When is the best time to plant apple trees in the spring in the Moscow region?

Climate features

Scientists are confident that the Moscow region's climate has its own unique characteristics. For the past six decades, it has been significantly warmer and milder than it was before 1960. With this in mind, various apple varieties are now being grown—not only summer and fall varieties, but also winter varieties. Based on these climate characteristics, they advise not only planting apple trees at the right time but also choosing winter-hardy varieties that can withstand the harsh winters of the Moscow region, which are not always characterized by sufficient snowfall.

Excellent summer varieties worth planting in the region include Antonovka, Papirovka, Melba, and others. Autumn varieties include Zhigulevskoye, Korichnevoye Polosatoye, Anis, and others. Winter varieties include Moskovskoe Zimnee, Golden, Severny Sinap, and others.

How to choose the season

When is the best time to plant apple trees? It depends on the cultivation zone and local climate. For example, in the Rostov, Astrakhan, Volgograd, and Kuban regions, as well as in the Republic of Adygea, autumn is recommended. In the Irkutsk, Tyumen, and other northern regions, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, spring is the best time to plant apple trees. In the central part of the country, specifically the Ryazan, Bryansk, Smolensk, Tula, Ivanovo, and Leningrad regions, and the Moscow region, spring or autumn is the best time to plant apple trees.

It's important to consider the weather forecast. Planting is typically done in the second half of April to early May, or in September to early October. Both spring and fall have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, seedlings planted in the fall have the opportunity to establish themselves properly in their new location over the winter. Then, with the arrival of the long-awaited warmth in spring, they begin to grow and develop rapidly and fully.

In turn, crops that were planned for planting in the spring have time to strengthen over the summer, as a result of which they survive the harsh winter with dignity. To be able to enjoy fruit all year round, it is necessary to plant two varieties of apple trees on the plot: summer, autumn and winter ripening.

Spring planting dates

Before asking how to plant an apple tree, another question often arises: when should I plant in the Moscow region in spring? Early planting is recommended. Otherwise, the seedlings' root system may begin to grow and buds may swell. Typically, planting occurs around the start of fieldwork, which typically occurs between April 10th and 20th and early May.

If seedlings are planted on time, they can be expected to thrive. If planting occurs later than recommended, the trees have time to emerge from dormancy and enter a new growing season. Therefore, the double burden of not only the start of a new growing cycle but also the strain on the fragile roots can be overwhelming for apple trees. And if the spring weather is dry, there's a risk of delaying the onset of fruiting or even the death of the seedling.

Important factors for the successful growth of a seedling in the future include the presence of a healthy root system with a minimum length of 30 cm, an age of 1 to 2 years, a healthy trunk with rich green bark, and the choice of a location for the planting hole where groundwater is not too close to the surface of the earth.

Video: Preparing a Hole and Planting a Sapling

This video will show you how to properly prepare a hole for an apple tree and plant a seedling.