Contents
The weather conditions in the North-West of Our Country are rather unstable; a hot day can be replaced by a cold night with sub-zero temperatures. If you add strong wind and high humidity here, the climate for the growth of fruit crops is very doubtful. Therefore, varieties of columnar apple trees for the Leningrad region were bred to be stress-resistant, winter-hardy, with strong immunity and fast fruit ripening.
Features of the region
The northwestern part, which includes the Leningrad Region, is characterized by unstable weather. The region is located in the temperate zone. Due to the frequent change in the direction of air flows, the Leningrad Region is characterized by features of both oceanic and continental climates:
- Those coming from the western direction carry with them wind, precipitation, and fog in the warm season. In winter, they cause a sharp increase in temperature and thaws.
- At the time of the eastern and southern anticyclones, the weather is dry, hot in summer, frosty in winter.
- Northern currents from the Kara Sea bring clear but cold weather. During this period, the lowest temperatures are observed in winter, frosts are possible in summer.
Due to the sharp unpredictable change in flows, it is rather difficult to make a forecast of the temperature indicator in the Leningrad Region. Average summer temperatures +18-20 0C, winter -17-25 0C.
The arrival of spring in the Leningrad region occurs after the melting of ice and snow cover, but the process of sap flow in plants occurs much later. Swelling of buds on trees is observed only in mid-May. The temperature begins to drop to zero from the second half of November. In general, the Leningrad Region has short summers and long winters.
There are many lakes and reservoirs in the region. Among them there are quite large ones: Onega, Ladoga, Gulf of Finland. Because of them, the humidity is always high.
In such climatic conditions, not all varieties of apple trees will be able to survive, not to mention fruiting,
Special hybrids calmly react to weather variability, manage to produce crops in a short summer
The best varieties of columnar apple trees for the Leningrad region and the North-West
Basically, these are hybrids on a varietal rootstock. The group of columnar apple trees includes dwarfs that do not grow more than 50 cm, semi-dwarfs 1,5-2 m high, medium-sized – 2,5-35 m and high – 5 m or more. But all varieties are characterized by weak shoot formation and thick branches located at an acute angle.
The fruits are formed on short branches located both along the central trunk and along the branches. Columnar apple trees were created taking into account all the climatic features of the Leningrad region. Below are some popular varieties from the State Register.
Garland
Varietal description of the columnar apple tree:
- autumn variety;
- blooms for the second season;
- reaches the optimum yield in the fourth year, up to 15 kg of crop is taken from the tree;
- the height of the columnar apple tree is 2,5 m, the width is 30 cm, it does not form lateral branches;
- fruits are elongated-round, green, with a pale blush, 200-250 g in weight;
- juicy pulp, light green, with a predominance of sugars.
The columnar apple tree Garland is suitable for cultivation throughout the temperate zone, and not only in the Leningrad region.
Fruits do not lose their presentation and nutritional value until February
Ostankino
The columnar apple tree of late autumn ripening reaches a height of up to 2 m. One of the varieties common in the Leningrad region, the variety has been grown since 1976. Skeletal branches are short, thick, without branching. The ovaries begin to form at a height of 20 cm from the ground level to the top of the trunk.
The location of apples is dense, 10-15 kg of the crop is taken from a tree in the Leningrad region. At five years old, the columnar apple tree enters a full reproductive age. Blooms for the third season. Apples are round-flat, weighing 150-200 g, yellow-green, most of the surface is covered with maroon pigment with pronounced red strokes. Shelf life – 3,5 months.
Dessert variety, the presence of acid is negligible
Nectar
Medok is a columnar apple variety, the sweetest in its group, suitable for cultivation in the Leningrad region. It is formed by one trunk without side branches, within 3 m high. Fruits ripen at the end of summer, the yield is stable up to 20 kg. Apples are yellow, flat-round, with a pronounced aroma, weighing 100-150 g.
Shelf life no more than 30 days
Arbat
Arbat is a columnar apple tree that forms buds in the fourth year after being placed in a permanent place. It belongs to the middle-late, in the Leningrad region, the fruits ripen in mid-September. The height of the trunk is 1,8-2 m, the branch is weak. The root system is powerful, columnar apple tree is resistant to strong gusts of wind. Fruits 100-120 g in weight, yellow with a large burgundy pigment, peel with a glossy sheen. The pulp is juicy, creamy, aromatic. The yield of an adult tree is 9-11 kg. Apples are stored until December.
