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The taste of pear has been known since childhood. Previously, the pear was considered a southern fruit, but thanks to the work of breeders, it can now be grown in regions with an unstable climate. These varieties include the early summer Children's pear. Description of the variety, photos, reviews of the Children's pear will allow you not to make a mistake in your choice and easily grow a tree in the Moscow region, Central and Central Russia.
Description of the Children's pear variety
The baby pear was developed by Soviet scientists as a result of crossing interspecific hybrid No. 8 with the early ripening variety Duchess.
Judging by the reviews of gardeners, the Children's pear is an early ripening variety. The fruits begin to ripen from mid-July to the end of August. A tall and durable variety, it forms a pyramidal crown from powerful branches. The seasonal growth of branches is about half a meter.
Pear-shaped fruits look beautiful against the background of oval, dark olive foliage. Flowers appear in early May, and continuous fruiting can be seen 5 years after planting. The snow-white flowers are bisexual, therefore, the variety does not require a pollinator.
Pear Children's is a high-yielding hybrid; from one adult tree you can collect up to 40 kg of juicy fruits. The tree is immune to many diseases and tolerates sub-zero temperatures well. The variety is not afraid of spring frosts and drought. This description makes it possible to grow pears both in southern cities and in regions with an unstable climate.
Fruit characteristics
Pear-shaped, yellow fruits with a pink-orange blush weigh no more than 80 g. The peel is dense, uneven, and lumpy. The creamy flesh of the Children's variety pear is juicy and has a sweet taste.
The hybrid tends to overripe quickly, so the fruits are removed as they ripen. Children's pear is well transported and can retain its taste for 30 days. The fruits are used fresh for making compotes and jams.
Pros and cons of the variety
Like any plant, the nursery pear has its positive and negative qualities. The positive ones include:
- early ripening;
- precocity;
- high productivity;
- frost and drought resistance;
- self-fertility;
- ease of care;
- versatility in the use of fruits.
The pear has few disadvantages. Many summer residents consider the small size of the fruit and the need for crown formation to be a disadvantage.
Optimal growing conditions
Children's pear is an unpretentious variety. Planting and growing a fruit tree is not difficult; even a novice gardener can handle this task.
To obtain a high yield, it is necessary to comply with planting dates, choose the right location and seedling.
Planting of the Children's pear variety can be carried out in spring and autumn.Experienced gardeners recommend planting seedlings in the fall, a month before the onset of frost. Spring planting is carried out after the soil has frozen, before the buds open. When planted in spring, the survival rate is low, since the tree needs to spend a lot of effort developing the root system and growing young foliage and new shoots.
The choice of location plays an important role for planting a seedling. Children's pear prefers to grow in well-drained, nutritious soil with deep groundwater. If the soil is heavy or clayey, it needs to be improved. To do this, sand, humus and mineral fertilizers are added when digging; this will not only improve the structure of the soil, but will also make it fertile.
The root system of a pear tree is well developed, going 6-8 m deep into the ground. Therefore, if groundwater is located superficially, there is a possibility of rotting of the root system.
The landing site should be well-lit, on the south side of the site, protected from gusty winds.
It is better to purchase pear seedlings from nurseries or trusted suppliers. For better survival, the young plant should be 2-3 years old. When choosing, you need to check the root system. It is better that it consists of 3 well-developed main roots, surrounded by a network of small roots. The trunk must be without mechanical damage and without signs of disease.
As a rule, the garden pear is grafted onto a quince or wild seed pear. The period of first maturation and the height of the tree depend on the scion. When grafted onto a quince, the first harvest appears 3 years after planting, the crown reaches up to 5 m. On a pear scion, the harvest is harvested after 5 years, the height of the plant reaches more than 5 m.The grafting site should be well joined, without cracks, spots and growths.
Planting and caring for children's pear
The characteristics of the Children's pear show that it is unpretentious in care and easy to grow. The yield and quality of the fruit depend on proper planting.
Landing rules
Step-by-step instructions for planting work:
- 30 days before planting, dig a hole 1 m deep and 80 cm wide. The distance between planting holes should be at least 5 m.
- The extracted soil is mixed with 30 liters of humus and 10 liters of sand. When planting on poor soil, complex mineral fertilizers are applied.
- The prepared soil is poured into the planting hole in a mound and shed generously. After the soil has completely settled, you can begin planting the seedling.
- If the plant was purchased with an open root system, it is kept in a bucket of warm water for 6 hours.
- Before planting, the roots are straightened and carefully laid out on a prepared mound. 1 m pegs are driven in next to the tree.
