Ligol Apple

Ligol Apple (Malus domestica Ligol) – a winter cultivar of the domestic apple (Malus domestica). Obtained at the Polish Institute of Horticulture and Floriculture (Skierniewice) in 1972 from a cross between the varieties Linda and Golden Delicious.

It is a medium-sized tree, reaching 3.5 m at 10 years, with a broad-pyramidal crown of medium density. Branches are set to the trunk at an angle of 60 – 85 degrees. Type of fruiting – mixed.

Blooms in mid-season, over 7–10 days. Has a high tendency to produce shoots. Shoot growth ends in late July — early August. Leaves fall from the tree in late October — early November. The variety is self-sterile.

Begins to bear fruit in the 3rd–4th year after planting. The yield of the variety is very high. Ten-year-old trees can produce 15.5 t/ha of fruit. There is a tendency to alternate bearing. Fruits are highly marketable, large and very large, weighing 250–400 g, uniform in size, of regular round-conical shape, with ribbing near the calyx and a lateral seam. The calyx is not large, the sepals are tightly closed, sometimes the calyx is semi-open. The basin is straight, medium-deep, heavily russeted. The peduncle is short, does not extend beyond the basin, thickened at the top. The skin is smooth, dense, glossy. Ground color is greenish-yellow, with a red blush over almost the entire surface of the fruit. Numerous subcutaneous dots are light and well visible. Fruit appearance rating — 4.8 points. The flesh is creamy or light yellow, dense, fine-grained, crisp, fracturing, extremely juicy, aromatic, of excellent sweet taste with a slight acidity. Tasting score – 4.6 points. Picking maturity occurs at the end of September, consumer maturity in January. Stored in refrigeration up to 6 months.

Pollinators: Champion, Idared, Spartan, Gloster, Golden Delicious, Vitos, Champion Arno, Gold Rush, Fuji, Elstar, Lobo, McIntosh

Hardiness zone: 4 (-31°C).

Location: prefers sunny, sheltered from wind sites. Does not tolerate waterlogged or very dry spots. Groundwater should lie no closer than 2.5 m from the surface. Not demanding to soil, but prefers fertile, fresh soils.

Planting: Seedlings are preferably planted in spring before bud break or in autumn 1–1.5 months before frosts. The planting pit should be at least 80x80x100 cm; spacing between seedlings should be calculated depending on the crown size at maturity (at least 5–6 m). Fill the seedling with a soil mixture consisting of leaf soil, humus and sand in the ratio 1:3:2; you can also add a little peat and granular double superphosphate (250–300 g per planting pit).

Diseases: immune to powdery mildew and scab. May be susceptible to bacterial fire blight.

Pests: hawthorn circular moth, hawthorn moth, brown fruit mite, upper-surface fruit moth, apple blossom weevil, oriental fruit moth, pear sawfly, pear tube borer, oak-leaf silkworm moth, sapwood borer, western bark beetle, green apple aphid, winter moth, kazarka, ringed silkworm moth, red-gall apple aphid, red apple mite, blood aphid, leaf-mining moth, gypsy moth, common pear psylla, fruit moth, fruit and subcortical leafroller, striped geometer moth, rowan moth, currant leafroller, blue-headed owlet moth, fruit striped moth, apple spot-like scale, leafhopper, apple moth, apple moth and leafroller, apple fruit borer, apple clearwing, apple-plantain aphid, apple sawfly.

Care: In the second year after planting it is necessary to apply a complete mineral fertilizer (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium). In winter, protection from freezing and rodents is necessary. Whitewashing of apples is applied in the 5th–6th year after planting the seedling. In the spring-summer period ensure nitrogen fertilization and moderate watering. Feed the apple after flowering, then after fruitlet drop, and the last feeding at the end of August – beginning of September.

Pruning: the variety is suitable for spindle-shaped crown pruning.

Propagation: propagated by grafting onto rootstocks.

Usage: the variety is valued for its high fruit flavor quality and attractive appearance. Fruits are consumed fresh and used in cooking for compotes, kissels, jams, preserves, mousses, jellies, and for juice production. Transportability is high.