Drought tolerant Jonagold apple variety

Historical reference

For the first time the variety "Jonagold" appeared back in 1943 and was bred by breeders from New York after the successful crossing of the varieties "Jonathan" and "Golden Delicious". In 1960, the cultivar moved to Europe, finding a new home in the gardens of Belgium and the Netherlands, as Americans did not see much benefit in the development and cultivation of Jonagold. Large-scale industrial research of the apple tree began in the 70s-80s of the last century in the forest-steppe and steppe of Ukraine. Actually, it was on the territory of the former USSR that the variety revealed its potential and became one of the most popular fruit species.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The description should start with how the tree will look in the garden most of the time. The apple tree is vigorous, decorated with a wide oval crown, while the tree is young, and subsequently becomes spherical. Skeletal branches are at a wide angle in relation to the trunk. The variety bears fruit on fruit twigs, ringlets, as well as one-year growth.

Fruits are rather large (average size is about 180-200 g), slightly conical, one-dimensional. There is a ribbing near the calyx, especially noticeable in large apples. The rind is of medium thickness, dense and smooth with a pronounced waxy bloom. The main color of the fruit is green-yellow, the integumentary color is an orange-red “blush”. The pulp is yellow, dense and juicy, sweet and sour with a well-defined astringency. Ripeness occurs in mid-September.

The variety is distinguished by its versatility and high keeping quality: apples retain their taste in storage until February, and in the refrigerator until mid-April.

The first fruits of the apple tree are borne in the third year after planting. During the pollination period, they interact well with the varieties "Idared", "Gloucester", "Jonathan", "Champion". The variety does not have good winter hardiness and has low immunity to powdery mildew. But it is quite resistant against scab.

Since the variety "Jonagold" is very popular all over the world, it has numerous clones (there are more than 100 species in total), differing, as a rule, by a more intense color. They are conventionally divided into 5 groups by color:

1. Bright red skin, with a spotty, somewhat blurred blush - "Wilmouth", "New Jonagold".
2. Bright red skin, with a blurred integumentary color - “Jonika”, “Jonagold King”, “Nikobel”.
3. The dark red skin is Novayo.
4. Dark red skin, with a blurred blush - “Jonagored”, “Decosta”, “Romagold”.
5. Dark red skin with a uniform blush - “Jomured”, “Rubinstar”.

Among them, the “Decosta” variety stands out, which in morphological parameters practically does not differ from its progenitor. A significant difference lies in the color of the fruits - by mid-August, the fruits are covered with a dark red blush, and by full ripeness they reach a rich red color. “Decosta” ripens a few days earlier than Jonagold.

Where grows

You can find “Jonagold” and its descendant “Decosta” in any regions with moderately cold winters, since at low temperatures the apple trees get too much damage, which negatively affects the yield of the variety. That is, it will not be possible to grow them in the northern regions.

Given the moderate drought tolerance, favorable growing regions are those with temperate and warm climates. Although with proper care and proper preparation for winter, an apple tree can be grown in central Russia.

Planting and leaving

Apple trees prefer sunny, open, draft-free areas. The soil should be fertile, loose, with neutral acidity. Planting is carried out both in spring and autumn (before the first frost). The planting scheme is standard: holes about 70 cm deep, about 1 m wide, between the trees there should be at least 4-5 m of free space.

Despite the drought resistance, trees need regular and abundant watering, at least 25-30 liters of water every week. Mineral dressings work well throughout the year, as well as organic fertilizers in spring and autumn. For the winter, it is advisable to mulch the trunk circle with humus or peat mixed with sawdust.

Diseases and pests

Among the diseases the most dangerous for apple trees, including Jonagold trees, are scab and powdery mildew.

Scab is a fungal disease that appears on leaves and shoots as light, discolored spots. After a while, the spots become covered with an olive-brown bloom, grow and eventually turn black. Subsequently, all parts of the tree become infected, it begins to gradually fade. Scab-infested young trees yield crops, but the apples are deformed and often taste bad.

Powdery mildew is another fungal disease that manifests itself on the green part of the tree in the form of a white powdery coating (fungal spores). Over time, the fungus spreads and the spots on the leaves and petioles (spreading from the bottom up) become brown. The affected areas fade, subsequently die off. The infection spreads rather quickly to neighboring plants, so quick treatment is required.

Among insects, apple trees are inconvenient: Hawthorn butterfly, brown fruit mite, apple blossom beetle, red aphid. To prevent the spread and development of parasites in the spring, trees must be treated with fungicides and insecticides before budding.

Video "Winter apple" John Gored Supra "

This short overview will give an idea of ​​the winter apple variety, which is a Belgian clone of Jonagold.