Apple tree variety Red Chief: photos, care tips, pros and cons

History of Red Chief apple breeding

The history of the appearance of this variety dates back to the beginning of the 20th century .
The birthplace of this fruit plant is America. The apple tree was obtained through selection from the Red Delicious variety. There is also information that the new crop was developed completely by accident - subsequently crossing the Grims Golden and Golden Rainette varieties in West Virginia. Red Chief apples appeared on the markets of different countries in 1914.

A new type of apple tree was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia only 100 years later - in 2016.

Growing regions

The Red Chief apple tree is a Mediterranean variety.
In this regard, cultivation in regions with severe frosts is not justified. The most suitable climatic conditions are the south and center of Russia, since the plant requires a moderate climate. In the Moscow region, successful cultivation of an apple tree is only possible if it is insulated, which will help withstand frost without harm to the health of the tree and the future harvest. For cities located north of the Moscow region, planting this crop is not recommended. Thus, the most suitable growing regions for Red Chief are :

• Crimea;
• European part of Russia;
• North Caucasus;
• Moscow region.

Botanical description

Before purchasing and planting this variety of apple tree, you should familiarize yourself with the botanical description of the tree itself and its fruits.

This is what the Red Chief apple tree looks like in the photo:

Wood appearance

The growth of skeletal shoots forms a regular round or oval crown of the tree, which is not prone to thickening. The apple tree is a medium-sized species, and with proper care (i.e., systematic pruning), it reaches a height of approximately 6 meters. If the plant is not shaped, it can stretch up to 6-8 m, sometimes up to 9-10 m .

The branches of the tree are long and somewhat curved. Their bark is shiny, smooth, pubescent in some places, and has a brown-green or gray-green color. Fruiting occurs on the ringlets.

The root system of this apple tree is fibrous, has good branching, and occupies quite a lot of space in the ground. The roots are adapted to seek water at an average level.

Leaf structure

Foliage:

• large or medium in size;
• oval in shape, elongated, pointed.

The leaf blade is smooth, slightly matte, leathery . It is painted in a rich green color. The edges of the foliage may have a slight wave or jagged appearance.

Flowers

As a rule, flowering begins in mid-May (but it all depends on weather conditions). The tree blooms with large pink buds, gradually opening into white flowers, which are collected in separate inflorescences.

Taste and other characteristics of fruits

The fruits of the Red Chief apple tree can be characterized by the following parameters:

1. Appearance. Apples of this variety have a conical, slightly elongated shape. At the top of each fruit you can see 5 tubercles. Their skin is of medium thickness, shiny, covered with a translucent, thick waxy coating.
   When ripe, the color of the apples is greenish-yellow, with a pale red striped blush.

   Closer to the moment of full ripening, the apples change their color to a rich burgundy-red color (the degree of saturation will depend on the amount of sunlight).

2. Weight . According to the State Register, the weight of one apple is 175 g, on average their weight is within 200 g, but there may be specimens weighing up to 400 g.
3. Pulp . It is white or cream in color with a greenish tint, crispy, juicy and dense.
4. Safety . In the refrigerator, fruits can be stored in their original form for up to 7-8 months.
5. Taste . The apples are fragrant, sweet in taste, and may have a slight sourness. We received a fairly high tasting score - 4.8 points out of 5 possible.
6. Composition and calorie content . 100 g of Red Chief apple pulp contains: 5.5 mg of vitamin C, 0.4% acids, 10.6% sugars, 14% dry matter and 47 kcal.

Frost resistance

The apple tree of this variety is moderately winter-hardy. If it is not provided with proper care, then it will have difficulty withstanding spring frosts in the northern regions, and in winter at a temperature of -25 ̊C it will freeze.

But if the tree is covered for the winter and insulated, if the frost is not below 25-30 degrees, it will withstand the cold.

Ripening and fruiting

There are a number of fruiting characteristics of the variety that need to be taken into account when planting.

Peculiarities

A stable harvest of large, beautiful apples can be obtained only under certain conditions, the most important of which is the correct adherence to all agricultural techniques

Particular attention should be paid to watering in drought conditions and shelter in cold weather.

Flowering time

Under normal conditions, large pink buds turn into white flowers, collected in inflorescences, already in mid-May.

Apple tree in bloom.

Harvesting and storing fruits

Red Chief fruits have a long shelf life. But after removal, they still do not gain the full fullness of taste. The shelf life of fruit is up to 8 months under proper storage conditions, high humidity and low temperature.

