Apple-tree Melba - a detailed description of the variety, planting and care

Apple-tree varieties Melba - late ripening, the roots of its origin goes to Canada. The variety was bred in 1898 through free pollination of the seeds of the Mekintosh variety. The novelty was named Melba in honor of the world popular Australian singer Nelly Melba. At first, the apple tree became quickly popular in its place of origin, and then throughout the world.

Apple Melba: ripening period

For what year does the Melba apple tree bear fruit? Such questions are asked by many gardeners who dream of growing this variety on their garden plot. The apple tree of this variety - early ripening, begins to bear fruit in the fourth year of planting. The columnar apple Melba has a large number of advantages, positive qualities, thanks to which the variety is actively used in the formation of new apple varieties. Apples are harvested at the end of August. Fruits are eaten both fresh and canned: compotes, preserves, juices, jam. This apple type is widely used in the preparation of juices, because it has high quality indicators, is stored for quite a long time, and is perfectly transported.

Apple-tree Melba: variety description

What does the Melba apple tree look like?

The variety ripens quickly, the fruits ripen early, the yield is high, the fruits are tasty and beautiful.

The trees are not very tall, average in size. The height of the apple tree is 3-3.5 m. The height of dwarf trees is 2-2.2 m.

The melba apple tree, the crown of which is characterized by spreading, wide rounded shape and slight elevation, needs to be thinned once every two seasons, three to four years after planting.

Fruiting in a mixed manner, mostly of the ring type. Fruits grow on spears, ringlets, fruit rods. 75% of the fruit is formed on the ringlets.

Throughout its growth, the trunk of the tree grows thicker, becomes more powerful, multiple branches begin to grow from it at an acute angle, which later become strong branches capable of withstanding the load of fruits. The bark is dark brown in color with an orange or red tint. The branches are immaculately straight and smooth, as if they had been polished beforehand.

Saplings are not thick and short, medium. On the surface, you can see pubescence of medium intensity. The shoots are distinguished by remarkable flexibility, they will not break under the load of fruits, they bend almost to the ground, but still you need to put supports for safety net when a lot of fruits ripen.

Leaves are oblong, oval-shaped, slightly curved, light green in color. The shoots have more powerful leaves of a convex shape. Adult branches have leaves that are concave along a central vein. The edges of the leaves are in the form of small towns, with small teeth.

Apple tree Melba: flowering

The flowers are large, the buds are white-pink, with a slightly purple overflow. The petals are rounded, tightly closed with each other. The anthers of the stamens are located higher than the stigmas of the pistils, or they are at the same height. Flowers bloom in the second month of spring, so they freeze, therefore, the yield rate decreases. From this, the conclusion suggests itself that the variety is poorly resistant to frost, therefore, it is better to grow an apple tree of this species in the south or in the middle lane. If grown in the north, then you need to cover the tree well from frost and winds. The best option in this case is to plant the apple tree on the leeward side.

Description of fruits

The apple tree bears large fruits. The average fruit weight is 140-150 g. In "market" orchards (fruits are grown in large quantities for sale), the weight of one apple can reach 200 g, in ordinary orchards it can even weigh 250 g.

Apples are flattened, rounded or round-conical, of small diameter at the base. The fruits are slightly ribbed. The skin is firm and smooth in feel. During storage, the skin becomes as if it were covered with oil. When the fruit is ripe to the end, a waxy coating appears on them.

Apples are light green in color, after 7 days of storage - the color is already white-yellow. The skin covering the apple has a bright red blush and pronounced stripes. Most of the blush on the fruits is from the south, the surface of the apple is ruddy by 60%.

There are small whitish-gray dots under the skin of the fruit. On fruits that are deep in the tree, the dots are small.

The funnel is of medium width, spacious, the stalk is thin, medium in length, flexible, moves away from the branch with the fruit, it is convenient for later storage.

A narrow, shallow saucer with pronounced folds and a closed cup.

The core is medium, in the form of an onion. The seed chambers are wide open into the axial cavity. The seeds are brown in color, large in size and oblong in shape. The flesh of the fruit is milky, crispy, fine-grained, juicy and tasty, slightly greener near the skin. The taste and aroma are reminiscent of candy, although at first a sweet and sour aftertaste is caught, the aftertaste is still sweet.

Advantages and disadvantages of Melba's apple tree

It is impossible not to mention the advantages of this variety of apple trees:

• High fruiting rate.
• Short ripening period.
• Long transportation (or rather, its ability).
• Stunning presentation.
• Excellent taste and unique aroma.

It is impossible not to mention the disadvantages of this variety of apple trees:

• There is a high probability of getting scab.
• Low level of resistance to cold.
• The quantity and quality of the harvest decreases with the age of the tree.
• Low self-pollination rate.

Melba - fruiting

A young tree begins to bear fruit in the fourth or fifth year. High yield rate since the eighth year of apple growth.

Since the variety is summer, the recruits ripen on the 15th of August, and by the last summer days most of the fruits ripen. High-yielding variety. Mature trees (from 10 years old) usually produce 70 kg of fruit. At a later age, the apple tree produces fewer fruits, but you can restore the yield: cut the branches or bend over. It's like rejuvenating treatments for an apple tree, if translated into human language. Thanks to these procedures, the tree will delight with fruits again and again.

