Apple tree variety Apple Spas: photos, reviews, descriptions, characteristics.

Apple tree Apple tree is widespread in amateur and industrial areas. Summer residents try to collect a large amount of crops, but without spending a lot of time and effort.

The work of domestic breeding specialists allows us to select the best new varieties of fruit trees for this purpose:

intended for a specific area, that is, zoned varieties.
They just get used to the distinctive features of the soil, its topography, the amount of moisture and temperature conditions.
with a stable level of resistance to various diseases and parasites.
They live long and produce a large amount of harvest.
large apples, long shelf life, good presentation.

The Apple Spas apple tree can boast of the above qualities. It is perfect for planting a garden that will produce a large amount of harvest and will not require complex agricultural technology.

Description

Spasskoye apple tree is a summer variety with excellent characteristics. The hybrid is a triploid, with a large amount of harvest that needs to be processed immediately, because the apples are not stored for a long time. The variety is resistant to scab and other diseases. He is not afraid of fungi and viral diseases.

A fairly tall tree practically does not suffer from climate changes. Spas can easily adapt to different types of soil and temperature vagaries. Thanks to these properties, the crop is grown not only in a favorable climate, but also in the capricious middle zone and even in the harsh Siberian regions.

Pros and cons of the variety

The advantages of the variety include:

high resistance to diseases and parasites;
resistance to cold and heat;
precociousness;
stable and high yield.

Of the minuses:

careful formation of the crown and the tree itself is required;
cannot pollinate on its own. Pollinating varieties are required.

Characteristics of the variety

The apple variety Apple Spas is a typical summer representative. With good immunity and resistance, it can compete with time-tested foreign varieties and folk selection.

Peculiarities

The apple tree variety Yablochny Spas has a number of features, and all of them are positive.

It is especially worth highlighting:

complete resistance to fungal diseases and viral infections;
early start of fruiting;
good resistance to temperatures and soil conditions;
high resistance to low temperatures, even the most severe frosts;
stable indicators of a large amount of harvest.

At the same time, there is no information about the shortcomings of the apple tree; apparently, it is almost ideal.

Tree height

The Apple variety is tall, even huge. Without pruning and shaping, an apple tree can reach a height of 15 meters. Naturally, it is very difficult to care for such a high crown.

It is important to carry out the pruning procedure, which is very easy to perform, and the variety responds to it with gratitude. Then the growth rate can be left at 6-7 meters. This is the size of the apple tree that is considered convenient and practical.

Crown width

With an average growth of the Spas crown apple tree, it usually reaches a size of 4 meters. This diameter is made up of long, almost two-meter shoots. Its shape is round, not very thick.

Annual growth

The young fruit crop grows very quickly. Branches grow at a rate of 40-60 cm per year. Growth can happen faster, but it is better to avoid it. Strong growth occurs due to a large amount of moisture. It is better not to allow excess growth to prevent young branches from freezing.

Productivity

The rate of precocity of the crop is simply surprising. Already in the second year after planting, you can remove the first fruits from the Apple tree for testing. Gradually the amount of harvest increases and by the seventh year it becomes maximum. You can remove about 70 kg of fruit from an apple tree, this figure is maintained from year to year, without cyclicality.

Apple harvest.

Tasting assessment

Spas apples are removed from the tree and consumed fresh or immediately sent for processing. The size of the fruit is quite large, the flesh is slightly hard, crisp, and light green in color. The rich sweet and sour taste was rated 4.3 points out of 5.

The photo shows a ripe fruit taken from Spas.

Winter hardiness

Resistance to low temperatures is the pride of the apple tree. It tolerates frosts down to -30 degrees without any difficulties. Sometimes, due to severe spring frosts, the tips of the shoots and buds suffer.

Apple spas can be grown even in cold regions of the Russian Federation, in the Urals and Siberia. The young apple tree will need to be insulated and planted according to agricultural technology, as well as properly prepared for the winter.

Disease resistance

The variety is absolutely resistant to all types of diseases. It is not affected by scab, rot or powdery mildew.

This advantage will undoubtedly be appreciated by every gardener. Work to protect the apple tree is minimized, as is the number of chemicals added to the soil.

Lifespan of a tree

At the moment, the apple tree has not yet reached adulthood. Its date of birth is given as 2004, but the variety became a member of the State Register only in 2009.

