Apple tree "Medunitsa" - the most popular variety of summer apple trees, which is characterized by winter hardiness and excellent characteristics of the fruit.
History of apple tree cultivation "Medunitsa"
The apple tree variety "Medunitsa" was bred more than 50 years ago. The scientist S. I. Isaev crossed two varieties: Cinnamon Striped and Welsey. This variety is considered a great achievement because it is resistant to scab.
Did you know? Its name "Medunitsa" received for its sweet, without sourness, taste and pronounced honey aroma.
Description of the characteristics of the variety
Conducting the characteristic of the apple tree "Medunitsa", it should be noted that there is two species of this variety:
- "Winter medunitsa"
- "Medunitsa summer".
The trees of this variety are large and high, have a pyramidal crown. The branches depart not far from the main trunk and are directed upwards. Apple leaves have a light green color, smooth, slightly curved in the middle.
The fruits of the apple tree "Medunitsa summer" persist up to one month. The fruits themselves are small, round and have a yellow color, but when ripe, one side becomes bright red. Apples differ juiciness and aroma.
Given that the apple tree of this variety grows and develops quickly, it is necessary to have time to form the crown of the tree in a couple of years. This variety of apples is popular and suitable for canning, juicing and jam. The disadvantage is that the fruits do not ripen at the same time.
Trees varieties of apple "Winter Lungwort" is also high. Begin to fructify on the fifth year after landing. Fruits are torn off for storage in the winter at the end of September. They are usable immediately and do not require maturation during storage. Apples during ripening have a yellow color with a red striped side, they are juicy and very sweet.
Variety "Medunitsa winter" has its advantages:
- winter hardy trees;
- resistant to scab;
- fruits are ready to eat immediately after harvest;
- apples have a sweet taste, do not have a sour taste, which is rare for winter varieties.
Read also about the cultivation of other varieties of apples: Gloucester, Semerenko, Dream, Shtreyfling, Uslada, Orlik, Melba.
How to choose healthy seedlings when buying
It should be a responsible approach to the choice of a sapling when buying, in order not to be disappointed in the future and grow a healthy tree.
Basic tips on choosing a sapling:
When buying a seedling, contact a specialized store or nursery. Do not buy plants in the markets where they are not prikopany, such a seedling is weakened and can die. Also on the market you can sell the wrong variety that you planned to buy, because it is almost impossible to identify a variety from leafless plants.
The age of the seedling should not exceed two years, because the younger the plant, the faster and easier it will take root. A plant without branches is a one-year sapling, and if it has up to three branches directed in different directions, it is a two-year sapling.
Accordingly, plants older than two years already have a strong root system, and when they dig they suffer much more than young seedlings. This tree will be difficult to settle down and later will come a period of fruiting.
Note the absence of growths and damage to the stem and roots. The stem under the bark should have a bright green color. Check that the roots are moist and resilient.
If they are rotten, then with a slight effort, pulling the root, it will come off. The plant, on which the leaves have already appeared, is not suitable for planting. The presence of swollen kidneys is also undesirable.
Rules planting apple "Medunitsa" on the site
Apple "Medunitsa" - unpretentious variety, but still adhere to the rules when planting and caring for the plant.
Plant an apple tree in the fall, three weeks before the frost, so that it takes root and does not die in the winter.
Important! In autumn, in October, apple trees are planted in regions that have thick snow cover most of the winter. In snowy regions, it is better to plant a tree in spring.
Choosing a place to plant: requirements for lighting and soil
We recommend planting the apple tree "Medunitsu" in loamy soil. The tree does not tolerate stagnant water, so good drainage is necessary. The distance between the trees should be at least 5 m.
The apple tree should have good lighting, the lack of light affects the plant badly and when they are planted next to other apple trees they will shade each other. Provide free space and an open area for the plant, because the Medunitsa apple tree has a tree height of about 5 m.
Stepwise landing process
The whole process of planting apple "Medunitsa" consists of the following steps:
- Dig a hole 1 m deep and 2 m in diameter two weeks before planting.
- In the hole fix the stake to which you will tie the seedling.
- Place the seedling on the hill and, straightening the roots, cover it with earth, so that the root collar protrudes 8 cm above the ground and tamp it down.
