Apple tree Hornist: description, photos, reviews

Apples are the most common fruit both here in Russia and abroad. These are not only tasty, but also very healthy fruits.

In order to grow this fruit crop on your plot, the question of choosing a variety always arises.

Gornist is considered one of the best early varieties of apple trees . In order to find out what the advantages of this fruit crop are, you need to familiarize yourself with it in more detail. Therefore, see below the photo and description of the variety.

Description, photo

Hornist is a summer-ripening variety.

The variety was obtained at the Sverdlovsk Experimental Horticulture Station from open-pollinated seeds of the hybrid form Cinnamon Striped and a mixture of pollen from different varieties of Ural apple trees.

Having passed all the test work, the variety was included in the State Register and in 2002 zoned for the Middle Urals.

Further, having established itself well in this region, the apple tree spread to other regions of Russia.

Features of feeding

In order for a tree to bear fruit and produce a beautiful, tasty harvest, it is important to promptly replenish the soil with the nutrients necessary for growth. The Hornist apple tree requires regular fertilization. These can be organic or mineral compositions in which potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen are present in sufficient quantities.

Phosphorus fertilizers

The frequency of fertilization depends on the type of soil (1-3 times a year).

additional characteristics

Advantages and disadvantages

The benefits of apple trees include:

High frost resistance;
Good yield;
Immunity to scab.

Dimensions of an adult tree

The tree is quite vigorous, 8–9 meters high, and has a wide pyramidal crown. The skeletal branches of a reddish color are raised upward, spreading to the sides with age.

Frequency of fruiting

The tree has a stable, annual harvest throughout its life.

Hornist does not bear fruit periodically.

Productivity

One adult apple tree produces up to 90 kg of ripe fruit . From one hectare the harvest can reach up to 100 centners.

Tasting assessment

The fruits weighing 90 - 120 g have an oblong, ovoid shape. The skin is creamy, with a red base coat, with a dark yellow tint. The pulp is dense, rough, sweet and sour taste, very aromatic and juicy.

Fruits of the Hornist apple tree.

Winter hardiness

The frost resistance of the fruit crop is compared with the Uralets variety . The tree adapts quite well to spring and autumn frosts, and also tolerates low temperatures of 33 degrees.

Disease resistance

Thanks to high immunity, the fruits and foliage of the tree are not damaged by scab even in years with high humidity.

The bugler is not affected by scab even in rainy years.
Important! The apple tree is often attacked by rodents and harmful insects.

Productivity

Hornist is not the fastest growing apple tree; it begins to bear fruit at the age of 4 to 8 years .

up to 80 kilograms of ripe fruit can be removed from one mature tree . The harvest from an area the size of a hectare can reach up to 90 centners.

Since the Hornist’s fruit buds are laid every year, it does not have the periodicity in fruiting inherent in many varieties of apple trees - the tree produces a stable harvest , and even when others practically do not produce fruit, it gives the gardener many bright, medium-sized apples.

Hornist is self-sterile , like the vast majority of fruit and berry plants belonging to the Rosaceae.

Almost any other summer varieties with the same flowering period .

Reviews

Pankova. S. Yu. Chuvash Republic. “I thought for a long time about the best variety of apple tree to plant on my plot. After considering all the options, I settled on Gornist, and several years later I have not regretted my choice. The fruit crop is undemanding in the choice of soil. Adapts well to both droughts and prolonged wet weather. My seedling took root without any problems and quickly began to develop and grow. Thus, I collected the first harvest 5 years after planting. The first fruits were medium in size, but very tasty. With each subsequent year, the yield has increased many times, now I collect up to 60 kg of apples from one tree.”

Alexei. Blagoveshchensk. “I have summer and autumn varieties of apple trees growing on my plot. Among the summer varieties, I would like to highlight the Hornist apple tree. In terms of productivity, Hornist is not inferior to other crops, even surpasses them. Over the entire period of time, I have not observed any periodicity or decline in the harvest. Table fruits are of fairly good quality and ripen in mid-August. The only thing is that the apple tree needs constant pruning and fertilizing with fertilizers, which contributes to the quality of its fruits.”

