- Authors: VNIIS im. Michurina
- Taste: mildly sweet, dessert, no acidic
- Scent: strong
- Fruit weight, g: 100
- Fruit size: average
- Yield: high
- The frequency of fruiting: regular in young trees, periodic in old trees
- The beginning of fruiting varieties: for 3-4 years
- Ripening terms: summer
- Removable maturity: late July - early August
Apple-tree Candy is positioned as a summer variety. This variety owes its name to the original sweet taste, which is equally liked by both adults and children. Reviews about the taste of apples vary, but they all agree on one thing - the fruits are very sweet, aromatic and juicy, they perfectly replace sweets.
Description of the variety
For the breeding of this variety, amateurs are obliged to the Michurin Institute of Horticulture. If on an industrial scale this variety has not become widespread, then among amateur gardeners, Candy definitely has success. The apple tree grows well in central Russia, the Moscow region, Siberia and in the southern regions. The tree of this variety belongs to tall, the height can reach 5 meters.
Growth rates are quite fast, especially at a young age. Because of this, the shape of the crown is rather difficult to maintain. The size of the crown in diameter can reach 3 meters or less, it is round in shape. The tree blooms in May, the flowering color is pink-white, the inflorescences are small. The flowers are saucer-shaped. The branches are elongated, not thick, strong enough, unbreakable. The foliage has a dark green color, a leathery type surface. The sheet can be large or medium in size.
Features, pros and cons
This apple tree has a number of advantages:
original sweet taste;
high early maturity;
excellent chemical composition, many vitamins, trace elements;
fruits are suitable for making food for children;
universal, can be consumed both fresh and processed; when canning, the amount of sugar decreases;
high yield;
shoots are strong, do not break under fruits;
apples do not crumble, the stalk is powerful;
excellent immunity, and to most typical diseases;
tolerates frosty weather well, if it freezes in winter, it recovers well.
Before deciding in favor of this variety, you need to take into account the disadvantages:
in the first and second year, seedlings need shelter before the onset of frost;
if frosts occur in spring, the flower buds are damaged, which affects the harvest;
adult plants after 15 years of age begin to produce crops periodically - once every 1 or 2 years;
apple trees get scab with a lack of prevention;
when ripe, the fruits are not stored for long, are poorly transported;
self-fertility of the apple tree requires the involvement of pollinators;
the need for crown formation is high;
not suitable for industrial breeding.
Ripening and fruiting
The beginning of fruiting depends on which stock the plant was grafted into. If a dwarf rootstock was used, then the tree begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting. If the tree is medium-sized, then the harvest can only be harvested in the third or fifth year. The apple tree bears fruit consistently, at a high level, every year. At the same time, the first harvests are not very plentiful.
Apples ripen in the middle of summer, they are massively harvested in August.
This must be done carefully, as there is a risk of damaging the fruit.Only whole, undamaged apples are selected for storage, the stalk is not removed.
Yield
Fruit ripening is quite massive, about 50 kg of high-quality apples can be harvested from one young tree. As for the yield of a mature apple tree, the amount of the yield increases by about 2 times. With good agricultural technology, you can collect up to 100 kilograms of fruit. Fruiting becomes cyclical after 15 years of life.
Fruits and their taste
The weight of one fruit can vary from 80 to 100 grams, the apples are medium in size, fairly uniform. The pulp is close to white, very juicy and tender. The apple has a ribbed appearance, is round in shape, the color is yellowish, with rich stripes of bright pink color. The aroma is very pleasant, sweet apple.
The fruit taste is very original, practically without acidity, sweetness is at the highest level. Tasting score 4 points. In terms of composition, apples are rich in ascorbic acid and iron. The taste of apples seems to many to be similar to different fruits - bananas, pineapples. Everyone is inclined to believe that there is a clear honey flavor. From the fruits of this variety, you can cook jams and preserves, make juices, mashed potatoes, wine, or use in natural form.
Growing features
The optimal time for planting a tree is in the fall. The main thing is to choose a warm time so that the root system is strengthened as well as possible and adapts to the soil. For planting, a depression is formed with a diameter of about 80 cm, at a depth of at least 60 cm. A mixture of ash, compost, manure, potassium and superphosphate is laid out at the bottom of the hole. The seedling is set in a hole, sprinkled with soil, rammed and watered abundantly. The near-trunk zone should be mulched so that moisture does not leave too actively.
It is very important to choose the right seedlings for agricultural technology to bear fruit. The planting material must be adapted to the climate conditions of the region so that winter is well tolerated. You need to pay attention to the following nuances:
strong roots should be well developed, not overdried, fibrous roots are present in small quantities;
the trunk of the seedling is straight, damage and growths should not be present;
the advantage of one-year-old seedlings over two-year-olds and three-year-olds is obvious, the formation of the crown is easier.
It is also important to follow the basic rules of planting:
choose a lighted area, ideally in the eastern zone of the garden, where the sun is present in the morning and afternoon;
be sure to fertilize the soil when planting;
the inoculation should be located 6 cm above the ground.
Pollinators should also be taken care of, as the variety is self-fertile. In the garden, it is optimal to plant trees of the varieties Melba, Pink anise, Papirovka, Glory to the winners. In addition to the competent choice of a seedling and the correct planting, a number of agrotechnical measures must be observed.
Moisturizing. In the summer, you need to moisturize on a regular basis. Water as the soil dries, but avoid excess moisture. Stagnant water destroys the root system.
Crown formation and pruning. The first pruning is carried out immediately after planting, the trunk and shoots are reduced to buds, the foliage is cut using a pruner or special scissors. This is done in order to enhance the growth of the rhizome. In the first years, the apple tree needs pruning so that the crown takes the correct shape. Subsequently, sanitary pruning is sufficient, during which all shoots of the damaged, dry type are removed. The slice is processed using a var.
Feeding. Once a season, the apple tree needs to be fertilized with superphosphates, ash, humus. Nutrients are applied before flowering occurs. And before frost, a composition with potassium, phosphorus is introduced.Don't forget to dig up the soil to improve breathability.
Preparing for winter. To prepare the apple tree for the winter period, you need to water the tree, feed it, cut it off in a sanitary way. A young tree needs to be covered with a non-woven material. In addition, these actions will save Candy from burns and rodent attacks. It is impossible to paint the trunk with lime in the first seasons.
Pests and diseases
This variety has a good immune system, but its resistance to scab is very low. In no case should you exclude prevention. For this, Bordeaux liquid solutions are used in the spring. The disease can be treated with copper oxychloride - spraying is carried out twice. In the spring, the tree is cleaned of dead bark along with insects. Foliage can be worked with karbofos to scare off pests. In autumn, the yellowed foliage is treated with urea, the aphids will be scared away by onion and garlic extracts.
The apple tree is a popular fruit crop among gardeners. It can be found in many summer cottages. But at the same time, such trees are often affected by various diseases. It is very important to recognize the disease in time and carry out the necessary procedures for a speedy recovery. Otherwise, the fruits will be spoiled, and the tree itself may die altogether.