One of the most unusual and popular varieties of peach trees are fig varieties. All of them have fruits of an unusual, flattened shape, and excellent taste. We will find out what varieties of fig peach are, and what conditions are needed for its cultivation.
Selection history
Fig peach has been known to Europeans since the 19th century - it was brought here by missionaries from China. A little later, an unusual fruit came to Russia - from the end of the 19th century, they began to grow it in the southern regions.
There is a misconception that fig peach is a hybrid. In fact, this is a separate species, originating from wild Chinese varieties. China is the birthplace of fig peach.
What makes fig peach unique?
Fig peach has a unique chemical composition, due to which it has a powerful preventive effect. In this low-calorie fruit, even the smell is useful - it weakens the depressive state.
Fruit Composition:
- Organic acids.
- Essential oils.
- Pectin.
- Micro and macro elements (potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, chlorine, copper, iron, zinc, fluorine, chromium, manganese).
- Vitamins:
- C - strengthens the immune system;
- H - participates in carbohydrate metabolism;
- E - has an antioxidant effect, is involved in cell regeneration;
- K - promotes liver function, strengthens capillaries;
- beta-carotene - is a preventive measure of cancer;
- B vitamins - normalize the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, strengthen immunity, improve bowel function and emotional state.
Calorie fig peaches: 100 g - 60 kcal. 100 g of peaches contain:
- protein - 1 g;
- carbohydrates - 14 g;
- fat - 0 g.
Fig peaches are contraindicated for diabetics and those who are allergic to the fruits of Pink.
General description of the variety
Fig peach is easy to recognize by its unusual shape. Unlike other varieties of peaches, it does not have spherical, but flattened fruits, similar to either figs or turnips. This peach with figs has no botanical affinity, but it has many interesting and memorable names - Ferghana, dish, Chinese turnip.
In some European countries, fig peach is called a "donut" - for a round recess remaining in the middle of the fruit after removal of the seed.
Short botanical description:
- Wood. It reaches a height of 5 m. The crown is spreading.
- Leaves. Lanceolate. The upper surface is dark green, the lower is grayish.
- Flowers. The petals are pale pink. They look like rose hips in appearance.
- Fruit. Flat shape. The peel is not as fluffy as ordinary peaches. The bone is small. The color depends on the variety, there are fruits in yellow and orange shades. Everyone has a red blush. Weight - 100-200 g. Diameter - up to 7 cm.
Fig peaches have important advantages over regular ones:
- For ordinary peaches, the flesh, the closer to the stone, the less saturated its taste. Fig varieties do not have this - the taste is the same in any part of the fruit.
- It has greater frost resistance.
- The bone is smaller - only 3-4 g.
Where do fig peaches grow?
This fruit tree is actively grown in the West of China, in Central Asia, in the Caucasus, as well as in the eastern regions of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan - and in other Asian republics of the former USSR.
What are the varieties?
All subspecies of fig peach are not only similar in shape and size, but also in agrotechnical characteristics, they are frost-resistant and tolerate return frosts well. We learn about the features of several of the most popular varieties.
UFO-3
Early ripening grade. The weight of the fruit is 100-120 g. The pulp is white. Almost the entire fruit is covered with a red blush, only in some places a delicate yellow color is visible. Pubescence is very weak. The variety is winter-hardy, fruits are resistant to cracking. Belongs to industrial grades. On the palate - honey notes.
The gardener provided a video review of Ufa-3 fig peaches:
Nikitsky
This variety is considered the best for Russia. Suitable for harsh climate. Fruits are reddish shades, the flesh is cream. Weight - 120 g.
Vladimir
A variety resistant to most peach diseases. Crohn is medium spread. The variety is resistant to frost. The color is pale yellow, the sides are red. Weight - 180 g.
Sweet Cap
A feature of this variety is early ripening. Fruits appear for 3-4 years. Fruiting - mid-August. Ripening is friendly. The taste is sweet and sour. The skin color is burgundy, the flesh is tender, white. Weight - 150 g.
Saturn
The plant is spreading, very beautiful, especially during flowering. The fruits are not very large - up to 100 g. Ripening, the fruits turn yellow, a light pink blush appears on the sides. The variety is frost-resistant, the fruits are well transported. This is one of the most popular varieties among gardeners.
An overview of Saturn fig peach can be seen in the video below:
Peach Column-shaped "Fig"
Trees are low, with cylindrical crowns. The tree looks decorative. Fruits early. The fruits are deep red. Weight - 150 g.
Belmondo
The tree is low, the crown is sprawling. Blooms later than other varieties. Ripening is the second half of August. Very good dessert flavor. Yellow fruits are decorated with a red blush. Weight - 120-140 g. Taste - tender, flesh - juicy.
How to plant a tree?
The health of the future tree, its productivity and longevity depend on the correct planting of fig peach, and on the quality of the planting material.
