Among the large number of fruit trees, the apple tree of the Sokovoe-3 variety stands out for its unpretentiousness, resistance to cold and other positive characteristics. Small, very beautiful-looking sweet and sour apples will ripen every September and delight their owner with a rich harvest. Without much effort, this variety allows you to obtain a large number of fruits for food, preparations and industrial purposes.
Description of the apple tree
Trees of this variety were bred by crossing at the Sverdlovsk Experimental Station thanks to the work of Leonid Andrianovich Kotov.
The fruits ripen in autumn, in September. The apples are small, light green-cream in color with pink ripples. The taste is sweet and sour, very aromatic. As the name suggests, these fruits can produce a lot of high-quality apple juice with a pleasant taste. At the same time, they are good in pies and pancakes, in compote, jam and fresh.
Flowering occurs in the second half of May, depending on temperature conditions. The tree itself tolerates severe frosts well. One of the important features is that in order for the harvest to begin, pollinators are needed, for example, Anise varieties.
Detailed descriptions of all the characteristics of Sokova-3 are given below point by point.
What are the subspecies?
This variety has no subspecies. It is possible to graft cuttings of Sokova onto the rootstock of other semi-cultivated species. In this case, fruiting begins in the 2nd or 3rd year after the grafting takes root.
Apples may be more sour and smaller in size.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The Sokovoe-3 apple tree has many advantages, since the hybrid took the best qualities from the original varieties. These include:
- rapid growth and fruiting;
- compact size of the tree;
- frost resistance;
- high productivity;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- the ability to store fruits for a long time, dry them, and process them for preparations.
There are practically no downsides, these include the small size of apples and, conditionally, taste. The fruits are sweet and sour and are eaten fresh, but among the autumn varieties there are also more tasty, sweet representatives.
Characteristics of the Sokovoe-3 apple tree
Let us consider in detail the qualities of the tree and fruit, the characteristics of growth and productivity.
Tree dimensions
Apple trees of the Sokovoe-3 variety reach medium height, are strong, grow quickly, and have a spreading, rounded crown. Over the course of a year, the tree increases in height by 1 meter. Adult specimens grow about 4-5 meters, the width of the branches is 3 m.
During the growth process, the crown needs formative pruning, as well as thinning, since the branches can grow excessively.
Frequency of fruiting
A rich harvest ripens every year in the fall. To obtain it, an apple pollinator is needed. In the third, or less often the 4th year after planting, the first harvest is obtained.
Productivity and fruit evaluation
From one tree you can collect up to 100 kg of apples, 60-80 g each. The fruits are small, rarely weighing up to 100 g. They have aromatic pulp, light in color and medium grain.
Apples store well, up to 4 months, until the end of December. You need to keep fruits in a cool, dark place, periodically inspect and throw away fruits that begin to spoil.
They are universal in use - you can eat them fresh, use them in canning and baking. The main advantage of apples of this variety is that they make delicious juice, rich in vitamins.
Apple tree winter hardiness
The hybrid winters well and easily tolerates severe frosts. In the fall, it is necessary to protect the tree trunk from rodents, and in the spring, feed it with humus and mineral fertilizers.
In the northernmost, coldest regions of Siberia and the Urals, it is recommended to additionally insulate the tree; in average climates it survives the winter without human help.
Disease resistance
Another advantage of the variety is that it is practically not susceptible to diseases typical of apple trees and does not suffer from scab and fungi.Fruit rot may occur.
Where is the best place to grow
Sokovoe-3 apple trees are unpretentious; they grow well and bear fruit in most climatic regions. In cold winter conditions, in Siberia and the Urals, the tree needs additional shelter during frosts; the fruit size will be smaller than average.
For the southern regions, it is better to choose other types specifically designed for hot summers.
Planting location and care are standard for most apple trees. The tree loves sunny places, well-moistened, loose soil. The soil is too dense and wet, places in lowlands with stagnant groundwater are not suitable.
Experienced gardeners recommend this variety as easy to grow and care for, regularly producing a bountiful harvest of apples.
