Among the different varieties of apple trees, colonized species are distinguished by their special attractiveness and beauty. Moreover, such trees bring a rich harvest, and since the variety variety of apple trees is large enough, they will easily please summer residents not only delicious (the taste may be different for different varieties), but also beautiful multi-colored fruits. All columnar apple trees (it does not matter if you chose seedlings for the middle band or for Siberia) have one vertical stem, around which by the autumn fruit formations are strewn, covered with colored fruits. In this article, we will pay attention to the varieties of apple-tree columnar intended specifically for cultivation in Siberia, since the climate in this area differs significantly from other regions, which means that the plants here grow unusual.
Kolonovidnye apple: varieties for Siberia
All varieties of columnar apple trees have a high level of precociation. Some of them may bloom in the first year after planting (for example, Maluha, Iksha, Barguzin, etc.).
Important! In the first year after planting, it is inappropriate to leave the harvest, because if the tree gives all the power to form the fruits now, next year you may not wait for the harvest. Active fruiting of columnar apples does not exceed eight years.It should also be noted that most of the varieties are medium-sized varieties of culture, which begin to actively bear fruit only by the 3-4th year after disembarking to a permanent place of growth. In varieties of late ripening, fruits are formed only in the 6th year after planting.
As for the columnar apple trees grown in Siberia, the number of their varieties increases every year. The average lifespan of plants with active fruiting phases most often does not exceed 12 years, and to the best varieties with high rates of winter hardiness should include such: "Senator", "Ostankino", "Vasyugan", "President", "Triumph", "Arbat", "Currency", "Dialogue", "Medoc", "Gene", "Chervonets", "Sparkling", " Renet Mazherova, Iksha, Elite and others. The increased level of winter hardiness from the listed varieties is distinguished by "Iksha" (up to -40 ° C), "Vasyugan", "President".Particularities of planting of columnar apple trees in Siberia
Since the climate in such harsh areas is difficult to call familiar to most areas of the country, then growing fruit trees for Siberia is a delicate matter and requires compliance with certain rules of planting and care.
Selection of seedlings for planting
The first step towards successful cultivation of columnar apple trees in Siberia is the selection of good, viable seedlings (better than one-year old).
It will be better if you go to the garden center or nursery for planting materials, as when buying seedlings on the market or in other places there is a serious likelihood of purchasing summer varieties instead of autumn ones.
Also, you can sell a low-quality copy or even a different culture.
In order not to be mistaken in your choice and purchase truly high-quality seedlings of a columnar apple, we recommend that you follow the following rules:
- Buy only planting material with a tag with the specified age and plant variety (you can additionally ask the seller for written confirmation of the zoning of the seedling, its fruiting period, winter hardiness, resistance to diseases and pests, etc.).
- Pay attention to the type of root system (open or closed). When buying seedlings directly in the nursery, it is better to give preference to the closed root system. Such planting material has a longer shelf life before landing in the ground, and a high percentage of survival rate when placed at a permanent place of growth. Also pay attention to the container itself: you need to determine whether the sapling grew in it from the very beginning or was transplanted into a container before sale. In the latter case, the apple tree will be easily removed from the container, and with high probability it will not be able to take root in the new place.
If you came to a nursery for a sapling, ask them to dig a selected plant with you, having carefully examined it. Sapling of the columnar apple should not have any mechanical damage to the root or bark, otherwise planting and subsequent care of the plant will not bring the expected result, and it does not matter whether you are in Siberia or in the more southern region.- If the plant is grafted, then carefully inspect it (the fragility of the rootstock and the scion can cause damage to the junction). The stock deserves special attention.
- If by the appearance of a sapling it is noticeable that it was specially prepared for sale, then be sure to check the root system. Good seedling roots should be resilient, resilient and not have any knobbly nodules. When removing the bark from the root, the fabric under it should be lively and white. There should be no sign of drying on the bark of the plant.
- In the annual seedlings, which should be preferred, there are no side branches. Their trunk is usually 6–7 cm in length, and there are at least 5–6 buds on it.
