Chinese pear is a relatively new fruit for the Russian market, attracting consumers with a pleasant taste and unusual shape. Rounded fruits, sweet and crispy, are not cheap. But it turns out that exotic fruits can be grown independently - hybrids of this variety are able to bear fruit in the middle lane.
Description of Chinese Pear
The Chinese pear has many names - sellers often call it Japanese, sand, Taiwanese or Nashi. It is known for certain that the variety was created on the basis of Yamanashi - a forest pear. The fruits of the ancestress, though large, were very acidic and hard. Breeders, taking from Yamanashi high adaptive abilities and frost resistance, gave them a new variety - Nashi.
Chinese pear, in comparison with the forest ancestor, is distinguished by excellent taste. Today, Nashi is popular not only among gardeners in China or Japan, this variety is grown in many countries. The main condition for growing is a suitable climate.
In Russia, favorable conditions for Nash are only in the south. But her hybrids, more resistant to frost, can bear fruit in the middle lane. So, a hybrid of Chinese and Far Eastern pears can withstand frosts down to -35 ° C.
The taste of Nesha fruits is considered to be unique. These pears are excellent raw materials for cooking. From them prepare desserts, boil jam, add to salads and pastries.
Tree and fruits
On the basis of a forest pear, many varieties were created that inherited its frost resistance. All varieties, having a lot of differences, have a set of common features:
- Large tree height. The subspecies of the Chinese pear reach a height of 4-10 m. The trees of the classic variety are tall. But hybrids - they are then grown in Russia, much lower.
- Self-fertility. Almost all subspecies of Neshes are self-fertile and do not need pollinators. The absence of pollinating pears does not affect yield. But on the appearance of the fruit is reflected - without pollinators they are smaller and uneven.
- Frost resistance. There are hybrids that can withstand low temperatures, others can survive the winter only in an insulated state - they are wrapped in straw or covered with spruce branches.
- Lifetime. The tree lives about half a century. The rootstock affects the life of grafted trees - with dwarf trees lives up to 20 years, with vigorous trees - 50 years.
- Productivity Until the tree bears fruit, it grows briskly upward. When the fruits appear, the tree grows more slowly, and the yield gradually grows. By the 5th year of life, the tree gives up to 80 kg of fruit, by the 30th - up to 2 c. Crops of up to 0.5 tons per tree were recorded.
- Disease resistance. All varieties are highly immune. They practically do not suffer from scab, rot, parasites and infections.
- The fruiting cycle. Harvested from the tree annually. If pruning is carried out poorly, the plant loses its strength and productivity.
The fruits of Nesha have an unusual shape - they are a cross between an apple and a pear. Features of the fruits of the Chinese pear:
- Juicy and fragrant pulp has a great taste combining sweetness and acid. In the aftertaste - spicy notes.
- The fruit has a thin skin.
- Unripe neshes are acidic and inedible. They are even dangerous for the body, as they contain a lot of organic acids.
- Color, depending on the variety - from pale green to bronze.
- The average size is 4 cm in diameter.
- Mass - 120-300 g.
- Versatility - the fruit is delicious fresh and processed.
In stores, usually Neshes are sold in paper bags - in them, unripe fruits reach their condition. Store them at room temperature, and after ripening - in the refrigerator.
The fruits of Nesha cannot be eaten on an empty stomach. They are also not recommended to be combined with meat and dairy dishes.
Composition and calorie content
Nesha fruits have a caloric value typical for pears - 42 kcal per 100 g. These fruits lack starchy carbohydrates, so they are suitable for dietary nutrition. Fruit is recommended to eat one thing three times a day.
100 g of fresh fruit Neshi contains:
- water - 45 g;
- dietary fiber - 2 g;
- ashes - 0.2 g;
- vitamins and minerals.
In Chinese pear a lot of zinc, selenium, calcium, manganese, copper, magnesium. Especially rich are the fruits of Nashi with phosphorus and potassium. Moreover, potassium in this fruit is five times more than all other trace elements. The fruits are also rich in choline, vitamins C and K.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
European pear varieties are undoubtedly tastier, juicier and more beautiful than their Chinese counterparts. But the latter have many advantages that are important for our latitudes:
- resistance to weather disasters;
- high immunity;
- unpretentiousness to care and growing conditions;
- high and stable yields;
- frost resistance is much higher than in European varieties;
- demand for cooking - hard varieties are good in salads, sauces and side dishes, they are stewed, baked, canned;
- high ability to vegetative propagation.
