Frost-resistant high-yielding pear variety “Cathedral”

Main characteristics

The trees are usually medium in size, and the food is formed in the form of a regular cone. The density is moderate. The main branches are straight, the tips are curved upward, the arrangement is not too frequent. The bark has a gray tint; if you touch it, it is smooth.

Most of the fruits appear on simple ringlets; some also appear on annual shoots.

The shoots are moderate in size, straight and have a small fluff. They are reddish-brown in color. The buds are large, cone-shaped, pubescent.

The foliage is oval in shape and light green. There are small notches along the edges. There is no gun, the plate is completely smooth to the touch.

The flowers are large, cup-shaped, and have white petals.

History and description of the variety

More than 20 years ago, famous scientists and breeders of the Moscow Agricultural Academy named after Timiryazev S.P. Potapov and S.T. Chizhov developed a new pear variety, which was accepted for testing in 1990.

The variety, which was later named Cathedral, was obtained from crossing seedling 32-67, bred as a result of crossing the Forest Beauty and Tema varieties, and another hybrid 72-43, obtained from a combination of the same Forest Beauty and Duchess Thigh.

Only after 11 years of testing, in 2001, the Cathedral pear was officially registered in the State Register of Russia. Despite the fact that the Cathedral pear variety is zoned for cultivation in the Central region, it grows remarkably well in other regions of the country, even in the Middle Urals and Siberia.

The trees of this variety of pears are characterized by medium size; they reach a height of 3-4 meters. The density of the crown is also average; the crown itself has the shape of a cone. The branches grow quite sparsely, their tips are slightly curved upward. The bark of the main skeletal branches and trunk is smooth and has a gray tint. Younger shoots are brown-red, slightly pubescent.

Leaves can be either medium or large. They are light green in color with pointed tips and slight serrations. Their surface is smooth and shiny, without pubescence, with rough veins. The buds are large, slightly bent, cone-shaped. The flowers are also large in size, white, and resemble a bowl in their shape.

Comment! Most of the fruits are formed on simple ringlets, and only a small number of them are formed on one-year shoots.

The Cathedral pear variety is considered a summer variety, but the ripening period can vary greatly and depends on weather conditions and the number of sunny, warm days during the summer. Therefore, the harvest can ripen both in the first half of August and at the very end of summer. But by autumn, as a rule, trees of this variety have time to bear fruit in full.

Pears of this variety are distinguished by early fruiting, the first fruits ripen already 3-4 years after planting. From this moment, fruiting becomes regular and increases from year to year.

The yield of the Cathedral variety is quite decent; on average, about 35-40 kg of pears can be harvested from one tree. One hectare of industrial plantings usually yields 85-100 centners. The maximum yield can reach 130 c/ha.

Although pears are generally self-fertile and require pollinator varieties to grow nearby, the Cathedral pear is self-fertile, but only partially. If you want to get full harvests from it, then it is better to plant at least one pear tree nearby that blooms at approximately the same time. The best pollinator varieties for this pear variety are:

• Chizhovskaya;
• Lada;
• Children's room.

One of the most important advantages of this variety is its frost resistance.

Important! The Cathedral pear can withstand 30-degree frosts without problems and can grow where other pears most likely will not survive.

The great advantage of this variety is also its complete resistance to scab. The variety also shows sufficient resistance to other fungal diseases.

Description of fruits

It is worth saying that the fruits are not the largest in size. Their average weight usually does not exceed 130 grams, so this variety cannot be called a record holder.

Pears have a regular shape, with a slight bump, and the skin has a characteristic glossy sheen. It is smooth and pleasant to the touch, with dots of gray and green shades underneath. An indicator of ripening is a green-yellow color. Full maturity – yellow color. The harvested crop can be consumed fresh.

The pulp is white, has a pleasant structure and a pronounced juicy taste with sour notes.

The tasting rating of the variety is 4.3 points.

The composition of the fruit is as follows: 16% dry matter, 8.5% sugars and 0.35 acids.

The shelf life of pears does not exceed two weeks, and they tolerate transportation moderately. Gardeners recommend drying fruits for later use in compotes. They are also good for making jam.

Harvest and storage

The fruits begin to be collected in early August. Ripeness can be judged by the ease of tearing the pears from the branch. The collection goes from the lower branches to the upper ones; for the upper branches you will need a ladder. You can also purchase a special fruit picker at the Garden-Vegetable Garden store or make one yourself. You need to remove it carefully, without squeezing the fruit, being careful not to damage the peel.

