The Rudolph apple tree is an alley tree, it grows up to 6 m in height. Its beautiful appearance and quality indicators of fruits make the variety universal and in demand.
Characteristics of the Rudolph apple tree
General characteristics of the variety
Decorative apple tree Rudolph of European origin. Was bred by crossing suitable decorative species. She received the most important characteristics - resistance to disease and environmental temperature extremes.
The variety has a long and plentiful flowering period, growing in the form of a tree with a wide crown or as a shrub. The general appearance is determined by the method of grafting and annual pruning.
The crown is lush and differs in the density of leaves and inflorescences. Its maximum height is 6 m: tall trees grow only in favorable conditions. The average height does not exceed 5 m.
The apple tree loves fertile soil: the composition of the planting soil is decisive.
Swampy soil is not most suitable (the culture does not survive on it).
It is considered fast-growing and has a good growth rate. Since the 7th year, it has been actively bearing fruit. It grows 70 cm annually.
The decline in growth rates is directly dependent on environmental conditions. The maximum height is reached in the 6th year, after which the tree grows in lateral lashes.
Disease resistance
The tree is highly resistant to common diseases.
When other horticultural crops suffer from scab or powdery mildew, Rudolph shows a good defense reaction.
Timely prevention strengthens the immune system - the more often it is carried out in the wet season, the less the tree suffers. For these purposes, chemical agents are used - fungicides.
Where is the variety grown
The variety is distinguished by its high resistance to low temperatures, therefore it is suitable for growing in the Urals - its southern part, or in Siberia.
The apple tree takes root on land plots with a different soil composition. It grows rapidly in the Baltics or on the territory of Ukraine.
The hybrid is planted in Belarus and almost throughout the territory of Russia: the central and northern regions are preferred.
Advantages and disadvantages
An apple tree needs to be well looked after
The yield of the variety is average: with minimal care, it is a stable indicator. Up to 5 kg of apples can be harvested from one tree. The harvest volumes directly depend on the care.
The apple tree has high winter hardiness. This is its greatest advantage: where other varieties disappear, it can withstand frost and does not lose its quality characteristics.
Advantages of a decorative hybrid:
- Has a well-developed root system;
- Beautiful and inimitable appearance of the tree - decorates any land plot;
- A resistant variety rarely gets sick and does not even suffer from seasonal changes: a sharp drop in temperature, increased humidity or drought;
- Unpretentious - requires the same care as any other garden culture.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- The fruits are small in size and have an average taste. Even cross-pollinators cannot improve them.
- Does not like shade - the less sunlight, the worse the tree grows and the less fruit is formed. The decorative value of the culture is declining.
Characteristics of the tree
The branches are located vertically - they seem to stretch upward.
The height of the tree is no more than 6 meters, it has a large number of branches: due to this structure, the crown looks very lush (diameter is less than 4 m).
This feature must be taken into account during planting: it cannot be planted in cramped conditions, next to other trees with wide crowns. If hedges are created from the variety, the crown grows in moderation.
Description:
- if it is a shrub, then it is multi-stem;
- if it is a tree, then it has one main trunk;
- branches are pulled up, and the slope from the trunk is minimal;
- the older the tree, the more its branches tilt downward;
- the shape of the crown is round;
- average trunk height 60 cm;
- leaves are dark green;
- foliage has 3 to 5 blades;
- profuse flowering - many bright inflorescences are formed on the branches.
The tree has very bright inflorescences
Apple tree Rudolph has large pink buds, because of which branches are not visible. The diameter of one inflorescence is 3 cm.
The pollinators must match the characteristics of Rudolph. Varieties of the same fruiting period are selected: Bratchud or Chudnoe are suitable.
Cross-pollination extends the flowering period of an ornamental crop.
Characteristics of apples
The fruits are beautiful, have a dense and smooth yellow skin.
They ripen at the same time: beautiful bright inflorescences are replaced by small, but identical yellow apples.
Average palatability - pulp with sourness. If desired, they are added to baked goods, but more often they are diluted with other apple varieties.
Description of the pulp: inside it is not very juicy. An astringent taste appears in apples that do not have time to ripen or were formed during an unfavorable period. In this case, apples are not consumed fresh, but are used for canning or making assorted juices.
Planting an apple tree
A two-year-old seedling is selected (it will have time to take root and start growing faster) with a good root system: it should not be rotten, too weak, and the roots should withstand a slight onslaught and not break.
You can't choose seedlings with loose leaves.
Planting involves creating a planting hole - this is how the seedling quickly adapts.
Choice of land
For the Rudolph apple tree, any soil is selected, except those in which there is a large amount of clay.
If necessary, a little sand is added before planting.
