Long-lasting Mackintosh apple tree: description, photos, reviews

Every year, new, diverse varieties of apple trees with the best characteristics and indicators appear in the State Register.

But there are quite old fruit crops that to this day remain the most popular in gardening. These varieties include the foreign variety McIntosh. This apple tree has earned great popularity for its productivity not only in its homeland in Canada, but also here in Russia.

To find out the uniqueness of the fruit crop and not make mistakes when planting, you should familiarize yourself with the McIntosh variety in more detail and look at the photo and description of the variety.

Description, photo

McIntosh apple tree is a popular fall variety. The fruit crop has an interesting history. The apple tree was not obtained by breeders through crossing, but was simply found in a Canadian garden.

So, in the 18th century, farmer John Mackintosh, when purchasing a plot, discovered several apple tree seedlings. During transplantation, all the fruit crops died, but one seedling still took root and lived with regular fruiting for more than 100 years.

The apple tree so impressed gardeners with its longevity and good productivity that the variety named after its discoverer, McIntosh, has spread beyond Canada.

History of variety development

The foreign variety McIntosh, or Mekintosh, is one of the autumn varieties. The history of its breeding is interesting. A fruit crop, as is rarely the case, is not the result of the work of breeders or the crossing of several varieties.

This variety was discovered by accident; this event occurred back in the 18th century. In 1796, farmer Mekintosh bought a plot of land in Ontario and found several young apple trees on it. After transplantation, the only tree survived. It produced apples every year, and its lifespan exceeded 100 years.

It was this unique apple tree that became the progenitor of the new variety. First it spread to Canada, and then it was brought to other countries of the New World, and then crossed the ocean and ended up in Europe, reaching Russia. The culture was named Mackintosh after the name of its discoverer.

additional characteristics

To familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of the variety, you should familiarize yourself with additional characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages

The apple tree undoubtedly gained popularity due to its advantages, which include:

• Durability of fruiting;
• High-quality, dessert taste of fruits;
• Good transportability;
• Average winter hardiness.

You should know! Although the apple tree is classified as a medium-winter-hardy variety, some gardeners dispute this, arguing that the apple tree has high frost resistance.
disadvantages of the fruit crop:

• Decrease in yield;
• Low resistance to powdery mildew and scab;
• Uneven ripening of fruits.

Main differences

A distinctive feature of the apple tree is the pyramidal shape of the crown, which resembles a cypress. On spreading, brown branches there is wide foliage, yellow-green in color. The fruits on the tree are arranged in a chaotic manner, with different sizes and shades.

Mackintosh is two years old.

Dimensions of an adult tree

The fruit crop is medium-sized, with an annual growth of no more than 8 cm. An adult tree is 5-6 m in height. In exceptional cases, the plant reaches 7-8 m.

Apple tree McIntosh.

Productivity

The apple tree is characterized by a decrease in yield in an unfavorable year without periodicity in fruiting. On average, the fruits weigh 150–200 g . are harvested from one tree . But isolated cases were recorded when a harvest of 350 kg was harvested from a fruit crop.

Tasting assessment

Apples have a compressed oval shape with a ribbed surface. The pulp is juicy, fine-grained, with a sweet-candy taste. According to the tasting assessment, the fruits are rated 5 points.

Fruits of the McIntosh apple tree.

Winter hardiness

The variety is moderately winter-hardy. At low temperatures of 20 degrees in winter, the fruit shoots of the apple tree freeze over. Which subsequently affects productivity.

Disease resistance

The apple tree is susceptible to the most common fungal diseases - powdery mildew and scab. Also the main pests are aphids and codling moths.

Advice! Timely treatment of wood can prevent diseases and control pests.

See what the McIntosh apple tree looks like in the video below:

Advantages and disadvantages

The undoubted advantages of the species include its highest taste and transportation characteristics. The yield indicators of the variety are also of no less interest to gardeners.

