, especially in the risk farming zone, where climatic disasters and other factors can quickly destroy the crop, is not attractive from an economic point of view. That is why in Lately There is an active reduction in the area of ​​orchards.

The traditional method of cultivation is being replaced by the establishment of an intensive garden.

Such plantings have the following advantages:

• First, getting commercial products carried out on low-growing plants, so as to significantly reduce the costs of carrying out agrotechnical activities.
• Secondly, only highly productive varieties are used, resistant to various influences. In addition, early fruiting is stimulated, so that products can be obtained within one to two years.

• Thirdly, the compact size of trees allows for the most efficient use of planting space.

Note!
Modern planting standards are: for pome crops - 400-500 plants per hectare, for stone fruits - 500 - 1200 plants per hectare.

• In addition, trellis-type supporting structures are actively used in the establishment of an intensive garden.. Thanks to this, crowns are formed in a shape that makes harvesting as easy as possible.

The result of this approach is the emergence of a highly productive garden, the profitability of which significantly exceeds the average. It is for this reason that most of the built areas today are designed according to the intensive type.

Technology for planting an intensive garden

Variety selection

If you want to try this technology with your own hands, then you need to start by selecting planting material.

The requirements for the variety and for the seedling itself are quite strict:

• Firstly, the culture must be of the intensive type. In practice, this usually involves an early onset of fruiting, compact crown size, and low growth rate. Regionalization (compliance with local conditions) and resistance to major factors are also desirable. infectious diseases(scab, powdery mildew, gray rot).
• Secondly, as a rootstock(plants to which varietal material is grafted) use dwarf or semi-dwarf zoned varieties.
• Thirdly, it is recommended to use established pairs “variety + rootstock”, since there are known cases of hidden incompatibility, which manifests itself one to two years after planting.
• Finally, a mandatory requirement is that the material is virus-free. The thing is that even a small percentage of virus-carrying plants can lead to a decrease in overall yield by up to 50 - 80%.

Popular varieties of apples for intensive gardening, as well as suitable varieties of other crops, are given in the table:

However, the instructions allow the use of other varieties zoned in your territory.

Formation of supports and trellises

Today, the most widely used different designs intensive gardens. However, the most effective in terms of ease of care and harvesting are trellis systems.

Installation supporting elements is carried out according to the following algorithm:

• Within each row, a horizontal trellis of two or three rows of wire is laid.
• Polymer agrofibre can also be used for these purposes: its price is slightly higher, but it is not subject to corrosion.
• A separate vertical support is installed directly next to each seedling. Here best choice There will be bamboo poles: they have the optimal combination of strength and durability at a fairly reasonable price.

Note!
Most often, poles are used with a length of up to 3 m and a diameter of up to 30 mm.

• As the tree grows and develops, the branches are gradually tied to the trellis, forming a wide horizontal crown.

• The stem and central branches must be fixed on a vertical support. For fixation, they try to use universal clamps made of a fairly elastic material.

Pruning and caring for plants

In the first years after planting the garden, it is necessary to pay close attention correct formation crowns

Of course, most intensive varieties will bear fruit in any case, but to increase efficiency it is necessary to prune in time:

• For work and pruners with the sharpest blades. It is extremely important that the cutting line is perfectly straight - then the branches will be minimally injured.
• Plant fragments cut out during processing must be removed from the site as early as possible. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing infectious diseases.
• The pruning scheme itself depends on the selected garden configuration. When growing with a trellis, we remove the side shoots, and when growing in a standard way, we prune the upper branches to slow down the growth of the tree in height.

For most areas, periodic soil irrigation is highly desirable:

• From an efficiency point of view, installing a drip irrigation system would be optimal. At the same time, we connect a separate hose to the root zone of each tree, ensuring a constant flow of water.

Advice!
During harvest, you can stop watering: this way the fruits will be less watery and you won’t have to walk through the mud.

• Classical irrigation using automatic watering machines is somewhat less effective. In this case, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the soil and, if necessary, adjust the watering schedule.

