Pear Veles: breeding history, description and characteristics of the variety, advantages and disadvantages + cultivation features

Pear Veles: variety description

The variety was bred by Russian breeders by crossing "Forest Beauty" and "Venus". The second name for the pear is "Daughter of the Excellent", but it is used much less often. Petrov Yu.A. and Efimova N.V., Veles are loved by many gardeners for their high productivity and excellent taste on the breeding of this variety.

Pear Veles, the description and reviews of which we are considering in the article, refers to the autumn variety. The height of an adult tree is about 4-5 m. The trunk is thick, brownish-brownish. Branches are long, spreading, slightly curved, gray-brown. Leaves are smooth, dark green, young leaves are light green.

Fruiting begins 5-6 years after planting, but with proper care, the fruits may appear in 2-3 years, however, you should not expect a bountiful harvest in the first year.

The Veles pear blooms (description, photo, reviews we consider in the article) in the spring and blooms with white, very fragrant inflorescences. The fruits begin to ripen in early August.

The history of the creation of the variety

This variety was obtained by crossing such pears as Venus and Forest Beauty. The latter generally served as the ancestor of many crops, since it conveys resistance to cold weather, a good harvest and pleasant-tasting fruits.

The breeding work was carried out by Yu. A. Petrov and NV Efimova at the All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture. Veles entered the State Register in 2001. It is advised to grow a plant in the suburbs and nearby regions.

Pear Veles: description of fruits

This variety has medium size, beautiful, fleshy, sweet, juicy fruits with thin skin and pleasant aroma. The shape is symmetrical, pear-shaped. The skin is smooth, rather dense, without reliefs. Color may vary. So, in the middle of summer, the fruits of light green shades, and closer to August they turn yellow. In this case, the side of the pear, on which the sun falls, acquires an orange-red tone, and the one in the shade remains green. Because of this, the fruits look very unusual and beautiful. The pulp is juicy, creamy in color, soft in structure, sweet and sour. The weight of one pear is up to 160-200 grams.

Ripe harvesting can begin in early September. In the assembled form, pears can be stored until winter, but in this case it is necessary to collect them when they are hard, while trying not to damage them. Damaged fruits are not suitable for storage, as they quickly rot.

To keep the pears until spring, they are wrapped in newspaper and placed in a box.

Yield

Harvesting is recommended in two stages:

August 20-29. At this time, it is recommended to collect the largest fruits.
September 10-16. During this period, the remaining fruits are collected.

This variety has one feature - it is advisable to remove the pears from the branches before the onset of full maturity. You can easily determine the degree of ripening by the color of the skin - it is green, with a yellowish tinge.

The tree bears fruit every year. One adult tree can harvest 60-90 kg of pears.

Harvesting

Veles pear is a high-yielding variety. Yield of one mature tree reaches from 50 to 100 kg.

The first and largest fruits of Veles can be removed already in mid-August.This will relieve the tree a bit and allow the rest of the pears to ripen faster. Therefore, the harvest is carried out in 2-3 stages.

If you plan to put the pear in storage, you need to collect slightly unripe fruits. The pear intended for fresh consumption or for processing is removed after full ripening.

For storage, you need to select even, whole fruits, without dents and damage. Wrap each pear in thin paper or put in a box and sprinkle with dry sand or sawdust. The fruits prepared in this way are stored in the refrigerator or in the basement until November. It is only necessary to periodically inspect them, preventing the appearance of mold or rot, and remove the spoiled ones in time.

Veles is distinguished by good taste, so jams, preserves, marmalades, compotes and confitures from it are wonderful. There are a great many recipes and the main difficulty here is to make a choice.

Whole Pear Jam

A very tasty juice is obtained from the Veles pear, from which you can make wine if desired. Compotes and jelly are boiled from dried fruits in winter, stuffing for pies is made, they are added to porridge and simply eaten as dried fruit.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Veles pear variety is popular with gardeners for many reasons.

Fruits have an attractive presentation and good taste that remains during storage.
The fruits tolerate transportation well.
Veles pear, description, photo and reviews of which we are considering in the article, is successfully grown not only in private gardens, but also cultivated on an industrial scale.
The variety is quite fruitful.
The fruit tastes good.
The variety is resistant to many diseases and pests.
The tree is frost-resistant.

But the main advantage of the Veles pear is its beneficial properties. The fruits contain many different vitamins and microelements: vitamins A, B1, B2, PP, C. In addition, this fruit contains iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium.

Among the disadvantages of the variety, it can be noted that with a bountiful harvest, the fruits become smaller in size. But this can be easily remedied by carrying out regular pruning of the tree. Also, during spring frosts, the kidneys may freeze.

