Gardening »Apple tree
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Various varieties of apples are grown in the orchards of Russia. This is justified, among other things, by their high benefits for the human body. Among apple crops, the gardener can choose both summer and winter varieties, which will give high yields. Golden apples are considered to be the most widespread variety.
Characteristics of Golden apples
Description of the variety Golden Delicious
It is a dessert variety with an abundance of fragrant white flowers in late spring. Fruiting with medium to large greenish-yellow apples. As they mature, they turn a bright golden yellow. The fruits are very sweet, juicy, crunchy, with a tart honey taste. Suitable for fresh consumption, making salads and sauces.
The cultivar is partially self-pollinated and requires a pollinator to increase productivity. It must be a different variety with the same flowering period. For example: Jonathan, Idared, Gala, Arian, Cox Orange Pippin, Pink Lady.
The height of the plant depends on the rootstock.
- Dwarf - 2-3 meters.
- Semi-dwarf - 3-5 meters.
- Standard - 5-8 meters.
The Golden Delicious apple variety begins to bear fruit at 5-8 years. Dwarf and semi-dwarf bear fruit for 2-3 years. An apple tree lives for 15-20 years, with good care, and longer. In young trees, the crown is pyramidal, in adults it becomes rounded.
Flowering and harvesting of fruits depends on the climatic conditions of growing the crop. There is a certain growing season in different regions. Picking apples can take from August to October. If the apple tree blooms in mid-May, harvest in the second half of October. Most often, apples ripen in mid to late September. It's time to harvest when the fruits turn yellow. An average of 110-130 kg of apples can be harvested from one tree. The variety is heat-resistant and cold-resistant, withstands temperatures up to -25 degrees without shelter.
Golden Delicious has good overall disease resistance, but there are weaknesses, which we will highlight below.
Apple species Golden
Golden became the basis for many clones and new varieties with a wide variety of properties. The purpose of most breeding work is to increase the frost resistance of the tree and resistance to bud mutations, to which the variety is very susceptible.
Delicious
Actually the founder of the Golden group. The trees give a bountiful harvest, both last year's and second-year branches bear strong fruit, the ripening period is medium early. The fruits are distinguished by excellent taste and are striking in their keeping quality: the taste remains unchanged even by mid-March-April.
The fruits of the tree are large - 130–160 g on average. If the apple tree is watered, then the size of the apples becomes much larger.
With insufficient watering, the fruits become smaller and become prone to drying out.
Apples, in which there is not enough moisture, do not differ in such good keeping quality. They dry out and lose their flavor within 3 months.
Today, seedlings of the true variety are practically not offered in Russia. But you can find a variety of clones that are more resistant to frost.
Golden clones
The golden apple served as the basis for many new varieties and their own clones. Most often they are characterized by higher frost resistance and more resistant to various diseases.
A clone is a special variety that propagates only by cuttings and layering - vegetatively. The clones are grafted onto suitable rootstock crops.
Rangers
A clone of the Golden variety, characterized by a higher frost resistance. The variety is grown in central Russia and to the north. However, with greater frost resistance, the clone is more demanding to care: the tree should be fed, carefully hilled, protected from pests.
This link will tell you how to get rid of the bark beetle on an apple tree.
Rangers fruits are more elongated, green with yellow color. The typical Golden rustiness of the fruit is absent, so the appearance of apples is more aesthetic. However, they are worse: mid-February is the limit for them.
The fruits ripen a little earlier: you can harvest in September. Apples tolerate transportation well. When fresh they have a wonderful taste and a strong apple smell.
Goldspur
The variety was bred in Siberia, has excellent frost resistance and tolerates late frosts well, is grown practically throughout the United States. A universal variety - can be eaten fresh or made from apples, jam, jam and juice.
Refers to winter apple trees. The fruits ripen by October, are stored until mid-April, practically without losing their taste. Apples are smaller than Golden Delicious.
The clone is not resistant to scab and requires additional care.
Golden Column: Columnar apple variety
A variant of the columnar apple tree. Fast-growing, begins to yield early - for 1–3 years. Differs in compactness, lack of side branches and excellent productivity.
Like other clonal scions, the variety is implanted on dwarf or superdwarf rootstocks. The apple tree's own root system is too weak.
