Winter apple-tree Berkutovskoe

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: photo of the variety

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: the history of the origin of the variety

The Berkutovskoe apple tree appeared thanks to a small group of scientists O.D. Berkut and G.V. Kondratyeva, working at an experimental gardening station in Saratov. Actually, the name was given in honor of one of them.

The Berkutovskoe apple variety was bred by crossing Antonovka ordinary, Kortland and Anis pink-striped. The variety was included in the lists of the State Register at the end of the 80s. A year later, it was recommended for cultivation in the regions of Volgograd and Saratov. In the early 90s, at the All-Russian Exhibition, he received a gold medal indicating that the variety received a high calling.

The winter apple tree Berkutovskoye has a wide crown similar to a pyramid. The bark of the tree is gray. Crown-forming shoots of medium size, red to brown. The leaves are large in size, have an elongated shape, are colored green, and their surface is dull and wrinkled. During flowering, the tree is covered with beautiful white flowers with a pinkish tint. Their size and shape do not differ from other apple trees. The fruits are colored yellow with green, their shape is slightly elongated and similar to a cone. The sizes are average, the weight of one apple, as a rule, does not exceed 120 grams, but there are also those whose weight reaches 250. With full volume, the fruits acquire a light shade of raspberry. The pulp has a sweet taste with a slight sourness, it is white and incredibly juicy. The aroma of these apples is subtle.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: photo of the variety

Pros and cons of the variety

The received gold medal suggests that the Berkutovskoe apple variety has many advantages, because without them it is impossible to win such a medal.
Apple-tree Berkutovskoe brings big harvests every year. From one apple tree, rather compact in size, you can collect about 50 kilograms or even more. Apples have excellent taste and excellent presentation. You can store them without losing their taste and useful qualities until spring. They can be safely transported over long distances, they are resistant to long dry periods.

The disadvantages of the Berkutovskoe apple variety include average resistance to such a disease as powdery mildew, but taking into account the advantages and the fact that all apple trees are susceptible to this disease, this can not be considered a disadvantage.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: variety description

Berkutov apple tree: photo

In adulthood, the height of the Berkutovskoye apple variety reaches three meters, if medium-sized rootstocks were used during cultivation. The tree bears fruit every year, not periodically. The yield is moderate, considering the size, quite large. One tree can produce over 50 kilograms of delicious, juicy apples. The tasters rated the apples at 4.8 points out of a possible 5, which indicates the excellent taste of these fruits. At the same time, if you ask gardeners, they are ready to give the highest mark, if, of course, the fruits are grown by them in their own garden.

Berkutovskoe apple-tree fruit color is yellow-green. They are highly resistant to frost for a long time.But besides this, recovery after the frost is also important. Apple trees of many varieties are not able to recover from freezing and die. Scientists breeders talk about high cold resistance in the territory of the lower Volga. In the northern regions, resistance can be defined as medium. The plant has an average resistance to diseases like scab and powdery mildew.

In case of prolonged rains, prophylaxis should be carried out to avoid putrefactive diseases. For this, fungicides should be used. They will help prevent scab and powdery mildew.

Landing dates

Berkutovskoe apple: photo

There are no exact dates for landing, as it depends on many factors affecting this. The main thing is that good weather encourages the landing.
When planting a young Berkutovskoye apple tree in the garden in the spring, it is important to wait for the soil to warm up and the buds have not yet blossomed. If the autumn period is chosen for planting, then this must be done at least 30 days before the beginning of the first frost, usually the end of September - the beginning of October is chosen.
You should not rush to land if it rains outside. Wet and lumpy ground is not suitable for planting. In this case, it is better to dig in the seedling, if it already exists, in a suitable place and cover it, and in the spring to get it and plant it for permanent residence.
After the apple tree is planted, it is watered abundantly.

How to choose the right apple seedling Berkutovskoe?

When purchasing a seedling of the Berkutovskoe apple-tree variety, we will definitely pay attention to its roots. They should not show any signs of illness, dryness, and also should be free of any damage. The seedling should be bought in the second year of life, always in a specialized store or nursery. The root system must be closed. Let the roots cool before planting.

