Content
The right variety of fruit tree is half the success in getting a rich harvest. This article contains a full description, photos and reviews of the Zabava pear, left by experienced amateur gardeners.
Description of the Zabava pear variety
The Zabava pear variety was bred in Belarus, its parents were the Aleksandrovka and Lyubimitsa Klappa varieties, the originator G. M. Myalik with a team of like-minded people. This is an autumn ripening pear; technical ripeness of the fruit occurs around mid-September (at the latitudes of Belarus).
The tree of this variety has a wide pyramidal crown and moderate growth vigor. The typical period for pears to enter fruiting is 5-6 years. The fruits are borne on spears, as well as on ringlets - simple and complex.
Fruit characteristics
The fruits of the Zabava variety are distinguished by their uniformity, medium size (up to 160 g) and a classic pear-shaped shape. At the harvest stage, the color of the skin is greenish-yellow; after 2-3 weeks it changes to yellow-golden with a pronounced red-brown blush on most of the fruit. Over the entire surface there are prominent subcutaneous dots of gray-green color.
The taste of ripe Zabava pears is sweet and sour, pleasant, rated at 4.6 points on a 5-point scale. The pulp is tender, aromatic, very juicy. The fruits of the Zabava variety do not last long - up to 1 month.
Pros and cons of the Zabava pear variety
The Zabava variety is relatively young and has so far been tested only in certain regions, mainly in Belarus. Therefore, the main disadvantage of the Zabava pear can be attributed to its little-studied winter hardiness in the conditions of central Russia.
But at the same time, the Zabava variety also has certain advantages that allow it to be noticed by amateur gardeners for growing in their own plots:
- moderate growth makes wood processing and harvesting easier;
- excellent taste of the fruit;
- impressive yield of the Zabava variety in a private garden.
Optimal growing conditions
The main condition for the success of growing pears is the optimal groundwater level - no closer than 2.5 m. In areas with close water occurrence, bulk ridges are built or a flat sheet of slate or tin is placed in the planting hole so that the main root, encountering an obstacle in the path of growth, turns sideways and did not reach the danger zone.
The place for the Zabava pear is chosen to be well-lit; on the north side it is advisable to have protection in the form of a house wall or a high hedge. Fruit trees should not be planted in natural lowlands where water accumulates due to melting snow or heavy rainfall.
Planting and caring for the Fun pear
When buying a seedling of the Zabava variety, it is better to opt for one-year-old trees, the survival rate of which is much better than that of two-year-old trees and older ones.You should also pay attention to the fact that the plant does not have external signs of diseases, which may be indicated by:
- spots and sagging on the trunk and skeletal branches;
- swelling and traces of rot on the main roots.
Pears are planted in both spring and autumn. The main condition for this is that the tree must be at rest, that is, the growing season has either not yet begun (in spring) or has already ended (in autumn). In regions with a harsh climate (Siberia, the Urals, Primorye), spring planting is preferable, but during this period it is necessary to especially carefully monitor the constant level of moisture in the soil until the pear finally takes root.
Landing rules
The planting hole for the Zabava pear variety is prepared based on the size of its root system, adding another 20-30% to the depth. A bucket of nutrient-drainage mixture consisting of humus, expanded clay, fertile soil and river sand, taken in equal parts, is poured onto the bottom. You can add a half-liter jar of wood ash and 1 tbsp to the composition. l. nitroammofoski.
A bucket (or more) of water is poured into the hole to form a mud slurry; a young tree must be planted in it, straightening the roots and placing its trunk strictly vertically. The root collar cannot be buried; it is better to raise it 2-3 cm above the soil level. Otherwise, the first fruiting will be greatly delayed, and the pear itself will be depressed. Before filling the hole with soil, a support peg is installed. After planting, the soil in the tree trunk circle is compacted, the seedling is watered again from a watering can and mulched with dry humus or compost with a layer of 2-3 cm.
2-3 buckets of expanded clay or broken brick are poured onto the bottom, and then filled with black soil mixed with sand (4:1). The hole is well watered and left for 1-2 weeks so that the soil settles, after which it is planted.
Watering and fertilizing
Timely watering is necessary for the Zabava pear variety during the period of active growth, flowering and formation of ovaries. Particular care must be taken to monitor soil irrigation in the tree trunk circle during dry, hot summers. To reduce the frequency of watering and maintain the required level of humidity, you need to mulch with grass clippings, straw or other organic materials. Make the mulch layer at least 10 cm, since it decreases very quickly due to the vital activity of soil inhabitants.
In the year of planting, provided the pit is properly filled, the young Zabava pear does not need additional nutrition. Only at the end of summer can foliar fertilizing with potassium monophosphate be carried out, which will help the tree to successfully overwinter. In subsequent years, the fertilizer application scheme for Zabava pears may be as follows:
- In early spring, when the soil thaws, nitroammophoska or other complex fertilizer is applied when digging the tree trunk circle. For trees under 5 years old, 1 tbsp is enough. l. granules, for older ones - 2 tbsp. l.
