Colon-shaped pears are dwarf varieties. Their advantage is that the plants do not take up much space on the site, which allows you to plant several varieties of pears at the same time. The article discusses the features of growing a columnar pear, caring for it.
History of selection of a pear
The cultivation of several dwarf varieties of garden pears was carried out by the scientist M.V. Kachalkin. In the future, such varieties began to be called "columnar". Outwardly, these are compact trees similar to columnar apple trees. This influenced the name.
Colon-shaped pears are characterized by compact sizes in relation to good productivity. Such plants are grafted and seed. Grow them in any way. It is believed that the best quince or quail stock. Due to the small size on the site, it is possible to grow many varieties, to receive ripe fruits from them.
Description and Features
Colon-shaped pear is a fruit and ornamental garden tree belonging to the large family Rosaceae and the genus Pears. The culture has practically no differences from its large relative - an ordinary pear. The exception is only the size of the tree and the shape of the crown. Trees first appeared in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Experienced gardeners respond positively to dwarf pears, referring to the fact that it is possible to plant many trees in a small area without difficulty, while receiving a large crop.
Deciduous trees. They reach a maximum height of 2.5 meters, while an ordinary pear can grow by 4-5 meters. The pear-shaped pear has a thick trunk, the tree itself is compact, the branches do not grow much, are located along the trunk and are pruned with a large regrowth. Outwardly, such pears are similar to a high column. The leaves are wide, large, with a glossy surface, dark green in color. They can grow directly on the trunk and branches attached to it.
In the spring, fragrant white flowers appear on the tree, collected in umbrella inflorescences. On small branches, large fruits ripen, reaching up to 400 g. The fruits are juicy, soft.
It is believed that it is better to grow columnar pears in the suburbs. Some varieties are suitable for the Urals and Siberia.
Productivity
Coloniform pears begin to bear fruit already in the second year after planting a young tree. They are characterized by good and stable productivity for several years. Each season, gardeners harvest from 2.5 to 3.5 kg of crop from a single tree. For dwarf culture, these are good indicators.
Fruiting lasts for 10-15 years, then decreases and stops altogether. By this time, it is necessary to take care of the planting of new trees, and the old plants are left as a decorative decoration of the garden.
What are the varieties and hybrids?
Today, there are not so many varieties of colon-shaped pears. But breeders are constantly making efforts to increase the number of varieties. All varieties of colon-shaped pears are divided into autumn, early and late autumn, summer-autumn, winter. Each of the varieties has its own characteristics and characteristics.
Carmen
A dessert variety that attracts with its compact form and beautiful appearance during flowering and ripening of fruits. Often gardeners plant this pear to decorate the garden. Variety Carmen bears fruit with a red-burgundy peel. The weight of one pear reaches 200-250 g.
Fruiting begins in the second year. The advantages include high yield, juiciness of the fruit, their sweet and sour taste.
Decor
The height of the tree does not exceed two meters. The fruits are large, reaching up to 200 g. The shape of the fruit is regular, pear-shaped, the peel is yellow-green. The pulp is white, juicy, sweet, with a slight acidity.
Of the advantages distinguish good productivity, endurance, resistance to various diseases. Harvesting takes place at the end of August.
Honey
Summer grade. Fruits ripen in August, during this period begins the massive harvest of fruits. The peel is yellow-green, with an orange blush on one side. The shape is slightly elongated, oval. The weight of the fruit varies between 300-400 g.
This is a frost-resistant variety, the plant grows well on any soil. Pears are fragrant, smell good, juicy and sweet. After harvesting, the fruits are stored for a long time.
Night werth
The fruits of the dwarf tree are large, weighing from 200 to 250 g. The peel is yellow-green, on one side there is a pink blush.
The variety tolerates temperatures well below -25 degrees. The pulp is juicy and sweet, the aroma is pleasant, pronounced.
Sanremi
Late autumn grade. Harvesting occurs in October-November. It is characterized by unpretentiousness to the landing site, high productivity and increased resistance to frost.
