The apple tree is the most popular fruit crop all over the world. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, a large number of varieties have been developed that are distinguished by winter hardiness, fruiting, taste and ripening time. The apple tree of the Mama's cups variety is one of the varieties that is unusual in beauty and taste. It is unpretentious, cold-resistant and has immunity to diseases.
Description of the variety
The Mama's Cups apple tree is a late-ripening variety and belongs to folk selection, therefore it is not listed in the State Register. The plant is small, with a spreading, lush crown. The leaf blade is small, round in shape, with crenate-serrate serrations. The Mama Cups variety has oval-conical fruits and is dark scarlet in color. Apples weighing up to 120 grams, have a sweetish taste with an autumn aroma, ripen in mid-autumn. The pulp is juicy, fine-grained, creamy lemon color.
Fruit shape, bright color, good winter hardiness and versatility of use are the main features of the variety. Through the description, all its advantages are revealed, thanks to which many gardeners fell in love with it.
Advantages and disadvantages
Mommy Cups have positive and negative qualities. The advantages include:
- high yield;
- cold resistance indicators, up to -30 degrees;
- immunity to diseases and pests;
- taste qualities;
- universal use of the crop.
The apple tree has few disadvantages: a drooping crown and low keeping quality.
Characteristics
The Mama's Cups apple tree is an autumn ripening variety. Ideal for growing in small areas due to its compact size and small growth.
Dimensions of an adult tree
The apple tree is medium-sized, an adult tree reaches up to 3 meters in height. Seasonal growth is average. The crown, with proper care, adds up to 30 cm every year.
Frequency of fruiting
Systematic fruiting depends on compliance with growing rules. A good harvest can be achieved if:
- plant the seedling in a sunny place;
- protect the tree from drafts and gusty winds;
- the distance between seedlings is at least 4 meters;
- the soil must be fertile and well-drained;
- timely sanitary and formative pruning.
Productivity
The Mama's cups apple tree is a variety of folk selection, so the yield is determined based on reviews from gardeners. For a medium-sized tree, the indicator is high. When the first fruits are formed, it is necessary to remove one fruit from each bunch and get rid of diseased and deformed ones.
This procedure will not only increase productivity, but will also save the seedling from unnecessary reboots.
In order for the apple tree to produce a generous harvest, pollinator varieties with early fruiting are planted nearby: Arkad yellow, White filling or Kitayka golden.
Tasting assessment
The taste of the variety, according to reviews from summer residents, is 4.5 points. Despite the fine-grained structure, the pulp is juicy, sweet and aromatic.
Winter hardiness
The variety is cold-resistant, easily withstanding frosts down to -25 degrees. If you mulch the tree trunk, the tree can overwinter at -30 degrees. The apple tree is endowed with a varietal feature - rapid recovery after freezing.
Disease resistance
Despite the fact that the variety is resistant to many diseases, its immunity to scab is weak. When growing the Mama's Cups apple tree, it is necessary to take into account the growing region.
In cities with a temperate climate, if the rules of care are not followed, fungal diseases often occur. In cities with a warm climate, without taking preventive measures, the tree often suffers from fungal and infectious diseases.
Flowering and ripening times
The seedling enters the fruiting period in the 4th year. Abundant flowering occurs from mid-May and lasts 10 days.Flowering time depends on the region of growth and weather conditions.
Ripening occurs in mid-September. At technical maturity, the apples are colored a soft olive color, and during the period of removable ripeness, they are dark red. When favorable conditions are created, the crop remains fresh for 2-3 months.
Favorable regions for cultivation
The Mama's Cups apple tree belongs to zone 4 of cold resistance. In winter, the plant feels comfortable at a temperature of -30 degrees, in early spring - at -28 degrees.
This category includes: Central and Northwestern Russia, as well as northern and mountainous Scandinavia.
Although the variety has a drawback, short-term storage, it has found popularity among gardeners. Since it has good taste, is easy to care for, it is suitable for making jams, preserves, compotes and candied fruits.