Protection against infections and pests

Despite the fact that the most resistant varieties of fruit plants are used for intensive gardening, measures to ensure infection safety of the garden are also very important. Timely disease prevention and pest control will help increase the survival rate of seedlings in the early stages and increase yield in the future.

Seedlings for planting an intensive garden

Which seedlings should experienced gardeners prefer when planting an intensive garden?

The main requirements of any modern intensive garden, according to experts, are:

Early (1-2 years) entry of the garden into fruiting;

Stable and high yield of HIGH quality fruits;

High labor productivity when performing basic technological operations (pruning, pest and disease control, harvesting, etc.);

Varieties that satisfy consumer requirements and are in demand in the market;

The garden has a short lifespan (12-15 years), which makes it possible to quickly replace varieties in accordance with market demands.

Based on the foregoing, modern gardening is dominated by planting designs that provide optimal density greatest number trees per unit area. These are precisely the plantings that are gardens on dwarf (in Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Ukraine and southern Russia, mainly of the M9 type) rootstocks with a rounded crown of the slender spindle type or its modifications, using varieties of a high world rating, which ensures the rapid entry of trees into fruiting, quick return of funds spent and subsequently their highest productivity and profitability. For our conditions, the M9 rootstock, which has low frost resistance of the root system and low winter hardiness of the above-ground part, is not suitable. The closest replacement for it in our country can be rootstock 57-146, but it has high wood fragility. Worse results can be obtained with rootstocks 134 and 62-396, which produce taller trees with a later fruiting date. Planting such gardens requires independent cultivation of seedlings experienced gardeners, since such seedlings are practically not grown by local nurseries.

Let's look at the modifications of apple tree seedlings that exist today:

Common annuals;

Crowned yearlings;

Two-year-olds with a one-year crown (“knip-baum”);

Two-year-olds are “ordinary” using well-known traditional technology;

Seedlings with a standard-forming insert.

The quality of seedlings significantly affects the condition of the garden and its productivity. Such planting material should be grown on a virus-free basis, on a high agricultural background and with irrigation. Special observations show that this ensures a further increase in yield by 30-40%. True, in Sverdlovsk region, and in the regions neighboring it, there is no guarantee that the queen cells of the indicated dwarf rootstocks available there are virus-free, since they have not been tested for the presence of viruses.

In order to reduce the unproductive period in intensive gardening, non-crowned planting material, as a rule, is not used due to its ineffectiveness, and crowned annuals are most common and two-year-old apple tree seedlings with an annual “knip-baum” crown, which are unknown to our gardeners, are especially valued. Knip-baum seedlings, subject to agricultural technology, ensure a yield of 150-300 kg per hundred square meters on the M9 rootstock in the second year after planting the garden, and its active increase to 400-600 kg per hundred square meters in subsequent years. Experiments have shown that planting crowned seedlings provides a 29% increase in yield in the first 8 years of fruiting compared to uncrowned ones. In our climatic conditions When using the above rootstocks, the fruiting of trees in the first years and subsequently should naturally be lower.

It is possible to evaluate in more detail the effectiveness of using crowned planting material for planting. By planting annual oculants without a crown, the gardener will have big problems with the regulation of growth and the entry of the garden into fruiting. Without crowning, it is possible to form an axial crown and get decent results only in the 4th-5th year, although the quality of such trees in the garden will never reach the level of a similar “knip”. Crowned annuals have significantly fewer fruit buds than “knip” ones, and, as a rule, they do not exist at the ends of branches. Their lateral branches grow intensively in the second half of summer and, as a result, end with growth buds; they also have sharper angles of branching of the lateral branches. Therefore, after planting, such seedlings grow much stronger than the “knip”, and this causes the ovary to fall off, if it has formed. In addition, growth activity inhibits the formation of fruit buds.

Two-year-old seedlings with an annual crown (“knip-baum”), compared to crowned annuals, have a greater load of fruit buds, including at the ends of the branches. The branches extend from the conductor at large angles. Therefore, such a seedling experiences more stress after planting and will have virtually no growth. In general, seedlings of the “knip” type are ready for intensive fruiting immediately after planting, while crowned annuals bear fruit much weaker. Crowned annuals reach the same yield level that the “knip” gives in the second year in the fourth year after planting. Thus, from a “knipa” tree, from 1 to 3 kg of fruits are obtained per year of planting (thinning is no longer allowed). In the second year - 6-8 kg. In the first two years, one tree produces 9-10 kg. Crowned annuals, as a rule, do not produce fruit in the first year. In the second year it produces an average of 3 kg of fruit.

