Description and characteristics of the Spartak apple tree variety, features of planting and cultivation

Possessing excellent characteristics, the Spartak apple tree variety has proven itself well among gardeners. The tree easily tolerates hot summers with temperatures up to 55 ° C, and also feels great at low winter temperatures. The culture patiently endures dry winds and dust storms. Even in unfavorable conditions, it pleases summer residents with abundant harvests of aromatic fruits.

General description of the variety

The culture belongs to the intensive fruit crops. Bears fruit from 3-4 years. Some specimens delight with delicious apples in the second year.

External description

The tree is medium-sized. The bark of the plant is brown. The branches extend from the trunk at an acute angle, which often causes fractures. Therefore, the plant needs regular crown formation. The shoots are smooth, brown-red, straight.

Apple tree height

The height of the tree grows no more than 6 meters. The crown of the plant is wide, dense, rounded-pyramidal.

Leaves

The leaf blades of the crop are green in color, wavy, narrowed at the base. The leaves are oval-oblong. The tip is twisted and elongated. The reverse side of the leaves is slightly pubescent.

Fruits of the tree

Main characteristics of the fruits of the crop:

• medium sized fruits;
• weight 90-130 grams;
• there are large specimens weighing 300 g;
• round shape;
• the peel is shiny, medium thickness, strong;
• yellow in color with bright red merging stripes;
• the stalk is medium in length;
• medium sized cup;
• seed nest is bulbous, medium size;
• the pulp is fine-grained, medium in density, tender;
• the taste is sweet and sour.

Technical maturity occurs at the end of summer or in the first ten days of September. Consumer and commercial properties are high. Spartak apples are intended for table use. Suitable for fresh consumption, for juice production and for culinary purposes.

Root system

The root system of the crop is strong and powerful. When purchasing, you should choose plants with roots no longer than 40 centimeters.

Rootstocks

The Spartak apple tree variety is grown on various rootstocks. Summer residents often confuse a columnar apple tree with a dwarf one. To avoid mistakes when buying plants, you should understand the differences.

On a dwarf rootstock

The culture is low growing. An adult plant reaches a height of 3 meters. It has a spreading crown. Advantages:

• ease of care;
• decorative appearance;
• precociousness;

Thanks to the root system located near the soil surface, the crop is suitable for areas where groundwater is close to the ground.

Columnar

The main feature of the plant is its appearance. The culture has one strong standard. The lateral fruit branches are short. The fruits are located along the trunk - this helps to save space on the site and, if necessary, plant more fruit trees.

Benefits of culture:

• the plant bears fruit from the first year;
• gives a high yield;
• frost resistance.

The disadvantages include a short fruiting period. The crop produces a high-quality harvest only for 15 years, after which the tree is replaced with another.

Characteristics of Spartak apple trees

When purchasing high-quality planting material, the tree bears fruit from the 4th year. The plant is recommended for cultivation in areas with cold climatic conditions.

Features of crown formation

The crown of the plant is dense. Branches constantly and rapidly grow at different angles, which leads to their breaking. Therefore, the crop needs to constantly form a crown.

Flower pollination

The culture belongs to self-pollinating varieties. Cross pollination is required for better fruit set.

Fruit

The fruits are juicy and strong. They have high taste qualities. Apples make delicious jam.

Harvest characteristics

Spartak is a high-yielding plant. An adult tree pleases gardeners with a bountiful harvest, which in a fertile year is about 100 kilograms.

How the Spartak apple tree tolerates low temperatures

The frost resistance of the crop is average. Requires proper care. When the temperature drops to -25 ° C it freezes.

Diseases and pests

Possible ailments:

• Scab. Usually appears in unfavorable years with heavy rains. The disease spreads through the foliage and bark of the crop.
• Cases of plant disease with cytosporosis and fruit rot are rare.

With timely preventive measures, the risk of plant diseases is reduced to zero.

Taste qualities

Experts highly appreciate the taste of apples. On a 5-point scale they were assigned 4.5 points.

Composition of vitamins and microelements in the Spartak apple

Includes:

• copper;
• potassium;
• Apple acid;
• chlorine;
• wine acid;
• nickel;
• iron;
• lemon acid;
• manganese;
• chlorogenic acid;
• ursulic acid;
• calcium;
• cobalt;
• molybdenum;
• valeric acid;
• magnesium;
• iodine;
• propionic acid;
• zinc;
• isobutyric acid;
• vanadium;
• phosphorus;
• unsaturated fatty acids;
• boron;
• rubidium;
• vitamins (A, C, E, K, H);
• fluorine;
• aluminum;
• sodium;
• vitamins B (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9);
• chromium;
• sulfur.

Depending on the area where the crop grows and climatic conditions, the amount of microelements and vitamins contained in fruits varies.

Planting seedlings

Before purchasing planting material, you need to study in detail the rules and methods of planting.

Landing in the ground

Before digging a planting hole, it is necessary to thoroughly clear the space of weeds, pebbles and stumps. The place will need to be well lit and protected from the winds, and the groundwater should be deep.

Choosing seedlings

The key to productivity is properly selected planting material. When purchasing crops, pay attention to:

• Root system. It must be well developed. The length of the roots is no more than 40 centimeters and no less than 35 centimeters.
• The thickness of the stem, which ranges from 2 to 2.5 centimeters.
• Branches. Their number should be 1-3. Length about 50 centimeters.
• The height of the trunk. The ideal size is 80-90 centimeters.
• Age. Two-year-olds take root best and bear fruit faster.

