Everything you need to know about garden strawberries

How many people, presenting strawberries, remember the summer. Everyone wants to feel their aroma. But not all of us know that strawberries are, by and large, garden strawberries. Strawberries, or strawberries (translation - close to the ground), have been known since ancient times. To find out more detailed information about the wonderful berry, read the information below.

If we compare garden strawberries with strawberries, then it must be said that the strawberry bush looks much more powerful, and the flowers are located above the leaves. Nevertheless garden strawberry and strawberry are considered to be the same plant. The above considered representative of the flora is considered very popular, since it has a high yield, early maturity, profitability of cultivation, etc. It has medicinal properties and grows in all climates. People grow it everywhere: in the garden, dacha, personal plot. The properties of the above described berry are also invaluable. It is rich in its biochemical composition.

The plant first appeared in Asia, and only then spread throughout the world. It has the Latin name Fragária × ananássa (or garden strawberry) - a perennial culture of the rose family. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics and botanical description of this berry. The plant has a fibrous root system. Most of the roots are located on the surface, the rest can go into the ground by 30–100 cm. The part that is above the ground has the following structure: type 1 is shortened annual shoots, type 2 is a mustache (with which the plant reproduces) , Type 3 - these are shoots (on which there are flowers).

Experts divide strawberries into groups: garden strawberries, wild strawberries, musk strawberries or strawberries, virgin strawberries, Chilean strawberries. However, people cultivate those varieties that belong to garden strawberries. To date, breeders have bred a large number of garden strawberry varieties, and only about 65 of them are included in the State Register. This plant is sensitive to the length of daylight hours.

In order not to be mistaken in your choice, you need to rely on the following components: taste, yield, disease resistance, the size of the berries. If we talk about large production of berries, then what are important: yield, transportability, attractiveness. However, it is also necessary to take into account the ripening time.

Early varieties are May and June. Let's list them.

• Clery. This variety is prized by growers for its sweet fruit and hardiness. This species was created in Italy. You can get about 2 kilograms from a bush.
• "Octave" possesses massive bushes and is considered a very profitable variety due to fruiting.
• Olvia variety was bred in Ukraine... It is believed that this strawberry is a summer cottage, although it is also suitable for mass production. The fruits are large and beautiful.

Mid-season varieties begin to bear fruit from about June 10. Let's list them.

• Roxana... The variety was bred in Italy. It is distinguished by high productivity, powerful bushes and amicable ripening.
• "Marmalade" Is an Italian variety. The berries are very beautiful and delicious. About 16 tons can be harvested from 1 hectare.
• "Florence" bred in the UK. The berries have a presentation, good taste and beauty.

Late varieties have the names listed below.

• "Zenith" - this is a hybrid, and it is distinguished by good transportability and high keeping quality. Therefore, the whole berry always looks fresh on the counter.
• "Pegasus" is resistant to diseases and pests. It tolerates temperature changes well. The berries taste very good.
• "Lord" has large fruits and high yields.
• "United Kingdom" - a rather promising variety, as it has a high yield.

You also need to choose those varieties that differ in the duration of fruiting. So, let's list the most popular in this segment.

• Variety "Albion" has high yielding properties. Up to 3 kg are collected from the bush. Fruiting from June to late autumn.
• "Elan" - Dutch variety. It can be grown outdoors. Elan has sprawling bushes and very good berries.
• "Yellow miracle" - up to 3 kg is collected from the bush.
• "Diamond" requires careful maintenance, but this variety has a high yield. The berries on the bushes have an unusual creamy yellow color.
• "San Andreas" - the variety is distinguished by the juiciness of berries and tenderness.
• Variety "Queen Elizabeth" differs in the size and aroma of berries, as well as high yield.

Now let's look at the usual varieties.

• "Alba" considered a descendant of Albion. It is characterized by aroma of berries and excellent productivity.
• Variety "Honey" gives berries of high density. It is grown by both amateur and large strawberry growers.
• Variety "Queen" possesses very large and beautiful berries.

If we look at the regions, then for the middle lane are suitable varieties such as "Polka" (resistant to drought and unpretentious), "Garland" (has a high yield and density of fruits). In the northwest, varieties such as "Cesan" (can be grown in beds, balconies and in a greenhouse), "Maryshka" (undemanding to care for), "Torpedo" (elongated fruits) are mainly planted. In the south, popular are: "Crimean remontantnaya" (bears fruit 2 times a season), "Bogota" (transportable, in the open field they get about 1 kg per bush).

It is necessary to take into account all the nuances in order to get high yields of strawberries. Let's take a closer look at them.

The best period is from 10 to 15 May. However, it is best to move strawberries outdoors in July - August (it should be noted that this recommendation applies to traditional varieties). The plants that are planted at this time have a well-developed root system, and a large number of flower buds appear. Summer planting is the key to a good harvest next year. By the way, this planting period saves money, since the plants do not need to be carefully looked after: to protect against diseases and pests, to apply fertilizers.

Spring planting also has its advantages:

• you can choose any variety with a rooted system;
• the soil does not need to be moistened.

