Pear Dulia: description of the variety, instructions for growing
Content:
The article presents Dul's pear: a description of the variety, photos, characteristics, a complete guide to planting, care, cultivation, protection.
The Dulia pear variety is one of the best, widespread and popular varieties of this fruit tree that exists at the moment. At least, we can say with confidence that, at least in our country, this particular variety occupies one of the leading positions.
Dula pear is a variety that is distinguished by its exceptional qualities, such as the beautiful appearance of the fruits, their amazing taste, as well as absolute simplicity in care and frost resistance, thanks to which the tree grows even in the most frosty and seemingly unsuitable regions for horticulture.
In this article, we will tell you in the most detail about how to care for the Dula pear variety, how to get the best results from it in terms of yield and how to easily cope with the problems that may await you when growing this variety.
Dula pear: variety description
Pear Dulia: photo of the variety
First of all, it is worth noting one of the most important qualities of this tree: it is very fast-growing, as well as vigorous, which means that from one square meter of plantings of the Dulia variety you can harvest significantly more crops than from the same square meter of almost any other variety.
Nevertheless, one cannot fail to mention a very unpleasant disadvantage of the Dohl pear variety: it cannot be attributed to early ripening at all, which means that after buying a seedling, you can count on a harvest in the next eight to ten years. However, perhaps this disadvantage is compensated by the excellent qualities of the fruits, as well as their huge amount.
Speaking of tallness, it should be noted that Dul's pear reaches a height of about six and a half meters, while its crown cannot boast of such outstanding dimensions. It is certainly quite extensive, but not very lush.
Its shape, as you will notice after a few years of cultivation, takes on a fairly regular geometrically oval shape. It even somewhat resembles a real column with a crown of such a shape, which is quite rare among pears, which most often increase their deciduous cover not upward, but in breadth.
The shoots of the Dul pear are quite strong and thick, which allows them to withstand a fairly large number of fruits. Speaking of fruits:
They do not differ in their gigantic dimensions, but they cannot be called small either. One individual fruit weighs on average about one hundred and thirty grams. Their shape is standard and cannot boast of any interesting distinctive features.
Their color is most often yellow. Also, on fruits that are already ripe, small orange-rusty spots very often appear, which are in no way connected with damage or rotting of the fruit, but just look interesting and beautiful.
Dula pear belongs to the autumn group, which, as you might guess, means that its fruits ripen in the fall, namely, at the beginning or at the end of September. Nevertheless, under very favorable weather conditions and good care, the first harvest can be obtained even in August, but this is an exception to the rule.
If we talk about how much in general you can harvest from one tree, then the approximate numbers are close to seventy kilograms, which, of course, is quite an impressive indicator.
The shelf life of fruits, however, is far from the longest, and therefore, unfortunately, they most likely will not be able to lie before the peak of the sales season. However, they can be stored for about a month.
However, such a short keeping quality of the Dul pear variety is fully compensated for by its amazing taste, which is noted not only by gardeners who grow this variety, but also by consumers. In addition to the fact that Dooley fruit is quite pleasant to eat raw, many chefs claim that it is one of the best pears for cooking.
They especially love to make mashed potatoes, preserves and jams from the fruits of this variety. It is no less often used for preparing fruit salads and even for creating dishes of a higher cuisine.
By the way, I should add a few more words about harvesting. It is best not to delay this procedure, since the fruits that hang on the tree for too long soon begin to lose their wonderful texture and taste.
Therefore, as soon as you find that the vast majority of pears are ripe and completely ready to be harvested, it is better to carry out the initial harvest, and then, after a couple of days or a couple of weeks, when all the remaining fruits arrive, harvest again.
However, despite all the advantages of this variety, which we described above, it has one rather unpleasant drawback: it is self-fertile, and therefore, in order to consistently yield a crop, it needs to be pollinated by another plant.
Best of all for these you need a variety such as Clapp's Favorite... It should be planted at a maximum of ten meters from Dooley, since otherwise pollination will be completely ineffective.
Also, when planting two trees of this variety relative to each other, remember that their size will soon increase very much, and therefore it is imperative to observe a distance that will allow the root systems of two individuals not to interfere with each other, as well as their crowns.
