received from "Armenia", which was previously mistakenly considered the birthplace of apricot. From ancient Sogdiana (Central Asia), where apricot was widely cultivated, it was carried by the Arabs to the Mediterranean countries. The Arabs called it "attaikuk", the Spaniards changed it into "albaricoque", the French renamed it "abricot" in their own way, hence the German "Abrikosse" and the Russian "apricot".
The genus contains 8 species growing in East, Central, Central and Asia Minor, in the Caucasus. These are small trees 5-12 m tall or large shrubs with a wide crown and deep root system. Leaves are simple, up to 12 cm, oval, pointed, on long petioles. The flowers are regular, large, white-pink, with a pleasant scent. Fruits are yellow or orange, fleshy or dryish drupes are mostly velvety.
In 1654, near Moscow, in the Tsar's Izmailovsky Garden, 19 "overseas" trees were planted: among them 4 "peach plum" trees and 2 "apricot apple" trees. After several decades, apricots could be found in the gardens of many boyars, they also grew at monasteries, and by the beginning of the 18th century they were already grown in open ground in regions of southern Russia. Now small apricot orchards and individual trees are found in the Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Ryazan and Moscow regions.
Breeding work on the creation of winter-hardy forms of apricot in central Russia was begun by IV Michurin at the end of the 19th century. In the twentieth century, it was continued by breeders M. M. Ulyanishchev, A. N. Venyaminov in the Voronezh region and A. K. Skvortsov in the Moscow region. By replacing several generations of trees, Professor A. K. Skvortsov managed to obtain selected forms of apricot, which are particularly resistant to the climate of central Russia. Here are their names: Iceberg, Alyosha, Varyag, Aquarius, Delight, Gviani, Countess, Yellow, Zeus, Lel, Monastyrsky, Hurricane, Tsarsky, Edelweiss. The fruits ripening on these trees are not large, weighing 15-20 grams, and not as sweet as the southern ones. But jam, compotes and jelly from them are of excellent quality. To preserve the collection, small apricot orchards are currently planted on the territory of monasteries in Moscow, the Moscow region and the Kaluga region.
Moscow apricots are quite frost-resistant and can withstand a gradual decrease in temperature to -30C. But frost resistance - just one of the many factors that determine winter hardiness. Winter hardiness is understood as the whole complex of known and unpredictable weather conditions that affect plants during the winter. Apricot trees, especially their flower buds, are very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Thaws provoke the onset of chemical, biochemical and structural changes in them. If, following a thaw, there is a sharp drop in temperature, the flower buds are seriously damaged or even killed. Low negative temperatures kept for a long time also lead to their damage. The death of flower buds in spring during flowering, which often happens in the southern regions, is almost not observed in the Moscow region; over a twenty-year period, such cases were noted only in certain areas with an unfavorable climate.
In addition to the well-known common apricot (Armeniaca vulgaris) is grown in central Russia apricot manchu(Armeniaca mandschurica) and Siberian apricot (Armeniaca sibirica). The last two species are much more winter-hardy; they grow successfully in Siberia and the Far Eastern region of our country. Of course, the fruits of the common apricot, settled with the help of man from Italy to Armenia (in honor of which the genus of these trees got its Latin name) and from Europe to Australia, differ favorably in size and taste from the fruits of the "Manchu" and "Siberian". But just growing them in a harsh climate is extremely difficult. The grower should also consider fungal diseases and insect pests that are troublesome in southern apricot orchards. In this respect, his brethren are also more resilient.
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Fresh fruits of Manchu and especially Siberian apricots are unlikely to bring much pleasure - they have a not very sweet, rather herbaceous taste. But in processed form (dried, jam, jam, compotes) they are not inferior to the fruits of cultivated apricot. From the point of view of obtaining a harvest, it is preferable to use the Manchurian apricot, in which the fruits are larger, more juicy, and the tree itself is more impressive in size. This species can rightfully be considered an ornamental fruit. |
| In the picture on the left: apricot blossom |
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Manchurian apricot- Armeniaca mandschurica (Maxim.) Skvortz. Grows in groups or singly on dry steep southern slopes, in oak forests of Primorsky Krai, northern Korea and North-East China. It is quite widespread in culture both in the collections of botanical institutions and in the landscaping of cities in Europe, Central Asia, Siberia, East Asia, North America. |
| In the picture on the left: Manchu apricot |
Deciduous tree 10-15 m high, with a trunk diameter of up to 45 cm, with a spreading openwork crown. The bark on the trunks is dark gray, deeply cracked, resembling velvet bark. Young shoots are green or reddish-brown, shiny. Leaves 5-12 cm long, from lanceolate-oval to ovate or broadly oval, much larger on growth shoots than on fertile ones, glabrous, long-pointed, roughly double-serrate along the edge. In spring they are light green, in summer they are green, below are light green, in autumn they are cinnabar-red, remaining on the branches until deep frosts. The flowers are large, light pink or pink, solitary or in bunches on short stalks. Duration of flowering is 10-11 days. Fruits up to 2.5 cm, orange-yellow, with pubescence, contrast beautifully with dark foliage.
