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Black Prince apples are in high demand among consumers. After all, these fruits have a beautiful appearance, rich shade, pleasant taste and are rich in useful components for human health. It is also possible to grow a tree that will produce such apples on a personal plot, since the Black Prince does not require complex care. And when creating favorable conditions, taking into account the characteristics of the culture, you can provide your family with these delicious fruits for the winter.
The Black Prince apple tree has another name – Jonaprince
History of breeding
This variety of culture owes its origin to another common type of apple tree, namely Jonagold. The latter was bred by American breeders in the middle of the last century. Due to its drought resistance, excellent marketability, unpretentious care and high yield, it quickly gained popularity among gardeners and spread throughout the world.
As a result, many breeders have attempted to clone the variety. And one of the results of this work was the Wiltons Red Jonaprince apple tree. Subsequently, its other name appeared – the Black Prince.
The variety was bred in Holland in 1994. The experiment became so successful that the descendant surpassed its progenitor in some characteristics. In Our Country, the Black Prince has been on variety testing since 2015, but has not yet been entered into the State Register. The seedlings are brought from Poland and other European countries.
Description of the Black Prince apple tree with a photo
The Black Prince apple tree has a number of features that distinguish it from other varieties. Also, when choosing this type of culture, you should familiarize yourself with its characteristics in advance. This will determine the level of productivity of the variety, favorable conditions for growing.
tree appearance
The Black Prince is a medium-sized apple tree, up to 4 m high. The crown is rounded. Skeletal branches extend from the trunk at right angles. The bark is smooth, gray in color. The level of foliage in the Black Prince is average. The kidneys are small, conical in shape.
This apple tree has young shoots upright, red-brown, not pubescent. Fruiting at the Black Prince of the mixed type. To a greater extent, the ovary is formed on the annelids, spears, twigs.
The Black Prince is a fast growing type of culture. In the first years after planting, the growth of an apple tree per season is 60 cm. But when it reaches the age of five, the rate of tree development decreases.
It is recommended to grow a variety on a dwarf scion
Description of fruits
Apples of the Black Prince are characterized by excellent commercial qualities, which explains the high demand for the variety among professionals and amateurs.
The fruits are round-conical, leveled, one-dimensional. Skin of medium thickness, smooth. A saucer with a slight rustiness, wide. The main color of the fruit is bright crimson, and in good light the tree can become red-black.
The average weight of Black Prince apples is about 200 g. The diameter of the fruit ranges from 10 cm. The pulp is juicy, moderately dense, creamy in color. The structure of the fruit is fine-grained. When biting, a crunch is heard.
Apples at the Black Prince are sweet, with a slight sourness. The scent is pleasant but not overpowering. Fruits are characterized by an increased concentration of vitamins, antioxidants. The sugar content in the fruits of this variety reaches 8,5%.
The tasting score of the Black Prince is 4,8 points out of a possible five
Where apples grow Black Prince
The variety fully develops and bears fruit abundantly in the countries of Europe, North America, Canada, Ukraine, Belarus and in the central regions of Our Country.
When growing the Black Prince apple tree in the southern regions, it is necessary to provide the tree with regular watering. Because with a lack of moisture, the ovary can crumble, and the fruits become smaller.
Flowering and pollination
The flowers of the late variety of apples Black Prince are white-pink with rounded petals, as can be seen in the photo. They have pistils and stigmas on the same level. The size of the buds when fully opened is 3 cm. The Black Prince’s flowering period begins in mid-May, it lasts about ten days.
The buds on the Black Prince apple tree bloom almost simultaneously
The Black Prince is not a self-pollinating species. And for the regular fruiting of this apple tree, pollinators are needed. They should be planted no further than 50 m from the tree.
The best pollinators for the Black Prince:
- Gala;
Gala – a variety that was bred in 1962
- Golden Delicious;
Golden Delicious blooms two days later than the Black Prince
- June;
Junami – a large-fruited species bred in Switzerland
- Braeburn.
Braeburn – early-growing apple tree
Terms of maturation
The Black Prince belongs to the category of winter crops. It is necessary to harvest the crop no earlier than the end of September. Moreover, the peculiarity of the variety is that the fruits ripen at the same time. Experienced gardeners do not recommend harvesting ahead of time, as this affects the taste and keeping quality.