If you came to a nursery for a sapling, ask them to dig a selected plant with you, having carefully examined it. Sapling of the columnar apple should not have any mechanical damage to the root or bark, otherwise planting and subsequent care of the plant will not bring the expected result, and it does not matter whether you are in Siberia or in the more southern region.Important! When transporting planting material to the landing site and right up until planting, the roots of the plant must remain constantly wet. To do this, they are wrapped in a damp cloth and film. Before planting, lower the seedlings with a rhizome into a bucket with a root formation stimulator, leaving them at night.
Choosing a place in the Siberian garden
The best varieties of columnar apples for Siberia and other regions of the country need to create certain conditions for their growth. 
However, first of all, you should choose the right place for planting acquired seedlings. Since all representatives of the apple tree of this type have a weak branching root system, it is logical that fertile grounds with a high moisture capacity and a good level of water and air permeability will be ideal for planting.
On heavy clay soils in the landing pit requires a good drainage layer. To create a garden of columnar apple varieties, it is better to select areas with high groundwater levels (at least two meters from the soil surface).
Crown-shaped apple trees cannot grow and develop well in the shade and with strong gusts of wind, which means that the chosen area should be sunny and protected from the prevailing wind corridors.
How to plant a columnar apple in Siberia: technology and planting scheme
When planting apple trees in Siberia, the process of planting itself and subsequent care is somewhat different from similar actions in warmer climatic zones. Nevertheless, these apple trees in any case do not take up much space, and they are planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other, keeping at least a meter of free space between the rows. 
In regions with a harsh climate, it is better to land with the arrival of spring., because during the autumn planting of a sapling there is a possibility that he simply will not survive the harsh winter. As for the planting pit itself, it is prepared from the fall, selecting the size, based on the size of the seedling rhizome (all roots should be freely placed in it, without kinks and cracks).
At the bottom of the pit it is necessary to put fertilizer in the form of several handfuls of humus or compost. It is better not to use mineral feedings yet, because the root system of apple trees is so weak that it can not cope with them, and the seedling will die.
In the autumn preparation of the pit, you can use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, only in this case the dosage should be 10 times lower. The exact amount of fertilizer can be found in the instructions on the package. On average, one young tree has about two tablespoons of the composition. Also, do not forget about the benefits of peat deposited in the planting pit or humus in the event that your columnar apple will have to grow on very lean soils.
As soon as the preparatory stage is successfully completed, and it gets a little warmer on the street, you can proceed to the direct planting of a seed-bearing apple tree in the ground. Agrotechnology planting plants is quite simple, although there are still some points that should not be forgotten.
For example, before planting an apple tree, make sure that the roots of the seedlings are not dried. If this is not the case, then the rhizome should be placed in water for 10 hours. This procedure is also carried out in the case when the bark of the seedling is wrinkled. If everything is normal, then the seedling is placed in a prepared pit, the roots are straightened and tied to a peg driven into the center, after which you can begin to fill the pit.
There are several main nuances that should be considered not only when choosing apple seedlings, but also when planting and further care, in particular in Siberia. So, it is necessary to cut off the roots of a seedling before placing it in the planting pit. This procedure will help the plant to settle down faster in a new place.
Once the seedling is in the pit and you gently straighten the roots, sprinkle the rhizome with soil and lightly tamp so that there are no voids around the plant, then pour plenty of water on it. Next, you need to level the ground (fill the hole, leaving the root neck of the apple tree above) and thrash the tree trunk with grass, which will help to retain moisture better.
Important! After planting a columnar apple, abundant watering is especially important, which is carried out until the very autumn. Nevertheless, if the planting of a tree was carried out in an already rainy period, the introduction of fluid into the soil should be reduced or completely eliminated.When planting several trees at once, always adhere to a specific pattern of their placement, according to which the distance between adjacent saplings should not be less than 1 m. The amount of resulting crop depends on the accuracy of following this rule.
It is necessary to carry out the procedure of planting of apple-shaped apple trees extremely carefully, otherwise damage to the root system will have a detrimental effect on the viability of the tree.Rules for the care of columnar apple trees in Siberia
We considered which apple trees to plant in Siberia and how to do it correctly, it remains to determine the right care for them. There are several basic requirements for watering, feeding, pruning a tree, as well as the process of controlling its pests and diseases.
