Dwarf apple trees: a list of varieties with a description, planting and care, advantages and disadvantages

Breeders are constantly developing new varieties of apple trees that differ in taste, size and other characteristics. Many gardeners grow dwarf apple trees in their summer cottages, which bear juicy fruits and can perform a decorative function. Despite their compact size, fruit trees are not inferior in quality to larger varieties.

Features and benefits of the view

The category of low-growing trees has a small crown and grows to a height of no more than 3 m.With proper planting and further care, the trees bear fruit in 2-3 years. The advantages of dwarf plants include the following:

1. Due to their low height, the trees are easy to process and harvest from them. Gardeners who care for dwarf apple trees don't spend much time doing basic farming practices.
2. Growing trees is allowed every 1-1.5 meters. Dense planting at times increases the yield in comparison with the classic varieties of trees.
3. With a strong wind and precipitation, a small amount of fruit falls to the ground. Even when falling apples, they are not damaged due to the low height of the trees.
4. The root systems of dwarf varieties respond faster to fertilization and watering, due to which the crop ripens earlier.
5. Due to the peculiarities of the structure, low-growing plantings receive more natural light, and more vitamin C and sugars accumulate inside the fruits.
6. The process of development and maturation of the crop stops a few weeks earlier than in standard varieties, which allows you to harvest the fruits before the first frost.

Major flaws

In addition to a number of comparative advantages, low-growing apple trees have several negative characteristics. The main disadvantage is the poor tolerance of cold weather, due to which landings on dwarf rootstocks can freeze at low temperatures. In addition, this variety requires regular and careful care for a large harvest. The list of disadvantages also includes:

• deep digging when caring for plantings can cause damage to the root system, as it lies in the upper soil layers;
• a tree of small height is more brittle, so when planting seedlings, it is necessary to build supports;
• Dwarf fruits attract a large number of pests, therefore, in order to grow a quality crop, anti-parasitic treatment is required.

How different from ordinary apple trees

Inexperienced gardeners when planting seedlings often confuse low-growing varieties with ordinary and columnar ones. Dwarf varieties are distinguished by a spreading crown, which reaches 3 m in diameter. Ordinary species have a crown of one trunk, with a lot of branching.

Columnar trees look like an elongated trunk, from which fruits grow.

To distinguish dwarf apple seedlings, it is necessary to pay attention to the root system and trunk when choosing. In low-growing seedlings, the trunks have branches that appear in the early stages of growth. The root system has a fibrous structure, and its elasticity and elasticity testify to the high quality of the seedling, due to which abundant fruiting of apples occurs.In standard varieties, the roots are pivotal.

Varieties

There is a wide variety of dwarf apple trees. Trees of different species differ from each other in the duration of ripening, growth characteristics in certain regions, and fruit size. To choose the best option for planting in your summer cottage, it is important to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each species.

By maturity

Depending on the period when the trees begin to bear fruit, early-, mid- and late-ripening varieties are distinguished. Early ripe ripen at the end of July. Melba is considered one of the most common varieties, bearing juicy fruits weighing more than 100 g. There are also varieties Candy and Chudny, which produce fruits weighing 120 and 150 g, respectively.

Summer varieties have pronounced taste characteristics, and their fruiting begins from the 3rd-4th year of vegetation.

From among the mid-season variety Zhigulevsky, which easily tolerates low temperatures and brings a crop at the end of September, has received great demand. The weight of one fruit reaches 200 g. The crop can be stored throughout the winter without loss of taste.

Among the late-ripening varieties, we can distinguish the types of Bratchud and Bogatyr. These varieties begin to bear fruit from the 4-5th year, are resistant to frost and stable yields. Tree fruits are sweet and juicy when properly cared for.

By regionalization

To get a large harvest, you need to grow a variety suitable for a particular region. Different areas have different climatic conditions, so some varieties may not take root.For example, the soil and temperature in the Moscow region belong to the middle zone, and here apple trees grafted onto clonal undersized rootstocks are in demand. Experienced gardeners plant varieties Melba, Zhigulevsky and Grushevka of the Moscow region in the middle zone.

In Siberia, clone rootstocks should not be grown, as they freeze out under the influence of low temperatures. The varieties Palmetta, Nezhenka, Siberian Souvenir are resistant to Siberian cold. These varieties bring a good harvest when planted according to the scheme of 2.5 x 2 m.

In the Nizhny Novgorod region, as well as in the Moscow region, the Zhigulevsky variety takes root well, which is valued not only for its early maturation, but also for its resistance to adverse climate. This type of apple tree is practically not subject to scab and undergoes conditions of high humidity.

