Apples not only have a pleasant taste and an unforgettable, incomparable aroma, but also amazing properties that are actively used in modern dietetics.
They are included in the diet of people who need to lose weight due to their high fiber content and organic acids.
The chlorogenic acid contained in them helps cleanse the liver, remove toxins from the body, and normalize the functioning of the digestive system. Therefore, if you are asking whether it is worth planting apple trees on your property, we say a resounding Yes!
To choose the right apple tree variety, you need to understand the growing conditions and what kind of care you are willing to provide it. The features of the Auxis variety, its requirements, advantages and disadvantages are described in our article. This knowledge will help you decide whether this apple tree is right for you and whether it is worth planting it on your site.
Description, photo
This apple tree with the sonorous and memorable name Auxis is the result of the work of Lithuanian breeders.
Crossing Grafenstein Red and McIntosh gave a good result: a variety was developed that took the excellent qualities of its parents and some of their shortcomings.
Auxis is zoned not only in Lithuania, but also in some European countries where a temperate continental or northern climate prevails.
Advantages and disadvantages
Auxis has a number of important features that can be called the advantages of the variety:
- Excellent winter hardiness;
- High quality yield indicators;
- Rapid entry into fruiting season.
obvious shortcomings of the variety ; it is worth noting only the high shedding of fruits , which can cause mechanical damage to the crop.
Tree morphology
Apple trees can be classified as medium-sized, the height can vary between 4.5 - 5 m , the crown is neat, quite compact, spherical. The leaves are green, medium-sized, matte, calm green.
Apple tree Auxis 3 year old.
The flowers are white, with a very slight pink tint.
The fruits are formed on almost all shoots, have the regular outline of a ball, slightly flattened at the apex, and can reach a weight of 170 g. The peel is smooth, medium in density, with a light waxy coating.
The color of the main part is green with a slight yellowish tint, on which bright red strokes are visible along the entire perimeter . The pulp is yellowish, very juicy and aromatic, dense, with a pleasant texture and amazing dessert taste.
Yield and tasting rating
The variety is characterized by high yield , but over the years a partial periodicity of fruiting can be observed, which occurs under certain weather conditions.
The main advantage of Auxis is the amazing taste of the fruit; the sweetness of the apples is diluted by a light fresh sourness, for which it received a high score during the tasting.
Winter hardiness and disease resistance
In the conditions of the Middle Zone, the variety shows an average level of resistance to frost ; during snowless winters, it is best to cover the trunk to avoid freezing and cracking of the bark.
The apple tree variety Auxis is quite resistant to scab and shows good resistance to other diseases .
Important! Disease resistance only works if the tree receives the full range of necessary agrotechnical care measures.
See what the Auxis apple tree looks like in the video below:
Reviews
Anatoly, Kolomna. “Very cool variety! The most delicious apples I've ever tasted! There are several problems in growing: firstly, they fall off very quickly, it is difficult to catch the moment when to remove them without losing the harvest. And there were problems with wintering - the seedling was partially frozen, but they nursed it, cast it, revived it and then tried to protect it.”
Stanislav, Tula region. “I’ve been planning to plant it for a long time, I kept reading photos and descriptions of the variety on the Internet, but three years ago I finally got around to it. The seedling is on a dwarf rootstock, which means it should produce its first fruits this year, so I can’t wait to take a sample! After all, the deliciousness is simply indescribable!”
Alla, Penza. “My parents have this apple tree, I love it very much! Delicious, beautiful apples, they lie great in the cellar, we eat them until the end of winter, maybe longer - we’re just running out of them, we’re all such apple lovers! I recommend it to everyone who is partial to this fruit! A capricious tree, but the result is worth it!”
Features of planting and care
Dates and methods of planting
Planting a seedling can be done in the fall (September) so that it can take root before the onset of frost. Or in the spring, in April , when the threat of return frosts has passed.
For planting, it is best to choose sunny areas with normal groundwater.
Before planting, prepare a hole for the seedling with a depth of 70 - 80 cm, a diameter of 100 cm, remove the top layer of soil, mix it with humus. A peg and a seedling are placed in the middle of the hole, carefully covered with the soil mixture made earlier, and spilled with water.
