Growing strawberries Eliana: advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Fans of large fruits of strawberries will definitely have the liking of the sort Eliana. He was bred for home gardening in Holland. In a continental climate, such a plant feels great.

In the article we will consider the technology of growing strawberries Eliana, provide a description of the variety with photos and describe the features of agricultural technology of this crop.

Features grade

Eliana - self-pollinating variety, the fruits of which ripen quite early and quite together. The berries are bright red in color, large sizes (from 20 g to 90 g), shiny, cone-shaped. The flesh of the fruit is dense, has a pleasant aroma and sweet taste.

Up to 2 kg of ripe berries can be picked from a single shrub, which are beautifully stored in the refrigerator for several weeks and are easy to transport.

Landing technology

Speaking about the variety of Eliana garden strawberries, it is worth noting that the technology of planting and care of this plant is not much different from other varieties of strawberries, but has some features.

How to choose seedlings

Buy strawberry seedlings can be from July to late September. Also it is on sale in the spring.

According to the recommendations of gardeners, it is best to purchase seedlings in July. During this period, the price of sprouts is high, but by planting it, you can be sure that the plant will have time to settle down in the ground and form flower buds, which means that next year you can harvest a good harvest.

You can buy seedlings at the end of summer, and even in autumn. It will cost much cheaper, but the strawberries may simply not have time to take root in a new place, which will cause low yields next season.Weak seedlings may not survive the winter at all, especially if the temperature conditions are harsh.

You can buy seedlings in the spring. But if it is early to plant strawberries in the soil and provide it with proper care, the yield will be high. It is sold with an open and closed root system. The beginning of spring is characterized by favorable conditions for the rapid development of the roots of bushes, which means that strawberries will be fixed in the soil much faster.

The quality of seedlings is important, so the gardener must learn to correctly identify healthy and painful plants. You can not buy seedlings, the leaves of which have spots and dark dots. Pale foliage can also be a symptom of the disease. A clear sign of an earth mite is shriveling on young leaves, such seedlings should also be avoided.

Healthy seedlings have a rich green color, noticeable slight pubescence. You also need to pay attention to the thickness of the horn, on which the strawberry yield directly depends. Thickness - about 0.7-0.8 cm. The root system of the plant should be hydrated.

It is recommended to buy strawberry seedlings to Eliana from trusted vendors who have been working with this crop for years and value their reputation.

When and where to plant the berry

Planting strawberries varieties Eliana is better in areas with medium or light soil composition. Sandy, loamy and slightly acidic soils will do.. In the spring, you need to dig a bed, adding about 30 kg of mineral fertilizers and about 5 kg of organic matter per square meter.

Planting strawberries is recommended in the spring, starting from April to mid-May. At this time, the soil is sufficiently moist. If the landing will be in the fall, then the optimal time - from mid-August to September 10, so that the bushes had time to settle down before the onset of cold weather.

Scheme of planting seedlings in open ground

Seedlings are usually planted in the soil in two ways:

• Shrub. Plants are planted at a distance of about 15-25 cm.Antennae must be removed from all bushes at least three times per season. The distance between the rows should be from 40 to 60 cm.
• Strip. Choosing such a method, the bushes are planted in a row at a width of 20-30 cm. In order for the shoots and sockets to take root in the aisle of 90 cm, leave a strip of 50 cm. Just here new rows will be formed, gradually reducing the strip to 40 cm. to take root both in the direction of row spacing and in the direction of its row. Then gradually adjust the antennae to comply with the above parameters.

How to care for a grade Eliana

Care for strawberries varieties Eliana is important, but at the same time quite simple. It is enough to periodically water the plant, sometimes to fertilize and monitor the absence of weeds in the garden.

Watering, weeding and loosening the soil

How and when to water a plant directly depends on current weather conditions. If there is no precipitation and the soil is dry, strawberries need to be watered.Best for this earlier morning.

Until the first flowers appear, the plant can be watered with a watering can. In the process at the same time the leaves will be washed from dirt and dust. When the flowers appear, you need to pour water under the bush, preventing liquid from entering the flower.

When it is hot outside the window, watering should be done about once a week, based on the amount of 10-25 liters per square meter. After the fruits begin to appear, the frequency of watering needs to be reduced. It is also impossible to pour water on the berries, so that they do not start to rot.

It is necessary to get rid of weeds at the site before the seedlings are planted in the ground.. Then, as new ones appear, we will need to weed them too. Such manipulations are necessary due to the fact that the extra plants on the site will take away nutrients from the soil and moisture, thereby preventing the strawberries from developing normally. Loosening the soil should be carried out at a depth of about 10 cm. The roots of weeds are removed and taken out of the site.

Gardeners, in whom a sufficiently large plot will be planted with strawberries and weeding will take a long time, use herbicides to get rid of weeds.They can spray the soil for two weeks before planting.

