Apple "Melba" is one of the oldest varieties among modern apple trees. It was bred at the end of the nineteenth century in the state of Ottawa.
Did you know? The tree owes its name to the famous opera singer from Australia, whose admirers of art were apparently Canadian breeders.
The apple tree is spread almost all over the world, among the countries of the former USSR it is very popular in the southern regions of Russia, in Ukraine and Belarus.
Apple "Melba": description of the variety
Apple tree varieties "Melba" When describing it, attention is drawn to the quality of the fruit. They can be quite large, up to 150 g, have a rounded shape, extending to the base, and a nice glossy shade. A characteristic feature of these apples is some ribbing of their surface. The color of the fruit is light green, later - yellowish, with a striped red "side" and white subcutaneous specks. The flesh is juicy, snow-white. The taste of Melba apple is sweetish with pleasant sourness and distinct taste and smell of sweets, which allows them to be an excellent raw material for jams, jams and various compotes.
Melba apples are very rich in ascorbic acid, which is a powerful immunostimulant, especially necessary for the prevention of respiratory diseases. Also in the fruits of this apple there are pectin substances that stabilize the redox processes in the body. Apple "Melba" has an average tree height. Kolonovidnoe in the first years of life, in the future, the tree expands and takes the form of a ball.
Young bark cherry color in an adult tree - brown. The leaves are oval, slightly elongated and curved. The flowers are very beautiful, white and pink, in a bud - with a purple tinge, petals are overlapped.
Apple harvest begins to give, depending on climate and weather, from the second half of August to mid-September. For long-term savings, it is better to remove the apples unripe and store in the refrigerator or in the cellar.
Apple tree shows a rather high skoroplodnost. Good care allows you to start harvesting for 3-4 years after planting. While the apple tree is young, it gives up to 85 kg of the crop annually, however, "periods of rest" begin to appear with age.
"Melba" does not have good winter hardiness and may suffer in extreme cold. Also, this apple variety is quite susceptible to scab.
Varieties and varieties based on "Melby"
There are more than 20 varieties of apples, bred with the participation of "Melby". Some of them are superior to their “ancestor” both in resistance to scab and severe frost, and in size and taste of fruits.
So, in the North-West of Russia, Red Melba and Melba's Daughter are quite common.
Multistage selection, in which, apart from Melba, the apple tree "Autumn Joy", Pepin Saffron, Bellefle-Chita, and Purple Ranetka, allowed in 1958 to bring out the famous cherished variety, characterized by cold resistance and high immunity to diseases and pests.
American breeders on the basis of Melba bred Apple Prima, thanks to the Vf gene is practically not prone to scab.
Caravel is a Canadian apple variety, also owes its appearance to Melbe. It is winter-hardy, differs in more harmonious taste of fruits and their earlier ripening.
Finally, Early Aloe Vera and Red Aloe Vera are varieties bred by Russian breeders of the VNIIS named after IV Michurin (Papirova participated in the creation of the first, except Melba, Papirovka took part, the second - Spring variety).
Apple "Melba": features of landing
Apple trees are long-lived trees. Normal life expectancy for them is 70-80 years.
Did you know? Legend says that an apple tree, planted in 1647, grows and even bears fruit in Manhattan.
However, in order for a tree to live for so long, you need to know how and where to plant it and how to care for it.
Apple "Melba", like other types of apple trees, can be planted either in the fall, after the foliage falls, or in the spring, before bud break. However, in both cases it is important not to be late.
It is believed that planting a tree in the fall is more preferable, since in this case the roots of the seedling, which are inevitably damaged by digging, have time to recover during the winter, and by spring the tree can already provide itself with nutrients.
However, if the temperature in the region in winter falls below -20 °, it is better to give preference to spring planting of an apple tree.
"How to plant an apple tree in spring Melba?" - an important question. This should be done as soon as possible, while special attention should be paid to constant and abundant wateringas drying can slow down the growth of a seedling and increase its susceptibility to pests and diseases.
Choosing a landing site
Since the apple tree "Melba" is quite sensitive to severe frosts, consider the particular climate in your region before dwelling on this variety.
When choosing a place for planting, keep in mind that there should be no ground water near the surface, otherwise in the spring they will wash up the roots of the seedling, the tree will start to rot and will die in speed. To avoid this danger, use natural hills for planting apple trees. If this is not possible, try to remove excess moisture using artificially dug channels.
