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Winter varieties of apple trees are a real find for a gardener, because they grow well in the northern regions, and you should not worry that there will be no harvest due to bad weather. Among the many winter varieties, in this article, we want to highlight one of the best representatives of the species – the apple tree of the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety. Let’s talk about its origin, key characteristics and features of care.
Origin
For the first time, the variety was bred more than a quarter of a century ago at the Sverdlovsk experimental station (the city of Sverdlovsk) by plant breeders Dibrova, Kotov and Vengerova. The variety has received the greatest distribution in the territory of the Upper Volga region, the Middle and Southern Urals. However, they love and appreciate it in the central regions of Our Country. According to the observations of gardeners and breeders, “Krasa Sverdlovsk” takes root well in the slate culture of Altai and Western Siberia.
Variety description
The description of the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety should begin with the characteristics of the tree, because this is what allows you to calculate the correct number of seedlings.
The apple tree grows of medium height, the crown develops a rounded shape, rather dense. Skeletal branches extend from the trunk almost at a right angle, covered with dark brown bark. Fruits are formed on fruit twigs and annelids. The variety is characterized by shoots with large lenticels, cranked and pubescent. The leaves grow large, somewhat wrinkled, dark green, shiny, with a slightly pointed apex and a heart-shaped base.
“Beauty of Sverdlovsk” blooms with large white flowers with a wide calyx. The stamens are long, the pistils protrude slightly above the anthers. Buds on the eve of flowering burgundy.
Finally, a description of the most delicious side of the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety – fruits should be presented. The size of apples ranges from medium (about 160 grams) to large (about 240 grams). They are round and regular in shape, almost not ribbed, covered with a smooth, dry peel with a pronounced waxy coating. The main color of the peel is green-yellow, the integumentary color is rich red, it appears mainly on the upper part of the fruit, but often spreads throughout the apple. Peduncle of medium length. Funnel wide medium depth, bronze color. The seed chambers are closed, the seeds themselves are small, ovoid, brown.
Under the bright peel hides a cream-colored fine-grained flesh. Apples are juicy with a sweet and sour taste, but at the same time a medium pronounced aroma.
100 grams of pulp accounts for:
- 16% dry matter;
- 13% sugar;
- 1,1% titratable acids;
- 20 mg of ascorbic acid;
- 302 mg P-active substances.
Of the positive aspects that favorably represent the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety, among other winter varieties, the fruits do not fall when ripe, and are also well transported. The storage period reaches 200 days if the basic rules are observed (cool, dry place). At the same time, keep in mind that the apple tree requires cross-pollination, that is, it is self-fertile.
The apple tree enters the fruiting phase 6 years after budding, but it bears fruit every year, bringing about 100-200 centners per hectare of plantings.
About self-infertile varieties and the selection of pollinating varieties
Self-infertile varieties, which include “Krasa Sverdlovsk”, require the presence of relatives of other varieties nearby, which will pollinate the trees during flowering. A very important point is not to plant apple trees of only one variety, since the probability of not getting any crop at all is incredibly high. Although often the harvest is still there, but rather meager.
It is extremely important to carefully select varieties that will pollinate self-fertile trees. Firstly, the pollinating apple tree must bear fruit at the same time as the self-fertile one. Secondly, the flowering period should coincide as much as possible in beginning and duration. Thirdly, the pollinating apple tree should be from a zoned variety that produces well in your area.
Since choosing varieties at random is a rather unfortunate decision, you should check your choice with the lists that are developed in research institutions. They take into account all the main characteristics that must be the same for trees of different varieties: taste, commercial characteristics, features of plant vegetation, and climatic preferences.
Features of care
At its core, the description of caring for the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety is practically no different from caring for any other fruit tree.
The first wellness procedures begin in the spring before bud break. Of course, this is the pruning of old branches and the formation of a crown. In young trees, the crown is formed annually, starting from the second year of life, since this has a positive effect on the quality of fruiting. To prevent the apple tree from producing side shoots, it is necessary to cut the vertical ones, thus adjusting the height of the tree.
During fruiting, it is important to cut off the middle fruit from each inflorescence, as well as remove damaged fruits.
The apple tree requires moderate watering, especially if the summer is not very hot, at least 3 buckets of water must be poured under each tree. Along with watering, you can fertilize trees with humus and minerals. It is very good to apply urea and nitrogen in the spring.
The apple tree is moderately resistant to scab, but quite vulnerable to other fungal and infectious diseases. Among them, the most dangerous are powdery mildew and apple cancer.
Powdery mildew affects the entire above-ground part of the tree, starting its spread from shoots and leaves. The first symptoms are a powdery coating on the green part of apple trees, which can be removed quite easily. Over time, it acquires a denser structure and brown color, covering the affected areas with a crust. The development of the disease is manifested by the wilting of leaves and shoots, followed by falling off or dying off. Little by little the tree dies. The main danger of powdery mildew is that it spreads quite quickly through the garden, moving to other crops, and also easily winters in the folds of the bark and the topsoil.
As a treatment, the chemical preparation “Fitosporin” is used. Every spring, the trees must be sprayed with colloidal sulfur (diluting 80 grams of sulfur in 10 liters of water). Be sure to remove infected shoots, leaves, fruits or branches, as well as remove the old bark in the spring.
Apple cancer occurs with temperature changes and manifests itself as black or brown ulcers and growths. On the affected areas of the tree, the bark falls off. As a treatment, infected branches and bark are removed, also capturing some healthy tissue. Be sure to treat the tree with antiseptic preparations.
The apple tree does not get along very well with frost, so it will be a good favor to warm the near-stem circle with mulch, as well as wrapping the trunk (especially in young trees) with warming material.
Video “Apple Tree Beauty of Sverdlovsk”
This video talks about the apple tree “Krasa Sverdlovsk” and the features of caring for it.
Comments:
1. Pretty good variety. I have it adjacent to the “Iset Late” – a very good harvest.
2. If it is good to fertilize for the winter and pour enough sawdust with peat, then “Krasa” winters very well.