Gardeners living in harsh climatic conditions with cold winters select trees with maximum frost resistance and endurance. This is exactly what the Ural Souvenir apple tree is. The fruits ripen in autumn and are suitable for long-term storage, and the taste will appeal to the whole family.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The Ural Souvenir tree is vigorous and requires mandatory shaping and pruning. The crown is oval-pyramidal in shape. The bark on the main branches is red-brown.Flower buds are formed even on last year's shoots. The main shoots are located almost at right angles to the trunk.
The leaves are distinguished by their bright green color and glossy shine. Their shape is oval-ovoid, with small serrations along the edges. The petiole is short. The flowers of the Ural Souvenir apple tree are quite large, conical in shape. The bud is pinkish in color, and after blooming the flower becomes snow-white. The variety is self-fertile and is planted as a pollinator.
The description of the Ural Souvenir apple tree says that the tree produces medium-sized fruits, the weight of one of them does not exceed 100 g.
Moreover, they are all practically the same size and regular shape, the ribbing is not pronounced. At the stage of technical ripeness, the fruits are colored light yellow; the skin has a blurred but rather bright blush. The golden-bronze rustiness is also noticeable, giving the apples a particularly beautiful appearance. The peduncle is long and thickened towards the base. Seed chambers are closed type.
The pulp of Ural Souvenir apples is yellowish in color when ripe, with a slight redness visible near the skin. The fruits are juicy, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste and a classic, well-defined aroma.
History of variety development
Specialists from the Sverdlovsk Experimental Horticulture Station worked on the development of the Ural Souvenir. The authors were experimental scientists L. A. Kotov and P. A. Dibrova. To obtain the original variety, it was decided to cross Udarnitsa, known to many gardeners, and Ural Bolshoi.
The Ural Souvenir obtained in this way absorbed the best qualities from the parent varieties and in a short period of time gained enormous popularity not only among amateurs, but also among professionals.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Ural Souvenir apple tree
Like any other variety, Ural Souvenir is endowed with certain advantages and disadvantages. Benefits include:
- increased frost resistance;
- high productivity;
- precociousness;
- universal use of the harvested crop;
- annual fruiting;
- ripe fruits are not prone to falling;
- apples have an attractive appearance;
- suitability for long-term storage and long-distance transportation;
- excellent taste characteristics.
No significant shortcomings were noticed in the Ural Souvenir apple trees. However, as evidenced by reviews from gardeners, in cold and damp weather the variety is often affected by scab. To prevent this, preventive treatments must be carried out regularly and on time.
Features of ripening and fruiting
Ural Souvenir begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting a young seedling. If the growing conditions turn out to be favorable, then you can actually enjoy the first harvest earlier. Apples begin to ripen in the first weeks of September. To store the crop for long-term storage, it is better to remove it earlier than the specified date (at the end of August).
Fruits can be preserved for 4 months without loss of taste and marketability. Reviews from gardeners indicate that apples keep well until February.
Which regions are best to grow in?
The Ural Souvenir apple variety is excellent for growing in Siberian conditions as a standard tree. They tolerate winter well even without the construction of additional shelters and very rarely freeze. If the apple tree suffers from winter cold, it is able to quickly recover. The apple tree of the Ural Souvenir variety is also zoned for cultivation in the Urals.The Central Urals climate is considered the most comfortable for these trees.
Diseases and pests
Ural Souvenir exhibits increased resistance to common diseases, but is prone to scab. In unfavorable weather conditions, it is necessary to regularly carry out treatments with special preparations. It is recommended to spray the tree with Bordeaux mixture.
The Ural Souvenir becomes a delicacy for codling moth. This butterfly is capable of destroying an entire crop. To prevent such a nuisance, you need to constantly remove fallen fruits and leaves, and cover the tree trunk circle with earth. If an insect is noticed on an apple tree, it should be immediately treated with insecticidal preparations.
In addition to the codling moth, the Ural Souvenir is affected by green aphids and hawthorn. In addition, bacterial burns have now become common. Comprehensive preventive measures are selected. You need to carefully monitor feeding and proper care. To prevent the appearance of insect pests on the Ural Souvenir, the trunk is regularly whitened with slaked lime. It is also necessary to regularly carry out sanitary pruning and prevent the crown from becoming too thick.
To prevent the appearance of aphids on apple trees in the first ten days of May, they are treated with Fitoverm. In addition, special sticky belts are placed on the trunk. They will also help prevent caterpillar infestations. Treatments with drugs of biological origin are also effective against them. In case of bacterial burn, apple trees are sprayed with Fitolavin.
During spring pruning of apple trees, the wounds are immediately treated with copper sulfate, and then covered with garden varnish. Branches that show signs of disease are immediately burned.
