High-yielding resistant pear variety "Elena"
The self-fertile late pear variety Elena gained popularity back in the 60s of the last century. The crop has an average level of frost resistance and is suitable for growing in regions with warm and temperate climates. Juicy, aromatic fruits with dense, slightly oily, sweet and sour pulp ripen in September-October, suitable for fresh consumption and for making jam, compotes, and marshmallows for the winter.
In the article you will find a detailed description of the Elena pear variety, the characteristics of the crop, its pros and cons.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The late-ripening pear variety Elena appeared in 1960 as a result of the selective work of P.G. Karatyan is an employee of the Research Institute of Viticulture, Winemaking and Fruit Growing in Armenia. To create a new variety by cross-pollination, he used the Lesnaya Krasivitsa and Bere winter Michurina varieties. The original name of the pear is Gekhine.
The novelty quickly took root on household farms in the Central Black Earth region, in the Moscow region and in the south of Russia. The variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 1990.
Appearance
Pear Elena Grows actively at a young age, but closer to the beginning of fruiting, development slows down, and after 5-7 years it stops completely. As a result, the height of the tree does not exceed 3-4 m.
The crown is pyramidal, compact, sparse, with medium foliage. The leaves are large in size, oval in shape, pointed at the ends, bright green in color with a shiny surface.
The pear begins to bear fruit 6-7 years after planting.The fruits are visually attractive, large, rounded pear-shaped. Weight – 140-220 g.
The surface is lumpy. The peel at the stage of milky ripeness is green-yellow. As it ripens, the color becomes deep yellow. A pale blush appears on the sunny side. Subcutaneous dots are small, grayish. The peduncle is short, thick with a slight bend.
The pulp is juicy, dense, semi-oily structure, white, fine-grained, melts in the mouth, contains tannins and pectins. The taste is sweet and sour, slightly tart. The smell is delicate. Taste rating on a five-point scale – 4.6-4.8 points.
The acid content in the fruit is 0.2%, sugar – 12.2%, fiber and ascorbic acid – 7.4 mg.
Distinctive characteristics of the variety:
- Average level winter hardiness.
- Stable yield - 40-50 kg per tree. In unfavorable years - 30-35 kg. In commercial gardens they harvest about 200 c/ha.
- Flowering begins late, so trees are not afraid of return frosts.
- The pear is resistant to scab and septoria. However, in unfavorable years it suffers from powdery mildew and rust.
- Self-fertility allows you to do without additional pollination.
- Keeping quality and transportability are high. Fruits collected in advance are stored for up to 4 months without loss of quality. Overripe pears are consumed immediately.
Pollinators
The flowers of the Elena pear are bisexual and form ovaries independently. However, experienced gardeners recommend using natural and artificial pollinators to obtain the first large harvest. The Dubrovka, Zolotoe Excellent apple trees, Kudesnitsa, Yanvarskaya, and Extravaganza pear trees are suitable for this.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the variety:
- excellent taste and attractive appearance of the fruit;
- high shelf life and transportability;
- resistance to fungal diseases;
- compact dimensions of the tree;
- high productivity;
- stable fruiting;
- self-fertility.
Flaws:
- overripe fruits do not stick to the branches;
- with a bountiful harvest, fruits grow in different sizes and shapes;
- average frost resistance, depending on the watering regime (moisture deficiency depletes the tree).
Reference. Removing excess greenfinches will help eliminate the variety of fruit sizes.
Application of fruits
Elena pears are ideal for fresh consumption, making preserves, jam, compote, making wine, marshmallows, marmalade, and fruit chips.
Planting seedlings
Black soil and a temperate climate are best suited for growing this variety. The pear does not tolerate heat and drought, but for full development the plant needs a sufficient level of lighting.
To plant seedlings, select an area on the south side, with groundwater not higher than 3-4 m from the root system.
The optimal planting time in the south is March-April, in the center - September-October. The seedlings have time to acclimatize, grow stronger, and develop resistance to fluctuations in the average daily temperature. Optimal soil acidity is slightly acidic (pH = 5-6) and neutral (pH = 6.5-7).
Seedlings aged 1-2 years are selected for planting. To obtain a tree of a more compact size, they are grafted onto a low-growing rootstock.
Landing instructions
The success of planting depends on the quality of the seedling. There are a number of rules for choosing planting material:
- grafted cuttings are sold in garden centers and nurseries;
- the seedling must be without damage or signs of fungal diseases, the branches must be flexible, the buds must be alive;
- the root system is moist, the roots are elastic;
- The more lateral growth there is, the faster adaptation to the new location will occur.
14-20 days before planting, the selected area is cleared, plant debris is removed, the soil is plowed and loosened.
The depth of the planting pit is 70 cm, diameter is 50 cm. The bottom is compacted with broken bricks or crushed stone. Part of the excavated soil is combined with compost and poured onto the drainage. If necessary, the soil is combined with river sand or lime to loosen and reduce the acidity of the soil.
The rhizome is straightened in the hole, soil is added if necessary, without deepening the root collar. The pit is completely filled with a mixture of soil and compost. The surface is compacted and a tree trunk circle is formed in the form of an earthen rampart along the edges. The soil is moistened abundantly and covered with sawdust or peat.
Reference. When planting a pear, it is not recommended to fertilize the soil with fresh manure - it burns the roots of the plant.
Subtleties of care
To obtain a rich harvest and maintain the health of the trees, it is important to follow the recommendations for caring for pear trees.
