Apple tree Candy: description, photos, reviews

Content

1 History of origin
2 Description of the variety
3 Fruit characteristics
4 Planting and care
5 Reviews from gardeners
6 Conclusion

Apples are loved and grown in many countries of the world, but in Russia there are unique varieties, the analogues of which cannot be found in any country in the world. An example is the candy apple tree variety, the very name of which already says a lot about itself. The taste of the fruits of this variety is very popular not only with children, but also with adults with a sweet tooth. To some it resembles pineapple, to others it resembles ripe bananas, and most agree that these apples can easily replace candy.

The Candy apple tree is a very interesting variety that has many features, and is not known to everyone due to the fact that it has not been zoned for industrial use. But those who have ever encountered this variety are unlikely to change it, despite the fact that it also has some significant drawbacks.

History of origin

Back in the 40s of the 20th century in Michurinsk at the Institute of Horticulture, this variety was bred by a group of scientists Z. Ivanova, M. Maksimov and V. Zaets under the leadership of the famous biologist-breeder S.I. Isaev.

It was obtained by crossing ancient Russian varieties of folk selection Papirovka and Korobovka. Although they have been known for at least several centuries, they still continue to be promising varieties for amateur gardens.After the war, in the early 70s, state tests of the Candy variety began. But due to some difficulties in forming and maintaining the crown, and, most importantly, short storage and unsuitability for transportation of the fruits of this apple tree, the variety was never regionalized. At the same time, many amateur gardeners enjoy growing the Candy apple tree on their plots and love it for its unpretentiousness and the amazing, incomparable taste of apples.

As a result Apple tree The Candy variety is not at all uncommon in many gardens of Belarus, Ukraine, and the European part of Russia, but is also found beyond the Urals, in some regions of Siberia. There are several synonymous names for this variety: Summer Ranet or Candy Ranet, and people often call these apple trees simply Candy.

Attention! In recent decades, a new improved variety of apple tree, Konfetnoye-2, has been developed. It is actually a clone of the previous one, but with a more compact crown size and higher rates of fruit transportation.

Description of the variety

The Candy apple trees themselves are tall by nature. In the first three years of life, they grow and develop very quickly, reaching a height of three meters. Then the growth rate slows down somewhat and the total height of the tree in adulthood does not exceed 5 meters.

But the height of the tree depends entirely on the rootstock on which the variety is grown. In modern times of love for compact and small trees, apple trees of this variety are often grown on a dwarf rootstock. Of course, in this case, the height of the tree can easily fit within 1.7-1.8 meters, and most importantly, the tree can bear fruit on a dwarf rootstock literally in the second year after planting.But novice gardeners need to understand that trees growing on dwarf rootstocks have a much more capricious character and require more careful care than ordinary ones. Due to their small root system, they are very unstable, therefore they require mandatory, strong support, regular watering, fertilizing and control. weeds.

Advice! A compromise option for growing a Candy apple tree on a semi-dwarf rootstock is possible.

In this case, the tree is unlikely to exceed the three-meter mark, and the first fruits will also be able to bear quite early - 2-3 years after planting, but the root system will be somewhat more stable, although the apple tree will still require increased attention from the gardener.

Apple trees of the Confectionery variety are distinguished by a powerful and spreading crown in adulthood. But in the first years of life, the branches grow mainly upward and at a slight angle from the trunk, so the crown has a narrowed shape. Pruning plays an important role in the life of the Candy apple tree - it allows you to form a beautiful, oval-shaped crown, and prevent thickening of the branches, which can lead to many diseases. In addition, regular pruning promotes annual fruiting and has a positive effect on the size of the fruits - they do not become smaller with age.

The shoots are flexible and durable, able to withstand the weight of a bountiful harvest without breaking. The branches are distinguished by the abundance of foliage. The leaves themselves are leathery, durable, dark green, medium-large in size.

The Candy apple tree blooms with small white-pink inflorescences in May. According to the ripening period, the variety belongs to the summer variety; depending on the amount of heat and sunlight, apples can be one of the first to be picked in the summer season, already at the end of July or at the beginning of August.Moreover, like some summer varieties, the Candy apple tree has such a feature - its fruits can be eaten even at the stage of so-called technical maturity, when they have already reached the size required by the variety, but have not yet turned the required color. At this stage of ripening, they are already very tasty and sweet, but at the same time they are still fresh and juicy.

As noted above, the time at which an apple tree begins to bear fruit depends to a large extent on the rootstock. On ordinary vigorous rootstocks, the first fruits may appear only in the 4-5th year of the tree's life.

The Candy apple tree is a partially self-pollinating variety, therefore, for additional pollination and, as a result, obtaining a good harvest, it is desirable that apple trees with the same flowering periods grow nearby.

Advice! For better pollination, it is desirable to have hives with bees nearby.

Listed below are the main varieties of apple trees that can be the best pollinator varieties for the Candy apple tree.

