It wasn't that long ago. A couple of decades ago, I started developing my plot of land (almost 12 acres).
The area allowed for imagination. And do not limit yourself in choosing the number of different trees.
We were also attracted by new items – columnar apple trees. And so three apple trees appeared in the garden.
Interesting names: Luch 14 and some others.
How to care for them? No one could really explain it. There was no Internet yet. They just warned. Take care of the top of your head! And you don't need to cut anything.
And I didn’t save it on one tree. Four branches appeared , stretching upward tightly and unitedly. Apples already surprised us with both their shape and unknown taste.
20 years have passed . But I still pleasantly surprise my friends and acquaintances with these apples.
I was unable to form the crown correctly.
One tree is missing. With a good harvest, already quite large apples. It just collapsed. I think the roots couldn't withstand such a crown.
Another apple tree of the same variety still surprises with its appearance and numerous apples. Pyramid with deviated branches .
For one or two years there were isolated fruits - when no apple trees bore fruit. They were already ripe for Apple Savor. But they stay on the tree for a long time.
The juice from them is very tasty and special . One tree gave 8-10 buckets! Real 12-liter ones.
The third apple tree is late. She justified it. The most compact crown shape of the three . We managed to taste the first apples only on the 10th anniversary.
And before that there were nails, and constrictions, and threats with an ax . But the apples didn’t surprise me at all. And there was nothing to put in storage.
These are the personal passions of my columnar apple trees. And delight. And disappointment. You can write a lot more about them. But we need to talk about what it is like, the columnar Vasyugan apple tree.
Apple tree variety Vasyugan, photo and description of the variety
Something about columnar apple trees.
The first variety Vazhak was discovered by a Canadian gardener in the 60s of the last century. More precisely - 1964. Like a mutation on one of the Mekintosh apple trees.
It turned out to be stable . Even those propagated by seeds did not lose their original properties. And off it went, all over the world.
Planting the columnar apple tree Vasyugan.
Why did they gain popularity so quickly?:
- The uniqueness of the shape is very compact, like cypress. Very few side branches. And even twigs are more correct;
- Allows you to have a large number of varieties in a small area. Gives you the opportunity to create original views in your home garden. That’s what captivates them with their decorativeness;
- The fruits directly adhere to the trunk and branches. This provides a large number of ringlets;
- Caring for such an apple tree is very convenient due to its low height;
- Fruits appear even in the first year of planting. But it is not recommended to leave flowers;
- Very durable wood. The branches practically do not break off due to the large number of fruits.
The authors of the variety are N.G. Morozov, V.V. Kichina, and employees of the Institute of Horticulture developed this variety in 1987.
Peculiarities:
- Pyramid tree of weak growth;
- Fruits on numerous ringlets;
- The fruits come in both medium and large sizes (100-150 g). And even almost 200 g;
Columnar apple tree Vasyugan.
- Yellow-green apples have an elongated conical shape with a pink color and blurred stripes;
- White and creamy pulp has a sweet and sour taste. Dense and grainy;
- Frost-resistant for harsh climates.
Peculiarities
They are classified as semi-dwarf apple trees and form a single-trunk crown.
Attention! The root system is located closer to the surface of the earth:
- Install support pegs. Or supports.
- Watering and good fertilizing are a requirement. Not a wish.
- High-quality care will not only ensure fruiting, but also the quality of apples. Lack of care will turn a delicious apple into an apple of unknown taste and size.
Tree height - up to 3 meters can grow by 8 years. Also, take into account the specific rootstock.
Annual growth
The apple tree grows 15-20 cm annually. Sometimes more.
Productivity
Starting from the second year it only increases. From the age of 5 you can already collect 6-7 kg of apples. Regulate fruiting, thin out the ovary.
Tasting assessment
But experts rate the variety’s taste not very high – only 4 points. Or maybe it would be more correct to say 4 points.
And it is very suitable for various preparations - jams, jams, jellies .
From the age of 5 you can already collect 6-7 kg of apples.
Winter hardiness
The winter hardiness of the variety allows it to withstand the winters of central Russia without freezing. But the frosts reached 42 degrees.
Interesting fact! There are known cases when the Antonovka apple trees had frost damage, and the Vasyugan apple trees growing nearby overwintered without damage.
But in winter the trees need to be prepared:
- Make moisture-charging irrigations.
- Dig around the tree trunks.
- Protect from rodents (mesh, roofing material with coniferous bastweed, etc.).
Disease resistance
Experts rate it as above average . I think you will decide how much higher when growing your trees of this variety. But there are such definitions - at the level of the best standard varieties.
Important! It definitely needs to be processed.
Lifespan
The duration of good fruiting is about 15 years . And then you will collect a few apples. Even before the 50th anniversary of the apple tree.
Decide for yourself. Maybe the plantings need to be updated. And plant new varieties.
Recommendations from experts: When the apple trees reach 10 years of age, plant new seedlings.
Preventative work
Vasyugan is resistant to pests. At the same time, preventive measures should not be neglected. To do this, it is worth treating the culture with Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate or some special means.