Site selection and soil preparation
Peach, like most fruit trees, is moody, therefore, choosing a place for planting, we must take into account its preferences. Site Requirements:
- The optimal soil is chernozems and loams.
- Good sunshine. Shadow from other trees should not fall.
- Protection from the winds.
- South side of the garden.
- Low level of groundwater occurrence - not less than 3 m.
If a shadow falls on a peach tree, its fruits will be tasteless, or they may not exist at all.
Soil is prepared in the fall - manure is introduced, and then it is covered with soil, a layer of 20 cm. There are two options for planting:
- Spring. In this case, a pit for a seedling is prepared in the fall. Disembarkation is made in March.
- Autumn. A pit is prepared 2-3 weeks before planting. A seedling is planted in late September or early October.
In regions with a warm climate, peaches are planted in the fall, with more severe ones in the spring.
It is not recommended to plant peach in areas where strawberries, melons and solanaceae grew. The place will be suitable for peach planting only after 4 years, otherwise the tree risks falling ill with verticillosis.
The choice of seedling and its preparation for planting
When purchasing a seedling, pay attention to a number of features:
- Region of acclimatization. You need to choose varieties zoned in the area.
- The root system should not have defects - dry or rotten roots.
- Age - 1 year.
Pinch off a small piece of bark - on the reverse side it should have a green tint, this is a sign of a healthy seedling.
Peach seedlings are prepared for planting just like any other peach seedlings - a few hours before planting, roots are placed in water. If desired, a growth stimulator is added to the water. If the seedlings were bought in the fall, and the planting is scheduled for spring, they are "canned" - by placing the roots in moist sawdust or another medium, they are wrapped in plastic wrap. They are stored dug in the ground, or in the basement, shed, on the balcony.
Step-by-step landing
Planting seedlings of fig peach:
- Dig a small hole. Width - about 40 cm, depth - 55-60 cm.
- If you plant several seedlings, make spaces of at least 5 m between adjacent pits.
- Mix the fertile layer with fertilizers:
- manure, humus or compost - 2 buckets;
- superphosphate - 150-200 g;
- potassium - 100 g;
- wood ash - 800 g.
- Pour the resulting fertile mixture into a pit. Sprinkle it on the ground and lower the seedling.
- Sprinkle the roots of the seedling with earth. At the same time, shake it from time to time - so that voids do not form between the roots.
- The root neck should be 3-5 cm above the ground.
- Pour the seedling with water - 2-3 buckets are enough.
- When the water is absorbed, sprinkle the trunk circle with mulch - a layer of 5-10 cm. Read more about proper soil mulching here.
- If planting is done in autumn, then wrap the seedling with agrofibre - to protect it from frost and rodents.
Growing Fig Peach
If the peach is planted in autumn, care is delayed until spring. When spring planting, they start it immediately. The seedling needs standard care - it must be regularly watered, fed, treated with fungicides and insecticides. It is also important to loosen the soil in time and remove weed vegetation in the near-stem circle.
Top dressing
Fig peach is recommended to be fed according to this scheme:
- In the spring, urea is introduced under each tree - 50 g, and ammonium nitrate - 75 g.
- In the fall, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are applied - 50 g and 40 g, respectively.
- Periodically - every 2-3 years, under peach trees make 10 kg of humus or manure - for autumn digging.
Watering
Fig peach is very hygrophilous. It is not necessary to sting water for him. In summer, during the heat, a tree is watered every two weeks - 20-25 liters of water. It should be slightly warmed up in the sun - pouring peach with cold water is not recommended.
Cropping and shaping the crown
In order for large and sweet peaches to ripen on the tree, each leaf of the tree must receive sunlight. To do this, gardeners regularly prune:
- Formative. To make the tree look beautiful, tidy, and the branches with the fruits receive enough light, gardeners form a crown, and then regularly make adjustments, maintaining its shape. The recommended shape for a peach tree is a cup-shaped.
- Sanitary. Its goal is the elimination of all sick, damaged and weakened shoots.
The best time to trim is March and early April. Both types of trimming - sanitary and shaping can be carried out simultaneously. All sections are covered with garden var.
The optimal tree height for fig peach is 1.5 m.
The order of formation of the cup-shaped crown:
- Trim all small side shoots - up to 50 cm long.
- Form a shtamb - the lower part of the trunk to the first skeletal branches.
- After the stem leave from 4 to 6 skeletal branches - this will be the basis of the crown. These are branches of the first order, there should not be a trunk above them.
- From branches of the 1st order, branches of the 2nd order will grow - 50-60 cm long. Cut all other branches into a ring.
- On skeletal branches, shoots grow, bearing fruit. Their length should be 15-20 cm, cut off all excess.
Diseases and Pests
Most often, fig peach affects powdery mildew and curly leaves. For prevention purposes, trees are treated with a solution of copper sulfate twice a year - in early spring and late autumn.
