Due to the highest taste of the fruit and the biological characteristics of the apple Orlik varieties lead among their fellows. Moreover, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian gardeners, in countries where the species is widely cultivated, respect him for high yields and precocity.
One mature tree is enough to feed a family, but if you want to earn some extra money, you can get a couple more. So, let's start to realize the dream of an effective fruitful garden near the house. We begin, of course, with the cultivation of elite-grade apple trees Orlik.
Did you know? During storage, fruits produce ethylene, a gas-like substance that promotes the ripening of both the fruit itself and its neighbors. As a result, if apples and potatoes are piled up in the cellar, the root crop will begin to germinate. Therefore, it is better to store a separate compartment for storing apples.
Description of the Orlyk apple variety
The sweet and sour taste of apples is very harmonious and by combination is estimated at 4.5 points. Fruits are juicy, with saturated steady aroma, the small sizes. On average, the weight of one apple is in the range of 100-120 g. The fruit is also appetizing: slightly oval in shape, covered with a hard, oily skin with a waxy coating, after washing and wiping it glitters.
At the harvest stage, the fruits are yellow with a slight greenish tinge. Over time, during storage, the covering color changes to a rich yellow with a diffuse red blush spreading out over the entire surface. White points characteristic of winter varieties are clearly visible on the peel. The pulp of Orlik apples has a pleasant beige color inside and with a faint greenish tint at the edges, dense structure.
The nutritional value of the fruit is a significant amount of detected sugars (11% per 100 g), P-active substances (170 mg), pectins 12.7%, ascorbic acid (9 mg), titratable acids (3%), and also vitamin C and iron. Countrywide cultivar cultivated for the manufacture of baby food and juice.
Fruits are attached to branches by powerful fruit stems. Ripen in mid-September. Harvest neatly removed from the tree, placed in boxes and sent to storage in the cellar or refrigerator. It is characteristic that fruits can lie until March, while not changing their taste. Excellent transportability and keeping quality are the most important features of Orlik apples.
In the spring, the tree is covered with large buds of a rich pink color, which gradually changes to white as the petals open. Young apple trees are actively entering the fruiting stage, increasing the yield every year.
As a rule, on a mature tree, about 20 kg of fruit ripen in the fourth year of life, up to 70 kg in the tenth year, and Orlik increases to 120 kg in the fifteenth year. Possible periodicity in the appearance of apples.
Did you know? If you remove a wax bloom from an apple of a winter variety, it will lose the ability to protect itself from bacteria and fungi during storage.The leaves are large, ribbed, oval-shaped, dark green with a grayish tint. They have a sharp edge, a slightly rough surface and a fleecy inner side. Buds of small size, slightly flattened.
The main branches depart from the trunk with a horizontal slope, curved upwards. The bark on them is thin, gray-yellow in color. In general, the tree belongs to sredneroslye rocks, has a rounded shape, not thickened foliage. Characteristics of Orlik apple trees will be incomplete, if not to mention the sufficient winter hardiness and moderate resistance to scab.
The variety was bred about fifty years ago and belongs to the best fruit breeds obtained in the last century. Breeders of the Orel Experimental Station E. N. Sedov and T. A. Trofimova worked on it. By complexly crossing different species, scientists have created a hybrid based on the maternal characteristics of the Macintosh and Bessemyanka Michurinskaya varieties.
Then began the stage of improvement Orlik, which was delayed for a decade. As a result of the work, precociousness and high yield, endurance to low temperature conditions and pathogens were imparted to the mind. Soon, the zoned seedlings were considered elite class and allowed to state trials. Today the breed is cultivated in many countries of the Eurasian continent for private and industrial purposes.
Pros and cons varieties
Gardeners, who have already acquired the mentioned apple trees and know all the nuances of their requirements and care, were satisfied. In their reviews, they note more positive aspects of the breed, but at the same time point out its shortcomings.
The main advantages of Orlyk are:
- precocity;
- frost resistance;
- stable, high yields, which increase as apple trees grow;
- very tasty and fragrant fruits;
- good keeping quality and transportability of apples;
- compactness of trees and beautiful neighborhood with other cultures, even in a small area;
- ability to resist diseases and pests;
- unpretentious care.
