Strawberry Asia: variety description and characteristics, yield and cultivation with photo

Asia strawberries have a lot of advantages, but the characteristics also indicate disadvantages. To get a plentiful, sweet harvest, you need to pay a lot of attention to planting and caring for the crop. During cultivation, the irrigation regime, the rules for the introduction of trace elements and other agricultural practices must be taken into account. Strawberry propagation is carried out in three main ways.

Description and characteristics of strawberries Asia

The variety was bred by Italian breeders relatively recently. It is successfully cultivated in all regions of Russia.Thanks to powerful roots, the variety resists frosts down to -16 degrees. If there is little snow in winter, then the plant should be covered with straw, spruce branches or fallen leaves.

Appearance of bushes and fruits

Strawberry bushes are quite large, upright. The leaves are large, light green in color, the surface is slightly wrinkled. Whiskers are formed strong and thick, rather short.

Berries are formed large, weight reaches 45 g. But larger specimens can also be found. The shape of the fruit is different: diamond-shaped, elongated-conical or comb-shaped. The color of the berries is rich red with a glossy surface. The pulp is dense, there are no voids. The taste is sweet due to the high sugar content.

Yield and maturity dates

Strawberry variety refers to early ripe crops. The first berries begin to ripen in early June. Fruiting continues for a month. The harvest is formed numerous.Subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, it is possible to remove up to 900 g of ripe berries from one bush.

Flowering and pollination

Strawberries bloom in Asia in the second half of May. On tall and strong shoots, many large flower stalks are formed, most of which are female. The plant is partly self-fertile.

A good crop of strawberries can be harvested when pollinated by insects. If Asia strawberries are grown indoors, then another variety must be planted nearby, which will become a pollinator.

Sustainability

Asia strawberries are characterized by high resistance to diseases such as verticillium, all types of spotting. But the plant is often affected by powdery mildew, anthracnose and chlorosis.

The variety is characterized by medium tolerance of dry days and severe frosts. Strawberries continue to develop in frosts down to -17 degrees, but on the condition that there is a lot of snow. Otherwise, the root branches quickly die off, and the plant dies.

Pros and cons of the variety

The positive qualities of strawberries include:

high harvest strength;
strong resistance to bacterial infections;
the pulp of the berries is juicy and dense, withstand transportation over long distances;
use of berries is universal.

Among the negative aspects of culture, the following characteristics are noted:

does not withstand frosts below -16 degrees;
poor tolerance for cold summer days;
crop prone to fungal diseases;
when growing in a greenhouse, taste is lost.

Fit features

When planting, it is important to leave a large distance between the bushes (about 38 cm). The ideal option is to plant in a checkerboard pattern, with this method all plants will receive enough light and nutrients.

Immediately after planting strawberries, it is recommended to mulch the soil. Straw, sawdust, hay are chosen as mulch. The thickness of the mulch should be at least 4.5 cm.

Time for planting seedlings

Strawberries are planted in spring or early autumn. Each season has its own positives and negatives. A plant planted in spring quickly adapts and gains strength. But during the planting season, the crop is not formed. Bushes begin to bear fruit only after a year. In order for all the forces to go to the formation of greenery and roots, it is necessary to cut off the mustache and flower stalks in the summer.

If you plant strawberries in the fall, then in mid-June you will be able to harvest the first harvest. The disadvantages include a high risk of freezing during the winter months, so you should take care of reliable insulation.

Site selection and soil requirements

When choosing a place to plant strawberries in Asia, you should take into account some of the requirements for culture:

only flat ground is suitable;
light should fall on the site without obstacles (a short shadow is allowed at lunchtime);
beds should be protected from drafts;
strawberries love loose, fertile soil with good aeration;
if groundwater passes close, they make an artificial hill.

12 days before the proposed planting of bushes, they dig up the ground, remove plant debris and apply fertilizer. The ideal option is a mixture of humus, wood ash, urea and river sand.

Planting young strawberry seedlings

Planting strawberries is carried out subject to the following step-by-step actions:

10 days before planting, the site is disinfected using a solution of copper sulfate;
dig holes 22 cm deep at a distance of 38 cm;
indent between rows is 75 cm;
fertilize every hole;
make a mound at the bottom of the hole and put seedlings on it, spreading the roots;
cover with earth and lightly compact.

