Ranetka apple tree: description of the variety, care

Ranetka apple tree is a very modest and rather unpretentious plant that is perfect for growing on the territory of gardens and backyards. Ranetki bear fruit well in the autumn, which is why gardeners are so friendly to this tree. It is difficult to overestimate the beauty and fruiting of this variety, apples have a pleasant sourness, and you can pick them straight from the tree every year if gardeners plant seedlings on their backyard, but do not have the opportunity to give them regular care and attention.

In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the description of the Ranetka apple tree variety, and also talk about its main characteristics, about the features of planting and caring for Ranetka. The article will be useful not only for novice gardeners, but also for those gardeners who have experience in growing a variety of varietal apple trees. Also in the article we will give some tips on how best to care for ranetki so that the harvest is longer and more abundant, as this is undoubtedly very important for a gardener when choosing certain varieties or crops.

Ranetka apple tree: description

Ranetka apple tree is a varietal small apples that were obtained by breeders after they crossed the Siberian berry apple tree with other varieties that are mainly common in the European part of our country. These hybrids were named Ranetki. From the maternal varieties, the apple tree received several main characteristics that we cannot ignore, since they are very important in the choice of these particular varietal babies. The characteristics include the following:

- resistance to strong frosts and bad weather

- the fruits ripen very quickly, this happens literally in one short summer, which is also very important

- fruiting is very abundant, since the ranetki do not skimp on the harvest, which is one of their advantages

Also Ranetka apple tree has some distinctive features. In the first generation, the fruits are not very large - about fifteen grams. The apples are small in size and reach full maturity around September. At the same time, the fruits have a characteristic acid, the taste is slightly tart, they are not very fond of eating because of this fresh. Usually gardeners send ranetki for processing, from which you can prepare delicious preparations for the winter, as well as preserves and jams, compotes and other drinks.

Ranetki contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements, their number significantly exceeds the amount of vitamins and microelements found in other apple varieties. At the same time, there are about 12% sugar in ranetki, as well as about one and a half percent of pectins, which are incredibly useful for human health, for his body. Also, in general, apples can have a good effect on the body, thanks to them, many harmful bacteria are destroyed, which can negatively affect the general condition of a person. In this regard, it is recommended to eat these apples, even fresh, and after processing they may not lose their positive properties and characteristics.

There are also several advantages of the ranetka, which once again confirm that these apples are excellent for growing in various territorial and climatic regions. Among these advantages, the following should be highlighted:

- a high level of frost resistance of an apple tree, when it is completely calm about sudden temperature changes, as well as sharp cold snaps

- in the content of the apple tree is completely unpretentious, does not require special attention from the gardener.

- ranetki can be stored for a very long time, which is also an undoubted advantage of this variety and this subspecies of apple crops

- the crop can be processed in a variety of ways; apples are used to make preserves and jams, sauces and drinks. Some gardeners like to eat fresh apple trees, although some may also refer to not very pleasant taste characteristics that are worth paying attention to.

- the fruits ripen at the same time, the harvest is very abundant, which is a very important indicator. At the same time, it cannot be said that the ranetki tolerate keeping quality or transportation well, much depends on the care characteristics and procedures.

One way or another, the ranetki have several other disadvantages of these apple trees. Small and medium-sized fruits have a rather sour, tart taste, the tree has an extensive crown, and therefore it needs a very large space around

- the immunity of the tree is not strong enough, therefore, the ranetki can be susceptible to various diseases and, in particular, fungi.

Ranetka apple tree: characteristics of varieties

Today, breeders have bred a fairly large number of ranetka varieties that have different ripening periods, which should be borne in mind when choosing a particular ranetka variety. If there is a vast space, then several varieties can be planted on it at once. They have summer, autumn and winter periods of fruit ripening, and the gardener can choose a variety according to his needs and interests. The most important thing is to take into account the characteristics of the varieties, their specificity.

