Description and characteristics of the Cathedral pear variety, cultivation and pollinators

Most people cannot indifferently pass by a juicy, aromatic pear. Excellent taste, unpretentiousness of planting - all this makes the pear popular among gardeners. The abundance of varieties of pear trees makes it possible to grow the fruit in different regions, even in places where previously one could only dream of it. The Cathedral pear variety is one of the long-familiar, high-yielding varieties that are distinguished by winter hardiness and excellent taste characteristics.

History, description and characteristics of the Cathedral pear

This is the fruit of the work of domestic breeders. S. T. Chizhov and S. P. Potapov, scientists from the Moscow Agricultural Academy, began to develop the variety; in 1990 it passed tests. In 2001, the variety was included in the Russian State Register.

A not too tall tree with a conical crown, characterized by sparse branches with tips slightly curved upward.

The color of the skeletal branches is gray, the bark is smooth, young shoots are reddish-brown, with a slight edge.

A pear tree with medium-sized leaves, slightly serrated, with a sharp tip. They are bright, light green, with a shiny glossy surface. The flowers are large, with slightly concave petals, and delicate white.

The fruits weigh 120-140 grams, the pulp is tender and juicy, with a slight sourness. Great for drying, compotes, making jams and preserves. The fruits have smooth, shiny skin and are green or slightly yellow. This variety requires pollination for good yield. Lada pears, Children's are the best pollinators for Cathedral.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the Cathedral pear are obvious to any gardener:

• high frost resistance;
• good yield;
• disease resistance;
• early fruiting (3-4 years of planting).

The disadvantages are not so obvious, which is why this variety is popular among gardeners in the Middle Zone; it is grown in the south and in the Ural regions.

The disadvantages include:

• modest size;
• insufficient keeping quality of fruits;
• Ripe fruits break during transportation.

At the same time, they are very tasty, suitable for processing, and the variety is used for industrial cultivation.

How to plant a pear tree correctly

Fruit tree seedlings should be purchased at nurseries - they sell varietal plants; if you purchase low-quality planting material, you can return the purchase.

Timing of planting work

The tree can be planted in spring and autumn. Autumn planting provides greater frost resistance, while spring planting allows the seedling to become stronger before the onset of cold weather. In the spring, pears are planted from the third decade of March to mid-April, in the fall - in September-October, so that the tree has time to adapt before frost.

Selecting a location

For pears, a sunny, wind-protected place with light soils is needed. It does not tolerate heavy soil and high humidity.

Important: the tree cannot stand proximity to rowan; it is better to plant it next to an apple tree.

For planting, choose 1-2 year old strong seedlings with a developed root system, without damage, with smooth and shiny bark. There should be no dry areas or spots on it.

Planting scheme

The day before planting, the roots are soaked in mullein solution.

A hole is dug with a diameter of 1 meter and a depth of 40-50 centimeters. It is prepared in advance, in the fall. For autumn planting - 3-4 weeks before the event, for spring planting - before the onset of frost.

Before planting, the bottom of the hole is loosened and a mixture of complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizer and compost is added. A mound is placed at the bottom of the hole, over which the roots of the seedling are evenly distributed.

The hole is filled with soil, it is compacted well, leaving the root collar 3-5 centimeters above the soil surface.

The plant is watered, the soil around is mulched, the seedling is tied to supports, the pegs are located at an equal distance from the seedling and do not allow the planting to lean.

How to care for the variety

To get good harvests, 2-3 pear trees are planted nearby, which ensure cross-pollination.

Pear grows poorly in lowlands, with close groundwater, and reacts negatively to dampness, so plantings should be well ventilated.

Soil care

The plant prefers light, fertile soils; pear roots lie deep, so they can withstand slight moisture retention. On acidic soils, add a small amount of wood ash around the seedling.

Watering

Water the seedlings once a week. For irrigation, 10-20 liters of not too cold water are consumed. An adult tree is watered 1-2 times a month. The soil is loosened and mulched well.

