Fruit trees for the garden. Dwarf garden in the country: advantages and disadvantages Reviews and comments

In conditions of intensive development of horticulture, the need arises for the rational use of every piece of land. Planting dwarf trees in the garden significantly saves space for other purposes and brings a stable harvest.

Caring for low-growing crops has its own characteristics, but if you study the issue in detail, you can grow a beautiful and healthy orchard.

It is especially popular among gardeners. As a result of breeding work, many were bred. All of them produce high yields and are distinguished by enviable resistance to diseases. In addition, the apple tree is practically the only tree species for which you can easily make a dwarf rootstock.

Dwarf pears are hardy fruit trees. They are not afraid of weather anomalies. Pears are famous for their resistance to disease and bear fruit well.

The dwarf Sweet Cup peach reaches a height of no more than 1.8 m. The fruits have white flesh and are pleasant to the taste. Resistant variety. It is not afraid of severe frosts, and it will not suffer from drought. Gives a stable and high yield.

The UFO peach is resistant to many diseases, drought and low temperatures. A very productive and hardy variety. The pulp of the fruits is yellow in color, they taste sweet with a barely noticeable sourness.

The dwarf plum "Blue Free" is frost-resistant, so the variety is suitable for growing in areas with cold climates. Resistant to diseases such as root canker and chlorosis. The oval, sweet-sour fruits are colored in an intense dark purple color, which is even closer to black, and have a waxy coating.

Plum "Chachakskaya" is characterized by late fruit ripening. It will be possible to enjoy plums only at the end of September. The variety is resistant to diseases and changing weather conditions.

The President plum tolerates even the harshest winters well. Sweet fruits with yellowish-green flesh are characterized by excellent quality, not sour. The variety is an unpretentious plant, so it is very easy to care for.

Among the dwarf fruit trees that can be placed in the garden, apricots are also worth mentioning. For example, the very early variety Airlie Red Orange has large light orange fruits. They taste sweet, and may appear red in the sun. The harvest is well transported and can be used not only for personal consumption, but also for sale.

Among this variety of plants there are also late apricots. For example, the Hardy variety. It is considered quite common. It tolerates frosty winters well and lack of watering in the hot season. Apricots are very sweet, the pulp is easily separated from the pit. The color is deep orange.

Crimean Amur apricots are classified as mid-late varieties. It is distinguished by large fruits, some of them reach 90-100 grams. Sweet, but have a slight sourness. The variety is also distinguished by a strong pleasant aroma.

Pros of growing dwarf crops

Low-growing varieties are distinguished by the uniformity of their crown. Low-growing trees are easier to harvest. The seedlings are distinguished by high survival rate and friendly growth.

Unlike standard plants, dwarf plants have a compact shape and do not require constant pruning.

Spraying a dwarf garden against pests takes a little time.
They make harvesting easier and the percentage of “broken” fruits is reduced.

They are distinguished by early fruiting and rapid harvest ripening.

The fruits of the described plants contain a higher percentage of useful substances than standard varieties. The fruits have the best appearance, they are always large. The trees bear fruit annually.

Disadvantages of dwarf trees

In addition to the positive aspects, there are other nuances. Let's look at some of the disadvantages.
When planting a dwarf garden, you will need to buy more seedlings, since their arrangement is more dense than standard varieties.

Low-growing varieties have a shorter lifespan. For example, an apple tree can bear fruit for 20 years, a pear grafted on a quince - 30 years.

Unlike vigorous plants, dwarf plants have a shallow root system. Sometimes strong winds can damage trees by tilting them to the side. Trees also suffer from heavy fruit, so proper support must be provided during cultivation.

If the planting is carried out incorrectly and the root collar is buried in the ground, then such a tree will turn from a short one into a tall one.

The described species require more care: regular watering, weed removal, fertilizing.

Fruits often become smaller due to overcrowding. That is, the trees described always produce a high yield, which can negatively affect the size of the fruit. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the development of ovaries and cut off excess ones.

