Gardening » Apple tree
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Kira Stoletova
The Arkadik apple tree was bred by experienced VSTISP breeders in Moscow. They took the Russian variety Arkada and the American SR-0523 as a basis. The author is V.V. Kichini, for breeding his team chose the optimal gene codes and ultimately received an excellent variety that is suitable for cultivation in the Moscow region and central Russia.
Growing Arkadik apple tree
Photo and description of the variety
This variety is classified as a summer early ripening variety, obtained by V.V. Kichina. on the basis of the All-Russian Selection and Technical Institute of Horticulture and Nursery Growing from the Arkad yellow variety , which has become a classic in apple fruit growing.
Arkad yellow is the progenitor of Arkadik.
Adult plant height and crown width
The tree can be classified as tall, strong and very resilient 10 meters in height .
The crown is wide, conical, sparse , and consists of powerful rounded shoots of a reddish hue. The presence of many ringlets predetermines a good, friendly harvest.
The leaves are ovate, with a sharp tip, matte smooth, deep green.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety include:
- High yield;
- Rapid growth of seedlings;
- Zoning not only in the middle zone, but also in more northern regions.
It is difficult to describe the pronounced disadvantages of the variety. If you choose the right planting location, follow agricultural techniques and use the fruits in accordance with their intended purpose, Arkadik will delight you with its power, unpretentiousness and delicious fruits.
Important! The only thing that can be said about the negative characteristics is that apples require quick harvesting, otherwise the fruits will crumble and may be damaged, which will reduce their presentation.
Tasting assessment
As for the taste characteristics of the variety, it is worth saying that apples have a bright fresh aroma, an amazing sweet and sour dessert taste with a predominance of sweetness and a slightly noticeable sourness.
Tasting score – 4.2 points . The pulp is very juicy, bright white, the consistency is fine-grained, loose, oily. There are few seeds, the subcutaneous points are barely visible.
Fruits of the Arkadik apple tree.
Productivity
Arkadika fruits are one-dimensional, quite large , can reach 210 g, but there are also champions weighing up to 350 grams . The average yield is 300 c/ha.
The fruit is covered with a thin skin of a whitish-green hue at the beginning, but as it ripens it becomes covered with dark red stripes over most of the surface of the apple - aesthetically very attractive. Adding to this excellent taste characteristics, we can say that Arkadik was created for fresh consumption - apples just beg to be served on the table.
Important! Ripening occurs in mid-August, fruit consumption is until the end of September. Therefore, if you are looking for a summer variety that will be pleasant to collect and eat for a short period of time, Arkadik is an approach for you like no other variety.
Winter hardiness
Arkadik is a highly winter-hardy variety that tolerates wintering well even in severe frosts. During returning frosts, the temperature can reach -35°C, but the tree will remain safe and sound and will delight you with fresh foliage and vigorous flowering in the spring.
As for fruiting in dry summers , Arkadik is quite capable of producing crops even in extreme summer heat. Of course, this will affect the number of fruits, but if there is no way to influence the access of moisture to the plant, this characteristic may be of particular importance.
Resistance to scab and other diseases
The variety is resistant to scab, a number of other diseases and the influence of pests. It must be remembered that disease resistance is not a panacea. Under unfavorable growing conditions and improper or untimely care, any plant can be susceptible to infection.
Arkadik is resistant to scab.
Self-fertility and pollinating varieties
The variety is self-fertile , that is, in the absence of a pollinator variety in the garden, about 50% of the flowers will have ovaries. This is very convenient when it is difficult to find a place for a second apple tree or there is no particular need for it.
However, in the presence of a pollinator variety, the number of ovaries will be greater, which implies a higher yield than in the absence of it. Such varieties for Arkadik are varieties of summer or autumn ripening.
It will be practical to choose an autumn variety that suits you in terms of agrotechnical and taste characteristics, and yield.
History of creation
The Arkadik apple tree is considered an early ripening variety. It became a technological improvement of the Arkad yellow and Antonovka varieties, and was also crossed with the American donor apple tree SR0523. This was carried out at the All-Russian Breeding Institute of Horticulture under the leadership of Doctor of Biological Sciences Viktor Kichin in 2002. The new type of apple tree differs from its “parents” in increased winter hardiness and large fruit size. The variety is recommended for planting in the Moscow region and central Russia.
Apple tree Arkadik
The Arkadik variety also includes the following species:
- apple tree Arkad yellow or summer;
- sugar apple tree Arkad;
- Arcade pink.
