Description of the columnar apple variety Priokskoe and its yield, advantages and disadvantages
Columnar apple trees have not yet become fashionable in our country. Some gardeners don't even have a clue what it is. Columnar apple trees have a special arrangement of fruits on the tree - they "stick around" the trunk. It does not let branches, so it is easier and faster to care for such a plant. One of the most beloved varieties is the Priokskoye columnar apple tree. It belongs to winter varieties, it is stored for a long time and does not lose its taste.
Description of the variety
This columnar apple tree has established itself with consistently high yield and tasty juicy fruits. The variety is resistant to low temperatures and has a long shelf life. The resistance to scab is average.
Apples weigh from 150 grams, smooth, round, predominantly green, both outside and inside. But there are also shades of yellow, orange and even red.
Prioksky apples have a pulp with a granular structure and a ribbed peel. Among the descriptions of the positive aspects, resistance to diseases plays a significant role.
Specifications
The characteristics of the columnar apple of the Prioksky variety are one of the most impeccable among winter varieties.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Let's consider the merits first.
- Due to the fact that the plant does not have large branches, the apples that are located around the trunk receive an equally large amount of sunlight and heat. This allows you to accelerate the onset of fruiting and get poured ruddy apples. If you create conditions for constant watering, the productivity of the tree increases significantly. Thus, the work of the gardener will not be in vain.
- Given the fact that the plant occupies a small area, you can plant a fairly large number of its copies. This is suitable for owners of small garden plots, as well as those who grow crops in the garden that need a significant amount of light.
- Harvesting is quick and easy. You no longer need to climb trees, breaking branches under you, in order to reach one or two apples. Now it is enough just to have a stool on hand with which you can easily get to the tallest fruits.
- Caring for such a plant also does not take much effort and time.
- In addition to being easy to care for, long and painstaking pest control is also a thing of the past. No more spraying with pest control. The compactness of the plant simplifies work and significantly reduces the amount of time for this.
- The taste of the fruit will pleasantly surprise you! Juicy, they scored 4.5 points out of 5 in terms of the taste of the variety.
- In addition to practical advantages, it can also be said that the tree looks very beautiful. It can be planted both in the garden, among other trees, and in the yard, where there will be constant access to apples.
Of course, the Prioksky apples have their disadvantages. For hobby gardeners, the purchase of seedlings can be painful for the pocket, since the price of these young trees is above average.
The root system is poorly developed, and even the one that exists is located near, near the surface of the earth. Therefore, with a strong gust of wind, the plant will tilt and fall along with the roots. In addition, the small area of the roots does not allow it to absorb the required amount of nutrients from the soil.
Therefore, the seedling needs to be fertilized periodically.
The fruiting period is short. And given that all the fruits are located only on the trunk, the harvest from one tree is not as much as we would like.
Yield
The peculiarity of columnar apple trees is that, with a small area of the tree itself, the number of fruits is quite large. Until the seedling has matured, you should not load it with fruiting. First, the plant must be allowed to feed.
In the first year, flowers are usually removed, in the second year, 2-3 flowers are left, in the third - 10-15. If you notice that the size of the fruit has decreased compared to the previous year, then the seedling was overloaded. In the sixth year, when the tree has become an adult, 6-7 kilograms of apples are collected from it.
Adult tree size
Since columnar trees are natural semi-dwarfs, their height is small. On average, it is 2-2.5 meters, but it can reach three and a half meters.
The frequency of fruiting
Bears fruit annually, once a season. After 10-15 years, yields begin to decline.
Tasting assessment
On a five-point scale, the variety has a grade of 4.5. This indicator is one of the best.
Frost resistance
Apple fruits can be stored in a cool, ventilated area until February.
Disease resistance
A special gene - Vf - provides the plant with complete immunity to scab. Apart from this, immunity to other diseases is also great.
The timing of flowering and ripening of fruits
The flowering period is from April to May. Fruits ripen early - in early to mid-summer (depending on climatic conditions).
Favorable growing regions
The most favorable region for growing is the territory of Ukraine. The soil is black earth, the climate is temperate, and closer to the south it is hot and dry.
