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The variety of apricot varieties available on the horticultural market is often confusing. How to choose a suitable seedling that will grow and not require complex care - this is the main question that worries the inexperienced summer resident. The Countess apricot is recognized as one of the best unpretentious varieties, which grows well in regions with warm climates.
History of selection
The Countess apricot variety is a collection species that was bred in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University. Professor A.K. Skvortsov under the guidance of Candidate of Biological Sciences L.A. Kramarenko identified this type of fruit tree in 1988. The apricot variety was intended for cultivation in the Moscow region. The Countess apricot was included in the State Register for the Central Region in 2004.
Description of culture
Apricot Countess grows into a fairly tall and vigorous tree with a rounded crown. Its height reaches 5.5-6 m. The foliage is quite large. The flowering period begins several days later than other varieties. Numerous inflorescences do not exceed 2.5 cm. Each of the leaf axils is endowed with many buds of the generative type. Stamens are underdeveloped. Normal pollen does not form on anthers colored white. The fruit tree is pollinated with pollen from other varieties. The productivity of the variety is at a high level.
Ripe fruits are round or oval in shape. The variety is quite capricious and sensitive to changing weather conditions. In cases where the summer is hot and dry, the fruits grow clean and beautiful. Their weight reaches 25 g. With average harvests, the fruits increase in size up to 40 g. The bright orange, dense and very juicy pulp is covered with a thin skin, which is colored in cream or pale yellow tones. A peculiar blush can be seen on all fruits. According to data on the chemical composition of apricot, the fruit consists of:
- dry matter – 13.8%;
- sugar – by 7.7%;
- titratable acid – 1.8%.
For every 100 g of fruit weight there are 660 mg of potassium. The Countess stone grows to a large size (11.5%), but separating it from the pulp is not difficult.
Growing the Countess apricot is possible in the Moscow region and other cities with a warm climate. Reviews of the Countess apricot in the Moscow region confirm the high level of productivity in the region and the timely ripening of the fruit.
Characteristics of the Countess apricot variety
Drought resistance, winter hardiness of the variety
The frost resistance of the tree is excellent. Apricot can withstand frosts down to -25, 30 °C.However, during the flowering period, the buds will not tolerate the return of severe frost.
The fruit tree does not need abundant watering, so it tolerates long periods of drought.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
The Countess is growing up quite quickly. The height of the tree in some cases can even exceed 6 m. Considering the fact that the variety is not capable of self-pollinating, trees of other varieties should be planted next to the apricot.
The variety needs nearby pollinators. The best pollinators for apricot Countess:
- Lel;
- Northern Triumph;
- Favorite;
- Monastic.
The flowering period of the variety begins several days later than the ordinary apricot. You can enjoy the first fruits closer to August 10-15. Full ripening of the crop continues until the end of summer.
Productivity, fruiting
The harvest of the Countess variety is generous, amounting to 25-30 kg per tree. Each of the branches of the fruit tree is literally strewn with large fruits.
Area of application of fruits
A high-yielding apricot variety is canned and frozen. Fans of strong drinks make apricot liqueur at home.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Resistance to diseases and pests depends on weather conditions. If the summer is dry and hot, the fruits will be large and clean. In rainy, cool summers the tree is susceptible to cleasterosporia blight. The disease spoils the appearance of the crop. Black spots appear on the skin, which can be small in size or cover a significant part of the surface of the fruit. Sometimes severe gum leaks occur.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of apricot variety Countess:
- large fruit size;
- early and long period of fruiting;
- high level of resistance to various pests and diseases;
- remarkable winter hardiness of the variety;
- good transportability;
- abundant fruiting.
It is also worth highlighting the high tasting rating of the variety.
Among the disadvantages it is worth noting:
- change in taste characteristics depending on the weather;
- reduction in fruit size with abundant harvest;
- susceptibility to infection with clasterosporiosis and the occurrence of gum discharge during a prolonged rainy period.
Features of planting the variety
Planting and caring for Countess apricots does not require special knowledge and skills. Even a novice gardener can grow it.
Choosing a suitable location
The most important thing is to choose the right place before planting, since the Countess apricot variety will not bear fruit and bloom if it is constantly in the shade and there is no nearby pollinator tree. The area that was chosen for planting must be dry, well lit and ventilated.
Selection and preparation of planting material
An annual or biennial tree, the height of which exceeds 50 cm, is best suited as planting material. The roots of a high-yielding variety seedling should be strong, healthy and not show signs of wilting or obvious damage by diseases and pests. It is important that the grafted part of the plant is mature and strong enough. The bark of the variety seedling should be colored brown.
Recommended timing
It is recommended to plant a seedling of a high-yielding variety in the spring, when the buds have not yet bloomed. A hole is dug in a pre-selected place and filled with a nutrient mixture:
- 2 kg of rotted compost;
- 35 g superphosphate;
- 25 g potassium salt;
- 15 g wood ash.
