In our country, it is difficult to find such a garden plot, on which pears would not grow. Of course, except for the northern regions. And more recently, these heat-loving trees pleased only gardeners of the southern regions of our country with their fragrant and juicy fruits. Thanks to the painstaking work of domestic breeders, new frost-resistant varieties were bred.
This has expanded the ability to grow these magnificent fruits to temperate latitudes. In this article we will introduce you some pears (varieties with a photo and description). Many of them have been known for a long time, but even today, gardeners give them preference. One of them was the pear Russian Beauty, bred by the breeder of the Institute named after I.V. Michurin S.F. Chernenko. For some gardeners, this variety is known under its second name - Beauty Chernenko.
Grade description
This species was obtained by crossing two varieties: Bere Ardanpon and Daughter Blankova. The variety is zoned and has proven itself in the horticulture of the Central regions of Russia. Pear Russian beauty is a tall fruit tree, which many gardeners attribute to its shortcomings, as this makes it difficult to care for her.
The tree has a narrow pyramidal crown quite rare for this type of plant. The shoots are slightly curved, of medium thickness, with a slight articulation. They are painted in a reddish-brown color, shiny, unrefined. The fruit buds are large, have the shape of a cone. The leaves are elongated, large, pointed, dark green in color with a wedge-shaped base. The plate is weakly folded, bent, finely serrated, uneven at the edges. Petiole is of medium thickness and length, without pubescence.
The fruits are very large. On average, their weight is 180 grams. They have an elongated shape, somewhat tuberous, have a medium-density skin, covered with a slight waxy coating. At the stage of removable maturity, they are painted in a greenish color with a slight integumentary blush. A greenish yellow color with a reddish-brown blush appears during the period of consumer maturity. The pulp of the fruits is white, slightly dull, extremely juicy, with a semi-oily consistency. The taste is sour-sweet, with a delicate aroma.
Grusha Elena: variety description
Another early winter variety that has become very popular in Central Russia. This is not a novelty of selection, but many loved and loved the excellent and productive variety, bred several decades ago.
Pear flowering begins in mid-May and lasts no more than two weeks. The fruits ripen in late September. Harvest is necessary within ten days after ripening, otherwise the pears will fall to the ground. Without loss of taste or marketability, Elena pears are stored in a cool room for up to four months.
Grade history
Pear Elena has another name - Gekhine. This variety is cultivated in the central black earth southern regions of our country. It was received in Armenia in 1960 by the famous breeder P.G. Karatyan during the crossing of Winter Michurin and Forest Beauty.
Features
Pear variety Elena is a low- or weak-growing tree with a pyramidal crown, which has an average degree of density of foliage. The first fruits appear in the seventh year from the moment of planting. Pear flowering and fruit setting occur annually, even under the most difficult weather conditions.
On average, the yield of an adult tree is more than forty kilograms. Fruits are large (up to 200 g), have a round-pear-shaped shape. They rest on a slightly curved short and thick stalk. By the time of ripening, they are painted in a greenish-yellow color with a slight blush.
Pear Elena has a creamy juicy pulp with a dense texture. It has a pleasant sweet taste and delicate aroma.
Late pears are very popular today. Varieties with photos are often demonstrated by gardeners at various amateur exhibitions, which contributes to the popularization of well-known varieties, familiarity with the latest breeding.
Pear Elena is distinguished by high consumer qualities of fruits. They are suitable for use both fresh and canned. Another advantage of the variety can be considered resistance to many fungal diseases. This variety does not affect scab and septoria.
Landing and care
Young pear plants can be planted in spring and autumn. Experienced gardeners consider the end of April and the first half of October to be the best time for planting. Pear Elena prefers loamy soils. They allow you to get the best (in quantity and quality) crop. Clay soils, like sandy ones, need improvement before planting.
To increase air conductivity in heavy soil, coarse river sand, peat, and compost are added to it. To plant a seedling, dig a hole with a depth of at least seventy centimeters and about a meter in diameter. At the bottom you can lay the walnut shell.
Particular attention should be paid to planting pears on a site in which groundwater lies closely. So that the root system of the plant does not suffer, it is necessary to dig a groove to remove excess moisture. In wet areas, the pear Elena will feel comfortable if you plant it not on a hill, already existing or created artificially.
Care: pruning
Pear Elena needs pruning. Such work is carried out in early spring, preferably in March. It is necessary to remove dry and dead parts of the tree and branches with old flower buds. Another feature of this variety can be considered the property of young twigs to give a full crop. In addition, pruning is necessary to form the crown of the tree.
Spraying
In the spring, preventive treatment of the plant against diseases and pests is carried out. It should be done in April-May, when the buds open, and then after the appearance of the buds. The third time spraying is carried out after three weeks. During the summer, all therapeutic measures are carried out only if there is a disease. Beginning gardeners need to know that spraying trees with chemicals should be stopped a month before the expected harvest.
Top dressing
Pear seedlings begin to be fed in the second year after planting. In mid-May, nitrogen fertilizers are introduced into the soil - nitrate or urea. At the same time, you can feed the plant with trace elements. During this period of time, green manure is sown around the tree (plants that can improve the structure of the soil and enrich it with nitrogen). These include:
- phacelia;
- mustard;
- clover;
- lupine.
The most important top dressing is carried out in the fall. Organic fertilizers are applied under the crown of the pear (ash, compost, lime, humus, etc.).
Watering
Pear Elena is demanding on moisture. In summer, in the intense heat, drying of the soil should not be allowed; it is necessary to water it abundantly and regularly. Before the onset of the first frosts, in the fall, the so-called moisture charge of the trees is carried out. To do this, trunks are watered abundantly so that the water saturates the soil to a depth of at least 80 cm.This will allow the tree to tolerate frost more easily - moist soil will not freeze too deep, the soil will breathe, and the root system will receive water all winter.
Diseases and Pests
Despite the fact that this variety is not affected by scab and septoria, it is resistant to fungal diseases, it is threatened by other infections characteristic of these trees (fruit rot, black cancer, powdery mildew, rust). With insufficient preventive measures, they can cause serious damage to trees and fruits, and sometimes irreparable.
The main methods of controlling pests and diseases include regular spraying, burning of affected leaves, removal of diseased parts of the tree and fruits.
Pear Elena: reviews of gardeners
According to people growing this variety on their sites, it is ideal for Central Russia. This variety has many advantages, among which gardeners especially distinguish excellent taste, high yield, long shelf life of fruits and the possibility of their transportation over long distances. At the same time, many note that caring for a tree is difficult, and if you follow the simple rules of agricultural technology, it gives excellent yields.