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Apricot lives for over 100 years. Winter-hardy. Photophilous, undemanding to soil, grows on any type of soil, up to stony, but develops best on fertile, drained, loamy soils. It responds well to liming, does not withstand soil salinization. The best planting time is April. Wind, smoke and gas resistant. Gives abundant growth. Transferring cropping. It is growing rapidly. |
| In the picture on the left: Manchu apricot |
Exceptionally decorative look. Effective at the time of flowering and fruiting, in single and small-group plantings in combination with birch, oak, conifers. The deep root system of apricot allows it to be used to anchor slopes, river banks and watering systems. In culture since 1900.
Winter hardiness is high, it also grows in the north of the middle zone up to St. Petersburg, slightly freezing in especially cold winters. Propagation by stratified seeds and spring cuttings, the rooting rate of which reaches 75% without stimulant treatment.
By the size of the fruits, large-fruited(f. macrocarpa) and small-fruited(f. microcarpa) forms.
Location: apricots are light-requiring, undemanding to soil conditions, grow better on deep, well-aerated soils containing lime. Drought and wind resistant, avoid moisture stagnation and salinity, grow quickly. The best areas for growing apricots are south, southeast and southwest from Moscow. The site must be protected from northerly winds. Lowlands where cold air flows are unsuitable. They choose a sunny place: apricots need to get as much heat as possible over the summer, this will help them to safely endure the winter.
Care: in the middle lane, the apricot needs regular watering, especially after transplanting and during growth, in May - June. In the second half of summer, plants are watered only during drought, which is rarely observed in the Moscow region. In other cases, excessive watering in August can cause protracted growth of shoots, which will not ripen by winter and freeze slightly. From an early age, in late autumn and early spring, the trunks and the main skeletal branches of the tree are whitewashed, adding copper sulfate to the whitewash. Wounds and frost holes on the trunk at the end of April - in May are cleaned up to living tissue and covered with garden varnish or Kuzbaslak.
Apricots grow quickly and give their first harvest in the fifth to seventh year on average. For more effective pollination, it is advisable to have at least two seedlings on the site, and even better - three four. With continuous cultivation and proper care, trees can bloom in the third or fourth year. Flower buds are laid on plants every year, even under heavy crop stress. The crown of apricots is formed naturally.
Reproduction: seeds that remain viable for up to a year, and grafting. Seeds are sown in autumn or spring after three months of stratification.
Locally adapted apricot trees can be grown from pitted seeds obtained from fruits purchased on the market. It is not necessary to take seeds of Armenian and imported, too large fruits for sowing. They are planted immediately, without overdrying, to a depth of 5-6 cm, which ensures almost 100% germination. In contrast to pome fruits, in which, as a rule, wilds grow from seeds, in stone fruits, both wilds and seedlings are obtained, which may in the future even surpass the parental forms in terms of fruit quality.
In early spring, in March, annual seedlings are pruned. This pruning is then done annually. First of all, weak, frozen twigs and their ends are removed, too long and powerful shoots are shortened, and extra shoots are cut out "on a ring", thickening the crown. All sections are covered with garden varnish or thickly rubbed paints (red lead, ocher, soot) diluted with natural drying oil. If the seedlings grow in a garden bed, they are transplanted to a permanent place at the age of two immediately after the snow melts or in September - October. On fertile, structural soil, it is enough to dig a hole in the size of the roots. On clay, peat or sandy ground, it is made deeper and wider, drainage is arranged at the bottom and the pit is filled with a nutrient mixture. The very best - grow trees without transplanting.
Having collected the first harvest, seeds-seeds are planted in the ground immediately after extraction from the fruits. The grown seedlings will be the second generation of apricots, much more resistant to the local climate.
Usage: extremely beautiful during the flowering period, when the shoots (before the leaves bloom) are completely covered with large pink flowers. They are smart in the autumn decoration of bright leaves and at the time of fruiting. They can be used to decorate gardens, parks, forest parks, squares, in intra-block landscaping, in single and group plantings. Apricot flowers exude a pleasant honey aroma - because apricot is beautiful, the earliest honey plant. Of the flowering tree species, low almonds, Daurian rhododendron, and forsythia bloom at the same time.
