How to grow apple varieties "Elena"?

Among other valuable hybrids of fruit trees, bred by Belarusian breeders, the tree “Elena” is well known to knowledgeable gardeners.This is a summer variety of juicy apples with an indescribable aroma and a wonderful sweet-sour taste. In the middle lane, this is probably one of the most sought after crops, appreciated by summer residents and owners of country houses. However, to obtain a high-quality harvest, it is necessary to know the subtleties of growing and caring for this plant.

Apple trees of this variety belong to medium-length trees, whose height can reach 2.5-3 meters. In this case, the crown, having a pyramid shape, is considered medium-sprained, since the leaves are mainly located at the edges of the branches. By themselves, branches with bark of a pale green color with a gray tinge are lowered to the ground, while their ends tend upwards.

The leaves are oval, with small teeth at the edges, have a smooth outer side and a pubescent inner surface. Near the trunk, in the heart of the crown, the foliage is virtually absent.

If individual ovaries occur already in the first year after planting, the plant normally begins to bear fruit from 2–3 years old, and in 5 years it gives stable, large yields - about 25 tons per hectare.

In early spring, in late April, the apple tree blooms, spreading a delicious aroma. The following characteristics are characteristic of hybrid fruits:

• apples have an average size and can weigh from 120 to 150 grams;
• the shape of the fruit is classic, rounded, and, as a rule, all fruits from one apple tree are identical;
• The main color of the apples is green-gray; on it, occupying more than half of the surface, dark pink is poured with lighter subcutaneous points;
• the fruit is smooth to the touch, the skin is quite dense, perfectly supporting the shape;
• medium-hard pulp is juicy, it is white-green or pinkish.

The taste of fruit - sweet and sour with a predominance of sweetness, is estimated at 4.8-5 points. They contain fructose, vitamin C, pectins, dry sucrose, organic acids, tannins.

When a choice is made in favor of a fruit plant, it is important to take into account the different characteristics of the variety. At the same time, it is necessary to focus not only on the taste of fruits or berries, but also on the dimensions of the crop, its susceptibility to diseases, and the yield, which, of course, must be high, but not excessive. Apple tree "Elena" in this sense has its pros and cons, and they need to know, planting a tree on your site.

Primary tree characteristics:

• the advantage of the plant is its rapid growth, ripening and precocity, due to which a full-fledged harvest is possible already in the 2nd year after planting;
• fruit buds of the tree appear annually, which, in principle, characteristic of hybrids;
• the tree is compact in size, has an average density of the crown, which simplifies maintenance and facilitates the collection of apples;
• frost resistance of an apple tree is a valuable quality, so it can be grown in cold regions;
• mature trees are abundant in fruiting, which makes the variety commercially viable;
• Equally important is the resistance of the plant to scab;
• Apple tree "Elena" does not require cross-pollination with the help of other crops, as the plant is bisexual, and an important mission is carried out in a natural way: by bees and bumblebees.

In addition, the fruits have excellent taste, beautiful and appetizing appearance.

There are also some disadvantages of the variety, which consist in the loss of taste during overripening of apples, the precipitation of fruits and an extremely short shelf life: in fact, after three weeks, the fruits become fresh in taste and lose their original juiciness. That is why it is better to use them fresh, just picked from the branches, or to make blanks in the form of jams, jam or berry platter.

Positive feedback from gardeners about the variety confirms that the culture is irreplaceable for areas with cold winters, especially since such apples produce excellent compotes and juices, which do not even need to add sugar.

In the middle lane, the apple trees of this variety take root well and quickly begin to produce excellent yields. In colder climatic zones, for normal fruiting, you will need to select the necessary fertilizers and regularly feed the plant.

Place for planting should be selected taking into account some requirements:

• the site should be well lit;
• "Elena" prefers to coexist with young plants of its kind and not very tall trees that can shade the culture;
• for planting suitable soil with moderate acidity and the predominance of nitrogen compounds, it is better if it is loamy chernozem;
• groundwater in the zone of the variety should lie at a depth of about 2.5 meters and deeper.

Planting occurs in the following sequence:

1. A pit for a plant with dimensions of 80x80x80 cm is prepared in 1-2 weeks; the bottom is covered with rubble and pebbles, providing drainage for the root system;
2. top fertilized with a mixture of organic fertilizer (manure with humus);
3. the seedling is placed in the hole, after removing the broken and rotten roots, straighten them, and attach the apple tree to a wooden pole;
4. after instillation you will need 3-4 buckets of water 30-40 degrees for watering;
5. at the end, they produce mulching of the trunk circle.

The tree requires the usual comprehensive care throughout the season, starting in early spring and ending in late autumn.

Agricultural technology includes:

• regular watering 1 time in 7 days, not counting the dry time;
• wetting the soil also requires the removal of weeds, loosening for access to air roots;
• the culture is characterized by the formation of an excessive number of ovaries, as a result of which the fruits are overloaded, therefore it is necessary to carry out thinning of the flowers;
• In the spring, after frosts, the tree should be examined, cut off the injured and dead branches.

Feeding the tree, usually carried out in the spring before the appearance of inflorescences, then during flowering and after it. This requires fertilize not only the forest zone, but also the soil around half a meter. For this purpose, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. Saltpeter should contain up to 35% nitrogen. If the soil itself is heavy and consists mainly of clay, it will be necessary to dilute it with coarse sand, humus, rotted manure and peat.

The variety "Elena", in general, is resistant to various diseases, but the tree cannot be fully insured against such troubles. Comprehensively organized protection against fungal microorganisms such as powdery mildew and milky luster will help keep the apple tree healthy and viable:

• the branches damaged by powdery mildew, shoots and leaves are removed in the autumn and burned;
• in the spring, before the appearance of the first leaves, spray the culture with urea;
• when forming ovaries, they are treated with sodium carbonate diluted with soap;
• in the case of bacterial root cancer, phosphorus and potassium-based fertilizers are added to the soil, the growths are cut, plants with a large area of ​​damage are destroyed.

The bark of an apple tree may eventually crack due to the influence of the sun's rays, therefore, to protect against burns, the trunk must be treated with special paint based on acrylic - for wood, this composition is absolutely harmless. To carry out this procedure is necessary in the spring. Garden pitch is also used if the plant has been damaged by fungus or rodent teeth. Copper sulfate solution may be used against insects.

The main pests of the apple tree are green aphids, moths and haws. The fight against them involves the use of "karbofos", "Bordeaux fluid", an insecticide such as "Aktellik".With the defeat of the codling moth will have to first remove the bark, and then disinfect the trunk with Enterobacterin.

Due to the short shelf life, the apple tree “Elena”, in most cases, is used for harvesting and is not suitable for large-scale commercial activities, but the variety managed to catch the fancy of the usual summer resident, due to its resistance to cold, and early abundant crops.

Review of apple varieties "Elena", see the next video.