Fertilization

The need for strawberries in fertilizers depends on the season, type of soil, weather conditions, etc. Young bushes need more water during the formation of the green part. As for adult plants, they are fertilized at the stage of the formation of fruits.

When the harvest is gathered, you can once again fertilize the strawberries, because now new roots and flower buds will begin to grow, the bush itself will be ready for winter, for which it needs nutrients.

In order for the plant to develop and bear fruit correctly, it must be provided with microfertilizers, mineral elements and organic matter. Best of all suitable for this purpose are preparations with a complex content of microelements.

As for organic matter, it is possible to use pereparely peat compost and humus. The amount of fertilizer directly depends on the soil fertility, the climatic zone and the state of the plants directly. On average, it will take from 15 to 25 kg of fertilizer per 10 square meters.

Strawberry mulching

In order not to grow weeds, the soil was well heated, and the moisture from it evaporated more slowly, the site is mulched.

Having planted the bushes in the ground, the ground is covered with a black film and left for the whole period of the existence of the bed.

After the fruits have ripened, the ground can be covered with sawdust or straw. After collecting the berries, the leaves of the plant are mowed, and the mulch is simply buried in the beds.

Pest and disease treatment

There are a number of diseases and pests that are dangerous for strawberries. Consider the methods of dealing with the main ones.

• Tick ​​transparent. This is the main enemy of strawberries. He is able to hit the foliage, which as a result acquires a yellow tint. Berries grow small. After harvesting, it is necessary to treat the plant with karbofos to get rid of this pest.
• Strawberry beetle, whitefly, weevil.To get rid of them will help karbofos and aktar.
• Nematodes. These pests live in the leaves and are able to completely hit the bush. Foliage becomes dark, the berries cease to develop and grow. Such bushes can not be treated, they must be removed from the site.
• Ants To drive them out of the garden, you need to sprinkle with soda.
• Gray rot. A disease that manifests itself in the form of spots with a touch of gray that affects the fruits, leaves and buds. To avoid such a problem, it is necessary to harvest in time, remove weeds from the garden. In the event that an infection has occurred, the diseased bushes are destroyed.
• Late blight. This phenomenon significantly reduces the growth of the plant, gray leaves begin to appear, strawberries can die. It is necessary to combat this problem by regularly moistening the soil. As soon as the first signs of the disease appear, the affected bushes should be removed.

It is necessary to start fighting pests even in the fall, treating and disinfecting the soil. The mulching of the earth with a film, as well as the removal of all weeds, helps in this. Dry leaves must also be removed from the garden.

Trimming whiskers and leaves

The question of trimming mustache strawberries has caused controversy among many gardeners. The expediency of the procedure for many is questionable, especially since the occupation is rather dull and monotonous.

The mustache of the strawberry variety Eliana is needed for breeding, so if there is such a need, they are left. But this should be done, guided by the scheme, and not in an arbitrary order. Be sure to cut the mustache should be in fruiting plants. This is necessary so that maternal plantations are not depleted, and productivity does not decrease.

Pruning strawberry whiskers is carried out in the morning with no precipitation. You cannot pick them off with your hands, you need to use scissors in order not to damage the mother plant. Trim the antennae should not be at the root, and leaving 3-4 cm.

All types of strawberry pruning end in August. During this period, you can combine mustache trimming with leaf removal. Cut the leaves of strawberries need after the fruiting period has ended. The gardener collects in one hand all the mustache and leaves of the bush and makes a cut, leaving short stalks in the garden.

How to prepare strawberries for winter

The first thing to do when preparing strawberries for the winter period is to pile up and mulch. We do not need to carry out weeding during this period, because it is possible to damage the root system, which will not have time to finally recover to frost.

The bed is covered with several dense layers. You can also use straw, leaves and even dry raspberry branches, if any. As for materials of artificial origin, agrotex and agrofibre will be suitable, which will maintain the moisture level at the optimal rate.

Eliana: advantages and disadvantages

The strawberry variety Eliana is extremely popular among gardeners. The advantages include resistance to harsh winters, competitive suitability for transportation, as well as the possibility of long storage of fruits without losing their quality.

In addition, this variety is not capricious to the climate and soil conditions. Rarely amenable to diseases in the form of mold, and also infrequently affected by tick attacks.

Strawberry varieties Eliana fruits abundantly on the same plot for seven to eight years, without losing the quality and level of yield.

Fruits of the big sizes, together ripen, possess tremendous tastes.

Disadvantages - intolerance to heat. Also, with frequent and heavy rains, the berries may be less sweet.

Strawberry varieties Eliana rightfully deserves the popularity it possesses. It is easy to grow, and the harvest will almost always be abundant and high-quality.