Description of the 10 best varieties of columnar apple trees for the Moscow region, planting and growing

Nowadays there are many different varieties of such apple trees. Their difference lies in the taste of the fruits, their size, juiciness, ripening time and some other factors.

Why is the variety called columnar? – Because during ripening, the branches of this tree are directed upward, which resembles columns.

Absolutely all plants of this species are high-yielding, that is, they bear a lot of fruit every ripening season.

But to get this harvest to the fullest, you need to choose the right plants for your region and climate, as well as for the site and soil saturation.

general characteristics

Columnar apple trees are trees of the intensive type, characterized by early fruiting.

advantages are:

• Easy to grow ;
• High survival rate;
• The compactness of trees makes it possible to increase the density of plantings, which makes it possible to obtain large yields from small areas;
• In small areas you can grow a large number of apple trees of different ripening periods;
• Resistance to fungal diseases and pests.

Disadvantages can be considered:

• Lower ability to tolerate prolonged frosts compared to ordinary apple trees;
• The productive life span is 15 years and anti-aging pruning, as for a regular apple tree, will not help. Columnar apple trees do not exceed 3-3.5 m in height, the crown is up to 0.5 m wide.

Trees do not have the crown . Colonifera is a tree with a vertical trunk without long side branches; they are replaced by short shoots extending from the trunk at an acute angle.

They look like green vertical columns , hence the name of the trees.

Popular varieties

The most popular and most suitable for the conditions of the Moscow region are the following varieties:

• Arbat,
• Vasyugan,
• Nectar,
• Ostankino,
• The president,
• Bolero,
• Malyukha,
• Moscow necklace,
• Gin,
• Titania.

All of them are winter-hardy , withstand the cold winters of the Moscow region well, and have increased resistance to fungal diseases - they practically do not need chemical treatments.

Important! All columnar apple tree varieties for the Moscow region are early-fruiting and high-yielding.

The compactness of the trees allows you to plant varieties of different taste, color and ripening time on the site.

In addition to everything, trees are very decorative ; they can be used to create fruit-bearing hedges, decorate garden paths with them, planting them on both sides.

In landscape design they can be combined with plantings of roses and clematis.

Columnar apple trees planted along the fence.

Reviews

We present reviews of varieties of columnar apple trees for the Moscow region from gardeners who decided to grow this variety of fruit trees in their garden:

Sergey Malykh: “I have planted 4 winter-hardy varieties: Arbat, Malyukha, President and Medok. They were planted every 0.8 m. They began to bear fruit within a year. The yield is approximately 6 kg per tree. People on forums complain that apples are tasteless. I don’t know, my apple trees bear good fruit. It probably plays a big role in how they are cared for.

The root system of colonies is superficial, so I fertilize them well and water them often, but little by little. They take up little space and don’t provide shade; in the fall I’m going to plant roses between them.”

Svetlana Vordanyan : “I simply adore my “columns”! I saw it for the first time at a neighbor’s place and got sick. I persuaded my parents and planted 8 trees. All varieties are different, I remember only one - Arbat. The flowers bloomed the following spring, although they were removed, so the seller said. A year later we rejoiced at the first harvest. Apples are the size of a fist, tasty, beautiful and aromatic. They grow along our path, they don’t shade anything, their height is 3 meters, no more.”

Irina Pokrovskaya - “I have planted a columnar apple tree “Medok” since 2013. In the first winter, the upper bud froze, and the trunk split in two, and 2 shoots began to grow at once. I thought about it and decided to remove one, leaving the naturally stronger one.

The tree is already 2.5 meters, bears fruit, the apples are very juicy and sweet , they live up to their name. I recently read that it would have been possible to leave both branches, the tree would have been multi-standard , and the harvest would have been larger. I regret that I didn’t come across this information earlier.”

Good harvest.

How to form a columnar apple tree

Before the start of sap flow, a columnar apple tree is formed. For this purpose, some branches are cut off. From a biological point of view, this type of culture should not have a branch at all. Only the lateral shoots are pruned; the procedure is carried out in June or after leaf fall, while preparing the plant for wintering. The main principle of forming a columnar tree is that the more branches are cut, the more actively the shortened parts grow back.

For example, a branch cut off by 2/3 with 3-4 eyes will grow 3-4 strong shoots. When only 1/3 of the branch is removed, 7-8 branches that are not very strong will appear from the remaining buds. If you prune a columnar tree correctly, it will produce 10-15 cm of growth and 2-3 lateral buds every year

During the formation of the crop, it is important not to cut off the central conductor under any circumstances, otherwise, when the growth point is cut off, the tree will begin to branch

Spring pruning

The formation of a columnar tree occurs before active sap flow begins in the spring. For first-year plants, you need to cut off all the side branches so that 2 buds remain on their remaining bases. At the same time, sanitary pruning is carried out, during which the crop is freed from diseased, crossed shoots and shoots damaged by severe frosts. In columnar trees of the second year of growth, from 2 shoots that grew on a cut branch from last year, the more vertical one is cut off (only 2 buds are left on it).