Landing rules

Planting dwarf crops differs from planting conventional garden crops. All planting work must be carried out in spring. Low varieties prefer fertile soil.

If the ground is not suitable for planting, you will need to dig a hole 1 m wide and 1.5 m deep. The extracted soil will have to be moved to another place and the area leveled, and the hole should be filled with fertile soil.

The ideal site for planting is one in which the groundwater flow is located close to the surface.

The fact is that the root system of low-growing trees is located in the upper layer of the earth and does not penetrate deeper than 1 m.

You can choose any place for planting: a hill or a slope, the main thing is that the area is well lit by the sun.

The roots of the plant need to be inspected before planting. A seedling with a dried root system is placed in water for some time so that it is saturated with moisture.

In the prepared soil you need to dig a hole, the depth of which should be 50 cm and width - 70 cm. You need to put humus at the very bottom (one bucket will be enough).

Now you need to install the seedling in the prepared hole.

Attention!
When planting a seedling, you need to ensure that the root collar is either level with the ground or slightly protrudes above the surface. Deepening will lead to slower growth of the plant and to its death in the future.

A correctly positioned seedling must be covered with fertile soil and the soil compacted in the tree trunk circle. Next, you should make a tree trunk roller 10 cm high and 65 cm wide.

The roller is necessary so that during watering the water gets to the roots and does not spread over the surface. It is recommended to mulch the soil near the tree trunk.

Planting scheme

When planting several low-growing trees, it is necessary to maintain the distance between seedlings. Trees should not be located closer than 2 m from each other.

Important!
Since low-growing trees have a shallow root system, they need support. Therefore, the tree trunk needs to be tied to a peg using a narrow strip of rubber.

Caring for dwarf trees

Every gardener strives to have healthy seedlings in the garden and get a high yield. To do this, it is necessary to provide them with proper care.

To avoid crusting on the soil, you need to mulch the soil. Compost is suitable for these purposes.

Close attention must be paid to the soil during dry periods. To retain moisture, it is recommended to cover the ground with hay.

Mulching also has special requirements. It is necessary to place the mulch further from the trunk, and not right next to it. The outer border of the mulch should be compared to the tree crown.

During wet times, you should not mulch the soil. Mulch has a detrimental effect on plants growing in heavy soils.

Watering should be done once a week. It is recommended to pour two buckets of water under one seedling.

Fertilizers for low-growing trees

Fertilizing is carried out only after watering the trees. Dwarf plantings respond well to feeding with mullein or chicken droppings. Mullein should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and chicken manure - 1:20.

Is whitewashing necessary?

To bleach or not to bleach the trunks of low-growing trees? Each gardener looks at this problem in his own way.

Some are inclined to think that whitewashing is not worth it, while others, on the contrary, believe that whitewashing prevents the development of many diseases and is used as a preventive measure.

And it is necessary to whitewash the trunks of dwarf crops. And not for the reason that it creates a beautiful picture, but because it helps trees withstand the spring rays of the sun, temperature changes and prevents many diseases.

The trunks of both seedlings and adult plants need to be whitened. When preparing seedlings, the concentration should be reduced. After all, a saturated lime solution will damage the young bark.

What is the best time to whitewash dwarf trees?

You need to whiten three times a year. The main whitewashing takes place in October, the second one is carried out in March, and the third in July.

Possible diseases of dwarf trees

The most common diseases are powdery mildew, mosaic, and cytosporosis.

When infected with powdery mildew, a white powdery coating appears on the foliage and shoots. This is a fungal disease, so the spores spread quite quickly throughout the garden. If the tree is bearing fruit at the time of infection, the crop will also suffer. The fruits do not ripen, are deformed, and their appearance deteriorates.

For prevention, we recommend carrying out sanitary pruning, removing debris and fallen fruits from under the plant. The crown should not be thickened; all parts of the plant should have free access to air and light. Also, in early spring you need to spray the garden with Bordeaux mixture or a similar product.

