Apple tree Honey Crisp

Among the American apple varieties, Honeycrisp stands out for its impressive fruiting ability and excellent palatability. In Russia, the variety appeared relatively recently, but has already managed to get favorable ratings when used in commercial gardening.

Mature trees are medium-sized, reach 3-3.5 meters in height, the crown of young seedlings is narrow-oval, then becomes wide-oval, compact. The variety demonstrates a rapid rise in height, kidney excitability and the ability to sprout is average. The growth rate of the trunk slows down from the 5th year of the tree's life, after which the shape of the crown also changes.

The variety was obtained in 1974 from a cross between Macoun and Honeygold - popular American apple varieties. From the parent varieties, he took a characteristic honey note in taste and aroma; in cool climates, the fruits acquire a slight sourness. Honey Crisp apples are perfect for further processing, preparation of dried fruits; fresh, they contain a significant amount of vitamin C and pectin. The benefits also include:

• frost resistance up to -35 degrees;

• keeping quality 6-7 months;

• large apple sizes;

• ease of pruning and maintenance;

• crispy refreshing pulp;

• the possibility of growing in trellis-dwarf gardens;

• suitability for commercial cultivation.

The disadvantages include shedding of fruits in some years. If the storage rules are violated, subcutaneous spotting may appear on apples.

The apple tree is fast-growing. The first harvest is harvested for 4 years, on a dwarf rootstock for 2. The variety belongs to the winter, the removable ripeness of the fruits is reached in mid-September, they gain consumer maturity by the 1st decade of November. Mixed by the type of fruiting.

The variety is zoned for Western Europe and the USA. In Russia, it is successfully cultivated in warm regions, with long daylight hours.

In commercial horticulture, the variety demonstrates a yield of at least 70 t / ha when harvested from six-year-old trees. Individual indicators reach 6-9 kg from a seedling of the same age.

Honey Crisp gets a very high tasting score - 4.6 points. Apples have a light, unobtrusive aroma. Dense, very juicy softness has a sweet-sour taste, a yellowish-creamy hue. There is a characteristic crunch, chipping when biting. The peel on fruits is of medium thickness, with shine, the main color is yellowish-light green, there are streaks and spots, a blurred blush of an orange-red tone.

The apples are very large. Average weights attainable range from 180 to 250 g.

Honey Crisp grows well on loamy and sandy loam soils.Good moisture capacity and air permeability of the soil, its fertility are important. Due to the spreading shape of the crown, it is recommended to pay special attention to maintaining the distance between the trees. The optimal distance is considered to be 5-6 meters. The distance to buildings and buildings must remain within 3 m.

When choosing a place, you should give preference to well-lit areas. It is also important to monitor the water table at the landing site. It is good if the depth of their occurrence is more than 2 m. The best seedlings are 1-2 years old, take root well, with a healthy root system.

For planting the variety Honey Crisp, they choose early autumn or late spring; sap flow in seedlings with an open root system should not occur. For young trees with ZKS, in containers, any convenient time is suitable for carrying into the ground. The pits are made quite large, up to 1 m in diameter, about 50 cm deep. It is necessary to prepare them in advance, from autumn to spring or from summer to planting in October, mixing garden soil with rotted mullein, wood ash, superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Honey Crisp apple trees need formative pruning. Usually the crown is formed in a tiered pattern. The next year after planting, the main trunk in the spring, before the start of sap flow, is shortened. In the future, 1/3 of the length of the skeletal branches is removed annually. The rest of the branches are cut into a ring so as not to create multiple competition with the central conductor.

And also annually, in autumn or spring, the crown is cleared from its thickening elements, dried and dead shoots. When grown on dwarf rootstocks, this process takes place without significant effort on the part of the gardener. Thickening of the crown must be avoided, because it is this that prevents it from airing, provokes infection with fungal diseases. And also in the spring, you need to thoroughly whitewash the trunk with a solution of quicklime to protect it from insect pests.

Honey Crisp does not belong to self-fertile varieties, it is pollinated by insects. To increase yields, planting is recommended next to the Golden Delicious, Idared and others apple trees that coincide in flowering time - from late April to mid-May, depending on the climatic zone. The distance between cross-pollinated trees should not be more than 50 m.

Since, when preparing the pits, fertilizers are laid with a margin, their new portion will need a young tree only for 2 years of growing Honey Crisp. In the spring, stimulants are traditionally used to gain green mass. Organic fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen are suitable. Before the beginning of flowering, when the rudiments of buds appear, as well as after it, the plants are given complex feeding.

At the end of the harvest, it is imperative to apply potash and phosphorus fertilizers to the root.They will help lay flower buds for next year. And also Honey Crisp is very sensitive to the calcium content in the soil. It is important to add chalk or lime to it annually, add eggshells to the mulch. In the pre-winter period, the plant will benefit from digging up the soil with the addition of humus.

The variety was initially bred with good disease and pest resistance. This makes it much easier to grow it in difficult climatic conditions. The apple tree's resistance to scab and powdery mildew is high, the risks of infection are unlikely.

In the USA and Europe, the Honey Crisp apple variety is very well known, but for Russia it is still a novelty. The experience of cultivating apple trees among Russian summer residents is minimal. Despite this, the reviews about the variety look very positive. It is mentioned that many gardeners manage to get the first apples already 2 years after planting the trees, and the taste of the harvested fruits delights both children and adults. It is indicated that the variety tolerates wintering in Russian conditions well, without requiring shelter.

Among the disadvantages of Honey Crisp apple trees, the owners indicate in the reviews a tendency to thicken the crown, it needs to be thinned out, especially in the early years. With an abundance of apples on the branches, you have to be careful about harvesting. If you miss the moment, the fruits will simply fall off, and will start to deteriorate during storage. And also not everyone is happy with the density of the pulp - when biting it, you have to make an effort.