Apple-tree columnar Malyukha: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care with a photo

The compact size of the columnar apple tree Malyukha attracts gardeners. But to this we can add the excellent taste of fruits, their quantity, as well as the decorativeness of the tree. Columns of apple trees are preferred by those who have little space allocated for the garden. Plantings are easy to care for, they quickly begin to bear fruit.

History and description of the variety

Canada can be considered the birthplace of all columnar apple trees, where this type of horticultural crop first appeared. By crossing the Vazhak variety, the Malyukha apple tree was also bred.

Its feature is that the tree:

• reaches a height of 1.8 to 2 meters;
• winter hardy;
• produces fruit weighing 250 grams;
• highly productive, up to 13-15 kilograms.

Apples are harvested from the trees in September. They have a sweet and sour taste, juicy whitish flesh. The pronounced aroma of Malyukha apples is noted.

Growth area

The plant is suitable for growing in the Central Black Earth region. But they are successfully growing crops in the Urals and in the southern regions of Siberia.

External parameters

The columnar crown of the Malyukha apple tree looks decorative. Planted along the border of the plot, plants can decorate the garden with greenery of the pyramidal top.

Tree growth

The tree has a medium-sized trunk that grows up to 2 meters in an adult plant. If the conditions are unfavorable for the crop, then the height of the apple tree is less.

Crown size

The crown of the tree variety has an average foliage. It looks like a medium-sized pyramid, decorated with evenly spaced fruits.

Annual growth

Tree shoots grow annually by 10-15 centimeters. Therefore, the distance between seedlings should not be large.

Life span of a tree

Although the columnar apple tree Malyukha can live for more than 15 years, but its fruiting by this time is reduced. High yields peak on an 8-10 year old tree.

Specifications

In fruit culture, not the decorative effect of the plant is valued to a greater extent, but its fruits, their quality. They can appear with normal pollination of Malyukha apple flowers.

Pollination and yield

A columnar crop needs pollinators nearby.Among them, apple trees of the variety Currency, Chervonets, Kitayka are chosen. Timely pollination allows you to get several fruits in the 1st year after planting a tree, then 4-5 kilograms. But in an adult tree, the number of apples increases and reaches 12-15 kilograms.

Taste

Malyukha apples are very tasty. They are juicy, they have a lot of sugar, little starch, there is some acid, but it is pleasant. When eating fresh fruits, the pulp breaks off. In addition, apples are fragrant.

Freeze and drought tolerance

Garden culture endures winters with frost at minus 30 degrees. Slightly damaged by spring frosts.

You can grow Malyukha in the steppe and arid regions, providing timely planting with moisture.

Immunity to diseases and insects

The advantage of columnar varieties is their resistance to fungal diseases. And pests rarely attack the column.

Growing a columnar apple tree Malyukha

There are a lot of advantages in cultivating a variety. A low tree is easy to care for. It is unpretentious. It is only necessary to loosen the earth in the garden in time, to apply fertilizers if you want high yields of apples.

Preparation of seedlings

For planting, you need to choose annual or biennial apple tree seedlings. When buying, carefully examine the tree for damage, rot. The roots are inspected to ensure their integrity. If seedlings are transported to the garden, then they are placed in a mash of clay or earth. Don't let the roots dry out.

Optimal soil composition

Apple trees need nutritious soils with neutral acidity. They grow and bear fruit better on chernozem, slightly podzolized soils. Swampy areas, stony and saline in composition, are not suitable for cultivation.

Date and disembarkation scheme

In the northern regions, it is necessary to lay the plantation of the column in the spring, when the buds have not yet begun to bloom. Autumn is also suitable for planting, but no later than the 1st decade of October. In warm areas, you can choose both autumn and spring planting. It is necessary to plant apple trees where groundwater does not approach the surface closer than 2.5 meters. Culture prefers sunny garden slopes.

The pits are prepared in advance, placing them at a distance of 40-50 centimeters from each other. Do not dig under shady trees. Holes reach 40 centimeters deep and 50 centimeters wide. The distance between the rows of the column is 2-3 meters.

Features of caring for young and mature trees

Caring for a columnar culture is easy. Here, the emphasis is on the purity of the soil, watering and fertilizing plants.

Irrigation frequency

After planting, apple trees are watered abundantly, trying not to dry out the root system. For an adult tree, it is important to irrigate during the formation of ovaries and before wintering.

Foliar and root top dressing

Organic fertilizers are used for the Malyukha apple tree. Mullein is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3, kept in a barrel for 3-5 days, and then the solution is adjusted to a concentration of 1:5 and watered with apple trees. . For 1 square meter of planting, a bucket of mineral fertilizers is used.

Root top dressing is combined with foliar. A urea nutrient solution is being prepared for foliar feeding, which requires 2 tablespoons of the substance per 10 liters of water.

Loosening the soil

For the active growth and development of a columnar culture, it is important to loosen the soil of the near-stem circle up to 3 times per summer. In spring and autumn, they organize digging of the soil, but in such a way as not to damage the roots of the tree.

Crown pruning

Already from the 2nd year after planting the Malyukha variety, the tree crown is formed. To do this, the side branches are shortened to the 2nd bud. Then every year the procedure for young shoots is repeated. Fruiting branches are pruned in autumn, leaving some of the young ones. This is how a trunk is formed with a cone-shaped or cylindrical crown. In the spring, diseased and damaged branches should be removed.

Preventive treatment

To protect a young tree from diseases and pest attacks, seedlings are treated with fungicidal preparations. From ants, peddlers of aphids, the remedy "Thunder" saves. Wrapping the trunk of an apple tree with roofing paper, trampling snow around the trees in winter will not interfere with rodents.

Preparing the apple tree for winter

Young apple trees of the Malyukha variety must be protected from frost and cold winds. They are whitened in the fall, and the trunk is wrapped with non-woven material in several layers. Mature plants need to be covered in the gardens of Siberia and the Urals.

Recommended