The disadvantages of the variety:
- not good enough keeping quality;
- in ripe pears, the skin is easily damaged.
Variety varieties
Breeders bred dozens of varieties of Chinese pears. The most winter-hardy and unpretentious varieties are grown in Russia. Gardeners choose Neshes, undemanding to soils, safely surviving harsh winters, resistant to drought and pests. Let us consider in more detail the varieties most popular with domestic gardeners.
Additional information on the popular pear varieties for our region can be found here.
Braid
Kosui is a summer variety bearing fruit in the second half of July. Advantages of the Kosu variety:
- frost resistant;
- resistant to diseases and pests;
- early ripeness - ripens earlier than all other Chinese varieties.
Fruits of medium size - up to 160 g. Color - rich bronze. The fruit pulp is juicy - an ideal summer fruit.
Josu
Hosui is a self-pollinating variety, but the presence of other Chinese pear varieties nearby contributes to higher yields. The tree pleases its owners with fruits already in the second or third year of planting. The variety is considered autumn, but harvesting begins in the second half of August. Fruits ripen not hard, so the harvest is carried out in several stages. Cleaning ends in mid-September.
Hosu variety pluses:
- pest resistance;
- frost resistance;
- large-fruited;
- early maturity - pears appear for 2-3 years of planting;
- excellent taste, the pulp is juicy and sweet, contains up to 12% sugar.
Fruits weigh 160-200 g, but can reach 300 g. Color - saturated bronze brown. The pulp is dense - when cutting the fruit with a knife, it is necessary to apply force.
Olympic
Olimpic is an autumn variety with excellent characteristics. Its advantages:
- early maturity - the tree bears fruit already in the 2nd year of planting;
- pest resistance;
- frost resistance;
- not afraid of diseases, including scab and powdery mildew;
- quickly adapts to climate and soil;
- excellent taste, pleasant fruity aroma.
The Olympic is also called the Big Korean pear or the Korean giant. The fruits of Olimpik are rounded, with a pleasant golden hue. The entire surface is in small gray specks. The mass of the fruit is 160-200 g. The taste is original, xyl-sweet, juicy pulp. These pears are pleasant to eat fresh, they can also be laid for storage - the fruits have excellent keeping quality. Harvesting - in September.
Morning freshness
This summer variety is popular in the middle latitudes of Russia. It is partially self-fertile - to increase productivity nearby it is recommended to plant varieties of Chinese pears - Bronze, Oriental Golden, Kiffer.
The variety tolerates frosts well, has a stable immunity to bacterial and fungal diseases. The fruits are small, weighing 100-150 g, they have a bright green skin, covered with gray specks.
Crystal
Autumn early variety. Already for 2-3 years, the tree gives high yields. The variety is resistant to fungal infection. The fruits weigh 160-220 g, the color is light yellow. A distinctive feature is low calorie content. They have a juicy but hard flesh. The taste is delicate, fruity.
Comparative table of popular varieties of Nashi
Grade | Fruiting is coming | The average weight of the fetus, g | Harvest time | Shelf life |
Braid | for 2 year | 130-160 | second half of July - beginning of August | until September |
Josu | for 2-3 years | 150-200 | mid-August - second decade of September | until November-December |
Olympic | for 2 year | 160-200 | mid September | until January |
Morning freshness | for 3-4 years | 100-150 | mid august | 2-3 weeks |
Crystal | for 3 year | 160 | September | till December |
Landing Features
Caring for a Chinese pear is not particularly different from caring for European varieties. The difference in agricultural technology is associated with the form of hybrids - for example, colon-shaped varieties require more fertilizing and watering. These varieties have a less developed root system, their roots are located closer to the surface than ordinary pears.
Dates, place and climate
Neshes in the middle lane are planted in two ways:
- Seedlings. Trees planted in this way have a longer lifespan.
- Vaccinated. The advantage of scions is early fruiting. But given the early maturity of all the "Chinese", this advantage is not taken into account.
Soil requirements:
- fertility;
- friability;
- non-clayiness - sand is added to too clay soils;
- normal acidity - the excess is compensated by the introduction of limestone.