Did you know? Abundant yield Orlik often provokes drooping of skeletal branches that can not withstand the weight of the fruit and break. To avoid this, you need to stock up on reliable supports.Disadvantages a little. Among them note:
- propensity to fall fruits at the stage of ripening;
- irregular fruiting;
- small sizes of apples;
- self-infertility varieties.
How to choose healthy seedlings when buying
You can buy planting material on the market, in the nursery, in the garden center, or by clicking on the seedling you like on the Internet. But let's not flatter ourselves with the simplicity of the latter option, because everything in the picture is always beautiful. This method is not for professionals and not for good hosts.
The market also disappears for the reason that there you can sell a low-quality product that does not exactly match your requirements. You cannot check whether the roots are fresh, the variety that interests you, etc.
Therefore, it is reasonable to go to the nursery or garden center for the purchase of seedlings. As a rule, in such places, when you dig a plant indicated by you, remove the foliage and process the roots with a special talker. In addition, they can help with advice.
When buying is worth special attention to the root system. The roots should be strong, solid and uniform, without any mechanical damage, sagging. Not dry, but elastic and well developed. Having made a small scratch on a healthy root, you should see white wood.
Make sure that it is not rot and moldy spots. A suitable seedling has a height of about 1.5 m, a healthy root collar and a lobe, the trunk is even, it has at least 5 skeletal branches, the bark is not torn off, all leaves are removed. Do not chase huge specimens. In practice, they turn out to be bad and difficult to survive.
For transportation, the acquisition must be prepared by wrapping the roots with a damp cloth and cellophane, and the branches are slightly tied to the trunk. If planting an apple is not planned immediately after purchase, the seedling should be prikopat or, alternatively, in preparation for transporting the roots put in a bag with a wet substrate. In this form, the tree can stand for several days.
Did you know? Orlik apple varieties start fruiting in the 4th-5th year of life.
Some nuances of planting young seedlings of apple Orlik
Many people think that the acquisition of a healthy and strong seedling gives one hundred percent guarantee for its successful rooting, and neglect the process of proper planting. Indeed, much depends on planting material, including the development of a young tree during the first 7-8 years. But still, there are some subtleties landing. Let us take advantage of the experience of those who have already checked for themselves the fallacy of the phrase "What is there to plant? Like all trees."
When is it better to plant
Apple trees are planted in both spring and autumn. Each season has its own pros and cons. Consider them.
Spring planting provides the tree with the growth and formation of strong roots and branches, which helps to winter. They start planting at the end of April - beginning of May, when the earth has already moved away from the cold and warmed up sufficiently.
Troubles are a constant need for abundant watering of the seedling in order to save its root system from drying out. In addition, before planting in the spring, the roots also need moisture. They need to be left for a day in a container with water, and during landing they should be watered until the earth ceases to absorb moisture.
Autumn plantings enable the young sapling to get used to the winter period, grow well into the soil, develop and strengthen the roots. With the arrival of spring, such a tree immediately starts to grow and grows vegetative.
Most often, the process begins in early October, so that the roots have time to get accustomed to frost. It is important to take into account the climatic features of the region. The landing should occur a maximum of two weeks before the temperature drops.
Planting time is chosen, given the age of the seedlings. Young plants that are not more than two years old are planted in the spring, and older specimens in the fall. Mature trees, in cases of need to change their place, are transplanted in general in winter, when they are already dormant. Given the cold resistance of Orlik apple trees, autumn is more suitable for planting its seedlings. 
Important! For mulching apple trees, materials that increase soil acidity, such as coniferous sawdust, are contraindicated. The mulch is scattered, departing from the trunk of 10-15 cm. Otherwise, when decomposing substances, there is a risk to infect the tree with pathogens.
How to choose and prepare a place for an apple tree
The rooting of the tree depends on the selected landing site. It is important to consider:
- Apple trees will not develop in the shade.
- The fruit tree must be protected from the northern winds and from the southern sun.
