Who can resist the magnificence of the luxurious flowering apple orchard. And any adult and child are familiar with the rich aroma and fresh taste of these wonderful fruits.
This unique fruit is perfectly preserved in winter and saturates our body with useful substances in the frosty season.
And if you set out to plant an apple orchard, then you should take it seriously, because its fruits differ in taste, appearance, ripening time, degree of storage, aroma and mode of growth in certain climatic zones.
Let's start with the description of varieties. The main thing you should pay attention to is the harvest time for apples. The whole variety of apples can be divided into three main types - summer, autumn and winter fruits. Consider them in more detail. The first worthy of consideration, of course, are the summer apples. No fruit can compete with the taste and vitamin advantages of these beautiful fruits. The children start their first complementary foods with them, the old and sick people are happy to use them in the baked form, and many girls have heard about an effective apple diet.
So, summer fruits include “Melba”, “Antonovka Zolotaya”, “Bely poured”, “Candy”, etc.
Apple variety "White filling"
The fruits of the apple of this species are heterogeneous and not very large size. In adults, apple fruits become smaller in weight. These apples have tangible ribbing. Especially with large apples one can observe three-sidedness. This variety can be distinguished by the presence of a palpable fold on the peel, the so-called seam. They taste sweet and sour., color - green and yellow.
However, at full ripeness, the apples acquire a white color, and the flesh becomes juicy, heterogeneous, with small grains and a snow-white color (hence the name).
The fruits are quite firmly held on the branches, showered mainly eaten moth. This variety can not be overripebecause then the flesh becomes dry and some powderiness can be tasted. Juveniles "give birth" annually and is characterized by the presence of larger fruits.
The older the apple tree, the smaller the apples and the yield becomes periodic. Crop is removed in the last days of summer. Fruits are most often used in the preparation of juices, baby puree, confiture, and even the preparation of wine.
Juices from this variety have an increased rate of catechin, ascorbic acid (21.9 mg / 100g), contain 95 sugars, 0.97% titrated acids, 10% pectin substances and 209 mg / 100g - P-active compounds. The duration of storage of this variety is relatively low, only 2-3 weeks. Because of the thin skin on which, at the slightest blow, spots appear - this variety is completely non transportable.
Apple tree grows low, differs in wide pyramidal deciduous "cap". With the growth of the branches, it acquires a rounded shape. The main branches of this apple tree are light gray in color; the shoots are brown-olive and heavily dipped. Buds are small, greyish, flattened.
Leaves are opaque, gray-green, oval-shaped. White bloom with a lovely pink sheen, the flowers themselves are quite large, saucer-shaped.
The main advantages are that the apple tree will soon please you with ripe fruits. It has a relatively good resistance to frost and to such a disease of trees as leafy and fruit scab.
The most serious disadvantages include poor transportability of this variety, change in appearance and taste at the slightest pressure or impact. Changes in taste characteristics when overriding, this variety does not have a topcoat in apples, and there is no periodicity in fruiting. This variety of apple does not like plots with heavy soil.
Talk a long time about the features of care for apples, "White filling" is not worth it. There are very few of them. The tree begins to bear fruit with good and proper care for 3-4 years from the time of planting, with the time of growth increases the amount of the crop.
The apple tree will thank you for a wonderful harvest if you provide it with enhanced protection against scab and regular rejuvenation of the branches. Each harvest is best carried out in several stages, while trying not to damage the fruit.
About apple varieties "Melba"
The remarkable fruits of this variety, unlike other summer varieties known to us, produce a very rich harvest annually and abundantly. The apples are striking in their size, round, conical shape, they can truly be called beautiful. Their skin is light green with a pinkish, striped blush. The flesh is tender, white, with a caramel flavor.
These apple trees are highly fertile. Ripening "Melba" in the last days of July. No more than 30 days are stored, and consumer maturity occurs 10 days after harvest. If the Melba apples are stored longer, then these wonderful fruits lose their taste, and most importantly, the vitamin component.
