Apple tree Gloucester

It is quite difficult to imagine an ordinary garden in a summer cottage without apple trees. This is an unpretentious culture, the fruits of which can be consumed in a wide variety of forms. Apples are tasty and healthy fresh, you can make various preparations from them, add them to dishes. Apples contain many nutrients, elements and vitamins that are so necessary for the human body. Apple trees are planted for different purposes. Some grow this crop for their own use, while others pursue commercial benefits. Gloucester tolerates transportation very well, so it is often planted precisely for marketing. In order for this variety to please you with its harvest, you need to know about some of the features for planting and caring for such apple trees.

Apple tree Gloucester: variety description

This apple variety is very popular in Europe. Gloucester was bred in Germany in 1951 by crossing varieties such as Glockenapfrel and Richard Delischs. Gloucester, in turn, adopted the best traits from his direct relatives. The quality of Gloucester apples is at a high level, the plants tolerate cold temperatures quite easily. After various checks, the Gloucester apple variety began to be delivered to various European regions. On the territory of our country, such an apple tree is grown by both gardeners and farmers.

The Gloucester apple variety is quite demanding on heat, however, such plants tolerate low temperatures very calmly. This culture has many positive qualities that distinguish it favorably against the background of other varieties. Gloucester has high tasting ratings, shows excellent results in terms of yield, and also has good resistance to such ailment as powdery mildew. As for the disadvantages, gardeners note too intensive tree growth. The plant develops actively and quickly. Every year the tree grows by about ten centimeters, or even more. An adult tree has a crown of medium thickening. The crown resembles a pyramid in shape. As they grow older, branches begin to grow actively, and the crown acquires a more rounded shape. In its height, an adult Gloucester apple tree reaches eight to eight and a half meters. This variety does not form too many shoots.

The first time such a variety begins to bear fruit is in the fourth year after the tree has been planted. If a dwarf rootstock was used, then the apple tree will begin to bear fruit faster, already in the second year you can pick the first fruits. Apples have a rounded, slightly elongated shape, the main color is yellow, there is a slight blush. The inside of the apple has a creamy color, the texture is quite dense, there is a lot of juice. Dessert taste with pleasant refreshing sourness. Tasters give a high score to such apples, 4.6 out of 5. The composition of the fruit is rich in antioxidants and various beneficial elements. They contain a lot of iron, calcium, sodium, zinc. Vitamin C is found in apples, but not in such large quantities as in other fruit crops.

The Gloucester apple tree bears fruit regularly. The fruits are quite large, in their weight they reach from one hundred and eighty to two hundred grams. In the tenth year of the tree's life, you can get about seventy-five kilograms of apples. This is provided that the tree was not transplanted and did not hurt.

The Gloucester apple tree has good frost resistance. It can even survive a drop to -35 degrees without much loss.In addition, Gloucester is resistant to attacks from harmful insects and diseases. The variety is almost not affected by powdery mildew, and also does not suffer from scab. It is worth noting that the surface of the trunk and branches is quite sensitive to excessive sun exposure. To prevent the plant from getting burned, it is recommended to whitewash the stem from time to time.

This variety shows itself very well in many regions of our country. However, more care must be taken if the apple tree is grown in the Urals or in the northern regions.

Photo of Gloucester apples

Apple tree Gloucester: how to plant and care for

In order for the Gloucester apple tree to grow and develop well, it is necessary to choose the right site for planting. It is best to give preference to a well-lit area that is reliably protected from wind and drafts. The soil must contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. When choosing a planting material, it is better to buy two-year-old seedlings. As for the timing of planting, you can do this both in the spring and in the fall. In the spring, this event is held after warming up the soil. And in the fall, trees are planted about twenty to thirty days before the first frosts come.

The apple tree of the Gloucester variety has a rather spreading crown, therefore it is necessary to follow a certain planting pattern. This is necessary so that the trees do not interfere with each other, and so that they do not compete for food and sunlight. Therefore, there should be about five meters between the trees.

Gloucester apples: photo of fruits

When the land for planting the Gloucester apple tree is selected, you can proceed directly to planting the seedlings itself. To do this, you need to follow a certain scheme. Before planting a plant, you need to carefully examine the root system of the seedlings. If they are dry, then you need to soak them for a while in water. Broken roots that are too long should be trimmed with a pruning shear. The landing pit should be seventy centimeters deep and about one hundred centimeters wide. You need to add organic matter to the hole, and then dig it up with the soil. Then, in such a hole, a hill is formed from the soil, next to which a small stake is installed. On the top of the hill, you need to carefully install the seedling, while gently straightening the root system. Next, the soil is poured, the root collar must be left above the soil surface by about three centimeters. Then you need to form a hole near the trunk and water it thoroughly.