- In summer, during flowering, add phosphorus and potassium (superphosphate and potassium salt) 1 tsp each. each substance for young trees and 2 tsp. for adults.
- At the end of summer or beginning of autumn, foliar fertilizing of the Zabava pear with potassium monophosphate is carried out and 500 g of wood ash is scattered into the loosened soil under each tree.
- In winter, organic fertilizers are applied - rotted manure or litter at the rate of 3-4 kg for each pear over 4 years old.It is important that fertilizing for the pear is applied after the end of the growing season, when stable frosts occur.
Trimming
The crown of the Zabava pear variety is sparsely pyramidal. The height of the trunk of a tree older than 5 years should be about 60-80 cm, then the first tier of 2-4 skeletal branches begins. Above it is 50-60 cm the second tier and all the others, depending on the age of the Zabava pear and its height.
To achieve this result, 3 types of formation are used:
- Summer pruning or pinching. It is carried out during the period of active growth of green shoots by pinching their tops or completely removing (breaking out) unnecessary branches. This operation results in growth retardation for 2-3 weeks, at the same time better ripening of shoots, appearance of lateral branches and laying of fruit buds occurs.
- Classic shortening pruning. It is carried out in early spring or autumn after leaf fall. With its help, excess shoots growing deep into the crown are removed, and excessively long growth of the current year is shortened. When shaping a tree in this way, one must take into account that radical pruning causes increased awakening of dormant buds and, as a result, powerful growth that must be kept under control. After all, the main problem in the formation of the crown of pear trees of any variety is their vigorous growth and, at the same time, low shoot-forming ability. The Zabava variety pear has an advantage in this regard - moderate growth strength is genetically inherent in it.
- Deviation of shoots into the horizontal plane. With this method, the branches, which often extend from pears at an acute angle, are carefully bent to the most horizontal position.For fixation, use spacers or stretch the twine from the shoots to the staples stuck into the ground. With such a deviation, the vigor of shoot growth slows down, the formation of fruit branches accelerates, and the first fruiting of a pear tree occurs 2-3 years earlier than usual.
Whitewash
To preserve the trunk of a fruit tree from frost damage, to protect it from pests overwintering in the bark, and to reflect the bright rays of the early spring sun, it is traditional to whiten the trunks on the last fine days of November. The composition of whitewash may vary in detail, but the main components are lime, clay or mullein, and water in such quantity as to form a mass similar in consistency to thick sour cream. Whitewash is applied to the tree trunk and forks of skeletal branches.
Preparing for winter
Young trees and southern varieties need special measures to prepare for winter. The Zabava variety pear has not yet been sufficiently tested in the conditions of the middle zone, so it is necessary to create comfortable wintering conditions for it. To do this, the stems are wrapped in non-woven material or burlap and, additionally, on top of it - a special protective mesh against rodents. On the northern side of the Zabava pear, you can place temporary barriers, for example, empty barrels, which will not only serve as wind protection, but also provide snow retention.
How to properly prepare a young pear for winter:
Pollination
To ensure a good harvest, Zabava pear needs a pollinator variety nearby. The best are considered to be Naryadnaya Efimova and Bere Loshitskaya. If desired, you can select other pollinators, the main thing is that the flowering periods of the selected varieties and the Zabava pear coincide as much as possible.
Productivity
It is difficult to talk about the productivity of the Zabava pear in a private garden, but in industrial gardens this variety has shown its best side. A balanced diet and proper agricultural technology allow you to collect up to 15-20 tons per hectare.
Diseases and pests
Fruit trees, including pears, are often susceptible to various diseases, the main one of which is scab, caused by pathogenic fungi. The main control measure is timely treatment with copper-containing preparations. It is carried out as a preventative measure in early spring and after leaf fall, as well as at the first signs of appearance - characteristic spots on the leaves. The Zabava variety pear has average resistance to scab.
A common occurrence is bacterial canker, which manifests itself as a sudden blackening of the leaves and subsequent wilting of the shoots. Treating trees in the spring along the green cone and during flowering with special antibiotic preparations brings good results. The Zabava variety has average resistance to bacterial diseases.
Common pests of fruit trees include leaf rollers, aphids, pear moths, moths and gall mites. One of the most effective preventive means of combating most of them is the use of pheromone traps, trapping belts, homemade or industrially produced. In advanced cases, systemic insecticides are used - Aktaru, Fufanon, Inta-Vir, etc.
Reviews of Zabava pear
Conclusion
A detailed description, photos and reviews of the Zabava pear will help you make the right choice of fruit tree for your garden plot. This is a promising variety - productive, medium-sized and resistant to major diseases of fruit crops.
