Golden Delicious, or Golden Superlative, is a popular American apple cultivated in the late 19th century by accidental crossing. Bright yellow fruits with a rich caramel aroma have received recognition from gardeners all over the world. The plant has not lost its popularity even today. I will tell you about my experience in growing these apples.
Description of the variety
Trees of medium height do not exceed 3 m in height. In young apple trees, the crown has a conical shape, and in adults it is round, dense, spreading. Under the weight of a bountiful harvest, the branches sag almost to the ground. Skeletal branches are located on a dark gray trunk at right angles, and young ones are slightly curved.
Bright green leaves on long petioles have an oval, slightly elongated shape. Saucer-shaped, medium-sized flowers are painted in white-pink color. Large and medium-sized fruits with dry, dense skin, have a rounded-conical shape.
Their mass depends on climatic conditions: in the southern regions the weight of apples is 150-170 g, and in other regions - from 100 to 140 g. Fruits with a dense, juicy pulp, have a pleasant dessert taste and a rich, slightly spicy aroma.
Winter variety Golden Delicious easily tolerates long-distance transportation. The harvest is perfectly stored without loss of taste until mid-spring.
Varieties of varieties
By the method of selection, at different times, new fruit plants were bred on the basis of the Golden Delicious apple tree. Among them there are the best foreign varieties: Starking, Golden Delicious Rangers, Royal Red Delicious, Jonagold, etc.
Domestic selection results are:
- Alminskoe;
- Scarlet Sails;
- Amber, etc.
These varieties, created in different countries, have excellent taste, they tolerate transportation well and are stored for a long time without losing their presentation.
Planting apple trees Golden Delicious
For my garden, I choose seedlings in the nearest nursery, where you can get guaranteed quality goods. I always bypass spontaneous markets, since there is a risk of buying a tree there that is defective or infected with infections and pests.
First, I examine the root system - it should be well developed, fibrous. It is desirable that the trunk and shoots have no obvious damage, and the plant skeleton consists of 3-5 lateral branches. Ideally, the stem of a 3-year-old apple tree should have a diameter of about 40-50 cm.
For planting a seedling, I choose an open, well-lit area with loamy soil and deep water. Sandy and alkaline soils are not suitable for this event. In the southern regions of the country, planting is carried out most often in the fall. In the middle lane, where I live, the best time for this procedure is mid-April.
I prepare a hole for a tree 4-6 weeks before planting. At the bottom of a 1x1 m hole I put broken brick (for drainage), mineral fertilizers mixed with humus and fertile soil.
I gently spread the roots of the plant and cover it with soil. I tamp the planting site and water 15-20 liters of water. To make the moisture evaporate more slowly, I mulch the tree trunk circle with peat or compost.
Care
Young apple trees need abundant watering 3-4 times per season, if there is no precipitation. For each tree, water consumption is 2-3 buckets at a time. In addition, the trees are fed three times: in early spring, during flowering and during the period of fruit formation.
In spring and autumn, sanitary pruning is necessary to remove damaged or diseased shoots. At the same time, you need to gradually form a beautiful crown. If you neglect this procedure, then the quality of the harvest will suffer: the fruits on the tree will be very small.
The Golden Delicious apple tree is recognized as one of the best fruit crops. The correct choice of seedlings, planting in the ground and proper care will guarantee you bountiful harvests of fragrant and tasty apples.
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