Selva Strawberry: description of remontant variety and characteristics, planting and care with photo

Neutral-day remontant strawberry varieties are very popular among both breeders and ordinary gardeners. In Russia, among foreign varieties, Selva stands out. It has many advantages, but it is also not without disadvantages. Today we will look at the description of the Selva strawberry variety and figure out how to grow this variety correctly in order to get a quality crop.

Characteristics and description of the Selva variety

Selva is a remontant variety, which means the ability to bear fruit several times in one season. Strawberries grow in large spreading bushes, their flower stalks can reach a height greater than the stems. The weight of the berries can reach a weight of eighty grams.

Plant parameters

Selva's bushes are sprawling, broad-leaved. A large number of fruits grow on the stalk. One bush during the growing season bears fruit up to five times. The first berries ripen in late spring and early summer.

Selva bears fruit in waves. If you properly care for the plant, fruiting will occur three to four times in one season. A full-fledged strawberry crop can be produced within three years. In the fourth year, tendrils may not even appear, so the beds should be rejuvenated every year.

Fruit characteristics

Ripe Selva berries are bright red, some fruits have a pinkish tint. Strawberries are sweet and sour in taste. The berries that appeared during the first wave of fruiting are large, and with the next waves, the size of the fruits gradually decreases, but their number increases.

Frost resistance

The Selva strawberry variety is quite frost-resistant, the plant survives even in severe winter cold, but does not tolerate a long thaw. If Selva is grown in a warm climate, the bushes are covered with straw or spruce branches. In cold conditions, you will need better shelter, such as peat. Before you mulch and cover the bushes with a peat layer, you need to let the strawberries get used to frost in order to harden them.

Yields

Selva is a remontant strawberry variety, which means year-round fruiting.

Strawberries give the first berries at the end of May. Growth, flowering and fruiting in strawberries are not tied to daylight hours, and continue throughout the growing season. In protected ground, Selva fruits continuously, and in open ground - in waves, from three to five times per season. The main yield falls on July and continues until the beginning-mid-autumn, until frost.

The most delicious are the berries that appeared in the middle of summer. Fruits that ripen at the beginning of the summer season, in the first wave of fruiting, are often not sweet enough. They are recommended to be removed along with peduncles in order to increase the yield of subsequent cycles.

Pest and disease resistance

One of the main features of this variety is immunity to various diseases. He is not afraid of spotting, powdery mildew and gray rot, Selva leaves remain undamaged until autumn.

Pros and cons of strawberries

The main advantages of Selva, as mentioned above, are its resistance to cold and diseases and high yields. In addition, strawberries have a pleasant appearance. Large leaves and bright red berries can be a great decoration for a garden plot, so gardeners use Selva for decorative purposes.

Among the shortcomings of this strawberry variety, not enough sweet, sour-tasting berries are noted, which lose sweetness more and more with the age of the bush, which is why the plant has to be changed at least once every three years.

Features of cultivation

The yield of Selva is highly dependent on the correct cultivation technique. To obtain a large and high-quality crop, favorable conditions should be provided to the plant.

Drop-off time

Strawberries are best planted at the end of April, when warm weather finally sets in, at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Bushes are recommended to be planted closer to 17 pm, on warm soil.

Selecting a site and preparing the soil for planting

For planting Selva bushes, soil containing the same amount of sand and clay is suitable. Choose a lighted place so that the strawberries receive enough heat and give a timely harvest.

The site must be dug to a depth of 30 centimeters, loosening the soil. When digging holes for strawberries, use only natural fertilizers. 10 kilograms of manure with peat is suitable per square meter. The distance between the holes should be, on average, equal to 30 centimeters, and when planting in several rows, keep a gap of 50 centimeters.

Planting strawberries

Selva is planted with a mustache, seeds or branch of a bush. For transfer to the soil, a plant with developed roots and four leaves is taken. To avoid drying out the plant, be careful not to leave the bud in the ground. Pour a small amount of water into the prepared hole, place a bush there and press down the straightened roots with earth, then water the strawberries again.

At the initial stage, the plant is watered abundantly, up to several times a day, until it finally takes root.

Subtleties of plant care

Planting and competent care of the plant throughout its life cycle plays a big role in growing Selva.

Air temperature

If strawberries grow at too hot air temperatures, the plant should be mulched with hay or straw. In the southern regions, bushes are best kept in partial shade. From cold temperatures, covering the plant with a film helps.

Irrigation

At first, after planting, strawberries are watered several times a day. After the plant has taken root, the watering rate should be reduced, as excess moisture will adversely affect the taste and quality of the berries. It will be enough to water the bushes 1-2 times a week. After watering, loosen the soil to give enough oxygen to the roots.

Fertilizers

Selva must be regularly fed with mineral and organic fertilizers during flowering and fruiting. Feed at least three times per season.

Mulching strawberries

Mulching, that is, covering the soil between the bushes with various materials, will help minimize damage to the berries and will make it possible to water the bushes less often than usual. For this, agrofibre is suitable, with which the bed is covered before planting, as well as hay or straw. Do not cover the bushes themselves with material, carefully cover the soil between the bushes with a 15-centimeter layer.

Wintering conditions

Selva tolerates cold well, so in warm regions it is enough to cover it with a layer of hay, straw or non-woven material. In regions with a cold climate, the soil must be mulched and sprinkled with a thick layer of humus or peat.

Protection against diseases

Despite the fact that Selva is immune to many diseases, do not forget about protecting the plant. During the cultivation of bushes, you need to observe them in order to timely identify pests. Strawberries are especially susceptible to attack by strawberry mites and weevils.

It is desirable to treat the plant from pests with the help of folk remedies, since strawberries constantly bear fruit. Infusions of wormwood, tobacco and soap are excellent.

Types of reproduction

Due to the fact that the Selva remontant strawberry bears fruit all year round, it becomes very depleted over time and reduces its ability to produce a quality crop. Therefore, every year the bushes should be propagated.

There are several ways to reproduce:

1. Dividing a bush - dividing one strawberry seedling into two or three. This is one of the best ways to preserve the characteristics of the plant as much as possible.
2. Seed propagation - this method is quite laborious and does not always give a good result, since seed-planted strawberries usually have rather weak seedlings.
3. Mustache breeding is the easiest and best way. All you need to do is sprinkle a strawberry whisker with a little earth, and after a while it will form a seedling that will need to be transplanted.

Cleaning and storage of strawberries

Picking ripe strawberries from the bushes is best when they are dry. Spoiled berries must also be plucked so that they do not infect neighboring fruits. Remove the berries that appeared in the first wave along with the flower stalks.

Fresh strawberries should not be stored at room temperature as they will ferment and become moldy. You need to store it in the refrigerator, at a temperature of up to plus six degrees, in a plastic or glass container. It is better if it is closed loosely to provide oxygen to the fruits. For long-term preservation, strawberries can be frozen in a freezer, in a container with sugar.

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