Yusupova. L. Vologda region. “I really love Gornist apples. They have a unique taste and aroma and are dense, hard and coarse-grained in consistency. I buy them from my neighbor's grandmother at the end of summer. I like them not only fresh, but also processed and preserved. I make various preparations for the winter from apples: I freeze and dry them.”

How to care for the Gornist variety?

Hornist is an unpretentious variety of apple tree. The care system consists of watering, fertilizing and shaping the tree crown. It is important to prepare the apple tree for winter and carry out preventive protection of the tree from insects and pests.

Watering mode

The Ural hybrid only needs additional watering during periods of prolonged drought. Excess moisture at the roots of an apple tree can harm the plant, increasing the risk of fungal diseases.

We apply fertilizers

The necessary set of nutrients and mineral supplements is introduced during the planting of a young apple tree. Additional fertilizing begins at the age of three. They use ammonium nitrate, mullein, infusion of bird droppings, and mulching the tree trunk circle with humus.

Potassium-phosphorus complexes and calcium are important for apple trees during the period of flowering and bud set.

Trim and shape the crown

To properly form the crown, forming pruning is carried out in autumn and spring, where overgrown shoots and branches that thicken the crown are removed. Sanitary pruning involves removing dried and damaged apple tree branches.

Loosening and mulching the tree trunk circle

The tree trunk area requires regular care. The soil is loosened to a depth of 5-8 centimeters, weeds are removed, and sprinkled with a mixture of sand and humus.

Prevention and protection of wood

During the flowering period, the apple tree is sprayed with antifungal drugs, for example, Bordeaux mixture. To prevent attacks by insect pests, intensely fragrant plants are planted next to apple trees: calendula, coriander, peppermint. It is important to whitewash the trunk with lime twice a season: in spring and autumn.

Sheltering for winter

Pre-winter preparation consists of creating shelter for the root system of the apple tree. The tree trunk circle is carefully loosened, weeds are removed and mulched with last year's leaves. The trunk is covered with spruce branches or special agrofibre.

Features of planting and care

Landing

Deadlines

The best time to plant a seedling is considered to be autumn , 3 weeks before the first frost appears.

At this time, the tree has time to take root before the onset of winter, and in early spring it enters a phase of active growth.

Watch a video about autumn planting apple trees:

Distance

at a distance of 5 meters from other crops ; this arrangement contributes to good lighting of the tree and ease of care.

You should know! Apple tree rootstocks for low-growing crops reduce the planting area on the site.

Growing, agricultural technology

The fruit crop is undemanding in care. For better yields, perform the following work:

Regular watering during the dry season;
Wood pest control;
Fertilizing with standard nitrogen and mineral fertilizers.

The apple tree requires regular watering.

Despite the fact that the variety is highly frost-resistant, the apple tree should still be protected from severe frosts in winter. To do this, in late autumn the soil around the trunk is mulched with humus, and the tree itself is covered with burlap.

Watch the video on how to protect apple trees from pests:

And a video about how and what to feed an apple tree:

Pruning and crown formation

Due to the fact that the apple tree has a rather spreading crown, the tree needs regular pruning . In the early stages of development, branches that are weak, crooked and growing at an acute angle to the trunk are removed from the tree.

Apple tree pruning diagram.

Watch a video tutorial on pruning apple trees:

Pollinator varieties

The fruit crop is self-sterile . To set fruit during flowering, cross-pollination with other varieties of apple trees is necessary.

Planting a fruit crop on the site

The success of growing Hornist depends on the choice of where the tree grows, as well as on the quality of care for the plant.

Optimal soil composition

Hornist does not make any special requirements for the composition of the soil. Stagnation of moisture at the roots of the plant, planting in lowlands and wetlands is not allowed. The acidity of the soil is neutral; organic fertilizers are applied directly to the planting hole.