Particular attention should be paid to the description of the versatility of the fruit: they are consumed fresh, processed into canned food, drinks and sauces are prepared from them

The disadvantages include uneven fruiting, as well as a low threshold of resistance to scab. Be that as it may, be sure to try to grow such an apple tree in your garden, because the history of its ancestor makes it possible to hope that even the grandchildren of your great-grandchildren will feast on the fruits of the tree you planted! And this, you see, is worth a lot!

Sources

• https://www.eda-land.ru/yabloko/sorta/makintosh/
• https://fb.ru/article/250531/makintosh-yablonya-opisanie-posadka-i-uhod
• https://ogorodnikam.com/derevya/plodovye/yablonya-sorta-makintosh/
• https://plodovie.ru/derevya/yablonya/sort-makintosh-17846/
• https://7ogorod.ru/plodovye-derevya/ablona-makintos.html
• https://gryadki.com/yablonya/makintosh-14368/

Reviews

Victoria. Izhevsk. “I can say the following about the McIntosh variety; in general, the apple tree suits me. The apples are quite juicy, with a characteristic dessert taste. Fruiting is regular, the number of fruits reaches 80 kg. from one tree. The only drawback of the variety: the leaves and fruits are severely affected by scab. Wood requires constant care and treatment with chemicals.”

Samoilova. E. S. Krasnodar region. "Good day. The McIntosh apple tree has lived on our property for over 25 years. The apple tree pleases us every year with its abundance of harvest. The fruits are juicy, sweet, aromatic, and have a very beautiful presentation. My apples are the most popular at the market; buyers snap them up with a bang. Caring for fruit crops is simple; it only involves pruning and watering during droughts.”

Hope. Orel. “Several varieties of apple trees grow in my garden plot. Compared to other fruit crops, the McIntosh apple tree variety is the best in terms of yield. The apples are medium in size, but the tree is all covered with fruit. Due to the high shelf life of apples, we use them fresh until March. These fruits also make excellent preserves, jams and compotes.”

Fertilizers and pest control

In addition to superphosphate, wood ash and humus, which are used to fertilize the seedling during planting, during the process of rooting and growth, the young tree must be given organic and mineral fertilizer.

If the tree does not bear fruit during the first three years, and the ovaries begin to fall off, the apple tree definitely lacks phosphorus and nitrogen. For feeding, up to 10 punctures, each 20-25 cm deep, are made in the tree trunk circle. They determine NPK fertilizer and lightly sprinkle the holes with earth. The granules will dissolve naturally, thanks to the natural moisture of the soil. This nutrition will be enough for the apple tree for several years, and the next year it will produce a harvest.

Lat. McIntosh

It is known that the main pest that causes irreparable damage to the apple tree is aphids. The insect tolerates winter well, and with the arrival of spring it quickly produces offspring. Aphids spread with incredible speed, and therefore experienced gardeners know that preventive spraying is necessary twice a year - in autumn and spring. The same applies to young trees of the McIntosh variety.

Basic methods and techniques of spraying:

• First spraying. Performed in the spring before the buds open. The task is to destroy overwintered aphid larvae.
• Second spraying. It is carried out at the very beginning of flowering. The purpose of treatment is to prevent the spread of fungal diseases.
• Third spray. Performed at the end of flowering. It is carried out as a fixing treatment.

Remember that the frequency of such chemical treatments for apple trees depends on the area and climatic conditions in which the tree grows. Too frequent use can harm the young tree.

Expert opinion

Yulia Yurievna

I have a large garden and vegetable garden, several greenhouses. I love modern methods of cultivating plants and mulching the soil, and I share my experience.