Landing times depend on the climate. You can plant a Chinese pear in spring and autumn. The main condition is warm weather. In temperate latitudes, for example, autumn planting is risky - a seedling may not survive a harsh winter.
Seedling planting conditions:
- Daytime temperatures should be kept at +10 ° C for some time.
- Planting is done before the kidneys swell and intense sap flow begins.
Although a number of Nashi hybrids withstand frosts down to minus 30 ° C, they cannot be planted in the northern regions. Firstly, the cold here is too long for Chinese pears, and secondly, they simply do not have time to ripen in a short summer.
Landing technology
Future tree productivity largely depends on the characteristics of the plot. The landing area should:
- located on the south side;
- well lit;
- to be on a hill.
If you do not comply with the above conditions, the yield is reduced, and the fruits themselves lose their palatability. And outwardly they become less beautiful - they turn pale.
Before planting a seedling, it must be soaked in water. Duration of soaking - 1-2 days. If there are damaged places on the tree, they are removed with a sharpened tool.
The procedure for planting a seedling in the ground:
- On a site suitable for the growth of a Chinese pear (sunny, on a hill, on the south side, etc.), a hole is dug with a diameter and depth of 60 cm.
- Pits are being prepared in the fall. Fertilizer is laid in it:
- humus - 6 kg;
- superphosphate - 60 g;
- potassium chloride - 15 g.
- On top of the fertilizer, soil is poured. If the soil is rich in elements such as copper, phosphorus, nitrogen, mineral additives can be omitted.
- In spring, the soil is dug out of the pit and a tubercle is formed at the bottom. They put a peg - to support the tree.
- Pre-soaked seedlings are placed in a hole, spreading the roots along the tubercle, and pour soil on top. The tree should be planted so that its basal neck rises 5 cm above the ground. Having compacted the soil, a seedling is tied to a supporting peg.
- Having formed a recess near the trunk, water is poured into it - about 10 liters.
Many gardeners plant a Chinese pear rather than planting it - the Ussuri pear, Birch leaf, ordinary mountain ash can serve as a base.
It’s better to plant the pear on the stock of your species - then the graft is better and quicker to take root.
Usually annual plants are planted. But gardeners with experience recommend buying older seedlings - 2-3 years old. They take root no worse than annuals, and yield fruits faster.
The interval between adjacent seedlings depends on the stock. If the vaccine is given on a strong-growing stock, then a distance of about 3 m is left between the pits. If the stock is made from dwarf pear trees, the distance is reduced to 1.5 m. Colon-shaped pears are planted at intervals of 1 m or even less.
Pear Care
A common feature of all varieties of Chinese pears is ease of care. The main thing is to water and feed the trees in time, and also insulate them - if severe frosts are possible in the region.
Top dressing
Fertilizers needed by Chinese pear:
- Nitrogen. Pears do not need a lot of nitrogen. To meet the needs of the tree in this element, in the spring a little ammonium nitrate is added to the soil - 20 g per 1 sq. Km. m. This is done every year for the first 3-4 years of the pear's life. Subsequently, nitrogen is introduced if there is a need for it. Signs of nitrogen starvation:
- the tree lags in growth;
- leaves are lighter than usual;
- depressed look;
- chopping leaves and fruits.
- Organic fertilizers. These include compost and humus. They are introduced in the fall - once every 3-5 years.
- Potassium and phosphorus. These elements are absolutely necessary for the pear, as it expends them when the crop ripens. A mixture of phosphorus and potassium contribute 40 and 20 g, respectively, if the tree is young. A mature tree needs more fertilizer - 60 g of phosphorus and 20 g of potassium. Fertilizer is not recommended to be placed in the near-stem circle. It is better to dig a trench in a circle in which to lay the phosphorus-potassium composition. Half a bucket of humus is brought there, and sprinkled with a layer of soil.
In the period of the appearance of the fruit, the trees are fed with wood ash - 1-3 cups, bringing it in when loosening tree trunks.
Watering
Watering methods of the Chinese pear:
- Sprinkling. This is the best way to water the pear. With such a system, water enters the tree through a sprayer with many holes.
- Normal watering. Near the trunk circle make a ditch - 15 cm wide. Water is gently poured into it.
