Contents
Offering a description of the Delight apricot variety, professional gardeners focus on its yield and good taste of ripe fruits. A high degree of frost resistance makes it possible to grow this fruit tree in almost all regions of the country.
History of breeding
The authors of the early ripe apricot Vostorg are breeders from the Southern Urals F. M. Gasimov and K. K. Mulloyanov. The variety was created on the basis of the Piquant apricot. In 1999, Rapture was included in the State Register.
Description of the early variety of apricot Delight
Apricot Delight is a stone fruit crop, the maximum height of which is 3 m. The lush and spreading crown of adult trees reaches 4-4,5 m in diameter.
The leaves are dark green, glossy. The shape of the leaf plate is typical for representatives of fruit trees – round, ovoid, pointed at the top, with a serrated edge. Petioles thin, grooved. The arrangement of leaves on the shoots is alternate.
Flowers solitary, five-petalled, 2,5-3 mm in diameter. Petals are white and pink. During flowering, apricot trees exude a pleasant aroma.
The fruits, as seen in the photo of the Delight apricot variety, are round, equilateral. The weight of one is 22-24 g, the size is 3-3,5 cm in diameter. The color of the fruit is yellow-orange, with reddish barrels. Apricot skin is loose, tender, not separating from medium-dense light orange juicy pulp. But the pulp itself easily moves away from the hard bone, inside which there are seeds (kernels) that have a bittersweet taste.
Apricot can be grown in almost all areas of the country
White and pink flowers attract bees
Features
The early apricot Vostorg has won the recognition of gardeners in many regions of the Federation. And this is not surprising, because he has quite good characteristics.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Apricot Rapture is characterized as a frost-resistant variety, therefore it is suitable for cultivation in areas with cool winters. This culture is not afraid of drought. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to water the tree 1-2 times a month during the warm season.
Apricot Pollinators Rapture
Variety of early apricot Rapture is self-fertile. This suggests that it will need pollinator trees for good yields. This role may be played by other varieties of this crop, the flowering period of which coincides with Vostorg, for example, Manchurian and Kichiginsky.
Flowering period and ripening period
Rapture is an early ripe apricot variety. Already in early May, the tree is covered with white-pink flowers, and at the end of June, you can get the first ripe fruits.
Ripe apricots appear in early July
yield, fruiting
Fruiting time is in July. The first apricots appear in the 3rd year. In the future, the tree bears fruit every summer throughout its life (about 30 years).
The average yield of Rapture apricot is 15 kg from an adult tree. The reason for its decrease can be sudden temperature fluctuations that provoke damage to the kidneys, high humidity, improper care and tree diseases.
The yield of the variety is about 15 kg per tree.
Scope of fruits
Apricots are distinguished by good taste, which makes it possible to consume them raw and use them for whole-fruit canning, in the process of making jams, compotes and jams.
In addition, dried fruits are made from apricots:
- dried apricots (dried apricot halves, pitted);
- apricot (dried whole fruits with a stone);
- kaisu (dried whole fruits without stones);
- ashtak (dried whole fruits without stones, but with kernels embedded in them).
Apricots are used fresh or processed.
Disease and pest resistance
Variety Delight is resistant to many diseases. However, high humidity and improper care can provoke the appearance of fungal diseases and pest attacks. To prevent such troubles, trees are sprayed with insecticidal and antifungal drugs.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popularity of the Delight apricot is due to the inherent advantages of this variety. He also has minor flaws, but with the right approach they can be eliminated.
One of the main advantages of the culture is the good taste of the fruit.
Pros:
- large size and good taste of fruits;
- high yield;
- drought resistance and ability to tolerate low temperatures;
- resistance to diseases;
- the versatility of the use of fruits.
Cons:
- self-infertility of the variety, which necessitates the presence of pollinating trees;
- the tendency of fruits to fall off;
- short shelf life of ripe apricots.
Features of landing
The rules for planting apricot Delight are identical to the rules for planting all fruit crops. You need to purchase good planting material, choose a suitable place and plant a tree.
Recommended dates
The best time to plant apricot Rapture is spring (April or May). This allows the young tree to get stronger enough before the onset of frost. In southern regions with warm winters, seedlings can be planted in the fall.
Choosing the right place
For growing this variety, a well-lit, as well as draft-protected corner of the garden with permeable neutral or slightly alkaline soil is suitable. If the soil is too acidic, it is neutralized with lime.
