The roots of fruit plants do not tolerate even a short-term flooding with water. To avoid such a possibility, the area intended for the orchard should be carefully leveled, so that there are no even small depressions, in which water may accumulate during thaws or after violent downpours. It is easier to carry out maintenance treatments later on on leveled terrain, and especially – mow the turf in the inter-rows of trees.
Areas with too high a level of groundwater require drainage before establishing an orchard. In recent years, there has been a very rapid progress in the development of the drainage technique, manifested, inter alia, by the more and more frequent replacement of clay drainage pads with plastic drains, as well as a high degree of mechanization of works. The spacing of the filters used in the areas intended for orchards is similar to that adopted in agriculture and varies within the limits 10-18 m, depending on the compactness of the soil and the underlying layer.
It is recommended to start preparing the soil for the orchard as early as one year, or even better, two years before planting the trees. A soil that is too acidic is adjusted to an appropriate pH with the use of lime fertilizers. The amount of calcium dose depends on the acidity of the soil and its firmness. The amount of calcium, what you need to sow on 1 ha of the field are defined by chemical and agricultural stations after providing them with soil samples. They also analyze the soil for potassium content, phosphorus and magnesium, which facilitates the decision to fertilize the soil with these components before planting the orchard. In pear orchards, cherries and cherries, calcium doses are used 20-30% higher. It is recommended to liming the soil one year before planting trees.