You can make a small roll of soil along the outer perimeter of the hole to retain moisture.
Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree:
Agricultural technology
Agricultural technology includes several main activities:
- Watering;
- Feeding;
- Loosening;
- Weed removal
Watering is carried out in the root zone from spring to autumn, starting from the budding stage, adjusted for weather conditions. The amount of watering depends on the age of the tree; for an adult apple tree - 15 liters of water once a week.
Watering the apple tree is carried out in the root zone.
Organic fertilizers are applied in the fall before winter, slightly deepening them, mineral fertilizers - starting in spring:
- Nitrogen-containing on thawed-frozen soil;
- Phosphorus-potassium - according to the scheme, starting from the budding period with a frequency of three weeks until the start of ripening.
If necessary, you can also fertilize with microelements by spraying on the green mass.
Advice! For preventive control of diseases and pests, it is advisable to introduce periodic spraying of Fufanon, Inta-Vir, and copper sulfate into agricultural technology. To increase the vitality of the tree and its immunity, drugs such as Zircon and Epin will be indispensable.
Caring for the tree trunk includes timely removal of weeds and loosening of the top layer of soil to improve moisture and air exchange. Loosening is carried out the next day after watering.
Pruning and crown formation
Pruning is carried out in autumn and spring:
- In autumn , it is necessary to remove damaged and weak shoots, which can become a hotbed for the spread of fungal and bacterial diseases in winter;
- In the spring, formative pruning is carried out . You need to start approximately 3–4 years after planting the apple tree. Remove: Old obsolete branches;
- Shoots that were damaged during wintering by snow drifts;
- Branches growing inside the crown.
Watch the video on how spring pruning is carried out:
And a video on how to prune an apple tree in the fall:
Pollinator varieties
Auxis is not self-pollinating , so it needs to be planted as a pollinator tree , which can be any variety with a mid-winter ripening period.
Diseases and pests
Auxis is especially susceptible to attacks by pests such as spider mites, apple weevils, apple moths, and leaf roller caterpillars. To combat, spraying with special chemicals is carried out. It must be performed in the spring, until the ovary appears. In addition to pest attacks, the apple tree is not resistant to various diseases. Methods and means of control are selected based on what disease has affected the tree.
| Scab | Treatment with insecticides, destruction of fallen leaves. |
| Powdery mildew | Spraying the tree with a sulfur-lime solution. |
| Fruit rot | Destruction of fallen leaves and fruits, treatment with fungicides. |
| Sooty fungus | Treatment with copper-soap solution. |
| Rust | Fungicide treatment. |
Trees that have received sufficient care get sick and are attacked by pests less often. As a preventative measure, it is necessary to remove old foliage in a timely manner, mulch the ground with pine needles, prune the plant in a timely manner, and fertilize correctly and in sufficient quantities.
Features of ripening and fruiting
Beginning of fruiting
The period of entry of the Auxis apple tree depends on the rootstock it is grown on:
- The seed rootstock begins to bear fruit around the fifth year of life;
- On dwarf rootstocks , of course, earlier, approximately in the third year after planting.
Auxis begins to bear fruit in the fifth year.
Deadlines
Flowering and fruit ripening
The tree blooms in late spring , covered with fragrant white and pink flowers. The fruits begin to ripen at the end of September.
Attention! It is very important to choose the moment to collect them, without missing the moment when the apples begin to fall en masse.
Fruit storage
The fruits can be stored almost until February, and in a refrigerator - until March , without loss of taste and presentation.
Auxis fruits can be stored until March.
Periodicity
There is no obvious periodicity in the fruiting of this variety. The harvest can be obtained every year in an average volume. The only option in which this may not happen is extreme weather conditions that are not typical for the areas where it grows.
Harvesting
The apple tree will please you with a good harvest
The development period of the tree is average and does not stand out among similar varieties. Fruits can be collected already in the 5th year after planting. But this type of apple tree is characterized by high productivity, and fruit ripening is mainly observed in the same period every year.
