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Apples are traditionally the most common fruit in Our Country, as these fruit trees are able to grow in the most unfavorable conditions and withstand the harsh winters. To date, the number of varieties of apple trees in the world has exceeded 10 thousand – and from this amazing variety it is not always easy to choose a variety that is suitable for your site and, according to numerous indicators, satisfies your individual needs. After all, each variety has its own pros and cons.
In modern supermarkets in recent years, you can often find Idared apples. These beautiful apples have long been popular in commercial fruit growing due to their attractive presentation and long shelf life. Does it make sense to have this variety in your area? What are the characteristics of the Idared apple variety, and what are its advantages and disadvantages? All these questions will be answered in the article.
The history of the variety Idared
Already almost 100 years ago, back in 1935, American scientists-breeders of the state of Idaho crossed between themselves two varieties of apple trees that are popular in America, Jonathan and Wagner. As a result of this crossing, a new apple variety appeared, which was named Idared.
For many decades, the variety successfully passed adaptation in European countries and already in the post-war 60s appeared on the territory of the former USSR. Especially actively it began to be cultivated in industrial and private gardens of Ukraine and in the steppe zone of Our Country. On semi-dwarf rootstocks, the Idared apple tree also penetrated the territory of the Moscow Region and adjacent areas.
Variety description
Idared apple trees are vigorous. They are characterized by particularly rapid and significant growth in the first years of life. Thus, by the age of 10, trees can reach sizes of 3,5 meters and above. The crown is more like a ball, sometimes a wide oval, but tends to thicken, and therefore requires regular pruning. The branches of the main part of the crown grow upward at an angle of 45°, but can vary depending on the light and other growth conditions from 35° to 80°.
The bark of the trees is brown-gray and smooth to the touch. Fruit formations are distributed along the length of the branches fairly evenly, denudation is not typical for this variety. The ability to shoot formation is medium. The awakening of the kidneys is also average. The shoots themselves have the same color as the main trunk, medium in thickness, straight, slightly articulated, rounded in cross section, with a slightly pronounced hairiness.
Fruiting is of a mixed type, in approximately equal proportions, annuli, fruit twigs and annual growths are formed. Kolchatka keep 2-3 apples by the time of harvesting. And in especially fruitful years, 2-3-year-old branches form small but dense garlands of fruits that serve as a real decoration for the apple tree.
The lenticels are bright, slightly elongated. The leaves can be of various shapes, fleecy below, with well-defined tips and a glossy upper leaf plate. They sit on thin petioles.
Idared apple trees bloom for quite a long time in late April – early May. In case of late frosts, freezing of flowers is possible, which will inevitably affect the yield of the current year. The flowers are saucer-shaped, light pink in color. The pollen itself is characterized by high viability – up to 87%. But in the case of natural self-pollination, only about 2% of the fruits can be tied.
Therefore, when planting Idared apple trees, planting in the immediate vicinity of pollinating varieties should be immediately envisaged. For the Idared apple tree, the best pollinators are:
- Red Delicious;
- Wagner;
- Gloucester;
- Rubinovy Duki;
- Rusavka;
- Florina;
- Kuban spur.
Idared apple trees do not differ in early fruiting – on an ordinary medium-sized rootstock, the first fruits appear only in the fifth or sixth year of the tree’s life. In the case of using dwarf rootstocks, you do not have to wait so long for the first fruits to appear; already in the second or third year you can try the first apples. But keep in mind that caring for apple trees on dwarf rootstocks is quite laborious, and the life span of such trees is usually limited to 12-15 years at best.
In terms of ripening, the Idared apple tree belongs to winter varieties. Picking apples of this variety is carried out in late September – early October. Under favorable storage conditions, for example, in a cellar with good ventilation, apples can be stored until March-April.
The usual consumption period for these apples starts from the end of January – February. The variety is resistant to brown spotting, but during storage it can occasionally be affected by subcutaneous spotting.
Due to the strong coupling of the cutting with the fruit, apples have the ability to hang on the branches for a long time, which limits the carrion.
The fruits are characterized by a high level of marketability and suitability for transportation, which makes them the most suitable for commercial cultivation.
The Idared apple variety is characterized by regular fruiting and high yields. The average values are 400 c/ha and can reach up to 500 c/ha in harvest years. In terms of one tree, a young apple tree can bring up to 30 kg of apples, and for adult apple trees, figures equal to 90 kg of fruit per tree are quite real.
The Idared apple tree is moderately resistant to powdery mildew and scab. Trees are not suitable for growing in climates with frosty winters, as they are very sensitive to severe frosts, even with additional trunk cover.
Fruit Characteristics
Idared apples have the following characteristics:
- Fruits of rather large sizes have a mass of at least 100 grams, which can reach up to 200 grams.
- The shape of the apples is slightly conical or rounded. With large fruit sizes, slight ribbing may appear.
- The color of the fruit is greenish, but most of the apple is covered with a thick blush of dark red or crimson.
- Rare and large subcutaneous dots are noticeable, which can give the color some marble effect.
- The skin on the fruit is glossy and smooth with a thin wax coating, but dense and elastic.
- The pulp of the fruit is juicy, at the beginning of ripening it has a dense structure. After some storage, the structure becomes fine-grained, and in the end – even loose.
- Apples of this variety have almost no flavor.
- The sweet and sour taste of Idared apples is rated by experts as good or even average.
- The fruits contain 10,5% sugar, 13,5% dry matter, 11,5 mg per 100 g of ascorbic acid.
- Apples have a universal purpose – they can be used fresh, for making juices and other drinks, as well as for cooking and preservation.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Thus, we come to the conclusion that the Idared apple variety has been enjoying such popularity for almost 100 years for a reason. It clearly shows the following advantages:
- Apples keep well on the tree and also have a long shelf life in suitable rooms.
- Apples have an elegant appearance and perfectly tolerate transportation.
- High productivity of a grade and stable fructification from year to year.
However, the variety also has some disadvantages:
- Insufficient frost resistance, the trees are ideally suited for growing in the southern regions of Our Country.
- Instability to scab and powdery mildew – requires mandatory preventive work.
- Some consumers feel that the taste of apples could be much better.
Peculiarities of growing
As for planting seedlings of Idared apple trees, it is carried out according to the standard scheme with a garter for the first few years of the trunk to the support post. An interesting feature of Idared apple trees is that they do not need particularly fertile soil, and on poor soils, the color of the fruit becomes more intense. Therefore, when growing on black soil, it is recommended to add sand to the planting pits.
Of great importance is the pruning of trees with their natural tendency to thicken the crown.
Due to the special sensitivity of the variety to frost after harvest, but even before the leaves fall, it is desirable to apply fertilizers containing zinc and boron.
In the spring period, work is required to prevent diseases. It is necessary to spray the crown of apple trees with copper-containing preparations at least several times.
Reviews of gardeners
Reviews about the apple tree Idared, with the description and photo of which you have read above, cause mixed feelings among consumers. On the one hand, high yields and the ability to store for a long time, on the other hand, resistance to diseases and the inability to grow it in harsh climatic conditions.
Conclusion
Winter apples are specifically designed for long-term storage, so don’t try to taste them in the fall, especially at harvest time. And after trying them in the winter, you may also want to grow an Idared apple tree in your area.
