Festival Strawberry: variety description and characteristics, planting and care with photo

Garden berry has won its strong place on the plots of summer residents. Among the types of fruit crops, one can single out Festivalnaya strawberries, which have a lot of useful qualities. It is preferred to be grown in various areas with both warm and cold winters.

Description and characteristics of Strawberry Festival

The appearance of the first seedlings of the strawberry variety occurred in the middle of the 20th century at the experimental station of Pavlovsk. The plant was included after testing in the State Register, and it is successfully cultivated in the regions from the Central region to Eastern Siberia.Garden strawberries received positive properties from their parents of the Premier and Abundant varieties. The crop bears fruit well in all weather conditions.

Appearance of bushes and berries

Distinguish Strawberry Festival:

• powerful bushes 25 centimeters high;
• large dark green leaves with jagged edges;
• many reddish mustaches;
• oval-shaped berries with flattened sides.

The fruits of the plant ripen at the end of June, rising above the foliage. They are medium in size, weighing up to 30-40 grams. Then the strawberries shrink, remaining within 15 grams. Seeds are located on the surface of the berries, not pressed inside. The hybrid is famous for its juicy red pulp.

Yield and hardiness

From one bush, strawberries give up to 600-900 grams of berries. With good care, yields can increase.

The peculiarity of the variety is resistance to cold. Bushes withstand frosts down to minus 25 degrees. The culture tolerates drought well during periods of hot summer, in the steppe regions.

What are the pros and cons of the variety

The advantage of the festival strawberry is that it:

• fruits amicably and for a long time;
• high yield;
• undemanding to growing conditions;
• resistant to gray mold, white spot;
• has delicious, juicy berries.

Among the minuses is only that the berries become small with improper care and as they grow in the same place. Often strawberry bushes are damaged by strawberry mites.

Features of cultivation

For a heat-loving crop, you need to create favorable conditions for growth. In addition to optimal moisture, pay attention to the looseness of the soil, its nutritional value. Without this, it will be difficult for the plant to set fruit.

Preparatory work before landing

The site selected for garden strawberries is cleared of weeds. It should be neutral in acidity, with groundwater at a depth of 2 meters from the surface. It is necessary that the place was sunny, but protected from the effects of the winds.

The preparation of the beds begins with digging it. Before this, mullein or bird droppings are scattered, embedding organic matter deep into the earth. At the beginning of March, the soil is harrowed. You can water the area under the strawberries with manure and superphosphate dissolved in water.

Planting strawberry seedlings

Usually strawberries are planted in rows or ribbons. The distance between the holes is made within 40 centimeters, and in rows - 70-80.

Rosettes or plant seedlings are chosen with roots 7-8 centimeters long and 4 true leaves.

In a hole 10-12 centimeters deep, a strawberry seedling with straightened roots is placed. Then sprinkle with earth and lightly compact. It is necessary to water the plantings and cover the aisles with a layer of straw, grass, sawdust.

Strawberry care

Berry culture needs regular, regular care, consisting of watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil. It is necessary to carefully monitor the development of plants, their fruiting, correcting care errors.

Water and weed

The bushes should be watered 6 to 8 times over the summer. Strawberries especially need moisture before flowering, during the ripening of berries. Soil cleanliness plays an important role in increasing the yield of berry crops. It is necessary to carry out the removal of weeds in time to stop their growth. In addition, after irrigation, the soil between rows is loosened, increasing the permeability of the soil. This will help the roots get enough nutrition and moisture.

Feeding scheme

For the first time, organic fertilizers are applied when 2 weeks have passed after planting seedlings of Festivalnaya strawberry.Take ammonium nitrate at 35 grams per square meter of plantation. You can water the bushes after 10-14 days with a mullein solution prepared in a ratio of 1:6. Before flowering, it is advised to spray strawberries with a solution of iodine, taking 7-8 drops in a bucket of water.

During the period of fruit formation, ammophoska solution will help improve the ripening rate. It is diluted in an amount of 20 grams in a bucket of water. 5-6 liters are used per square meter. It is necessary to feed the plantation with humus and superphosphate once every 3-5 years.

Trimming leaves and whiskers

Mustache on Strawberry Festival is formed early, so they are cut off immediately. Otherwise, the fruits will be small. But for reproduction, mustaches are left after harvest. Leaves should be cut as they dry.

Mulching

Mulch is needed to keep the soil moist, reduce the number of weeds in the garden. Not only straw, sawdust, but also black polyethylene are used as tires for strawberries. They cover plantings, cutting holes for bushes.

Shelter for the winter

Before the onset of cold weather in October or November, it is necessary to feed the strawberries, water them. In areas with harsh winters, it is worth covering the plantation with spruce leaves, potato tops, and tomatoes. After snow falls, it is compacted between rows to keep more moisture in the ground. You can spud the bushes by 5-6 centimeters. This will help them get through the winter successfully.

How to breed

Of the methods of propagation of strawberries, a mustache is common. In the second half of summer, tendrils are left on powerful bushes. Rosettes of leaves form on the mustache. They are pinned to the ground, sprinkled lightly with soil. Water young plants regularly. Sockets take root quickly. They are separated from the mother bush, transplanted to a new place.

If the berry plantation is transferred to another area, then you can increase the number of plants by dividing the bushes into parts that have a growth bud.Strawberries of the Festivalnaya variety are also grown by seed. But it is difficult, and fruiting will begin later than with another method of reproduction.

Treatment from diseases and pests

Although Festivalnaya rarely succumbs to diseases, their development can be prevented by treating plantings with Bordeaux liquid at a concentration of 1%. Spraying is carried out 3 times with an interval of 15-20 days.

Pest control: aphids, mites, weevil - takes place with the help of insecticidal agents. You can apply a decoction of tobacco dust, shag, an infusion of onion peel and laundry soap.

Harvesting, storage and transportability

The fruits of garden strawberries of medium-late variety are harvested in late June - early July. It is necessary to pick ripe berries in the morning or in the evening. They are cut off with a stalk, putting them in baskets of 2-3 kilograms.

You can't store strawberries for a long time. It keeps freshness in a cool place for 1-2 days. The variety tolerates transportation well due to the density of the berries. They do not lose their presentation after moving, while remaining outwardly attractive.

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