Apple tree Ranetka: features and characteristics of the variety

Overview

“Ranetka” is the common name for several small-fruited apple trees that appeared by crossing the Siberian berry apple tree and European varieties, as well as the Siberian berry and plum-leaved apple trees, also called “Chinese”. The result is trees with high winter hardiness, increased productivity and good resistance to sunburn.

The apple tree variety received a large number of characteristics from the Siberian berry (“Sibirka”). Trees adapt to most climatic conditions, while there are separate types of “ranets” that are zoned for the Urals, Altai and the Far East.

Description and characteristics

As noted above, “Ranetka” is not one apple variety, but a collective name for several hybrids. Below is a description of the most popular species that have won the love of gardeners in all corners of the country.

One of the first worth noting is the Dobrynya variety, which received high winter hardiness and vigorous growth from the Siberian. The trees are well resistant to scab and have moderate drought tolerance. Early fruiting is average, the first harvest can be obtained already in the 4th year of growing a tree in the garden, removing up to 50 kilograms of apples from one tree. However, the harvest is cyclical – every 3-4 years it decreases slightly. Fruits weighing up to 14 grams are formed on the branches, one-dimensional, flattened, with pronounced ribbing. The peel is dark purple in color with a slight wax coating. The pulp is slightly greenish, dense, juicy, with a pronounced sweet and sour taste and notes of astringency. The fruits ripen by the beginning of September, and the commercial qualities of apples can be preserved until mid-February.

The “Long” apple tree variety is distinguished by medium height of trees and fairly good resistance to low temperatures. Trees enter the fruiting phase at 4-5 years of growth in the garden. Usually bear fruit at an average level – up to 25 kilograms of apples from each tree. Like almost all Siberian hybrids, the “Long” variety is resistant to scab. The fruits are relatively large, weighing up to 13 grams, oval in shape, with a rich purple skin and a slight wax coating. The flesh of apples is white, pierced with many red veins, juicy, with a stable and strong aroma, sour-sweet in taste. Apples ripen by the beginning of September, however, they can be preserved for a maximum of 2 months.

“Ranetka Krasnaya” is another apple variety with small apples weighing up to 9 grams. The apples have an even purple color, cream-colored flesh, very juicy and sour, with distinct tart notes. The apple tree has good winter hardiness and growth duration. The harvest “Red” ripens in early September. The fruits are often used to make juices and purees. However, this variety can not be stored for longer than 2 months.

Variety “Ranetka Zolotaya” refers to columnar apple trees that bear fruit in the second year of growth in your garden. The trees are medium-sized, bearing small yellow fruits with a blush on the side facing the sun. However, over time, they turn completely yellow, fully justifying the name given to the “Golden” variety. The flesh of the fruit is white, with a slight yellowish tint, juicy and sweet, with a subtle astringency. Apples ripen by early September, and the harvest is relatively stable year after year.

The Raspberry variety also deserves a detailed description, since it is characterized by high winter hardiness and early maturity – the first crop can be harvested as early as two years after planting. It is characterized by stable fruiting, although apples grow up to 6 grams in weight. In the ripening phase, the fruits are round, slightly conical in shape with a dark raspberry skin and a bluish bloom. The pulp is juicy, slightly pinkish, sweet-sour. Apples have good keeping quality. They ripen in early September, and after harvest they can be stored for up to 6 months.

The Yantarnaya variety, better known as the Altai Yantarka, is distinguished not only by high winter hardiness, but also by longevity. Trees grow tall, bear fruit already for 4 years of growth in the garden, which is most important – they are distinguished by stable and high fruiting. Fruits ripen weighing up to 10 grams, spherical, ribbed with a light yellow skin. The flesh of apples is yellow, very juicy, but it tastes sour with hints of astringency.

Often, “ranetki” are distinguished by a dense, pyramidal crown, strong trees. But at the same time, they are extremely susceptible to scab and moniliosis, and regularly become a haven for apple moths. Gardeners love these apple trees for their decorative appearance, and their fruits for their high content of nutrients, which is several times higher than the chemical composition of ordinary apples.

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Planting and care

The description of the place for planting apple trees “ranetok” is not much different from choosing a place for planting any apple tree. It is desirable that the groundwater does not lie too close to the surface of the earth, the site itself is well lit and not too windy.

Pits for planting are dug up to a depth of 90 centimeters, the width varies from the size of the roots. Between apple trees there should be at least 70 centimeters of distance, and the row spacing should take 1-1,5 meters. The bottom of the pit is filled with a mixture of humus, soil, ammonium nitrate, potassium and superphosphate. Before planting, the roots of the seedling are carefully straightened, the ground around it is carefully tamped, and then the pit is well watered.

Every spring, it is necessary to treat apple trees with fungicides and insecticides of complex action in order to protect against the development of diseases. Of course, most varieties are resistant to scab or powdery mildew, however, prevention enhances the immunity of trees and helps to save the crop at the proper level.

Carefully read the description of preparations for the treatment of trees before use!

Check tree branches carefully and annually and remove old, dead or frozen branches to help the tree develop better and faster.

Fighting diseases and pests

Despite the fact that the “ranets” are quite resistant to fungal diseases and attacks by most pests, their description will not hurt. After all, he who is warned is armed.

First of all, it should be noted apple moth. These are small butterflies, with a wingspan of 2 centimeters. Butterfly caterpillars hibernate in the bark of branches and fallen leaves. After it gets warmer outside, they get out of their hiding places and begin to actively eat the buds and young leaves of apple trees. Over time, the caterpillars braid the leaves and individual sections of the bark with cobwebs, in which they subsequently pupate. A new generation of moths emerge from the pupae, which continue to eat the green part of the tree, and then lay eggs.

To get rid of the invasion of the apple moth, it is necessary to spray the trees with Antio, Gardon or Metaphos every spring and autumn, as well as collect and burn the web that the caterpillars weave.

Moniliosis as a disease manifests itself in the form of fruit rot or monilial burn. Fruit rot is a fungal disease that primarily affects the fruits of plants, which then become unusable. The first symptoms of the disease are small brown spots that grow rapidly over the entire plane of the fetus. Gray pads of conidia develop in the center of the spot. They ripen quickly and already on the 10th day, spores from conidia begin to spread to neighboring fruits and plants. Monilial burn often affects plants in the southern regions, but often rages in the Far East. Infected buds, leaves, fruit twigs, spears and annelids turn brown and dry out.

As a fight against moniliosis, fungicidal preparations of complex action are used: “Horus”, “Strobi”, “Gamair”.

Scab is another fungal disease. It often appears as light spots on young leaves, which eventually become covered with an olive-brown coating, and then turn black. The parts of the tree affected by the disease gradually wither, dry out, and then die. First of all, it is necessary to cut off the infected parts and burn them. Trees must be sprayed with the Zircon preparation, and the soil in the near-stem circle should be dug up and watered with a 10% solution of ammonium nitrate.

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