Description, characteristics and ripening time of the President columnar apple tree, planting and care

Thanks to the numerous advantages of the columnar apple tree, the President variety has easily become one of the most popular even among novice gardeners. A preliminary study of the basic rules of agricultural technology will make it easy to cope with cultivation and get a good harvest. The compactness of the plant plays an important role - to grow the crop you will need a very small piece of land.

Description of the columnar apple tree President

The plant is classified as a semi-dwarf tree. The height rarely exceeds 2 m. The fruits begin to develop near the very surface of the soil, at a height of about 30 cm. The trunk is densely covered with short reproductive shoots. Thanks to its durable wood, the plant can withstand even a bountiful fruit harvest. Life expectancy is up to 13-15 years. The root system is powerful and the survival rate is high.

Characteristics of the variety

Before you start growing a crop, it is recommended to understand the basic characteristics. This will allow you to determine the requirements of the tree, the basic rules of care, and to avoid mistakes that could destroy the plant.

Dimensions of an adult tree

The green dense column grows only up to 2 m, but with proper care. Side shoots, emanating at a slight angle from the main trunk, form a compact crown with a diameter of up to 20 cm.

Annual growth

The variety does not differ in growth rate. Annual growth depends on strict adherence to care rules. Over the course of a year, the tree grows to a height of only 7 cm. Lack of watering and nutritional components will affect the growth of the crop.

Frequency of fruiting

The peculiarity of the variety is regular fruiting, although unfavorable conditions often cause interruptions. Productivity - up to 10 kg per adult plant. With regular application of fertilizers and proper watering, it will be possible to achieve 14-16 kg per tree.

Winter hardiness

The President is distinguished by his endurance to adverse conditions and can withstand severe frosts. It is recommended to wrap young trees with straw and spruce branches.

The trunk is protected from rodents, mice, and hares by the soft bark.

Disease resistance

The President is quite resistant to diseases and pest damage and belongs to the best varieties. Despite the resistance to powdery mildew and rot, it is not recommended to abandon preventive treatments.

Tasting assessment

The fruits of the President variety are large (up to 200 g). They have a light shade and a bright blush. The skin is dense and shiny. The taste is dessert, sweet, slightly sour. Rich, apple aroma.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The President variety has many positive qualities. The advantages include:

• frost resistance;
• survival rate;
• fruiting;
• ease of care;
• unattractive to pests;
• rare diseases.

There are also many disadvantages, among them the high cost of seedlings and poor keeping quality of fruits. Another significant disadvantage is the short lifespan of the culture.

Features of variety propagation

Columnar apple trees are difficult to propagate. Often cuttings are used or grafting is carried out. It is rare to obtain a varietal tree from seeds; approximately half of the young plants will not correspond to the variety.

Fruiting from trees grown from seeds will begin in the seventh year of life. Grafted plants bear fruit earlier - in the 3-4th year.

Planting a plant

Before planting, it is recommended to take into account the basic requirements of the variety and choose the most comfortable place in the garden. Lighting, absence of groundwater, wind, drafts are only part of the conditions that will have to be observed.

What soil to plant in

The columnar apple variety President performs well on black soils. If you have to plant a plant on loam or sandstone, you will have to prepare a special mixture - mix compost, sand, clay, peat in equal parts, add mineral compounds.

Planting pit

The root system of the apple tree is quite compact; the dimensions of the planting hole are up to 60 cm in diameter. About half a meter deep. In sandy soils, deepen the hole up to a meter, put a layer of clay, which accumulates moisture.

Sapling planting scheme

Plant young trees at a distance of about half a meter, increase the gap between rows to a meter. If only a few plants will be grown, distance does not play a special role.

Basic rules of care

Caring for a columnar crop will not cause much trouble, since it is no different from growing other fruit plants. The main thing is to follow the rules of watering, fertilizing, and monitor pests and diseases.

Soil moisture and watering the apple tree

During hot weather, watering should be done every three days. The amount of liquid per adult plant is up to 10 liters. If possible, it is better to arrange drip irrigation.