The Manchu apricot is the basis of the apricot orchard. An article from the cycle: What is the basis for the success of growing apricots in Russia? Manchurian apricot, ancient trees. Part 1. Where would this sunny fruit come from in the vastness of Russia - in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Middle Belt and even in the North-West? Attempts to import southern seedlings and sowing fruit seeds from store shelves do not give sustainable results - 30-40 degree frosts leave no trace of these attempts. Rootstocks such as sand and felt cherry, plum, blackthorn, cherry plum do not allow achieving high biological compatibility, and as a result, long life of trees. What is important, they still spoil the taste of the grafted varieties. On the advice of Valery Zhelezov, let distant-related rootstocks remain for experimental breeders, and we need to grow trees on intraspecific rootstocks with high biological compatibility with cultivated varieties. Where to get this vital rootstock - you say? It turns out that in the Sopki of the Far East, the so-called Manchurian apricot has survived and is still growing and bearing fruit. These apricot forests are located in remote places of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range, where no man's foot has gone for a long time. This mountain range divides Primorye into 2 parts - facing the Pacific Ocean and the opposite, which slopes towards the continent - here the main part of the ancient forests of Manchurian apricot grows. This is the answer to the question of the frost resistance of the Manchurians growing there. The slopes facing the continent are more influenced by the harsh continental climate than the mild and humid coastal climate. Michurin at the beginning of the 20th century drew attention to the valuable properties of the Ussuriysk stone and pome fruits with high frost resistance. They don't care about minus 40–45 degrees Celsius; for example, mountain and rock forms of Manchu apricot growing in crevices can withstand minus 50-56 degrees Celsius without damaging flower buds. In addition, these are fast-growing and fruitful crops, their seedlings begin to bear fruit from 3-4 years of age. These parameters determine great prospects for promoting the apricot culture to the West and North. There are also places in the Far East where apricots have adapted to annual floods, flooding and the close standing of groundwater. Over the past five years, Yuri Vasilyevich Brodsky organized seven amateur expeditions to discover the genetic diversity of stone fruit and other fruit plant species in the local population over the past 200 years. It turned out that the Pogranichny and Ussuriysk regions, right up to the border with China, are the most saturated with the variety of Manchurian apricots. The southern slopes of rocky hills are in places covered with independent apricot groves. These places are inaccessible, the first expeditions were carried out by off-road vehicles, then they had to rent a helicopter because repairing jeeps after such outings was very expensive. A hundred years for an apricot is not an age! Trees that are well over a hundred years old have survived, their height is up to twelve meters, they bloom at the ends of branches and yield a harvest every year. These are charred giants, at the base of their trunks, a perennial layer of bone remains has accumulated. In individual apricots, two or three stumps are observed from which a younger apricot trunk has grown, because the Manchurian apricot has a gigantic regenerative capacity. Manchurian apricot ancient giant Manchurian apricot, in the wild, occupies well-lit rock taluses, ridges of the southern and Middle Sikhote-Alin hills. Huge trees up to 15 meters in height and fifty cm in diameter, with dark gray cork bark, live well over a hundred years. Young shoots are glabrous, green or brown. Flowers bloom very early, before the leaves open. White to light pink. Blooming every spring is so abundant that it seems that the tops and slopes of the hills are covered with a pink blanket. The fruits are tied mainly at the tops of the branches. They are small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, yellow, sometimes with a slight pink blush with juicy pulp, sweetish-sour, sometimes bitter taste. The kernel is bitter and contains hydrocyanic acid and amygdalin. Fading in April-May, apricot bears fruit already in July, and late varieties already in August. The apricot grows singly or in groups among small shrubs and assimilates the rocky southern exposure of the hills. What explains such close attention to the Manchu apricot and its bloodlines? It turns out that they are the ancestors of many winter-hardy drought-resistant varieties of cultivated apricot and in the 21st century they began a victorious march in the Northern territory of the Far East, southern Siberia, Khakassia, the Southern Urals, and Southern Sakhalin. In culture, apricot became widely introduced as the settlement of the Far East and Siberia, still remaining the most beloved and widespread garden tree. Academician Kazmin said - "So that your life goes uphill, and not downhill - plant an apricot." Apricot is the fruit of the emperor, it is a low-calorie fruit, the use of which makes it possible to maintain efficiency and a clear mind until a ripe old age. Even 10,000 years ago, the imperial fruit - apricot - entered many recipes for the treatment of diseases of the human body. Eating 20 fruits three times a day, a person can get rid of hypertension and cleanse the body of toxins. Diet fruits contain large amounts of antioxidants and are extremely useful in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Helps resist cancer and various infections. The article is based on the stories of bioecologist Yuri Vasilyevich Brodsky from Dalnerechensk and photographs by Vladimir Polyansky in Vladivostok, Primorsky Territory.
Manchurian apricot is a picturesque tree that can become a decoration and pride of an orchard on your personal plot. These trees also look beautiful in the form of hedges along fences or forest belts. During the flowering period, apricots are enveloped in an amazingly beautiful pink haze of large fragrant flowers. The features of growing this decorative tree with edible fruits at home will be discussed in the article.
Botanical description
Manchurian apricot, in Latin - Prúnus mandschúrica, belongs to the Plum genus. This tree is up to 15 meters in height, with filigree foliage and lush crown, throwing out many shoots. The bark is dark gray, cracked with deep furrows. 
The flowers are pink, more than 2 cm in size, on the branches are located in groups or singly, on short pedicels. The tree blooms profusely, every spring from April-May, about 12 days.
The leaves grow up to 12 cm, have a broad-oval, double-serrate shape, pointed tops.
Fruits are small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, yellowish-orange, velvety-pubescent. Ripening time - from the end of July. A tree easily grows from a fruit seed, which can live for over 100 years.
Distribution and ecology
Manchurian apricot is a rare plant in the Red Data Book. It grows in China in the northeastern provinces, in the north of Korea, as well as in the vast southern territory of the Primorsky Territory in Russia. 
This tree is able to tolerate both drought and cold temperatures well. Loves a sufficient amount of light, but not demanding on soils: it can grow even on dry mountain slopes.