Although apples ripen faster and are well transported, their keeping quality is lower: by the middle of winter they lose their taste and presentation.
Varieties based on Golden Delicious
Unlike clones, varieties reproduce both vegetatively and traditionally. Seedlings can be planted in the ground in the usual way.
The early maturity of the apple tree remains a very attractive feature for gardeners, so that experiments on obtaining new varieties do not stop. Prima, Priscilla, Jonagold, Korey, Champion, Opal - the list is very extensive and is constantly growing.
Vladimirsky
A rare autumn variety of apples, which, in fact, has nothing to do with Golden Delicious. He was born as a result of pollination by the American apple tree of the usual Antonovka. The Vladimir apple tree was bred in 1984 and has a very high winter hardiness. The variety is grown in the Vladimir and Yaroslavl regions.
In appearance, the fruits are very similar to Golden Delicious: golden, rounded with dots. The taste is sweet and harmonious, although it is inferior to Golden in brightness. Apples ripen faster, as they are adapted for short summers. The fruits, by the way, are larger, on average from 170 to 220 g.
Sentinel
Another kind of columnar apple, but varietal. It belongs to the early-growing, but ripens in autumn - by the end of September-mid-October. Late ovary allows you to safely avoid late frosts.
The pulp is sweet, creamy taste is well expressed. Plus, apples smell great. The fruits lie worse than Golden, but retain their taste for almost the entire winter.
The variety is very productive, the fruits themselves reach an average of 200 g.
Golden Delicious Smoothie
One of the most popular varieties of Golden. A variety of American selection, refers to the late maturing. It is not very resistant to frost, but in the southern regions it is grown very willingly. The high-yielding apple tree is superior in characteristics to Golden, and is very resistant to diseases.
The most important feature of the variety is its excellent keeping quality and transportability of the fruit.Apples taste no different from the true variety, the color is somewhat different: more intense golden color and orange "blush", but unlike other varieties, the fruits are preserved almost all year round, without losing any presentation, excellent taste, or even smell.
Jonagold
The variety obtained by crossing Golden Delicious and Jonothan. In Europe, it is one of the most common apple varieties. It is grown mainly in the southern regions, as it is not too resistant to frost, but also has a tendency to many diseases.
The advantage of the variety is a very high yield, excellent taste and appearance of apples. The weight of the fruit is large - 170–220 g, ripens by the end of September. Apples are stored for up to 8 months without loss of taste. In addition, Jonagold is very resistant to drought and heat.
Jonagold is a tripod variety, that is, it requires successive pollination of at least two pollinators.
Jonagold is no less prone to mutation than the "progenitor." As a result, it became the basis for many modifications: Wilmut, Decosta, Jonica.
Resistant
The result of the work of American breeders. It is very common in the southern regions of Russia, Ukraine, and European countries. The variety does not differ in winter hardiness, however, the ovary produces late and late blooms, which protects the tree from late frosts.
Resistant belongs to freely pollinated plants, therefore, additional efforts are not needed to ensure fruiting.
The apples are picked in September. The fruits are golden in color, weigh up to 160 g. The taste is sweet and sour at the same time. Apples can be stored until spring if kept cold.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of Golden Delicious are:
- good fruiting;
- taste of apples;
- frost resistance and drought resistance;
- early harvest.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- high susceptibility to powdery mildew infection;
- apples wither quickly during storage;
- reduction in fruit size with a high yield;
- the frequency of the appearance of fruits.
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Breeding history
Apples of this unique variety are often found in domestic stores. The question of where the Golden Delicious apples come from in Russia is of interest to many. They are mainly imported from European countries. Although initially they came to us from America.
This kind of apple was bred after an unexpected crossing of two varieties: Golden Renet and Golden Grimes. Thanks to the descriptions of the Golden Delicious apple tree left by eyewitnesses to the birth of a new variety, it is known that the first new tree was discovered in the US state of Virginia in the garden of the farmer Mullins. It was significantly different from other trees. A large harvest of apples was removed from it, which were distinguished by their incredible taste, quality and resistance to various diseases.
Employees of one of the horticultural companies became interested in this, who subsequently bought the tree and the rights to distribute and sell the grown fruits.