How to water the fruit plants
The juiciness of the pulp of the fruit of the tree is largely determined by the quality of watering, so when caring for apple trees (not only in Siberia, but also in other regions), it is so important that the tree receives enough moisture during the growing season. When performing individual watering, it is better to form low sides (no more than 2 cm) that will help retain moisture.
Every apple tree should have at least 1-2 buckets of water, after using which the soil in the tree circle should be mulched with dry grass. The need to perform the next irrigation is determined based on the depth of drying of the soil. So, if the soil had time to dry 4-5 cm deep, it means that the plant needs another portion of moisture.
If an irrigation system is used for irrigation, the procedure is performed between rows. In the dry season, columnar apples respond well to irrigation, which is carried out in the morning or in the evening, after sunset. On light soils, watering is performed about 2-3 times a week.
Top dressing of Apple
First feeding Colonoid apple trees are carried out when planting a seedling, when fertilizers mixed with soil are placed at the bottom of the pit. With the arrival of summer, about a month after planting a young tree, the plants are fed again, using a solution of urea (50 g of the substance must be taken in a bucket of water), and the plant is watered at the root.
Important! Experienced gardeners do not recommend using more than two liters of such a tool for each individual plant, and after fertilizing it is necessary to irrigate immediately.Second feeding spend two weeks after the first, and the third, respectively, two weeks after the previous one. Only one urea solution can be used as a fertilizer, because this fertilizer will be more than enough for normal growth and development of the plant.
Features pruning Apple-shaped in Siberia
Pruning apple trees in Siberia is another important aspect in the care of such plants. Taking into account the unique structure of the crown of these apples, they practically do not need pruning, and most often gardeners simply cut off dying and damaged branches (affected by pests or frosts). If the apple tree is overgrown with young shoots, it is also better to cut them, using the extra parts for grafting new bushes. 
Experienced gardeners know for sure when in Siberia it is necessary to prune apple trees (usually in early spring), but when cultivating colonic species in such harsh regions where there is always a risk of freezing tops of trunks, they are not just shortened, but cut to the next strong escape. Due to the fact that only one of the most developed shoots remains, the trunk of an apple tree will be only one. Replacing shoots grow very quickly and soon begin to bear fruit abundantly.
Did you know? With proper care of the tree, such an apple tree will grow for about 20 years, delighting you with a rich harvest, and from the very first year of growth.Despite the fact that when grown in Siberia, a sufficiently large part of the crown will die off all the time, the apple tree itself is fully capable of continuing its development after appropriate pruning.
Major pests and diseases of the columnar apple
Like other types of apple trees, columnar trees are not able to resist pests on their own, which is why gardeners have to spray the crown with special preparations even when insect damage is not strong. At the same time, it is impossible not to note the fact that the columnar varieties have a higher level of resistance to pests and diseases, therefore, it is easier to deal with them than when growing ordinary varieties of these fruit trees.
In the epiphytotic years, a massive invasion of pests of buds, aphids and tsvetoedov can cause significant damage to the crop. Protection against this scourge involves the use of the same measures as in ordinary apple orchards: spring treatment with special preparations, collection and burning of the foliage and branches remaining after the winter, etc.
Colonoid apple trees and insecticide plants (for example, lemon balm, dill, marigold or calendula) protect well, especially since their planting will not only help to solve this problem, but also help decorate the garden.
How to protect the apple tree from frost
No matter how cold-resistant apple trees for Siberia you have planted on your plot, in particularly frosty winters there is a possibility of freezing of the top bud on the central shoot.
To prevent this trouble, the sapling tree is covered on top with several layers of sackcloth, spunbond or any other insulating material.
With the advent of winter, mice and hares may start in your garden, which often gnaw the bark of trees. You can protect your columnar apple trees from their attention by simply wrapping the trunk with a net-rabbit, prikopav it in the ground by 2-3 cm (only very carefully, so as not to damage the root).
After each snowfall, gently seal the snow around the trunk of the tree, which will also help block the way for rodents.
Important! Since the bark of the columnar apple is very fragile, then, trampling the snow, try not to lean on the surface with the whole mass, as you can damage the roots.In general, the process of planting and further care of the columnar apple trees in the harsh Siberian regions is slightly different from their cultivation in warmer climatic zones. The main condition is attention and strict adherence to all agrotechnical requirements.
