Red Chief apple tree variety

» Gardening » Apple tree » Red Chief apples - varietal features

0

1126

Article rating

The popular Red Chief apple is one of 42 mutations of the Red Delicious variety. They were patented as a trademark in 1974. The main producing country is the USA, where “Red Leader” accounts for significant planting areas.

• Description of the tree and fruits
• Landing rules
• Care
• Watering
• Mulching
• Top dressing
• Apple tree pruning and grafting
• Pest treatment
• Harvest and storage
• Reviews from gardeners

Red Chief apples - varietal characteristics

Characteristics of the variety

The crown of the trees is round in shape and grows compactly, so they are planted in a row close to each other.

Red Chief is a frost-resistant apple tree and is not afraid of drought. Moderately resistant to bacterial and fungal diseases.

The variety is famous for its high yield of large fruits.

The apples themselves are of medium juiciness, with dense pulp, and a sweet taste. They give off an incredible aroma.

They are red, covered with a waxy coating, and large (1 apple weighs more than 200 g). The shape is slightly elongated, reminiscent of a truncated cone.

Low calorie content: 100 g only 47 kcal.

Advantages

• The apple has a rich taste, with a high score from experts (4.8).
• The fruits are stored until the end of winter.
• The external presentation is attractive.
• Fruits can be transported and are resistant to damage.
• The tree resists bacterial mildew well.
• High resistance to powdery mildew.

Flaws

• when cultivated, the variety does not adapt well;
• weak resistance to scab disease;
• bitter spotting and rot often occur;
• The fruit pulp sometimes becomes glassy.

If you prevent these diseases in time, then all these shortcomings will disappear.

Pollination

In order for these fruit trees to have high productivity, it is necessary that suitable pollinating varieties be planted nearby: Gloucester, El Star, Golden Delicious.

Suitable region and climate

The variety cannot exactly be called winter-hardy. It grows better in regions with a temperate climate. The southern and central regions of the country are suitable.

If the region has frequent frosts in the spring, which are also replaced by a thaw, or very low temperatures in winter, then the apple tree may experience freezing.

To prevent this, you need to properly prepare the trees in the fall, i.e. trim them and create additional cover.

Delicious and juicy apples

Resistance to diseases and pests

Powdery mildew is practically not dangerous for the Red Chief apple tree, which cannot be said about scab and spotting. She has a weak immune system to them.

Periodically you need to spray with special solutions that will help protect the fruit tree. In order for immunity to be high, it is necessary to follow the technology of cultivation and care.

Diseases and pests of the variety

The cultivar is susceptible to fungal diseases, especially scab of fruits and leaves. Therefore, it is absolutely not suitable for growing in conditions of high humidity and cool weather.

To prevent infections, it is recommended to carry out seasonal treatment with biological antifungal drugs. If the trees are already diseased, then it is best to use a combined method for treatment: treatment with chemical and biological fungicides. This method will help not only temporarily get rid of pathogens in the area, but also consolidate the resulting effect.

Scab disease on Red Delicious apple tree.

In addition to scab, Red Tasty is also very fond of the codling moth, which damages fruit ovaries. The codling moth larva is the same worm that is sometimes found in apples. Codling moth caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves and bark cracks. In autumn, for preventive control of the codling moth it is necessary:

• remove all plant debris from the tree trunk;
• clean the trunk and skeletal branches from old bark with a special brush;
• dig up the soil around the tree trunk in winter to destroy the caterpillars that have “dug in” for the winter.

In the spring, trapping belts must be placed on trunks and large branches, which are checked every ten days, and any discovered caterpillars are destroyed. Biological products are used as preventive measures. The garden is treated with insecticides (in spring - early summer) during the period when the caterpillars emerge from the eggs.

Landing Features

Seedlings can be planted in autumn and spring, but it is best to do this at the end of April.

If planted in the fall, be sure to do so 1 month before the first frost.

Landing technology

In order for the apple tree to take root on the site and produce a good harvest, it is necessary to follow some rules.

