SOIL PREPARATION AND FERTILIZATION

A soil preparation program in each well-run nursery should ensure the formation of an appropriate lumpy structure, enriching the soil with nutrients, as well as minimizing the occurrence of microorganisms harmful to trees.
Great attention should be paid to cleaning the soil of persistent weeds, which negatively affect the growth of trees and significantly increases the costs of their production.
Permanent weeds, like couch, it is best to destroy chemically by applying the Antiperspirant liquid in a dose 50-80 l / ha or permanent Antipathy 66 in dose 30-40 kg / ha. This preparation is most effective in destroying couch grass on tilled and cultivated soil. In some parts of the country, especially on grasses and in areas near deciduous forests, sometimes there are large numbers of grubs in the soil. When setting up nurseries in such areas it is necessary, in addition to the appropriate crop rotation, use of Pędraczak before plowing 50-100 kg / ha.
A very important element of proper soil preparation is its cultivation, which must be skillfully introduced for changing. The purpose of the cultivation is to deepen the humus layer, creating a lumpy structure and reducing the occurrence of persistent weeds. Deep plowing gives the best results (about 30 cm) with a countersink and the simultaneous application of manure. This treatment can be carried out earlier for oilseed rape or legumes.
Organic fertilization is a very important procedure in the preparation of soil for the production of fruit trees. It is almost impossible to produce trees without manure. Therefore, the soil preparation program should always include fertilization with manure or sowing plants for green manure one year before setting up the nursery.. The size of the manure doses and the frequency of their application depend on the amount of humus in the soil, the content of which should be approx 2,5%. Compact soils should be fertilized with manure less frequently, but in greater quantities (50-70 t / ha), while lighter soils more often and in smaller doses (40-50 t / ha). The use of lower doses is pointless and does not bring the expected results.
Liming and fertilization with magnesium fertilizers play a very important role in preparing the soil for a fruit tree nursery, which, like manure, is applied every few years. The maximum effect of these fertilizers should fall in the second year of running the nursery. Therefore, it is most effective to fertilize with magnesium and lime one year before planting the rootstocks. The recommended doses depend on the pH of the soil. Therefore, before setting up a nursery, it is necessary to check it and apply the correct doses. Depending on the compactness of the soil, one-time doses of calcium fertilizers vary from 1 do 2 t / ha. On acid soil with a low level of magnesium, use calcium-magnesium fertilizers.
It is best to determine the amount of mineral fertilizer doses before setting up the nursery, on the basis of chemical analysis of soil samples taken from the humus layer from 0 do 20 cm. By comparing the obtained results and limit numbers, chemical and agricultural stations determine the amount of mineral fertilizer doses. Doses of mineral fertilizers in a pure component depending on the natural fertility of the soil, and especially with manure fertilization, they will range from 80 do 140 kg of potassium and from 30 do 70 kg phosphoru na 1 ha. Potassium and phosphorus compounds are strongly retained in the soil and slowly move to the deeper layers. Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are recommended to be used once before setting up the nursery, preferably before doing deep fall plowing. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied in early spring. The amount of nitrogen doses per pure component should range from 40 do 80 kg / ha. On soils requiring magnesium supplementation, magnesium fertilizers should be used. The dosage of magnesium in pure ingredient ranges from 50 do 100 kg / ha, depending on soil fertility. On soils requiring liming at the same time, calcium and magnesium fertilizers should be used 3-4 years, until the correct soil pH is achieved. Magnesium from the soil can only be taken up after one year at the earliest. Therefore, in order to eliminate the symptoms of magnesium deficiency on rootstocks intended for budding, it is recommended to perform the procedure 2-3 spraying the leaves with a 2% solution of hydrated magnesium sulfate. We usually start spraying at the end of May, repeating the treatment every 7-10 days.