Dwarf trees for the garden have won the love and respect of many summer residents. They have a lot of advantages, although they are not without their disadvantages. In this article you will learn what these trees are like, what care and fertilizer they require.

Benefits of dwarf trees

Low-growing trees have a large number of advantages, which allowed them to quickly gain the love of both professional gardeners and novice amateurs.

Among the advantages of dwarf trees:

  • Rapid achievement of the fruiting phase - an ordinary seedling begins to bear its first fruits approximately five years after planting. It will begin to produce a truly rich harvest in 15 years. In low-growing trees, the cycle is shortened - the first fruits appear after three years, and a bountiful harvest begins after 8 years.
  • Ease of care - if ordinary plants reach great heights and grow crowns of several meters and require ladders and other devices for care and harvesting, then dwarf plants are compact. Fruit collection and care are very convenient.
  • The feeding area is large for tall individuals (up to 40 sq. m). Dwarf trees boast a root feeding area of ​​8 square meters. m, which means that in the same area you can plant a larger number of seedlings.
  • The productivity of individuals is high, the fruits are large and always correspond to all varietal indicators.

Thus, we can conclude that for the same money you can buy a tree that grows faster, produces a large harvest and takes up little space.

Dwarf trees for the garden and their disadvantages

It is important for any novice gardener to know about the disadvantages of such breeds, because on your site it is better to be fully armed. If you decide to arrange a dwarf garden, then keep in mind:

  • Since the feeding area of ​​these individuals is smaller, more seedlings must be purchased. At the beginning of the journey, this can hit your pocket.
  • The life expectancy of such varieties is lower than that of ordinary ones.
  • Additional expenses will be required for supports, since dwarf trees do not have a powerful root system. To hold the seedling in an upright position, supports are needed. It can also suffer from strong winds, rains, or a huge harvest that breaks the branches with its weight.
  • Variety changes - if a seedling is planted incorrectly, avoiding recognized rules, re-grading may occur. As a result, the tree may even stop producing fruit.
  • Fear of frost - many individuals are not frost-resistant. They may simply die in winter. The gardener must take care of insulation.
  • Constant pruning is necessary to maintain the integrity of the branches and prevent crushing of the crop.

The high yield of such plantings should outshine all the disadvantages.

A true professional is not afraid of difficulties and takes care of the plantings with love!

What varieties of low-growing trees are found?

Breeders have developed a large number of varieties of dwarf apple trees - leaders among gardeners. The apple tree is not afraid of many diseases, produces a high yield, and, most importantly, you can easily make a dwarf rootstock for it. Pears also bear fruit well. They are not afraid of bad weather or diseases.

The Sweet Cup peach has a pleasant-tasting harvest with whitish flesh. The harvest is stable. The tree is not afraid of drought and cold. Ufo peach is also resistant to drought and frost. The flesh of the fruit is yellow, with a slightly pronounced sourness.

Blue Free plum is often planted in areas with cold climates. Not afraid of root cancer and chlorosis. The fruits are oval, dark (almost black), and have a waxy coating on the skin. Plum Chachakskaya is a late-ripening variety; the fruits ripen in the fall. Plum President will endure the cold winter. The fruits are sweet, with yellow-green flesh. The variety is very unpretentious.

Small coniferous trees for the garden

In addition to dwarf fruit trees, you can also plant their coniferous counterparts in the garden. From a decorative point of view, they look great on the site.

Conifers are divided into groups depending on their shape:

1. Globular:

  • Western thuja - dark green needles, size - up to 30 cm.
  • Spruce - light green needles, size - up to 50 cm, dense crown.
  • Mountain pine - dark needles, size - up to 50 cm.

2. Conical:

  • Mountain pine grows up to 2 m, the needles are very thick, dark and beautiful.
  • Gray spruce - slightly bluish needles, grows up to 60 cm.
  • Serbian spruce - size - up to 25 cm, dark green needles.

