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The Legend apple tree is an early winter variety that is suitable for growing not only in the south, but also in the conditions of the middle zone, the Volga region and the Black Earth region. It gives very large apples, reaching 200 g in weight. The taste is sweet, caramel, with a pleasant fruity aroma. Fruits are stored up to 3-3,5 months, suitable for fresh consumption and for processing.
History of breeding
The apple-tree variety Legend was bred in 1982. Several breeders took part in the work, the group was headed by Professor Kichina V.V. Two varieties were taken as a basis – Cowberry and Fuji (Japanese variety). Crossbreeding work was successful – Legend surpassed both parental varieties in its characteristics.
The variety is widely distributed in different regions of Our Country and in neighboring countries. The culture was included in the register of breeding achievements in 2008.
Description and characteristics of the columnar apple tree Legend
The description of the Legend apple variety says that it is a semi-dwarf. The trees are small-sized, the crown is compact, so it does not take up much space. This is especially important for growing on an industrial scale for the purpose of selling apples fresh and for processing.
tree appearance
A tree of semi-dwarf type, reaches a height of 3-4 meters. The crown is rounded, compact, very dense. Internodes of annual shoots are shorter than many other combs. The shoots themselves are small, rounded, gray in color. Are located closely to each other. The leaves of the apple tree Legend are dark green in color, ovoid in shape. The size of the sheet plate is small, the surface is smooth.
Description of fruits
Semi-dwarf apple tree Legend gives very large fruits. Each apple weighs 180-200 g or more on average. It has the shape of a truncated cone, the ribbing is weakly expressed. A characteristic feature is that the fruits in the mass are uniform in size and shape.
The stalks are small in thickness, medium in size, the saucers are moderately wide, the calyx is open or semi-open. The funnel is deep, slightly pronounced rustiness is noticeable. Seeds are large, dark brown.
Apple tree Legend is low, with a compact, dense crown
The color of apples is greenish-yellow, with a red blush, which occupies a significant part of the surface. On many fruits of the Legend apple tree, dark red short stripes are noticeable, which are evenly distributed over the entire surface. There are also cover points. The peel is smooth, glistens in the sun, quite dense, thanks to which the fruits are long-lived and transportable.
The taste of Legend apples is very pleasant, with pronounced sweetness and caramel notes. Dessert type, universal purpose – for fresh consumption and for preparations. There is a pronounced fruity aroma. The pulp is cream-colored, granular structure, very juicy, chipping type. On tasting tests, the Legend variety invariably receives high marks of at least 4,2 points out of 5.
When and how it blooms
The flowering of the Legenda apple tree begins in mid-May. If the spring is cool, the first buds may appear in early June. The flowers are quite large, attractive, white in color with a hint of greenish. The aroma is pronounced. The total flowering period is 7-14 days, in rainy weather a little less.
Apple Pollinators Legend
To maintain good yields, it is recommended to plant at least one pollinator. You can choose from varieties with similar flowering periods: Ranet, Bratchud, Enchantress, Alesya, Garland, Christmas, Imrus, Spartan.
Ripening dates of the apple tree Legend
Variety Legend begins to bear fruit in September, less often by early October. They have time to ripen on a branch and do not crumble, so you can not hurry with the collection. But don’t freeze it either. During the collection period, it is important to carefully monitor the weather forecast. Fruiting is annual, apples are formed on kolchatka. Yield may vary depending on weather conditions and care.
Productivity
The Legend apple tree can be grown at home, as well as in farm fields, as it has a high yield. Fruiting begins at two years of age, with full return observed from the sixth or seventh year. From one mature tree, 90-100 kg are harvested, which corresponds to 30-40 tons per hectare. Such indicators are associated with a large mass of fruits and high productivity of the crop itself.
The yield reaches 100 kg per tree
Frost resistance of the apple tree Legend
The frost resistance of the Legend apple tree is very high, although there is no data on cultivation in Siberia and the Urals. Drought tolerance is average. Therefore, to obtain a good harvest, the tree periodically requires abundant watering.
