The harsh climate of the Urals does not contribute to the growth of fruit crops. And therefore, almost no one was engaged in gardening in this region for a long time. True, there were rare enthusiasts who tried to plant fruit trees imported from central Russia. These trees rarely took root, as they were adapted to a milder climate. Varieties of apple trees for the Urals should have been more hardy.
But science developed, and horticultural breeding stations began to appear. Scientists worked there who successfully created new winter-hardy varieties of fruit crops. Now the leading position in this region is occupied by “Ural Gardens” - a nursery that, under the leadership of Alexandra Miroleeva, has been engaged in the industrial cultivation of seedlings of berry, fruit and ornamental crops since 1980. It is located in the Sverdlovsk region near the city of Artemovsk.
This is a modern and constantly developing enterprise, which covers an area of 60 hectares, works productively and produces at least one million seedlings every year, among which there are the best apple varieties for the Urals. These are the Ural bulk, Wellesi, Solntsedar, Uralets, Cigarette, Silver hoof and other famous varieties. Even the breeders of this nursery grow many varieties of currants, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, honeysuckle and even grapes.
Yes, now there are completely different varieties of apple trees for the Urals. Take the apple tree Solntsedar. This is a summer, high-yielding variety that bears fruit of medium-sized apples. The fruits of Solntsedar have a light cream hue and a sweet and sour taste. They are used in the form of dried fruits, as well as in fresh form. These apples are also suitable for processing. You can make compotes, juices, jelly and fruit wines from them. In addition, Solzedar is an excellent raw material for jam and cider. And due to the high content of pectin, this variety produces delicious jam, jelly, jam and mousse.
Also, the Ural bulk apple has taken root well in the Urals. This variety was bred by crossing red Papirovka with Ranetki. And the result is a very frost-resistant apple tree with small and rounded fruits. The pulp of these fruits is tender, white, sweet and sour and juicy, with a very pleasant taste. In addition, the Ural bulk apple is well stored - 45-60 days. And the fertility of these apple trees is extremely high. They annually give more than 200 centners per hectare. It also happened that more than 250 kilograms of apples were harvested from one tree.
Some varieties of apple trees for the Urals were brought to us from abroad. These include the Welsey variety, which was bred in the US state of Minnesota sometime in 1860. This apple tree has an average winter hardiness, and its fruits can be stored until January. Wellsie fruits are medium in size and weigh 100-150 grams, cherry red. Their flesh is whitish, with a pink tint on the skin itself. These are juicy and crunchy apples with a pleasant sour taste.
And one of the most winter-hardy varieties of apple trees is Uralets. It was received after Kitayka Voskova was pollinated with a mixture of pollen from Ukrainka Saratovskaya and Anise pink-striped. This is a very strong-growing and durable tree with a strong and pyramidal crown. It bears fruit in small, up to 60 grams, round-conical apples. They are very juicy with a sharp, sweet and sour taste. And the fruits of Uralts ripen in the early autumn and are stored up to one and a half months.