3. Columnar:

  • Oriental thuja - needles are slightly yellowish, size - up to 60 cm.
  • Virginia juniper - grows up to three meters, has slightly blue needles, and a narrow crown.
  • Berry yew - approximate size - 80 cm. The needles are yellowish.

4. Creeping:

  • Horizontal juniper - size - up to 20 cm, silvery needles, giving off a blue tint.
  • Prostrate juniper - size - up to 20 cm. The needles are green on one side and blue on the other side.

Using different varieties of coniferous seedlings, you can create very interesting compositions in your dacha.

Rules for planting low-growing varieties

It is important to remember that dwarf trees need to be planted differently than regular trees. All planting work is allowed to be carried out only in spring. Low varieties love only fertile soil. If the soil in the area you have chosen is not the same, then proceed as follows - dig a hole 1.5 m deep and transfer all the soil to another place. Fill the hole with good, fertile soil.

Since the root system of small trees does not penetrate deeper than a meter into the soil, it is better to choose an area where groundwater flows close to the surface. It doesn’t matter what kind of place you choose for planting - a slope or a hill, the main thing is that it is well lit by the sun.

Before planting, inspect the roots of the seedling; if they are a bit dry, it is better to place them in a bucket of water for a short time. The roots should be well saturated with moisture.

Dig a hole in the soil 50 cm deep and 70 cm wide. Place a bucket of humus at the bottom of the hole, and a layer of earth on top of it. Spill the soil until a viscous slurry forms in the hole. Now you can install the seedling.

Planting scheme

Seedlings of dwarf fruit trees are placed in the hole very carefully. The root collar should be level with the ground. If you place a seedling too deep, it may rot and not survive. After placing the sprout in the hole, the earth around it is compacted and a tree trunk is created. Its height is approximately 10 cm, and its width is 60. It is needed so that water gets directly to the roots during watering. Once the dwarf tree seedlings are established, mulch the soil around them.

If you are creating a dwarf garden, remember to maintain social distancing. The distance between trees should be at least two meters. Do not forget that small trees need support. It is better to tie the tree trunk to a peg using a narrow elastic band.

Caring for low-growing plantings in the garden

Low garden trees are not dwarf tundra trees that grow on their own without additional care. It is imperative to loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle and remove weeds. It is important to mulch the soil (for example, with compost) to avoid crusting on the ground, which prevents the passage of oxygen to the roots. Do not place the mulch close to the trunk, make a small indentation. If there is a lot of rainfall, do not mulch.

Dwarf fruit trees need special attention during periods of drought. To avoid trouble, it is better to cover the ground around the trunks with hay.

Green friends need to be watered once a week. For one seedling you need two buckets of water at room temperature.

Do low-growing seedlings need fertilizer?

Yes, of course, soil fertilization is necessary. But it needs to be done correctly. It is important to fertilize dwarf fruit trees only after watering. Plantings respond well to fertilizing with chicken droppings and mullein. Mullein is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and chicken manure - 1:20.

In young plantings, fertilizers are applied from the moment of planting. Filling the holes with fertilizers and then applying them to the tree trunk areas will ensure uninterrupted supply of the tree with all the necessary elements.

What winter gardening work needs to be done?

As mentioned above, the root system of low trees does not have a large area of ​​growth. For this reason, it is better to cover the soil in the tree trunk area with sawdust or peat mulch. You can put porous paper on top (it will become limp in the spring). Such a multi-layer shelter will help protect dwarf fruit tree seedlings in winter. As soon as the first frosts arrive and the ground hardens, it is necessary to begin insulation.

If the winter turns out to be snowy, you need to take a different path. It’s better not to start mulching, just insulate the trunk with a snowdrift of snow thrown around and compacted.

Should tree trunks be whitened?

There is no clear answer to this question. Each gardener looks at this from his own perspective. Some lovers of dwarf trees, photos of which you see in the article, believe that whitewashing the trunks is not necessary. Many gardeners, on the contrary, are inclined to believe that the procedure is necessary. Whitewashing is an excellent prevention of many tree diseases.

