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It doesn’t matter what area the summer cottage or country estate has, there is always little space for a good owner. After all, I want to plant both vegetables and fruits, decorate the site with flowers and bushes, set up a gazebo and put up a barbecue, and also artificial reservoirs are at the peak of popularity today!
It is not surprising that ordinary fruit trees often do not have enough space, because their crowns are spreading and can occupy several square meters of valuable area. The solution to this problem was the emergence of new varieties of garden trees – columnar plums, cherries, pears and apple trees. The main feature of columnar apple trees is their compactness, so they quickly gained popularity among summer residents of the Moscow region and other regions of Our Country.
Varieties of columnar apple trees suitable for the climate of the Moscow region will be discussed in this article. Here we will talk about the advantages of this type of trees, as well as the features of their cultivation.
Features of columnar apple trees
Columnar apple trees are low miniature trees that begin to bear fruit two years after planting. Such apple trees are famous for their high yield, and most importantly, they do not take up much space in the garden.
The branches of columnar apple trees are directed upwards, they have a strong trunk and are literally strewn with fruits. Externally, the structure of such a tree resembles a column, hence the name of the species.
Gardeners love columnar trees for characteristics such as:
- high yield;
- unpretentiousness;
- ease of landing and care;
- good survival of seedlings;
- diminutiveness.
Of course, columnar trees also have their own characteristics, some disadvantages – this will be discussed below.
Columnar varieties for the Moscow region
The climate of the Moscow region is very ambiguous: it has hot summers and relatively cold winters. That’s why not all varieties of fruit trees and other crops are suitable for growing in this region.
Columnar apple trees for the Moscow region must have a number of characteristics in order to grow normally and bear fruit well in this climatic zone. Among these factors:
- Frost resistance Most of the columnar apple trees are able to withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees, while in the Moscow region frosts over 30 degrees are not uncommon.
- resistance to fungal infections. Summer in the Moscow region is mostly warm and humid, often the weather is cloudy and cool. Under such conditions, fungi and various bacteria reproduce especially well, so columnar apple trees are affected by scab, cytosporosis or powdery mildew. A variety for the Moscow region should have good immunity to such infections.
- Skoroplodnost also does not hurt, because not everyone has the desire and the opportunity to wait 5-7 years until the tree begins to bear fruit. While columnar apple trees begin to produce already in the 2-3rd year after planting.
- fruiting frequency. Most columnar apple trees are able to bear fruit abundantly only once every two years, in the next season the tree “rests”. Among the columnar varieties, there are those that give consistently high yields every year.
- Weather resistant. Summer in Moscow is often sultry, long periods of drought, strong winds, hail and other natural disasters are not uncommon. Low columnar apple trees with meek shoots are much more stable than tall and sprawling trees of the usual variety. Columnar trees tolerate drought well, they are not afraid of the wind, so these varieties can be safely grown in the Moscow region.
Classification of apple trees
In modern breeding, there are hundreds and thousands of varieties of apple trees, and they all differ in some way: yield, fruit quality, taste and color of apples, resistance and frost resistance of trees, ripening time, and so on.
Probably the most important factor for gardeners is the fruit ripening period or the growing season – the time during which the flowers turn into ovaries and into ripe fruits. Columnar apple trees for the Moscow region, like other varieties, are divided according to this feature into three large groups:
- Summer varieties of columnar apple trees, such as Medoc or President, ripen in the summer, that is, they have the earliest ripening dates. Usually the harvest from such apple trees is harvested in the first half of August. These fruits are tasty fresh, but are stored for a very short time.
- Autumn varieties bear fruit in September, these include Jin, Titania and Vasyugan. These apples are good both fresh and in jams, compotes, they can be dried or dried. The mid-season crop is stored better than the early one, but the fruits do not lie until spring.
- Winter varieties of columnar apple trees differ in amazing keeping quality – their fruits can lie safe and sound until February and even until March. These columnar apples ripen in late autumn. They include the Moscow Necklace, Arbat and Bolero.
Popular varieties
The best columnar apple trees for the Moscow region are united by one important quality – the ability to survive in a difficult and even harsh climate. Before you buy a seedling and dwell on a particular variety, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of them. The gardener must understand that any columnar apple tree has both strengths and weaknesses. All these qualities must be weighed and compared with the conditions of a particular site.
