Overview of winter varieties of apples stored until spring

The season for fresh fruit "taken from the tree" in Russian climatic conditions is short. Planting apple trees with a long harvest shelf life can extend the shelf life of fresh apples.

Winter apples are able to maintain freshness, juiciness and vitamins until June.

In this article, we will consider the main winter varieties of apples stored until spring, their characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages of late ripening apple trees

Gardeners note such positive qualities of late apple trees:

1. Avoiding spring frosts due to late flowering.
2. Higher yield than early ripening apple trees.
3. The apples are not damaged during transportation due to their dense skin.
4. The taste and aroma of apples are enhanced during storage.

The disadvantages include the low taste and nutritional value of the fruit immediately after removal from the tree. The apple of the winter variety inherent in the variety acquires the taste and aroma in 1-2 months after harvesting.

You will find a lot of useful information about storing apples here.

The list of the best that can withstand long-term storage (all winter)

Breeders divide winter apple varieties into three groups:

• early winter (fruits are stored until the end of January);
• winter (apples do not lose their qualities until March);
• late winter (the harvest will lie until the beginning of summer).

Antonovka

1. Height: up to 5 m, the tree is spreading.
2. Disease resistance: affected by scab.
3. Storage time: third decade of September.
4. Color, shape of fruits, taste: smooth, rounded light yellow apples, weighing up to 180 g; the taste is sweet and sour, very aromatic.
5. Storage period: until the end of December.

The old Russian apple variety Antonovka is a reference variety of late varieties of apple trees. It is an excellent pollinator for other apple trees.

The variety has a high plasticity, adapting to grow in different climatic zones. Winter hardiness is high.

The yield of Antonovka can reach 100 kg per tree... Periodicity in fruiting is observed only in old plants.

The fruits are ideal for pickling, soaking and fresh consumption.

Bogatyr

• height: 3-5 m;
• disease resistance: successfully resists scab, adverse climatic conditions;
• collection time: end of September;
• color, shape and taste: smooth, spherical, dense greenish-pink apple weighing up to 240 g; the taste is sweet and sour;
• lies until the end of May.

The Bogatyr variety is gaining more and more popularity due to its consistently high yield, regardless of weather conditions. During storage, apples retain their juiciness and do not lose turgor.

Renoir

1. Height: up to 4 m.
2. Disease resistance: does not get sick with scab and powdery mildew.
3. Apple harvest time: early October.
4. Fruit color, shape and taste: heart-shaped greenish-yellow apples with red blush, weighing 140 g; the taste is sweet.
5. Storage duration: until mid-spring.

Renoir has a distinctive feature that is not typical for late apples, its fruits can be eaten immediately after harvest. Their taste does not change during storage.

Kandil Orlovsky

• height: 3-5 m, can be grafted onto a dwarf rootstock;
• disease resistance: scab resistant;
• removal period for winter storage: after September 15;
• color, shape and taste: smooth oblong conical fruits, weighing 110-130 g; the color is green with a red blush; the taste is sweet and sour;
• the harvest lasts until mid-February.

The variety has a high yield and unpretentiousness. It can be grown throughout Russia.

Golden Delicious

1. Height: up to 5 m, but you can form a seedling undersized.
2. Disease resistance: highly immune to powdery mildew and scab.
3. Removal period: at the end of September.
4. Fruit color, shape and taste: heart-shaped yellow apples, weighing 120-160 g; sweet taste, high juiciness.
5. Shelf life: until March.

Golden Delicious is one of the most delicious and well-preserved foreign varieties that are grown in Russia. Apples are attractive in appearance and high in vitamins.

Red Chief

• height: 2-3 m;
• disease resistance: medium;
• removal period: mid-September;
• color, shape, taste of fruits: slightly ribbed elongated apples, rich red; weight up to 200 g; the taste is sweet and sour, the aroma is strong;
• storage period: until the end of April.

The winter hardiness of the variety is average, up to -29 degrees. Pollinator Needed: Golden Delicious, Gloucester.

Ligol

1. Height: no more than 4 m.
2. Disease resistance: high immunity to bitter pitting, gleosporia rot, scab, can be affected by bacterial burns.
3. Cleaning period: early October.
4. Color, shape, taste: rounded-conical yellow, with extensive red blush; weight 120-150 g; the taste of apples is rich, sweetish.
5. Shelf life: until the end of March.

Disadvantages:

• the variety needs a pollinator (Lobo, Empire);
• picky about soil fertility;
• does not have high winter hardiness.

Moscow winter

1. Height: 3-4 m.
2. Disease resistance: resistant to scab, temperature changes.
3. Apple harvest: end of September.
4. Color, shape and taste of fruits: round, even apples of yellow color with red stripes; weight 130 g; the taste is sweet with a slight sour note.
5. Shelf life: until April.

The tree is perfectly adapted to harsh winters, it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to growing conditions. The crop forms annually, subject to regular feeding.

The taste and aroma of apples inherent in the variety acquire in 30-40 days after removal from the tree.

Beautiful

• height: 3-4 m, can be grown in semi-dwarf form;
• disease resistance: can be affected by scab;
• removal period: second half of September;
• color, shape and taste of fruits: green oval apples with a crimson blush, weighing 120 g; the taste is sweet, with a slight sourness;
• storage period: until mid-March.