1. The place where the seedling will be planted must be carefully selected. It should not be close to underwater waters. When the water rises, the roots will be in moisture for a long time. This will lead to the death of the root system and tree.
2. You need to choose a suitable place for planting so that the sun's rays illuminate it well. There should be protection from cold winds on the north side.
3. The soil at the planting site should be loamy. It will help the tree increase its winter hardiness.

Agricultural technology

There are a number of agricultural technology requirements that must be observed. These include:

• watering;
• feeding;
• pruning;
• insulation.

Watering

Proper watering of a young seedling is carried out every 7-10 days. But when grown in the southern regions, the apple tree needs more moisture. The culture does not tolerate stagnant moisture, but does not tolerate drought at all.

An adult crop is watered 3-4 times a year, adding leaf sprays if necessary. Moisture is introduced into a special trench in the tree trunk circle. For an adult tree, 40-50 liters is enough.

Fertilizers

For the first 2-3 years after planting, Super Chief is not fertilized; the elements that are placed in the hole during planting are enough for him. Next, fertilizing is applied throughout the season, starting in spring and ending in late autumn, before winter.

Trimming

It is extremely important to prune the apple tree in a timely manner. It will help balance the number of fruiting shoots

Proper pruning will help ensure that all fruits receive sufficient nutrition, moisture and sunlight.

Scheme of gradual pruning of an apple tree.

Shelter

The variety does not take root well enough in cold regions, especially young apple trees. They need to be properly prepared for the cold. For this:

• harvest;
• carry out sanitary pruning;
• fertilizing and water-recharging watering;
• the trunk is inspected, if necessary, cleaned and sprayed;
• whiten the standard;
• wrap the trunk and mulch the tree trunk circle.

After snow falls, you need to throw more snow on the apple tree to retain as much heat as possible.

Apple tree care

Irrigation

If the tree is young, it needs to be watered regularly - so that the water reaches the roots of the seedlings, to their tips, which is approximately 35-45 cm.

After planting, watering should be done 2 times a week (a bucket of water per tree).

If there is a drought or very hot summer in the region, then increase the volume of water to 1.5-2 buckets per tree and water about 3 times a week. After irrigation, the soil needs to be loosened and weeds removed.

Mulching

This procedure is carried out in the fall. This is done to prevent freezing of the root system.

To carry out mulching, humus is ideal. You can use other materials that will improve the structure of the soil and nourish it.

It is important that these materials are protected from washing out, drying out and freezing.

When choosing mulch, you should pay attention to the ability of the material to allow air to pass into the soil. In addition to humus, it is recommended to use sawdust, hay or fallen leaves.

If the winter is very cold, then the tree needs to be additionally covered for this period.

Top dressing

The tree needs to be fed periodically. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in April, when all the snow has melted and the ground becomes soft.

A groove 15-20 cm deep should be made around the root system. A special fertilizer should be poured into it; it, as a rule, comes with a complex action in the form of granules.

When choosing a fertilizer, pay attention to ensuring that the effect of the fertilizer is long-lasting.

After the procedure, the groove should be sealed with soil. This type of feeding is done once every 2-3 years.

According to the description, it is advisable to feed the tree with organic fertilizers in the form of humus. Especially when the soil is sandy, it requires about 4-5 buckets for a good harvest.

Trimming

As soon as you plant the seedling, you need to prune it immediately.

Characteristics of the process: the central trunk must be shortened by 15 cm. It must have a maximum of 5 buds.

In the second year, the tree's branches should be opposite each other, so another pruning should be done.

In the future, the procedure should be carried out as needed. As soon as you notice damaged or very weak branches, you need to prune them, and then treat the wound with garden varnish.

Graft

Proper vaccination will give a positive result

This is one way of reproduction. For beginners it is quite difficult.

Grafting increases the yield of a tree, rejuvenates it, and develops new varieties. It can be done at any time of the year, but spring is considered the most favorable period. As soon as the frost subsides and the sap flows down the tree, you can begin to work.

Cuttings without swollen buds should be used for spring grafting. If you missed the time, it is better to postpone the procedure until the summer.

First, the tree must be watered abundantly and the soil next to it must be loosened. Have a sharp knife and hacksaw at hand. Instruments must be sharpened and treated with antiseptics.

