Apricot Melitopol: description and characteristics of the variety, subspecies, planting and care

Varieties and description of the Melitopol variety

Apricot is divided into many varieties and varieties. The most popular Melitopol subspecies are: early, late, radiant. They have different ripening periods and fruiting periods.

Early

The mother variety of all other varieties of Melitopol apricot. The tree is of medium height, does not grow higher than 2.5 m. Self-fertile, high yield, up to 60 kg per plant. The fruits are oval in shape, light orange in color, the flesh is soft, juicy, and sweet. The stone is brown and easily separated from the pulp.

Harvesting takes place in mid or early July. It all depends on the growing region. Early apricot is suitable for cultivation throughout Russia and is frost-resistant. The tree is immune to bacterial canker and partially to moniliosis.

Important! Fruiting begins 5-6 years after planting.

Late

Less common than the early variety. The tree is medium-sized, flowering begins at the end of June. Later, bright yellow fruits with a slight pink blush are formed, weighing up to 65 g. Larger individual fruits are also found. The stone is easily separated from the pulp. Apricot is self-fertile, fruiting begins in the 3-4th year of the growing season. The crown is spherical, thickened, and requires regular pruning and thinning.

Radiant

Low-growing tree, early ripening, self-fertile. Produces medium-sized fruits, weighing up to 65 g. They are yellow-orange in color. The pulp is orange, juicy, sweet, and easily separates from the seed. Productivity more than 50 kg per tree. Apricots tolerate transportation well and have a good presentation. The winter hardiness of the wood is average, suitable for growing in areas with a mild climate. Harvesting takes place at the end of July or beginning of August.

General characteristics of apricot

The characteristics of apricot tell about the growing region, yield and transportability. Only after studying these qualities should you decide whether to plant a tree on your site.

Growing regions and ripening period

Melitopol varieties are suitable for growing in temperate and southern climates. Certain varieties can be planted in the north, but for this it is necessary that the plant has increased frost resistance.

The period of fruit ripening also varies depending on the variety. Early varieties usually ripen in 70 days, average ones in 90-100 days.

Characteristics of fruits and their purpose

Melitopol apricots are famous for their fruits. They are very tasty, sweet, and contain a large amount of useful minerals and nutrients. They have an average size of 50 to 70 g. Color varies from bright yellow to yellow-orange with blush. The seeds are easily separated from the pulp.

You can use fruits to make homemade jam, juice, compote, jam. Early varieties do not last long, so it is recommended to process them almost immediately. Apricots are also often canned whole. The radiant variety is suitable for transportation and sale.

Productivity and transportability

The productivity of Melitopol apricot is high. The tree is self-fertile and independently forms the maximum number of ovaries for fruit. It is possible to remove up to 60 kg of fruit from one tree.

Early varieties do not tolerate transportation very well; it is recommended to process them immediately. Radiant and late apricots can be stored for at least 2 months in a cool place. They are transportable, have an excellent presentation, and sell quickly.

Reviews from netizens

The variety is excellent, but it has uneven ripening, so if you can keep it for yourself until fully ripe, but if you want to sell it, you have to pick it before it ripens - then the transportability is really excellent! If you thin out the ovary, the size of the fruit is large, 50-60 grams. We are very pleased with this variety.

lus

https://forum.vinograd.info/showpost.php?p=1256702&postcount=2

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Apricot planting

To get a decent harvest, to create the tree with the most suitable conditions for growth, you need to carry out proper planting.

Deadlines

Planting work is carried out in spring or autumn. For more successful rooting, choose early spring, before the sap begins to flow from the tree. This will ensure maximum survival rate, make it possible to notice the development of the seedling, and eliminate any problems that have arisen.

Planting in the fall is carried out in the south. If the winter is not very warm, the seedling may die. Therefore, it is recommended to cover the tree from frost with special material.

Important! If you buy a seedling in the fall, planting can be postponed until spring.

To do this, in a greenhouse, the roots of a young tree are sprinkled with earth, placing the trunk in a horizontal position. It is insulated from above and left until the right moment.

Location and layout

Melitopol apricot prefers sunny areas on the north side, protected from the wind. The ideal thing for him is a brick wall of the house. It will additionally warm the wood and protect it from drafts. Groundwater should not lie less than 1.5 m, so as not to cause waterlogging of the root system and the development of rot.

Place them on the site with an interval of 3-4 m from each other. The tree can also be planted separately from other crops; it does not require a pollinator.

