Liberty apple tree: variety description and characteristics, yield and history with photo

A variety of apples with the mysterious name Liberty, which means "freedom", came to our country in the mid-80s. The seedlings were brought from America. Liberty is considered a fairly promising variety, despite its relative youth. Popular thanks to its good keeping quality and excellent taste.

Variety description

The Liberty variety in 1955 was the first to be received by breeders from the United States of America. Seedlings of apple trees, famous in Russia - Macintosh and Welsey, as well as less well-known varieties - Mekaunt and Rum Beauty, participated in the creation of a new culture.Today, gardeners from around the world who have become familiar with the description of the Liberty variety grow apple trees on their own plots, taking good harvests every year.

Liberty is classified as a late variety, so the end of September-beginning of October is the time to harvest - medium-sized apples, maroon, with small specks under the skin and a wax coating.

Liberty apples perfectly tolerate any transportation. And thanks to its good keeping quality, the variety is used in individual gardening and for commercial purposes.

Pollination

The fruits of the Liberty apple variety can be tied from free pollination, but this is only 6-9%. It is better if they become pollinators of apple trees:

• Idared;
• Florina;
• Mcfree;
• Gloucester;
• Priscilla.

Characteristic

Often the decisive argument in favor of seedlings of this fruit crop is precocity. After all, already in the second year you can get the first apples. But not only this attracts Liberty gardeners.

Pros and cons

There are many indicators that make apple trees of this variety more popular:

• high winter hardiness;
• immunity to scab;
• early fruiting;
• commercial grade;
• excellent transportability.

The main disadvantage of culture is susceptibility to powdery mildew. But gardeners have learned to deal with this problem. Some people claim that when apples lie for a long time, in the middle the fruits begin to taste bitter.But this is also solvable - you can eat apples without waiting until the six months allotted for storage expire.

Mature tree size and annual growth

Young seedling grows very fast. Over time, its ability to form new strong shoots subsides a bit. As an adult, the tree grows from 2.5 to 3 meters, sometimes higher - up to 4.

Productivity, frequency of fruiting

This variety blooms in mid-May. If the pollinators are good, then a lot of fruit will be tied, which will provide the apple tree with a high yield.

From a good tree, in the conditions of Stavropol, up to 250 centners of apples are harvested. Fruiting is stable and increases every year:

• for the 4th year - up to 12-13 kilograms per tree;
• on the 7th - up to forty;
• in the 10th year, the harvest may exceed a centner, or maybe 60 kilograms.

Proper care is key.

Winter hardiness

The indicator is above average. This only applies to those regions where it is recommended to grow Liberty.

Disease resistance

Liberty apple trees are one of 150 varieties of this fruit crop that are resistant to scab, a terrible disease of fruit crops. Moreover, the variety is completely resistant to this disease.

As far as powdery mildew resistance is concerned, Liberty's are no different.

But timely preventive measures can prevent the development of this disease, which is no less dangerous for a tree.

Tasting evaluation

Estimates of fragrant Liberty apples from tasters were not the most generous - 4-4.2 points out of 5. Maybe you didn’t like the refreshing sweet and sour taste too much? Sugar in apples is a little more - 8%.

Landing

For this case, both spring and autumn are like. Experts recommend mid-April for planting, as the most successful time for these purposes. But you can plant in May. It all depends on the weather and soil conditions. You can plant a seedling in the fall, as a rule, in October, when the leaves fall. But if you do it a little later, the seedling will adapt before frost.

If planted in a garden or garden plot, it is necessary to leave a distance of at least 2 meters between apple trees. In commercial plantings, trees are planted in rows more densely, and between them they leave up to 5 meters.

Care

Loamy or sandy loamy soils are suitable for planting Liberty, which are able to pass moisture and air. To get consistently high yields and improve the quality of apples, it is necessary that pollinating trees grow nearby so that there is nutritious soil.

But most importantly, proper care must be taken:

1. Water regularly and not "from a mug", but in sufficient quantity.
2. The number of waterings will depend on weather conditions. Sometimes three times is enough, and you will have to water at least 5 times into dry land. It can be 5 times per season. If your garden uses drip irrigation, you don't have to count the quantity.
3. Timely feed with mineral and organic fertilizers: both for roots and foliage.
4. Treat the apple tree from pests and diseases.

Harvest and storage of crops

In the second half of September, they start harvesting. The apples are already fully ripe and ready to amaze with their best qualities.

Keep them properly - cool and dark.High humidity and dampness in the room contribute to the rapid deterioration of the fruit. If the storage place is a specially equipped refrigerator, within six months the apples will not lose their taste and presentation. If stored in a non-equipped place, then the period is limited to two months.

Varieties

Sister Liberty is a variation of the Liberty apple variety. Of course, it is less winter-hardy than its parent, therefore it is recommended mainly for the southern Russian regions. And they grow it on a dwarf rootstock, so the tree is undersized - it does not grow above 2.5 meters. But it begins to bear fruit already in the second or third year, and then brings crops annually.

Growing in regions

It is believed that the North Caucasus region is more suitable than others for the distribution of Liberty apples. But this does not mean that in Polissya, the Central Black Earth, the North-Eastern regions and the Donbass, culture is less promising.Apple trees of the Liberty variety are not uncommon in gardens and garden plots of the Moscow Region.

There will always be interest in fruitful varieties of apples. Liberty is needed by the consumer who eats this fruit, makes all kinds of preparations for the winter (preserves, jams, compotes), and even dries it. Gardeners are also interested in Liberty - often a variety of varieties becomes a brand name.

American Liberty apple trees are not in vain called a variety without problems. They have found in Russia the most devoted admirers from the moment of their appearance. Therefore, in the gardens and garden plots of the Moscow region, the southern regions, Ukraine, Liberty apple trees grow and bear fruit.

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