However, most likely, you will not have such problems, since, as we have already said, the crown of this variety is quite rare and for the most part pillar-like, and therefore the probability that one tree will interfere with another is minimal.
By the way, it should also be mentioned that these trees belong to real long-livers among pears, since after you wait ten years and finally start getting a harvest from this pear, there will not only be a disproportionate amount of it, but harvest it your children and, possibly, grandchildren will also be able to.
According to the estimates of professional gardeners and breeders, the tree will maintain its amazing yields for at least thirty years, after which there may be a certain periodicity in the harvest.
Nevertheless, even such problems are easily solved thanks to ordinary pruning and rejuvenation, and therefore, if you resort to all these procedures, the life span of this variety can be extended for several more decades.
However, many gardeners are reasonably worried that during the ten years during which the plant does not bear any fruit, it will become sick or become infected with parasites, as a result of which it will die.
Of course, it will be unpleasant if the work, in which so much effort and time has been invested, is wasted. Nevertheless, there is absolutely no need to worry about this, since the tree is perfectly protected from the cold, viruses, bacteria and, in particular, insects.
In addition, it should be noted that it survives long dry seasons perfectly, so that even with not the best care, this plant is able to show excellent results and bear fruit, as if nothing had happened after ten years.
Well, with proper and really high-quality care in the same quality of the crop that you get, there is no point in doubting.
Pear Dula: landing description
Pear Dulia: photo of the variety
First of all, even before you start actively caring for the Doole pear, you will have to take care of planting it in the ground.
In fact, it is in the planting procedure that almost half of the success of growing a plant lies, and therefore this procedure should be approached with all responsibility and care. And in order for you not to make any mistakes, we offer you detailed instructions:
First of all, of course, you will have to purchase a Dohl pear sapling. It would seem that this is the easiest part of planting, however, there are some nuances here, and the choice must be made wisely.
In order not to be mistaken with the choice and give your preference to the truly best specimen, we advise you to adhere to the following rules:
First of all, it is very important to make sure that there are no thorns on the surface of the pear trunk, since their presence signals that they are trying to cheat you in a completely impudent way by slipping a wild pear instead of a varietal one.
After that, the root system, bark, crown and branches of the seedling are very carefully examined. In the event that all this is in good condition, you can be completely sure that this planting material will turn into a wonderful tree.
However, before the seedling falls into the ground, you need to decide when and where it needs to be done. If you choose the wrong conditions for planting, all further development of the plant can be ruined.
Speaking of the planting time, it is quite standard and roughly coincides with the optimal time for absolutely any planting work, namely, with the spring.
However, you must be completely sure that by the time you plant, the seedling will not be threatened by reverse frost, which may well overtake you four to five days after the weather seems to return to normal.
Speaking of the place, you should choose a site that will be located at a certain distance from other trees, fences and walls, since all this can greatly interfere with the root system of the pear.
At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that this place is not located on a lowland, since after winter or prolonged rains, all the water will flow into such lowlands, as a result of which waterlogging and root decay may occur.
Along with the lowlands, groundwater deposits should be avoided. It is desirable that they are at a depth of at least two meters under the tree, and the deeper the better.
Dulia pear variety: photo
The pit itself, in which you will plant Dohl's pear, should be about sixty to eighty centimeters deep, and its length and width should be about the same.
Now that the hole is ready, you should pour a little soil mixture into it, based on ordinary soil, humus and mineral fertilizers.
All this should be poured in such a way that a small hill is formed, which will serve as a temporary support for the seedling. When the slide is ready, the seedling is placed on the bottom of the pit, and its roots are carefully spread along the slopes of the slide so that they all look in different directions and do not get tangled with each other.
After the operations described above are carried out, it is necessary to fill all the remaining cavities with the soil mixture, tamping it well. If you neglect this point, there is a high probability of the formation of air bubbles, which also lead to the formation of rot.
It will also be extremely useful to carry out the mulching operation immediately after planting. It will not only allow you to retain moisture in the soil during very hot days, but also protect the pear from all kinds of slugs, snails and, most importantly, weeds.
