A selection of the best varieties of the most delicious winter-hardy pears for Siberia
The fruits of the garden pear are tasty, juicy, and have many beneficial properties for the body. The tree is characterized by high productivity, is unpretentious in care and grows almost throughout the entire territory of our country. If your garden plot is located in Siberia, learn more about planting and caring for zoned varieties of winter-hardy pears in our article.
Requirements for pear varieties for Siberia
The main requirement for Altai and Siberian pears is winter hardiness. The harsh climate will easily destroy any non-frost-resistant varietiesTherefore, the choice of culture should be approached extremely carefully.
Advantages and disadvantages of winter-hardy pears
Since the cold climate slows down the growth of trees, all taiga pears are stunted. This allows the summer resident to harvest without using special equipment - just a stepladder and a bucket are enough. The crown of the trees is spreading, which ensures trouble-free care.
The weight of the fruit is average, suitable for twisting and preservation. Low fruit shedding - even in severe frosts and winds, 90% of the crop will remain on the branches. The disadvantages include a decrease in fruit weight every year.
The winter-hardy plant has a high need for fertilizers and minerals, which is difficult to meet in Siberian conditions. Also, pears here are very susceptible to various diseases; their bark becomes thinner from winds and cold and becomes a tasty morsel for pests.Such pears require regular watering and careful care.
Characteristics and description of the best winter-hardy representatives
In Siberia, only hybrid pear species adapted to cold conditions are grown in open ground. Below we will give a description of the most delicious and winter-hardy pear varieties for Siberia.
Decabrinka
Decabrinka is characterized by medium growth vigor. The height of the tree does not exceed 5 m; it begins to bear fruit in the 7th year. The crown of the tree is thick and rounded, the leaves are small, smooth and shiny, the branches stretch down. Adult shoots are medium in size, stipules are lanceolate.
Flowering occurs late, which protects the pear from late spring frosts. The variety is characterized by regular fruiting. The fruits are egg-shaped, yellow or dark yellow with a slight blush, the flesh is white, moderately dense. Incapable of self-pollination. For pollination, late-flowering varieties are chosen, for example, Uralochka. This variety of pears is suitable for the Altai region.
Autumn Dream
This is a technical variety of pears, well suited for production and sale. The tree is low, does not exceed 4.5 m, the crown is pyramidal in shape. The variety is resistant to frost and is little susceptible to diseases; it is one of the problem-free pears for growing in Siberia. It blooms and bears fruit in the 7th year, closer to autumn.
The fruits are densely located on the branches, but small - 60-80 g. The main color is yellow-brown with pronounced subcutaneous dots. The consistency of the fruit is grainy and sour in taste. The main drawback is its unpresentable appearance.
Severyanka
Severyanka takes root well in the Urals. A tree of medium size and high growth rate.The crown is round in shape, the branches are strong and thick, the shoots are wide, the leaves are dense, round, with jagged edges, dark green in color. The stalks are long, straight and curved.
Severyanka begins to bear fruit in early summer. Its fruits are spherical or slightly elongated, of uneven size - from 60 to 120 g. During the ripening period, their color ranges from green to green-yellow. Overripe fruits have a red or pink blush, which is why this pear is sometimes called red-cheeked.
There are few seeds, but they are large. The pear pulp is beige, tart, wine-sweet. Severyanka is the leader in yield. The first fruits are harvested already 3 years after planting. The main disadvantages include the small size of most fruits and instability to drought.
Perun
Perun is a tree 3-4 m high with a wide spreading crown. It begins to bloom in August, hence the late fruiting period - pears are harvested from October until the first frost. It begins to bear fruit 4-5 years after planting in open ground.
The fruits are large, irregularly ovoid in shape, golden and red-golden in color. The taste of the fruit is juicy, sweet, and does not lose its properties for a long time. Well suited for preservation and drying. The main advantage of the variety is its resistance to the most common fungal diseases. Disadvantages include low winter hardiness.
Svarog
Svarog, together with Perun, is considered one of the best sweet pear varieties for Siberia. Svarog is a low pear with a spreading crown. Productivity is average, occurring in the 4th year, ripening in mid-September. The fruits can be stored at home for up to 3 weeks in a cool room and up to several months in the refrigerator. The pears themselves are bright green, dense, sweet and sour.
The pear tolerates frost well, which is why it is so loved by the inhabitants of Siberia. The main disadvantage is the difficult care of the tree, which is seasonally attacked by the pear moth.
Lel
Lel grows up to 6 m in height, actively bears fruit throughout the summer-autumn season, therefore it is in great demand among gardeners. Productivity is high, usually fruits appear 5 years after planting.
Lel has an elongated oval shape of yellow color with a red side. The pulp is white, sweet, spicy. It is best to start planting Lel in late spring. Buy seedlings immediately before planting, they do not store well. Lel is a capricious variety; it loves moist loamy soil.