Taste is balanced, sweet and sour
Welsey
Welsey is a tall late variety. In the Leningrad region, the harvest is in October. The columnar apple tree reaches a height of up to 5 m. The skeletal branches are thick, short, formed at the base of the plant. During the fruiting period, it enters the third year of growth. Productivity is stable up to 25-30 kg per tree. Apples are rounded, the main background is golden, the cover is dark red, 100-120 g in weight. The pulp is dense, juicy, with a delicate aroma, sweet and sour, with a deficiency of ultraviolet, acid prevails.
The variety is transportable, the crop is stored for up to four months
friendly
Druzhnoe is a mid-late columnar apple variety. The fruits in the Leningrad region ripen at the end of September. The crown is compact, without branching, height up to 2 m. The first apples are harvested for the second season, at four years it reaches the peak of fruiting, the indicator is 15-18 kg per tree, stable. The apples are yellow-green with a dark red blush covering most of the surface. The pulp is juicy, dense, aromatic, with a predominance of acid in taste.
Apples weighing up to 180 g retain nutritional value until the end of February
Arkhangelsk, or Zhukovka
The columnar variety of the Arkhangelsky apple tree has recently appeared on the seed market. It was created specifically for the Leningrad region. The plant is completely without branching, up to 2,5 m high. Fruits weighing up to 200 g, rounded elongated, the surface is green with a weak pink pigment. Sweet and sour flesh with a green tint, juicy, weak aroma.
Zhukovka belongs to medium-late varieties, the crop ripens from mid-September
President
The president is a semi-dwarf columnar apple tree, the height of the trunk does not exceed 1,5 m. There is no branching. The variety is early, the harvest in the Leningrad region is removed in mid-August. The fruits are not aligned, 130-170 g average weight. The yield is the same every season (up to 12 kg). Shelf life – 30 days. The peel is thin, yellow, the blush is small, weakly expressed.
The taste of apples is closer to sweet, the more ultraviolet, the less acid
Antey
The columnar apple tree Antey is a common variety in the Leningrad region. The height of the tree is up to 3 meters, at the base there are short thick skeletal branches. Blooms in the third year of vegetation. Fruiting is stable, yield up to 40 kg. Fruits 180-220 g in weight, light green with a large burgundy blush. Ripens in mid-October. The pulp is light beige, fine-grained structure, sweet and sour, with a pronounced aroma.
The shelf life of the crop in the Antey variety is until March
How to choose
In the varietal characteristics of the columnar apple tree, the following qualities are in priority for the Leningrad Region:
- precociousness;
- stable immunity to fungal infection, this is especially true with high humidity in the region;
- winter hardiness, the tree should not be afraid of return frosts;
- rapid ripening of fruits or the possibility of harvesting at the stage of technical ripeness;
- sufficient shelf life;
- versatility in use;
- frost resistance.
Acquire seedlings zoned or specially created for the region in nurseries located close to the place of growth.
Peculiarities of growing
In the Leningrad region, planting of columnar apple trees is carried out only at the beginning of the season until the buds swell on the seedling. Over the summer, the apple tree will take root well and overwinter without loss. The site is allocated sunny, without groundwater, the composition of the soil does not play a role.
In the fall, the landing site is dug up, organic matter is introduced. In the spring, a hole is made so deep that the grafting site remains on the surface. The width should be 15 cm more than the volume of the root system. The recess is drained, the bottom is covered with a mixture of peat and a sod layer with the addition of superphosphate. A young seedling is tied to a fixing support.
Follow-up care for columnar apple trees:
- During the planting season, the seedling is not fed. Water as the root circle dries out. Loosen and remove weeds. After placing in the ground, you can mulch.
- From the next season, nitrogen agents are introduced in the spring. At the time of budding, phosphorus and organics are used. At the beginning of fruit ripening, potassium is given at intervals of three weeks. Water only when dry.
- In autumn, water-charging activities are carried out, they are fed with superphosphate, they are spudded, covered with a thick layer of mulch and wrapped around the trunk to protect against rodents.
Columnar apple trees without branching do not need pruning, if there are stem branches, they are shortened by 2/3 of the length after sap flow. All apple trees are resistant to infection, but in order to prevent them, they can be treated in the spring with any antifungal drug.
Conclusion
Varieties of columnar apple trees for the Leningrad Region meet the requirements dictated by the regional climate in their characteristics. All varieties are fast-growing, with stable fruiting. Frost-resistant, the fruits have time to ripen during a relatively short summer. Stress-resistant, do not react to sudden changes in temperature. Columnar apple trees are ideal for small areas. The maximum crown diameter of this group is not more than 50 cm.
Reviews of columnar apple trees in the Leningrad region