Lowlands or shaded areas are not suitable for hybrid planting. It is preferable to choose a well-lit area in the garden.
The place for the apple tree should be well lit
The decorative qualities of the tree will be useful to the gardener - with the help of one apple tree, you can decorate a hedge or part of the garden: you need to place the seedling in a prominent place.
A good place for Rudolph is the southeastern slopes. Such a land plot is less likely to suffer from the accumulation of excess moisture.
Strong winds will not affect the growth of a young tree in the best way: you need to choose a windproof area. Neighborhood is not so important for a hybrid, but trees should not shade a medium-sized crop.
An important requirement is the level of groundwater. It should not exceed 3 meters, otherwise the root system will suffer (the amount of nutrients in the roots will decrease).
If the water table is high, additional drainage is created during planting.
Landing dates
Apple trees are planted twice a year.
Spring disembarkation is the safest and most common. Under the created conditions, the seedling takes root faster and has time to grow up to the arrival of frost.
Landing falls in mid to late April. Gardeners are guided by the buds that are formed on neighboring trees. You need to have time to plant a seedling as soon as the upper layers of the soil warm up.
Autumn planting is carried out after harvest in the garden. From the end of September, the planting material will have time to take root quickly - it is important that a month remains before frost. After that, the seedling is insulated for the winter.
Planting pit preparation
- If the landing is planned in the spring, then the pit can be prepared in the fall. The spring option includes the preparation of the pit 2 weeks before the expected landing date.
- Rudolph is characterized by a developed rhizome, so the depth of the pit should be at least 70 cm.The suitable pit diameter is 60-70 cm.
- The planting pit is pre-fertilized. Organic matter is introduced: humus or slurry. The thickness of the fertilizer is at least 4-5 cm. A week later, when the organic matter is infused, the top layer of the pit is dug up - it is mixed with the fertilizer. The pit is left for another week.
On the day of planting, a drainage from rubble is created - if the structure of the soil layer requires such actions. For normal soil, drainage is not required. At the bottom of the pit, a stake is fixed - the basis for the seedling.
Landing scheme
Rudolph is planted at a distance of 4-5 meters from neighboring crops. The seedling is placed in a hole, its roots are leveled, and on top they are covered with fresh soil.
Planting material is watered with 4-5 liters of water.
Apple tree care
It is necessary to carry out disease prevention
It is necessary to organize regular watering, feeding and double pruning of excess branches.
Additionally, the land is weeded, weeds are removed, and disease prevention is carried out on all horticultural crops.
Watering
It is watered three times a season.
Irrigation is weather-controlled: if it rains, watering is reduced.
For an adult tree, a large amount of water is introduced - at least 5 buckets. The water must be clean, settled (rain is better suited). It is heated in the sun, and watering itself is carried out in the evening.
Drip irrigation is suitable. It allows the whole tree to be saturated with moisture. You cannot pour all the liquid under the roots. So the fertile soil is washed out.
It is better to combine watering and fertilization of the soil: this will allow for better nutrition of the crop.
Top dressing
Fertilized 3-4 times a year. For this, organic matter is used - manure, compost and mineral fertilizers.
Purchased products must contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
If poultry droppings are used as organic matter, it is bred in half with water.
Foliar feeding is carried out. For a young tree, a distance of 50 cm from the trunk is maintained - if the nutrients are brought closer, burns may form.
Pruning
A decorative apple tree will need a crown formation procedure - after winter, Rudolph is cut off crooked branches.
In autumn, sanitary pruning is carried out: it allows you to remove diseased shoots and prepare for winter.
After pruning, the soil around is mulched, which protects the crop from frost.
Fruiting and ripening
The first fruits appear on an apple tree in the second year, while Rudolph's yield increases every year. A stable indicator is established after the 5th year.
The culture blooms every year, more than a month - inflorescences appear earlier than on neighboring trees.
Harvested in autumn. It can be stored in a cool, dark place for 2 months. The variety has good transportability.
Ornamental apple tree Rudolph (malus rudolph) 🌿 Rudolph review: how to plant, apple tree seedlings Rudolph
Ornamental apple-tree Rudolph. Brief overview, description of characteristics, where to buy Malus Rudolph seedlings
Variety Rudolph
What is a hybrid:
- Decorative. Differs in accelerated growth. Crohn of the correct beautiful shape. Fruits are yellow, ovaries are pink.
- Stamp It is obtained by grafting different varieties. With the help of trimming, the desired crown shape is given. It has a thick head at the top.
Gardeners reviews
The decorative Rudolph apple tree can be used to decorate any garden - it blooms for a long time and does not require special care. For these reasons, it receives positive feedback from gardeners.
It is recommended to plant a tree in regions with frosty winters.