What to do to a gardener who wants to feast on pears from his own garden, but the size of the plot does not allow him to grow a full-fledged pear tree? There is a way out - you can plant colon-shaped pears! They do not grow in width, but in height, which significantly saves space. In addition, today there are a large number of varieties of this culture, giving excellent harvests.
About pears M.V. Kachalkin
The creator of this type of pears is the eminent breeder Mikhail Vitalievich Kachalkin. In 1998, in the Tula region, he founded the "Experimental Breeding Nursery", in which he began work on the cultivation of colon-shaped apple trees. It was on his account that the creation of most modern varieties. The breeder did not pass by his attention and the pear. Due to the appearance of the trees, similar to the columnar apple trees, they got their name. Kachalkin himself is more likely to call pear-shaped super-dwarf pears - due to the fact that their branches are prone to spreading. This garden culture is not very different from its closest relative - an ordinary pear, the only difference is the growth and size of the crown. And, of course, the indisputable advantage of columnar trees is that their yield far exceeds that of ordinary pears.
Column-shaped pear: description
The columnar appearance of pears is compact and has a large yield. Small trees are valued for excellent survival and easy care. The growth of such a pear does not exceed two and a half meters. Trees have a trunk similar to that of a regular pear. Some people mistakenly believe that a garden plant has no branches, but this is not so. The tree is characterized by the presence of undergrowth branches. At first glance, it may seem that the fruits are as if stuck to the trunk. If the tree is grown from a seedling, then fruiting begins in the second year after planting. Productivity in this case will be about 3 kilograms. Pear fruits are large, have excellent taste. According to the description, varieties of columnar pears are:
- early fall;
- summer-autumn;
- autumn;
- autumn autumn
- winter.
Early autumn varieties of pears bear fruit, reaching a weight of 400 g. They have a rich yellow color and juicy aromatic flesh. Pears with orange barrels, oily skin, weighing about 200 g and having excellent taste - late ripe. Autumn varieties have a delicate oily skin, and weight 250-300 g. Winter ones reach a weight of 150-200 g, they are bright yellow in color, the pulp is fragrant, with a honey flavor. Summer-autumn apples are the smallest by weight: 100-150 g, but very sweet. Their light yellow skin has many small orange spots. Pear fruit is used for fresh consumption and for preservation.
Varieties of pears
As you know, this culture is well cultivated in the central part of Russia, including in the suburbs. Colon-shaped pear varieties do not tolerate cold winters. To date, not many varieties of this culture have been bred, but breeders are working to increase the number of varieties of this dwarf tree. The simplest option is their cultivation from finished seedlings. We give reviews, descriptions of varieties of colon-shaped pears that have received the most popularity among gardeners.
Sapphire
Speaking of the columnar pear of Sapphire, it should be noted that it belongs to the autumn winter-hardy variety. The first ripe fruits can be harvested in early September. The elongated fruits weighing 250 grams are very aromatic, juicy, have a pleasant taste. A feature of the variety, according to gardeners, is a yellow-green hue of fruits with a beautiful red blush. Eating pears is recommended two weeks after harvest. The following factor can be attributed to pluses: the fruits hold well on the branches, do not crumble in the rains. Shelf life of fruits is quite long: until the beginning of next year. Suitable for jam, various compotes, very often they are used for making dried fruits. The variety is patient with scab and has moderate frost resistance.
Night werth
If we talk about a variety such as Night-Wert, it should be noted: despite the fact that it belongs to the winter-hardy variety, the plant will not be able to survive the winter at a temperature of -25 degrees. It is best planted in the southern regions of Russia. The first pears weighing about 200 grams can be obtained already in the second year after planting. The pulp is white in color, with a dense delicate texture, very fragrant.
Sanremi
The unpretentious hybrid is characterized by high productivity and undemanding to growing conditions, as well as sufficient frost resistance. Any garden can decorate with its unusually beautiful appearance. Ripening of this variety begins in early October. Fragrant, with juicy white pulp and a delicate taste, the fruits are round-oval, apple-shaped, and weighing 400 grams. Among gardeners, it is considered one of the best varieties of columnar pears for an unusual combination of the gamut of flowers located on one plant. This fruit tree is absolutely not demanding on the soil. Sanremi variety is very resistant to various types of diseases.
Decor
A tree of this variety grows to 1.9-2.2 meters. Belongs to self-fertile varieties. The plant is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, resistant to diseases and cold. It begins fruiting two to three years after planting. The fruit of the Colon-shaped pear Decor has a slightly sour refreshing taste. They have an oval shape, their mass does not exceed 200-230 grams, the color of the fruits is beautiful bright yellow. The pulp is characterized by juiciness and a pronounced aroma, which is compared with the aroma of a rose. The shelf life of these pears is very short.
Carmen
This variety is more likely to be dessert, with very large sweet fruits, weighing 300 grams, elegant bright burgundy color. Thanks to its spectacular fruits, the pear is especially popular. The fruits ripen quite quickly, you can harvest at the beginning of summer. Fruiting begins in the second year after transplantation. Due to its beautiful appearance during flowering and fruiting, it is often used to decorate the garden.
Honey
The fruits of this variety are short-pear-shaped, with a tuberous surface, the ripening of the honey-shaped pear begins in mid-August. Pears have a yellow-green color and a rather large mass - 400 grams. They have a pleasant light aroma, juicy and unusually sweet taste. The variety has good transportability, under recommended storage conditions, it can last until mid-February. A feature of the Honey pear is considered to be that its yield significantly exceeds that of other similar varieties, from a young tree you can harvest 80-110 kilograms. Fruiting begins 3-5 years after planting a seedling. Frost resistance is above average, shoots do not freeze at -25 degrees. The tree tolerates frost well, feels great on any soil.
