Content
The Brother of the Wonderful apple tree is an ideal solution for those who live in the northern latitudes of Russia. This is a natural dwarf with juicy yellow-green fruits, which gives a rich harvest and does not require special care. It will please not only adults, but also small children who do not want to eat red fruits.
The Bratchud apple tree variety has the best yield indicators in its category
History of selection
The originators of the Bratchud apple tree variety were the breeders of the South Ural Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable and Potato Growing (Chelyabinsk) Mazunin N.A., Mazunina N.F., Putyatin V.I. The goal of their work was to obtain the most frost-resistant variety of apple tree for growing in harsh Siberian climate. To do this, breeders crossed the Ural winter and Vydubetskaya weeping apple trees. The Bratchud apple tree variety was registered in the State Register in 2002.
Description of the apple tree variety Brother Wonderful with photo
The dwarf Bratchud apple tree is a winter variety that was developed for northern latitudes, but has become popular throughout Russia. Favorable conditions for its cultivation are as follows:
- absence of drafts in the area;
- soil saturated with minerals and nutrients;
- low level of groundwater (to avoid stagnation and rotting of roots);
- good access to sunlight, unshaded area.
Bratchud apples contain many useful substances: pectins, ascorbic acid, titratable acids, soluble solids, sugar.
Appearance of fruit and tree
The height of the tree is from 2 to 2.5 m (a plant grown on rootstocks will not grow higher than 2 m). The crown diameter reaches 3.5 m and has a high growth rate. Young branches are medium thick, the bark is dark brown, the branches and young shoots are lighter the younger they are. The shoots grow in a horizontal direction, slightly falling down. The foliage is rich green, large-crowned. There is slight pubescence on the upper part. From the branch the foliage descends down to the ground.
The apples are round, slightly elongated towards the end, yellow-green in color with a barely noticeable blurred pink spot. On the sides of the fruit there are thin convex seams. The size is average, the approximate weight of one apple is 180 g, although it can vary from 110 g to 200 g. The peel is glossy and thin. There is no white coating. The pulp is juicy, granular in structure. In a ripe apple it is white, while in an unripe fruit the flesh is greenish in color.
Lifespan
The lifespan of the Bratchud variety tree is significantly shorter than other varieties.The tree stops bearing fruit after 18-20 years, which forces gardeners to replace it with young ones.
Taste
Bratchud apples have a sweet taste with a pleasant sourness. On a five-point scale, the fruits of the Bratchud apple tree are rated at 4.7 points.
Growing regions
The Bratchud apple tree is zoned for cultivation in the regions of the Urals and Siberia. In addition, it has taken root well in central Russia, Altai and the European north-west of the country.
Each region has some nuances in cultivation and care. For example, in the Moscow region, apple trees need increased watering. In the Urals, planting is carried out in a place where fruit trees have not grown before, and subsequent care must necessarily include abundant fertilizing. Bratchud apple trees planted in the middle zone can be damaged by strong winds. To prevent this, the apple tree should be tied to a support or placed near buildings on the leeward side. Siberian trees need good protection of their roots from frost.
Productivity
The productivity of the Bratchud apple tree is annual and high. The fruits ripen at the same time. From one mature tree you can collect up to 150 kg of fruit.
Frost resistance
Created for cultivation in the harsh Siberian climate, the Bratchud apple tree variety can withstand the most severe frosts. The tree can withstand wintering well at a temperature of -40 °C. In climates with lower temperatures, the rhizome, which is susceptible to frost damage, should be protected.
The Bratchud apple tree loves sunny places to maximize the warmth and light necessary for fruit ripening
Resistance to diseases and pests
In contrast to its good resistance to low temperatures, the Bratchud apple tree has virtually no immunity to fungal diseases.Therefore, the tree is often affected by scab and powdery mildew.
At the same time, oily light green spots appear on the back of the leaves. Subsequently, the fungus spreads to the fruits. For prevention, the apple tree is sprayed with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture twice a year: in early spring and during budding. Treatment after flowering of the tree is carried out with fungicides, and after harvesting - with a 5% urea solution.