The Manchu apricot has a large and branched root system, so it is good to plant it along water bodies to strengthen the coastline, as well as slopes to protect them from avalanches.
Did you know? Manchu apricots got their name in the XVIII-XIX centuries from the area in the northeast of China - Manchuria, where they were widespread. Later, when these trees from China came to the European territory of Russia, the namesurvived followed by.
Application in landscape design
When planting these decorative fruit trees on your site, you will need to decide on their purpose: it will be trees in the form of a hedge, a single planting or a whole garden.
You will win in any case: these trees from April to October will decorate the courtyard and delight the eye with a riot of colors. 
- Since the flowers of this tree are pale pink in color and are more than 2 cm in size, these are the very first spring honey plants, spreading their honey scent far beyond the gardens.
- When the fruiting period comes, small golden lantern fruits will shine among the bright greenery of openwork foliage.
- In autumn, the leaves will acquire a blood-red hue and will burn on the tree until the first frost, illuminating the empty garden with their radiance.
If this spreading tree is used as a tapeworm in landscaping, it will attract all the attention and dominate the background of a building facade, gazebo or decorative fence.
In green building, apricot trees of this variety are good for planting together with other trees. They go well with Manchu birch, Mongolian oak, and Amur linden, dimorphan and other trees and shrubs. 
Did you know? The Europeans did not know about apricots until Alexander the Great brought them to Greece from the East. They came to the taste of the Greeks and soon spread throughout Europe.
Fruit of the tree
The first harvest of fruits from apricot trees can be expected 5-7 years after planting. They begin to ripen in late July or early August.
Apricots have a flattened-oval shape, yellowish, with orange splashes. They taste not very juicy, more sour than southern varieties, and give off a bitter taste. Because of such taste, not everyone likes to eat them in their natural form.
But from them aromatic jams, preserves and compotes are obtained.
Each individual fruit weighs up to 20 grams.
Growing at home
To grow such handsome trees in your courtyard, you need to follow some general recommendations. Below we will talk about the nuances of growing Manchu apricot.
Features of planting and reproduction
The most suitable time for planting a Manchu apricot is the end of April. Thanks to a sufficient number of sunny days, the soil warms up well and persistent frosts are no longer threatened. The main requirement for planting is to do this before the fruit buds begin to swell.
If you purchased seedlings in the autumn, you need to take their planting more seriously. During winter frosts, the fragile root system can be damaged, so it is imperative to mulch the soil around the trunk. What means to use - we will talk about this below. 
When planting, it is imperative to ensure that the seedlings are provided with good air drainage, so that in the spring the trees will be better warmed up by the sun. To do this, you need to carefully consider which place suits them best.
Having decided on a landing site, you need to prepare a landing pit. The optimal size is 70 cm deep and the same width. For spring planting, such a pit is prepared in the fall and filled with compost, the composition of which will be described below.
Important! The greatest yield of Manchurian apricot is provided by planting trees in groups with other varieties, since it allows for cross-pollination of flowers. If the size of the plot does not allow this, then on one tree grafting is done with twigs of other varieties.
When planting, the presence of two people is desirable: one of them must hold the tree by the headquarters, and the other at this time will sprinkle it with earth, compacting it around the roots. After planting, be sure to water the seedlings with sufficient water and cover with mulch. 
There are two ways to grow this wonderful tree in your garden: from the stone and by cuttings. Below we give a detailed description of these methods.
From the bone
There are some peculiarities in planting a pitted apricot tree. When planting them in the fall, you can expect a different germination result: from 0 to 90%. This planting material can be stored in the soil, retaining germination for years, or it can wake up abruptly in any season, even not suitable for vegetation.
In order to act for sure and get the maximum result, it is better to plant immediately before the winter cold, otherwise, during the autumn thaws, the seeds planted before this period may rise ahead of time and die during the first frosts. By the way, this can happen in the spring.
First of all, you need to pour water on the bones selected for planting and remove all floating ones - this will result in the rejection of low-quality material. 
Then, high-quality seeds must be planted to a depth of about 1 cm, preventing the root collar of the seedling from being underground and rotting.
It would be nice to carry out a 3-month stratification before planting: keep the bones in a cold room or refrigerator at a temperature of about 0 ° C, after placing them in a container with damp sand, without covering it. Such freezing will additionally ensure good germination.
Important! Manchu Apricot can grow on any type of soil. However, if the site has a close occurrence of groundwater, the tree needs good drainage. For this, a layer of crushed stone 30 cm thick is suitable.
After planting and germination of seedlings, they need careful care: they need to be watered, loosened around the soil, remove weeds and mulch. After a two-year period, young trees are ready for transplantation to a permanent place.
Planting an apricot from a stone
By cuttings
To propagate the Manchurian apricot by cuttings, they need to be prepared in late June - early July, and planted in the last decade of September.
To prepare future planting material, you need to cut a stalk with two or three internodes on which a couple of leaves grow from the most powerful and strong branches of the parent tree.
From above, the stalk is cut perpendicular to the growth of the trunk, about 1 cm above the kidney, and the cut is made beveled from below. Cuttings prepared in this way are placed in a vessel with a liquid growth stimulant and brought into a warm room (at a temperature not lower than 24 ° C) for 15 hours.
