In a small garden, it can be difficult to find a place for a spreading apple tree, but this does not mean at all that the owners of modest household plots should abandon the idea of growing fruit trees. There are many varieties of undersized apple trees, which have a compact, decorative crown, do not require much space and please with a good harvest. When choosing such a tree, you need to pay attention to its main characteristics, such as winter hardiness, yield, early maturity, and fruit taste. For example, in the proposed article we will talk about which apple varieties should be preferred for the Moscow region and the central regions of Russia. After reviewing the information provided, surely everyone will be able to choose a suitable fruit tree for themselves.
Variety of dwarf varieties
The climate of the central region of Russia is characterized by low temperature indicators and unstable weather conditions, in which not every apple variety will be able to fully grow and bear fruit. However, many dwarf fruit trees demonstrate high resistance to the Moscow region climate, which does not negatively affect the yield and quality of fruits. Dwarf apple trees in the suburbs are good take root and do not require enhanced protection against freezing.
In addition to their high resistance to unfavorable climates, dwarf apple trees have some other advantages, which include:
- Compactness and decorativeness of the crown. Its diameter can reach 2 m.
- A dwarf fruit tree will successfully fit even in the smallest garden.
- The high height of the bonsai allows for easy harvesting.
- Unlike most common varieties, dwarf apple trees bear fruit annually.
- The high quality of the fruit is not inferior to the fruit of tall apple trees.
- Dwarf apple trees tolerate frost well and do not require intensive care.
- A well-developed root system of dwarf trees can spread to a depth of 1 m over an area of up to 8 m2... It successfully nourishes the apple tree and provides a good plant yield.
It is thanks to the listed characteristics that many gardeners prefer dwarf apple trees... Competent selection of such varieties for the garden allows you to collect fresh fruits throughout the summer-autumn period, and then set aside a certain amount of fruits for the winter for long-term storage. To get this opportunity, it is necessary to simultaneously grow apple trees of different ripening periods in the same garden: early, mid-ripening and late varieties. We will try to describe some of them in detail later in the sections of the article so that the gardener, having read the information, can make the right choice for himself.
Early varieties of low-growing apple trees
The first fruits of the apple trees suggested below can be tasted by the end of June. These first fruits are the most valuable, because they ripen at a time when other varieties of apple trees only form ovaries, and buying apples in the store is still "a pretty penny." Among the early dwarf apple trees, the 3 most successful species should be distinguished:
"Melba"
This variety is very fruitful, its apples are distinguished by excellent appearance and taste. Thus, each fruit of the Melba variety weighs more than 200 g.Fruits have a smooth, rounded or slightly elongated shape. The skin of such fruits is bright green. By the time of ripening, a yellow tint appears on it, and a pink blush on the sunny side of apples. The taste of the fruit is excellent: the pulp is very tender, juicy and sweet, there are caramel notes in its aroma.
To assess the external quality of the early Melba apples, you can view the photo below:
"Candy"
The "candy" apple ripens a little later than the fruits of the "Melba" variety proposed above. In terms of fruit taste, these two types of apple trees compete with each other with dignity. "Candy" fruits are not very large, weighing up to 120 g. Their shape is round. The fruit is covered with a matte, light yellow skin with small scarlet stripes. They taste very juicy and aromatic. The flesh of "Candy" apples is dense.
"Wonderful"
Apples of this variety ripen in the middle of summer. The first harvest of dwarf apple fruits will be tasted already in the 4th year of crop cultivation. The fruits of the "Wonderful" apple tree are of medium size, weighing up to 150 g. Their taste is dessert, the pulp is juicy and sweet. It has a bright fresh aroma. Fruits are covered with a delicate skin, yellow-green in color, sometimes with a bright blush.
The apple varieties listed above should be planted on the south side of the site in early spring. This will ensure the successful survival of the crop and contribute to the early ripening of the crop in the future.