Selecting and preparing a landing site

The area for growing Hornist is chosen in advance. Preference should be given to the south side of the area, without drafts or shading. In lowlands and marshy soils, apple trees grow poorly and yields decrease.

On a note! The soil must be dug up in advance, all weeds removed, fertilizer applied, and if necessary, drainage installed at the bottom of the planting hole.

Dimensions and depth of the landing pit

The optimal depth of the planting hole is at least 60 centimeters, the diameter is 80 centimeters. Humus, wood ash and superphosphate are poured into the hole. The distance between seedlings is at least 5 meters.

Timing and step-by-step algorithm for planting a seedling

Drainage made of expanded clay and sand is installed in the prepared planting hole, and compost or humus mixed with wood ash and superphosphate is poured on top. From the resulting mixture, make a small mound in the center of the hole, on which the seedling is placed, carefully straightening the roots. The plant is sprinkled with earth, watered, and the soil is compacted.

Features of ripening and fruiting

Fruiting

Start

The apple tree is not a fast-growing crop. The first fruiting begins 8 years after planting.

Hornist begins to bear fruit in the 8th year.

Period

The fruit crop has a long productive life span of more than 50 years.

Deadlines

Maturation

Bugler is a summer variety . Ripe fruits are harvested on the twentieth of August.

Storage

After picking, the fruits do not lose their quality for 3–4 weeks , then they begin to deform and become flabby.

Hornist fruits are stored for no more than a month.

What type does it belong to?

Hornist is a summer variety. Its fruits reach consumer and harvest maturity at the same time, starting from the twentieth of August .

They are stored for a short time, about three weeks , and are suitable both for fresh consumption and for any processing.

This variety is highly winter-hardy and can be grown in the northern regions of the country , where winters are characterized by very low temperatures.

In terms of frost resistance, Gornist is not inferior to the well-known variety Uralets .

You can also get acquainted with other summer varieties of apple trees: Augusta and Melba.

Apple Tree Hornist

On a dwarf rootstock

The Hornist apple tree on a dwarf rootstock reaches no more than 1.5 - 2 meters in height and has a very spreading, wide horizontal crown of 3 meters. The variety on this rootstock is more frost-resistant and has early fruit ripening. The first fruiting of an apple tree begins 3–4 years after grafting.

The height of the apple tree depends on the rootstock.

The apples are medium in size, and according to the tasting assessment they are not inferior to the regular variety. The fruit crop on a dwarf rootstock is suitable for cultivation in all regions of Russia.

Stambovaya

Hornist apple tree on a standard rootstock is a decorative type of plant. An adult tree reaches an average height of 3 meters and has an unusual dome-shaped crown. This rootstock is valued:

High productivity;
Early fruit ripening;
Frost resistance;
Scab resistant.

By planting this tree, gardeners not only collect large, tasty fruits, but also decorate their plot with the tree.

Flowering standard apple trees.

Advice! In order for the tree crown to always have a decorative appearance, it must be shaped annually.

Features of the variety

Trees of the Gornist variety are distinguished by their powerful appearance and good growth. An adult apple tree reaches up to 9 m in height. In the first years, while the crown is just forming and the tree is growing, it has a pyramidal shape, but in an adult plant it already takes on a spherical shape. The main branches, on the ringlets of which the fruits are located, grow straight and are covered with a reddish flaky bark.

Apple Tree Hornist

Apple tree Amber

The leaves have the traditional ovate shape, but are very wide. They are painted green and are attached to a short stalk. When flowering, the characteristic apple pink buds first appear, which turn white when blooming. The petals are curved upward, the flower looks like a saucer.

An important feature of this variety, and most likely a disadvantage, is the self-sterility of the plant species. In order to get a harvest every year, it is imperative to plant other varieties nearby.

Interesting fact. Apple trees of any other varieties can be planted as a pollinator, but it should be taken into account that they must have a similar fruiting period.

After grafting, the plant will produce fruits in 4-8 years. From one mature tree you can collect up to approximately 80 kg.

The plant has good frost resistance. In terms of resistance to cold frosty winters, the tree is not inferior even to the famous Uralets variety. The great advantage of this species is its good immunity to scab and other fruit diseases.

