History of the apple tree
The Dream variety is a product of selection at the I.V. Michurin Horticultural Research Institute. When creating a fruit tree, emphasis was placed on good taste, early ripening, and resistance to diseases and pests.
2 Russian varieties were chosen as parents:
- Pepin Saffron;
- White filling.
As a result of selection, an early ripening variety of Mechta apples with elegant and tasty fruits appeared.
The variety is intended for cultivation in central Russia. Today you can find trees in the Urals, where they are grown as dwarf and semi-dwarf trees.
Characteristics of the variety
During the selection process, the institute’s workers were able to develop a frost-resistant apple tree; the variety was named Mesta. The tree's immunity is strong, it protects against fungal infections and parasites.
The popularity of this variety is justified by its low maintenance requirements. Every gardener can grow crops.
Appearance of tree and fruit
The height of the tree is only about 3 m. In rare cases, they grow up to 4 m.
Barrel Description:
- smooth;
- strong;
- red-gray bark.
The shoots and side branches are green with small green splashes. The crown is wide, oval in shape. The peculiarity is the rapid growth of branches. If you do not tie up or trim the shoots in time, the crown will lose its shape.
Description of fruits:
- medium or large size apples: approximate weight of each 100-300 g;
- round shape;
- color – yellow, with a slight green blush;
- If this variety is grown in sunny and warm areas, some of the fruits will be red in color.
Taste characteristics
The pulp is white. It has small red fibers that give it an unusual appearance. The structure of the pulp is loose, melts in the mouth when consumed.
The taste of the fruit is sour, with a slight sweetness. If the crop is properly cared for, the sweet taste will prevail.
Productivity
Up to 120 kg of selected products are collected from each tree. If you properly care for the crop, you can increase the harvest amount to 150 kg.
If self-pollinating high-yielding crops are planted nearby, yields reach 200 kg per tree.
It is better to store the collected fruits in cool rooms so that they retain their commercial quality longer.
Winter hardiness
The tree has good frost resistance: it can withstand down to -30 °C.
Since this variety was bred specifically for the northern regions of the country, when planted, young seedlings are resistant to temperature changes. Planting is possible at temperatures of -5-7 °C.
Pollination
The Dream variety needs pollinators
The Mechta variety does not have self-pollinating properties, so additional plants are planted next to the saffron trees. If you are unable to plant pollinators, do the pollination yourself.
To do this, it is enough to collect pollen from self-pollinating crops that are planted in another area and scatter them close to the tree.
Melba and Antonovka are considered the best pollinators.
Disease resistance
The variety has good immunity, which allows it to resist the effects of diseases and pests. Resistance to scab and powdery mildew is observed.
In the central and southern regions, the tree is affected by mites. Effective control of these parasites is carried out using chemicals.
Description of the apple tree variety Dream
The Dream apple tree, according to the description and the photo presented above, decorates the garden throughout the season. It reaches a height of no more than 3 m. It stands out among other fruit trees with its spreading, round-conical crown shape. The bark on young shoots is brown-green; mature trees have a red-gray surface of the branches.
The trunk of the apple tree of the Mechta variety is strong, the branches grow quickly, therefore, in order to avoid thickening, the shoots must be pruned to obtain the proper harvest.
Apple tree Mechta is an early variety. Flowering begins in April-May. At this time, the trees are covered with large white flowers.
The Dream variety is famous for its large apples, almost the same size, the weight of which ranges from 100 to 250 g. Especially large fruits are obtained in the first 3 years of fruiting, then as the number of fruit ovaries increases, the weight of the apples stabilizes - 100-180 g.
Apples have 3 different shades:
- white;
- yellow;
- carmine.
Attention!
The side of the fruit that is constantly exposed to the sun becomes ruddy with red streaks. Apples of the Mechta variety, unlike other fruits, have an inexpressive aroma. As for the pulp, it is juicy, without a pronounced crunch, with a light pink tint.
