Apricot variety Tsarsky was bred at the end of the last century. The state registry offers to grow it in the Central region. What is the reason for this name of the variety and is it justified?
Apricot Tsarsky: description
Apricot fruits strengthen the walls of blood vessels and the heart. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, their use facilitates asthma attacks. In addition, they are also very tasty. But apricot is a southern plant. Therefore, breeders pay much attention to breeding varieties that can withstand winter frosts. One of these apricots is Tsarsky.
The description of the variety indicates that the height of the trees is average. They do not grow above 4 meters. This allows you to get a high yield and at the same time makes it possible to take care of the tree without much difficulty. The variety is distinguished by unusually large flowers of white color. They reach 4 cm in diameter.
The fruits of this variety are oval in shape, have a mass of about 20 g. The apricot Tsarsky has a fairly dense yellow skin. The photo shows that it is covered with a light fluff. The fruits that are illuminated by the sun have a delicate pink blush. Tasty and aromatic pulp of orange color is dense, very juicy, sweet and sour taste. Experts evaluate the taste of the variety at 4.5 points. The amount of sugar in fruits is about 8 percent, acids - one and a half percent.
The stone is small, accounting for only a tenth of the mass of the fetus. Usually it is well separated from the pulp. But sometimes it is difficult to do due to the fact that the fruits are very juicy.
Variety apricot Tsarsky refers to the early. In regions with a warm climate, it begins to ripen in early August. The variety does not differ in high productivity. But then he bears fruit every year. The first fruits appear approximately in the fourth year after the tree has been planted. They are formed on all types of branches.
The variety is winter-hardy, easily tolerates lower temperatures and frosts.
Apricot Tsarsky was bred for fresh use. But from its fruits you can cook delicious compote, jam, juices.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantage of the Tsarsky variety is considered to be delicious juicy fruits. They become especially juicy and fragrant during the period of full maturity. Fruits have good keeping quality. They are formed on shoots of different types.
The variety is frost-resistant and adapts well to weather conditions. It can be grown much farther north than other varieties. Cultivation in the Central region also gives good results.
The disadvantage of the variety is the small size of its fruits.
Apricot planting
There are no special differences between the cultivation of Tsarskiy apricot and other varieties. In the central region, it is planted in the spring. But the apricot plot is prepared in advance. They bring in organic chemistry and superphosphate. Dig the soil to a depth of about half a meter. They dig a planting hole to a depth of 1 m. A peg is installed to tie a seedling. Before planting, its roots are renewed, cutting them 1 cm. Then they dip the root system in a clay solution and allow them to dry a little.
At the bottom of the pit a mound of earth is poured onto which a seedling is placed. They fill up the hole, carefully compacting the ground. The upper roots are covered with fertile soil. Watered with two or three buckets of water.
The trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus. The layer of mulch should be at least 5 cm. It prevents the growth of weeds, retains moisture.
Growing Apricot Care
After planting, the tree should be regularly watered. Remove weeds near it. In early spring, the trunk is bleached with lime, to which copper sulfate is added. This contributes to the destruction of pests and helps to avoid gum disease, diseases of moniliosis, verticillosis, bacterial spotting.
Moniliosis is a fungal disease that can destroy the entire crop or a significant part of it. Manifested by withering, and then drying out first of flowers, then leaves and young branches. After some time, the leaves grow back, and before winter the tree looks healthy. But if it is not treated with copper-containing preparations, there will be no harvest next year. Over time, diseased branches dry.
The fungus quickly spreads from tree to tree. At the first sign, all stone fruits are treated. Affected areas are cut out and burned.
But it is better not to wait for the development of the disease, but to carry out treatment for prevention. Apricot Tsarsky is sprayed several times during the growing season. In early spring, at the beginning of budding, they are treated with Bordeaux fluid. Before and after flowering, they are sprayed with "Chorus", "Skor" or other drugs according to the scheme indicated on the package.
Apricot Pests
Young branches of the Tsarskiy apricot variety most often suffer from plum aphids. Garden ants contribute to her appearance, which help her to settle on branches. Aphids breed, covering the inside of the leaves. They curl, then turn brown and dry. Aphids cover the young branches with a continuous cover. If you do not fight it, they also dry out.
The fruits are sometimes damaged by the plum sawfly and plum moth. The sawyer lays eggs inside the fetus, the larva gnaws on its inside and falls to the ground. After that, the saw cutter crawls out of the scavenger and climbs up the tree trunk. Lays eggs and spoils the next fruit.
The plum moth is a gray butterfly. Damage to the fruits of plums and apricots is brought by its larva, which gnaws the flesh near the bone. Pest control methods - biological treatment (Fitoverm) or chemical (Decis, Alatar, Karbofos). The biological control method is not dangerous to health, but it is less reliable, because the drug is easily washed off by rain.
Preparing a tree for winter
Apricot Tsarsky is a frost-resistant variety. But in the early years it must be protected from severe frosts. To do this, the trunk at the bottom is wrapped in burlap. She will protect the bark of a young tree from hares and rodents.
Dig the soil in the near-stem circle . Top cover with a layer of humus or peat about 20 cm thick. You can use straw or corn stalks. But mice that gnaw apricot bark can settle in them. You can use non-woven covering materials that protect the Royal Apricot from severe frosts.