Florina stands out among the varieties of apple trees. The Florina apple tree is distinguished by its excellent taste, both fresh and lying for several months. Refers to the winter group. Florina is not capricious, does not get sick with scab. If you know about the peculiarities of planting and care, then any gardener can grow such a beauty in his garden.

History of creation

Florina was created in the middle of the 20th century. Her homeland is France. Hardworking French breeders have worked to create a tree that produces attractive fruits that have great taste and long shelf life. In the research of scientists, 4 varieties were used at once:

  • High-yielding, large-fruited Starking;
  • Rum Beauty, with a rich red color and sweet taste;
  • Jonathan, which has a decorative shrub appearance and delicate fruits with a long shelf life;
  • Harvest, sweet Golden Delicious.

Florin apples

As a result, the attempts were crowned with success. The breeders were satisfied with their work. The variety has become widely known. It is grown in many countries with temperate and warm climates. The variety is popular in the central part of Russia and the North Caucasus region.

The Florin apple variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation of Breeding Achievements in 2000.

Characteristics and features of the variety

Frost resistance

Apple tree Airlie Geneva

Frenchwoman Florina has an average frost resistance. It easily tolerates not too harsh winters (with temperatures around -10 ... -20 degrees). Her homeland is Europe, and Russian frosts are a wonder for her. Therefore, gardeners recommend sheltering a young apple tree for the winter. Under cover, she can withstand temperatures as low as -35 degrees Celsius. Drought resistance is also average.

Yield

Note! With proper care, this variety gives a decent harvest. A small apple tree begins to bear fruit after 4 years in a permanent place.

The first harvest won't be great. The grower will harvest about 8-12 kg of fruit. The maximum yield is harvested after 7 years after planting. At this time, the tree begins to produce 50-65 kg of apples.

The winter variety begins to ripen in the fall. The fruits gradually turn red and pour. Removable maturity occurs in October. The taste at this time is sweet with a sour note. The pulp is harsh. Someone will like these fruits. But, according to the reviews of experienced summer residents, consumer maturity (when apples become the most delicious) is noted after 2 months, that is, by the New Year.

Fruits can be stored in a cellar or underground. They retain their taste and market characteristics until March, April. Then they begin to flabbish. The best preservation is noted when Florin apples are in the refrigerator.

Tree options

Like other winter cultures, the lovely Frenchwoman is not too tall. It is medium-sized - stretches up to 2.5-3.2 m. The crown is of medium density. From the Jonathan variety, who participated in the creation of Florina, she took the decorative rounded shape of the crown.

Florina apple tree

The tree is stocky, strong. The trunk is wide. Shoots are fleshy, powerful. Their color is brown. Are reaching for the sky. In relation to the trunk, they have an angle of 50-80 degrees. Emerald leaves of medium size.

In the central part of Russia, flowering occurs in late spring, in the southern regions - at the very beginning of spring.The type and structure of the apple flower speaks of self-pollination. The flowers have both female and male organs, but to obtain the maximum yield, it is necessary to plant a pollinator nearby.

For the Florin apple variety, the following varieties are called the best pollinators:

  1. Gloucester;
  2. Delicious;
  3. Dookie;
  4. Melrose;
  5. Orlik;
  6. Idared.

Additional Information. If you leave Florina without a pollinator, she will still delight with the fruits. But the harvest in this case will be only 30% of the possible. The fact is that the female organs of a flower are formed faster than male ones. Therefore, as soon as the female organs have formed, the apple tree must be pollinated. Pollen from other varieties is carried by insects.

Fruit characteristics

The Florina apple tree description contains information about fruits of the same shape. They are rounded or slightly flat. On some specimens, slight ribbing can be seen. Weight - 110-160 grams. Skin color is yellowish-lime with a bright red blush. There is a waxy coating. It adds richness. At first glance, you might think that apples are purple.

The peel is dense, does not crack, and is fragrant. The scent has a hint of melon. Thanks to the elastic skin, apples are transported over long distances without loss of marketability.

Ripe fruits of Florin

The pulp is whitish-creamy with a greenish tint, firm and crispy. The taste is sweet. Sourness is present. According to the State Commission of the Russian Federation for the Testing and Protection of Breeding Achievements, the tasters rated Florin's apples at 4.8 points.

Note! Despite the pronounced sweetness, the calorie content of the fruit is low. 100 grams of the product contains 47 kcal.

Florena apple contains vitamins C, A, group B, useful trace elements and minerals. Eating these aromatic fruits helps to normalize digestion. They clean teeth from plaque, remove toxins, slow down the aging process.

Pest and disease resistance

Thanks to the work of breeders, the Florin apple variety turned out to be healthy. He has strong immunity. Due to the fact that scab was rampant in Europe, scientists tried to develop a variety that would not be susceptible to this fungal disease. The goal was achieved. Apple tree Florina is not sick:

  • Scab;
  • Bellew (powdery mildew);
  • Bacterial burn;
  • Moniliosis.

Pests also do not annoy the shrub.

Agrotechnics

Landing place

When choosing the part of the site on which the Florida apple tree will subsequently be planted, you should pay attention to the lighting. It needs to be sunny there. Shaded areas will adversely affect tree development.

Apple tree Imrus

The roots of the variety are powerful. They need space. Therefore, the distance to neighboring shrubs or trees should be at least 2.5-3.5 m. The variety is not capricious to the soil. It can grow both on fertile black earth and clay soil. But it's worth paying attention to acidity. The apple tree cannot survive on too acidic soil. The best soil is neutral or slightly acidic.

