Pear "Abbate Fetel": features of the variety and agricultural technology
In addition to the usual apple trees, in many gardens you can also find a pear. This tree grows quite successfully and bears fruit in various climatic conditions, including the middle zone. The time-tested variety "Abbate Fetel" is a great option for beginners in gardening.
History and distribution
It boasts a centuries-old history that begins in 15th-century France. It was bred by a French monk, after whom it is named. This variety does not give up its positions even today due to its excellent taste and unpretentiousness in care.
The Abbot Fetel pear is distributed mainly in France, as well as in warm countries - Italy and Spain. There, this variety is cultivated on an industrial scale, harvesting in early autumn. The fruits of this pear variety are suitable for long-term storage and transportation.
Description
Trees with the fruits of "Abbate Fetel" grow no higher than 5 m, the crown is lush, broadly pyramidal in shape. The pear of this variety has medium frost resistance and grows mainly in the south. However, the tree perfectly adapts to various climatic conditions, which allows it to be grown in central Russia.
The first harvest can be harvested 4 years after planting, and the maximum yield is reached in the 7th year of the tree's life. The Abbot Fetel pear is self-fertile, that is, pollinators are not required around.
However, in practice it has been noticed that the presence of other pear varieties next to the tree increases the yield.
Use of wood
Interestingly, the Abbot Fetel pear is not only delicious fruit, but also wood with excellent properties and attractive in appearance. It has a fine structure with weakly traced rings and knots. Depending on the climatic conditions in which the pear grew, the color of the wood can be brown-pink or red-white. In young trees, the color is less pronounced than in old or wild ones growing in nature. Pear wood can be successfully used to make furniture or laminate. With its help, an imitation of expensive breeds is created.
And also such wood is well painted and easy to process. By polishing the surface give a matte and smooth appearance. When flax oil is applied, the wood acquires an interesting soft sheen and becomes a rich brown hue. And when steamed or aged, the color changes to a deep red or dark amber.
It is worth noting that the Abbot Fetel pear wood is quite strong and will easily last at least 25 years.
The Tarkett company from Germany produces the Abbat Pear laminate, the distinguishing features of which are a high wear resistance class and a long service life. And also the laminate is impregnated with a composition that prevents the penetration of moisture. In addition, this flooring is distinguished by honey shades of the pattern. The texture of the wood is such that when laying the joints between the panels is not visible. This is a definite plus of this brand of laminate.
Care
Although this variety is very unpretentious, it still needs timely and high-quality care. It consists of the following activities:
- protection of crops from frost;
- periodic loosening of the earth;
- digging a circle near the trunk;
- timely top dressing with fertilizers;
- removal of root shoots and weeds;
- timely watering in the required volume;
- mulching;
- crown formation.
It is necessary to approach the issue responsibly at the stage of choosing a seedling. It is important to consider such parameters as a smooth trunk, a developed root system for rapid growth and a good graft. When planting, a circle is made near the seedling with a radius of about 25 cm, water is poured there, and then everything is sprinkled with dry soil. It is necessary to ensure that the roots of the seedling are straightened underground.
Watering the pear tree is carried out throughout the summer. They either use sprayers or dig ditches with water near the trees and let water into them. The main thing is not to pour too much water under the pear and loosen the soil after watering, which helps to enrich the soil with oxygen. Sometimes the irrigation site is covered with dry grass to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture.
Another important aspect in crop care is top dressing. The composition and volume of applied fertilizers are calculated based on: the time of year, the age of the tree, the type of soil, the rate of development of the tree. In autumn, the Abbot Fetel pear is fed with manure and peat - this will increase the resistance of the tree to cold weather. Fertilizers are applied to the soil dug up around the tree. In the spring, it is necessary to feed with nitrogen fertilizers, in particular, ammophos. It has a beneficial effect on the pear during the growing season. Potassium and phosphate fertilizers are also used.
It is especially important to feed the tree in a timely manner and in the right amounts in the first 2 years after planting, because it grows and requires a lot of nutrients for its own development.