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This variety is not very disease resistant. One of the most common is powdery mildew. This disease manifests itself in the form of a covering of leaves and stems of the plant with a dirty white or gray coating. This disease develops due to dense plantings, lack of sanitary pruning, accumulation of large amounts of litter under bushes and trees, temperature changes, very hot or humid weather. For prevention, treatment should be carried out in early spring so that it is possible to destroy spores that have overwintered in the soil and under the bark of the plant. 1% Bordeaux mixture is suitable for this. Repeated treatments must be carried out throughout the season, with the exception of the flowering period. If there is a need to spray the tree while the fruit is ripening, then the timing must be observed in accordance with the preparation used. It is important that it has time to leave the plants before harvest. Topaz, Skor, Thiovit Jet are used. This variety of apple trees also suffers from scab. It appears as gray and black spots on leaves and fruits. Because of this, the tree, as well as the crop, not only loses its decorative value, but also the quality of the apples deteriorates; they can crack and disappear before ripening. For prevention and treatment, you can use the same means as for powdery mildew, as well as Fitosporin or Rayok. A fairly common and unpleasant disease is fruit rot. For prevention, it is important to remove fallen leaves and fruits under the tree, and in no case leave garbage for wintering. Of the chemical agents, Strobi, Hom, Abiga-pik and Horus are effective. The disease black cancer affects all above-ground parts of the tree. Red-brown spots appear on apples, stems, and leaves, which constantly increase in size. If the plant is sick, you will have to deal with the problem radically. It is necessary to cut out all the affected areas and clean the diseased areas on the bark. Afterwards they are treated with iron sulfate. As a preventative measure, apple trees should be treated with Bordeaux mixture after the buds have faded. The procedure should be repeated after four weeks.

Features of planting and care

Landing dates

Apple trees are planted in early spring before buds open or in autumn 1 month before the first frost.

Dig a hole at the rate of 60 cm deep and 100 cm wide. Humus from leaves is placed at the bottom and humus and peat are added in equal proportions. A peg is dug into the hole and a seedling is installed.

Having tied the tree to a support, it is buried in soil, compacted and watered generously with 3 buckets of water.

Important! When planting, take into account a distance of 2 cm of the root collar above the soil level.

Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree in spring:

Agricultural technology

Regular feeding with fertilizers will allow the tree to quickly form and begin to bear fruit early. Every year you should mulch the tree trunk circle with nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers.

Nitrogen and mineral fertilizers are applied once every three years. To ensure that the apple tree has enough nutrients, you should regularly weed the weeds around the circular area of ​​the trunk.

Weed the tree trunk circle.

Pruning and crown formation

The first pruning is carried out immediately after planting the seedling. The branches are cut so that they are located 5 cm below the main conductor. Then, for several years in a row, all the blossoms are cut off from the apple tree and the buds are cut off, so that the main lateral branches actively grow and develop.

Apple tree pruning diagram.

Watch a video tutorial on pruning and crown shaping:

Pollinator varieties

The fruit crop is self-fertile. But for better fruit set, cross-pollination with other autumn varieties of apple trees is necessary.

Watch a video describing the most popular autumn varieties of apple trees:

Features of growing Mackintosh

Landing

Key Features

• McIntosh doesn’t particularly “sort out” soils, but he especially likes loam and sandy loam soil. If you only have sand, you will have to bring and add some black soil, as well as clay.
• Mackintosh does not like close groundwater or open bodies of water, so planting it on the shore of a pond or lake is far from the best solution. If you have no choice, you will have to ensure high-quality drainage by filling the tree with gravel, broken bricks or nut shells.
• The variety does not really like drafts and shaded places, although it will bear fruit. However, more abundant harvests are obtained from well-lit, quiet areas.
• Holes for planting are dug 60-70 centimeters deep and up to 1 meter in diameter. It is best to prepare them in advance by pouring a mixture of soil and fertilizers into the bottom and filling them with two buckets of water. For autumn planting, this must be done at least 2-3 weeks in advance, and for spring planting - from the fall.
• Please note that the distance between seedlings of the same variety is at least 3 meters, and between Mackintosh and other trees - 4 meters.
• Garter stakes are immediately driven into the holes and cannot be removed for the next 3-4 years. They are placed mainly on the north side.
• The root collar should remain on the soil surface at a height of approximately 5-8 centimeters.
• The soil around the seedling needs to be lightly compacted, but make sure that it does not turn into a solid lump.
• Immediately after planting, all trees are shed with 40 liters of water, the root zone is mulched with manure and chopped grass.

