Contents
The columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace differs from other fruit trees in appearance. However, the narrow canopy, along with the lack of long side branches, is not an obstacle to a good yield of the variety.
Breeding history (first name X-2)
The columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace (another name is X-2) was bred by breeder Mikhail Vitalievich Kachalkin on the basis of American and Canadian varieties, in particular, Macintosh. At first, the scientist called the new variety simply “X-2”, but later replaced it with the more beautiful “Moscow Necklace”.
A small crown of an apple tree Moscow necklace is not an obstacle to a good harvest
Characteristics of the columnar apple tree Moscow necklace
The Moscow Necklace is a semi-dwarf fruit crop that does not require much space to grow. However, despite its modest size, the tree not only becomes an ornament to the summer cottage, but also gives a good harvest of sweet and juicy apples.
Appearance of fruit and tree
Apple tree The Moscow necklace has the appearance of a column (hence the name “columnar”), strewn with a large number of apples. The height of an annual seedling is 80 cm, while an adult tree grows up to 2-3 m.
The trunk of the tree is not very thick, but strong, which allows it to withstand a bountiful harvest of fruits. The bark is brown.
The crown of the columnar apple tree Moscow necklace is narrow, straight, compact. Skeletal branches are short, covered with brown bark. Young shoots are green. The lateral ones are arranged vertically, which provides the fruits with good access to sunlight.
The leaves are dark green in color, shaped like an ellipse with a pointed tip.
Apples are large, spherical. The average weight of one fruit is 200 g. The peel is thin, glossy, in the stage of full ripeness it has a rich red tint. The pulp is fine-grained, dense, creamy yellow in color.
Columnar cultures can become a decoration of the garden
Life time
The tree can live up to 20-25 years. However, due to the end of the fruiting period after 15 years, it is not advisable to grow this apple tree in a garden plot.
Taste
Moscow necklace is a dessert variety. Apples are juicy, sweet and sour, with a delicate fruity aroma.
Growing regions
The culture is suitable for growing in different climatic regions. However, this variety is more popular in the regions of central Our Country and in southern Siberia.
Productivity
The columnar apple tree bears fruit every year. The yield of the variety is estimated as high, its peak falls on 4-6 years of life. The annual yield of such a tree is approximately 10 kg of apples.
Stable fruiting usually continues until the age of twelve, then the yield decreases. After the 15th year of life, the tree almost completely stops bearing fruit.
The first fruits appear next autumn
Frost resistance
The columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace is characterized as a frost-resistant variety. In areas with snowy winters, mature trees can normally tolerate temperatures as low as -45°C. But for the winter it is better to cover young seedlings with thick cardboard, agricultural fabric or spruce branches. This will help protect them from icy winds and hare raids.
Disease and pest resistance
This variety, with proper care, is resistant to fungal diseases. However, excessive moisture and non-compliance with growing recommendations can cause such problems:
- Brown spot. The cause of the disease is a fungus that lives in the upper layers of the soil. You can determine the presence of the disease by brown and yellow spots on the surface of the leaves. During the treatment, the affected leaves are removed, after which the crown is treated with fungicides.
Yellow and brown spots appear on the leaves with brown spotting.
- Fruit rot. The first sign of the disease is brown spots on the surface of the fruit. After some time, the apples are deformed and completely covered with rot. In the process of treatment, the affected fruits are plucked, and the tree is treated with fungicidal preparations.
Rotten fruits are plucked
- Codling moth caterpillar. During the flowering period, the codling moth caterpillar butterfly leaves eggs on the leaves, from which small larvae then appear. Caterpillars destroy the ovaries and penetrate into the formed fruits, making them unsuitable for consumption and storage. To destroy the codling moth, insecticides are used.
Codling moth gets inside the apple
Flowering period
The flowering of the columnar apple tree The Moscow Necklace begins in late spring. Young trees can bloom in the first spring of their lives, covered with beautiful, white and pink flowers.
