- Authors: Italian selection
- Taste: sweet
- The size: large
- Weight: 30-40
- Yield rate: high
- Yield: 0.8-0.9 kg per bush
- Ripening terms: early
- Description of the bush: tall, compact
- Berry color: uniform red and very bright
- Winter hardiness: winter hardy
Bright berries, excellent taste, early ripeness - all this can be said about Amy's strawberries, which recently appeared on the market thanks to the efforts of Italian breeders. It has already earned rave reviews from gardeners in Europe, surpassing many other early garden strawberries. Also, the variety is found under the name Amy or Lofty.
Breeding history of the variety
Amy is an Italian-bred garden strawberry, first introduced in 2018. The development was carried out by the company "Matsoni" - the European leader in the development of new varieties of berry crops. The variety is not remontant.
Description of the variety
Amy belongs to the species of garden strawberries with a tall bush without a pronounced spreading. Large leaf blades have ribbed veins and are dark green in color. The mustache is formed quite actively. Peduncles give a large number of ovaries.
The bushes are characterized by a developed root system, resistant to diseases, the influence of other negative factors.
Ripening terms
Amy is an early ripe strawberry. Suitable for growing outdoors and greenhouses. It is considered a farm-oriented variety. Fruiting begins at the end of May in the south, in the 1st decade of June in other regions.
Growing regions
The early ripe variety is focused on cultivation in the open field in the southern regions of Russia, in a climate close to the Mediterranean, continental. In other conditions, planting in greenhouses is recommended. In the Moscow region, it is better to grow the variety in closed ground or in containers.
Yield
This strawberry variety is characterized by a high yield. In the open field, 0.8-0.9 kg of berries are obtained from 1 bush. The fruits are distinguished by their excellent presentation, good transportability. They do not become smaller during the season, there is no deformation. Berry picking is recommended at intervals of 5-7 days.
Berries and their taste
The fruits are very bright, evenly colored, red without white areas, have a regular conical shape. Nicely contoured, no deformation. The variety is considered large-fruited, with an average weight of berries of about 30-40 g.
Strawberry taste, pronounced aroma. The berries are characterized by sweetness. The pulp is juicy, without wateriness. Berries are "varnished", do not lose their luster in hot weather, the sugar content according to BRICS reaches 8.8%.
Growing features
Planting is recommended in the summer, from the end of July to the 2nd decade of August. Such dates were not chosen by chance - the bushes will have time to take root, next year it will be possible to harvest the first harvest. In southern latitudes, the landing dates can be shifted to early September. With the spring transfer of plants to the ground throughout the season, you will have to monitor the removal of peduncles so that the bush has time to get stronger.
Amy's strawberries are sensitive to soil moisture. The height of the ridges is raised to a level of 15-20 cm above the ground surface if the groundwater runs close to it. A fence - boards made of boards or slate will help prevent soil erosion.
In the first 2 weeks, daily watering is required.Then Amy's strawberry bushes are moistened less often, giving preference to drip irrigation or sprinkling at the stage of growing green mass, root introduction of moisture after flowering. Be sure to mulch the ridges.
Site selection and soil preparation
This variety loves fertile, slightly acidified soils. At an elevated pH level, the soil should be pre-dug with the introduction of 400-600 g of dolomite flour per 1 m2. Wood ash also helps to lower acidity. When cultivating the soil, it is recommended to add it in an amount of at least 200 g / m2, also supplementing 8-10 kg of well-rotted manure.
When planting, it is important to spread the roots well in the hole. It is not worth deepening the bushes. It is necessary that the root bud is visible. The planting scheme, taking into account the shape and size of an adult plant, involves maintaining a distance of up to 0.5 m between rows and 25-30 cm in one strip. A checkerboard arrangement in greenhouses and open ground is recommended. Landing is carried out from north to south.
Pollination
The flowers are bisexual and produce a lot of pollen. Cross-planting of other varieties is not necessary.
Top dressing
The variety is recommended for regular feeding. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the form of a solution of horse or cow manure in a ratio of 1: 10. In their absence, ready-made humic mixtures are used. To improve budding, bushes are shown feeding with a mineral complex of 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l. potassium salt, 2 tbsp. l. nitroammophos.
At the end of the fruiting season, the plants also need fertilization. It is recommended to add 2-3 glasses of wood ash for each square meter of the bed.
One of the important techniques in strawberry care is feeding. Regular fertilization guarantees a rich harvest. There are several different ways to feed strawberries, and each of them is designed for a specific period of plant development. During flowering, fruiting and after it, feeding should be different.
Frost resistance and the need for shelter
Amy belongs to the hardy strawberries. She hibernates in a shelter made of agrofibre, fixed on arcs.In regions with cold climates, a thick layer of organic mulch is additionally used.
Diseases and pests
This variety is resistant to most diseases and pests. It is not susceptible to root rot, the berries, even when wilted, are protected from fungal diseases. During periods of prolonged rains, prophylactic spraying with a weak solution of manganese can be used. It is bred to a pale pink hue.
When pests appear on the site, a bucket of tobacco infusion with laundry soap will help Amy scare them away from Amy's strawberries. The composition is kept for a day, then sprayed onto the ridges over the leaves to scare away and destroy strawberry, spider mites, slugs.
Strawberries are often subject to many dangerous diseases that can seriously undermine their condition. Among the most common are powdery mildew, gray mold, brown spot, anthracnose, and verticillosis. Before buying a variety, you need to inquire about its disease resistance.
Reproduction
The growth of the plant population is carried out mainly with the help of whiskers. If breeding is not planned, they are cut off so as not to reduce the yield. Sockets take root well. It is also possible to divide an adult 2-3-year-old bush, with the preservation of the root lobe on each of the parts.
Review overview
According to gardeners, Amy's strawberry has managed to establish itself in the southern regions as an unpretentious, drought-tolerant variety with very tasty berries. She is especially praised for the early ripeness of the fruits, their excellent juiciness, transportability. Experienced farmers are already using black agrofibre to increase yields, which has shown a noticeable increase in productivity in this variety. Another positive aspect is the moderate formation of a mustache, which does not lead to overgrowth of ridges.
There are no sharply negative assessments, but due to the lack of experience in growing this variety, gardeners have difficulties with its cultivation. For some summer residents, the bushes of precious seedlings managed to freeze out without giving a harvest.