Apple tree "Gift to gardeners": description of the variety and planting rules

"Gift to gardeners" refers to the universal autumn varieties and has gained deserved popularity among gardeners of our country.This apple has many advantages, its fruits are actively used in cooking. How to grow this variety and what are its main advantages, let's talk in this article.

The description of this variety should begin with its merits. First of all, it is necessary to note the precociousness, the excellent taste of the fruit and their ability for long-term storage, the ability of the tree to tolerate moderate frost well and relative immunity to scab. With all this, the apple tree does not tolerate drought, and excessively low temperatures can adversely affect it.

The tree is medium tall; its maximum height can reach 3 meters. Not too dense crown consists of often growing branches, with small leaves of a grayish tint, which are pointed to the tip. This variety is self-fertile, it can be planted separately, pollinators are not required.

The ripening of fruits occurs by the end of September, they are small in size, in the range of 60-100 grams, slightly flattened on top. The color of the apples is green, it is yellowing, and red strokes are running around the perimeter. Their use is universal, can be used both fresh and in conservation. In addition, with the provision of conditions, the shelf life can be up to 4 months. The taste is sweet and sour, the aroma is pleasant and delicate.

The tree begins to bear fruit in 3-4 years of its life, its average yield. Apple picking should take place towards the end of September. A particularly large number of fruits appear at 6 years and beyond after planting. From one plant you can collect up to 30 kilograms. If the tree grows on the farm, the yield will be about 120 quintals per hectare. Properly organized care allows you to collect fruit every year.

Planting seedlings can be made in the spring and autumn. The purchase should be made a maximum of a few days before the planned process. Reviews gardeners on the choice of seedlings unequivocal. They need to be purchased in specialized and proven places to avoid doubts about the quality of the tree and its state of health. It should be borne in mind that adapting to the new terrain will be better for individuals aged 1–2 years. You also need to pay special attention to the roots - they must be intact, without bloom rot and dried elements.

If the seedling looks sluggish and faded, you should abandon its acquisition. The bark, too, must be carefully examined, it must be completely intact. If there are sprung buds on the branches, landing will not bring success anymore.

Despite the fact that the “Gift to Gardeners” is considered to be a rather unpretentious variety and easily undergoes adaptation, the basic rules of planting cannot be violated. First of all, you need to pay attention to the dates, the most suitable are spring and autumn, namely the beginning of spring and mid-autumn, it all depends on the weather and the region of planting. If the procedure is carried out in the fall, seedlings will be able to better adapt to the upcoming season, since they have more time for this. However, in areas where climatic conditions are already unfavorable in October, this should be done in the springtime.

With regard to the selection of places, you need to consider that the apple tree loves the light and does not tolerate drafts. An ideal site would be where trees did not grow for a couple of years, and the soil managed to recover. The height of groundwater more than 1 meter can cause root rot. Loamy soil is best suited, the presence of rubble and rocky terrain should be excluded. Even before buying seedlings should prepare a pit, the depth of which should be up to 80 centimeters and a width of about a meter. The process takes about 2-4 weeks.During digging, the upper and lower layers of the soil should be separated and removed in different piles, they will be useful later. The upper part is mixed with fertilizer, for which humus, peat and manure are taken in equal shares. This mixture is buried in a pit with a mound. With a high content of clay in the soil should be added sand and vice versa.

Since the trees are medium tall, they cannot be located closer than 3-4 meters from each other. The same applies to other plants. The process of planting occurs as follows: a seedling fixed by a planting peg is put on a mound of soil and fertilizers, its root system is laid out, after which it is filled with soil from the second pile and carefully tamped down. The distance to the root of the neck should be at least 5 centimeters. After that, the tree must be watered, making sure that all moisture is absorbed into the ground. At the end of the procedure is mulching.

The first time after planting the tree requires special attention and care. We must not forget about the irrigation procedure, which plays an important role in the adaptation of the plant, and also helps it to obtain useful elements from the soil. Proper feeding, treatment that protects against attacks of pests and various diseases, timely crown pruning will enable the seedling to get started faster and begin to grow.

At a young age, the “Gift to Gardeners” requires regular watering, which must be done as soon as the hole dries out. More mature specimens should be watered in accordance with the weather, starting in the spring period and ending in the autumn. The process takes place as follows: first, the apple tree is watered before it begins to bloom, then after the ovary has subsided, then at the moment of ripening of the fruit and, finally, after the leaves have fallen off.

As for the amount of water, this is directly related to the age of the apple tree. In the first 2 years after landing, 4-5 buckets are poured at a time, then their number increases to 8-10. Soil mulching will prevent it from overheating and help keep moisture longer. However, this process has its own subtleties, since not all means will work. To preserve the normal acidity of the soil should be excluded needles, shavings and sawdust. Autumn necessarily need to dig the soil.

As for the feed, the number of fruits on the tree directly depends on it. Mullein infusion is indispensable for young specimens, after it at the very beginning of summer it is necessary to make complex fertilizers. At the first signs of flowering, add organic matter, for example, humus, and carry out mulching. More mature trees need wood ash and potassium phosphate fertilizer. As for fertilizers with a nitrogen content, their excess is not recommended as it can harm the tree and reduce the storage time for apples.

Despite the fact that the variety is considered relatively resistant to scab, the disease can hit an apple tree if summer is too wet and rainy. The same with powdery mildew. If a bacterial burn occurs, it will not be possible to save the tree; any methods of struggle are powerless. Attack of malicious insects can also bring many unpleasant moments to the gardener. If a tinder mushroom is found on the tree, treatment should be carried out immediately. The fungus itself is cut, and the cut is processed by a garden pitch or copper sulphate.

As for preventive measures, they include a whole range of measures. This is a timely feeding of apple trees, pruning branches and crowns, spraying.

The formation of the crown is a mandatory event when growing the variety "Gift to gardeners."This will help speed up the fruiting process and the amount of crop, as well as protect the tree from frost and prolong its life. The procedure is done in the spring or autumn periods. From the tools you can use a saw and pruner, depending on the thickness of the branches.

Wound disinfection with copper sulphate and garden pitch is obligatory. It should be borne in mind that the young copies do not require pruning, the procedure can be carried out after three years of age, before that it is only necessary to remove dried branches. New branches during the growth of the tree need to be removed a little more than half. Pruning of this variety should be carried out according to the sparse-tier scheme.

If the air temperature drops below -10 degrees, the tree should be covered with insulation materials. The procedure can not be carried out in warm weather, otherwise it threatens that the tree will wake up and will not survive the bitter cold. In addition, covering materials will help protect the trunk from attacks of rodents, which are especially active in winter. If the winter is snowy, an excellent option would be to fall asleep the bottom of the tree with a layer of snow, young seedlings can be covered with it completely.

If the apple tree froze, it is quite possible that its root system and lower branches suffered frosts without much damage., which means, in a few years, she will again be ready to please gardeners with her fruits. The southern regions of the country suffer more from rodent invasions in winter. To get rid of this scourge, the trunk can be wrapped with a special net. Competent care will help save the apple tree and wait for the perfect harvest.

See how to plant an apple tree in the next video.