Anise pink-striped;
Melba;
Glory to the Winners;
Padding;
Red early;
Orlovim;
Stark John Grimes;
Golden Chinese;
Belevoye;
Yandykovskoe.

And in terms of productivity, the Candy apple tree can surprise the inexperienced gardener. Already at the age of five years it can produce 40-50 kg of apples from one tree. For an adult ten-year-old tree, 100 kg is not at all the limit of its yield.

Frost resistance plays an important role in the description of a variety. The Candy apple tree can withstand temperatures down to -28°C, having average frost resistance characteristics, but the peculiarity of this variety is the fact that even after the harshest winters the tree is able to recover, bloom and grow.The candy apple tree is also unpretentious in other conditions and can resist various diseases and pests well.

Attention! Its weak point is its low resistance to scab - this scourge of all pome fruit crops.

In rainy years this can be a problem, so mandatory preventive treatment with copper-containing antifungal drugs is necessary.

Fruit characteristics

The shape of Candy apples is round with slight ribbing. Most apples grow the same shape and size. The weight of apples is usually small, 70-80 grams, but when grown on a dwarf rootstock, the weight of the fruit can increase to 200 grams. The skin is smooth with a very slight waxy coating.

Apples also look very attractive. The main color of apples is bright yellow, but with enough sunlight, a red-crimson blush appears on the fruit in the form of bright strokes.

Thanks to their honey-candy taste, apples got their name. Despite the fact that experts rate the taste of apples at 4.0, in terms of sugar content, few apple varieties can compare with Candy. The ratio of sugar to acid is 46. And apples contain more than 10% pure sugar. For this reason, apples are ideal for making fruit wine or apple cider. And other products, such as jams, preserves, confitures, made from Candy apples are very popular. Because, in addition to the fact that they practically do not require adding sugar, they have an indescribable delicate aroma.

Important! Candy apples contain a large amount of iron (2.2 mg per 100 g) and vitamin C (26 mg per 100 g).

A special advantage of apples, among other characteristics, is that they hold tightly to their branches and therefore the tree practically never falls. By the way, you need to pick apples either from a ladder or using a special fruit picker. Since shaking off the fruits is difficult and makes no sense, they will not be stored at all.

In general, the shelf life of Candy apples is short - 2-3 weeks in a regular room, and up to 1.5 months in the refrigerator.

Planting and care

Planting apple trees of the Candy variety is no fundamentally different from other apple trees. And when caring for this tree, you need to pay special attention to only two procedures: pruning and anti-scab treatment.

Pruning should be done annually in the spring before buds break, and is equally important for young trees as for old ones. Otherwise, the apple tree will bear fruit only after a year.

To prevent scab, it is important to carefully remove leaves from under the trees every year and spray the tree crown with antifungal drugs in early spring.

Reviews from gardeners

Reviews about the Candy variety apple tree, description and photo which are presented above are mostly favorable. After all, this variety is ideal for home gardens, when fruiting is extended and apples can be gradually eaten directly from the tree, and, if necessary, the necessary sweet preparations can be made.

Elena, 35 years old, Saransk

They decided to plant a candy apple tree mainly for children who love everything sweet. And we are very happy with this decision, because these apples are the most delicious of all summer varieties. Most fruits are eaten while still green, they are so tasty, sweet and juicy. Well, from what remains, I make jelly and jam for the winter.

Alexey 42 years old, Krasnoyarsk

There are harsh winters in our area, but the Candy apple tree, planted more than 5 years ago, is growing and delighting us with its honeyed fruits. I have three trees and from each I harvest up to 60 kg. I love making cider from it – it produces an extraordinary aroma. Moreover, bees love these trees very much, and the honey then turns out very tasty. For the winter, however, I cover the lower part of the trunks with spruce branches and peat - so far not a single tree has frozen.

Yaroslav, 38 years old, Voronezh

An old apple orchard grew on the recently purchased plot. I was already thinking about getting rid of it in the fall, when in July I accidentally tried a fruit from one tree and at first couldn’t even believe that it was an ordinary apple, its taste and aroma were so unusual. Neighbors said that the old Candy variety and other pollinators for it grow here. Then in the spring I did a drastic pruning of the trees and the next year I simply didn’t know what to do with the harvest - there were so many apples.

Tamara, 56 years old, Bryansk

The Candy apple tree has been growing in our dacha for four years now. In the third year we tried the first apples, and this year we got quite a decent harvest. The apples are the first to ripen, already in July, and they are so delicious that at first it seems like you can’t get enough of them. What else I like about this apple tree is that it is not afraid of any aphids or other worms. Of course, they are poorly stored, but there is no need to store them. They are the most delicious - straight from the tree. You need to eat your fill of them, and the rest makes excellent aromatic compotes and pie filling.

Conclusion

It is not for nothing that the Candy apple tree serves as a continuation of ancient varieties of folk selection.Despite some shortcomings, people’s love for it is unlikely to dry up, because in our cold climate it is a supplier of the sweetest and juiciest fruits, which can easily compete with overseas delicacies.