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As you know, there are a great many varieties of apple trees – summer, winter, autumn. Gardeners all over the world can arrange varieties in their gardens, producing stunning bouquets of flavors and aromas every year. In this article, we will consider the Silver Hoof apple variety, which was presented to us by the Sverdlovsk Experimental Horticulture Station and the scientist L. A. Kotov. You will also find a detailed description of the variety, historical information about the creation of the Silver Hoof, features of growing and caring for apple trees.
Pollination
“Silverhoof” is one of the self-fertile varieties, so the trees will need pollinating neighbors. Through trial and error, gardeners found out that the Anis Sverdlovsky variety is the best pollinator. However, you can choose a pollinator yourself, the main thing is that the variety blooms and bears fruit at the same time as Silver Hoof. The maximum distance between apple trees should not exceed 1 kilometer.
Appearance of an apple tree
The description of the apple tree should begin with the fact that the tree grows of medium height, while it has a compact, rounded crown. This allows you to plant apple trees quite close to each other. Skeletal branches are covered with light yellow bark, located almost at right angles to the trunk. The arrangement of branches is predominantly straight, while being extremely compact. Fruiting takes place on kolchatka, fruit spears and last year’s growths.
The shoots of the Silverhoof trees are not very thick, straight, very heavily pubescent and dark brown with a reddish tint. The crown is filled with light green, with a matte sheen, leaves. They are round in shape with raised, double-crested serrated edges. Flower buds are rounded, broadly cupped. The buds open into medium-sized cup-shaped white flowers. The petals are semi-closed, the stigmas of the pistils rise slightly above the anthers.
The apples of this variety are small, rarely medium in size, weighing no more than 90 grams. They are rounded, smooth, ribbing is almost not expressed. The peel is tender, dry with a pronounced wax coating, subcutaneous points are almost invisible. The main color of the apples is rich cream, but a blurred orange-red blush is located almost over the entire surface. The stem is short, not very thick. Funnel sharp conical shape, gray-green. The core is small, shaped like a turnip, the seed chambers are open, small, filled with dark brown seeds.
“Silver Hoof” ripens in mid-August, and the commercial qualities of the fruit can be preserved until the end of October. If you leave the apples on the branches until early September, they become translucent.
The pulp has a rich sweet and sour taste, light, dense with a fine-grained structure, extremely juicy, but does not have a pronounced aroma. For 100 grams of apple pulp, there are:
- 13% solids;
- 11% sugar;
- 0,8% titratable acids;
- 13 mg of ascorbic acid;
- 112 mg P-active substances.
Apples of this variety tolerate transportation well.
History of breeding
For the first time, the variety “Silver Hoof” was bred in 1988 after crossing the varieties “Rainbow” and “Snezhinka”. The development and improvement of the variety was carried out by the breeder L. A. Kotov at the Sverdlovsk Experimental Horticulture Station.
“Silver Hoof” is intended for cultivation in the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan and Kirov regions, as well as Kazakhstan. However, the apple tree grows best in the West Siberian region.
Productivity
“Silver Hoof” refers to moderately fast-growing varieties, the first harvest can be obtained from four-year-old trees. However, it will not have all of the above characteristics. In full force, apple trees bear fruit in the fifth or sixth year. At the same time, its stable yield can be considered an undoubted advantage of the variety. This means that every year you will receive the same number of apples from each tree, except for those cases when agricultural technology is violated during cultivation – this leads to a decrease in the size of apples in particular and the harvest in general.
Planting and care
Planting varieties “Silver Hoof” is carried out both in spring and autumn. However, based on the experience of most gardeners, it is definitely recommended to plant apple trees in the fall. You will need a well-lit place, the groundwater level should be as deep as possible so as not to harm the root system of the trees. It is desirable that the site has light, loose soil that will not interfere with the access of oxygen to the roots.
Instructions for planting an apple tree seedling
For planting, you will need a hole 60-70 centimeters deep, allowing you to easily place a seedling with straightened roots. The pit is filled with a mixture of humus (4 kilograms), superphosphate (40 grams), potassium (20 grams) and urea (20 grams). In order not to burn the roots, sprinkle fertilizer with clean earth, forming a small mound on which to place the seedling. Fasten it to the support peg and proceed to fill the hole with earth. At the end of the procedure, water the seedling abundantly, pouring water until it is absorbed.
Caring for the Silver Hoof is easy. In the second year of a tree’s life, it is necessary to form a crown, cutting off about a third of the length of the shoots. In the first four years of growing an apple tree in your garden, you need to cut off all the ovaries so that the tree concentrates on growth, not fruiting. This will help improve the quality and quantity of the crop. In subsequent years, it is recommended to remove the central ovary in the inflorescence.
In addition, the tree needs regular loosening of the soil in the trunk circle, as well as stable watering and top dressing. Water apple trees several times a month. Also, it will not be possible to do without preventive treatments with fungicides and insecticides to protect trees from pests. Spraying is carried out twice a year: when the buds just swell and before flowering.
Fighting diseases and pests
Variety “Silver Hoof” is moderately resistant to diseases caused by fungal microorganisms. Most often trees are affected by scab and fruit rot.
In case of damage by fruit rot, cracks and small ulcers appear on apples, which turn into foci of rot. Gradually, the apple rots completely. When scab is affected, the leaves are hit, and then the fruits.
The main reason for the development of fungal diseases is excessive thickening of the crown and, as a result, insufficient ventilation.
In order to avoid infection of trees, it is necessary to immediately remove the infected parts of the tree, regularly treat with fungicides of complex action.
As a preventive control against apple codling moth, leafworm, red aphids and spider mites, it is recommended to treat trees and the soil around them with preparations based on karbofos, as well as use corrugated paper hoop traps.
Video “Planting an apple tree”
This video demonstrates the process of choosing an apple seedling and planting it in a summer cottage.