Over time, vast areas were planted with apple trees of the new variety, since its high qualities were appreciated by many. Now it is grown not only in America, but also in Europe, the CIS and the southern regions of the Russian Federation.
Reviews of gardeners about the variety
This variety was discovered by a West Virginia farmer in the late 19th century. Gained popularity in the 20th century. It was sold in supermarkets, but was plucked from the tree unripe. The apples didn't taste right. This is reflected in the reviews.
Marina, Oryol
A popular variety, much tastier than the apples bought in the supermarket! The fruit has a sweet, full-bodied taste and a golden-green color. The variety is ideal for growing in the garden. It is versatile, it will grow up to 2.5-3.5 m in 10 years. Fully winter hardy
Andrey, Nizhny Novgorod
We have two trees, one in the old garden, which was my favorite apple among other varieties. We have planted another tree in the new garden.Fruits in the supermarket range from tasteless to simply delicious. But apples harvested directly from the tree are tastier. I have to admit that both apple trees are small and, if left untreated, suffer from apple scab, larvae, or brown rot. In general, my excitement for the variety has diminished in recent years. When picked at peak ripeness straight from the tree, very good to eat fresh. They are crispy, sweet, moderately sour, medium in size and not mealy at all.
Lyudmila, Minsk
These are the tastiest apples I have ever tasted. Thought Gala was my favorite until I raised Golden Delicious in my garden. Just added another golden delightful tree. I want to plant 2 more apple trees as soon as I clear more land. I am delighted with Golden Delicious.
Chemical composition and calorie content
Apples are considered one of the most dietary foods. Their chemical composition contains all vitamins and minerals necessary for humans, and they are characterized by low calorie content. 100 g of Golden fruit contains only 50 calories.
Considering that one apple weighs on average 170-200 g, the energy value can vary and amount to 80-100 kcal.
Many people, choosing products, pay attention to KBZHU. The nutritional value of Golden apples is characterized by the presence of 50 mg of protein, 20 mg of fat and 105 mg of carbohydrates. Because the level of BJU of this product is low, it can be used to normalize weight.
Given that the glycemic index can vary depending on the sugar level in apples, there is no exact figure that would characterize the fruits of this type. On average, it is 30-40 units. Before using this product, it should be borne in mind that during heat treatment, the glycemic index may increase.
Landing
The planting time of the variety depends on the region of cultivation. From the end of September until severe frosts, an apple tree is planted in the southern regions of the country and in the middle lane. In the northern regions and in the Urals, crops are planted in mid-April. A dwarf rootstock and grafting to a winter-hardy tree are desirable.
Apple trees need well-drained soil. It should be fertile enough to retain moisture and air. Mulch it with straw, hay, or some other organic material. This will help keep the soil moist and provide nutrients as the mulch decomposes.
Choose a sunny spot. For better fruiting, the apple tree needs good lighting. Trees should be exposed to direct sunlight for six or more hours daily. The best place for apples is on the north or east slope. You can't plant an apple tree in a lowland where cold air settles. Do not plant near wooded areas or trees. We wrote earlier how to plant apple trees correctly, we recommend that you familiarize yourself.
Agrotechnics
Regular watering is an essential part of caring for a young apple tree.
In the first two months, watering is carried out several times a week (depending on the weather). As it grows older, it is watered less often - several times per season, but in abundant quantities.
The soil of the trunk circle is regularly loosened and weeded from weeds. Top dressing is applied in spring - during the first loosening, before and after flowering, in summer - in June, in autumn - after harvesting.
For full fruiting, the apple tree needs crown thinning and sanitary pruning. In the spring, the crown is formed and the frozen branches are removed, at the end of autumn, dried and damaged branches are cut off.
For the winter, the tree is insulated and wrapped from rodents using burlap, polyethylene, pieces of rough cloth, spruce branches.
Annual pest control measures include regular weeding and loosening of the soil, fertilizing with potash and phosphorus fertilizers, spraying, and burning discarded leaves.
According to most gardeners, Delicious apples are fully consistent with the description of the variety. They grow tasty, juicy and aromatic.
The long storage period allows you to feast on dessert fruits until next spring.
