- Authors: Folk selection, Baltic countries
- Taste: sweet and sour, dessert
- Fruit weight, g: from 80 to 130
- Fruit size: average or above average
- Yield: up to 50 kg per tree
- Frequency of fruiting: at a young age they bear fruit annually, adults - often periodically
- The beginning of fruiting varieties: the first fruits can be obtained in 3 years, the maximum yield occurs in 6-8 years
- Ripening terms: early summer
- Removable maturity: end of August - until September 10
- Keeping quality: after removal can last up to two weeks
Apple-tree Malinovka, or Suislepskoe, is an excellent dessert variety. Gardeners appreciate it for its delicate pulp with a slight sourness and attractive appearance of the fruit, which favorably distinguishes them against the background of other apples.
Breeding history of the variety
For the first time, the Malinovka variety was described by a French researcher Andre Leroy in the middle of the 19th century. He described this apple tree as a surprisingly winter-hardy variety originating from the shores of the Baltic Sea. However, in other sources there are earlier descriptions of Malinovka, dated to the 17th-18th centuries, which speak of the Estonian and even Persian origin of this varietal variety.
Description of the variety
The robin apple tree is a medium-sized tree. The height varies from 3 to 5.5 m. The crown is thick, round or slightly wedge-shaped, often thickens, periodically it needs to be thinned out. The branches are thin, strong, matte, slightly rough, have a pale yellow or light beige tint. Thicker shoots rise upward, forming a rounded crown shape.
The leaves of the tree are of the correct rounded shape, slightly large, with a rich green hue. The edges of the leaves are serrate, slightly pubescent, shiny and slightly wrinkled.
Features, pros and cons
The main advantage of the variety can be considered the excellent taste of the fruit, which is referred to as dessert. The attractiveness of the fruits can also be noted - they serve as a decoration for any table. Their ribbing looks very attractive against the background of a slight blush, which, as a rule, appears on one of the sides of the apple.
The disadvantage of the variety, according to gardeners, is the insufficiently high yield. In order to get the optimal amount of fruit, you should make a lot of effort when caring for the apple tree and carefully monitor that pests do not appear on the branches and there are no signs of infectious diseases.
The disadvantage of the robin variety is the poor transportability of apples. They wrinkle easily, so they are usually only used at the point of harvest.
Low winter hardiness also disadvantageously distinguishes this variety from other similar apple trees. Therefore, when choosing this variety for growing on your site, you should definitely take into account what climatic zone you are in.
Ripening and fruiting
Blooming Robins, like most other varieties of this fruit tree, begins in May. The flowers are large, fragrant, pale white. In some subspecies, flowering may have a slight pink tint. During this period, the Robin attracts a huge number of pollinating insects, which has a beneficial effect on productivity.
Robin fruits are ready to be harvested in the second half of August, provided that they are grown not north of the middle lane. In the more northern regions, there is a risk of non-ripening of apples, and in winter there the risk of freezing of the root system increases many times over.
After full ripening, it is important to remove the fruits from the tree in time, otherwise the apples will die. Fruits picked up from the ground are stored much less, so it is important not to miss the harvest time.
Once removed from the branch, apples can retain their freshness for up to 14 days.
Spontaneous falling of apples can be associated with several reasons:
if the fruits were not picked on time, and simply overripe;
if the apple tree does not receive moisture or, conversely, grows in an overly humid or swampy area;
if bad weather happened, and a strong wind blew the fruits from the tree;
if the apple tree has been attacked by pests or diseases.
Growing regions
The apple tree of the described variety grows well in regions with a temperate climate. When growing it, it must be borne in mind that agricultural technology will differ depending on the latitude of growth. The further north a tree of the Malinovka variety is grown, the smaller it grows in adulthood.
Excellent Malinovka will grow in the Ryazan, Tula, Penza, Tambov, Bryansk regions, as well as in Bashkiria and the Volga region.
Yield
The variety does not have a high yield. The first fruits can be obtained from a tree that has reached the age of 3 years. The highest yield is given by trees that grow on a site from 8 years old. This is about 50 kg. After reaching this age, with each subsequent year, the apple tree bears less and less fruit, only in rare seasons it has a good yield.
If next to the Robinovka no other apple trees grow for pollination, then you can not wait for the harvest, at all. This variety is completely non-self-fertile, so it needs a large number of pollinators or relatives nearby.
Fruits and their taste
Malinovka apples have a slightly larger average size, their weight reaches 80-130 g. The shape is round, slightly conical, often slightly irregular. The ribs are clearly visible on the smooth peel, which has a light gloss when ripe. Fruit color ranges from pale yellow to greenish. Apples have a slightly flattened long stalk. The funnel is shallow, often colored orange or dark yellow.
The seed core is rather large, the chambers are open. The seeds are dark, flat, rather neat. The pulp of apples has a slight sourness, which is pleasantly combined with the sweetness of the fruit. The sugar level in it reaches almost 9.5%, which is a pretty good indicator for dessert varieties. An increased content of ascorbic acid and pectin can be noted in the composition of the fruit.
Growing features
The Malinovka apple tree will grow well only on fertile soils, so you need to take care in advance about choosing a place for planting it, or enrich insufficient quality soil with nutrients on the eve of planting.
It should be noted that planting an apple tree in a swampy area or near water bodies is not the best idea. The root system does not tolerate a high level of groundwater, therefore, if it is impossible to choose another place for planting, you need to take care of the drainage of the pit under the apple tree, and it is better to plant it on a hill.
Like other fruit trees, the Robin is very fond of open sunny areas, where sunlight falls on the crown throughout the day. In this case, the fruits will be especially sweet and red. But at the same time, it is important to ensure that the tree is protected from strong gusts of wind, otherwise all the color and unripe fruits may simply fall off before ripening, and there is a risk of complete loss of the crop.
The apple orchard should be planted according to the 7 by 7 m scheme in a checkerboard pattern. In this case, the trees will not shade each other, and they will have enough moisture.
Pits for seedlings are prepared in advance, 2-3 weeks before planting. Their size should not be less than 70 cm in depth and 100 cm in diameter. Drainage is laid at the bottom, then humus, which is filled with water. In this form, the holes are left for up to 21 days.
Planting Robin is permissible both in spring and autumn. It depends on the type of root system of the seedling. When closed, it is recommended to land in the fall, after cleaning the site - around October. If the root system is open, then the tree will take root well when planted in March-April. The main thing is to have time to do all the planting work before the buds begin to bloom, otherwise the young tree will painfully experience the transplant.
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.