Apple tree Berkutovskoe: description and appearance of the variety, cultivation and care

Many varieties of apples, bred in the last century, have remained popular among gardeners even now. These include the Berkutovskoye apple tree, named after one of the creators, breeders of the Saratov Experimental Station. Obtained by crossing Antonovka, Anis golden-striped and Cortland, she received recognition for her high qualities.

Variety description

Remarkable in a plant is not only the appearance of the tree, but also the fruits. No wonder the variety was awarded a gold medal at one of the All-Russian exhibitions in 1991.

The appearance of the tree

The tree trunk is covered with smooth gray bark. Shoots of red-brown color are slightly pubescent and form a pyramidal crown. The branches are medium tall and rarely located, perpendicular to the trunk.

Trunk height

Trees reach a height of 3 meters with an average thickening of the crown. In areas with cold winters, it is better to choose an apple tree 2 meters tall.

Foliage appearance

The leaves are similar in shape to an ellipse with a pointed tip and serrated edges. Foliage color is dark green.

Apples

The tree blooms in May, covered with a white-pink cloud of flowers. The fruits of the variety are medium in size and round in shape. The average weight of apples reaches 150 grams. The color of the skin is bright, with red strokes over the entire surface, turning into a solid blush.There are subcutaneous points, there are few of them, and they are almost invisible. Fruits with a deep funnel, slightly rusty. Seeds are in open chambers, they are large, conical in shape. Apples hang on stalks of medium length and thickness.

Root

The root system of an apple tree consists of skeletal, fibrous roots. Skeletal are thicker and more durable, they form the backbone of the root system. On the skeletal roots are fibrous roots, which are highly branched. The root system lies at a depth of 25-30 centimeters.

Subspecies

If you graft the Berkutovskoe apple tree on rootstocks, the taste of the fruit will not change, but the structure of the tree will change. You can change the crown by grafting, its compactness, the timing of fruit ripening.

On a dwarf rootstock

If you choose a dwarf-type rootstock, you get a tree that takes up little space in the garden. This is convenient for summer residents with a small area of \u200b\u200bthe plot. And caring for the apple tree will be much easier.

Late

Late types of apple trees are suitable for growing in harsh conditions. And the taste of apples does not change, but it gets better. After harvesting, it can be stored for a long time, until spring.

Characteristics of the apple tree

In order to cultivate a fruit crop on your site, to properly care for it, you need to know the main characteristics of the tree. These include the growth of the crown, how the plant blooms and pollinates. Only with properly organized care, based on the characteristics of the plant, Berkutovka will bring rich harvests of apples.

Crown formation

The crown of an apple tree may have a rounded shape, wider at the base. Towards the top, the dimensions decrease. The crown is formed from the average size of branches of the first and second order. The branches are straight. The crown is not thickened, so it is easy to trim.

Pollination and flowering

For high-quality fruit setting, the Berkutovskoye variety requires cross-pollination. Nearby it is necessary to plant the Sinap North apple tree, which is most suitable as a pollinator.

Blossoming begins in May, when small white-pink inflorescences with flat petals appear on the shoots.

Description of fruits

The diameter of apples reaches 7 centimeters, and the weight is from 100 to 150, less often 200 grams. The surface of the fruit is greenish-yellowish with bright red shading, covered with small tubercles. The flesh under the smooth skin is juicy, fine-grained, cream-colored. If the fruit funnel is deep, then the calyx is closed. The saucer of apples has a slight ribbing, and a large onion-shaped heart.

Yields

Fruiting begins in the Berkutovskoe variety from the 3-4th year of life. Up to 70 kilograms of fruits, aligned in size, are harvested from one tree.

Resistance to low temperatures

The apple tree tolerates frosts steadfastly, but within 25-30 degrees below zero. Resistance to lower temperatures is average. After freezing, the tree quickly recovers.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety has an average immunity to scab, but it is susceptible to other fungal infections, especially powdery mildew. Of the pests, caterpillars of the codling moth and leafworm can be found on the apple tree. Attacks wood and aphids.

Tasting qualities

Apple fruits are highly rated for taste, no less than 4.8 points. Apples are classified as varieties that do not cause allergies. Therefore, the harvest of Berkutovskoe apples is used to prepare baby food.

Growing apple trees Berkutovskoe

The growth of fruit trees, their longevity depends on the laying of the garden. Everything is important in these activities: the composition of the soil, and the place under the site, and the occurrence of groundwater. For apple trees, a larger percentage of garden land is allocated. Landings must be protected from cold winds.

Disembarkation

Before planting apple trees, they break up a plot, dig holes. Compliance with the correct planting dates will lead to the fact that the tree, its root system will be strong. And you can wait for the fruits from such apple trees quickly.

Selection of seedlings

Saplings of fruit crops pick up the 1st or 2nd year of life. Until planting, seedlings are kept in moist soil. If they are transported, then the roots need to be dipped in an earthen mash so that they do not dry out.

How to choose a landing site

Berkutovskoye apple tree needs a sunny open place. If groundwater is close to the soil surface in the garden, then trees are planted on the hills. On sunflowers, pits need to be made deeper, laying a layer of humus on the bottom. It will not allow s alts to penetrate to the roots of the apple tree.

Distance between seedlings

The gap between seedlings is 2-3 meters. And between the rows recede 1 meter. You can fill the land with plantings of greens and vegetables. You can not plant corn and sunflower next to an apple tree.

The right time to land

Gardeners believe that it is best to plant apple trees in the spring. As soon as the snow melts, the buds have not yet begun to wake up, you can start planting fruit crops. Fall planting is also possible. But you can't push her. If apple trees are not planted in time before frost, then you need to dig them into the ground and leave them until spring.