It is very important to consider what the water level is in containers with cuttings. For the roots to actively form, you need a sufficient amount of oxygen, because they are formed in the place of the cutting, where the border of air and water passes. 
If the container is deep and filled with water more than necessary, it means that there will be little oxygen at the bottom, and this will lead to decay of the planting material.
The landing site must be prepared in advance. To do this, you need to make a small track of the required length, up to half a meter deep and 85-90 cm wide. Lay out the bottom of the track with broken brick, and sprinkle it with river sand on top. The height of this layer should be up to 5 cm.
The next layer in the track will be a soil mixture consisting of sand, soil, manure and wood ash (1: 3: 1: 1.5). Next, you need to evenly distribute the mixture along the bottom of the track, compact and moisten with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
The seedlings are planted in such a way that the base of each of them only slightly touches the layer of soil mixture at the bottom of the track. To do this, one person holds the seedling at the desired height, the other falls asleep it with the same soil mixture to the level under the upper bud with leaves. 
To hide the seedlings from sudden temperature changes, a small wooden structure is installed over each of them and covered with a film from all sides.
Soil and fertilizers
If you plan to immediately plant seedlings in the place of their permanent growth, the planting hole must be prepared in the fall.
Humus is poured into it, consisting of one or two buckets of mullein with the addition of one glass of wood ash, 400 g of potassium sulfate and 700 g of granular superphosphate. Upon the arrival of spring, the pit is cleared of humus, and an apricot seedling can already be planted in it.
As soon as the first signs of growth are noticed, you need to feed the cuttings from water and manure: take 6 parts of water for 1 part of manure and let it stand for 7 days. It is better to fertilize trees during watering. 
Important! In the spring, when the snow melts, apricot plantations need potash and phosphorus feeding, and during the period of abundant fruiting, the need for nitrogen increases.
Watering and humidity
Having planted seedlings and wrapped them in greenhouses, you need to provide them with further proper care. It consists in creating an optimally moist environment for the trees: to spray the cuttings themselves, and not the ground around them, until they begin to actively grow.
Although the Manchu apricot is drought tolerant, it needs regular watering during transplantation and active growth. This is especially true for months such as May and June. After that, the tree needs watering only during drought, which occurs in July - early August.
Irrigation rates are calculated as follows: 1 square meter of near-stem soil requires at least 50 liters of water. During dry weather, the rate should be doubled. 
It is important to remember that it is impossible to over-water the seedlings in August, since the growth of the shoots can be delayed and they may not mature by the beginning of winter, as a result of which they freeze.
Loosening and mulching
In the second or third year after planting an apricot tree, it is necessary not only to regularly water and feed it in the summer, but also to loosen the soil under it, as well as mulch the trunk circle.
When it rains, the soil usually crusts and needs to be loosened periodically. This should be done not only for aeration, but also to keep it clean. It is impossible to dig up the soil, as this can damage the roots of the plant.
Mulching is done, or by grass.
After the fourth year after planting, it is better not to mulch the trees, since this is fraught with the formation of surface roots, which in the subsequent winter period may freeze. 
It is better to sow lawn grass under a tree, which sometimes needs to be mowed. Thus, the quality of the soil will also improve.
For the winter, peat chips or sawdust can be used to mulch the near-trunk soil. This will insulate the roots and save the young tree from frost. As soon as the first stable layer of snow falls, it must be carefully tamped around the tree.
Important! If a Manchu tree does not receive enough moisture, this contributes to a decrease in fruit size in the current season, as well as a decrease in the formation of flower ovaries and a low yield for the next year.
Preparation for wintering
Although Manchu apricots are known for their winter hardiness, they still need preparation for the cold. You need to start preparing trees in August. In order for the wood on the shoots to mature well, it is necessary to feed the seedlings with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. As already mentioned, watering is reduced during this period. 
We have already talked about how to insulate the root system for the winter. However, the root collar of the tree also needs to be insulated, because in this case, it is not so much frost and cold that are terrible, as sharp changes in temperature.
This can lead to the formation of ice on the neck, which will not allow oxygen access to the roots, and the tree can subsequently weaken and die.
Therefore, the protective layer of mulch must be at least 20 cm in height, and the trunk itself must be wrapped from the very root to the first branches with agrofibre or spunbond (industrial insulation).
If we approach the insulation of apricot trees in a comprehensive manner, this can guarantee their protection even from extremely low temperatures. 
It is also recommended to wrap the trunks of wintering apricots with roofing felt to protect against rodents. Do not wrap the barrel tightly with this material, leaving an air cushion. Roofing material can be wrapped with agrofibre on top. This will provide additional insulation and maintain air exchange.
You can also build a small greenhouse over each tree. To do this, wrap the seedling with any heat-insulating material, then install 4 pegs around it and wrap it with plastic wrap.
Pests and diseases
Most of all, Manchu apricots are affected by fungal diseases. This usually happens during the frequent and abundant summer-spring rains. Due to the increased moisture in the leaves and fruits, clasterosporia, verticillosis, can develop.
