Gardeners have long tamed apple and pear trees. But now they want to grow capricious southern trees in the garden. Apricot planting success guarantees tasty fruits. Labor costs are not so great.
History of origin
Michurin began working on apricot varieties. In his nursery he managed to create unpretentious and productive species - Comrade and Michurinsky Best. They can still be found in old gardens.
But the breeders continued their work. Pollinating Comrade and Michurinsky with the Best variety of Luize, they received a new variety of apricot - Success.His characteristics exceeded those of his parents. Apricot is popular among gardeners. It actively bears fruit in both unfavorable and excellent climatic conditions.
Description of the variety
Success can be easily recognized by its technical characteristics. Gardeners are attracted by the description of the variety:
- medium-sized tree (up to 3 m tall);
- average branching;
- the crown is rounded-pyramidal;
- young shoots are light green, then the color becomes red-brown;
- bark smooth;
- petioles short;
- flowers pink and white;
- the leaves are rounded, the tip is sharp, the edge is rugged.
For better survival rate, it is recommended to plant 2-3 year old trees. Success begins to bear fruit in the 5th year. It is at this time that you can taste the fruits. Their characteristics:
- weight of one fruit is 25 g;
- the skin is thin, tender;
- apricot is bright yellow with a reddish side;
- the pulp is juicy, there is little fiber;
- The taste is excellent - sweet, with a slight sourness.
Gardeners are upset by the poor transportability and low keeping quality of Success. After all, the average yield of one 5-year-old tree is 35 kg. But apricots make wonderful marshmallows, jams and preserves.
Features of cultivation
Success is unpretentious. But to guarantee a harvest, it is recommended to follow the advice of agronomists.
Place and time
Apricot is sensitive to northern and northeastern winds. In cold winters, exposure to icy air currents leads to the complete death of fruit buds. The gardener will not get a harvest this year. Therefore, Success should be planted in places protected from the winds.
The birthplace of culture is the southern regions. Apricots will bear fruit better in a sunny, open place.Good results are obtained by planting Success near the southern wall of a building (house, barn, outbuilding).
The young seedling must have time to grow its root system before the onset of winter. It should be planted in early spring (before buds open) or autumn (3-4 weeks before the onset of persistent cold weather).
Soil selection
Success prefers loose, fertile soil with a slightly alkaline reaction. On acidic soils, liming is recommended.
You must first prepare the planting hole. At the expected planting apricot in spring The pit is prepared in the fall, and when placed in the fall, in the spring. Its dimensions: 70 cm x 70 cm x 70 cm. The pit must be filled with soil mixed with mature compost and a mineral complex. Then the area must be covered with plywood or a sheet of metal and left until the tree is planted.
Before planting Success, the leaf must be removed, the hole must be opened and the tree planted in the planting hole.. Its dimensions must be sufficient to freely accommodate the root system.
Tree care
With proper placement, Success does not require special care from the gardener. Watering and scheduled pest control regimes should be observed.
Watering and fertilizing
When planting a young plant in a prepared planting hole, it is not necessary to feed it during the first 3 years. Then specialized mineral complexes should be applied in spring and autumn.
Young trees need regular watering: their root system cannot independently provide moisture to the plant. A 5-year-old plant should only be watered in very dry weather. During the period of fruit ripening, it is recommended to stop moistening to prevent cracking of apricots.
For successful wintering, it is necessary to carry out moisture-recharging watering in the fall. 3-4 buckets of water are poured under the tree. Time: end of October.
Tree pruning
This operation must be carried out for better pollination of flowers and illumination of ripening fruits. Excess and dried shoots are cut out “into a ring”. The crown should be transparent. If the wound diameter is more than 1.5 cm, it is treated with garden varnish or oil paint. The optimal time for pruning is winter or late autumn. At this time, there is no movement of juice. Apricot will undergo the operation painlessly.
Pest protection
Young plants are damaged by aphids and leafworms. To combat aphids, it is recommended to carry out spring treatment against garden ants. Then the tree needs to be sprayed with tobacco infusion and green soap. Treatments with insecticides (natural or purchased) help against leaf rollers.
Disease Prevention
General preventive measures:
- weeding (especially on the tree trunk);
- control of nitrogen content in the soil;
- timely pruning;
- removal of plant residues from the site;
- balanced application of mineral fertilizers.
A healthy apricot does not get sick and is practically not damaged by pests.
