Successful cultivation of ornamental fruit-bearing apple trees directly depends on :
- How correct will the gardener’s actions be;
- What growing conditions will he create for his fruit and ornamental pet?
In order to understand this issue from beginning to end, it is worth understanding what requirements the variety makes for climatic soil conditions, and how to ensure that the fruit tree bears not only fruit, but also aesthetic pleasure.
Description
The ornamental apple tree Pioneer was obtained at the Pavlovsk experimental station of VIR. Its “ancestor” is the fairly well-known Niedzwiecki apple tree variety, from which it took all the best.
Advantages, disadvantages and features of the variety
Among the complex features of this variety, it is worth highlighting the following advantages:
- Strong growth;
- Winter hardiness;
- Resistance to scab and other diseases;
- High decorative value.
It is difficult to clearly identify the shortcomings, but it is worth noting that Pioneer fruits are best processed and canned, as they are unsuitable for storage.
Tree morphology
The Pioneer apple tree is a medium-sized tree ; the crown is oval-rounded, with a slightly elongated crown of medium density, and has a very decorative appearance.
Such trees are excellent for forming a picturesque green hedge .
In spring, the tree is covered with small pink flowers , in combination with burgundy-colored foliage, becoming a picturesque corner of the garden.
The tree is covered with small pink flowers.
The leaves are dense emerald , narrow and elongated in shape with red veins and petioles.
In the autumn, before the leaves fall, they acquire a beet color , from which the apple tree is transformed again and has a stunning appearance.
Description of fruits:
- The fruits are very small (15 – 20 mm),
- spherical,
- The thin soft skin and the inside of the fruit are red,
- The juicy pulp contains 11% sugars.
Important! Decorative apple trees are good because in the fall their foliage lasts a little longer than that of ordinary trees, which allows the garden to look chic even in late autumn.
Yield and tasting rating:
- The Pioneer crop is abundant;
- Fragrant and tasty apples;
- The fruits receive a good tasting rating with proper care.
Winter hardiness and disease resistance
Pioneer has high winter hardiness and can successfully resist the influence of scab pathogens and other diseases of apple trees.
Pioneer has high winter hardiness.
Important! This property of an apple tree, such as frost resistance, can be improved by grafting it onto a frost-resistant rootstock.
Species decorative apple trees
Species plants are also of great interest to gardeners.
Niedzvetsky apple tree
The tree reaches a height of 6-8 meters, the crown is tent-shaped, with a diameter of up to 8 m. The young bark is brown with a purple tint, the old bark becomes gray. The leaves are purple or dark green with a reddish tint; by mid-season or in the shade they are usually green.
Flowering is very abundant in May; medium-sized (3-4 cm) flowers are dark pink or purple. Small (2 cm) fruits ripen in August and have a rich purple color.
Winter hardiness is high. These apple trees are unpretentious and do not require special care.
Niedzvetsky apple tree
Apple tree blooming profusely
The homeland of this apple tree is Japan, and in our latitudes it is often used in pseudo-Japanese gardens. The height of the tree is 6-10 m, the crown is spreading, the leaves are dark green.
As it blooms, the shade of flowering changes: carmine-red buds turn into light pink and then white flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Flowering is very abundant, in May-June. The fruits, up to 8 mm in diameter, are yellow and turn red as they ripen (in September).
Winter hardiness is high; in severe winters, annual shoots may freeze. This apple tree is considered one of the most spectacular, and its unpretentiousness allows it to be used even for urban landscaping.
Popular varieties:
Pendula is a tree up to 4 m high with a beautiful weeping crown.
Siberian or berry apple tree
Berry apple tree is one of the most frost-resistant types of ornamental apple trees; it can withstand frosts down to -40°C. This is a tree or shrub 5-10 m high with a neat spherical crown. The bark is gray-brown, sometimes with a purple tint, the leaves are glossy, green, with a lighter back side. The flowers are white, 4-4.5 cm, white, collected in inflorescences of 4-8 pieces. Flowering in May, fruits ripen in September-October, very small (up to 1 cm), yellow or red.
Popular apple berry varieties:
Street Parade - the crown is elongated, closer to an oval shape, the flowers are larger than those of the species plants, the buds are pink. Winter hardiness is lower than that of species apple trees.