Productivity
The Black Prince begins to bear fruit at the age of a seedling of 3-4 years. On a dwarf rootstock tree yields about 70 kg. The apple tree of this species bears fruit annually.
Frost resistance
The level of frost resistance of the variety is medium. The tree does not suffer from a drop in temperature to -28 ° C. When growing the Black Prince in the northern regions, you need to cover the tree for the winter.
Disease resistance
The variety has increased resistance to common crop diseases. But if the growing conditions do not match, its immunity decreases. Therefore, preventive treatment of the tree is recommended.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Black Prince, like any other variety, has strengths and weaknesses that need to be considered. But judging by the high popularity of this type of apple tree, the former are much more numerous than the latter.
The fruits of the Black Prince have a presentation throughout the entire period of storage
Advantages:
- excellent taste;
- pleasant appearance;
- annual fruiting;
- not crumbling of the crop;
- friendly maturation;
- resistance to transportation;
- the possibility of long-term storage;
- universality of application.
Disadvantages:
- need pollinators;
- average frost resistance;
- the need for pruning.
Rules of landing
In order for the Black Prince apple tree to fully grow and bear fruit in the Moscow region and in another region, it is necessary to properly plant. It is recommended to plant a variety in an open area, protected from drafts.
The Black Prince apple tree shows a high level of productivity when planted in well-drained black soil and loam. But also for the full development of the tree requires a low level of acidity.
It is recommended to plant trees aged 1-2 years. When buying, you should pay attention to the integrity of their bark and the condition of the root system. You can plant the Black Prince apple tree in spring and autumn, before the start of the growing season or at its end.
To do this, you need to prepare a hole measuring 80 by 80 cm in advance, at least two weeks in advance, so that the soil has time to settle. Drainage should be laid down the recess, about 10 cm thick. And pour nutrient soil mixture on top. To do this, mix sod, humus, sand, peat, leafy soil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1: 1. And also add an additional 200 g of wood ash.
The Black Prince apple tree should be planted according to the standard scheme. At the end of the procedure, the root neck of the seedling should be 5 cm above the soil surface.
Features of care
After planting, you need to monitor the soil moisture, preventing the roots of the apple tree from drying out. When the seedling adapts and grows, irrigation should be carried out once a month. An adult apple tree is recommended to be watered during the formation of buds, after flowering, during the formation of the ovary and after harvest.
It is necessary to fertilize the Black Prince variety three times during the season. Experienced gardeners recommend starting top dressing in the second year. In the spring, when buds open, you can use fermented mullein 1:10 or chicken manure 1:15, as well as 30 g of urea per bucket of water. During flowering and fruit formation, it is necessary to use superphosphate (40-150 g) and potassium sulfate (30-100 g). And with the advent of autumn, at the base of the apple tree, you need to lay humus with a layer of 5 cm.
For 2-3 years, the crown of the apple tree should be formed. The recommended number of skeletal branches for the Black Prince variety is 3-5 pcs. In addition, every season it is necessary to inspect the crown and clean it from inside growing shoots, broken branches.
The calorie content of apples of this type is 42 kcal per 100 g of fresh product.
Diseases and pests
Variety Black Prince can be affected by powdery mildew, scab, bitter rot and pitting. To prevent this, it is necessary to spray the apple tree with fungicides three times a season: in early spring, at the stage of bud nomination and after harvest.
Of the pests, aphids, spider mites can cause damage to a tree. And therefore, at the first signs of damage, insectoacaricides should be used.
Collection and storage
Harvest should be stored in the basement at a temperature of + 3-4 ° C and a humidity of 75-80%. Collection is recommended in the morning. You can not keep the fruits in the sun.
Apples should be put in wooden or cardboard boxes, wrapping each in paper so that they do not touch each other. Subject to all conditions, the crop retains marketable qualities for 6-8 months.
Conclusion
Black Prince apples are liked not only by adults, but also by children. After all, they have an appetizing appearance and excellent taste. Therefore, many gardeners prefer to grow this variety. After all, it is undemanding to care and bears fruit regularly.
Reviews of gardeners about the Black Prince apple tree
