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Late varieties of apple trees are valued, first of all, for their high keeping quality and good preservation. And if at the same time they also have high frost resistance and excellent taste, then any gardener will want to have such a fruit-bearing tree on their plot. The apple tree variety Northern Sinap is one of these.
History of selection
The history of the Northern Sinap apple tree variety began almost 100 years ago. In the first half of the last century, scientists set themselves the task of breeding frost-resistant species based on tasty, but much more heat-loving southern fruit trees. At this time, at the All-Russian Research Institute of Horticulture named after I.V. Michurin, experiments were carried out with the Crimean (Kandil) sinap variety. Its excellent taste has long been known, but this apple tree was not suitable for northern latitudes due to its poor cold resistance.As a result of pollination of the Crimean synap with Kitayka pollen, the Kandil Kitayka variety was obtained, however, its resistance to negative temperatures remained unsatisfactory.
Apple tree Kandil sinap - the progenitor of the Northern sinap
The experiments continued. In 1927, under the leadership of I. S. Isaev, seedlings of the Kandil Kitayka variety were planted on the territory of one of the experimental stations in the Moscow region. Most of them subsequently died, unable to withstand the cold winters, but there were also survivors. From these seedlings, the most promising one was subsequently selected, with good taste and regular fruiting. It became the first specimen of the Northern Sinap apple variety, a photo and description of which are given below.
In 1959, after numerous variety tests, it was included in the State Register as recommended for cultivation in the Volga and Central Black Earth regions, as well as in the south of Eastern Siberia, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia.
Description
Over the decades of its existence, the Northern Synapse has become widespread in many regions, mainly with a temperate climate. This popularity of apple trees of this variety is due, first of all, to the unique keeping quality of the fruits, which can retain their taste and presentation until May of the following year.
Appearance of fruit and tree
Apple trees of the Northern Sinap variety are vigorous; their height, depending on the rootstock, can reach 5-8 m. The crown is wide-pyramidal and of medium density. The tree has a powerful skeleton from which numerous lateral branches extend. The bark on the trunk is gray, young shoots have a cherry-gray color and slight pubescence, larger branches become brownish.The leaves are medium sized, obovate, pubescent, dark green with a grayish tint. The petiole is short, thickened.
Ripe Northern Sinap apples have a slight blush
Ripe Northern Sinap apples (pictured above) are round-conical, their average weight is 100-120 g. The outer color of the fruit is green-yellow, with a brown-red blush. The skin is smooth, shiny, and acquires an oily sheen during storage. The funnel is narrow, shallow, smooth, without rust. The stalk is not very long, brown, of medium thickness. The apple pulp is white, often with a greenish tint.
Lifespan
On vigorous rootstocks, an apple tree can live up to 60 years, but the quality and size of the fruit in this case will be lower. A semi-dwarf rootstock reduces the tree's lifespan to about 40 years, but in this case it will be smaller and more compact. The quality of the fruit will also increase, they will become larger and tastier.
The most compact apple trees grow on dwarf rootstocks Northern Sinap
Taste
Apples of the Northern Sinap variety have a high tasting score - 4.6 with a maximum possible 5 points. The taste of the fruit is described as refreshing, sweet with a pleasant sourness.
Growing regions
The optimal regions for growing apple trees of the Northern Sinap variety are the Central Black Earth region, as well as the Middle and Lower Volga regions. It is here that all the positive qualities of the species are revealed most fully.In addition, possible regions for cultivating the variety include Eastern Siberia (Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia), however, it is recommended to grow apple trees in the stale form here.
Productivity
Apple trees of the Northern Sinap variety have average early fruiting. The first harvest can be obtained 5-8 years after planting. On apple trees grafted onto semi-dwarf rootstocks, fruits can appear in 3-4 years, and on dwarf trees - already in 2 years. After 20 years, fruiting decreases and becomes sharply periodic, with productive years alternating with times of weak harvest. This becomes especially noticeable if the tree is not trimmed.
Northern Sinap apple trees can produce an excellent harvest
Frost resistance
Apple trees of the Northern Sinap variety are considered frost-resistant. According to this indicator, they are only slightly inferior to the ordinary Antonovka. Mature trees can tolerate frosts down to – 35 °C. In colder regions, local damage to the trunk and branches is possible, especially in young specimens.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Apple trees of the Northern Sinap variety do not have a pronounced immunity to any disease. Resistance to scab and powdery mildew is average. To prevent diseases and pests, trees must be treated with special preparations.
Flowering period and ripening period
Northern Sinap blooms in May; the process usually begins in the first ten days. At this time, the entire apple tree is strewn with reddish flowers with pink petals, emitting a delicate honey aroma.
Apple tree flowering lasts from 1 to 1.5 weeks
Apples reach technical ripeness in October.After harvesting, the fruits should be kept for several weeks, during which time their taste will improve significantly. After this, the harvest can be processed or stored.
Pollinators
The Northern Sinap variety is partially self-fertile. To obtain a high yield, the presence of nearby pollinators is mandatory. Antonovka vulgaris, Mekanis, Orlik, Orlovskoe winter, Memory of the warrior, Pepin saffron, Slavyanka are well suited for this purpose.