The fruits are large, weigh up to 400 g. The peel is greenish-yellow, with a slight pink blush on its side. The pulp is sweet and juicy, the aroma is delicate, light.
Northerner
Gardeners appreciate this variety for the rapid growth and early ripening of tasty and juicy fruits. Pears are medium in size, the peel is yellow-green with pinkish spots and veins. Harvesting begins in late July and early August.
When removing ripe fruits from a tree, their shelf life is no more than 2 weeks. If the fruits are not yet fully ripened, they can lie for one and a half, sometimes two months.
Sapphire
Plants reach a height of 1.5-2 m. The variety is characterized by moderate frost resistance, but taking care of good insulation for the winter, it will be possible to cultivate the variety in Central Russia. The seedling is actively developing, pleases with external qualities and small size. The culture is unpretentious, but demanding on the soil. Pear is planted on soils where there are many organic substances. The variety has increased resistance to scab, fungal diseases.
Ripening of fruits occurs in early to mid-September 3 years after planting. Timely harvesting will allow you to store the fruits until the end of December. The fruits weigh 200-250 g, have an oblong shape, a yellow-green peel with small subcutaneous freckles, a slight blush. The taste is good, the aroma is pronounced.
Tenderness
The plant reaches a height of up to 2.5 m. The fruits are characterized by an elongated, pear-shaped. The peel is a yellow-green hue, with a pronounced blush on the side where the sun's rays fall. The weight of one pear reaches 200, sometimes 400 g. The pulp is sweet, juicy, aromatic.
Harvesting takes place in September. The variety is unpretentious in care, frost-resistant, gives a good harvest - up to 10 kg of ripe fruits are harvested from one tree.
Autumn dream
Externally, the variety is similar to the pear "Severyanka." The fruits are small, weigh no more than 80 g. The peel is yellow-green, the pulp has a semi-oily texture. Pears ripen by the end of summer.
This variety is suitable for cultivation in the Urals and Siberia. The fruits are stored for a long time, because many gardeners grow a variety for the further production of juice and jam, preservation.
Pavlovskaya
A popular hybrid, the fruits of which ripen two years after planting a seedling. Fruits are large, weigh up to 250 g. The variety is unpretentious in care, high-yielding.
The rind is yellowish, with pronounced blush on one side. The pulp is juicy, sweet, the aroma is good. Pears ripen in mid-September.
Yakovlev's favorite
A pear bearing beautiful and large fruits. The fruit has a regular, broad-pear-shaped, slightly tuberous surface. One fruit weighs 200-250 g.
The peel is a dull green hue. The pulp is juicy, sugary, quince flavor. The fruits ripen completely at the end of September.
Hero
The bogatyr is considered one of the most popular varieties ripening in late September and early October. In the period of abundant productivity comes at the same time as the other varieties of dwarf trees.
The fruits are large, characterized by an elongated shape. The weight of one pear reaches 250-300 g. The fruits are beautiful, with a golden skin. The pulp is juicy, aromatic, taste honey. Varieties are not afraid of frost. Bogatyr is a variety resistant to ailments. During long transportation and storage, fruits do not lose their appearance.
Sweet beauty
Harvesting occurs in late July or early August. The variety is unpretentious in care, is not afraid of frosts and common diseases. Already in the third year after planting the tree, juicy pears appear.
Fruits are large, weigh up to 250 g. They attract fruits in an elongated shape, which makes them resemble a large light bulb. The peel is greenish yellow. The pulp is juicy, has a rich aroma.
White-red early
The plant is compact, not taking up much space, bearing fruit in the second year after planting in a permanent place. The tree prefers sunny areas. It tolerates frosts.
The most elegant variety, attracting attention with elongated fruits with a yellow-ruddy peel. The pulp is sweet, tender, the taste is wine, and the aroma is pronounced.
