A large number of summer residents who have decided to grow a garden on their site start with apple trees - a tree that is one of the most common in our country, both in the city and in the countryside. This concept is also connected with the opinion that apple trees do not require painstaking care and are unpretentious fruit trees.

Many dispute this provision, saying that there is a need to know the rules for pruning, storing crops, and so on, and also that without observing these rules, it is difficult to get a decent harvest. This article invites you to consider all aspects of growing and caring for the Honey Crisp apple variety and form your opinion about the ease or difficulty for a gardener when planting this fruit tree.

Variety history

This variety was bred by American breeders from Minnesota back in 1974. Honey, or the Honey Crisp apple tree, is an industrial winter variety. To create the used varieties Mekaun and Honeigold. This variety has gained its fame in many countries, thanks to its many advantages, and in Russia it is just beginning to gain fame. This variety has another name - the Honey Crunch apple tree.

Apple tree Honey Crisp

Description and characteristics

Apple tree Honey Crisp description:

  • They have a height of 3 to 4 meters, sometimes more;
  • The crown has the shape of an oval: the older the tree, the wider the oval;
  • Begins to bear fruit 4 years after planting.
Apple-tree Berkutovskoe

The Honey Crisp apple tree is considered a winter variety with excellent qualities. A tree considered young, about 6 years old, can yield up to 10 kg, while in adulthood this amount increases to 25 kg. The apple tree has a fairly long flowering duration. Fruit ripening and harvesting takes place in the month of October.

The shoots of the apple tree are brownish-yellow in color, straight, with pubescence with long petioles. The buds are medium in size and adhere tightly to the shoots. The leaves are medium-sized, green, with a shiny tint.

The Honey Crunch apple tree has very large fruits according to the description, their weight can vary from 200 to 250 g. For comparison, in the description of the Dark Idol apple variety, you can see that the ripe apples of this tree are slightly smaller, the largest specimen reaches 190 g.

Honey Crisp's apple pulp is distinguished by the juiciness and taste of honey, the quality of the fruits deserved a high rating, based on consumer reviews. You can crunch this apple in the literal sense of the word, because when biting, you can hear just such a sound. The skin of the fetus is not too thick, without much characteristic shine.

Note! These apples can be safely stored in the refrigerator for more than six months. They are very good at transportation, it does not change their appearance, presentation.

Honey Crisp apples are consumed fresh. This variety is distinguished by its good low temperature tolerance and immunity to major types of diseases.

To summarize, the following characteristics of the variety can be noted:

  • Quite a fast growth rate. So, in the first year, which has already passed after planting, the apple tree, as a rule, grows to medium size;
  • The maximum minus temperature that a tree can withstand without any consequences affecting further development is -35 degrees;
  • Resistance to major types of diseases.

Planting and leaving

Planting an apple tree and abundant watering

Unlike summer apple varieties, winter varieties can last longer.A good argument in favor of the variety considered in this article is undoubtedly its resistance to diseases and, in particular, to scab.

Apple Lobo

When a suitable place is chosen for planting Honey Crisp, its average height must be taken into account. For this reason, no less than 3 m is left to the nearest buildings and trees.

The groundwater level plays an important role in the formation of a good tree. If it is known that they are close to the surface, this value is about 3 m, the roots of trees can be negatively affected, and resistance to frost tends to decrease significantly in such cases. If these waters are even closer, for example, up to 2 m, it is necessary to plant the seedling on an elevated, dry bed, the so-called faith.

Important! When purchasing seedlings, it is worth choosing one-year or two-year-olds, at this age they have the ability to take root faster. You also need to pay attention to the branches and roots. If the seedling is good, they should be intact and elastic.

When planting in the autumn, the seedling pit is prepared in a month. The landing dates are directly linked to the weather conditions. There should be no less than 3 weeks before frost. If for some reason it did not work out to plant before frost, you can dig in a tree. It is also preferable to prepare a pit for planting a seedling in the spring in the fall.

For planting a seedling, a pit is prepared about 70 cm deep, and its diameter should correspond to 1 meter. The primer to be filled is prepared as follows by mixing the components:

  • Wood ash;
  • Superphosphate;
  • Humus;
  • Potassium sulfate.

The roots of a young seedling, which are rotten or just look spoiled, must be removed, and the rest should be shortened slightly. If a seedling with dry roots was found before planting, then it is placed to soak it in water for two days.

A layer of fertile soil is sprinkled with the roots of the tree, spread out over the surface of the dug hole. By frequent tamping, the tree is seated deeper and deeper. The root neck should remain at least 8 cm above the ground, it is important to carefully monitor this.

Tamping the earth around the seedling

Important! Planting is critical for the continued correct development of the seedling. If you make the root collar too high above the ground, the tree will lack moisture in the summer, and if you do it deeper than it should, you can get a later fruiting of the apple tree.

It is necessary to water the seedling with the necessary abundance, this is 3 buckets. To retain moisture, mulching is used with manure, small branches, and hay.

It is especially important to apply constant watering in the first three years after planting the tree. Also carry out periodic cleaning of the space around the trunk. In apple orchards, it is not uncommon to see green manures planted to improve the composition of the soil, such as lupines. When there is a lot of clay in the ground, and it is heavy, rye is sown.

The apple trees of Honey Crispa planted on sandy soil require watering every week, on other soil compositions they are moistened once a month, but not less often. About 40 liters is required for one tree, with an increase in its age, the water consumption also increases.

Young trees need to be pruned around April for proper crown formation. They do it like this:

  • 3 branches are marked with noticeable strips of fabric, the most developed ones, called skeletal;
  • With the use of a conventional pruner, obviously weak branches are removed;
  • The branches marked with a cloth are cut by about one third.

Diseases and pests

Note! The Hani Crisp apple tree is not susceptible to many diseases, but gardeners still carry out preventive treatments. The first time this is done before the buds have blossomed on the tree.

Inta-Vir is used against possible attacks of pests. Copper oxychloride is good for presumed diseases. It is recommended to mix these two drugs with strict adherence to the annotation attached to them.

Top dressing

In the spring, Hanny Crisp is fed with saltpeter or urea, as well as wood ash. It will not be superfluous to use copper sulfate and boric acid, this is necessary for the delivery of important trace elements to the plant.

Top dressing of an apple tree

In the fall, top dressing should consist of the following components:

  • Compost;
  • Ash;
  • Dolomite;
  • Potassium chloride.

Advantages and disadvantages

Apple tree Bratchud

The main advantages of this variety include:

  • Easy care and harvesting due to the compactness of the crown;
  • The fruits are of commercial quality and are well stored;
  • Excellent taste;
  • The apples are transported over fairly long distances without losses;
  • When stored for a long time, the taste of apples does not change.

However, there are some disadvantages of the Honey Crisp variety. One of them is susceptibility to fungal diseases. Sometimes, when storing the crop, spotting occurs under the skin.

While planting Hani apple trees in regions closer to the north may develop a light, sour taste from lack of warmth, this variety is considered very good for any garden, with a honey flavor. Each plant that appears on the site requires certain care, and these apple trees are no exception. Having done everything according to the rules, you can provide yourself with delicious fruits for a long time.