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When forming a garden, it is important to choose the right apple varieties. So that not only the seedlings take root and develop well, but also the harvest pleases summer residents. Kovalenkovskoe apple trees are an excellent choice for lovers of truly sweet fruits.
Description of the variety
The Kovalenkovskoe tree belongs to medium-sized and fast-growing species. The crown is formed of a dense rounded shape (the so-called reverse pyramidal type). Strong skeletal branches grow slightly curved. The brown bark of the trunk and main branches has a light sheen. The dark red shoots are rather compact. The leaves grow medium and create a dense foliage on the crown.
The Kovalenkovskoe apple tree blooms early. The inflorescence is formed from five large white flowers.
The fruits of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree ripen large (some have a mass of about 210 g) and have a regular rounded shape (as in the photo).
A distinctive feature of the color is a deep red blush that covers almost the entire surface of the fruit. An interesting feature of the Kovalenkovskoye variety is that in areas of excellent illumination, fruits ripen with a bright and rich gamut of shades, and in the middle of the crown and near the trunk, the apples are no longer so elegant.
The white pulp of the Kovalenkovskoe apple is distinguished by its fine-grained and juicy structure. The taste of the fruit can be considered absolutely sweet, since even a slight hint of sourness is absent. The fruits are great for eating fresh and processed (jam, juice, jam, preserves).
The advantages of the Kovalenkovskoye variety include:
- early maturity - ripe fruits begin to delight gardeners after two to three years;
- stable yield;
- excellent frost resistance;
- good drought resistance;
- the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree is moderately affected by diseases.
Some disadvantages are considered: a prolonged harvesting period, a predisposition of the variety to thickening of the crown and a short shelf life of fruits.
Growing an apple tree
Well-lit areas protected from strong and harsh winds are suitable for cultivating the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree. This variety prefers loamy soils, and the land must be sufficiently moist and drained.
Planting seedlings
As a rule, seedlings can be planted in the spring, when the soil thaws and warms up, or in the fall (a few weeks before frost). The planting hole is dug in advance. Its parameters are determined by the size of the roots of the Kovalenkovskoe seedling, but not less than 0.7-0.9 m in diameter. And the depth should be 10 cm more than the length of the root.
Some gardeners recommend planting by all means in the fall, so that the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree has time for rooting. And then fresh shoots appear in the spring. But this recommendation is applicable to regions where there is no severe frost, otherwise the seedling of the Kovalenkovskoye variety may not take root in severe cold.
Planting stages:
- A drainage layer is laid out at the bottom of the planting pit (gravel, expanded clay can be used). A stake is hammered, to which a seedling will then be tied.
- Two buckets of nutrient mixture (from complex fertilizer, compost) are poured out. A layer of fertile soil is poured.
- The Kovalenkovskoe apple tree seedling is installed in the center of the pit, the roots are free. The pit is filled with earth.
A hole is formed around the trunk, the soil is watered abundantly, and the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree is tied to a support.
Watering and fertilizing
Usually, during the season, it is necessary to water the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree at least three times. This will be enough for the full growth of the tree, provided that the water soaks the soil to a depth of at least 70-80 cm. But it is also important to take into account climatic conditions and soil quality.
For the first time, trees are watered during the flowering period. The next time watering is carried out during the ripening of Kovalenkovskoye apples (approximately the end of June - the beginning of July). It is recommended to water the apple tree for the third time on the eve of frost (at the end of October). Autumn watering will protect the roots of the tree from frost and help the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree overwinter.
The watering rate is determined by the age of the tree. For a seedling, 4-5 buckets are enough for one watering, and an adult tree will require at least 7-10 buckets per square meter of the trunk circle. And during the ripening of the crop, this rate increases even more.
In order for the soil in the near-trunk circle to remain loose, the soil must be regularly cleaned of weeds and loosen. Such measures also help to improve the air permeability of the earth.
To fertilize the soil in spring, nitrogenous fertilizers are used, at the rate of 3-6 g per square meter of the tree trunk circle of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree.
In early July (as soon as the extra ovary falls off), a nitrogen-potassium mixture is introduced. This top dressing will promote the growth of the remaining ovary of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree.
And already in the fall, you can use phosphorus, potassium or organic additives. Fertilizers are applied when digging the soil in September.
Apple tree pruning
Thanks to the regular pruning of branches, it turns out to form a beautiful crown and stimulate the correct development of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree, and harvesting is facilitated.
Basic pruning techniques:
- shortening - only part of the branch is cut off;
- cut - the branch is cut completely.
The first stage of work is crown thinning. This opens the center of the tree, as the upper part of the trunk (with branches) is cut off. Thanks to this technique, the entire crown is illuminated and the height of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree is reduced.
Then they work with especially dense areas. And first unnecessary large branches are removed. In order not to form stumps, the cut is made along the inundation ring.
It should be borne in mind that pruning of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree in order to form a crown is carried out in the spring, and it is recommended to remove damaged and old branches in the fall.
Harvest
In terms of apple ripening, the Kovalenkovskoe variety belongs to the late ones. The first fruits can be picked in the second half of August. The ripening period cannot be considered simultaneous, so the harvest is somewhat stretched over time. And in some regions (Moscow region), the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree can, in general, be attributed to the late autumn varieties, since ripe fruits begin to be harvested from the second half of September. But it is convenient that the fruits do not crumble and are firmly held on the tree.
Apples do not have a long shelf life: in a cool room, fruits can be stored for about a month, and in the refrigerator, fruits lie for about two months. It is noteworthy that the most vivid taste notes are manifested in fruits that have lain for at least two weeks.
Preventive treatment
The Kovalenkovskoe apple variety is characterized by an average resistance to diseases. Therefore, it is important to carry out preventive measures in the form of spraying. In spring, trees and soil are treated with Fitosporin-M solution or drugs based on karbofos to prevent infection with fungal diseases. Processing must be carried out in dry weather, otherwise the rain will wash off the composition.The same preparations can be used before flowering and after harvest.
The apple tree of the Kovalenkovskoye variety has already fallen in love with many summer residents for its pleasant sweet taste and elegant appearance of the fruit.
