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Many gardeners, choosing a pear variety for their plot, want the future fruit tree to be unpretentious, and every year it gives a lot of tasty, juicy fruits. Given the variety of pears, it is quite difficult to choose one single option that meets all the requirements. Therefore, for those who are today in search of “their” seedling, we will try to tell you about the long-known, time-tested pear variety “Yakovleva’s Favorite”. A few years ago, it was grown in horticultural farms. Today, nurseries offer these seedlings for growing in private backyards. For a closer acquaintance with the culture, we offer in our article a detailed description of the Lyubimitsa Yakovleva pear variety, photos and reviews about it. Perhaps, after studying the proposed information, even more seedlings will find their owner.
Detailed description of the variety
Many years ago, the famous Soviet scientist-breeder Pavel Nikolaevich Yakovlev in the genetic laboratory of Tambov bred a new pear variety, which was named “Yakovleva’s Favorite” in honor of its creator.
To develop a new variety, two well-known pears were crossed: “Daughter of Blankova” and “Bergamot Esperena”. The resulting new variety combined the best qualities of its ancestors and became widely in demand among experienced and novice farmers. “Favorite Yakovlev” was used for the industrial cultivation of fruits on collective farms. Breeders, in turn, used the variety to further develop even more advanced types of pears.
Today, the Yakovlev’s Favorite pear is familiar to almost every experienced gardener. It is zoned in several regions of Our Country at once, in particular, in the Central, Central Black Earth and Middle Volga regions. In the industrial economy, the variety was eventually supplanted by modern types of culture, but for domestic cultivation, the Lyubimitsa Yakovleva variety is still in demand and enjoys wide popularity. Seedlings of this pear are offered by many horticultural nurseries.
Characteristics of the plant
Variety “Favorite Yakovlev” is tall. Its fruit tree grows up to 4 m, and sometimes up to 5 m. The plant reaches its impressive dimensions quite quickly. The skeletal branches of the tree extend from the main trunk at a right angle. They are covered with a gray smooth skin. With proper formation, the numerous branches and crown of the pear acquire the shape of a pyramid. The foliage of the fruit tree is estimated as medium. The leaves of the plant have a rounded, ovoid shape. Their color is green or dark green.
In early spring, pear buds actively awaken. They are pointed, tightly pressed to the branches. Numerous inflorescences consist immediately of 7-10 simple flowers, white in color. Terry flower petals make the plant decorative.
Despite the many flowers formed in spring, the pear is characterized by low self-fertility. Only 10-25% of the ovaries are formed with the help of their own pollen. Some farmers, because of this feature, call the variety self-fertile and, in order to obtain a good yield, they recommend planting a pollinator variety near the pear. Based on numerous tests, it was concluded that the variety “Lubimitsa Yakovleva” demonstrates the maximum yield in combination with the variety “Duchess Summer”.
A tall fruit tree has not only a lush crown, but also a well-developed root system. This must be taken into account when placing the plant on the site. It can not be grown near residential buildings and outbuildings. A huge pear can shade undersized shrubs or dwarf trees with its crown.
When choosing a pear variety for your garden, be sure to pay attention to the external description and characteristics of the tree itself, in order to take into account the existing characteristics of the plant and create the most comfortable conditions for it during the growing process.
fruit characteristic
The unique taste of pears is the main advantage of the Yakovlev’s Favorite variety. Ripe fruits contain a lot of sugar (8,6%). The sweetness of the fruit is combined with a slight sourness, which displaces freshness from the taste.
Pears of the proposed variety have a homogeneous, slightly oily, juicy pulp with a unique quince flavor. The inner cavity of the fruit has a yellowish or creamy hue. The peel of pears is so thin that it is hardly noticeable when eating a fresh product. Unfortunately, a negative point in assessing the quality of fruits is the presence of a certain amount of coarsened cells. They unpleasantly stand out from the general consistency of the pulp. Such cells are formed, as a rule, in dry years, therefore, when growing the Yakovlev pear, it is recommended to pay special attention to watering.
In addition to sugar, fruits contain a large amount of ascorbic acid and P-active substances, which makes fruits not only tasty, but also very healthy. They also contain a large amount of dry substances and a number of vitamins.
The external description of the fruit of the Yakovleva Favorite variety is excellent. Fruits weighing approximately 150 g have a classic pyramid shape with a wide base. The peel of pears is matte, painted in gray-green color with a yellowish tint. Ripe pears after long-term storage acquire a bright yellow color. Some fruits may develop a slight blush on the sunny side of the tree. Numerous green subcutaneous spots are clearly visible over the entire surface of the fruit of this variety.
