The Volga region does not have the most favorable conditions for growing fruit crops.
Summers in this region are hot, with temperatures reaching 55 degrees, and winters are quite cold. Natural areas of mixed type. Very often dust storms and hot winds occur here. But despite the climatic conditions, thanks to selection, a considerable number of fruit crops were developed for the Volga region.
Spartak is considered one of the best varieties . Due to its characteristics, this fruit crop has been appreciated in horticulture. But in order to grow this variety in your garden, you need to know all the care features.
Description, photo
Spartak is an autumn apple tree variety . The fruit crop was developed through many years of breeding work. In 1934, at the Samara experimental station, S.P. Kedrin set himself the task of developing the best variety for the Volga region.
Having tried all the options, the breeder, through the selection of Sharopaya seedlings, received a new variety of apple tree, Spartak.
Having passed all the test work, Spartak was included in the State Register and zoned to the Volga region . Then, thanks to its qualities, it spread to other regions of Russia.
In order to find out why the apple tree has become so popular not only in the Volga region, but also in the Urals and Eastern Siberia, you need to familiarize yourself with it in more detail.
You can see what the Spartak apple tree looks like in the video below:
additional characteristics
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety are the following:
- Precociousness;
- Consumer and commercial qualities of fruits;
- High and regular yield.
The disadvantages of the variety include weak immunity to scab.
Instability to scab is the only drawback of Spartak.
Watch a video with tips for fighting scab:
Dimensions of an adult tree
The apple tree is undersized. An adult tree has an average size of 5 – 6 meters.
Self-fertility
The fruit crop is self-pollinating. But for better fruit set, cross-pollination is necessary.
The Spartak apple tree is a self-fertile variety.
Productivity
The variety is quite high-yielding . One mature tree produces more than 100 kg of fruit.
Tasting assessment
The size of apples ranges from 120 gr. up to 200 gr . The shape is rounded - conical, with ribbing at the top. The skin is light green in color, with a blurred blush over the entire surface, with a waxy coating. The pulp is dense, white, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste .
On a 5-point scale, the tasting rating of the fruit is 4.5 points.
Fruits of the Spartak apple tree.
Winter hardiness
Frost resistance of the fruit crop is average . Without proper care, the tree freezes at low temperatures of 25 degrees.
Disease resistance
In unfavorable years with a lot of rainfall, the foliage and bark of the apple tree are damaged by scab.
Trees become infected with fruit rot and cytosporosis extremely rarely.
Infection with fruit rot is possible, but extremely rare.
Characteristics of the variety
Spartak is an autumn apple variety. It was bred in 1934 by breeder Kedrin from the seeds of the Sharopai apple tree. The variety was created specifically for the Volga region, because Due to special climatic conditions, not all fruit crops can take root there and produce a harvest. He has gained confidence among gardeners and other regions.
Description of the tree
The trees are medium-sized, reaching a maximum height of 4-5 m. Their crown is dense and has an unusual rounded pyramidal shape. The branches from the trunk generally extend at an angle of 90° or 45°, which is why they often break when ripening occurs. This fact must be taken into account when forming the tree crown.
Fruiting in the variety is mixed, because it occurs on all types of fruit formations. The leaves of the tree are dark green and longitudinally oval in shape. The tip is twisted, but sharp. The edges are wavy, pointed, symmetrical. The base of the leaves is small and narrow. They are located at an angle of 45° and do not bend.
Fruit characteristics
The fruits of the tree are average. The weight of one is approximately 90-130 g, but in young trees they can often be up to 300 g. The shape of apples is round or flat-round, and the skin is not thick, dense and smooth, there is almost no plaque on it.
There are white subcutaneous dots, they are almost invisible. The color of apples is yellowish-green. Young fruits have a striped, unexpressed blush, while more mature ones have a rich red color. It is best to pick apples at this time.
The stalk is of medium thickness and length, emerging from a shallow funnel. The seeds of the fruit are light brown, ovoid in shape and have a non-pointed tip. Usually there are many of them in an apple, and they are all located in closed or semi-open chambers. The pulp is light green, with a creamy tint, fine-grained and juicy.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Apples ripen quickly
Any variety of apple has its pros and cons. Spartak is characterized by the following advantages:
- he is precocious;
- has high and regular yield;
- resistant to frost and drought;
- has good consumer qualities and transportability;
- can be stored for a long time.
There is also a drawback - the heat-loving type of tree is not immune to scab.
Taste
Their pulp is dense, soft and juicy, and has a pronounced sweet taste with a sour note. The peel of the fruit is characterized by a pleasant apple aroma. Experts gave it a score of 4.5 out of 5 for the taste of the fruit.
Productivity
The tree begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Young trees bear large quantities of fruit every year. From a tree that is up to 8 years old, the harvest per year will be from 14 to 29 kg, and from a tree from 10 years old - 50-95 kg.