He is considered a long-liver. It is expected that the lifespan of an apple tree will reach about 70 years under proper conditions and proper care. Time will tell how true the forecasts are.

Reproduction

Gardeners use several methods to propagate apple trees:

By cuttings. They are prepared in advance and kept for several hours in a preparation that stimulates root growth. Then they are planted in the ground and wait for them to take root. Then they are transferred to a permanent place.
Vaccination. A high-quality rootstock on which to graft is required.
Seeds. This method takes the longest. At the same time, the grown planting material does not retain its maternal characteristics.

Growing your own trees is not difficult, you just need to decide on the propagation method.

Features of planting and care

There are a number of requirements and features that Apple Spas imposes. They relate to the place, timing and technology of disembarkation.

Apple tree planting diagram.

Healthy annual seedlings should be planted in a cozy, sunny place. It should be level, protected from the wind as much as possible and located in a sunny place.

Landing dates

There are two main periods for planting apple trees - autumn and spring.

When planting in the spring, you need to choose a time when the ground has already thawed and warmed up well, but the buds on the seedling have not yet begun to bloom.

In autumn they are usually planted at the end of September. Depending on climate conditions, the deadline may be extended to mid-October. Gardeners say that this method of planting is preferable. Seedlings that survive the winter become more hardened and immediately begin to grow in the fall.

Technology

The landing procedure is quite simple. The pit is prepared in advance, mineral fertilizers, peat or humus are added to it, everything is mixed with the top fertile layer of soil.

The process of planting an apple tree.

A nutrient mixture is poured into the hole, a seedling is placed on top of the hill and the roots are carefully straightened. They are sprinkled with soil, compacted and watered well. It is recommended to make a support for the seedling so that it does not break.

After planting, you need to make a roller into which watering will be carried out, follow the neck of the root, leaving it on a hill. The tree trunk circle must be mulched to maintain moisture and temperature.

Growing

There are a number of growing features that need to be taken into account. They are associated with some characteristics of the tree:

Apple tree needs pollinator planting.
The shoots grow quickly and need timely pruning.
If the apple tree is damaged by low temperatures, you need to cover the wounds with garden varnish so as not to create a favorable environment for the fungus.

Otherwise, there are no special growing requirements.

In the video, the Apple tree was saved and the subtleties of caring for it.

Agricultural technology

The principles and requirements of agricultural technology are standard for many fruit trees. These include:

correct and timely pruning of long and fast-growing shoots;
timely application of fertilizers according to the established schedule, starting from spring before bud break, ending with the autumn application of fertilizing to the tree trunk circle;
regular watering and loosening the next day;
cleaning and maintaining order in the tree trunk circle, mulching.

A nice feature is that the variety does not suffer from various diseases. This minimizes the amount of work required.

Features of growing Apple Spas

Landing

Basic conditions

To plant the variety, you need to select only well-lit, open spaces with high-quality ventilation. However, you need to make sure that there are no drafts; trees do not like this and may begin to get sick or even not bear fruit.
Spas is not picky about soils; it can grow equally well in sandy loam, loam or black soil. You just need to monitor the acidity, like all apple trees, this one prefers slightly acidic soils.
You should not plant trees in wetlands, in close proximity to open bodies of water, or where water constantly stagnates; this can lead to the development of diseases and rotting of the roots.
The pits for planting are prepared in advance, 4-6 weeks, but it is better in the fall. To do this, dig holes 1 meter deep and the same in diameter, mix the top layer with fertilizers, fill it back up, fill it with 40-50 liters of water, and leave it in the open air. It is better to leave a distance of at least 5-6 meters between trees in a row, and 4-5 meters between the rows themselves (for dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks this can be reduced).
Drainage made of gravel, vermiculite or broken brick is laid at the bottom of the pit. A layer of 10-15 centimeters is enough. A stake is immediately driven in to secure the tree, which can only be removed for 4-5 years.
The tree is placed vertically, with its roots straightened, sprinkled with earth, compacted tightly with hands, watered with 40-50 liters of water, and the surface is mulched with a suitable material (manure, chopped grass, compost).

Disembarkation dates

You can plant Apple Saved both in the spring, almost immediately after the snow melts, as soon as the soil warms up to the level of the roots, and in the fall, when the leaf fall ends and the movement of sap in the trunks stops. Experienced gardeners still advise choosing autumn plantings, since the survival rate of trees is then much higher. Seedlings with a closed root system (in special bags or pots that do not require disposal) can be planted throughout the entire growing season.

