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Pears are one of the favorite fruit trees of almost all gardeners. The varietal diversity is simply amazing. Bergamot is one of the favorite varieties due to the excellent taste of the fruit and many subspecies.
Fruit of this variety is distinguished by a slightly flattened shape. Summer residents love Bergamot for adaptability to different growing conditions and high resistance to temperature and humidity changes.
pear varieties
Growers’ preferences can be roughly determined by region. In the southern regions, Autumn Bergamot is more often grown. In the west, they like to plant Bergamot Moscow and in memory of Prince Trubetskoy.
Bergamot Moscow
Trees of this variety form a neat crown with an average volume of foliage. The pear grows to medium height and tends to produce numerous shoots. The oblong-oval leaves are medium in size and stand out with serrated edges.
Flattened-round pears of a greenish tint (as in the photo) have a pleasant taste. The pulp is juicy, medium density. The sweetness of the fruit is softened by a slight sourness. If the fruits of this variety are stored for a long time, then the taste acquires astringent properties and the sourness intensifies.
Bergamot Moscow variety brings the first worthy harvest after 4 years, and approximately 20 kg of fruits are collected from one trunk.
Bergamot Autumn
The variety has been popular with gardeners for a very long time. The trees grow to medium height, the crown is pyramidal in shape and has short and thick, slightly pubescent branches. The shape of the leaves is oblong and pointed. Ripe fruits of the Bergamot Autumn variety reach a mass of 80 g and have loose flesh, can be stored for about three weeks. Frost resistance is one of the important advantages of the Autumn variety.
The fruits of this variety ripen with a medium rounded shape (photo). The skin of the pear is yellowish-green in color, with small dots. A blush may appear on the sunny side of the fruit. The pulp has a friable texture and a sweet-wine flavor.
The negative qualities of this Bergamot variety are: susceptibility to diseases (most often affected by scab), low yield. Therefore, there are unflattering reviews about the variety.
Bergamot Muscat
Features of this pear variety: trees with thick branches grow quite tall, and the crown can be about 12 m in diameter. Bergamot Muscat is a prolific variety; approximately 250 kg of fruit can be harvested per season. It is noteworthy that this variety of pears bears excellent fruit even at 60 years old.
Fruits begin to sing in August, the fruits have a yellowish color with speckles and grow oblong in shape. Juicy creamy flesh has a pleasant taste.
Bergamot in memory of Prince Trubetskoy
The tree is characterized by the formation of a dense crown. Leaves grow oblong. Four-year-old trees already give a good harvest, and the pear bears fruit annually or every other season.
Fruits of a wide pear-shaped form stand out with greenish-yellow hues. Differ in juicy pulp of average density. The fruits of the Bergamot variety can weigh approximately 190 g and are perfectly stored until spring under the right conditions.
A distinctive feature of this pear variety is its unpretentiousness and resistance to diseases (especially fungal ones). This variety of Bergamot perfectly takes root on any soil and develops well under different weather conditions. Very frost resistant. Harvest begins to ripen in September.
Planting of seedlings
When choosing a place to plant a Bergamot pear, you should give preference to elevated, well-lit areas. From soils, loams or chernozems are preferable.
Landing stages
- A pit for a seedling is prepared in advance. The parameters are selected for its root system, but are at least 40-50 cm deep and 70-85 cm in diameter.
- To pre-fertilize the soil, the pit is dug a little deeper and 2-3 buckets of fertile soil are poured onto the bottom (the earth is mixed with peat, humus, superphosphate and ash can be added).
- A peg must be driven into the center to tie the trunk. Otherwise, the Bergamot pear may be deformed.
- The seedling is placed in the hole, the roots are carefully straightened and the hole is filled up. At this stage, it is important to avoid excessive deepening so that the root neck is not buried.
A suitable time for planting Bergamot pears: in spring – the last days of April, and in autumn – until October 15th.
Wood trimming
Such an operation is carried out in order to regulate the growth and illumination of the crown, to eliminate old and dried branches, to increase productivity.
There are two methods for pruning Bergamot pears.
