Apricot Champion of the North

The name of the apricot Champion of the North inspires hope for record harvests. But not everything is so simple - even the best plants are worth studying in order to get a good result. The general botanical features of such a culture also deserve attention.

It should be pointed out right away that this variety does not appear in the State Register of Russia. The plant has an official synonym - champion north. Its developers were breeders Venyaminov and Dolmatova. The apricot, universal in its purpose, grows very vigorously and can rise up to 5 m.Its sparse crown looks as attractive as thick, slowly developing shoots, and against the background of smooth light green foliage, at a certain time, flowers of a pale pink color appear.

The large fruits of the Champion of the North weigh from 30 to 65 g. These oval fruits are orange on one side, and in the sun they acquire an unsaturated blush. The rind is of medium thickness and covered with fluff. The bone reaches a large size. It is quite simple to separate this bone from the main mass of the fruit.

The pulp of these fruits is somewhat dry. But this property does not prevent her from having a pleasant sweetish taste. The central part of the fruit is especially sweet. Tasters give this variety a grade of 4.5 points.

You can wait for the harvest for season 3 (not counting the planting season). The plant has an average maturity period. It will bloom normally in the last third of April and in the first decade of May. Fruit picking most often begins at the turn of July and August. But, of course, weather conditions imperiously intrude into the life of culture and can shift these dates.

The claimed ability to produce an average of 20-25 kg of fruit per tree per season. Of course, such a result is achievable only with competent agricultural technology. Another nuance is that all the harvested fruits are well transported, which opens up additional commercial prospects.

Such an apricot can be planted successfully in:

• Tambovskaya;

• Voronezh;

• Kursk;

• Belgorod;

• Oryol oblasts (and potentially in places with a milder southern climate, but its use has not been worked out there).

The Champion of the North is self-fertile. But the presence of pollinating plants, as always, is very beneficial for the normal development of this culture. Any variety with similar developmental dynamics can be selected.

This variety has an excellent regeneration rate. Even its flower buds can recover. In conditions of intense prolonged heat, it is quite enough to water the trees more actively and mulch the ground around them.It is advised to plant the Champion of the North in early spring in order to get ahead of the movement of juices. The exact moment is determined by the climate and actual weather.

Autumn planting is also possible, but at this point it is important that rooting occurs before severe cold weather. Soil water flooding is absolutely unacceptable. To protect against blowing, it is worth using the wind shadows of the buildings. Champion of the North is extremely poorly tolerated close proximity to other fruit plants, except for direct pollinators. There should be no nightshade or garden strawberries nearby.

Traditionally, it is recommended for this variety to use seedlings not older than 2 years with a strong root system and solid branches. A landing pit is prepared at least 20 days before disembarkation. Low-lying peat and coarse sand are added to it, which is taken along with humus. Immediately upon planting, mulch is placed on top. The Champion of the North should be watered 4 times during the growing season, using 50 liters of water each; in especially dry periods, irrigation is intensified.

After each watering, the apricots must be loosened. The same is done after a heavy rainfall. Fertilizers need to be applied 3 years after planting. In spring, plants need nitrogen replenishment. Compost is brought in in the fall. At the 4th year of development, pruning and forming the crown is usually stopped; very important for the Champion of the North is protection from moniliosis, perforated spots, weevils, aphids, moths and leafworms.

Resistance to cold season conditions is not uniform. The tree itself tolerates frost pretty well. But cold damage to flower buds is likely. High temperature resistance is very high. It is natural that all these qualities are manifested only with an impeccably competent agriculture.

Landing on the southern sides of the garden plots is recommended. It should be a sun-drenched place, but at the same time protected from the piercing winds. A soil with neutral acidity is desirable. Among such soils, chernozem and loam are best suited; it is useful to control the looseness of the soil to ensure aeration of the root system.

Care for this variety is required, but minimal. The taste of the resulting fruit meets all expectations. Basically, the harvest is sent for processing. Provided that pollinators are planted, productivity increases significantly. The Champion of the North produces beautiful and even fruits, which, according to individual gardeners, are distinguished by their special sweetness.