Apple Orlik: a productive variety with aromatic fruits

Historical reference

Winter variety "Orlik" is considered one of the leaders in taste among fellow species. It was first received at the Oryol Experimental Station back in 1959. Trofimova and Sedov were engaged in its selection, having received a hybrid from the varieties "Mekintosh" and "Bessemyanka Michurinskaya".

For 10 years of studying and improving the key characteristics of parental varieties, “Orlik” has finally turned out to be a universal variety that is resistant to both viral diseases and low temperatures. These two qualities led to its persistent fruiting, which is highly valued by gardeners. It is not surprising that "Orlik" became an elite variety, which was planted everywhere in the North-West and Central regions of the USSR.

Description of the variety

The description should begin with the fact that "Orlik" is a medium-sized apple tree with a round, not very dense crown. Skeletal branches diverge from the trunk at a right angle, but the tips are still directed upward. The bark on the trunk and branches is smooth, with a yellow tint. The leaves are large with a rough texture, ribbed, with a thick and short petiole. The leaves are often dark green, but sometimes they turn gray. "Orlik" blooms with large, deep pink flowers. Their shade becomes lighter over time, up to white.

Orlik apples are medium-sized, slightly flattened, slightly conical in shape. Covered with a shiny skin with a pronounced waxy bloom. Its color changes depending on the degree of maturity of the apple from green-yellow to light yellow. The cover color is red-pink, it spreads over the entire area of ​​the fruit in stripes flowing into each other. The pulp has a delicate creamy hue, barely green closer to the skin. Apples are very juicy, have a stable, rich aroma and sweet and sour taste. The average fruit weight is about 120 g.

However, the main advantage, without which it is difficult to imagine a description of the variety, is, of course, its yield.

In the fourth year of cultivation, "Orlik" brings about 20 kg of harvest from one tree, in the tenth year the number of apples increases to 70 kg, and upon reaching fifteen years of age, each tree gives up to 120 kg of apples.

As a long-lived fruit tree, the winter “Orlik” is one of the best candidates. It is also important that "Orlik" is moderately resistant to scab.

It is also worth noting the chemical composition of the apples of this variety, which deserves a separate description. 100 g of juicy apple pulp accounts for:

• 11% sugars;
• 0.4% titrated kilotes;
• 9 mg ascorbic acid;
• 154 mg of P-active substances.

In addition, each apple contains a large amount of vitamin C and iron, which has a beneficial effect on the body's immunity and metabolism.

It is impossible not to note the high keeping quality of fruits - in the refrigerator or in any room with a low temperature and medium humidity, apples retain all their taste until March.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The main advantage of the Orlik variety is its high yield. Considering that the first fruits can be obtained already in the 4th year of tree growth, this is a good indicator. Moreover, the longer a tree grows, the more apples ripen on it. So from the point of view of the ratio of "invested effort - profit", everything is very favorable. In addition, the high keeping quality and taste of the fruit should also be taken into account.

The undoubted advantages, without which it is impossible to imagine the description of the advantages of "Orlik", should be attributed to the compactness of the trees. Since the crown size of the apple tree is quite small, the variety gets along well with other plants in areas with a small area. Moreover, the distance between trees can be 1.5-2 m.

Among the disadvantages, it should be noted that during the ripening period, some of the fruits fall to the ground. If this is not a hindrance for you, and you know how to cope with such a "misfortune", then the variety has no drawbacks as such.

Growing features

The description of the cultivation should start with the fact that the Orlik saplings can be planted much closer than those of other varieties. Just 1.5-2 m of distance is enough for the trees to feel comfortable.

Planting can be done both in spring and autumn. The main thing is that the pits should be prepared in advance, approximately 3-4 weeks in advance. This is necessary so that the walls of the pit are somewhat denser and free of excess moisture. On the eve of planting, the pits are filled with humus, peat and ash to about a third of the depth. Orlik prefers fertile soil with neutral acidity.

After planting, each seedling must be tied up to avoid root breakage in strong winds. In the first months, it is especially necessary to carefully monitor watering - young trees need a lot of moisture for adaptation and rooting. Pruning is done in the spring before buds appear. Slices must be covered with slaked lime to avoid contamination. For the winter, even despite the good winter hardiness of the variety, it is recommended to wrap up tree trunks. In dry periods and for the winter, you need to mulch the trunk circle to ensure long-term moisture retention.

Video "How to store apples correctly"

This video will show you when and how best to store winter apples.