Columnar apple tree Vasyugan

Breeders in many countries are working hard to develop new varieties that are genetically resistant to scab and other diseases, suitable for industrial cultivation. Columnar types are at the forefront of super-intensive gardens.

The early-growing winter-hardy semi-dwarf variety Vasyugan is considered universal, since its fruits can be consumed fresh and preserved. Delicious jams, marmalades, jellies and confitures are made from apples, they are dried, juices and compotes are boiled. Vasyugan fruits contain a large amount of nutrients.

The Vasyugan apple tree was bred at the Moscow All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture and Nursery (VSTISP) by V.V. Kichina and N.G. Morozova.

A semi-dwarf early-growing tree is considered medium-sized - at the age of 6 years, its height is 2.5 meters. The plant has a highly leafy compact crown, almost no lateral shoots. The trunk is covered with numerous ringlets, on which ovaries are formed, subsequently apples. Elongated lanceolate leaves with a strongly pointed tip are colored gray-green. The central vein is light, clearly visible. When apples reach technical ripeness, the plant resembles a column covered with apples.

The most important feature of the variety is its columnar development and the possibility of dense planting of semi-dwarf trees, which significantly increases the number of roots per unit area. For row spacings, a distance of 1 m is characteristic, between the roots - 40 cm.

The next feature is the superficial location of the root system, due to which the plant needs support and regular watering, top dressing. The dependence on strict adherence to agricultural technology is so strong that violations immediately affect yields. With a lack of attention and care, the taste of an apple can become zero in the tasting rating.

Advantages:

• versatility and compact size;
• excellent taste, aroma, appearance, early maturity and good health;
• long fruiting period (15 years), stable yield, easy care.

The disadvantage is poor keeping quality, from 1 to 3 months.

Vasyugan has a stable annual fruiting, belongs to summer ripening varieties, reaches ripeness by the end of August - mid-September. The plant begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting.

The variety is adapted for cultivation in central Russia, the Ural and Far Eastern regions.

Vasyugan is distinguished by stable fruiting, giving annually up to 6-8 kilograms of ripe and tasty apples, and the productivity increases as the tree matures. The variety gives good yields within 15 years, after which a decline in fruiting is observed, since the ringlets begin to dry out.

Quite large fruits of a round-conical shape are covered with a dense thin skin of green color. At the time of full maturation, the surface is tightened with a bright red blush.The white grainy juicy flesh has a dense chipping structure and a delicate classic apple aroma.

Fruit weight - 100-140 grams, tasting score - 4 points. The fruits are saturated with ascorbic and titratable acids, sugars and dry substances.

The optimal time for planting is spring-autumn, but one must focus on the climatic features of the region. In the northern regions, it is best to plant in the spring, so that the seedlings grow stronger over the summer. Places are chosen sunny, the distance between the holes is 40-50 cm, in the aisles - 1 meter.

Pits for seedlings are prepared in advance, one and a half to two weeks. The width and depth are standard - 80x80 cm. The excavated soil is enriched with dolomite flour, organic matter, peat, river sand and mineral fertilizers - superphosphate and potassium compounds. When planting, a support for the future tree is installed in the hole, water is poured and the seedling is sprinkled with earth. The trunk circle is tamped, spilled again, mulched.

Further care consists in timely watering, preventive treatments, sanitary and formative pruning.

The variety is considered partially self-fertile; for its more successful pollination, it is desirable to have other columnar varieties nearby - Medok, Currency, President, Triumph.

The superficial occurrence of the root system indicates that the plant is not able to extract many nutrients from the soil, therefore, feeding from the second year of life is mandatory.

Vasyugan needs nitrogen fertilization in early spring, before budding - potassium and phosphorus-containing compounds. Urea stimulates the growth of vegetative mass, organic matter is introduced in the fall, after the foliage has fallen.

Vasyugan is characterized by excellent winter hardiness. This is a specially bred variety for cultivation in harsh Siberian conditions and in regions of risky farming.The apple tree tolerates temperatures as low as -40 degrees. However, this does not mean that the trees do not need help. Trunk circles are mulched with a thick layer, covered with spruce branches on top and subsequently covered with snow.

The talented work of breeders presented the gardeners with an apple tree with excellent indicators in terms of the strength of health. The variety is resistant to a whole range of fungal diseases, including the scourge of gardens - scab. Also, the variety is resistant to attacks of insect pests. However, preventive treatments with insecticides and fungicides are required - you should not risk losing the crop or the tree.