The bright sunny fruits of apricot have always attracted gardeners - so I want to grow this tree in my garden, a symbol of summer and warmth. And, although apricot is a heat-loving plant, thanks to the work of domestic breeders, special varieties were bred for cultivation not only in the southern, but also in the central regions of Russia.

The most famous representatives of hardy varieties of apricot: Russian, Snegirek, Northern Triumph, Honey. Apricot variety Russian deserves special attention due to its positive qualities.

This apricot variety was bred in the North Caucasus at the local Research Institute of Viticulture and Horticulture. Despite its popularity and good reviews, it has not yet been included in the list of the State Register of Breeding Achievements. The main feature and purpose is adaptability to difficult climatic conditions and good productivity.

Apricot Russian

Description of the apricot variety Russian

The appearance of the apricot falls under the standard parameters of the plant, but has several distinctive qualities:

  • The height of the tree is compact, not too large - up to 4 m;
  • The root system is well developed - the roots grow several meters;
  • The fruits are large enough - 50-70 g, round, slightly flattened, ruddy-cheeked;
  • The skin is bright yellow, slightly rough, not very dense;
  • The pulp is pale yellow, juicy, sweet, aromatic.

 Apricot The Russian has earned the recognition and love of gardeners by the presence of the necessary technical characteristics:

  • Medium early grade. Flowering occurs in May. Harvesting begins in mid-July and can last for a month;
  • Self-fertile apricot. Pollination can be autonomous and cross-pollinating - wind, insects can act as pollinators;
  • Unpretentious to climatic conditions - withstands frost down to -25-30 degrees, copes well with drought;
  • Resistant to diseases and pests;
  • Bears fruit for 4-5 years after planting;
  • High-yielding plant - fruiting can reach 80 kg per tree;
  • Reproduction is carried out by planting a seed, a ready-made seedling, grafting an apricot branch to another tree;
  • It is intended for fresh consumption. During processing, the structure of the fruit is destroyed, the taste is lost.

Agricultural technology of cultivation

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When deciding to plant an apricot, you should take care of several factors:

  • Planting period;
  • The correct choice of landing site;
  • Landing method.

Planting an apricot

Disembarkation period

Important! The apricot tree is planted in the spring and autumn in its usual southern regions. As for the central regions of the country, given the rather harsh winters, it is better not to take risks and plant trees in the spring. When planting in the fall, a weakened seedling may not have time to gain strength and take root well. There is a great possibility of his death.

When planting apricots in spring, you also need to take into account some nuances. The disembarkation period should be chosen correctly. The weather needs to be warm and stable enough, the possibility of frost is minimal. The seedling should be half asleep: the buds are swollen, but not bloomed. Usually, the timing for planting an apricot is about two weeks at the end of April.

Site selection for planting

Even such an apricot variety adapted to mid-latitudes, like the Russian, needs sunlight and warmth.When choosing a place to plant a tree, these factors should be considered. For good growth and harmonious development of apricot, a sunny, quiet place, without drafts, protected from the wind, is required.

As for the soil, the apricot prefers light, fertile loamy and sandy loam soils that are not prone to sticking. With only heavy clay soil, drainage and regular fertilization can be a salvation.

Another nuance that affects the development of apricot is acidity: the plant feels comfortable in neutral or slightly acidic soils. It is possible to lower the acidity of the soil in the following way: in the fall or early spring, add a little limestone to the area allocated for planting and dig it up.

Note! A plot of at least 4 square meters should be allocated for one apricot tree.

When planting several apricot trees, it is important to maintain an interval of 4-5 m. Despite the not too large crown and trunk sizes, the root system is well developed and branched. Interlacing of roots should be avoided. In addition, with this planting frequency, sunlight is able to better penetrate the fruit, and harvesting becomes more comfortable.