Pollinator varieties
The description speaks of the tree being self-pollinating, but fruit set in this case will be only 30%. Despite its self-fertility, gardeners plant other varieties of apple trees next to it, which help to achieve cross-pollination for 90% of fruit set. Such species for Spartak are Idared, Umanskoye and Ruby Duki.
Winter hardiness
The tree was bred specifically for the Volga region. The temperature there is usually high, so the variety is well adapted to drought, but it has average resistance to frost. It normally withstands cold only with proper care, and at a temperature of -25 ° C the apple tree freezes and then recovers poorly.
Disease resistance
Typically, heat-loving trees have poor resistance to diseases and pests. The Spartak apple tree variety is no exception. If the weather is damp outside for a long time, then the tree and leaves are easily affected by scab. There are cases when apples become infected with fruit rot or cytosporosis, but they are quite rare.
Reviews
Anastasia. Mari El Republic. “The Spartak variety is a long-time resident of my site. The apple tree has always described itself from the best side. The fruits are very tasty, marketable. The tree is unpretentious in care. Thanks to stable fruiting, we annually harvest a decent harvest.”
Oleg Borisovich. Vladimir. “I have been growing fruit crops for a long time. I heard about the Spartak variety about 10 years ago. Having purchased a seedling of this variety, I expected better results. But the tree is constantly exposed to scab and pest attacks. Caring for an apple tree takes up a lot of free time. I don’t cut down this tree from my plot just because it bears fruit regularly, which is so unusual for many other crops.”
Marina. Cheboksary. “Every autumn I buy apples at the market. I consider Spartak apples to be one of the most delicious varieties. The fruits are juicy, sweet, aromatic. I use them to prepare various preserves, preserves, and jams. They also make excellent candied fruits, jelly and baked goods.”
Care
Caring for an apple tree is not particularly difficult, but a few simple rules will help you grow a healthy tree and get excellent harvests. The young plant is watered as the upper part of the soil dries out, but at least 4 times a month. The tree trunk circle is weeded, loosened and mulched. For the winter, cover with a thick layer of peat.
The crown is formed in the first three years after transplantation. Then only sanitary pruning (annually) and anti-aging pruning (every few years) is carried out.
To prevent pests, the tree is carefully inspected during flowering - insects are removed manually (or natural destroyers - birds - are introduced into the garden).
Fertilizing is done three times: in spring - with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, in summer and autumn - with special mineral complexes for fruit crops.
Features of planting and care
Landing
Deadlines
Apple trees are planted in spring and autumn . it is better to carry out planting work before the buds open.
In case of early autumn frosts in the Spartak region, it is better to plant in the spring.
Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree correctly:
Distance
Before planting, you need to take into account the size of the crown of an adult tree. In order for an adult apple tree to receive sufficiently good lighting and the required amount of nutrients, it must be planted at a distance of 5 meters from other fruit crops.
The distance when landing Spartak is at least 5 meters.
Growing, agricultural technology
Since the apple tree is unpretentious to the soil, the seedling is planted according to the standard scheme.
In order for a seedling to gain growth strength at a young age and begin to develop properly, gardeners recommend familiarizing yourself with the peculiarities of cultivation.
Further care after planting includes:
- Regular watering at least 4 times a month;
- Weeding and loosening of the tree trunk circle to saturate the root system with air;
- Inspection of the tree to identify harmful insects and diseases in the early stages;
- Mulching the soil near the trunk and covering the tree to prevent the apple tree from freezing in winter.
By following these simple steps, the young tree will begin to develop quickly.
Additional feeding of the plant will promote precocity and active fruiting. nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the spring , and mineral complexes specially designed for fruit crops are applied in the fall.
Dosage of mineral fertilizers for apple trees.
Advice! For good digestibility of fertilizers, after applying them, you need to water the apple tree with two buckets of water.
Protection against pests using folk remedies
To combat pests when their numbers are small, you can try using traditional methods:
- black henbane plant will help in the fight against aphids and herbivorous bugs . To do this, 1 kg of dried plant is diluted in 3 liters of water and boiled for about 1 hour. Then the broth should be cooled, diluted to 10 liters and sprayed on the tree;
Aphid.
- To prevent attacks by ants, their habitats are watered with boiling water ;
Ants.
- A prepared decoction of tomato tops will get rid of leaf-eating insects and caterpillars . To do this, you need to infuse 1 kg of tomato tops in 10 liters of water for 5 hours, then boil for about 3 hours, strain and dilute with water until the volume increases 3 times. When the solution has cooled, they need to spray the trunk and branches of the tree.
Caterpillars.
Important! Folk remedies will be more effective if insects are identified in the early stages.
Pruning and crown formation
The apple tree has a wide, dense crown, in which the skeletal branches extend at an acute angle; for this reason, branches often break . To avoid this, there is no need to delay the formation of the tree’s crown.