Trimming

Trees are pruned to properly form the crown, to get rid of old or diseased branches, and to rejuvenate the tree. Shaping trimming of the crown should be entrusted to specialists.

To rehabilitate a tree, it is pruned after the leaves have been shed and in early spring. Remove affected branches that make the crown too thick.

Whitewash

Before whitewashing, the trunk is cleaned of dead pieces of bark, lichens and moss. With hands dressed in household gloves, carefully clean the trunk. Be sure to clean the lower part of the trunk and the base of the skeletal branches. Applying lime protects the tree from diseases and pests. Seedlings are whitened with a less concentrated solution.

Important: whitewashing is carried out using safety glasses and rubber gloves. Lime is highly corrosive to the skin and causes serious injury if it gets into the eyes.

The trunk and bases of skeletal branches are processed. Whitewashing is carried out in the fall - after the leaves fall and in the spring - after the snow melts.

Fertilizers

The soil is fertilized with organic matter once every 3-5 years - a complex mineral fertilizer is mixed with the soil and applied into small trenches dug in a spiral around the tree.The width of the crown will regulate the diameter of the fertilizer application.

Pears do not like nitrogen; they should be fertilized with it only when absolutely necessary (sharp slowdown in growth, reduction in yield).

How to protect a pear from frost

Young seedlings of Cathedralnaya are protected from frost by wrapping the trunk in burlap, which is soaked in diesel fuel, dust, and other anti-mouse preparations. The root zone is also insulated using straw, which should be mixed with herbs that repel mice (tansy, mint, wormwood). The snow around the seedling is well crushed.

Pests, diseases and their control

The Cathedral pear is resistant to most pests and diseases, but it definitely needs additional processing.

Diseases characteristic of Cathedral

Pear is susceptible to fungal diseases. Plants can get sick:

1. Powdery mildew. It is characterized by a white coating on the leaves and fruits; from a distance they appear dusted with flour. The disease affects other fruit trees. Affected leaves curl, dry out and fall off. The fruits rot and fall off.
2. Moniliosis. Monilial blight and fruit rot, characteristic of this disease, easily develop and spread in warm weather and high humidity.
3. Black or sooty fungus. The disease leads to clogging of pores and death of leaves. Deprived of greenery, the tree quickly dies. If fungal plaque is detected, watering should be reduced.
4. Rust on the leaves. The disease is characterized by the presence of a reddish-rusty coating on the leaves. Holes form on the leaves, they dry out and fall off.

To protect against fungal diseases, use Bordeaux mixture or suitable complex fungicides (Topaz, Horus). Treatment is carried out in the spring, before the buds open.A second treatment is necessary before flowering.

To protect the tree from diseases, the root circles are cleaned of weeds. Fallen leaves, diseased fruits and pruned diseased branches must be taken away from the tree and burned.

Pests attacking Cathedral

The pear can suffer from aphids, weevils, various types of caterpillars and butterflies (hawthorn, copperhead). For protection, use insecticidal solutions, spraying with infusion of wormwood, tansy, and tobacco dust. To ensure that the solution sticks well to the leaves, laundry soap is added to it.

Insecticides are used in full accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, using protective equipment for hands, respiratory tract, and using thick long-sleeved clothing when processing.

To which regions is the variety more adapted?

The Cathedral variety was bred for Central Russia. Today it has spread to more southern and northern regions. The tree feels great in the Rostov region and the Middle Urals. Cathedral grows well in the Moscow region.

Fruit ripening and storage

Cathedral pear is a summer variety. In sunnier regions, the fruits ripen faster - at the end of August, cold regions harvest in September. The fruits are picked by hand so as not to crush the tender, juicy fruits.

Delicious compotes are made from them, they are consumed fresh, juices and jams are made.

The cathedral pear, with ease of care and unpretentiousness, is capable of producing good harvests. That is why the variety is so loved by Russian gardeners.