Note! Rainy weather increases the risk of developing scab. To prevent pathology, it is worth using Bordeaux mixture.
The Vasyugan apple tree is considered a popular columnar crop, which is characterized by its high resistance to frost and low maintenance requirements. To grow a plant successfully, it must be watered on time and protected from pests.
Reviews
Let us remind you that the columnar apple tree Vasyugan is presented here for you: description, photos and reviews from gardeners.
Sergey Ovchinnikov: “For a very long time I wanted to plant and grow columnar apple trees. The neat rows near the fence in the photo were impressive, and those who already had the columnar Vasyugan apple tree gave the most flattering reviews. Rows couldn't. And I planted several apple trees. And I didn’t regret it. Although the recommendations for special care were alarming. It turned out that he needed a regular one. But permanent. And specific. By the way, it doesn't take much time.
And now we already have several apples of the Vasyugan variety. Very pleased. And how beautiful they look.”
Kirill Karasev: “In our harsh climatic conditions, apple trees on a dwarf rootstock, the President and Vasyugan significantly enriched the knowledge about columnar apple trees. I assumed they were southern sissies. I saw a description of the variety, a photo, and now they are growing and have begun to bear their first fruits. I am not bothered by the relatively small number of apples. They are! And very tasty. And it’s even nice to look after them.”
Stepan Semyonov: “The small territory did not allow me to have apple variety. I doubted it. I thought that the taste of columnar apple trees was worse than that of vigorous-growing apple trees. Now there are enough good and tasty varieties. Among them is the early variety of columnar apple tree Vasyugan. Large apples, sweet and sour. And some kind of aroma. Don't get confused. Instead of a couple of ordinary ones, I planted a dozen columnar ones. What stops them is their price. But they're worth it."
How to plant and care
Landing dates
- By planting in the spring (in the second half of April or early May), you can see them bloom this year. In the first year, all flowers must be cut off.
- Or you can plant in September-November.
Technology
Anyone who has planted at least one apple tree will already tell you what to do and you will have no questions left on how to properly plant a Vasyugan apple tree:
- Be especially scrupulous and picky when choosing a seedling . And the article will help with this: Preference is given to tall annual seedlings.
- Without damage.
- Do not allow the roots to dry out.
- Try to purchase one with a closed root system.
- Select and prepare a place for planting : If there are multiple plantings, cultivate this area.
- Apply nitrogen fertilizers, compost (sand, dolomite flour, peat - depending on the condition of the soil, if necessary).
- Dig it up.
- Its size is 50-60 cm in depth and 50-70 cm in diameter.
- On a formed mound and well straightened the roots (without bends).
Very important! Pay attention to the root system - numerous branches of different thicknesses. Not two or three rods!
Distance
Plant trees at a distance of 90-100 cm from each other in a row. Notice how the columnar Vasyugan apple tree is planted in the photo below.
Growing columnar apple trees.
Between rows - at least one meter.
In practice, it depends on your plans and intentions. There are examples when there are 40 cm in a row and 90 cm between rows. I think it's because of greed. The tree needs the sun too! And diseases don’t stick so much.
If you want to have a garden of columnar apple trees on one hectare , you can plant about twenty thousand seedlings.
And from each you will collect 7-8 kg of apples . Determine the yield yourself.
Peculiarities
Planting in autumn
- The seedlings that you plant in the fall must be well prepared for winter.
- Insulate and protect from rodents.
- Situations often arise when a seedling is purchased in the fall, and the conditions are no longer very suitable for planting: Bury the seedling until spring in a place without stagnant water. And protected from the wind.
- Cover with spruce branches.
- Throw snow on it.
Growing
- Due to its appearance and the presence of numerous ringlets on small branches and trunk;
- You need to form columns of apple trees. As picture:
Formation of columns.
Attention! Monitor the safety of the apical bud.
Agricultural technology
It is not something complicated or impossible.
You do everything as for a regular apple tree.:
- Water regularly. Young trees at least 2-3 times a week. Considering the real weather. Even better is drip irrigation.
- Feed regularly: 2-3 times foliar - on the foliage during the growing season with urea.
- Root - ammonium nitrate.
- They are the same. No one came up with special ones for columnar apple trees.
Pruning and crown formation
Included in the complex of agrotechnical practices. This is an option for those who are afraid to pick up a pruner. Not just sanitary pruning, where you remove dry and damaged branches.
And yet experts recommend:
- Remove strong shoots.
- Cut off the side branches in the second year, leaving two buds.
- Shoots will grow from them.
- Next year, keep one of them. Cut the second one again into two buds. On the shoot you will receive fruits.
- Already in the third year, remove this branch. Cut the rest into two buds, as in the first year.
Single columnar apple tree of the Vasyugan variety.
Advice! (including from personal experience)!:
- Watch the apical bud: one shoot grows from it every year.
- If the kidney is damaged – several (2-4).
- Leave one. Best. Carefully cut off the rest.