Pollination and pollinators

This variety is self-sterile, that is, in order to form ovaries, the tree needs apple trees of other varieties located at a distance of 55-80 m and suitable in terms of flowering for cross-pollination to occur. Professional gardeners also recommend attracting insects to the garden. To do this you can :

• spray trees with sugar syrup;
• use mobile apiaries.

For the Red Chief apple tree, the best pollinating varieties are:

• Golden Delicious;
• Gloucester;
• Elstar.

Do you attract Red Chief pollinating insects to your garden?

Not really

Productivity

Red Chief is a high-yielding variety. The average yield from one mature tree is 150 kg. However, this value can be either higher or lower, since the number of fruits is influenced by the following factors:

1. Apple tree age . This apple tree is fast-bearing, and in the 3rd year it is able to produce a harvest. So, in the first few years, approximately 30 kg of apples can be harvested from one plant. Over time, the harvest volume will increase, and the tree will bear from 120 to 200 kg of fruit.
2. Weather . Productivity decreases if there were extremely low temperatures in winter or the summer was very hot and dry. This variety is distinguished by annual fruiting, however, in the case of constant unfavorable weather, gardeners note the periodicity of the formation and ripening of the crop.

Apples can be picked as early as late September or early October . They will be edible by November.

Harvest storage

This variety of apples can be stored for a long time (about 7-8 months) in its original form, without losing its taste and commercial qualities. However, for this it is necessary to provide the fruits with proper storage conditions.

First, you should harvest correctly in order to keep the apples intact and intact (since only such fruits can be stored for a long time).
Thus, harvesting is recommended in dry weather. Spoiled, bruised or rotten apples must be immediately put aside - they should not lie next to good fruit.

To store fruits, you need to choose a dark room , where the temperature will be +5..+7 ̊C (but not lower than +3 ̊C), and the humidity level is low. It is recommended to put apples in a wooden box, and each fruit should be wrapped in paper, or the rows should be sprinkled with wood chips.

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Chernyaeva Tatyana Dmitrievna

Absolutely loves gardening and grows only organic vegetables

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When storing fruits in refrigerated chambers (they are usually used in warehouses), Red Chief apples can last for about 230 days (i.e. until summer). If the chambers are equipped with an air recirculation system, the shelf life increases to a year.

Landing technology

You can ensure a bountiful harvest and large, tasty fruits for the future by planting a seedling according to all the rules. To do this, you need to choose strong and healthy planting material, select the optimal planting time and a suitable place for planting.

Selection and preparation of seedlings

Before you buy a seedling, you should pay attention to a few points:

1. Root system . If the roots are without an earthen coma, then they should not be brittle and dry. For seedlings in containers, when removing the roots, the soil should not crumble, as this indicates that the plant has mastered the soil mixture well. This means that such a tree will easily take root on the site.
2. Barrel . It needs to be thoroughly examined to exclude the presence of bumps and various damages. The bark should be fresh and smooth.
3. Age . The best age is 1-2 years - that’s when the seedlings take root well.

Shortly before planting, it is necessary to straighten the root system of a young tree, and then place it in water for a couple of hours with the addition of any rooting agent.

Selection and preparation of a site

Before planting a seedling, it is worth choosing a plot in the garden that meets all the requirements :

• It should be well lit, in which case the fruits, as they ripen, will constantly receive sunlight, which will provide the apples with a bright color.
• The soil type should be loam. If you plant a tree on sandy loam soil, the variety’s resistance to low temperatures will decrease.
• There should be no drafts at the planting site, and the seedling itself should be protected from the north wind.
• A high level of groundwater is not allowed, since constant contact with moisture will lead to rotting of the roots, and this, in turn, will lead to the death of the tree.
• There should be no stagnation of water on the site, therefore you cannot plant an apple tree in hollows and depressions.

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Yulia Safronenko

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Preference should be given to places on hills or slopes. It is also worth planting on the south side of fences, fences or houses so that they can cover the crop during the period of return frosts.

If seedlings on medium-sized or low-growing rootstocks were chosen for planting, it is worth calculating the area so that all trees can be planted according to a 4x1.5 m pattern. It
is also worth preparing the soil for planting trees :

1. In the spring . At this time, the soil should be well loosened - this will destroy the earthen crust that has formed over the winter and prevent the evaporation of moisture from the soil.
2. In autumn . Closer to this time of year, the land must be cleared of crop residues and then dug up (it is better to do this in early autumn). All weeds that came up after digging must be removed. You need to dig to the depth of the fertile soil layer.

Deadlines

Planting of seedlings can be carried out:

• in spring (late April);
• in autumn (from mid-September to early October).

If autumn was chosen for planting, then you should take into account all the risks associated with frost. In this regard, in order for the tree to take root, it must be planted at least a month before the expected temperature drop.

