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Back in 1936, at the Samara Experimental Station, breeder Sergei Kedrin developed a new variety of apples. The Zhigulevskoe apple tree was obtained by hybridization. The parents of the new fruit tree were the “American” Wagner and the Russian variety Borovinka.
The plant was included in the State Register. Despite its advanced age, the Zhigulevskoe variety is still held in high esteem by gardeners. The Zhigulevskoe apple tree is an autumn variety and is widespread in many regions of Russia.
Description
To understand the characteristics of the plant, you need to know the description apple varieties Zhigulevskoye, reviews from gardeners, and also see photos of plants during different periods of the growing season.
Apple trees of this Russian variety have a well-developed root system capable of obtaining water and nutrition. But the plant cannot tolerate excess moisture, so the fruit tree is not planted in low and swampy places.
Crown
The height of the Zhigulevsky apple tree is about three meters. If grafted onto a dwarf rootstock, the variety does not grow above two meters.
The crown shape can be highly rounded or wide-pyramidal, depending on the pruning.Experienced gardeners prefer the pyramidal option, since the crown of the apple tree is not very thick, light and air penetrate to each branch.
Apple trees of the Zhigulevkoe variety are distinguished by dark brown, straight, slightly raised shoots. In spring, the buds awaken simultaneously.
In the description given by the author of the variety, the apple tree has bright green large leaves of an oblong ovoid shape. The leaf blade resembles a boat. There are small serrations along the edges, and the top of the leaf is slightly bent inward.
Flowers
The fruit tree blooms early, when there is still a threat of spring frosts. Therefore, gardeners have to resort to plant protection to prevent the flowers from freezing.
During flowering, the Zhigulevskoye apple tree (see photo) is covered with whitish-pink flowers and looks like a bride.
The flowers are large, open like saucers. The self-fertility of the apple tree is average, so experienced gardeners advise planting pollinator plants in the garden, the flowering of which coincides with the Zhigulevskoe variety. For example:
- Kuibyshevskoe;
- Anise gray;
- Antonovka vulgare;
- Spartacus;
- Kutuzovets.
If there are beehives in the garden, then additional pollination is not required.
Fruit
According to the description, reviews, and photos, Zhigulevskoye apples are large in size. Their weight is from 120 to 200 grams. There are also record holders who gain weight within 350 grams. The shape is round or with wide ribs.
The Zhigulevskoe apple is half dark red. The rest of the surface is deep yellow with slight bumpiness, sometimes warty.If you look at a photo of apples, you can clearly see stripes and dots on them. Apples of this variety have shiny, durable, oily skin. The seeds are kept in a closed, bulb-shaped chamber.
The Zhigulevskoe apple variety, according to descriptions and consumer reviews, is tasty, sour-sweet, and low in juiciness. And although the taster rating is only 3.8 out of 5 points, the fruits are popular for their delicate, coarse-grained creamy pulp. Apples contain pectin (13.2%), ascorbic acid (10.1-15.0 mg/100 g).
Characteristics of the apple tree
When choosing fruit trees for their plot, gardeners try to find out the characteristic features of the plant, its positive and negative aspects.
Advantages
- The Zhigulevskoe apple tree, according to gardeners, is a high-yielding and early-fruiting tree. One plant aged 5-6 years produces up to 240 kilograms of apples.
- The ripening period is extended. Beginning gardeners are interested in when to pick Zhigulevsky apples. Depending on the region, harvesting begins in late August or early September.
- The harvested apples take two weeks to ripen. After this they become sweeter.
- The keeping quality of dense fruits is high. Apples are stored almost until the New Year; their taste and usefulness do not disappear.
- Transportability is excellent. When transported over long distances, the fruits do not lose their presentation.
- The Zhigulevskoye apple variety is highly valued by nutritionists. The fruits contain 87% water, so they are considered dietary products.
- The use of apples is universal.
- Fruit trees of this variety are suitable for summer cottages and cultivation on an industrial scale.
- The Zhigulevskoye apple tree is resistant to some crop diseases, in particular scab.
Flaws
No matter how good the Zhigulevskoye apple tree is, it still has some disadvantages:
- The plant's winter hardiness is low; early flowering occurs at a time when spring frosts may return.
- The Zhigulevskaya apple tree is rarely affected by scab, but it is not always possible to get rid of the codling moth. You have to devote a lot of time and effort to processing fruit trees.
- Mature plants rest from time to time, which reduces yield.
Planting apple trees
Planting and caring for the Zhigulevskaya apple tree is not much different from other related crops. According to the rules, work is carried out in the fall. Let's dwell on this issue:
- They dig a hole 30 days before planting. Its depth is at least 70 cm, with a diameter of about 100 cm. When digging, the top fertile layer is folded on one side, the remaining soil on the other. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole.