The horizontally directed branch will begin to bear fruit in the coming season, and 2 more powerful shoots will grow from the pruned one. In the third year, the branches that bear fruit are removed. With the remaining ones, you need to carry out the same pruning procedure as in the second year. The fruiting link can function for no more than 3-4 years, after this time it is cut out into a ring. If the apical point of growth dies, the conductor is cut off, leaving only 2 buds. When side branches grow on them, one of them is left, located vertically - it will become a replacement for the conductor.

Features of planting and care

Deadlines

Columnar apple trees, like all pome crops, are planted both in spring and autumn. It is better to give preference to spring planting.

During the growing season, the seedlings will get stronger and overwinter well.

Trees are planted in early spring, as soon as the soil has thawed and warmed up , but sap flow has not yet begun and the buds have not started to grow.

How to plant correctly?

• The hole for planting a seedling is dug in such a size that the roots of the seedling can be located in them freely and the roots do not bend .
• Compost or humus is added to the pit and 100 grams are added. potash fertilizers and superphosphate.
• Having placed the tree in the hole, place a peg next to it and tie the seedling to it so that it does not break .
• The grafting of the seedling should be above the surface of the ground.
• After planting, the holes are well filled with water, and the tree trunk circle is mulched.
• To make the process of transplanting and rooting an apple tree more painless for the plant, the seedling should be no older than one year old.

Important! When planting trees in the spring, you need to soak them in water for at least 12 hours so that the roots are saturated with moisture and take root faster.

Distance

There are two schemes for planting colonies:

• Compacted - plants in rows are spaced every 0.4-0.5 m, and the distance between rows is 1-2 m;
• Sparse - leave 1 m between seedlings in a row, and 1 m between rows.

Since columnar apple trees do not provide shade, vegetable plants or shrubs can be placed between the rows.

Features of autumn planting

The main advantage of autumn planting is that during the autumn-winter months the seedling takes root well and with the arrival of spring it immediately begins to grow.

The abundance of precipitation will prevent the root system from drying out , which is possible when planting in the spring in the absence of watering.

The main thing is not to delay planting and complete it no later than the beginning of October before the onset of frost.

Location of columnar apple trees on the site.

Technology

Further care consists of regular watering and feeding of the seedlings.

Considering that colony plants have shallow roots, they need enhanced nutrition , at least once every 3 weeks, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic ones whenever possible.

also necessary to gradually increase the load of the young tree with the harvest , so as not to overload the fragile tree and it does not die.

The loading principle is as follows:

• At the first flowering, all flowers are removed;
• In the second year after planting, no more than 5 apples are left on the seedling;
• In the third year, up to 15 fruits are left; in the future, there is no need to monitor the ovary , because the tree has already become stronger, has grown its root system and is ready for full fruiting.

The soil under trees needs to be mulched to reduce moisture evaporation. Periodically give the trees a “shower” - watering the leaves.

Features of cultivation in the first year

From the first day after planting, apple trees need to be provided with proper care , which is the basis for the future harvest:

• For the first 2 months after planting, the soil around the seedlings should be constantly moist. In the future, watering should also be regular.
• Feeding in the first year after planting is no less important When leaves appear on the tree, perform the first fertilizing. Add 1 liter of mullein infusion or fermented bird droppings to a bucket of water, add 1 tbsp. spoon of nitrogen fertilizer and, after mixing well, pour 2 liters of solution under the tree. After 2 weeks, fertilizing is repeated .
• In the first two years for the winter, it is necessary to insulate the tree trunks of the seedlings to prevent them from freezing, and the tree trunks are tied with spruce branches or wrapped in spandbond.

Important! If after spring planting the seedling blooms , you need to pick off all the flowers, the tree has not yet grown strong and fruiting will deplete it.

Agricultural technology

Agricultural technology for growing colonies consists of, in addition to watering and fertilizing, also the fight against possible diseases and pests.

Columnar apple trees are resistant to fungal diseases, but for the purpose of prevention and at the first signs of disease, they need to be treated with appropriate fungicides suitable for the treatment of this disease.

To control pests, insecticides , as for ordinary apple trees.

For aphids, apple weevils, sawflies, and codling moths, the following remedies are used:

• Aktara,
• Spark,
• Fufanon,
• Sunmite,
• Confidor,
• Calypso, etc.

