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The Korobovka apple tree is a very old variety, which was well known already in the 19th century. Gives small, but very tasty apples. In appearance, they are unattractive, so they are grown mainly for themselves. Trees live up to 50 years, bear abundant fruit, bringing up to 60-70 kg of delicious and fragrant apples.
History of breeding
Korobovka is one of the oldest apple tree varieties of folk selection, the origin of which is not known. It was first described in 1855. At the same time, the name Korobovka was introduced into circulation a very long time ago. Most likely, it is due to the fact that the fruits were sold in boxes, and not by the piece.
Korobovka does not belong to the varieties of large-fruited apple trees, on the contrary, the fruits are small in size. Therefore, the variety is not included in the register of breeding achievements of Our Country and has not passed the relevant tests.
The apple tree variety Korobovka has other names, for example, Skorospelka and Medunichka. It is valued for its frost resistance, which makes it possible to cultivate a crop in different regions. It is known that in Poland the variety is included in the collection of the biological reserve (Warsaw), and in Estonia – in the register of ancient varieties of apple trees.
Description of the Korobovka apple tree with a photo
In the description of the Korobovka apple variety, special attention is paid to the characteristics of the tree, height, crown features and the appearance of the fruit. The most important parameters are presented below.
tree appearance
The Korobovka apple tree gives medium-sized trees, their crown has an unusual broom shape. Shoots dark brown. The height of the tree is up to 4-5 m. The leaves are small, sometimes small. They have a rounded shape, and the edges are even, there are large teeth.
The surface of the leaf plate of the Korobovka apple tree is quite dense and leathery, the edges rise slightly, the color is rich dark green. The leaves shine in the sun, have small wrinkles and slight pubescence. The bases of the leaves are rounded, the petioles are thin. The size of the stipules is small, their shape is narrow, lanceolate.
Description of fruits
The fruits of the Korobovka apple tree are small in size, reach 4 cm in diameter, and weigh from 30 to 50 g. They are flat in shape, not always symmetrical, and have no ribs. The color is dirty green or yellow, red-orange dull stripes are visible. The skin is thin, moderately dense, smooth.
The fruits are small but very sweet.
Funnels with rustiness. The saucers of the fruits of the Korobovka apple tree are wide, small, the tubercles are strongly swollen (near the sepals). Cups are large. Seed chambers can be closed or semi-open type, onion-shaped hearts. The seeds themselves are medium and small in size, brown in color.
Characteristic of the variety
Among the characteristics of the Korobovka variety, the taste of fruits, the period of their ripening, the indicator of yield and winter hardiness are of particular importance. These and other options are described below.
Palatability
Despite their small size, the taste of Korobovka apples is very good. It has a pronounced sweetness, almost no acid, there is a honey aftertaste and a pleasant aroma. The pulp is yellowish, moderately dense.
Terms of maturation
In terms of ripening, the Korobovka apple tree belongs to early ripening varieties. The fruits are already formed at the end of July, at about the same time they can be harvested. They hold well on the branches, so it is allowed to collect until mid-August. However, the fruits are not stored for a long time – in cool conditions they can be kept for no more than three weeks. At the same time, transportability is very good.
Productivity
The yield of the Korobovka apple tree variety is high and is about 60-70 kg per adult tree. They begin to appear 6-7 years after planting. At the same time, the yield increases year by year, up to reaching peak values. After 20 years, the fruits appear either more or less, but over time they become even smaller. Fruiting lasts a very long time: trees produce apples for 50 years.
Frost resistance of the apple tree Korobovka
One of the advantages of the Korobovka variety is its high winter hardiness. Thanks to this, it is possible to grow an apple tree in different regions, including those with severe winters.
Apple tree pollinators Korobovka
Variety Korobovka refers to self-fertile. Therefore, to obtain a crop, it is necessary to plant varieties with similar flowering periods. Well suited, for example, Kitayka Saninskaya, White pouring and Papirovka, as well as Cinnamon striped.