Siberian apple tree
Reviews
Ivan . “The Pionerka apple tree variety, in my opinion, is exclusively decorative. I have a couple of trees planted near the gazebo at the dacha - they look amazing, especially in spring and autumn. The description and photos correspond to reality, the tree pleases the eye every day! There is nothing to say about the harvest - absolutely stupid fruits, not even apples, but some kind of apple berries. We collect them exclusively with a rake from under the tree in the fall.”
Irina . “Wonderful tree! What kind of jam is made from apples! Fairy tale! And it grows by leaps and bounds, quickly and without hassle, no need to cover it or invent anything else. Absolutely no hassle! I recommend it to lovers of compotes and jams; the reviews from those who try it will be extremely positive!”
Olga . “I planted this variety last year, when I saw a photo and description of the variety on the Internet, but I planted it mainly only as a decoration for the garden; well, there will be apples - I’ll try, of course, but I can say for sure: the tree is simply fabulously beautiful! Fast growth and a beautiful crown are what a landscape gardener needs! If you decide to plant Pioneer, purchase several seedlings at once, then the plantings will be simply indescribably good!”
additional characteristics
This variety of apple tree is distinguished by certain characteristics. Let's take a closer look at the main characteristics.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the variety are:
- Frost resistance;
- Fruiting begins in the fourth year after planting;
- The tree is resistant to scab and pests;
- The annual yield is up to 70 kg per tree, which is a high figure;
- High productivity is achieved both in a young tree and in an adult;
- Friendly maturation;
- Long shelf life (5 months);
- Good transportability.
The main disadvantage of the Zavetnoye apple tree is its poor resistance to very low temperatures in winter. In severe winters with little snow, even old trees can freeze.
Crown width
The crown of the tree is very spreading, slightly thickened, which is an excellent factor for the tree. Throughout the summer, the sun's rays evenly penetrate through the sparse crown, which is why the fruits ripen together and are ventilated with air. This saves the tree from scab.
Apple tree Zavetnoye at the age of 15 years.
Productivity
As noted above, the yield is stable from year to year. Despite the age of the tree, you can collect up to 70 kg of bright red apples. The harvest begins in the second half of September.
Attention! A distinctive feature is the length of storage of the crop until mid-winter.
Average fetal weight
The fruits weigh up to 80 g in the first years, and 40-60 g in subsequent years. This is due to the fact that every year more apples are formed on the tree, which is why they become smaller. But despite this, the taste does not deteriorate.
In addition, they have a wonderful appearance. A small apple is white, half of the fruit is occupied by a red blush.
Tasting assessment
The apples have dense flesh, which, when broken, produces a special audible crunch. Despite the excessive density, the flesh is tender and juicy.
Many gardeners note that apples have a strawberry flavor. They are especially sweet when cold weather occurs in September, which prevents them from fully ripening. If the weather is hot in summer, then ripening begins at the end of August.
Fruits of the Zavetnoe apple tree.
The fruit is round, without flattening. It has a valuable biochemical composition. Among the chemical components are vitamins E, B2, B1, B6, as well as various beneficial amino acids that can improve human immunity and replenish vitamin deficiencies during the winter.
Winter hardiness
Perennial bark is severely damaged by low temperatures. At a temperature of -40, a perennial tree may freeze.
Disease resistance
Resistance to scab and other diseases is very high; it is enough to spray with a fungicide solution in the period before flowering and there will be no disease.
To completely protect your treasured plant from scab, treat it with a fungicide before flowering.
Watch the video review of the Zavetnoe apple tree:
Features of planting and care
Landing
In order to successfully plant and grow a decorative Pioneer apple tree, you need to choose the right place for it in the garden , and you should take into account not only the aesthetic side of the issue, but also how comfortable it will be for it to grow and develop.
It is important to choose a good place for the seedling.
Pioneer prefers well -drained fertile soils without stagnant water.
The location should be chosen so that in winter the apple tree is not exposed to cold gusty winds.
Before planting, you need to prepare a hole 0.4 m deep, at the bottom of which drainage is placed.
A seedling is placed in the center of it , the root system is carefully and carefully straightened, after which the seedling is sprinkled with a mixture of fertile soil taken out of the pit and compost.
The top layer is compacted and watered abundantly .
The top layer is compacted and watered abundantly.
Important! To prevent water from flowing out of the tree trunk circle and to prevent sloppy puddles from forming around the plantings, you can build earthen rollers around its perimeter, which will become a kind of water limiter.