However, if the storage facility does not maintain high humidity (80-90%), the fruits begin to wither.
Variety care
To develop the root system, water young trees regularly, especially those on semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstocks. After planting, weekly watering is required. After a month, watering every 3 weeks is enough.
For annual plants, 2 buckets per tree. Apple trees over 5 years of age need 8 buckets per crop. Plants over 10 years old should be watered more abundantly. Approximately 12 buckets per tree. In drought and during the ripening period, we water more abundantly. Refresh the mulch periodically to retain moisture.
Until the buds have blossomed, you can plant a culture. Cuttings for rootstock and scion are harvested. The graft must have at least 3 buds. After the twig is attached to the stock and fixed, the top of the scion is cut off. The cut is covered with pitch and wrapped in a film until leaves form.
Top dressing Golden Delicious
Apple trees are fertilized with nitrogen every year. We apply top dressing at the root 5 times a year. The first is when digging up a site. Add 35 kg of rotted manure, 600 grams of urea and 60 grams of nitroammophoska. Prepare a special mixture when the color appears. In a bucket of water, dilute 5 liters of slurry, 300 grams of urea, 100 grams of superphosphate. Use 40 liters of solution per plant.
As soon as the plant has bloomed, dilute 150 grams of nitrophoska and 5 grams of sodium humate in 3 buckets of water. Spread the solution evenly. In the summer, for feeding, we prepare an infusion of slurry, which we leave for 1.5-2 weeks. We dilute a liter of infusion and 200 grams of dolomite flour in a bucket of water. For one tree you need 3 buckets of mixture. After harvesting, we add 10 grams of double superphosphate, 5 grams of potassium diluted in a bucket of water. In the calculation - a bucket per square meter. Find out how to properly fertilize apple trees in each of the seasons.
Pruning varieties
It is best to prune the Golden Delicious apple variety at the end of winter so that the cuts heal faster by spring. To minimize tree disease, coat the cuts with garden varnish.
Pruning slows down the growth of the young tree and delays fruiting. Therefore, do not rush to prune, remove only excess, broken or dry branches. Remove excess buds. Bend the stems almost horizontally for several weeks to slow growth and stimulate fruiting. Tie them with ropes to stakes in the ground or to lower branches.
As soon as the apple tree begins to bear fruit, it requires annual pruning. Pruning reduces disease and increases light and air access. Cut the stems by 1/4 on 2-3 year old plants. Prune 1/3 of the branches of 5-year-old trees. Remove dangling, limp branches.
After about ten years, the fruiting shoots become twisted and decrepit. Cut off some of them and shorten others. When a whole branch of fruit-bearing apple trees withers with age, cut it off. There will be room for a young replacement.
For winter, feed the plant, mulch the soil with humus. Wrap the lower part of the trunk with roofing felt, cover with spruce branches.
Be sure to see how to care for an apple tree month by month. Everything about apple tree care in one place
Rules for planting apple seedlings on the site
First you need to pay attention to the correct timing of planting the tree. Climate and soil also play an important role.
Optimal timing
Planting can be carried out in the fall, when there is still no cold soil. Mostly this is October. If you had to do this in the spring, it is better to wait for warm April.
Seat selection
The health of the tree depends on the choice of the place, which means a good harvest.The area for the golden apple should have plenty of sun, which is easy to achieve by planting a tree on the west side of the garden. Light loamy and carbonate-soddy soil is preferable, as opposed to sandy and calcareous. Although for this variety, it can be anything. But if the soil is clayey, be sure to add sand.
Acidity should be absent or small. Desirable elevation and groundwater at a distance of 2 m from the surface. It is also important that pollinating apple trees grow nearby.
Site and seedlings preparation
Fruit trees should not grow on the site earlier. When choosing a site, consider the following: it must be sufficiently lit, the land must be fertile, or it is necessary to provide for the correction of the infertile with the help of fertilizers, and the site must not be exposed to the northern cold wind.
Another important point: there should be enough space for a developing crown (3 m between trees). To plant a plant, a hole 1 m wide and deep is prepared in 3 weeks or a month, so that the soil has time to “sit down” and tamp.
