Strawberry Albion

The versatile strawberry variety Albion is considered a novelty. In a short time, this type of garden culture managed to gain popularity among many summer residents, including professional gardeners. In Russia, this species is grown in regions with different climates.

Albion was developed by representatives of the University of California at Davis. This institution is renowned for its research on garden strawberries. The creators of the variety are considered Kirk Larson and Douglas Shaw. To obtain the Albion strawberry, the specialists crossed the Diamante variety with the variety registered under the number Cal 94.16-1.

The plant can be identified by its massive foliage, painted in a dense, green color. The coating is glossy. Bushes are strong, of medium height. Dimensions 20x30 centimeters (height and width). With an excess of nitrogen fertilizers, the bushes significantly exceed the above parameters, which negatively affects the quality and quantity of the crop.

Peduncles are massive and strong. They rise above the ground and foliage. Cuttings are of medium length. One of the characteristics of the variety is the small, rounded teeth at the edges of the leaves. Also characteristic features are the anthocyanin coloration of the petioles and pubescence of the green mass.

Due to the remontability, the fruiting period of garden strawberries can stretch for the entire season. Harvested early, the first berries ripen about 3 weeks after the flowers appear on the peduncles.

In the southern regions, the first crop is harvested in late spring. The second wave of fruiting occurs in the first ten days of July. For the third time, the berries ripen by the end of summer, and the last, fourth wave - mid-September.

The exact timing depends on the weather conditions in the region. In the north, the peak of fruiting can be shifted by several weeks. If winter starts early, strawberries will have to be covered with green berries, as they will not have time to ripen.

From one bush, you can collect from 1 to 2 kilograms of fruits, but on average it is from 400 grams to 1 kilogram of garden strawberries. This indicator indicates a high yield. Marketability of berries is high. The crop easily tolerates long-term transportation.

Conical strawberries. As it matures, it acquires a rich carmine color. The surface of the berries is glossy, the weight of each varies from 30 to 50 grams. Sometimes there are specimens of 60 grams. The sizes are large. Ripe fruits have a sweet, but not sugary taste, with a pleasant and delicate sourness. And also the variety boasts an appetizing and rich aroma.

With proper care of the garden culture, there will be no voids inside. The flesh is firm and juicy, with a bright pink color. The harvested crop can be stored for a long time without losing its presentation.

When growing a variety, the planting site must be changed every 3-4 years. The plant easily tolerates drought. It is difficult to take care of the bushes, therefore it is recommended to cultivate Albion strawberries only by experienced gardeners. You need to leave a gap of 40 centimeters between the bushes, and 60 centimeters between the rows. The crop can be grown in a greenhouse. Excessive watering leads to the fact that the crop loses its flavor.

It is advisable to grow Albion strawberries in warm regions. Planting is carried out in spring or autumn. The bushes should have time to take root before the arrival of frost, and in the new season they will start to delight with the harvest. If the variety is cultivated in the north, the bushes are planted in the spring. The first peduncles are removed so that the strawberries take root.

An ideal plot for garden strawberries - flat or slightly sloping, sunlit and protected from drafts. The soil is fed with organic compounds. For depleted soils, use 2 buckets of fertilizer per square meter.

The variety has flowers of male and female types, due to which it is self-pollinated. The petals are white. The calyx consists of 5-8 petals, slightly concave.

For the Albion fruit crop, it is important to regularly feed. Due to the remontant feature, the plant constantly needs nutrients for the formation of fruits. Experts recommend using organic matter: manure, bird droppings, mullein, compost. When choosing liquid formulations, strawberries are fertilized once every 2-3 weeks.

Fertilizers based on minerals are also used and applied 3 times per season.

• As soon as young leaves appear, half a liter of carbamide solution is added to the soil per bush.

• The second time feeding is used before flowering. Prepare a solution: dissolve a teaspoon of sulfate and 2 tablespoons of nitroammophoska in a bucket of water. For each bush, use 0.5 liters of the composition.

• As soon as the fruiting period ends, they choose a top dressing from wood ash (1 glass) and nitrophoska (2 tablespoons). These components are dissolved in 10 liters of water. Consumption - 1 liter per plant.

And also this variety reacts remarkably to foliar fertilizers. Professional gardeners recommend spraying with manganese sulfate solution in early spring. Boric acid demonstrates high efficiency. Urea is used at the end of summer.

The Albion variety has a low frost resistance, therefore, berry plantations need to be covered before the arrival of winter. They protect garden strawberries in all regions, even in those latitudes where winters are warm and short. Even short-term frosts can cause plant death. If the snow cover is too thin, special covering materials must be used.

This variety has a high innate resistance to common diseases and infections. Despite this characteristic, it is recommended to periodically carry out preventive treatment. The procedure is advised to be performed in the spring, after the frost has receded and the snow has melted. The preparations "Glyocladin" and "Fitosporin" are used during flowering.

And you can also prepare a healing composition yourself. Proportions for a bucket of water - 30 drops of iodine and 40 grams of laundry soap. Such a solution can significantly increase the disease resistance of strawberries.

In order for the treatment to be as effective as possible, a specific remedy must be used for each disease or parasite. For example, a solution of colloidal sulfur will help get rid of strawberry mites. Ash or metaldehyde is used against slugs.

In the process of growth, the garden strawberry Albion produces a small amount of whiskers. Their maximum number is observed in young bushes. The mustache can be rooted right on the site. Massive and healthy shrubs can be divided and transplanted. This is the most common way to breed strawberries. The seed propagation method is not used, as it takes a long time, and the process itself is complex and time consuming. In addition, the fruits lose varietal qualities.