The differences between these subspecies consist mainly in the color of the fruit, nuances of taste and yield.
Reviews
Anna Vladimirovna. Saratov. Not a bad variety, tasty apples and I don’t have any special problems with care. There are a lot of apples, all even, beautiful, large as one. And it’s nice to eat and there’s no shame in treating friends. The tree is again large, spreading, and looks wonderful on my large plot! There are no problems with diseases, and no bugs have appeared either. I recommend it to lovers of fresh, sweet, juicy apples.
Igor. Apatity. I don't really like these apples. Very sweet and cannot be stored. But in fairness, I can say that the smell is excellent! It’s inconvenient to pick - you’re a little late - and they themselves fall and get damaged. Although, maybe it will suit someone. But I prefer ones that are more sour and that last longer. These last barely a month.
Lyubov Mikhailovna. Krasnoyarsk Last year I planted an Arkadika seedling on the advice of a neighbor at the dacha; he has extensive experience in fruit growing. I recommended this variety specifically for a large family - so that everyone can eat plenty of fresh apples and not have any special problems in caring for them. So far I'm happy. It grows very quickly and is not much of a hassle. It endured the winter well, did not freeze, and the roots did not freeze. I'll be waiting for the first harvest! I looked through a bunch of articles before settling on this variety. I wanted a big apple tree - the place was empty, and I didn’t want to plant anything.
Productivity
When the tree is about to bear fruit, its growth suddenly stops. This variety has abundant yield, so it is important for the gardener to monitor the feeding of the tree.
One of the advantages of Arkadik is that this variety begins to bear fruit in the third year after planting and after that - every year.
The fruits usually ripen in mid-August, the yield is very high - about 200 kilograms can be harvested from one tree. The storage period for apples is short - about one month.
Planting and care
Before choosing a place to plant an apple tree, it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the root system of an adult tree. To prevent the plant from becoming crowded in the future, its growth does not slow down, and its yield does not fall, calculate the approximate area that the root system of an adult tree will have to occupy.
The root system of a healthy apple tree is approximately twice as large as the crown of the tree, and its main part lies at a depth of 45–60 cm, although its depth can reach 5 meters.
Timing and correct method of planting
Apple trees can be planted both in autumn ( from late September to mid-October ) and in spring ( from the third decade of April ). To do this, you need to prepare a planting hole 70–80 cm deep and about a meter in diameter:
- Remove the top layer of soil;
- Mix it with humus, thereby making the soil lighter and more breathable;
- We place a peg in the middle of the hole, and next to it we place a seedling, carefully deepening it with a mixture of humus soil;
- Then spill the planting with water.
Attention! The root collar should remain approximately 5 cm above the ground.
Watch the video on how to plant an apple tree correctly:
Agricultural technology
In order to get a healthy tree and, accordingly, a good harvest , proper care is necessary, an important part of which is pruning . It can be carried out in the first year after planting in the spring, if the seedling is strong and healthy. If there is the slightest doubt, it should be postponed until next year.
Technically, it consists of the following actions: the central conductor is shortened by 3 buds; in subsequent years, the cutting will be more formative in nature. Branches growing inward are cut out, young shoots and damaged branches are shortened.
General principles of pruning apple trees.
Watch the video for detailed instructions on how to trim an apple tree:
The tree trunk also needs care. It is necessary to regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil to improve aeration and water permeability.
Under normal weather conditions in summer, watering is carried out once every 3-4 weeks with three buckets of water . If the soil on the site has a light structure, then the plantings should be watered every 1.5 - 2 weeks.
Important! Young seedlings need to be fed in the spring with a solution of ammonium nitrate, and in the autumn phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied, which increase the winter hardiness of the plant.
Agricultural technology
The Arkadik apple tree does not require special conditions for planting. They plant it like ordinary apple trees. The soil can be of any quality. Planting time: autumn or spring.
Before placing the seedling in the ground, it is necessary to mark the area. The distance between adjacent trees should not be less than 5 m. After this, a hole is dug 0.8 m in diameter and 0.7 m deep. The bottom layer of soil need not be used, but the top layer is mixed with humus.
IMPORTANT! When planting, you should not add mineral fertilizers, as this can lead to burns to the roots of the seedling.
When planting, you should straighten the roots of the tree, gradually filling them with prepared soil. In this case, the roots should be facing down.
After planting, a ditch is dug around the hole and water is poured into it. Subsequent watering (if planting was done in the spring) should be carried out at least once every 2 weeks.
