- Authors: Holland
- Name synonyms: Sunsation, Sensation
- Taste: sweet
- The size: large
- Weight: more than 50 gr
- Yield rate: high
- Yield: 1.2-1.5 kg per bush
- Ripening terms: mid-late
- Advantages: Berries on long peduncles are quickly and conveniently harvested.
- Appointment: universal
In our country, the sensation strawberry variety is not very common, its popularity is only growing. Even European breeders got acquainted with it relatively recently. But at present, the variety is being actively tested and is becoming more and more in demand. It is called very promising among mid-season varieties.
Description of the variety
The Sensation variety owes its breeding to Dutch breeders, this happened in 2016. And since 2017, strawberries have been actively distributed among gardeners.
The main characteristics of the variety:
non-repairable fruiting;
medium ripening variety;
high immunity;
suitable for greenhouse and outdoor cultivation.
External features:
the bush has a compact shape, the habit is of a vertical type;
lush foliage, perfectly hides flower stalks from frost, and berries from the sun;
peduncles of a powerful type, the gravity of the berries tends them to the ground;
the root system is fibrous.
Among the advantages of the Sensation are the following;
resistance to disease, drought and frost, including frost of return type;
excellent productivity, even on heavy ground;
ease of reproduction.
There are also disadvantages that are also worth considering:
if the summer is not hot, the berries lose their properties, grow empty, the aroma disappears, the consistency becomes watery;
it is rather difficult to separate the berry from the stalk;
The sensation is a rather dubious variety in terms of transportation, although producers indicate that it is suitable for industrial breeding.
As for the reviews, they are quite contradictory. Moreover, the quality of the berries is very dependent on the climate, weather, care. Therefore, there are many positive and negative responses.
Ripening terms
The sensation is a mid-late strawberry variety. If we are talking about planting in open ground, then the berries reach ripeness in early or mid-June. The fruiting period is quite long - about a month. Flowering, filling, ovary formation and berry ripening occur simultaneously. The number of peduncles per bush is more than that of other varieties with a similar maturity.
Yield
In one season, from 1.2 to 1.5 kilograms of berries can be removed from a two-year-old bush. Much depends on the climate, weather, care. Since the variety was not very long ago bred, there are no absolutely accurate indicators. But in comparison with other similar varieties, productivity is estimated about a third higher. Productivity is high, if only because barren flowers are practically not formed on this variety.
Berries and their taste
Due to the novelty, the size of the berries in the descriptions is ambiguous, it is indicated in different ways. The average weight of one fruit is 50 grams, but you can often read that berries grow up to 60 and even up to 90 grams in exceptional cases. The main collection is represented by even berries in shape and size. The first fruits are larger, the shape is close to a cone or heart. After that, they become smoother, but do not shrink by the end of ripening.
The skin of the berries is reddish-pink or reddish-orange, shiny, bright. The seeds are small, not too much pressed into the skin. The pulp is lighter, rather dense in consistency, the taste is very sweet, the aroma is strong.The first year, the berries can ripen with voids, have a watery structure. Then this problem disappears, and rains do not affect it, even prolonged ones. Experts estimate the dessert qualities of Sensation berries as average, but gardeners mark them as exceptional.
Growing features
Despite the fact that the variety is not particularly whimsical, you need to take care of some care measures.
Moisturizing. Watering is carried out at any time, except for the period of active presence of the sun. Morning, evening, cloudy weather are suitable. Moisten this plant every 7 days. If the temperature is too high, the number of irrigations should be increased by 2 or 3 times. For these purposes, only warm water is used, which has been previously settled. Refuse watering directly from the well - this provokes disease. The amount of water is 2 buckets per square meter. The level of impregnation is minimal - a quarter of a meter.
Fertilizer. Another important leaving point that should not be ignored. During the season, this variety is fed three times - immediately after winter, in summer and after harvest. The first top dressing should be nitrogenous, the second - with potassium and phosphorus, the final top dressing is carried out with organic fertilizers.
Preparing for winter. This variety tolerates winter well, frosts, but only southern ones. If you grow strawberries in the north, you will need to insulate them. Mustaches, leaves are pre-cut, then abundantly moistened and fed with organic matter. Use a material for shelter that hides well from drafts, wind, moisture. It is optimal to purchase special material for these purposes. The easiest way is to distribute metal arcs over the beds, and stretch the agrofiber. You can replace the latter with needles, straw.
Site selection and soil preparation
The area for planting strawberries is selected taking into account good ventilation and sufficient sun. Avoid planting near trees, bushes. It is very important that there is no groundwater close to the surface. If they are, and you cannot choose another zone, arrange good drainage.
Preparation of the landing site is carried out about a couple of months before the event. Previously, the weed is removed, then the soil is dug up, the digging depth is about 30 cm.
At the stage of preparation, organic fertilizing is introduced. The optimal landing pattern is as follows:
holes are formed at a distance of 30 cm;
there must be at least 60 cm between the rows;
water is introduced into the pits, after absorption, a seedling is placed there;
it must be installed vertically, carefully straightening the root system;
then the hole is sprinkled with soil, the soil is rammed, moistened;
at the end of the bed mulch.
Pollination
The flowers are a sensation of both sexes and have enough pollen to cope with pollination on their own. Due to this, productivity is stable, the ovaries are actively created and developed, regardless of weather conditions.
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.
Diseases and pests
The immunity of the variety is quite high, so the resistance to diseases is not bad. You can be calm about different types of fungi, rot. But this variety is susceptible to late blight, so it is important to carry out preventive measures. To do this, use Bordeaux liquid. These procedures are carried out in spring and autumn - before flowering and at the end of fruiting.
There are pests to be wary of Sensation gardeners. Attacks by thrips and slugs are common. It is better to use folk methods so as not to spoil the berries. Garlic, dandelion tinctures are a good solution. You can take the tops of tomatoes for these purposes. If the problem is more serious, store-bought insecticides and biologics can help.
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
For reproduction, uterine bushes are selected from the first years, and planted in other zones. On the transplanted bushes, the buds are removed, small antennae break off, you can simply shorten the mustache. Each mustache should have one socket. When the first roots appear, the rosettes are pulled to the ground and deepened into the loosened soil. You can plant the sockets in a container and let them take root.