Yakovlev pears have a juicy, but at the same time rather dense texture. This makes them perfect for long-term transportation and storage. Fresh fruits of high marketability can be successfully grown for the purpose of subsequent sale. In general, the purpose of pears is universal. They can be used to make jam, jam or compote. Fruit can be dried if desired.
Fruiting period and crop yield
The seedling of the proposed variety, after planting in the ground, quickly builds up skeletal branches, shoots and crown, becoming a full-fledged fruit tree. Already 3-4 years after planting, the pear begins to bear fruit. The first harvest is usually only a few kilograms. By the age of 7, fruit yield is 20-30 kg. With further maturation, the yield of the tree increases to 200-220 kg.
Fruits ripen in early autumn: you can harvest in early September. Ripe pears retain their freshness for a long time and can remain on the branches of the tree until the November frosts. Numerous fruits can later be used for processing, sale for sale, long-term storage in bins.
Numerous photos and descriptions of the Lyubimitsa Yakovleva pear variety make it possible for every gardener to get to know the proposed culture as closely as possible. Based on this information, some conclusion can be drawn, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of the variety.
Advantages and disadvantages
Speaking about the positive qualities of the Yakovleva variety, it is necessary to emphasize the high yield, the amazing external quality of the fruit, the high marketability and transportability of pears. An interesting taste of fruit can be both an advantage and a disadvantage of a variety, since many farmers claim that it is, as they say, “an amateur”. The obvious advantages of the variety are also:
- the ability to store fresh fruit in cool conditions for 3-4 months;
- high winter hardiness of the variety;
- resistance to adverse external conditions, including drought;
- decorative tall tree.
The disadvantages are also worth mentioning for an objective assessment of the variety:
- the formation of coarse pulp cells in the dry season;
- low level of self-fertility;
- the need for a pollinator near the main plant.
Thus, if there is enough space on the site and there is a desire, the ability to plant two pears at once, varieties “Lubimitsa Yakovleva” and “Duchess Summer”, then you can choose the proposed seedlings without hesitation. This will allow you to collect a huge harvest of fruits of various flavors with different ripening periods, thereby providing the family with an endless stream of fresh, healthy fruits throughout the season.
Planting a seedling and plant care
It is possible to save all the main characteristics of the variety only if it is properly planted and the necessary care for the plant is carried out. So, the Yakovlev’s Favorite pear must be planted on a well-drained, sunny plot of land. Flooded areas are not at all suitable for the plant, and the lack of sun can significantly reduce the sugar level in the fruit.
The soil for pears should preferably be chernozem or loamy. It is recommended to increase the fertility of the soil before planting with organic matter. The rotted compost or manure should be brought into the planting hole 2-3 weeks before planting the seedling. Simultaneously with organic matter, 2 cups of lime and a little rust should be added to the soil.
In the process of planting, the seedling must be placed in the planting hole so that its root neck is slightly above ground level. The trunk circle of the seedling should be watered abundantly and mulched. The process of planting a pear seedling is described in detail in the video:
Caring for an adult tree consists in regular watering and loosening the soil in the trunk circle. Every year in the spring before bud break, it is necessary to cut the pear, removing diseased and extra branches, slightly shortening the fruiting shoots. Also, in the spring, you need to fertilize the plants, adding 2 buckets of humus to the near-stem circle for every 1 m2 soil. Preparing a seedling for wintering consists in applying whitewash to the trunk and covering it. Geotextile or burlap should be used as a covering material.
The fruit tree of the Lyubimitsa Yakovleva variety has a low immunity to various diseases, therefore, when growing this pear, it is recommended to pay special attention to preventive measures to combat ailments. To do this, in the spring, even before the buds bloom, you need to spray the tree with a 3% solution of iron or copper sulfate. Bordeaux mixture is also highly effective. Autumn pear processing should consist in spraying branches and crowns with a 10% urea solution. The same composition can be used to fertilize the soil in the near-stem circle of the plant.
In general, planting and growing the Yakovlev pear, as a rule, does not cause any difficulties for gardeners. The only feature in this case is the need to plant a pollinator near the main pear.
Conclusion
Growing a good crop of pears is not at all difficult: you just need to choose the right variety and make some effort. To do this, you can use the time-tested fruit tree “Yakovlev’s Favorite”. In combination with Summer Duchess, this plant will delight you with a mass of tasty and juicy, beautiful and healthy fruits. Their purpose is universal, which means that not a single fruit will be wasted. Summer pears “Duchess” will also be a delicious find for the gardener.