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As a rule, experienced gardeners try to grow several apple trees at once, including trees of early and late varieties. This combination allows you to harvest fresh fruit from mid-summer to late autumn. Late variety apples can be successfully stored all winter, providing the family with the necessary vitamins. Of all the variety of late-ripening apple trees, the Florina variety is considered one of the best. Apple trees of this variety have long been known to gardeners and have proven themselves only from the best side. High quality fruits are very beautiful and tasty. The tree itself is hardy, productive and unpretentious. You can learn about all the other advantages and features of the Florina variety further in the article. After getting acquainted with the information offered, perhaps “Florina” will decorate another orchard.
History of the variety's creation
More than 50 years ago, French breeders developed the Florina variety by crossing several types of apple trees at once. Thus, the resulting apples combine the characteristics of the varieties “Jonathan”, “Rob Beauty”, “Golden Delicious” and some others.
Domestic breeders became acquainted with the Florina variety only in the 30s of the last century.After lengthy trials and tests, the variety was zoned for several climatic zones of the country. Since then, “Florina” has won the respect of many gardeners and today enjoys wide popularity. Seedlings of this variety are available to everyone. They can be easily found at a nursery or at a gardening fair.
Thanks to the excellent characteristics of the fruit and high yield, Florina apple trees have become in demand not only for growing in private backyards, but also for producing fruit for commercial purposes. It is this late-ripening variety that is grown by many farms.
Description and characteristics of the variety
Many gardeners know the Florina apple tree. For those who are not yet familiar with this variety, information about the plant itself and its fruits may be useful.
Description of the plant
The Florina apple tree can become a decoration for every garden. This medium-sized plant has a beautiful spreading crown. Breeders recommend forming it into a round shape to obtain a highly decorative plant. The branches of the apple tree are strong, located at an angle of 45-800 in relation to the main trunk. The height of the apple tree largely depends on the method of crown formation and can reach 3-5 m.
Young Florina apple trees actively grow shoots and greenery, which must be thinned out regularly. The leaves of "Florina" are bright green and medium in size. In dry weather, they may curl slightly inward, which indicates a lack of moisture.
In spring, apple tree buds take quite a long time to awaken. The flowering period is long, the type of fruiting is mixed. The apple tree produces its first harvest at the age of 4-5 years.As the variety matures, the yield increases from 5-10 to 70 kg.
For a medium-sized tree, the given yield indicator is not too high, but is stable. This yield is observed with open pollination, in which only 16-25% of the fruits are set. With the presence of additional pollinating varieties, this figure can be increased to 32%. The best pollinators for the Florina variety are the hybrids Prima, Granny Smith, Gloucester and others.
Description of fruits
Florina apples are characterized by excellent appearance. They are quite large, weighing about 110-150 g. The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, truncated. Upon careful examination, you can detect subtle ribbing in some apples.
The skin of the fruit is strong and elastic, of medium thickness. It is painted in a bright blush, sometimes blurred by barely noticeable stripes. Medium-sized subcutaneous light specks adorn the entire surface of the fruit. You can visually evaluate the description of the Florina apple variety in the photo:
The flesh of Florina apples is light yellow, very sweet and crisp. The special aroma of fruit is the hallmark of the variety. It is quite difficult to unambiguously assess the taste of apples, since it contains some blandness, sourness and sweetness. As it is stored, the taste and aroma of the fruit changes, becomes rich, and resembles a ripe melon. During the tasting process, experienced experts rate the taste of Florina apples at 4.4 points out of 5 possible.
Red, large apples look great against the background of a bright green crown. During the ripening period, trees are highly decorative and truly decorate the garden.Full ripeness of the fruit occurs by the end of September - beginning of October. The product can be successfully processed or stored fresh for the winter. In a cool room, the quality of apples is maintained until spring. Some reviews claim that in the refrigerator it is possible to preserve the harvest until June.
Dense and large apples have high marketability and transportability. It is thanks to this quality that it became possible to grow the variety on an industrial scale for subsequent sale.
You can see Florina apples whole and in cross-section, and hear some comments about their quality, main characteristics and taste in the video:
Resistance to freezing and diseases
Florina apple trees have average resistance to freezing. Young seedlings are especially vulnerable. In the conditions of central Russia, it is recommended to wrap them securely in burlap for safety during severe winter frosts.
Adult apple trees are protected from freezing by applying a layer of whitewash. The trunks of adult apple trees are whitened twice a season: in late autumn and early spring. Another effective protective measure is mulching the soil around the plant’s trunk. You can use fallen leaves as mulch. Additionally, it is recommended to spray it with highly concentrated urea. In this case, quickly rotted foliage will become a generous source of nutrients for feeding the apple tree.
Florina apple trees have excellent resistance to scab and some other fungal diseases. This makes it possible, even on an industrial scale, to obtain a good harvest of fruit without the use of chemicals. Powdery mildew, bacterial blight and moniliosis also pose a low level of threat to plants.The plant has no protection against European cancer.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
By analyzing photos, reviews and descriptions of the Florina apple tree, we can draw some conclusions and determine the main advantages and disadvantages of the variety. So, the main positive points in the description are:
- excellent external qualities of fruit;
- unique taste and aroma of apples;
- relatively high yield;
- high resistance to most diseases;
- possibility of long-term storage of fruits;
- good transportability and keeping quality.
Among the disadvantages of the Florina apple tree, only two nuances can be identified:
- the need for careful and regular formation of plants;
- The variety bears fruit once every 2 years.
After analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the Florina apple tree, you can decide for yourself how justified its cultivation will be in certain conditions. If there is a place for this variety in the garden, then it would be useful to familiarize yourself with some information about growing a fruit tree.
Features of cultivation
The Florina apple tree cannot grow well in acidic soils, so you should check the acidity level before planting. It is preferable to grow seedlings on black soil or loam. Before planting, it is necessary to add a large amount of rotted organic matter and mineral fertilizers to the soil. After planting, the apple tree should be watered regularly and its actively growing shoots should be thinned out. To prevent freezing, seedlings should be wrapped in burlap for the winter, and the tree trunk circle should be mulched.
Caring for mature fruit trees involves feeding. Thus, fertilizers with a high nitrogen content should be applied annually in the spring. In summer, the tree is fed with potassium and phosphorus.
Conclusion
"Florina" is an excellent variety for a caring owner. It allows you to get a wonderful harvest of tasty and aromatic apples in exchange for minimal care. Apples store well and can be a tasty, healthy fresh treat for adults and children throughout the winter.