The only drawback of spring planting is that you will not get a high yield, and you will also bear the costs of further watering and processing the seedlings. Autumn planting of strawberries is September. If you plant the bushes and water them very well, your plants will sprout before winter and harvest the next year.

Strawberry seedlings love sunny locations. They must be protected from wind and frost. Strawberries are not capricious and can grow almost everywhere where there is more or less acceptable soil. Nevertheless, the tasty berry still "loves" heavy and drained soil. Very dry and sandy areas of land will become destructive for her. Swampy places are also not suitable for planting this plant, since the root system will not be able to breathe fully.

To properly plant strawberries, you need to prepare the soil, so remove the weeds from your future plantation. Weeds such as thistle, wheatgrass, horsetail are especially dangerous for the berry bushes in question. If perennial weeds with a good root system grow on the site, then use a special tool to destroy them. Then proceed as described below.

It is necessary to plant strawberry bushes either in the evening or in cloudy weather. When you plant a specific bush, you should not go too deep in its base. However, leaving most of it on the surface is also not worth it, otherwise your plant will either dry out or rot. After planting, moisturize your strawberries liberally. The "Barrier" preparation can be added to the water (4 tablespoons per bucket of water). You need to pour 1 glass under the root of 1 plant.

Early varieties and mid-season species are placed 15–20 cm apart. Keep the row length 50 cm... After harvesting, one plant should be transplanted. Thus, you will free up space in the garden for the full development of the remaining bushes. Seedlings of late varieties should be planted at a distance of 20 cm and left 50 cm between the rows. As you harvest the crop, every second bush must be dug up and transplanted.

These features consist largely of weeding and watering. If we talk about specific care, then it should be noted: it starts already with planting strawberries. Please note that a properly planted bush will bear fruit well. Therefore, when planting it, carefully straighten the roots. Then mulch the garden bed with straw. And then proceed in this way:

• if you planted plants in the spring, then they must be shaded from the sun;
• cut off excess flowers from young plants so that they quickly gain strength;
• water your seedlings regularly with sun-warmed water;
• if you fertilized the strawberries well during planting, then in the summer you can skip feeding it, cut off the mustache on young plants, otherwise they will weaken the main bush.

Consider how to care for the berry in the future.

• Strawberry bushes should not be in one place for more than five years. During this time, pathogenic microflora can develop in the ground and on the bushes themselves. This means that after the above period, old plants will begin to hurt and die.
• After the snow melts, you need to feed your berry bushes... The next top dressing should be done in mid-May, during flowering. Note: do not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, otherwise the leaves of the plant will grow strongly, but you will not get berries.
• Do not rush to clear the bushes in early spring from old foliage.... The foliage will still be able to protect the strawberries from the bright sun and frost.
• So that the berries do not lie on the ground and the leaves of the plant do not deteriorate, pull a strong thread along the bed... So you will be able to keep on weight and flower stalks, and berries, and leaves.
• Water the bushes carefullywhen they bear fruit, so as not to wet the berries, otherwise they will rot.
• Abundantly in autumn moisten the strawberries.
• In August, it is necessary to process the bushes: cut off old leaves, remove the remains of peduncles, etc. Also cut off the mustache, otherwise the mother bushes will spend their energy on them. Then you will not get a big harvest next year.
• Spend a small loosening around the bushes.
• The very first rosettes from the mustache plant on new, well-cultivated beds.
• Shelter for the winter, strawberries with spruce branches or covering material.

It is held in the spring: in March or April. If we talk about northern latitudes, then in this case, reproduction is carried out in June. Autumn breeding of strawberries is usually carried out in September. Strawberries can be bred with a mustache. A mustache is one of the popular ways to breed berries.For productivity, choose the sturdiest and most fruitful 3-year-olds. From each bush, you can take only 2-3 rosettes with good roots. Strengthen this planting material in well-cultivated and loose soil.

Let's start with diseases.

• The leaves of the bushes wither and he dies. The problem can be eliminated by spraying with Quadris or Metadoxil.
• Powdery mildew is caused by fungal spores. The berries are covered with a loose bloom. The problem can be eliminated with the help of the preparations Signum, Domarkom.
• Gray rot or white rot is caused by a fungus. The problem can be eliminated with the help of the Barrier and Fitosporin preparations.
• Brown spot leaves are also caused by the development of a fungus. Bordeaux liquid is used to prevent the disease.
• Fusarium and ramulariasis are also provoked by a fungus. "Fitosporin" and 1% Bordeaux liquid help against it.
• Mottling is a virus. It slows down the growth of plant stems. To remedy the situation, feed the plants and increase their immunity.

Strawberries can also be attacked by pests.

• Nematodes are worms. They suck sap from plants. They will be destroyed by Actellic.
• Earth mite and spider mite also suck out the juices from the plant. They are also destroyed with Actellic or Ortus.
• Pests raspberry-strawberry weevil (has a size of 2-3 mm) and the strawberry leaf beetle eat away the buds and leaves of plants. They are destroyed with insecticides.
• Strawberry whitefly and penny destroyed with soapy water.
• May beetle larvae eat plant roots... If such pests appear, then loosen the soil and treat the roots with Aktara.
• Slugs, wasps and beetles eat berries. They can be eliminated by scattering the deterrent drug "Metaldehyde".