Content
Early and mid-ripening apples are often more tasty and juicy than late ones, but their fresh shelf life is short. So gardeners have to either process the entire harvest into jams and preserves, or make a choice in favor of apple tree varieties with a longer ripening period. These late varieties also include the Rozhdestvenskoye apple tree, whose fruits can be stored fresh until January.
History of selection
Rozhdestvenskoye is a hybrid variety obtained in 1985 by Russian breeders as a result of crossing the hybrid VM 41497 and the Welsey variety. After State tests in the Central and Central Black Earth regions of the Russian Federation, the variety has been included in the State Register since 2001.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The Rozhdestvenskoye apple tree variety is triploid, that is, it has three sets of chromosomes.Compared to conventional varieties, triploids are distinguished not only by stable annual fruiting, but also by high marketability of fruits and a higher content of vitamins.
An important feature of these varieties is their increased resistance to the most common disease of apple trees - scab.
Mature tree height
Rozhdestvenskoye is a medium-sized variety of apple tree. In the first years after planting, seedlings grow from 0.4 to 0.7 meters, then their growth slows down. A mature tree grows up to 4 meters, like most apple trees; if the graft is made on a dwarf rootstock - up to 3 meters.
Fruit
The weight and size of the fruits of apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety is average. The weight of one apple is 140–180 grams; individual specimens can reach greater weight. The shape of the fruit is slightly flattened, the lobes are large and poorly expressed. The shell is dense, thin, and has a characteristic gloss.
The outer color of a ripe apple is red, blurry, resembling a blush on a greenish background. The pulp is dense, white with a creamy tint. Inside the fruit are closed seed chambers containing small brown seeds.
Productivity
Apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety are considered early-fruiting and productive. They begin to bear fruit already in the fourth year after planting, while Antonovka ordinary (control variety) - only in the sixth. On average, 140–150 centners of apples of this variety are harvested from one hectare of apple orchard.
Winter hardiness
Based on the results of test artificial freezing to -40 degrees, the following results were obtained.
Variety | Kidney damage, points | Damage to wood, points |
Antonovka | 1,0 | 1,5 |
Autumn striped | 1,6 | 2,7 |
Rozhdestvenskoe | 1,5 | 1,7 |
Damage sustained by the samples during the test is assessed as minor. Thus, the Rozhdestvenskoye variety can be classified as winter-hardy.
Disease resistance
Like any hybrid plant, the Rozhdestvenskoe apple tree has good immunity to diseases. Thanks to the Vf gene introduced during selection, the variety is resistant to scab.
Crown width
An adult tree has a crown in the shape (3-4 meters wide for a regular rootstock and 2 meters wide for a dwarf rootstock) of a pyramid. It is formed by several main branches extending from the main trunk at an angle of 45-80 degrees. The foliage of the Rozhdestvenskoye apple tree is average. The leaves are green, ovoid, with characteristic serrated edges. The leaf blade is slightly pubescent, matte, the apex is twisted.
Self-fertility
Rozhdestvenskoye is a self-sterile variety of apple trees. In the absence of cross-pollination, ovaries appear on a maximum of 5% of flowers.
Pollinators
The apple tree needs pollinating neighbors. The best neighbors would be the same late varieties: Antonovka, Papirovka, Melba, etc. To guarantee pollination, it is not necessary to plant them nearby; it will be enough if these trees grow on a neighboring plot.
Frequency of fruiting
Triploids, which include the Rozhdestvenskoye apple tree variety, are distinguished by regular annual fruiting. The period of fruit ripening is significantly extended in time. The harvest begins in the first ten days of September. The last apples ripen in October.
Tasting assessment
Due to differences in climatic and soil conditions in the places where they grow, the chemical composition of apples may change. The table shows the data of breeder E.N. Sedov.
| Content in fruits, % | Sugar acid index | ||
Sahara | Titrated acids | pectins | ||
Rozhdestvenskoe | 10,4 | 0,48 | 14,1 | 21,7 |
Tasting score:
- Appearance of apples – 4.4 points out of 5.
- Taste qualities – 4.3 out of 5.
Landing
Planting apple tree seedlings of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety in open ground is allowed both in spring and autumn. Before planting, you need to choose a place and study possible negative factors that can affect both the plant itself and the environment.
Choosing a landing site
To plant Rozhdestvenskoye apple trees, you need to choose a well-lit place with a low groundwater level. If they come close to the surface, you need to do drainage or plant the tree on a hill. Apple trees grow on loose sandy and loamy soils that allow air to pass well to the roots. If trees are planted on heavy clay soil, then it must be mixed with peat, compost and sand.
Holes for planting apple trees must be prepared at least a month before the planned planting of seedlings, so that the soil has time to become saturated with air. For spring planting, it is advisable to make holes in the fall, and for spring planting, no later than one and a half to two months before planting the seedlings. The depth of the pit should be at least a meter, the diameter - at least half a meter. Several buckets of peat, humus and turf soil mixed with complex fertilizer are poured inside.
When group planting seedlings in a row, the distance between adjacent holes should be at least two to three meters. This will allow the apple trees not to conflict and to develop well. When planting chaotically, the distance between seedlings is increased to four to five meters.
Planting in autumn
In order for apple trees to have time to adapt to new conditions, planting should be done no later than a month before the onset of frost.If all agrotechnical measures are carried out without disturbances, the seedlings will overwinter well and, with the arrival of warmer weather, will enter the active growth phase much earlier than those planted in the spring.
Before planting, apple tree cuttings need to be inspected. If the roots have dried out, they should be placed in water for several days, and then in a solution of a root growth stimulator the previous day. Rotten or too long roots must be trimmed.
