History of selection
The apricot variety Aquarius was bred and first described in the Main Botanical Garden of Russia in 1996. The authorship of the variety belongs to L. A. Kramarenko, who obtained Aquarius from the seeds of the Lel apricot through free pollination.
An entry about Aquarius in the State Register as an independent variety was made in 2004.
Description of culture
The description and photo of the Aquarius apricot give an idea of it as a powerful, tall (5–6 m) tree with a dense, raised, moderately spreading crown. Annual shoots are smooth-barked and straight, weakly branching.
Aquarius leaves are dark green, large, with a jagged edge and a slightly rough surface. Their tips are pointed.
Aquarius apricot flowers are relatively small (2.5–2.8 cm), white, and sit tightly on the shoots. Consist of 5 petals.
The fruits are round, large, and the longitudinal seam is clearly visible from the side. The skin is yellow-orange in color with a barely noticeable blush, slightly pubescent. The size of the seed is small (its weight is 8.5% of the weight of the fruit), and you can easily separate it from the pulp. The pulp is tender, orange, moderate density, very juicy. The pleasant sweet and sour taste of the Aquarius apricot is highly appreciated by tasters - according to various sources, it received from 4.5 to a maximum of 5 points.
This variety is officially zoned in the Central region, but is cultivated almost everywhere in the central zone of the country. In particular, growing the Aquarius apricot in the Moscow region has proven itself well.
Triumph Northern
This winter-hardy variety was obtained by crossing two hardy varieties: Red-cheeked and Northern Early. On a tree with a spreading crown, the branches are located at an angle of 45-50 degrees.
The fruits are quite large, round or oval in shape, and may be slightly flattened. The skin of apricots is slightly pubescent, slightly sour in taste, yellow-orange in color with a red-burgundy blush. The pulp of the fruit is orange, very juicy, sweet and tender.
And that’s not all the advantages of the Northern Triumph! The flower buds of this tree have very good resistance to returning spring frosts. And the plant is not susceptible to damping off, as well as damage from dangerous pests and diseases (moniliosis, cytospora blight, verticillium blight, clasterosporiosis).
| Purpose | Harvest | Tree height (m) | Fruit weight (g) | Productivity (kg per tree) |
| End of July – early August | 3-4 | 40-55 | 50-64 |
Growing a fruit-bearing apricot tree on your own summer cottage is real! And even in an unstable and rather cold climate. Cultivate suitable winter-hardy varieties - and you will succeed.
Tags: apricot, Aquarius, distant, Krav, southerner About the author: admin4ik
Characteristics
In order to grow Aquarius apricot in your garden plot, you should take into account the characteristic features inherent in this variety.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
The winter hardiness of the Aquarius apricot is high, like most representatives of the northern varietal group of this crop. It is able to withstand frosts down to -35 degrees.
The parent variety Lel Aquarius inherited good resistance to drought.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Flowers on the branches of the Aquarius apricot, emitting a subtle honey aroma, appear in abundance before the vegetative buds bloom.
Fruit ripening occurs in the middle period and begins around mid-August.
Gardeners who want to know whether the Aquarius apricot is self-fertile or not can confidently answer in the affirmative. Pollinators are not necessary for it - you can get by with just one tree if, for example, the garden is not large enough.
Advice! And yet, for more active and high-quality pollination, it is preferable to plant at least two apricot trees on the site (ideally 3-4).
Productivity, fruiting
Aquarius is one of the high-yielding varieties of apricots, since on average it is capable of producing 133 c/ha per season. If the plant is young, it is possible to collect 10–15 kg of fruit from it, while the yield of an adult tree reaches 25–30 kg.
Aquarius bears fruit regularly, every year, starting from 3–4 years of age.
According to reviews of the Aquarius apricot in the Moscow region, with proper care it can maintain productivity for up to 18–20 years.
The fruits of this apricot variety contain:
- 14.2% dry matter;
- 7.6% sugar;
- 2.7% acids.
