Papirovka apple tree description
Content:
Among all other fruit trees, apple trees are undoubtedly the real leaders among all other fruit trees. Despite the fact that today breeders have achieved the appearance of completely new varieties, many gardeners still prefer to stay in the mainstream of the classics, and therefore use only those varietal categories that are the most proven and classic. One of these apple varieties is the Papirovka variety, which will be discussed in this article.
Introduction
The Papirovka apple variety belongs to the folk group, since it appeared not as a result of long searches and experiments of the breeders themselves, but as a result of accidental pollination. The variety has been known since the beginning of the 19th century, but gained the greatest popularity after it began to very actively spread throughout the territory of various states, and in particular, in various regions of our own country.
The area of cultivation of the Papirovka apple tree is considered to be the Baltics, from where apples quickly spread to Poland, Germany, and Ukraine. At first, it appeared in the west of Russia, and then it spread even to areas that were initially considered not the most attractive for growing apple crops. The official name of the variety is exactly that - Papirovka, but it is also usually called the "Alabaster" apple, or the Baltic apple - in honor of where this variety actually began to spread to other territories and countries. There are some gardeners who confuse Papirovka with the White filling variety, and they are really similar in terms of their external characteristics. But still, there are many differences between them, for example, in the shape of the fruit, as well as their taste characteristics and taste properties. In addition, on Papirovka there is practically no scab germination, and the trees become less resistant to the winter period and frost.
Description of the variety Papirovka, characteristics, care
The Papirovka tree is medium-sized, when it is still young, the shape of the crown is more like a pyramid. With age, the crown can reform and change, it becomes more rounded. Leaves are oval, medium in size, typical gray-green color. The tips of the leaves are slightly raised, which makes them seem more decorative. The first crop is formed on rather small and short shoots, and gradually they become stronger. Accordingly, the first harvests are not very strong or tasty, the fruits are not very large, but then they can change, become more abundant and larger. When blooming, a very pleasant and intense aroma emanates from the flowers, the buds have an excellent white-pink color.
The weight of apples is rather average, usually ranging from 80 to 120 grams, while on young trees the fruits can be much larger - their average weight is about 180 grams, especially if you give the tree the right care, it will respond perfectly to it. The fruits are round, regular in shape, their color is light, green, sometimes there is a yellow color, especially in those fruits that have reached the peak of their ripeness. The pulp of a very delicate taste, crunchy, juicy, taste characteristics Papirovka in general is very much appreciated by gardeners, since because of this the fruits have a universal purpose.
The flowers on the trees are very large, which is why they are able to attract a sufficient number of pollinating insects. Therefore, in general, the variety does not have any difficulties with pollination, and this is a huge advantage.In order for the harvest to be even more abundant and tasty, the so-called cross-pollination is practiced by experienced gardeners. This means that Papirovka is planted nearby with some other varieties of apple trees. For this, pollinating varieties such as Anis Bely and Borovinka are ideal, since they have similar characteristics and indicators of growth, development, fruiting and growing season.
This tree belongs to the varieties of the summer type, fruiting begins approximately in the third, and sometimes in the fifth year after the seedling has been placed in the open field. At the same time, sometimes apples can appear in the sixth year after planting, much depends solely on the temperature and climatic conditions in which the trees grow, and on the care measures provided by the gardener himself. After this period, the fruits ripen by about the first half of July, or you can pick ripe apples in early August - the timing again varies depending on the region and its location in climatic zones.
The Papiroka variety is a high-yielding variety, from a tree that has reached the age of ten, you can remove from 50 to 75 kilograms of apples. Fruiting can last for a very long time - up to 40 years, while it is quite stable, the frequency is practically not observed. But if suddenly the year turned out to be very fruitful, then it can be predicted that the next year will give a little less fruit. Then the tree will again restore its resources, and again can give very abundant fruiting. There are situations when, after abundant fruiting in the next season, the tree takes a short break, does not give any ovaries after flowering. This is not at all a sign of any disease - the tree just needs to be restored, and this is some varietal specificity, a feature. As the tree grows older, the yield also decreases, but still pleases with its tasty and high-quality fruits.
Variety Papirovka - Features and nuances
Anyway. But the fruits of Papirovka have some nuance. It is connected with the fact that if you correctly and competently moisten the soil around the plantings, then apples are not prone to shedding. But if we talk about transportation or storage of fruits, then there may be some difficulties. The peel of apples is very delicate, it is very easy to damage it, and therefore they have a very low transportability. There is also a risk that the fruit will start to rot right from the inside or from minor damage, and therefore difficult to store. In general, within a month apples can still wait in the wings, and then they lose not only external, but also taste advantages, and because of this, they then can no longer even be processed.
One way or another, the variety perfectly adapts to unfavorable conditions and can tolerate severe frosts well. If the frosts are small, then they will not in any way affect either the condition of the tree itself or its yield. But still, gardeners are advised to play it safe, and for this, it is best to insulate the lower part of the trunk with agrofibre. It is best to mulch the soil around the trunk, and in particular, such insurance and protection will be relevant for the northern regions, where Papirovka is very actively grown and cultivated.
The Papirovka variety perfectly adapts, practically does not get sick and is not attacked by pests. One way or another, it is necessary in severe frosts or provided that excessive precipitation is present, strengthen and maintain immunity. Also, do not forget that spores, diseases, infections - all this can easily migrate from an already diseased plant or tree to a still healthy Papirovka, and then it will be more difficult to deal with a disease that has begun to develop.Pests most of all pretend to be bark rather than fruits, and for this reason it is worth paying special attention to the protection of the crown and bark, especially from autumn, during preparatory measures for the winter period.
