Varietal features of the Sun apple tree

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The Sun apple tree is especially popular among gardeners. Breeders Dolmatov, Sedov, Zhdanov and Serova worked on the breeding of the culture. As a result of their work, a variety of apples appeared on the horticultural market, which has established itself from the commodity and consumer side.

Varietal features of the Sun apple tree

Characteristics of the variety

The neat appearance of the apple tree, bright red fruits, expressive taste, and health benefits are qualities of the variety that attract many gardeners.

The culture belongs to medium-fruited, a characteristic feature is the resistance of apple trees to bad weather conditions and some types of diseases.

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety has many advantages that are worth mentioning:

the yield level stands out favorably among other crops, is characterized by high abundance and quality;
trees have excellent winter hardiness, they are not afraid of winds and drafts;
apples keep well, can be easily transported without harm to the fruit;
growing is allowed on dwarf rootstocks, this makes it possible to get the first harvest 3-4 years after planting;
attractive appearance of the apple tree;
disease resistance, in particular - to scab.

Among the disadvantages are:

apple trees are medium-fruited. With a normal planting, the tree will begin to bear fruit only 6-7 years after sowing;
shelf life is short. This is due to the fact that the culture belongs to late autumn varieties of fruits. Because of this, the storage period is significantly reduced;
untimely harvesting leads to the fact that the fruits fall off, become damaged and become unsuitable for transport or longer storage.

Description of the tree and fruit

The apple tree is characterized by its short stature and neat appearance. The crown has a rounded shape, thickened shoots with a slightly fleecy surface.

The foliage of the culture is small in size, round in shape. A distinctive feature of the leaves of the variety is their curled and pointed tip. The inflorescences are pale pink in color and are collected in bunches of 4-5 flowers.

Apples of this type are of medium size (about 140 g weighs one fruit), have an oblong shape. When harvested, they are yellow-green in color, but during the maturing period they turn light yellow with pink sides.

Taste

The Sun apple variety has an attractive appearance. Fruits are rich in vitamins and microelements, organic acids that are so necessary for our body. Apples are used both fresh and various dishes are prepared from them.

The pulp of the fruit may have a slightly creamy shade, dense in structure. The taste of apples is sweet and sour, with a slight graininess.

Yield

One of the essential advantages of this variety is its high yield. With proper and competent care, gardeners get up to 170 kg of selected fruits from one fruiting adult tree. The fruit bearing cycle is characterized by constancy.

Pollinators

These apple trees are classified as self-fertile: in order to get the maximum possible yield, you need to place them near trees of other varieties. These include Antonovka, Orlin, In Memory of a Warrior, etc.

Winter hardiness

The variety is resistant to frost

A significant advantage of this variety is that these fruit trees tolerate low temperatures with ease. During flowering, they are able to survive frost. This makes it possible to grow a crop in regions with harsh winters and weather conditions unfavorable for other varietal apple trees.

The only exception to this rule is the first year of a seedling's life, when the tree is just taking root and adapting to new conditions. During this period, gardeners recommend mulching the trunk circle.

Disease resistance

The apple variety Solnyshko is characterized by the presence of high immunity against a common disease among plants - scab. The culture is attacked by all sorts of pests, such as honeydew, flower beetle, leaf flies, etc. Apple trees need timely treatment from these parasites.

Tree lifespan

The average life span of apple trees is 25-30 years. The active period of their fruiting begins from the 7th year and continues until the 20th. Further, the crop yield begins to decline every year.

Landing

Gardeners consider this apple tree to be one of the most unpretentious in terms of cultivation.

For planting a varietal culture, the southern sides of the garden area are perfect. One of the important conditions is an open, well-lit space. The presence of drafts does not matter - the culture is not afraid of them.

Heavy clay soils should be avoided when planting. To lighten the soil, you can mix it with sand. This will give it looseness and set up the necessary air exchange.

Timing

Gardeners recommend planting trees during such periods:

in spring, when the morning cold no longer portends freezing of the upper layer of the soil (April-May is the most suitable for this);
in early autumn, long before the onset of the first cold weather (this will enable the seedling to take root, adapt its root system to the created conditions).

Technology

The technology of planting the Sun apple tree is characterized by certain stages:

it is recommended to dig a hole for a culture (size about 50x50 cm) 1.5-2 weeks before planting;
the seedling should be soaked for several hours in settled water to allow the root system to absorb moisture;
a kind of embankment is made in the center of the hole, on top of which fertilizers and drainage materials (ash, humus, peat) are laid;
a seedling is placed in the center of the hole. The main condition is that the root collar of the crop should be located several centimeters above the soil level;
the root system is gently straightened and lowered into the previously made embankment. After that, the hole is covered with soil and slightly compacted.

