Creating an orchard is the dream of many gardeners. But, alas, the area of the plot sometimes does not allow one to count on a large number of trees and, accordingly, on a significant harvest. But nature itself seems to be meeting the deprived gardeners halfway - it has given man the opportunity to create dwarf species that significantly save space and delight with fruits no worse than their larger counterparts. We are also talking about columnar apple trees. One of them, with the loud name President, is in the center of our attention.
Description of the variety
It belongs to the category of semi-dwarf trees, reaching a height of about 2 m.
The fruits begin to develop 30 cm from the ground and appear early due to the early fruiting type of the crop.
The trunk , reminiscent of the shape of a column, is densely strewn with reproductive shoots in the form of ringlets and spears.
According to the characteristics, the wood of the apple tree is quite hard, which prevents it from bending even under a large harvest.
Fruit formations have a lifespan of up to 15 years with adequate plant care.
Below are photos of President columnar apple trees.
Important! The root system of planting material is very dense, which significantly affects the good survival rate of any transplants.
History of selection
The President variety was developed in 1974. Domestic breeders V.V. worked on it. Kichin and N.G. Morozova. The columnar varieties Vozhak and Obilnoe were taken for crossing . Thanks to them, the apple tree acquired the shape of a column and received large fruits with good yield. It was officially included in the State Register in 2004.
Photo of President apple tree:
Characteristics
The difference between this type of apple tree and ordinary ones is the presence of one single trunk , overgrown with short fruit formations.
Dimensions of an adult tree
See what the President columnar apple tree looks like in the photo:
Apple tree variety President.
Shortened internodes enable the leaves to be located close to each other, forming a dense green column, rarely exceeding a height of two meters .
And since the side shoots emerge from the trunk at an acute angle, the crown is formed very compact, extending only 15-20 cm from the trunk.
Annual growth
In terms of relative growth (or, as they say, growth force), the tree is classified as a natural semi-dwarf .
During the period of full fruiting, the annual growth, depending on conditions and care, is on average about 7-8 cm.
Frequency of fruiting
The harvest is regular, although sometimes varies from year to year.
Usually it is about 8 kg of apples.
With good soil conditions and adequate care, the yield increases to 10-12 kg.
If the agricultural background is constantly maintained, the yield can reach up to 16 kg per tree.
Important! Even in bad weather and the absence of pollinators, the variety is distinguished set during flowering.
Winter hardiness
Resistance to cold is comparable to Antonovka and Melba. Considered winter-hardy . But still, young trees need to be prepared for the winter cold.
To do this, prepare shelters from ephedra or straw, having previously protected the trunk from rodents . In a more temperate climate, in the first two years it is recommended to wrap the trunk in three layers of covering, dense material.
Disease resistance
In terms of resistance to diseases and pests, it is at the level of the best varieties. But like all garden cultivated plants, it requires preventive protection measures. To do this, timely spraying with preparations against various types of pests is carried out.
Tasting assessment
The apples are quite large for such a small tree. On average 200 g. Rounded-flattened in shape, reminiscent of the shape of a turnip.
The fruits are yellow-white in color and with a pink blush, very attractive.
They have thin, shiny , but essentially dense skin.
The fine-grained, cream-colored pulp surprises with its dessert taste , pronounced aroma and tasting score of 4, 8 – 5 points.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Columnar apple trees have a number of advantages . This also applies to the President variety.
Advantages:
- Lack of lateral branching;
- Early entry into fruiting;
- Decorative and compact wood;
- Ease of harvesting;
- Good survival rate during transplantation;
- High yield for this species and excellent taste of apples;
- Average level of winter hardiness;
- Resistant to diseases and pests.
Flaws:
- Demanding care;
- Low shelf life;
- Small tree height;
- High price of seedlings.
Reviews from gardeners
Mikhail, 46 years old, Osa
I have been growing President apple trees for six years now. They began to produce a harvest in the second year, however, then there were only a few apples on each tree, but for several years now in September the trunks are completely covered with fruits. I like that harvesting is very simple, no stepladders are needed - I walked up and calmly tore everything off with my hands. Apples are delicious, we eat most of them fresh, leaving little for canning. There have been no problems with diseases, however, I always spray conscientiously, on schedule.