At Golden Delicious, before planting, pinch off the top and kidneys with an upward direction. This will prevent unnecessary shoots from growing upwards. 5-6 buds with lateral direction are left for the skeleton.
Process and scheme
They put in a prepared hole fertilizers... For example, up to 1 kg of charcoal, up to 2 kg of superphosphate, 1 or 2 buckets of humus, as well as up to 15 g of potassium sulfate. Next, a stake is placed in the hole to hold the trunk. An apple tree with open roots should be dipped in a growth stimulant solution for about 1-2 hours.
When planting a tree, the root collar should remain above the ground at a distance of 5 cm. The pit is covered with earth, and the plant is shaken to evenly distribute the earth. Next, the trunk is tied to a peg and poured with 2 buckets of water. At the end, the top layer is mulched with humus and compacted a little. Every 3 days after planting, the tree should be watered using up to 4 buckets of water.
Seedlings with soil or in containers are simply placed in a hole and covered with earth.
Recall: the distance between the pits should be 3 m.
Diseases and pests of the apple tree
The variety has a predisposition to powdery mildew infection. It can be affected by scab, apple ulcer, honey fungus. The main pests of the tree are aphids and mites. The apple tree requires periodic spraying with preparations every spring and summer after planting.
To avoid pesticides, you can try a special insect oil. Spray it in the spring until it blooms. You can try hanging sticky "balls - traps" on branches, a mixture of sugar, vinegar and water mixed in equal parts. If it does not help, you need to use special insect repellents in accordance with the instructions. For diseases it is recommended to use such means as Ridomil Gold, Topaz, Skor.
Beneficial features
Apples Gold are popular not only for their pleasant taste, but also for their benefits for humans. Due to the fact that the composition contains a large number of vitamins that enter the body, the use of this fruit can improve health and cure some diseases.
The value of this variety is manifested in the following:
- used as prevention and treatment of early stages of atherosclerosis;
- prevents the development of rheumatism and other inflammation in the tissue area;
- improves the quality of vision;
- strengthens bone tissue;
- helps to reduce weight;
- if you eat one apple a day, the condition of the skin and nails improves;
- helps prevent skin diseases.
Golden apples are often used to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. This fruit promotes better absorption of iron and is used as a prophylaxis against cancer.
Because apple seeds contain iodine, this product helps to prevent thyroid diseases.In addition, it protects the body from viral infections and helps purify the blood.
Malic acid improves dental health (it removes plaque and helps prevent tartar formation), so be sure to eat at least one apple a day.
It is recommended to use this product for people who want to get rid of anemia and normalize stools. If you are trying to fight obesity, this type of apple is ideal. They dull the feeling of hunger for a long time, so it will be easier for you to lose excess weight.
This product can be harmful to the body if misused:
- you cannot eat more than 2 seeds a day - this threatens intoxication of the body (in addition to iodine, they contain poison);
- it is forbidden to eat apples in case of an allergic reaction;
- it is not recommended to eat more than 3 apples a day so that the stomach is not overloaded.
Harvesting and storage
There is no need to rush to harvest. Harvest at the peak of ripeness when the apples turn yellow. The stem should easily detach from the branch. If the apple is overripe and soft, use it for blanks.
Early varieties are not stored, they are best eaten after harvest. Mid-season should be stored for several weeks. Late varieties will be stored for up to five months. Storage apples should be perfect, no damage or stains.
The harvest will be perfectly preserved in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place. Most garages and sheds are suitable for this. Attics and basements should be avoided due to excessive heat, lack of ventilation, or low humidity. Check stored apples regularly and remove anything that becomes soft or rotting.
Store apples wrapped in paper. Place wrapped apples on perforated trays. They allow air to circulate. Different varieties are stored for different periods of time.
Features of seasonal care
Cultivation of "Golden Delicious" forces gardeners to ration the amount of ovary and flowers, as the fruits become smaller with a huge number of them. And branches break as a result of overload. But this technique is only one of many, the task of which is a good harvest and the health of the tree. Seasonal care also affects the taste and weight of the apples.
Soil care
After planting a tree, weeds must be removed especially carefully. You need to water the tree several times a year, not forgetting, because this variety does not like drought. For the first time watered before bud break, then after flowering at the end of 3 weeks, before harvesting in 3-4 weeks, and, finally, during leaf fall.
