Every year there are more and more new varieties of different fruit trees, including apple trees. Not only new varieties and hybrids appear, but also new species, which, due to their excellent qualities, immediately become popular among gardeners. However, one should not forget those varieties of fruit crops that, even against the background of new apple trees, remain in demand - they are grown both in garden plots and on an industrial scale.

One of these varieties is the Macintosh apple tree: it was bred in Canada, and the main thing for which it is appreciated not only at home, but also in other countries of the world is its yield. To grow seedlings of this variety in your garden, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for planting this foreign fruit tree, learn about the nuances of care and the main characteristics of this apple tree.

The history of the creation of the variety

This apple tree, which belongs to the autumn varieties, has a fascinating history of origin. This fruit tree is not the fruit of selection, it was not obtained by crossing several varieties. He was just discovered when buying a plot. In the 18th century, a farmer named Mackintosh acquired a new plot, and several young apple trees grew on it. The farmer transplanted them, but of all the trees, only one apple tree grew. This fruit tree bore fruit annually, and its life span was unprecedented - more than 100 years.

This tree was the first representative of a new variety, which was first bred in Canada, and then exported to other countries. The apple tree, named by Macintosh after its discoverer, quickly became popular far beyond the borders of the American country and even swam across the ocean to eventually reach Russia.

Apple Macintosh

Characteristics and features of the variety

A description of the Macintosh apple tree should begin with a story about fruiting. This apple tree belongs to the autumn varieties, the harvest is usually harvested in September - early October.

Apple Lobo

The tree is quite tall, the shape of the crown is pyramidal, from a distance the Macintosh apple tree (some mistakenly call the Mekintosh apple tree) is very similar to the cypress tree. The branches are quite dense, the crown is slightly spreading, the color of the bark is brown. The leaves are wide, their color is green with a yellow tint, and the shape is ovoid, with medium pubescence. The edges of the leaves are with small teeth.

This fruit tree can reach a height of 6.5 m, but some specimens sometimes reach 8 m. The annual growth of branches is 7-9 cm. Apples are located on the branches chaotically, their sizes, as well as shades, can be varied.

Note. The first fruits appear on young trees 6-8 seasons after planting. After that, the tree bears fruit annually, but in unfavorable years the yield of Macintosh apple trees may decrease.

The weight of a ripe apple can reach 180-210 g. Macintosh apples are very tasty, with a sour-sweet taste. Up to 190 kg of apples can be harvested from one mature tree. However, if the climatic conditions in the season were favorable, and the care was correct, then sometimes the yield increased sharply. There were record harvests of up to 330-340 kg from one apple tree. However, the harvest may ripen unevenly.

The shape of ripe fruits is oval, slightly compressed, ribbing is clearly visible in the region of the stalk. The pulp is dense, fine-grained. Apple tasting score - 5 points. The skin is red and greenish at the base. There is also a light yellow fruit color.

Cold resistance of this variety is average. If the temperature drops below -20 ° C, then the fruit buds of this tree may freeze. Therefore, in the next season, the yield will decline sharply. However, some gardeners in their reviews say that in their gardens, the Macintosh withstood more severe winters without freezing.

Withstands harsh winters

Disease resistance characteristic - this fruit crop has low resistance to scab and powdery mildew. The main harmful bugs that can infect the macintosh variety of apples are aphids, moths.

Important! To prevent the onset of diseases and scare off pests, in the spring they carry out preventive treatment of apple trees with copper sulfate or Bordeaux liquid. Other chemicals are used if necessary.

This variety tolerates transportation well, has an excellent presentation and good taste. The keeping quality of the harvested crop is excellent - if stored in appropriate conditions, these apples will be on the table until the end of February - early March.

These apples are universal and can be used:

  • fresh;
  • dry;
  • cook preserves and jams;
  • squeeze out fine apple juice;
  • make cider.

Often in the gardens of our country there is not a pure variety of Macintosh, but its variety - Red Macintosh.

Modern breeders use the Macintosh apple tree for crossing with other varieties. As a result of purposeful work, such wonderful new varieties as Spartak, Slava Peremozhtsy, and Amazing have already been obtained. In total, there are over 50 new apple trees that have been created using the Macintosh.

Macintosh amazing apple tree

And American breeders based this Canadian apple tree on the Priscilla variety, the main advantage of which is its high resistance to scab.

Agricultural technology of cultivation

Planting seedlings can be carried out both in the spring and in the fall. In the spring, trees should be planted before bud break. Landing time in autumn - 1.5 months before the onset of frost. In this case, the apple trees have time to take root before the onset of frost and prepare for wintering.

Apple Tree Pink Pour

Usually, seedlings of this apple tree are bought in nurseries or ordered via the Internet. Such trees are usually sent with a closed root system - so apple trees tolerate transportation better, their root system is not damaged during transportation, and apple trees are well acclimatized in a new place.

The diameter of the planting pit is about a meter, and the depth is 0.6 m. A layer of drainage material (fine crushed stone, broken brick) is laid on the bottom, then a layer of sheet earth and a layer of a mixture of humus and peat. A stake is placed in the hole, then a seedling is placed, which is tied to a support. Only after that the pit is filled with garden soil. Up to 30 liters of water is poured under each tree.

Remember! The root collar should protrude 1.5-2 cm above the ground surface.

Further care includes regular watering, loosening the near-trunk circle, and removing weeds. Top dressing is carried out according to a special schedule.

  • Once a season, a layer of mulch is applied, consisting of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.
  • And once every three seasons, complex mineral fertilizers are applied to the trunk circle.

Immediately after planting the seedlings, the first formative pruning is carried out. At the same time, all lateral shoots are treated so that they are 4-6 cm shorter than the central trunk.

In the next 3-4 seasons, you should cut off all the color, so as not to allow young trees to waste energy on ripening the fruits, but to increase the vegetative mass and actively grow lateral shoots.

Flowers need to be picked

Further pruning is carried out in such a way that the apple tree forms the first tier of two strong god branches at a height of about 0.5 m from the ground surface. The distance between the first tier and the second should be 0.45-0.65 m. Two shoots between the first and second tiers are folded back.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Apple tree Glory to the Winners

Gardeners, in whose apple orchards this variety grows, note the following positive qualities of this apple tree:

  • high productivity;
  • excellent presentation of ripe fruits;
  • pleasant taste of ripe apples;
  • good keeping quality of the harvested crop;
  • the mass of fruits tolerates transportation well.

The disadvantages include:

  • low resistance to major diseases, including scab and powdery mildew;
  • medium resistance to frost.

Despite some shortcomings, the Macintosh apple variety is still popular not only in its homeland, but also in many countries around the world. In our country, it is grown in the southern regions, in the Volga region, in the middle lane, in the Black Earth Region and in the Moscow Region.