Crops that until recently grew only in the south have begun to conquer the middle latitudes in recent years. Apricots are loved by both adults and children. Sweet and juicy fruits make very tasty jam, compotes and jams are prepared for the winter, fresh fruits are rich in vitamins, microelements, and organic acids. The Monastyrsky apricot variety is planted by summer residents, grown on an industrial basis by gardeners, the tree takes root well, and after 3-4 years it pleases with the first ripened fruits.
History of origin
Many breeders have worked on developing hybrids.In the nineties, Candidate of Biological Sciences Larisa Kramarenko, when crossing Shablovsky and Bereznyakovsky apricots, obtained a new variety of crop that was suitable for cultivation in the middle zone, was resistant to gray rot, and was not afraid of frost. Apricot Monastyrsky was adapted to the difficult climate conditions of the Moscow region.
Description of the variety
The tall tree has a wide and beautiful crown, has spreading branches, and grows up to 5 meters in height. Large oval leaves have a rich shade. White flowers appear on unblown apricots, when even the grass is not yet green.
The Monastyrsky variety is not particularly demanding on soil. Trees take root on loams, gray soils, and sandstones. Fruits ripen on them:
- oblong shape;
- with thick lemon peel;
- with a bright blush.
Apricots have a pleasant fruity aroma, sweet taste, and are valued for their chemical composition. The juicy pulp contains more than 8% sugar and contains potassium and organic acids.
The description of the variety indicated that it was adapted to the conditions of the Central region. Summer residents and gardeners in the Ryazan, Belgorod, and Tula regions began to plant apricots. The fruits ripen in early August and, in cool weather, ripen by the end of the month.
Features of cultivation
Although the Monastyrsky variety is considered an unpretentious plant, in order for the fruits to weigh about 40 g and the tree to produce a stable harvest in mid-latitudes, it is necessary to comply with the requirements of agricultural technology and care for the apricot.
Selection of seedlings
To buy a young tree, you need to go to a nursery or gardening center, since on the market you can buy wild apricots, not high-quality apricots. For a summer cottage, a seedling grafted onto a plum or sloe is suitable. It is distinguished by a thick trunk and elongated growth.It is necessary to check the condition of the roots; there should be no cracks, dried or frozen parts on them. 2-year-old trees take root well.
Dates and place
When to move an apricot into open soil depends on the region where it is going to be grown. In the south, crops take root better in the fall, since frosts arrive late. In the northern regions, it is advisable to plant the plant in April, before the buds have time to bloom. Beginning gardeners should listen to the following recommendations:
- The hole for the tree is dug to a depth of 80 cm and approximately the same distance in width. They do it in advance.
- Apricot feels better on loams, gray soils, and sandy soils.
- The roots need to be trimmed, dipped in mash, and dried twigs should be removed.
Mullein and humus are added to the soil around the seedling, ash, superphosphate and potassium fertilizer are added, compacted and moistened. The tree is tied to a peg to prevent it from being broken by the wind. The Monastyrsky variety has been grown relatively recently, but is already loved by summer residents for the taste of the fruit and aroma.
Tree care
In mid-latitudes, apricots are not found along roads and in plantings, as in the south, where they grow in the same way as maples or chestnuts. In order for a tree to enjoy a fruit harvest in the Moscow region or in the Bryansk region, it is necessary to provide it with constant care, which includes moistening, loosening the soil, fertilizing and pruning.
Watering
How often to irrigate depends on the weather, the age of the apricot, and the depth to which the soil is saturated. The first time, 2 buckets of water are added after planting to the tree trunk circle to compact the soil. A young tree is watered every week, an adult tree four times a season:
- with shoot growth;
- during the appearance of flowers;
- before fruit ripening;
- late autumn.
If there is an excess of moisture, the roots rot, if there is not enough, the leaves wither, the branches dry out, and the fruits become smaller. For watering apricot Drip, furrow or hole irrigation is best.
Crown formation
To protect the tree from pests and diseases, and to get maximum yield, you need to learn how to prune the shoots. The first time, 2/3 of the length is left from the branches.
In order for the sun to penetrate better inside, the apricot has a spreading crown, and the central trunk of a three-year-old seedling is leveled. Every year, dried shoots and branches that grow down rather than up are removed.
Reproduction
Apricot is taken from the seed, but the quality characteristics are unlikely to correspond to the crop variety, since pollination occurs by vegetative means. Seeds must be hardened.
A ready-made seedling can be bought at a nursery, or the seeds, which have undergone stratification, can be placed in a pot to a depth of about 5 mm. Expanded clay or pebbles are poured onto the bottom of the container, the seeds are covered with earth on top and, after watering, they are insulated with polyethylene. In spring, the tree is transplanted into open ground.
The crop is grown from cuttings, cutting shoots 4 internodes long from a healthy crop. They are dipped into a growth stimulator for half a day, after which it is sent to the soil on the site.
The tree is propagated by scioning. The shoots of a healthy apricot planted in the same climate conditions are suitable for this. On the trunk of the rootstock, which is kept in water, part of the bark is cut off and pressed against the grafted plant.
Diseases and pests
Monastyrsky, unlike other varieties of the crop, is rarely infected with fungi that cause gray rot.However, this apricot is also susceptible to cytosporosis, in which the flowers and leaves turn brown and dry out, and tubercles appear on the surface of the branches.
A tree suffers from hole spotting, when the fruits suffer and fall off, and the problem begins with the formation of small spots.
For prevention, dried parts of the plant are removed, and the cut sites are covered with garden pitch. The limp leaves and blackened ovary are raked. In spring, apricots are sprayed with products containing copper. When affected by diseases, trees are treated with fungicides.
The crop suffers from the codling moth, whose caterpillars eat the ovary. The leaf roller overwinters in the bark of plants and feeds on the buds. Aphids drink the sap from green parts of the tree. To destroy pests, both folk remedies and insecticides are used.