Seedlings of the “knip-baum” type are grown in a two-year cycle, mainly using the methods of winter grafting and summer budding with a dormant eye, obtaining planting material with a root system two years old, which ensures good establishment in the garden.

Winter vaccination. Rootstock material for winter grafting should be selected with a high-quality root system. A two-year-old grown, vegetatively propagated rootstock is especially suitable; grafting is performed at a distance of 40 cm from the base (heel) of the rootstock. The value of budding height deserves more detailed consideration. Numerous studies have established that high grafting or budding enhances the positive effect of a vegetatively propagated rootstock on a fruit tree, induces rapid fruiting, reduces the vigor of tree growth, and promotes higher yields of high-quality fruit. Before planting in the field, winter grafting is stored in a refrigerator or basement at a temperature of 0°C.

Summer budding with a sleeping eye. Rootstocks are planted at the beginning spring work according to the scheme 60x8-10 cm with a root collar diameter of 4-6 or 6-8 mm to a depth of 20 cm. At the end of July- at the beginning of August (for us no later than July 20-25), the rootstocks are budded at a height of 20-25 cm above the soil level using the butt method, which ensures the engraftment of the eyes in most cases after three weeks. Whereas budding in the traditional way in a T-shaped incision- in 1.5 months. Rapid engraftment is determined by the better combination of the cambium of the scion and the rootstock, while the occulants grow better. In the fall, rootstocks with established eyes are dug up and stored throughout the winter in a refrigerator, basement or special trench, avoiding drying out the root system, at a temperature of 0°C.

First field.With the beginning of spring work, at the very early dates Rootstocks with winter grafting or summer budding are planted according to a pattern of 70-90x40 cm to a depth of 20 cm. Then the rootstocks are cut for grafting or eye, covering the wound water-based paint When adding fungicides, the soil between the rows is loosened to a depth of 10 cm. When good growth cultivated shoots after planting, wild shoots are removed several times on the rootstock; if growth is weak, there should be no rush to remove them. During winter grafting, when the cultivated shoots have at least 8 leaves, the best developed shoot is left and the weaker shoots are removed. After this, on the opposite side of the cultural shoot (scion) the rootstock is installed wooden support, to which the scion is tied in at least two places. This prevents the annual plant from bending, damaging the root system and breaking off the above-ground part under the influence of wind. From spring and throughout the growing season, plants must be carefully protected from pests and diseases.

So, with normal care in the first field, a one-year-old grows 1.0-1.4 m high with a trunk diameter of 9-12 mm, and this is enough. You should not strive to have very developed annuals, since they can grow into too strong seedlings of the “KNIP” type, which is not always desirable for the gardener. In addition, shoots may dry out after crowning due to intense “crying” at the cutting site.

Second field.In early spring, annuals are crowned for regrowth. The crown height depends on the growth vigor of the variety: for low-growing - 60-65 cm, for medium-growing- 65-70 cm and for tall people- 80-85 cm from the soil surface. Using traditional technology, cutting off the one-year-old at a height of 75-80 cm and removing the side shoots in the trunk area when they reach 10 cm, a crowned two-year-old was obtained. In contrast, when a seedling of the “knip-baum” type is formed, only one of the strongest cultivated shoots is left below the crowning site, from which the conductor is grown, and all others are gradually removed in three steps, focusing on the growth activity of the conductor, in the direction from above down. For example, if the conductor has reached a length of 15-20 cm, remove all lateral branches at the top of the trunk and so on. When the abandoned conductor has 7-8 leaves, it is necessary to use well-known techniques that actively influence the crown formation of the oculant, since the number of branches- one of the main factors in the value of a seedling.