The tree does not like excess moisture, so a plot with a shallow groundwater location is not suitable for an apricot.
The distance between landings is not less than 4 meters
What crops can and cannot be planted next to an apricot
The ideal neighbors for Rapture would be apricots of a different variety. Nearby you can plant a plum or raspberry. True, the latter will not be very comfortable in the shade of a tree when it grows.
Apple and cherry will not harm the apricot, but will compete with it for moisture and nutrients. Therefore, the distance between these cultures should be at least 6 m.
Apricot feels good next to a pear, which cannot be said about the latter. As he grows, he can oppress his neighbor.
Selection and preparation of planting material
In the process of choosing seedlings, you need to pay attention to:
- the condition of the shoots is elastic, without damage, with a full leaf cover;
- the condition of the root system, which should be moist and without damage.
It is better to buy seedlings with closed roots
Landing algorithm
Apricot Rapture is planted in the same way as other fruit trees.
During boarding:
- dig a hole measuring 60×60 cm;
- drainage and a nutrient soil mixture prepared from a fertile layer of soil, peat, sand, organic and mineral fertilizers are placed at the bottom;
- the seedling is placed in the center of the hole, the roots are straightened and covered with soil;
- the apricot is watered, the soil in the root zone is mulched.
Culture aftercare
Cultural care involves the following activities:
- Watering. Apricot Delight is characterized as a drought-resistant variety, so it is not necessary to irrigate it too often. One abundant watering once a month and autumn watering before wintering will be enough.
- Additional fertilizing. Feeding apricot Rapture begins in the second year of life. Before the start of the growing season, fertilizers with nitrogen are applied. Before flowering, the tree is fed with potassium fertilizers, and in the fall – with mineral fertilizers, which include potassium and phosphorus.
- Removing weeds and loosening the soil. Weeds are recommended to be removed as they appear. The soil is loosened after each watering. If it is covered with mulch, loosening is not necessary.
- Trimming. Apricot Rapture is pruned twice a year. In the spring, sanitary pruning is carried out, during which dry and damaged branches are removed, and in the fall, forming, the purpose of which is to thin the crown.
- Disease Prevention. Before the start of the growing season, the tree is treated with fungicides and insecticides.
In spring and autumn, it is recommended to whitewash the stem of the tree to prevent damage. Whitewashing agent can be purchased ready-made in the store or prepared independently by adding copper sulfate to an aqueous solution of quicklime.
Feed the tree 3 times a year
Preparation for winter
Apricot Rapture is characterized as a frost-resistant variety, therefore it does not need protection from low temperatures. However, gardeners recommend wrapping the trunk. This will help protect the tree from rodents. In addition, before the arrival of cold weather, the tree is watered abundantly.
To protect the tree from rodents, the trunk is wrapped with thick cardboard.
Diseases and pests
Variety Delight is resistant to many diseases. However, excess moisture and improper care can provoke such troubles as:
- destroyed. The initial symptom of the disease is the appearance of brown spots on the vegetative parts of the tree. After a certain time, scab appears on the apricots themselves. In the process of treating the disease, the tree is sprayed with fungicides.
Scab affects not only leaves, but also fruits
- Cytosporosis. This disease is characterized by wilting of leaf plates, followed by drying of the branches. The disease can be dealt with only at the initial stage. To do this, damaged branches are removed, capturing a few centimeters of healthy tissue.
Cystosporosis can only be dealt with at an early stage
- leaf curl. Curly leaves sometimes cause a complete loss of the crop. The main symptom is the deformation of the leaves and the appearance of yellow swelling on them. In the process of fighting the disease, damaged shoots are eliminated and the tree is treated with preparations with copper.
Leaf curl can be identified by the presence of yellow blisters.
Can cause trouble and pests:
- Leaflet. A small gray-brown butterfly whose caterpillars eat leaves and buds.
Insecticides are used to kill leafworms.
- aphid. Small insects that destroy shoots and leaves. Get rid of aphids with insecticides.
Aphids feed on the juice of shoots and leaves.
Conclusion
Having studied the description of the apricot variety Vostorg, we can conclude that this culture feels good in almost all regions of the country. The tree does not need special care. With a minimum of effort, you can have a good harvest of juicy and fragrant apricots every year.
Reviews about apricot varieties Delight
