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It doesn't matter what area a summer cottage or a country estate has - there is always little room for a good owner. After all, I want to plant both vegetables and fruits, decorate the site with flowers and bushes, break a gazebo and put up a brazier, and also artificial reservoirs are at the peak of popularity today!
It is not surprising that ordinary fruit trees often do not have enough space, because their crowns are spreading and can occupy several square meters of valuable area. The solution to this problem was the emergence of new varieties of garden trees - columnar plums, cherries, pears and apple trees. The main feature of columnar apple trees is their compactness, so they quickly gained popularity among summer residents of the Moscow region and other regions of Russia.
The varieties of columnar apple trees suitable for the climate of the Moscow region will be discussed in this article. Here we will talk about the benefits of this type of tree, as well as the features of their cultivation.
Features of columnar apple trees
Columnar apple trees - low miniature trees that begin to bear fruit two years after planting. Such apple trees are famous for their high yields, and most importantly, they do not take up much space in the garden.
The branches of the columnar apple trees are directed upwards, they have a strong trunk and are literally strewn with fruits. Outwardly, the structure of such a tree resembles a column, hence the name of the species.
Gardeners love columnar trees for characteristics such as:
- high productivity;
- unpretentiousness;
- ease of planting and care;
- good survival rate of seedlings;
- diminutiveness.
Of course, columnar trees have their own characteristics, some disadvantages - this will be discussed below.
Columnar varieties for the Moscow region
The climate of the Moscow region is very ambiguous: there are sultry summers and relatively cold winters. That is why not all varieties of fruit trees and other crops are suitable for growing in this region.
Columnar apple trees for the Moscow region must have a number of characteristics in order to grow normally and bear fruit well in this climatic zone. Among such factors:
- Frost resistance. Most of the columnar apple trees are able to withstand a temperature drop of up to -20 degrees, while frosts over 30 degrees are not uncommon in the Moscow region.
- Resistant to fungal infections. Summer in the Moscow region is mainly warm and humid, often the weather is cloudy and cool. In such conditions, fungi and various bacteria multiply especially well, therefore columnar apple trees are affected by scab, cytosporosis or powdery mildew. The variety for the Moscow region should have good immunity to this kind of infections.
- Early maturity also does not hurt, because not everyone has the desire and ability to wait 5-7 years until the tree begins to bear fruit. While columnar apple trees begin to produce as early as 2-3 years after planting.
- Fruiting frequency. Most of the columnar apple trees are able to bear fruit abundantly only once every two years, in the next season the tree "rests".Among the columnar varieties, there are those that give consistently high yields every year.
- Resistant to weather conditions. In Moscow, summer is often sultry, there are often long periods of drought, strong winds, hail and other natural disasters. Low columnar apple trees with gentle shoots are much more resistant than tall and spreading trees of the usual variety. Columnar trees tolerate drought well, they are not afraid of the wind, so such varieties can be safely grown in the Moscow region.
Apple classification
In modern breeding, there are hundreds and thousands of varieties of apple trees, and they all differ in some way: yield, quality of fruits, taste and color of apples, resistance and frost resistance of trees, in terms of ripening, etc.
Probably the most important factor for gardeners is the ripening period of the fruit or the growing season - the time during which the flowers turn into ovaries and into ripe fruits. Columnar apple trees for the Moscow region, like other varieties, are divided according to this feature into three large groups:
- Summer varieties of columnar apple trees, such as Medoc or President, ripen in the summer, that is, they have the earliest ripening dates. Usually, such apple trees are harvested in the first half of August. These fruits are tasty fresh, but they are not stored for long.
- Autumn varieties fruiting in September, these include Jin, Titania and Vasyugan. These apples are good both fresh and in jams, compotes, they can be dried or dried. A mid-season harvest is stored better than an early one, but the fruits will not last until spring.
- Winter varieties of columnar apple trees They are amazingly keeping quality - their fruits can last safe and sound until February and even until March. These columnar apples ripen in late autumn. These include the Moscow Necklace, Arbat and Bolero.
Popular varieties
The best columnar apple trees for the Moscow region are united by one important quality - the ability to survive in a difficult and even harsh climate. Before you buy a seedling and dwell on a specific variety, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of them. The gardener must understand that any columnar apple tree has both strengths and weaknesses. All these qualities must be weighed and compared with the conditions of a particular site.