Watering
Pear variety Elena prefers moderate watering. It is especially important to water young seedlings in a timely manner during the period of active growth. The soil should not be too wet. Mulch is used to control moisture levels: if it is dry, it is time to water the trees. In summer, plantings are moistened every other day. Water consumption per 1 adult tree is 25-30 liters. The ideal method of moistening pears in summer is sprinkling.
Before wintering, I water the soil deeply so that the roots are saturated with moisture and the soil does not freeze. At the beginning of spring, the pear is re-moistened abundantly.
Top dressing
If the soil fertilization rules were followed during planting, then full fertilizing begins 3-4 years after planting. In spring as feeding nitrogen is used, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied before wintering.
Feeding application scheme:
- Every 2-3 years for digging - a mixture of compost, peat and humus 1:1:1. For 1 sq. m – 5-6 kg.
- At the beginning of spring - 30 g of ammonium nitrate, urea, nitroammophoska per 1 sq. m.
- During the development of young shoots and ovaries - 20 g of potassium sulfate and monophosphate per 1 sq. m.
- To maintain fruiting - a solution of bird droppings and mullein (2 liters per 10 liters). Consumption 10 l per 1 sq. m.
Trimming
Types of pruning:
- Spring sanitary pruning is performed after removing the winter shelter. Trees are inspected and frozen branches are cut off.
- Crown molding is carried out at the beginning of seedling growth.
- Regulatory thinning is carried out in spring and winter.
General pruning rules:
- Sharpening hacksaws, secateurs, loppers, knives.
- Disinfection of instruments with a 1% solution of copper sulfate, 3% solution of peroxide, 3% solution of potassium permanganate, medical alcohol (optional).
- Treating the saw cut with brilliant green, "Farmayod", coating with paint with lanolin or beeswax.
Important! Young branches of the variety always produce a harvest, so there is no need to prune them.
Whitewash
Before the onset of frost, the bark is whitened with slaked lime. The procedure prevents freezing, cracking, penetration of pathogenic bacteria, and sunburn. Repeated whitewashing is carried out in April-May.
Lime is applied to the entire trunk or to the lower skeletal branches. Young trees are whitened to the middle of the trunk.
Preparing for winter
They begin to prepare for winter after the leaves fall. First, the area is cleared of plant debris, then the soil is moistened abundantly. The success of wintering trees directly depends on the amount of water. Consumption per tree – 80-100 l.With a lack of moisture, the pear becomes depleted and freezes in winter.
The next stage is sanitary pruning. Sick and damaged, dry branches are removed. Young trees are covered with agrofibre or an awning, and the trunks are covered with straw. The trunks of mature trees are wrapped in cardboard or burlap or cardboard. Bare roots are covered with straw or spruce branches.
Disease and pest control
Elena pear is resistant to scab and septoria, and is rarely infected with fungal diseases, but trees are often attacked by insects (green aphids, pear mites, tubeworms).
Ignoring the rules of whitewashing and adding nutrients leads to the appearance of:
- powdery mildew in the form of a whitish powdery coating on the leaves;
- fruit rot and black cancer affecting fruits;
- Leaf rust – yellow-orange spots on the leaves.
Preventive treatment is carried out by spraying trees with a sulfur solution, 1% Bordeaux mixture - during the period of green mass growth and flowering 2-3 times per season. Treatment with “Horus” and “Skor” preparations is carried out before flowering begins.
Insect pests are destroyed using insecticides “Fufafon” or “Decis”, biological products “Iskra Bio” or “Iskra”. Treatment is carried out in spring and early June.
Harvest and storage
Harvest in September-October depending on the area. Harvesting begins a week before full ripening - overripe fruits fall from the branches and become damaged. Pears are carefully removed, along with the stalk, preferably with gloves, trying not to damage the skin - damaged fruits are stored less.
The harvest is stored in plastic or wooden boxes and bags in a cool room with an air temperature of +1..+4 °C, humidity 90-95%.
Pears are placed in boxes in one layer diagonally, with the tails on top. The container is placed on top of each other, thereby creating optimal air circulation. Sometimes the fruits are covered with foam crumbs, oak and aspen leaves, or covered with moss or straw.
To store pears, take thick plastic bags, tie them tightly or seal them. Packaging is carried out in the cellar. It is important that the temperature in the bag and the room match, otherwise condensation will begin to accumulate inside and the crop will rot.
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Reviews
The Elena variety is valued by gardeners for its ease of care, resistance to disease and excellent taste.
Taras, Tambov: “I really like this late variety of pears. The fruits ripen in October, have a round shape, a rich yellow color and blush on the sunny side. If you do not neglect proper pruning, pears grow large, weighing about 250 g. They are juicy, simply melt in your mouth, moderately sweet, with a slight sourness. For the winter, they must be covered with a tarpaulin, and the roots are insulated with straw. In our area, these pears do not freeze.”
Inna, Bryansk: “An excellent late-ripening variety suitable for growing in our region. I know that these pears cannot be grown in harsher conditions; their winter hardiness is average. According to the recommendations, we spill the soil generously before wintering, and then cover it with an awning. Trees do not get sick if you care for them properly. We trim and whitewash every year.Pears can be stored in the basement for 3-4 months if picked early. We eat ripe fruits right away, make compotes and jam.”
Conclusion
The early winter pear Elena is characterized by compact tree size, excellent taste and attractive appearance of the fruit, high yield, keeping quality and transportability, resistance to scab and septoria, stable fruiting and self-fertility. It is easy to care for trees; it is enough to carry out timely pruning, whitewashing and preventive treatment against insects and fungi.
Among the disadvantages are average frost resistance, depending on the irrigation regime, and the need for timely harvesting.