What should be the soil for planting
The soil with a predominant content of clay and a significant amount of sand is best suited for this variety of apple trees, since it is sand that provides oxygen access to the root system. If the natural soil in the intended place for planting does not meet the specified requirement, it is necessary to pour sand, then peat crumb, followed by a layer of compost at the bottom of the hole dug for Melba apple seedlings. In this soil, the tree is less sick and gives a high yield.
Apple planting technology
In order for the crown of the apple tree to have enough space for growth and illumination, for normal flowering and ripening of fruits, the distance between the seedlings should be from 3 to 8 m. 
The pit for planting is prepared in advance. It should be about a meter in diameter and 70-80 cm deep, depending on the root system of a particular seedling. At the bottom of the pit immediately laid cans and walnut shells. Excavated land is divided into two parts - the lower layer and the upper fertile.
Planting apple tree should be in 1-2 weeks. First, the lower layer of soil is poured into the pit, then - the upper one, fertilized with peat and humus. Do not forget to lightly trample down the pit when falling asleep.
If the seedling is very small, you can dig a stick or other support into the ground with it, to which you can later tie a tree to protect it from strong gusts of wind.
Immediately after planting, the tree should be poured abundantly with water.
Features of watering, feeding and care for the soil
For the health and good harvest of Melba's apple trees, she needs to ensure adherence to planting and proper care.
As early as next spring, after planting, it is necessary twice - after the buds swell and just before the blooming of the buds - to spray the tree with preparations that help protect the plant from insects.
Feed a properly planted apple tree to start with 3 years. It is best to use organic fertilizers - manure or humus. Ash, white leaves and dried grass are also well suited for top dressing, which are placed directly on the ground around the tree trunk.
In the fall and spring, it is imperative to dig the ground near the apple tree to ensure the access of oxygen and fertilizers to its roots. Whitewashing an apple tree in the middle of autumn will protect it from pests and various diseases. You need to water the apple tree regularly and very abundantly, especially in the first summer after planting.
How to cut an apple tree correctly, the formation of a crown
It is very important to form the crown of a tree by proper pruning, this is the key to a high yield.
Important! It is necessary to prune both old and young trees!
In early spring, the apple tree should be carefully inspected, remove the old branches and slightly shorten all the rest. It stimulates the growth of the tree. The best fruits are borne by young branches, so do not be afraid to cut too much. Too thick greens and overloading the tree with unnecessary fruits is the enemy of the harvest!
In the absence of the young seedlings side shoots should be cut at a height of one meter from the ground. Side shoots are cut at a height of 0.5 m. Be sure to remove the branches that can not withstand the severity of apples - all that grows at an acute angle from the trunk. In subsequent years, the principle of pruning is observed the same: you need to form the skeleton of a tree, leaving the strongest shoots so that they form the widest possible angle with the trunk. The lower branches can be cut, leaving about 30 cm, the top - even stronger. The main trunk should be 15-20 cm higher than the lateral shoots. After the apple tree reaches 5 years of age, the intensity of pruning should be reduced, otherwise the tree can greatly slow down growth.
Important! A good harvest can bring only a tree that has a well-groomed and compact crown, in which all branches are provided with enough space and light!
Apple "Melba": the pros and cons of the variety
The apple tree of this variety has a good reputation among modern gardeners. Among its advantages are the early term of ripening and high yield. Apples of this variety, in addition to excellent taste and high content of vitamins and trace elements in them, have an excellent presentation, adequately tolerate transportation and are well preserved.
Among the shortcomings of this variety should be allocated low tolerance of frost and a tendency to infection with scab. In addition, the Melba apple tree is poorly adapted to self-pollination, and also tends not to bear fruit every year, all of this refers to the minus varieties.
How to prepare an apple tree for winter
The low frost resistance of the Melba apple tree dictates special requirements for preparing the tree for winter. By wrapping the trunk of an apple tree with agrofibre, burlap or some other cloth, you can help the apple tree survive the cold and protect it from mice and rabbits. It is necessary to avoid using for this purpose a fabric of dark colors, otherwise at times of thaw the bark of the apple tree may subside.
When a large amount of snow falls, it can be podgresti to the trunk of an apple tree in the form of a snowdrift, which, on the one hand, warms the tree, on the other - guarantees natural watering in spring.
In the case of a thaw, the melted snow may form an ice crust around the apple tree, which in no case should be allowed, otherwise the tree may die due to lack of oxygen in the root system. Apple "Melba" - a great variety for growing in the garden. With good care, it will provide you with a bountiful harvest for many years.