The variety is bred on the basis of Melba and Memory Michurin apple trees. The tree is winter-hardy. The harvest begins to form as early as 4 years old, and is 20-80 kg per tree (depending on the type of formation). There is no periodicity in fruiting.

Orlik

1. Height: 3-5 m.
2. Disease resistance: average resistance to scab.
3. Removal period: end of September.
4. Color, shape and taste: red-yellow globular apples weighing 120 g; the pulp is juicy and rich, sweet and sour (4.5 points out of 5).
5. Shelf life: until mid-February.

A variety of domestic selection, obtained from the combination of Bessemyanka Michurinskaya and Mekintosh. The tree has a beautiful compact crown shape, which allows placing Orlik in the garden according to a compacted pattern.

The variety is winter-hardy, fruiting begins at the age of 6. The tree will give birth to a lot of apples, but once every 3-4 years it rests.

Renet Simirenko

• height: the tree reaches 7 m;
• disease resistance: can be sick with scab and powdery mildew;
• cleaning time: September;
• fruit color, shape and taste: bright green globular apples weighing up to 170 g; the taste is sweet;
• storage period: until June.

Renet Simirenko is a form of wild apple cultivated for more than 150 years. The variety is distinguished by its undemanding growing conditions, good adaptability to various climatic conditions.

Due to low winter hardiness (up to -25 degrees) Renet Simirenko recommended for growing in regions with mild winters.

The variety needs pollinators for early fruiting. The best varieties: Idared, Golden Delicious.

Mac

1. Height: 3-5 m tree with a bowl-shaped crown structure.
2. Disease resistance: sick with scab.
3. Storage period: September.
4. Fruit color, shape and taste: apples are red-violet, slightly conical, weighing 140 g; the taste is bright, sweet and sour, with a candy note, the pulp is juicy and tender.
5. Shelf life: until March.

The Canadian apple tree is successfully grown on the territory of Russia in an area where the temperature does not drop below -30 degrees.

Macintosh begins to form a crop 7 years after planting. Annual yield, moderate. Apples look beautiful and taste great. After collection, they are suitable for consumption for 20-25 days.

Sinap Orlovsky

• height: 5-7 m;
• resistance to ailments of apple trees: moderately resistant to scab and powdery mildew;
• harvest time: mid-September;
• color, shape and taste: green round apples with a slight pink blush, weighing 150 g; the pulp is juicy, sweet and sour;
• storage: until March.

A tree of the Sinap Orlovsky variety needs a sufficient amount of free space for full development. Starting from the 5th year, when the apple tree begins to bear fruit, the plant must be fed with calcium. This will significantly increase the yield.

Idared

1. Height: 5-6 m.
2. Disease resistance: immunity to brown spot, affected by scab, powdery mildew.
3. Removal period: early October.
4. Color, shape and taste of fruits: flat-round yellow-red apples, weighing 180 g; sweet taste, high juiciness.
5. Shelf life: until May.

Apples do not lose their juiciness and sweetness during storage. The crop can be processed for juice, consumed fresh.

Berkutovskoe

• height: up to 5 m, round crown;
• disease resistance: in an unfavorable year suffers from powdery mildew;
• removal period for storage: mid - end of September;
• color, shape and taste: spherical yellow apples with beetroot blush; weight from 160 to 230 g; the taste is sweet, with a slight sourness;
• storage period: until April.

The Berkutovskaya apple tree was bred in the Volga region on the basis of the varieties Kortland, Anisa and Antonovka. It is characterized by stable high fruiting, winter hardiness and undemanding to moisture.

Suitable for growing in arid steppe regions with strong winds.

Gloucester

1. Height: up to 7 m.
2. Disease resistance: it is immune to scab, in an unfavorable season it gets sick with powdery mildew.
3. Removal period: end of September.
4. Fruit color, shape and taste: cone-shaped ribbed burgundy apples weighing up to 180 g; the taste is excellent - the pulp is juicy, sweet and sour, with a strong smell.
5. Shelf life: until February.

German variety adapted for cultivation in domestic conditions. The yield is high, subject to regular feeding and watering during the period of fruit filling.

March

• height: up to 7 m, spreading crown;
• disease resistance: affected by scab;
• term for taking fruits for storage: second half of September;
• color, shape and taste: greenish, with a pink blush, flat-round apples, weighing 160-200 g; the taste is sweet, the flesh is tender, buttery;
• storage period: until early February.

Apples on the tree begin to tie at 6 years of age. Up to a centner of apples are removed from a mature tree. There is no periodicity in fruiting.

Rozhdestvenskoe

1. Height: 3-4 m.
2. Disease resistance: absolute immunity to scab.
3. Fruit picking time: second half of September.
4. Color, shape and taste: spherical flattened yellow apples with a raspberry blush, weighing 120-150 g; the pulp is juicy, sweet and sour.
5. Shelf life: until February.

The variety is suitable for growing in central Russia, up to Moscow. The tree is distinguished by its early entry into fruiting (5-6 years from planting), high yield.

Conclusion

The listed varieties of late ripening apple trees have a large number of positive reviews from domestic gardeners. By planting 3-4 such apple trees on the plot, you can provide the family's need for fresh fruit before summer.