Anna, 28 years old, Serpukhov
Several years ago we started to develop a plot of land and immediately became interested in this variety because of its size: we simply have nowhere to plant an ordinary large tree. We planted “columns” along the path and are generally pleased. The trees have grown small, even less than two meters, so picking apples is convenient. The branches are holding up well, only one trunk broke due to the wind, after which I had to fiddle a little with the shaping, the crown kept trying to spread out in width.
Sergey, 39 years old, Voronezh
Five years ago I bought several seedlings of the columnar President, rather for decorative purposes, but it turned out that, given their size, these trees bear fruit very well. The apples grow large; with good watering, I can harvest 11-13 kg from the tree. I wrap the trunks for the winter - they are already thin, and if the hares still gnaw, the tree is unlikely to last long.
Features of planting and care
Seat requirements:
- Illumination,
- Lack of groundwater at a depth of less than two meters,
- A windy place is the most preferable conditions for this hybrid .
Planting a columnar apple tree seedling.
Advice! The technology of planting and care is practically no different from the usual rules and is not burdensome. Therefore, the President is recommended for beginners to gain experience.
Deadlines
Planting is done both in the fall after the leaves fall and in the spring before the buds open. But preference is still given to autumn plantings so that the root system of a tree or seedling can better adapt to soil conditions.
Autumn is a wet period of the year, which has a positive effect on the roots of the seedling. Before the beginning of the growing season, the root system has time to grow and become sufficiently strong .
If you decide to plant in the spring, then the hole needs to be prepared in the fall .
In any case, the pit is prepared in advance so that the soil can settle and ventilate . There is no big difference in planting times.
The owner decides depending on climatic conditions and soil indicators.
Features of planting in autumn
The main task during autumn planting is timely preparation of the hole . It is necessary to prepare and plant a seedling a maximum of two or even three weeks before the onset of frost. If this is not done, the roots may not have time to form in the new soil.
The hole should be prepared a month before planting the plant in it.
Pros and cons of planting in the fall:
- A seedling that is planted according to all the rules manages to take root before frost. In the winter it will get stronger so that in the spring, with the arrival of warmth, it will begin full growth;
- Seedlings planted in autumn have a higher immune system, are resilient and are not afraid of spring frosts;
- When snow melts, they receive a sufficient amount of moisture and nutrients;
- It is necessary to cover the roots from possible severe frosts with spruce branches or other suitable mulch.
Autumn arrives differently in each area, so gardeners are advised to plant trees immediately after the leaves fall .
Distance between seedlings when planting
The columnar culture withstands thickened plantings well.
You need to start preparing the seating with the layout.
The correct layout for the columnar hybrid President should be 60 cm between plants and 100 cm between rows.
Of course, if you plant only 2-3 trees, then the row spacing does not play a special role.
Correct fit
The size of the hole depends on the composition of the soil:
- If it is black soil, then its depth and width should be about 60 cm.
- On poor loamy or clayey soils, the planting hole can be made not so deep, but the width should reach up to one and a half meters, so that the roots can freely develop in breadth in dense soil.
- Sandy ones require a meter of deepening and compacted clay placed on the bottom to retain moisture .
Soil cultivation and necessary fertilizers.
The pit must be filled with fertile soil, compost and superphosphate and potassium supplements added.
Important! Columnar apple trees require a tenfold reduction in the dose of any type of fertilizer compared to conventional types.
Growing technology and care features in the first year
This type of fruit tree has intensive development, so the gardener needs to pay attention to achieve a good harvest.
The hybrid produces a huge number of ovaries , which the plant is not able to cope with.
In the first year, the formed flowers must be removed.
And in the following years, when flowering, thin out the flower stalks , gradually increasing the load on the tree every year.
Standardization rules:
- When flowering, excess flowers are removed from the ringlet without damaging the leaves, leaving two;
- The bouquets are thinned out. For now there should be 2 times more of them than the expected apples;
- After the formation of ovaries, reduce by half again;
- When the fruit is the size of a cherry, leave two per bouquet;
- The ranetka level indicates that another ovary needs to be removed, leaving one apple on each link.
Another important point in care is tinning .
Since the rootstock is clonal, it does not have a tap root that tends deeper.
