Column - shaped varieties of apple trees have always been of interest to gardeners, who are attracted to the small crown of these trees. Their main trunk, overgrown with a spear, is literally strewn with fruits by autumn. Such apple trees do not need pruning, because they have few branches. Along with this, the plants have a whole range of interesting properties: a huge number of fruitful lateral shortened branches are formed on them, extending from the main trunk at a right angle. As a result, the columnar varieties of apple trees have a very compact pyramidal-conical shape, which makes it possible to rationally use the area in the garden, densely planting trees with high productivity.
Coloniform
apple varieties were first bred in Canada in the middle of the last century. They owe their appearance to chance: on an old Macintosh tree, a strange-shaped branch unexpectedly grew. The gardener’s attention was attracted by a straight stick, without lateral processes, very thick, growing vertically and literally strewn with fruits like a garland. After the stock was grafted on it, it turned out that this is a fairly stable mutation with a vertical crown shape. This variety was named "important". It was him who began to be used later in breeding.
The first columnar varieties of apple trees came to Russia in 1972. Their best options were planted in the nurseries of Moscow, Orel, Murmansk. As a result of selection, three varieties of this tree were bred: vigorous, dwarf, and semi-dwarf, which have gained popularity among gardeners with summer cottages with a limited area.
However, a good harvest is possible only if the plant is provided with everything necessary for normal growth and development.
Seedlings are planted in a row at a distance of forty centimeters from each other. The planting fossa should be sized so that the roots fit freely in it. The vaccination site should remain above the ground. During the growing season , two or three top dressings with nitrate or urea are necessary.
These fruit trees develop very slowly, therefore, to accelerate their growth, it is necessary to help the aging of the kidney top, which is considered their weak point. To do this, in August, several plates are removed near the upper leaves.
There are several varieties of these fruit trees, but only three are the most popular.
The apple-tree is columnar, the variety “president” of which gives juicy fruits with dessert flavor, is very convenient for small gardens. Its fruits in weight reach a quarter of a kilogram, have a yellowish-white color and ripen in August.
Other columnar apple trees - the Ostankino and Malyukha varieties - are the most preferred for cultivation for the purpose of further processing of their fruits. They produce up to eight kilograms of crop per tree, but are not stored for long.
Fifteen years after planting, a garden of such apple trees needs to be replaced, since during this time, the calcarea of the lower cortex gradually dries up and is no longer restored. As a result, the yield begins to decrease, although the apple tree itself can survive a good half century.