We prune the rootstocks that were grafted last fall.
Watch the full video course "Nursery from Scratch" here: https://samsebesadovod.ru/pitomnik
Last summer, Darius and I had budding done by Roman—see the video here: https://blogsadovoda.ru/?p=195
The bud buds were removed in the fall.
Today, we're doing the next step: pruning the budded rootstocks to a bud.
So, a little more about the advantages and disadvantages of bud cutting and thorn cutting:
When cutting to a thorn, there's much more work involved in subsequent care of the seedling—you have to tie young shoots to the thorns, and then trim the thorns themselves.
When cutting to a bud, there's a risk of young shoots breaking off in strong winds, and the percentage of uneven seedlings also increases. To avoid the problems described above, cut the rootstocks to the budded bud and place a bamboo stick or other available support next to each seedling. This will prevent young shoots from breaking off, and your seedlings will be perfectly straight.
Yes, at this time (before the growing season), fertilize the nursery with nitrogen at a rate of 40-80 kg of pure nitrogen per hectare, depending on the soil condition and composition, as well as the amount of organic matter added. After application, nitrogen fertilizers must be incorporated into the soil with a cultivator or other handy tools to prevent evaporation and loss of a large portion of the nitrogen!
Examples:
50 kg (one bag) of 34.4% ammonium nitrate equals 17.7 kilograms of pure nitrogen.
50 kg (one bag) 46.6% urea, contains 23.3 kg of pure nitrogen.