Early tasty fruits grow of medium size, the weight of each of them reaches 90-110 g. The shape of the apples is oblong, ovoid, and has slightly pronounced ribs. Their funnel is narrow with a pointed canonical shape.

Apples look like eggs

Apples have a creamy flesh color with a bright red outer cover. The peel is thin and smooth. The fruits of this variety are distinguished by their great juiciness, but at the same time the pulp contains some roughness and coarse grain. The taste rating on the corresponding scale is 4.4 out of 5 possible.

The chemical composition of the fruits of this variety is as follows:

sugar – 9.3%;
dry soluble substances – 11.5%;
acids – 0.7%.

The fruits of the Gornist variety have a relatively low content of ascorbic acid - only 11 mg per 100 g.

Harvesting can be done around the 20th of August. But it’s bad that you won’t be able to store the tasty fruits of this variety for a long time. The maximum storage time for harvested apples is about 20 days. Therefore, after collection, you should quickly eat or process them.

Growing in regions

In Siberia

The apple tree is unpretentious to the soil and is quite winter-hardy, so with proper care it can grow well in Siberia.

Apple tree care in this region includes:

Crown formation in slate or tiered form;
Protection from rodents and insect pests;
Sheltering a tree before winter;
Timely application of fertilizer.

By following these simple steps, the apple tree will bear fruit regularly without periodicity or decline in the harvest.

In the Urals

Initially, the variety was bred for the Northern regions of the Urals. After all the test work, it has proven itself very well in this area of Russia.

The only thing worth paying special attention to is that the top layer of soil in the Urals is quite hard. To ensure good saturation of the root system with air, the tree trunk area of the apple tree is regularly loosened and weeded from weeds throughout the entire period.

In the Urals, special attention should be paid to caring for the tree trunk.

Region of natural growth

The tree is unpretentious and very winter-hardy , so it will not have problems adapting to different regions of the country.

Resistance to fungal infection can play an important role when planting apple trees of this variety in places with damp and cool climates , where various rots often become the scourge of fruit and berry plants.

The Gornoaltaiskoye apple tree is also unpretentious, has good winter hardiness and belongs to the summer variety of apple trees.

Diseases and pests

The big advantage of Hornist over other varieties is its good resistance to scab and fungi, but the tree may suffer from pest attacks. Among them, the most terrible enemies can be:

weevil;
flower beetle;
aphid;
leaf roller;
apple sawfly.

When the first signs of damage by any insects appear, treatment should be carried out with complex insecticides, and scent traps should be set to eliminate flying pests.

Varieties and methods of cultivation

The frost-resistant variety is grown in two ways: on a dwarf rootstock and by standard planting. Hornist is a vigorous tree, reaching a height of 9 meters. Included in the State Register of Varieties of the Ural Region.

On a dwarf rootstock

When growing Hornist on a dwarf rootstock, it is possible to achieve early fruiting of a young seedling, the height of a vigorous tree is reduced, the plant is suitable for mass group plantings, and the harvesting process is simplified.

Stambovaya

A modern, convenient way to grow apple trees. With the help of standard plantings, a decorative and attractive appearance of the orchard is formed.

A spherical crown is formed on the bare trunk of an apple tree without unnecessary branches, and the height of the tree varies from 1 to 2.5 meters.

Description of the Imant apple tree

The Imant apple tree was bred by a group of scientists at the Belarusian Research Institute of Fruit Growing in 1999, but was included in the State Register of this country only in 2010. At the same time, the long absence of official recognition did not prevent the variety from gaining wide popularity not only in its homeland, but also abroad, in the republics of the former USSR. Imant is especially popular in Russia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The fruits of the Imant apple tree immediately attract attention due to the unusual shade of the skin.

This variety cannot be grown in most parts of Russia due to its insufficient frost resistance. Imant will not survive the continental climate of the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East. But the conditions of the Volga region, Moscow region, even the North-Western region, and even more so the Black Sea region, are very suitable for this apple tree.

