Content
The Spartan apple tree was bred in the 30s of the twentieth century and became widespread in many countries. Its distinctive feature is dark red fruits with good taste. The variety is late and the fruit has a long shelf life. The following is a description of the variety apple trees Spartan, photos, reviews.
Description of the variety
Spartan belongs to the winter varieties of apple trees. The country of origin of the variety is Canada, but it is grown in the Moscow region, the Central and Central Black Earth region of Russia. In the middle lane, the Spartan variety is rare, since it has low frost resistance.
The appearance of the tree
The Spartan apple tree is a 3 m high tree with a rounded crown. The central conductor (the section of the trunk above the first shoots) grows at an angle.
The branches have a pronounced burgundy color. The leaves are characterized by a dark green color, a rounded shape and a relief plate.
Apple tree Spartan is distinguished by abundant flowering. The cultivar is self-pollinating, but suitable for pollination of other varieties of apple trees.
Fruit characteristics
Spartan apples meet the following characteristics:
- medium sizes;
- rounded, flattened footprint;
- fruit weight about 120 g;
- bright red blush against a yellowish background;
- matte skin, shimmering blue;
- juicy, firm and snow-white pulp;
- sweet taste, sometimes a slight sourness is felt.
The chemical composition of the fruit includes:
- sugar content - 10.6%;
- titrated acids responsible for acidity - 0.32%;
- ascorbic acid - 4.6 mg per 100 g of pulp;
- pectin substances - 11.1%.
Variety yield
The Spartan apple tree can be harvested in the third year after planting. Depending on the care and age of the tree, 15 apples are removed from it. From a tree over 10 years old, 50-100 kg of fruits are obtained.
The Spartan apple variety is suitable for winter storage. The crop can be harvested at the end of September, when the fruits turn bright red. They are easy to pick from the branches, some apples even begin to fall off.
It is recommended to pick fruits in dry and clear weather at an air temperature of about +10 degrees. You need to store apples at temperatures from 0 to +4 degrees. The shelf life is up to 7 months.
In closed containers, the shelf life is increased. By December, the fruits acquire a richer and sweeter taste.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Spartan apple variety is valued for the following advantages:
- high productivity;
- good taste;
- content of nutrients;
- the ability to endure long-term transportation and storage;
- resistance to disease.
The disadvantages of Spartan apple trees are:
- low winter hardiness (protection from frost is required);
- in the absence of pruning and with age, the fruits become smaller.
Landing features
Apple tree Spartan is recommended to be purchased from a gardening center or nursery. When choosing a seedling, you should pay attention to its appearance. The plant should be free of signs of damage or mold. Planting is carried out on a prepared site after the formation of a pit and fertilization.
Selecting a seedling and planting site
The best time to plant the Spartan apple tree is spring.If you plant a plant in the fall, then there is a high probability of freezing and death. In the Moscow region, work is carried out in late March or early April.
The seedling is chosen with a healthy root system, without growths and damage. The bark on an annual plant has a dark cherry color, a trunk without branches.
For landing, choose a sunny place, protected from the wind. The groundwater level is at least one meter.
The soil under the tree should be fertile, with good moisture and air permeability. The composition of clay soil is improved by introducing coarse sand and peat. Sandy soil is fertilized with peat, humus and compost.
It is recommended to start preparation in the fall. The planting site is dug up and fertilized:
- turf - 3 buckets;
- humus - 5 kg;
- superphosphate - 100 g;
- wood ash - 80 g.
For disembarkation, a pit is prepared with dimensions of 0.5x0.5 m and a depth of 0.6 m. The pit is filled with the prepared mixture, a peg is driven in and closed with a special material until spring.
Landing order
Immediately before planting, you need to place the roots of the seedling in warm water for a couple of days. The plant is placed in the middle of the hole and its roots are spread. The root collar (the place where the color of the bark changes to dark brown) is located 5 cm above ground level.
When covered with soil, the apple tree needs to be shaken slightly to fill the voids between the roots. Then the soil is trampled down, and the plant is watered abundantly.
A small earthen rampart with a diameter of about a meter is poured around the tree. If the soil begins to settle, the earth should be filled up. The apple tree is tied to a support.
Care features
The growth of the apple tree and its yield depend on proper care. Young garden trees require special attention. The apple orchard should be watered, fertilized, and pruned regularly.
Watering the apple tree
The intensity of watering the Spartan variety depends on the weather conditions and the age of the plant. A young apple tree needs more water, so moisture is applied every week.
You can water the apple tree along special furrows between rows with plantings. They need to be dug to a depth of 10 cm around the circumference in accordance with the Sami long side shoots.
Another way of watering is sprinkling, when moisture comes in evenly in the form of drops. The soil should be soaked to a depth of 0.7 m.
For annual plants, 2 buckets of water are enough, for two-year-olds - 4 buckets. Mature trees need up to 8 buckets.
Top dressing of an apple tree
Top dressing of the Spartan variety is performed in several stages:
- When the buds open, the soil is loosened with the introduction of nitroammofoska (30 g) and humus.
- When buds begin to form, an infusion based on mullein or chicken droppings is introduced into the soil under the apple tree.
- After the end of flowering, a complex fertilizer is prepared: 8 liters of water, 0.25 kg of nitroammofoska, 25 g of potassium sulphide, 20 g of dry sodium humate. The resulting solution is poured over the apple tree.
- When the fruits ripen, the apple orchard is watered with fertilizer obtained from 8 liters of water, 35 g of nitroammofoska and 10 g of humate.
- After harvesting the fruits, 30 g of superphosphate and potassium sulphide are added to the soil.
Tree pruning
The first pruning is done the next year after planting the apple tree. In an annual tree, the height of the trunk should be 0.5 m. 6 buds are left above it, and the top is cut off by 10 cm. The crown is formed taking into account the fact that the branches of the apple tree grow sideways.
Sanitary pruning is done twice a year. Dry and damaged branches must be eliminated. Slices are covered with garden pitch.
Shelter for the winter
Yablone Spartan needs shelter for the winter. To do this, it is watered abundantly about a month before the cold snap. Dig up the soil under the tree, apply a layer of peat on top.
The trunk should be wrapped in spruce branches or burlap.Young trees can be tilted to the ground and covered with a wooden box. When the snow falls, a snowdrift is made of snow around the Spartan apple tree. In the spring, the shelter is removed.
Gardeners reviews
Conclusion
The Spartan variety is suitable for growing in regions with mild winters. Its apples are deep red in color, medium size and excellent taste.
For planting apple trees, choose a well-lit place. The soil and the seedling are preliminarily prepared. The tree requires care in the form of watering, fertilizing and pruning old branches.