Correctly chosen planting dates, timely quality care, and agricultural technology directly affect the lifespan of your apple tree.

Disembarkation dates

It is best to plant this variety in the spring in April, when the soil has already warmed up quite well, but the sap has not yet begun to flow. However, if the seedlings are purchased in the fall, then it is advisable to plant them a month before the onset of frost. If these rules are not followed, the young tree may die.

Protection from frost and rodents

Only the subvarieties Daughter of McIntosh, Black and Cortland are particularly resistant to frost. Everyone else is very gentle, so they will require you to protect them according to all the rules. But even persistent subspecies need to be wrapped for the winter in spruce branches, straw sheaves, roofing felt, roofing felt or hay. If the seedlings are frozen, they may take several years to recover. It is clear that they will not bear fruit during this period or will bear little fruit.

To ensure protection from insects, trees must be treated annually with special compounds, and the central trunk and lower skeletal branches must be whitewashed with lime. To repel mice, hares and other rodents, you can lubricate the trunks with grease or melted lard.

Tree care

Loosening the soil, watering: proper agricultural technology

All trees like the soil to be airy and filled with oxygen, so you need to fluff it up often. This can be done by combining loosening with watering. Water the variety only if there is no precipitation for more than ten days. After this, it is temporarily stopped and resumed only 10 days from the beginning of the dry period.

For one watering, usually 30-40 liters of water are enough. It all depends on the size and age of the tree. For young people, 10-20 liters is enough, but for old people it is better to pour as much as possible, but in small portions and after sunset.

Pruning: simple crown formation

It is better to do the first formative pruning as soon as you plant Mackintosh, this will allow him to properly lay down the lateral skeletal branches. The main trunk is cut by approximately one third, and the remaining branches so that they are 4-6 centimeters shorter. After this, in the second and third years, all flowers are completely removed from the apple tree, and the ovaries are also carefully cut off. This allows the tree to develop and immediately begin to bear fruit abundantly.

It is required to regularly perform sanitary pruning, removing dry, diseased or damaged branches. It also doesn’t hurt to cut off branches that make the crown too thick, this will help prevent them from breaking off. Anti-aging pruning involves eliminating 2-3 age-old shoots to allow young shoots to develop.

Pollinators

• Padding.
• Orlinka.
• Grushovka.
• Orlovim.
• Melba.

Reproduction

• Layers (clones).
• Grafting with cuttings or buds.
• Growing from seeds.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew.
• Scab.
• Cytosporosis.
• Green aphid.
• Apple codling moth.

The tree does not need cross-pollination, but if it is present, the harvest will be more abundant.

Features of ripening and fruiting

The apple tree differs from other varieties in its characteristics during fruiting.

Important! McIntosh fruits have excellent keeping quality and transportability, thanks to which the variety has become famous in different regions of Russia.

Fruiting

Start

In order for the apple tree to have large fruits and stability in the harvest, gardeners do not advise allowing the first fruiting to occur before 6–7 years after planting the seedling.

Mackintosh bears fruit from 6-7 years.

Peculiarities

After the first fruiting, the number of fruit branches should be controlled. To avoid a decline in yield, carefully remove a large accumulation of buds and cut off the branches by 1/3.

Deadlines

Blooms

The first flowering begins in the 2nd year of the tree's in early May.

Maturation

The apple tree is characterized by uneven fruit ripening . To avoid apples falling off the tree, the harvest is harvested from late August to early October.

McIntosh apples are harvested from August to October.

