Strawberry "Albion" - a repairing variety of American origin. It grows well and bears fruit in various regions of Russia. In the northern regions, to obtain a high yield, it is supposed to be grown under cover of film or agrofiber. It is used on personal plots and farms.
Material Content:
Description of the "Albion" Removable Strawberry
The repairing variety assumes that fruiting will be 3-4 times per season. “Albion” is an early variety, the first berries ripen in early June, then in mid-July, and the third wave is observed in late August. If the plant is under shelter, you can get a crop in October.
The description of the "Albion" strawberry variety will begin with an indication of the external characteristics. The plant is a spherical, flattened bush on top. The usual three-legged green leaves, tall sturdy peduncles that will not make the stems bend under the weight of ripened fruits.
White inflorescences raised above the bush are replaced by large dense red berries. The plant is self-pollinated, has flowers of both sexes. Whiskers are formed in small quantities. The peduncles are short, separated from the bush with strawberries.
Berries are conical in shape, rich red, shiny, pink flesh. The first have a weight of 60 g, the next slightly less, 40-45 g. A few seeds are pressed and are not felt when eating berries. Ripe fruits are sweet, with late ripening, a slight acidity appears. It has a pleasant strawberry aroma. Productivity of a grade - 500 g of berries from a bush.
Fresh berries are tasty and healthy. The dense consistency helps it persist for several days after collection.The same quality allows you to transport fruits without loss. The use of berry products is very wide - from freezing to making jam, making juices and pastries.
On a note. Strawberry "Albion" is rated to taste at 4-4.5 points.
Landing rules
For strawberries, open high areas are chosen. They have ridges from north to south for better lighting. Well, if it is a small southern slope. Previously, the site is dug up and fertilized with mineral and organic compounds.
Growing strawberries "Albion" in the conditions of central Russia and most regions of Belarus has some features. It is preferable to do this in greenhouses or under a tunnel shelter. A distance of 0.7-1 m is left between the rows. The adjacent plants in the row are separated by 20 cm from each other.
As seedlings, bushes with 5 leaves and a good, well-developed root are used. The hole is shed with water, a seedling is set and sprinkled with earth, slightly densifying. When planting, strawberries do not deepen the central kidney. It should be above the ground, but not far to protrude.
Planting of repair strawberries is carried out in August and early September, so that the bushes have time to take root before the onset of cold weather. The first year after planting, flower stalks break out, excluding the appearance of flowers and berries. Over the summer, seedlings will gain vitality and give a good harvest in a year. You can plant a variety of strawberries "Albion" in the spring.
Berry propagation
The following methods of propagation of strawberries "Albion" are used:
- mustache seating;
- division of the bush;
- sowing seeds.
This variety gives few mustaches, so the first method cannot be recognized as the main one. Overgrown three-year bushes can be divided into parts. Each seedling should have several leaves and a small root lobe. This is how bush rejuvenation and increase in productivity occur.
The seed method of reproduction has not received proper distribution due to the painstaking work. With this method, in comparison with other methods, the appearance of the first berries is postponed by a year.
Ways to mulch strawberries properly
One of the most important conditions for obtaining a rich strawberry crop of the Albion variety is to water it. This berry is very moisture-loving. To exclude rapid drying of the soil and loss of moisture, mulch strawberry beds. In addition, mulch protects berries from contact with the soil.
The best types of mulch:
- straw;
- sawdust;
- coniferous litter;
- crushed bark;
- dry grass;
- peat.
Modern agricultural techniques suggest the use of black agrofibre. This material passes air and water, protects the beds from drying out, weed growth, and cold.
Tip. A strawberry bed is covered with agrofiber before planting seedlings. The soil is previously loosened and fertilized. At the right distance, holes are cut into which the bushes are buried.
Diseases and Pests
Among the diseases of strawberries, gray rot, brown spotting, powdery mildew, fusarium wilting are the most dangerous. These diseases appear in cold, damp weather, when crop rotation is disturbed. All rot is destroyed by preparations containing copper. An important condition is their prevention.
Good results are shown by spraying the soil and bushes with copper sulfate, Bordeaux liquid. Enough 1% copper in solution. It is mandatory to remove plant residues from strawberry beds.
The most common pest of strawberries is strawberry-raspberry weevil. Small populations of this beetle cannot be ignored during fruit ripening. Mustard solutions, hot pepper and ash infusions are suitable.
A very dangerous nematode. This pest can completely destroy the strawberry plantation. To exclude its appearance in the garden, plant waste is removed, the soil is dug up, and iron sulfate is introduced. After harvesting in the fall, it is necessary to spray the bushes with preparations containing iodine.
More rare insects are spider mites and aphids.To destroy them use the biological drug "Fitoferm" and others.
Remontant strawberry "Albion" has obvious advantages. Several harvests per season allow you to stretch the pleasure of eating fresh berries. Sweet aromatic fruits serve as raw materials for delicious dishes. Of course, to get a decent harvest, you need to make an effort. Somewhat complicates the cultivation of the need to create shelter in order to get berries in June and September. But these costs will pay off.