Professionals believe that dwarf varieties must be treated with whitewash. This not only repels pests, but also helps the trunks survive temperature changes and the first rays of the sun in spring.

It is necessary to whiten not only young shoots, but also adult plants. True, the solution prepared for seedlings needs to be made less concentrated. Very rich lime can ruin tender young bark.

It is better to bleach the trunks three times a year (in October, May and July).

How to choose a dwarf scion?

The beauty and productivity of the garden largely depend on correctly selected seedlings. The dwarf seedling and its selection differ from the young growth of ordinary fruit tree varieties. A dwarf seedling should have larger buds at the ends of its branches than a normal one. The root system is fibrous, with many small roots. Tall breeds have a strong root tap.

Inspect the vaccination site carefully. At the junction of the neck and the stem, a protrusion should be clearly visible. Don’t be surprised that the price of a dwarf is much higher than a tall seedling.

There is a variety of tall apple tree, the seedling of which is very similar to a dwarf. To avoid paying money for a fraudulent seedling, take a close look at it. Tall trees have almost no branches (there is only a main trunk).

For the planting of a dwarf garden, most often they buy scions that are one or two years old.

An ideal garden, aesthetic and cozy, sweet and comfortable... It is probably the dream of every gardener. Dwarf trees will help make your dream come true. They will fill the area with beauty and allow you to harvest a large harvest very quickly. After reading this article, you will understand what kind of care dwarf trees need.

Having your own low-growing garden in the local area is the dream of many gardeners. Having moved from farm fields to summer cottages, dwarf trees have recently become increasingly widespread among homeowners. The reason for this popularity is a number of advantages, thanks to which vegetation gives the garden a decorative appearance and provides the owner with a bountiful harvest.

Tree varieties for low-growing gardens

Fruit trees are the leaders among all plant variations in a dwarf garden. However, not all varieties have their own low-growing counterparts. A good solution for modern gardens are peaches, nectarines, apples, pears and plums, since they can even be grown in a pot.

The most common method of growing dwarf trees is to graft them onto a regular plant species. Thus, you can cultivate several low-growing fruit plants at once, which take root well and generously reward you with a harvest. However, the rootstock has its own characteristics, so before buying dwarf trees , You should inquire about the compatibility of the fruit representative with the plant to which you want to graft the crop.

Let's consider the most popular varieties of low-growing trees:

  1. Apple tree is the type of tree for which it is easiest to make a dwarf rootstock. Modern technologies and experienced breeders have developed a lot of varieties of dwarf apple trees, which are easy to graft, successfully cope with diseases, and are also extremely prolific.
  2. Pear – it’s also quite easy to make a small double for it. Among all the representatives of the low-growing garden, these dwarf fruit trees are famous for their hardiness, resistance to weather conditions and produce a good harvest.

  1. Fig peach variety Sweet Cup - quite popular seedlings of dwarf trees , which in adulthood do not exceed 1.8 meters in height. This representative is extremely prolific: the peach has white flesh with a sweet taste and slight sourness. On such a rootstock, the fruit dwarf is characterized by frost resistance, early fruiting and drought tolerance.
  1. Fig peach of the UFO variety is the best option for intensive plantings. It bears fleshy fruits with yellowish flesh, a sugar-sweet taste and an easily separated seed. The dwarf rootstock for such a peach gives the tree resistance to drought, frost, and also a protective barrier against diseases.

  1. The dwarf plum Blue Free is a fast-bearing and self-fertile variety. This low-growing representative is resistant to root canker, drought, frost and chlorosis. The fruits of the tree have an almost black skin with a waxy coating, a sweet-sour flavor and an oval shape.
  2. President plum on a dwarf rootstock is the most winter-hardy variety. Such dwarf trees, photos of which adorn gardening publications, produce a bountiful harvest of excellent quality. The fruits are sweet, have yellowish-green flesh, without sourness. This variety of dwarf plum quickly fills the garden area and is very unpretentious in care.
  3. Plum Chachakskaya is a variety of late dwarf tree that produces a harvest towards the end of September. Plants on such a rootstock cope well with chlorosis and cancer of the root system, and the best pollinators are Blue Free and Stanley. The fruits have yellow-cream flesh, a slightly elongated shape and a sweet-sour taste. Dwarf seedlings of Chachak plum tolerate winter and summer drought well.