- Before filling the soil, you need to ensure that the root collar is 4-5 cm above the ground surface.
- Fill the hole with soil, compacting each layer to prevent the appearance of an air cushion.
- The top layer is compacted and shed generously.
- The seedling is tied to a support, the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw, leaves or peat.
Watering and fertilizing
Children's pear is a drought-resistant variety, so watering is carried out as the trunk circle dries out. For a young seedling, regular watering is very important, since the root system is not strong and during drought is not able to provide the tree with moisture. For seedlings, irrigation should be weekly, 2 buckets of warm water for each specimen.To retain moisture, the soil around the trunk is mulched with straw, peat or sawdust.
After each watering, loosening is carried out to a depth of 15-20 cm. Hilling will prevent the appearance of pests, enrich the soil with oxygen, and improve gas exchange.
If the pear grows on fertile soil, it does not require fertilizing. If on poor soil fertilizing is applied 3 times per season:
- in the spring – organic matter and nitrogenous fertilizers;
- in summer – complex mineral fertilizers;
- in autumn – phosphorus-potassium supplements.
Throughout the season, you can spray the crown with ash infusion; it will act as a foliar feed and repel unexpected pests.
Trimming
Children's pear needs crown formation and sanitary pruning. Sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring before sap flow begins. To do this, remove frozen, damaged and broken branches.
Pruning has a bad effect on the growth and development of pears, so experienced gardeners resort to forming the crown mechanically:
- Formation begins immediately after planting. Young branches are bent or rejected. To do this, use spacers or tie the shoots to a support.
- Branches located at an angle of 90° are straightened with spacers.
- Shoots growing at an obtuse angle are tied to the trunk.
Numerous shoots obscure the sun, slow down the growth of flowers and the formation of fruits, therefore, when forming the crown, 6 main branches are left. The branches of the crown growing at the lower level are considered skeletal. To do this, leave 3 strong, healthy shoots along the diameter of the trunk. The next level is formed after the shoots of the lower tier get stronger, gain strength and begin to grow. To form the 3rd and subsequent tiers, the central conductor is sawed off.
Whitewash
Whitewashing of pears is carried out before the sap flows and after the onset of the first frost. The purpose of whitewashing is to prevent the trunk from sunburn. Whitewashing technology:
- The trunk is cleaned of exfoliation, moss and fungal diseases. It is better to do this with a metal brush or wooden scraper.
- Dry lime is diluted in water to a thick sour cream.
- To prevent whitewash from disappearing after rains, it is diluted with laundry soap, silicate or wood glue.
- Whitewashing is carried out from the roots and 30 cm above the main stems.
- The procedure is done with a paint brush or straw brush.
Preparing for winter
Children's pear is a frost-resistant variety. Adult specimens do not need shelter. Young seedlings need to be insulated. To do this, the tree trunk circle is covered with a 15 cm layer of mulch, and the trunk is tied with spruce branches.
Pollinators of the nursery pear
The hybrid is self-fertile, which means it does not need pollinators. But to increase the yield, you need to plant several different trees on the site that bloom at the same time. It could be a Chizhevskaya pear, Lada, Cathedral. Very often, gardeners use the Children's pear variety as a pollinator for other species.
Productivity
High-yielding children's pear. Fruit harvesting begins in mid-July and continues until the end of August. Fruiting occurs 3-5 years after planting. A generous harvest of more than 10 kg can be harvested from one adult specimen.
Diseases and pests
Pear Children's has strong immunity to many diseases. But if the rules of care are not followed, the tree can be affected by insect pests:
- Green aphid. Sweet secretions contribute to the development of sooty fungi. The first treatment is carried out in early spring before the buds open with the drug “Kinmiks”.The second spraying is carried out before flowering, and the third at the stage of fruit formation.
- Pear caterpillar – affects sweet pulp. Insecticides will help get rid of insects.
- Medyanitsa – the pest sucks the sap from the tree. If timely treatment is not carried out, the pear dries out and dies. For control, insecticides, infusion of dandelion or medicinal chamomile, or a decoction of yarrow are used.
As a preventative measure in the spring, the plant is treated with colloidal sulfur or the preparation “Zircon”. This drug will not only prevent the appearance of pests, but will also increase resistance to diseases and adverse weather conditions.
Reviews of the Children's pear variety
Conclusion
Children's pear is an unpretentious variety that has become popular among gardeners. Its tender, sweet pulp is loved not only by children, but also by adults. Before purchasing a seedling, you need to study the description of the variety, photos and reviews about the Children's pear. With a minimum of effort, she will reward you with a generous, early and beautiful harvest.