The mixture is thoroughly mixed with the soil. The seedling must be watered abundantly, mulched and the top trimmed so that the height of the tree is 60-65 cm.
Landing algorithm
Before planting an apricot, you should inspect its root system. If there are damages on it, it is recommended to cut them off. Then they prepare a mash based on mullein, water and earth and dip the root in it.
- Prepare a pit, the size of which is 50x50x50 cm.
- A mound of earth is formed on the surface of the bottom of the pit. A peg is driven in at this point for support.
- Lower the apricot into the hole so that the root collar is located 5-6 cm above the ground level.
- Cover the root system with the top layer of soil and compact the area around the apricot.
- A hole is formed around the circumference of the fruit tree, the diameter of which should be 60-70 cm.
- Using a rope, tie the tree to the peg.
- Water a seedling of a high-yielding variety with 25 liters of water. Then mulch the hole with wood shavings.
- If necessary, trim the seedling so that its height does not exceed 65 cm.
If you deeply deepen the root collar into the hole, the growth of the plant will begin to be inhibited.
Subsequent care of the crop
After planting, the apricot variety Countess requires systematic care:
- It is important to carry out annual pruning in late March. Problematic apricot branches must be removed, and the number of healthy shoots must be regulated.
- Form the crown of the tree, choosing a sparsely tiered form.
- Water generously, especially during periods of flowering, the growth of new shoots and a couple of weeks before harvest. It is recommended to moisten the soil in the tree trunk area to a depth of 25-35 cm.In autumn, it is best to flood the tree generously so that the water penetrates to a depth of more than 0.5 m.
- Apply fertilizing in a timely manner to ensure a high yield and large fruits. The first time after planting a seedling, it needs to be fertilized 2 years later. To make fertilizer, you will need to mix 40% potassium salt, 5 kg of rotted manure and 60% nitrogen compound. You can also purchase a complex preparation for feeding that contains iron, boron, and manganese.
- Before the onset of the first frost, it is important to cover the tree with a wooden cone, which is wrapped in durable cloth, and sprinkle it with soil. Carrying out these activities will allow the young tree to avoid freezing.
Harvesting, processing and storage of the Countess variety
The fruit tree begins to bear fruit 3 years after planting in mid-August. In the first years of fruiting, 20-25 kg of fruit is harvested, and an adult tree produces more than 60 kg of fruit annually. Harvesting has to be done in stages, as stone fruits do not ripen simultaneously. If you send the harvest in a wooden box in a room where the temperature is kept at 0°C, you can preserve both appearance and taste for 30-50 days. Fruits can also be dried and frozen.
Apricots of the Countess variety can be consumed fresh or used to prepare:
- compote;
- jam;
- jam;
- confiture;
- marmalade;
- alcoholic drinks;
- confectionery fillings.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Diseases | Nature of damage to the variety | Fighting methods |
Moniliosis | A fungal infection that quickly affects foliage, inflorescences and buds. The affected branch and inflorescences soon become brown and dry.Affected fruits fall off, and those remaining on the branch become a source of infection next year. | If there is a suspicion of moniliosis infection, you should immediately cut off the affected area and treat the cut with a garden varnish. In autumn, it is recommended to whiten the apricot trunk and spray the tree with Bordeaux mixture. |
Cytosporosis | A fungal infection affecting part of a tree. When the disease occurs, the foliage turns brown and dries out. The affected tree bark becomes yellowish. | To solve the problem of cytosporosis, experts advise regularly bleaching trunks, plowing deeply and removing root shoots, cutting down and burning affected areas of the tree, and mulching the soil around the trunk. |
Clusterosporiasis | When hole spotting occurs, branches, foliage and fruits are affected. A round-shaped spot of a light brown hue forms throughout the foliage. Wart-like brown swellings form on the affected fruits. Gum subsequently begins to flow from them. | It is very important to cut down and burn the affected area in a timely manner. The cut is treated with a mixture of garden pitch and iron sulfate. In the autumn, the trunks should be whitened. Trees should be treated with fungicides for preventive purposes. |
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Pest | Fighting methods |
Aphids attacking the foliage of the variety. Insects feed on the nutrients in the greens, causing them to curl and dry out. | To combat insects, it is necessary to treat the tree with 150 g of tar soap diluted in 10 liters of water. Affected areas are pruned and burned to prevent further spread of aphids throughout the tree. |
Hawthorn caterpillar gnawing out the buds, buds and inflorescences of a fruit tree. | It is very important to periodically inspect the apricot and destroy the caterpillars. Any cobwebs should be removed from the branches so as not to create ideal conditions for the laying of pest eggs. We spray the Countess with Chlorophos solution in spring and autumn. |
Conclusion
When growing Countess apricots, it is important to periodically inspect the trees and take the necessary measures to prevent the development of diseases. In addition, you should take care of the planted fruit tree and systematically apply fertilizers.
Reviews
Reviews of the Countess apricot can be found on many gardening websites. Gardeners speak wonderfully about this variety and recommend it to other summer residents for planting.