The root system is superficial and very fragile . The roots extend from the trunk a very short distance. Therefore, you need to be careful when compacting the tree trunk area and especially when loosening it.
In order not to harm the delicate roots, the soil around the stem is tinned with cereal or spicy crops, which are periodically mowed.
Along with tinning, mulching of the tree trunk circle is carried out.
Agricultural technology
In agrotechnical measures for growing this crop, a special place is given to watering and fertilizing.
Drip is considered the ideal option . But in the absence of this, regular watering is required.
If the weather is very hot , then the plant needs a bucket of water, and an already mature tree needs two buckets every couple of days.
A good helper in this case is mulch , which is capable of retaining moisture for a long time and protecting the superficial delicate roots from strong heating by the sun's rays.
Like any varietal crop, during the growing season the apple tree almost completely depletes the soil of microelements . Therefore, it requires periodic replenishment.
To keep the yield at the level, with the arrival of spring, the following is introduced into the tree trunk circle:
- Urea – 60 g;
- Mineral nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (nitroammophoska) – 5 g;
- Well-rotted humus - 1 bucket;
They can simply be poured and watered or dug into the soil.
Columnar apple trees planting and care.
Attention! During flowering, fertilizing with a complex solution of nutrients is necessary. be fed every two weeks in small, reduced doses onto well-watered soil.
Trimming and shaping
Heavy pruning is not required. In the first year it is more sanitary than formative. Side shoots are cut into two buds so as not to spoil the appearance of the plant’s decorative appearance. Also, these shoots require a lot of nutrition , which is necessary for the future harvest.
Advice! If the main growth bud freezes in the cold, then in the spring two new shoots will appear in its place, one of which should be removed .
Pollinators
This hybrid does not require related pollinators .
It is self-pollinating.
But still, experienced gardeners recommend planting other varieties for better pollination.
Methods of controlling diseases and pests and their prevention
The undoubted advantage of the President columnar apple tree is its resistance to most fungal and bacterial diseases. Unfortunately, this does not apply to such a common problem as scab. And not a single breeder is yet able to protect his own creation from voracious pests.
But even here, columnar apple trees have an advantage over ordinary trees. The consumption of insecticides is significantly less, the plants are much easier to process. A standard sprayer with a small capacity is sufficient.
codling moth
The codling moth is a butterfly that lays eggs in flower ovaries. The caterpillars hatching from these eggs gnaw their way out of the future apples and move on to the next fruit. Affected apples stop growing, shrivel and fall off. A small dark brown hole is clearly visible on them, as if covered with a dense lighter mass - the place where the larva emerges from the apple.
The best prevention of the appearance of codling moths, as well as many other pests, is to maintain the tree trunk circle in a neat form. Weed it regularly; in the fall, be sure to rake up all the fallen leaves and fruits and burn them. This will deprive the pupae of a good place to overwinter.
If last year your apple trees suffered a massive invasion of codling moths, 2.5–3 weeks after the trees have finished flowering, spray them with Mitak, Kinmiks, Biorin, Inta-Vir. Sumi-Alfa, Fatrin, Alatar, and Aivenhoe are designed specifically to combat codling moths. But they are used at air temperatures no higher than 22–25ºС. Otherwise, efficiency decreases sharply.
The solution is prepared in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations given on the packaging. The norm for an adult tree is 0.7–1 liter. In the future, two similar procedures will be required - 2 weeks after the first and another 25–30 days later. Between the third spraying and picking the apples, at least a month should pass, or better yet, a month and a half.
One codling moth caterpillar destroys 2–3 apples
Apple flower beetle
As the name suggests, the pest mainly affects apple flowers. It eats flower buds from the inside and lays eggs in those that remain intact. The hatching larvae eat the remaining buds, and the products of their vital activity glue the petals from the inside, preventing them from blooming. The flower ovaries dry into a dome-shaped form, under which the larvae pupate.
The first treatment of a columnar apple tree against flower beetles is carried out at the moment when the leaves just begin to bloom. The trees are sprayed with Fufanon, using about 1 liter of solution for each. Before doing this, it is useful to spread newspapers under the tree early in the morning and shake it vigorously several times. This way you will get rid of a significant part of the adult pests.