Judging by the reviews of columnar pears, we can conclude that all varieties are characterized by an unusually sweet taste and have a high level of resistance to pests and diseases. They have high yields, but do not take up much space.
About the advantages and disadvantages
The main indisputable advantage of this type of pear is that the plant is very compact and takes up very little space in the garden. Due to the fact that the plant has small branches and a small crown, gardeners can carry out compacted plantings, while receiving consistently high yields.
Another advantage of the pear-shaped pear is the good survival rate of plants and earlier fruiting. Small tree growth greatly facilitates harvesting and caring for plants in general. The advantages include a rather large size of the fruit, which have high commercial qualities. By the way, all varieties of this species are frost-resistant, and also unpretentious to the soil. In addition to high productivity, the universal use of fruits should be noted. All kinds of preparations for the winter are made of them, in the form of compotes, juices, jam, jam, and also used fresh.
In the columnar variety of the pear, there are practically no flaws, to be exact, there are only two:
- short fruiting period (10-15 years);
- a small selection of varieties.
According to reviews, varieties of columnar pears do not require special attention, care consists in timely trimming of the side branches and the formation of the crown. But, if it is not carried out, the branches will grow large, and fruiting may cease altogether.
Landing and care features
The most favorable time for planting columnar trees is spring. The fact is that the root system is very close to the surface of the earth. And it is quite possible that the plant will not root well during planting in the fall and will freeze when frozen. Seedlings are considered the best planting material, but can be grown using seeds, as well as grafting cuttings on other crops. As for any garden trees, a planting hole is prepared in advance (about 2 weeks). This can be done as follows:
- The distance between the pits should not be less than half a meter, and between the rows, at least one meter. If you plant pear-shaped pear on a tiny area, then they will not be enough light and air, and parasites can also appear.
- A mixture of the following composition is poured into the dug planting hole: humus, compost, earth, the amount of organic fertilizers per hole - 3-4 kilograms. Then a bucket of water is poured into the hole.
Experienced gardeners recommend observing the following proportions: the depth of the pit is at least 80 centimeters, and the diameter is 60 cm.
Landing
After the moisture is well absorbed, a pear seedling is placed in the pit, while all the roots are well straightened, a small peg is placed and driven in between them. It is necessary to ensure that when planting the vaccination site is above the ground, and the rhizome is well closed to it. First, the earth is poured to half the hole, then it is compacted, the remaining part of the soil is poured on top. After this, the tree needs to be carefully watered. In the event that the soil settles a little, the seedling should be sprinkled with earth again. After this, the plant is tied to the prepared peg.
Care Features
Colon-shaped trees do not require any special care. But nevertheless, it is necessary to observe and conduct such manipulations on time:
- timely pruning;
- regular top dressing;
- pest protection;
- preparation for winter;
- loosening the soil;
- weeding from weeds;
- mulching.
It must be remembered that good care, watering, timely top dressing and pruning of a tree affect the quality and quantity of the entire crop.
Advice
During the entire first year of growth of a colony-shaped pear, it is necessary to remove all the flowers that appear, this will allow a tree to take root better. In the second year, if the tree is well rooted, up to 5 fruits can be left on it. In subsequent years, one should carefully monitor their quality and quantity. In the event that it has increased, and the size of the fruits has become smaller, it means that the tree is overloaded with fruits. And this means that the number of fruits should be normalized.
Spraying
Orchard, consisting of columnar trees, needs regular spraying. You can start them immediately after the snow has melted, and the air temperature will no longer drop below +5 degrees. Spring spraying can protect seedlings from pathogens. Experienced gardeners recommend using the following products for spraying: iron and copper sulfate and urea (50 g per 10 liters of water).
The first spraying is best done immediately after the first leaves appear on the trees. Two subsequent intervals from the previous two weeks. In addition, this same solution is used as fertilizer. Top dressing is carried out three times during the season. About two liters of solution must be poured under each seedling of any sort of colon-shaped pear.
Pest and Disease Control
It's no secret that it is easier to protect plants from diseases and pests than to heal trees later. It is very important to annually whitewash tree trunks and spray them. Around the seedlings, it is recommended to plant plants that repel pests - tobacco or lemon balm.
Disease
Scab. With this disease, spots appear on the plants that spread very quickly. Methods of dealing with it are: disposal of fallen leaves by burning, spraying urea in the spring.
Powdery Mildew Signs of the disease: falling flowers, ovaries, fruits. It is necessary to trim the affected shoots and apply certain insecticides to combat this disease.
Rust. Leaves and fruits are affected, all infected areas should be removed on time. As for the tree itself, it must be treated with sulfur.
Pests
The most common pests of this culture are pear throat, aphid, pear mite. They are fought with the help of special drugs - insecticides.
Winter preparations
After the last leaves fall from the tree, all the rubbish is removed around the trunk circle . If this is not done, various pests will winter well in it. The next spring they can cause great harm to plants. Colon-shaped trees have a very delicate apical bud, so the first two or three years the plants must be covered for the winter. This can be done with a cloth that lets air through. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a nylon stocking filled with sawdust. You can protect the tree from mice and hares as follows: tie it with fir spruce branches and sprinkle it well with snow.