At the end, be sure to treat the grafting site with garden varnish, and tie and secure the cutting with electrical tape or polyethylene.

For grafting, trees that are similar in appearance are usually used. The best option is to go wild, because... it is frost-resistant and durable. Pear, plum, cherry, hawthorn, rowan are also suitable.

There are other methods of propagation: cuttings and layering. If a tree is grafted using any of the methods, it will retain all its original varietal characteristics.

Pest treatment

This procedure is carried out in the spring, until the buds bloom. Trees are treated with special solutions. Install adhesive belts directly onto the tree trunk. This protects it from crawling insects.

The second treatment with insecticides is carried out when flowering ends. The main thing is not to be late, because... Most apples will be damaged by the codling moth.

Important! You cannot process the apple tree during the flowering period. This will damage most of what is already established on the tree and destroy pollinating insects.

The final stage of processing occurs during the period of fruit filling. It must be carried out no later than a month before harvest.

How to properly plant and care for the Red Chief apple tree variety

Young plants are usually planted in spring or autumn. If you prefer spring planting, then it is best to choose the last days of April. If you plant apple trees in the autumn, then you need to plan so that there is at least one month left before the first frost.

When choosing a place to plant your Red Chief apple trees, it is better to give preference to well-lit areas protected from gusts of wind. When the site is selected, it is necessary to prepare the hole. Its depth is usually about sixty centimeters and its width is about seventy centimeters. Then you need to add a drainage layer. To do this, you can use dry branches, humus, and peat.

After this, these fertilizers are sprinkled with soil, the plant is installed in the middle, the root system must be straightened. After this, the plant is buried and watered with two buckets of water.

This variety has a fairly compact crown, so even in a small area you can plant quite a lot of trees. There should be at least one and a half meters between plants, and about four meters between rows. Frost resistance and drought resistance of this variety are at an average level. In order for the plant to grow and develop well, you need to water the plants regularly, at least twice a month.

Apple tree variety Red Chief: photo

After the soil has been moistened, the area around the tree trunk needs to be loosened and the weeds removed. This way, the root system of your plants will receive oxygen more intensively. To prevent the plant from freezing in winter, a mulch layer must be laid in the area around the tree trunk in the fall. You can use humus for this. It will not be superfluous if you cover your trees with insulating material.

Proper agricultural technology plays an important role in the successful cultivation of Red Chief apple trees. In the first year of planting in the summer, it is necessary to apply fertilizing. The fertilizer must contain nitrogen. In the following years, apple trees need to be fed in this way: before the plant bears fruit, fertilizing containing phosphorus and potassium should be applied to the tree trunk area. When the first flowering occurs, the plant needs to be fed with a mixture of components such as urea, potassium sulfate, and superphosphate. Red Chief apple trees that are already bearing fruit are typically fed four times in one season. For this purpose, mineral fertilizers and urea are usually used. Fertilizer cannot be applied directly near the trunk; they are applied at a distance of at least fifty centimeters.

After the plant has been planted, it is necessary to prune the plants. The central trunk is shortened by fifteen centimeters; a maximum of five buds should remain on it. This measure is necessary for the normal development and growth of the plant skeleton.

In the second year, formative pruning of the crown is already carried out; the shoots should not grow towards each other, nor should they be located above the branches that are located below. Next, you need to remove weakened branches from time to time so that the crown does not thicken.

The Red Chive apple tree variety is not able to pollinate on its own. In order for the ovaries to form normally, it is necessary to plant apple trees in the neighborhood, which act as pollinators. Golden Delicious, Gloucester and Elstar are well suited for these purposes.

Features of ripening and fruiting

The variety in question can be called a fast-growing crop, because in a few years the tree will bear its first harvest.

Do not allow the soil to dry out or the apple tree to freeze, otherwise the yield will be significantly reduced.

The first few years, the volume per tree will be approximately 30 kg, and in subsequent years, with proper care, they will bring about 150 kg per tree.

Fruit ripening occurs in late September - early October. Sometimes the harvest is harvested before frost.