G 322
This is a hybrid of a columnar pear. It does not require pollinators nearby, since it is a self-fertile plant. The culture is unpretentious to soil and care, characterized by good resistance to disease and high frost resistance. Fruits in the second year after planting.
The shape of the fruit is pear-shaped, wide, elongated. The peel is golden green in color with a pink blush on its side, the weight varies from 150-250 g. The flesh is oily, juicy, with a slight acidity. The aroma is saturated.
Advantages and disadvantages
Colon-shaped pears have many positive qualities. The advantages of dwarf pears include such moments:
- Compactness. Plants take up little space, due to which many plants are placed on a small area.
- Frost resistance. This allows you to plant trees in regions with a changing climate.
- High yield. On average, gardeners collect from 3 to 10 kg of pears from one tree.
- Undemanding in leaving. Most varieties are unpretentious to the soil and care.
- Fruiting at a high level. Already 2-3 years after vaccination, the tree begins to bear fruit.
- Resistance to diseases and pests. Many of the varieties are characterized by good endurance, are not affected by disease and pest attacks.
- Large fruits. Pears reach large sizes.
- The survival of seedlings. Usually when planting a young tree there is no difficulty, it takes any soil.
There are some disadvantages of dwarf pears:
- not so many varieties are bred today;
- due to the fact that such pears are considered ornamental plants, it is required to regularly monitor the crown;
- short life span;
- Dwarf fruit trees delight in fruits for long - about 10 years.
Preparatory work before landing
Many consider a columnar pear an unusual plant, therefore, before planting, certain conditions must be observed and prepared for this process. It is important to choose the right seedlings and place for planting. Only a serious approach to the task will make it possible to obtain a healthy and fruitful plant in the future.
Recommendations for the selection of seedlings and varieties
Choosing healthy seedlings is very important. Experienced gardeners recommend choosing young trees in nurseries, because only in them it will be possible to acquire strong and healthy seedlings adapted to the climatic conditions of a particular area. The nursery will also receive specialist advice on the proper planting and care of the plant.
It is advisable to choose annual plants - they take root faster and better, less susceptible to disease. Before buying, be sure to carefully examine the entire plant, especially the root system, it should be healthy, without signs of decay. They also inspect the trunk, it must be clean and neat, there should be no signs of pests and diseases on it.
It is best to purchase dwarf pear seedlings of those varieties that are suitable for the climatic zone. For the Moscow region, such varieties as Tenderness, Severyanka, Carmen are considered ideal. For warmer varieties choose Sanremi, Night-Wert.
A place to plant a young tree
Colon-shaped pears are undemanding to the place of planting, but it is important to choose areas where there are no drafts and strong winds. Due to the fact that the plant is compact, at a young age it can suffer from strong impulses. The place for landing is secluded and remote. For one plant, 50-60 cm of land is enough.
Some varieties of columnar pears are used as a decorative decoration of the garden, therefore seedlings can be grown on the territory near the house.
It is allowed to plant a seedling even on calcareous soils, but it is advisable to choose areas with well-fertilized soil - it is prepared from the fall. The selected area is carefully dug up, approximately two bayonet shovels. At the same time make a little humus. After this, the soil loosens and levels much better.
Pear planting
It is best to start planting seedlings in the spring, because during this time the young tree will have time to grow stronger and easier to tolerate winter. A few days before landing, they begin to prepare landing pits. It is equally important to correctly determine the distance between several seedlings. It is optimal to maintain a distance of 50 cm, between rows - 1-1.5 m. In this way, it will be possible to provide seedlings with fresh air and sunlight.
They dig large holes - 80x60 cm. But it is important to focus on your seedlings and their root system in a flattened form. 8-10 liters of water are poured into each pit. After absorbing water, 2-3 buckets of humus mixed with sand in a ratio of 2: 1 are introduced into the planting holes. And the soil extracted from the pit is mixed with potassium sulfate and superphosphate.
Next, proceed to the preparation of seedlings. The root system should be soaked in water. To do this, they are lowered for a while in a container of water. At the bottom of the holes, 1/3 of the soil is poured, then a young tree is placed on this layer and the roots are carefully spread. The rest of the soil is poured on top, rammed the surface with your hands.
