Description of the apricot variety Red-cheeked and diseases, planting and care, winter hardiness
The process of growing apricot Krasnoschekiy in climatic conditions unusual for this type of fruit trees has become much easier. Now apricot orchards with bright and liquid fruits can be raised not only in the subtropics. Thanks to the selective breeding of the newest apricot variety, called the son of Krasnoshchekiy, gardeners got a so-called adapted hybrid that regularly yields rich yields.
Description of the variety
The fruit tree is a tall and vigorous fruit crop with a lush crown and sweeping branches. In height, representatives of this variety sometimes reach 10 meters, but usually their growth stops at a five-meter mark.
Important! A properly formed crown facilitates not only the process of caring for the tree itself, but also in the future, the way of harvesting.
In the description of the variety, small fruits are indicated by a rounded or ovoid shape with a deep seam on the abdomen. The orange-yellow hue of the fruit with a red barrel is a characteristic feature of this apricot, not for nothing called Red-cheeked.
The sweetest and juicy flesh of the fruit has a barely noticeable acidity and a slightly orange color. The rough bone has a sweet core inside and is easily separated from the pulp of the fruit itself. The tree, in principle, is a long-liver, the lifespan of which varies between 50-60 years.
Produced by the breeders of the Crimean District in 1947, it was subsequently taken as a basis for the recreation of more perfect apricot hybrids. The son of Krasnoshcheky, thanks to his winter hardiness, began to be planted in the Central zone of Russia, over time, expanding the growing territory.
In addition, the described apricot, the brother of the late Krasnoshchekiy, Nikitskiy, Saligirskiy, received, unlike the others, a longer life span, ranging from 60 to 75 years.
Breeding history
There is little information about the original homeland of the Red-cheeked miracle and its initial origin. Although for the first time these fruit trees found themselves in the highlands of Central Asia.
Later this apricot variety began to be brought out in the territories of Armenia. Well, in the post-war period, breeders of the Nikitsky agrobotanical garden in Crimea gave this species a new life.
Today the competitiveness of this variety among its European relatives is a fait accompli. Therefore, the unassuming type of apricot, thanks to selective selection, feels comfortable regardless of the territory of its growth.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the many advantages of the described variety, the most positive aspects are distinguished in the form:
- resistance to arid climates and low temperatures;
- self-fertility;
- immunity to certain diseases;
- yield;
- a little demanding on the soil;
- the highest taste in fruits.
Among the disadvantages of this culture, excessive sensitivity to sudden changes in temperature is distinguished. The spring period, with alternating thaws and frosts, is the most dangerous for the life of this apricot variety. Temperature fluctuations adversely affect the buds of future flowers, which can die from such a negative effect.
Characteristics of trees and fruits
These fruit trees are characterized by: a powerful crown, sweeping and strong branches. The apricot crop is resistant to strong winds, easily adapts to new conditions and tolerates low temperatures.
There are no special requirements for planting young seedlings. Trees have strong protection - thick bark, are accustomed to the abundance of sunlight, and therefore thrive in open areas.
Apricot Red-cheeked is a hardy variety, as evidenced by the conditions of its growth in the "harsh Russian winter".
Poured, already ripe apricots have a golden-orange color. A characteristic feature of this variety is a red barrel, velvety fruit surface and excellent aroma when the fruit is broken.
The period of fruit ripeness is at the end of July. Due to the inconstancy of the fruit ripening process itself, the harvest is carried out in stages, which prevents the possibility of sprinkling of the fruit.
The variety has excellent transportability and storage capacity for more than 10 days after harvest.
Productivity and storage
The yield of apricot of this varietal accessory directly depends on how the seedlings were taken care of, from the planting stage to the very fruiting. If all the rules and recommendations were taken into account, then in the end the amateur gardener will be rewarded with a luxurious apricot orchard and a high yield.
The volume of fruits already harvested can also be increased by phasing out the fruits. After all, then the unripe apricots remaining on the tree will be poured and enlarged in volume. This will also solve the problem of the safety of the harvest - the fruits will stay on the tree for the allotted time, waiting in the wings.
From what needs in the future apricots will be used, and their collection will be carried out with different stages of fruit ripening. To obtain dried fruits, it is more advisable to use overripe fruits, for food - ripe ones, without any defects. For transportation over many kilometers, it is better to pick up fruits of a slightly yellow color. Any fruits are suitable for saving for the winter; a real hostess will be able to use them to the advantage of the cause.
Favorable growing areas
The best areas for the growth of this type of fruit trees and its congeners are the Northern part of the Southern zones, as well as the Southwest regions. The apricot took root and perfectly adapted to the regions of the North Caucasus, the Volga region, Crimea, as well as to Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia.
The variety of the described culture, due to its low exactingness, has become widespread in the territories of the Krasnodar Territory, in Rostov-on-Don and in many other parts of Russia.