Transportation and keeping quality
The Northern Sinap variety is distinguished by its excellent keeping quality and transportability, due to which it is often grown for commercial purposes. Apples picked at technical ripeness can be stored for up to six months without significant loss of marketable properties, if optimal storage conditions are provided (temperature 0-4 °C and humidity about 85%).
Advantages and disadvantages
Over the long period of existence of the Northern Synapse, gardeners have accumulated vast experience in working with it. The positive and negative properties of these apple trees have long been known, and they should definitely be taken into account when choosing a variety for planting on a personal plot.
The Northern Sinap apple harvest can be stored almost until the middle of next year
Pros:
- Frost resistance and drought resistance.
- High yield.
- Precociousness.
- Phenomenal keeping quality and good transportability of the crop.
- Excellent taste.
- The ability to use the crop both for storage and for industrial processing.
- Apples don't fall off for a long time.
Minuses:
- Large dimensions of a tree grafted onto a tall rootstock.
- Average resistance to diseases.
- With a high harvest there are many small fruits.
- Very late ripeness.
- When grown north of the recommended regions, apples do not have time to gain sugar content.
- Partially self-fertile, requires pollinators for a good harvest.
- Requires regular pruning and maintenance.
- Good taste appears only after long-term aging of picked apples.
- Sharp frequency of fruiting.
Landing rules
To plant an apple tree of the Northern Sinap variety, it is better to choose an open, well-lit place. It is advisable that it be protected from the cold north wind. Groundwater in the area should not come closer to the surface than 1 m. It must be taken into account that an adult apple tree of the Northern Sinap variety is a powerful tall tree with a dense crown; it will provide strong shade. Therefore, you should not plant it in close proximity to the house or other sun-loving plants.
Apple tree seedlings of the Northern Sinap variety can be purchased in nurseries, specialized stores for gardeners or online. It is best to plant them in a permanent place in September, then the young tree will have time to take root before the onset of frost and will survive the winter well. If the seedling is 2 years old or more, then it can be planted in the spring, in April, immediately after the ground thaws.
Apple tree seedlings are best purchased from special nurseries
It is better to prepare holes for planting apple trees in advance so that the soil has time to saturate with air. The excavated soil is saved; it will later be needed to fill the root system. It is worth adding a little superphosphate and potassium salt to it; these fertilizers will help the seedling grow stronger faster in the pre-winter period. The dimensions of the planting hole must be such as to guarantee that it can accommodate the entire root system of a young apple tree.For a three-year-old seedling, a depth and diameter of 0.5-0.6 m is sufficient.
The landing itself consists of several stages:
- A strong stake is driven into the bottom of the planting hole near its center. At first it will serve as a support for the seedling, otherwise it may be broken by the wind.
- A few hours before planting, the roots of the apple tree are soaked in water. This will allow them to quickly begin to perform their functions in a new place.
- A mound of earth is poured into the bottom of the hole and a seedling is tried on. Its root collar should not be buried after planting.
- Having leveled the height of the seedling, set it vertically, straighten the roots, then fill the hole with prepared soil, periodically compacting it so that voids do not form.
- After the hole is completely filled with soil substrate, a small circular roller of soil is formed at a distance of 0.5 m from the trunk. It will retain water and prevent it from spreading.
- The last stage is to abundantly water the planted tree, and the root zone is mulched with peat. The seedling is tied to a support.
When planting an apple tree, the root collar is not buried
Growing and care
The Northern Sinap apple tree needs good care. It is imperative to form a growing tree; as a rule, a sparse-tiered scheme is used for this. Sanitary pruning should also be carried out regularly, clearing the crown of dry, broken and diseased branches. When fruiting declines, apple trees are rejuvenated by removing some of the old wood and transferring growth to one of the young promising shoots. Without pruning, the tree quickly becomes cluttered, the harvest becomes smaller and becomes irregular.
The Northern Sinap apple tree does not require special watering.It is quite drought-resistant, it only needs atmospheric moisture. During very dry periods, as well as during fruit set, you can organize additional watering with 5-10 buckets of water for each adult tree. This procedure should definitely be done in late autumn, after harvesting. Such moisture-recharging watering will strengthen the tree and increase its frost resistance.
During dry times, apple trees need watering.
The Northern Sinap variety is undemanding when it comes to feeding. If the soil is poor, then periodically it is worth adding rotted manure or humus to the root zone, filling it in during the autumn digging of tree trunk circles. In the pre-winter period and early spring, the trunks should be whitewashed. This will prevent the appearance of frost holes, and will also reduce the risk of damage to the bark by rodents and pests.
When to collect Northern Sinap apples for storage
Ripe apples of the Northern Sinap variety stick well to the branch, so they can be removed for storage only just before frost, in the second half of October or even in early November, if the weather permits. For this purpose, only undamaged fruits are selected. The rest of the harvest can be processed. Northern Sinap apples make excellent preserves, marmalade, and marmalade.
Conclusion
The Northern Sinap apple tree variety is loved and appreciated by more than one generation of gardeners. Some consider it obsolete, preferring new types. However, even now few of them can compete with Northern Sinap apple trees in terms of such qualities as excellent taste combined with excellent keeping quality.