Features of ripening and fruiting
Each crop has its own terms of ripening and fruiting. The time varies depending on the region of planting and the quality of care procedures.
The dream dates back to early cultures. You can harvest for the first time 3 years after placing the seedling in a permanent place (subject to all recommendations of agricultural technology).
The harvest level is affected by the weather. If the winter was cold and the summer was hot, then the number of fruits will be lower.
Flowering time
Apple tree blooms white
The flowering period begins in mid-April. Continues until the end of May. The color of the inflorescences is white.
The aroma is pleasant, sweet, brightly expressed. At the end of May, when the flowers fall, fruit set occurs.
Ripening time
The culture ripens in August. Harvest duration is 2-3 weeks.
If the crop is not properly cared for, the fruits will crack and fall off. As a result, the ripening time is reduced to 1 week.
Taste qualities of the Mechta apple variety
Fruits of the Mechta apple tree with a balanced sweet and sour taste. Tasters rate it 4.5 points out of 5. 100 g of fruit contains 40 kcal. If we talk about the chemical composition, it will be heterogeneous, since it depends not only on the implementation of agrotechnical standards, but also on the growing region.
In addition to water (83 g), 100 g of fruit contains on average:
- organic acids;
- carbohydrates – 9.8 g;
- fats;
- proteins – 0.4 g;
- alimentary fiber;
- sugar – 0.4 g.
Important! The sugars in apples are natural, unrefined: fructose, sucrose, glucose.
The Mechta apple tree begins to ripen in early to mid-August, depending on the region. But since the shelf life of fruits is limited to 2 months, they need to be processed as quickly as possible. Apples are delicious fresh, canned, dried, or frozen. You can make jam, jam, applesauce.
Harvest and storage
The ripe harvest can be harvested at the end of August. Try to pick only large fruits first to give the small ones a chance to fill. Do this carefully so that the fruits do not fall or break.
It is better to store products in cool rooms, similar to a basement. If you live in the city, you can move it to the balcony, periodically opening the window for fresh air.
Shelf life is short, because The pulp is loose in consistency.
Pros and cons of the variety
When choosing fruit tree seedlings, gardeners pay attention to the advantages and disadvantages of the variety. Apple Tree Dream has the following advantages:
- early ripeness and early fruiting (fruiting 2-4 years after planting);
- high productivity;
- excellent taste;
- resistance to frost, diseases and pests;
- unpretentiousness of care.
The disadvantages of the variety include:
- deformation and cracking of fruits due to insufficient or excessive watering;
- unfavorable conditions and improper care can cause the plant to rest from fruiting;
- short duration of storage;
- the need for regular pruning.
Variants and subtypes
Although the Dream apple tree of traditional selection is considered the most common, it also has several subspecies:
- Dwarf. The variety was bred by grafting onto a dwarf apple tree. Dwarf Dream is compact and short, but requires proper planting and careful care. Among its advantages are high yield, small crown size and good consumer qualities. Unlike the original variety, the subspecies does not show a tendency to fluctuations in fruiting. The disadvantage of these trees is their weak, shallow root system, which requires proper insulation to avoid freezing in winter. Dwarf apple trees bear fruit for no more than 15 years, and they begin to bear fruit only in the eighth year of life.
- Semi-dwarf. Such trees serve as a real decoration for the site, as they look neat and decorative. The variety is undemanding in care, so it is very popular among novice gardeners. Semi-dwarf Dream is resistant to harsh winters and bears fruit abundantly.
- Summer. The apple trees of this variety are medium-sized, characterized by early fruiting and high resistance to diseases (in particular, scab). The fruits are oval-shaped, slightly elongated, average weight is 170 grams.
- Belarusian selection. The variety is resistant to pests and most diseases, cold-resistant and self-fertile. The tree is medium-sized, its crown has a rounded shape. The apples are round and asymmetrical, weighing about 150 grams. The taste of the fruit on a five-point scale is 4.1 points.