Planting pits are prepared in advance, at least two weeks in advance. If planting is planned in the spring, then it is better to prepare the pits in the fall. They should be spaced 4 meters apart in a row. If a dwarf rootstock is used for planting, then the distance should be about 3 meters.
The size of the holes must be at least the size of the root system. The hole should go 89 centimeters or more deep into the ground, and its diameter should be about 200 centimeters. A drainage layer is laid out on the bottom. Broken brick or crushed stone is well suited for this. Next, soil is added to the hole, mixed in equal proportion with humus, compost, wood ash and phosphate.

Berkutovskoe apple variety: photo

On the pit, you need to create a small hill on which a young tree is planted. Before this, it is important to properly spread the roots. A peg is installed in the pit to which the plant is attached. Next, the plant is sprinkled with earth, carefully tamped and watered abundantly with 3 buckets of water. After the water is completely absorbed, it is necessary to sprinkle it with dry earth on top.

When planting an apple tree Berkutovskoe, it is important to ensure that the root collar remains 5 centimeters above the ground.

For planting, it is necessary to choose open sunny areas and light soils. This will be an ideal option for growing Berkutovskoye apple trees.
Areas where groundwater is located close to the soil surface, swampy and with a high salt content are not suitable.

Apple tree Berkutovskoe: care and fertilization

In order to get the maximum yield of high-quality apples, it is important to carry out all the stages correctly. Choose a place, plant a tree and take proper care of it.
The soil must always be in good condition so that oxygen and nutrients can penetrate there well. To do this, it must be loosened, weeds removed, fertilized, mulched and watered regularly.

The Berkutovskoe apple tree is highly resistant to dry periods, three times a season they need abundant watering.It is also important to take into account the weather.

About 60 liters of water should be used for one Berkutovskoe apple tree.
After the plant has been watered, apply a layer of mulch. For this, dry grass is suitable. In the summer season, sprinkling must be carried out over the entire crown.

Top dressing should be started from the second year after planting. The first is held in the spring. For this, organic fertilizers such as mullein or humus are suitable. As soon as the ovaries begin to form, it is necessary to carry out a second feeding. At this stage, complex fertilizers are suitable. Please note that at the end of summer, you cannot feed the plant with fertilizers containing nitrogen.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: photo of the variety

It is important to regularly inspect your Berkutovskoye apple tree for diseases and harmful insects. Prevention should be carried out using fungicides, as they can protect plants from both diseases and pests that can destroy the entire crop. During the season, experts recommend processing plants up to 10 times. However, not every gardener will agree to do this all summer, and then eat the fruits from such trees. To prevent this from happening, a system should be developed that allows only 5 treatments.

For prevention, use fungicides and insecticides, making mixtures from them and thus fighting two enemies at once.
In winter, trees must be protected not only from cold weather, but also from rodents.

Pruning an apple-tree variety Berkutovskoe

Timely pruning of the Berkutovskoe apple variety helps to protect the plant, including from diseases and pests. Correct crown formation gives the apple trees the strength to resist them. But the main goal is to rejuvenate the tree and create various sparse forms. There are many options and only your own imagination can limit the choice.

For example, you can create a sparse-tiered, cupped, spindle-shaped, or bush-shaped shape.
Pruning should be done in early spring before sap flow begins. During formation, you should remove all those branches that have any damage, dried out or overlapping each other.

Pollination

For good fruiting, the Berkutovskoe apple tree needs pollination. To do this, it is necessary to plant nearby varieties that ripen simultaneously with the Berkutovskoe apple variety. Good for this north synap... You can arrange an apiary in the garden, as bees will be excellent carriers of pollen.

Apple tree Berkutovskoe: the beginning and period of fruiting

Fruiting begins 4 years later, after planting the plant in the garden. Over the next 3 years, there will be little fruit, but later you will be able to harvest large yields of mouth-watering apples, provided that the apple tree is well looked after.

Berkutovskoe apple-tree fruits: photo

Apples reach technical maturity by mid-October. At this point, they can be collected and put away for storage. After some time, they will reach consumer maturity, which means taste and juiciness, and they can be consumed fresh.

Please note that apples grown in the south of the country are sweeter than those grown in the north and have a more intense color.

The fruits of the Berkutovskoe apple-tree variety can be stored without loss of taste until March. However, there are those gardeners who kept them for 7 months.

Subspecies and rootstocks

The Berkutovskoe apple tree grown with the help of a dwarf rootstock begins to bear fruit earlier, allows trees to be planted closer to each other, and makes care easier.