Water the pear several times - in spring and summer, as needed. During droughts, they are watered more and more often. After watering, the soil is loosened - to provide oxygen access to the roots. When watering pears proceed from the norm - three buckets per 1 sq. Km. m area of the trunk circle.
Rejuvenation and Trimming
With age, trees do not bear pruning, but thanks to it, it is possible to extend the life of the tree. Pruning is carried out in anticipation of heat - the main thing is to have time to cut the tree until the buds are swollen.
The principles of anti-aging pruning of a Chinese pear:
- Rejuvenation consists in thinning the crown. Extra branches are subject to removal - unhealthy, fruitless, with mechanical and other injuries.
- After thinning, the contour shoots are removed. Also shoots growing parallel to the crown, or forming an acute angle with it, are removed.
- After removing the branches, they process the slices - garden varieties are used for coating. This is to prevent infection.
It is forbidden to remove more than a third of the branches in one pruning. If you can’t remove all the extra shoots before the sap flow begins, the anti-aging pruning continues next spring.
Colon-shaped varieties practically do not need pruning. The main thing is that the crown does not retain its shape. Other varieties of Nashi require minimal pruning:
- In the second year of life, all weakened branches are removed from the tree. 4 strongest ones leave - there should be the same distance between them.
- In an adult tree, only small and damaged branches, as well as branches growing inside the crown, are removed.
Spring pruning is carried out at a temperature not lower than +5 ° C. Winter pruning is carried out at minus 15 ° C.
Disease and Pest Control
The Chinese pear is not vulnerable to pests and diseases. She is not afraid of scab, fungi, rust. And of the insects, only a flower beetle can damage it.Due to such resistance, Nesy does not need regular chemical processing.
To prevent damage to trees by a beetle-beetle, preventive measures are taken:
- clear trunks of old and damaged bark;
- bleach stubs;
- burn fallen leaves;
- arrange sticky traps on the trunks.
Beetles are destroyed by insecticides, such as Intavir or Kinmiks.
Neshes are not planted near junipers - from them a tree can occasionally become infected with a fungus. Spores of the fungus can fly 2 km or more.
Harvesting, storage and transportability
The collection is made taking into account the characteristics of the variety. Early ripening varieties ripen in mid-July, late - in mid-September. The fruits of Nesha hold fast to the branches, therefore, removing them, you need to make an effort and be extremely careful. Readiness of fruits is recognized by color. Pears, depending on the variety, become yellow or bronze. The skin should be firm and clean.
Harvested fruits require careful treatment. Each pear is wrapped in paper and stacked - a maximum of three rows. In the refrigerator, pears are laid in the same way - by packing each fruit. Varieties of Nesha are distinguished by their keeping quality. So, it is recommended to eat Braid early, and Olympic lies before the New Year, without losing its taste and smell.
The fruits of Neshes, unlike ordinary ones, retain density for a long time. But they are quite sensitive to shocks and shocks - at the site of the bruise, the skin changes color, and the fruit loses its presentation. That is why each pear is packaged separately.
Benefits and contraindications
Nutritionists appreciate the Chinese pear - this product is indispensable for weight loss. Only the fruits of Nesha - the only of all varieties of pears, can be combined with fermented milk products.
The fruits of Nesha contain a lot:
- ascorbic acid - to enhance immunity;
- essential oils - for diuretic effect;
- antioxidants - to prevent aging;
- Vitamin PP - to improve blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels;
- B vitamins - to strengthen the nervous system;
- vitamins E and K - to balance hormonal balance, prevent atherosclerosis and skin aging.
Chinese pears are recommended for:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- tuberculosis
- constipation
- liver disease;
- consequences of alcohol intoxication;
- cough, bronchitis, sore throat;
- diabetes.
Benefits of consuming Nesha fruits:
- help me digest;
- cleanse the intestines;
- prevent the formation of stones and blood clots;
- improve the functioning of the heart muscle;
- normalize pressure;
- strengthen bone tissue;
- lower cholesterol.
Nashi pears are effective as a cleanser for smoking and malnutrition.
In spite of the unusual commodity characteristics, the Chinese pear has every chance of becoming one of the most popular varieties in central Russia. Neschi attracts gardeners with a high level of adaptation and unpretentiousness, as well as the original taste and aroma of the fruit.
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