Where is grown
The Korobovka apple tree variety has good winter hardiness, so it can be grown not only in the middle lane, but also in the Urals and Siberian regions. In this case, it is better to vaccinate for columnar varieties. In frosty winters, the top of the plant may freeze slightly, so in the spring it must be cut off.
Due to its good winter hardiness, the Korobovka variety is grown in different regions.
Disease resistance
The immunity of the variety Korobovka is satisfactory. The apple tree is moderately resistant to scab. May suffer from other fungal diseases, as well as from the codling moth. Therefore, in early spring, it is recommended to carry out fungicide treatments. In summer, spray with insecticides as needed. During the fruiting period, treatment is best done with biological preparations or folk remedies.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Korobovka apple tree has a very pleasant taste and aroma. Despite the fact that the fruits are small and not suitable for sale, they can be consumed fresh. Also from fruits get a delicious compote and jam.
Harvest from an adult tree reaches 60-70 kg
Pros:
- very good taste;
- pronounced aroma;
- high yield;
- early fruiting;
- culture lives 50 years or more;
- undemanding to the soil;
- satisfactory immunity to scab.
Cons:
- apples are small, become even smaller over time;
- fruits are not subject to long-term storage;
- pollinators are required on the site;
- not suitable for sale.
Planting an apple tree Korobovka
The apple tree of the Korobovka variety is best planted in the fall at the end of September in order to be in time 3-4 weeks before the first frost. But in regions with frosty winters (Urals, Siberia), it is better to start work in the middle, the second half of April, when there is no longer a threat of return frosts. Seedlings are purchased in advance from nurseries or trusted suppliers. They must have healthy roots and branches.
The landing site must meet several criteria:
- well lit, without shade;
- without high groundwater (distance to the surface is not more than 1,5 m);
- without stagnation of melt water, precipitation (not in a lowland);
- as far as possible from mountain ash and large trees.
The apple tree of the Korobovka variety is not demanding on soils, although it grows best on fertile and loose soils. On the eve of autumn or spring, the soil should be prepared – dig up and add a bucket of compost or humus per square meter. If there is a lot of clay in the ground, 3-5 kg of vermiculite, sand or compost should be covered in the same area.
During landing, they act like this:
- Holes are marked at a distance of at least 4 m.
- Dig holes with a depth and diameter of 70-80 cm.
- Place a wooden stake in the center.
- Pour a layer of small stones.
- Then the seedling is placed and sprinkled with soil so that the root collar remains 7 cm above the ground.
- Water with settled water, lay mulch. If the planting was done in the fall, the height of the protective layer should be at least 10 cm.
Care instructions
The apple tree of the Korobovka variety is not too demanding for care. To get consistently high yields, you will need to regularly water and feed the trees. Water is given to seedlings every seven days, to adult trees – once every 2-3 weeks. The liquid must be settled.
The fruits ripen at the end of July
Top dressing is applied in the spring right on the melted snow – they scatter granules of urea or ammonium nitrate (20 g per 1 m2). During the budding period, the Korobovka apple tree is given superphosphate (40 g per 10 l) and potassium salt (25 g per 10 l). After harvesting, you can feed with wood ash 200 g per 10 liters.
After watering, the soil must be loosened, weeds are periodically removed. In order to have as few of them as possible, in the summer straw, hay, needles and other types of mulch are placed in the trunk circle. In early spring, pruning is planned, as well as fungicide treatment to prevent fungal infections.
Collection and storage
Apples of the Korobovka variety are harvested from the last decade of July to mid-August. Store fruits in the basement, cellar or refrigerator. The place should be dark, cool (2-6 degrees Celsius) and moderately humid (70%).
The fruits can be placed in wooden boxes and kept for no more than three weeks. Since harvests are often large, a significant part of the apples goes for processing – the preparation of compotes, jams and other products.
Conclusion
Korobovka apple tree is one of the best varieties among small-fruited crops. The fruits are tasty and fragrant, the pulp is dense, granular. Ripening begins in the last decade of July. There are usually a lot of apples, so they are mainly used for harvesting.
Reviews of gardeners about the Korobovka apple tree