Flowering period and ripening period
Flowering begins in late April (or early May). In cold spring it can begin even at the end of May.
The first fruiting begins 3-4 years after planting. A special feature of the Bratchud variety is that fruits are formed on all branches: both on last year’s shoots and on young ones. This is one of the reasons for the high yield of the tree. Ripening occurs in mid to late September. Since the apples do not fall off, harvesting can be delayed until they are completely ripe. That is why the fruit harvest occurs in October.
Pollinators of the Bratchud apple tree
For the appearance of ovaries, the Bratchud apple tree requires cross pollinators. The most successful among them are the varieties Chudnoye, Podsnezhnik, Prizemlennoye, and Sokolovskoye.
Transportation and keeping quality
Apples of the Bratchud variety are characterized by good transportability. Despite the thin peel, the fruits easily tolerate long and long-distance transportation.
The keeping quality of Bratchud apples is also excellent. In the description of the variety, the originators define this period as 140 days.
Advantages and disadvantages
Apple trees of the Bratchud variety are characterized by high productivity. The fruits are distributed evenly throughout the tree and do not bunch up.
2-3 apples grow at one level of the tree
Pros:
- high resistance to prolonged frosts;
- rich sweet and sour taste;
- storage duration;
- after ripening, the apples do not fall off;
- the small height and uniform distribution of fruits on the branches makes the harvesting process convenient and quick;
- for the same reason, pruning dry and damaged branches does not cause difficulties;
- a small amount of pink pigment allows apples to be given to young children, as well as those prone to allergies;
- saving space on the site;
- annual and abundant fruiting.
Minuses:
- lack of immunity to fungal diseases;
- slow increase in fruiting;
- poor tolerance to prolonged high temperatures and drought;
- relatively short lifespan of a tree.
Landing
The naturally low-growing Brother of the Wonderful apple tree is planted in spring or early autumn. A hole is dug with a diameter of 50 cm and the same depth. The extracted soil must be mixed with humus and peat in equal proportions.
The landing algorithm is as follows.
- Drive a tall stake into the empty hole.
- Add about a third of the fertilized soil.
- Place the seedling in the hole and straighten the roots.
- Sprinkle with the remaining soil, compact well and water with 2-3 buckets of water.
Growing and care
Like planting, caring for the Brother of the Wonderful apple tree is quite simple. It includes the following steps:
- Watering. During 1 season, the tree requires watering about 5 times. At a time, 5 buckets of water are added to the soil, which should be poured into the circle around the trunk. After watering, the soil needs to be loosened to saturate it with oxygen and get rid of weeds.
- The soil around the trunk is mulched with hay, fallen leaves, and sawdust.
- Feeding should be done 4 times a season. In April, urea is used, and during the flowering period, complex mineral fertilizers are used. After the flowers fall, you should fertilize the tree with nitrophoska. After harvesting, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil.
- Annual crown pruning. To do this, frozen or dry branches are removed in early spring, and after harvesting, the upper buds on the shoots are pruned.
- Preparation for wintering includes double abundant watering and additional mulching. In addition, to protect against rodents, the near-trunk ring should be fenced with slate, and the trunk itself should be wrapped in roofing felt.
Collection and storage
When harvested in a timely manner, Bratchud apples tolerate long-term storage well. In a cool, ventilated room (for example, a basement), at a temperature of + 3 to + 7 oC, the fruits can retain their quality for 5 months. In the vegetable department of the refrigerator, the period may extend for another 1 month.
A distinctive feature of the Bratchud apple variety is its strong stalk, which reliably keeps the fruits from falling off, so the picking takes place directly from the branches
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the Brother of the Wonderful apple tree was bred for cultivation in northern latitudes, it pleases gardeners almost throughout Russia. Unpretentiousness and good yield and frost resistance, together with the rich taste of the fruit, make the variety one of the most promising and popular.
