Collar-shaped apple "Medoc": characteristic of the variety, planting and care

The columnar apple tree with the sweet name "Medoc" is a hybrid variety, which was the result of the work of the Moscow breeders N. G. Morozov and V. V. Kichin.Apples of this variety are soft, juicy, fragrant and very appetizing, and compact branchy trees can decorate any landscape and become a real highlight of the backyard plot.

"Medoc" is considered a young species - it was launched in 1987. Scientists put the KV103 gene, which is responsible for colonicity, that is, the growth of the main trunk up without forming lateral branches, as a base for crossing. The grade "Medoc" belongs to natural semi-dwarfs, it is a compact and quite original plant. At the stage of flowering the tree is literally covered with beautiful buds, and then no less abundant ovaries.

The apple tree does not take up much space, it looks like a dwarf plant, but at the same time it gives a rather good harvest of juicy, sweet and rather large fruits. Let us dwell on the main varietal features.

In favorable conditions and with proper care, the height of the plant reaches 2.5 m, but in the areas of the central part of Russia the Medoc tends to grow much less. The crown is knocked down, rather compact, its diameter does not exceed 30 cm. The root system is highly branched, very powerful, thanks to which the plant withstands drought perfectly and is not afraid of frequent transplantation.

The tree is erect, formed into one trunk without any side branches, the stem is leafy.

Apple "Medoc" grows up apical bud. Under suitable conditions, the annual growth is 10–15 cm. If the tip dies for any reason, the plant is restored within several years and gains strength so that the lateral replacement bud becomes long.

Everyone knows that columnar plants often suffer from low temperatures, because their root system is located quite close to the surface. However, the hybrid "Medoc" shows resistance to frost and, moreover, is recommended for cultivation in the Siberian regions and in the Urals.

The apple tree of the variety “Medoc” begins to produce crops on the second, less often on the third year after planting on a permanent place. Fruiting is regular, annual - this is due to the fact that the plots that produce fruits constantly alternate with each other.

An adult plant produces up to 15 kg of fruit, and from one hectare of plantings it is possible to collect up to hundreds of quintals of apples.

“Medoc” apples are quite large, their average weight is 160-180 g, and under favorable conditions the weight of each fruit can reach 250 g. Fruit dimensions depend not on the height of the plant, but on the correctness of agricultural technology, in particular, the proper organization of watering and timely fertilizer. In addition, they have the following features:

• fruits have a smooth rounded shape;
• the peel is white-yellowish, the color is quite saturated, without reddish-brown spots and stripes;
• the pulp on the cut is milky-white, rather juicy with a coarse-grained structure;
• the taste properties of apples are quite high - the fruits are very sweet with a characteristic honey flavor, the smell is light, almost elusive;
• Like the vast majority of summer varieties of apples, the crop has an average long-term storage; fruits are kept in cool dry premises for no more than one month;
• Medoc apples are quite versatile - they can be eaten raw, they are used to make compotes and squeeze juices, put into pies, make jam and jam.

Among the undoubted advantages of the columnar apple "Medoc" It may be noted the main points.

• Frost resistance - The variety can be grown in almost any region with a wide variety of climatic conditions, while it can easily withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees. For comparison, even “Antonovka”, which is recognized as the benchmark of frost resistance, freezes out at such cold weather.
• Powerful root system - strong, strong, but at the same time, compact roots contribute to the fact that the plant can be grown both in open ground and in containers. If necessary, the plant can be transplanted from one place to another without much difficulty and a long period of adaptation.
• Self-fertility and precocity - the plant contains both male and female flowers and is easily self-pollinated, therefore it can bear fruit even if there are few insect pollinators.
• Disease resistance and common pests of apple culture.
• The fruits have a rich taste., can be used for baby and diet food.

At the same time, like any other variety, Medoc has its drawbacks. The most important of them is poor keeping quality - the harvest can be stored no more than a month. therefore, apples can be grown only for personal consumption. In addition, the plant produces a crop no longer than 15 years, after which it stops in growth and development, after which it is no longer possible to eat tasty fruits.

It should also be noted the overestimated cost of planting material.

Among the drawbacks, some gardeners point out the fact that the plant does not obscure the land around it - this leads to the need to constantly process the rows, remove weeds and sprinkle with mulch. However, many owners of the columnar apple consider this advantage, since in this case other vegetable or flower crops can be planted near the tree, saving a seat and forming an aesthetic landscape on the site.

