Apricot Red-cheeked: variety description and winter hardiness, planting and care, diseases

The process of growing Krasnocheky apricot in climatic conditions unusual for this type of fruit trees has been greatly simplified. Now apricot orchards with bright and bulk fruits can be raised not only in the subtropics. Thanks to the selective breeding of the newest apricot variety, called the son of Krasnoshchekoy, gardeners have received the so-called adapted hybrid, which regularly gives rich harvests.

Variety description

The fruit tree is a tall and tall fruit crop, with a lush crown and sweeping branches. In height, representatives of this variety sometimes reach 10 meters, but usually their growth stops at a five-meter mark.

Important! A properly formed crown facilitates not only the process of caring for a tree, but also in the future harvest path.

In the description of the variety, fruits of small size are indicated by a rounded or ovoid shape with a deep seam on the abdomen. The orangey-yellow hue of the fruit with a red flank is a characteristic feature of this apricot, not for nothing called Red-cheeked.

The sweetest and juiciest fruit flesh has a barely noticeable sourness and a slightly orange color. The rough stone has a sweet nucleolus inside and is easily separated from the pulp of the fruit itself. The tree, in principle, is a long-liver, the life span of which varies between 50-60 years.

Produced by breeders of the Crimean district in 1947, it was subsequently taken as the basis for recreating more advanced apricot hybrids.Due to its winter hardiness, the son of Krasnocheky began to be planted in Central Russia, expanding the territory of growth over time.

In addition, the described apricot, the brother of the late Red-cheeked, Nikitsky, Saligirsky, received, unlike the others, a longer life span, ranging from 60 to 75 years.

History of selection

There is little information about the original homeland of the Red-cheeked miracle and its initial origin. Although for the first time these fruit trees found themselves in the highlands of Central Asia.

In the future, this apricot variety began to be bred in the territories of Armenia. Well, in the post-war period, the breeders of the Nikitsky agrobotanical garden in the Crimea gave this variety a new life.

Today, the competitiveness of this variety, among its European relatives, is a fait accompli. Therefore, an unpretentious type of apricot, thanks to selective selection, feels comfortable regardless of the territory of its growth.

Pros and cons

Among the numerous advantages of the described variety, the most positive aspects are distinguished in the form:

• resistance to arid climate and low temperatures;
• self-fertility;
• immunity to certain diseases;
• yield;
• small demands on the soil;
• highest tasting fruits.

Among the shortcomings of this culture, excessive sensitivity to sudden changes in temperature is distinguished. The spring period, with alternating thaws and frosts, is the most dangerous for the life of this apricot variety. Temperature fluctuations adversely affect the buds of future flowers, which may die from such a negative influence.

Characteristics of trees and fruits

These fruit trees are characterized by: powerful crown, sweeping and strong branches. The apricot crop is resistant to the strongest winds, easily adapts to new conditions and tolerates low temperatures.

There are no special requirements for planting young seedlings. Trees have strong protection - thick bark, are accustomed to an abundance of sunlight, and therefore thrive well in open areas.

Apricot Red-cheeked is a hardy variety, this is evidenced by the conditions of its growth in the "harsh Russian winter".

Filled, already ripened apricots have a golden-orange color. A characteristic feature of this variety is a red barrel, a velvety surface of the fruit and an excellent aroma when the fruit is broken.

The fruit ripening period is at the end of July. Due to the inconsistency of the fruit ripening process itself, harvesting is carried out in stages, which helps to prevent the possibility of fruit spilling.

The variety has excellent transportability and the ability to store the crop for more than 10 days after harvest.

Yield and storage

The yield of apricot of a given cultivar directly depends on how the seedlings were cared for, from the planting stage to fruiting. If all the rules and recommendations were taken into account, then in the end the amateur gardener will be rewarded with a luxurious apricot orchard and a high yield.

The amount of fruit already harvested can also be increased by phasing the fruit. After all, then the unripe apricots remaining on the tree will pour and become larger in volume. This will also solve the problem of preserving the harvest - the fruits will linger on the tree for the allotted time, waiting in the wings.

On what needs apricots will go for in the future, and their collection will be carried out with different stages of fruit ripening. To obtain dried fruits, it is more expedient to use overripe fruits, for eating - ripe ones, without any defects. For transportation over many kilometers, it is better to pick up slightly yellow fruits. Any fruits are suitable for saving for the winter, a real hostess will be able to use them for good.

Good Growing Areas

The best areas for the growth of this type of fruit trees and its relatives were the Northern part of the Southern zones, as well as the South-Western regions. Apricot settled down and perfectly adapted to the regions of the North Caucasus, the Volga region, Crimea, as well as to Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia.

A variety of the described culture, due to its low demands, has become widespread in the territories of the Krasnodar Territory, in Rostov-on-Don and in many other parts of Russia.