All about the harvest

Another important characteristic that concerns all gardeners when choosing an apple tree variety is the yield. Any summer resident wants to find a variety that requires a minimum of care, but which at the same time produces a good harvest.

First fruiting period

A characteristic feature of Red Chief is early pregnancy. After planting a seedling, the tree begins to bear fruit in the 2-3rd year. At first the harvest is not very abundant, but as the tree grows, the yield increases.

Frequency and quantity of harvest

Red Chief is a large-fruited, high-yielding hybrid. In the first few years, up to 30 kg of fruits are collected from the tree. Subsequently, the yield can increase to 130 kg. Fruiting is annual.

Collection and use of fruits

The plant belongs to winter hybrids. The first ripe apples will not be picked from the tree until September. Mass harvesting occurs in the last days of September-October. On average, the weight of the fruit is about 190-370 g. Apples are versatile in use. They are used to make jam, jam, used for baking and consumed fresh. The harvested crop can be stored for up to 7 months.

Tasting evaluation of apples

The taste of apples is excellent. The rating is 4.7 points out of 5. The apple pulp is juicy and grainy, with a sweet taste.

Reviews from gardeners

The most important positive review about the Red Chief variety is that it is resistant to powdery mildew and can be grown in any region of the country.

Gardeners emphasize certain characteristics: the quality of the fruit, its taste and beauty, as well as ease of care and good yield. Even an elderly tree gives a lot of fruits, which are enough for the whole family.

Apples remain sweet all winter, and their transportability and excellent presentation make it possible to sell the goods well.

If it is not possible to grow an apple tree, you can buy ready-made fruits. The price is average - about 20-40 rubles per 1 kg, depending on the region.

Positive and negative sides

Like any type, the Red Delicious apple variety has its positive and negative sides. The description and external characteristics are good, but it is still worth highlighting the following advantages:

• Territorial framework.
• Acceptable external assessment.
• Resistant to transportation and damage.
• Shelf life. After harvesting, apples can be stored in a regular refrigerator. The storage period is February. If the premises and equipment are specially designated, the storage period will last until April.
• Popular among consumers and farmers. Fertility and appearance make the variety in demand for all parts of the population.
• Resistant to cold climates. The seedlings survive winters and do not lose their functions very much.

Trees and their fruits, due to their external and internal qualities, have been in demand at all times, from the moment of their appearance.

Farmers, having the basics of the species, did not stop at its development. A large number of subspecies have appeared, which have also pleased farmers and consumers. Red Delicious is still popular today.

Apple is the favorite fruit of most people in our country. A wide variety of varieties of this fruit crop allows anyone to choose the most delicious variety for themselves. Today, the most popular and promising variety is the Red Delicious apple tree. This article will discuss all the most important characteristics of this variety.

Red Delicious is a hybrid of the classic Delicious branch that has been cultivated for almost a century. The tree is actively grown throughout the world. Today it is the most popular apple variety in America.

The main distinguishing feature of the tree is its unpretentiousness to the growing region, climatic conditions, and soil conditions. But it is worth noting that many gardeners get the highest quality and most abundant harvest when growing seedlings in a region where a dry climate with warm days and cold nights prevails. This variety is considered ideal for planting in the Moscow region.

An apple tree called Red Delicious has the following description of the variety:

• medium-sized trees that have a rather spectacular appearance during the flowering period;
• in young trees the crown has a reverse pyramidal or oval shape. During
• fruiting crown takes on a rounded shape;
• the tree forms medium-sized branches;
• The branches have a large number of ringlets, on which fruiting occurs.

This description of trees is, to one degree or another, characteristic of all representatives of the Delicious variety. For example, the Royal Red Delicious apple tree has almost the same parameters.

The fruits have an excellent appearance. They are characterized by the following description:

• The color of the peel is deep bright red. Some varieties have a beautiful blush;
• The peel is rough to the touch. Thanks to this parameter, apples tolerate transportation well and can be stored for quite a long period;
• the color of the pulp is light green;
• the flesh is juicy and crispy. It is characterized by a certain degree of mealiness.

Red Delicious apples have an excellent taste. Thanks to this, the variety has a lot of positive reviews from gardeners around the world.