San Andreas Strawberry: description of remontant variety, planting and care with photo

The repairing strawberry variety Albion has been pleasing summer residents with its berries for many years. But with a closer acquaintance with him, gardeners found out the annoying disadvantages of the variety - low frost resistance, poor resistance to spotting and oak berry. And the improved novelty that appeared aroused all-round interest. The American San Andreas strawberry has become a faithful assistant for both ordinary summer residents and large farmers.

Characteristics and description of Strawberries San Andreas

The variety of neutral daylight hours was bred in 2001 by American breeders D.Shaw and K. Larson. Strawberries are patented and owned by the University of California. The parents of the cross were two varieties. This is the well-known neutral Albion and numbered Cal 97.86-1. Available on the market since 2008. Named after a geological fault that runs throughout California.

Roughly speaking, this is an improved Albion. All weaknesses were taken into account, and the breeders tried to fix everything in the new variety. And they largely succeeded.

Taste and sugar content

The taste of strawberries at a high, stable level. To very tasty remontants, such as Murano, Cabrillo, Marigueta, the variety, unfortunately, does not reach. And his parent - Albion - loses a little on this indicator. But you can’t call his berries ordinary either.

When trading in the markets, the berries diverge "fly away". For personal consumption, it is advisable to let the fruits ripen well, even overripe a little.Then the taste will be great. The fruit sugar level (Brix) ranges from 7 to 10%, depending on the ambient temperature (description of the originators).

Description of the bush and ripening terms

The plant has a powerful growth force, but the bush is quite compact. Strawberries are on average 25 centimeters high and 30 centimeters wide. The leaves are serrated, large, moderately pubescent, dark green. Moreover, at the beginning of the growing season, they are darker than in subsequent months. The flowers are large, white.

Peduncles are long, strong, holding unripe berries by weight. Moreover, the variety produces up to a dozen peduncles at once. As the fruits ripen, the flower stalks lie down on the ground. Recommended planting pattern: 30-35 centimeters between plants in a row and 50 centimeters between rows.

The fruits are beautiful, fleshy, even and uniform. They are conical in shape, bright red in color, with a sheen.The berries are large and very large, strawberries are spectacular in size, on average, weighing 25-30 grams. But the fruits can be poured up to 50-60 grams. Not every remontant strawberry is capable of this.

San Andreas ripens at the same time as early varieties of one-time fruiting. In the southern regions - in the first decade of May, in the Middle lane at the end of May-beginning of June. Strawberry fruiting continues until late autumn. Often the bushes go into the winter - with unripe berries and color. The greenhouse will help to significantly extend the berry season and shift the start of spring fruiting by a month.

Dignity

Despite the abundance of tastier new products, the American is not losing ground on the market. All strawberries, and even more so remontant, like San Andreas, quickly exhaust their resource. But he is able to successfully bear fruit in the second year. And in conditions of protected ground, under conditions of heating and additional lighting, fruiting will last almost all year round.

Influence of rains

This variety has a dense, strong berry with a firm, elastic skin. Therefore, during the rains, the berries do not rot for even a couple of days. They retain the structure and commercial quality. But for safety net, of course, it is better to use the mulching of the beds.

Yields

San Andreas has high and stable yields. In experimental fields in California, a maximum yield of 3.29 kilograms per bush was obtained in a year. In the conditions of our country, productivity from a bush, on average, is 1.0-1.2 kilograms. When growing strawberries in protected ground conditions (in film, polycarbonate, glass greenhouses), productivity indicators are much higher.

The grower decides for himself where it would be more expedient for him to grow a variety.

Influence of negative weather factors

The variety shows stable and high resistance to adverse external conditions. Berries retain their density for a long time at high humidity and cool weather. During storage, the fruits are resistant to decay. Sunburn resistant. The frost resistance of strawberries is at a high level.

Positive and negative aspects of the variety

Perfect plants do not exist. Like any strawberry variety, San Andreas has its pros and cons. But it compares favorably with many in that there are much more of these advantages. But even its negative sides do not interfere with taking a leading position. Moreover, both in summer cottages and in industrial fields.

Positives:

Beautiful, aligned, one-dimensional berries.
Large and very large fruits that retain their characteristics throughout the season.
High, stable yield, early spring ripening.
Drought and heat resistance of the variety, resistance to negative external factors.
The ability to successfully bear fruit both in open and protected ground conditions.
Stable resistance to major diseases and pests of garden strawberries.
It has high frost resistance, keeping quality and transportability.

Negatives:

During the hot summer months, the taste of strawberries becomes fresh and the fruit does not grow to the right size.
With intensive cultivation of San Andreas, it is recommended to renew plantings annually. But if the plant is not overly overloaded, you can grow another year without problems.
Sugar readings vary with ambient temperature.
Full and regular top dressing of the variety is necessary to reveal its full potential.