- The hybrid has a compact crown and gets along well with other trees, the distance between the trunks can be in the range of 1.5-2 m.
- On the plot under the Orlik apple tree, the location of groundwater should be no closer than 2 m.
- The soil is better chernozem and not sour. Stony and marshy areas should be avoided.
Place preparation is perhaps the most important stage. It begins a month before landing. First, make a hole, then dig a recess 70 cm with a diameter of 1 m. In this case, the top layer of fertile land is folded in one direction, and the bottom - in the other. This moment is very important, because in the future we will need the first sample.
In the center of the pit they drive in a peg about 5 cm thick. If necessary, the bottom is drained. The fertile soil is mixed with peat, humus and compost, after which the pit is filled with the mixture. Some experts advise to fill it to the top, so that in future the apple tree will not end up in the funnel when the substrate settles. Now the recess can be covered with foil and left for several weeks. During this time, the environment necessary for the roots will be formed there.
How to plant seedlings
Before planting, the seedlings are carefully inspected again, paying particular attention to the roots. It is bad if the tips at the cut brown edges. They must be cut to live. Also, do not forget to check for rot and make clay mash (if it was not). 
After the done manipulations, the planting material is lowered into the pit so that the peg is located from the south of the trunk. Then carefully straighten the rhizome and water the tree, sprinkle it on top with earth and tamp it.
By the way, a sapling during planting needs to be properly trotted to fill the voids formed between the roots. The soil is scrupulously trampled, otherwise the roots will dry out and the tree will not take root.
Important! When planting apple trees, the pegs are burned at the bottom in order to avoid the rot and reproduction of pathogenic microbes on the root system.It is worth paying attention to the root neck (the place where the bark turns from green to brown). It should rise 5 cm above the ground. If it is deepened, the tree will yield a meager harvest, if it is strongly elevated, drying will start due to lack of moisture. Experts recommend to cover this place from above, pouring a mound of earth in order to ensure water flow during irrigation.
The final stage of planting is a garter with a polyethylene or cloth tape of the barrel to the peg. With a strong wind, this nuance will help save the roots.
The best pollinators for the variety
Pollination apple Orlik occurs with the help of neighboring fruit. In order to successfully formed the ovary, next need the right pollinators. In the botanical literature, methods are described for their selection by the method of calculating the percentage of fruit sticking.
At the same time, the content of phlorizin in the bases of the columns of pollinated varieties and in pollen of a pollinator variety is taken as a basis. So, as a result of the counting, the best pollinators for Orlik were: Spartak, Lobo, March, Green May.
Some gardeners share their experience about a decent combination of varieties Kandil Orlovsky, Sunny, Stroyevskoe.
In all cases, winter varieties will be better pollinated by autumn and winter species. It is obvious that next to Orlik the Papyr is ineffective.
Some tips on caring for an Orlik apple tree
Caring for the Orlyk apple tree consists of timely watering, cutting the branches, fertilizing and preventive measures against diseases, pests and rodents. Procedures do not create additional hassle, because the variety is not very picky.
How often to water the apple tree
Illiterate watering leads to rotting of the roots, diseases and further death of the apple tree. So that this does not happen, you need to follow the rules of watering. It can be carried out by surface, ground or drip methods, as well as by sprinkling.
Surface watering organize between rows in furrows made and special channels. When using a hose, this procedure is performed around the circumference of the crown. That is, conventionally, from the longest side branches, they lower the line and draw a circle — the place where the small suction roots are concentrated.
It is necessary to be careful not to damage the root system, to make a small groove with a shovel of 10-12 cm in depth. Water is poured gradually until it is completely absorbed.
Important! In the heat, insignificant rainwater irrigation, when the soil gets wet by 5-15 cm, will only aggravate the condition of the apple tree.Sprinkling conduct fan, impulsive, pistol and other types of rainwear. The main thing is that the water comes evenly, absently, in small drops before the soil gets wet by 60-80 cm.
Advantage drip method in that water in small quantities constantly goes to the roots. In addition, this watering can be combined with a liquid top dressing, and in the heat in the morning or in the evening supplement with sprinkling, which will create a moist microclimate in the garden.
