Apple tree Alyonushka: description and characteristics of the variety, cultivation with photo

Among gardeners with small gardens, dwarf varieties of apples that grow up to 2-3 meters are valued. These varieties of plants include the Alyonushka apple tree. Such trees are considered one of the best hybrids bred for cultivation in the northern regions.

Before you plant Alenka in the garden, you need to read its description in more detail.

Description and features of the variety

The main feature of the variety is the height of trees that grow up to 2-2.5 meters.In the first few years, apple trees develop quite quickly. However, after the first harvest, the rate of tree development decreases by 2-3 times. The crown and branches are covered with brown bark, which has a slight olive tint.

Over time, the trees are overgrown with rounded shoots with a brownish color. They form small ovoid leaves with denticles at the edges and a sharp point at the end. The leaves are painted in a greenish color with a dark, matte tint. The features of Alyonushka include flowers that appear during flowering. They are quite large and stand out against the small leaves.

After flowering, apple fruits are formed on the plants, the mass of which after ripening reaches 40-50 grams. Such sizes are considered normal for most dwarf varieties. The entire crop is rounded with a slight taper near the tip. The surface of the apples is slightly ribbed and rough.

The peel of ripe fruit is yellow with small and blurry pinkish spots.

Gardeners value Alyonushka for its taste, as it has a light sweet aftertaste with fragrant sourness. The harvested crop is used not only for fresh consumption, but also to create jam, fresh juice, compote or jam.

History of Breeding

This hybrid was bred in the second half of the 20th century by the Krasnodar breeders A. S. Tolmachev and N. N. Tikhonov. When obtaining this variety of apples, they used Papirovka, which is common in the B altic countries. It is thanks to this variety that Alenka is distinguished by early ripening, fruit aroma and high yields.

The first few years after breeding, the variety was actively used in industry and grown in the fields. However, today Alyonushka is also grown by ordinary gardeners in summer cottages.

Pros and cons of Alyonushka apple tree

It is known that many varieties of apples have their advantages and disadvantages. Among the main advantages of this early ripening fruit are the following:

• Quick ripening of the first harvest. Some varieties of apple trees do not bear fruit for a long time after planting seedlings in the garden. However, Alenka does not belong to such plants, as it begins to bear crops in 2-3 years.
• Yield. From an adult tree, it is possible to collect more than 75 kilograms of ripe fruit.
• Resilience to climate change. The trees are distinguished by a strong root system, which copes with a sharp decrease in temperature and freezing of the soil.
• Restorative functions. This is the main advantage of the variety, because thanks to it the plant quickly recovers from mechanical damage or diseases.
• Compact. By growing Alyonushka, you can save a lot of free space in the garden.
• Easy to harvest. Thanks to the fact that the trees grow to only two meters, it is much easier to collect fruits from the tops.

The disadvantages of the plant include its poor resistance to apple pathologies. For example, trees become infected with scab and are attacked by pests. Often this leads to a deterioration in yields and the death of apple trees.

Yield and frequency of fruiting

Apples begin to form on young trees a few years after planting. In the first harvest year, few fruits are tied on apple trees, since the plant is still young. In this case, 20-40 kilograms of apples are harvested from a tree. However, in subsequent years, the number of crops increases significantly and at least 80 kilograms of sweet apples are obtained from each tree.

With proper care, Alenka will delight with good yields every summer. However, if you do not take care of the plant, the fruits will be worse tied, and the number of apples will decrease.

Winter hardiness and disease resistance

Many residents of the northern regions with a changeable and harsh climate who plan to grow Alyonushka are interested in the winter hardiness of the variety. Experienced breeders and gardeners are sure that this variety can be considered one of the most frost-resistant. Apple trees are able to survive even serious temperature drops to 45 degrees below zero. Also, the trees have an average resistance to high temperatures and droughts.

However, Alenka copes much worse with diseases. Most often, fragile apple seedlings suffer from diseases, which can die from scab or pests.

Where is the best place to grow?

Growing this variety can be done at high and low temperatures, as it is resistant to almost any climate. However, high yields can only be achieved when grown in the most suitable conditions.

Gardeners are advised to plant apples in the central region of the country, where there is no drought and sudden temperature changes. Alyonushka also grows well in the northern part, however, due to the cold climate, the yield will be low.

Conclusion

For gardeners with small summer cottages, Alyonushka is the best choice. This compact plant does not take up much space in the garden, grows quickly and bears fruit.

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