- Branch pruning involves cutting off the tops of branches and annual growths. Thanks to this method, the “pulling” of the tree upwards is suspended and the horizontal growth of branches is stimulated.
- Thinning is intended to remove growth branches at their very base. Thanks to this method, the flow of sunlight into the crown is facilitated, and air exchange improves. These measures lead to an increase in the protective properties of the Bergamot pear variety, an increase in its yield.
For pruning in the spring, a period is selected when severe frosts have ended, but the growing season has not yet begun. The main goal is to remove branches growing inside the crown.
In one-year-old seedlings, the top is shortened so that in the future the crown of Bergamot does not darken and the lower branches grow.
For the next season, the crown skeleton is already being formed: the central conductor is cut off a quarter of the length.
When pruning young pears of the Bergamot variety, you should not get carried away, as this can lead to later fruiting.
In old pears, the shoots are shortened by half or two-thirds of the length. Thanks to this, the trees are rejuvenated.
Watering and top dressing
Variety Bergamot is quite tolerant of dry periods. Depending on the region, watering requirements may vary.
But seedlings in the early years are especially in need of soil moisture. Therefore, during dry periods, it is recommended to water the Bergamot pear 3-4 times per season at the rate of two to three buckets for each tree.
In the following years, the number of irrigations is reduced, but the volume increases (by about one and a half to two times).
The basic rule of watering: do not pour water on the basal neck. It is best to form an annular groove around the Bergamot pear. Roots should not be allowed to be exposed, but if this happens, then the roots should be covered with moist soil. It is believed that with full watering, the soil should be moistened to the depth of active roots – this is about 55-65 cm.
When moistening, the composition of the soil must be taken into account: on sandy soils, pears are watered in small portions, but often. And for heavy clay soils, rare but plentiful watering is recommended.
Bergamot pears are fertilized in early spring to ensure a high-quality and plentiful harvest. It is recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers, they are added to the soil when loosening.
In the autumn period, the basis of top dressing is potassium and phosphorus supplements. They are introduced into the soil to a depth of approximately 40-50 cm in a circle around the Bergamot pear.
Preparing pears for wintering
Preparatory work begins, as a rule, with cleaning the area around the tree. Fallen leaves and carrion from branches are collected, dried fruits are removed. The old mulch is also removed. It is desirable to burn all this garbage.
Dried and diseased branches are removed from the tree. The entire crown and trunk are sprayed from scab. You can use a 5% urea solution for this. The growths are also removed from the trunk.
To protect the trunk of Bergamot from rodents (hares, mice), the tree is wrapped with a protective material. For these purposes, ordinary burlap, spruce forest are suitable.
Diseases and pests
The condition of the tree must be monitored throughout the season. There are some of the most common diseases.
Scab affects almost the entire tree (foliage, fruits, shoots, flowers). The disease manifests itself in the form of brown spots. Favorable conditions for its occurrence are prolonged rains and low temperatures. The proximity of other Bergamot pears also contributes to the spread of diseases. The main preventive measures are spring spraying of pears with Bordeaux mixture and 7% urea solution. Moreover, it is necessary to process not only the tree, but also the soil around the trunk. In autumn, all fallen leaves are carefully collected and burned.
Powdery mildew refers to fungal diseases and affects the leaves of young shoots. The disease causes the leaves to fall. Warm, dry weather favors the spread of the disease. And, accordingly, regular watering, removal of damaged branches are among the control measures. Of the chemicals, spraying the crown with a solution of colloidal sulfur can be distinguished.
Green aphid is considered the main pest of the Bergamot pear variety. The insect sucks the juice from the leaves, which helps to stop the development of shoots. As a means of control, special preparations are used, which are sprayed on trees. Moreover, it is desirable to carry out the procedure three times: on the eve of leaf buds blooming (Kinmiks is used), before flowering (Agravertin is used) and when the ovary appears (the tree is treated with Iskra).
Pear Bergamot can be considered a real decoration of gardens. This variety is common in Europe, CIS countries. This well-deserved popularity is due to the unpretentiousness and high yield of the variety.