There is no such person who would not love such a fruit as an apricot. These trees with yellow sweet fruits belong to the Pink family of the Plum species. This means that the culture loves warmth and takes root well only in the south of the country of Russia. Breeders have been trying for years to develop a more cold-resistant hybrid. As a result of the tests, an apricot of the Favorit variety appeared, which is recommended for cultivation in central Russia.

The history of the appearance of a hybrid

Selection experiments took place in the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin in 2000. Biologist Larisa Andreevna Kramarenko supervised the work. The variety was obtained during 3-4 times free pollination of a certain seedling.

In 2004, the hybrid was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, which contains a description of the Favorit apricot variety. It is recommended for cultivation in the Central region of the country.

Variety characteristics

The tree is medium in size. Reaches a height of 3-4 meters. The paniculate crown has a small number of branches. Outwardly, it looks rare, but spreading. The branches are raised to the top.

Apricot Favorite

Tomato Favorite: characteristics and description of the variety

Small flowers, less than 3.2 cm in diameter, are snow-white in color. They fade before the first leaves appear. Young shoots have medium branching. They are dark red in color and grow straight and naked.

The leaves of the hybrid are wide and large. They have an ovoid long-pointed appearance. Moreover, the plate itself is shiny, smooth, dark green. It has a crenate edge.

Interesting! The tree begins to bear fruit in the 3rd year on any type of shoots. The average yield is 30 centners per hectare. These are good indicators, but not the best among apricots. The fruits ripen late. The first crop is harvested in late August or early September.

The fruit itself is large. One can weigh 30-35 grams. They are ovoid or round in shape. The base color ranges from deep yellow to pale red. The surface is uneven and the blush is large and thick. The prolapse is weak, the fruits are almost glossy.

Juicy crispy orange pulp melts pleasantly in your mouth. The consistency is cartilaginous. The taste is sweet and sour. The variety was awarded a high tasting score of 4.5 points. The apricot stone is small. It separates easily from the tender pulp.

The fruits are distinguished by good keeping rates - over one month. But this is provided they are stored in a cool, dark place, which is regularly ventilated.

Important! The variety is versatile. Apricots are used both fresh and are used to prepare jam, compotes or dried fruits.

Growing features

Duck Favorite - breed description

Trees of the Favorite variety are planted in the same way as other apricot hybrids. The best time for this is considered to be early spring, namely the beginning of April. Autumn disembarkation, which takes place in early October, is also not forbidden.

Important! The hybrid is self-fertile. It works well as a pollinator for other fruit trees.

The distance between trees should be 4-5 meters. It is needed so that the seedling receives enough light. The best place to plant is near the fence, which will protect the trees from strong winds. If there are no such in the garden, then you will have to build wooden shields.

Planting an apricot

Apricot prefers loose soils that are well ventilated. In the damp earth, the seedling will rot. The groundwater level should be above 2-2.5 meters.The preferred age of the seedling is 1-2 years. More mature trees do not tolerate transplanting well and take longer to take root in a new place.

The size of the pit directly depends on the quality of the soil. The poorer it is, the larger the pit will be.

The planting process itself is as follows:

  • A couple of weeks before the pick, a hole is pulled out. Standard sizes: diameter - 80 cm, depth - 70 cm;
  • The land is divided into 3 parts, one of which is mixed with fertilizers. These can be compost, humus, bottom peat or wood ash, weighing up to 1-2 kg. Superphosphate (about 300 grams) is also good for these purposes;
  • The soil is left with fertilizers for several weeks. It is covered with a material that prevents the washing out of nutrients;
  • Part of the soil is placed in a hole in the form of a mound, on which the seedling is placed. The roots of the latter are carefully straightened;
  • The hole is filled up in layers, compactly tamping the ground. In this case, the root collar protrudes at its level by 3-5 cm;
  • Gently form a root circle, which helps to avoid voids in the ground;
  • The seedling is watered with a bucket of water.

Important! When planting trees, no voids should remain in the ground. In the latter, water can accumulate, which will lead to the death of the seedling. It will simply rot in winter.

The seedling does not need any special care procedures. His character is picky.

A number of ordinary manipulations are carried out over the tree:

  • The branches are pruned once a year in early spring. It is advisable to give the krone the shape of a bowl, which will help the ripening of fruits and harvesting. For this, the branches are cut by 40-60 cm, removing excess buds;
  • Water the tree during the fruiting period once a week with one or two buckets of water;
  • The tree needs feeding. In the spring, potash fertilizers or wood ash are good for this purpose, during the fruiting period - nitrogen fertilizers, and in the fall - phosphorus fertilizers;
  • In rainy years, they carry out the prevention of fungal diseases;
  • For the winter, it is advisable to insulate the seedling. The earth is mulched and covered with breathable material. Install a protective rodent net.

Apricot seedlings care

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Apricot Manchurian

Fact! The undeniable advantage of the hybrid is its high winter hardiness. He is able to survive temperatures as low as -30 ° C. This makes the variety ideal for cultivation in central Russia.

In addition, the hybrid has good early fertility rates. The first harvest ripens for 3-4 years of planting. The fruits themselves are stored for about 1 month, which is a lot for this type of fruit.

There are also drawbacks to culture. First of all, it is the high dependence of fruit ripening on the surrounding weather conditions. In rainy or cold summers, apricots may not ripen in time.

In any case, apricot Favorite is distinguished by excellent taste. In addition, it is unpretentious, winter-hardy and takes root well in the central region of Russia.