- Authors: D. Jennings, UK
- Name synonyms: Christine
- Taste: sweet with sourness
- The size: large
- Weight: 50-65 gr
- Yield rate: high
- Yield: up to 2 kg per bush
- Repairability: No
- Ripening terms: early
- Advantages: good keeping quality
The breeding novelty appeared in the UK. She quickly won the love of gardeners and farmers. Strawberry Christina (synonym - Christine) is versatile, highly marketable and easily transported over long distances. The variety can be grown both for yourself and for sale.
Description of the variety
The Christina variety is even suitable for conservation, because it differs in density. The berries are not boiled, they remain intact in the syrup. Strawberries can be used to make compotes and various desserts. Main advantages:
- ripens earlier than many varieties;
- long storage;
- fruits are large and attractive, well suited for sale;
- do not rot when in contact with the soil;
- berries are stored for a long time and are easily transported.
However, in order to obtain a good yield, the variety must be well cared for. The plant requires moderate watering. With proper agricultural technology, vigorous bushes reach a height of 15 cm.
Ripening terms
The culture blooms in June and fruiting begins in the same month. The variety belongs to hybrids of early ripening. Strawberry Christina is not remontant, which means that it bears fruit only once a season.
Yield
The Christina variety is popular among farmers for a reason. The high yield allows you to enjoy the berry to the fullest. Up to 2 kg of fruit can be harvested from one bush. It is very profitable to grow a variety for sale.
Berries and their taste
The fruits are orange-red in color. Large, even berries weigh about 50-65 g. The dense pulp has a sweet taste with a slight sourness. The aroma is pronounced, but quickly disappears. Even ripe berries have a green tip.
Growing features
Christina's strawberry is planted in spring and bears fruit in the year of planting. It is possible to do this in the fall, but it is important to be in time before the frost. The variety bears fruit in one place for 4 years. Strawberries should be propagated regularly to keep them from dying. The culture does not require particularly complex care, it is suitable for novice gardeners.
Site selection and soil preparation
Variety Christina can be planted in a sunny area and in partial shade. It is important to protect the strawberries from drafts and strong winds. Groundwater should pass at a depth of at least 0.6 m. The soil should have acidity in the range of pH 5.0-6.5. The land used is fertile, moist and well-drained, loamy.
The garden bed should be prepared one month before planting. To begin with, all roots and weeds are removed. The earth needs to be dug deep. To enrich the soil, organic fertilizers are applied up to 50 kg per hundred square meters, mineral fertilizers - up to 4 kg.
The landing pattern is simple. Leave 30 cm between rows, and 10-20 cm from bush to bush. The beds are located from north to south. The seedling is lowered vertically into a deep hole, the roots are straightened. After planting, the ridges are covered with a layer of mulch.
Pollination
Strawberry Christina has good flowering. There is enough pollen for self-pollination. No additional action is required.
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
Strawberry Christina is winter-hardy, but does not tolerate frost well. Preparing for winter is simple, you need to remove weeds, cut off damaged leaves from bushes and remove excess mustache. It is necessary to treat with fungicidal preparations and apply fertilizers. It is important not to cut off all the leaves; they serve as natural protection from wind and frost.
Nitrogen fertilizers must not be applied. The substance provokes growth, which will prevent the plant from falling asleep for the winter. During frosts, the strawberries will simply die.
For the winter, the land is covered with a thick layer of straw, coniferous spruce branches or other mulch. Agrofibre can be used. In this case, arcs are installed so that the material does not come into contact with the foliage. It is necessary to cover with the onset of the first frost.
Diseases and pests
Variety Christina is resistant to verticellosis and powdery mildew. Strawberries are practically not susceptible to diseases and pests. However, there is a risk of late blight infection. The culture does not tolerate stagnant water. If, after rain, fog, the leaves wither or brown, oily spots form, then the variety is affected by late blight.
If the bush has begun to rot, then the treatment will no longer help. It is important to inspect the plant after the humidity rises. In the early stages of the disease, treatment is carried out with Nitrafen. The tool is used according to the instructions. Bushes that do not respond to treatment are simply burned.
Prevention of late blight can be carried out before planting the beds. To prepare the product for a bucket of water, you should take a bottle of iodine, 2 tbsp. l. soda and 20 g of grated laundry soap. The same solution can be processed every 14 days until the end of summer.
Strawberries are often subject to many dangerous diseases that can seriously undermine its 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 easiest way is to use a mustache. During fruiting, you need to choose the strongest and highest quality bushes, they will be maternal. Direct a couple of whiskers to free soil so that rooting occurs. If there is mulch in the garden, then the outlet can be cut off and soaked in a solution of a root formation stimulator.
Young strawberries require abundant watering. It is possible to separate the outlet from the bush only after the formation of a strong root system. The breeding process takes 8-10 weeks. The outlet should be transplanted in a coma of soil. No more than two whiskers are taken from one mother bush.