If the landscape project involves dense plantings (for example, in cases where it is planned to form a hedge), the distance between seedlings should be 5 meters , if apple trees should be single plantings - at least 15 meters.
Agricultural technology and cultivation
To successfully cultivate Pioneerka, it is necessary to properly organize such care activities as watering and fertilizing .
This variety of apple tree needs regular watering - 10 liters per tree once a week; the next day after watering, the root zone should be loosened .
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out with nitrogen-containing mixtures.
In dry summers, you should be more careful about drying out the soil around the apple tree and water more often.
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out in the spring with nitrogen-containing mixtures.
the fall, during preparation for wintering, use phosphorus-potassium mineral compositions.
Pruning and crown formation
If you grow a Pioneer apple tree as an ornamental crop, pruning is done to form a crown :
- Young shoots that violate the given crown shape are removed.
Formative pruning should begin in the third year after planting the crop in the garden.
In the fall, sanitary pruning is carried out, during which those branches and shoots that have been damaged are removed.
Remove damaged branches.
If the apple tree is cultivated only as a fruit-bearing crop, pruning should be aimed at preserving the shoots on which fruits are formed and removing those that interfere with the ripening of apples.
Pollinator varieties
Pioneer is a type of self-pollinating apple tree , so it does not require planting a variety that acts as a pollinator.
Agrotechnical techniques
Dwarf apple trees in Memory of Esaul are obtained by grafting varietal cuttings onto a clonal dwarf rootstock.
Compared to vigorous trees, they have a number of advantages:
- They enter the fruiting period earlier;
- Thanks to the shallow root system, they can be grown in places with close groundwater;
- The fruits ripen larger, the tree yield is higher;
- Easy tree care and harvesting;
- Dense planting saves space in the garden.
Dwarf trees bear fruit for 15-20 years, but during this time they will produce the same amount of fruit as a vigorous apple tree in 30-40 years.
Landing
Planting and caring for regular and low-growing apple trees differ slightly.
They are planted in early spring or autumn, when the growing season ends for dwarf apple trees. Usually this is mid-September - mid-October.
The optimal planting scheme for dwarf trees is 4.0 x 1.5 m; on semi-dwarf rootstocks – 5.0 x 3.0 m.
Landing rules:
- If possible, choose a well-lit, windless area;
- The pit is prepared approximately a month before planting so that the fertilizers dissolve and do not cause burns to the roots;
- Dig a hole 60 cm deep, 70 cm in diameter;
- Fill with a mixture of the top layer of soil with 2 buckets of peat (humus), superphosphate and wood ash (0.6 and 0.7 kg, respectively);
- The pit is filled with the prepared mixture to 1⁄2 -2/3 of the volume;
- A seedling is placed in the center and the roots are covered with soil;
- The planting circle is mulched with peat or sawdust to protect the soil from drying out and cracking.
Attention! The grafting site should rise 3-5 cm above the ground. If it is covered, the grafted variety will produce its own roots and the tree will lose its stature. Attention should be paid to timely watering of the apple tree
After planting, the tree is watered with 2-3 buckets of water.
Due to their shallow root system, such trees require regular watering: a bucket of water per week for each tree.
Trimming
It is necessary to prune low-growing apple trees, since it is necessary to maintain a biological balance between the volume of the crown and the root system:
- To increase the diameter of the crown, young branches directed outward are left;
- When formative pruning, make sure that the strong branches are located at the bottom of the crown, and the weak ones at the top. To do this, cut off the upper, vigorous branches;
- To rejuvenate the tree, the growths are pruned.
Depending on the development of the apple tree, pruning is carried out once or twice a year, in early spring or autumn, during the dormant period of the tree.
A type of summer pruning is pinching the shoot.
This stops growth, diverting nutrients to other parts of the plant.
Apple tree blossoms The memory of Yesaul begins in early May.
The apple tree is self-fertile, so it needs pollinators planted nearby.
The best are considered:
- Golden Delicious,
- Kuban spur,
- Peach.
Fruit-bearing dwarf apple trees definitely need support, otherwise they may break under the weight of the fruit or strong wind.
Top dressing
Dwarf apple trees need more frequent feeding, usually once every two weeks.