A pear of this variety is quite resistant to various diseases and pests, but with improper care, problems may arise:
- scab - begins with damage to the leaves, manifests itself in spots with a velvety coating;
- sooty fungus - carried by insects, damages not only the leaves, but also the fruits, causing the appearance of black plaque, provoked by a lack of minerals in the plant;
- powdery mildew - affects the inflorescences and leaves of trees, is expressed by a powdery-white bloom, which later turns red, as a preventive measure, the damaged areas are cut and burned.
Fruit
The fruits of the Abbot Fetel pear have undeniable beneficial properties: the presence of vitamins and microelements, high fiber content. This makes them suitable for dietary nutrition, and the presence of light carbohydrates there makes it possible to use this variety even for diabetics. The fruit looks quite attractive and has excellent taste. This fruit has a rather low calorie content - only 43 kcal.
The weight of the fruits of the Abbot Fetel pear variety is on average about 300 g, although there are instances of almost 500 g in weight. For best storage, harvest should be done 2 weeks before ripening. In a cool place with good ventilation, the fruits will not spoil for 3-4 months.
The main characteristics of this fruit are as follows:
- large size of the fetus;
- thin skin, rough to the touch, has a greenish-yellow color with a pink spot on the sunny side;
- the pulp of the fruit is juicy, white or cream in color, has a strong aroma;
- the taste is sweet, without acid, with light spicy notes;
- the fruit is universal - you can both eat it right away and make preparations.
In order for the fruits of this pear to be sweet, it is necessary to plant trees in sunny places, the illumination must be very good. And the large size of the fruit makes it necessary to protect them from the wind. The formation of the crown does not require much effort, it is important to monitor the density of the branches and cut them in time. In the southern regions, Abbot Fetel winters without shelter, but in central Russia the tree has to be insulated. For these purposes, agrofibre is used, then a building heat insulator, then the root neck of the pear is mulched with humus. Subsequently, spruce branches are laid around to save heat, as well as scare away rodents that damage the trunk.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is not for nothing that the Abbot Fetel variety was so loved by gardeners and is still popular - it has a number of undeniable advantages:
- self-fertility;
- yield stability;
- excellent taste qualities;
- long-term preservation of harvested fruits;
- good presentation of pears;
- resistance to diseases: bacteriosis, rot, black cancer, scab.
The disadvantages of the variety include low frost resistance and average yield.
In general, the reviews about the Abbot Fetel variety are positive, consumers note the sweet taste of the fruit and the possibility of their long-term storage. In shortcomings, they note that this pear tree does not tolerate cold well.
Comparison with the conference pear
The Conference pear tree grows up to 5 m tall and has a spreading pyramidal crown. Stable fruiting, as a rule, begins 4 years after planting. Like the Abbot Fetel variety, Conference pears are self-pollinating, but if other varieties are nearby, the yield will increase, and the taste of the fruit will become better. This fruit is also very useful due to the high content of vitamins and minerals in it.These fruits also have a low calorie content of 40 kcal.
You can recommend the pear "Conference" to people with heart disease, as well as to increase immunity.
Despite some similarities, there is still a difference between the Abbot Fetel and Conference varieties.
- The Conference pear has a higher yield.
- The fruits of "Abbate Fetel" are larger, their average weight is 300 g, while that of "Conference" is 200 g.
- The difference is in the appearance and taste of the fruit. The Abbot Fetel pear has a thin rough skin of a yellow-green color with a ruddy spot, the fruits taste sweet, have a shape characteristic of this fruit. The Conference pear has a medium-hard skin, smooth, green in color (it turns yellow when ripe) with characteristic “rusty” spots, the fruits taste tender and pleasant, slightly tart, oblong in shape with a strongly narrowed upper part.
- The fruits of "Conference" in assembled form are stored a little longer - 6 months, while "Abbot Fetel" has 4-5 months.
- In general, Abbot Fetel's fruits have a more attractive presentation.
Both varieties are very popular and are widely distributed on store shelves and garden plots. During their long history, they have won national recognition.
You will learn how to preserve the beneficial properties of a pear by freezing it in the following video.