The stalk does not need to be removed - this way the crop will remain fresh for some time. Partially spoiled fruits are set aside. Whole ones are placed in a box, preferably made of wood. For storage, fruits pre-cooled in the shade are placed in a dry cellar with a temperature from 0°C to +2°C.

You will be interested to know how to store pears for the winter at home.

This variety is not stored for a long time, maximum 2 weeks. Thus, the Cathedral pear is worthy of the attention of summer residents and farmers. Its taste is beyond praise, and its versatility in use and ease of cultivation will smooth out its shortcomings.

Pollinator trees

Since the Cathedralnaya variety is recognized as self-fertile, it feels great when pollinated by bees or other insects. But most summer residents still recommend planting other varieties of pears nearby in order to increase the yield. The best options are:

• Memory of Zhegalov;
• Academic;
• Lada;
• Chizhovskaya;
• Children's;
• Rogneda.

Memory of Zhegalov

Academic

Lada

Chizhovskaya

Children's

Rogneda

The best pollinators for the Cathedral pear

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The Cathedral pear is partially self-fertile. It can produce crops even without pollinators, but if the crop is needed for sale, then it is worth planting pollinating varieties nearby. They will increase productivity by 2-2.5 times or more. For pollination of this variety, pears such as “Children’s”, “Lada”, “Chizhovskaya”, “Rogneda” are suitable.

Pollinators need to be planted in the same area, preferably next to Cathedral, but at least at a distance of 3 meters, so that the crops do not interfere with each other’s development.

Productivity

This crop pleases with a stable and high harvest, which is characterized by regularity. The first fruits should be expected somewhere in the fourth year after planting, and the figures are amazing - up to 85 centners per hectare or 35 kilograms per individual. Over time, the yield can increase; for example, as a result of testing, the figure gradually increased to 136 centners per hectare.

Diseases and pests

Gardeners love this variety due to the fact that it is immune to scab. Alas, he is not protected from other diseases.

Powdery mildew . The disease manifests itself as a characteristic white coating on pears and ovaries. You can get rid of it without any problems by simply wiping it off with your finger, but gradually it becomes coarser and denser, turning into black dots. As a result of this pathological process, the foliage dries out, changes color to black, and then curls up.

To get rid of the problem, it is advisable to use colloidal sulfur at the rate of 80 grams per 10 liters. Another good result can be achieved with the fungicide “Topaz” or “Skor”.

Moniliosis. This disease can bring a lot of problems to the gardener, as the fruits begin to rot right on the branches. First, white dots appear on a brown spot, but later the disease spreads to the entire fruit, causing drying out.

The spores of the pathogenic fungus are carried by the wind, which causes infection of other crops. Affected fruits must be removed and disposed of immediately.

For prevention, it is ideal to use the fungicide “Fitosporin” or five percent iodine; treatment is carried out a month before harvesting the fruits. At the first manifestations of the disease, spray with Zircon.

Powdery mildew

Moniliosis

Sooty fungus . This disease is very similar to scab, since the fruits and foliage suffer from a black coating. There is a feeling that the plant is stained with soot. First, you will have to get rid of all the insects circling around the crop, and then treat it with copper sulfate and soap. The drug “Hom” and Bordeaux mixture give good results.

Rust . The problem shows itself as tan spots with black dots on the foliage. If there is any suspicion of rust, you should immediately treat it with Skor, Horus and Gamair.

Sooty fungus

Rust

Green aphid . This parasite loves to feast on tree sap, and it also reproduces very quickly. This provokes the extinction of the culture, it lacks resources, and ultimately it will simply die. If an insect is detected, treatment with Bordeaux mixture should be used at the stage of dormant buds, then when they bloom, as well as at the stage of vegetative shoots.

Hawthorn . This insect eats greenery, flowers and ovaries, as a result of which the tree can be completely bare. To get rid of the parasite, you need to remove its wintering nests, and shake off all the caterpillars onto the litter, and then get rid of them. The insecticide Iskra also helps.

Green aphid

hawthorn

Medyanitsa . This parasite attacks the kidneys by drinking their juices. In early spring, they get rid of them with the help of karbofos and kemifos.