Planting and care

The variety of this crop is photophilous, therefore, the choice of a site for its planting should fall exclusively in areas that are well warmed up by the sun's rays. The distance from groundwater to the ground surface must be at least two and a half meters. The soil must be loose. On chernozem, loamy and sandy soils, this variety of apricot will grow and bear fruit better.

Important! This fruit crop does not accept acidic and peaty lands; it simply does not grow in such areas.

Plots for planting such trees should be located on hills, protected from strong winds by any fences. Upon reaching the age of four, the culture will become stronger, and the need for its protection from gusts of wind will disappear by itself.

When planting apricot trees, the following rules must be observed:

1. This crop should be planted in the middle of spring, in April or in the autumn period in October.
2. During the growing season, planting apricots is not recommended.
3. The planting hole for a seedling, for timely shrinkage of the soil and facilitating the manipulations associated with planting, must be prepared ahead of time.
4. In the autumn period, such a depression is formed two weeks before planting; for planting a crop in the spring, a hole is prepared in the fall.
5. There should be a distance of at least 3-5 meters between seedlings. The same gap is allowed between apricot and other trees.

Step-by-step planting period includes:

• digging a hole 70/80 centimeters wide and deep;
• laying drainage with a layer of 10 centimeters;
• filling the pit with fertilizer mixed with earth.

Important! The rhizomes of seedlings should not be adjacent to top dressing without soil, in order to avoid burns.

Further manipulations when planting an apricot mean:

• filling a hole with a mixture and forming a certain hill out of it and the earth;
• planting a seedling on a hillock, in a vertical position, with a uniform distribution of its root system and further powdering of the soil without falling asleep the neck of the plant;
• consolidation of soil by tamping;
• watering and mulching the soil.

You can also grow an apricot crop from a seed. To do this, planting material must be soaked in warm water for a day.And then place the bones in the pits, having a depth of 6 centimeters, with a distance between each up to 15 centimeters. Upon reaching the age of two, the plant can be transplanted into the ground.

Saplings of this variety of apricot trees are not particularly demanding to care for. Therefore, listening to the advice of experienced gardeners on how to properly take care of the plant, you can increase not only the growth and vital activity of the crop, but also increase its yield.

To avoid excessive soil moisture, it is necessary to mulch the soil layer under the plant with due regularity. As a result of such actions, air circulation between the rhizomes will improve, and excess liquid will evaporate.

Irrigation is necessary at the time of growth of the apricot crop. For the first time, watering is carried out during the flowering period, then - the spring period of shoot formation and in the middle of summer. The required amount of water for each watering is 2-3 buckets of warm liquid.The last watering is carried out at the end of autumn, using 5-6 buckets of water.

In the first year of growth, the seedling needs pruning. The formed crown should be rejuvenated from time to time. Places where powerful branches were cut must be treated with a special disinfection method. Painful conditions of trees must be stopped by special manipulations using chemical mixtures or oil paint.

In autumn, the trunk of an apricot tree also needs to be processed, using whitewash and adding lime, copper sulfate.

Proper planting and care of fruit trees will provide the gardener with a rich harvest and a luxurious apricot orchard in the future.

Winter hardiness

Apricot trees of this variety have below average winter hardiness. This is especially true of the cold regions of Central Russia, the Urals, with their unfriendly winters, low temperatures, constant precipitation and spring frosts.But, with certain care, here, too, the apricot, in the form of the Red-cheeked miracle, grows and gives good yields.

Diseases and pests

Aphid is a dangerous and common parasite that often infects apricot crops. To combat this insect resort to chemicals. Also, aphids are repelled by nasturtium planted in a circle near an infected tree.

There are also diseases that interfere with the proper development of trees in the form:

1. Moniliosa.
2. Brown spotting.
3. Clusterosporiasis.
4. Verticillosis.
5. Infectious drying.
6. Curl of leaves.

When moniliosis, the leaves on the branches of apricot turn black, the bark is covered with grayish warty rashes, the fruits, before they even ripen, die.For preventive purposes, trees are treated with any fungicide; in the treatment, damaged parts of the plant are sprayed with copper sulphate.

When a disease occurs in the form of brown spotting, which usually begins in mid-summer, the affected leaves are treated with Bordeaux liquid.

Klyasterosporioz infects the tree completely, but especially the leaves, up to the holes. And the skin of the fruit affected by this disease is covered with red-brown ulcers. Both for prevention and for therapeutic purposes, copper sulphate is actively used to stop this disease.

Symptomatology of this or that disease varies. Therefore, it is more expedient to treat trees for preventive purposes, since it is much more difficult to treat a tree affected by a fungus.

Important! Treatment for any diseases or pests is best done in the fall, when the leaves fly around the tree, or in the spring, while the apricot has not yet bloomed.

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