Apple variety Gin (columnar)

Columnar apple trees are a great solution for small garden areas. They are compact, take up very little space, but at the same time they are fruitful and look very decorative. Thanks to breeding work, these unusual crops have learned to cope with difficult climatic conditions. There are versatile varieties that can be grown in almost all but the coldest regions. These include Jin (or KV-5). Internet sources call the Moscow region the place of its creation, more precisely, the All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture and Nursery Breeding. The year of birth of the variety is 1967, the authors are V.V. Kichin and N.G. Morozov. Our hero is not registered in the State Register, so there is no exact data on his characteristic qualities. Many gardeners find similarities in the appearance and taste of the fruits of this variety with the well-known common apple tree. Melba (Melba)... The hero of our article is widespread in the European part of Russia (including the Urals). They know and love him in Ukraine as well. Columnarity endows the variety with many advantages, but at the same time it does not deprive it of disadvantages.

Description

Even among columnar cultures there are dwarfs and giants. But Jin belongs to medium-sized, the height of the tree does not exceed 2 meters. The annual growth of shoots is 15 - 20 cm. The crown is very compact. It is formed by short, thickened shoots, covered with greenish-brown bark, extending at an acute angle from the trunk. The internodes are short, thanks to this feature, the leaves are located very close to each other, which is why the apple trees in appearance resemble slender columns entwined with green leaves. Trees look quite decorative and elegant during the growing season. The main shoots are covered with shortened fruit formations. The leaves are deep green, large, elongated, with a pointed apex and a wedge-shaped base. The surface is smooth, slightly shiny. The leaf blade has a slight bend along the central vein, the edges are wide-wavy, slightly raised upward, the serration is blunt-serrate. The petiole is long, not thick.

The fruits of the variety are beautiful, regular rounded or spherical, smooth. The funnel is medium in size. The saucer is not deep, of medium width, the cup is closed. The skin is thin, glossy. The main color is greenish-yellow, the integumentary color in the form of a blurred blush of bright red-crimson color occupies most of the fruit. The subcutaneous points are light, subtle. The pulp is light, very juicy, of good density, crunchy, with a pleasant aroma. The taste is good, rich, sweet and sour, dessert. The tasting assessment of taste is high - 4.7 points. The size of Gin's fruits is not very large, but also rather big, weighing 120 - 150 grams.

Characteristics

• One of the qualities that attracts a gardener to this apple tree is its early maturity. The variety is able to bring a good harvest already in the 2nd year after planting;
• our hero blooms at the end of May, when return frosts no longer pose a serious threat;
• in terms of ripening, the variety is referred to as autumn. The harvest begins to ripen at the end of August;
• the productivity of the columnar culture is impressive. In the first 3 - 4 years, the yield will be 4 - 5 kg. But after 5 years, this figure increases significantly and is about 15 kg per tree. At a time when ripe fruits are ready for picking, an elegant tree looks very attractive, perhaps the best decoration for a garden can not be imagined;

• ripe apples do not fall off, so you can take them off the tree slowly;
• but such decorativeness and productivity do not last long, the productive life of a columnar apple tree is shorter than that of an ordinary one. In the best case, it will last 12 - 15 years, and even less in cold regions;
• Gene's immunity is pretty strong. First of all, gardeners are happy to note good resistance to scab, due to which the appearance of apples remains attractive;
• good winter hardiness is also noted. There is no specific data, but if we compare it with the Iksha variety, then our hero is somewhat inferior in this indicator. But in the conditions of the Central region of Russia, the plant calmly tolerates winters;
• it should be noted that the apples are good keeping quality. High-quality fruits are able to withstand almost six months of storage (until February), without losing either attractiveness or taste;
• the way of use is universal. Apples are good in their natural form due to the dessert taste. If desired, the crop can be successfully processed into jam, jam, compote, juice.

Pollinators

The apple tree does not need pollinators, since it is completely self-fertile. But even in this case, it does not hurt to have a couple more varieties in the garden with the same flowering time.

Planting and leaving

Experienced gardeners consider the optimal dates for planting Gin to be late April - early May. In warm regions, planting is still better done in the fall. The variety does not take up a lot of space in the garden, it is enough to leave about 80 cm between neighboring trees. Planting a culture and caring for it are simple activities, but you should know some of the nuances. When planting a seedling, be sure to install a support next to it, since it will be difficult for an unrooted tree to resist the pressure of the wind, and it may tilt. Despite the good winter hardiness, the weak point of the described culture is the apical bud, which often suffers from frost. Therefore, the seedlings must be insulated in the first few winters. But if it happens that the bud is still frozen, the plant can begin active branching. Experienced gardeners recommend leaving these new shoots. If you take good care of the apple tree, then you can get a harvest from the new trunks. But if there is a fear that a young tree will not be able to normally form 2 - 3 new trunks, then in the spring you should prune, leaving only one. The soil in the near-trunk circle should be moderately moist, therefore, during the hot period, watering is carried out more often.

Gin is not only a fruitful, but also an ornamental crop. A columnar apple tree will not take up much space in the garden, even a novice gardener can take care of it, and harvesting is a pleasure. Apples have an attractive appearance and can be stored for a long time. Good winter hardiness and scab resistance make it possible to grow crops in the Central region of Russia. With good cover, our hero grows in cooler regions. But there are characteristics that are upsetting for the gardener. First of all, the short productive period of the variety. In addition, in cool regions during the winter, a plant, especially a young one, needs shelter.