Instructions for planting seedlings

To avoid mistakes, it is recommended to follow certain instructions for planting an apricot seedling:

After choosing a place for the seedling, dig a hole 70 cm in diameter and 1 m deep.
Drainage in the form of small pebbles and broken bricks is laid at the bottom.
The excavated soil is mixed with humus, ammophos, superphosphate, potassium salt and wood ash.
Half of the mixture is poured back into the hole.
Leave for at least 2 weeks.
Drive a wooden stake deep into a hole 1.5-2 m high.
The day before planting, apricot roots are soaked in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
The seedling is placed with its roots in the hole and straightened.
Bury with earth in layers, compacting each one.
A trunk circle is formed with a depth of 7-8 cm and a diameter of 50 cm.
The apricot is tied to a wooden stake.
Water with 4-6 buckets of water.

When carrying out planting work in the spring, the pit is prepared in the fall.

Growing

Experts do not give any special recommendations for selecting Pogremka soil, but the best option would be aerated soils with lime, rich in nutrients. If you want the seedlings to be sure to take root, you can wrap each of them with peat moss bedding.

Experts note that the fertility of the variety depends less on the quality of the land, and more on the location where the trees are planted. Apricot trees need sun, but this variety does not like moisture, so in case of close groundwater passage at the planting site, it is recommended to organize a drainage system.

“Rattle” can be planted both in spring and autumn. The hole for the tree is prepared in advance, a couple of weeks in advance. It should have dimensions of approximately 60 by 80 centimeters and a depth of about a meter, because the powerful roots of the plant can push it to the surface over time. Organic and mineral substances are mixed with soil and poured into the prepared hole. You also need to insert a stake into the hole, the root collar should be 5-7 cm above the surface of the earth. Next, the tree is tied and watered.

Due to the abundance of fruits, trees can be overloaded, which leads to premature partial fall of apricots that have not yet ripened. To prevent this problem, you need to normalize the harvest in time - this work is carried out at the flowering stage.

Read also: Methods of planting and growing strawberries: the best methods

Also in some cases it is worth thinning out the crown. To do this, first of all, bad branches that have damage are removed. If this is not enough, then remove a fifth of the remaining branches. In addition, the bark on which growth can continue must be periodically cleared of affected areas.

Like any plant, the Ragremok apricot needs protection from pests and rodents, as well as the prevention of tree diseases. It is recommended to water, fertilize, protect the trees from frost and monitor the shape of the crown. Despite all the neatness of these fruit trees and their good aesthetic characteristics, they create shade, which is why neighboring plants may be left without light. To avoid this, before planting it is advised to remove the top of the seedling - you need to remove about half a meter of the total length. To get a good harvest, it is recommended to adhere to the following tips:

To prevent diseases of apricot trees and repel parasites, it is worth spraying the trunks and skeletal branches of fruit trees with a solution of vitriol.
To prevent branches from breaking due to snow accumulation during the winter, it is recommended to tie them with a strong rope.
Before frost hits, it doesn’t hurt to lightly loosen the soil near the trunks and mulch it with compost.
The first winter for a young tree is always stressful. The lower branches especially need covering - this will protect them not only from adverse weather conditions, but also from animals that may come to the site during the cold season.
Watering trees should be done before the flowers appear, after they fall, and also a couple of weeks before harvesting.
The tops of actively growing branches should be trimmed in the spring, and dry branches should be removed in the fall, treating the damaged areas with garden varnish.
Feeding the roots with mineral fertilizers should be done in the spring. The top is sprayed with potassium-phosphorus substances in the summer. In the fall, it’s a good idea to feed the trees with mullein.

Caring for fruit crops

Apricot is not a very demanding crop, but following simple rules of agricultural technology will increase the yield and quality of the fruit.

Watering

The crop is moisture-loving, so irrigation is done several times a season. The best times are:

during bud formation;
during the flowering period;
during the formation of the ovary;
during the fruiting period;
after harvest.

A young tree needs 4-6 buckets of water, an adult tree bearing fruit needs 8-10 buckets of water. Pour the liquid into the area around the tree trunk.

If there is a large amount of precipitation during the season, then watering is reduced, if there is drought, it is increased.

Trimming

Crown formation and sanitary thinning are mandatory procedures for caring for apricots. If the crown is very thick, it provokes the development of bacterial infections due to poor air permeability.

Crown formation

The formation of the crown begins in the first year of the growing season. To do this, the central shoot is cut off the next season after planting. After a year, two main branches are selected and the rest are removed. In the third year, 4 main branches are selected, the side branches are shortened so that they are 20 cm shorter than the main ones.

All work is carried out before the sap begins to flow in early spring.

Sanitary and regulatory pruning

From the 4th year of growth, it is necessary to monitor the density of the branches and their condition. At the end of the season, after harvesting, remove all broken, dry, damaged, diseased shoots. Dense areas are thinned out. Old branches are removed, since they bear fruit as annuals.