Also, when choosing the timing, it is important to take into account the climatic conditions of the region in which the seedling will be planted. For example, in the Moscow region it is worth giving preference to spring planting.

Disembarkation

The technique of planting seedlings involves:

1. Digging a planting hole, 70 cm wide, 60 cm deep.
2. Laying drainage in the form of dry branches at the bottom of the depression and adding humus and peat on top.
3. Sprinkling fertilizer over fertile soil, forming a mound.
4. Installing the seedling, straightening the roots, in the center of the hill.
5. Filling the hole with earth.
6. Watering the seedling with 2 buckets of water.

How to plant an apple tree

The productivity of the apple tree depends on the correct planting.

Preparatory activities

Before planting, dig a hole 2 weeks before planting and mix the top layer of soil with manure, mineral fertilizers and ash. Then they fill the bottom of the hole with it. Immediately before planting, the root system of the apple tree is dipped into a liquid clay solution.

Selecting a location

The apple tree prefers to grow in open sunny areas, on light and fertile soils.

Disembarkation dates

In spring, seedlings are planted after the threat of frost has passed. This is approximately the end of April - May. In autumn, planting is done in October, before the onset of cold weather.

Planting scheme and technology

The distance between other trees should not be less than 3 m. To plant a seedling, dig a hole 1 m deep and 70-80 cm wide.

Rules of care

Despite the fact that this variety of apple tree is unpretentious, it still needs proper care.

Watering

After planting, the seedling should be watered twice a week, pouring a bucket of water under one tree .
Thus, the volume of liquid per week for one plant should be at least 20 liters. Young apple trees require regular watering so that the water reaches their roots, that is, goes into the ground to a depth of 35-34 cm.

It is necessary to ensure that the soil in the tree trunk circle is always moist.

In case of hot summer or dry weather, it is necessary to increase the amount of water to 1.5-2 buckets for one tree, and water about three times a week.

Loosening the soil

After moistening the soil, you should loosen the soil around the trunk and throughout the area that is covered by the crown. During the procedure, all weeds should be removed, since they absorb all the nutrients. In addition, loosening improves air circulation in the soil.

Top dressing

The soil should be fertilized from the second year after planting the seedling. It must be paid four times per year:

1. until the buds open, spray the tree with fertilizers containing nitrogen;
2. before fruiting begins, add potassium and phosphorus fertilizers;
3. during flowering - add superphosphate;
4. in the fall - add organic matter before digging.

If desired, you can spray apple trees with mineral solutions in the summer.

Trimming

The first pruning of a young tree should be carried out immediately after planting. To do this, it is necessary to cut the central shoot into 5 buds - this will stimulate the germination of lateral branches, some of which will become skeletal.
In the second year, you will need to leave a few of the grown branches (usually 4-5 pieces), which will later serve as the basis of the crown. Each shoot should be cut back a little so that branches appear on them.

For an adult apple tree, formative and sanitary pruning is necessary. To do this you need to trim the following branches :

• top;
• growing inside the crown;
• growing parallel to large branches;
• thickening the crown.

Specifics of caring for the Red Chief variety

The quality of the fruit and the yield of the crop depend on proper care. Also, for young plants, proper care speeds up the process of adaptation to a new place of growth.

See also

Description and subtleties of growing Spartak apple trees

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Watering and fertilizing

The culture prefers a large amount of moisture. For young plants, watering is carried out every 6-7 days. After the tree is at least 1 year old, the crop must be watered once every 10 days. For mature trees, irrigation is carried out 2 times a month. In this case, it is necessary to pour up to 5 buckets of water onto one plant.

It is necessary to feed the apple tree according to the following algorithm:

• the second year after planting, nitrogen fertilizers are applied; in the fall, peat or humus should be added;
• 3-4 years after planting it is necessary to use complex minerals;
• During the fruiting period, it is necessary to apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

It is necessary to feed the crop 2 times a year, using complex substances in the spring. Organic ones are introduced in the fall.

Important. Before watering, it is necessary to remove weeds and loosen the soil. The roots must receive enough oxygen.

Trimming

Pruning of a young seedling is carried out immediately after planting. At least 5 buds must be left on the trunk. In the second year after planting, it is necessary to remove the side shoots and form a crown. The branches should not grow opposite each other, as this may negatively affect the yield. Every year it is necessary to prune twice. In spring, the condition of the crown improves. In autumn, sanitary pruning should be carried out.

Tree trunk care

It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil around the trunk and remove weeds. Weeds often act as a carrier of diseases. Also, once a year it is necessary to bleach the trunk using lime.