The first pruning of the seedling is carried out in the first year after planting , removing all shoots except the 4 main skeletal branches, shortening them to 3 buds.
In subsequent years, crooked, weak branches and branches growing at right angles to the trunk are removed.
Important! After pruning, all sections must be treated with garden varnish.
Watch a video with the basic principles of pruning apple trees:
Pollinator varieties
The Spartak apple tree is a self-fertile crop. From free pollination, fruit set is 30%; 90% of fruit set requires cross-pollination with other varieties, such as:
- Idared;
- Umanskoe;
- Ruby Dookie.
Idared.
Umanskoe.
Ruby Dookie.
Planting and preparation for it
Before moving on to active steps in planting Spartak apple tree seedlings, you will have to select the seedling itself and prepare a suitable area for it on your territory.
Find out also how to make an apple tree bloom and bear fruit.
Optimal timing
Planting apple tree seedlings on your site can be done both in early autumn and in spring, immediately after the appearance of stable heat. The choice of exact timing depends more on the region where fruit trees are grown, because the main thing is that they have time to take root before persistent frosts appear.
Choosing the best seedling when purchasing
It is better to buy young apple tree seedlings only from trusted sellers or specialized stores that can guarantee the quality of the goods provided. A good option would be one- or two-year-old seedlings, with elastic shoots and bright green leaves.
The roots of the rhizome should also be as elastic as possible and sufficiently moist, and if this is not the case, then before planting it is worth soaking them in water for several hours. Under the gray-brown skin on the shoots of a quality seedling there is always light green wood, which can be seen by slightly peeling off the top layer.
Choosing a place to plant an apple tree
Like all fruit trees of this type, the Spartak apple tree prefers warm, well-lit areas, protected from sharp gusts of cold winds.
The optimal groundwater level is no closer than 1.5–2 m from the ground surface, but dwarf varieties of this variety cope with waterlogging much easier, so they can be planted at lower values.
An excellent solution for planting purchased seedlings would be southern areas with small buildings located on them that can protect the trees from the seasonal cold.
Features of ripening and fruiting
Fruiting
Start
The fruit crop is quite early-bearing. The first harvest appears 3–4 years after planting.
The Spartak apple tree begins to bear fruit in 3–4 years.
Peculiarities
Due to the fact that the plant has a fairly high shoot-forming ability and bud awakening, the apple tree bears fruit annually.
Deadlines
Maturation
The apple tree is characterized by non-simultaneous ripening of apples. The first fruits ripen in early September . Fruit harvesting continues for 2 – 3 weeks.
The first fruits of Spartak ripen in early September.
Storage
Apples do not lose their commercial and consumer quality for 2 months after picking. Due to the fact that the yield is quite high, gardeners recommend processing the fruits in a short time.
Harvest and storage
Apples of the Spartak variety are characterized by uneven ripening of the fruits, therefore, starting to collect them in mid-September, this process can be completed in early October. For harvesting, always choose only a clear and sunny day, with a reduced level of humidity.
Picked apples are placed in wooden or plastic boxes and then stored in a cool place. There, ripe fruits can remain for up to 2–2.5 months without losing their marketable and consumer qualities.
The Spartak apple tree is a good option for planting in the central and southern regions of the Russian Federation, but when growing in the northern zones, you should take care of good winter shelter. If you take good care of the trees, no other problems should arise, and already at the beginning of autumn you have every chance to taste delicious and juicy apple fruits.
Apple tree Spartak
Very often, beginners in gardening confuse dwarf apple trees with columnar ones. But these are completely different cultures. In order to avoid mistakes when choosing varieties, you need to know the difference.
On a dwarf rootstock
The Spartak apple tree on a dwarf rootstock is a low-growing crop. An adult tree reaches no more than 3 meters and has a spreading crown.
The advantages of this rootstock include the following indicators:
- Precociousness;
- High yield;
- ease of care;
- Decorative type of tree.
In dwarf apple trees, the root system is located near the surface of the earth, so the plant can be planted in an area with close groundwater.
Columnar
There is no variety of columnar apple tree Spartak. Let us describe the general features of columnar apple trees.
The main distinguishing feature of columnar apple trees is the appearance of the tree . The fruit crop has one powerful trunk with fairly short lateral fruit branches. Thanks to this structure, the apples are located along the entire trunk , which significantly saves space on the site for other fruit crops.
The advantages of columnar apple trees are:
- Fruiting in the first year of planting;
- High yield;
- Good frost resistance.
The short fruiting period is considered a disadvantage At the 15th year of life, the tree should be replaced with another fruit crop.
