"Pepin saffron" is a variety that has earned excellent reviews from Russian summer residents. Bred he was a famous domestic breeder I.V. Michurin by crossing the "Renaissance of Orleans", "Chinese" and "Lithuanian Pepinki." Large farms rarely grow it. But in the summer cottages and in the gardens of the villagers, "saffron pepin" can be seen everywhere.
General characteristics
"Saffron Pepin" - the apple tree is not too high. Her crown is very thick and requires regular thinning. Summer residents are advised to do the pruning of this variety, otherwise the apples will start to grind very quickly. A crop is formed on a tree of the “Pepin saffron” variety mainly on growth shoots (spears, fruit twigs). Branches are drooping, therefore, according to many gardeners, a tree is very convenient in terms of harvesting.
This variety has earned good reviews of summer residents for its early maturity. The first apples from the tree can be harvested already for 5-7 years after planting. Productivity of the variety is high, and also annual. To the benefits of this apple tree, many attribute self-fertility. Planting pollinators for this variety is optional.
Apple tree "saffron pepin": a description of the fruit
Gardeners evaluate the taste of the fruits of this variety as excellent. The apples are quite large in size (85-130 g). The shape of the fruit is conical in the upper part. The peel of apples is thin and very dense, yellow-green with a bright raspberry-pink blush.
The taste of “Pepin saffron” fruits is rich, sweet and sour. The pulp has a creamy color, dense texture and a pleasant aroma. The fruits "saffron pepin" ripen late - in early autumn.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety: reviews of gardeners
"Saffron Pepin" is an apple tree, the main advantages of which summer residents include:
- absence of problems with fruit falling after ripening;
- pest resistance;
- presentation of apples;
- relatively high frost resistance;
- fruit transportability.
The disadvantages of the variety are considered only some heterogeneity of the fruits, instability to scab and exactingness to the composition of the soil.
“Pepin saffron” - an apple tree, which has earned reviews among summer residents, as already mentioned, just excellent. This variety is praised not only for the unsurpassed taste of the fruit, but also for its unpretentiousness. Despite the fact that these apple trees are self-fertile, many gardeners advise to plant next to them trees of such varieties as “Slav” and “Wesley” for better pollination and yield.
Landing rules
"Saffron Pepin" is an apple tree for which you should immediately choose a permanent place. As many gardeners note, this variety does not tolerate transplantation. The distance to other trees (fruit or ornamental) from this apple tree should be at least 3 meters.
Experienced gardeners recommend planting "saffron pepin" in the spring. You can do this in the fall. However, in this case, the seedling must be carefully prepared for the winter.
Summer residents do not advise planting this variety in low-lying places, where groundwater is too close to the surface. As for soils, for the apple tree "saffron pepin" is best, according to many gardeners, loams, floodplain and loamy soils are suitable. You can also plant this variety on leached chernozems. The acidity of the soil under the apple "saffron pepin" should not be more than 6.0 pH.
How to prepare a site
When planting in spring, a foundation pit is excavated under a sapling with a diameter of 1.3 m and a depth of about 80 cm. The roots of the tree are filled with soil mixture consisting of the following components:
- 200 g of azofoska;
- 400 g of ash;
- dung or humus;
- garden land.
Apple-tree seedlings "saffron pepin" should first be prepared. Summer residents advise their roots to soak first in water for about 4 hours, and dip them into an earthenware clay just before disembarkation.
First, a little prepared soil mixture is poured into the pit. Then stick a peg or two into the bottom. After this, the seedling itself is installed in the pit and tied to the resulting supports. The root neck should be approximately 5 cm above ground level. Next, the seedling is covered with soil mixture and make a near-trunk hole. At the final stage, the tree needs to be watered (about 30 l).
How to water
In the first year of cultivation, the ground under the trees "saffron pepin" experienced gardeners advise moistening daily. At the same time, about 10-15 liters of water should be poured under one seedling. Under mature trees, the soil is moistened as needed. In rainy summers it is enough to water “saffron pepin” 1-2 times a month, during a drought - 2-3 times.
In August, watering apple trees of this variety must be stopped. The last time the soil is moistened after leaf fall - before wintering. At the same time, make sure that the soil is wet in depth at least 1 m. Autumn watering will help the apple tree better winter.
Feeding rules
The apple-tree variety “saffron pepin” is actually very demanding on the nutritional composition of the soil. To additional fertilizers, according to all gardeners, without exception, he reacts just fine. Feeding apple trees "saffron pepin" is necessary with both mineral and organic compounds. The timing of fertilizer application is once every 2-3 years.
Feeding can be done both in spring and summer or in autumn. If the owners of the plot decided to fertilize the trees in April, they should use bird droppings. In this case, dressing is prepared in a proportion of 1:15. The consumption of slurry obtained in this way should be about 8 liters per adult tree.
Before the formation of fruits begins, the large-fruited "saffron pepin" apple tree is fertilized with manure. This organic top dressing is diluted in water in a ratio of 1: 3. The consumption in this case is 10 liters per tree. In autumn, it is advisable to feed apple trees with a mixture of manure (5 kg) and compost (7 kg). Such an amount of organic matter is consumed per 1 m 2 of area.
How to prepare trees for winter
In order for the apple trees to tolerate frosts well, they must be whitened (trunk and skeletal branches). Young seedlings after falling leaves are wrapped in some kind of garden covering material. Twigs it is preferable to tie in a bunch. The hole must be mulched with manure or peat with a layer of 10 cm.
Trunks of trees, among other things, should be tied with spruce branches. This will protect the trees from hares. Summer residents are also advised to arrange electronic traps from mice around the site.
Scab Prevention
The apple-tree variety is “saffron pepin,” reviews of which are otherwise very good, unfortunately, this disease is not very resistant. Therefore, prevention from scab for trees should be carried out annually.
The symptoms of this disease are primarily brown spots on the leaves and fruits. Due to the scab in apples, the amount of nutrients is greatly reduced. Another unpleasant consequence of this disease is a decrease in tree productivity.
A good prevention against scab, according to summer residents, can be the following activities:
- incorporation into the soil or composting of fallen leaves in the fall;
- timely pruning of trees;
- spraying trunks circles with a solution of ammonium nitrate - 10%.
During budding, it is advisable to spray the trees in humid areas with a 3% solution of Bordeaux fluid. In arid regions, 1% of the composition is used.
How to crop
The formation of the crown of the variety "saffron peppin" experienced gardeners are advised to carry out according to the following scheme:
- in the first year, the conductor is shortened by two kidneys, the remaining branches by 2/3;
- the next 3-4 years, weak, growing parallel to the ground, frost-affected branches are removed from the trees;
- subsequently make anti-aging pruning, removing all dried, vertical and growing branches inside the crown.
As you can see, “saffron pepin” is an apple-tree fruitful and very unpretentious. Reviews about it summer residents leave exceptionally good. It can be planted in almost any region of Russia. Winters "saffron pepin" tolerates relatively well. This variety is zoned even for the Urals and Siberia.