Description of the Bogatyrsky apple tree variety, advantages and disadvantages, cultivation in the regions

Of the late winter apple tree species, the Bogatyr variety is the most popular among gardeners. The fruits of the tree are stored until spring without changing their qualities. The hybrid was obtained in the 20s of the last century by the Ukrainian breeder S. Chernenko by crossing Antonovka with Renet Landsbergsky. The variety is valued for its plasticity, unpretentiousness, and high yield.

Description and characteristics of the Bogatyr apple tree

The main quality of the fruit crop is the appearance of large apples; it is not for nothing that they are called Red Bogatyr. They are superior in weight and delight gardeners with their harmonious taste.

Appearance of the variety

The Bogatyr apple tree is different:

• up to 5 meters high;
• olive bark;
• thick branches;
• oval leaves, with jagged edges, pubescent below, on reddish petioles;
• medium-sized white-pink inflorescences.

The formation of fruits of the variety occurs mainly on the ringlets.

Apple fruits

In the 4th year of life, the tree produces its first apples. Their main qualities are:

• roundness of shape with slight ribbing;
• light green skin color;
• redness on the sides when exposed to the sun;
• sweet and sour taste;
• pleasant aroma;
• weight from 200 to 400 grams.

Apples can hang on the branches for a long time without falling off until they are removed.

Self-fertility

The stamens of apple flowers are not located at the same level with the anthers, so the Bogatyr variety is not classified as self-fertile. It is necessary that pollinators grow near the tree. Melba, Streflig, Sinap North are suitable for this quality.

Productivity

If apple trees grown through seedlings produce a harvest in the 4th year of life, then after budding they receive the first fruits only after 7 years. But the yields of the variety are quite high. From one tree you can collect up to 50-70 kilograms of fragrant fruits. The tree produces delicious fruits every year, increasing their quantity with each season.

Tasting assessment

Bogatyr apples are superior in taste to their parents.They harmoniously combine sweetness with acid, although vitamin C is 12.9 per 100 grams of product. The pulp of the fruit is white, crispy, juicy. Apples taken from the branches become tastier as they are stored.

Winter hardiness

The apple tree successfully survives the winter, but in the northern regions it must be wrapped to protect it from frost. The Central and Volga-Vyatka regions are best suited for cultivation.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Bogatyr variety has many advantages. They are made up of:

• storage duration of apples;
• improving their taste as they are stored;
• abundant fruit harvests;
• eating fresh apples during winter and spring.

The variety is resistant to scab and tolerates frost well. Among the disadvantages of apples, their dull color is noted. Juices or jam made from green apples look ugly.

Rules for planting trees

For better fruiting of apple trees, you must follow the rules and timing of planting the crop.

Selecting a location and landing dates

For Bogatyr apple tree seedlings, choose level places in the garden with sandy and loamy soils. The depth of groundwater should not be higher than 2 meters to the surface of the earth.

Apple trees grow well in areas hidden from the influence of wind from the west, north and east.

Before planting, fertilizers are applied to the soil, taking 4-6 kilograms of manure per 1 square meter, 50 grams of superphosphate, 40 grams of ammonium sulfate and 30 grams of potassium salt. Be sure to dig up the area and harrow it to break up the blocks of earth. The best time to plant trees is early spring before the buds open. Where snow falls early, apple trees can be planted before October 10.

Pit preparation

The pits are prepared in advance, at least 2-3 weeks before planting.The depth of the hole is 50-60 centimeters, with a width of 70-80. Be sure to add 2-3 buckets of humus, superphosphate and potassium salt to the pit - 300 grams. Acidic soils require lime. 200 grams is enough. Before applying fertilizers, they are mixed with soil. Having filled the hole a third, pour a mound of 1 bucket of humus.

Required distance between trees

The seedling is placed in the middle of the hole and covered with nutrient soil. It is necessary to sprinkle the tree with soil so that the root collar is at the level of the soil surface or slightly higher.

During planting, the seedling is shaken several times so that the soil is evenly placed between the roots.

The gap between trees when planting is 3-5 meters, as the tree grows and has an extensive crown. Be sure to water the tree with 3-5 buckets of water. After the liquid is absorbed, lay a layer of peat or humus mulch in a layer of 10 centimeters.

Apple tree care

You need to care for the Bogatyr apple tree in the same way as other trees in the garden. It is important to form the crown correctly and properly maintain the soil in the garden.