Step by step planting

Landing is carried out sequentially:

1. Humus and mineral fertilizers are introduced into the pits prepared in advance. Do this after mixing fertilizer with the ground.
2. Filling the hole by 3 quarters, a layer of fertile soil is poured into the middle with a mound.
3. The seedling is lowered onto the mound, checking the position of the root system. The tree is located on the north side of the peg. The barrel is placed 2-3 centimeters from it.
4. The root neck is installed so that it is at ground level.
5. The pit is filled with nutrient soil, shaking the seedling. The soil will then settle between the roots.
6. Compact the soil around the trunk with a foot from the edge of the pit to the seedling.
7. It remains to make a roller to mark the boundaries of the hole.
8. The planted tree is watered abundantly, 30-50 liters per hole.
9. Apply a layer of manure or humus mulch.

Proper planting will allow the fruit crop to develop better.

Growing a he althy tree

Each stage of planting is approached carefully. The first 2 years the tree needs a garter to a peg. Depending on the timing of planting, they protect the young culture from diseases and pests. In the spring, the soil is treated with Bordeaux liquid. In autumn, after planting, the stems of the apple tree are covered with non-woven fabric or brushwood.

Fruiting periods

Apple tree Berkutovskoe begins to bear its first fruits in the 3rd-4th year of life. Then they are received regularly, every year. And the yield only increases with proper care, comfortable conditions for the development of culture.

Selection

Variety Berkutovskoe is considered an achievement of breeders. An apple tree is allowed for cultivation in the Saratov and Volgograd regions, although you can try to cultivate it in areas with a more severe climate.

Apple tree care

It is necessary to take care of apple trees so that the tree acquires a powerful and durable skeleton, correctly located branches in the crown. Do not forget about the condition of the soil in the garden. It requires watering, fertilizing, loosening.

Shaping the crown by trimming

You can create a shape for a tree with forming prunings. The crown of this variety can be represented as:

• sparse longline;
• cupped;
• fusiform;
• bushy.

The operation is carried out with a pruner before the start of sap flow in the spring. The variety also requires regular sanitary pruning with the removal of dry, diseased branches.

How to care during flowering

During the flowering period, the apple tree needs protection from frost. If they often return in the spring, then you can save flowering apple trees by kindling smoke piles in the garden. Plants are covered with smoke, and heat is retained. You can delay the flowering of trees for a few days if you water them at the end of April.

During the flowering period, the crop needs top dressing in the form of organic and mineral fertilizers.

Irrigation

Apple trees are watered with furrows, 4-5 procedures are enough over the summer. If the summer is dry, then irrigate more often. Moisturizing is especially needed 3 weeks before picking apples. 60 to 100 buckets of water are sufficient per square meter.

Pest Protection

Of the pests of the apple tree, the codling moth in the caterpillar stage causes great damage. They hibernate in dense cocoons in cracks in the bark, under lumps of earth. Naphthalene bags are used to scare away butterflies. Burlap belts on the lower part of the trunk will protect against pests.

Dangerous for the aphid culture. She sucks the juice from the leaves, they dry up and fall off. After detecting aphids, you need to spray with a decoction of tobacco dust or shag.

Spray the trees with an infusion of onion peel when a spider mite appears. It is necessary to carry out 3-fold processing with a break of 10 days.

Fight disease

Berkutovskoye apple tree has a gene of immunity to scab, but is often affected by powdery mildew fungus The disease manifests itself with a whitish coating on leaves, fruits, shoots. After some time, the plaque turns brown, becoming like felt. You can get rid of the infection by cutting off damaged branches, burning them.

It is necessary for preventive and therapeutic purposes to spray the trees with a solution of iron sulfate, and after the leaves bloom - with soda. A solution of manure, which is prepared from 3 parts of water and 1 part of manure, will also help. Insist the medicine for 3-4 days. Dilute with water in a ratio of 1:3 and treat in the evening every 7 days after the leaves bloom. Do not spray during flowering.

Soil fertilization

Apple trees need organic and mineral supplements every year.Mullein and bird droppings are first diluted with water in a barrel in a ratio of 1: 3, and then after 5 days they are brought to the desired concentration and the trees are watered. The first time it is needed in mid-May, when the buds open, then in June, when the tree has faded.

Mineral fertilizers are used in August. They are replaced with a solution of wood ash, taking 50 grams per bucket of water.

Harvest and related work

At the end of September - beginning of October, Berkutovskoye apple harvest is ready for harvest. It is better to shoot on time so that the fruits are preserved until spring.

Harvesting

The important thing in removing apples from twigs is to leave fruit twigs intact. Therefore, carefully unscrew the fruits, separating them. Pulling and picking apples is not recommended.

Storage of apples

For laying apples for the winter, use wooden boxes made of slats. First, damaged, rumpled fruits are rejected, and then 15-20 kilograms are poured into each container. Boxes of fruit are placed in cellars with an air temperature of +2 degrees.

Using fruits

In addition to fresh use, apples of the variety are used to prepare blanks for the winter. Juice is tasty. Fruits are suitable for jams, jams, marmalade.

To help the gardener

Deciding to plant a new variety of apple trees is always difficult. Often summer residents do not know how to care for a fruit crop, whether it will take root in the region. You also need to know about the nuances of caring for an apple tree.

Regions suitable for growing variety

The best area for growing Berkutovskoye apple trees are regions with a temperate continental climate. These are the regions of the Volga region, Moscow region. Although in the Moscow region, winters are the least suitable for apple trees. The warmer, the better the quality of the fruit from this variety. In harsh conditions, the tree may not endure the winter, freeze slightly.

Where can I buy seedlings

You can buy seedlings of the Berkutovskoye variety in nurseries. They sell two-year-old apple trees with an open and closed root system. It is better not to purchase varietal crops from hand, as more often they do not correspond to the declared planting material.

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