Many gardeners prefer the pear Autumn Sweet variety because of its high yield and good winter hardiness. In the article you will read about the botanical description and characteristics of this variety, the features of growing pears, you will find out what region it is intended for, as well as how to harvest and store the crop of this crop.

Botanical description and characteristics of pears

Autumn sweet is recommended to be grown in the Central region. This pear is common in the Moscow Region, Tula and Ryazan regions, as well as in Western Siberia and the Urals. Let us consider in more detail how the Autumn Sweet Pear looks and characterizes.

Did you know? The ancient Chinese considered the pear tree a symbol of immortality. To break a pear tree was considered a very bad sign.

Characteristics of fruits and tree

Autumn Sweet trees grow up to 3.5 m, under favorable conditions, the height can reach 4 m. The crown is wide, pyramidal in shape. The fruits are rounded and have a light yellow skin, often with light brown spots. The weight of fruits is on average from 140 to 150 g, some of them can reach 250 g. The pulp is white, sweet, juicy, has a rich aroma. This variety has high frost resistance, is able to withstand temperatures up to -30 ° C.

Pros and cons of the variety

• The positive characteristics of this variety include:
• pleasant taste and attractive appearance of the fruit;
• long shelf life (shelf life of the fruit is from 2 to 2.5 months);
• high productivity;
• good transportability;
• high resistance to severe frosts and diseases.

• The disadvantages of this variety include:
• the need for regular watering;
• self-fertility (to obtain a high yield, a variety requires a pollinator tree).

Pollinators

Good viable ovaries in Autumn Sweet can form if one or several trees of other varieties are planted next to it.

The most suitable pollinators of Autumn Sweet are such varieties of pears:

• Yurievskaya;
• Northerner;
• Rogneda;
• Chizhovskaya;
• Firefly.

Important! For pollination of the Autumn Sweet pear to be successful, it is necessary to maintain a distance between it and pollinating trees of not more than 15 m, ideally 6 m.

Productivity

The ripening period for Autumn Sweet is the end of September. One tree can bear up to 30 kg of fruit. Harvested pears can be stored until mid-December.

Features of planting and pear care

Having chosen Autumn Sweet for your site, you must put into practice the rules of planting and caring for this variety.

Landing rules

Compliance with the rules of planting seedlings is of primary importance. Consider in more detail what you need to pay special attention to.

We advise you to learn about ways to breed pears.

Choosing the best seedlings for planting

Seedlings are best purchased in nurseries, while you need to pay attention to such subtleties:

1. The age of the seedling. There is a misconception that fruiting will happen faster if you grow tall, powerful seedlings 3-4 years. However, just such trees can be painful and die. Seedlings of 1–2 years take root well. They can be distinguished by the thickness of the stem, which is 12 mm. One-year-olds lack side branches, two-year-olds can have several branches, up to 30 cm long.
2. Root system. The roots should form well and be at least 30 cm long, with no damage and growths. It is recommended, when making a purchase, to choose seedlings with open roots.
3. View of the stem and branches. They must be of uniform color, and spots and blotches indicate diseases of the seedling.

Choosing a place to land

The optimal conditions for the growth of Autumn Sweet are places that are protected from draft. The most suitable option is to plant a pear tree on a warm slope or site on the south side of the house. It is not recommended to plant a pear in lowlands and places with stagnant cold air. Shading should not be allowed by other trees in the area of ​​the growing tree.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of growing autumn pear varieties:

Landing pattern

Planting seedlings is necessary according to the scheme 6x3 or 5x4 m. In this case, the procedure should be carried out according to the instructions below:

1. In autumn, you need to prepare a pit, the diameter and depth of which is 60–70 cm. Add 15 kg of humus and 500 g of superphosphate to the pit.
2. Before planting in the spring (April-May), sapling the roots of a seedling in a "talker" of clay and water.
3. When lowering the seedling into the pit, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the root neck is raised 1.5 cm above the ground.
4. To straighten the roots of the seedling and fill the planting pit with earth.
5. Water the seedling and mulch the soil.

Watering and feeding

In the first 2-3 weeks after planting, the pear tree needs watering. This helps strengthen the root system. In a dry summer, it is necessary to water the pears abundantly. Autumn Sweet trees experience a special need for this procedure during growth (in June) and fruit pouring (in August). When watering, it is necessary that the soil layer be moistened by 50–70 cm. During the season, 5–6 waterings should be carried out with plenty of water. In early August, the last watering is carried out.

Important! In order for moisture to remain when watering the pear, it is necessary to mulch the stem circles using humus or peat.

Top dressing is necessary 3-4 years after planting. The fertilizer application rate is as follows:

• organics - introduced in the autumn every 3 years into the near-stem circle when digging the soil (1 m² will require 3-5 kg ​​of humus or compost);
• nitrogen - is introduced every year in the spring (20-30 g of ammonium nitrate is needed per 1 m²);
• phosphorus-potassium complex - introduced in the fall into circular grooves 40-50 cm deep.

Video: pear fertilizer

Cropping Methods

There are 2 ways to trim:

1. Shortening. With this procedure, parts of the shoots and branches are partially removed. It contributes to increased shoot growth, thickening of branches and helps the buds develop.
2. Thinning. This is the complete removal of shoots and branches. The procedure helps protect the crown from thickening and contributes to a generous harvest.

Trimming technique: a) shortening; b) thinning Pruning must be done every year after the tree has wintered. When freezing the upper wood, a one-third shortening is carried out. During spring thinning, pruning is done “on the ring” without leaving stumps.

Video: correct pear pruning

Whitewash

It is necessary to whiten trees in order to protect them from mechanical damage, frostbite and sunburn. Whitewashing also helps to disinfect the stem and destroy existing germs. If you do not whitewash the bark, cracks may appear there, which will be chosen by microbes and pests, which will contribute to the infection of the tree.

In specialized stores you can buy a ready-made solution, although it is not difficult to make it with your own hands. In 10 l of water, add 1.5 kg of clay and 2 kg of lime and mix well. When whitewashing a seedling, it must be completely covered with a solution. An adult tree is whitened from the base of the trunk to the growth of the lower branches.

Winter preparations

When preparing the Autumn Sweet for winter, it is necessary to mulch the soil with the help of humus or sawdust. This will protect the root system and prevent it from becoming cold.

Important! Cannot be used for pear Autumn sweet synthetic moisture-proof covering materials. They contribute to the accumulation of moisture and lead to decay of trees.

To insulate the trunk, it should be wrapped with lapnik, brushwood, burlap, non-woven fabric or other covering material. Small holes need to be made in it to allow air circulation.

Video: preparing sad for winter

Diseases and Pests

Sweet autumn pear is extremely resistant to diseases and pests, however, every gardener needs to follow preventive measures to prevent their occurrence:

1. Acquire extremely healthy planting material.
2. Disinfect the tool after pruning diseased trees.
3. Promptly harvest fallen leaves and fruits.
4. Periodically do deep loosening of the soil under the trees.
5. Trim weak and dried branches regularly.
6. Whitewash trunks and treat mechanical damage to the cortex.
7. Plant insecticides (garlic, onions, burdock, yarrow and others) near pears.

It is recommended in early spring to spray trees with Bordeaux liquid, and in autumn with iron sulfate.

Harvesting and storage of crops

This variety gives a good harvest, one tree can bring about 30 kg of fruit per season. The fruits ripen by the end of September and are well transported. Harvesting is recommended in dry weather. The fruits must be picked carefully, without damaging the stem. Fruits that are not injured during harvesting and transportation will deteriorate less during storage. If the fruit was harvested in warm sunny weather, the fruit must be left in the shade until it cools. After this, the fruits must be carefully sorted out, removing damaged pests and rotten specimens.

Did you know? Pears are hypoallergenic fruits, so even babies are recommended to eat them. They will also be useful for pregnant women due to the high content of folic acid.

As containers for storage, boxes of wood or plastic are used, as well as cardboard boxes. In the selected container, the fruits are stacked in rows, layering them with dry straw or wood shavings. Boxes with fruits must be placed in a room with an air temperature of +1 ... + 4 ° С and humidity at the level of 90–95%. Subject to proper conditions, fruits can be stored until mid-December.

When choosing a variety of pears Autumn Sweet for planting, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate in your region. Knowing all the features of caring for this variety and applying them in practice, you can grow a healthy tree and collect from it a rich harvest of fragrant and sweet fruits.