Pear Elena

Elena was created for growing in difficult climatic conditions. As a result, it can easily withstand significant temperature fluctuations. It is especially appreciated by gardeners and consumers for its late flowering and excellent taste.

The history of this winter pear began more than half a century ago, when in Armenia (Research Institute) a group of employees under the leadership of P.G. Karatyan managed to cross the Forest Beauty and the Winter Bere Michurin. This universal culture has been in the State Register since 1990.

The culture is weak and compact in size, rarely rising to 3 meters. With proper pruning, it gets a squeezed pyramidal configuration, which makes it possible to grow it in small areas.

Experienced gardeners note that it has no tendency to excessive formation of shoots and basal processes. The color of the bark on the stem and main branches is gray-brownish, the surface roughness is felt. Shoots are infrequent, of average thickness. Young twigs get bright cherry hues, but as they grow, they acquire a brown-brown color. The bark on the branches is glossy, there is no pubescence.

Medium leafy shoots. The leaves are large, bright green shades, glossy, with an elliptical configuration, finely serrated. The culture blooms intensively, forming medium-sized white flowers. Fruit ripening occurs synchronously. Ripe fruits are prone to falling off. Elena successfully develops on light and nutritious soils, is self-pollinated.

Of the advantages of culture, we note:

• compactness;

• her unpretentiousness when leaving;

• excellent adaptive ability to temperature fluctuations;

• late blooming;

• a high degree of fruitfulness;

• wonderful taste properties of pears;

• good level of keeping quality and transportability with timely picking of pears;

• excellent immune protection against diseases.

Minuses:

• average level of resistance to low temperatures and moisture deficit;

• falling off of ripe pears and loss of presentation.

Pears in a culture of medium and large dimensions (150-200 g), cone-shaped and short-pear-shaped, with a wide lower part. Their peel is softish, tender, greenish-yellow shades with a reddish blush. In the phase of consumer maturity, the fruit color is pronounced yellow. As they mature, they become intensely yellow with light pinkish tints, clearly visible grayish subcutaneous dots and orange spots.

The consistency of the fruit is creamy, dense, juicy, slightly oily, fine-grained, melting. Peduncles are short, thickened, curved. Duration of storage of pears - up to 4 months.

By applicability - fruits are used fresh and cannot be processed, dried and dried.

In terms of taste, pears are not sugary sweet, with original and light notes of sourness. They have a pleasant spicy aroma. Tasting score in points - 4.8.

In terms of ripening, the culture is early winter. Removable dates start from the end of September. The consumer maturity level lasts until January. The plant begins to bear fruit in 5-7 years from the time of planting.

The yield level is average - up to about 40 kg from 1 tree.

It can be grown in all regions of Russia.

The culture is self-fertile, self-fertilized.

In southern latitudes, it is better to plant Elena in early spring. In mid-latitudes, the best landing time will be September-October. Before the cold snap, the trees have time to take root.

For the culture, well-lit areas should be selected, preferably with shelters from the cool wind and draft.

The roots of the culture are afraid of getting wet, so the seedlings are planted in high places. The groundwater level should not be less than 4 m from the edge of the soil.

Planting holes are prepared 3-4 weeks before the planned landing date. Holes are prepared with a depth and diameter of 50-70 cm. The sequence of further activities.

1. The bottom of the holes is drained with a layer of 10-15 cm using crushed stone, expanded clay or broken bricks.

2. The excavated soil is fed with compost or humus composition. The compacted soil is diluted by adding sand or peat. Clay additives are added to light and sandy soils. It is advisable to make them with potash-phosphorus ingredients and wood ash.

3. The wells are replenished with nutrient soil with a layer of 20-30 cm. In this state, they are kept for a certain time - the soil should settle. During a drought, it is advisable to irrigate the holes periodically before planting trees.

4. Before planting, the trees are carefully examined, cutting off the dried roots. The roots are immersed in a bucket with a clay mixture or soaked in water for 10-12 hours.

Before the direct landing in the pits, mounds are prepared from a fertile composition. The seedlings are strengthened on them so that the scion site is located 3-5 cm above the soil level. The roots must be straightened, and then the pits must be supplemented with soil.

After planting, the near-root spaces of the seedlings are abundantly irrigated. It is advisable to do this around the circumference of the previously dug groove. Mulching with peat or sawdust is mandatory.

Large-sized fruits of the culture need abundant nutritious feeding for ripening. And for young animals entering the fruiting period, timely irrigation is important.

Taking care of the culture, you should adhere to a number of rules.

1. At the beginning of the initial 5 years of growth, a formative autumn pruning is required for Elena, and in the following years, thinning and sanitary pruning is carried out. The latter is usually carried out twice a year - before the beginning of the growing season and at the end of fruiting.

2. Starting from the 4th year of growth, in spring and autumn, organic feeding is carried out. In the summer, mineral fertilizers are used, which must include phosphorus and potassium supplements.

3. The near-root space is subject to systematic weeding and loosening.

4. Before the onset of cold weather, the trees are abundantly irrigated, the soil is fed with compost. In middle latitudes, it is advisable to cover the roots with a thick layer of peat or sawdust mulch.The trunks of the young are covered with burlap or agrofibre.

The long history and practice of abundant cultivation attests to its robust immune potential against disease. Nevertheless, in the cold and damp summer season, trees can be affected by diseases of fungal origin. Attacks of scab and fruit rot are dangerous. Therefore, the process of fungicidal treatment of trees during the period of sap flow, at the end of flowering and in autumn is advisable.

Elena is rarely, but is attacked by aphids, which is fought with using chemicals. Such treatments are best done at the end of fruiting and in early spring.

The degree of frost resistance in the culture is at an average level. But with proper care, it can perfectly winter in mid-latitudes, where cold temperatures down to minus 25-30 degrees Celsius are not uncommon.

The culture cannot be called drought-resistant in full, but the lack of moisture for 10-20 days is not fraught with problematic consequences, even during the ripening of the fruits. Tree roots react more negatively to significant waterlogging.