Protection from frost and rodents

In a mild continental climate, it is enough to simply cover the trunk area to protect the trees from frostbite. It is covered with spruce branches, sheaves of straw or hay, the trunks are wrapped with roofing felt, roofing felt, burlap or agrofibre. In the first years, seedlings on a seed rootstock or dwarfs up to 4-5 years old can be covered using the tent method.

To prevent hungry rodents from coming to feast on the young and tender bark in the winter, in the fall it is lubricated with grease or rendered lard. The threat can be insects that remain for the winter at the roots of the tree. Therefore, trunks should be whitened with lime to drive them away, preventing damage to foliage, fruits and wood in the future.

Tree care

Loosening the soil, watering: proper agricultural technology

The tree only needs regular loosening of the soil for the first few years, until it finally takes root and grows. However, it won’t hurt to dig up the near-trunk area in the future. At the same time, you need to remove root shoots, weeds, grass, and shoots of other trees and shrubs.

Watering trees of this variety is not necessary, especially in adulthood. Young trees can be watered approximately twice a month in dry and hot weather. 20-30 liters per apple tree will be enough, distributing watering twice (morning and evening). Adult specimens will require less frequent application of moisture, but greater quantities. You will need up to 50-60 liters, 4-5 times a season. Watering can be timed to coincide with the period of ovary formation, flowering and fruit ripening.

Pruning: simple crown formation

For this tree, the most acceptable crown shape will be round, sparsely tiered, so it is worth forming it. In the first year after planting, the central conductor is shortened by a third, and side shoots, if present, are made shorter than it in tiers. The procedure will have to be repeated every year, and you must not miss the moment, because the tree is actively gaining height.

Sanitary pruning is required for Apple Rescue. With it, you need to immediately cut off all damaged, dry or diseased branches. It wouldn’t hurt to regularly carry out rejuvenation after 15-20 years. To do this, you need to saw off 2-3 age shoots per year, this will allow the young ones to develop and begin to bear fruit.

Pollinator varieties

Quinty.
Juliered.
Delicious golden.
Delcorf.
Idared.
Gala.

Reproduction

Clones (layers).
Grafting with cuttings or buds.
Rooting cuttings.
Growing from seeds.

Diseases and pests

Bacterial burn.
Black cancer.
Green aphid.
Codling moth.
Leaf roller.
Flower beetle

Pruning and crown formation

The tall and strong variety Apple Spas needs regular pruning. It should be done in the spring before the buds bloom. The shaping procedure coincides with sanitary pruning.

Apple tree pruning diagram.

You need to remove shoots that stand out from the overall picture of the rounded crown. Thickened shoots that grow parallel to other branches or inside the crown are removed. Broken, frozen and weak shoots should be removed.

Pollinator varieties

The apple tree is not self-pollinating and requires planting of pollinators, which must be located in the nearest area so that the number of ovaries is large.

Pollinators can be almost any diploid varieties that bloom at the same time as Spas. And there are quite a lot of such representatives in amateur gardens.

Specifics of planting work

When planting, you should carefully select seedlings. You can choose specimens 1-2 years old. They should not have dry, tangled or rotten roots. They also need to be undamaged and sufficiently moist. The trunk should have one main and several additional shoots. Healthy leaves - no signs of diseases or parasites. Their color can be a bright or dark green shade. The sheet should be uniform and free of spots.

Deadlines

Seedlings should be planted in autumn. It is possible to plant them in the spring after the snow melts. Then it’s worth letting the soil warm up to a temperature of +8 – +11 ° C and thaw to 1-1.5 meters in depth. Gardeners have noticed that when planted in the fall, trees take root better and are more likely to survive the winter.

Site selection

It is worth choosing a site on small hills for planting. The place should be well lit and have a soil acidity (pH) of 5 to 7. When planting, the location of groundwater should be taken into account. They must be more than 1.5 meters from the surface. The area should not be subject to flooding or drafts.

Soil cultivation and fertilization

In the fall, before planting, it is necessary to thoroughly treat the entire area with general herbicides. After destroying the weeds, you need to plow or dig up the ground to a depth of 30 cm. In this case, you need to add the following fertilizers to the soil:

humus or compost from 11 to 13 kilograms per square meter;
double superphosphate - 20 grams per square meter;
potassium chloride – 20 grams per square meter.

