Strawberry Malvina: variety description and characteristics, planting, growing and care with photo

Among the late-ripening varieties of strawberries, Malvina is one of the most common. Plants bring large berries with a pronounced taste and juicy pulp. Bred in Germany, the hybrid surpasses other varieties in many ways, but has a number of growing nuances.

Description and characteristics of the variety Malvina

Malvina variety has several distinctive features and characteristics. When choosing this variety of strawberries for growing in a summer cottage, you should first study the detailed description.

Yields

From one bush you can collect from 700 g to 1 kg of berries. The yield depends on the surrounding climatic conditions, agricultural practices, soil type and other external factors Over time, the yield decreases, so it is recommended to periodically propagate bushes and remove unproductive specimens.

Fruits

The berries of the Malvina variety are large, dark crimson in color with a pronounced sheen. The shape of strawberries is cone-shaped, the average weight varies between 40-60 g.

Transportation

Dense pulp allows you to transport the harvested crop. During transportation, the berries do not lose their presentation and high taste.

Bushes

Strawberry Malvina ripens on strong bushes with large leaves of brilliant green color. Plants are low to the ground, keeping soil moist longer.

Flower stalks

At the beginning of the summer period, 5-8 flowering horns are formed on the bushes. Each of them has 6 inflorescences. The flowers are self-pollinating, making it easy to care for.

History of Breeding

Strawberry Malvina was bred as a result of a hybrid crossing of Sophie varieties and a clone from Schimmelpfeng and Weihenstefan. The variety was bred as a result of the work of breeder Peter Stoppel from Germany.

Pros and cons of strawberries

The Malvina variety is characterized by several positive and negative qualities. Benefits include:

plants are resistant to adverse weather factors and undergo temporary cooling;
bushes bear fruit within a month, which allows not to stretch the harvest for a long period;
the variety forms a large number of shoots, which allows you to actively propagate fruit-bearing bushes;
berries are rarely attacked by diseases and pests;
Harvested is suitable for a wide range of uses, including fresh consumption, processing and storage.

Among the cons are the following:

bushes may not have fully formed leaves due to the genetic heredity of the variety;
Malvina variety does not tolerate drought well, so you need to regularly monitor soil moisture.

How to plant Malvina

When planting strawberries, there are a number of standard rules to consider. An integrated approach to cultivation will allow you to get a crop with high taste characteristics in due time.

Preparation of planting material

Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, several preparatory steps are required. Seedling roots are soaked for 1.5-2 hours in a growth biostimulant solution.

This allows plants to quickly adapt to new conditions and actively continue their development.

When selecting young bushes for planting, it is necessary that 3-5 leaves form on them. The roots should be even, with no signs of rotting. The optimal length of seedling roots is 10-12 cm, otherwise the roots are cut with scissors.

Selection of location and timing

For growing Malvina strawberries, a flat, well-lit area, protected from through blowing, is suitable. The site can be located on a slight slope, towards the south or southwest.

Special attention should be paid to the type of soil - the best option would be loosened, cultivated and cleared of weeds. The Malvina variety will bring a large harvest when planted in sandy loam, loam and black soil. At one place, strawberries of this variety are grown for 5 years.Planting berries is alternated with root crops, herbs, flowers and legumes.

Delivery dates vary by region. The most promising option is spring landing. In the southern regions, sowing is carried out in April, and in the middle zone - in early May. If the bushes laid buds early, it is allowed to plant new plants in early autumn so that they can take root before the onset of frost.

Site preparation

Strawberry beds are prepared in advance. If autumn planting is planned, preparation is carried out at the end of summer, if in spring, digging and top dressing is required in September. In preparation, you must:

Dig up a plot to a depth of 20-30 cm. To make looseness after digging, river sand and organic matter are added to heavy soil.
Compost or rotted manure at the rate of 1 bucket per square of land. Organic fertilizers can be replaced with nitrophoska.
Check the acidity of the soil. The earth should be slightly acidic or neutral. If the indicator is less than 5.5, dolomite flour is processed.

Plant pattern

Malvin variety is recommended to be grown according to a single-line scheme. A distance of 90 cm is left between rows, and 20 cm between bushes. Over time, the aisles are filled with growing shoots, which are formed by rooting rosettes.

Further berry care

To achieve high taste characteristics from the crop, it is necessary to provide comprehensive care throughout the entire growing process. Strawberries are unpretentious in care, but only when basic agricultural practices are followed, they bear fruit intensively.

Water frequency

Watering strawberries is necessary for rapid rooting and root development.Moisten the soil should be in the early morning or late evening, avoiding water on the leaves. If the plants were planted in the fall, the bushes are watered at the onset of the growing season - at the end of April. The standard number of waterings is 1-2 times a week, but the frequency may vary depending on precipitation and climate.

Feeding rules

You need to fertilize the soil several times during the season. With the active growth of foliage on newly planted bushes, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen, which favors the formation of berries. For this purpose, a solution of ammonium nitrate and urea are suitable. During the flowering period of strawberries, complex mineral fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are introduced into the soil.

After harvest, top dressing is used to form strong fruit buds. In this case, the soil is treated with superphosphate or sodium chloride. From organic dressings, you can choose a solution of wood ash, superphosphate and cow dung.

Preparing for winter

In anticipation of the winter period, strawberry bushes are covered with a layer of mulch or protective material. In areas with a cold climate, it is better to give preference to the second option so that the plants do not die due to a strong drop in temperature. The use of shelters allows you to maintain a comfortable microclimate near the bushes.

Disease and pest control

When growing strawberries, it is recommended to periodically inspect plantings in order to timely notice signs of infection and pests. With improper care, the berries can be infected with verticillium, brown spot and fusarium. Thrips and weevils are often found among strawberry pests of Malvina.

To eliminate diseases and scare away harmful insects, it is necessary to carry out protective spraying with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations. It is also recommended to carry out preventive treatment of beds 1-2 times during the season.

Cleaning and storage

Ripe berries can be picked by hand or cut along with the stalk. To save time on sorting berries, sorting is best done directly during harvesting. Decayed and damaged specimens should be discarded as they can spoil other berries.

The selected crop must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Berries can be poured into a container and left in a special compartment for vegetables and fruits, where the optimum temperature is maintained. If you want to freeze the berries, it is better to fill them in a plastic bag. When storing strawberries, do not pile them in a large number of layers so as not to crush the lower berries.