Contents
There are an incredible number of varieties of apples that you can grow in your garden. And among this magnificent variety, gardeners and breeders highly value apples of the Shtrifel variety. Distinguished not only by high yields, but also by a rich spicy taste, they deservedly occupy a leading position among their fellows in appearance. In this article, you will learn about the main advantages of the Shtrifel variety, how the crop is planted, grown and stored.
Variety description
The description of the variety should begin with the fact that, among other varieties of apples, “Shtrifel” stands out, first of all, with a well-developed trunk, a powerful root system and a lush crown, which is very reminiscent of a cauldron. The tree reaches a height of about 8 m, and the crown in diameter often reaches 9 m. This range implies the presence of free space so that the apple tree does not interfere with the growth of other plants in the garden.
The variety itself is unpretentious to climatic conditions, withstands low temperatures well. Even if it happens that the trees are frozen, in 2-3 years they completely restore their ability to bear fruit, which is especially important given that the apple tree begins to bear fruit only in the 8th year.
With sufficient watering in September, apples up to 100 g in weight are poured on the tree with juice. The apple itself is green-yellow, but the stripes that help distinguish the “Streefel” from any other variety are red. The rind is somewhat ribbed at the base of the fruit. The closer the apple is to ripening, the darker the color of the stripes becomes and the brighter the main skin color becomes.
If you cut an apple in half, you can see that its flesh is colored light yellow, distinctly turning pink closer to the peel. The description of the vitamin composition of the Shtrifel variety may be lengthy, so let’s go through the main points. 100 g of the product contains up to 10% sucrose, almost 1% ascorbic acid, about 12% pectins and a rich complex of minerals reaching a mass of 124 mg.
The apple tree of the Shtrifel variety has a high yield – at the peak of development, up to 300 kg of fruits can be harvested from one tree. However, at the same time, disadvantages should also be noted, which mainly consist in the unsuitability of apples for long-term storage and the weak drought resistance of the variety.
Peculiarities of growing
The good development of the tree depends on how much free space around, whether there is room for the root system of the tree to develop. It is also important to timely trim the crown, its formation, top dressing.
The high moisture requirement of the apple tree should be taken into account. Watering should be regular and plentiful.
For good fruiting, insecticides are treated several times a season to destroy colonies of red aphids and ants.
The description of planting seedlings does not make sense, it is almost identical to the procedure for planting other varieties. The only thing to consider is the distance between the trees. Because of the large crown, it should be twice as large, because when the planting has passed, it is impossible to move the trees. The nearest tree should be at least 10 m. Moreover, it is necessary to plant “Antonovka” or “Anis” nearby for pollination.
The apple tree requires timely fertilization. For foliar top dressing in the fall, superphosphate, manure and potassium are used. In the spring, ammonium nitrate is added to this mixture. You can also use ready-made mixtures of fertilizers. The proportion can be found by reading the description of the drug. Approximately in July, when the formation of fruits begins, the tree needs top dressing with phosphate and potassium.
Throughout the year, you need to monitor the condition of the crown and prevent its excessive thickening. Be sure to cut off frozen, dried, affected branches. So you contribute to the normal metabolism inside the tree, and also prevent the development of many diseases.
Throughout the year, the hole around the tree should be mulched with humus, which can be mixed with straw or sawdust, to maintain moisture in the root zone.
Collection and storage
Since the fresh storage of “Strief” fruits is possible until December at most, you should immediately decide which part of the crop you plan to keep fresh and which part to send for processing.
In any case, apples begin to be harvested in mid-September. Put them in wooden boxes, which can be lined with dry straw. The filled boxes must be placed in a dry and cool place. Remember that only those apples on which there are no damages, bruises, traces of rot are subject to storage. Sort them from time to time so that one spoiled apple does not ruin the entire harvest.
Video “Two types of apples of the Shtrifel variety”
In this video, a nursery worker demonstrates which apples can be obtained from trees of the Shtrifel (Autumn Striped) variety.