The columnar apple tree blooms in the first spring
When the columnar apple tree ripens Moscow Necklace
The first fruits ripen in the second autumn. True, this harvest does not happen big. Only 6-7 apples ripen on a tree. Harvest is in October.
Pollinators of the columnar apple tree Moscow necklace
The columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace is a self-fertile variety. Therefore, for cross-pollination and the formation of an ovary, other apple trees must grow in the immediate vicinity of the tree, the flowering period of which coincides with the Moscow Necklace. Suitable pollinators may be columnar Vasyugan or President.
Transportation and storage
Apples are distinguished by good keeping quality; under the right conditions, they retain decorative and gustatory qualities for 2-3 months. Before transportation, it is recommended to put the fruits in boxes, sprinkled with wood shavings or cut paper.
Advantages and disadvantages of the apple tree variety Moscow Necklace
The compact columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace X-2 attracts attention with its decorative effect. However, this is not the only positive quality of the variety.
Advantages:
- beautiful view and compact culture;
- good taste of fruits;
- unpretentiousness and easy care;
- good frost resistance;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- normal keeping quality of apples and the possibility of their transportation.
Disadvantages:
- relatively short fruiting period.
In the list of advantages, decorativeness and compactness of the columnar culture
Planting an apple tree Moscow necklace
Planting material of the columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace should be purchased at a nursery or a specialized store. Shoots are better to choose annuals, they must have a smooth trunk, viable roots and a full leaf cover.
The tendency of the variety to bloom in the first year can weaken spring seedlings. Therefore, it is better to plant the Moscow Necklace in late September or early November. In this case, the seedling will have time to take root well before the arrival of cold weather, in order to please the first fruits next autumn.
The site chosen for the columnar apple tree should be well lit by the sun, but at the same time be protected from drafts and cold winds. The tree does not tolerate excess moisture, so a site with a close occurrence of groundwater is not suitable for growing it.
The soil should be breathable, fertile with neutral acidity. Ideally, choose areas with black soil, loamy or sandy soil.
During boarding:
- dig a hole about 80 cm deep and wide;
- a fertile mixture is made from the topsoil, combining it with humus, compost and mineral fertilizers;
- drainage is placed at the bottom of the pit (pebbles or broken bricks), after which the prepared soil mixture is poured;
- place the seedling in the middle of the hole, gently straightening its roots;
- fill the hole with the remaining soil;
- the earth in the root zone is lightly tamped and an earthen roller is formed for irrigation;
- tie a seedling to a support – a peg, which is driven in next to the trunk;
- the seedling is watered with two buckets of water, after which the soil in the root zone is mulched.
If it is planned to plant several trees, they are placed in rows, the gap between which is 1,5 m. The seedlings are placed at a distance of 50 cm.
Apple trees are placed at a distance of 50 cm
Cultivation and care
Rules for caring for a columnar apple tree The Moscow necklace is not particularly difficult.
Young seedlings require regular watering as the soil dries. In the dry season, it is recommended to shower the apple trees twice a month.
In order to increase productivity, as well as improve the quality of fruits, the columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace is systematically fed:
- in the second spring, in the process of loosening the soil, urea is introduced into the root zone;
- before the beginning of the flowering period, seedlings are fed with rotted cow dung diluted in water;
- after the end of the flowering period, wood ash is introduced into the root zone;
- before wintering, the ground in the root zone is fertilized with humus.
The Moscow Necklace variety almost does not need pruning. Cut only deformed and dry branches.
Water the apple tree as needed
Collection and storage
Apples reach full ripeness in October. Given the ability to crack, apples intended for further storage or transportation should be harvested by hand and carefully placed in a wooden or plastic container. In a dark cool month, the fruits do not lose their taste and decorative qualities for 2 months.
Warning! Before storing apples for storage, they should be sorted out, removing damaged and rotten ones.
Conclusion
The columnar apple tree Moscow Necklace is a late-ripening variety that, with minimal care, gives a stable harvest. And the compact shape of the trees allows them to be grown in small areas.
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