When planting an apple orchard, an important role is played not only by agricultural machinery, but also by the correct planting scheme. It is difficult to determine an acceptable distance between plants by eye, since the exact characteristics differ depending on the variety. Read about the optimal planting patterns and the required distance between the trees later in the article.

Apple orchard planting pattern

Apple orchards are planted:

• in spring (in April);
• in the fall (from late September to mid-November).

It is recommended to plant a crop in the spring. This is the best option, which allows seedlings to successfully take root in a new place.

Did you know? 5 million hectares of the Earth are apple orchards.

The planting scheme for the apple orchard mainly depends on the variety. Landing can be chaotic, staggered or in rows. Each variety has different needs depending on the growth rate and maximum size.

When determining the landing pattern, also consider the distance from buildings and fences:

1. The fence . Tall plants are planted at a minimum distance of 4 m from the fence, medium-sized plants - 2 m, dwarf dwarfs - 1 m.
2. House . Tall and medium-sized apple trees are placed at a distance of 8 m from the house, undersized varieties - 4 m.
3. Building without foundation (shed, greenhouse). Dwarf varieties are planted at a distance of 1 m from the structure, medium and high - 3 m.
4. Cesspool . It is better to provide 2-6 meters of distance.

What distance should be between apple trees when planting

The optimal distance is determined on the basis of varietal characteristics. Low, medium, and tall varieties have different sizes of the root system and crown. These parameters mainly affect the landing pattern recommendations. So, if you closely plant plants with a developed broad root system, in the process of growth, the rhizomes intersect with each other. This will negatively affect the development of culture. Also, trees of various species take different amounts of nutrients from the soil. With a dense landing, a shortage of natural trace elements from the soil may occur.

Did you know? Malusdomicathophobia is a mental illness in which a person is afraid of apples.

Stunted apple trees

Low-growing varieties are small in height. Such trees grow no more than 3 m in height. Planting seedlings can be one of the following schemes:

• 1.5 m between plants and 2.5 m between rows;
• 2–2.5 m between seedlings and 5 m between rows.

A separate scheme is proposed for planting colon-shaped apple trees. They are also classified as undersized species. The maximum height of the plants is 2.5 m, the crown width is not more than 0.5 m. It is recommended that they be planted according to the pattern of 0.75–1 m between trees and 3-4 m in the aisle.

Mid-sized apple trees

Medium-sized trees grow up to 5-6 m in height. When planting seedlings, follow the 4–4.5 m pattern between plants and 5 m between rows.

Tall apple trees

The planting pattern of tall trees depends on the variety and approach to crown formation.

Plants up to 5 m high, which are regularly formed, it is advisable to plant in a checkerboard pattern. The gap between rows and trees should be 7 m.

When planting tall-growing apple trees, the average height of which is 8–10 m, keep a distance of 9–12 m between the trees. The landing pattern does not matter.

Important! In the northern regions, where the temperature drops to –30 ° C in winter, tall varieties of apple trees can be planted denser.

What trees and plants can apple trees be planted with

The yield of horticultural crops is affected by the proximity of fruit crops. Some species can and even are recommended to be planted nearby. Others are undesirable to be placed on the same site.

• For apple trees, desirable neighbors would be:
• quince;
• pear;
• plum;
• coniferous crops;
• pollinating apple trees of other varieties.

• It is not recommended to plant a crop in the same garden with the following crops:
• apricot
• barberry;
• viburnum.

Neighborhood with cherries and cherries is not prohibited. It is only important to maintain the optimum distance when planting seedlings. Leave at least 6 m between medium and tall apple and cherry trees, between bush-type varieties of crops - 3.5 m. Low-growing cherries and apple trees plant with an interval of 4 m, vigorous-growing trees - 6.5 m. Learn about the features of the use of stocks for apple trees.

How to care for an apple tree after planting

In the spring after planting, to stimulate the development of stems, the central shoot is cut off for 2-3 buds. The subsequent stages of formation are carried out a year after landing.

In the first year after planting, they need regular watering.

Plants are watered immediately after planting. In summer, the near-stem circle is irrigated 3-5 times, depending on temperature conditions. The hotter the weather, the more you need to water the tree. If the apple tree grows in chernozem or loamy soil, it is enough to pour 7-15 liters of water under the seedling. In the sandy substrate, the need for moisture increases, so they spend up to 20 liters of water on one tree.

Important! After watering, loosen the soil in the tree circle. Otherwise, the soil will be taken up by the crust, and the root system will be poorly saturated with oxygen.

Given the above recommendations, the gardener can easily determine the optimal plan for planting apple trees. For this, it is only important to know the varietal characteristics of the seedlings. When choosing the right distance between the trees, the plants will actively develop and successfully begin to bear fruit.