Apricot Pineapple: Description And Characteristics Of The Variety, Advantages And Disadvantages, Planting And Care Features + Photos And Reviews

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Apricot Pineapple - a lot of advantages with a minimum of disadvantages

Humanity has been cultivating apricots for a very long time. The seeds of this tree, found in Armenia, date back to around 3000 BC. All the past time, people have been trying to improve the characteristics of the plant to suit their needs. Specialists in different countries are working on the development of new varieties and hybrids. Our scientists continue to work on this problem. One of the varieties worthy of attention is Pineapple.

Content

• 1 Variety description

  • 1.1 Relatives of the variety: Pineapple Tsyurupinsky and Pineapple columnar
  • 1.2 Table: Advantages and Disadvantages of Pineapple

• 2 Selection of seedlings and planting

  • 2.1 Site selection
  • 2.2 Planting apricots

• 3 Care

  • 3.1 Cropping

    3.1.1 Video: pruning an apricot

  • 3.2 Top dressing
  • 3.3 Watering
  • 3.4 Whitewashing
  • 3.5 Preparing for winter

• 4 Diseases and pests

  • 4.1 Table: variety diseases

    4.1.1 Photo Gallery: Apricot Diseases

  • 4.2 Table: pests of apricot
  • 4.3 Photo gallery: Pineapple pests in the photo
• 5 Harvesting
• 6 Reviews

Description of the variety

Apricot tree Pineapple 4-5 m high has a spreading and wide crown with many branches and an abundance of foliage. The gray bark has sinuous longitudinal cracks. The leaves are bright green, dull, rather large. The color of the flowers is dominated by white and only at the base is a pinkish tinge noticeable.

Fruits of medium and large size, 30-50 g (weight depends on growing conditions), round in shape. The skin is thin, velvety, yellow in color, sometimes with a dotted reddish blush. The pulp is medium-dense, juicy, creamy. The fruit taste is sweet, without sugary, with a slight acidity and a characteristic pineapple aroma. The stone is small, well separated.

The columnar variety can be grown even in a tub

Table: Advantages and Disadvantages of Pineapple

pros	Minuses
Large fruits of excellent taste (tasting score - 4.5 points)	High shoot-forming ability and, as a result, a predisposition to thickening
High transportability of fruits	Low shelf life of fruits (8-12 days)
Self-fertility	Rapid shedding when ripe
Good drought tolerance
Early maturity
Resistance to common diseases
High yield
Increased frost resistance

Selection of seedlings and planting

An important point when growing any tree is the choice of planting material. Planting Pineapple apricot is no exception. It is advisable to purchase a one-year sapling 60–70 cm high, which already has 2–3 branches. The bark of the tree should not have wounds, cracks or any other damage. The root system is branched and fibrous with 2-3 taproots. The presence of thorns on the trunk indicates the semi-wild origin of the plant - it is better to refuse this. The safest way to get a tree is from a nearby nursery: it will be more adapted to local conditions.

Saplings are best purchased in the nursery

Planting apricots is recommended in the spring. Over the summer, the seedling will get stronger and be able to successfully endure the cold.

Seat selection

Apricot Pineapple is a light and heat-loving plant, so when choosing a planting site, you need to take into account that shading will negatively affect its growth. It does not tolerate an apricot of excessive moisture - it should not be planted in a lowland, a small hill will be much better (the variety does not suffer from the wind). He is not picky about the composition of the soil. Of course, chernozems or loams would be the best option, but this is not of fundamental importance, the main thing is that there is no increased acidity.

The apricot needs to be planted in a bright, elevated place

Planting an apricot

The landing pit is prepared in the fall. Its size depends on the size of the root system, but you need to focus on the diameter and depth of 0.7 m. Pour two buckets of any organic fertilizers into the hole and leave until spring to shrink the soil. If the soil is too dense, then a bucket of coarse sand can be added to the organic matter.