Also, of course, in no case should you forget that immediately after planting the plant must be watered.This is done to make it easier for the plant to take root and get used to a new place.
A year after planting, it will be possible to carry out the first pruning in order to form the crown. Henceforth, not only formative but also preventive pruning will be carried out.
What kind of care should Pear Doola receive
Despite the fact that planting is indeed a very important factor, without which the normal development of the plant is simply impossible, your pear care does not end there. It should not be forgotten that, despite the fact that the Dulya pear is, in principle, a rather unpretentious plant, it still needs watering, feeding and other procedures that will allow it to live a carefree life and delight you with an abundant and tasty harvest.
Pruning
We propose to immediately deal with this point and not worry about it in the future, since some, and especially inexperienced beginner gardeners, are very afraid of pruning.
In the end, they have some pretty reasonable reasons, since pruning is, in fact, direct harm to the plant. However, if you do not want your pear to grow haphazardly, and you want to be able to correct those unexpected mistakes that may arise during its growing season, pruning is a must.
As we said, the first pruning occurs a year later - the next spring after planting. By this time, the plant will not only get stronger, but will also enter the most active spring stage of growth, which will allow it to quickly and painlessly heal those wounds that you inflict by pruning.
This procedure should be aimed primarily at strengthening the fruitful branches and pruning old and damaged ones.
After this procedure, for the most part, you will be doing purely preventive pruning, which also involves removing old and damaged branches. This is especially important because if you ignore this procedure, you can create ideal conditions for the spread of the virus.
Weeding
This is also quite an important procedure (especially for young plants), which many gardeners nevertheless hate. However, this can be explained. After all, it's a long and boring job.
Fortunately, it is quite easy to make it easier. To do this, it is enough just not to neglect mulching and at least renew the mulch layer after each watering. Thus, you will constantly block weeds from accessing the sun and simply do not allow them to germinate.
Speaking of mulching, this procedure is incredibly important in winter, since young seedlings resist frost much worse than adult trees. Therefore, obviously, they need reliable protection that will prevent them from freezing.
In order to provide it, you will need, first of all, to wrap the root collar and root part of the trunk with agrofibre, and secondly, to cover the root zone with a thick layer of mulch. You can even add humus to it so that it warms the plant.
Watering
In fact, pears are those plants that are completely unpretentious to watering. As already mentioned, they survive remarkably well even during dire droughts. However, as you can imagine, this does not mean that the tree needs to be thirsty. This only means that when watering, in no case should you overdo it, since if you do not calculate the optimal amount of water, waterlogging is quite possible, as a result of which the tree will begin to rot.
In the first year of planting, however, the plant needs to be watered very abundantly, since it will grow very quickly and, accordingly, consume a lot of energy, which will almost completely go into growth.
After the tree grows and gets stronger, watering only once or twice a month will be enough. At the same time, it may seem to you that a lot of water will be spent on this, but in fact, one or two buckets per tree will be quite enough.
However, watering is still a rather fickle phenomenon that cannot be done simply on schedule, without paying attention to the surrounding weather. For example, if it has been pouring on the street for several days, as if from a bucket, watering, of course, should be postponed until later.
Also, you should not water the tree if the weather forecast says that it will rain in the near future. Of course, you can't rely only on forecasts, because very often they turn out to be incorrect, but if it really rains, and you already do premature watering, nothing good awaits you.
You should also pay attention to droughts, since during them the plant needs special care. Despite the fact that, as we said before, the pear goes through them quite calmly, this does not mean that special care is not required for it on hot days.
Keep in mind, however, that watering also includes loosening the soil and partially renewing the mulch.
Top dressing
Despite the fact that feeding is practically not needed for adult trees and is applied only if there are certain delays in development or insufficient growth, young seedlings are very much needed fertilizers, since they grow very quickly and rapidly, and it is very important that they do this is right.
The very first feeding is carried out during planting. We already mentioned it when we talked about how to prepare a hole for planting a pear. At this point, it is imperative to add mineral fertilizers to the soil in small quantities, which will greatly help to stimulate the development of the tree.