Preventative treatments

In early spring, preventive treatment of the tree is carried out using a Bordeaux mixture, which destroys strains of the disease. It is also necessary to spray the plant with fungicides before sheltering for the winter to remove pest larvae. If there is damaged bark, it is necessary to remove parts and treat with a solution of copper sulfate.

Winter protection

At the end of October, it is necessary to insulate the roots with humus and spruce branches. For trees under 2 years old, it is necessary to insulate the branches using burlap or special fiber. Insulation is not carried out for mature trees.

Pest and disease control

The Red Chief apple tree has weak immunity to the following diseases:

1. Spotting . It is a fungal disease that affects leaves. For the purposes of prevention and treatment, the tree should be sprayed with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture, or use an infusion of garlic and ash.
2. Scab . Also a fungal disease that can affect almost all parts of the apple tree, including the fruits. With such a disease, the entire crop is destroyed. To combat it, it is worth using Bordeaux mixture, Horus, Raek, Speed. You can also treat it with a solution of dry mustard and horsetail infusion.
3. Apple codling moth . The larvae of this pest cause damage to the fruit pulp, which leads to a decrease in yield. To combat it, insecticides should be used: Fufanon, Calypso, Zolon, etc.

Reproduction

Nurseries offer a large selection of fruit tree seedlings, including the Red Chief apple tree.
The description of propagation will allow the gardener to independently grow such a tree on his site. Vaccination is a rather complicated process for a beginner. But anyone can master reproduction using layering. To do this, an annual tree is planted so that it is strongly inclined to the ground. In the spring months, young branches are buried, and the shoots that have grown from the buds are spud and kept in constant moisture, without overwatering or waterlogging the soil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch{q}v=LKMylPLgmTU

By autumn, young branches should grow roots. To prevent them from freezing in the winter cold, they are insulated. And in the spring, when warm weather sets in and the soil warms up, the shoots are separated from the mother tree with sharp pruning shears and transferred to a permanent place of growth.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• high resistance to mechanical damage;
• excellent indicators of transportability and marketability of fruits;
• wonderful taste of apples;
• precociousness;
• crown compactness;
• high yield rates;
• ease of care;
• resistance of wood to powdery mildew and bacterial burn.

Flaws:

• low resistance to rot, scab, bitter spot;
• the need to insulate wood for the winter;
• poor tolerance to drought.

Reviews from gardeners

Gardeners note the excellent taste of the fruits of the Red Chief variety: they are very sweet, juicy and sugary.
Sometimes, due to the strong sweetness of these apples, gardeners replace desserts with them. Forum users also point out the beautiful and aesthetic appearance of the fruit. However, some gardeners still write that the taste is somewhat boring , there is no outstanding aroma, and the tasting rating of the fruit is a little too high.

As for the keeping quality of fruits, according to some forum participants, by spring apples become soft and their taste deteriorates.

There is also a review about the early fruitfulness of the Red Chief apple tree from the gardener Marina, who received her first harvest 2.5 years after planting the seedling in the amount of 12 apples (the largest weighed 268 g). Other forum users pointed out the high yield of the variety. Gardeners' opinions can be found here, here, here and here.

Characteristics of the tree and fruits

An apple tree with a compact rounded crown, which is usually given a spindle-shaped shape, looks very attractive, especially in mid-May, when white-pink flowers bloom among fresh rich green foliage, or in summer-autumn, when yellow-green apples increase in size and acquire a bright red blush. . This integumentary blush will completely hide the main color of the fruit by the time of technical maturity, which occurs in the first half of October. The leaves, practically unchanged during the season, quickly fall off after the first frost.

The tree is not afraid of mechanical damage, but it is advisable to wrap it up against rodents, especially for the first few years. It shows average resistance to scab and various spots; it may suffer from a codling moth invasion. Experienced gardeners recommend treating Red Chief trees in the spring before the leaves bloom with special preparations for preventive purposes, and then throughout the season keeping the tree trunk clean: loosening and weeding it, and in the fall not leaving fallen leaves or fruits under the apple trees.

Fruiting begins 2–3 years after planting in a permanent place of growth, that is, at 4–5 years of life, the fruits are formed on the ringlets. The apples grow large, weighing from 200 to 350 g, and have the characteristic shape of a truncated cone with five thickenings at the top. The harvest is harvested in October, and the red, waxy apples reach consumer maturity by mid-December. They have creamy, sometimes greenish flesh with a high content of ascorbic acid and P-active substances.

Sweet, aromatic apples are perfectly transported and stored: at home they can last up to 3 months without loss of quality, and if you create suitable conditions for them, you can consume them for up to 8 months.