Uralochka
Altai also gave us such a pear as Uralochka for cultivation - the most winter-hardy variety in the Ural region. The tree reaches 4-5 m, the branches are of medium thickness, directed upward.
Uralochka has small round fruits of pale yellow color, the surface of which is covered with gray subcutaneous dots, slightly rough to the touch. The taste ranges from sweet to sweet and sour. The tree bears fruit in the 4th year in late autumn. It is easy to care for, has high immunity to pests, and is easy to transport.
Fabulous
Pear is a tree with a high growth rate, reaching 8 m in height. The crown of the tree is narrow pyramidal, rarely spreading. Flowering occurs in late May - early June. The fruits are medium-sized, pear-shaped. When removed, they have a uniform yellow-green color, with no blush. The pulp is loose, cream-colored, medium-grained.
The fruits hardly fall off and hang on the branches for a long time. The tree is self-fertile, the best pollinator is Severyanka. The harvest grows evenly 2 years after planting.
Carmen
Carmen is a table pear with bright red oval fruits of regular shape. Carmen grows into a tree up to 5 m with a wide spreading crown. When ripe, the fruits darken and reach a brown-red hue. They are juicy, sweet, without a hint of tartness.
Carmen is a summer variety, ripening occurs in the second half of July. It is easily planted by cuttings, has high immunity, but low frost resistance. Carmen has an average yield, but it is a long-lived pear: with proper care, its lifespan can reach 50 years.
Grusha Chizhovskaya
Medium-sized tree with a narrow crown. The shoots are also of medium length and thickness, round in cross-section. The fruits are yellow-green in color and have a regular pear shape. They have a pronounced sweet and sour taste. The variety is frost-resistant, unpretentious, and easy to care for. But over time, the fruits become smaller and become more sour.
Lukashovka
A tree of medium height with increased productivity. Fruits in a year. The fruits take on a variety of shapes from round to cubic. Unripe fruits have a specific sour taste; when they reach ripeness, they are sweet, but do not last long and quickly deteriorate.
According to gardeners, this variety performs well when preserved and is well suited for jam and compotes. Lukashovka loves dry places, ideally sandy soil. The pear tree cannot self-pollinate, so it requires pollination from a nearby tree.
How to choose a variety
Pears are divided into varieties depending on their ripening period. Choose a tree based on what time it is convenient for you to plant the pear and when you plan to harvest:
- Early variety - planted in the ground in the spring, in April - early May. The fruits are harvested in the summer, in July–August.
- Average - planted in late spring.It bears fruit in the autumn-summer period - late August - early October.
- Late - planted at the end of May. The fruits appear in early September, but are not harvested until October. These pears are left to ripen in a cool place.
Features of planting and caring for winter-hardy pear varieties in Siberia
The problem of growing pears in Siberia cannot be solved only by purchasing frost-resistant and early-ripening varieties - planting, care, and the right choice of seedlings also play an important role: for a frosty region, choose two-year-old ones. He will get along much better than a very young one.
The bark on the seedling should be smooth and even, and the trunk should not be narrower than 80 cm. Plant the tree in sunny time, regardless of the time of year. Pear is a sun-loving plant, but it can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn.
Landing area
Select a dry and level area of black soil, protect the pear as much as possible from root rot, and do not plant in a wetland or in soil with active groundwater. It is preferable to plant the tree near a fence or other support, this way you will protect the plant from the wind.
Planting scheme
Dig a hole twice the size of the seedling's root system, fill it with two buckets of humus or compost, lower the seedling and cover it with soil, trying to avoid air pockets. Place supports on both sides of the seedling and secure it with a thin nylon thread. Compact the soil and pour two buckets of water on top.
If there are several seedlings, place them at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other.
Pear care in Siberia
The young tree is watered immediately after planting at least 2 times a week. Pour out at least 5-6 buckets of lukewarm water. It is enough to water an adult tree once a week, with 25-30 buckets of water.The soil must be loosened and mulched.
If the summer is hot, the tree is sprayed along the crown. Before frost, the trunk is whitened and wrapped in spruce branches, reeds or thick paper, snow is collected around the pear in a large snowdrift, covering it.
Pruning begins in the first year of the pear’s life, forming a uniform, well-transparent crown. If desired, add feeding and fertilizers.
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How to properly plant cherries in the fall.
How to properly cover an apricot for the winter and prepare the tree for cold weather.
What peach care is needed in the fall to prepare for cold weather.
Conclusion
The Siberian region has a sharply continental climate with frosty winters. When choosing a pear for your garden, focus not only on taste, but also on growth characteristics. Growing a dwarf tree with a columnar crown will be problematic, just like an immature variety.
Ideal options would be trees with stable immunity, winter-hardy, early ripening, and self-pollinating. Do not forget about insulation, protection of the pear and careful monitoring of the condition of the soil - it should be moderately moist, but not wet.