Just before planting, an earthen mound is made in the hole. Its height should be made in such a way that the root collar is 5-10 centimeters above ground level. The roots are straightened along it. At the same time, a peg is driven into the hole to which the apple tree will be tied. The garter will protect the seedling from damage by strong winds for the first two years.
The roots are covered with turf soil with a small mound. The soil should be lightly compacted, the tree trunk should be shed generously with water and mulched with peat.
Spring planting
Planting apple tree seedlings of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety in the spring allows them to take root well and gain strength before the first wintering. Preparatory activities and the work themselves during spring planting are no different from autumn ones.
Tree care
Immediately after planting, the trunk and base of the branches of apple tree seedlings must be whitened. The same procedure is done in spring and autumn with mature trees. Lime, which is included in the whitening composition, protects the bark of the apple tree from sunburn and serves as protection against pests. The tree trunk circle must be weeded, dug up or turned periodically for better air access to the roots. And also to preserve moisture in the soil, it is advisable to mulch it with peat or dry manure.
Watering and fertilizing
Rozhdestvenskoye apple trees need regular watering only during fruit set and harvest ripening. Excess moisture is harmful, so you need to avoid stagnation of water in the roots. It is recommended to apply fertilizing no earlier than a year from the time of planting. For this purpose, complex fertilizers are used, which are applied to the tree trunk at the same time as digging.
Preventative spraying
Preventive treatment of apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety against pests is done 10–15 times a year.
Processing times | Why is it carried out? | Substances used |
Beginning of spring, before the buds swell | To destroy pests and their larvae that have overwintered in tree bark and tree trunks | Copper sulfate, DNOC |
Leaf Blooming | Against codling moth caterpillars, aphids, mites, weevils | Copper sulfate, Spark, Urea, Nitrophen, Decis |
The appearance of buds | Inta-Vir, Bordeaux mixture | |
After flowering ends | Benzophosphate, Chlorophos | |
Fruit ovary phase (1‒2 times) | Against codling moth | Topaz, Match, Lufox |
Fruit growth phase (2‒3 times) | Against the second generation of moths |
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Fruit ripening phase (1‒2 times) |
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After the leaves fall | To destroy pests and their larvae remaining in the tree bark and tree trunk for the winter | Iron sulfate, Urea |
When processing apple trees, dosages of harmful substances must not be exceeded. Activities must be carried out with the mandatory use of personal protective equipment for the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Apple tree pruning
Pruning allows both a visual inspection of the condition of the apple tree and the correct formation of the tree’s crown. This procedure is done in the spring before the buds open, and in the fall, after the leaves fall. Old, diseased, dry branches are cut out, and at the same time moss, fungi, and lichen are removed from the trunk of the apple tree. Usually this procedure is combined with whitewashing the trunks.
Shelter for the winter and protection from rodents
The bark of apple trees can be damaged by mice and hares over the winter, and young seedlings often die after this. To prevent damage by rodents, tree trunks, in addition to whitewashing, are wrapped in roofing felt, chain-link mesh or wrapped in nylon. The trunk circle of the apple tree is mulched with sawdust, straw or peat to a thickness of 10-15 centimeters.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The Rozhdestvenskoye apple tree variety has both positive and negative properties. Its advantages include:
- high productivity;
- good keeping quality of fruits;
- high transportability;
- marketable condition;
- apple trees are undemanding in care;
- high immunity;
- good taste of apples;
- good frost resistance of apple trees.
The disadvantages of apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety are the extended period of fruit ripening, as well as their tendency to shed at the end of the fruiting period. By the end of their shelf life, fresh apples lose their flavor and become soft.
Prevention and protection from diseases and pests
Prevention is the key to a rich harvest. Preventive measures include:
- spraying apple trees against pests;
- crown trimming;
- weeding and loosening of the tree trunk circle;
- watering and fertilizing.
Apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety have good immunity to diseases. Pests that destroy both the crop and the tree itself pose a great danger.
- Codling moth. A butterfly whose caterpillar develops in fruits. The first generation can affect up to 20% of the crop, the second – up to 90%. Apples affected by caterpillars do not ripen and fall off. To prevent and control the pest, trees are repeatedly sprayed with special means: chlorophos, urea, Topaz, Match and others.
- Aphid. A microscopic parasitic insect that sucks sap from leaves. Leaves affected by aphids dry out and fall off. To prevent and control aphids, the crown of apple trees is sprayed with Nitrofen, as well as with Inta-Vir, Decis, Karate, and Iskra.
- Spider mite. It actively reproduces in hot summers, managing to produce 5-6 generations per season. It feeds on leaf juices. Affected leaves of apple trees become covered with brown spots, die and fall off. A characteristic sign of a mite is the presence of a thin web entangling the leaves. For the prevention and control of insects, various insecticidal agents are used: Fufanon, Fitoverm, Karbofos and others. They also practice spraying with folk remedies: infusions of onion, garlic, horseradish.
In addition to the listed pests, scale insects, leaf rollers, weevils and other insects pose a danger to apple trees of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety. They are fought with the same drugs, since most insecticides are complex.
Conclusion
Apples of the Rozhdestvenskoye variety are suitable for both fresh consumption and various preservations. They are used to make compotes, jams, marmalade, and apple juice.The extended ripening period and high shelf life of the fruits allow gardeners to slowly process the entire harvest with virtually no losses.
The Rozhdestvenskoe apple tree variety has good potential for intensive cultivation in a variety of conditions, but without good care and timely preventive measures, a high yield cannot be obtained.
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