Description of the New Jersey apricot variety, yield characteristics and why the ovary falls
Apricots love heat and sun, they cannot stand cold. For a long time, this culture was grown in the south, where summer lasts for a long time and there is no severe frost. Breeders from many countries, crossing different varieties, created plant hybrids so that they could be planted in unfavorable climatic conditions, and this did not affect the taste and weight of the fruits. New Jersey is frost-resistant. Apricot, bred on another continent, takes root in the middle latitudes of Russia, and produces a stable harvest.
Description of the variety
A tree with a seed culture of American selection grows up to 3-4 meters in height. The fruits ripen in early July and differ:
- large size;
- rounded shape;
- sweet and sour taste.
The apricots are covered with yellow skin, the sides are painted in a bright blush. The firm flesh has a golden hue. The bone is separated without problems. According to the description of the variety, each New Jersey fruit weighs about 50 g. Fruits are suitable for making compotes, drying, jams.
Characteristic
The roots of the tree are very developed, the shoots are not formed. Apricot does not die at 30 ° C frost, therefore it is cultivated in many regions of Russia. The plant takes root, gives a good harvest even in lowlands, where the land is heavy and the water comes close to the surface. The roots rarely suffer from rot, but unripe fruits often crumble.
New Jersey does not have immunity to moniliosis; when affected by this disease, the stems dry out, the leaves fall, the ovary turns black.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Apricot fruits are valued for their excellent taste, beautiful blush, and large size. During transportation, the fruits are not damaged, retain their appearance, which attracts gardeners who grow stone fruit in large volumes for sale.
Trees endure decent frosts, and even at -30 ° C, roots and stems do not die.
The benefits of apricot include:
- stable yield;
- early maturation;
- disease resistance.
The variety has a minus. Unripe fruits fall off the tree, but this problem does not arise if the rules of agricultural technology are followed.
Growing features
Although the apricot of American selection takes root on heavy soils, the tree feels better on fertile and loose soils. It should be planted in an area that is illuminated by the sun and closed from cold winds. If a grow apricot from stoneand, the fruit will be smaller, will not inherit the characteristics of the variety. You need to buy trees grafted on a plum or cherry plum in a specialized nursery.
Reasons for fruit falling
Some summer residents do not dare to plant a New Jersey tree on their site, because they have heard that the ovary is crumbling and even slightly unripe fruits. This problem actually occurs:
- due to lack of nutrients;
- in case of non-compliance with agricultural technology;
- with dense plantings;
- when infected with ascomycete fungi.
To avoid apricot falling, you should not plant trees close to each other; to prevent gray rot, you need to spray the plants with preparations containing copper, do not forget about watering with prolonged heat and the absence of rain, fertilizing with minerals and organic fertilizers.
Care
If the apricot is cared for, the tree responds with a sweet and large harvest. Although the culture is resistant to scab and other diseases, in early spring the plant should be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate to prevent monilial burns or gray rot, in the fall, remove fallen leaves, blackened fruits, and cut off dried branches.
Watering
New Jersey, like other apricots, tolerates drought well. So that the seedlings develop faster, do not experience a lack of moisture in extreme heat, the trees are watered once every 2 weeks, using only warm water. Adult plants can do for a month without irrigation. In damp weather, frequent rains, apricots do not need additional moisture.
Top dressing
In order for the roots to absorb the substances necessary for the growth and development of the tree, fertilizers are applied to the trunk circle. The second option involves spraying liquid formulations with trace elements throughout the crown.
In spring, apricots are fed with chicken dung, urea, ammonium nitrate, where nitrogen is present. In summer, culture needs complex compounds.
In the fall, fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium and calcium are applied. Such components are found in ash and chalk.
Pruning
In order for the tree to grow lush, to please with the harvest of sweet fruits, it is necessary to correctly form the crown. Thin and branched apricot branches grow quickly and, in the absence of pruning, begin to shade the light-loving culture, weaken the tree. The sanitary procedure begins in the fall, when dried shoots and branches are removed, and restorative, rejuvenating and regulating pruning is also carried out annually.