Benefits of growing a dwarf garden

The low-growing garden has gained wide popularity around the world due to a number of significant advantages. Let's take a closer look at the positive characteristics:

  1. The early period of fruiting is an important indicator that affects both industrial and individual gardening, since trees are designed to produce a bountiful harvest. In comparison with their traditional counterparts, which bear the first fruits only 4-6 years from the moment of planting and require about another 10 years to stabilize the harvest, dwarf trees bear fruit for 3-4 years. At the same time, a full volume of fruit can be expected within 6-8 years, i.e. the owner reduces the waiting period by an average of 10 years.
  2. Easy to care for. Due to the fact that the height of many representatives of dwarf plantings does not exceed 2 meters, their crown does not grow much and it is much easier to care for them from a height of human height. Harvesting, spraying, pruning shoots - all these actions are available directly from the ground.
  3. A small feeding area is also a significant indicator for gardeners. For traditional fruit trees, this area can reach up to 42-46 m2, while dwarf plants require only 7-9 m2. In other words, in a plot where one ordinary tree is grown, 4-6 low-growing analogues can be planted at once.
  4. High yield rates are perhaps the main advantage of dwarf fruit seedlings. Breeders, professional gardeners and agronomists confirm that low-growing trees produce better yields than their traditional varieties.

Disadvantages of Growing a Dwarf Garden

Despite the impressive advantages of growing trees on a dwarf rootstock, a low-growing garden also has its disadvantages. Let's look at them in more detail:

  • considerable start-up costs - due to the fact that creating a dwarf garden requires more material for planting than creating a conventional fruit plantation, initial costs significantly affect the budget;
  • weakness of some plant species - there are a number of varieties that can only be planted in warm climatic conditions, since they are extremely not winter-hardy;
  • low life expectancy rates - dwarf trees live much shorter than their tall counterparts;
  • risk of loss or change in grade - illiterate planting of trees is fraught with changes in the quality of the variety;
  • high support costs - since many types of dwarf trees have shallow root systems, they require the installation of support posts. This will avoid damage to the plant due to hurricane winds, branches breaking off from the crop, soil erosion, etc.;
  • the need for frequent pruning - for growing dwarf trees, this factor is extremely important, since such manipulations will save the crop from deterioration in the quality, presentation of the fruits and their crushing;
  • Regularity of care - despite the fact that maintaining a dwarf garden is quite simple, it requires more frequent care than traditional trees. Otherwise, nature makes its own negative adjustments.

Requirements for planting dwarf trees

According to breeders and organic gardeners, annual ornamental dwarf trees are best suited for planting a garden. . In any case, following the planting rules will allow you to create a fruitful, aesthetic and beautiful garden. Let's consider the basic requirements for planting plants on a dwarf rootstock:

  • planting occurs in early spring, for which it is necessary to dig a hole wide enough and deep enough to accommodate the roots of the tree;
  • then mix the soil obtained from the pit, adding a little green compost;
  • cut off all diseased ends from the roots of prepared seedlings and dip them in the root mixture;
  • Place a small amount of compost fertilizer on the bottom of the hole to slightly lift the tree;
  • pour a little more soil and carefully, shaking the seedling, distribute the soil between the roots with your hands;
  • after that, fill the hole with soil to half its depth, carefully compact the soil from above;
  • pour the rest of the soil outside, compacting it around the tree trunk so that it is stable.

Important! Do not plant the tree too deep to avoid damage, changes in yield and variety.

It is also worth remembering that dwarf trees with a shallow root system must be tied to a support. Any stand and strip of rubber will work well for this purpose.