Trees and fruits of each variety will be presented in the photo.
Vasyugan
Vasyugan is great for the Moscow region, because this apple tree is able to withstand temperatures as low as -42 degrees without shelter. Despite the harsh climate tests, the columnar tree pleases with abundant harvests of fairly large apples – the average fruit weight is 200 grams.
The variety is considered semi-dwarf, since its crown is quite massive and sprawling. There are many rings on the tree, on which apples are tied and ripen. The yield of the columnar variety Vasyugan is declared within six kilograms per tree, but this figure can be easily increased by providing sufficient care for the columnar apple tree.
Vasyugan bears fruit already in the year of planting (if the tree was planted in the spring), but you should not immediately expect huge harvests – for the first time it is only a few fruits. Starting from the third year of life, the apple tree bears fruit steadily.
Nectar
Early varieties of columnar apple trees can also grow in the Moscow region, a great example is the Medok variety. The fruits of this columnar tree ripen in the first days of autumn.
The Medoc apple tree is characterized by strong immunity, good frost resistance, compact size and high yield. In height, the tree grows no more than two meters. Withstands temperatures down to -40 degrees in winter.
The early maturity of the columnar variety is very good – in the first year after planting, it is quite possible to harvest a full-fledged crop. The yield is excellent – about 6-9 kg from each miniature tree. But the fruits are stored poorly, no more than a month, so they need to be eaten or sold as quickly as possible.
Currency
This apple tree is miniature and compact, frost-resistant and very prolific. A feature of the columnar variety is the different sizes of its fruits: depending on the growing conditions, the tree can produce both large and medium or small fruits.
The resistance of the apple tree to fungal infections is simply amazing: most gardeners do even without preventive treatment of the tree. Ripening dates are late, apples can be stored for a long time (3-4 months).
With all the pluses, the columnar variety Currency is very demanding on the composition of the soil. If the earth is not fed, the apple tree may not bloom in the spring or may not set fruit. As a fertilizer, it is better to use balanced mineral complexes for apple trees. For a good yield, a columnar tree is recommended to be planted in an open area that is well lit by the sun.
President
Another miniature columnar variety, reaching a maximum of two meters in height. The main advantage of this variety is a very high yield. In the first year after planting, you can collect up to six kilograms of apples, already in the fourth season, the President will give about 20 kg per tree.
Another advantage is the annual abundant fruiting. This apple tree does not need to “rest”, every year its trunk and stems are covered with a huge amount of fruit. The apples are large, their shape is slightly flattened, the color is pinkish.
The columnar variety is valued both for frost resistance and for the good survival of seedlings in any conditions. Although apples ripen early (in the last days of August), they can be stored for up to six months.
Moscow Necklace
Productivity, resistance to cold, diseases and pests – these are the main advantages of the columnar Moscow Necklace. The tree is small (up to two meters), strewn with foliage and apples – it looks very beautiful. Therefore, the variety is often used in landscape design, so the apple tree can not only feed the family, but also decorate the plot.
The roots of the columnar variety are elastic and undemanding, so the apple tree takes root well. The fruits of the variety are large – weighing about 250 grams, with a blush. The taste of apples is pleasant, dessert – sweetness with a slight sourness.
Harvested in mid-September, apples can be stored for several months if placed in suitable conditions. The highest yields are observed in columnar trees planted in well-lit areas with loamy or sandy loamy soil.
Baby
The columnar tree of this variety is literally strewn with large egg-yellow fruits. Apples weigh from 150 to 200 grams, have a good taste, are often called dessert.
The gardener should be aware that Malyukha is not as hardy as the other varieties listed here. Therefore, a tree in the conditions of the Moscow region will have to be covered with rags or other materials. A columnar tree can lose its original shape, so Malyukha needs to be cut regularly to form its crown.
The apple tree prefers light, moisture-permeable soils, loves the sun and space. The little one does not tolerate the wind well, so secluded corners of the garden are preferred for planting.
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Conclusion
Not all columnar apple trees are suitable for growing in the climate of the Moscow region, but there are several varieties that are great for such conditions. In order to grow and bear fruit in a difficult climate, a variety must have a number of certain factors, including frost resistance, disease resistance, precocity, and unpretentiousness. If a gardener from the Moscow region wants to plant a columnar tree in his garden, it is better to choose a variety from the list above.