Area of application of fruits
Transporting Aquarius apricot fruits is difficult due to the fact that they are poorly stored. However, due to their excellent taste, their purpose is universal.
Aquarius fruits are very tasty when freshly picked; they can also be frozen and dried. Jams, compotes and desserts made from them turn out excellent.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The resistance to the most common diseases and pests of stone fruit trees in the Aquarius apricot is considered satisfactory.
This variety has average resistance to hole spot (clasterosporia).
As for pests, it is known that the Aquarius apricot is almost not affected by aphids.
Advantages and disadvantages
A brief description of the Aquarius apricot variety can be presented as follows:
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Winter hardiness | tall tree |
| Stable, high yields | Poor transportability of fruits |
| Excellent fruit taste | |
| Self-fertility | |
| Resistance to clasterosporiosis and aphids |
Apricot Aquarius: pros and cons
The advantages of this variety include winter hardiness and moisture resistance, stable and large yields, excellent fruit taste and, which is very good, self-fertilization, resistance to clatherosclerosis and aphids. The disadvantages include the fact that the tree is very tall, and after 20 years it is very difficult to get fruits; it does not tolerate transportation well. As can be seen from the comparative characteristics, there are very few disadvantages, and the list of advantages is long.
Landing Features
Planting an Aquarius apricot has some features that a gardener should know.
Recommended timing
It is recommended to plant young apricot trees in the ground:
- in early spring, when the snow melts;
- in autumn (September or October).
Advice! In private plots of the Moscow region, apricots, including the Aquarius variety, are usually planted at the end of April.
Choosing a suitable location
The key to success in growing Aquarius apricots will be a correctly selected planting site:
- a well-lit area of the garden, protected from cold winds;
- light in composition and well-drained soil;
- soil reaction – neutral or slightly alkaline;
- groundwater should not lie too close to the surface.
Important! Apricot trees prefer small hills of relief. A slope on the south or southwest side is ideal for them.
What crops can and cannot be planted next to apricots?
It is generally accepted that apricot, including Aquarius, is an “individualist.” It is recommended to plant it in such a way that there is a distance of at least 10 m between it and the plantings of other fruit crops or shrubs.
However, there are exceptions with which the Aquarius apricot can get along peacefully. Among them:
- some stone fruits (cherry plum, sloe, dogwood);
- umbrella vegetables and herbs (carrots, dill);
- thyme, lavender;
- apricot trees of other varieties that can be useful as pollinators.
Important! When selecting pollinating varieties for the Aquarius apricot, you should take into account that the timing of their flowering and fruiting coincides.
Selection and preparation of planting material
For planting on a personal plot, it is recommended to purchase annual Aquarius apricot seedlings at autumn fairs or in nurseries.
Signs of a quality apricot seedling:
- healthy trunk;
- straight branches not damaged by pests;
- powerful, developed root system with straight, whitish root tips.
Important! Seedlings must be grafted onto winter-hardy rootstocks that are resistant to dampening (usually plum).
Landing algorithm
Planting an Aquarius apricot on a site is done as follows:
- a hole for planting (about 0.7 by 0.8 m in size) is usually dug in the fall;
- drainage is laid at the bottom of the hole, a mixture of soil, peat and sand is poured on top of it, and left until spring;
- in the spring, a part of the soil is removed from the hole, water is poured into the resulting depression and the seedling is carefully placed in the center;
- Having straightened the roots of the plant, the planting site is filled with soil mixture;
- compact the soil in the tree trunk circle, water it and mulch it.
The video will reveal the secrets of proper planting and caring for apricots in the garden:
Apricot Aquarius: reviews of the variety
Evgenia Timofeevna Sirchenko, 36, Sergiev Posad
I will tell you based on my observations of this culture. The tree bears fruit very well and preserving fruits for the winter is irreplaceable. As for the fact that unacceptable “neighboring” crops cannot be planted with apricots, this is also true, next to it I planted an apple tree with cherries of southern varieties, and I will say that pests filled my trees and the trees with apricot trees became seriously ill, but the next summer I They were partially abandoned and now we have to wait until they harvest again.
