Apple tree Kovalenkovskoe

The apple tree Kovalenkovskoye is an excellent medium-sized variety that is deservedly popular with gardeners in the middle lane and the Urals. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, high yield and excellent frost resistance.

The Kovalenkovskoe variety was bred by Belarusian breeders at the National Academy of Sciences of Horticulture in Minsk. When creating the variety, they used the free pollination method. Several varieties were involved in breeding, but Lafram was still the basis. It is he who can be considered the progenitor of the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree. Another name for this variety is Red Sweet, which was given according to the taste and color of the fruit.

Apple tree Kovalenkovskoe is a medium-sized variety with a round or reverse pyramidal shape. The trunk is strong, the main branches are thick, perfectly withstand the weight of the fruit. The apple tree has no decorative properties, but it has a high yield and early maturity.

The tree reaches a height of 5.5 m. The branches are dense, thin, and have a skeletal structure. The bark is orange to yellow, matte. The leaves are small, regular oval, rich green hue. Their edges are jagged, like all apple trees. Shoots are slightly fleecy, red in color. The flowers are white, very fragrant.

The fruits of the Kovalenkovskoe apple variety fully correspond to the second name of this variety, that is, red. They are distinguished by rich sweetness and juiciness. They are great both for fresh consumption and for making supplies for the winter.

A characteristic feature of the variety is self-fertility, so the apple tree feels great and bears fruit, even if there are no other apple trees nearby, or there is a small number of pollinators in the area. But still, according to experienced gardeners, fruiting increases significantly if there are similar fruit trees nearby, and there are enough insects carrying pollen.

Another distinctive feature is the uneven ripening of fruits. But if for some this is a plus, because such a factor allows you to enjoy the fresh harvest much longer, then for others, on the contrary, it creates difficulties, because a lot of apples are needed to prepare blanks at once.

Of the main advantages of the variety, one can single out the fact that the apple tree is a universal option for growing practically throughout the entire territory of Russia, with the exception of the Arctic. The maximum temperature that an apple tree can survive without consequences is -35 degrees.

As a disadvantage, some gardeners distinguish low resistance to an ailment such as scab. And it is also necessary to treat the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree from pests more carefully than trees of other varieties, since its resistance to insects is not the highest.

The fruits of the Kovalenkovskoye variety ripen, as a rule, at the end of August. The farther north the place where the trees grow, the later they bear fruit. In the middle lane and in the south of the Urals, apples can be picked starting from the third decade of August, in the south - at the beginning of the last summer month, but in Siberia and the Far East only at the beginning of September.

Fruiting is uneven, extended in time for up to three weeks.

The Kovalenkovskoe apple tree begins to bear fruit in the third year after planting.Every year the number of fruits on the tree increases and reaches its maximum by 6-8 years.

The yield of the variety can be estimated as quite high - about 50 kg of fruit can be removed from one adult tree 7 years old per season. But in order to achieve such indicators, it is necessary to choose the right soil for planting and take into account the wind rose.

Apples of the Kovalenkovskoye variety have a rich sweet taste, have a light grain and are moderately hard. There is no sourness, even in unripe fruits. As apples ripen, they become sweeter and richer in taste. And since even ripe fruits are perfectly retained on the branches and do not fall off, by the time they are harvested, they have the most sweet and sometimes even sugary taste. If apples are harvested from the branches a little unripe, then their taste can be fully appreciated only about a week after picking.

The average fruit weight is 150 g. The color is pale yellow, with bright red spots on the sides. On the highest branches and on the sunny side, the fruits turn completely red and have the most intensely sweet taste.

In order for the Kovalenkovskoe apple tree to take root quickly and hurt as little as possible, it is necessary to select a site for planting it with a low groundwater table. Otherwise, she is threatened with rotting of the root system, diseases from excessive moisture and, as a result, death. You can notice the beginning of this process by the drying of the crown from above.

In order for the fruit tree to feel comfortable on the site, to give the maximum yield, for its planting it is necessary to choose slightly podzolic, loamy soils, without the risk of flooding. And also in winter, the influence of the northern winds on the tree should be excluded, as this will negatively affect the ovaries, and subsequently reduce the yield.

In order to consistently get a high yield, the apple tree must be fed with mineral fertilizers.

This is done according to a specific schedule. In the first year, you do not need to make anything, the tree has enough fertilizers applied when planting in the ground.

Starting from the second year of life, the apple tree is fed in several stages.

1. After the snow melts (usually in March), a mixture of urea and ammonium nitrate in a ratio of 2: 3 is introduced into the trunk circle.

2. In the period when the buds are just beginning to set, it is necessary to add a superphosphate solution (50 g per 10 l of water).

3. During fruit setting, you can help the tree with nitroammophos.

4. And in the winter, dig up the sod under the apple tree with humus.

If the soil in the area where the apple trees grow is too acidic, it is a good idea to add dolomite flour to it every 5 years.

Apple tree Kovalenkovskoe is a frost-resistant variety. Nevertheless, when grown in the north and in Siberia, it is worth taking care of additional insulation. Sawdust, dry leaves are perfect for this. In especially frosty winters, cover the base of the trunk with snow to the crown.

Any special shelter for an apple tree growing in the middle lane is not needed for the winter. But it is still required to prepare the fruit plant for frost. To do this, the trunk is whitened, the soil under it is loosened to a depth of half a meter. It is recommended to mulch it using sawdust or fallen leaves. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the leaves are only from healthy trees, otherwise there is a risk of burying pests and bacteria that cause infectious diseases into the root zone.