- Then they burn a wooden stake and drive it into the center of the planting hole. There should be 50 cm of support above the surface. After planting, an apple tree seedling is tied to it.
- The removed top layer of soil is mixed with a bucket of manure, 800 grams of wood ash and 1 kg of nitroammophoska. This nutrition for the Zhigulevskaya apple tree, according to experts and reviews from gardeners, is enough for three years. Pour part of the soil mixture onto the bottom of the hole in a mound.
- The seedling is placed on a hillock. The peg should be in the south. Straighten the root system and lightly sprinkle with soil. The root collar should rise 5 cm above the ground.
- A Zhigulevskoe apple tree seedling is wrapped in a gasket and tied to a support with a figure eight, soil is added and watered. You will need about four buckets of water.
Tree care
Feeding rules
To obtain a rich harvest of apples, the plants must be fed. The first three years after planting, if the soil was well fertilized, fertilizing, if carried out, was done in minimal quantities. In other cases, apple trees are fed three times a season.
Mineral or organic fertilizers are used, depending on the preferences of gardeners.
Spring
In the spring, after the leaves appear, the apple tree needs to be fed with fertilizers containing nitrogen.
You can use any of the options below (per plant). The main thing is to take only one of the fertilizers and spread it in a circle around the trunk:
- Nitroammofoska – 30-40 grams;
- Ammonium nitrate – 30-40 grams;
- Urea – 0.5 kg;
- Humus - 4 buckets.
Then the soil is loosened to mix the fertilizer into the soil, and the apple trees are watered.
Bloom
When buds bloom on apple trees of the Zhigulevskoye variety, the plant experiences an urgent need for potassium and phosphorus. At this time, liquid fertilizing with one of the following fertilizers is necessary:
- Potassium sulfate – 60 grams;
- Superphosphate – 100 grams;
- Urea – 300 grams;
- mullein - ½ bucket;
- chicken manure - 2 liters.
Any fertilizing is diluted with one bucket of water. 4 buckets of fertilizer are poured under each Zhigulevskoye apple tree.
Pouring fruits
During the filling of apples, the plants also need to be fed. You can use any option:
- 10 buckets of water are poured into a large barrel, potassium humate (10 grams) and nitrophoska (500 grams) are added. Mix everything well. One apple tree requires 2-3 buckets of liquid fertilizer.
- Fill a large container with chopped green grass without seeds and add water in a ratio of 1:10. Cover the barrel with film, leaving a small hole. Green fertilizer will be ready in 25 days.
Apple trees respond well to foliar feeding:
- in July, fruit trees of any variety are sprayed with a solution of potassium and phosphorus;
- in the fall, prepare a solution of potassium and double superphosphate.
Features of watering
Plants feel comfortable if the soil gets wet to a depth of 80 cm.
Water fruit trees generously three times:
- before flowering begins;
- during fruit filling;
- In the fall, before wintering, water-charging irrigation is carried out.
Up to 20 buckets of water are poured under one adult apple tree. Watering is carried out in the furrows around the perimeter of the apple tree.
Young trees are watered more often, up to 5 times during the growing season. One apple tree will require about 4 buckets of water. They are also watered in a furrow in the tree trunk circle.
They loosen the soil under the Zhigulevskoe apple trees three days after watering, then lay mulch. To do this, you can use peat, humus, sand or rotted sawdust.
Crown formation
According to the description, apple trees of the Zhigulevskaya variety do not form large root shoots. It is cut out as it grows. And in the spring, before the leaves bloom, formative pruning of the crown is carried out. In the fall, broken, dried branches and shoots that did not bear fruit are removed.
Stlantsy
If Zhigulevsky apple trees are grown in the northern regions, then they are formed in a horizontal position. For ease of shelter, the height of the slate should not be higher than three meters.
To form such a crown, in July the shoots are distributed horizontally on the ground and secured with metal hooks. In spring, the hooks are removed to direct the branches upward. Otherwise, tops grow.
In the second half of June, young branches are pinched.3 or 4 leaves are left on them so that new shoots grow from the buds.
Tree processing
- Fruit trees are treated with the safe and effective “Healthy Garden” product against scab and various pests. Use the drug strictly according to the instructions.
- In winter, apple trees can be damaged by mice. These small pests are very afraid of the smell of diesel fuel. Therefore, rags soaked in this substance are placed under the trees.
- To prevent plants from getting burned, they must be whitened in spring and autumn with chalk, lime or special paint.
Growing a Zhigulevskoe apple tree is not difficult, the main thing is to know agricultural technology and follow the rules.