Apple tree planting diagram

To prevent trees from interfering with each other during growth, the distance between them should be at least 1.5 meters. The distance between rows should be up to 5 meters.

Ripening and fruiting

The apple tree Apple Spas has the typical features of collecting and storing fruit for a summer variety.

Beginning of fruiting

The variety's early fruitfulness is its undoubted advantage. The first fruits can be collected in the second year, but not in large quantities. And already in the 5th year after planting, you can collect a large amount of fruit.

Fruit ripening time

The name of the variety accurately describes the timing when fruit can be picked. The Orthodox holiday of Apple Spas is celebrated on August 19, by which time the apples are already fully ripe.

Harvest and storage

Summer apples do not have a long shelf life. They can be placed in the refrigerator for a maximum of one and a half months. Delicious, large and juicy fruits are ideal for making jam, preserves and compote.

Apple tree right before harvest.

Options on dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks

Specialists from the Research Institute for Breeding Fruit Crops conducted experiments on growing Apple Spas on dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks.

The variety showed better results compared to other triploid summer apple trees.

Prototypes:

Formed a good root system,
They bravely endured frosty winters with little snow.
The height of the trees is significantly lower than that characteristic of the variety. This simplifies plant care and harvesting.
The first fruits were obtained later and in scarcer quantities than in the tall form. But after three years, breeders recorded a yield of more than 60 centners per hectare.

Advice! Growing an apple tree on a dwarf rootstock allows you to place a larger number of plants on the site, increase productivity and provide high-quality care for the entire crown.

Growing in regions

The breeders zoned Apple Spas in the Central and Chernozem regions. Here apple trees easily tolerate all climatic vagaries and quirks.

The apple tree can take root well in the Moscow region. You just need to pay attention to the fact that the place is not in a low place and cold air does not accumulate.

In the Yaroslavl region, in the Urals and even in Siberia, apple trees are taking root. But it will be necessary to pay attention to the insulation of the barrel. A short summer is enough for the apples to ripen and gain their sweetness.

Organization of competent care

To improve pollination of Apple Savior, it is worth planting 3-4 diploid varieties on the site. It is recommended to mulch around the trunk and loosen the soil.

Watering mode

A newly buried seedling needs 2 buckets of water to improve growth. Mature trees require timely watering:

before the buds begin to open;
when the apple tree begins to bloom;
when setting fruit;
when will the fruit begin to ripen?
before dropping leaves.

Apple trees should be watered at least 4 times a month. The amount of water needed varies depending on the age of the trees:

at the age of 1 and 2 years, you need 20-40 liters of water per square meter of land around the trunk;
at the age of 3 to 5, 50-60 liters of water per square meter of land around the trunk are required;
for plants over 6 years old, you need 70-90 liters of water per square meter of land around the trunk.

It is worth using warm rainwater. You need to pour it into a recess made around the trunk.

Crown formation

For an apple tree, two types of pruning should be carried out:

sanitary – to remove dry, overgrown or abnormally growing branches;
shaping - to thin out the crown and grow a tree of the required height and width.

Fertilizer application

Seedlings should not be fed until they are 3 years old. After this period, fertilizing is carried out 3 times per season:

In spring, 50 grams of ammonium nitrate per tree should be added to the soil.
In the summer, when the fruits begin to swell, you need to add 35 grams of ammonium nitrate to the soil per 1 apple tree;
Towards the end of autumn, you need to feed the tree with double superphosphate in the amount of 80 grams and 70 grams of potassium chloride.

Apple trees should be fertilized in spring and summer after watering, and in autumn - while loosening the soil.

Seasonal processing

In addition to proper watering and pruning of branches, it is worth treating the trees with a composition against aphids and scale insects. If affected by other diseases or insects, it should be treated with a fungicide or insecticide.

Shelter for the winter

Apple Savior seedlings should be covered when temperatures drop below -15 °C. It is necessary to wrap the barrel with insulating material that can allow moisture and air to pass through. For older trees at temperatures below 20-25 °C below zero, a similar procedure is required.

Rules for planting apple tree seedlings

Planting apple tree seedlings Apple Spas consists of several main stages, but before performing any planting actions, it is important to choose the right time, place and the seedling itself.