- Creeping. The branches of slate apple trees do not grow high, remaining squat, so the crown needs careful shaping. Creeping Dream is easy to care for, but requires regular pruning. A good tree crown is formed 5–6 years after planting.
- Sverdlovsk selection. The variety is absolutely resistant to five types of scab, has good survival rate, drought and frost resistance. Fruits regularly and abundantly.
It is believed that subspecies of the variety are recommended for certain regions of the country, but each of them is quite suitable for growing in any garden plot. The main thing is to follow the care recommendations and provide the trees with proper care.
Photo gallery: subspecies of the Dream variety
Dwarf apple tree Dream is compact and productive, but with a weak root system
Summer Dream is distinguished by early fruiting and disease resistance
The Dream variety of Belarusian selection exhibits high resistance to frost and pests
The dream of Sverdlovsk selection has absolute resistance to five types of scab
The crown of the creeping Dream apple tree is half a meter from the soil and needs careful care
Optimal growing conditions
When planting an apple tree of the Dream variety, you need to focus on a sunny place without drafts. Since the crown grows strongly, it is not recommended to place trees near the house or fences. It is advisable to leave a distance of 3-4 m.
Advice! You can plant shrubs between the apple trees, create ridges and flower beds.
Plants prefer loam or chernozems with an acidity pH of 5.6-6.0. When planting seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the height of groundwater (not higher than 2-2.5 m). Lowlands where water stagnates after snow melts or rains are not suitable for planting, since the root system may be susceptible to fungal diseases due to abundant moisture.
The work is planned for early spring (April-May), but the timing in each region will vary greatly due to climatic conditions.
Landing
The place for growing the Dream apple tree is prepared in advance. If necessary, change the top layer of soil and begin digging a hole. Work is carried out in autumn or spring.
Selecting a location, preparing the pit
A seedling of the Dream variety is planted in a sunny place, protected from the wind. The apple tree grows well in light, fertile soils.
3-4 weeks before planting, dig a hole. The optimal diameter is 50 cm, depth is from 60 cm, depending on the size of the root system.
Sand is added to the clay soil, and a drainage layer of expanded clay or crushed stone is installed at the bottom of the pit. Any type of soil is fertilized with humus and wood ash.
in autumn
The Dream apple tree is planted in the fall, in September or October after leaf fall. Before the start of winter, the seedling will have time to adapt to new conditions.
When planting in autumn, it is not recommended to apply nitrogen-based fertilizers to the soil. Otherwise, the buds will swell before the winter cold.
in spring
Spring planting is carried out after the snow has melted and the soil has warmed up. It is important to plant the apple tree before the sap begins to flow.
It is better to prepare the planting hole in the fall so that the soil shrinks. After planting, the seedling is watered with a solution of any complex fertilizer.
Planting and caring for the Dream apple tree
No matter how unpretentious a fruit tree may be, to get a harvest you need to know and correctly apply agricultural cultivation and care techniques.
After choosing a place to plant the Dream apple tree seedling, you need to start preparing it. Experienced gardeners advise doing this in the fall, but if for some reason this could not be done, you can postpone it until the spring.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Before preparing the holes, the area must be well fertilized with humus and dug up. Be sure to remove all weeds and roots.
The hole is dug in the spring, 10-14 days before planting apple tree seedlings of the Mechta variety. Dimensions of the seat: depth - 70 cm, width - 100 cm. If several apple trees are planted, then there should be at least 4 m between them so that the growing crown does not shade neighboring trees.
When digging a hole, the soil is thrown on 2 sides: on one side - the upper, fertile soil, on the other - from the bottom of the planting site. This soil is suitable for filling rows.
The second part of the excavated soil is thoroughly mixed with the following fillers:
- humus - 4 buckets;
- nitroammophoska – 400 g;
- wood ash – 8 kg.
Regardless of the height of the groundwater, the bottom of the pit under the apple trees must be drained. The filler used is:
- gravel;
- pieces of wood;
- flattened tin cans;
- egg shells.