It is better to use fertilizers such as mullein or chicken droppings for this:
- A bucket of mullein should be diluted in 10 liters of water and left for 10 days. For irrigation, 1 liter of prepared infusion is diluted in a bucket of water;
- A bucket of chicken manure should be diluted in 20 liters of water and left for 10 days. For irrigation, 0.5 liters of infusion are dissolved in a bucket of water;
- Use 1-2 buckets of solution for each tree;
- In the second and third years after planting, complex fertilizer is applied to each tree (30 g per bucket of water);
- During summer foliar feeding, microelements are often added, in particular iron, which is necessary for apple trees;
- In summer, foliage is sprayed with urea. The last foliar feeding is carried out no later than September, so that the tree has time to prepare for winter.
In autumn, the tree trunk circle is cleared of weeds, fallen leaves and twigs and loosened so that winter frosts destroy pests overwintering in the soil.
Timely application of fertilizing is important. To prevent diseases after the leaves fall, dwarf apple trees should also be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture
To prevent diseases after the leaves fall, dwarf apple trees should also be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.
Advice! The root system of dwarf apple trees is superficial, so in a snowless winter it can freeze. To avoid this, the tree trunk circle is covered with a layer of humus and covered with spruce branches. After the snow falls, the spruce branches are removed and the tree trunk circle is covered with snow.
If you follow these recommendations, the tree will not only grow beautiful, but will also regularly produce good harvests.
Features of ripening and fruiting
Beginning of fruiting
The pioneer plant enters the fruiting period in the 3rd – 4th year ; over time, the yield increases.
The pioneer enters the fruiting period at 3–4 years.
Deadlines
Flowering, ripening
At the beginning of May, the Pioneer apple tree is covered with small colorful pink flowers , on which ovaries then form, and in the first half of September, the fruits formed from them are ready for picking.
Fruit storage
Apples of this variety are not intended for long-term storage , so it is recommended to use them for canning.
Varieties
There are 2 subspecies of this plant. Each of them is characterized by certain features. They are often used in landscape design.
Chinese or Chinese Red
This plant is easy to care for. It is characterized by the following advantages:
- High resistance to frost and dry weather. Despite temperature fluctuations, the tree remains decorative.
- Beautiful flowers. They come in white, pink, and red.
- Small fruits.
- Change in leaf shade. Before the arrival of cold weather, the leaves turn purple and ocher.
Apples of this variety have a short shelf life. They are often used to make desserts.
Decorative red-leaved variety
This variety of apple tree is often used to decorate hedges. This variety is easy to care for. At the same time, it is characterized by excellent decorative properties:
- The trees are medium in size and reach 4 meters.
- The crown has a round and spreading shape. It reaches several meters in width.
- During flowering, the leaves have a rich red tint, and at the stage of fruit formation they become emerald.
- The plant is decorated with white flowers. After which beautiful burgundy fruits are formed.
- The culture is highly resistant to infections.
The plant is characterized by its undemanding nature. It is quite acceptable to grow it in the middle zone and the Urals.
Climatic conditions for growing the variety. Favorable regions for cultivation
The winter hardiness of Pioneer allows it to be successfully cultivated in central Russia , the Moscow region, the central part of the country, and with proper organization of drainage of excess moisture - in the north-west.
Particular attention should be paid to preserving the above-ground part of the tree during difficult wintering , protecting it from gusty cold winds.
Due to the small height of the apple tree, this is not at all difficult to do by covering the crown with snow masses.
How to plant a tree on a plot
In order for the tree to develop normally and fully bear fruit, it is recommended to provide it with high-quality care.
Required soil composition
Fertile soil is suitable for the crop. A high-quality drainage layer is of no small importance.
Selecting and preparing a landing site
For the apple tree, it is recommended to choose an area that is reliably protected from drafts and wind. You should not plant the crop in places with high groundwater levels. They lead to rotting of the roots.
Dimensions and depth of the landing pit
Before planting, it is worth making holes 40 centimeters deep. They should reach 50 centimeters in diameter. It is worth laying drainage at the bottom.
Selection of seedlings
When purchasing a seedling, it is worth assessing the condition of the roots. They must be healthy. The crop must have a strong trunk and shoots.
Timing and step-by-step algorithm for planting a tree
It is recommended to plant the plant in early spring. This will help him adapt to external conditions. To carry out planting work, you should do the following:
- Prepare the hole and organize drainage.
- Immerse the seedling in the hole and straighten its roots.
- Sprinkle the crop with a mixture based on soil and organic matter.
- Tamp down a little and water the soil generously.
