Content
The Mutsu apple variety appeared in the middle of the last century in Japan and soon became popular in many countries of the world, including in the former republics of the CIS. Considering the relatively simple rules of care, it is not only a professional gardener but also an amateur to grow a culture and reap a rich harvest.
Breeding history
Apple variety Mutsu, which has another name Crispin, was created by crossing Golden Delisios with Indo-Japanese. It happened in 1948 in the Japanese province of Mutsu. From this came the name of the variety.
Description
The Mutsu apple tree has an external resemblance to other representatives of this culture. However, some details indicate belonging to this variety.
The Mutsu apple tree looks like its relatives
Fruit and tree appearance
The Mutsu apple tree is a medium-sized tree, the height of which varies from 2.5 m (dwarf stock) to 4 m (seed). The crown at a young age is rounded, as the tree matures, it becomes a spreading pyramidal or reverse-pyramidal. Strong skeletal branches extend upward from the stem at an acute angle. The lower branches can be pulled down under the weight of the fruit.
The ability to form young shoots is average, so the crown of the Mutsu apple tree is not particularly thickened. The foliage is also average, which provides the fruits with free access to sunlight. The Mutsu apple tree has no root growth.
The leaves are large, elongated, dark green, with pubescence on the inner side. In mature trees, curl slightly clockwise.
The flowers are medium, milky white, saucer-shaped. The ovary is formed on fruit twigs and ringlets.
Fruits are round-conical, with barely noticeable ribbing, slightly beveled at the bottom. The Mutsu apple variety, as can be seen from the photo and description, has a yellow-green color with a one-sided pink blush. The average fruit weight is about 150 g.
The growth rate is influenced by the age of the tree. Until the age of 7, the Mutsu apple tree grows actively, after which the annual growth noticeably decreases.
Life span
Each organism has its own lifespan. The Mutsu apple tree is no exception, which retains its viability for 15-20 years. It is characteristic that the yield of the tree does not decrease over the years.
Taste
The skin of ripe fruits is smooth, shiny, dense. The pulp is juicy, medium-grained. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour, with hints of honey. The general tasting score of Mutsu apples is 4.5-5.0 points.
Where are Mutsu apples grown?
The Mutsu variety is cultivated in many localities. The apple tree feels good in the countries of the former CIS and in almost all regions of Russia, characterized by a temperate and warm climate.
In the southern regions, the tree grows more actively than in cool ones. Affects growth rate and weather. In the warm sunny season, there is a higher annual increase than in the rainy and cloudy ones.
Yield
The Mutsu apple variety gets good reviews from gardeners due to its high yield. With proper care, you can get about 30 kg of apples from one adult tree (5-7 years old), from a 12-year-old tree - 60-65, and from an apple tree that is already 15 years old - about 150 kg.
From one tree you can get up to 150 kg of apples
Frost resistant
The Mutsu apple tree is characterized by medium frost resistance. Lowering the temperature to -35 ° C can be detrimental to the trees of this variety, therefore, in regions with a cold climate, seedlings need shelter.
Disease and pest resistance
The Mutsu apple tree is resistant to fungal diseases. However, there is a possibility that problems such as:
- Scab... The cause of the disease is high humidity. A characteristic symptom is spotting of fruits and leaves. The scab is treated with fungicides, the infected leaves are burned in the fall, and the soil around the tree is dug up.
Scab sign - spots on fruits and leaves
- Powdery mildew... The disease can be identified by the appearance of white bloom on the leaves. For the prevention and treatment of the disease, a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid is used.
White bloom on the leaves indicates the appearance of powdery mildew.
Pests also annoy the apple tree. Chief among them is the moth. For prevention, insecticidal preparations are used.
The moth eats apple pulp
Flowering period and ripening period
The flowering period of the Mutsu apple tree begins in mid-May, when the likelihood of spring frosts is significantly reduced.
The ripening time for fruits varies from late September to early November. It depends on the climatic conditions.
Apple tree Mutsu is fast-growing. On a dwarf rootstock, it gives the first fruits already in the second year after planting, and seedlings bear fruit no earlier than 3-4 g.
