Late fruiting apple tree Nastenka was obtained by L.A. Kotov as a result of pollination of the Purple Anise variety with a mixture of pollen from two tall fruit crops: Rainbow and Samotsvet. It is recommended to grow in the southern part of the Urals, since a dry climate is suitable for the fruit crop. When zoning in conditions of prolonged bad weather, the tree is affected by scab.
History of the variety
L.A. Kotov is a famous breeder who devoted his life to developing new varieties for zoning in the Urals.Thanks to its maternal characteristics, the new variety is famous for its good fruiting and high winter hardiness.
Nastenka is currently being tested for the possibility of cultivation in the Urals and Sverdlovsk region, therefore it is not yet included in the State Register.
The tree easily tolerates frosty winters, but does not tolerate high humidity, so choosing a place to plant Nastenka must be approached responsibly.
Description
Nastenka is a late apple tree; it begins to bear fruit only 5 years after planting the seedling. Such a biological feature of the variety as early fruiting affects the quick return on costs spent on planting a garden.
Advantages of the variety:
- resistance to low temperatures;
- good yield;
- large fruit;
- long shelf life of apples.
Disadvantages include weak immunity to scab disease, especially when grown in conditions with high humidity and prolonged rainy weather. In addition, Nastenka is characterized by periodic fruiting.
The surface of the fruit is smooth, dry, with a clearly visible waxy coating. The skin has an intense, blurry-striped, brick-red blush.
The fruits are medium-sized and large. The average weight of one apple reaches 150 g, weight varies between 100 g and 180 g. One-dimensional fruits have a flat-round or round-conical shape.
The chambers with seeds are tightly closed and rarely have small gaps. The pulp is greenish-yellow in color and becomes yellow after ripening. The fruits are very juicy and rich in nutrients. Apples taste sweet and sour.
In the description, one can note a short stalk, a small funnel with inclusions of light bronze color. The saucer is smooth, not deep, rather narrow. The calyx is closed, the heart is small, similar to an onion.
Chemical composition of the fruits of the Nastenka variety:
- 13.5% - dry matter;
- 0.85% - sugar;
- 100 g of fruit contains 18.9 mg of ascorbic acid;
- 0.85% - titratable acids.
Due to its rich chemical composition, the Nastenka apple tree is classified as a table variety.
Characteristics
Only if you follow agrotechnical growing methods will the Nastenka apple tree delight you with the sweet and sour taste of its fruits.
Appearance
The crown of a tall fruit crop has a reverse pyramidal, slightly sparse shape. The branches are straight, in relation to the trunk they are located at an angle of 40-55°.
The shoots are straight, pubescent, medium thickness, brown, rounded. Medium, dark green leaf blades with finely jagged edges sit on medium petioles with saber-shaped small stipules.
Productivity
The apple tree is characterized by the periodicity of fruiting; when it bears fruit, it produces a high yield. Non-annual fruiting is considered the main disadvantage of the Nastenka fruit crop.
To increase productivity, it is necessary to inspect the fruit crop in time for diseases and pests. Poor weather conditions also reduce yields.
Tree dimensions
The fruit tree is considered tall, so it is important to select a free area for growing. Please note that without pruning the tree can reach 5 m in height, which will make picking apples much more difficult.
Winter hardiness
This unpretentious variety is characterized by high resistance to low temperatures and can easily survive frosty winters with temperatures below -45°, but only if planted in a well-lit area, protected from strong winds.
Diseases and pests
Breeders consider resistance to diseases such as scab to be an important indicator of the viability of apple tree varieties.Nastenka has low immunity to this disease, especially when cultivated in conditions of high humidity.
If there is bad weather outside for a long time, it often rains, black blurry spots of fungal origin appear on the fruits and leaves, which not only spoil the appearance of the fruit, but also affect their taste. If the infection is severe, the entire crop may rot.
It is recommended to spray trees against scab with a 7% urea solution. Not only the crown of the plant should be treated, but also the fallen leaves should be sprayed.
Among the pests Nastenka is being harassed codling moth, garden moths and aphids. The codling moth is the most dangerous pest. Over the summer, it can destroy most of the crop, especially if the weather is dry and hot. Among the folk methods of struggle, wormwood infusion is recommended.
Garden moth caterpillars are so voracious that they can destroy the entire crop of fruit trees in a season. For prevention purposes, it is necessary to promptly remove dry and damaged branches, remove and burn fallen leaves and plant remains. Insecticides are effective in controlling moths.
The appearance of aphids is easy to notice: as a result of their vital activity, the leaves acquire a reddish tint and curl. To combat, use a decoction of garlic, celandine and coniferous plants.
To combat silkworms, sapwood, and hawthorn, you can use an infusion of tomato tops or an infusion of wormwood.
Timing of flowering and fruit ripening
The Nastenka apple tree is covered with fragrant flowers in mid-May or early June. It should be noted that the variety itself is sterile, so for fruiting it is necessary to take care of planting pollinators. There is no specific pollinator variety for Nastenka, so it is recommended to plant late autumn varieties, which also flower in May-early June.
Winter varieties of apple trees cannot be pollinated by summer varieties! When planting pollinators, there should be no more than 50 m between trees.
The harvest takes place in mid-September. At this time, the nutritional value of the fruits is very low, they taste sour, and the pulp is hard. After a few months, the apples become fully ripe, and then you can fully enjoy the taste.
If the storage rules are followed, apples retain their taste and nutritional value until the end of March.
The fruits contain: ascorbic acid, organic acids. In winter, a person simply needs vitamins, so they can easily be replenished with winter apples. The fruits are suitable for consumption fresh and canned.
The opinion of gardeners in the Urals is ambiguous regarding the sweet taste of fruits with pronounced sourness: some consider it weakly detected, others believe that the taste is not deep enough. The assessment by tasters is equivalent to 3-3.5 points.
Regions of growth
The Sverdlovsk region is preferable for cultivating the variety, since Nastenka is a Ural apple tree that prefers a dry climate.
Areas of cultivation of the variety:
- Chelyabinskaya.
- Omsk.
- Kirovskaya.
- Perm.
- Nizhny Novgorod.
- Sverdlovskaya.
In addition, the variety is recommended for cultivation in Bashkiria and Tatarstan. Every year, the apple tree adapts more and more to the temperate climate of the middle zone.
The apple tree with the cute name Nastenka is considered an unpretentious fruit tree, however, in order to obtain a good and abundant harvest, it is necessary to follow agrotechnical growing methods for this variety.
