Description and characteristics of the Zavetnoye apple tree, planting, cultivation and care

All gardeners want to have an apple tree on their plot that does not take up much space, but with a high yield. It is also desirable that the maintenance requirements be kept to a minimum. It was with the aim of creating such a variety that 60 years ago a new type of apple tree, Zavetnoye, was bred through a hybrid method. And since then he has tirelessly pleased professional gardeners and amateur gardeners.

Description and characteristics of the Zavetnoye apple tree

Zavetnoye is a variety of early ripening fruits with straight and thin branches and a fluffy rounded crown. The foliage is small, pointed leaves with a slightly ruffled texture and a rich green hue. The ripening of the apple is marked on the fruit twigs.

Tree height

The height of the Zavetnoye tree, which reaches only 3-4 meters, is considered very convenient for gardeners. The average height of an apple tree is 2-2.5 meters. During harvest, these figures are encouraging because even a ladder will be superfluous. It is easy to tear off the entire tree while standing on a small stool.

Crown width

The crown of the Zavetnoye apple tree is spreading and grows almost perpendicular to the trunk. And thanks to the weak density of the foliage, the plant is protected from scab. This is due to good ventilation and uniform penetration of sunlight. These factors have a beneficial effect on the smooth ripening of fruits.

Productivity

The productivity of an apple tree does not depend on the age of the tree. The number of fruits is stable, both in young seedlings and in adult plants. And the average annual yield is up to 75 kilograms of apples per Zavetny.

Disease resistance

Thanks to the unique structure of the crown, the Zavetnoye apple tree is resistant to various diseases and pests. The main disease of such plants is scab, but the uniform influence of sunlight relieves the variety from the disease. As a preventive measure, during flowering it is recommended to spray the tree with a fungicide solution.

Winter hardiness

The apple tree tolerates winter frosts down to -40 degrees.When the temperature drops below, the perennial bark is damaged and covered with deep cracks. For northern regions, it is recommended to select more resistant varieties or take care of wood insulation.

Tasting assessment

The pulp of apples is dense, but is famous for its tenderness and juiciness of taste. Connoisseurs note a slight strawberry flavor.

Zavetnoe is famous for its biochemical composition, which includes an extensive complex of vitamins. In winter, eating fruits helps boost immunity and successfully fight seasonal diseases.

Average fetal weight

The weight of an apple of the Zavetnoe variety directly depends on the age of the seedling. So:

• the first three years the fruits are slightly larger, reaching 80 grams;
• the older the tree, the smaller the fruits; from the fourth year, the average weight of an apple is only 45-60 grams.

This is due to the number of apples. If the total weight remains unchanged, then over time the number of fruits increases, but their size decreases. However, this fact does not affect the taste in any way.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The Zavetnoe apple tree has a number of advantages:

• the tree is not susceptible to scab and other diseases;
• high yield (up to 75 kilograms);
• equal fruiting of both young seedlings and adults;
• simultaneous ripening of fruits;
• good transportability;
• The fruits do not spoil for a long time (up to six months).

Important! The only drawback of the plant is instability to severe frosts.

How to plant?

Planting the Zavetnoe apple tree does not require any special agricultural techniques. It is only recommended to take into account the climatic conditions of the region, especially in winter.

Important! It is necessary to carefully consider the choice of young seedlings so as not to confuse them with Kazakh hybrids that cannot tolerate low temperatures.Minimum values ​​for this variety: -30 degrees.

Landing dates

It is recommended to plant seedlings of this apple tree in mid-March, and in colder areas even in April. The temperature regime must be stable. Sudden frosts will destroy young trees. The soil should already warm up to at least +10 degrees.

Seedlings

When choosing seedlings of the Zavetnoe apple tree, it is recommended to pay special attention to the following points:

• safety and quality of the root system; there should be no dry shoots;
• no damage to the bark;
• the trunk must be healthy, without growths and cracks;
• The seedling twig must certainly be moist and elastic.

Selecting a location

This is a heat-loving variety of apples, so it is recommended to choose a sunny and windless location.

Important! An open place is required so that the snow can fall freely and not melt. This provides additional insulation for the seedlings. It is recommended to avoid areas with artificially heated soil (near a bathhouse, heating pipes), since the “natural insulation” will quickly melt, and external insulation is not enough to preserve the roots.

Preparation of seedlings

Zavetnoe apple tree seedlings are prepared in advance. In autumn, it is necessary to plant a young tree in open ground at an angle of 45 degrees. You can insulate the soil a little with leaves and humus.

Pit preparation

It is also recommended to prepare tree holes in advance. On average, a depression of 70-100 centimeters is suitable for a Zavetnoe apple tree. When excavating, you need to pay attention to:

• groundwater level – no more than 1.5 meters;
• the soil for digging must be mixed in advance with ready-made compost;
• the bottom of the pit needs to be further loosened with a crowbar;
• cover the soil in layers, in the reverse order from digging.

Planting scheme

The planting scheme, as is known, depends entirely on the root system and crown. The first apple tree of this tree is not very spreading, but it grows wider rather than higher. Therefore, it is recommended to calculate the distance from the parameters of 2.5 meters in diameter for each tree plus a meter for free space.

Rules of care

The Zavetnoye apple tree variety is unpretentious and does not require additional care other than standard fertilizing and insulation.

How to water

In rainy years there is no need for additional watering. However, in dry summers it is recommended to water the apple tree generously 2-3 times. To do this, you do not need to fill the entire garden, just fill the hole around the tree.

How to trim

It is recommended to prune the Zavetnoye apple tree in the spring, before buds begin to appear, and the cuts must be treated with garden varnish to avoid the occurrence of infections.

Important! You should not get rid of horizontal branches, since these are where most of the fruits are most often located!

Fertilizer application

It is advisable to feed the seedlings every year. It is recommended to fill the soil with compost only in the spring. However, it is allowed to fertilize with infusion of chicken manure or liquid mullein at any time - be it in the spring or in the fall.

Pest Control

The main enemy of the apple tree among pests is the codling moth. However, fighting it is not particularly difficult. It is enough to treat Cherished with a solution of Inta-Vir, Decis or Kinmiks in early June.

Rodent protection

There are a number of measures to combat rodents:

• carry out garden cleaning of the apple tree trunk;
• loosen the soil around the seedling;
• cover the barrel with a special protective material.

If there is no material, it is recommended to fasten spruce branches to the trunk (needles down), and additionally treat the edges with rodent protection.

Pollination

An important step in successful pollination is the selection of a second apple variety, which will serve as a catalyst. Perfect for this role:

• Firebird;
• Altai Rumyanoye;
• Bagryanoye.

Peculiarities of ripening in different regions

The peculiarities of ripening lie only in the time of fruit ripening. So, if you plant trees from Moscow to the Urals, the first fruits will be produced by Siberian seedlings in early September. And further - as the temperature changes.

Subspecies and options

The “parents” of Zavetny in 1958 were two varieties of apples:

• Melba;
• Autumn joy.

Therefore, the trees are similar in appearance and have similar care methods.

Harvest and storage

It is customary to harvest the Zavetnogo in September. A large space should be prepared in advance for numerous fruits. The collection is stored for quite a long time, almost until the end of the winter season.