After planting, you can lightly trim the branches of the crop. This will enable new shoots to grow more actively.

Care

The tree must be well looked after

Care includes a set of actions and activities that are aimed at creating the most favorable conditions for the culture for development and fruiting. These include watering, loosening the soil around the root system, treating diseases and pests, timely pruning and cleaning the tree from damaged branches, etc.

Watering

Excess moisture for a tree of this species threatens to significantly reduce the yield due to disruption of the rhizome. Watering should be done in moderation, depending on the weather conditions. On hot days, it is recommended to water the apple tree frequently, but with a little water.

An important factor is the time of watering - it should be carried out exclusively in the morning or in the evening, when the activity of the sun is low.

Weeding and loosening

In order to fully provide the root system with oxygen, it is recommended to systematically care for the soil around the tree. Soil maintenance includes weeding and loosening. This is especially true in rainy weather, when the ground around the tree is rammed due to constant moisture.

Top dressing

The unpretentiousness of the Sun apple tree saves the owner of this crop from constant fertilization. However, they note that in the first year of the seedling's life, it should still be supported with the help of organic, phosphorus and nitrogenous fertilizing. Subsequently, the apple tree is fed once a year - in early spring.

Pruning and shaping the crown

In order for the apple tree to develop well and bring a good harvest every year, pruning should be carried out systematically, while forming the crown of the tree. This is done 2 times a year: in late autumn (sanitary cleaning) and early spring.

Pruning involves removing diseased, old, or damaged branches. Also, during the period of fruit formation, it is often necessary to remove 1-2 apples from each bunch.

Preparing for winter

The Sun apple tree is a winter-hardy variety. It is not necessary to carry out special actions aimed at warming the culture. The only exception will be the first year of the seedling's life, when it is still vulnerable to low temperatures.

Sanitary cleaning of the tree is the main part of the gardener's work, which prepares the crop for wintering.

Protection against diseases and pests

In order to protect fruit trees from the invasion of pests and the appearance of various diseases, periodic inspections of crops are carried out, as well as preventive and therapeutic actions. This includes treating wood with special agents that protect it from pests and diseases.

From moth, aphids, ticks, flower beetles and other pests that pose a danger to the culture, fumigation and spraying of the apple tree with special substances is used - solutions of tomato tops, chlorophos, karbofos, etc.

Features of ripening and fruiting

The description of the features of ripening and fruiting of apple trees of the Solnyshko variety is as follows:

ripening of fruits is characterized by mass;
apples are sensitive to mechanical damage, therefore, they require careful handling when harvesting;
with proper care, fruiting is abundant and annual.

Harvesting and storage

Fruits from the branches must be removed carefully

Harvesting begins after their final ripening: September-October. You should pick off the fruits carefully, trying not to damage the stalk and not provoking the fruit to fall off the nearest branches.

Apples are stored in low wooden boxes. The fruits are laid out in one layer and placed in a cool, ventilated room. Inspection of fruit should be carried out periodically in order to detect spoiled or damaged specimens. The optimal shelf life for apples of this variety is 2-3 months.

Views

Thanks to the use of different rootstocks, subspecies of the Solnyshko variety were bred. Some of them have proven themselves exclusively on the positive side and are more popular than the original look.

Dwarf and semi-dwarf

Through the use of dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks, a new variety has been developed. Brief description of the culture:

the height of an adult tree is 2 m;
such a tree begins to bear fruit already from 3-4 years of its development;
this variety is used for industrial purposes due to the intensity of fruiting.

Columnar

A characteristic feature of the columnar apple tree is its crown, which is characterized by compactness. The main advantage of this type is the ability to compact the planting of crops, which significantly saves space without affecting the yield.

Orlovskoe

The main feature of the variety is its resistance to diseases such as scab. There are no differences between the varieties, except for the name.

Features of growing in the regions

Solnyshko apple trees have established themselves as a fruit variety that perfectly adapts to almost any conditions. It is possible to grow a culture both in regions with harsh winters and in areas with hot climates.

Adjusting tree care depending on climatic conditions will make it possible to enjoy abundant flowering and a rich harvest every year.

Gardeners reviews

This species has recently begun to gain favor with gardeners. Fans of growing new varieties of crops note the positive qualities of the tree. They emphasize that with a minimal investment of time and money, this apple tree can delight in the fall with a bountiful harvest of attractive, juicy and healthy fruits.

Rational and competent care of fruit trees, which is not particularly difficult, can be carried out even by an amateur gardener. Those who practice the cultivation of this species advise everyone to cultivate it on their plots.

The name of the variety immediately disposes to itself, causing a smile. Seeing these fruits, tasting their juicy, aromatic, crunchy pulp, you will fall in love with them at first sight.