Pear Hera: variety description and characteristics, pros and cons, cultivation

Choosing seedlings for their dacha or garden plot, all people expect to get good harvests of tasty, fragrant fruits. In addition, trees must be suitable for a certain region and not suffer from harsh winters or prolonged heat. Today's detailed story about what benefits the owner gets by planting a Hera pear in his garden.

Description and characteristics of the Gera pear variety

This is a winter high-yielding pear variety resistant to frost. The result of the work of Russian breeders. The progenitors of Hera were two varieties of pears - Daughter of the Dawn and Reale Turin.The variety was bred in 2003, recommended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth region. The taste qualities of Gera are estimated at 4.3 points on a 5-point scale.

Tree with medium height (about 4 meters), dense compact crown has a pyramidal shape. The trunk and branches are straight, the leaves are medium in size, dark green in color with a shiny smooth surface. Fruits of the correct form, large, from 180-230 grams, with juicy, sweet and sour, slightly granular pulp. Pears are green with a yellowish-pink side. The core is small. Rough, dry skin of medium thickness. Fruits can be stored for 3-3.5 months after harvest. It is during the storage period that they "get" the taste and reveal their best qualities.

Main advantages and disadvantages

The variety was bred for the central regions of Russia, Siberia and the Urals. It turned out to be fast-growing (begins to bear fruit 4 years after planting), unpretentious in care and fruitful, therefore it has become very popular among gardeners in temperate climates.

Important: Hera does not tolerate the hot southern climate and high humidity.

The tree is able to tolerate frosts below -30 °C. This made it possible to grow southern crops in regions with a rather harsh climate. The fruits are stored for a long time, they can be eaten fresh, they are suitable for compotes, preserves, jams, and other types of processing.

Pros and consthe ability to grow and bear fruit in regions with cold winters;high yield;tasty, juicy, fruits of the same size;keeping quality of the crop with proper storage.intolerance to a hot, arid climate;reduced yields in the absence of pollinators.

Gera is a self-fertile variety, but to maintain productivity, late varieties of pears are planted nearby or winter species are planted on Gera: Artyomovsk winter, Dekabrinka, Uralochka.

How to grow crops

Gera pear is an unpretentious variety created for growing in a personal garden plot. Gera is not used for industrial cultivation, the fruits lose their presentation during transportation.

Recommended timings

It is better to plant Gera in autumn, in September, although spring planting is also possible. Seedlings are characterized by excellent survival. If a pear is planted in the spring, this is done in May; when planting in the autumn, the seedling should have time to adapt and take root in a new place before the onset of cold weather.

Site selection and soil preparation

Sunny, dry, wind-sheltered areas are chosen for planting. Pear does not tolerate waterlogged soil. It does not suit heavy soil, acidic or saline soil. Acidic soils are lime before planting. Do not plant a pear in the lowlands. Hera easily tolerates cold, so it can grow on a sunny hillock without suffering from the wind.

The width and depth of the landing pit is 70-80 centimeters. It is prepared 7-10 days before planting. A drainage layer of broken bricks and gravel is laid on the bottom.

Seedling selection and preparation

1-2 year old seedlings are selected for planting. They should be strong, without visible damage to the trunk and roots. Reject options with dry twigs or roots. Before planting, the roots of the plant are treated with a drug from fungi and bacteria and a growth stimulator.

Seating algorithm

Optimal for a pear will be a mixture of sand and humus 1: 1 with the addition of superphosphate and potassium sulfate to it. At the bottom of the pit, a mound of soil is poured. At a distance of 20-25 centimeters from the center of the pit, a peg is dug in.The seedling is placed on the top of an earthen mound and the roots are carefully straightened.

Fill the hole with the remnants of the soil mixture, compact the soil, eliminating voids. The seedling is tied to a peg. Landing is watered along the edge of the pit. The root collar should be above the surface of the planting hole.

One day after planting, the seedling is pruned, leaving about 50 centimeters in height. This is done to form a lush crown. The trunk circle is mulched to retain moisture.

Further care

If the tree has taken root well, the first fruits can be expected 4 years after planting. After 6 years, the tree begins to produce stable high yields.

Irrigation

For irrigation make a root groove. A young tree is watered 2 times a month. During flowering and during the formation of the ovary, watering is increased.

Fertilizer

In the spring they apply nitrogen fertilizer, before flowering and during the formation of fruits - magnesium sulfate. Every 2-3 years, in the middle of summer, phosphate fertilizers are added to the soil.

Cutting

Hera's crown should not be molded, sanitary pruning is enough for her. In the spring, frozen branches are removed. During autumn pruning, dry branches are removed.

Methods of protection against diseases and pests

In early spring, pear preventive spraying is carried out. Use "Khom", "Horus" or "Skor" in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. These drugs protect against scab, powdery mildew, fire blight and other diseases.

Infected branches are cut and burned. From insect pests, the tree is treated with insecticides.

Collection and storage of pear Gera

The variety is winter, the crop is harvested after the 1st decade of September. The fruits are placed in layers in boxes, the bottom of which is covered with paper, sawdust or sand. If there are few pears, each is packed in paper for better storage.

The fruits in the box should lie freely, the rows of pears are shifted with paper, they should not touch each other during storage. In this form, the fruits are stored for 3-3.5 months. This variety has already won the love of gardeners with its unpretentiousness and productivity, allowed residents of the middle lane and more northern regions to enjoy delicious juicy fruits.

Recommended