Trees and fruits of each variety will be shown in the photo.
Vasyugan
Vasyugan is great for the Moscow region, already because this apple tree is capable of withstanding temperatures down to -42 degrees without shelter. Despite the severe climate trials, the columnar tree pleases with abundant harvests of fairly large apples - the average fruit weight is 200 grams.
The variety is considered semi-dwarf, since its crown is quite massive and spreading. There are many kolchak on the tree, on which apples are tied and ripened. The yield of the columnar variety Vasyugan is declared within six kilograms per tree, but this indicator can be easily increased by providing the columnar apple tree with sufficient care.
Vasyugan bears fruit already in the year of planting (if the tree was planted in spring), but you should not immediately expect huge harvests - for the first time it is only a few fruits. Since the third year of life, the apple tree bears fruit steadily.
Nectar
Early varieties of columnar apple trees can also grow in the Moscow region, a great example is the Medoc variety. The fruits of this columnar tree ripen in the first days of autumn.
The Medoc apple tree is characterized by strong immunity, good frost resistance, compact size and high yield.The tree grows to a height of no more than two meters. Withstands a decrease in temperature in winter to -40 degrees.
The early maturity of the columnar variety is very good - in the first year after planting, it is quite possible to collect a full harvest. The yield is excellent - about 6-9 kg from each miniature tree. But the fruits are stored poorly, no more than a month, so they need to be eaten or sold as soon as possible.
Currency
This apple tree is miniature and compact, hardy and very fertile. A feature of the columnar variety is the different sizes of its fruits: depending on the growing conditions, the tree can produce both large and medium or small fruits.
The apple tree's resistance to fungal infections is simply amazing: most gardeners do without even preventive treatment of the tree. The ripening period is late, apples can be stored for a long time (3-4 months).
With all its advantages, the columnar variety Currency is very picky about the composition of the soil. If the soil is not fed, the apple tree may not bloom in spring or set fruit. It is better to use balanced mineral complexes for apple trees as a fertilizer. For good yields, a columnar tree is recommended to be planted in an open area that is well lit by the sun.
The president
Another miniature columnar variety, reaching a maximum of two meters in height. The main advantage of this variety is its very high yield. In the first year after planting, you can collect up to six kilograms of apples, for the fourth season the President will give about 20 kg from a tree.
Another advantage is the annual abundant fruiting. This apple tree does not need to "rest", every year its trunk and stems are covered with a huge amount of fruits. The apples are large, slightly flattened, pinkish in color.
The columnar variety is appreciated for its frost resistance and for the good survival rate of seedlings in any conditions. Although apples ripen early (in late August), they can be stored for up to six months.
Moscow Necklace
Productivity, resistance to cold weather, diseases and pests - these are the main advantages of the columnar Moscow Necklace. The tree is small (up to two meters), covered with foliage and apples - it looks very beautiful. Therefore, the variety is often used in landscape design, so the apple tree can not only feed the family, but also decorate the plot.
The roots of the columnar variety are elastic and undemanding, so the apple tree takes root well. The fruits of the variety are large - weighing about 250 grams, with a blush. The apples have a pleasant taste, dessert - sweetness with a slight sourness.
Harvested in mid-September, apples can be stored for several months if placed in suitable conditions. The highest yields are observed in columnar trees planted in well-lit areas with loamy or sandy loam soil.
Baby
The columnar tree of this variety is literally strewn with large egg-yellow fruits. Apples weigh from 150 to 200 grams, have a good taste, and are often called dessert apples.
The gardener should know that Maluha is not as hardy as the other varieties listed here. Therefore, the tree in the Moscow region will have to be covered with rags or other materials. A columnar tree can lose its original shape, so the Maluh needs to be regularly pruned, forming its crown.
The apple tree prefers light, moisture-permeable soils, loves the sun and space. The baby does not tolerate the wind, therefore, secluded corners of the garden are preferable for planting.
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Conclusion
Not all columnar apple trees are suitable for growing in the climate of the Moscow region, but there are several varieties that are great for such conditions. In order to grow and bear fruit in a difficult climate, the variety must have a number of specific factors, including frost resistance, disease resistance, early maturity, and unpretentiousness. If a gardener from the Moscow region wants to plant a columnar tree in his garden, it is better to choose a variety from the list above.