In the regions located in the European part of Russia, it is recommended to plant larger and sweeter varieties of apple trees, since gardeners do not really like the sourness, if we talk directly about the taste characteristics, and only sweet fruits have advantages, and this is completely not surprising. Also, the tree as a whole feels quite comfortable, can adapt and give abundant fruiting in all climatic regions. At the same time, there are exceptions - in the far north this tree will not take root at all, and the probability of obtaining a harvest is reduced to zero, so there is no point in waiting for any big and outstanding results from the ranetki. Also, of course, the peculiarities of the growing conditions for ranetki should be taken into account, since each variety or subspecies needs to receive a sufficient amount of care and additional measures.

Ranetka apple tree is an apple tree for lazy gardeners, since they do not require special care for themselves and are not whimsical, if we talk about agrotechnical features and traits. There are no special conditions in caring for ranetki, they can adapt in various conditions, and can also grow in any soils that are not particularly fertile. At the same time, unlike many other trees, ranetki can also develop in shaded areas, this does not in any way affect their productivity and other characteristics, the taste properties remain the same, and the fruits do not become less useful. The dimensions of the tree are really impressive - the height of the ranetka can reach five meters, while, if we talk about the vastness of the site, then one site should be about five by five meters, only then the ranetka can function and develop normally, give an excellent harvest, and it is very abundant and quite versatile.

Harvesting can be done at the end of August, as well as at the very beginning of autumn - in September. It all depends solely on which variety was chosen by the gardener for growing on the site. The harvest from an adult tree can vary from fifty to one hundred kilograms, much depends on the variety and on the care measures.Frosts and the winter period in general do not in any way affect the state of the tree, its future fruiting, which must also be borne in mind. That is why the tree is so popular and in demand - it perfectly tolerates frosts, perfectly tolerates temperature extremes, does not require attention and care, the costs of material and physical forces and funds from the gardener himself.

The taste of apples is quite tart, has a pronounced sourness, which is gradually lost during recycling, but the sweeter qualities of the variety appear, and this is its advantage. If the apples were slightly covered with frost, then they become even sweeter - this is the observation of the gardeners themselves, who already have many years of experience in growing apple trees.

Due to the fact that the ranetki have Siberian roots, they can very calmly survive winter frosts, temperature drops, and sudden cold snaps. It should be noted that the weather and climatic conditions do not in any way affect the fruiting of the ranetki - it remains as intense and unchanged. In order to protect the bark and trunk from rodents, it is recommended to wrap the lower part of the tree with agrofibre, spruce branches or rags. This increases the likelihood that the plant will not be attacked by pests, it will be constantly safe, which will have an excellent effect on the general condition of the tree as a whole.

Disadvantages of the variety

Even with all the advantages, the variety also has disadvantages. One of them is a weak level of immunity. This can only be dealt with through preventive treatments. The first time the ranetki should be treated with a urea solution. This way you can destroy almost all pests that hibernated in the bark, and with the arrival of sap flow, they can begin to harm the tree itself. In the summer, experienced gardeners recommend treating the tree with a solution of Bordeaux liquid. Cracks in the bark are also processed, for this, ideally, a solution of copper sulfate is suitable, since it has disinfecting and antiseptic properties. When the fruits begin to set, and then the fruiting stage begins, it is best to suspend any processing of the plant.

As a rule, fruiting begins within a year after the tree has been planted in open ground. Also, fruiting can continue regularly for several decades, gardeners also recommend leaving the smallest fruits directly on the trees. There, in the crown, the birds themselves will feed on them, and in general, these fruits will not have the same weight and the same taste as ordinary ripe ranetki that have reached their full growth.

Reviews about ranetki are generally quite positive. They say that harvesting is a great pleasure, because you can get a really bountiful harvest. The fruits have a universal purpose, since they can be used to prepare various dishes, pies, preserves, jams, sauces, apple cider vinegar. Also, compotes can be prepared from ranetki, and sometimes the fruits are simply consumed fresh, this can also become one of the ways to use apples. One of the features is their size - they are small fruits that can be eaten in just two bites.

Planting and caring for a ranetka

It is optimal to plant any sort of ranetki even before the start of sap flow in the plant. For this, periods are chosen either in early spring, or already with the onset of autumn, when the deciduous part crumbled. A hole for planting an apple tree should be prepared in advance, its size should be about 70x70x70 centimeters - this is a standard hole in which an apple seedling is placed. It is better to put some humus at the bottom of the hole, as well as some fertilizers. Also, a stick is immediately placed there in order to further tie up the seedling, since without a garter it will be weaker.

