The work of breeders allows modern growers to grow a large number of varieties of apricots. Many are characterized by excellent productivity and excellent taste characteristics. Of considerable importance are the appearance of the fruits and the characteristics of the development of culture. High ratings received mid-season apricot variety Pineapple. But in order to get all the declared characteristics, you need to provide the culture with proper care. All the nuances and subtleties of growing a tree will be discussed further.

Description and history of selection of varieties

This hybrid grows up to 4–5 m in height and has a spreading, wide, lush crown. The stamp covers gray wood with winding longitudinal recesses. The foliage is large, rough, bright green.

Did you know? In the USA, there is National Apricot Day. Celebrate it on January 9th. The fruits are quite large - 30-50 g, the mass is affected by the conditions of growth and cultivation. The skin of apricots is velvety, yellowish, has reddish specks. The pulp is moderately dense, juicy, cream color. The bone separates well. The taste of fruits is sweet, slightly sour, without cloying. A distinctive feature is the characteristic smell of pineapple.

Apricot Pineapple is a hybrid of Armenian selection and has another name - Shalah . Some sources indicate that the variety was obtained in the Crimea, on the territory of the State Nikitsky Botanical Garden. However, for many gardeners this is not significant.

The breeders successfully use the positive characteristics of the variety when breeding updated hybrids. So, close varieties of apricot Shalah are:

1. Pineapple columnar . It grows no higher than 2.5 m. Compact, can be cultivated in a tub. Fruits well, abundantly. Ovaries form right on the central trunk.
2. Pineapple Tsyurupinsky. Bred in Ukraine, in the Kherson region, but in some respects (low immunity) is inferior to the Shalah. The main disadvantages: small fruits, crumble, depend on the environment, low productivity, short production period - 25 years.

Did you know? According to historical sources, Alexander the Great brought the apricot to Europe from the East.

Variety Characteristics

Pineapple apricot has a lot of fans due to its excellent characteristics . And every year, gardeners who prefer to grow this culture in their homeland, are becoming more and more.

Disease and pest resistance

Culture is highly immune to fungal diseases. Persistent tree tolerates moniliosis, holey spotting and curly leaves.

Drought and winter hardiness

Like all apricots, the Pineapple variety does not tolerate large and prolonged frosts. According to the degree of frost resistance, the hybrid is given an average score (up to -25 ... -27 ° C). With these indicators, fruiting and condition of the trees do not suffer. But only on condition that the cold does not last long.

Read also articles on this topic:

The benefits and harms of an apricot kernel urbec The benefits and harms of an apricot kernel

Features of apricot juice The benefits and harms of apricot

The use of apricot oil in cosmetology The benefits and harms of apricot

Apricot kernel cancer treatment Benefits and harms of apricot

Features of the use of apricot kernels The benefits and harms of apricot

Useful and harmful properties of apricot jam for human health Benefits and harms of apricot All articles

Shalah is not recommended to be grown in Siberia and in regions with a harsh climate. The drought resistance of the tree is average - it calmly tolerates a short-term lack of moisture.

Timing of flowering and ripening

Pineapple variety blooms mainly in white, with pink color at the base, inflorescences. The flowers are large, 2-3 cm, the petals are rounded, elongated at the edges. Top covered with matte silk skin.

The flowering period depends on the climate. The warmer and softer it is, the earlier they appear on the branches of inflorescences, and vice versa. In a warm region, the tree blooms in late June, and in more severe areas in the first half of July. Ripening period is the end of July (in the southern zones - in early July).

Important! The regularity of flowering does not guarantee the regularity of the crop. If the weather is rainy during the flowering of the crop, pollination does not occur, therefore, ovaries are not formed.

Productivity

Shalah gives the first fruits in the 4th – 5th year after planting. Harvest gives abundant, but fickle. On average, 50–120 kg of fruit is harvested from a tree.

The fruits do not ripen at the same time, so they are removed from the tree in several stages. Overheating is undesirable - apricots crumble.

You can store the crop raw for no more than 2 weeks.

Transportability

Pineapple varieties are transported well. If there is a need for transportation over long distances, the crop is removed unripe (technical ripeness) so that it reaches the bed.

Eat fresh fruits and preparations: desserts, fruit drinks, jams, preserves.

Did you know? Ancient Egyptian doctors treated with shredded apricot kernel laryngitis (loss of voice).

Pros and cons of the variety

• Those who practiced the cultivation of the Shalah, note such positive characteristics:
• fairly stable bearing;
• large fruits;
• good yield;
• peculiar aroma and taste of apricots;
• good transportability;
• quick restoration of a tree after frosts;
• self-fertility;
• tolerance of short-term moisture deficiency;
• good frost resistance;
• immunity to many specific diseases.

• Among the shortcomings of gardeners note:
• short storage period of fruits (no more than two weeks);
• predisposition to thickening;
• shedding of fruit in case of overriding.

Optimal conditions for growing

Before choosing a place for planting, it should be borne in mind that Pineapple apricot (popularly known as lemon or white) is a heat-loving crop. Consequently, shading negatively affects growth and development.

The tree also does not tolerate excessive humidity, that is, it can not be grown in a lowland, it is better if the place for planting is a moderate elevation. Apricot Pineapple does not suffer from winds, but it is better to plant a young tree in a place protected from drafts.

The composition of the soil in the culture does not have increased requirements - this is not of fundamental importance.

The main condition is that the soil should not be acidic. The best option would be loam or chernozem.

Landing rules

Planting a tree is carried out in the spring, since the seedling planted in the fall does not have time to take root and gain strength. Consequently, such a tree may not tolerate winter. The main condition is that sap flow should be at rest.