The rate of watering depends on the age of the apple trees. In the first 5 years of life, seedlings need relatively small amounts of water. They are watered much more often than mature trees. On average, one watering is necessary:
- one-year saplings - 2-3 buckets of water per 1 square meter of the circle;
- two-year-old apple trees - 4-5 buckets of water;
- 3-5 year old trees - at least 5-8 buckets of water;
- specimens that have entered the fruiting phase and adults (6-10 years old) - up to 60-100 l / sq. m
The first spring watering carried out before bud break. With a stable warm weather, seedlings and young plants up to the age of five are watered once a week in any way, observing the above norms.
Adult cultures are organized second watering after flowering in the fruit setting phase. In cases of hot weather, additional watering is necessary during the growth of apples. The lack of moisture can lead to their early shedding.
Last watering in the active phase of the growing season spend 2-3 weeks before harvest.
Protracted fall, in hot, dry weather in October, is carried out fourth preventive watering. Its main task is to protect the culture from draining and freezing in winter.
After watering necessarily spend loosening and mulching the soil in pristvolnyh circles. Loose soil contributes to the aeration of the zone of suction roots and root hairs. Mulch retards the evaporation of water and does not allow the formation of a soil crust.
Important! No need to water the apple trees during the harvest or immediately after it ends. This will provoke the growth of young sprouts that will die in winter, which severely injures the tree or leads to its death.
What to spend fertilizer apple
The time when it is necessary to feed Orlik apple trees is determined by the vegetative phases of the fruit crop.
Enhanced nutrition is necessary in the period of active development of shoots, that is, in the spring.
As a fertilizer for mature specimens, it is possible to apply re-ripened manure and nitrogen-containing mixtures. For example, from nitroammofoski and 30 g of ammonium nitrate.
During fruiting, the solution is supplemented with 140 g of superphosphate, 50 g of potassium chloride and a compost bucket. In the spring season for an impulsive increase in biomass it is necessary to make an infusion of chicken manure three times in a 50: 1 ratio.
From about mid-August to mid-September, when the growth of shoots has stopped, it is advisable to prepare the trees for winter. For this purpose, humus or mineral complexes with the label "autumn" are used.At this time, the nitrogenous feedings of the Orlyk apple tree are contraindicated, since the maturation of the wood is aggravated.
Fertilizers are applied to the holes or holes prepared in advance on the periphery. Recommended depth to 50 cm. Permissible for 1 square. m make:
- from 4 to 8 kg of various organic fertilizers, humus or compost;
- superphosphate is enough to 60 g (twice the superphosphate take 30 g);
- potash fertilizer to 40 g.
If the tree grows on acidic soil, experienced gardeners recommend every 3-4 years. neutralize acidity with lime (150-300 g per 1 sq. m). As an alternative, chalk, marl, dolomite flour and even old plaster and wood ash may be suitable.
How to prune an apple tree
The main task of pruning apple trees is to remove dead, sick, old and damaged branches, which protects the plant from diseases, improper circulation of juice and death. Also pruning contributes to the formation of the crown and gives the tree strength for abundant fruiting.
Did you know? Apple trees live from 25 to 50 years.
Removal of excess shoots is carried out annually, sometimes even twice a year. In the spring they form a crown, removing dry branches, and in the fall they cut off weak and those that do not overwinter.Autumn pruning Orlik can begin when all the foliage falls, but it is better to wait for the cold and the first snow. Then the sap movement will stop, and the tree will not suffer.
Spring cutting of branches is carried out in March or early April, during the phase of suspended animation. In young specimens, the lateral branches of the main trunk and the tip are cut at 80 cm. This is done to form the crown and strengthen the root system.
On old apple trees, sick, dry and frozen parts are being eradicated. In cases of thickening, the crown must be thinned so that the branches do not create a shadow for each other.
After work, the sections are closed with a garden pitch. It is appropriate to wrap large wounds with polyethylene and fasten with tape. After adapting the culture, all constructions are removed. 