To avoid this, apricot trees need to be regularly sprayed and sprayed with fungicides, as well as whitewashing of trunks and skeletal branches.
Another enemy of apricot trees is the plum aphid. This pest lays black eggs since autumn, placing them at the base of the buds, which belong to annual shoots. In early spring, when the first leaves appear, larvae appear from the testicles. They begin to feed on the tissue juices of the leaf, attaching themselves to its underside. Aphids also prefer the juices of tender shoots of the plant.
Although apricot leaves affected by aphids do not curl up, they will gradually dry out.
To avoid damage to trees by this pest, it is necessary to spray with the insecticidal preparation "Decis" or its analogue even before the buds open, and then during the period of their opening in the spring. 
Due to its positive characteristics and qualities, the Manchurian apricot can take the main place in the green building of your garden.
Taking care of these trees throughout the year, you will receive pleasant emotions and a bountiful harvest of fruits, from which excellent jams, compotes and jellies are obtained. In addition, you will contribute to the spread of the rare and useful plant.
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Ornamental trees and shrubs are the main decoration of any garden. They not only have an excellent appearance, but can also bear delicious fruits. Recently, the Manchurian apricot is gaining popularity.
The Manchurian apricot variety has been gaining more and more popularity lately.
During its flowering, it begins to form large delicate pink flowers that attract the attention of others and delight the eye.
General information about the variety
Apricot Manchurian was bred in the Chinese branch of the research center of the Russian Federation. Experts have long wanted to create a variety that would be similar to Japanese sakura.
At the beginning of 2005, this species was entered into the State Register.
It is suitable for cultivation not only in the eastern part of China or in the Far East, due to its excellent resistance to weather conditions, it can grow even in Siberia. It is used to decorate not only garden plots. The plant has a powerful root system; it is customary to plant it near water bodies to strengthen the coastal system.
Features of the tree
The description indicates that the Manchurian apricot has a rather tall trunk. Its height reaches 18 m, and the diameter of the trunk itself is 50 cm. The color of the bark is dark brown. Tying branches is recommended. The leaves are large, up to 12 cm long, oval in shape. In autumn, the leaves can turn red and do not fall off until the onset of frost.
The Manchurian apricot has pink flowers. It is believed that the earliest harvest of honey is harvested from them. Their main feature is that their aroma resembles the smell of honey. The flowers are small in size, their diameter is 2.5 cm. They are located on a stalk of small height and can be grouped into inflorescences. Apricot blooms every year and is observed in early April.
Fetal parameters
When considering the description and characteristics of the variety, it can be noted:
- the fruit is oval, slightly flattened at the edges;
- the size reaches a length of 4-5 cm;
- weight is 20 g;
- the surface of the fruit is rough;
- color is light orange.
Fruit ripening occurs in early July. Their taste is sour, so they may be slightly inferior in sweetness to their counterparts from the southern regions. Jam, jams and compotes are made from them.
Fruits of the Manchurian variety are used to make jam
Positive and negative qualities
The description indicates that the Manchurian apricot has the following positive qualities:
The disadvantage is that the fruit tastes sour with notes of bitterness. Many try to avoid planting this crop in their plots, but most grow the plant for beauty.
Planting rules
To a large extent, apricot trees are planted using the inner seed. The Manchurian variety is no exception. The bones can retain their qualities throughout the year. If you plant a seed in the fall, then next year it will give a young plant with 90% probability. It is advised to place the seeds in a bowl of water. The floating ones can be thrown away.
The planting material should be placed in the ground to a depth of at least 1.5 cm. After a few years, the resulting seedling can be transplanted to a permanent growing site.
Care requirements
The plant does not require special care for itself. Timely watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds and mulching are important.
- Watering is only important in the first year after planting. It should be done every 5-6 days. After the plant is fully formed, watering should be carried out as the soil dries. A large amount of moisture in the root system can lead to the fact that the shoots cannot form in time and die during winter frosts.
- The choice of soil is optional, because such a variety is capable of showing high yields in any type of soil. You just need to choose for planting those areas with a lot of sunlight.
- If you notice that the groundwater is very close to the root system, a drainage system should be installed. It is ideal to use a large layer of rubble to prevent water from reaching the roots.
- The plant needs to remove old dry or diseased branches. This is necessary for healthy shoots to form and receive the required amount of nutrients.
Manchurian apricot varieties need to periodically remove old, dry and diseased branches
Diseases and pests
You can get rid of a spider mite with the help of special insecticides "Regent" or "Tabu". You can fight the cherry elephant with a manganese solution. Aphids are removed with medicinal preparations.
Of the diseases, verticellosis and spotting are considered the main enemies. To get rid of verticellosis permanently, you can use a soapy solution. It is possible to fight spotting with the help of the Hom preparation.
Conclusion
The tree does not begin to bear fruit immediately, but only 5 years after planting. The variety has received many favorable reviews and is recommended for cultivation.
“Apricot strides north” and was inspired. I decided, not yet realizing what a difficult task it is, by all means to grow an apricot on my site, in the Moscow region - 80 km along the Novoryazanskoe highway ...