The pit is prepared in the fall

Before planting, which is carried out before the start of sap flow, once again you need to inspect the roots, remove the damaged ones. If they have dried out a little, then put the seedling in a solution of some root-forming agent for 2 hours (this will improve survival rate).

The root collar must be above the soil level

When planting, you should follow a simple sequence.

1. Pour 0.3 kg of superphosphate, 0.1 kg of potassium sulfate and 1 kg of lime or dolomite flour into the prepared pit, mix with organic matter (on poor soils, add another 0.1–0.2 kg of urea).
2. Drive in a peg to support the seedling.
3. Set the plant, straighten the roots and fill the hole halfway with earth (make sure that the grafting site is 5-10 cm above the soil level), compact it slightly with your palm.
4. Pour out a bucket of water.
5. Top up the soil to the desired level.
6. Pour out the second bucket of water.

Care

Apricot Pineapple is an unpretentious plant and does not require much attention to itself. To keep the tree in good condition, only the most necessary work is carried out.

Pruning

Of the minimum work required, pruning is the most important. Pineapple grows quickly and releases many shoots, so it should not be overlooked.

You need to prune the tree twice - in spring and autumn. When planting, in order to obtain a correctly formed crown, the central conductor is cut out before it branches with branches that need to be shortened by a third. In the second or third year, the central conductor is constantly shortened, stimulating the growth of the lateral branches. 3-4 skeletal branches are left on the trunk and 3-4 semi-skeletal branches on them. All the extra ones are cut into the ring. Thus, a bowl-shaped crown is formed, ideally suited to light-loving apricots. In the future, it is necessary to constantly monitor the number of branches. All intertwining, growing inward, thickening shoots must be removed. In order to avoid infection of the plant with viral diseases, disinfection of the working tool and processing of the cuts with garden pitch are mandatory.

The cupped crown will provide sufficient light to all branches and fruits

Video: pruning apricot

Top dressing

You need to apply fertilizer under the apricot carefully, not overfeeding the plant. Receiving large doses of nutrition, he increases the green mass to the detriment of fruiting.

Top dressing scheme:

1. In the year of planting - 50 g of urea dissolved in 10 liters of water (watered in May-June), in the fall - superphosphate (150 g) and potassium sulfate (50 g) in dry form are hardened into the soil.
2. Next year, in the spring, feed only on poor soils (with complex fertilizer according to the instructions), in the fall, apply organic matter (compost, humus, etc.), 1 bucket per 1 m ^{2 of the} area of the trunk circle.

Watering

The drought-resistant Pineapple apricot should be watered only during the hottest season. This should be done during the period of fruit ripening and after the foliage has completely fallen off. Small trees are watered into the near-trunk hole before it is filled, adults - into a groove dug around the trunk 1 m from it (trench depth - 10-15 cm, width - 20 cm).

Watering the tree should be done in a near-trunk hole

Weed control is carried out as needed, avoiding cluttering the soil under the tree. Together with this, the soil is loosened, which improves the ventilation of its surface layer.

Whitewash

When whitewashing, the main attention should be paid to autumn work: the lime mortar destroys the pests hidden in the cracks in the bark and prevents burns of the trunk and branches. In spring whitewashing, copper or iron vitriol is added to the liquid (dilute the slaked lime with water to the consistency of liquid sour cream and add 2 full tablespoons of vitriol to 5 liters of the mixture). This will help the healing of possible frostbites and prevent pests from climbing up the tree trunk. You need to whitewash the stem with the capture of the base of the skeletal branches.

Whitewashing the trunk with skeletal branches will protect the tree from sunburn and protect from pests

Preparing for winter

Apricot Pineapple tolerates winter frosts quite easily, but it is better to provide some protection. As long as the tree is not too large, it can be wrapped completely, from the ground to the top. Synthetic (polyethylene and polypropylene films, various plastics) and natural (burlap, straw, corn and sunflower stems) materials are used as insulation.

Young trees for the winter can be completely wrapped in woven materials

For adult trees, to successfully overcome the cold season, it is enough to apply organic fertilizers, watering and whitewash, although it is still possible to recommend tying the trunk with synthetic fabrics or coniferous branches to protect against rodents.