Some gardeners put potato peelings on the bottom, as they contain a lot of starch.
Seedling preparation
For planting, it is best to use one-year or two-year-old seedlings of the Mechta variety apple tree. If planting material needs to be transported over a long distance, then the root system is wrapped in wet rags. And the day before planting, the roots of the seedlings are soaked in water.
Advice! The seedlings will take root better if some of the leaves are removed.
Planting an apple tree Dream
Pour 2/3 of the prepared nutrient mixture onto the drainage layer and fill it with water.
When the moisture is absorbed, make a mound in the center, straighten the roots and sprinkle the seedling with soil. According to the description and reviews, when planting an apple tree of the Dream variety, you should not bury the root collar. It is left above the ground at a height of 5 cm. The planting diagram is shown in the photo below.
The soil is compacted to remove air pockets. Then a peg is installed to which the seedling is fixed. After 2 years, the support can be removed, since the trunk of the apple tree will become powerful and the winds will not be able to harm it.
After planting, the apple tree is watered, and the soil in the circle around the trunk is sprinkled with mulch.
Further care for the Dream variety comes down to traditional measures:
- watering;
- loosening;
- feeding;
- pruning;
- protection from diseases and pests.
Watering and fertilizing
Newly planted apple trees require regular watering; in the future, you need to focus on the weather. If the summer is rainy, then irrigation is not required. In drought and heat, the Mechta apple tree is watered weekly, especially during flowering, setting and filling of fruits. After harvesting, watering is reduced and then stopped altogether.
Attention! After watering, be sure to loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle and remove weeds.
In the first year after planting, the plants have enough of the fertilizer that was added to the hole. In the future it is necessary:
- Apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the spring;
- in autumn - compositions containing potassium and phosphorus.
Thanks to proper and timely feeding, apple trees of the Mechta variety tolerate winter better, their immunity improves, and there is no frequency of fruiting.
Trimming
Since the crown of the Dream apple tree grows quickly, it is necessary to trim it in a timely manner. Moreover, it is recommended to perform the procedure 2 times per season: in spring and autumn. It is necessary to understand that diseases and pests develop faster in a dense crown.
In the spring, sanitary pruning is carried out, and in the fall, formative pruning is also carried out. Be sure to cut off young growth.
Pruning Tips:
- The branches of planted apple trees are shortened by a third.
- It is not recommended to leave stumps during the procedure.
- Crown thinning should be done annually.
- Not only broken branches must be cut out, but also those that grow inside the tree so that there is no shading.
Preparing for winter
From the description it follows that the Mechta apple tree variety is frost-resistant. But young seedlings have a weak measles system. To prevent freezing, the tree trunk circle is mulched with compost and humus for 2-3 years after planting. The height of the shelter should be at least 25-30 cm. Trunks and skeletal branches are whitened for the winter.
In winter, plants are also at risk, but not from frost, but from rodents. To prevent them from hibernating under a layer of mulch, rags soaked in kerosene are scattered next to the fruit trees.
Feeding and watering
In order for Meta to show its best qualities, the planting holes are well filled, and mature trees are regularly fed. Traditionally, this is done in early spring using nitrogenous fertilizers. Mineral compounds (urea, urea, nitroammofoska) are absorbed faster, and organic compounds (humus, compost, manure) require more time to release the active substance.
In early summer, you can repeat fertilizing with potassium compounds. Many people use wood ash for these purposes. After harvesting, phosphorus fertilizers, such as superphosphate, become relevant.
Mecha is sensitive to soil moisture levels. It does not grow in areas where there is a high risk of getting wet, but it needs to be watered during dry seasons. The ground under young trees is moistened every week, limiting it to 1-2 buckets of water. For adult specimens, both breaks and the amount of moisture are increased. The plants have suction roots along the perimeter of the crown projection, so a groove is dug there into which water is poured and fertilizers are applied.