I immediately ordered cuttings and seeds. In addition, in the nursery "Sadko" I bought seedlings of varieties ‘Favorite’, ’Tsarsky’, ‘Lel’, ‘Countess’ breeding A. K. Skvortsov and L. A. Kramarenko. The next season was very successful. Vaccinations on cherry plum (on a stem at a height of 80 cm) gave a huge increase. All 11 seeds sown on a garden bed (0.3 m high) ascended and gave an increase of 1 - 1.2 m. Of the 4 purchased, grafted onto cherry plum in the root collar, three overwintered, ‘Tsarsky’. Others were 1.5 - 2 meters wide. In order to repeat the feat of Zhelezov in the Moscow region, I ordered cuttings of the variety 'Academician'. Zhelezov strongly recommends vaccinating seedlings apricot manchu (Armenia With a mandshurica ). I had 11 of them.
Manchurian apricot.
I was going to plant adapted European varieties on them. But the results of the next wintering somewhat puzzled me - almost all the seedlings died and only three of them woke up buds near the soil. I transplanted them to a friend's plot on the hills, as required by Valery Konstantinovich. Vaccinations of European varieties also died. We were only pleased with the Skvortsov-Kramarenko varieties. Given the powerful growth, I decided to use the advice from NI Kurdyumov's book "Forming instead of pruning", and neatly stretched their branches not horizontally, but at an angle of 55-65 degrees. It turned out to be a kind of vase. The trees grew very well again, at the beginning of summer I had to pinch the ends of the vertical shoots.
I really wanted to tame the apricot: in the winter I started attending lectures at the Moscow Institute of Science and Technology, bought the book by Skvortsov and Kramarenko "Apricot in Moscow and the Moscow Region" and even met Larisa Andreevna herself. Having studied the book, I realized that I had repeated many of the mistakes of my predecessors. After all, in the fall, I again sowed apricot seeds from Khakassia and the Moscow region, which sprang up together. But Far Eastern apricots in the Moscow region do not survive: they have too short a period of forced dormancy.
It was interesting to know how apricots grow from other local gardeners. Visited state farm named after Lenin(agronomist Lyudmila Anatolyevna), at Arkady Sergeevich Deev near Kolomna, near Alexander Kotelnitsky, at Ivan Dmitrievich Lukovnikov... With my own eyes I saw both the flowering and the fruiting of apricots near Moscow. I was especially impressed by the landings that L. Kramarenko produced in monasteries, which, as a rule, are located in high places, have powerful stone walls, which creates a unique microclimate.
The trees are well-groomed, and therefore bear fruit abundantly every year. Apricots feel good and bear fruit well in Lyudmila Anatolyevna's garden located in the southeast of Moscow. I saw ripe fruits in the garden of ID Lukovnikov, located in Kratovo on a former swamp surrounded by forest. There were very few of them. 5-7-year-old apricots are grafted onto plums and cherry plums, giving growth of 50-70 cm. Although flowering is always abundant, few fruits are tied, and even then not every year. It looks like they are missing something.
Not at all suitable conditions for apricot near A. Kotelnitsky... His garden is located in the east of the region. Spring comes two weeks later, and autumn two weeks earlier than mine. But here's the paradox. My apricots are ruined by the temperature drop in the spring: it’s warm to +10 and the buds on the apricot and cherry plum wake up, swell, and then the frost is -5 and below. The buds die, and then the whole tree. And in March, Sasha's daytime temperature is always 4-5 degrees lower than mine, the nighttime temperature is about the same. We decided that in his situation we should look for the earliest varieties that will have time to better prepare for winter. However, early varieties wake up earlier than others. I must say that Kotelnitsky knows the whereabouts of many wild apricots in Moscow and the region, which have grown from accidentally dropped seeds. But they can do a good job in spreading this culture.
Apricots made the biggest impression on me A.S. Deeva- two huge, 5-6 meters high, with the same crown diameter, strewn with fruits, and under them there is a real carpet. Arkady Sergeevich says that in a bad year they give 9 buckets each, and in a good year they don't count after 15.
The fruits on these poles are beautiful, fragrant, juicy, tender, sweet and sour. Jam and compote from them are beyond praise.
Deyev walked towards this for 20 years: he planted, grafted, a lot fell out and he planted again. Finally, I received the first harvest and sowed seeds from it, and then sowed seeds from the harvest of those seedlings. Thus, the current trees are already the third generation.
Sows the seeds directly to the place where the tree grows. This greatly increases the survival chances of the apricot. In principle, he does not cut trees, removes only dry or broken branches. This is probably why the fruits are not large, but there are a lot of them. It seems that this way of growing is ideal for the Moscow region: a hill of earth and rubble, sowing seeds of local varieties.
Let's summarize. The selfless labor of A. K. Skvortsov and L. A. Kramarenko has created worthy varieties that can grow and bear fruit in the Moscow region. Provided that a suitable place is selected for it - high, sunny, protected from cold winds. Monasteries turned out to be the ideal place, where apricots are also guaranteed perfect care. Not every one of us will be able to provide our pets with a "monastery" microclimate, but everyone can take care of them no worse than monks.