Diseases and pests

Any fruit tree, no matter how resistant to disease, can infect some diseases and pests.

Powdery mildew. The first sign of this disease is the formation of a thin white bloom on inflorescences, leaves and shoots, which later acquires a brown color. To combat powdery mildew, trees are treated with Skor or Topaz before bud break. Before flowering, you can use "Hom", and after harvesting it is recommended to spray the pear with copper sulfate.

Fruit rot. Appears on fruits as brown spots. In this case, the pulp becomes loose and loses its taste. As the disease progresses, the spots grow and the fruits rot. Diseased fruits and branches are removed and burned. For prophylaxis, trees can be treated with Hom before flowering, and Oxykh after flowering.

Often, pear trees are exposed to bacterial burns, while the leaves turn black and annual shoots dry out. To combat this disease, use a solution of copper sulfate or the drug Hom. It is also very important to prune and burn all infected shoots and leaves.

Dangerous for pears and cracking of the bark, since cracks appearing on the trunk make the tree more vulnerable to insect infestation. For prevention, use a conventional lime solution.

In addition to diseases, the pear also attracts pests. Among them:

Hawthorn. The pest feeds on ovaries, leaves and inflorescences of a tree, in addition, it can also eat young branches. For prophylaxis, before bud break, the tree is sprayed with "Entobacterin" or "Karbofos".
Medianitsa.This pest causes yellowing of the leaves, they begin to curl and fall off. In addition, the sucker feeds on the leaves and flowers of the tree. To combat it, it is fashionable to use the solution "Vermitic" or "Hom".
Fruit moth. The caterpillar of this butterfly eats only fruits. The fight against it is carried out with the help of the preparations "Vermitek" or "Apollo".

Before using chemicals, you can try some traditional methods. So, in the spring to fight insects, you can use an infusion of dandelions and garlic. Ordinary soap solution also helps.

Choosing a landing site

When choosing a place for planting a pear, it should be remembered that this plant is thermophilic, so it must be planted in a bright and sunny area. The growth of the tree and the sugar content of the fruits largely depend on this. Also, the pear should not be planted in an open area, since the winds negatively affect the growth of the tree.

Planting Veles pears can be carried out both in autumn and spring.

In spring, the most favorable time for planting is April. Spring planting protects the pear from rodents. In addition, over the summer, the root system will grow well, and the tree will be able to winter better. But the seedling hole must be prepared in the fall, since a tree planted in a fresh hole suffers from soil subsidence.

In autumn, it is better to plant a pear in mid-late September or early October. At the same time, the pit should also be prepared in advance so that the seedling has time to take root in a new place and does not suffer from frost.

Landing

When planting a pear, the quality of the planting material is of no small importance.

It is recommended to select a seedling 1-2 years old.

When buying, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the tree, the integrity of the bark, the absence of signs of diseases and pests. The branches of the seedling should not be broken or damaged by cracks. The foliage should have a natural green color. The root system must also be well developed. The roots cannot be cut off before planting, as this will make it difficult to take root.

When planting a tree, it is important to properly prepare the planting hole. Its size depends on the root system of the pear. But making the hole too deep and large is also not worth it. The recommended depth is 45–50 cm and a diameter of 60–80 cm. Rotted manure, compost or peat should be placed on the bottom, and the mixture should be mixed with earth.

Before planting for disinfection, it is advisable to lower the tree roots into a solution of potassium permanganate.

Next, you need to pour a bucket of water into the hole so that the soil settles slightly. Place a peg for a garter in the center so that the seedling grows evenly and does not bend to the side. After that, place the planting material in a hole so that the root collar is 5-8 cm above the ground, tie it to the handle and pour 2-3 buckets of water. The next watering of the tree will be required in 3-4 days. The trunk circle must be mulched with dried grass, leaves, peat or rotted sawdust, so the soil will retain moisture longer.

The Veles pear variety takes root quickly enough. If the correct planting is carried out on the tree, young leaves will begin to form in 2-3 weeks (with spring planting).

Pear breeding methods

The pear can propagate by seeds and vegetatively (by layering, cuttings, grafting). Seed propagation is used to develop new varieties of pears by artificial crossing of different varieties, species and hybrids. Pear "Veles" is often propagated by layering and cuttings.

Propagation by cuttings

Pear cuttings are harvested in winter. An adult branch with two-year-old wood is taken and cracked without breaking the bark. If the branch is long, it breaks in several places. The optimal length of the cuttings is considered to be 15-20 cm long. The places of fractures in a bent state are wrapped with a plaster, eyepiece tape or tape. Then the branch is fixed to a stick or wire.The dressing material and the retainer are removed at the end of March, and the branch is cut into cuttings in the places of breaks.