The apple tree "Medoc" can be planted in early spring or autumn. In the first case, work is carried out in the first half of April, and in the second - at the very beginning of October. The site under the columnar apple requires a sunny, well-lit. Unlike many other varieties of apple trees, Medoc can successfully grow even in drafts, so the variety does not require an obstacle in the form of a fence or wall of outbuildings located nearby. If several trees are grown, then a distance of up to 60 cm should be maintained between them, so up to 200 apple trees of this species can be easily placed on one weave.

The landing pit should be about 50 cm deep and the same wide. Shortly before planting, an earthen mixture of 2 kg of peat and 4-5 kg ​​of humus or compost is poured into the hole. If the site is located on clay soil, it makes sense to add river sand.

Additionally, the soil is enriched with mineral preparations:

• superphosphate - 50-10 g;
• potassium salts - 50-80 g;
• urea - 30 g

Before planting, keep the roots in water for about two hours and then sprinkle them with Kornevina or Heteroauxin powder.

When planting is very important to ensure that the roots are not bent, but if the bend still appeared, it is better to carefully cut them.

The pit is covered with earth so that the root neck is left on the surface, and lightly tread it. After planting, the plant is watered abundantly with heated water, then sprinkled with a petiol circle with a layer of peat, moss, hay or compost.

In the autumn it is necessary to cut off all the leaves, in the spring it is not necessary to do this. It is advisable to organize a support and bind to it a young plant.

Agrotechnology of the columnar apple includes the following mandatory measures:

• watering;
• loosening the land;
• fertilization;
• pruning;
• prevention of diseases and injuries of garden pests.

Let us dwell in more detail on each type of work.

The plant is in great need of water, with a lack of moisture, the yield of the variety is sharply reduced. It is best to use the drip system, which is easy to organize if there are several bushes in the garden, and if it is only one, then you can water it from a regular watering can.

For the full growth and development of the tree requires 2 buckets of water twice a week.

After watering, as a rule, the ground is covered with a dense cracked crust, so the land in the near-stem circle should be regularly loosened. Starting from the second - third year of life, the area near the trunk can be sown with herbs, as well as plant ordinary strawberries or legumes. This will help protect the plant from pests and prevent moisture from leaving the ground.

The apple tree needs potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.

In the spring, ammonium nitrate or urea must be added to the ground; during active fruiting, the plant responds well to phosphates, as well as potassium preparations. At the same time, fertilizing with organic substances is also carried out; for this purpose, chicken manure diluted in a ratio of 1/30 or manure at the rate of 1/10 is used.

As the apple tree develops, it overgrows heavily with tree rings, which prevents the formation of lateral branches, but despite this, additional attention should be paid to the molding of the crown. In particular, it is necessary to maintain growth in one trunk.

"Medoc", like many other apples, may be affected by scab, as well as apple moth and powdery mildew. To prevent the unpleasant effects of such diseases, preventive measures should be observed. They are standard for all cultures:

• destruction of all fallen leaves;
• barrel treatment with lime compounds;
• preventive spraying with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations;
• digging up land near the trunk before winter.

Despite the fact that the "Medoc" is highly winter-resistant, the roots of the plant are quite close to the soil surface, so they need protection from frost. For this, plants are harbored with agrofibre in the fall, and a tree trunk sprinkled with at least a 10-centimeter layer of mulch, for example, with humus or hay.

Apple-tree varieties "Medoc" grows and bears no more than 15 years. In rare cases, the life cycle reaches 17 years, after which the tree must be uprooted and planted a new one.

But for these few years, the apple tree will each year give its owners juicy and incredibly tasty fruits, and if necessary, can make an excellent garden composition with flowers, alpine slides and paved paths in the garden.

Colony Apple "Medoc" has earned the most positive feedback from Russian gardeners. All indicate a high crop yield, exceptional taste and aroma of the fruit. At the same time, yield is characterized by stability from year to year.

Many people note that a compact plant covered with fruits from apex to roots becomes a real highlight of the garden plot and allows making the columnar apple a center and a key figure in the garden landscape. In addition, the plant can be transplanted at any age - and this is also indicated as a definite plus culture.

At the same time, the number of fruits and their keeping quality does not allow growing apples for sale, the entire harvest is consumed within the same family. The plant has a short life cycle and requires replacement after a decade and a half, and the cost of seedlings is much higher than the planting material of any other apple varieties.

In the next video, see the technology of planting a columnar apple.