  • tie a rubber band in a loop around the tree trunk;
  • cross it and place the second loop on the support, a little higher, to create a figure eight shape.

This binding holds the seedling well, does not injure its thin bark and does not stretch.

Cultivation of a low-growing garden

A bountiful harvest, healthy and neat trees are the aspirations of every gardener. For these purposes, it is necessary to adhere to certain requirements for the cultivation of dwarf plantings. Let's look at them in more detail:

  1. Carefully remove weeds around the tree and keep it clean.
  2. To prevent the formation of a crust on the soil, it is necessary to slightly loosen it and apply nutritious mulching. It is advisable to use ½ or ¾ compost as mulch.
  3. For regions with dry weather and quickly drying soil, the soil needs to be protected and retain valuable moisture inside. A hay bed is suitable for this.
  4. Any type of mulch should be kept a minimum of 60cm from the trunk of the dwarf seedling, with the outer border ending at the circumference of the tree's crown.
  5. You should not use the mulching technique in particularly wet seasons, or on excessively heavy soil.

Fertilizing dwarf trees

Dwarf trees are perennial plantings that develop rather slowly. The growth of new shoots and branches is proportional to the formation of root shoots that go into the soil. To grow a strong, healthy tree, experienced gardeners use composted manure, decomposed compost mixtures, or a combination of both.

Such fertilizer must be placed in a ring in the soil, but not close to the tree trunk, as this can harm the feeding roots of the plant. Apply compost around the diameter of the crown circumference, similar to mulching rules. At the same time, it is permissible to spray the tree in autumn and spring so that it enjoys the harvest and health.

A guide to planting a low-growing garden can be seen in the fragment:

In recent years, dwarf trees have received unprecedented recognition, and are now widely used not only in farm gardening, but also in private summer cottages. The reason for this is a number of advantages, thanks to which low-growing gardens have special agricultural technology and can produce a good harvest.

By carefully studying the pros and cons of dwarf gardens, you can easily determine how suitable such plantings are for your site and meet your personal requirements.

Benefits of dwarf gardens

We will start, as usual, with the positive aspects, thanks to which such green areas have gained some popularity around the world:

  • Early entry into fruiting. This is a very important indicator for both industrial and private gardening, because we plant fruit crops on the site not at all for beauty, but precisely for a bountiful harvest. So, an ordinary fruit tree begins to bear fruit 5-6 years after planting. For more than ten years it has been increasing and stabilizing its yield, and only by the age of 17-18 does it begin to produce a constantly abundant harvest, that is, the time for full fruiting begins. For dwarf pears and apple trees the situation is slightly different. Their first fruiting occurs 3-4 years after planting, but they can begin to produce a full harvest after 8-10 years. Simple mathematics helps to calculate that dwarf trees begin to produce a full harvest almost 10 years earlier;
  • Easy plant care. Standard fruit trees reach a height of 7-9 meters and a crown width of 5-8 meters. If we take some special varieties, then these figures may increase slightly. This is the main reason, because at the level of human growth there is only a small part of the crown, and the main part is much higher; accordingly, it is very difficult to harvest, trim or process a tree at that height and for this you have to use a special tool or even equipment. If we consider dwarf trees, then there are no such problems. The entire range of care can be provided directly from the ground, since the height of such apple and pear trees is, on average, about 2.5 m. Harvesting, trimming unnecessary shoots, and spraying will be much easier;
  • Feeding area of ​​dwarf trees- another quite significant advantage compared to tall ones. Here the calculation is also very simple. For a tall tree, this area can reach 40-48 m2, and even more for some varieties. If you take dwarf trees, for example, apple trees, grafted on Paradise, you can feel a significant difference in the feeding area, because it is only 8-9 m2. The conclusion suggests itself: on the area of ​​a standard tall fruit plant you can grow 4-6 dwarf ones;
  • Productivity- the most indicative advantage on which you can rely when choosing. Professional gardeners, breeders and agronomists have repeatedly proven the fact that the yield of dwarf crops is much higher than the yield of tall fruit trees. It is worth noting the quality of the fruits, which grow larger and closer to the standards.

