- Authors: Baltics
- Taste: sweet and sour
- Fruit weight, g: 120
- Fruit size: large
- Frequency of fruiting: tends to be periodic
- The beginning of fruiting varieties: for 4-6 years
- Ripening terms: late summer
- Removable maturity: around mid-September
- Keeping quality: till December
- Duration of the consumer period: 1-2 months after collection
The old Baltic apple variety Rizhsky Golubok, also known as the Trebu Seedling, is considered one of the best for cultivation in the northwestern regions of Russia. It is distinguished by the original combination of flavors, the beauty of the fruit, not too late ripening. The variety is willingly grown for personal use, but low transportability does not make it possible for the commercial sale of the fruit.
Description of the variety
The medium-sized apple tree Riga Golubok reaches a height of 4.5 to 5 m. Many branches are formed, they are strong, abundantly covered with oblong, heavily pubescent leaves. The shape of the crown is broadly round, there is a tendency to thickening. By the type of fruiting, the apple tree is classified as mixed.
Features, pros and cons
Rizhsky Golubok apples are characterized by the presence of a very thin, easily bite skin, harmoniously combined with juicy pulp. Mature trees need rationing the number of ovaries - they are removed to avoid reducing the size of the fruit. The obvious advantages of the variety are considered to be:
no shedding of apples when the harvest is delayed;
abundant fruiting;
medium size, the ability to grow on a low-growing stock.
The obvious disadvantages include the defeat of common diseases. And also not the highest winter hardiness, problems with the transportation and storage of the harvested crop. The thickened crown must be thinned out in order to reduce the risks of fungal infections, to provide it with good ventilation.
Ripening and fruiting
The variety is late summer, depending on the sum of temperatures, the removable maturity reaches about mid-September or a little earlier. The consumer properties of the fruit retains for 1-2 months. The tree begins to bear fruit at 4-6 years. Riga Dove has a tendency to periodicity, harvests are not obtained annually.
Growing regions
The variety comes from the Baltics. Zoned for cultivation in the climate of the Leningrad and Pskov regions. It is successfully cultivated in the southeastern and southwestern zones of the region.
Yield
Riga Golubok is distinguished by good fruiting. Average harvest from 1 tree per 10 year of life reaches 160 kg per block.
Fruits and their taste
Apples of the Rizhsky Golubok variety receive a high tasting score - 4.5 points. They are characterized by a recognizable sweet and sour taste. Outwardly, the fruits are attractive, have an asymmetric elongated-conical shape, large, weighing about 120 g. The color of the skin at the moment of reaching removable maturity is greenish-white, when fully ripe it becomes milky, with a blurred blush.
Growing features
The apple tree needs good lighting, it should be placed in open spaces, without noticeable shading, but with protection from the wind.It is important to choose areas where groundwater is no closer than 2 m from the soil surface. The best soil for the Rizhsky Golubok variety is loose loam. When buying in a nursery, it is better to choose trees on dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks.
Planting dates are chosen before the start of sap flow or after its completion. This allows the plant to adapt faster and better to new conditions. A pit for a two-year-old seedling is prepared with a depth of no more than 80 cm, with a diameter of about 1 m.In the early years, the plant needs a support, it is installed in advance. So the stem and center conductor will be formed correctly.
For planting in a hole, make a soil mash from garden soil and water. The roots of the tree are placed in it, soil is added to the root collar. Water and then allow the soil to settle. As soon as it goes down, fresh earth is poured again. If several apple trees are placed in the garden, a distance of at least 3-4 m is maintained between them with row spacing up to 4.5 m.
Pollination
Riga Golubok belongs to self-pollinated varieties, but planting a number of other apple trees with the same flowering time significantly increases its yield. You can use Bessemyanka Michurinskaya or Borovinka for this purpose.
Frost resistance
Apple trees show an average winter hardiness. In severe frosts, roots and branches can die without shelter, especially in young seedlings. Mature trees freeze out only in leeward areas.
Diseases and pests
Scab resistance is low, the apple tree can be affected by this disease. Susceptibility to powdery mildew is low. Fruit rot may occur.
The apple tree is a popular fruit crop among gardeners. It can be found in many summer cottages. But at the same time, such trees are often affected by various diseases. It is very important to recognize the disease in time and carry out the necessary procedures for a speedy recovery. Otherwise, the fruits will be spoiled, and the tree itself may die altogether.
Review overview
According to the owners, Riga Dove belongs to apple trees that are definitely worth having in the garden, at least for a collection. The tree is very decorative during the fruiting period, it grows best on a stem former. The fruits, according to gardeners, are most delicious directly from the tree; after being removed from the branches, they gradually lose their juiciness. It is noted that the Riga Golubok is very common in the Pskov region, where it is called the seedling of Lithuanian Pepin.
The noticeable disadvantages of the variety include a bitter heart. With a lack of certain trace elements in the soil, this defect spoils the entire crop. In addition, older trees may be more susceptible to fungal infections. The likelihood of injury largely depends on the age of the tree and the novelty of the disease strain.