Storage

The fruits ripen within 3 weeks after harvest. At a temperature of plus 5 - 10 degrees, apples retain their taste and consumer qualities for 3 - 4 months. If you lower the temperature to 0 - 3 degrees, the fruits will last up to 6 - 7 months.

McIntosh fruits can be stored for up to 6-7 months.

When to pick and where to store apples

The McIntosh variety is distinguished by the fact that its fruits ripen at different times. The first apples begin to ripen in August and this process lasts until the end of October. The fruits have weak stalks, so if they are not picked in time, they crumble and are injured when they fall. The most delicious apples are those that have sat for at least two weeks after picking. When stored in a cold room, the crop is stored until spring, without losing either appearance or taste. Store apples in wooden boxes, sprinkled with sawdust or wrapped in paper. You can also use sand for storage. It is poured into a plywood container with a thickness of at least twenty centimeters, then the harvested crop is laid and sand again, and so on in several layers, but the sand must be well dried. The room where the crop will be stored should be cool and well ventilated.

Other varieties with the word McIntosh in the name

The McIntosh apple tree has all the indicators for propagation by rootstocks and the cultivation of new fruit crops.

Daughter Mackintosh

The Daughter McIntosh apple tree was bred by Russian breeders in 1969 by crossing McIntosh and Kulon - Kitayka. Winter ripening variety. The first yield occurs 5 years after planting.

The fruits are green, with a red blurred blush. Apples are regularly rounded. The pulp is juicy, tender, with a sweet and sour taste. The tree is medium-sized with a wide-rounded crown.

Mackintosh's daughter.

The advantages of the apple tree include:

• Frost resistance;
• Good yield;
• Taste qualities of fruits;
• Long-term storage of apples.

A disadvantage is considered to be the lack of immunity to scab.

You should know! The variety Mackintosh's Daughter was bred for the Moscow region.

Black Mackintosh

a late-autumn, frost-resistant variety. The tree is medium-sized with a spreading crown. Fruiting of the fruit crop begins at the 4th year of life.

Mackintosh Black.

Apples with a symmetrical shape are yellow-green with purple stripes. The pulp is juicy and has a sweet-sour taste. The fruits have an average weight of 100 - 200 g. The advantages of the apple tree include good drought resistance.

Cortland

In 1898, in New York, by crossing the McIntosh and Ben Davis varieties, the McIntosh Cortland apple tree was bred. Since 1915, the fruit crop was zoned to Russia . Late ripening apple tree The fruits are slightly elongated, weighing 80–110 g. The tree is vigorous with a voluminous, spreading crown.

The variety is not resistant to scab, which leads to a decrease in yield.

McIntosh Cortland.

American

Fruit crop American Mackentosh - fruit ripening period The tree is low-growing with a rounded crown. Apples are bright red in color with juicy and sweet flesh. The variety has a dessert taste of fruits with a high content of vitamins.

The plant is often subject to fungal diseases and pests.

American Mackentosh.

Columnar

When rootstocked to a columnar crop, the McIntosh apple tree looks like a straight trunk without spreading lateral branches.

The fruits are located along the trunk on small fruit twigs.

Advantages of the rootstock:

• Saving space in the garden;
• Decorative look;
• Fast fruiting;
• Taste qualities of fruits.

The small size of the columnar rootstock is convenient for harvesting.

Important! The lifespan of the fruit crop is short; after 13 years the apple tree will need to be replaced.

Description of the plant and characteristics of the fruits

The trees are spreading, medium-sized, the crown is not thickened, the skeletal branches extend from the trunk so that they form a cauldron shape. The shoots are usually of medium thickness, slightly curved, and have a dark cherry color. The buds are small with a rounded tip. The shape of the leaves is broadly ovate, the base is heart-shaped, the edge can be crenate or blunt-toothed, the color is light green with a slight yellowish tint, the pubescence is medium.

