A pear comes from Georgia, from where it was brought and began to be cultivated in the Peloponnese in Greece. It was a thousand years BC. e. Later, the pear became a popular fruit tree in the gardens of Ukrainians in Kievan Rus, from where in the 1660s they brought it and began to grow it in the Izmailovsky and Kremlin parks of Moscow.
And if in the 17th century there were about 40 species of pears, and in the 19th century in the Kharkiv region there were already 360, today thanks to breeders there are more than 5,000 varieties. The most popular pear is in France, where 40 million of these trees grow.
Varieties of pears
Pears are divided into summer, autumn and winter varieties. This is a more thermophilic and capricious tree than an apple tree, so not every amateur gardener will meet it in the garden.
Winter varieties include late-ripening trees, for example, Yuryevsky, whose pears retain their taste and aroma until January.
Autumn species include pears with increased or medium winter hardiness, giving high yields for 4-5th year from 150 to 180 kg per tree. These include the varieties Moskovskaya, Nadyadnaya Efimova, Veles, Lyubimitsa Yakovleva and others. Autumn pear ripens at the end of August – September, and usually its fruits can be stored for a couple of months.
The main feature of summer varieties is their early maturity. Most of them are characterized by good frost resistance and high productivity. The fruits of summer pears are stored, depending on the variety, from 10 days to two months.
The summer variety includes pear variety Augustow dew, Severyanka red-cheeked, Chizhovskaya, Thumbelina, Petrovskaya and others. Summer species are divided into early (June, mid-July) and medium (August) ripening varieties.
August dew
Pear variety August dew was developed by the All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Selection named after Michurin as a summer winter-tolerant species by breeder Yakovlev. To breed a new variety, he crossed the Australian Triumph of Pakgama with Tenderness. The result is a low tree with a medium-dense crown and increased productivity. The height of the pear August dew is 2–2.5 m, has a slightly drooping crown.
This variety begins to bear fruit in the 3-4th year and is characterized by increased productivity. The first crop from a young tree can bring up to 15 kg of fruit.
The branches from the trunk of this variety depart almost at right angles, have a smooth grayish surface. The tree has an increased arousal of the kidneys. The variety has gained distribution and popularity since 2002 among summer residents of the Central Black Earth Region.
Preparing and planting seedlings
Planting pear seedlings should begin with a choice of place depending on the climatic conditions in which the garden is located:
- A pear loves the sun and spaciousness, so the sunny side of the garden, protected from the winds, is most suitable. The timing of planting depends on the gardener, but most of those who planted pears in their area prefer autumn.
- Land preparation consists in digging the prepared place and making the necessary fertilizers in the soil. Most of all, a pear needs superphosphates, compost and potash fertilizers, but there are no generally accepted norms, since everything depends solely on the quality of the earth.
- Planting pear seedlings requires a serious approach to the selection of planting material. It should be made in favor of one-year-old seedlings. It is also important to check the quality of the roots and the strength of the trunk.
- Before planting, a hole of a larger size is prepared than the root system of the seedling, the main thing is that the earth is loose. For the correct formation of the trunk, a stake is dug into the same hole 30 cm from its center.
- After the seedling is lowered into the hole, its roots should be carefully straightened and sprinkled with earth. Then the soil around the tree is crushed, watered and covered with mulch. This will retain moisture and enrich the earth around the pear.
The distance between the trees should be chosen based on which crown they form. For example, pear Augustow dew, gardeners' reviews confirm this, it has a small crown, so the distance between seedlings can be made up to 5 m. For varieties with spreading branches, it may take up to 7 meters.
Care
So that the seedling does not disappear, you should immediately think about high-quality watering. If the garden is located in an area with a hot climate and little rain, you can dig a groove around the tree and fill it with water. In order for the root system to not erode, the water must be supplied gradually. Pear August dew (reviews of summer residents say this) is well accepted when spraying is established.
Another important factor in order for a tree to grow faster and gain strength is pruning. For an annual seedling, spring pruning should be about half a meter from the ground. If he is two years old, then it is necessary to remove the extra vertical shoots in the spring. It is also important to constantly loosen the soil.
In the autumn-winter period, the pear should be protected from frost, even if it belongs to the winter-hardy variety. For example, the pear August dew (a description of its qualities says that it is a winter-hardy variety of medium level) requires “wrapping” with snow. If the winter turned out to be snowless, then it is recommended to sprinkle the root system with additional earth.
Feeding pear trees
Fertilizing the soil during planting, it is important to remember that the roots of a pear seedling should not come into contact with potash or nitrogen fertilizers. They can destroy the rhizome, and the seedling will die.
An adult tree, for example, a pear August dew, gardeners' reviews say this, loves organic fertilizer - manure. It has all the necessary elements for its full growth. It should be made at the rate of 1-2 kg per 1 m 2 of the trunk circle every spring.
In autumn, the best guarantee of the rapid growth and development of the tree will be the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers. This is best done after leaf fall using ammonia nitrogen fertilizers.
Grade description
The pear Augustow dew became the favorite among gardeners. The description of this tree gives every reason to plant such a variety in the country:
- It is characterized by rapid growth and shoot formation. Awakens well in the spring.
- This pear has thick shoots with lots of lentils.
- The leaves are medium sized, resilient, dark green in color with a serrated edge with an average root length.
- The flowers are small, white in color, 7-10 pieces in inflorescence.
Given that the tree grows low, not wide, but high yielding, it is suitable for small summer cottages, where they save every meter of land.
Fruit quality
Pear August dew, reviews of fruit lovers confirm this, gives juicy and sweet medium-sized fruits. The usual weight of this pear is from 120 to 150 g, although on good soil and with proper care they can reach 200 g.
They have white, juicy and fine-grained pulp, 100 g of which contains:
- sugar - 8.5%;
- pectin - 0.8%;
- ascorbic acid - 13 mg;
- arbutin - 2.7%;
- R-active substances - 40 mg.
The pear has a delicate sweet and sour taste and gives beautiful fruits that can be stored for up to 2 weeks. This is a table variety, which is good to eat fresh, as well as to prepare jams and compotes from it.
Gardeners reviews
According to amateur gardeners, the August dew is a non-capricious variety with high productivity and excellent taste. This pear is not susceptible to fungal diseases, precocious and winter-hardy. Good qualities in order to grow in every household plot and give high yields every year.