Apple tree for fans of sweet fruits or Candy variety
Content
Description of appearance
Apple-tree Candy is a powerful, fast-growing and tall tree. In the first 3 years of life, the seedling grows by 3 m. After that, a slowdown in growth rates is observed. Therefore, the tree grows no higher than 5 m in height.
At a young age, the plant has a narrow crown, which gives the apple tree a slightly columnar shape. Branches grow from the trunk at an acute angle. An older tree has a wide-pyramidal and spreading crown, as well as dense leafy branches.
On the shoots, leaves of medium and large sizes are formed. The leaf blade is strong and leathery, dark green in color. The apple tree blooms with medium-sized inflorescences that have pink petals with white filling.
The fruits are small and round in shape. There is a slight ribbing on their surface. A deep pink blush with pronounced red strokes is observed throughout the apple. The peel, as seen in the photo, has many subcutaneous dots of white color. Ripe fruits are covered with a weak waxy bloom.
Apples weigh about 80-100 g. The largest specimens weighed 150 g. Cream-colored pulp. Differs in juiciness, as well as a pronounced honey-candy taste.
The fruit has a shallow but wide funnel. The core is heart-shaped. It contains small brown seeds. The peduncle is of medium length. Its wide part is oriented towards the junction with the shoot.
The harvested crop is stored for 3-4 weeks. When picking apples, it is strictly forbidden to shake them off the branches. This will shorten their shelf life.
Video "Instructions for planting an apple tree"
In this video, you will learn how to properly plant an apple tree in the garden.
Variety characteristics
In addition to the description above, this variety has special characteristics. Every gardener must know them, otherwise certain difficulties will arise with the cultivation of the Candy apple tree.
Major pollinators
It is a self-fertile variety, so apple trees need pollinators. The best pollinators for this variety are Orlovim, Krasnoe Early, Melba, Zolotaya Kitayanka, Bellefleur Kitaika, Malt Bagaevsky, Stark John Grimes, Papirovka. The pollinators can be species that bloom at the same time as Candy.
Features of fruiting
With proper care, the earliest harvest can be obtained as early as 2 years after planting. But the speed of entry into fruiting depends on the type of rootstock. Therefore, the first apples can appear only 3-5 years of plant life.
The fruits ripen in early August. If the weather was sunny and warm, early ripening is possible - at the end of July.
At the beginning of life, the apple tree is characterized by uneven fruiting. It becomes permanent with age. But this requires frequent watering and good drainage of the soil. Good fruiting is observed even in darkened areas.
Up to 50 kg of fruit are removed from one 5-year-old tree. Ten-year-old apple trees yield about 100 kg of fruit.
Frost and disease resistance
The variety is intended for cultivation in temperate continental climates. It tolerates low temperatures and cold climates well.The tree has high indicators of frost resistance and winter hardiness. If the plant has suffered from severe frost, it easily recovers with the arrival of spring and continues to grow and bear fruit in the future.
As for diseases, the variety is highly resistant to almost all ailments of this fruit crop. Only in front of the scab does the apple tree have low immunity. For effective treatment for this disease, it is necessary to remove damaged areas of the bark and whitewash the trunks for the winter.
Rootstock types
The Candy variety is grown on two types of rootstock:
- medium-sized. The tree gives its first harvest in the fifth year of life;
- undersized. Fruiting begins in the second year after planting the seedling.
The nuances of planting and care
The seedling can be planted in the soil in both spring and autumn. The procedure is performed on warm days. This weather creates optimal conditions for the quick strengthening and habituation of the roots.
Planting an apple tree of the Kandytnoye variety should not be carried out on dense clay, sandy and waterlogged soils. An excellent choice would be light loamy, soddy-carbonate and soddy-slightly podzolic soil.
Young plants are planted in pre-prepared planting pits. They are prepared in 6 months. Fertilizers are poured into the bottom of the holes before planting, and the earth is dug up. Before planting, seedlings are soaked in water for a day. Planting the plant is carried out at a distance of at least 2 m from the previous seedling.
In the spring, leaving involves carrying out formative pruning. In the summer, the following actions are performed:
- top dressing: organic - one bucket of humus, as well as mineral - wood ash and superphosphate (300 and 200 g, respectively);
- weeding in the trunk circle;
- periodic watering. In the summer months, 3 buckets of water are brought under each tree once a month. Watering stops during harvest. In autumn, on warm days, 10 liters of water are poured under one plant every 3 days.
In autumn, trees are prepared for the cold period: mulching of the trunk circle, hilling 15 cm (in warm areas).
Gardeners' opinion
The advantages of the variety:
- great apple taste;
- beautiful appearance of the fruit;
- high energy value of fruits;
- resistance to various infections;
- excellent frost resistance and winter hardiness;
- early and constant fruiting.
The apple tree of this variety has the following disadvantages:
- affected by scab;
- short storage period for the crop;
- poor transportability of fruits;
- the bark often has to be pruned due to its protection.
Gardeners reviews
Marina, Krasnoyarsk: “There are several Candy apple trees growing in my garden. Caring for them is simple, the trees bear fruit perfectly. The apples, though not large, are very tasty. "
Dmitry, Bryansk: “Candy gave its first fruits already in the third year. Fruiting stopped for a couple of years, and then it became regular. "