The trees are medium-sized, with a wide spreading crown that is not prone to thickening

The fruits are medium and large in size, weighing from 150 to 180 g. The shape is flattened, slightly conical at the top, and lobed at the bottom. The peduncle is thin and short. The seed chambers are small, open into an axial cavity; the seeds are large, pointed, brown in color.

The main color of the fruit is greenish or light yellow, the outer color is in the form of blurred purple stripes, clearly visible against the background of a red blush. There is a waxy coating on the surface. There are large light subcutaneous dots. The skin is quite dense and easily separates from the pulp. The pulp is white, sometimes with red veins, very juicy and sweet with a slight sourness and a pleasant candy flavor.

Apples reach technical maturity in the second - third ten days of September (in the conditions of the Oryol region), consumer qualities are revealed to their maximum in 3-4 weeks

According to the results of biochemical studies conducted by VNIISPK specialists, the fruit contains :

The purpose of the fruit is universal. Most often they are eaten fresh, in which apples can be stored until the end of winter - beginning of spring, and are also used for making sweet pastries, desserts, juices and cider.

Apples of the Mekintosh variety (pictured) are highly transportable and shelf-stable (up to 5 months), well suited for processing and preparing various dishes

Growing in different regions

In outskirts of Moscow

To grow the McIntosh variety in the Moscow region, several factors should be taken into account. Since the fruit crop is moderately frost-resistant, care should be taken to cover the tree before the winter period.

In summer soil drought is not allowed ; for this purpose, regular watering is carried out. If you don’t have time to care for your apple tree, it is recommended to plant an analogue of the McIntosh’s Daughter variety for this region.

In the Volga region

In the Volga region, both soil and climatic conditions are suitable for growing the Mackintosh fruit crop . With proper care and timely pruning, the apple tree will regularly produce tasty fruits. The only thing to watch out for in this region is the attack of aphids on the plant.

In the Volga region, Mackintosh grows well and bears fruit.

In Ukraine

To grow the McIntosh variety in Ukraine, you should constantly inspect the tree for fungal diseases . Since winters in this region have little snow, it is necessary to insulate the root system with compost in the autumn. By performing these simple tasks, the apple tree will not only take root well, but will also produce a stable harvest.

cultivation

McIntosh is most commonly grown in Canada, the United States and Eastern Europe. The origins of McIntosh are unknown, but Snow Apple (or Fameuse), Fall St Lawrence, and Alexander have been speculated. It is one of the top five apple varieties used for cloning, and research shows McIntosh pairs well for winter hardiness.

If unpollinated, the Mackintosh easily succumbs to scab, which can cause entire crops to be unusable. It has generally low susceptibility to slum fire, powdery mildew, cedar-apple rust, quince rust, and hawthorn rust. It is susceptible to fungal diseases such as Nectria

canker, brown rot, black rot, race 1 apple rust (but resists race 2).
It is moderately resistant to Pezicula
bark rot and
Alternaria
leaf blight, and resists brown leaf spot well.

McIntosh is one of the most common varieties used in cloning; a 1996 study found that McIntosh was the parent in 101 of 439 varieties selected, more than any other founding clone. It has been used in more than half of the Canadian varieties selected, and is widely used in the United States and Eastern Europe as well; rarely has it been used elsewhere. Mackintosh's offspring include: the Jersey Black hybrid Macoun, the Newtown Pippins hybrid Spartan, the Cortland; empires; Jonamac, Jersey Mac, Lobo, Melba, Summertime, Red Tydeman, and possibly Paula Red.

The benefits and harms of apples

The description of the chemical composition of McIntosh apples speaks of their undoubted benefits. They contain a large amount of vitamins and microelements: C, B, P, E, manganese and potassium. The importance of these fruits also lies in the fact that:

• it is a source of easily digestible iron;
• they are used to prevent colds;
• Potassium contained in apples normalizes blood pressure, and calcium helps strengthen teeth and bones;
• pectin prolongs skin youth;
• apples improve vision, heal hair and nails;
• are a good blood and lymphatic system purifier;
• apple seeds contain substances that prevent cancer;
• This is a wonderful low-calorie dessert that won't make you fat.

