Growing Cortland apple trees is popular among domestic gardeners. This variety attracts them with its taste and the ability of the fruit to be stored for a long time. The tree itself, due to its compactness, is well suited for growing in summer cottages. But, like any variety, Cortland has its own growing characteristics that must be taken into account if there are prospects for a good harvest.
History of variety development
The variety was bred by American breeders in 1898.To obtain it, employees of the New York Experimental Breeding Station crossed two popular varieties at that time - McIntosh and Ben Davis. Cortland gained worldwide fame after the First World War.
Description and features
To describe this variety, first of all, you should pay attention to two characteristics - the size of the tree and the characteristics of the fruit. This apple tree is classified as both medium-sized and medium-yielding. The fruits are medium in size, but have a pleasant taste and beautiful appearance.
What are the pros and cons of the variety?
The Cortland apple tree can boast of advantages that force many domestic gardeners to give preference to it:
- its fruits are stored for a long time;
- have a pronounced taste;
- attractive appearance;
- The plant is compact with a dense crown.
At the same time, one cannot help but note a number of shortcomings that make some summer residents think about starting this variety:
- average resistance to scab;
- low resistance to powdery mildew;
- average yield.
Those who are interested in productivity indicators should pay attention to these features.
Main characteristics of the Cortland apple tree
The Cortland apple tree has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from other famous varieties. They concern both the tree itself and the fruit.
Tree size
Cortland apple trees have an average height that does not exceed six meters. Their crown is wide, with a somewhat pronounced pyramidality.
Trees are strong. The gray-burgundy bark on the trunk has no roughness and is smooth. A distinctive feature of the shoots is a significant number of small lentils. In addition, they have a burgundy color and a lowered shape. They rarely take any form other than straight.
The edges of the leaves are large-shaped. And their plates are flat.In general, the foliage is dense. At the same time, the underside of the leaf is matte, gray-green, and the upper side is shiny and bright. Fruit development occurs on their ringlets.
Fruit evaluation
Apples of this variety do not differ in size and significant weight - up to 130 grams. The shape of the fruit is somewhat elongated and streamlined. The skin is soft and thin.
The color of unripe fruits is greenish-yellow with barely noticeable stripes of red. The haze is clearly visible. As they ripen, they become redder. Another distinctive feature of apples is a bluish coating.
But these are not the only features of the fruits of the Cortland variety. Also noted:
- significant size of the stalk recess, shaped like a cone;
- small cup size, which is either slightly open or completely closed;
- the upper pit of the fruit is small;
- free and wide seed chambers;
- pulp with a whitish tint and redness around the edges;
- rich aroma.
The peduncle of this variety is small in size and green in color, which turns yellow when the apples are ripe.
Winter hardiness
Cortland is a winter-hardy variety. Bred in North America and can withstand extremely low temperatures. Thanks to this, it is suitable for cultivation in most regions of Russia, even with the harshest climate.
Disease resistance
Exceptional resistance to diseases and pests is one of the reasons why Cortland apple trees are so popular. But this does not mean that they are not affected by them in principle. Unfortunately, there are two diseases from which these plants can still suffer, under certain unfavorable conditions:
- powdery mildew;
- scab.
The main symptom of powdery mildew is a gray-white coating on the leaves.Over time, the foliage that is affected by the disease turns brown and falls off. Plaque also appears on shoots. Later they lose their shape and die.
The disease does not bypass the inflorescences, as well as the fruits. The symptoms are the same as when shoots are affected. A rust-colored net forms on the fruit.
The main condition for the development (either powdery mildew or scab) is called cool summer nights combined with high humidity. The fall of morning dew drops plays a role.
Frequency of fruiting
The variety is one of those that begins to bear fruit quickly. If it is grafted onto a dwarf rootstock, the first harvest is obtained already in the third year.
The tree blooms from about mid-May. In the Middle Zone, during a cool spring, the beginning of the process is delayed until the beginning of June. According to the time of fruit ripening, it is classified as pre-winter - the fruits are harvested in mid-October.
Fruiting is equally regular in grafted apple trees and those grown from seedlings. The latter, by the way, begin to produce crops in the sixth year. The overall yield is average.
Productivity
This variety of apples has an average yield, which, under favorable conditions, becomes high. At the same time, it bears fruit regularly. Lean years are rare for him.
Regions of distribution
This variety is widespread in almost all regions of Russia, except the Far North. Often found in the Volgograd and Saratov regions, where conditions for the growth of apples are suitable.
Conclusion
The Cortland apple tree is loved for many things - for its pleasant taste and beautiful appearance, for its durability and ability to survive various climatic conditions. Does not require constant care when growing.
The main thing is to prevent scab and powdery mildew infections.To do this, you should avoid wet places and use preventive medications in humid, cool years.
