Pepin saffron is one of the most common and frequently grown varieties of apple trees. Gardeners of many regions of the country love him for a bountiful harvest and excellent frost resistance.
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Pepin saffron variety description
The apple-tree variety Pepin saffron was bred in 1907 by the scientist and breeder I. V. Michurin by crossing hybrids:
- Chinese women;
- Reneta de Orleans;
- Pepinka Lithuanian.
This is the most pollinated winter variety of apple. Small trees, on average about 3 meters. The crown has a rounded and dense form, branches, drooping with elongated green-grayish leaves. The seedlings of the seedlings are thin and long, the bark of a green color turns gray with time.
This is one of the most common varieties of apple trees grown in many regions of Russia, starting from the central part and ending in the East Siberian and West Siberian regions. Also often found in CIS countries.
The physical feature of this variety is used by breeders to develop new tree species.. To date, 20 varieties of apple trees have been bred, the most famous of which are:
- Friendship of Peoples;
- Altai souvenir;
- Autumn joy;
- Altai velvet.
Characteristics of the fruit
Fruits of medium size weighing up to 140 g. Oval-conical shape with a smooth surface and thick skin. Inside the apple is a cream-colored soft flesh with a sweet-sour taste.. Pepin saffron apples have a spicy wine aroma, rich in beneficial trace elements and substances.
Apple color - yellow-red, with clear strokes and stripes in the area where the sun's rays hit. They have an average funnel-shaped podkachechnuyu tube and a strong stalk, with which the apples firmly hold on the tree. There are no axial cavities.
The advantages of the variety
Among the advantages of the variety are:
- Attractive fruit appearance;
- Delicate fruit flavorsuitable for making homemade preparations;
- High yield;
- Early entry into fruiting;
- Good winter hardiness;
- Easy transportation;
- Little shedding and long storage;
How and where to store apples in the winter?
With proper care, saffron pepina begins to bear fruit in the 5-6 year of cultivation. Every year, giving a bountiful harvest. Trees under 10 years old bring 80 kg of apples, and over 10 years old - up to 200kg. Crop harvested in late September - early October, consumer maturity comes after 2 months of storage.
Storing fruits requires compliance with the following rules:
- Harvest need to carefully avoiding damage to the fetus;
- Apples are better will remain in wooden or plastic container;
- Paper is used to separate them., shavings or tracing paper impregnated with wax;
- Room temperature must be from 0 to +2;
- Only subject to storage whole without chips, cracks and stains apples.
Rules for planting apple seedlings
It is best to plant seedlings in specialized places, in a store or on the market. It is necessary to carefully examine the young tree, avoiding the purchase of a seedling with damage or growth. It is important that the root is wet, and the wood has a healthy greenish appearance with a clear trace of vaccination.
Saplings planted in spring or autumn. In spring, it is preferable to do this in order for the tree to grow and get stronger before winter.
Rules for planting seedlings in the spring
In the autumn they dig a hole 1.5 meters wide and 80 cm deep. The soil is fertilized:
- Manure or compost;
- Wood ash;
- Azofoskoy;
Fertilizers are mixed and poured into a hole., then tightly closed, thereby preventing the ingress of rain or snow. Already in spring the soil will be ready for planting seedlings.
Rules for planting in the fall
If planting occurs in the fall, you should take care of a comfortable wintering of a young tree. Pepin saffron planted in a sunny, pre-prepared places. Suitable for fertilizer:
- Compost;
- Potassium salt;
- Superphosphate;
For full growth and fruiting of pepins saffron, an area of 14 square meters is necessary, since it is a freedom-loving variety that does not like close proximity to other trees. Before planting, the roots of the seedling are soaked in water for 2-3 hoursthen put into the clay mixture and only then into the pit prepared for planting. The roots should be laid out, the length of the neck above the ground should be 6-7 cm. Then they tie the apple tree to the pegs and make a hole into which 25-30 liters of water are poured.
Tree care
In the future, watering is carried out once a week for 5 liters in the morning and evening. Adult pepin saffron can be watered if necessary, depending on soil moisture.. Most of the moisture in the tree is required in July and August, since at this time the fruits grow and buds form for the next season.
By the end of the summer watering can stop at the time. Only after the leaves fall, the apple tree is plentifully filled with water for its most comfortable wintering.
High yields are directly dependent on the regular "nutrition" of the tree with organic, potash and phosphate fertilizers. They are added to the soil 3 years after planting.
How to trim?
Grade pepin saffron prone to fouling of branches, so the crown must be cut annually. Strong fouling impedes the passage of air to the tree trunk. Also systematic cutting will be needed to preserve the qualities of the variety and the amount of the crop.
Overgrown crowns will lead to the following consequences:
- Frequent shedding of apples;
- Reduce the size of the fruit;
- The spread of disease.
Circumcision Rules:
- Circumcision is best hold in April before budding;
- Crop need long and hanging to the ground branches;
- For crop improvement and disease prevention the tree needs thinning;
- Firstly remove curves and weak shoots. They are cut off completely to form a better branch;
- You can only cut to part from the whole volume of the tree.
Diseases and pests
This variety of apple is unstable to diseases and pests, most often exposed to scab. Mostly weak, uncut trees are at risk of the disease. In rainy weather the probability of infection is especially high, therefore it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. Spraying the apple with a solution based on vitriol, sulfur or Bordeaux liquid 1% will help with the scab.
Ways to control pests:
- Codling moth;
This is a butterfly size up to 18 mm. It hibernates only in the bark, appears at the end of flowering, laying eggs on foliage;
Preparations for the fight:
- Ashes;
- Cydial;
- Metadion.
Spray three times, with 12 day intervals, according to the instructions.
- Apple treeworm;
Insect length of 2 mm, lives and develops in the bark of a tree. To notice the shield is quite difficult. Its presence is accompanied by early fall of foliage and the formation of red spots on apples.
Nitrofen is used to combat this pest., processing is carried out before bud break.
- Apple flower eater;
This is a brown weevil beetle. It eats only the buds and buds of flowers, laying off their offspring.
Preparations for the fight:
- Karbofos;
- Wotafos;
Spraying produced according to the instructions only during budding.
Gardeners reviews about peppe saffron
Olga P .: “For me pepina saffron is the most favorite sort of apple. As far as I can remember, we always grew these apple trees in the garden. Their taste cannot be compared with anything, they are stored in the cellar almost all winter. Pepin is good in any form, even soaked, even dried».
Pavel R.: “I have grown Pepin for a long time, I like the taste and winter hardiness of apples. Most often we make compotes and mashed potatoes from them. Of the minuses can be called a loss with age taste and strong susceptibility to disease. Therefore, apple trees require constant care and attention. "
Vladimir N .: “I am an amateur gardener, growing different varieties of apples for many years. Pepin saffron good grade, juicy, cold-resistant. Harvest we shoot in early October, apples are stored almost until March. Especially like the pleasant aroma and sweet taste of apples. The most important thing is to properly harvest the apples, without damage, then they will definitely be lying for a very long time. ”
Svetlana V.: "Growing this variety is easy, the only flaw for me is its susceptibility to scab. We have to constantly process and monitor the state of the apple tree. And so, a very good grade. ”
In addition to the listed advantages of the variety, you can highlight ability to regenerate even with significant damage to the tree. Pepin saffron apples are great for making jams, juices and other household preparations.