This list of advantages allows us to draw some conclusions that work exclusively in the direction of low-growing gardens.

Dwarf trees can be grown as independent plants, or as compactors among tall fruit crops.

If you mix planting, this will not in any way affect the quality of the fruits of various varieties and types of fruit trees, and even, on the contrary, you will be able to grow many more individual varieties of fruit on a plot of the same area, and consistently receive high-quality fruit products from them.

Dwarf coniferous trees in the garden (video)

Disadvantages of low growing trees

Unfortunately, there are also a number of disadvantages when growing a dwarf garden:

  • Serious upfront costs. Naturally, when planting it, much more planting material is required than when starting an ordinary orchard, and this increases the initial costs several times, which can shake the budget;
  • Lifespan of plants. Dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties on rootstocks live much shorter than vigorous fruit trees, and you should take this fact into account when planting single specimens in the country or when planting an industrial-scale garden;
  • Support costs. Many dwarf varieties of fruit trees have a shallow root system, and therefore the trees can be particularly damaged by hurricane winds, erosion, or even during a high harvest, when there are a lot of fruits on the branches and a small tree can simply fall on its side under their combined weight. For this reason, experts recommend installing supports, preferably under each individual tree, since it is almost impossible to predict which plant may tilt or fall;
  • Loss and changes in variety. If planted incorrectly or simply deep, dwarf trees can lose their properties and completely switch to scion roots;
  • Care. We have already said that caring for such a garden is much easier than caring for rich plantings of vigorous fruit trees, but it is worth noting the fact that maintenance procedures must be carried out much more often, which also introduces negative adjustments into the gardener’s regime and schedule. And this includes watering, pruning, and fertilizing;
  • Weakness of some varieties. There are a certain number of varieties of dwarf trees that do not tolerate severe frosts well, so you need to seriously think about the right choice of planting material or constantly wrapping and sheltering the vegetation from frost;
  • Need for frequent pruning. This is not a whim for the formation of the crown or the original appearance of the garden, but a natural requirement for a miniature green area. All trees in it, in particular those grafted on Paradise, require constant pruning. This will save your harvest from crushing and loss of presentation, and the garden itself from broken branches.

As you can see, there are many shortcomings in a dwarf garden, but it is also worth knowing that many of them can be corrected. And, if this is the case, then before starting a garden you will only need to correctly determine the planting material, and also strictly follow all planting requirements.



Reviews and comments

Sergey 03/26/2016

Among the disadvantages, I would like to note that dwarf trees do not always bear fruit or bear fruit very poorly. Also, if a tree bears fruit, it will last for five to six years, no more, then it will simply grow like a plant without fruit. It is better to plant medium-sized trees, they will give birth better and do not take up much space.

Svetlana 03/29/2016

The advantages of such a garden are, of course, that if you have very little land at your dacha, then you can grow not one or two large trees, but twenty different trees - apple trees, pears and others. I don’t see any disadvantages in this, since small trees are even much more convenient to cultivate than large ones. Dmitry 03/04/2017

The main thing for such an onion is a well-lit place and do not plant the beds end to end, as the light will not reach the onion evenly. It turns out to be quite a profitable business.

Alena 03/09/2017

I have been growing multi-tiered onions in my garden for many years. Tasty, necessary and completely unpretentious culture! The feather appears as soon as the snow melts and there is still no greenery, and grows again until the first snow. It is not at all afraid of winter frosts, and does not require replanting for several years, although I periodically renew the bed with young bulbs. Not afraid of pests. And this despite the fact that I have stopped planting ordinary onions - the onion fly appears all the time. I recommend to everyone!

Timofey 06/12/2018

The fact is that for the Moscow region, for example, dwarf varieties are unlikely to be suitable. Considering that the weather has become “hurricane” now. I think it’s right to plant the “classics”.

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