Protection against insects using traditional methods
Apple tree July Chernenko
To combat parasites, it is not recommended to use chemicals that negatively affect the quality and composition of fruits. Here are gardener-tested and effective folk methods to kill insects:
- Black henbane actively helps in the fight against herbivorous bugs and aphids. To prepare the product you will need 1 kg of dried herb and 3 liters of water. The resulting composition is boiled over low heat for at least 1 hour. Next, the broth is cooled, diluted with water so that the total volume is 10 liters and poured into a spray bottle to irrigate the tree.
- Cool boiling water helps get rid of ants; just water them in their habitat.
- A decoction of tomato tops can effectively deal with caterpillars and leaf-eating insects. To prepare, you will need 1 kg of tomato tops, pour 10 liters of water and leave for at least 5 hours. The resulting composition is simmered over low heat for at least 3 hours and more water is added 3 times more than the available volume. Once the solution has cooled, you can begin processing the orchard.
Important! Diseases are always easier to prevent than to treat. A similar pattern applies to insects. If you identify them at the initial stage of the lesion, then the likelihood of overcoming them with minimal time and financial costs increases significantly.
Harvest
Growing in regions
In outskirts of Moscow
For good survival of the Spartak apple tree in the Moscow region, it is necessary to whiten the tree trunk with lime 2 times a year .
In the fall, it is advisable to carry out protective work that will prevent the apple tree from freezing in the winter.
To do this, the tree trunk circle should be mulched with humus, and the tree itself should be covered with roofing felt or burlap.
In central Russia
The Spartak apple tree has all the necessary characteristics of the variety for successful growth in the Moscow region. However, in this region the plant is often subject to scab . In order to prevent this disease, it is necessary to spray the tree with fungicides.
Advice! If the apple tree was damaged by rodents in winter, in the spring you need to clean the damaged areas and disinfect them with iron sulfate.
In the Southern regions
For good survival of the Spartan variety in the southern regions of Russia, the young seedling needs feeding with a solution of urea and sodium fertilizers.
To avoid breaking the central conductor when the soil settles, which is so typical for this region, you need to build a support that will not allow the tree to sag.
In the Urals
The soil in the Urals is quite hard. In order for the seedling to take root well in this region, it is necessary to increase the aeration of the roots.
To do this, the tree trunk circle is intensively loosened several times a season , breaking up the top layer of soil.
Timely inspection of the tree will also help identify scab and other fungal diseases.
In the Kirov region
When growing a Spartak apple tree in the Kirov region, you need to take into account the structure of the earth. To improve the physical properties of the soil, the area near the tree trunk is sown with creeping bentgrass. To prevent the soil from drying out, humus and compost are spread around the trunk.
Landing
You can plant an apple tree in spring or autumn. In the autumn, planting is carried out several weeks before the first frost (but after the leaves have fallen from the trees).
If frosts begin early in the region, you need to plant in the spring months, before the buds open.
Technology
Proper care will provide you with a rich harvest
The hole for planting is dug in advance - 2-3 weeks in advance (depth 0.8-1 m, width 1.5-2 m). The soil is mixed with compost, peat and humus. If planted in the fall, add a complex of mineral fertilizers. A nutrient substrate is poured into the hole, three buckets of water are poured in, and covered with film.
If several trees are planted, the distance between them should not be less than 5 m.
After 2-3 weeks, a hole is made in the hole and the plant is placed, carefully straightening the roots or placing the seedling together with a lump of earth.
The apple tree is watered abundantly, sprinkled with soil mixture and compacted well (the root collar should be above the ground level).
Then another watering is carried out, the tree trunk circle is loosened and mulched. A peg is placed nearby and a tree is tied to it (to protect it from the wind).
Nuances and questions from readers
What is the difference between the varieties Spartak and Spartan?
To answer this question, we turned to gardening experts. This is what they told us: “Despite the fact that there are some similarities between the apple trees, there is still a visual difference. Thus, the central conductor of the Spartan apple tree has a strong slope, and the dark cherry-colored shoots are lowered to the bottom.
Apple tree Spartan.
The foliage of the tree also differs from the Spartak variety in its small size and peculiar twist. Although the fruits of apple trees are similar in appearance, in the Spartan variety they have a more intense color and purple hue, as well as a fairly long shelf life.”
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Apple tree Amber
The beloved apple variety has many positive properties, which is why it is in demand among domestic gardeners:
- The variety can be grown on an industrial scale due to its excellent taste and presentation.
- High levels of frost resistance and drought resistance.
- Possibility to cultivate fruit trees in intensive gardens.
- Early fruiting period.
- Stable harvest for many years (subject to all rules of agricultural technology).
The main disadvantages of the variety include poor resistance to scab (fungal disease), as well as loss of taste of Spartak apples during long-term storage.
Be that as it may, in terms of characteristics, the Spartak apple tree is one of the most popular varieties today. This is due to a large number of advantages, including ease of care. Even a beginner can grow a fruit-bearing tree.
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