The formation of shoots from lateral buds located in the axils of leaves is stimulated by cytokinins synthesized by the root system and inhibited by auxins synthesized by newly formed leaves and the growth point of the conductor- apex, and the latter, as a rule, dominate. The activity of growth processes largely determines the tendency of seedlings to form crowns, and under conditions of insufficient agricultural background and lack of moisture in the soil, they will branch poorly. Temperature conditions environment significantly influence the branching of oculants. Research has established that the branching process occurs more intensively at a temperature of 21°C and high humidity air. This also contributes to the formation of fruit buds and the subsequent formation of full-quality inflorescences. Among the methods of actively influencing the process of crown formation abroad, the use of synthetic growth regulators, such as promalin (USA) or paturil (Hungary), has become widespread.

So, when the left conductor has 7-8 leaves, they begin pinching its top by unscrewing and simultaneously tearing off the underdeveloped leaves located around the apical bud (“tuft”) in order to promote branching during the growth process (reducing the level of plant auxins). This special pinching is performed 5-7 times at appropriate intervals, depending on the ambient temperature. If the temperature is close to the optimal temperature (2°C), it is enough to perform pinching once every 10 days. In hot weather, when the temperature is about 30°C, pinching should be done after 4-5 days. If the temperature is too low and the branching of the conductor is delayed, it top part additionally sprayed with these or other growth substances. But this provokes the formation of lateral branches with sharper branches from the conductor.

With a good agricultural background, numerous lateral shoots with almost right angles of departure grow on the conductor, thereby promoting the differentiation of fruit buds, including at the ends of the growths. It should be emphasized that the establishment of fruit buds can be achieved only under the condition of a high agricultural background and the use of high-quality, healthy rootstock and scion material.

Research conducted in Western Europe And North America, showed that for planting modern intensive apple orchards with early fruiting, quick return of funds for their planting, minimal costs labor for care and harvesting, the most effective were gardens on a dwarf rootstock type M9, planted with two-year-old seedlings with a one-year crown (“knip-baum”) and significantly inferior to one-year-olds with a crown.

In principle, there is no particular difficulty in growing two-year-old seedlings with a one-year crown (“knip-baum”), and we have experienced gardeners and planting a garden from these seedlings. Of course, the dwarf rootstock M9 is absolutely unsuitable for our conditions, and we will have to use rootstocks 57-146, 62-396, 134 or other more frost-resistant and winter-hardy ones. But even for these rootstocks, it will be necessary to protect (insulate) for the winter not only the root system in the absence of snow, but also the above-ground part to the grafting site, since its length is 20 cm. You can try growing seedlings of the “knip-baum” type and with using a dwarf insert from the indicated rootstocks, making it longer (more than 20 cm), to reduce the size of the future tree. True, this will lengthen the time of growing seedlings. For grafting, the most valuable local, winter-hardy, scab-resistant varieties should be used. I see the greatest difficulty in implementing the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bgrowing seedlings of the “knip-baum” type in our country in finding and acquiring virus-free dwarf uterine rootstock material.

V. N. Shalamov

Other articles by V. Shalamov in the section

Intensive garden on clonal rootstocks

Intensive gardens are the era of modern gardens, which have long become common in most European countries, southern regions and the central zone of our country. In other words, in the agricultural sector these are high-tech apple orchards, highly productive, less expensive, with the best quality of the resulting fruits, both in industrial and home gardening.

Here (in the Urals zone) this direction in gardening has not received development. Our market still provides gardeners with apple seedlings obtained by grafting onto a seed rootstock, i.e. to the wild. An intensive garden is created by planting apple tree seedlings grafted onto special low-growing clonal rootstocks.

The advantages of such rootstocks:

1. They inhibit the growth of fruit trees, as a result: a) they are convenient to care for and harvest; b) small crowns are better illuminated, photosynthesis processes are more active, and the harvest is better formed; c) it is easier for short trees to be covered with snow, and therefore to survive the winter.

2. They force the tree to enter the fruiting phase earlier and increase the yield faster in subsequent years.

3. Improves taste, color and size of fruits.

4. Reduce the frequency of fruiting.

5. Allows trees to be grown where groundwater is close.

6. Allows you to increase the planting density and, accordingly, the number of varieties of apple trees in small garden plots.

