Strawberry Cinderella: description and characteristics of the variety, propagation methods, harvesting

Both children and adults love juicy and delicious strawberries. Most summer cottages are planted with this fruit crop, since it is better to eat a product grown by oneself than purchased in a store. Strawberries of the Cinderella variety are one of the most successful types, which, in terms of taste, are most similar to wild strawberries. Many summer residents prefer this particular variety, planting and caring for which have their own characteristics.

Description and characteristics of strawberry Cinderella

The late-ripening strawberry variety Cinderella was first bred in Russia as a result of long-term work with the Festivalnaya and Zenga Zengana varieties.The resulting appearance is the personification of the best qualities of their parents. A plant in the form of a vigorous, moderately spreading bush, which forms a small amount of whiskers, which complicates reproduction. The main feature of the Cinderella strawberry variety is the ability to observe the next wave of fruiting after the first ripening.

The plant has large dark green leaves. The inflorescences are low-lying on strong and dense peduncles that can withstand heavy berries. And large flowers consist of five white petals. The fruit itself weighs up to 20 g on average, but the first harvest can be much larger. The shape of the berry is smoothly rounded, conical, without a neck. The fleshy flesh has a red-orange tint, sweet and sour pleasant taste, multifaceted bright aroma and density.

Fruiting begins in July and lasts until autumn.

Advantages and disadvantages of culture

If we compare strawberries of the Cinderella variety with other crops, then it differs significantly from them in a number of advantages, thanks to which it has earned its place in the garden:

• excellent taste and pleasant aroma;
• good transportability;
• resistance to temperature extremes;
• high commercial qualities;
• impressive seed germination and yield;
• undemanding and unpretentious;
• repairability and long fruiting period.

Among the cons of the strawberry variety Cinderella can be identified:

• few whiskers, making vegetative propagation more difficult;
• probability of being affected by gray rot;
• intolerance to fertilizers that contain chlorine;
• requires frequent transplants and cannot stay in one place for more than 4 years.

The advantages of Cinderella strawberries far outweigh the disadvantages, which explains its popularity among experienced gardeners.

Subtleties of growing garden strawberries

Growing strawberries of the Cinderella variety is not difficult, but still has several nuances that you should definitely familiarize yourself with.

Sowing time

Sowing in open ground is carried out in March or April. The temperature in this case should be about 23 degrees, and the duration of daylight hours should be at least 12-14 hours. The first shoots will show themselves after a month.

How to choose seedlings

When choosing strawberry seedlings Cinderella, you should pay attention to the appearance of the plant. First of all, the leaves should be bright and clean.The presence of dark spots and pallor in color indicate that the seedling is affected by fungal diseases. Wrinkled leaves indicate the presence of a strawberry mite. The annual shoot must exceed 70 cm, the number of leaves must be at least 3 pcs. Only after choosing a he althy seedling, they boldly start planting.

Plant pattern

In the autumn period, the soil where Cinderella strawberries are planned to be planted needs to be prepared:

• enrich calcium with lime;
• dig deep into the bayonet of a shovel;
• extract all weeds and destroy larvae;
• fill with water at a ratio of 1 bucket per 1 m^2;
• disinfect with plenty of blue vitriol.

Medium loamy soil is best for planting Cinderella strawberries. Do not plant the plant on sandy soil.

There are several methods for planting crops in open ground:

1. Single line. The gap between seedlings should be from 15 cm, and between rows from 40 cm. This method is characterized by high yields even with long-term use of the site without transplants.
2. Chess. Seedlings are placed at a distance of 50 cm from each other, the width of the gaps between the rows is 50 cm. In relation to each other, the rows are shifted by 25 cm. This will avoid many diseases.

How to properly care for a crop

Proper care of strawberries Cinderella is to perform the necessary operations and techniques that contribute to the multiplication of yields, improve the quality of berries.

Spring care

As soon as the snow melts, it is worth starting to prepare a bed with strawberries of the Cinderella variety for the new season. To do this:

• thoroughly clean the beds from last year's layer of mulch;
• get rid of dead leaves and tendrils;
• loosening the soil qualitatively;
• remove dried bushes and plant others in the same place;
• for preventive purposes, treat plants with special pesticides;
• fertilize.

If there are bare roots, which is a common problem for strawberries after wintering, carefully sprinkle them with a small layer of soil.

Water and fertilize

To maximize the yield, water the plant regularly. 10 days after planting, seedlings are irrigated with water at least 2-3 times in 6-7 days. In the future, it is recommended to use the sprinkling method.

Mulch to reduce watering.

Use straw, sawdust or already lying leaves as mulch. The layer thickness should be between 4 and 7 cm.

The issue of systematic fertilization is debatable, since strawberries are considered sensitive to high s alt concentrations, so you should not oversaturate the soil with various fertilizers and resort to them in extreme cases. But the plant needs to get a sufficient amount of minerals from the soil. To do this, get rid of weeds in a timely manner, which abundantly absorb all inorganic substances. Periodically add some manure, compost or straw.

Preparing for winter

Begin preparation for winter in October without fail. For a normal experience of winter, Cinderella strawberries need:

• applying superphosphate, which will have a good effect on the frost resistance of the crop and saturate the soil with nutrients until spring;
• applying a thick layer of mulch from humus or sawdust;
• carrying out preventive pruning of dry leaves affected by fungi or infections, using scissors or secateurs to avoid damage to the root system.

With proper and timely preparation of strawberries for wintering, you can be sure that all the bushes will cope well with frost and will delight next season.

Diseases and methods of control

The main diseases of Cinderella variety are:

Powdery mildewTreat with a sulfur-based colloidal solution, get rid of the affected vegetative parts of the plant Leaf blotch Late blight Verticillium wilt

Disease	Control measures
Grey Rot	Use mulch, preventive pruning, resort to drip irrigation
Treat with appropriate pesticides and 1% Bordeaux mixture
Exclude waterlogging of the soil, instantly eliminate diseased specimens, treat the area with benlat suspension
Burn the affected bushes, disinfect the soil with iron sulfate

If you notice the disease in time and start treating it, it will not drag on for a long time and will not affect the quality of the crop.

Pests and how to deal with them

More often than not, strawberry varieties Cinderella can be disturbed by such dangerous pests as spider mites, nematodes, strawberry leaf beetle, weevil. To combat them, it is recommended to use appropriate insecticides. It is almost impossible to get rid of nematodes, so the plants are removed and strawberries are not planted in this area for 5 years.

Reproduction

Cinderella strawberries can be propagated vegetatively: using a mustache or dividing the bush, as well as breeding generatively using seeds.

Seeds

Growing Cinderella strawberries from seeds is often practiced, although the process is quite laborious, but its main advantage is high germination.Carefully separate the seeds from the berries with a small knife and leave in the fresh air for 2 days to dry. Then, with the onset of a favorable time, start sowing.

Dividing the bush

A young bush has only one point of growth in the form of a heart, in the future their number increases. This makes it possible to dig up a bush and divide it into several parts depending on the number of hearts and transplant it to a new place.

Usami

The variety produces a small number of shoots, which complicates the process. Separate the mustache from the mother's body and transplant it to a new bed.

Harvest and storage of crops

Strawberries are picked 2 days before they are fully ripe, in the morning or before sunset. Freeze berries for long term storage. Otherwise, refrigerate to 0 degrees and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a plastic container.

Proper planting of strawberries of the Cinderella variety and compliance with all the rules for care will not remain ineffective and will definitely appear in a crop of high quality and quantity. The collected berries will surprise everyone around with their unforgettable taste, as well as delight with their attractive appearance and alluring aroma.

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