The last stage is abundant watering of each seedling; for convenience, it is recommended to make holes around the plant. Immediately put a support for the tree.
The subtleties of care
All dwarf pear varieties need special care. Plant health and yield are directly dependent on this. For the growth and development of the tree, they provide proper care from the first months.
Watering
In the first year, plants are regularly watered. Watering is carried out at least twice a week, preferably in the morning. In a dry season, the number of irrigations is increased. On average, 5-8 liters of water are consumed per tree. It is impossible to overmoisten the soil, since it is dangerous for the development of diseases.
Top dressing
Good growth of dwarf trees will provide regular and proper feeding. Provide the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers, starting from the second or third year after planting, when the young tree takes root and becomes stronger. Experienced gardeners recommend preparing such a solution: dissolve 10 g of urea (urea) in 2 liters of water.
The first top dressing occurs in the spring, after the first true leaves appear. Two weeks after the first feeding, the procedure is repeated, and the third fertilization is carried out after another 2 weeks.
In the first half of summer, urea top dressing is replaced by slurry or fresh mullein:
- Mullein and slurry are used immediately, stirring in standing water in a ratio of 1: 1. Under each tree make 1 liter of fertilizer.
- Bird droppings must be fermented before use.To do this, fill the litter half of the tank, the remaining space is filled with warm water. The mixture is left to stand for about 14 days, stirring occasionally. 500 ml of solution is poured under each plant.
Since the end of September, it is not recommended to carry out root feeding with nitrogen, since the plant may not have time to prepare for the dormant state and will die with the onset of frost.
Then top dressing is carried out in the fall, using mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. They are purchased in a specialized store or prepared independently: 20 g of potassium chloride and 40 g of granular superphosphate are dissolved in 10 l of water. All components are mixed and introduced into the trunk circle. This ratio of components is calculated per square meter.
Read more about feeding fruit trees in spring here.
Loosening and mulching
Periodically, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the seedlings. This must be done very carefully - you can accidentally damage the root system of young trees located close to the surface. It is recommended to remove all weeds that grow around the tree. To prevent the growth of weeds and reduce the number of loosening will allow the mulching of the trunk circle with sawdust or straw.
Pruning
Dwarf plants need proper pruning, because the formation of the correct crown and the growth of the tree itself directly depend on this. The more pruned, the faster and better the branches remaining after the procedure will grow. When completing the task, it is imperative to take into account that a branch located closer to the vertical is subject to rapid growth than deviated branches located below. For this reason, the main conductor is never cut.
Proper care guarantees an annual growth of the top of the plant by 10-15 cm. Several side branches will also grow. With a poor growth of the conductor, it is cut off, leaving a couple of kidneys.
In the first year after planting, pluck all the flowers - this ensures good rooting and restoration of plant strength. The next year, if the tree has become strong and well developed, leave up to a dozen fruits. After annually gradually increase the number of fruits.
An important factor is the size and number of pears. If the tree abruptly bears fruit with small fruits than last year, the plant is not able to withstand heavy loads from the crop, so its quantity is normalized the next year.
Pollination
Almost all varieties of dwarf pears are self-infertile, for this reason, for the formation of fruits, it is necessary to plant pollinators in close proximity. To do this, other varieties of columnar trees are planted nearby, as well as full-sized trees of pears and apple trees. During the vegetative period, the tree blooms profusely, which makes artificial pollination difficult.
Colon-shaped pear is the optimal choice of fruit tree for small areas, due to which it is appreciated by many gardeners.
Preparing for the winter
Although the columnar varieties of pears have high resistance to frost, in the conditions of central Russia before winter they need to be insulated. Especially young seedlings need this procedure, because their root system is not yet sufficiently formed.
There are several important agricultural techniques that allow trees to survive even severe Siberian winters:
- After the leaves fall, it, together with the fallen dry fruits, is removed and burned. This allows you to get rid of wintering pests and pathogens.
- In late autumn, whitewash the pear trunks with a water-based paint with lime or chalk diluted in it. This procedure helps protect the bark from cracking due to temperature differences.
- Cover the trunk circle with a twenty-centimeter layer of sawdust or straw.
The first few years in young trees protect the apical buds, because they are very delicate and can die from frost. For this, various materials are used, such as plastic bags - they are put on tree branches. A good protection against frost is considered to be snow - they spud a tree trunk up to the base of skeletal branches. It is permissible to wrap small trees with non-woven material, and throw a snowdrift over it.
Trees that are three years old or more are provided with trunk protection by wrapping it in paper and carefully tying it with a rope. Ruberoid or ordinary coniferous branches, which tightly encircle the trunk and tie it to a rope, will help protect the plant from rodents. The young seedling is completely covered with coniferous branches.
Diseases and Pests
Preserving pear-shaped pears from pests and diseases is much easier than treating them later. The main prevention of diseases is compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, which contributes to good immunity. For the prevention of diseases, the crown, trunk and trunk circle are sprayed with a urea solution of different concentrations.
6 sprays are carried out per season:
- In the spring, before the start of the growing season, 100 g of urea is dissolved in 10 l of water.
- According to young foliage, before flowering begins, 75 g of urea is dissolved in 10 l of water.
- During flowering, a solution of 10 l of water and 50 g of urea is prepared.
- Two times in the summer - 50 g of urea dissolved in 10 l of water.
- In the fall, after the leaves fall. The same ratio of components as in the first treatment.
In spring, trees begin to spray when the air temperature warms up to +5 degrees. It is no less effective in spring, before the leaves appear, to spray plants with a solution of iron sulfate 1%, after falling leaves - 5%. If the plant becomes sick, establish the cause and begin treatment.
The table shows the diseases and methods of dealing with them:
Disease | Symptoms | Treatment |
Rust | A fungal disease accompanied by orange or red spots on the leaves. | Remove or discard diseased leaves. For prevention, it is recommended to use the drug Skor. They treat the disease by spraying with Bordeaux liquid 1% or with fungicides Abiga Pak, Strobi, Cumulus, Poliram. |
Scab | Fungal disease, during which spots appear on the underside of the leaves. Fruits and young shoots are also affected by the disease. The causative agent hibernates in the bark of infected shoots and fallen leaves. | In the phase of the green cone, the crown is sprayed with Bordeaux liquid 3%, pink bud - with the drug Skor at the rate of 2 g per 10 l of water. Processing is repeated after flowering. 2 weeks after coarsening of the leaves, and also after 20 days, the tree is treated with Hom, Kaptan, Skor, Tsineb or colloidal sulfur. |
Fruit rot | Fungal disease. When the pear is damaged, brown spots form on the fruits. Later, growths appear containing spores of the fungus. | It is most effective to remove the affected fruits remaining on the tree, to spray the plant with Bordeaux liquid 3%. During the growing season, it is advisable to spray the plant with such fungicides as Folicur, Topsin, Fitosporin. |
Powdery mildew | Fungal disease, manifested by plaque on the tips of annual growths, which leads to slower growth of shoots, their deformation, drying out and premature decay of ovaries and foliage. | Affected shoots should be cut and burned. During the appearance of buds, after flowering has ended and 14 days after the second treatment of the tree, it is necessary to spray Tiovit Jet, Ditan M-45, Rowral crown, branches and trunk with fungicides. |
Green and Umbrella Aphids | Folding of damaged leaves along the central vein occurs. In places where larvae feed, galls containing aphids are formed. This leads to yellowing or reddening of the leaves. | In late autumn, it is required to clean the bark of dirt, treat the cracks with an antiseptic, cover it with garden varnish, whiten the plant and dig the trunk circle. Killing insect eggs will help dousing the bark of the tree and the trunk circle with hot water. This procedure is carried out in the fall. For prevention, it is recommended that in the early spring, before the buds swell, treat the plant with Kinmix, before flowering with Anravertin, after setting the fruit with Iskra. |
Fruit Gallic | An insect that harms flower ovaries. This leads to their drying, deformation, cracking and falling. The pest is able to damage half and most of the fruits. | The soil under the tree for the winter is required to dig well, since many larvae winter in the upper layer. Damaged leaves and branches to collect and burn. If necessary, use insecticides. |
Also, from pests, pear mites and pear throats often attack pear-shaped pears. To get rid of pests, it is recommended to use special drugs - insecticides.