I think that the “ossification” of apricot is even more difficult than the tasks that at one time were solved in Moscow by S. I. Isaev with an apple tree and S. T. Chizhov with a pear. In Moscow gardens, apple trees have been growing for centuries, and pears, at least some, were also there. Isaev purposefully crossed the local reliable varieties with the elite of Europe and Crimea, and thanks to his efforts, we had the opportunity to choose. Chizhov crossed the Ussuri pear with European varieties, and we finally got pears similar to the southern ones. But there were no apricots here, now we have 14 varieties created by L.A. Kramarenko and her teacher A.K. Skvortsov. Larisa Andreevna is selflessly devoted to the work: she is engaged in selection, and cultivation of apricots, and its promotion to the north. Anyone who wants to grow an apricot here should certainly read her articles and books, attend her lectures at MOIP, where you can get seeds from her hands and each of them can grow a unique and inimitable apricot tree.
Despite the fact that so far I have more failures than achievements, the years of working with apricots were not in vain. I am beginning to understand this culture, its requirements, features. What do you need to make an apricot "work out" for you?
Firstly, a suitable place, as we have already said, high, protected. And it is not always possible to find such a place. And sometimes, it seems, everything fits, and does not grow together. For example, both for me and for L. A. Kramarenko, apricot varieties from Khakassia live for 2-3 years and disappear. And on the site of my friend, they have been doing great for 5 years. Here's a paradox. I choose the warmest place, and there is a forest nearby, and in early spring from 11 to 14 o'clock the apricots are in the shade. Maybe this just protects them from a premature start, and planting near the house, at the southern wall, on the contrary, provokes an early awakening of plants. Each site is special, with its own pros and cons. It is necessary to work persistently, without giving up, observe, draw conclusions and gradually move forward.
Secondly... We take the seeds of the Moscow region varieties and sow them on mounds of fertile soil mixed with rubble, 30-40 cm high. Why a mound? Because the seedlings of the varieties near Moscow, which delighted me for two summers, died in the third year. And not from the frost, they woke up early, but the ground remained frozen for a long time and the roots did not have time to connect in time. I have a tinsel in my garden.
I mow the grass and scatter it under the crowns of weakened or newly planted plants. The grass growing in the aisles, in the case of "black", ie, in the absence of a snow cover of frost, will protect the soil from excessive freezing and the root system of trees. But at the same time, the ground under it warms up more slowly in spring, and this, it turns out, is very dangerous.
From the same category and the most harmful advice, which is often found in the garden press, trample the snow under the trees in the spring, sprinkle it with sawdust so that the trees wake up as late as possible and their flowers do not fall under the return frost. This is just nonsense. Cut a twig from a tree in the winter, put it in water in the house and in the warmth it will immediately come to life, leaves and flowers will appear, but as soon as the supply of strength runs out, everything will end, the twig will wither. The same thing happened to me when the ground was deeply frozen. That is why it should be planted on a hill that is free of snow earlier and warms up quickly (because it is black). In this case, stagnant melt water is excluded, which leads to podoprevanie root collar, especially in apricot, cherry plum, felt cherry.
Thirdly.If you decide to re-graft an apricot, then it is best to graft it on a seedling that is already growing in place. It is possible to inoculate both on cherry plum and on plums, but better on apricot, so as not to mess with the shoots, which are many in other rootstocks. After listening to other people's advice, I tried to plant on the turn. My experience has taught me, leaving no doubt that this should not be done: the blackthorn affects the scion too much - the growing season is shifted, the fruits become smaller, their taste worsens. Plus the constant struggle with overgrowth. I gave it up.
As a rootstock for apricot, I use plum and cherry plum seedlings. But I was convinced that it is best to graft on apricot seedlings. V. Zhelezov proves that it improves the taste and size of the fruit. Now I even plant plums and cherry plums on apricots.
Fourth.I do the vaccination as low as possible. It is believed that at a height of 1.2 m, the temperature is higher than at the level of snow cover. But who knows what height the snow cover will be: 1 m or 20 cm. Highly vaccinated grafts fall out not because they freeze, but because they wake up early after the first spring thaws. I am friends with V. K. Zhelezov, he willingly shares his experience and annually sends me cuttings of his best varieties. However, not everything that bears fruit well in the south of Siberia takes root in our country. Some varieties of cherry plum, for example, can wake up in December if it is warm. They "think" that spring has come. To pass the period of rest, it turns out, the November frosts were enough for them. If the vaccinations are made at the bottom, then they find themselves under the snow and their chances of survival are much greater.
Fifth.I have seedlings in a low bed. I do not indulge in feeding or watering. I’ll only pour it if there’s no rain for a month. In May, I cover the soil with mown grass with a layer of 8-10 cm, and in October with compost. From pests in early spring and autumn, when the leaves begin to fly around, I spray the trees with an 8% urea solution (800 g per 10 liters). I try to use only biological products. To increase the immunity of plants I give them Albit or herbal infusion.
More than once I have seen apricots near Moscow in bloom, when thousands of bees are circling above them, and in fruits. I believe that soon, thanks to our efforts, such a sight will become familiar and the apricot will catch up with the grapes in the campaign to the north.
Irina MARAKHOVSKAYA, gardener-researcher, Moscow.