Features of feeding

For fertilizing, use rotted organic matter, mineral compounds, and urea. For one adult tree - a bucket of compost, up to 5 g of mineral compounds, 10 g of urea. It is better to apply the composition in the fall, and loosen it after fertilizing.

How to prune a columnar apple tree

Frequent pruning is not required for this variety. In the first year after planting, shorten the side shoots to 2 buds.If one of the main shoots is frozen, two branches will emerge from the growth point next spring. It is recommended to remove one of them immediately.

Protecting the President apple tree from the cold

A warm shelter will protect the variety from the cold. First, wrap the trunk with netting to prevent pest damage. Next is a layer of straw, burlap, spruce branches. In snowy winters, hill up with snow.

Prevention and control of diseases and pests

Diseases are a rare occurrence for columnar apple trees. Despite the resistance, it is better to find out in advance how to deal with the eternal enemies of the gardener - insects and diseases. Preventive spraying will prevent damage.

Scab

The fungal disease affects the leaves and spreads to the ovary and fruits. Cracks and dry spots appear on the apples. The treatment is carried out with the drug “Topaz”. After fruiting, use a solution of colloidal sulfur.

Black cancer

The disease affects the bark and spreads to leaves and fruits. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, there is a risk of losing the tree. Remove the affected areas of the bark and irrigate the entire plant with Bordeaux mixture. The treatment is carried out after harvesting the fruits.

Powdery mildew

Affects buds, leaves, young shoots, bark. The mycelium is not afraid of frost, the spores overwinter and continue to develop. It is recommended to carry out several treatments with Topaz during the season.

Bacterial burn

Only young plants are affected. Young shoots, leaves, and fruits quickly lose their presentation and begin to deteriorate. The only treatment option is to remove all affected parts and disinfect.

Apple sucker

Small green insects infect the kidneys and cause the absence of ovaries. It is recommended to control pests with tobacco smoke. For preparations, use Karbofos solution.

Rodents

It is recommended to build a dense fence against rodents, which will protect against hares. You should use poisonous bait against mice, but only in winter - in the summer there is a risk of killing your pets.

Ripening and fruiting

Columnar apple trees are considered to bear the most fruit in the 5th year after planting. After the eighth year after planting, yields begin to decline. The age of 15 is a reason to update the garden.

What year does it bear fruit?

Already in the first year after planting, the seedling is able to bloom, but it is recommended to remove the buds. In the second year, the apple tree will delight you with fruits, but some of them should also be removed.

When do leaves bloom and flowering dates?

The appearance of leaves and flowers depends on climatic conditions. Usually leaves appear in the last days of March. Flowering appears in April-May (depending on the weather). The duration of flowering is up to 10 days.

Fruit ripening time

Apples begin to ripen at the end of summer. In cooler regions, fruit will have to be picked in early September.

Shelf life

The President will not be pleased with the length of storage of apple tree fruits - they usually last up to a month. If you provide fruits with the correct regime (within 0 degrees), you will be able to extend the shelf life until the New Year holidays.

To which regions is the variety more adapted?

The crop is often grown in Moscow and the Moscow region. Cool winters and fairly hot summers are excellent conditions for the active development and fruiting of the President apple tree. You can even find the variety in the Saratov region.

The Urals and Siberia are unfavorable regions for growing apple trees. Frosty winters and cool summers are only part of the factors that can destroy a plant. Usually the roots freeze, and then the tree itself suffers.Even a warm cover is not able to protect the crop. The only way to preserve the tree is to grow the plant in a tub. With the onset of winter, send them to winter in a cool room. In the spring, put it back outside.

The addition of nutrients and moisture is not recommended - the plant can begin to grow early. Only the surface of the soil mixture is allowed to be moistened.

A columnar apple tree is a decoration for any area. Its compact size allows you to grow a chic garden even on a small piece of land, which will delight you with an abundance of fruits. The main thing is to make a little effort, provide the plant with everything it needs, protect it from insects and diseases.