Weevil . The insect eats the inner parts of the buds, significantly reducing the amount of harvest. The following agents are used to combat it: “Fufanon”, “Karbofos”, “Inta-Ts-M”.

Medyanitsa

Weevil

Landing

Experts recommend planting in spring or autumn. In the south, professionals recommend planting pears in the fall, while the weather is still warm. This allows new roots to form and accumulate enough moisture, as well as form the plant’s immunity to diseases and parasites.

The soil at the planting site should be wet and rich in nutrients, and the groundwater level should not be more than a meter above the surface. Otherwise, after some time the root system will begin to rot.

The dimensions of the hole are selected based on the size of the root system of the young individual; when straightened, the roots should fit freely into the hole. The depth most often does not exceed half a meter, and the width - a meter. A mixture of compost, peat and fertile soil is poured into the bottom of the prepared hole, and a seedling is placed on the resulting mound. A peg is also required.

It is advisable to prepare the hole a couple of weeks before planting.

After placing the young plant, you need to start covering the roots with soil, shaking occasionally. As soon as the hole is filled, it is recommended to tie the pear to a peg and trample the earth around it. Water the seedling with at least three buckets of water, mulch with peat or humus.

Agrotechnical recommendations

Caring for the Cathedral pear requires standard agrotechnical measures - fertilizing, pruning, watering, protection from pests. It is also important to plant the tree correctly, choosing a suitable site for it in the garden.

Landing

Pear trees in the Central region can be planted in autumn (late September - October) or spring (April - mid-May). The best time for planting is a cloudy morning or evening.

Optimal conditions for seedlings are created in areas with fertile soil and low groundwater, protected from cold winds and illuminated by sunlight 6-8 hours a day. A gentle slope could be an excellent option; lowlands are not suitable for fruit crops. Trees should be placed at a distance of 4-6 m from each other.

The planting pit is prepared in advance, enriching the soil with organic matter and mineral fertilizers

If groundwater is located close to the soil surface, then the plants are planted on specially formed earthen banks with a height of 60 to 100 cm and a width of 2.5 to 4 m.

Features of fertilization

When planting, fertilizers are added to the soil, which is enough for about 2 years. From the third year, it is recommended to fertilize. The norms depend on the fertility of the land on the site. An excess or deficiency of certain elements adversely affects growth and fruiting. For example, with a lack of nitrogen, the leaves’ ability to photosynthesize decreases, they become lighter in color and fall off early, the fruits ripen slowly, and their marketability and taste deteriorate; with an excess of this element, active growth is observed, but rather weak flowering, the fruits grow large but loose, and their shelf life is reduced.

Mineral complexes are used dry or dissolved in water

To determine how much minerals a plant needs, a chemical analysis of the leaves can be done in a special agrochemical laboratory. For diagnostic purposes, approximately 100 leaves are taken. They need to be picked in the second half of July or early August from the middle parts of annual growths on all four sides of the tree.

The optimal content of essential substances is as follows:

If some element is present in greater quantities than necessary, then it is not added when feeding or the rate is reduced.

It is also important to know the soil acidity level (pH). The optimal pH ranges from 5.5 to 6.5. If the soil is too acidic, then the trees may suffer from a lack of nitrogen, as its availability for plants decreases and other important elements (potassium, magnesium) are less absorbed. To reduce acidity, lime or dolomite flour is usually used.

Watering rules

By carrying out proper watering, you can increase productivity and improve the frost resistance of fruit trees. There are two types of irrigation: vegetative and moisture-recharging. With the help of vegetative ones, the upper layers of the soil are moistened to a depth of 60-100 cm, and moisture-recharging ones allow water to penetrate much deeper.

Vegetative irrigation is carried out 3-4 times per season:

• before the flowers begin to bloom (during the flowering period or after its completion);
• at the stage of formation of ovaries, to prevent their fall;
• half a month before fruit ripening (at low rainfall);
• in mid-September for good root growth.

Young seedlings need more frequent, moderate irrigation

Water-recharging irrigation is carried out before the onset of frost, in October - November, at the rate of 8-10 buckets of water per 1 square meter.

Moisture-recharging irrigation increases the heat capacity of the soil and helps to better protect the roots from severe frosts, especially in winters with little snow.