Fruit ripening and storage time
The ripening of Orlik apples does not begin until September. Features of climatic conditions may make minor adjustments to the timing of harvesting. It is important to have time before the massive shedding of the fruit and properly remove them from the tree. To do this, use special tools that with the ground without harm get apples, even from the upper branches.
It is advisable to collect the fruits of winter varieties together with the stem, because its presence prolongs the period of preservation of the fruit, preventing bacteria and fungi from it. First, work with the lower branches, and then get to the top.
It is important to take care not to damage the peel in the process and not to leave dents and scratches on it. Damaged specimens should be sent for recycling, as well as crumbling, overripe and wormy. They are suitable for use both in fresh form and for the preparation of various home-made preparations.
Do not shake the tree. Fruits should not be thrown into the basket - they deteriorate when struck.
Important! For harvesting choose dry cool weather.
Before storing apples, make sure that the whole and undamaged fruits or pests go to the cellar. So that they lay down until spring, they are placed in plywood or wooden boxes, having previously wrapped each piece of paper with a piece of paper.Before storage, some housewives are advised to treat the place of the ovary and stem, as well as storage tanks and racks in the basement with alcohol or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. To manipulate apples need to be careful not to remove the wax coating.
The ideal temperature for storing apples is + 1 ... +3 degrees, which contributes to the minimum release of ethylene from the fruit. Humidity in the range of 85-95%. If it is lower, so that the fruits do not wrinkle, you can soak the wrapping paper with oil. Be prepared that the skin will become oily.
The walls in the cellar are treated with lime in advance and provide good ventilation. To avoid sudden changes in temperature in the winter, the basement is warmed.
Also, for storage, apples can be filled with wet sand, packaged in plastic bags and tied or poured with sawdust in boxes.
Prevention and protection against pests and diseases
Despite Orlyk's endurance to diseases and pests, with illiterate farming techniques, the threat to the variety is created cytosporosis, powdery mildew and scab.
The appearance of cytosporosis provokes a fungus that settles on the bark. Recognize the disease can be on dark spots. The danger is that the disease is actively spreading, seizing the entire surface of the trunk, and killing a tree. This process begins with falling off the bark and falling off the branches. The causative agent can start in poor-quality soil, as well as in the absence of mineral dressing and watering, or in cases of excessive watering. 
Treatment must begin immediately at the first sign. To this end, the bark is treated with the "Hom". The solution is prepared at the rate of 40 g of the drug per 10 liters of water. The first spraying is desirable to hold before the opening of the kidneys. During flowering, the next therapeutic step is carried out - the crown and trunk are treated with a solution of copper sulfate in the proportion of 50 g per 10 liters of water. The third spraying is done again with "Home".
Mealy dew also occurs as a result of the appearance of fungi. It affects all parts of the plant that are involved in fruiting. First, the disease is manifested by white bloom, resembling powdery cereals. Inexperienced lovers of fruit trees can take it for dust. Over time, the disease worsens, the bloom turns brown, black dots form on it. The foliage dries and falls, the fruits are not tied. 
For prophylactic purposes, the apple tree is sprayed with "Skor" in the spring, and after flowering with copper chlorine. After harvesting, the crown is treated with a liquid soap or copper sulphate.
Did you know? As a preventive measure against diseases and pests can be processed apple pepper and mustard infusions.Scab rarely occurs as a result of the activity of fungi. Symptoms are brown bloom on the leaves, after which they dry and fly around. Can damage the fruit - cracks and gray-black spots appear on apples. In this case, it is necessary to collect the infected parts, including fruit, and burn outside the garden.
The tree is cut from scab in the spring when leaves appear. To do this, and from a preventive point of view, the tree is treated with a solution of "Topaz". After flowering, the procedure is repeated with the preparations “Chom” or “Colloidal sulfur”.
The best prevention is still the right care for the culture. Do not forget to remove the fallen leaves from the garden in the fall with a rake, in order not to create conditions favorable for the parasites.
In winter, fruit rodents are harmful. In order that they do not nibble the bark, tree trunks are wrapped with a roof up to a height of 50 cm, thick mesh or sacking. You can also scare hares with branches of conifers.