Melted water is poured into a dark two-liter plastic bottle (to a height of 5-7 cm), several tablets of activated carbon are dissolved in it, and 10-12 cuttings are lowered into it with lower slices. The bottle is placed in a bright place. After a few weeks, callus bumps will form on the lower cuts and roots will begin to grow. When the roots reach a length of 5-7 cm, they are planted in open ground in fertile soil. At first, they are arranged shading from bright light. Cuttings need to be watered, fed, weeded, and by the fall they will already look like two to three year old seedlings.

Reproduction by layering

It will not work to bend the pear branch to the ground, but this method of propagation by layering is used: a box with fertile soil is placed under the branch, the walls of the box are lined with polyethylene (to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil), the pear branch bends to the box, and where it comes into contact with the ground , several transverse cuts are made on its bark, then the branch is pinned and buried in the soil in a box. At the end of all these procedures, the surface of the soil in the box is covered with a film, roofing felt, or mulched with a layer of compost.

The soil must be kept slightly moist. Roots are formed before the end of the season, but they will still be very weak to repot the cuttings. In winter, the branch is covered with spruce branches, and a snowdrift is pounced on the box. In general, the process of growing the "Veles" pear cut lasts two years. Then it is detached from the mother tree and transplanted like a normal seedling. By the way, the layers bloom and bear fruit before the seedlings. And this method completely preserves the varietal characteristics of the mother tree.

Watering

During the first year after planting, a young seedling really needs timely watering, which should be done 1-2 times a week. For normal growth, two buckets of water poured into the trunk circle are quite enough. As the tree grows, the amount of watering becomes less. In dry weather for an adult tree, it is necessary to pour out 2-3 buckets of water 3-4 times a month.

It is especially important to pay attention to watering during flowering and fruit set. It is on this that the yield of not only the current year, but also the next one largely depends.

Watering a tree can be done in two ways:

By the rain method, that is, by means of rotating mechanisms. The water will gradually moisten the ground. The disadvantage of this method of irrigation is that the water will fall far from the pear, so there will be much more weed around the tree.
You can dig a small trench around the trunk of the tree and pour water into it.

Watering the pear for Veles is stopped in August. This is done in order to stop the growth of shoots and allow the tree to prepare for winter.

If the weather is hot or there has been no rain for a long time, watering should be continued so that the root system is well saturated with moisture before the onset of cold weather.

Care

Care consists in timely pruning, proper watering and feeding, taking preventive measures to prevent diseases and the appearance of pests, and preparing for winter.

Pruning rules

Skillful pruning of Veles pear helps to solve several problems at once:

an increase in the quantity and quality of fruits, and, as a result, an increase in productivity;
getting rid of diseases - it's not a secret that a neglected tree is more often exposed to diseases and pest attacks.

The first pruning is carried out at planting, shortening the shoots by 1/3 of the length. This will serve as the beginning of the formation of the crown.

Pear crown formation

All subsequent pruning should be done in early spring, in March or April. At the same time, dried and damaged shoots, branches hanging or touching the ground are removed. Of the young shoots, the strongest and most even ones are left. In mature trees, all excess branches should be removed annually to lighten the crown and increase yields.

When pruning, it is important not to overdo it - the number of branches removed should not exceed one fourth of all branches of the crown. If the branch is removed completely, then you cannot leave the hemp, the cut is performed on the ring.

Video: spring pruning - how to prune a tree correctly

Watering

In the first year of planting, a young seedling is very sensitive to a lack of moisture and should be watered 1-2 times a week with 2 buckets of water per trunk circle. Watering becomes less frequent as it grows. For an adult tree in dry weather, it is enough 3-4 times a month to pour 2-3 buckets of water into the trunk circle.

Particular attention should be paid to moisturizing during flowering and fruit ovary - the harvest of not only this year, but also the next, largely depends on this.

Sprinkling is an ideal method for watering Velesa

You can stop watering the Veles pear in August in order to stop the growth of shoots and enable the tree to prepare for winter.

If the weather is hot and there has been no rain for a long time, then watering should be continued so that the root system is well saturated with moisture before the onset of cold weather.

Fertilization

The Veles variety has its own requirements for fertilization. If the tree grows on poor soils, then fertilizing should be annual, on fertile soils, on the contrary, infrequent.

For spring mineral dressings for 1 square meter, you can take:

20-25 g of ammonium nitrate;
15-20 g of urea;
50 g superphosphate;
40 g of phosphate rock;
20 g of potassium sulfate.

The method of application depends on the weather - if it rains, then dry fertilizers can be embedded in the soil of the trunk circle, in case of drought - diluted in water and watered around the perimeter of the trunk circle.