Optimal water volumes depend on soil characteristics, since moisture is distributed differently in soil of different densities. For pear trees, watering rates are as follows:

It is not recommended to exceed the norms; with excessive moisture, the risk of plant damage by fungal diseases increases, and the root system also suffers - suction roots can rot and die. Irrigation is best done in the evening, since at this time the evaporation of moisture from the soil is much lower than during the day.

Trimming

Pruning is one of the most difficult agricultural activities. It is necessary to carry out three types of pruning: formative, sanitary and rejuvenating.

Formative is used for young trees. In the first year after planting, the central conductor is shortened, the strongest branches are left, the weak ones and those that grow at an acute angle are removed (in the future it will be difficult for them to withstand the weight of the crop and they may break).

Usually the crown is made of a sparse-tiered (combined) type, consisting of 5-7 strong branches. Three or four branches forming the first tier are located in the lower part of the crown, and the remaining branches extend from the trunk alternately or in small whorls. The average distance from the lower tier to a single skeletal branch should be approximately 40-50 cm, and between groups of branches - about 80-100 cm.

Many gardeners prefer to shape pears like a spindle.

To obtain a spindle-shaped crown of a seedling in the first year after planting, pruning is done as follows:

• seedlings without lateral branches are pruned at a level of 80 cm from the ground surface;
• if there are weak shoots on the stem, then the plant is shortened to 110 cm;
• trees with strong side shoots are pruned to 120 cm, and the side shoots are shortened.

The height of the trunk is made approximately 50 cm, all branches located below this level are removed. The next season, the side branches are bent so that they extend from the trunk at a right angle and secured by tying them to the trunk with twine. In the third year, shoots directed towards the center of the crown and growing vertically are removed. New branches that appear at the top of the tree are also bent and fixed so that they grow horizontally.

Care

Caring for this plant includes a properly organized watering regime, pruning and fertilizing, as well as protection from diseases and pests.

Watering

As for watering, this crop copes with heat and sometimes drought without problems, but this does not mean that you don’t need to take care of the pear at all. If there is no rain for a long time, it must be watered at least once a week at the rate of 3 buckets of water per square meter. After watering, the soil is loosened.

You can also organize sprinkling - this is when water is sprayed using a jet rotating under pressure, using a nozzle with holes.

It is also very important to regularly weed and get rid of weeds.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied based on the condition of the individual and its visual component. Measures are taken to use fertilizers in spring and autumn, from the second year. You can fertilize in the summer, if necessary.

The universal composition is 9 kilograms of humus, 25 grams of potassium chloride and 15 grams of urea for digging.

In spring, it is allowed to use 500 grams of urea or 40 grams of ammonium nitrate (diluted in 10 liters of water).

In the fall, for feeding, use a tablespoon of potassium, 2 tablespoons of double superphosphate and a tablespoon of calcium, dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Trimming

Pruning an adult with a developed crown involves getting rid of old, withered and injured branches, as well as those that grow along. They also remove twigs that thicken the crown. In other words, pruning can be divided into shortening and thinning. It is advisable to do all this in the spring, before the buds open.

The air temperature during work should not fall below 8 degrees cold.

Possible problems during cultivation

When growing pears, you can encounter various problems. Often young seedlings do not develop well after planting. Diagnostics begin immediately to determine the cause as quickly as possible.

If the plants show signs of diseases or pests, then emergency treatment with fungicides is carried out.

Sometimes the reason for stopping development is the deepening of the root collar. As it grows, it becomes covered with soil, which leads to slower development.

If an adult tree grows and develops poorly, the reason often lies in lack of nutrition or improper pruning.

Reviews

Nikolay, Moscow region : When I first tried the Cathedral Pear, I was delighted. The taste is simply amazing. The neighbor who gave me several fruits said that this was his first harvest, and he received it four years after planting. I immediately bought several seedlings for myself, and now I consistently receive several buckets of pears. The only upsetting thing is that the fruits are not stored for as long as we would like.

Sofia, Krasnodar : About 20 years ago I planted several pears of the Cathedral variety at my dacha. For a long time, my ward has been making me happy with a good harvest. I constantly dry the fruits and make jams from them, which my grandchildren really like. We also distribute some of the collected fruits to our neighbors, since we ourselves cannot cope with such quantities.

Valeria, Sochi : I really like this pear, but it doesn’t last long at all. This is probably its only drawback. The harvest is good when fresh, but I don’t like it when processed. Fortunately, I have a large family, so we eat the fruit together, coping with the amazing volumes that the tree gives us.