Planting and leaving
The variety of this culture is photophilous, therefore, the choice of a site for planting it should fall exclusively on areas well warmed by the sun's rays. The distance from groundwater to the ground surface must be at least two and a half meters. The soil must be loose.On chernozems, loamy and sandy loamy soils, this variety of apricot will grow and bear fruit better.
Important! This fruit culture does not accept acidic and peaty lands; it simply does not grow in such areas.
Plots for planting such trees should be located on elevations protected from strong winds by some kind of fences. Upon reaching the age of four, the culture will get stronger, and the need to protect it from gusts of wind will disappear by itself.
When planting apricot trees, the following rules must be observed:
- The planting of this crop should be done in mid-spring, in April, or in the autumn period in October.
- During the growing season planting apricot not recommended.
- The planting hole for the seedling, for timely shrinkage of the soil and facilitating the manipulations associated with planting, must be prepared ahead of time.
- In the autumn period, such a deepening is formed two weeks before planting; for planting a culture in the spring, the pit is harvested in the fall.
- There should be a distance of at least 3-5 meters between seedlings. The same gap is allowed between apricot and other trees.
The staged period of planting seedlings includes:
- digging a hole 70/80 centimeters wide and deep;
- laying drainage with a layer of 10 centimeters;
- backfilling the pit with fertilizers mixed with the ground.
Important! Rhizomes of seedlings should not adhere to top dressing without soil, in order to avoid getting burned.
Further manipulations when planting an apricot include:
- filling the hole with a mixture and the formation of a certain elevation from it and the earth;
- planting a seedling on a tubercle, in an upright position, with a uniform distribution of its root system and further dusting of the soil without filling the plant neck;
- soil compaction by tamping;
- watering and mulching the soil.
You can also grow an apricot crop from a stone. To do this, the planting material must be soaked in warm water for a day. And then place the bones in the pits having a depth of 6 centimeters, with a distance between each of up to 15 centimeters. Upon reaching the age of two, the plant can be transplanted into the ground.
Saplings of this variety of apricot trees are not particularly demanding to care for. Therefore, listening to the advice of experienced gardeners on how to properly take care of the plant, you can increase not only the growth and vital activity of the crop, but also increase its yield.
To exclude excessive soil moisture, it is necessary to mulch the soil layer under the plant with due regularity. As a result of such actions, the air circulation between the rhizomes will improve, and the excess liquid will evaporate.
Irrigation is necessary at the time of growing apricot culture. For the first time, watering is carried out during the flowering period, then - in the spring period of shoot formation and in the middle of summer. The required amount of water for each watering is 2-3 buckets of warm liquid. The last watering is carried out at the end of autumn, using 5-6 buckets of water.
In the first year of growth, the seedling needs pruning. The formed crown should be rejuvenated from time to time. Places where powerful branches were cut must be treated with a special disinfection method. Painful conditions of trees must be stopped by special manipulations using chemical mixtures or oil paint.
In the autumn period, the trunk of an apricot tree must also be processed, with the use of whitewashing and the addition of lime, copper sulfate.
Proper planting and caring for fruit trees will provide the gardener with a rich harvest and a luxurious apricot garden in the future.
Winter hardiness
Apricot trees of this variety have winter hardiness below average.This is especially true of the cold regions of Central Russia, the Urals, with their inhospitable winters, low temperatures, constant precipitation and spring frosts. But, with a certain amount of care, here the apricot, in the form of a Red-cheeked miracle, grows and gives good yields.
Diseases and pests
The aphid is a dangerous and common parasite that often infects apricot crops. To combat this insect, they resort to chemicals. Also, aphids are frightened off by nasturtium planted around an infected tree.
There are also diseases that interfere with the proper development of trees in the form of:
- Moniliosis.
- Brown spot.
- Clasterosporium disease.
- Verticillosis.
- Infectious drying.
- Curly leaves.
With moniliosis, the leaves on the branches of apricot turn black, the bark becomes covered with grayish warty eruptions, the fruits, before even ripening, die. For preventive purposes, trees are treated with any fungicide; during treatment, the damaged parts of the plant are sprayed with copper sulfate.
When a disease occurs in the form of a brown spot, starting, as a rule, in the middle of summer, the affected leaves are treated with Bordeaux liquid.
Clasterosporia infects the tree completely, but especially the leaves, up to the holes. And the skin of the fruit, affected by this disease, becomes covered with red-brown ulcers. Both for prevention and for therapeutic purposes, copper sulfate is actively used to relieve this disease.
The symptomatology of this or that disease varies. Therefore, it is more advisable to treat trees for preventive purposes, since it is much more difficult to treat a tree affected by a fungus.
Important! Treatment for any diseases or pests is best done in the fall, when leaves fly from the tree, or in the spring, while the apricot has not yet bloomed.