This variety is perfect for seaming for the winter compotes and juices, as well as a great taste.
Melba trees are characterized by strong branching and brown-red color of the bark. The shoots are of medium thickness and cherry-colored bark, and the leaves are a light green-yellow color. The leaves are located on a branch very close to each other, if you look closely, you can even see the overlapping leaves on each other.
Young trees have an oval crown, as they grow older, it becomes round. Differ in average frost resistance. These trees cannot be called tall, rather they are of medium height.
The flowers are very beautiful, large, white and pink, and you can see a purple hue. The beginning of fruiting begins already in the 3rd year of growth. But the quantity and quality of the crop depends on the composition of the soil in the garden.
Dignity. Excellent grow throughout Russia. Give fast, high yield. Excellent taste. Collected unripe fruits are stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Disadvantages. This sort of apple is enough poorly pollinated. Therefore, to increase the yield, it is necessary to carry out additional pollination. High likelihood of scab infection. Older trees bear fruit cyclically, so they quickly become useless.
This apple tree needs extra care, because has a high risk of scab infection, especially during frequent rains. During severe frosts, the bark often suffers from cold burns, so you should take care of tree protection in the fall.
It is also interesting to read about varieties of apple trees for the Northwest.
Apple variety "Antonovka zolotaya"
The fruits of Antonovka Golden are distinguished by their rich aroma and greenish-yellow color. The shape of these apples is round, and the weight reaches 250 g. The flesh is quite juicy, sour-sweet, but sweeter than Antonovka ordinary and has a wonderful taste. The harvest is ready to be harvested at the end of the summer, which classifies this variety of apple trees to early ripening.
Trees of this variety can be distinguished by a very sprawling crown and rather tall growth. The stem is a bit short and thick. The apple tree begins to bloom very early, and from the moment of flowering to harvest it takes only 3 months. The flower saucer is deep and ribbed, the cup is half-closed. Apple trees of this variety tolerates very cold.
The main advantages of this variety are very high resistance to scab and an excellent level of winter resistance. The yield level is just wonderful.
The most important disadvantage is that the tree begins to bear fruit only 5-6 yearand sometimes the 7th. Before harvesting, the fruits begin to crumble.
The soil on the plot for planting this variety should be distinguished by good water and air permeability. This apple tree does not accept swampy and stony soils. Formation of the crown in this class must be carried out annually, otherwise the tree will not show such a high yield and winter hardiness, as we would like.
Also note that this variety likes well lit areas. All features of care of such tree consist in it.
Sweet variety "Candy"
The fruits of the apple tree "Candy" are considered to be prize-winners in their taste characteristics. This variety appeared as a result of the crossing of two wonderful apple-trees "Korobki" and "Pappirovki" The apples have a regular round-flat form. In color, they are pale yellow with a pinkish blush and a beautiful bright red pattern all over the skin.
The flesh is very sweet, dessert and juicy, different cream color and fine grain. The apple tree begins to delight with its ripe fruits from mid-July until the end of August. The shelf life of the harvest in a cool place for about 3-4 weeks.
Trees have not very good frost resistance and medium resistance to scab. Sometimes, only newly formed buds can not withstand the spring frosts. The crown is very beautiful, thick and rounded. Such apple trees grow up to 5 meters in height, and they begin to bear fruit early, usually already in the 3rd year, with good care, giving an excellent harvest at once.
Positive qualities of this type are very high skoroplodnost and unique sweet taste. These trees grow even in not very well-lit areas and delight in excellent harvest. Cons - periodicity of yield and not very good resistance to scab.
The nuances of care. These trees, as well as other varieties of apple trees, love fertilized and loose soil. With proper pruning and carrying out good measures to protect against diseases and pests, give an excellent harvest. They require timely watering, especially in spring, and loosening of the near-barrel circle, which will allow air to penetrate to the roots more easily.