The Imant apple tree is characterized by early fruiting - trees can begin to bear fruit in the 3rd year after planting

The “parents” of Imant were Antey (one of the most popular Belarusian varieties) and Liberty (originally from the USA). Both of them belong to the winter category. The first is specially noted in the Belarusian State Register as especially valuable in terms of productivity and economic properties; from the second, the hybrid inherited keeping quality, excellent taste and resistance to powdery mildew. Additionally, breeders introduced a gene that protects their creation from a fungus that causes scab.

From his “parents” Imant inherited productivity, keeping quality, and disease resistance

The Imant apple tree is no different in size and growth rate. The crown is medium dense, slightly “spreading”. Because of this, the tree looks a little like a broom placed on the handle. Maximum height - 2.5–3 m. Fruiting type is mixed. Apples are formed both on young annual branches and on the so-called spears and ringlets.

The Imant apple tree is one of the most successful creations of Belarusian breeders

The fruits ripen in September or early October. Imanta's yield is not bad; an adult tree (over 5 years old) produces 25–30 kg of apples annually. The fruits are aligned, one-dimensional, the ribs can be easily felt, especially closer to the base. The average weight of the fruit is about 170 g. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour, with a faint aroma. The main tone of the skin is greenish, but it is completely hidden by a rich crimson “blush”. From a distance, Imant apples appear purple. The pulp is vanilla-cream color, not very dense texture, fine-grained, juicy.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Among the advantages of the Imant variety are:

Good frost resistance, quite sufficient for cultivating this apple tree in the European part of Russia. Imant can withstand cold temperatures down to -25ºС; leaf and flower buds rarely suffer from recurrent spring frosts.
Having immunity against scab. If the summer is cool and rainy, it is almost impossible to protect trees from it. The disease-causing fungus could greatly reduce future harvests. In addition, Imant rarely suffers from bacterial cancer, cracking of the bark, and is almost not susceptible to gum development.
Precociousness. The first apples from a standard tree are tasted in the 3rd year after the seedling is planted in the ground.
Good survival rate of trees.
Compact and unthickened crown. This greatly facilitates pruning, preventive treatment of the tree against various pests, and harvesting.
General attractiveness, large size and unusual appearance of apples. Coupled with keeping quality and excellent transportability, this makes Imant a promising variety not only for cultivation on personal plots, but also for cultivation on an industrial scale. Even in conditions other than optimal, apples can survive until the spring of next year.

The Imant apple tree does not suffer from scab even when the weather is very favorable for this

The Imant variety has virtually no disadvantages as such. Not everyone likes the unusually dark skin, dense crispy flesh and taste, but this is a matter of personal preference. They also sometimes complain that the characteristic aroma is almost not felt. It is also noted that with insufficient watering, if the summer is hot, the fruits vary greatly in size and shape.

Imant apples look quite unusual; not everyone likes the dark skin

Advantages

In addition to high productivity and early fruiting, “Gornist” boasts many other positive aspects.

The most important of them is excellent frost resistance, which allows these trees to safely survive the harsh Ural winters. The minimum temperature this variety can tolerate without problems is -33°C.

Another important advantage of “Gornist” is the absence of interruptions in fruiting. This means that once a tree begins to bear fruit, a consistent harvest can be expected throughout each year of its life. Like many other hybrids, this variety is distinguished by excellent immunity to many dangerous diseases of fruit trees

For example, a disease such as scab practically does not affect Gornista plantings. Increased resistance to other fungal plant diseases

Like many other hybrids, this variety is distinguished by excellent immunity to many dangerous diseases of fruit trees. For example, a disease such as scab practically does not affect Gornista plantings. Resistance to other fungal plant diseases has also been increased.

Extensive and intensive gardens. What is the difference?

Apple orchard area

Intensive technologies make it possible to obtain maximum yield in a limited area. Planting pattern: 2.5–3 m between rows and 0.5–1 m between trees, in classic, extensive gardens: 7–8 m x 3–4 m.