A certain number of flower beetles will be detained by special sticky belts soaked in Karbofos. But these beetles can fly, so you shouldn’t rely too much on such traps.
The apple trees are sprayed the second time while the buds are still tightly compressed and have a beautiful pink color. To do this, the drugs Inta-CM, Karbofos, Decis, Kinmiks are diluted in water.
Mechanical control methods are quite effective against the apple blossom beetle, but they must be used early in the morning, when adult individuals are inactive
Apple sucker
The pest is also known as the psyllid. The larvae hatch when the leaves appear and suck the juice from them and buds, leaving sticky products of their vital activity, similar to wax, on them. The glued leaves and buds are deformed, and the future harvest is sharply reduced.
If the pest is noticed in time, folk remedies help well - infusion of dry tobacco grown with one's own hands, wood ash. A glass of raw materials is poured with a liter of boiling water. The container is closed and left for a day. Before use, the product is filtered. To make it “stick” to the tree better, add a little finely ground laundry soap.
Sometimes infusions of chamomile, garlic arrows, onion peels, yarrow leaves, hot red pepper pods, potato and tomato tops help. Reviews from gardeners about them are diametrically opposed - from enthusiastic to sharply negative. To prepare the infusion, you will need 50–70 g of crushed raw materials and a liter of water. Leave the remedy for at least a day.
In severe cases, columnar apple trees are sprayed with Fas, Mitak, Sumi-Alfa, Calypso, Fozalon, Nemabact.
Apple worm can completely deprive you of your harvest
Aphid
Aphids are a pest that does not disdain the vast majority of agricultural crops. Columnar apple trees are no exception. Whole colonies of insects settle on the underside of leaves and suck the juice from them. From the outside it looks like multiple small light beige dots - dead areas. Affected leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off.
If the aphids have not yet spread en masse, folk remedies help a lot. The pest cannot tolerate strong odors, so apple trees are sprayed with an infusion of garlic, tobacco chips, wormwood, marigolds, tomato tops, tansy, and dry peels of any citrus fruits. Prepare it as described above.
An absolutely killer remedy is a grated piece of laundry soap, half a glass of wood ash, 50 ml of kerosene and 200 ml of tobacco infusion. All this is thoroughly mixed until the soap shavings are completely dissolved and filtered. It is better to test the product on one of the apple trees first to make sure that it does not burn the leaves.
When time is lost, insecticides are used - Kinmiks, Inta-Vir, Nitrofen, Karate. At least two treatments will be required with an interval of 15–20 days. Apple trees are sprayed with insecticides only in dry, windless weather.
Aphids are one of the most “universal” pests; columnar apple trees also suffer from them
Scab
Scab is a fungal disease that affects both leaves and fruits. Greenish-brown, velvety-to-the-touch, rapidly growing spots appear on them, soon changing color to gray-black. The foliage quickly dries and falls off, the fruits stop developing and also fall off. You can't eat these apples.
If the trees were severely damaged by scab last year, the leaf buds that have just begun to bloom are sprayed with a 2-3% solution of any fungicide - Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride (CHOM), copper sulfate, Cuprozan, Captan. Be sure to do some preliminary testing. The procedure is repeated when the buds bloom, the third - after another 12-15 days. In the last two cases, you can replace the fungicide with the drugs Skor, Rubigan, Zineb.
For prevention, annual treatment with drugs that increase the plant’s immunity starting in mid-May, 3–4 times per season, is useful. Fitosporin, Zircon, Vectra, and potassium humate have proven themselves well.
You can combine business with pleasure. Ammonium and potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and potassium sulfate are effective against scab. Prepare a solution with a concentration of 10–15% and spray the leaves with it. The tree simultaneously receives foliar feeding and protection from disease.
Apple scab is a common problem.
Features of ripening and fruiting
The most fruitful years are considered to be from 5 to 8 years of age of the apple tree. Then the yield drops and by the age of 15 it becomes very small.
What year does it bear fruit?
The seedling is capable of blooming in the first year, but it is better to remove the color . The harvest will be in the second year, which is also better to thin out.
When do leaves bloom and flowering dates?
Much depends on the region and weather . Foliage usually appears in mid-March.
Flowering also occurs depending on the region of growth.
Under favorable weather conditions it blooms for up to 10 days.
