Content
Apple-tree Autumn Joy is a high-yielding Russian variety, successfully zoned in the regions of Central Russia. Gives 90-150 kg from one tree. Apple trees are distinguished by good winter hardiness and undemanding care. Therefore, they can be grown not only in the middle lane, but also in the Urals and Siberia.
Breeding history
Autumn joy is an apple variety obtained by S.I. Isaev, an employee of the Michurin VNIIS. Bred by crossing a hybrid from the Cinnamon Striped and Welsey series. The apple tree has been successfully tested in the Central Region. Basically, the variety is intended for cultivation in the middle lane.
Description of the apple variety Autumn joy with a photo
Autumn joy is one of the most popular varieties of apple trees, which are bred in almost all regions of Central Russia. The tree has been growing for several decades and brings a consistently high yield (up to 150 kg).
Fruit and tree appearance
The tree is tall, reaching a height of 10-12 m (if not formed). The crown is dense, up to 2-2.5 m in diameter. The bark on the main shoot and on the skeletal branches is brown. Other shoots are dark red, rather thick, straight, densely pubescent. Lentils are round or oval, light yellow in color. The kidneys are gray, large in size.
The leaves of the Autumn Joy apple tree are small, with noticeable elongation, ovoid. The surface is wrinkled, the color is dark green. The edges are wavy, the plates are curved, pubescent. Petioles are thin and long.
Apples are medium in size, usually 115-135 g in weight, round, with noticeable flattening at the top and bottom. The skin is smooth, golden-green, bright red when mature, with small stripes.
The fruits of the apple-tree variety Autumn Joy are painted in golden-red colors
Life span
The lifespan of the Autumn Joy apple tree reaches 30-35 years. It is influenced by care, soil fertility, regular preventive treatments against pests, as well as weather conditions.
Taste
The pulp of the fruit is light, creamy. The density is medium, tender in consistency, quite juicy. The taste is balanced, sweet and sour, dessert. The aroma is refreshing, spicy. There is an increased concentration of sugar. Tasting marks are quite high - about 4.3 points out of 5.0.
The percentage of the main components (in% of the total mass):
- dry matter (in total) - 12.5%;
- sugar - 10.3;
- acids - 0.4%.
Growing regions
The apple-tree of the Autumn Joy variety is zoned in the regions of Central Russia - the Volga region, the Chernozem region, the middle strip, the south. Due to its high yield, it is cultivated in almost all horticultural farms.
Yield
Apple tree varieties Autumn Joy begins to bear fruit 4-5 years after planting. The yield is quite good - an average of 90 kg from 1 tree, and it reaches the peak of fruiting at 20 years. At this age, subject to proper care and favorable weather, you can collect up to 150 kg of fruits from 1 apple tree.
Frost resistant
Differs in good winter hardiness, not inferior to Cinnamon striped.In the middle lane and in Altai, it is possible to grow according to classical agricultural techniques, like most other varieties.
In other regions, where frosts can be up to 30-40 degrees in winter, it is not recommended to plant this apple tree. But you can try to grow it by wrapping the branches and sprinkling a large amount of humus on the near-trunk circle every fall. Another option is to make a stock on stanza (creeping) apple trees. It is convenient to cover them with agrofibre or burlap for the winter.
In the Urals and Siberia, shoots of the Autumn Joy variety can be grafted onto stanza apple trees
Disease and pest resistance
Differs in good resistance to scab - a fungal disease that leads to damage to the leaves and fruits of the apple tree. The immunity to other diseases and pests is satisfactory. It is imperative to carry out preventive treatments in spring and summer.
Flowering period and ripening period
It begins to bloom in May. The lower the temperature, the longer flowering lasts. The first fruits appear in late August - early September, the peak of ripening occurs in the first autumn days. Therefore, the apple variety Autumn Joy belongs to the early autumn.
Pollinators
Apple trees of this variety are pollinated only by insects. Therefore, there is no need to plant trees of cross varieties.
Transportation and keeping quality
The fruits are distinguished by good keeping quality - they retain their taste and presentation for 1-1.5 months after harvest (provided they are stored in a cool, shaded place).
Even with minimal maintenance, the apple tree Autumn joy gives good yields
Advantages and disadvantages
The Autumn Joy variety is well known to both amateur summer residents and professional farmers. Among its advantages, such advantages are often called:
- Consistently high yield.
- Large fruits with good taste and presentation.
- Scab immunity.
- High winter hardiness, the ability to grow in any region of Central Russia.
- Pleasant taste of apples.
- Good keeping quality and transportability of fruits.
- Does not need cross-pollinators - it is pollinated only by bees, butterflies and other insects.
There are also some disadvantages:
- Skeletal branches diverge at sharp angles.
- Weak branching.
- The seedlings have fragile wood.
Landing
It is recommended to purchase seedlings only from nurseries or from other trusted suppliers. Planting is carried out in spring or autumn. The optimal time is considered the end of March or the first half of April (in Altai and other regions of Siberia it is possible a little later).
To place the seedling, an open, well-lit, if possible elevated place is chosen. The soil should have a neutral, slightly acidic or slightly alkaline reaction. On highly acidified soil, the Autumn Joy apple tree grows poorly. Therefore, it is advisable to neutralize the earth with slaked lime in the amount of 100 g per 1 m2.
The landing algorithm is standard:
- The site is cleaned and dug up.
- Prepare a landing pit 60 cm deep and 1 m wide.
- Rotted manure is laid at the bottom, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and potassium salt (or complex mineral fertilizer).
- Fill the pit with water (1-2 buckets) and wait 10-15 days.
- An apple tree seedling is placed in a bucket of water at room temperature a day before planting. First, you need to cut off all damaged, broken roots.
- Then they are planted in the center of the pit, covered with earth, tamped.
- The trunk circle is mulched with peat, straw and other materials at hand.
Diagram of the landing pit and trunk circle
Growing and care
In the future, caring for the apple tree is standard:
- Watering a young seedling regularly - 2-3 times a month, an adult tree - only in drought (3-4 buckets of water in 2 weeks).
- Top dressing in the first 3 years is optional. In early summer, after the ovaries have fallen off, you can give a complex mineral fertilizer.In July, organic matter is used - chicken manure or slurry.
- In early June, they must be sprayed with fungicides and insecticides. Secondary processing - as required.
- In the fall, at the end of September, the stem is whitened and the near-stem circle is saturated with superphosphates and potassium salt. In Siberia and the Urals, a tree is necessarily covered (young seedlings).
- Apple pruning Autumn joy is carried out the next season after planting. The crown is formed annually in early spring. Usually small, strongly protruding branches are shortened by a quarter, due to which lateral shoots develop well.
When pruning an apple tree Autumn joy, only the smallest (extreme) shoots are cut
Collection and storage
Apple fruits of the Autumn Joy variety are harvested from late summer to mid-autumn, depending on weather conditions. Maturity is determined by appearance (rich golden color with red stripes and strokes). The condition of the skin is also checked - it needs to be well pressed. If the dent does not form, you need to wait a few more days. If the skin breaks easily, this is a clear sign of overripe: such apples can be used to make jam.
Only undamaged fruits are subject to storage. Each apple is wrapped in paper and kept at temperatures up to +5 ° C, in a dark place with high humidity up to 90%. If the apples are damaged, they are sent for processing.
Conclusion
Apple tree Autumn joy is a good option for novice summer residents. It is an undemanding tree that is easy to grow in almost any area. Differs in high winter hardiness, good immunity and stable yields. The fruits are large and tasty, have a pleasant aroma.
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