How and when to plant?

Seedlings with an open root system are planted in the spring, immediately after the retreat of frost, so that the plant is fully rooted before the summer heat. In autumn, planting is carried out from late August to early September. Seedlings with a closed root system (in pots) can be planted throughout the season.

Preparing the beds

Before planting strawberries, the beds are carefully weeded, mineral and organic fertilizers are applied. Plowing or digging of the soil is carried out, followed by abundant watering.

Selecting planting material

When choosing seedlings with open and closed root systems, you need to pay attention to the following:

The thickness of the heart should be from 1 centimeter or more.
Choose seedlings with a well-developed, fibrous root system.
Roots should be white or light brown.
Visually there should be no signs of damage by diseases or pests.
When choosing seedlings in pots, powerful, stocky plants with a developed leaf apparatus are preferred. Color varies from green to dark green.

Fitting technology

Seedlings with a closed root system are planted in a pre-prepared hole flush with the ground. Tangled roots at the bottom of the pot are slightly straightened. Seedlings with an open root are placed in the hole so that the heart is at the level of the soil. Not lower and not higher. When planting, the roots straighten out, and the hole is covered with soil. After planting, the plants are watered abundantly.

How to properly care for a crop?

To obtain high yields of delicious berries, San Andreas requires careful and correct agricultural practices. The plant responds positively to competent care.

Water and fertilize

San Andreas, like all remontants, requires regular, every 10-14 days, top dressing with complex fertilizers. Depending on the phase of strawberry development, the formula of applied fertilizers also changes. Watering, especially at the time of fruiting, should be regular. In summer, as the soil dries up - depending on the composition of the soil. On sandy soils, at the peak of the heat, watering is carried out even after 1-2 days.

Weeding and loosening

To maintain he alth and provide air to the root system of strawberries, 2-3 times a month it is necessary to carry out weeding and surface loosening of the soil. On mulch plantings, loosening and weeding is carried out only in the aisles.

Mulching

The variety responds positively to mulching beds. This allows you to keep moisture in the soil in the hot summer months, protects the root from overheating.Mulch prevents unwanted growth of weeds, protects berries from gray rot in rainy and damp weather. Suitable straw, beveled green manure, black film, white and black agrofibre.

An excellent, although not cheap, option would be mulching with agricultural fabric.

Wintering

San Andreas has high frost resistance. Up to -20 C degrees can winter without shelter. Especially in regions with snowy and frosty winters, without frequent thaws. But for safety reasons, it is advisable to cover the beds for the winter. Moreover, under the agrofibre, its own microclimate is formed, accelerating the ripening of strawberries up to 2 weeks.

Disease and pest control

Resistant to many diseases and pests of strawberries. In particular, to spotting and strawberry mites. To maintain the he alth of plants several times a season, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatments against diseases and pests.For example, a mixture of 1 fungicide and 1 insecticide. To choose from: Switch, Horus combine with Actellik, Engio, Aktofit biological product.

It is worth paying special attention to such a dangerous pest as the cockchafer larva. Or simply - Khrushchev. Watering 2-3 times per season under the root with a solution of Aktara, Antikhrushch, Nurell D. If there are ovaries or berries on the bushes, it is important to use only biological products!

Strawberry propagation

If the goal is to get the maximum number of seedlings, then the annual renewal of plantings is mandatory. On mother plants, all flowers and ovaries are regularly removed so that the plant gives strength to growth and vegetative reproduction. Recommended weekly spraying and root watering fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. For example, Plantafol (Plantator) with the formula 10/30/10.

Remontant varieties, and in particular San Andreas, are recommended to be renewed annually so that the plant lets out a lot of whiskers.

Difficulties in growing and recommendations for care

San Andreas is a remontant large-fruited variety, therefore, to achieve high yields, it requires competent agricultural technology. Regular provision of moisture, spraying and watering with fertilizer solutions under the root and along the leaf. Plus preventive treatments for diseases and pests and soil mulching. There are no special problems when cultivating this strawberry.

Cleaning fruits and rules for their storage

In the summer months, strawberry picking is carried out in the early morning hours or in the evening, when solar activity is already subsiding. The berry picked in the heat is worse in taste and quality, spoils faster. In early spring or autumn sampling, on the contrary, it is advisable to pick berries when they are heated by the sun's rays, having dried the morning dew from the fruits.

Berries are picked in plastic booties (1 and 0.5 kilograms) or small, cardboard flat boxes with a capacity of up to 5 kilograms. In this case, transportability and keeping quality will be maximum. After harvesting, it is desirable to cool the fruits, if possible. This procedure further enhances the marketability of strawberries during subsequent transportation.