In order for the tree to take root better, you need to mow the grass around it and loosen the soil. The trunk can be protected from pests by wrapping it in parchment. This will need to be done for the first five years after planting. Then rodents will not be afraid of the trunk.
When the crown appears, it needs to be trimmed so that it is not too high. This is done so that the branches grow to the sides and not upwards. In the first years, it will also be necessary to remove excess flowers, since the abundance of fruits will cause irreparable harm to the young apple tree. And when the tree becomes fully grown, the branches with too many apples need to be tied up or supported so that they do not break off.
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Apple tree Arkadik. Subspecies and options
On a dwarf rootstock
The height of this variety of the Arkadik variety does not exceed 2.5 m , its frost resistance is much higher than that of a tall apple tree. This subspecies is convenient because it takes up less space on the site and does not shade it much.
Columnar
Columnar varieties of Arkadika are a compact tree with a very modest crown. With proper agricultural technology, their yield is not much different from the classic variety, but you should pay special attention to soil care.
Fruits of the columnar apple tree Arkadik.
Summer yellow
This subspecies is distinguished by smaller fruits , which does not affect their taste. One of the negative qualities is the susceptibility to scab.
Sugar
A very productive species (up to 200 kg per tree), the fruits have excellent taste and externally have an excellent presentation. There are no special care requirements. The same recommendations as for Arkadik will be effective.
Pink
This variety bears small fruits (weight does not exceed 80 g), they are flatter in shape than the classic variety, and the yield is low. The trees are weak-growing, the type of fruiting is ringed .
Arkadik pink.
Preparatory work
Your seedling, like a baby, must arrive in an already prepared location, where it can take root, grow and delight you with its fruits. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to choosing a place and preparing it for the arrival of the seedling.
Site preparation
It is better to choose a site for planting an apple tree in advance. A well-lit location, without drafts, spacious and clean, is best suited. Let us remind you that you should choose soil on which nothing has grown for a long time, so the apple tree can feed on nutrients from the rich soil. First, clear the area of weeds, mow the grass, and remove debris.
Preparation of seedlings
During transportation, seedlings must be treated very carefully so as not to give the tree another stress. Before planting the Arkadik variety in a hole, the plant needs to be kept in ordinary water for several hours.
Features of cultivation in different regions
Moscow region
The climatic conditions of the Moscow region are quite suitable for growing Arkadik without any problems.
However, it is worth paying attention to the type of soil.
If your site contains acidified podzolic soils (this can be understood by seeing the bleached top layer), then it is necessary to neutralize them by applying lime fertilizers.
Middle lane
Growing conditions in the middle zone are ideal for Arkadik . It is important to carry out all the agrotechnical measures described above on time and carry out preventive treatment against diseases and plant pest populations.
Siberia
Arkadik has excellent frost resistance , so with the right approach it can be grown in cold regions. Arkadik on a dwarf rootstock is best suited for this . Planting an apple tree in this region should be done in late autumn so that the seedling does not have time to grow.
Arkadik is successfully grown in Siberia.
Attention! Not getting enough sun can affect the size of the fruit - you may end up with smaller apples with a more pronounced sour taste.
Ural
The climate of the Urals is very unpredictable, characterized by late frosts, which can destroy the crop at the apple tree flowering stage. The Arkadik variety, characterized by high frost resistance, can be grown in this zone, but it would be best to select varieties that are more resistant to sudden temperature changes.
What to look for when choosing seedlings
Selecting seedlings is a rather responsible procedure. Therefore, it is better to arm yourself with useful knowledge in this matter. On the market you can find seedlings of different ages: from 1 to 3 years.
Which one is better to take? Stop at a younger plant and don't pay attention to its appearance, because you certainly won't be alarmed by the fact that a one-year-old plant will look much smaller and not as vigorous compared to a three-year-old plant. Therefore, an one-year or two-year-old apple tree would be an ideal option. When transporting a seedling, be sure to wrap its roots in a wet cloth, and before planting, leave it in water for several hours.
It is important to pay attention to the roots: they should look healthy, without any thickening in different places. Don't be afraid to ask the seller to check the bark as well. Once you cut it in one place, you should see a green, healthy interior with no brown stripes. Such stripes indicate that the plant froze last winter.
And the last tip is choosing a place to buy. Seedlings of different varieties are difficult to distinguish from each other even for an experienced gardener. Therefore, you should give preference to proven specialized outlets or stores. Today there are entire departments for gardeners in building materials hypermarkets. In such places you will definitely not be deceived. In addition, technology allows you to find online resources where you can place an order with seedlings delivered to your city.