Apples are very juicy, while they can soften very quickly, and therefore, ideally, it is recommended to prepare juices or compotes from the fruits. Also, the Papirovka variety is excellent for making jams and jams, mixes, which will include other fruits and berries. It is also worthwhile to approach the choice of planting materials, seedlings with all responsibility, since they must have a completely healthy and strong root system, there should be no growths, signs of fungus or ordinary swelling on the roots. It is also best to take an apple tree, whose age has reached one year, it will be much easier for it to grow, it is much easier to adapt to completely new conditions. The stems should be very healthy, they should look very fresh, and the stem should be absolutely complete and healthy. Only if the seedling meets all these requirements, then an ideal planting result can be achieved, and the seedling will grow and develop completely unhindered in the future. It is recommended to make a purchase in nurseries, since it is there that the seedlings undergo all the necessary preparation, and it is there that they are initially correctly prepared, vaccinated, looked after and monitored for their health.
Agrotechnics
As for the rules for planting seedlings and general agricultural technology, it is about exactly the same as for all other trees that belong to the apple family. It is recommended to plant a seedling either at the end of March, or at the very beginning of April, when the soil has already warmed up enough. The dates can sometimes shift, it all depends on the region in which the planting is carried out, as well as on what the climatic conditions are, what is the risk of recurrent frosts.
For planting, ideally, a flat and well-lit area that is equipped with a reliable drainage system is suitable. Water should not stagnate excessively in the soil, otherwise it will lead to diseases, which are then quite difficult to cure. Groundwater should lie at a depth of at least one meter, if they lie even deeper, then this is even better for the general condition of the plant itself, the risk that the root system will come into contact with the liquid during growth is noticeably reduced. The seedling is placed at a distance of at least four meters from all other plants so that they do not cover or shade each other in any way.
When the site is selected, it must be completely rid of debris, and all weeds and old roots from other crops that grew before are removed. If necessary, you can also level the soil, while the tubercles go astray. Ideally, loamy soils are suitable for the apple tree, other types may also be suitable, but it is still worth remembering that then the soil should be saturated, fed, so that it becomes even more favorable for the growth of the apple tree. A hole is prepared about 5-7 days before planting the tree. Its depth should be up to 90 centimeters, top dressing is laid out on the bottom. Ideally, this is humus, mineral fertilizer, wood ash. This combination of organic matter and mineral additives will provide the tree with comprehensive saturation and will have an excellent effect on its adaptation to new conditions. At the same time, it is better not to mix the top layer of soil with anything at all, and then use it to sprinkle the seedling. If the soil is too heavy and does not allow air to pass through at all, you can mix it with sand, this will make it more favorable and, most importantly, looser.
Further, the gardener follows a certain planting scheme, which is the most favorable:
- the soil in the pit must be very loose
- the top layer of soil, which the gardener put aside, should be mixed with peat or manure that is on the site.A little superphosphate or wood ash is also added there. It all falls asleep in a hole
- the seedling should be placed next to the peg, which will become just the support that the seedling needs so much
- the roots are straightened, bred to the side. To do this as correctly as possible, it is best to plant the seedling not alone, but together, then all this is sprinkled with the rest of the soil. Can be slightly compacted with your feet or hands to prevent air pockets from forming around the roots themselves.
- the trunk is neatly, not very tightly tied to the peg
- the entire planting is abundantly watered with three or four buckets of settled water. You can also mulch the soil from above, peat and humus, straw are suitable for this. They mix for excellent results when it comes to mulching.
Tree care is a standard procedure - watering, feeding, pruning, inspection. Also, care can be divided into three stages - spring, summer and autumn, in accordance with the seasons. So, spring care includes activities such as tree inspection, which is done regularly; treatment of injuries and possible resulting wounds, pruning of branches that have time to dry out or are sick. Also, the apple tree needs to be fed. In summer, it is best to carry out timely and sufficiently abundant watering (depending on climatic and weather conditions), as well as spray the crown and treat the tree from possible diseases. In the fall, the tree is preparing for wintering, and therefore it is worth looking after the following way - the tree is abundantly fed, the trunk must be treated with whitewashing, and if necessary, the crown and trunk circle are additionally sprayed against pests and fungal spores.
The Papirovka variety differs in that it is quite demanding on moisture, and at the same time, it is very difficult for trees to withstand an excessively arid climate. Therefore, Papirovka should not only be moistened frequently, but also done very, very abundantly. Also, the gardener should be guided by climatic conditions, because if the region is arid, then watering should be even more frequent and abundant, and if precipitation and rains are noted in the region, then it is recommended to reduce the intensity of watering, although trees, in principle, respond well to this. Weeding should be abundant - all weeds are removed, and together with the root. If the roots remain in the ground, then there is a great chance that the plant will germinate again, and the weeding was simply in vain.
Conclusion
In general, Papirovka is an excellent grade, which is suitable for cultivation in various regions of our country. To prevent the tree from getting sick, it is necessary to carry out preventive disinfecting treatments of the crown and bark with various insecticides or similar professional preparations. Preparations called Fufanon, Nitrofen are excellent for this. But you should be very careful about such processing, follow the instructions for use and the rules that are just related to safety precautions and precautions. These preparations are great against insects and can also be used against ticks.