Strawberry Deroyal: variety description and characteristics, planting and care rules
Strawberry varieties with a dessert taste that can be grown in beds and in a greenhouse are known to many culture lovers. Consider the characteristics of Deroyal strawberries, its advantages and disadvantages, how to grow and care for plants, technology features: how to choose a place and prepare the soil, how to plant. How to properly propagate strawberries, collect and store berries.
Description and characteristics
Deroyal is bred in France, the variety is characterized by dessert taste, strong aroma. Berries of a classical form - conical, bright red, darken after full ripening, acquire shine, average weight - 20 g.The flesh is red-orange. In terms of maturation, the variety belongs to medium early. The plant can produce many flower stalks, the yield is up to 1-2 kg per bush. The leaves are dark green, erect, growing rapidly.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The Deroyal variety has the following advantages:
- rapid growth;
- compactness and accuracy of the bush;
- yield;
- freeze resistance;
- disease resistance;
- strong peduncles;
- strong aroma and bright taste of fruits.
Disadvantages of Strawberry Deroyal:
- short shelf life - 3-5 days;
- unsuitable for transportation;
- demanding to moisture.
Deroyal strawberries grow well both in beds and in greenhouse conditions.
Growing and caring for Deroyal
Strawberry seedlings can be planted in the beds in autumn or spring, many gardeners still prefer spring, as bushes planted in autumn may not have time to take root, so they are threatened with freezing in winter. In the spring, there is no such problem, if you plant strawberries in warm and still moist soil, then it is more likely to take root.
Site selection and soil preparation
Deroyal seedlings suitable for planting should have about 5 leaves, a growing point, fibrous roots at least 8 cm long. The root neck of the seedling should be 6 mm. Before planting, strawberries should be in the shade, with roots moistened with water.
For culture, it is best to choose a place illuminated by the sun, without stagnant water. The reaction of the soil should be neutral, acidic is absolutely not good.
Preparing the beds comes down to the following: remove the remains of the previous crop and weeds along with the roots, dig a shovel onto a bayonet. Add rotted organic matter (1 bucket per sq. m.) and ash (1 kg per sq. m.), level the surface with a rake.
Landing
Deroyal strawberry seedlings are planted at a distance of 0.3 m from each other. Holes are made to the length of the roots, each seedling is buried along the root collar. It is necessary to ensure that the growing points are not sprinkled with earth. If the soil is dry, water each hole with at least 0.5 liters of water.
You can check the correctness of planting in a simple way: take the planted plant by the leaf and try to pull it out. If this is not easy to do, then everything is done correctly. After that, you can sprinkle the bushes with humus or sawdust with a layer of 2-3 cm.
If it is still cold outside, especially at night, it is worth covering the beds with a film, setting it on low arcs that would cover the plants from all sides.
Irrigation and fertilization
Despite a powerful root system, Deroyal strawberry needs moisture, because the plant is small, and its roots do not penetrate deep into the soil. Until the seedlings are fully rooted, it is necessary to water frequently, from 1 to 2-3 times a week. For irrigation, you need to take warm settled water, water it under the root. When berries appear on the bushes, it is not desirable that water gets on them, otherwise they may rot.
Since strawberries are an early crop, their berries ripen early, you need to have time to fertilize them at the beginning of the growing season and after the first flowers bloom.It is best to fertilize the berry with organic matter, sprinkling it evenly near the plants. Another feeding should be done after collecting all the berries so that the strawberries recover after fruiting.
Loosening
After watering, you should loosen the soil, but not deep so as not to touch the roots. Loosening allows the roots to breathe and removes weeds.
Moustache removal
If you plan to harvest Deroyal strawberries, all mustaches must be removed so that the plants do not waste nutrients on their growth. You need to cut them off when they reach 5 cm; they can be carefully cut with scissors.
Diseases and pests
Most often, strawberries are exposed to rot, especially diseases begin to appear in the field of heavy rains. To prevent rotting of berries, it is necessary to carry out preventive spraying with a broad-spectrum fungicide.Choose a preparation with a short waiting period, which will end before harvest day.
Features of plant reproduction
Laying a new bed should be in 3-4 years, by this time old plants reduce productivity. To provide yourself with strawberries for each season, you need to make new beds every year to replace the old ones. Strawberry Deroyal propagates with a mustache that needs to be rooted during the season. Mustaches are transplanted to a new place in early autumn. For mustache plants to be strong, the ovary must be removed from the mother specimens.
Harvest and storage of crops
The Deroyal strawberries are harvested after they have acquired their characteristic color and aroma, but have not yet become soft. Ripe berries can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days, juicy berries are not stored longer.It is allowed to transport strawberries a little underripe, having dense pulp.
Growing Deroyal strawberries in a summer cottage is no more difficult than growing any other variety. Landing and care technologies are standard. But you need to pay attention to the fact that the plants are moisture-loving, so watering should be given special attention. And when the berries ripen, do not forget to harvest in time and process it or eat it. Strawberries of this variety make excellent sweet preparations for the winter.
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