Apple-tree Moscow winter

The apple tree is considered a very popular fruit tree because it has very tasty and healthy fruits. Apples contain a lot of useful substances, including vitamins, acids, sugars and other elements that are necessary in the body of children and adults. In this article, we will consider the Moscow winter apple tree, which is grown in the Moscow region. Since the plant has a lot of advantages, the apple tree is also grown in other regions of our country.

Apple-tree Moscow winter - description and characteristics

The fruits of this apple variety ripen in late autumn.

The hybrid was bred by crossing two varieties of apple trees - this is Antonovka ordinary and the Welsey variety in 1963. The author of the variety is S.N. Isaev. Later, the culture was officially registered after passing a series of tests. The goal of the breeder was to breed a variety that will grow well in the Central Russia. However, due to a large set of advantages, the culture is actively grown in other regions of our country.

Like any plant, the Moscow winter apple variety has both advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages, they distinguish high resistance to frost, a large amount of harvest, good resistance to common fungal diseases and high external and taste qualities of the fruits.

The disadvantages include the late fruiting of the tree.

Initially, the plant was bred with a recommendation for cultivation in the Moscow region, but over time, the variety became more and more popular and the apple tree was actively grown already in other regions of our country, as well as in Ukraine.

Description of the plant

The tree grows quite large, about 10 meters in height, and its crown is very spreading, thanks to horizontally located skeletal branches.

The bark is gray in color. The leaves are rich green, the surface of the leaf plate is wrinkled. At the edges, each leaf is pointed and slightly dropped.

The branches of the tree grow by at least 10 centimeters annually, since the culture has a fast growth force. The apple tree produces a large amount of crops every year. However, with age, the plant has breaks in fruiting.

If a tree grows in conditions suitable for it and is properly cared for, then one apple tree can bear 160 kg of fruit. Each fruit weighs about 250 g, the shape of the fruit is round. The peel is green. However, after the harvest has lain for a while, the skin turns yellow. The apples taste dense, have a large amount of sweet juice. Experts estimate the taste of apples at 4.5 points.

Apples contain a large number of nutrients, including important acids, vitamin C, pectin, tannins and P-active substances. A large amount of vitamins A and E are found in each fruit.

As described above, the culture has a high resistance to frost, so even a temperature of -35 degrees does not harm the plant. It should be noted that the tree is unstable to return frosts. In addition, the advantage of the plant is its high immunity to such common diseases as powdery mildew and scab. Occasionally, a tree can get sick with cytosporosis and bacterial burns.

Apple-tree Moscow winter: planting

First of all, you need to choose the right place for planting, since the tree will grow well in an open, sunlit, place where the groundwater will lie as deep as possible. The soil is fertile and loose.

The optimal time for planting will be both autumn and spring. If you plant in the fall, then you should do this no later than September so that the apple tree has time to adapt to winter.

It is necessary to pre-prepare the planting pit, which will be about 60 cm by 80 cm in size, add humus or manure to it, and mix everything thoroughly with the soil. Next, you need to form a mound, install a seedling on it and cover it with the remaining earth. It is necessary to control that the root collar is 7 cm above the ground surface.

If you have other plantings on your site, then you should maintain a distance between them of at least 4 or 5 meters, so that each tree has enough sunlight, and pests do not spread quickly between plantings.

Apple-tree Moscow winter: care

Once the tree has been planted, no fertilizer needs to be applied for a whole year as it was applied at the time of planting. If the soil is poor or very sandy, then mineral complex fertilizers should be applied in the spring, and complex fertilizers in the fall, excluding nitrogen-containing preparations.

In addition, to increase the yield of the apple tree, in the first year after planting the tree, cut off all the flowers that have set. In subsequent years, also to increase the amount of the crop, half of the formed ovaries are removed.

The tree loves moisture very much, so it needs to be watered about once a week, so that there are no breaks in fruiting.

Like any tree, the apple tree needs crown formation. This will not only help prevent various diseases, but will also increase the yield of the tree. When the seedling is just planted, all its branches should be cut off by 1/3. Further, after a year, you should cut off all weak branches or improperly growing branches to the base. When the apple tree begins to bear fruit, then all sick, old and dried branches swell here. When pruning an apple tree, the main thing to remember is that you should not trim more than 1/3 of the apple tree at a time.

The plant is self-fertile, therefore it is pollinated with the help of various insects.

Fruiting

The first fruits can be seen 6 years after planting. However, their number is very small. After that, the yield of the tree increases dramatically every year. The apple tree begins to bloom around mid-May, but the timing will depend on the climatic conditions of the growing region. Harvesting begins in September, since the variety is winter.

Its fruits do not crumble, so you can remove them throughout the month. Apples of this variety not only have a very high taste, but also have a long shelf life. Under the right storage conditions, the crop can retain its appearance and taste for at least 7 months.

Types of varieties

Moscow winter is also grown on a dwarf rootstock. In this case, the variety shows high yields, and the tree itself does not exceed 3 m in height, having a compact shape in the form of a ball. Fruits are formed here a little less, about 150 grams each. The peel is light green, the taste of apples remains as pleasant as that of the above culture.

Such an apple tree begins to bear fruit 5 years after planting, and the crop is usually harvested in the fall, which can be well stored for about 100 days or more. An apple tree grown on a dwarf rootstock also has a high resistance to scab

Conclusion

The Moscow winter apple variety is very popular and is actively grown throughout Russia. The plant has a very large number of advantages, including the good taste of the fruit and the high content of nutrients in them. In order for the apple tree to grow well and bear fruit abundantly, it is necessary to follow simple growing rules.

Apple-tree Moscow winter: reviews

Gardeners who have already grown the Moscow winter apple tree variety on their site speak very positively about the tree, noting its unpretentiousness and high yield. The fruits have a very pleasant pronounced aroma, and also very tasty preparations in the form of jam, compote and jam are obtained from the fruits.

Other gardeners appreciate the high external and taste qualities of the fruit, and also note that the tree is rarely affected by common diseases with proper care.