After that, for the first two to four years, it is highly desirable to introduce nitrogen fertilization into the soil around the tree, without which the plant can begin to wither and be much less active.
After five years have passed after planting, various micro-minerals are also added to the tree's diet, which will help it prepare for future fruiting and the accumulation of a sufficient amount of nutrients.
Speaking of mature trees, they need feeding only when fruits appear on the nose. It is at this time that the plant is most depleted and loses a huge amount of stored organic and mineral substances. Therefore, it is advisable to do top dressing combined so that the tree has enough everything.
Speaking of minerals that a plant may need during fruiting, these are, first of all, phosphorus and potassium, which the plant incredibly quickly sucks out of the soil and, as a result, their reserves need to be replenished.
The way in which the fertilization procedure will be carried out does not matter at all: you can carry out both intra-root and foliar feeding. The most important thing is that you do it correctly and respect the dosage.
Protection of Dul pears from diseases and pests
As we have already told you, Dohl's pear has a fairly good immunity, and therefore many diseases and viruses bypass it. However, no immunity, no matter how good it is, will not be able to protect you one hundred percent. In addition, it also does not provide you with insect armor, and therefore you always need to be prepared for illness.
The most common unpleasant symptoms are: brown leaves, spots of different colors and sizes both on the leaves and on the fruits, darkening on the back of the leaves, premature leaf fall and a similar situation with fruits.
The diseases that cause them are most often very similar, and therefore, when one of the symptoms is found, one should prepare to fight any of the following diseases: one of the countless spots, gray rot or scab, which especially often affects pears.
As for pests, the most common parasite that loves to feast on the Dul's pear is the pear mite. It is very common, and therefore you should not doubt that at some point you will have to fight it.
However, there are many other parasites to be prepared for. These include aphids, flies, bugs and weevils.
Fight disease
Of course, diseases are an extremely unpleasant circumstance for which one cannot be one hundred percent ready. Nevertheless, if you have already found any symptom, then in the fight against it you need to go to the end.
A fairly versatile drug that can help in the fight against almost any of the above diseases is Bordeaux mixture. It fights well with various spots, and therefore, as soon as you see spots on the leaves or fruits, immediately resort to treatment with this drug.
In fact, it is advisable to always keep this particular medicine on hand, as it can be very useful in treating a huge number of plants.
However, it is practically ineffective in combating diseases such as gray rot, and therefore you will need an alternative, which may be Raek or, for example, Skor. Also, when fighting this disease, all affected fruits should be completely destroyed, since the virus can overwinter in them, and then attack the tree again with renewed vigor.
A drug called HOM works great against scab, however, it is also better not to refuse treatment with Bordeaux mixture. As with gray spot, it is also necessary to remove all damaged parts of the plant and preferably burn them.
Pest control
Most often, pests pose no less threat than the most terrible diseases, and therefore you also need to defend against them with all your might.
However, against them, fortunately, there is a fairly universal and very effective drug called Tanker. He will help you defeat both aphids and all other parasites that are trying to feast on the leaves of your pear tree.
There is also a method of dealing with small foci of infection. For example, if you notice that the same aphid begins to seize one of the branches of the plant, it is better not to resort to using chemicals, but to a solution of laundry soap, which is likely to drive away the insects.
Prophylaxis
The best way to defeat any disease is to prevent it from occurring. Therefore, as soon as spring begins, and, consequently, the season of diseases for both people and plants, you should immediately treat your tree with some kind of prophylactic drug. Considering how many of them exist at the moment, you will definitely have something to choose from.
However, it is very important to know when to stop. For Dool's pear, this moment comes when the time of flowering begins. At this time, it is strictly forbidden to process Dohl's pear with chemistry.
Conclusion
Dula pear, despite its comical name, is indeed one of the best pear varieties, which is almost on a par with such varieties as Children's or Duchess.
Dul's pear, just like the best varieties, shows amazing yields, exceptional unpretentiousness and incredible ease of care, thanks to which the pear is considered one of the most beloved fruit trees among novice gardeners.
We hope this article helped you to learn a lot of new and useful things about the Dohl pear, and also that you will never have any problems when growing Dohl pears. It remains only to wish you good luck.