Contents
There are many varieties of apples, but the main attraction of the very best is the size and flavor of the fruit. The Champion apple tree as a variety was obtained in 1970 as a result of crossing Golden Delicious and Renet Orange Cox. Growing “Champions” is a very profitable business and you can please not only yourself, but also customers with tasty and fragrant apples if the cultivation in the garden is carried out for commercial purposes.
Description of the tree and fruits
A low-growing tree has a crown of medium density and an oval shape. Resistance to powdery mildew is average, and against scab is quite high. Consumers like the most colorful apples, and to get that result, you need to keep an eye on the orchard. The price of apples is quite high, and the variety itself is high-yielding. Description of the fruit and tree, customer reviews provide an opportunity to get a complete picture of what the fruits will be in your garden.
The apple tree blooms very profusely, and produces fruits of medium size, almost uniform, round-oval in shape and greenish-yellow in color. An orange-red blurred blush is seen on most of the fruit. Dense and elastic skin is quite thin. Light creamy pulp, medium density, but it has a very good aroma and a high level of juiciness. The sweet and sour taste of apples cannot be compared with other varieties. The fruits ripen in September, in its second half.
The peculiar taste of apples has gained popularity among most consumers. First, seedlings are planted, and after a while the trees begin to bear fruit, giving a bountiful harvest every year. Well-colored, tasty and healthy fruits can be grown if the number of ovaries and flowers is normalized. To avoid problems with coloring, which may appear in some years, you can spray the leaves.
The size of the tree is small, and the best location for it is considered to be a place where the sun’s rays constantly fall. The main color of the apple is yellow, with a dense red blush. Blush is most pronounced on the sunny side. Apples are medium to large in size. Their shape is correct, aligned, rounded or oval.
The specifics of growing
To grow a good crop, a tree must be properly looked after. After planting seedlings, trees grow quite quickly, and after the period of fruit growth begins, growth slows down significantly. Even with abundant fruiting, tree growth is weakened, and growth rates must be stimulated. The description of preventive procedures is as follows – pruning is used for such stimulation.
Variety “Champion” requires a reduction in the volume of the crown, which can ensure good quality apples. Fruits can also be harvested from young shoots, but they require at least a minimum strength. For harvesting, branches no older than three years should prevail on the crown. All shoots that are one year old and do not have a generative bud should be removed during the pruning process.
Such shoots must be removed, as they complete the flower bud and grow very poorly. The growth in one year from such shoots is up to 20 centimeters. It is impossible to get a quality harvest from them. Below is a photo of the fetus.
Good reviews about the crop are left only in case of proper care for it, as well as care for the garden and trees. The most fruitful seedlings with annual shoots are considered to be those that end with a bud, and their length is 25-30 centimeters. Even if all the shoots meet the established requirements, they cannot be left, and only those that are the most fruitful, do not cause crown overload and do not cause depression in the tree, are left.
During pruning, shoots are systematically left in the crown, unnecessary ones are removed, such shoots are those that are too old or too thick. Also useless can be called such branches that grow at an acute angle.
Knots should be left, as young shoots will grow from them. The tree is pruned so as to provide an optimal regime for the entry of light into the crown. Access to light makes the fruits well-colored even those that grow in the lower part of the crown. When pruning, chasing is used, the same as when forming other varieties. The Champion winter variety requires the entire package of growth and maintenance practices that apply to pruning and gardening.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the variety are very good taste, attractive appearance, fruiting speed and high yield.
You can verify the color qualities of apples from the photo. Growing for commercial purposes is different in that apples must be sold almost immediately, and cold stores are used for storage. High precocity greatly increases the likelihood of harvesting already in the third year after planting seedlings of young trees.
The fruits grow steadily, allowing you to enjoy the harvest of a large number of crops. A five or six-year-old apple tree sprouted from seedlings annually brings from 17 to 25 kg, which is quite a lot, given the small size of the tree. The main negative characteristic of the tree is its poor resistance to winter.
In cold climates, trees, and especially seedlings, require additional protection. Thus, they must be wrapped up for the winter, the average resistance to powdery mildew still allows you to protect the crop from such a negative effect of pathogenic bacteria. To protect the tree from disease, pruning is necessary.
Disadvantages, despite the resistance of the apple tree to pests, and especially such as the codling moth, are still associated with diseases. Bitter pitting or fire blight can significantly reduce the number of fruiting crops, reduce the number of healthy fruits that have good taste.
Video “How to grow an apple tree”
In the video, an experienced gardener gives tips on growing and caring for an apple tree.