Important! Florina's apple tree takes root only on drained soils. If groundwater passes close to the surface of the earth, then the culture is planted on a hill.

Sapling selection

  1. You need to purchase planting material only from trusted persons. Best at a local nursery. Regionalized plants are sold there. The manufacturer and its products must have good reviews from gardeners;
  2. The best plant age is 1 or 2 years;
  3. Only a healthy seedling should be purchased, without damage to the trunk and roots;
  4. The bark should be soft and elastic. The wood under the bark is light green, slightly damp. If the wood is dark, then the seedling will not take root.

    Apple tree seedlings Florin

Landing

You need to plan the landing at least several months before the intended process. This is necessary to select a site and prepare the planting pit.

The material can be planted both in spring and autumn. In central Russia, in autumn, planting takes place from mid-September to mid-October, in the southern regions - from late September to mid-November.In the spring, you need to have time to plant a seedling before the buds begin to swell. In the Moscow region, this is done until the end of April.

Important! The landing pit is prepared in advance. The pit must be voluminous and deep. The recommended diameter is 1.2 m. The depth is 0.8 m. The soil from the pit is mixed with 3 buckets of humus. 0.5-0.8 kg of ash, 0.1-0.15 kg of potassium sulfate are added there. The substrate is placed in the planting pit. It is spilled with two 10-liter buckets of water.

If the disembarkation is planned for the spring, then this work is done in the fall. If in the fall, then the landing pit is prepared at the end of summer. If the soil is acidic, then dolomite flour, chalk or lime is introduced into the planting pit.

Planting instructions:

  • The day before placing the seedling in a permanent place, it is placed in a basin of water. This is necessary for the roots to soak and come to life. Then they are dipped into a mixture of clay with mullein and water;
  • A part of the earth is removed from the pit. A slide forms at the bottom. A strong stake is stuck into it. Its length is about 1 m. It acts as a support;
  • The roots are straightened, laid on a mound in such a way that everyone is free;
  • The root collar should be 5-8 cm above ground level. After the planting takes place, the ground will shrink, and the root collar will be at the level of the soil;
  • All the earth is poured into the pit. It compresses easily. A near-stem circle is formed, in which watering will be carried out;
  • It is recommended to cover the ground under the seedling. Peat, hay, sawdust, spruce needles are suitable;
  • The seedling is tied to a support, watered. For irrigation, 20 liters of water are used.

Care

The Florina apple bush does not require any special care. The main thing that he needs is systematic watering in the first few years after planting, weeding, loosening, fertilizing, pruning.

Watering

It should be organized every 10-14 days in the spring and summer. You cannot fill the plant. If it rains, then additional watering is not required. For a young shrub, three 10-liter buckets of water are enough, for an older tree 8-13 buckets. As soon as the bush turns 3 years old, the frequency of watering is reduced.

Watering the apple tree

Weeding

In order for a Frenchwoman to grow and develop well, it is necessary to weed the trunk circle. Also, the earth should be loosened. For this, a pitchfork is suitable.

Top dressing

Florina varietal shrub will appreciate the feeding. Fertilizers should be applied carefully so as not to impair the tree's immunity. This variety can be fertilized with a small amount of manure by spreading it over the surface of the soil, but without applying it to the trunk. In the spring, it is also allowed to use humus or 0.5 kg of urea.

On a note! In the summer, it is recommended to feed the plant with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. In the fall, the apple tree is also treated with potassium or phosphorus fertilizer along with potassium sulfate.

Pruning

In the first year, the seedling is shortened. It is necessary that a stalk remains, 80-90 cm high. This is necessary to awaken the kidneys. In the second year, all weak shoots are cut off from the shrub. Only the trunk and strong skeletal shoots are left. The task is to evenly distribute the branches of the crown. After the trunk is extended to the desired height, it is cut off. You can prune the apple tree every year at the very beginning of spring or autumn. The crown is thinned out as necessary, giving it a neat, rounded shape.

Additional Information. It is recommended to cover a young apple bush before winter. For this, the branches are wrapped in rags, burlap. Peat mixed with manure or sawdust is laid out under the roots. For an adult tree, it is enough to whitewash the trunk, abundantly mulch the near-trunk circle.

Pros and cons of the variety

Advantages

  1. The fruits are neat, compact, beautiful, even. Despite the fact that the variety is winter, the pulp is sweet, crispy even after harvest. After the apples lie down, they become even sweeter and richer;
  2. Like the varieties Anise gray, Antey, Lobo, Florin's apples can be stored in the cellar until spring;
  3. Florina is never more scab. In this way she reminds Zaryanka, Yablochny Spas.In addition, Florina is immune to other common diseases, including: leucorrhoea (powdery mildew), fire blight, moniliosis;
  4. Decent yield - 50-65 kg are harvested from the apple tree. Papirovka has a similar yield;
  5. The variety tolerates transportation well. Like Red Delicious apples, Florina fruits do not crack during transportation, do not lose their commercial qualities.

disadvantages

  1. Winter hardiness, drought resistance at an average level. The varieties Mackintosh, Renet Simirenko have similar characteristics;
  2. Like the varieties Antonovka ordinary, Anis scarlet, fruiting is not constant;
  3. To obtain high yields, you need to grow pollinators nearby, for example, Dookie, Melrose;
  4. The variety needs watering. By this he reminds Borovinka, Mantet.
Apple-tree Stroyevskoe

Despite the presence of shortcomings, the Florina apple tree captivates with its advantages. With proper planting and proper care, the tree will give the summer resident beautiful ruddy fruits with a wonderful crunchy sweet taste. Apples can be eaten throughout the winter and the first spring months.