Disease resistance
The apple-tree of the Legenda variety is distinguished by good resistance to major diseases and pests. In this case, it can suffer from fungal infections and insects. Therefore, plantings are periodically inspected and, if necessary, treated with folk remedies, as well as with special preparations.
Advantages and disadvantages
The dwarf apple tree Legend has several tangible benefits. It is valued for very large apples with excellent taste. The fruits are juicy and aromatic. Yields are very high, making cultivation economically viable.
The fruits are large, attractive presentation
Pros:
- pleasant sweet taste of dessert type;
- universal use;
- high yield;
- the tree is compact, does not take up much space;
- good winter hardiness;
- long periods of storage;
- transportability;
- immunity to diseases and pests.
Cons:
- short life span (up to 15 years);
- drought resistance is average;
- yield may vary depending on the season;
- the crown is dense, requires regular thinning pruning;
- Pollinators are required.
Planting an apple tree Legend
Planting seedlings is best planned for autumn – from the end of September to the first decade of October. Although the spring term is also allowed – the second half of April, the beginning of May. The place is chosen dry and well lit, without close occurrence of groundwater. The optimal soil type is light and fertile loam.
For planting, they dig holes with a diameter of 100 cm, a depth of 80 cm with an interval of 4 meters. Small stones are laid at the bottom, the seedling itself is placed in the middle, and sprinkled with fertile soil on top so that the root neck remains 5-7 cm above ground level. Then it is watered and mulched with straw, hay, sawdust.
Apple tree care Legend
To grow a beautiful Legendary apple tree in the Moscow region and other regions, as in the description and in the photo, summer residents in the reviews recommend adhering to the following rules of care:
- Watering – in the summer, an adult tree is given 4 buckets 2 times a month (if there is no rain or they are rare).
- Top dressing – in April they give urea (30-40 g per tree), during budding and after 2-3 weeks – superphosphate (80 g) and potassium salt (40 sh).
- The soil is periodically loosened and weeded.
- In spring and autumn, formative, sanitary pruning is done.
Fighting diseases and pests
The legend apple tree has good immunity, but can suffer from such diseases: powdery mildew, cytosporosis, scab.
Insects are also dangerous: codling moth, leafworm, aphid, flower beetle, hawthorn.
For prevention, it is necessary to carry out treatments and whiten the trunk
To combat fungal diseases, it is necessary to do several preventive sprayings in the fall (after harvesting) and in early spring. The following fungicides are used:
- “Bordeaux mixture”;
- Fundazol;
- “Order”;
- “Score”;
- “Tattu” and others.
Insecticides are used to control insects:
- “Fitoverm”;
- “Decis”;
- “Match”;
- “Vertimek”;
- “Biotlin” and others.
At the fruiting stage, it is desirable to use biological preparations (Vertimek, Fitoverm, Respecta 25%, Fitosporin and others).
Collection and storage
Harvest of Legendary apples is harvested in September and October, allowing the fruits to ripen on the branches as long as possible. They are placed in wooden boxes with small slots in two layers, directing the stalks down. Storage conditions are standard:
- temperature 2-10 degrees Celsius;
- humidity 60-70%;
- darkness;
- periodic ventilation.
Apples are harvested in early October and stored until early January
If you follow the rules described, the fruits are stored without loss of taste and presentation for 90-100 days. For example, if you lay apples in early October, they lie down until the New Year. Periodically, the fruits are inspected. If signs of mold and rot are found, the affected specimens are immediately separated from the healthy ones.
Conclusion
The Legend apple tree is a fairly well-known variety, reviews of which are mostly positive. Differs in high productivity and large fruits. They ripen rather slowly, but they have a very sweet taste and pleasant aroma. The culture can be bred both in personal subsidiary plots and in farms for commercial purposes.
Reviews of gardeners about the columnar apple tree Legend
