Content
When offering a description of the apricot variety Delight, professional gardeners focus on its productivity and good taste of ripe fruits. And the high degree of frost resistance makes it possible to grow this fruit tree in almost all regions of the country.
History of selection
The authors of the early-ripening apricot Delight are breeders from the Southern Urals F. M. Gasimov and K. K. Mulloyanov. The variety is based on the Piquant apricot. In 1999, Delight was included in the State Register.
Description of the early apricot variety Delight
Apricot Delight is a stone fruit whose maximum height is 3 m. The lush and spreading crown of mature trees reaches 4-4.5 m in diameter.
The leaves are dark green, glossy.The shape of the leaf blade is typical for representatives of fruit trees - round, ovoid, pointed at the apex, with a jagged edge. Petioles are thin, grooved. The arrangement of leaves on the shoots is regular.
The flowers are solitary, five-petaled, 2.5-3 mm in diameter. Petals are white and pink. During flowering, apricot trees emit a pleasant aroma.
The fruits, as can be seen in the photo of the Vostorg apricot variety, are round and equilateral. The weight of one is 22-24 g, the size in diameter is 3-3.5 cm. The color of the fruit is yellow-orange, with reddish barrels. The apricot skin is loose, tender, and does not separate from the medium-dense light orange juicy pulp. But the pulp itself easily comes away from the hard stone, inside of which there are seeds (kernels) that have a bitter-sweet taste.
Apricot can be grown in almost all regions of the country
White and pink flowers attract bees
Characteristics
Early apricot Delight has won the recognition of gardeners in many regions of the Russian Federation. And this is not surprising, because it has quite good characteristics.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Apricot Delight is characterized as a frost-resistant variety, therefore suitable for cultivation in areas with cool winters. This crop is not afraid of drought either. However, you still need to water the tree 1-2 times a month in the warm season.
Pollinators of apricot Delight
The early apricot variety Delight is self-sterile. This suggests that it will need pollinating trees to produce good yields.This role can be played by other varieties of this crop, the flowering period of which coincides with Delight, for example, Manchurian and Kichiginsky.
Flowering period and ripening time
Delight is an early ripening apricot variety. Already in early May, the tree is covered with white and pink flowers, and at the end of June you can get the first ripe fruits.
Ripe apricots appear in early July
Productivity, fruiting
Fruiting time is in July. The first apricots appear in the 3rd year. Subsequently, the tree bears fruit every summer throughout its life (about 30 years).
The average yield of the Delight apricot is 15 kg per adult tree. The reason for its decrease can be sudden changes in temperature, causing kidney damage, high humidity, improper care and tree diseases.
The yield of the variety is about 15 kg per tree
Area of application of fruits
Apricots have good taste, which makes it possible to consume them raw and use them for whole-fruit canning, in the process of making preserves, compotes and jellies.
In addition, dried fruits are made from apricots:
- dried apricots (dried pitted apricot halves);
- apricots (dried whole fruits with seeds);
- kaisu (dried whole fruits without seeds);
- ashtak (dried whole fruits without seeds, but with kernels embedded in them).
Apricots are used fresh or processed
Resistance to diseases and pests
The Delight variety is resistant to many diseases. However, high humidity and improper care can provoke the appearance of fungal diseases and pest attacks. To prevent such troubles, trees are sprayed with insecticidal and antifungal drugs.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popularity of the Delight apricot is explained by the inherent advantages of this variety. It also has minor drawbacks, but with the right approach they can be eliminated.
One of the main advantages of the culture is the good taste of the fruits.
Pros:
- large size and good taste of fruits;
- high productivity;
- drought resistance and ability to tolerate low temperatures;
- disease resistance;
- versatility of fruit use.
Minuses:
- self-sterility of the variety, which necessitates the presence of pollinating trees;
- tendency of fruits to fall;
- short shelf life of ripe apricots.
Landing Features
The rules for planting apricot Delight are identical to the rules for planting all fruit crops. You need to purchase good planting material, choose a suitable location and plant the tree.
Recommended timing
The best time to plant Delight apricot is spring (April or May). This allows the young tree to become sufficiently strong before the onset of frost. In southern regions with warm winters, seedlings can be planted in the fall.
Choosing a suitable location
A well-lit and draft-protected corner of the garden with permeable neutral or slightly alkaline soil is suitable for growing this variety. If the soil is too acidic, it is neutralized with lime.