From personal experience , I left 3-5 branches on two trees.
They turned out to be two dwarf ones. One of them has been producing very good harvests every year for a dozen years now. About 8-10 buckets (60-70 kg). The non-columnar crown somehow doesn’t upset me.
Useful tips
- Fans of large plantings of columnar apple trees need to remember: Plant in groups: Summer.
- In autumn.
- In winter.
Pollinator varieties
Even continuous plantings of columnar apple trees do without traditional pollinator varieties .
Attract bees by spraying apple trees with mild syrup.
Selection of seedlings
You need to choose the right apple tree
When choosing a seedling, the main criterion is compliance with the selected region.
The columnar apple tree quickly takes root in any conditions, but gives less growth on clay soils.
For dwarf trees, it is important that groundwater is no higher than 3 meters. Otherwise the rhizome will be damaged
Characteristics of good planting material:
- Age. The best seedlings are two years old. If they are younger, it will be difficult for them to adapt quickly, and if they are older, then their root system does not have time to grow properly. What is the difference between shoots of different ages: one-year-old material does not have developed branches, but two-year-old material already has 2-3 of them, the branches stick out on the sides at an angle from 45° to 90°.
- Structure. Roots and stems will help to understand the condition of the planting material. There should be no damage or stains on the shoots. The inside of the seedling should be deep green. Good material keeps its roots moist. It is necessary to inspect the rhizome for the presence of rot; to do this, carefully pull the root back: if it comes off easily, the graft has rotted. Good roots are elastic and do not break when bent.
- It is better not to buy planting material with green leaves. He won't get used to it.
Features of ripening and fruiting
What year does it bear fruit after planting?
Maybe in the first year.
Wait until next year. Pick off the flowers! This will allow the apple tree to be well prepared for full fruiting.
Flowering period
In the first half of May. Or maybe the second one. Depends on the growing region.
Deadlines
Fruit ripening
- Start picking ripe fruits from the end of August.
- And you can take them off for almost a month.
Fruit storage
They are stored very well for an autumn variety. No problem – up to two months .
general characteristics
The columnar culture belongs to the late varieties. The deadline for collection falls in the last weeks of December.
The frost-resistant apple tree quickly adapts to northern regions. In areas with warm climates, it demonstrates rapid growth and produces a stable harvest. Winter hardiness and high yield are two main advantages of the variety.
Peculiarities:
- precociousness;
- The crop bears fruit in the first year - 6 apples are formed on a young tree;
- over the years, productivity increases;
- maximum yield is achieved in the 5th year;
- the average yield is 7 kg per apple tree.
The period of fruit ripeness directly depends on the region. It stretches from the end of summer until mid-September.
The warmer it is, the faster the fruits ripen. The harvest is stored for up to 2 months.
Apples can be eaten raw or used to make winter twists, jams and juices.
Description of the tree
The apple tree is semi-dwarf, Vasyugan grows on one trunk, the growth of lateral branches is less intense.
Active growth of the seedling is observed at 6-7 years. The maximum height is 3 meters. Annual growth – 20 cm.
The crown is small in size, but with dense leaves. Fruiting occurs on the ringlets, so it has the shape of a column.
According to the description, it bears fruit up to 16 years, but after 10 years the yield begins to decline. For this reason, the garden is updated every decade.
The culture's resistance to diseases is average.
A pollinator is not needed, but varieties with similar breeding characteristics with cross-pollination improve the quality of the fruit.
Description of apples
The fruits are quite large, the weight of one is from 110 to 150 g. Record holders weigh up to 200 g. The apples are hard and have a conical, slightly elongated shape. The skin is thin, dense and smooth.
The longer the apples hang on the branches, the brighter their color.
Description of fruits:
- inside the flesh is pale yellow;
- dense pulp with fine grain;
- inside the fruit is of a homogeneous structure.
The pulp has a characteristic sweet and sour taste. A pronounced “sourness” appears during long-term storage.
Apples are of the dessert type: they are juicy, with a pleasant aroma, and therefore are used to prepare delicious dishes.
Subspecies and variety options
Dwarf
- There are three main groups of columnar apple trees : Dwarf.
- Semi-dwarf.
- Vigorous.
Early
You will find different definitions of variety :
- Early.
- Late summer.
- Early autumn.
And it's all true. Who grows it and where?
Varieties
Depending on the scion, these apple trees are divided into types: super-dwarf, dwarf, semi-dwarf, medium-sized, and vigorous.
Dwarf
Apple trees of this species are obtained by grafting clonal scions with the Co gene onto dwarf rootstocks. The tree is particularly fragile, slow growing and has a unique ability to form fruits along the entire trunk from the first year. It has moderate winter hardiness and disease resistance.
This group includes the most popular varieties: Dialog, Arbat, Valyuta.
Early
The variety differs not only in tree height, but also in ripening time. Technical ripeness of summer apple varieties occurs from mid-July to the first half of August. The shelf life of such fruits is short, no more than 4 weeks. The most common varieties are: Medok, President.