Late or winter subspecies are capable of being serious competitors to most foreign varieties. Their ability to grow and bear fruit in difficult climatic conditions significantly exceeds those grown outside of Russia.

Regions suitable for apple growing Berkutovskoe

Speaking of regions, breeders do not mean cities by this, but in what climatic conditions fruit crops can be grown. Regions with a temperate continental climate are suitable for this variety. Unfortunately, even seedling sellers do not always provide correct information regarding this.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: photo of the variety

Nobody can answer unequivocally. Some talk about the European part, others about the territories from western Belarus to the Volga region. Still others talk about the possibility of growing the variety from the North-West region to the Caucasus. Others believe that the best option for growing would be Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as Smolensk and Yaroslavl. Indeed, the most suitable climate will be for the Berkutsk variety near Moscow and the Volga region.
One thing is for sure, the climatic conditions in Udmurtia, Bashkiria, the Komi Republic, the Perm Territory will not be suitable for this variety.
If we recall that the Berkutovskoye apple variety was bred in the Saratov region, then we can say with confidence that the conditions there for it will be ideal.

It is important to know that the further north the Berkutovskoye apple tree is grown, the less resistant it is to frost.
On the territory of the Moscow region, it is necessary to insulate the plant, covering the soil around the tree trunk.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: reviews of gardeners

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: photo of the variety

S. A. Kolesnikov

“Unfortunately, I have to note that the Berkutovskoe apple tree does not receive even a fraction of the popularity it really deserves. That is why I want to talk about it: this is the only way people can learn about this wonderful variety. Of course, when I planted it, I was also quite skeptical of this tree. After all, a rather little-known, young variety. However, now that a five-year-old tree is growing in my garden, I cannot stop rejoicing at the fact that I planted a hundred of it. The benefits for those who grow this apple tree are enormous. She is a real treasure for a private entrepreneur or simply for an amateur gardener who grows fruits for himself and his family. Every year I consistently harvest at least six buckets of fruit, and this despite the fact that the yield continues to increase. Plus, tree maintenance is incredibly easy. It protects itself from most problems, and those with which the apple tree needs help do not require much effort from you.Therefore, if it seems to you that all overseas apple trees take root very poorly in our climate, just try to plant the Berkutovskoye apple variety, and you will see that even in our weather, excellent, juicy fruits can be grown. "

V.S. Chebotarev

“To be honest, when I was just buying a seedling of the Berkutovskoye apple-tree variety, I had huge doubts. You know very well how sellers and advertisers love to exaggerate the qualities of a tree and endow it with superpowers. Nevertheless, the photos and reviews still surprised me, and now after six years I absolutely cannot complain, since the tree absolutely fully corresponds to the description for which it is so praised. The quality and quantity of fruits is simply amazing, but there is no need to talk about the durability of the tree: it will survive drought, frost and any disease. Well, almost any. In any case, I was not only satisfied, but also incredibly pleasantly surprised, and therefore, if you have not yet decided whether to buy a seedling or not, you should cast aside doubts and buy an apple tree Berkutovskoe "

S.N. Inkelevich

“In fact, this Berkutovskoe apple tree really pleasantly surprised me. I didn't expect to get such a wonderful return from such a small tree. I especially liked the winter hardiness of the variety, since no matter what other options I considered, it always turned out that the qualities of the variety were exaggerated, that it could not cope with high temperatures at all, and so on. Nevertheless, the Berkutovskoe apple tree showed itself worthy and survived the first winter just wonderfully.Honestly, I thought it would be worse. And, of course, the fruits are also incredibly pleasing. They are delicious, juicy and very appetizing. So I think that the Berkutovskoe apple tree was awarded a gold medal for a reason. She fully deserves it, although she remains little known. "

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: conclusions about the variety

The benefits of apples are undoubtedly very large. Information about this can be found in many sources. Apples have a positive effect on the acid-base balance, help normalize blood pressure, cleanse the blood, and relieve swelling.

Berkutovskoe apples are useful to absolutely everyone. They can be eaten fresh, mashed for the smallest children, made into delicious compotes, preserves and jams, as well as dried and added to hot tea on cold winter evenings.

I would like to note that varieties with such excellent characteristics as the Berkutovskoye apple tree are not grown by gardeners from far abroad.

Apple-tree Berkutovskoe: video about the variety