For normal growth, development and fruiting, you need to monitor the condition of the soil. It shouldn't dry out. You need to water the plants about three times a month. As a rule, two buckets of water are consumed per plant. In regions with cold autumn, covering material may be required to protect the young plant from low temperatures.

The first fertilization is done the next season after the plant has been planted. At the very beginning of spring, root feeding with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out. In the summer, it is necessary to make top dressing containing potassium and phosphorus. At the end of autumn, mineral complex fertilizers are applied.

An important step in caring for apple trees is tree pruning. After the seedling has been planted in the ground, it is necessary to trim the central trunk by one third. This way the side shoots will grow better. An aged plant should not grow too densely, so formative pruning should be carried out periodically. While the apple tree grows, it is necessary to remove damaged branches, as well as dried shoots. This variety is self-fertile, however, if you want to get good performance, then it is worth considering additional pollinators. For these purposes, varieties such as Jonathan, Spartan, Gala and Idared are most often planted in the neighborhood.

Photo of apple tree Gloucester

How the Gloucester apple variety ripens and bears fruit

To get a good result in terms of yield, you need to know about all the features of agricultural technology. In addition, if you are going to sell apples for sale, then you need to know about the rules for the transportation and storage of fruits. Gloucester produces delicious and beautiful apples. The formation of the first crop occurs in the fourth - fifth year after planting. This variety is widely used for marketing for a variety of reasons. Such fruits do not have the ability to crumble ahead of time. Such trees bear fruit quite regularly. Gardeners note that the harvest is becoming more abundant from year to year.

Gloucester apples ripen, usually in the fall. Harvesting occurs in mid-September - early October. Gloucester apples are able to retain their qualities for a long time after being harvested. An interesting fact is that with long-term storage of apples in cool conditions, the quality of the fruit improves in terms of taste. Fresh such apples can be eaten until May. It is worth noting that Gloucester apples are stored on the refrigerator shelf for an even longer period.

What are the variations of the Gloucester variety

This variety is the starting material for obtaining new varieties. apple trees... In addition, it is often grafted into other varieties. Gloucester, which has a dwarf rootstock, has a number of advantages. Such an apple tree grows quite compact in size, in its height it is about two - two and a half meters, the crown is three meters wide. Such trees begin to bear fruit faster, they have good resistance to low temperatures in the spring. Since the plants are compact, they are easier to care for. It is worth remembering that in dwarf apple trees, the rhizomes are located, as a rule, in the upper layer of the earth. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically water it, and also do not forget about additional insulation for the winter.

For a more stable position of the plant, it is necessary to drive in a peg.

Sometimes this variety has a columnar rootstock. Such a tree is semi-dwarf in size. It grows in height by a maximum of two meters. The crown grows quite densely, this saves space in the garden. Such apple trees take root very well and quickly, Gloucester begins to bear fruit in the second year after it was planted. Yield results can also be obtained very good, such trees have a decorative appearance. Among the minuses, it can be noted that such an apple tree bears fruit for a short time. After about fifteen years, it makes sense to replace the old trees with new ones. It is imperative to protect trees from rodent attacks.

In which regions is Gloucester grown

Growing Gloucester in different regions, there are certain requirements for care. If you grow Gloucester in the Moscow region, then you need to monitor the condition of the soil, it should not dry out excessively in the summer. From time to time, you need to make nutritious dressings that will contribute to obtaining a good harvest. In winter, Gloucester feels good in the Moscow region, and, as a rule, plants do not need additional insulation.

As you know, in Siberia, the winter period is characterized by rather low territories. Gloucester should winter in more or less comfortable conditions; for this, trees are prepared in the fall. To do this, you need to use a covering material that covers the tree. In addition, about five centimeters of humus should be laid in the zone of the trunk circle.

To prevent rodents from bothering your plantings in winter, you need to wrap the bole with spruce branches.

Gloucester is doing very well in the Urals. Before planting plants, you need to additionally fertilize the soil. For this, they usually use compost, sand, organic fertilizers. After planting, a young plant is tied to a peg for support. This will prevent the tree from being damaged by gusts of wind.Growing apple trees in the Urals, you need to protect them from summer and winter sunburn. To do this, you need to whitewash the tree trunks twice a year, in the spring and autumn.

On the territory of Belarus, this variety shows good results. However, it is here that Gloucester is often exposed to scab. To avoid problems caused by diseases of fungal origin, you need to periodically inspect the plants. It is better to take remedial measures when the disease has not reached an advanced stage. So the plants will not die, and the harvest will be preserved.

On the territory of Ukraine, it makes sense to additionally fertilize the soil by replanting Gloucester. For this, equal parts of organic and mineral fertilizers are used. Do not choose valleys and areas near forest belts for planting apple trees. In such areas, the temperature drops dramatically at night, and this can greatly harm the plants.