Content
Among the many varieties and species of fruit, the columnar apple tree Amber Necklace (Yantarnoe Ozherelie) always attracts attention. It is distinguished by its unusual appearance, compactness and productivity. Gardeners have appreciated the opportunity to create an unusual garden with graceful trees that bring a large harvest of beautiful high quality apples.
Breeding history
The creation of miniature fruit trees is one of the tasks of breeders, which they successfully solve. M.V. Kachalkin, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, has been breeding columnar apple trees for a long time. On the basis of a breeding nursery in the Kaluga region, he received 13 species with such parameters. One of them is "Amber Necklace", bred as a result of free pollination with the "Vozhak" variety. After successfully passing the test in 2008, the new columnar variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation.
The tree is resistant to low temperatures and can go without water for a while
Characteristic of Columnar Apple Amber Necklace
Columnar trees are very suitable for creating a garden in a small area. Their crowns are compact, harvesting is not difficult, the fruits are of high quality. There are other distinctive features as well.
Fruit and tree appearance
Depending on what kind of stock was used, an adult apple tree "Amber Necklace" reaches a height of 1.5 m to 3.5 m.
The fruit tree of the "Amber Necklace" variety develops rapidly - during the season it can rise by 60 cm. By the fifth year of its life it reaches its maximum height and does not grow up any more.
The size of the fruit depends on the number of ovaries formed. The average weight of each is 160 g, the maximum is up to 320 g. The shape is round, even, flattened at the "poles". The skin is dense, has a yellow color with a slight blush on the side or near the stalk.
Life span
The life span of the columnar apple "Amber Necklace" is much shorter than that of common species. At 9-10 years, their fruiting decreases significantly, and after another 7-8 years the trees are replaced with new ones.
Taste
The fruits have a juicy, creamy flesh of medium density. If they ripen on the branches, they are filled with sugars and the pulp becomes translucent. The apples of the "Amber Necklace" variety are sweetish, with a subtle fruity aroma. Tasting score - 4.3 points, universal use.
The height of an adult apple tree can be up to 3.5 meters
Growing regions
The winter hardiness of the columnar variety "Amber Necklace" allows us to recommend it for cultivation in the 4th zone of frost resistance. It is zoned for most regions of the Central Federal District - Kaluga, Moscow, Smolensk, Tula and Ryazan regions.
It is possible to grow a columnar apple tree in regions with a more severe climate, but additional preparatory work will have to be done for wintering.
Yield
The Amber Necklace variety gives the first harvest starting from the third year of life.At this age, up to 5-6 kg of fruits are obtained from one columnar apple tree. In the sixth year, up to 20 kg are harvested. In order for the harvest to be stable and the fruits of high quality, the trees need careful maintenance.
Frost resistant
The columnar apple tree "Amber Necklace" endures winters with temperatures down to -34 ⁰С. To guarantee wintering during winters with little snow, the crown is covered, and the soil near the trunk is mulched.
The fruits ripen in the second half of September.
Disease and pest resistance
Due to the columnar structure of the crown, the apple tree does not have thickening and shading of the branches, the humidity inside them does not rise above normal, which contributes to the plant's resistance to fungal diseases. Scab and powdery mildew also rarely affect the Amber Necklace variety, since the crowns are well ventilated.
Most often, columnar varieties infect cancer, rust, mosaic or viral spotting. For prevention purposes, many gardeners treat the crowns with a solution of Bordeaux mixture in early spring and autumn, and, often, this is enough to exclude the possibility of a disease. If the pathology could not be avoided, fungicides are used.
Of all the known insect pests, aphids appear more often on columnar varieties, which insecticides help get rid of.
For small lesions, folk methods are used: a solution of laundry soap with an infusion of yarrow, tobacco or ash.
Flowering period and ripening period
During the flowering period, the columnar apple tree "Amber Necklace" looks very impressive. The first buds appear in the second year of life, but they should be removed in order to direct forces on the development of the roots and crown.
In the central regions of the Russian Federation, at the end of April, the entire crown is covered with small snow-white flowers. In the northern regions, flowering occurs 2-3 weeks later. Apples of the "Amber Necklace" variety ripen late. Harvesting is carried out in September.
Columnar Apple Pollinators Amber Necklace
The variety is self-fertile. He needs pollination with other columnar apple trees that coincide in terms of flowering. Breeders recommend several varieties:
- Constellation (Sozvezdie).
- Barguzin.
- Statistics (Statistica).
Transportation and keeping quality
The fruits of the columnar apple are transportable. Due to the dense structure of the skin and strong pulp, apples do not lose their presentation, are not injured when transported over long distances. Fruits are stored for a long time. When placed in a basement, their integrity and nutritional properties are preserved until March.
Advantages and disadvantages
The pluses of the variety include:
- ease of care and collection of fruits due to the compact size of the tree;
- the possibility of growing vegetable crops in the garden due to the low shade of the site created by columnar apple trees;
- early and abundant fruiting;
- pleasant fruit taste;
- long (up to six months) storage period;
- attractive appearance of apples;
- excellent transportability;
- frost resistance;
- plant resistance to diseases and damage by insect pests.
The variety "Amber Necklace" has no breaks in fruiting
There are not so many disadvantages of a columnar apple tree:
- With a large harvest, the stem requires a garter to the support.
- Compared to ordinary apple trees, columnar trees do not bear fruit for long - about 10-15 years, after which they are changed.
Landing
According to the recommendations of experts, columnar apple trees are planted in the spring, after the soil warms up to +14 ⁰С, or in the fall, two weeks before frost.
When choosing seedlings, preference is given to annuals, with a developed root system, without damage and rot. Plants with dry roots should not be purchased, the best option is a seedling in a container.
For planting, an open sunny area is chosen, protected from northern winds and drafts. You should not lay a garden in a place with groundwater located more than two meters.
Dig holes 0.6 x 0.6 x 0.6 m, placing them at a distance of half a meter from each other. A gap of 1 meter is left between the rows. Compost is poured at the bottom, superphosphate and potassium (2 tbsp each) and 50 g of dolomite flour are added if the soil is acidic.
After keeping the seedling in warm water for 10 hours, start planting. To do this, place it in the center of the planting pit, sprinkle it and tamp the soil a little. Then the tree is tied to a support, watered with warm water, the soil is mulched.
Growing and care
After planting, the seedlings are regularly watered, keeping the soil moist. Top dressing is carried out twice a season. For this purpose, ammonium nitrate is introduced into the soil during the budding period, and in the summer - phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.
Columnar apple trees require little or no pruning. In the spring, only damaged or frozen shoots are removed.
In equipped warehouses, where all conditions are observed, apples of the "Amber Necklace" variety do not deteriorate until summer
We must not forget about the prevention of pathologies and the timely destruction of insect pests.
Collection and storage
For storage, apples are harvested in the third decade of September. They reach the best consumer qualities one month or 1.5 after harvesting.
The columnar variety "Amber Necklace" has a universal purpose. Juices, compotes, jams and confitures are prepared from the fruits. Stored in a cool room, they do not deteriorate until spring.
Conclusion
Column-shaped apple tree Amber necklace is a real find for gardeners. Due to its compactness, many seedlings can be planted on the site, which for many years will bring a rich harvest of high quality fruits.
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