Melba variety - diseases

The tree has a reduced immunity to certain diseases. Like its "relatives", the apple tree is affected by scab - a fungal infection that has captured apples, branches and shoots. First, the scab "presents" the plant with light spots. If this is not put to an end, then they will turn black, and diseased leaves will fall off. The fruit itself under the fungus becomes hard, crumbles and rots.

This disease is still that parasite, it overwinters easily and may appear next year, especially if the weather is damp. A mature tree often dies from scab. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of it immediately, destroy diseased leaves and rotten fruits. The grass that grows under the apple tree must be treated with ammonium nitrate, and the tree itself with a biostimulant at the time when the buds are blooming.

Pollination process

Although the variety is self-fertile, the pollination function is poorly expressed. There will be no fruit ovary if the flower is pollinated with pollen of its own variety. This is such a genetic protection given by nature. Therefore, it is necessary that in parallel other varieties grow side by side, ready to pollinate our apple tree, these are: "Antonovka", "Borovinka", "Bellefleur-Chinese", "Stark Erlist", "Suislepskoe" and etc.One thing must be taken into account: so that the flowering time of the varieties coincides, then wait for a gorgeous harvest.

Cold and rain can disrupt natural pollination by preventing insects from pollinating the flowers. Therefore, gardeners do pollination by hand with a brush. Only the first flowers need to be pollinated, this will be enough.

Apple tree Melba: how to plant it correctly?

Before disembarking, they dig a hole, the width and depth of which should reach almost one meter each. For the drainage system, a walnut shell is used, which is located at the bottom of the pit. Greenery is planted further from the flow of groundwater, since the seedlings negatively perceive excess moisture. The soil of the plant must be compacted (trampled down).

In the first year of development, every 2-4 days, seedlings are given 1.5 liters of water. In drought every evening when the sun goes down. Make an indent of 4 m between the apple trees, if you plant several at once, so that the pollination of the flowers occurs better. In the spaces between the trees, you can grow cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers.

It is necessary to feed our variety with organic fertilizers: manure or humus. In the spring, foliar feeding is carried out 2 times: before budding, this will protect the apple tree from enemies, the second feeding is carried out when the buds appear, this is a protective measure against beetles that eat flowers.

In winter, the trunk needs protection from mice and hares. It must be wrapped in any cloth, better with sacking. In the spring, processing is carried out with special paint and a solution from enemies.

They also form a crown and carry out pruning: old branches are cut off, the rest are made shortened. There is nothing wrong with this, the yield indicator will not decrease from this in any way, because the juveniles give good fruits. The only thing to watch out for when pruning is that the density of the greens should not become too strong.

Harvesting and storage

The largest harvest is harvested in August 15-20. In cool summers, harvesting continues until the 20th of September. Apples that are not overripe can be stored in a cool or cold place (in this case, a refrigerator, pantry, underground, in general, any place that is not heated is suitable) until the first days of November. Apples that are not fully ripe are stored right up until New Year's weekend. The fruits are quite transportable, which is why they are massively grown on the market to be sold. And sales revenue will definitely not be low.

Types of varieties

The Melba variety has several varieties in its arsenal.

"Melba's Daughter"

A variety bred on the basis of the Mekintosh variety, its ancestor from Canada. The variety has a high resistance to frost, it has an excellent immunity to scab. The fruits do not last long (a month), then spoil. It looks like Melba, but only this variety has pink spots or stripes around the entire circumference of the fruit. The average fruit weight is 140 g. An apple tree at 10-12 years old bears fruit well, 35 kg of apples come out.

Red Melba

A variety that has minor differences from the progenitor. The fruits are greenish-white in color, with a blurred red blush inherent only in this variety. The dots under the skin are visible throughout the apple. Fruits do not have high sweetness, candy aroma and taste are poorly expressed. Perhaps that is why it is used in the preparation of blanks (they make fruit wine, fruit drink, compote). The weight of one medium apple is 160-190 g, the yield from a 10-year-old tree is 80 kg, a fairly high figure.

Dwarf Melba

An unusual and unique type of variety. This garden tree can be planted in the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, thanks to grafting on a strong plant. Harvesting becomes easier as the tree height is low. Fruits begin to appear in the second or third year of growth. The tree is planted in spring or autumn, the root system adapts well to new conditions and takes root quickly. Fruit weight 110-115 g. One apple tree yields 20-25 kg of apples.The variety is quite transportable, stored until November-January in a cool or cold room.

Apple tree Melba reviews + video

- I decided to plant an apple tree at my dacha. I pick apples somewhere in August, sometimes in October you can pick a couple of apples. The apples are red, common size. Usually my apple tree bears fruit ten centimeters in diameter. I opted for this variety because of the grandchildren, now they do not complain about the dense and hard peel. Inside, the apple is white, juicy, and the taste is sweet and sour. We are expecting no less harvest next year, or even more. I advise you to make homemade jam or jam from these apples.

Apple-tree Melba - photo