Landing dates and location selection

The best time to plant a young apple tree is mid-spring, when the soil warms up to +7...+10 °C and excess moisture evaporates from it. In each individual region, planting dates may be slightly shifted in one direction or another, but in general, they fall around mid-April.

As for choosing a suitable location, flat areas, sheltered from cold gusts of wind and protected from flooding by groundwater (it’s good if their level is no closer than 1.5–2 m from the soil surface) are suitable.

Important! The Apple Spas variety is represented by self-fertile, but not self-pollinating trees, so it is advisable to plant young seedlings in areas where representatives of pollinating varieties grow (for example, the popular Antonovka).

When performing pre-planting preparations, starting in the fall, you need to remove all plant debris, fertilize and level the soil on the site. With the arrival of spring, a few weeks before planting, you need to organize a planting hole 1.2 m wide and about 1 m deep.

Peat, humus (on average 10–15 kg), superphosphate and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (200 g each) are added to the soil removed from it.

Step by step planting process

When planting a seedling in a previously prepared hole, all that remains is to loosen the soil in it again and fill it with a small mound, the top of which will coincide with the center of the hole.

All further landing activities are carried out in the following sequence:

The prepared seedling is inspected again and any rotten or damaged roots are removed.
A supporting wooden stake (approximately 1.5–1.8 m high) is driven into the center of the planting hole and the young plant is placed, carefully spreading all the roots over the soil surface.
After this, all that remains is to gradually fill the hole with the substrate, trying not to leave free space between the individual roots of the seedling’s root system, and compact the soil surface, forming a near-trunk circle. For better stability, the trunk of the apple tree is tied to a peg, but always using soft ropes.

At the end of the procedure, three buckets of water are poured under one young plant and the tree trunk circle is mulched with a five-centimeter layer of peat or sawdust.

Reviews

The variety was recently developed and is just beginning to gain recognition among gardeners.

Those who managed to get the first harvest share the results and these impressions:

The first 5 apples were removed. Very large, impossible to eat in one sitting ! To my taste, they are very pleasant. Sweet, but without cloying, there is sourness.

A beautiful apple tree with delicious fruits.

Easy to bite, medium fluffy flesh. Juicy, but without excess. There is nothing unusual in the aroma, just a pleasant apple scent. Very beautiful! I recommend!

Harvesting and storage rules

The apple tree of the Yablochny Spas variety is a summer fruit tree because it bears fruit at the end of August. In this regard, plants do not tolerate sharp temperature fluctuations and dampness, therefore, after removing the fruits from the tree, they can only be stored in a dry, cool and well-ventilated room, with an air temperature in the aisles of 0 ... + 4 ° C.

Wooden boxes or containers can be used as containers for apples, although plastic or cardboard boxes, where the fruits are laid out in two layers, are considered an acceptable alternative. In such conditions, they can be stored for up to six months, although during this time you will have to sort through the crop several times, discarding spoiled specimens.

Ripe and healthy apples are excellent for fresh consumption, making baked goods and processing into various preserves: cider, jams, juice, sauces and preserves, and in addition to this universal purpose, there is also the comparative ease of growing the Apple Spas variety. This is another good reason to plant young trees on your site.

What type does it belong to?

Summer variety of apples. Today, Russian breeders have developed about 20 triploid varieties.
Of these, six have already passed the necessary tests and are included in the State Register, and this is one of such varieties.

Storage conditions for most apples are similar.

Carefully collected fruits are inspected before storage and sorted, selecting the healthiest ones .

Any apples that show signs of bruising or spoilage are set aside for eating in the coming days or for culinary processing.

The juicy pulp of apples produces wonderful freshly squeezed juice, and after some time - delicious cider or other drinks.

Very tasty jam and jam are made from apples of this variety, and they make wonderful filling for pies.

To properly store apples, it is very important to protect them from excess dampness and temperature changes.

In a room, basement or other room, the temperature should remain around zero degrees , good ventilation is needed.

Apples are stored in plastic, wooden or plywood boxes; capacious boxes made of thick cardboard are often used.

During the winter, it is necessary to sort through the stored apples by hand from time to time in order to promptly remove all the fruits that have begun to deteriorate.

Find out about the summer varieties of apple trees: Melba, Gornoaltaiskoe, Gornist, Papirovka, Malinovka.