Apple tree "Rudolf": description, application and agricultural technology
With the help of decorative apple trees, you can decorate almost any garden, making a beautiful landscape composition with their help. The decorative apple tree of the Rudolph variety is a real find for connoisseurs of curiosity and everything unusual that can complement a home garden. Trees with bright fruits can perfectly complement both rural and urban landscapes. A more detailed acquaintance with this variety will help novice gardeners and professionals to make a choice in favor of this particular plant.
Before planting, it is very important to study in detail the description of the variety, its actual application and, of course, it is equally important to familiarize yourself with the main points of agricultural technology.
Variety Description
Rudolph apple trees are hybrid plants that were bred by breeders from Germany. Trees of the German variety are tall, vigorous, have a pyramidal crown. The bark of the trunk is gray. The leaves are dark green, oval and toothed. Trees can reach six meters in height, and the tallest specimens can be up to 10 meters.
Very often, trees of this variety are planted in parks, because in spring, during flowering, they are so beautiful that they look no worse than the famous sakura. The smell from the trees at this time is very gentle and pleasant. The flowering of the tree is so abundant during the first ten days that you might think that real roses flaunt on it. The fruits of the apple tree "Rudolf" are miniature, no larger than ordinary apricots.They usually ripen in autumn, around mid-September. They stay on the trees for a very long time, do not fall off and do not deteriorate. Small apples can be eaten fresh or made into homemade jams and jams.
It is preferable to plant this plant in fertile soil, however, if the land is not so good, then proper and regular fertilization, as well as mulching, will help save the situation. It is highly not recommended to plant Rudolf apple trees in wetlands, as well as where groundwater is very close.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety of ornamental apples is considered very resistant to a wide variety of climatic conditions, moreover, it is rarely attacked by any diseases and pests. It is suitable for planting in all regions of our country.
- Apple trees of the Rudolph variety can delight for a long time with their lush and colorful flowering, which is undoubtedly their plus.
- The variety itself is considered very unpretentious, especially after several years after planting the tree.
- The plant tolerates wintering well, however, it is recommended to cover it, especially if it is small. In very cold regions after the winter cold, it is very important to cut dead shoots with a pruner.
The main disadvantages, of course, are not the largest yield from one tree and the low consumer qualities of miniature fruits. In addition, if the trees are grown with a lack of sunlight, they will no longer be so beautiful, and their decorative properties will become much lower.
Application
Breeding types of ornamental apple trees are most often used to create beautiful landscaping in the garden, but speaking of the Rudolph variety, it should be noted that its fruits are very tasty and quite suitable for use in a variety of ways. Therefore, planting this variety, you can not only make the garden beautiful, but also enjoy a good harvest.
An apple tree of the Rudolph variety can be made a highlight of a summer house or a country house. You can plant it alone or give preference to several trees, they get along well with a variety of flowers and plants, suitable for planting in flower beds and next to coniferous trees.
This variety of apple trees looks very luxurious when grown on a trunk.
Features of the selection and planting of seedlings
Before buying plants, it is very important to know how to choose the right quality seedlings.
- Ornamental apple trees should be purchased exclusively in trusted places and nurseries that have been selling such products for several years.
- When choosing a seedling, it is important to pay attention to its appearance. The tree must be healthy, without any damage and growths, the leaves must be intact.
- Annual plants do not have branches on the crown, while biennials usually have several.
- Experts do not recommend purchasing trees aged 2-3 years, since their survival rate almost always reduces to zero;
- The roots of seedlings should always be slightly damp, but they should not come off the trunk when touched.
Experts always recommend checking the root system for rot. If the root fell off when touched, then this is a clear sign that the tree is sick.
Planting Rudolph apple tree seedlings is a responsible business, but not too difficult even for beginner gardeners.
- Trees are best planted immediately in the place where they will grow all their lives, because after rooting, changing the place will be problematic and painful for the plant itself.
- For the Rudolph apple tree, you should choose a well-lit and dry place in which there are no strong drafts. The best choice would be chernozem loose soil.
It is best to plant seedlings in early autumn. The latest planting date allowed by gardeners is mid-October.
Agricultural technology
After planting, it is very important to properly care for young seedlings, and later for trees.
- It is very important to regularly mulch the soil near the roots of trees, it is best to use humus or peat for this. It is also possible to use dry grass or hay for mulching.
- Watering and weeding from weeds should be regular. However, you should not flood the trees, otherwise the roots may rot.
- As a preventive measure, trees can be treated with safe decoctions of herbs, for example, chamomile with the addition of laundry soap. Safe folk remedies that you can do yourself at home will help rid the trees of diseases and scare away insects and pests from them. Strong insecticides should only be used if regular home pest control products don't work.
- As a top dressing for the Rudolph apple tree, you can use ordinary ash, which is famous for its beneficial properties. Ash should be poured under the trunk shortly before watering, so that it has time to soak a little into the soil.To feed mature plants that are more than 2 or 3 years old, humus can be used.
- In order to improve fruiting and make an ornamental tree more attractive, it is very important to form its crown correctly. For the first 2 years on an apple tree, it is recommended to remove the color so that it grows as high as possible. The crown should be formed seasonally: in spring and autumn. It is very important to cut off damaged and non-overwintered branches in the spring with a pruner. All cuts should be treated with a special garden pitch to avoid the appearance of diseases on the apple tree. According to many experts, when pruning dried branches, they need to be treated with var immediately after they are removed, but when cutting young shoots, it is recommended to do the treatment the next day.
- Up to 5 years of life, it is very important to care for the trunk of an apple tree. To do this, it should be treated with a chalk solution, and after 5 years - with lime. Before the winter cold, apple trees should be hilled and mulched.
Although the process of growing an apple tree may seem a little complicated, for a real gardener and hobbyist, it will be very exciting. After the apple tree grows, it will delight with luxurious flowering in spring and sweet fruits in autumn, and all the work will pay off.
You can see the flowering apple trees "Rudolf" in the next video.