After selecting seedlings, it is necessary to plant them correctly and provide proper care.

Deciding on the landing site

The culture is unpretentious to soils. Grows equally well in different regions. In order for a young tree to develop properly and gain growth vigor, it needs to be fed regularly.

At what distance should seedlings be planted?

Before planting, take into account the crown of an adult plant. In order for the apple tree to receive a sufficient amount of light and nutrients throughout its life, it is necessary to plant crops at a distance of 5 meters from each other.

Landing dates

Planting is allowed twice a year: in autumn and spring. If the region is characterized by early autumn frosts, then planting work is recommended to be carried out in the spring, before the buds open.

In autumn, the crop is planted in the ground after all the foliage on the trees has fallen, but before frost sets in.

Step by step landing process

To make the plant take root faster, follow simple recommendations when planting:

1. Dig a hole in 3 weeks. The minimum size in width and depth is 70 centimeters.
2. Mix the top layer of soil with compost and humus. Pour into the hole and fill with 30 liters of water. Cover with film.
3. After 3-4 weeks, make a depression in the center the size of the plant’s root system. Fill with 15 liters of water.
4. Spread out the roots. This will help the plant develop better. Place into the prepared hole.
5. The root collar should be 6 centimeters above the soil level. Thoroughly bury the roots and compact the soil.
6. Make a hole near the trunk. This will help improve watering on hot days.
7. Drive a peg next to the plant and tie a seedling to it. Such an event will help the tree to hold firmly and withstand the winds.

The crop is watered abundantly and the tree trunk circle is mulched.

How to grow an apple tree

During the first few years, crop care consists of several steps that must be strictly followed to obtain a bountiful harvest.

Tree care

Regularly monitor the cleanliness around the plant. Weeds take away heat and light from apple trees, so they must be removed in a timely manner.

Due to the average winter hardiness, care is taken to ensure that the crop remains alive after the winter period.

After the temperature drops below +15 °C, the tree trunk circle is mulched with a layer of humus. It helps retain heat and does not release it from the ground. The trunk of the tree is covered with mineral material.

Pruning and crown formation

Formative pruning is carried out during the first three years.Remove branches growing at right angles. From the age of 4, only weak and dried parts are pruned. The procedure helps to rejuvenate the crop and makes it possible to obtain abundant harvests of large fruits.

Care during flowering

During flowering, regularly inspect for the presence of pests. If found, remove them manually. It is not recommended to spray with chemicals, as they harm beneficial insects that pollinate plants.

Watering

Watering the crop should be regular. Carry out 4 times a month.

Protection from diseases and pests

For prevention:

• planted on hills;
• the crown is regularly thinned for air circulation;
• in the autumn, they dig up the tree trunk circle;
• in spring they make a pest trap;
• The crop is regularly sprayed with special preparations.

If you follow simple recommendations, the plant will grow strong and healthy.

Fertilizing the apple tree

The best fertilizer is horse manure, which is recommended to be fed 3 times per season.

Pollinator varieties

To increase the number of ovaries, pollinating apple trees are planted nearby:

• Umanskoe;
• Idared;
• Ruby Dookie.

Without pollinators, only 30% of ovaries are formed.

Fruiting time

Bears fruit from 3-4 years. Refers to precocious.

Selection

The first apples of the Spartak variety were produced in 1945. The culture originated from the Skryzhapel and Sharopai apple trees.

Harvest and storage

Fruits are picked when their surface turns an intense red hue. If the stripes stand out strongly, it means the apples need to hang for a couple more weeks.

Harvesting

The fruits ripen unevenly. You can enjoy the first specimens in early September. The remaining ones ripen for about 3 more weeks.

Fruit storage

The fruits retain their marketable and transportable appearance for 2 months. After this, their condition worsens significantly, but apples are suitable for food until February.

Usage

The fruits are suitable for:

• fresh consumption;
• canning;
• juice production;
• culinary purposes.

To help the gardener

There are nuances in the rules for growing crops in different regions.

Geography of variety cultivation

Due to its drought resistance and ability to tolerate heat and cold, it is suitable for many climate zones.

Moscow region

In order for the seedlings to take root better, they are whitened with lime twice a year. For the winter period, be sure to cover and mulch the space around the trunk.

Central Russia

In this region, the plant is often affected by scab. To prevent the disease, the crop is treated with fungicides.

If the trunk is damaged by rodents, the damaged areas are disinfected with iron sulfate.

Southern regions

To make the tree take root better, fertilize it with a solution of sodium fertilizer and urea. Based on the characteristics of the soil in a given region, to prevent fracture of the central conductor, a support is built that does not allow the plant to sag.

Ural

The soil of the Urals is strong and hard. Therefore, the aeration of the roots of the crop is increased. Several times a season, the space around the trunk is loosened and the top layer of soil is broken up.

In the Kirov region

To improve the properties of the soil, the tree trunk circle is sown with creeping bentgrass. To avoid drying out of the soil, compost and humus are placed around the apple tree.

Other regions

In other regions, caring for the crop does not require additional recommendations and does not differ from caring for other fruit crops.

Purchasing seedlings

It is necessary to purchase planting material only from trusted places.The plant must have a strong root system and no signs of disease.