Important! The rhizome of a healthy shank should not be bright, and the branches should be moist and wrapped inward. It is better to take a tree in a container with soil . If the plant does not have “packaging”, it is transported very carefully so as not to damage the root system.

The seedling is chosen annually, 60–70 cm high, with a well-developed root system. In addition, the tree should have 2-3 branches.

A pit for landing is prepared in advance, 2 weeks before landing. In height and in diameter, it should be 70 cm. A peg is placed in the middle of the hole, which, when planted, will allow the rhizome to be correctly placed.

At the bottom of the pit lay drainage (crushed stone, broken brick, etc.) with a layer of 5-10 cm. It will not allow moisture to stagnate in the root system. Then, 1/3 of the hole is filled with a fertile mixture (peat and earth in a ratio of 1: 2) with mineral fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). After that, the pit is left for 15-20 days for subsidence.

The seedling is set in an established hole and the rhizome is leveled, separating each root from each other. Then the seedling is covered with earth, slightly tamped and tied to a peg. After planting, the soil is watered abundantly. The minimum is a bucket of water.

The soil around the trunk is mulched with sawdust, straw or peat. The thickness should be 8-10 cm. Such a mulch will warm the roots, while fertilizing the soil. If you plan to plant several trees, a distance of 3-5 m is left between them.

Landing Care Features

Under favorable conditions, there is no difficulty in growing the Shalah variety. Caring for a tree is uncomplicated, but requires regularity and regularity.

Find out why the apricot tree does not bear fruit.

Soil care

The first time after planting (1–1.5 months), watering should be plentiful and regular: 2 sets per week. If it is rainy, then once is enough. A bucket of water is poured onto each tree.

The volume depends on the point of occurrence of groundwater, as well as on the type of soil and the age of the plant. The soil should be soaked by 30–35 cm when watering.

Important! In July, humidification volumes are reduced, since an excess of moisture during this period provokes a prolonged growth of shoots, which reduces the cold resistance of the crop. After wetting, the near-stem circle is loosened shallow, and weeds are also removed.

Mulching the soil is important for young trees . Do it every year for winter and summer to protect the roots from cold and drought. The layer of mulch is spread tightly, 7–10 cm thick.

Top dressing

If the land was prepared correctly when planting, then they begin to feed the crop only after the first harvest.

Experts recommend the use of such fertilizers:

1. Compost, humus . Contribute every 3-4 years with autumn or spring digging of the site. The norm is 5-7 kg per 1 m².
2. Organic top dressing . Contribute every summer, after the formation of ovaries, with an interval of 15-20 days. Only 2-3 times are enough. Norm - 10 liters per 1 m². Preparation of the mixture: 2 liters of mullein are poured with a bucket of water and insisted for 6-7 days. The infusion is diluted in water (1:10) and used as fertilizer. If there are no ovaries, then the need for such fertilizer disappears.
3. Ammonium nitrate, urea or nitroammophosk. Add to the soil every spring. Consumption: 20-30 g per 1 m².
4. Potassium monophosphate or sulfate. Used in the formation of ovaries and fruit development. The preparations are diluted with water and moisturize the soil at the rate of 10–20 g per 1 m².
5. Superphosphate. Add to the soil during autumn digging. The norm is 30–40 g per 1 m².
6. Complex top dressing. Contribute according to the instructions.

Mineral and complex fertilizers are applied, after moistening the soil, so as not to burn the root system of the plant.

Pruning

Proper crown formation increases crop productivity, prevents diseases, and also increases sugar content and fruit mass. Also, the tool is disinfected before trimming, and the places of cuts are treated with garden var.

Trimming is carried out according to the following rules:

1. When landing. The branches are shortened by 1/3, and the vertical processes are removed. This stimulates the growth of lateral shoots and forms a crown in the form of a bowl.
2. With growth inhibition. Branches are cut, leaving them up to two-year-old wood.
3. Thinning stripping. It is performed annually, in the spring, before the kidneys open.
4. Full cropping. Runs to the very base of the shoots Hemp do not leave.
5. With excessive growth. Young shoots are shortened by 10-15 cm so that they thicken and have time to prepare for the cold. Perform the procedure in August.
6. Removing branches descending to the ground. It is performed as necessary, as well as to prevent rotting and disease.
7. Sanitary pruning. Remove old, inefficient, twisted shoots. It is performed in late autumn or early spring.
8. Annual crown formation. Perform for its maximum illumination. Vertically growing shoots are removed.

For apricot Pineapple, a sparse-tier crown should be formed.

Winter preparations

Despite the fact that the pineapple apricot can withstand frosts, still some protection will not hinder it.

Learn how to warm apricot trees for the winter.

A young tree can be wrapped whole, from the ground to the top. The insulation can be natural and synthetic materials:

• polyethylene or polypropylene film;
• various types of plastic;
• agrofibre;
• straw;
• fabric for bags;
• sunflower and corn stalks.

Video: how to warm young trees for the winter

Adult trees do not need special shelter, it is enough to perform the following procedures:

• fertilizer application;
• watering;
• soil mulching;
• lime whitening of the stem;
• tying the trunk with synthetic material, a protective net or needles (to protect against rodents).

Many gardeners do not recommend using synthetics: the tree has a disturbed breathing process. As you can see, the pineapple apricot is unpretentious and deservedly loved by gardeners. Observing the rules of cultivation and planting, even a novice summer resident can get a crop of fragrant, juicy and healthy fruits in a short time.