Fruit ripening time
Maturity or filling occurs in mid- August and continues until mid-September.
Shelf life
Apples can be stored fresh for just over a month.
But with proper storage and compliance with the temperature regime from -2 to +5 ° C, storage can last until the New Year .
Features of cultivation in the regions
- become widespread in Moscow and the Moscow region.
- It can also be found in the Saratov region, in the Non-Black Earth Region and the Black Earth Zone of Russia.
Growing a columnar apple tree.
As for the Urals and Siberia, due to lack of heat and too harsh winters, growing this crop is unprofitable. The superficial root system freezes out . The tree itself cannot withstand frost. Although in the Urals some amateurs grow such an apple tree.
Some gardeners successfully grow the President apple tree variety in large tubs , which are brought to a warmer place when winter sets in.
Advice! Growing a columnar apple orchard requires close attention to it. Like any other plant, it requires care, creation of conditions, shaping , pest control, etc.
Apple tree Arbat (columnar)
I bought an Arbat apple tree (columnar) and planted 10 of them on each side along the path. It was spring, as soon as the snow melted. I dug holes at a distance of about half a meter. I thoroughly seasoned them only with rotted manure and poured out half a packet of complex fertilizer with microelements. I removed the first flowers. Apple trees are easy to care for. I whitewashed it and sprayed it with XOM and Aktara against pests. Everything overwintered well, I covered the root system like this: I poured a bag of humus onto 2 apple trees, and also dry grass from the lawn after mowing. Arbat does not tolerate winters well and the top may freeze, as well as the roots. Already in the 2nd year the columns were covered with flowers from top to bottom. All summer I looked after them with pleasure: the stems are small, so touching, with beautiful foliage. Spraying against pests and watering are the primary care. In the first autumn I collected 3-4 apples. The fruits are bright crimson in color and cling to the trunk. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour. I'm pleased: decorative and tasty.
Columnar apple trees are not yet very common in our gardens. However, the variety is interesting and I bought it under the name “Arbat”. I bought a couple at a local nursery, not at the market, and I already got burned there. The apple tree is on a dwarf rootstock, so it will be low - about or more than 1.5 meters. The nursery explained that she will live, on average, 15 years, and only if you take care of her. This apple tree needs pruning and insulation of the roots for the winter. I planted it in the sun, in a row, along the fence. The distance was exactly 50 centimeters between them. You have to dig a lot of planting holes, but it’s not difficult. The most important thing is to remove the soil from the hole and fill it with humus, fertilizers, and rotted grass. All this will provide nutrition and insulate the roots. In the spring I picked off the flowers that appeared, then whitened the stems. You definitely need to fight ants in your area - they cause aphids to appear. I poured various preparations, for example, “Muravin” directly under the apple tree. There must be pest control. In the 2nd year I already tried apples: very beautiful, dark burgundy and delicious! Liked it!
I have long preferred columnar varieties of apples to regular ones. They are compact and not picky, they can be planted in places where there is little sun and an ordinary tree would not have enough light. Several of these varieties grow on my site. The most beloved and productive is Arbat. The tree is only 3 years old, but already now I see all its advantages over other varieties. It is early-bearing, in the 1st year after planting there were very few apples, but by 2-3 I already collect a bucket. We don’t get particularly frosty in winter - the temperature sometimes drops to -5, so I haven’t checked the tree’s winter hardiness. The peculiarity of Arbat, like many columnar apple trees, is that the apples grow on the ends of short branches, there are a lot of ovaries and because of this they become smaller, so I ration the harvest and deliberately remove some of the apples that are just beginning to ripen. The fruits are medium, if the harvest is rationed correctly, there are also large ones, but mostly 100-130 grams. But they are tasty and juicy, and very beautiful - bright cherry. They ripen by the end of August and must be consumed within a month, because they are not stored for a long time - in my opinion, this is the main drawback. It is best to plant a seedling in the ground in early spring, in March, then it has a better chance of reaching full strength over the summer. I soaked the roots overnight and cut them off just before planting. All flowers must be picked off in the first summer. Doesn't require much care. In early spring, I loosen the soil around the tree, cut off diseased branches, and fertilize (with nitrogen fertilizers). The only thing is that you need to water the tree often - 1-2 times a week.
