Apricot Aquarius: variety description and characteristics, yield with photo

Apricots Aquarius - a winter-hardy variety, not distinguished by outstanding fruit shapes, but striking with a balanced taste. Harvests are stable, in order to provide a family with tasty he althy fruits, one mature tree is enough.

History of selection

The variety was bred in the Main Botanical Garden of Russia (in Moscow) by free pollination of the Lel seedling. Like most varieties bred under the guidance of the responsible breeder L. A. Kramarenko, the Aquarius apricot is rapidly gaining popularity. Work on its improvement lasted for 8 years, from 1996 to 2004.

Variety description

The powerful skeleton of a 6-meter tree is able to withstand not only a 30-kilogram crop, but also strong gusts of wind, frost and other climate manifestations that are not typical for traditional apricot growing areas.

Features of Aquarius apricot tree:

• bark brown with a reddish tint;
• medium-density crown is formed from straight shoots;
• large round-shaped leaves with a pointed tip, dark green, without visible veins;
• Aquarius flowers are small, white;
• branching of young plants is rare;
• Mature trees have deep grooves in their bark, both on the trunk and on the branches.

The variety of apricots bred for cultivation in central Russia does not differ in special decorative qualities. During lush flowering, the tree looks weightless, airy.

Description of apricot varieties will not be complete without fruit characteristics:

• medium firm orange pulp;
• skin is yellow with a soft blush;
• round fruit;
• the symmetry of the fruit is emphasized by a pronounced longitudinal scar;
• weight 27-32g;
• medium-sized bone is easily separated from the pulp;
• taste sweet and sour;
• tasting score 4.5 points.

A young apricot tree brings 10-15 kg per season, the yield of an adult plant is twice as much. Apricot Aquarius is not a centenarian. The fruit tree will please with rich harvests for 18-20 years.

Pros and cons

The best quality varieties are:

1. In the resistance of winter-hardy apricot tree to viral and fungal diseases, including clasterosporia.
2. Surviving harsh winters without catastrophic consequences requiring lengthy recovery efforts.
3. Rare cases of watering in conditions of prolonged drought.
4. Steady high yields.
5. Self-sufficient, does not require a pollinator plant to form ovaries.
6. High taste characteristics of fruits.

There are much fewer disadvantages - poor transportability and the inconvenience of harvesting from the crown of an adult tree.

Features

The Aquarius apricot variety, of medium fruiting, practically does not cause any problems for gardeners, which follows from the characteristics and reviews of amateur gardeners from different regions.

Drought resistance, winter hardiness

Young trees do not have long enough roots that can extract water from soil layers remote from the surface; during the drought period, they must be watered abundantly. The older the plant, the less water it needs.

Judging by the reviews of gardeners from the northern regions, the frost resistance of Aquarius is better than that of many winter-hardy varieties. But in frosts down to -40 ° C, this apricot can also get damaged. Recovery from frostbite is relatively easy.

Pollination, flowering period and ripening period

Flowering in Aquarius is quite violent. It begins when positive daily temperatures are established on the street. The tree, like a shawl, is wrapped in white small flowers, exuding a light honey aroma for several meters in the vicinity. It also attracts insects that contribute to high-quality pollination. Fruit ripening occurs in the middle, starting around mid-August.

Yield and fruiting

For a temperate climate, Aquarius apricot fruits are quite large. The stability of fruiting lies not only in the fact that flowers and fruits appear on the apricot every year, but also in the predictability of the crop weight.

From a young tree that begins fruiting from the third year after planting in a permanent place, they collect from 10 to 15 kg. Every year the tree bears more and more fruit. By the age of 8, its yield reaches a maximum - 25-30 kg.

Resistant to diseases and pests

Drupes are the most prone to viral diseases. Aquarius, like most winter-hardy varieties bred in temperate climates, is resistant to these diseases. It is impossible to completely exclude the disease of Aquarius with moniliosis, scab, and klyasterosporiosis. High-quality prevention and remoteness from other fruit trees is the best protection against viruses, fungi, pests. Despite the inviting honey aroma, the aphid does not like the Aquarius apricot.

Features of planting and care

Planting should be done in the spring so that the seedling can grow stronger over the summer.This will help him to overwinter without any consequences. Twice root top dressing per year. For the first time, Kemira fertilizer is applied to soil enriched with ash, humus, peat in the fall, on the eve of planting. Spring top dressing consists of nitrogen fertilizers and superphosphate. At the stage of fruit ripening, the Aquarius apricot requires phosphorus.

On depleted soils, watering with a solution of humus diluted 1 to 10 with water is a must. Even winter-hardy varieties of apricots do not like cold watering, so water and watering composition should be warmed up in the sun.

After harvesting in early September, you can start pre-winter preparation, it consists in whitewashing the lower part of the trunk. Copper sulphate can be added to whitewash, this will give additional protection against fungal infections. Whitewashing is also carried out in the spring months, which protects the plant from woodworms and other pests.

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