It is better to eat apples raw with the peel, because it is under it that there are most useful substances and vitamins.

Proper planting of an apple tree on the site

Apple tree planting

It should be remembered that planting an apple tree on a personal plot can be done in late autumn or early spring. It is best to choose a place on the sunlit side, which is protected from western and northern winds.

The apple tree grows well in moist soils that are well drained and contain the necessary microelements and organic matter. When planting an apple tree on a hill, it will be necessary to provide the fruit trees with appropriate regular watering.

If sandy soils predominate on your site, it is recommended to add additional black soil, peat and humus to the hole for planting a tree. If you plant several apple trees of this variety on a plot at once, then the minimum distance between the trees is 3 meters.

Saplings

It is best to purchase McIntosh variety seedlings from specialized nurseries, which will allow you to be completely confident in the quality of the planting material used.

The hole for planting an apple tree should be prepared two to three weeks before planting. The depth of the hole should be about 80 centimeters, the diameter should be about 1 meter. The bottom of the pit must be loosened with a shovel, then filled with a glass of superphosphate, the same amount of wood ash and one bucket of humus. Do not forget about the presence of a peg, which is necessary for gartering the tree.

Carrying out landing

The seedling should be carefully lowered into the hole and sprinkled with prepared soil. In this case, the neck of the root should be located approximately 5 centimeters above ground level. The apple tree should be tied to a small peg immediately after planting.

Simultaneously with planting, the seedlings are watered, for which you will need at least 4 buckets of water. After a week, it is necessary to inspect the seedling and water it abundantly again. If the tree, along with the soil, has sunk underground, it must be carefully pulled up.

How to propagate a tree

Apple trees of the McIntosh variety are propagated by cuttings, air layering or by grafting cuttings onto a suitable rootstock.

1. The easiest way to propagate apple trees is cuttings. To do this, the upper parts of the branches of an adult tree are cut off, which are planted in pots until the first roots appear, and only then transplanted into open ground.
2. For propagation by air layering, in the spring an incision is made on a strong, healthy branch at the base. Next, peat is placed at the incision site and tightly wrapped with polyethylene. Until the first roots appear, the peat is moistened as needed.
3. Grafting cuttings is a complex and labor-intensive method of propagating apple trees, which only experienced gardeners can handle.

Harvesting and storage

There are several recommendations for apple picking, which is carried out at the end of September:

• the fruits are collected carefully, without breaking the stalk;
• collection starts from the bottom, gradually moving higher;
• fruits are placed in containers, being careful not to damage them;
• It is better to pick apples in the morning, in dry, sunny season;
• After harvesting, the fruits are sorted according to their size, and damaged specimens are sent for processing.

It is best to store fruits wrapped in paper, stems upside down, in boxes, cardboard boxes, baskets, etc. You can sprinkle them with shavings and straw.

Fruits are also well stored in plywood boxes, sprinkled with sand in this way:

• apples are tightly stacked on a twenty-centimeter layer of sand, then completely covered with sand;
• the procedure is repeated, forming several of the same layers;
• The boxes are placed along the wall in two tiers with a small gap between them.

The sand must be dry, then the apples will lie well until mid-spring, retaining their aroma and freshness.

We also invite you to learn about the features of apples of the “Rumyanaya” variety.

Pollination and pollinators

The McIntosh apple tree produces two types of flowers - male and female. Therefore, the variety is capable of independently forming ovaries and is self-fertile. But, according to the observations of gardeners, proximity to trees of the same flowering period significantly increases the productivity of the McIntosh apple tree.

The best pollinators are:

• Alkmene,
• Jonathan,
• Idared,
• Calville is snowy.

The productivity of apple pollinators also increases.