The land and water should be alternated, the seedling needs abundant moisture. For this they take warm settled water. At the same time, the roots should be densely located in the ground, there should be no air pockets and bubbles, as this can lead to difficulties in adapting the root system, and, accordingly, there is a high chance that fungi and bacteria will develop. The distance between seedlings is determined in accordance with what, according to forecasts, an adult plant will be. If this is a medium-sized variety, then it is worth leaving about four meters, and if these are vigorous ranetki trees, then the distance should be at least five meters. There are also semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstocks - a distance of 2.5 - 3 meters will be enough for them, no more. They will feel comfortable when they grow up, the crowns will not touch each other and cling to each other, which also ensures the normal development of the apple tree.

You can propagate the Ranetka apple tree directly by seeds. Due to the fact that the tree takes root very easily and adapts to any conditions, in general it is not at all necessary to buy seedlings first, and the seed method can be crowned with success. Absolutely any varieties can be grafted onto seedlings, while the plant's resistance to temperature extremes and frosts only increases. If the region is distinguished by special unfavorable conditions, then it is better not to take risks with the seed method - the method of reproduction of apple tree varieties by grafting is perfect. The fruits will also turn out to be very tasty, the harvest will be quite abundant. At the same time, the apple trees themselves do not need to be grafted in the future, which should be borne in mind by gardeners, especially those who do not yet have experience.

Of course, as with any crops, it is also worth observing agrotechnical rules and features with apple trees. For example, it is recommended to thoroughly mulch the root circle. This will protect the trunk of the tree and also prevent moisture from evaporating from the soil too quickly. You can mulch the near-stem circle using grass that has just been mown, as well as sawdust or hay.

You can also mulch the circle with peat, it is also great for this. Young seedlings can be tied up, and this is even a necessity - for this, a peg is immediately installed in the pit. In the spring, the trunk must also be whitened to protect the bark from pests, insects and rodents, which can be very dangerous, especially after hibernation - they are hungry and need food, and apple bark is an ideal prey for them.

Ranetka apple trees adapt very easily to absolutely any soil, regardless of the composition and level of fertility. But still, ideally, it is better to plant ranetki in loamy soils. The introduction of phosphorus and potassium, as well as humus, is necessary exclusively on e sections of the soil in which the soil has an increased level of acidity, or it contains only sand and clay, which are not too favorable for the apple culture, and therefore such compositions must be diluted with minerals and organics.

With the onset of the second birthday, the tree must be pruned, and this pruning should be formative in the first place. This will affect the formation of the crown, its appearance. Then, when the plant grows older, it is also worth carrying out formative pruning and sanitary pruning. Sanitary pruning is necessary in order to remove diseased or dry branches from the plant, to reduce the level of thickening. A crown that is too dense increases the risk that the tree will contract fungal diseases. If the tree is formed incorrectly, then the tree may run too wild over time, the harvests will become too meager, tasteless, far from being as plentiful as they could be.

It is also worth saying that the Ranetka apple tree will bloom faster and, accordingly, yield faster if several pollinating varieties are planted nearby. They can be completely universal, this will really have a positive effect on the level of the crop and its quality, so you should keep this in mind. In the second year after planting, the very first fruits can be harvested. Ripening largely depends on the weather and climatic conditions and in which region the apple tree grows. As a rule, most of the varieties begin to bear fruit around August or September, fruits can be harvested even when frost has come. Also, the fruits are perfectly stored after harvest, this requires a dark, dry and cool place. They retain their useful and flavorful characteristics, and in general, you can enjoy the fruits until the new year, and sometimes for a month after that. If all the care measures and characteristics are carried out on time, then the gardener will receive a crop that can be used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. At the same time, it is worth remembering that, in general, ranetki are really as unpretentious as possible, and this is their advantage. In the future, if you like the variety, then gardeners continue to develop and cultivate it with pleasure.