Apple tree Zhigulevskoe

Back in 1936, at the Samara experimental station, breeder Sergei Kedrin bred a new variety of apples. Apple tree Zhigulevskoe was obtained by hybridization. The parents of the new fruit tree were the “American” Wagner and the variety Borovinka.

The plant was included in the State Register. Despite its considerable age, the Zhigulevskoye variety is still held in high esteem by gardeners. Apple tree Zhigulevskoe belongs to the autumn varieties and is widespread in many regions of Our Country.

Description

To understand the characteristics of the plant, you need to know the description of the Zhigulevskoye apple variety, gardeners’ reviews, and also see photos of the plant in different growing seasons.

Apple trees of this variety have a well-developed root system capable of extracting water and nutrition. But the plant does not tolerate excessive moisture, so the fruit tree is not planted in low and swampy places.

Crown

The height of the Zhigulevsky apple tree is about three meters. If grafted on a dwarf rootstock, then the variety does not grow above two meters.

The shape of the crown can be highly rounded or wide pyramidal, depending on pruning. Experienced gardeners prefer the pyramidal version, since the crown of the apple tree is not very thickened, light and air penetrate to each branch.

Apple trees of the Zhigulevkoe variety are distinguished by dark brown straight, slightly raised shoots. In spring, the buds awaken at the same time.

In the description given by the author of the variety, the apple tree has bright green large leaves of an oblong ovoid shape. The leaf blade resembles a boat. There are small notches along the edges, and the top of the sheet is slightly bent inward.

Flowers

The fruit tree blooms early, when there is still a threat of spring frosts. Therefore, gardeners have to resort to plant protection so that the flowers do not freeze.

During flowering, the Zhigulevskoe variety apple tree (see photo) is covered with whitish-pink flowers and becomes like a bride.

The flowers are large, opened like saucers. The self-fertility of the apple tree is average, therefore, experienced gardeners are advised to plant pollinator plants in the garden, the flowering of which coincides with the Zhigulevskoye variety. For example:

• Kuibyshevskoe;
• Anise gray;
• Antonovka ordinary;
• Spartacus;
• Kutuzovets.

If there are hives in the garden, then additional pollination is not required.

Fruit

According to the description, reviews, as well as photos, apples of the Zhigulevskoe variety are large in size. Their weight is from 120 to 200 grams. There are also record holders gaining weight within 350 grams. The shape is rounded or with wide ribs.

The Zhigulevskoe apple is half painted dark red. The rest of the surface is rich yellow with slight tuberosity, sometimes warty. If you look at the photo of apples, then stripes and dots are clearly visible on them. Apples of this variety with a shiny, firm, oily skin. The seeds are in a closed bulb-shaped chamber.

Apple varieties Zhigulevskoe, according to the description and reviews of consumers, tasty, sour-sweet, low-juicy. And although the assessment of tasters is only 3,8 out of 5 points, the fruits are popular for their delicate, coarse-grained creamy flesh. The composition of apples contains pectin (13,2%), ascorbic acid (10,1-15,0 mg / 100 g).

Characteristics of the apple tree

When choosing fruit trees for their plot, gardeners try to find out the characteristic features of the plant, its positive and negative sides.

Advantages

1. Apple tree Zhigulevskoe, according to gardeners, is a high-yielding and early-growing tree. One plant at the age of 5-6 years gives up to 240 kilograms of apples.

   

2. The ripening period is extended. Novice gardeners are interested in when to pick Zhiguli apples. Harvesting begins in late August or early September, depending on the region.
3. Harvested apples ripen for two weeks. After that, they become sweeter.
4. The keeping quality of dense fruits is high. Apples are stored almost until the New Year, taste and usefulness do not disappear.
5. Transportability is excellent. When transported over long distances, the fruits do not lose their presentation.
6. The Zhigulevskoye apple variety is highly valued by nutritionists. The fruits are 87% water, so they are classified as dietary products.
7. The use of apples is universal.
8. Fruit trees of this variety are suitable for summer cottages and commercial cultivation.
9. The Zhigulevskoye apple tree is resistant to some crop diseases, in particular scab.

Disadvantages

No matter how good the Zhigulevskoye apple tree is, it still has some disadvantages:

1. The winter hardiness of the plant is low, early flowering occurs at a time when spring frosts can return.
2. Scab apple tree Zhigulevskaya is rarely affected, but it is not always possible to get rid of the codling moth. You have to devote a lot of time and effort to the processing of fruit trees.
3. Mature plants rest from time to time, which reduces yields.

planting apple trees

Planting and caring for the Zhigulevskaya apple tree is not much different from other related crops. According to the rules, work is carried out in the fall. Let’s take a look at this question:

1. 30 days before planting, they dig a hole. Its depth is at least 70 cm, with a diameter of about 100 cm. When digging, the upper fertile layer is folded on one side, the remaining earth on the other. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pit.