How to graft trees

Propagate dwarf trees in several ways. The easiest way to do this is by budding. The procedure is carried out in early spring, when the first leaves begin to grow. The essence of budding of apple trees is that a bud with adjacent tissues is cut out from a one-year scion, which is inserted into an incision on the stem of the stock.

Growing apple trees on dwarf rootstocks

When planting trees on dwarf rootstocks, there are a number of things to consider. First of all, the grafting site of the seedling should be located above the soil surface, because otherwise the plants will begin to actively grow prematurely. The roots of the seedling are recommended to be evenly distributed around the trunk, avoiding arching up.

It is better to plant apple trees on rootstocks in the spring, before the onset of a stable hot temperature. Planting seedlings requires the mandatory construction of supports that will help the plant not to tilt in strong winds and the ripening of heavy fruits.

Rules for caring for dwarf apple trees

The process of caring for seedlings involves the regular implementation of basic actions - watering, loosening, plowing, fertilizing and protecting against pests. To grow he althy trees, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Regularly inspect landings to detect signs of disease and pests in a timely manner.
2. Be careful when plowing and loosening the land, because the root system of seedlings is at a shallow depth.
3. Before planting, prepare a place for the location of the seedling, making sure the quality of the soil and the absence of wind through.

It is also important to consider the time of year when caring for apple trees. Depending on the temperature conditions, there are certain nuances in the processing of seedlings.

Summer

Particular attention when leaving in the summer should be given to watering. The soil around the trunk must always be kept moist and not allowed to dry out. In hot weather, the activity of pests increases, to scare away which special chemicals should be used.

Autumn

In the autumn period, most of the dwarf varieties ripen. By the time of harvesting, the near-stem circle of trees must be constantly cleared of falling leaves, fruits and weeds. When the area around the trunk is cleared of plant debris, loosen the ground to eliminate lumps and disrupt the thermal insulation of pests living in the soil.

Disinfection should be carried out by mid-autumn to prevent the emergence of new harmful insects.

Following harvest, fertilize with a high mineral fertilizer. After that, sanitary pruning of the apple tree is required in order to remove dried leaves and eliminate the thickened planting.

In winter

Caring for fruitful trees during the winter is a prerequisite for a good harvest next season. When frost occurs, it is necessary to regularly monitor the condition of the heaters that cover the roots and the lower part of the trunk of the apple tree. During winter, hares or mice can gnaw through the covering material. There is also a risk of damage to the insulation due to heavy accumulation of snow.

To prevent tree crowns from breaking, you need to constantly control the amount of snow on the surface. If a thick layer of snow forms on the branches, shake it off. Otherwise, after the onset of heat, the snow will melt, and under its mass, fragile branches will break.

Spring

In early spring, new seedlings need to be trimmed for further active growth. If the tree has been growing for several seasons, then pruning is required in the spring for shaping and for sanitary purposes. One of the important stages of spring care is the treatment of diseases and harmful insects. It is also recommended to attach trapping belts to the trunks of dwarf apple trees to catch pests.

After the snow melts, you need to start making sure that the surface of the soil around the trunk does not dry out. Each watering should be completed by loosening the soil to a depth of 50-70 mm. To reduce the regularity of watering and keep moisture in the ground, mulching can be done around the trunk. In early April, during clear weather, you need to whiten the lower part of the trunk. You also need to fertilize using a complex or nitrogenous fertilizer.

Features of crown formation

Pruning the crown of apple trees is done twice a year to give shape Prune the crown should be in spring and autumn, when new shoots have not entered the phase of intensive growth. To increase the volume of the crown, young shoots should be directed outward. This will help make the tree more compact in appearance, while the branches will not stick out in different directions.

Most often, the need for crown pruning occurs when landing on a summer cottage with little free space in the garden.

Diseases and pests, ways to deal with them

Apple trees grown on a dwarf rootstock are subject to the same diseases as the classic varieties. With improper care, negative external influences or constant cloudy weather, there is a high probability of the appearance of diseases such as powdery mildew, scab, mosaic, rot, cytosporosis.In order to track the appearance of the disease in a timely manner, it is necessary to regularly inspect the seedlings and, if the first signs of infection are found, proceed with fungicidal treatment.

Copper sulfate solution, colloidal sulfur and Bordeaux liquid are suitable for fighting diseases.

Among pests, caterpillars and butterflies are considered dangerous for the fruits of dwarf apple trees. Insects gnaw through the fruits and leaves of trees, which leads to a reduction in the quantity and quality of the crop. To scare away pests, it is necessary to spray the vegetation with special preparations.

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