- Authors: Peter Stoppel, German selection
- Taste: sweet, wine-dessert
- The size: large
- Weight: 40-45 gr, sometimes up to 80 gr
- Yield rate: high
- Yield: up to 1 kg per bush
- Repairability: No
- Ripening terms: late
- Appointment: universal
- Description of the bush: high, medium spreading, multi-strand, strongly leafy
The universal strawberry variety Malvina attracted the attention of gardeners with its large fruits. The berries have an unusual taste and aroma that distinguishes this fruit crop from the background of other varieties. This species takes root remarkably in many regions of Russia.
Description of the variety
A distinctive feature of Malvina's garden strawberry is its large size. The bushes reach a height of half a meter, the diameter is up to 60 centimeters. The leaves are slightly wrinkled, painted in a rich green color, with a glossy shiny coating. The green mass is lush and dense. Average spreading.
On one bush, from 5 to 8 peduncles are formed. The plant has high decorative qualities. Shoots are spread horizontally. Peduncles are hidden under the leaves. The stems are lowered to the ground.
Ripening terms
This strawberry belongs to the late ripening varieties. There is no repairability, which means that the plant bears fruit only once during the growing season. The fruiting period begins at the end of June and lasts until the end of the next month. Its duration is from 2 to 3 weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Yield
From one bush, you can collect up to 1 kilogram of berries. The yield indicator is high. The fruits tolerate transportation remarkably well and retain their commercial qualities.
Note: Young bushes are the first to bear fruit.
Berries and their taste
The color of ripe fruits can vary from raspberry to dark cherry rich hue, which the berries acquire at the final stage of ripeness. The average weight of large berries varies from 40 to 45 grams. The maximum indicator is 80 grams. The shape of the fruit is regular conical. Duplicate specimens are found periodically. A dense and juicy pulp is hidden inside. There is no crunch when eaten.
The tasters gave this variety 4.6 points out of 5. The taste is described as wine-dessert, sweet. The aroma is intense, strawberry.
Note: Another feature of the variety is deciduous flowering, which appeared as a result of a genetic shift in the breeding process. A new leaf begins to grow in the strawberry pulp.
Growing features
Malvina cannot be grown in a greenhouse or hotbeds. The landing site does not need to be shaded. You can plant bushes almost at any time of the year: in summer, spring or autumn, but it is not recommended to plant in autumn. Young seedlings may not have time to get stronger before the onset of winter. In the southern regions, planting is carried out in the spring in March or April. In May, plants are planted in temperate latitudes.
A distance of 60 centimeters is left between the rows, and from 40 to 50 centimeters between the plants. It is not difficult to care for strawberries, the main thing is to follow the agrotechnics precisely. Malvina bushes are large, so they need enough free space. A hardy fruit crop will bear fruit even in adverse weather conditions.
Strawberries love frequent watering. In the warm season, seedlings are watered almost every day. The procedure is carried out in the evening. Drip irrigation demonstrates high efficiency. Adult bushes in the process of flowering and berry ovary are watered every 3-4 days if the weather is dry and hot.
When growing berries, you need to periodically remove weeds from the garden.So the plants will be ventilated and receive the required amount of sunlight. The top layer of soil is loosened to supply oxygen to the root system.
As soon as ovaries appear on the bush, the ground around the plants is covered with mulch. With its help, the berries remain clean, and weeds slow down growth.
Site selection and soil preparation
Maximum fruiting can be achieved on loose and deeply cultivated land. For planting, choose a flat and lighted area, protected from drafts. The lightweight soil makes the plants feel comfortable. The minimum depth of groundwater is 1 meter. The acidity should be neutral (5.2 to 5.5 pH). For planting, plants with a developed rosette and powerful roots are chosen.
When preparing a site for planting, the soil is fed. A minimum of 12 kilograms of manure (this component contains nitrogen) and 200 grams of ash (potassium and phosphorus) per 1 square meter are applied to the ground. Each well is moistened. As soon as the water is absorbed, seedlings are planted in it, the roots are carefully straightened. For 7-10 days, irrigation is carried out every day.
Pollination
Strawberry Malvina does not need pollinators. During the flowering period, the bushes are covered with bisexual flowers. The petals are white.
Top dressing
Massive and tall bushes need abundant feeding. You need a lot of nutrients, they are brought in regularly.
Fertilize strawberries in a few steps.
During planting, minerals and organics are used.
Nitrogen is added to the soil in early spring. An excellent result is demonstrated by the following composition: 10 liters of water, 10 liters of cow dung and 15 grams of urea. Before use, it is diluted with water 1 to 10. Consumption - one and a half liters per plant.
When flowering begins, 15-20 grams of mineral dressing is added under the bush. The composition should include nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium.
Shrub development can be enhanced with nitrogen.
A tablespoon of urea is diluted in 10 liters of water. The composition is used in early spring.
At the start of flowering, chicken droppings (1 in 20) or mullein solution (1 in 10) are introduced into the soil.
An effective result is demonstrated by the following composition: a pinch of boric acid per 10 liters of water. They are added to the ground at the stage of ovary formation.
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
Malvina bushes can withstand frosts down to -19 degrees. Before the beginning of winter, the plantation must be prepared for the upcoming frost. The plantings are covered with spruce branches, corn, sawdust or straw. In regions with severe winters, agrofibre is used.
Diseases and pests
Garden strawberry Malvina boasts a high immunity to powdery mildew, verticillium and fusarium. Despite this characteristic, it is not recommended to refuse preventive treatment. If the summer is cool and humid, sprinkle sawdust or straw on the ground between the plants. The berries will not touch the ground and will not start to rot.
Before the buds bloom, the plants are treated with copper oxychloride. This substance protects against fungal infections. To prepare the composition, a tablespoon of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of water. The second time the bushes are processed after harvesting.
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 easiest way to propagate Malvina strawberries is by rooting the whiskers. For this purpose, several mother bushes are specially selected, from which the mustache is not removed. This option is considered the most effective and easiest option for increasing the plantation. Antennae appear in June, rosettes form on them.
When the first roots appear, the sockets are pressed to the ground, deepening a little. The soil must be moist for fast rooting. As soon as several full-fledged leaves appear on a young plant, it is disconnected from the mother bush. New seedlings need careful and attentive care.