An unpretentious apple variety Zvezdochka in cultivation in a summer cottage
The Zvezdochka apple tree was bred by the breeder S.F.Chernenko by crossing Pepinka Lithuanian with Anisa. Fruit culture conquered experienced gardeners due to its qualities.
The positive properties of the apple tree:
- taste qualities;
- excellent productivity;
- regular fruiting: the yield depends directly on the annual formation of the crown;
- marketable condition;
- scab disease resistance;
- long storage period: at a temperature of 0-2 degrees.
- ease of growing.
Description of apple variety Zvezdochka
The branches of the tree are skeletal, spreading. Many thin branches leave from them. The crown can be up to 7 m in diameter. Long shoots are brown with a reddish tint. The oval green leaves are jagged at the edges.
The dark cherry fruits of an apple tree are of medium size, weighing on average from 80 to 180 g. They resemble an asterisk in outline. The rounded shape is distinguished by an attractive appearance, barely noticeable ribs, and a waxy coating. Apples have a reddish blush around the entire circumference of the fruit. The pulp is light, greenish, juicy. With few seeds. It has a sweetish taste. The universal variety belongs to dessert varieties. The fruits are used for making jam, preserves, candied fruits, homemade pies, pastries, preservatives.
The yield of the tree is quite high. It begins to bear fruit in the 5th year. The tree can produce 80-170 kg of tasty fruits per year. Fruits have a little acid, a lot of sugar, few seeds, a lot of vitamin C.
To get a good harvest every year, regular pruning is necessary. The regions of the culture zoning are the Central regions of the Russian Federation, in the northern regions it is not recommended to grow the Zvezdochka variety.
Winter hardiness and pest resistance
The culture is characterized by average frost resistance. The tree can freeze at a temperature of -25 degrees if proper care is not followed.
The fruit crop is resistant to diseases.
But periodically it can be exposed to pests:
- powdery mildew;
- fruit rot.
Landing features
In order for the seedlings to take root well, they choose a well-lit place. The soil should be slightly acidic. The soil is carefully dug up. Planting is best done in spring, in April, or in early May. At this time, the soil warmed up enough. The trees are planted at a distance of at least 6 m from each other, since this fruit crop has a fairly spreading crown.
The size of the pit for planting should be at least 50x50 cm.To make the soil more fertile, fertilizers are added to the pit: wood ash (50 g), peat (5 kg), superphosphate (40 g). The roots are evenly and neatly distributed. A peg is placed in the pit, next to a seedling, then I cover everything with earth, and then watered. The peg will protect and support the seedling from the wind. To do this, it is tied to a seedling. After planting, the soil is trampled down a little. It is advisable to dig a small groove near the seedling. This will allow excess moisture to escape.
It is important that the planted seedlings have time to take root until the cold winter days come.
Fruit crop care Zvezdochka
It is necessary to periodically fertilize the tree with useful trace elements. This helps to stimulate growth. They are best mixed with earth. In autumn, in November, the first top dressing is carried out using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
They fall asleep in the trunk circle under a tree in spring manure, or leafy humus. The apple tree does not need special care, as it is an unpretentious crop. She needs to further ensure soil mulching and watering.
Crown pruning
The formation of the crown of a tree, its pruning is a prerequisite in the care of the crop. Failure to comply with this condition can lead to a decrease in yield. Anti-aging pruning helps prevent crushing of the fruit.
After planting the variety, the first pruning should be carried out. To do this, cut off a third of all branches. In the future, pruning is performed every spring. Strong shoots are left, weak, damaged, dry ones are removed.
Apple tree Asterisk needs pollinators
The apple tree needs pollination with other varieties. These can be apple trees Zhigulevskoe, Bogatyr, etc. This is important for fruit setting.
The tree blooms in late May, later than other apple trees. Ovaries are formed on the twigs, and sometimes on the ringlets. During ripening, the fruits begin to shed. The crop is harvested very early, already in mid-September.
Storage
The temperature of the cellar, the room where the fruits are stored, should be no more than 0 degrees. The fruits continue to ripen during the storage period. They retain their presentable presentation for 6-8 months, due to the presence of wax on them. For storage, clean, dried containers, wooden boxes are suitable.
Pests and diseases
Although the variety has excellent immunity, preventive measures against pests should be regularly carried out. When the branches and leaves are affected by powdery mildew, they are treated with Topaz. In the fight against rot, Fundazol will help. In case of scab damage, the tree is treated with Horus.
Apple tree Asterisk dwarf rootstock
Gardeners have appreciated this variety and improved it with rootstocks. Apple tree Asterisk on a dwarf rootstock reaches no more than 3 m in height. The crown of the tree is less spreading, neat and compact. The taste of this variety is no different from an ordinary apple tree.
The stock has many advantages:
- the variety is more frost-resistant;
- the ability to quickly recover from freezing;
- ripening of fruits occurs faster, earlier by two weeks;
- begins to bear fruit for 3 years;
- ease of care for the crown of seedlings, due to its compact size;
- pest resistance.
The apple tree on a dwarf rootstock also has some disadvantages:
- bears fruit for no more than 20 years;
- the life span of this variety is much shorter.
Apple-tree Winter asterisk
The winter apple tree has a number of advantages. The first fruiting is observed at the 4th year of the seedling's life. The yield reaches up to 200 kg per tree. The plant easily tolerates frosts and low temperatures. Winter apples ripen by early October. Fruit weight is 60-100 g. This variety is also resistant to fungal diseases.
While there are many advantages to this culture, there are also disadvantages. They belong to trees that are over 20 years old. There are few of them:
- the taste of the fruit is lost;
- yield decreases;
- the size of the fetus becomes smaller.
Having studied the characteristics of the variety, we can conclude that this is a universal, unpretentious plant. With proper care in the garden area, you can grow strong fruit crops, which will delight you with an excellent harvest every year.
Why is the Zvezdochka apple tree so interesting to summer residents - video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TDnLcTQv8k