Features of care and reproduction

The development of strawberries largely depends on the quality of care. The reproduction of bushes must be carried out correctly so that the strawberries quickly adapt to a new place and continue their growth.

How to water

Strawberries can withstand the lack of moisture for a couple of days, but this should not be allowed. In hot and dry weather, it is advisable to water the beds every three days. About 2.8 liters of water are expected for each bush. Water only in the morning or evening hours. Before flowering, watering is carried out by sprinkling.During flowering avoid getting moisture on the green part of the plant.

Weed control

It is important to prevent the growth of weeds in beds with strawberries, especially at the stage of berry formation. Weeds create shade and increase the risk of disease spread.

Weed control drugs such as Sinbar, Select, Prism, Fusilad, Devrinol are used.

Loosening and hilling the soil

After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil so that a dry crust does not form. Thanks to the procedure, air and micronutrients in sufficient quantities and without obstacles penetrate to the underground part of the plant. Hilling is carried out after loosening in the spring and autumn. It helps to strengthen the root system, improve air access to the underground part of the plant and remove weeds.

Fertilization

During the growing season strawberries in Asia need several top dressings:

Immediately after planting, nitrogen-based formulations are applied. The component promotes the development of green mass. A liquid solution made from bird droppings or mullein is suitable.
Before the start of the flowering period, it is recommended to water the beds with a solution of urea and wood ash. Additionally, spraying is carried out on the greenery with a solution based on "Agricola" and "Ovary".
After harvesting, the next top dressing is carried out. It is useful to add a composition of potassium and boron.
In autumn, humus or compost is laid out around each bush, and it is also useful to add a solution with superphosphate.

When applying fertilizers, the dosage should be strictly observed. An excess, as well as a lack of trace elements, leads to the development of fungal diseases.

Shelter for the winter

Covering strawberry bushes for the winter begins after the temperature is below -5 degrees. Plants are covered with straw, spruce branches, fallen leaves, hay. Experienced summer residents install arcs over the beds, on which they stretch the covering material.

Reproduction

Asia strawberry variety is able to propagate by stepchildren, dividing the bush and seeds. The last way is the hardest.

Stepsons

The most common strawberry propagation option is with a mustache:

In bushes that are two years old, flower stalks should be cut off so that all the nutrients go to stepchildren.
The mustache is pressed to the ground and secured with staples.
Leave only one socket on the escape.
Already in July, the sockets will take root, and the shoots will be cut off from the bush.
In early autumn, the bush can be transplanted to a new place.

Since the Asia variety has little mustache, it is better to use the propagation method by dividing the bush.

Seeds

The most difficult thing is propagation by seeds. Landing requires following some rules:

3.5 months before planting, the seeds are moved to a cool place at a temperature of +2 degrees;
before sowing, the seeds must be thoroughly dried;
in January they start sowing seeds for seedlings;
the container is placed on a well-lit windowsill;
the temperature in the room should be at least +20 degrees;
seedlings begin to be transplanted into open beds at the end of May.

Dividing the bush

For breeding, take a bush that is three years old. They divide it into several parts. Each separated bush should have he althy root branches and several leaves. Prepared seedlings are planted in the garden in early September.

Diseases and pests

Asia strawberries are often attacked by pests such as strawberry mites, aphids, sawflies, nematodes, weevils. In the fight against insects, drugs such as Karbofos, Chlorophos will help.

As a preventive measure, strawberries are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid, as well as with Hom, Horus preparations. Before flowering, the drug "Neoron" is used. To strengthen the immunity of strawberries, treatment is carried out with "Zircon".

Strawberry bushes are often affected by powdery mildew, gray rot, brown spot. The drug "Topaz", "Byleton" helps to cope with the infection.

Harvest and storage of crops

Ripe berries are easily separated from the stalk. If the harvest is supposed to be stored or transported to another place, then the berries are plucked slightly unripe along with the stalk. The harvested crop is laid out in boxes or boxes.

Berries are stored for three days at a temperature of 0-2 degrees. If longer storage is required, the berries are frozen or made into various sweet dishes.