The variety is characterized by a weak fruiting frequency. After a particularly fruitful year, the apple tree can "rest" for one season, that is, not bear fruit. This happens once every 5-6 years.
Mutsu apple pollinators
The Mutsu variety is characterized as self-fertile. This suggests that most of the flowers do not pollinate on their own. Therefore, for a good harvest, an apple tree needs pollinating trees. This role can be played by such varieties as Jonathan, Gala, Gloucester, Melrose, Idared.
Transportation and keeping quality
Due to the presence of a dense peel, Mutsu apples have good keeping quality and can normally be transported over long distances.
Apples tolerate transportation well
Advantages and disadvantages
The Mutsu apple tree has advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- low height on a dwarf rootstock, which makes it easier to care for the tree;
- good taste;
- hypoallergenicity of apples and the absence of dyes in their composition;
- high keeping quality and the possibility of transportation over long distances.
Minuses:
- medium frost resistance, requiring additional protection from winter cold;
- not good enough resistance to diseases and pests.
Planting and leaving
The Mutsu apple tree can be planted both in spring and autumn.
In the process of choosing Mutsu apple seedlings for planting, you should pay attention to:
- Age - one- or two-year-old specimens are considered the most suitable for planting. Age can be determined by the number of additional branches: a one-year-old shoot does not have developed branches, and a two-year-old has no more than 4 of them.
- The root system, it should be moist without mechanical damage and signs of disease
- The ground part of the shoot, which must be viable and free from dryness.
- Leafiness - healthy seedlings should have full leaf cover.
Fertile chernozem soils are more suitable for growing Mutsu apple trees. If there is no such in the garden, you can prepare the soil yourself by adding sand and peat to the clay soil, and peat and clay to the sandy soil.
The area should be level, well lit and protected from cold winds.
For planting an apple tree:
- dig a hole about 80 cm deep and about 1 m in diameter;
- cover the bottom with a layer of drainage (river pebbles, broken brick), after which a small hill is formed from a mixture of compost, wood ash, fertile soil and mineral fertilizers;
- place the seedling in the center of the hole and straighten the roots;
- the tree is covered in such a way that the root collar is 4-7 cm above the soil surface;
- the soil in the root zone is compacted;
- a small earthen roller is formed around the seedling, after which two buckets of water are poured into the resulting hole;
- the soil in the root zone is mulched, this allows it to retain moisture in it longer.
For group planting, the distance between trees should be at least 3.5 m.
The seedling hole must be deep enough
For normal growth and further fruiting of the apple tree, Mutsu should provide it with proper care: watering, feeding and pruning.
For the first time, all trees are watered in the spring before bud break. After that, seedlings that have not reached 5 years old are watered 3 times a month (except for rainy seasons), and adults - during the ovary period, before harvesting and at the end of the season before wintering.
An effective and convenient way to moisten the soil for young trees is drip irrigation, in which water is supplied directly to the root system of the seedling.
The soil in the area of the tree is loosened and weeds are removed.
To get a good harvest, the Mutsu apple tree needs to be fed:
- urea - in the spring after the end of the flowering period;
- boric acid and copper sulfate solution - in June;
- superphosphates and calcium chloride - in the second half of August;
- manure or compost - in the second half of September.
The Mutsu apple tree needs regular pruning: in the spring, damaged and dry branches are removed, and in the fall they form a crown, cutting off all incorrectly growing shoots.
For the winter, young seedlings are covered with foamed polyethylene, bags or agrotextile. The soil in the root zone is covered with a thick layer of mulch.
Collection and storage
Depending on the region of cultivation, apples are harvested in September-November.
Only plucked fruits are left for the winter. The fallen ones are better to recycle.
Ideally, store apples in wooden or plastic boxes. Before laying, the fruits are sorted out, after which they are folded into a prepared container, sprinkled with sawdust or small wood shavings.
Only plucked apples are suitable for storage
Conclusion
Due to its good taste and long shelf life, the Mutsu apple variety has won the love of gardeners in different regions of the country. With a minimum of effort, you can have delicious and aromatic apples on the table for the whole winter.
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