Anna Mikhailovna Arbuzkina, 54, Nalchik
Hello dear. The Aquarius apricot is one of my favorite varieties. I have been planting this crop in my garden for a long time, but after the appearance of this variety I forgot about the difficulties. The annual harvest is large, I regularly trim the branches and the tree grows, it is easy for my husband to get the fruits. The canned food is excellent, I not only canned it for myself, but I also sell both fresh and canned apricots.
Epifantsev Anatoly Vasilievich, 60, Dnepropetrovsk
For a long time I have been looking for a crop that bears a lot of fruit and remains just as tasty after drying. An apricot aquarium is ideal. This is not a particularly fussy variety, so my son and I go well with our apricots. Dried apricots are great, winter passes with good earnings, because people like my dried apricots, and I call my apricot magic.
Trifonova Alla Petrovna, 45, Tomsk
Until recently, I was thinking whether or not to take a seedling, this was in 2006, I was afraid that it wouldn’t take root, the garden, the soil didn’t work, but in vain. The tree blooms and smells. Despite the indicated 3-4 years after planting, you will have a harvest; I harvested the first three apricots already in the second year. An incredibly tasty variety, meat and culinary compotes, with virtually no added sugar, Aquarium apricots are now grown at the dacha.
Source – https://ogorodnash.ru/abrikos-vodolej/
Subsequent care of the crop
Aquarius apricot pruning is carried out annually either in March or at the end of October - November.
Need to trim:
- sick and old branches;
- shoots that thicken the crown;
- shoots are too long (shorten).
The cut areas should be covered with garden varnish or oil paint with a natural base.
After planting, the Aquarius apricot is regularly watered until the beginning of August, making sure that the circle around the trunk does not dry out. Then watering is stopped to give the plant a chance to prepare for winter.
In the future, it is recommended to water the tree in the spring and in the first half of summer, making sure that the amount of water is not excessive.
Caring for an apricot tree of the Aquarius variety also includes fertilizing.
The general rules for applying fertilizing are as follows:
- in autumn - organic (mullein, compost);
- in summer - phosphorus;
- in early spring - mineral (nitrogen-containing).
Important! In order for the tree to remain healthy, you need to carefully ensure that the soil in the tree trunk circle is always loose and free of weeds. This is especially important if the Aquarius apricot is young or has recently been replanted.
When preparing the Aquarius apricot for the winter, at the end of October - November you should:
- collect leaves that have fallen after leaf fall and destroy them (burn or bury);
- whiten the trunk, skeletal branches and, if possible, the bark of tree shoots with garden whitewash to protect from frost and prevent sunburn in early spring;
- To protect the trunk from rodents (hares), you can wrap it with coniferous spruce branches (needles down) or artificial material that allows air to pass through well.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
When caring for an Aquarius apricot, you should be able to distinguish between the most common diseases and know how to deal with them:
| Disease | Manifestations | Prevention and treatment measures |
| Scab | Spots of brown or greenish plaque on the leaves, drying out of the foliage, damage to flowers and fruits | Timely pruning and weed control. Treatment with Bordeaux mixture |
| Moniliosis | Drying of flowers and upper parts of shoots, reminiscent of “burns”, rotting of fruits on the branches | Prevention – competent tree care. Treatment – spraying with an aqueous solution of copper chloroxide, “Strobi”, “Topsina-M”, “Topaz” with the addition of soap |
| Clusterosporiasis | Brown spots on the leaves, where holes then form |
Knowledge of pest control measures will also help the farmer:
| Pest | Appearance and activity | Prevention and control measures |
| codling moth | A small brown butterfly, the caterpillars of which, penetrating the fruits, feed on their pulp | Spraying with “Metaphos”, “Sonnet”, “Bankol” |
| Weevil | A small beetle with a shiny green-purple back. The affected ovary of the fruit turns black and withers. Damaged (“gnawed”) leaves and fruits | Spraying with Metaphos, Decis, Intravir |