Disadvantages of low-growing rootstocks:

1. The winter hardiness of clonal rootstocks is lower, and where there is little snow, there is a danger of freezing of the root system.

2. The absence of a central root reduces the adhesion of the root system to the soil, the stability (anchoring) of the tree, as a result of which, under high loads of crops, under the weight of fruits, the trees may deviate from the vertical position, and therefore require supports. I make a trellis on both sides, because... then I use it to tie up branches loaded with fruits.

3. The period of productive fruiting for intensive type apple trees is shorter, approximately 20-25 years.

4. Prices for seedlings on vegetative rootstocks are still higher due to the shortage of the latter.

It is known from various information sources that specialists and gardeners in our zone tested similar rootstocks, but the conclusions were not encouraging. What prompted me to start creating an intensive garden?

Harsh winter 2009-2010 remained in the memory of many gardeners. This winter took away all my fruit trees, which for the most part were located above the level of the snow cover. These are young (5-7 year old) apple trees on seed rootstocks that have begun to bear fruit. And it’s not surprising, because the temperature at the site, according to the watchmen, dropped to minus 52 degrees. The birds froze in flight. The only fruit trees left alive after that winter were low plantings of annual apple trees and columnar apple trees, most of the above-ground mass of which was under the snow. Burning with the desire to quickly revive the fruit-bearing garden, I began active work on creating an intensive type garden (before that I was keen on testing columnar apple trees). Fortunately, I have my own clonal rootstocks. The mother liquor of such rootstocks was planted for columnar apple trees.

The place for testing fruit plants of the intensive type was the outskirts of the city of Perm, which is north of Yekaterinburg by 1, Chelyabinsk by 2 degrees north latitude. My main plot of 12 acres is located in a lowland, on the banks of a river, in the northwest open field, not protected from cold winds. The temperature is 5-7 degrees lower than reported by Perm. Two other plots of three acres each have more favorable conditions.

The starting material for obtaining intensive apple tree seedlings are clonal rootstocks: dwarf 62-396 and P-60; medium height 57-545 and 54-118. Such rootstocks for apple trees grow well for me and are propagated using intensive technology using an organic substrate.

The beginning active work According to the testing of standard apple trees grafted onto clonal rootstocks, 2010 can be considered. Many of the annuals planted in 2010 produced their first fruits within a year. These are Papiroyantarnoye, Cosmonaut, Altynay, Sinap Minusinsky, Rodnikovaya, Sokolovskoye, Tolunay, Mountain Sinap, Dachnaya. Two years after planting, the following varieties produced a harvest: VEM yellow (Danila), Pervouralskaya, Mamrovskoye, Osennye Polosatoye, Uralskoye Bolshoye, Anis Sverdlovsky, Aromat Uktusa, VEM pink, Seman, DL-34-104.

There were also those that bore fruit in the year of planting: Toropyzhka, Aksyona, Otslitnik, DL-11-12-120, DL 22-105, hybrid 25, but the next year they, as a rule, rest. Therefore, it is better to remove the first flowers so that the seedling gets stronger and forms a good root system, crown, and leaf apparatus. Every year new varieties come into fruition and delight us with their characteristic, valuable and interesting traits.

Leading varieties appear based on valuable economic traits. Trying the fruits of each new variety is an interesting event, like a small holiday. All the troubles and worries about compact trees are justified when we enjoy the winter by consuming our juicy, tasty, beautiful, healthy apples.

Currently, more than 75 varieties of standard apple trees are being tested, not counting columnar ones. I had to buy two more small plots, somewhat with better microclimatic conditions. As for the vegetative rootstocks I use, in six years they have not failed even once. There were no cases of freezing either in the queen cell or in the fruit trees. The snow cover in my areas is at least 40-50 cm, this is enough to top layer The soil temperature dropped during our frosts no lower than -7...-10°C, and the root system of my rootstocks can withstand, according to the description, down to -16°C.

Beklemyshev S. I.

Tel. 8-902-646-64-61

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