The tree does not like excess moisture, so an area with shallow groundwater is not suitable for apricots.
The distance between landings is at least 4 meters
What crops can and cannot be planted next to apricots?
Apricots of a different variety would be ideal neighbors for Delight. You can plant a plum or raspberry nearby. True, the latter will not be very comfortable in the shade of the tree when it grows.
Apple and cherry trees will not harm the apricot, but will compete with it for moisture and nutrients. Therefore, the distance between these crops should be at least 6 m.
Apricot feels good next to pear, which cannot be said about the latter. As it grows, it can oppress its neighbor.
Selection and preparation of planting material
When choosing seedlings, you need to pay attention to:
- the condition of the shoots is elastic, without damage, with full leaf cover;
- the condition of the root system, which should be moist and without damage.
It is better to purchase seedlings with closed roots
Landing algorithm
Apricot Delight is planted in the same way as other fruit trees.
During the landing process:
- dig a hole measuring 60x60 cm;
- drainage and a nutrient soil mixture prepared from fertile soil, peat, sand, organic and mineral fertilizers are placed at the bottom;
- the seedling is placed in the center of the hole, the roots are straightened and covered with soil;
- The apricot is watered, the soil in the root zone is mulched.
Subsequent care of the crop
Caring for the crop involves the following activities:
- Watering. Apricot Delight is characterized as a drought-resistant variety, so it is not necessary to irrigate it too often. One abundant watering once a month and autumn watering before wintering will be enough.
- Top dressing. They begin to feed the apricot Delight in the second year of life. Before the start of the growing season, fertilizers with nitrogen are applied. Before flowering, the tree is fed with potassium fertilizers, and in the fall - with mineral fertilizers, which include potassium and phosphorus.
- Removing weeds and loosening the soil. It is recommended to remove weeds as they appear. The soil is loosened after each watering. If it is covered with mulch, there is no need for loosening.
- Trimming. Apricot Delight is pruned twice a year. In the spring, sanitary pruning is carried out, during which dry and damaged branches are removed, and in the fall, formative pruning is carried out, the purpose of which is to thin out the crown.
- Disease Prevention. Before the growing season begins, the tree is treated with fungicides and insecticides.
In spring and autumn, it is recommended to whitewash the tree trunk to prevent damage. The whitewashing agent can be purchased ready-made in the store or prepared independently by adding copper sulfate to an aqueous solution of quicklime.
Feed the tree 3 times a year
Preparing for winter
Apricot Delight is characterized as a frost-resistant variety, so it does not need protection from low temperatures. However, gardeners recommend wrapping the trunk. This will help protect the tree from rodents. In addition, before the arrival of cold weather, the tree is watered abundantly.
To protect the tree from rodents, the trunk is wrapped in thick cardboard
Diseases and pests
The Delight variety is resistant to many diseases.However, excess moisture and improper care can cause problems such as:
- Scab. The initial symptom of the disease is the appearance of brown spots on the vegetative parts of the tree. After a certain time, scab appears on the apricots themselves. During the treatment of the disease, the tree is sprayed with fungicides.
Scab affects not only the leaves, but also the fruits
- Cytosporosis. This disease is characterized by wilting of leaf blades followed by drying of branches. The disease can be dealt with only at the initial stage. To do this, remove damaged branches, capturing several centimeters of healthy tissue.
Cytosporosis can be dealt with only at an early stage
- Leaf curl. Leaf curl sometimes causes complete loss of yield. The main symptom is deformation of the leaves and the appearance of yellow swellings on them. In the process of fighting the disease, damaged shoots are eliminated and the tree is treated with preparations containing copper.
Leaf curl can be identified by the presence of yellow blisters
Pests can also cause trouble:
- leaf roller. A small grey-brown butterfly whose caterpillars eat leaves and buds.
Insecticidal preparations are used to kill leaf rollers.
- Aphid. Small insects that destroy shoots and leaves. Get rid of aphids using insecticides.
Aphids feed on the sap of shoots and leaves
Conclusion
Having studied the description of the apricot variety Delight, we can conclude: this crop feels good in almost all regions of the country. The tree does not need special care. With a minimum of effort, you can have a good harvest of juicy and aromatic apricots every year.
Reviews of apricot variety Delight
Ripens at the end of July, not June. The review also wrote the wrong month))