Diseases and pests

Apricot Pineapple has an increased resistance to moniliosis, clotterosporia and leaf curl, but besides these diseases, the variety is affected by some others.

Table: disease varieties

Disease	The nature of the defeat	Processing period	Means of struggle	Preventive measures
Valsa mushroom	Flat growths of orange color appear on the trunk and shoots.	10-15 days before and after harvest.	Spraying soil and trees with Switch or Champion preparations (according to the instructions for the preparation).	Loosening the soil of the trunk circle, observing the rules and terms of pruning.
Verticilliasis	The leaves dry up and fall off.	Before bud break.	Spraying with a solution of 3% Bordeaux liquid (300 g per 10 l of water).	Avoid waterlogging, follow the rules for pruning.
Ringpox apricot	Shoot growth slows down, deformed leaves grow, red-brown swellings appear on the fruits.	Before bud break.	Copper oxychloride treatment (100 g per 10 l of water).	Whitewashing with the obligatory addition of copper sulfate, observance of the rules for pruning.

Photo gallery: apricot diseases

Valsa mushroom is an ulcer-like growth

The causative agent of verticellosis is a fungus that infects a plant through cuts and cracks

Ringpox from the leaves is transferred to the fruit

Insect pests also make a "feasible contribution" to the destruction of the crop.

Table: apricot pests

Pest	The nature of the defeat	Processing period	Means of struggle	Preventive measures
Plum aphid	Destroys young leaves, they shrivel and wilt.	After finding the first pests.	Treatment with Fitoverm, Fufanon or similar preparations (according to the instructions).	Autumn and spring digging of the soil of the trunk circle, to prevent the appearance of ant nests under the tree.
Plum moth	Lays the larvae inside the fetus.	During the period of fruit formation.	Treatment with Chlorophos (30 g per 10 l of water) or its analogue.	Digging the soil, collecting and destroying affected fruits.
Yellow plum sawfly	The larva infects the bone and pulp; damaged fruits do not develop.	Before flowering	Processing with Karbofos (according to the instructions).	Digging the soil of the trunk circle.
Leaf roll	Caterpillars destroy buds and leaves.	Before flowering and after harvest.	Treatment with Nitrofen (according to the instructions) or its analogue.	Whitewashing with the obligatory addition of copper sulfate, installation of trapping belts.

Photo gallery: Pineapple pests in the photo

The moth butterfly lays the larvae inside the fruit

Fight the leaf roll at the same time throughout the garden

The larvae of the yellow plum sawfly gnaw the pulp of both green and ripe fruits

Plum aphid on leaves is a very dangerous pest

Harvesting

Apricot variety Pineapple begins to bear fruit when it reaches 3-4 years of age, the fruits ripen on average, around mid-July. The yield of mature trees is admirable and can reach 150 kg per tree. Of course, this figure is close to the maximum, which can be achieved only with strict adherence to agricultural technology, coupled with favorable weather conditions. The average amount of fruits harvested is still less, about 100 kg, which is also not bad at all.

The fresh apricot pineapple taste is delicious

Harvesting is carried out in dry and calm weather. But waiting for the right time for a long time is dangerous - when overripe, the fruits quickly crumble, you need not to miss the moment. Fruits should be picked by hand, without shaking the tree, since when they fall, their quality deteriorates noticeably and then they are stored for no more than 3 days.

The collected fruits must be put in cardboard or wooden boxes. In a cool room, apricots are stored for about 10 days without loss of consumer qualities. The Pineapple crop tolerates transportation well, especially if the fruit is harvested slightly unripe.

The fruits of this variety are suitable for any kind of processing: drying, drying, freezing, culinary dishes, but, undoubtedly, freshly picked fruits have the best taste.

All kinds of blanks can be made from Pineapple

Reviews

The Pineapple variety is highly regarded by gardeners in different regions. Its merits have long attracted attention and therefore interest in this fruit plant does not wane.