It is recommended to collect fruits in September - October to prevent apples from falling off.
After placing the apples in boxes, they can be placed in a basement or other cool room, where the product will be stored until the end of winter. Apples can last a little longer in the refrigerator.
Cultivation in selected areas
In areas with a more severe climate, its cultivation is possible provided that it is cultivated on frost-resistant rootstocks , however, the lack of a sufficient number of sunny days can negatively affect the quality of the fruit by not providing the required amount of sugars.
In the Leningrad region, you should carefully monitor the occurrence of groundwater when choosing a planting site. It is imperative to build a drainage that will be able to protect them from getting wet.
When growing Auxis in the Leningrad region, you should carefully monitor the occurrence of groundwater.
In the Middle and Central regions of Russia, the variety is zoned and approved for cultivation. But average winter hardiness requires that the tree be carefully prepared for wintering, and be sure to mulch the soil so that the part of the root system located in the upper layers of the soil is more protected.
How to plant and care for an Auxis apple tree
This variety is usually planted in the autumn, usually in September. Trees must be established before frost occurs. Planting is also carried out in the spring, in April. There must be no threat of returning low temperatures. When choosing a site for planting Auxis, it is best to give preference to well-lit, sunny areas. Groundwater should not be located too close to the surface.
Before planting seedlings, it is necessary to make planting holes. Their depth should be from seventy to eighty centimeters, the diameter of the pit is approximately one hundred centimeters. To do this, you need to remove the top part of the soil and mix it with humus. You need to install a peg in the center of the planting hole, and a seedling next to it
Then the hole is carefully filled with soil, which must be prepared in advance. After this, the seedlings need to be well watered. A roller of earth is built around the circumference of the pit.
This measure is necessary to ensure that moisture remains longer.
A roller of earth is built around the circumference of the pit. This measure is necessary to ensure that the moisture remains longer.
As for the agricultural technology of this apple tree variety, there is nothing special here. Periodically, the plants need to be watered, added nutrients, loosened the soil in the plant’s trunk circle, and also periodically remove weeds. The plant needs to be watered in the root system area. This is done from the beginning of spring until autumn. You need to start watering when the buds are forming. In this case, you need to focus on weather conditions. Water consumption directly depends on how old your trees are. An adult plant will require about fifteen liters of water. They need to be watered approximately once a week.
Organic-based fertilizers must be applied in the autumn before wintering; they need to be slightly buried. As for fertilizers based on mineral elements, they can be applied starting in early spring.
As soon as the snow has melted from the ground, you can apply fertilizers that contain nitrogen. Fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus are applied according to a certain scheme. Such applications begin from the moment the buds form and last until the fruits begin to ripen.
If necessary, micronutrients can be added by foliar means; for this, the green mass of plants is sprayed with special preparations. To prevent various diseases and harmful insects from bothering your apple trees, you need to carry out treatments from time to time for preventive purposes. For these purposes, experienced gardeners use preparations such as Fufanon, Inta-Vir, and copper sulfate. To keep your tree viable and strong, you can use Epin or Zircon.
In the tree trunk area it is necessary to remove weeds from time to time. In addition, it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil. In this case, there is no need to go too deep into the soil, since the roots located in the top layer of soil can be damaged. Loosening is necessary so that moisture and air circulate better in the ground. It is best to choose the day after the plants have been watered for loosening.
Apple tree pruning is carried out in autumn and spring. In the fall, this should be done in order to remove weak branches and damaged shoots. They need to be removed, because in winter pathogens of various diseases of fungal and bacterial origin can accumulate there. In the spring you need to prune, which will help form the crown in the right way. This should be done in the third or fourth year after the plants were planted. In this case, it is necessary to remove aged shoots, as well as branches that thicken the crown, that is, those that grow inward. In addition, you need to remove branches that have damage that formed during the winter.
Auxis is an apple tree variety that is not able to pollinate on its own. For this reason, it is necessary to plant pollinator trees in the neighborhood. They can be any varieties of apple trees that have a mid-winter period of fruit ripening.