Mid-season varieties
Mid-season varieties of dwarf apple trees in the Moscow region, they bear fruit in early autumn, smoothly replacing the harvest of early apple trees. There are quite a few low-growing mid-season varieties suitable for the Moscow region, but the following are deservedly recognized as the best of them:
Zhigulevskoe
Experienced people have known this apple for many years. gardeners... The variety begins to bear fruit as early as 3-4 years of cultivation, it is highly resistant to winter frosts, diseases, pests. "Zhiguli" fruits are large, weighing up to 350 g. Their shape is rounded, slightly flattened, the skin is golden-red. Fruit taste is sweet and sour. The pulp of apples is tender, coarse-grained.
"Shtrifel"
The Shtrifel variety is one of the most famous in the central regions of Russia, including the Moscow region. It can also be found under the names: "Autumn striped", "Streifling".
The harvest of the Shtrifel variety ripens in September. Its quality is high: the weight of apples varies from 150 to 200 g, the shape of the fruit is slightly elongated, the skin is green-yellow, with bright longitudinal stripes along the entire surface. The taste of the fruit is rich, harmoniously combines acidity and sweetness.
To prevent freezing, fruit trees must be insulated with burlap.
"Grounded"
Apples of the "Prizemlennoe" variety perfectly tolerate wintering and are very rarely damaged even by the most severe frosts, which means they are excellent for growing in the Moscow region. The taste of such fruits is sweet and sour, the aroma is very bright. Fruit color is greenish-red. Already in the 3rd year after growing the seedling, the gardener will be able to taste the first harvest of large fruits. It is worth noting that the number of fruits ripening in the season is large and stable from year to year.
In addition to the listed mid-season varieties, it is worth noting the Sokolovskaya apple tree, which also successfully wintering in the Moscow region and gives a good harvest of very tasty fruits. Their weight is average, about 90 g, the color is yellow-green.
Late varieties
Late varieties of apples have excellent keeping quality. They can keep their freshness at a temperature of + 3- + 60From until the onset of the new season. At the same time, the taste of such fruits only improves with storage. Among such late-ripening varieties, the following types of dwarf trees can be noted:
"Grushovka Podmoskovnaya"
The history of this winter variety has been around for many decades, but it still retains its relevance, primarily due to the high resistance of apple trees to unfavorable external factors.
Fruiting of this variety is slow and occurs only in the 5-6th year of crop cultivation. Apples of this variety are relatively small, weighing up to 90 g. Their shape is rounded, slightly elongated. The surface of the fruit is covered with a robust yellow skin with a bright blush on one side. The taste of the fruits "Grushovka Podmoskovnaya" is excellent, sweet and sour. As apples are stored, the acidity in their taste almost completely disappears. The aroma of the fruit is bright and fresh.
"Bogatyr"
The late-ripening variety "Bogatyr" is distinguished by the highest resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases and extremely low winter temperatures. The apple tree "Bogatyr" gives its first harvest in the 5-6th year of cultivation. Its fruits are relatively small, weighing no more than 100 g. Their shape is round, slightly flattened. The color of the fruits is yellow-green, with a slight pink blush. The taste of apples is sour, similar to the taste of the notorious "Antonovka" varieties.
More information about the Bogatyr apple variety can be found in the video:
"Moscow necklace"
This undersized apple tree can become a real decoration of the garden, because its fruits are painted in the original dark red or purple color, which can be seen in the photo below:
These unique apples ripen in mid-October. The crop yield is average, the palatability of the fruits is excellent: large fruits are very juicy and sweet, stored in special conditions for 6-7 months.
Along with the listed late varieties of apple trees for the Moscow region, it is worth noting fruit trees of the Arbat, Carpet, Snowdrop, Bratchud varieties and some other types of culture.
Conclusion
Growing apple trees with different fruit ripening periods on his plot, the gardener will be able to receive a regular flow of fresh healthy fruits for his whole family. And late varieties will allow you not only to enjoy the harvest in season, but also to preserve it throughout the winter. In the article, we proposed several types of apple trees with different ripening periods, which are great for the Moscow region, since they are characterized by the highest resistance to unfavorable external conditions and freezing. After studying the information provided, everyone will be able to make a deliberate choice and successfully grow wonderful dwarf fruit trees on their site.