Now it was the turn to consider the autumn varieties.
Autumn varieties suitable for the Moscow region include “Autumn joy”, “Cinnamon striped”, “Liberty”, etc.
Apple tree varieties "Autumn joy"
Apple tree "Autumn joy" takes its roots from the "Cinnamon striped".
The fruits of this tree will not leave you indifferent. It amazes with its juiciness, richness of sweet-sour dessert taste and spicy cinnamon aroma. Weight of these apples varies from 110 to 135 g, which allows them to be attributed to the average size.
The shape of the apple can be called cone-shaped and slightly rounded. The color of the skin is golden-green, with a pronounced blush of red stains. The stem is of medium length, slightly extending beyond the edges of the funnel, thickened.
The seeds are small, and the flesh is white with a cream tinge. The harvest is ready for harvest in the last days of August., and stored in a cool place just 30-45 days.
Fruiting trees begin at 4-5 year from the time of landing. Productivity is very high, even in adult apple trees of 20 years.
This variety has many advantages - it is a very rich annual fruitfulness, excellent resistance to scab, excellent resistance to winter frosts.
And very few drawbacks - a weak level of branching branches, the fragility of the wood of young trees, and the growth of skeletal branches at an acute angle.
In the care of this tree is no different from other species. It requires timely and proper pruning from year to year, saturation with fertilizers in the area of the near-stem circle, sufficient irrigation during flowering and fruitfulness.
Although this apple tree is resistant to scab, we should not forget about other pests. Therefore, all the fallen leaves, tainted fruits and pruned branches are subject to mandatory burning. It will not be superfluous and whitewashing the trunk of an apple tree.
Apple variety "Cinnamon striped"
The cinnamon striped varieties of apple trees are one of the few that have appeared naturally, rather than by selection.
Fruits differ in the small size and a form. The maximum weight of these apples is 140 g. The skin is smooth, slightly dryish, glossy, with whitish subcutaneous spots. At the time of ripening, the apples have a green color with a bright red pattern, and after harvest, their skin turns yellow.
The size of the stem is good. On the wide saucer are five prominent tubercles. Podchashechnaya tube conical shape.
The flesh is just wonderful, sweet, juicy, with a slight cinnamon flavor and a slight sourness, yellow, sometimes pinkish under the skin. The fruit ripening period falls on the last days of August - the first days of September. With proper harvesting and storage, these apples will delight you until the middle of winter.
Trees of this species have a chic branched crown, reach a very high growth. It is best to plant them in areas with a large territory. Young apple trees have a wide pyramidal crown, and mature trees - wide, rounded, with branches falling down.
Leaf cover is very rare, especially in the lower part of the tree. The branches are distinguished by their subtlety, and the shoots are of medium thickness. Leaflets elongated grayish or pale green shades. Buds small, rounded, with small fibers.
Apple tree blooms very beautiful, pale pink, delicate color, the flowers themselves are small. According to the degree of resistance to diseases, this variety can be attributed to the average. The skin of the tree is brittle, which often leads to a fracture of the trunk.
The positive characteristics of this type include excellent cold resistance. Even during the severe frosts, the apple trees had a high indicator of stability, only 0.4 points of damage on a 5-point system. As well as the unique dessert taste and cinnamon flavor of the fruit.
The main disadvantages are quite late onset of fruiting. Sometimes it occurs only at 10 years after landing. With good care, the crop can be harvested for 7 years. The yield level is also low. That is why this apple variety is rarely grown for commercial purposes.
Some features of care. Experienced gardeners plant this variety in carefully fertilized soils with good drainage, which, moreover, are also distinguished by high humidity.
The tree needs annual pruning, and protection from pests. Compliance with these conditions of care will help speed up the first harvest. It was this sort of apple that became the basis for breeding such varieties as "Autumn Joy", "Young Naturalist" and even more than 20 frost-resistant varieties.
Winter varieties of apples, we consider in the next article.