The author of the video advises picking apples of this variety as they ripen:
Diseases and pests
When creating the variety, breeders took care of the immunity of the Dream apple tree. It is resistant to many diseases and pests. But since there may be other varieties nearby, preventive measures should not be neglected.
The first treatment with fungicides is carried out at the very beginning of the growing season, while the leaves are just beginning to bloom. Repeated spraying is planned for the fall before preparing fruit trees for winter.
Attention! Whitewashing a tree trunk in the fall and in the fall, timely removal of weeds and fallen apples is also an effective option for preventing diseases and pests.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of summer apple trees is their early ripening period. The pleasure of eating a fresh apple from a tree in the middle of summer is not a plus and a reward for the work put into the tree.
The absence of diseases and good immunity of the apple tree to the scab pathogen are a big plus in its favor. The less chemicals, the cleaner the harvest and the benefits of its use.
A short shelf life is not a drawback, but a characteristic feature of summer apple trees. It is compensated by the early ripening and versatility of the fruit. In August, you can use the apples that your family doesn’t have time to eat to prepare a lot of jars with tasty contents for the winter.
The disadvantage is periodic fruiting. You can fight it to the best of your ability. Apply fertilizers, water, improve the soil composition, properly prepare fruit trees for winter.
There is another feature of the variety that significantly worsens the quality of the crop. If watered irregularly, the fruits may crack. This only happens to those gardeners who first do not water the trees for a long time, and then flood them.
Reviews about the Dream apple tree
Petr Anisimovich Karpov, 66 years old, Astrakhan.
While I was working, there was no time to garden, although there was always a small plot. A neighbor at the dacha advised me to plant dwarf apple trees of the Mechta variety. A tree planted 6 years ago has been pleased with its harvest for 4 years now. The first fruits were large: every 4 apples weighed up to 1 kg! Then I collected 25 kg from one apple tree. In the following years, the yield increased sharply, harvesting 100-120 kg. But the apples themselves were the same in weight as indicated in the description.
Anatoly Ivanovich Pimenov, 43 years old, Moscow region.
The Dream apple tree variety is an excellent option for a beginning summer resident. The trees do not require special care, but the harvest is excellent. The only thing I don't like is the short shelf life. But since apples are delicious, we eat them fresh and prepare juice for the winter.
Victoria Stepanovna Marusheva, 50 years old, Ekaterinburg
In our harsh conditions, the Dream apple tree feels great. For the winter, I insulate the roots well with a thick layer of humus. Fruiting is stable, in 5 years the apple tree rested only once, but I think this is normal. My Dream never got sick, maybe because I treated it twice during the growing season. I advise you to grow this semi-dwarf fruit tree, you won’t regret it.
Features of cultivation in the regions
In outskirts of Moscow
For the regions of the Moscow region, you should take into account all the parameters of the apple tree, which has abundant fruiting and a long life in these climatic conditions.
The weather in the Moscow region, both in winter and in summer, has a difference in temperature. Not every apple tree variety can cope with such weather conditions. The Dream variety was bred for these regions.
This species, with proper watering in dry summers and insulation of the rhizomes for the winter, is able to bear fruit regularly.
In the Urals
In total, several thousand varieties of apple trees have been bred using the selection method, but no more than 100 of them are suitable for the Urals.
The most popular is the Dream apple tree.
This is an early ripening plant that begins to bear fruit in late summer.
In Siberia
In Siberia, with severe frosts and rather infertile soil, small-fruited varieties of apple trees and semi-cultivars are usually grown.
The selection variety Mechta takes root and bears fruit abundantly as a creeping variety .
This variety, if properly cared for, does not freeze out during prolonged frosts, and although there is a periodicity in fruiting, the fruits have their own beneficial properties.
In North-West Russia
For the North-Western regions, the dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstock of the Mechta apple tree is most suitable .
As a rule, these are resistant crops for cold and little snow winters . They begin to bear fruit in the 2nd year of life.
This species is valued in these regions for its ease of care and the taste of the fruit.
Important to note! These crops begin to bear fruit only in the 8th year of life.