It is important to loosen the soil every spring, especially when the tree is young. Mulching is carried out after watering, planting, in order to increase the yield. To this end, they occupy the area around the tree with green manure. The radius can be from 30 cm to 1.5 m. It is good to sow nasturtium under an apple tree as a green fertilizer.
Read also: Reviews, description, characteristics, yield, photo and video of the tomato variety "Mashenka"
To make the harvest happy, the soil is constantly fed with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Manure or compost is introduced every year. Manure is applied in autumn, sometimes with the addition of superphosphate and potassium salt. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, it can be superficial. A solution of urea is considered a good top dressing for the beginning of spring; in the summer, sodium is useful as part of any fertilizer.
Preventive treatment
- You need to spray it with "Topaz" to prevent powdery mildew, after flowering, copper chloride oxide is suitable. You can also feed the tree with phosphorus and potash fertilizers.
- Brown spots can be prevented by moderately and consistently watering the soil, and by digging up the soil before winter.
- To prevent scab, the sanitization of the branches is important.
- Pests, like diseases, require careful prevention.
- "Karbofos" protects against green aphids.And you can save the tree from the apple mite by tearing off the old bark from it and spraying the place with a solution of "Karbofos". You can get rid of green aphids and apple mites by burning the foliage.
- To prevent damage by the apple blossom beetle, the trunk and old branches are freed from the old bark.
- Three percent nitrophene prevents the appearance of the leafworm. Or you can use prophylaxis before bud break.
Pruning and shaping the crown
Regular crown formation is imperative, and the shape must be given spherical... The least that can still be done is thinning, pruning rejuvenation and sanitation. First of all, you need to remove strongly growing branches and vertical, separate last year ones. All this will allow the variety to be complete.
Pruning can be done in autumn and spring. In the spring - to mainly remove frozen branches, and in the fall - dry and rotten. Even in summer, pruning is possible so that the light is available to the fruit. Pruning is not allowed after frost.
Protection from cold weather and rodents
The soil is dug up in late autumn, fertilized, watered. Trunk circles mulch. Young plants are whitewashed with clay, and old ones with lime, it is possible with the addition of copper sulfate and wood glue.
For protection from rodents and along the way for insulation, the trunk is whitewashed and covered with everything that may be useful: paper, cloth, burlap, spruce branches. It is good to use foamed polyethylene for pipe insulation. It is better to insulate the plant before winter. Although they say that it is frost-resistant, it still loves warmth. During the thaw, it is necessary to compact the snow in the diameter of the trunk circle.
Under the right conditions, Golden Delicious, which has conquered the whole world, will provide your family with sweet fresh fruits and various preparations from them every year. Enjoy!
Questions from our readers
To view the answer, click on the question of interest.
Caterpillars on apple tree
You can fight mechanically, i.e. collect from the plant by hand. Use folk remedies: decoctions and infusions. Powder with ash, sprinkle with soda at the rate of 3 tablespoons per bucket of water. Spray with tar mixed with laundry soap, at the rate of 10 g of tar, half a piece of laundry soap in a bucket of water. If it doesn't help, we use chemicals.
Red leaves on apple tree
Their reason is plant disease or pests. It is better to treat insects in the spring with means: Fufanon, Nitrafen, Pirimix. For diseases, spray with colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate solution.
Why does the apple tree dry
The reason may be disease, lack or overabundance of trace elements in the soil, poor wintering, pests under the bark, proximity to groundwater. In the latter case, we plant undersized trees. In the rest, we eliminate the reasons.
How to remove apples from a tall apple tree
We use devices made of a stick and similar to a basketball hoop. We put a plastic bottle, cut off at one end, on a stick with its neck. You can adapt the basket on the pole for this purpose. Plastic pipes are used to make the device. There are ready-made collectors that are sold in stores.
Climate and regions of growth
The Golden Delicious variety tolerates severe winters, but badly - drought. It is cultivated in various regions of our country, even in the conditions of the Urals and Siberia, however, it will best grow and bear fruit in the warm regions - Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol and the Middle Strip, as well as in such CIS countries as Ukraine, Moldova , Belarus, Georgia, etc.
