Apple tree
Apple tree (Malus) — belongs to the category of popular fruit crops; genus of trees in the Rosaceae family.
Description
The apple tree is represented by trees reaching a height of up to 13 m and equipped with a spreading or tent-shaped crown. The branches and trunk are covered with cracking brown or gray bark. The roots are highly branched, going 150 cm deep, individual roots — 250 cm. The foliage is elliptic, sometimes round, petiolate, green.
The flowers can be white or pinkish, they are collected in shields or semi-umbrellas. The fruits are often spherical rather than egg-shaped and can be green, rich or light yellow or red. Flowering occurs in the second ten days of May — the first ten days of June.
Popular varieties of apple trees in Russia
*Grushovka Moskovskaya is an early ripening variety. It is characterized by a tall tree with a spherical or pyramidal crown. The fruits are small, slightly ribbed, yellow-green in color. The pulp is white with a pinkish or yellowish tint, the taste is pleasantly sweet. The variety is winter-hardy.
*Golden China is an early ripening variety. It is characterized by a tree of medium height, thin branches of a yellow-orange hue. The crown is broom-shaped. The fruits are small, deep yellow in color. The pulp is yellowish-white with a sour taste. Winter-hardy variety.
*Antonovka is a late variety. It is represented by a tall tree with a spherical or oval shape. The fruits are medium or large, greenish-yellow in color, the taste is pleasant, slightly sour, with a pronounced aroma.
*Bogatyr is a winter variety obtained by crossing Antonovka with Renet. Characterized by a tall tree with a spreading crown. The fruits are large, greenish-yellow in color with a blush. The pulp is white, very juicy, and has a pleasant taste and aroma.
Landing
An apple tree is planted in the fall 2-3 months before persistent cold weather or in the spring before sap flow. Gardeners say that autumn planting is preferable for the crop. Planting holes are prepared 3-4 weeks in advance, the optimal planting time is the third ten days of September; planting later is not recommended, since the seedlings do not have time to fully take root and may die from low temperatures. A hole for planting is dug with a diameter of 100 cm and a depth of 60-70 cm.
The soil for an apple tree is of normal acidity; soils that are too acidic must be limed, otherwise it will negatively affect the health of the plant and the future harvest. It is worth remembering: lime should not come into contact with the roots of the seedling; it is better to carry out this procedure 2-3 weeks before the intended planting.
The top layer of soil is thoroughly mixed with organic and mineral fertilizers. Fresh manure is not recommended. Fill the planting hole 1/3 with the nutrient mixture, after which the seedling is lowered into it, carefully straightening the roots, compacted with the remainder of the mixture and thoroughly moistened. After 2-3 weeks, watering is repeated again.
Care
Regular watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds, pruning — these are the main tasks for caring for the crop. Watering is carried out 3-4 times per season. During the summer, trees are inspected for signs of disease and pest damage. For the purpose of prevention, the culture is treated with Bordeaux mixture.
In October, the tree trunk area is dug up and phosphorus-potassium and organic fertilizers are applied. With the approach of cold weather, mulch can be applied, and the trunks (especially of young trees) are tied with spruce branches to protect against attacks by mice. Every year the boles are whitewashed with a lime solution.
Apple trees need pruning and crown formation. Formative pruning is carried out using a sparse tiered system. Fresh cuts are covered with garden varnish. In subsequent years, gardeners need to take care of maintaining sufficient shoot vigor and thinning to create a compact crown.
APPLE TREE
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