   

2. Then a wooden stake is fired and driven into the center of the landing pit. 50 cm of support should remain above the surface. After planting, an apple tree seedling is tied to it.
3. The removed topsoil is mixed with a bucket of manure, 800 grams of wood ash and 1 kg of nitroammofoska. This nutrition of the Zhigulevskaya apple tree, according to experts and reviews of gardeners, is enough for three years. Pour part of the soil mixture into the bottom of the pit with a tubercle.
4. The seedling is placed on a hillock. The peg should be in the south. Straighten the root system and lightly sprinkle with earth. The root neck should rise above the ground by 5 cm.
5. The sapling of the Zhigulevskoe apple tree is wrapped with a gasket and tied to a support with a figure eight, topped up with soil and watered. Water will need about four buckets.

   

Tree care

Feeding rules

To get a rich harvest of apples, plants need to be fed. The first three years after planting, if the soil was well fertilized, fertilizing, if carried out, is in minimal quantities. In other cases, apple trees are fed three times per season.

Apply mineral or organic fertilizers, depending on the preferences of gardeners.

Spring

In the spring, after the leaves appear, the apple tree needs to be fed with fertilizers containing nitrogen.

You can use any of the options below (per plant). The main thing is to take only one of the fertilizers and lay them out in the trunk circle:

• Nitroammophoska – 30-40 grams;
• Ammonium nitrate – 30-40 grams;
• Urea – 0,5 kg;
• Humus – 4 buckets.

Then the soil is loosened to mix the fertilizer with the soil, and the apple trees are watered.

Flowering

When buds bloom on the apple trees of the Zhigulevskoye variety, the plant is in dire need of potassium and phosphorus. At this time, liquid top dressing with one of the fertilizers is needed:

• Potassium sulphate – 60 grams;
• Superphosphate – 100 grams;
• Carbamide – 300 grams;
• mullein – ½ bucket;
• chicken manure – 2 liters.

Any top dressing is diluted with one bucket of water. Under each apple tree of the Zhigulevskoye variety, 4 buckets of fertilizer are poured.

Fruit pouring

During the pouring of apples, the plants also need to be fed. Either option can be used:

1. 10 buckets of water are poured into a large barrel, potassium humate (10 grams), nitrophoska (500 grams) are poured. Everything is well mixed. For one apple tree, 2-3 buckets of liquid top dressing are needed.
2. Fill a large container with chopped green grass without seeds and pour water in a ratio of 1:10. Close the barrel with foil, leaving a small hole. Green manure will be ready in 25 days.

Apple trees perceive foliar top dressing well:

• in July, fruit trees of any variety are sprayed with a solution of potassium and phosphorus;
• in the fall, a solution is prepared from potassium and double superphosphate.

Features of watering

Plants feel comfortable if the ground gets wet to a depth of 80 cm.

Fruit trees are watered abundantly three times:

• before flowering;
• during the pouring of fruits;
• in autumn, before wintering, water-charging irrigation is carried out.

Up to 20 buckets of water are poured under one adult apple tree. Watering is carried out in furrows along the perimeter of the apple tree.

Young trees are watered more often, up to 5 times during the growing season. One apple tree will require about 4 buckets of water. They are also watered into a furrow in the near-trunk circle.

The soil is loosened under the Zhiguli apple trees three days after watering, then mulch is laid. To do this, you can use peat, humus, sand or rotted sawdust.

Crown formation

Apple trees of the Zhigulevskaya variety, according to the description, do not form a large root shoot. It is cut as it grows. And in the spring, until the leaves have blossomed, they carry out a formative pruning of the crown. In autumn, broken, dried branches and shoots that did not bear fruit are removed.

Stlantsi

If the Zhiguli apple trees are grown in the northern regions, then they are formed in a horizontal position. The height of the stlantsa for the convenience of shelter should not be higher than three meters.

To form such a crown, shoots are distributed horizontally on the ground in July and secured with metal hooks. In the spring, the hooks are removed to guide the branches upwards. Otherwise, tops grow.

In the second half of June, pinching of young twigs is carried out. 3 or 4 leaves are left on them so that new shoots grow from the buds.

Tree processing

1. From scab and various pests, fruit trees are treated with a safe and effective Healthy Garden remedy. Use the drug strictly according to the instructions.
2. In winter, apple trees can suffer from mice. These small pests are very afraid of the smell of diesel fuel. Therefore, rags soaked in this substance are placed under the trees.
3. So that the plants do not get burned, they must be whitened in spring and autumn with chalk, lime or special paint.

It is not difficult to grow a Zhigulevskoye apple tree, the main thing is to know agricultural technology and follow the rules.

Reviews