Fig peach diseases and their treatment:
Disease | Symptoms | Treatment and prevention |
Coccomycosis | This is a fungal disease. Red spots appear on the leaves. Leaves dry and fall off. | Treatment with fungicides that kill fungus. |
Powdery mildew | Another fungal disease. White coating first appears on the leaves. The fruits stop growing, become covered with a thick layer of plaque and die. | Removal of affected leaves. Replacing the topsoil. Abundant watering with special preparations. Treatment with fungicides - Vitaros, Fundazol and others. Prevention - spraying with mustard solution (2 tbsp. L. Dry mustard per 10 l of water). |
Leaf curl | The leaves are bent, a white coating forms on them, they become brown and die. | Preventive spraying - Horus, Topsin M. A diseased tree is sprayed with Bordeaux fluid. |
Perforated spotting (kleasterosporiasis) | The formation of brown spots on the leaves, which eventually die. | Removing infected leaves and branches. Processing slices with a solution of copper / iron sulfate. In the spring - spraying with Bordeaux fluid. Fungicide treatment. |
Pests of fig peach and measures to combat them:
Pests | Harm | Treatment | Prevention |
Aphid | Sucks juices from leaves and shoots. | At the initial stage - a decoction or infusion of dandelion, garlic, onion husks. In case of severe lesions - spraying with Bordeaux liquid 2% (in autumn), before and after flowering - 1% with Bordeaux liquid and insecticides. | Felling of root shoots, weeding, manual stripping, planting of onions and nettles. |
Weevils | Larvae destroy buds, flowers, buds, leaves. | Processing with lime milk and whitewashing. Spraying with insecticides before and after flowering. | Autumn digging, installing hunting belts, planting onion-garlic beds, spraying with soap or mustard solution. |
Eastern Codling Moth | A small gray-brown butterfly lays eggs in the kidneys, stalks, shoot tips. Caterpillars damage fruits and shoots. | During the summer and when the fruit ripens, the tree is treated with insecticides. For example, Koragen, Tonsin M, Chlorophos, Karbofos. | Destruction of fallen leaves, soil disinfection. Attachment to the branches of pieces of matter impregnated with chlorophos. |
Fruit moth | Caterpillars are very voracious; they eat buds, leaves, even peach bones. | During the formation of the kidneys, they are sprayed with Karbofos or Chlorophos. When the moth lays eggs, they treat the tree with phenoxycarb preparations. | Pruning affected branches, cleaning fallen leaves. |
Where are the fruits used?
How to use fig peaches:
- Eat fresh. Peach lovers really appreciate fig varieties - for the sweetness and rich peach flavor.
- In cooking. Add to salads, sauces, pastries, pastry dishes. The taste of peaches is harmoniously combined with fish and meat tastes. Improves the taste of oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream.
- They are drying. Aromatic compotes are prepared from dried peaches in the winter.
- Freeze. Ripe, but not soft fruits are taken for freezing. Peaches are frozen, peeling the skin. If this is not done, after defrosting the fruits will acquire a bitter aftertaste. Frozen fruits are stored for a maximum of six months.
- Preserve. Jam is prepared, jams, canned in sugar syrup.
- For cosmetic purposes. Face masks are made from pulp grated and mixed with sour cream.
Interesting Facts
What you might not know about fig peaches:
- They are useful for flatulence and constipation.
- They help maintain healthy teeth, heal the skeletal system, and prevent the formation of kidney stones.
- Quickly saturate - therefore, they are recommended for snacks.
- Despite the sweetness, they contain few calories, so they are useful for losing weight.
- Unlike most fruits, they do not lose their beneficial properties after heat treatment.
- They have a calming effect. Hungarians, for example, call them "fruits of tranquility."
- It was peach that became the first fruit that American astronauts on the moon ate.
Grade Reviews
Gardeners who managed to grow a fig peach and take the first fruits share their impressions online.
Vasilisa K., Moscow Region. Planted on a plot of Belmondo. The tree grew well, there were no problems. But the first peaches did not have time to ripen. Perhaps the variety is not suitable, or there were some errors in the care. Now we want to plant an early ripe variety - we really want to grow this unusual fruit.
Konstantin Petrovich, Voronezh. When flat peaches appeared on the market, I only began to take them - they are tastier than usual. And then he decided to plant a tree himself, although his wife said that nothing would come of it, it would freeze out, etc. My tree is already ten years old, the variety is Nikitsky, and every year it brings me a crop. For the winter, I wrap it and cover it - this is a prerequisite.
Ilya Yu., Krasnodar Territory. I have several Saturn peaches in my garden. The fruits are delicious - sweet, juicy.The tree does not require any special care.
Hide
Add your review
Flat peaches quickly overshadowed the usual varieties - consumers are attracted to their taste, and gardeners also unpretentiousness of the tree. Today, thanks to frost-resistant varieties, you can grow a peach with unusual fruits even in central Russia.
Posted by
12
Russia. City Novosibirsk
Publications: 276 Comments: 1