After flowering, the pear needs organic feeding - it can be an infusion of weeds or chicken droppings diluted in water (1 kg of droppings per 10 liters of water) infused for a week, then diluted in water 1/20. The application rate is 5 liters per tree. Such dressings can be carried out 3-4 at intervals of a week.

The tree responds well to foliar feeding with complex mineral fertilizers. Such spraying increases the plant's immunity and resistance to various diseases and pests, and also stimulates the formation of ovaries. In garden stores today there is a large selection of a wide variety of fertilizers. The liquid fertilizer Good Power has proven itself well. It contains a full set of trace elements + humates + succinic acid. The methods of use are described in the instructions for the drug.

Fertilizers are applied for digging

In autumn, you can feed with a solution of 1 tablespoon of potassium chloride and 2 tablespoons of superphosphate per 10 liters of water - pour around the perimeter of the trunk circle. During digging, embed ash into the soil - 100 g of ash per 1 m2. There should be no nitrogen in autumn dressings.

Shelter for the winter

Veles pear is a fairly winter-hardy variety and does not require special shelters for the winter. To prepare, it is enough to perform a number of usual activities:

remove fallen leaves from the trunk circle;
carry out water charging irrigation;
loosen the soil and mulch it with peat or old sawdust with a layer of 10–12 cm;
for a young seedling, tie the branches to the trunk so that the strong wind does not break them;
wrap a tree trunk with agrofibre or any breathable material (this will protect the plant from damage by rodents; you can also put a cloth soaked in turpentine or mint oil near the trunk - mice cannot stand these odors);

Top dressing

Pears are fed several times a year. The first fertilization is done before flowering. For this, it is recommended to use saltpeter, urea or carbimide.

The second feeding is carried out after flowering. You can apply a "green" fertilizer. To do this, a small trench is dug around the tree, into which food waste, grass, manure and leaves are placed.This mass is mixed with soil and buried in earth. Already by the onset of cold weather, the mixture will rot, and the tree will receive a good additional feeding.

The third top dressing is applied in mid-September. Mineral fertilizers, ash or sawdust are best suited here. But it is strictly forbidden to bring nitrogen into the winter.

Pruning

Pruning the Veles pear, the description and photo of which is in the article, is done so that all branches can get enough light for growth. During the first two years, a young tree does not need pruning, since it only forms branches. Excessive pruning will only slow down the growth of the pear.

The tree needs pruning from the 3rd year. Carry it out with a pruner or a sharp knife. First of all, branches that grow at right angles are cut. On them, fruits rarely arise, in addition, they block the light of the lower shoots. When pruning, only branches are left that grow at an angle of 60-70 degrees, capable of withstanding heavy fruits in autumn.

All other branches are shortened by a third of the length.

Also, an annual sanitary pruning is performed, in which all broken, weak, dried out branches infected with pests or diseases are cut out.

Preparing for winter

The Veles pear, reviews of which we will consider further, is a frost-resistant tree, but preparing it for winter will help it survive low temperatures and protect it from pests wintering in the bark and roots of the tree.

In the fall, you need to collect all the fruits, foliage near the trunk and dig up the ground. This is necessary to remove insects and so that the roots can receive more oxygen.

It is also advisable to treat the tree trunk with a solution of lime and chalk.

What regions is the variety more adapted to

Veles pear is most often grown in Moscow and neighboring regions. It is valuable for both industrial cultivation and breeding. In order for the garden to survive the winter normally and bear fruit in the future, in the fall it must be properly prepared - whitewashed, covered, protected from pests, and so on.

To protect pears from bacterial burns in the fall, the stem is whitewashed with a lime solution. It is also a good preventive measure against pests.

The Veles pear can withstand severe frosts normally, but young trees need additional protection. When leaf fall ends, clean the soil around the trunk of plant debris - pests usually hibernate in them. Burn the leaves, mulch the soil around the trunk (a layer of 15 cm will be enough). It is not recommended to use straw as mulch, as rodents love it.

Testimonials

The Veles pear variety reviews of gardeners about the marketable and taste qualities of the fruits are mostly positive. Consumers noted the excellent fruit taste, beautiful appearance, high yield and cold resistance. The resistance of the variety to fungal diseases, regular fruiting did not go unnoticed.

Among the shortcomings of Veles, gardeners indicated that as the tree matures and with a plentiful harvest, the fruits become smaller. The late entry of this variety into the fruiting stage was also noted.

Pollinating trees

Although Veles is self-fertile, in order to increase the amount of the crop, it is advisable to place other varieties of pears next to it. The optimal pollinators are as follows: