Scarlet, covered with dew drops, strawberries can be found in every garden plot. It is not surprising, because this berry is not only beautiful, but also tasty and healthy. Juicy fresh strawberry fruit, as if melting in the mouth. For the winter, jam, jelly, and pastille are made from it. Berries are rich in vitamins A, D, K and E, a group of vitamins B. The microelements contained in the fruits help to preserve the beauty of the skin, improve vision and increase vitality. But in order to improve your health and delight loved ones with delicious desserts, it is worth working in the garden. However, with the cultivation of strawberries Victoria no special problems are expected.
Victoria Variety History
The origin of this variety is still a mystery. There are two versions of the birth of strawberries. According to one of them, the berry got its name in honor of the English Queen Victoria, during the reign of which a garden with strawberries was laid out. According to another version, the variety was bred in Holland, from where it was brought by Peter the Great. The sovereign fell in love with the berry as a child, and the monarch brought a Dutch novelty from a trip to Europe.
The variety never entered the register, since this name, after years, was firmly entrenched in many varieties of strawberries and garden strawberries. However, the mysteries associated with this plant have not diminished in our electronic age. Information in the Internet space can also be found to be completely contradictory: someone talks about Victoria as a sort of high-quality berry, someone calls absolutely all kinds of garden strawberries that way. It is quite difficult to find reliable information on the forums, as gardeners, sales assistants to garden shops and even some biologists create confusion in the comments, indicating different characteristics, descriptions and tips for growing.
According to one version, the strawberry variety was named in honor of the English Queen Victoria
Description of Strawberry Victoria
Victoria was originally bred by crossing garden and wild strawberries. It was brought to Russia in the 18th century. Since the mid-19th century, it gained popularity not only among representatives of the aristocracy, but also among other sections of the population. Since then, gardeners and gardeners everywhere have grown large-fruited garden strawberries of various varieties, naming them after Victoria, once bred. Given all the facts, it is worth considering the characteristics and tips for growing large-fruited strawberries. Currently, the Victoria variety in its original form can only be found in the collections of some breeders.
Victoria is actually a strawberry garden. This is a monoecious plant. Strawberries are defined by nerds as dioecious.
Strawberry is very thermophilic, prefers sunny places. Therefore, in the northern regions of Russia it is grown in greenhouse or home conditions. The rest of the culture is unpretentious. Strawberries bear fruit no more than once a season. Not remontant. Strawberry bushes are tall, leaves are elastic, powerful, saturated green. The color of berries is red. Fruits have a high sugar content (9.2%). Large aromatic berries are highly appreciated by gardeners.
Varieties of large-fruited strawberries are resistant to many diseases, but are often subjected to white spotting. Of the pests, only a strawberry tick is dangerous for them.
Characteristics of large-fruited strawberries
Most varieties are early ripening. In snowy winters, they tolerate frosts perfectly, but can freeze at a temperature of -8 degrees, if the snow has not fallen. Garden strawberries do not tolerate droughts. She needs systematic watering. Sudden temperature changes are not terrible. Varieties called Victoria not zoned. Strawberries prefer light sandy loamy soils. In clay, loamy or swampy soil it does not grow. When planting in such soil, the root system of the plant begins to suffer. It is not worth building high beds for strawberries. The walls of the beds freeze strongly in the winter, which leads to the death of plants.
The berries of large-fruited garden strawberries are very juicy, which makes it impossible to transport fruits. The color of the berries is saturated red, however, the flesh is pinkish. The seeds are small. The average mass of the fruit is 8-14 g. These varieties are distinguished by high productivity. During the season, you can collect up to 1 kg of berries from the bush.
The fruits of garden strawberries are very juicy and large. The weight of one berry can reach 14 g
Features of cultivation and care
To get a good harvest from wild strawberries, you need to familiarize yourself with some tips on planting, growing and caring.
Strawberry planting
Strawberries prefer sandy loamy non-acidic soils. The acidity level should not exceed 5.6 ph. Place for landing you need to choose a sunny and calm. Plants are planted in the spring, after frosts. Strawberries are propagated in three ways: by seeds, mustache and dividing bushes. You can grow plants yourself or buy seedlings of large-fruited strawberries in horticultural centers or in the market. The purchase of a finished seedling simplifies the transplantation of plants into open ground. Such plants do not get sick after planting, since the root system is completely closed. How to plant strawberry seedlings in a summer cottage so that the plant quickly takes root and grows well?
- Pots with seedlings are placed in a container with water so that the ground is saturated with moisture.
Strawberries can be put in a pan with water
- In water, you can add a growth stimulator, for example, "HB - 101" at the rate of 2 drops per 1 liter. You can buy it at any garden store.
"HB 101" refers to natural fertilizers
- Landing holes should be at a distance of 30 cm from each other. A mixture of biohumus (2 tbsp.), Compost (1 tbsp.), Ash (0.5 tbsp.) And a biological product, for example, "Shine - 2" (1 tsp.), Is poured into the wells. Biological product will help increase soil fertility.
The distance between the holes should be 30 cm
- If the roots of strawberries in a pot are tangled up in a ball, they must be carefully untangled.
- Seedlings are lowered into the holes. Strongly deepen the "heart" is not worth it. It should be at ground level.
The "heart" does not go deep when landing, it should be at ground level
- Mustache, extra leaves and peduncles are cut off. A plant should have no more than three leaves.
When planting secateurs, mustaches and excess leaves are removed
- The soil around the plants is compacted, after which a moderate watering of the bushes is carried out.
- On top of the soil, you can pour a little ash or biological product.
- The soil is mulched in any way possible: straw, mowed grass, hay, sawdust, etc.
After the strawberries are planted, the soil needs to be mulched to reduce the number of weeds in the future.
Video: planting strawberries seedlings in the open ground
Watering large-fruited wild strawberries
From the beginning of spring, plants are gaining new strength and are preparing for fruiting. Large-fruited strawberries are no exception. She needs abundant watering every 6-7 days. In dry times, it is watered twice a week. Water should be warm. For strawberries, it is recommended to use drip irrigation, so the plants will receive the necessary amount of moisture. But many gardeners use a simpler and cheaper way:
- A hole is made in a barrel with a large volume.
- An ordinary watering hose and an adapter are taken, which is suitable in diameter to the hole in the barrel. It is fixed.
- The hose should fit snugly against the walls to prevent leakage.
- A sprinkler is placed on it to water the lawns. It can be purchased at gardening centers, in the market or in online stores. The cost of the sprayer varies from 350 to 1300 rubles.
- The hose is installed in the part of the garden that needs to be watered.
Such a device provides drip irrigation in the garden, in the garden or on the lawn
Video: how to water strawberries and strawberries
Plant nutrition
As the strawberries grow, the soil gradually depletes. In order for the plants to receive useful trace elements necessary for development and full fruiting, they need to be fed. Fertilizing large-fruited strawberries is carried out three times a season:
- When the first two leaves appear, garden strawberries need to be fed. For this, organic fertilizers are used: a green solution or mullein. Manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Fertilizer is applied under the bush.
- During the flowering period, mineral fertilizers are used. For feeding, you can make the following solution: nitrophosphate (2 tbsp. L.), Potassium (1 tbsp. L.) And warm water (10 l.).
- During fruiting, strawberries are fed once a week with a green solution of weeds.
One of the best fertilizers are baker's yeast. They are sold in briquettes at grocery stores. Dry analogue for feeding is not suitable. Yeast will have to stock up from early spring, as this is a seasonal product - it is not sold in the summer. Yeast (1 tbsp. L.) Is added to 0.5 l of warm water. Insist half an hour. Then they are diluted with warm water (10 liters). Under each strawberry bush, pour no more than 200 ml of yeast solution.
How to care for garden strawberries
Large-fruited garden strawberries need constant care. Only watering and feeding can not be limited:
- After watering, the soil must be loosened to provide the plants with the necessary amount of oxygen. It is important to remember that the root system of this culture is in the upper layers of the soil, so loosening is carried out with caution.
- Throughout the season, old leaves and mustaches are cut off from wild strawberries. Trimming mustache is carried out, firstly, so that the plant bears fruit better. Secondly, so that strawberries, like strawberries, do not creep into the garden. After all, there are sockets on the mustache, which take root pretty quickly in a new place.
- Sick and old plants are removed from the beds every year. They will no longer bear fruit, so do not be afraid of this procedure.
Disease Prevention and Treatment
Unlike strawberries, large-fruited garden strawberries are not susceptible to many diseases, including fungal ones. However, white spotting poses a real threat to her. Viral disease affects plants in the spring, during the vegetative period. The appearance of reddish spots on the foliage indicates the onset of the disease. Then the center of the spots becomes whitish. Later, small holes appear in their place. The virus affects not only the leaves, but also the mustache and peduncles. To get rid of white spotting, plants are sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux fluid (1%).
White spotting appears due to excess moisture. In order to prevent its occurrence, it is necessary to control the frequency of watering and follow the planting scheme of strawberries.
As a prophylaxis of diseases, it is recommended to spray with solutions containing copper, for example, copper sulfate (3%). Processing plants is carried out before flowering.
White spotting primarily affects foliage
Pests
There are practically no insects wishing to feast on these plants. An exception is the strawberry tick. The appearance of this pest in the garden is easy to notice:
- Rosettes of the plant become dry and yellow;
- leaves become wrinkled;
- the inner surface of the leaves is covered with white coating;
- leaves begin to turn yellow;
- flowers and fruits do not develop, dry out.
One sign of tick appearance is shriveled foliage.
Ticks adapt very quickly to new pest drugs, so regular insecticides should not be used. It is better to deal with strawberry mites with insect-acaricidal agents such as Clean Garden, Omayt, Fitoverm, Zolon and others. Using these drugs, it is important to remember that they are toxic and pose a danger to humans and pets. Tools are prepared for use immediately before processing plants. They are diluted with warm water according to the instructions on the package. Absolutely all the plants in the garden are sprayed with a solution. 3-4 days after treatment, the plants are placed under a film. Inside the greenhouse effect is formed, which contributes to the destruction of surviving insects.
Video: Strawberry mite extermination
Preparing strawberries for the winter
Garden strawberries are considered cold-resistant. It does not freeze at -20-25 degrees. But this is provided that the winter is snowy. In the absence of snow, strawberries can freeze already at a temperature of -8 degrees. According to botanists, strawberries are an evergreen. And winter, unlike strawberries, it should be with leaves. For this reason, a haircut is not carried out in the fall. Preparation for the winter period is as follows:
- Already in August, plants cease to feed.
- Strawberries are removed.
- Aisles are dug up to provide oxygen access to the roots.
- Large-fruited wild strawberries are covered with humus, straw, spruce branches for the winter.
Gardeners advise using organic matter for shelter. The use of synthetic cover materials can lead to rot.
Gardeners reviews
This is a strawberry variety, but the berries are very large, round and fragrant. We purely by chance in some store bought 4 seeds for 100 rubles. And they all ascended, then grew. As a result, it snowed in the country this fall, and I picked up a glass of large strawberries and brought home. I will propagate this variety in the country. I picked berries for seeds. Hope this is not a hybrid and will rise. Or a mustache, they grow back.
Deodate//dom.ngs.ru/forum/board/dacha/flat/1878986999/?fpart=1&per-page=50
Victoria is already big berries. And Victoria is also simple. And Victoria in the abandoned areas turns into wild Victoria and grows and bears fruit beautifully (though the berries become smaller) without any care, like a weed.
remixx//dom.ngs.ru/forum/board/dacha/flat/1878986999/?fpart=1&per-page=50
The fact is that one of the first varieties of large-fruited strawberry garden was so called. They named her in honor of the English Queen Victoria. But soon the variety "Victoria" began to lose ground. The fact is that the crop began to suffer from powdery mildew and gray rot, which we widely spread. Therefore, new varieties with a larger and more portable berry appeared, such as Carmen, Lord, Zenga-Zengana, etc ...
Snezhana_52//www.nn.ru/community/dom/dacha/pochemu_viktoriyu_nazyvayut_klubnikoy.html
The fact is that in our city of Nizhny Novgorod, large-fruited garden strawberries have been called Victoria for 100 years. Try to go through the summer market where this berry is sold. And you will hear only one name - Victoria. And they ask: “And what is Victoria for,” and if you ask: “What is a large-fruited garden strawberry?”, They will answer you: “We have Victoria.” Of course, they probably call it the way it was entrenched in the people. If she said "Victoria" - everyone understands what kind of berry
Albin//www.nn.ru/community/dom/dacha/pochemu_viktoriyu_nazyvayut_klubnikoy.html
Modern varieties of large-fruited strawberries (Victoria, as they are called by the name of the first ancestress) are already larger and sweeter. And the variety itself has not existed for a long time. Strawberries have not changed much, remaining small, with a bluish tint of berries. From Victoria, she is also distinguished by a white pulp and a white, non-staining, tip of the berry
Lemuri @//www.nn.ru/community/dom/dacha/pochemu_viktoriyu_nazyvayut_klubnikoy.html
"Victoria" in translation from Latin means "victory". Well, at one time this sort of garden strawberry with dignity kept in the arena, as befits the winner. But now Victoria is almost lost for gardeners. Varieties grown under this name have only one thing in common with Victoria: they are large-fruited garden strawberries.