Trimming and shaping

Columnar apple trees form vertically , so the pruning process is of course different from ordinary apple trees.

For colonoids, the main thing is not to damage the upper bud . If it is frozen or broken off, then instead of one, two or three tops begin to grow, and the one weaker one needs to be removed.

In the first year after planting, all lateral branches are pruned into 2 buds. From which powerful annual shoots will grow.

Next year, the horizontal shoot will be left to bear fruit, and the vertical shoot will be pruned again by 2 buds. A year later, the fruiting shoot will be cut into a ring.

Scheme for pruning a columnar apple tree in spring.

Diseases, pests, prevention

Columnar apple tree Cascade

Regardless of the variety, all hybrids are attacked by garden parasites or are affected by infections. For example, the Medoc columnar apple tree is often attacked by pests such as:

• codling moth;
• flower beetle;
• slowpoke;
• aphid.

To protect yourself from the first parasite, you need to remove the carrion in time and bury it in the soil. If codling moths have landed en masse in the garden, then 2 weeks after the flowers appear, the trees are sprayed with a mixture of biorin (9 ml), mitak (30 g), sumi-alpha (4.5 g), kinmiks (2.4 ml), zeta and Inta-Vir 1 tablet. Mix everything in 10 liters of water.

Flower beetle

To destroy the flower beetle (this is the most dangerous enemy of apple trees), treatment of the branches begins from the moment the buds open.

The larvae of the copperhead are eliminated by treating the hybrids with tobacco infusion. If this does not kill the pests, then it is recommended to use a solution of the drug Mitak (30 g per 1 bucket of water) to destroy them.

Aphids are eradicated with a mixture of 2 ml of Kinmiks and 9-10 liters of water. After 15-20 days, the treatment is repeated, but an Inta-Vir solution is used (1 tablet per 1 bucket of water).

Aphids on an apple tree

Scab is a scourge for all fruit trees. To prevent the disease from developing, you need to choose varieties that are resistant to it, for example, Arbat. The disease is combated in early spring by treating the sprouts with Bordeaux mixture (3% solution). When the flowers bloom, the branches are sprayed a second time with the preparation skor (1 ampoule per 1 bucket of water).

To get a tasty fruit, you need not only to choose the right variety, but also to care for it. If these conditions are met, then any summer resident can count on a good harvest from any number of trees planted.

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Subspecies and varieties

Dwarf

Apple trees of columnar varieties are divided into:

• Dwarfs – tree height up to 2 m;
• Semi-dwarfs – height up to 3 m;
• Vigorous - height above 3 m.

Dwarf varieties grow slowly and crop formation occurs along the entire trunk. The most common apple trees of this type are Valyuta, Arbat, and Moscow Necklace.

Attention! Dwarf-type varieties are characterized by fragility of the trunks, so the seedlings must be handled very carefully so as not to break them.

Winter

Winter varieties are apple fruits that ripen in late autumn and are stored well until spring.

Next, we present varieties of columnar apple trees for the Moscow region with photos and descriptions.

Autumn

Varieties that bear fruit throughout the fall are classified as autumn varieties. They have good keeping quality and can be stored for 2-3 months.

Early

Summer varieties begin to bear fruit from the end of July and last until the beginning of September. They are mainly intended for fresh and processing.

The most prominent representatives of summer apples are varieties .

Sweet

Of all the apple trees described above, the best varieties of columnar apple trees for the Moscow region are considered sweetest

• Nectar,
• Titania,
• The president,
• Amber necklace,
• Moscow necklace.

conclusions

1. The columnar apple tree has only 2 main scions: Paradise Belorusskaya and Baby Budagovsky. They produce a light yellow trunk color and a dark purple one.
2. The fruits are located directly on the trunk, without additional branches.
3. There are varieties that can be used in southern latitudes. There are varieties with high winter hardiness and suitable for northern and middle latitudes.

All apples have high shelf life and rich flavor. How to keep apples fresh for the winter is described in this article.

Reader Questions

To our readers’ questions about columnar varieties new to the conditions of the Moscow region, we answer that breeding work to develop new promising varieties is ongoing, because columnar apple trees are the future.

Apples Candy.

new in the selection:

• Candy - juicy, sweet apples, the shelf life of which is no more than 3 weeks;
• Earthy - autumn variety with large , sweet apples;
• Bratchud is a winter-ripening variety that begins to bear fruit only in the fourth year after planting;
• KV-17 - early ripening variety, apples are bright red, large, weighing up to 200 grams, taste reminiscent of Melba apples, high yield - up to 15 kg per tree;
• Dialog is an early ripening variety of apples, the weight of the apples is up to 100 grams, the shelf life of the fruit is 1 month.