Irma strawberry

Irma, an Italian strawberry variety, attracted the attention of gardeners with its delicious and aromatic fruits. Breeders have bred a winter-hardy plant that takes root without problems in all regions of Russia, regardless of the climate.

The variety can be identified by its compact but powerful bushes. Leafiness is medium. The leaves are colored deep dark green, large in size. Due to the developed root system, the plant tolerates various vagaries of the weather and pleases with a stable harvest. An average number of mustaches are formed. Lateral shoots of the first and second orders are large.

Irma garden strawberry - remontant. It bears fruit several times during the growing season. The fruits ripen from June to mid-October, right up to the onset of frost. The variety has a medium-early ripening period.

With proper care, the yield will be high. Up to one kilogram of berries are harvested from one plant. However, when grown indoors, you can achieve more effective results. The berries have good keeping quality and can be easily transported. The plantation should be renewed every 2-3 years to keep the harvest stable.

Ripe fruits turn bright red. The sizes are large. Weight ranges from 25 to 30 grams. The cone-shaped berries with a neck are covered with a dense skin, which helps them to keep their shape, but does not cause discomfort when eaten. The flesh of a rich scarlet color is dense, but not tough, very juicy.

The strawberry taste is described as sweet, with pleasant sour notes. The aroma is light, unobtrusive.

The Italian variety tolerates both severe frosts and dry weather. Bushes can be grown in a greenhouse or greenhouse. And also strawberries will grow in hanging containers.

The process of caring for an Italian variety is not much different from standard agricultural techniques. Due to its remontability, the garden culture is demanding on the composition of the soil and top dressing. And you also need to maintain an optimal level of humidity. With an excess of it, the plants will begin to hurt, and a deficiency will lead to dryness of the fruits and a decrease in their size. Without the right amount of water, yields can be cut in half.

The mustache is removed from all plants that do not plan to use strawberries for propagation. Otherwise, the planting will thicken. It is recommended to grow shrubs to increase the plantation separately. Whiskers take away nutrients and strengths from the plant, so they are removed immediately.

The process of preparing the soil for this variety practically does not differ from the agricultural technology that is used for the rest of the strawberries. The territory is cleared of weeds, debris and loosened. During digging, 200 grams of ash and a bucket of humus are used per square meter.

The bushes should be planted in rows, between which they leave from 50 to 60 centimeters, and between the bushes - at least 30 centimeters. If strawberries grow too close to each other, yields are reduced.

The plot is chosen flat and lighted. In the presence of groundwater, they should lie at a depth of at least 70 centimeters. A suitable acidity level is 5.5-6.0. Garden strawberries prefer fertile loam.

The variety is pollinated on its own thanks to the bisexual flowers.

For the first time, strawberries are fed in the spring, after the snow has melted. A solution based on poultry manure shows good results. Organic matter is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 20. Instead of bird droppings, a mullein solution is also suitable. Before adding it is mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. If after wintering the bushes have suffered and develop slowly, use a solution of urea. In a bucket, 20 grams of fertilizer are bred.

The next time the strawberries are fertilized during the formation of peduncles. They choose phosphorus-potassium supplements. They will make the berries tastier and more aromatic. The third time the bushes are fed after picking the first berries.

Before wintering, you need to remove the peduncles and all green berries. The land between the rows is cleaned of weeds and dug up. Despite the resistance to frost, in the northern regions, the bushes need to be covered. A special non-woven fabric that is used several times is best. The second option is straw, which is also mulch.

The plantation must be especially closely monitored in adverse weather conditions.Fruit crops are often attacked by harmful insects and various infections. In order not to lose the crop, you should carefully examine the plants for symptoms and take preventive measures.

One of the most common ailments is gray rot. It affects the plant almost entirely: leaves, berries, peduncles. If the humidity is high and the bushes are not ventilated properly, the disease spreads quickly. It is easy to detect by dark spots with a gray coating. Infected ripe fruits quickly rot, and green ones fall off and dry out.

The second dangerous disease is black rot. Infected strawberries develop black spots. If other berry crops grow nearby, the infection can spread to them. Bordeaux liquid and other fungicides are used to protect the plantation. Plants are treated in early spring with a solution of 2%, when the leaves are just beginning to grow. Composition 1% is used in the formation of peduncles.

To prevent the appearance of rot, you need to get rid of plant debris, weeds and dry leaves in time. Before wintering, the site is re-cleaned.

Note: with proper adherence to agricultural technology, strawberries practically do not get sick. If legumes and herbs used to grow in the area where the garden crop is grown, this place is great for strawberries. Nearby, you can plant plants that scare off pests: onions, garlic, marigolds.

Italian garden strawberries reproduce wonderfully with the help of lateral shoots. The whiskers are formed in sufficient quantity, and there are enough of them to expand the plantation. On the bushes selected for breeding, ovaries and peduncles are removed. This will make the sockets as large as possible. They are rooted in cups so that further transplanting does not cause trouble, and young plants quickly take root in a new area.

During the first week, the bushes are irrigated every day. As soon as they begin to develop actively, they are fertilized with mineral and organic compounds. To make the green mass thick and lush, use a mullein or a solution of bird droppings.

Nitrogen fertilizers are also used. They work well, but they should be used with caution. If you overdo it with them, the frost resistance of the plant decreases. They are brought into the ground during autumn planting. If strawberries are planted in summer, then a rich harvest should be expected next year.

Note: if you do not want to breed garden strawberries yourself, you can buy ready-made seedlings. Choose only strong and healthy seedlings.