- Form a hole that will simplify the process of watering the plant.
- Water the plant with 2-3 buckets of water.
Rules of seasonal care for the apple tree "Lungwort"
Seasonal care is an important element that affects plant growth and development. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to properly care for an apple tree at different times of the year.
Pollination
This sort of apple should be planted next to pollinating varieties, because the tree is self-productive. For these purposes, such pollinators are suitable for the apple tree “Medunitsa”, as “Bely poured”, “Anis Sverdlovskiy”, “Victory of Chernenko”.
Important! In order for the fruits to grow better, we recommend having several pollinating varieties on the same plot.
Watering
On hot summer days, water the plant once a week with three buckets of water. At other times, the apple tree watering enough once a month, it can be combined with fertilizer.
Top dressing
In the spring, urea must be applied, in early summer, to stimulate the growth of a plant, it is fertilized with sodium humate, and in early autumn - with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Well stimulate the growth and formation of fruit nitrogen fertilizers. They need to be made with caution and carefully read the instructions for use, because an excess of nitrogen fertilizers has a negative effect on the plant and its growth.
Pruning
Pruning apple "Medunitsa" is an integral part of the cultivation and care of the plant. Pruning is carried out in March, when the buds have not yet blossomed. At the same time, dry and old branches are cut, the shoots that have formed near the roots.
Important! When the branches are cut, the resulting wound is sealed with paint or garden pitch.As noted above, after ten years of fruiting in the apple tree fertility decreases. To fix this, in the spring, before the buds swell, they conduct rejuvenating pruning of skeletal bare branches, which are located above the side branch, which contributes to the awakening of dormant buds and the influx of nutrients.
The disadvantage of this variety is that it is constantly necessary to form the crown of the tree. Formation of apple crown occurs according to the scheme below.
Preparing for the winter
An important part of plant care is preparing for winter. Before the onset of frost, the near-stem circle of the tree is covered with fertilizers, such as humus and peat, with a layer of not less than 10 cm. Young plants are tied to a support because the tree may break under the weight of snow.
Prevention and treatment of pests and diseases
“Medunitsa” is an apple tree, the description of the variety of which focuses on good resistance to fungal diseases and scab, but the possibility of infection is not excluded. To avoid the disease of the tree, in autumn and spring the trunk is whitened. To avoid scab contamination of the tree, it is treated with special means once per season.
In the fight against scab and other fungi are used drugs that subdivided into types:
- systemic;
- contact;
- system contact
It is also very important to protect the apple trees from pests, especially from the moth and aphids.
Fitosporin is considered to be an effective and not very toxic drug. It is based on the bacterium hay bacillus, which destroys the scab. 10 tablets of this drug are dissolved in 10 liters of water. Spraying is carried out three times a season: when the buds are formed, after flowering and at the beginning of the formation of the fruit.
You can sprinkle apple tree Bordeaux mixture. The first treatment is carried out before the swelling of the kidneys. In total, seven treatments are carried out, dissolving 400 g of lime and 400 g of copper sulfate in 10 liters of water. Bordeaux mixture affects other types of fungus, for example, powdery mildew.
With the defeat of powdery mildew, the tree is also treated with the drug "Hom", during the end of flowering. And after harvesting, processing is carried out with iron or copper sulphate. In winter, trees can be damaged by rodents. Protecting the trunk of the plant will help strapping with ruberoid or lapnik.
Harvesting and storage
An adult tree produces a crop of 80 kg. The plant begins to bear fruit in the fourth year after planting. The fruits begin to ripen in August and are uneven, which complicates the process of harvesting. Full ripening occurs in early September.
Harvesting is done starting from the lower branches of the plant. Tear the apples gently, so as not to damage the skin, and together with the stem. Harvest in dry weather.
Store at a temperature not exceeding +5 ° C. For better preservation, wrap the apples in paper so that they do not touch, and fold them into a wooden box. In this state, apples can be stored without losing taste, about 1.5 months.
Did you know? “Medunitsa” was not regionalized, therefore it is widespread in the post-Soviet regions.
Variety "Medunitsa" with the right care will bring you a big harvest with tasty fruits. In this case, you will have to put very little effort and cost to ensure good conditions for the normal development and stable fruiting of the plant.
