Apples have long and firmly taken their place on our table. They are eaten fresh, compotes and jam are made from them. And more and more amateur gardeners are growing apple trees in their garden plots in order to please themselves and their loved ones with a bulk, ruddy apple grown with their own hands. Hundreds of varieties of various ripening periods, sizes, colors, tastes and shelf life have been bred in the world. This article will focus on one of them, called Berkutovskoe.
Variety history
Berkutovskoe apple-tree is one of the most remarkable varieties, bred by the breeders of the Saratov experimental gardening station O.D.Berkut and G.V. Kondratieva. Included in the State Register and zoned in the Volgograd and Saratov regions, awarded the All-Russian Exhibition Center medal, as well as prizes and awards at exhibitions, included in the list of "Golden varieties of fruit crops".
The progenitor of the variety was the American Korbut, related by crossing with Anis pink-striped and the classic Antonovka, is a hybrid and propagates by cuttings.
It is in deserved demand among gardeners who claim that the variety easily adapts to local weather conditions and shows high taste. In addition, the variety is one of the few that do not have a cycle in fruiting. Berkutovskoe apple trees delight their owners with the same harvest every year.
Apple-tree Berkutovskoe
Characteristics and features of the variety
Popularly, this apple tree is often called Berkutovka, the variety of apples which is described below, but it is still correct to pronounce the Berkutov apple tree. It has a number of indisputable advantages that allow it to be invariably in demand:
- high palatability of fruits, pulp is juicy, white with a refined aroma, sweet and sour, dense texture, on the tasting scale it is gaining 4.8 points out of 5 possible;
- high yield - up to 70 kg of fruits from an adult tree;
- very high keeping quality of fruits when stored properly - up to 200 days;
- lack of periodicity in fruiting, from year to year the apple tree pleases with a consistently high yield;
- compact size: it reaches no more than 3 m in height, the diameter of the crown is about the same size;
- rather high winter hardiness, which allows you to grow the variety even in the middle zone and Siberia with appropriate shelters for the winter;
- begins to bear fruit very quickly, the first harvest can be obtained already in the 3rd year, and from the 6th year the apple tree will begin to give a full harvest;
- high drought resistance, especially in regions with a warm climate;
- resistance to many diseases, is affected only by powdery mildew, when the causative agent of the disease progresses en masse.
The Berkutovskoe apple tree, which is described in this article, is a low tree with a compact crown, a beautiful round shape. Leaves are bright green matte with a silvery backing, slightly pointed. Shoots fleecy, red-brown, silvery-gray bark without wrinkles. The crown is sparse, which is very convenient for processing and harvesting. The variety belongs to the mature winter varieties.
Apples have an attractive and appetizing appearance: leveled in size, weighing an average of 150 g. Beautifully rounded yellow-green fruits are covered with bright red stripes, turning into a raspberry blush on the sides.
Despite the fact that scientists have assigned it a place in the moderately southern regions of Russia, the apple tree grows well both in the middle lane and in the very south.
The Berkutovskoe apple tree needs cross-pollination with other varieties in order to produce a crop regularly. The Sinap Severny variety was recognized as the best pollinator for her. Other varieties with similar flowering times will also work. For the best pollination, it would be a good idea to put several hives in the garden.
Growing features
It is better to purchase a two-year-old seedling, preferably directly in the nursery. You need to start planting from a carefully selected place. The apple tree does not like wet roots, so the place should be sunny with deep groundwater. A good drainage cushion can be provided if necessary.
Planting is done in the spring, when the ground has already warmed up, but always before bud break. Or in autumn, when the leaves are no longer there, but at least a month before the stable cold weather.
Planting is done before the buds appear.
The planting pit must be made in advance so that the earth is compacted, and the applied complex fertilizers begin to work. For spring planting, pits are made in autumn, for autumn in about two weeks. Before planting, you should pay attention to the roots of the seedling, remove damaged and dead areas. A tree is planted on a cone made of earth, made in a hole, directing the roots downward at an angle of 45 °. The distance between seedlings is at least 3 m.
For the first 2 years, it is necessary to tie the seedling to the support, in order to avoid breakage by winds and pulling out roots. Watering in the first years should be done constantly, since the tree can only show its drought resistance in the adult period.
Every year, you need to apply fertilizer to the near-trunk circle at a distance of half a meter from the trunk, and also spray the apple tree over the leaves with them. Top dressing is carried out three times per season:
- nitrogen in the spring to build up green mass;
- complex in the summer to support the vital processes of the apple tree;
- autumn without nitrogen, as it prevents the apple tree from preparing for winter.
You also need to regularly prune the tree, shape the crown, giving it the correct shape and remove damaged and dead branches. Correct crown pruning is always the key to a good harvest. For this variety, sparse forms are most acceptable.
There are no difficulties in growing the Berkutovskoe variety. The main thing is to follow these instructions, and the apple harvest will not be long in coming!
