Apple-tree Antonovka

Apples are among the most popular dessert fruits that most gardeners grow. These fruits are not only grown for food, but also used in medicine and cosmetics. The most popular variety of fruit crops is Antonovka, which grows in every second yard.

Variety history

The Antonovka apple tree was created by folk selection in the early 19th century (the hybrid was first described in 1848). Unfortunately, the exact origin of this tree is unknown. It was included in the state register after the Second World War in 1947. Today it is distributed mainly in Central Russia.

On the basis of this plant, about 25 new apple varieties have been created. Antonovka is a generalized species, which includes several varieties of this tree:

• Kamenichka,
• White,
• Common apple tree,
• Golden monk,
• Onion,
• Gray.

Hybrids are grown for the production of compotes, marmalade, marshmallow, preserves, jam and other homemade preparations.

Today, work is underway again to select new types of these hybrids. Dwarf forms of apple trees have already been created, adapted for breeding in multi-storey city buildings.

Apple-tree Antonovka

Since the Antonovka new apple variety has improved some indicators, it is gradually gaining popularity among the owners of summer cottages. The hybrid has an increased immunity to fungal infections and scab.

Description of apple variety Antonovka

The Antonovka apple tree differs from other varieties in the following characteristics:

• The height of the tree reaches 7-9 m. The variety begins to bear fruit at 6-7 years.
• The crown has an irregular shape. Shoots are divided into numerous knees.
• The hybrid cannot fully fertilize on its own, so a pollinator is needed, for example, Saffron Pepin or Anise.
• The plant belongs to the group of early winter varieties. The first fruits appear in early autumn.

Also in the description of the Antonovka apple tree it says:

• The fruits have the shape of an almost regular sphere with a conical end. In some of the hybrids, the fruits look like cylinders.
• Antonovka is a variety of apples, the ripe fruits of which are painted in a yellowish tint, and during ripening their skin becomes greenish. It has a strong scent. The subcutaneous dots are large in size, painted white, therefore they are clearly visible with the naked eye.
• The fruit saucer is rather deep, and the stalk is thickened and small in size.
• The weight of one apple varies on average from 0.12 to 0.14 kg. Some gardeners managed to get fruits weighing up to 0.3 kg.

The yield of the hybrid ranges from 300-500 kg per tree. It depends on the landing site. The tasters highly rated the taste of these apples - 10 out of 10 points. The storage duration of the fruit depends on the type of tree.

If the variety is adapted to the southern regions, then the fruits deteriorate relatively quickly. In Moscow (Central Russia) and its northern regions, fruits can be stored in stores until spring in cold rooms (up to 6-7 months).

Planting an apple tree

For the apple tree, they choose a site on the hillside. It must be well lit and protected from strong winds.

The gardener decides for himself which Antonovka variety to choose for planting on the site. You need to pick up cuttings with a length of at least 70 cm.The bark on them should be smooth, and the length of the roots should exceed 30 cm.

The trees are planted in spring or autumn before frost. A pit is made 0.8-0.9 m deep with a diameter of 0.6 m. 3 buckets of humus, manure and sod are poured into the hole. After that, the roots of the tree are straightened, lowered into a hole, covered with earth, and watered abundantly.

If the groundwater on the site is at a low level, then the seedling is planted in the so-called liquid soil. To do this, 2-3 buckets of water are poured into the fertilizer pit, and then a tree is installed and covered with earth. To improve fertilization, it is recommended to plant 2-3 species of pollinating trees near Antonovka.

Planting an apple tree

Further care

The first 3 years, the seedlings are recommended to be constantly hilled. If this is not done, then in winter their root system will freeze, which will lead to the death of plants. The procedure is carried out 2 times a month.

Another danger that lies in wait for Antonovka is the attack of various rodents (rats, hares, mice). To solve this problem, you need to fence the seedlings with wire and close the trunks with roofing material.

Follow-up tree care is carried out as follows:

• when they are 2 years old, they begin to constantly cut off weak, old and long shoots;
• every spring, crown formation is carried out, shortening the trunk of the seedling by 40 cm, and new branches by 1/3 of the length;
• mulch the soil in the trunk circle with a layer of compost or manure, and the thickness of the coating should not be less than 0.1 m, and its width - 1.5 m;
• during the first 6-7 years after planting the seedling, it is recommended to carefully weed the tree trunk from weeds;
• when the apple tree begins to bear fruit, the intensity of cutting the side branches should be reduced by 30%.

Watering is carried out once every 2 weeks. To do this, use warm settled water in an amount of 20-30 liters per tree. Irrigation should be done early in the morning. If the weather is hot, sultry, then you need to increase the watering intensity by 2-3 times.

Top dressing of seedlings begins 3 years after planting. To do this, in the spring, nitrogen and organic fertilizers are introduced into the soil, for example, compost, manure, chicken droppings. They are diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 8 or 1:10. When the flowering period begins, the trees are sprayed with phosphorus fertilizers. If the first fruits have begun to ripen, then feeding is carried out with potash mixtures. After harvesting, it is recommended to add compost or peat to the soil under the seedlings.

Top dressing of an apple tree

The fight against diseases begins in early spring. To do this, you need to treat the branches of apple trees with drugs that prevent the development of a fungal or viral infection. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times with an interval of 14-20 days. Ready-made store products or according to folk recipes are used. Bordeaux liquid and preparations containing copper have proven themselves well.

For the destruction of garden pests, solutions such as inta-vir are used. Also, agents are used that can destroy not only the insects themselves, but also their eggs and caterpillars. To scare off garden parasites, some summer residents use a solution of wood ash. This mixture is used to treat the trunks and branches of the seedlings. To protect against diseases and pests, it is recommended to paint the trunks of the hybrids with lime.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Antonovka apples have the following advantages:

• high adaptability of the plant to external conditions;
• good productivity;
• great taste and aroma;
• of the fruits removed from the branches, more than 40% belong to the first grade fruit, and 20% to the highest grade, used for dessert;
• the hybrid is unpretentious and resistant to low temperatures;
• the tree is immune to various diseases;
• the fruit has a low calorie content (46.6 kcal), which allows it to be used for medical purposes.

The disadvantages of Antonovka hybrids are as follows:

• short shelf life of the crop;
• cyclic fruiting (once every 2 years) in mature trees.

Any gardener with the correct and timely implementation of agrotechnical work can breed this apple variety.It is well adapted to the climatic conditions of Russia and does not require extra effort in its care.