Sapling planting rules

Planting an apricot tree

The process of planting seedlings occurs in several stages:

  • Seedling selection. You can purchase a plant with open roots or in special containers - a more desirable option. When the roots are closed, placed in the ground, they have sufficient nourishment and take root more easily. The best option is an annual plant with 3 main roots. If you wish, you can grow a seedling yourself from an apricot seed. This method has its advantages: the plant is adapted to the required conditions, it is easier to tolerate the adaptation process;
  • Preparing a hole for planting. The hole should be dug several weeks before the expected planting, measuring 70 * 70 cm. When digging, the top layer of fertile soil is poured separately from the bottom layer. Drainage in the form of expanded clay or crushed stone is lined at the bottom;
  • Soil preparation. The selected soil of the upper layer is gently mixed with a large amount of humus, wood ash, sand. You can add peat if desired.

    Important! If organic fertilizers are absent, they can be replaced with complex fertilizers. The best option for this purpose is nitrophoska

  • Seedling preparation. For about a day, the roots of the seedling can be placed in water with the addition of clay and manure;
  • Landing. A strong stake is driven into the center of the hole - it will serve as a support and at the same time guide the plant to grow straight. A seedling is installed, it is not worth deepening it into the hole. The roots are gently straightened, gradually covered with prepared soil. At the end of the process, a mound should be formed around the tree - this will protect the plants from getting wet and wet. On the resulting elevation, a small canal is dug around the apricot, and water is gently poured into it;
  • Pruning. In order for the planted tree to hurt less and spend its strength on strengthening the root system, you should prune the branches. If the seedling is a one-year-old, the shoots are shortened by a third of the length. In a two-year-old, two main branches are selected and cut in half. The rest of the shoots are pruned, forming a cup-like crown. Sections are treated with garden pitch.

How apricot is pollinated

It should be noted that apricot is a melliferous plant. And although it self-pollinates, if it is possible to cross-pollinate it, then the yield will only grow. Planting a tree near the apiary can help pollinate the plant with bees, and the insects will only benefit from this.

Bees on apricot flowers

Note! Do not plant several different varieties of apricots next to each other - there is a risk of cross-pollination. As a result, you can get fruits of completely unexpected quality.

Care

The nature of caring for an apricot tree is not much different from standard measures for growing fruit plants:

  • Watering.The planted tree requires regular watering - the soil should not dry out. In this case, overmoistening should be avoided - as a result of stagnant water, roots can rot. An adult tree is watered as needed;
  • Top dressing. In spring, apricots are fertilized with diluted manure with ash or ammonium and potassium nitrate. In summer, nitrogen fertilizers are replaced by phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. In the fall, organic fertilizers should be reapplied to small depressions around the tree;
  • Pruning. To increase the number of formed fruits and their effective growth, the branches are regularly pruned. Up to 8 main branches are gradually formed with young shoots that bear fruit. The crown is given a rounded shape. In the spring, branches older than 3 years are removed - they do not bear fruit, dry and frozen sprouts;
  • Preparing for the winter period. It consists in loosening and fertilizing the soil, preventive treatment with an insecticide. The trunk is wrapped in spruce branches, on top - with non-woven material;
  • Disease and pest control. Apricot Russians can be exposed to coccomycosis, moniliosis, clotterosporia, cytosporosis. For prevention, you can use Bordeaux liquid, treat with Horus or Fundazol preparations. Apricots are rarely affected by pests.

Disadvantages and advantages of the variety

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The positive qualities of the Russian variety include:

  • Productivity;
  • Endurance to weather conditions;
  • Low exactingness to the soil;
  • Disease and pest resistance;
  • Early maturity;
  • Self-fertility;
  • Excellent taste.

Important! The minor disadvantages include the unsuitability of the fruit for processing and rather painstaking care.

Apricot Russian is one of the few varieties that can grow and bear fruit well in harsh climatic conditions. Despite the fact that the plant requires constant attention and care, the result will not disappoint anyone. Having studied the peculiarities of growing this culture and making efforts, you can get wonderful sunny fruits with the aroma and taste of summer.