Plants that repel pests, such as tobacco, mint or lemon balm, are planted around seedlings.
Propagation of dwarf pears
Reproduction of this culture by seed can be accompanied by difficulties, because it requires a lot of time and effort. Also, this method is suitable for obtaining not all varieties of colon-shaped pears. Because gardeners use other popular ways.
Vaccinated
Colon-shaped pears are seed and grafted. Seed pears are bred in a natural way, which helps to get these genes. The vaccine inoculate the seedlings of a dwarf pear on such stocks as irga or quince. A stock vaccination is recommended in late April and early May. It is advisable to do this early in the morning or in the evening, it is permissible and during the day, subject to cloudy weather. Vaccines are harvested in the winter, and during the procedure use only clean and sharp tools.
Step-by-step process:
- Inoculate a pear in several ways: behind the bark, into a split and into a side incision.
- For grafting using grafting cuttings 70-80 cm long, harvested from the winter and stored in a cool place.
- Before vaccination, all fruit branches are cut on the selected stock, leaving only 40 cm of their length.
- Proceed with the inoculation of the cuttings of a columnar pear.
- The vaccination site is tightly wrapped with electrical tape and greased with garden var. The survival period lasts from 20 to 30 days.
Cuttings
For propagation in this way, green cuttings must be prepared in advance, the length of each should be about 25-30 cm. Each cutting should have at least 5 leaves and 2 internodes. In a separate container, a special rooting agent solution is diluted, usually it is Kornevin. Then put cleaned from the bottom of the cuttings for 48 hours in this solution. This contributes to a more rapid rooting of cuttings.
Then the cuttings are instilled into the soil mixed with a small part of sphagnum. Subject to all the conditions of this method of propagation, cuttings root quickly.
Gardeners reviews
Gardeners in most admire the varieties of columnar pears, claiming that they have more positive than negative qualities.
Eugene, 45 years old, amateur gardener. My husband and I somehow went to the fair, where we saw two seedlings of a column-shaped pear. The seller assured that the harvest is good, the fruits are juicy and large. Planted on the site, regularly watered and fertilized. A year later, the tree began to bloom, in the second year after planting, the fruits appeared.
But we did not specify with the seller how to properly care for the pear ... we cut it as we could, because the trees became branched. Then some pests attacked - the trees got sick and died. Taught by bitter experience before buying new seedlings, they read a lot of literature. Now we annually collect a good crop, properly care for and process the trees from diseases and pests.
Alexander, 58 years old, an experienced gardener. For many years I have been growing colon-shaped pears at my summer cottage. I have several varieties, but I still like Sapphire. I like the juiciness and excellent taste of the fruit. With proper care, including top dressing, pruning, warming before winter, trees will annually please with a large harvest, beautiful and tasty pears.
Artem, 38, a beginner gardener. A friend praised the column-shaped pear growing on his site. I myself live in a private house, so I decided to buy seedlings. Fertilized the plant, regularly watered. In the first year, I plucked all the inflorescences, wrapped them in burlap in the winter. Now my trees are three years old, the second season I collect a good harvest. The fruits are tasty, juicy, all friends and family like it.
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Today there are not so many varieties of colon-shaped pears, but those that are already managed to gain popularity among many gardeners. Plants are unpretentious in care, but require proper pruning and regular feeding, which especially affects growth and development, as well as fruit ripening and yield.
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