Apples are grown, probably, in every garden of our country, as this is one of the most unpretentious garden crops. Today's article is devoted to the unfairly forgotten old cultivar Richard, its description and cultivation.

Variety breeding history

There is no single version of the origin or selection of the Richard variety. According to some sources, it was discovered by chance, according to others it was removed by a German clergyman. Stories converge at some points: the birthplace of the plant is Germany, the date of origin is the beginning of the 19th century. Richard enjoys the love of farmers in East Germany and Poland, and feels good in the south of Russia and Ukraine.

Did you know? A long-lived apple tree planted in the middle of the 17th century still brings crops. This miracle is growing in the USA.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Unlike most self-fertile apple varieties, Richard is partially self-fertile. This means that in need of pollinators, he himself will serve as such for other varieties.

Description of the tree and fruits

The tree grows to an average of 3 m, forms a dense crown in the form of a hemisphere. The shoots are thick, strong, covered with gray, even bark. The foliage is dark green, with a smooth surface, medium size. Large, from 180 to 230 g, cone-shaped fruits have a slight ribbing in the upper fossa. The color of the apple is burgundy red over almost the entire surface; a yellow color may be present in the region of the upper fossa. Bright spots are clearly visible under the shiny skin. The color of the pulp is yellow and creamy, the texture is dense, the taste is sweet, juicy, with a small amount of acid.

Pollination, fruiting and ripening

Richard blooms in early May, blooms for a long time. The best varieties for cross pollination with similar flowering periods are Idared and Jonathan. The apple tree begins to bear fruit in 3-4 years of life, apples ripen in late September or early October.

Variety Productivity

The tree bears fruit stably, annually. 70–90 kg of fruit are wiped from one tree.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the winter varieties of apple trees:

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Winter hardiness

The resistance of the variety to frost is relative, the plant is not able to withstand prolonged frosts. Critical temperatures are below -28 ° C. For the normal development of the apple tree you need a long, warm summer.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Immunity to major diseases and pests is at an average level. The gardener can not do without preventive treatments.

Pros and Cons of Richard

• The advantages of the variety include the following characteristics:
• high and stable productivity;
• long shelf life;
• pollinator variety;
• great taste and presentation;
• transfers transportation over long distances;
• universal in application.

The disadvantages of Richard include low winter hardiness and poor ability to recover from return frosts. Medium disease resistance can be prevented by preventive measures.

Features and landing rules

Planting material is best purchased from trusted suppliers in the nursery. A seedling purchased from a random seller in a spontaneous market may be of poor quality.

Important! Undesirable close proximity of the apple tree with sea buckthorn: this aggressive tree will inhibit the apple root system.

Favorable conditions for growing

Planting is done in early spring or in the fall, when leaf fall begins. For the apple tree, they select a place in the southern direction of the site, closed from the winds and open to the sun for most of the day. Soil is preferably fertile, with a neutral acidity reaction, drained. The location of underground sources should be at a distance of 1.5 m from the surface. The distance to other trees is 5–7 m.

Landing stages

The dimensions of the landing hole for Richard are 80 × 80 × 100 cm. Landing technology:

1. Shards of brick are laid at the bottom of the pit like drainage.
2. Part of the soil mixed with a bucket of humus is poured on top.
3. Set the support peg.
4. The seedling is placed so that the growth point is above the upper level of the edge of the pit.
5. Sprinkle the roots with the remaining soil, slightly tamping so that there are no air voids.
6. Watered, spending 20 liters of water, and mulch with peat or straw.

Video: planting instructions for apple seedlings

Care Features

Apple care includes watering, top dressing, pruning, and preventative treatments. It is equally important to monitor the cleanliness of the soil around the trunk, removing weeds that depress the crop.

Watering

With sufficient rainfall, watering the apple tree is needed 3-4 times a season. For high-quality moistening around the trunk at a distance of 30-40 cm, dig a groove for irrigation. Up to 30 liters of water will be required for a young plant 3-4 years old, up to 50 liters for an adult specimen. Winter-rechargeable water-loading irrigation is carried out in late autumn, but before the first frosts.

Cropping and shaping the crown

In the spring, before the buds swell, they carry out sanitary pruning, removing shoots damaged during the winter. Formative pruning of a one-year tree consists in creating around one thick branch (conductor) of the frame, consisting of 4 skeletal shoots. As they grow, annually, the fruiting branches are shortened by a third of the length. Weak shoots are removed, leaving promising branches for further crown formation. The conductor, which is initially longer than all the shoots, is cut out when the tree reaches the height desired by the gardener.

Formation and pruning of fruit trees

Fertilizer

Root top dressing is applied in liquid form to a ditch dug for irrigation. For spring, two procedures are needed:

• immediately after awakening, organic matter can be added (water infusion of mullein in a proportion of 1:10);
• at the beginning of flowering, an aqueous infusion of urea (30 g / 10 l of water).

When the apple tree forms fruit ovaries, it will need potassium-phosphorus fertilizing, which consists of 20 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate in 10 l of water, which is sprayed on the tree leaf. In autumn, these same fertilizers are applied to the soil in a dry form, increasing the dosage by half for every 1 m².

Important! Nitrogen is not added for the autumn digging for the apple tree, since it will have a negative effect on the flower and fruit ovaries next year.

Diseases of the tree and the fight against them

Given the average resistance of the variety to diseases and pest attacks, the gardener needs to know his enemy “in person”.

Problems of growing apple trees and methods of dealing with them:

1. Fruit rot. The fungus infects foliage and fruits, causing rot. It will help to cure the plant by spraying with a Bordeaux mixture (3%).
   

2. Scab. It manifests itself in early spring, if not immediately cured, the fruits will be affected. Primary symptoms: light green spots on the outside of the leaf. Treatment - spraying with Gamair (10 tablets per 10 liters of water).
   

3. Powdery Mildew A whitish bloom appears on the green parts of the plant, which quickly spreads throughout the tree. The drug “Alirin-B” helps to fight the disease, you need to water the soil in the trunk circle with a solution of 2 tablets per 10 liters of water.
   

4. Aphid. The danger of the pest lies in its extreme fertility, within a few days the foliage and color will be destroyed by a whole colony of insects. A microscopic insect settles on the underside of the leaf and in the axils of the branches. Actellik is effective against the parasite; spraying is carried out with its solution (2 ml / 2 l of water).
   

5. Codling moth is a moth-like butterfly, gray-brown in color, up to 2 cm in length. The treatment method is spraying with Aktara (3 g / 10 l of water).
   

6. The fruit sawfly is hymenoptera, up to 7 mm long, black-brown. Lays eggs in the fruits of the apple tree.
   

7. Moth - shaggy butterfly up to 3 cm in length, silver-brown. An adult insect lays eggs on the apple tree, and hatched caterpillars eat the greenery of the tree. The Agravertin preparation will help get rid of both insects. A solution for spraying is prepared in a proportion of 6 ml / 1 liter of water.
   

Harvesting and storage of crops

Richard apples are harvested slightly unripe to be better stored. Cut the fetus along with the petiole or part of it. Freshly dried fruits are laid out in wooden crates and stored in a dry, dark place where they can be stored for up to six months.

Storage mode:

• humidity - 85–90%;
• temperature - 0 ... + 2 ° С.

Did you know? On the Kok-Tyube mountain (Almaty) there is a monument to an apple made of marble.

Every year, the variety of apples Richard pleases gardeners with stable fruiting. Fragrant and juicy fruits are tasty both fresh and in preparations.