Professionals believe that an intensive garden is profitable when planting 30–40 hectares, that is, approximately 2–4 blocks of plantings (one quarter for intensive and super-intensive gardens is 8–10 hectares; for semi-intensive (semi-dwarf) gardens – 12–15 hectares). At the same time, the size of one block for extensive, vigorous gardens is, as a rule, 15–18 hectares.

Intensive garden with hail protection, Golden Delicious variety

Fruiting dates for apple orchards

In intensive and super-intensive gardens, a high yield (40–60 t/ha) can be obtained in a short period of time. The vigorous classical gardens that are familiar to us begin to bear fruit in the 7th–8th year and are uprooted in the 35th year, while the lifespan of gardens on semi-dwarf and medium-sized ones is 25 years, and on dwarf rootstocks – only 10–15 years.

Fully all the advantages of the extensive method are manifested in large apple orchards, where you can grow different varieties and get a harvest even in unfavorable conditions, while the apple trees bear fruit only once every 2-3 years. The requirements for growing conditions for large apple trees are lower, but their endurance is higher. But spreading and tall trees are difficult to care for: spraying, pruning, harvesting.

For industrial cultivation, vigorous orchards of the extensive and semi-intensive type with late periods of fruiting, slow rates of crop ripening, low productivity, high labor intensity of cultivation, insufficient fruit quality and low profitability do not have serious prospects.

Extensive garden

Modern seating arrangement

Quarter is a very important concept in professional gardening. Dividing the territory into quarters and pre-planting preparation occupy a fairly high expense item in the organization of intensive gardens, since they require the participation of highly qualified specialists

In one block (on one allocated area of the garden) varieties of the same ripening period are placed, which makes it easier to care for the plantings and allows for maintenance technological measures to be carried out at the same time. Seedlings of the main variety are planted in wide strips (several rows), and pollinator varieties are planted in rows between them. The main variety occupies 80% of the area, pollinating varieties occupy the remaining 20%. When choosing seedlings, everything is taken into account: the type of rootstock, variety, yield level, time of fruiting, resistance to diseases and pests and, of course, winter hardiness.

In intensive gardens, trees are planted much more densely than in classic ones: depending on the technology, the number of seedlings varies widely and reaches 5.5 thousand per 1 hectare. Gardens at the planting stage are equipped with systems for fixing trunks and automatic watering. Good yields are ensured, in particular, by installing equipment for drip irrigation and fertigation (applying liquid fertilizers or pesticides simultaneously with irrigation). Crowning and formation occurs continuously starting from the first year after planting with spring formative pruning. Then, throughout the life of the garden, the plants are annually pruned and normalized. In addition, in the summer they thin out the ovaries, removing excess ones, in order to obtain fruits of better quality.

The columnar garden has the highest planting density - up to 20 thousand trees per 1 hectare. Planting distance – 0.4–1.2 x 0.4–1.2 m. Height of columnar apple tree varieties at 7–8 years of age – 1.5 m, maximum – 2.5 m, yield – 100–140 t/ha and more! Research and testing of this type of garden for industrial use is carried out mainly in England.

Intensive garden during fruiting period

What is M-9 rootstock?

In most European countries, apple trees are grown on M-9 rootstock (East Malling 9), but the main disadvantage of this rootstock is low frost resistance (-10 ° C). In this regard, in Russia the possibilities of using this rootstock are very limited.

Therefore, it is worth paying attention to more winter-hardy options. It is better to select planting material in nurseries, where it has been grown for many years and whose winter hardiness has been proven in practice.

Apple tree varieties grafted on a dwarf rootstock are placed in the garden at a distance of 1.5 x 2 m.

Video

We invite you to watch videos about the Antey apple tree and other winter-ripening varieties grown in the Belarusian fruit plant nursery:

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Do you know that:

It is believed that some vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, stem celery, all varieties of cabbage, peppers, apples) have “negative calorie content,” that is, more calories are consumed during digestion than they contain. In fact, only 10-20% of the calories received from food are consumed in the digestive process.