Trimming

The main point of pruning a young tree is to shorten the shoots, sometimes thinning them. The annual growth is removed by a third of the length. When the tree begins to bear fruit, the shoots stop shortening. Now you can only trim annual branches that extend beyond the boundaries of the crown. Since the Bogatyr variety has a sparse crown, thinning does not need to be done.

In spring, sanitary pruning is necessary to remove frozen and weak shoots.

Top dressing

The apple tree is fed annually. From organic fertilizers, take mullein, diluting it in water 1:5, or bird droppings - 1:12.First, you can dilute the organic matter with water in a barrel in a ratio of 1:3, and then after 3-5 days bring it to the desired concentration and water it. The first feeding is carried out before the buds begin to bloom, and the second after flowering.

In August, feeding consists of superphosphate (20 grams) and potassium salt (10 grams). You can replace mineral complexes with wood ash. It is taken in a bucket of water 50 grams. Along the plantings, furrows are made 15 centimeters deep at a distance of 50 centimeters from the trunk. A bucket of solution is applied to 2-3 meters of furrow. Dry fertilizers are also fed under the shovel.

Watering

Providing the tree with moisture is an important task during the growing season. A young tree requires more moisture, so it is watered 5-6 times per season. Moisturize especially abundantly in spring, then in June, July and after leaf fall. They take enough water to the apple tree to wet the soil half a meter deep. Usually you need 5-7 buckets of water.

Wintering

The Bogatyr apple tree variety has average resistance to low temperatures. Where winters are cold, they prepare the tree by covering it with spruce branches. The trunks are whitened and wrapped with felting felt or layers of material, matting.

Prevention

If the Bogatyr apple tree is less sensitive to scab, then you can often find circles on the leaves, as if sprinkled with flour. The fungus affects the shoots, bending them, leaves that turn yellow and fall off. To avoid infection with powdery mildew, you need to spray the apple tree with Bordeaux mixture. It is also useful to treat with copper sulfate.

The drugs are effective as a preventive measure against fruit rot. Among the pests, it is necessary to prevent the spread of aphids, hawthorn larvae, and codling moths. Birds that are attracted to the garden will help cope with parasites.It is necessary to collect leaves in the garden in time and burn them. Digging up the soil in the garden in the fall is also a preventative measure.

Variety options

The variety is often grafted onto rootstocks that produce the Bogatyr apple tree variety.

Semi-dwarf

On a semi-dwarf rootstock, the variety reaches a height of 4 meters. The species is distinguished by its deep roots and strong crown. The fruits appear on thick shoots in the 4-5th year of life.

Dwarf

The dwarf subspecies of the Bogatyr apple tree is obtained using rootstocks of a dwarf variety. The result is a hybrid with a root system lying closer to the surface, and the height of the apple tree reaches 2-3 meters.

Columnar

If there is not enough space in the garden, you can graft a column of the Bogatyr variety. This type of apple tree is especially helpful for farmers who grow “heroic” fruits for sale. The yield per tree will be lower, but the quality of the fruit will be high.

Features of cultivation in different regions

For the Bogatyr apple tree, the best place for cultivation will be in climate zones with warm summers and late winters. But you can grow crops everywhere by applying the rules of agricultural technology.

Moscow region and middle zone

The ideal area for growing apple trees is the Moscow region and areas with similar climate and weather conditions. For a gardener, you only need to follow the planting dates and the rules for cultivating the crop. Yields will be high.

Ural

The soil composition of the region is not entirely suitable for the Bogatyr apple tree. But thanks to the application of fertilizers, the tree will actively develop and produce good yields. The tree trunk circle is kept clean and the soil is constantly loosened. Before the onset of winter, it is necessary to cover the root system, protecting it from frost.

Siberia

The variety is characterized by increased resistance to low temperatures.A garden crop can survive Siberian frosts, but it is better to protect the root system of dwarf and columnar subspecies of the variety.

Apple ripening dates, when to pick and how to store

Already in September, apples ripen on the branches, but they should not be picked. Until October-November, until frosts begin, the fruits hang on the tree, only then they are removed. Harvesting early will cause the apples to become wrinkled and tough, reducing their shelf life.

“Bogatyr” apples can be stored for a long time, until spring, becoming increasingly tastier. It is best to collect them in wooden boxes, removing previously damaged and dented fruits. You can wrap each apple in paper. The container with the harvest is placed in a cool place where the temperature is kept within +3...-1 degrees.