Columnar apple trees have not yet become fashionable in our country. Some gardeners have no idea what it is. Columnar apple trees have a special arrangement of fruits along the tree - they “stick” to the trunk. It does not sprout branches, so caring for such a plant is easier and faster. One of the most favorite varieties is the columnar apple tree of the Priokskoye variety. It is a winter variety, can be stored for a long time and does not lose its taste.
Description of the variety
This columnar apple tree has proven itself to have consistently high yields and tasty juicy fruits. The variety is resistant to low temperatures and can be stored for a long time. Resistance to scab is average.
Apples weigh from 150 grams, are smooth, round in shape, predominantly green in color both outside and inside. But there are also shades of yellow, orange and even red.
Prioksky apples have pulp with a granular structure and ribbed peel. Among the descriptions of positive aspects, disease resistance plays a significant role.
Characteristics
The characteristics of the columnar apple tree of the Prioksky variety are among the most impeccable among winter varieties.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Let's look at the advantages first.
- Due to the fact that the plant does not have large branches, the apples that are located around the trunk receive an equally large amount of sunlight and heat. This allows you to speed up the onset of fruiting and get plump, rosy apples. If you create conditions for constant watering, the productivity of the tree increases significantly. Thus, the gardener’s work will not be in vain.
- Taking into account the fact that the plant occupies a small area, a fairly large number of its specimens can be planted. This is suitable for owners of small garden plots, as well as those who grow crops in their garden that require a significant amount of light.
- Harvesting will be quick and easy. You no longer have to climb trees, breaking branches underneath you, in order to reach one or two apples. Now it’s enough just to have a stool on hand, with which you can easily reach the tallest fruits.
- Caring for such a plant will also not take much effort and time.
- In addition to ease of maintenance, long and painstaking pest control is also a thing of the past. No more spraying with pest control. The compactness of the plant simplifies the work and significantly reduces the amount of time for this.
- The taste of the fruit will pleasantly surprise you! Juicy, they won 4.5 points out of 5 possible for the taste of the variety.
- In addition to practical advantages, we can also say that the tree looks very beautiful. It can be planted both in the garden, among other trees, and in the yard, where there will be constant access to apples.
Of course, Prioksky apples also have disadvantages. For amateur gardeners, purchasing seedlings can be painful on their pockets, since the price of these young trees is higher than average.
The root system is poorly developed, and even the one that exists is located close, near the surface of the earth. Therefore, with a strong gust of wind, the plant will bend and fall along with the roots. In addition, the small area of the roots does not allow them to absorb the required amount of nutrients from the soil.
Therefore, the seedling needs to be fertilized periodically.
The fruiting period is short. And taking into account the fact that all the fruits are located only on the trunk, the harvest from one tree is not as much as we would like.
Productivity
The peculiarity of columnar apple trees is that, despite the small area of the tree itself, the number of fruits is quite large. Until the seedling has matured, you should not load it with fruiting. First, the plant must be allowed to nourish itself.
In the first year, the flowers are usually removed, in the second year 2-3 flowers are left, in the third - 10-15. If you notice that the size of the fruits has become smaller compared to the previous year, it means that the seedling was overloaded.In the sixth year, when the tree has become mature, 6-7 kilograms of apples are harvested from it.
Mature tree size
Since columnar trees are natural semi-dwarf trees, their height is small. On average, it is 2-2.5 meters, but can reach three and a half meters.
Frequency of fruiting
Fruits annually, once a season. After 10-15 years, the yield begins to fall.
Tasting assessment
On a five-point scale, the variety has a rating of 4.5. This indicator is one of the best.
Frost resistance
Apple fruits can be stored in a cool, ventilated area until February.
Disease resistance
A special gene - Vf - provides the plant with complete immunity to scab. In addition, immunity to other diseases is also great.
Timing of flowering and fruit ripening
The flowering period is from April to May. The fruits ripen early - in early to mid-summer (depending on climatic conditions).
Favorable regions for cultivation
The most favorable region for cultivation is the territory of Ukraine. The soil is black soil, the climate is temperate, and closer to the south it is hot and dry.