Summer coinage

The procedure is designed to remove all broken, diseased and damaged branches. It is done in the summer, so it is easier to see the damaged areas. Misdirected branches that are not bearing fruit are also removed to stimulate the growth of new shoots to increase yield.

Fertilizer application

The tree must be fed regularly. A sufficient content of minerals in the soil will ensure a high and high-quality harvest. It will also keep the apricot healthy and strengthen its immunity.

Organic fertilizers

Organics combine large complexes of minerals. They saturate the tree with everything it needs. For apricot use:

rotted manure;
chicken droppings;
compost;
humus;
wood ash;
herbal decoctions.

They are laid in a layer in the area of the tree trunk or solutions are prepared and sprayed on apricot foliage. When sprayed with fertilizers, absorption occurs faster; beneficial substances are absorbed through the stomata.

Mineral supplements

If there is no possibility or desire to use organic mixtures, then resort to the use of ready-made mineral complexes. Currently, they can be purchased in any specialized stores. There are fertilizers with individual microelements, collected in complexes for fruit trees.

Preparing for winter

To prevent the unexpected from happening, apricots are covered for the winter. Preparation for winter takes place in three stages:

mulching the tree trunk circle with straw, sawdust, cut grass, moss;
painting the trunk with whitewash to protect against rodents;
covering the crown of a young tree with spunbond, agrofiber or other breathable material.

Also, during the winter, the plant is fed and watered abundantly, so that during the dormant period the apricot gains strength and is ready for the new season.

Diseases and pests

If the rules of agricultural technology are not followed, or unfavorable weather conditions, the apricot's immunity decreases. As a result, fungi and pests enter.

Weevil beetle

The insect is medium in size, from 0.4 to 0.6 cm. On the front part there is a proboscis, with which the beetle receives food. Pests begin to become active in early spring, when the buds swell. They penetrate and feed on young leaves, after which uneven, damaged leaves bloom.

Next, they penetrate the buds and live in them until the ovaries begin to form. After the fruits are formed, the weevils pierce them with their trunk, leaving a passage. The female penetrates it and lays eggs there. New larvae eat the fruits from the inside.

Khrushchi

May beetle larvae begin to cause harm only in the third year of their life. Khrushchi live in the area of tree roots; they feed on humus and small roots of the tree. By the age of three, they develop a gnawing mouthparts. Afterwards, the damage caused significantly affects the fruiting and development of the apricot.

Important! To combat beetles, insecticides and traps are used.

Aphid

Small black insects. They appear due to high humidity. Leaves and shoots of the tree are completely covered. They feed on apricot leaves, leaving holes in them. The plant begins to shed its ovaries, the leaf blades curl, turn yellow and fall off. Aphids can only be controlled with insecticides.

Cytosporososis

The fungus spreads to all areas of the tree. Apricot damage occurs in spring or early summer. Spots form on the bark and begin to turn yellow. Later, the fruits and leaves dry out, but remain on the branch.

Clusterosporiasis

Small red dots appear in apricot leaves. Gradually they increase in size. The center of the spot dries out and falls out. Holes with a red border remain. The disease also spreads to fruits. They manage to ripen, but lose their taste.

Moniliosis

Gray growths appear on the bark and other parts of the apricot. They gradually affect the entire branch. The foliage begins to turn yellow, the fruits burst and begin to flow, becoming covered with a gray coating. When affected by moniliosis, up to 50% of the harvest is lost.

Disease Prevention

Mold is the most common disease that attacks apricot bark.

The fight against it must be carried out actively, otherwise you risk losing a fruit-bearing tree. Mold forms due to high concentrations of moisture in the air, prolonged rain or nearby bodies of water.

Even healthy trees need antifungal treatment. With the onset of spring, the trunks should be coated with lime and sprayed with a copper solution. Preventive measures include removing the affected shoots on the trunk.

Phyllostictosis disease on leaves develops very rapidly if the tree is not protected in time. The spotty coating on the leaves soon develops into small holes, which will soon lead to the foliage falling.

It is possible to combat this disease by spraying newly appeared buds with copper sulfate. Affected areas should be destroyed.

Spraying newly emerged buds with copper sulfate helps fight phyllostictosis disease

The period of activation of aphids is the beginning of summer. If preventive procedures are not carried out, there is a risk of losing the harvest and even the tree itself. The bugs eat every green sprout, sucking out all the juices of the plant.

Applying insecticides several times in March or April will ensure the safety of your fruit. The chemical composition will help in the fight against codling moths that eat apricots. Pests quietly sneak into the middle of the fruit and devour it from the inside.

Harvest and storage

For personal consumption, apricots are removed from the tree when fully ripe. They acquire a characteristic color, blush and pleasant smell. For sale, harvesting is done a little earlier so that the fruits ripen during transportation.

Apricots are stored in a cool place; in this state they can last for more than 2 months.