The harsh climate of a part of the Moscow region, as well as the Northern Urals and Siberia, makes it impossible to grow fruit trees as needed. First of all, these are areas with low relief, in which even an ordinary winter for a fruit tree will seem harsh.
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Obstacles to growing fruit trees
Growing fruit trees in harsh climates is hampered by the need for heat and insufficient resistance to winter temperatures. Despite this, there are varieties with increased frost resistance, for example, from apple trees this is Grushovka Moscow, summer striped, lingonberry and many others.
It is worth noting that for a home apple tree, the temperature threshold is -40 degrees. A number of varieties were even created that could withstand -44 degrees, but the development of this direction did not work. The so-called "semi-crops" bred in Barnaul have the same frost resistance.
Another limitation is the fact that many fruit crops cannot complete their life cycle due to the short winters and cool summers.
Thanks to the research of breeders, varieties of apple and pear trees have been developed with a high ability to withstand frost and, accordingly, with less need for heat. This makes it possible to grow them where previously gardeners would not have dared to do this.
Many people transfer varieties from places with high frost resistance to their conditions, but do not take into account the fact that plants can perceive the length of the day and the number of sunny days in general in different ways. Some first of all pay attention to high frost resistance, but forget about the lack of sun and heat, which interferes with the development of frost resistance, as a result of which the plant freezes over.
However, there are varieties that can be grown in harsh conditions. They have greater winter hardiness compared to the classic ones and can grow even in short summers.
From apple trees these are: Radonitsa, Ural pink and Isetskoe later.
Of the pears, the following should be distinguished: Talitsa, Lemonadnaya and Chusovaya.
"Northern finds" of scientists
Barnaul breeders have created varieties with small fruits and high winter hardiness.
Gardeners of central Russia have identified methods for increasing winter hardiness. For example, the "two-story trees" method. It consists in a rootstock of a more winter-hardy variety, onto which other varieties are subsequently grafted.
Siberian gardeners have developed a method of stanza culture, which consists in placing the entire above-ground part of the tree next to the soil surface, where it then hibernates under the snow.
Superdwarf columnar varieties
Despite the limited availability, these varieties have significant advantages:
- Slow growth (up to 1.5 meters).
- High yield (about 50 kg of fruits).
- Shelter opportunity to provide favorable conditions.
Growing in containers
This method is suitable for the harshest conditions of the North. Early varieties should be selected and placed in the greenhouse in the fall and spring to extend the growing season. It is also necessary to use plants on a dwarf rootstock for a quick harvest and easy growing.
As you can see, difficult climatic conditions are not an obstacle to growing fruit plants. It is enough to take into account the peculiarities of development and growth, and even in the north you can pamper yourself with apples from your own tree.
Do you know the secret of growing fruit crops in the North?
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