Strawberry Pandora

Pandora strawberries are usually consumed in their natural form. They boast a pleasant aroma and high gastronomic quality. Now this variety is widespread in Russia and is grown in different regions.

Bushes are powerful and large. They reach a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. Medium-sized leaves are colored dark green with a glossy sheen. The green mass is dense. Whiskers are formed in large numbers. And also the bush produces many flexible peduncles, at least 10 pieces. Low peduncles sag under the weight of the berries, causing the fruits to touch the ground.

Strawberries bear fruit once during the growing season (no remontability). The ripening dates of the variety are mid-late. Bushes bloom from June to July.

Pandora's yield is high. Up to 800 grams of fruit are harvested from each bush.

Ripe fruits turn dark red. The berries are large and weigh from 70 to 80 grams, however, when re-harvesting, they can become smaller in size. The shape is round, conical. The pulp is very juicy, moderately dense. The strawberries are covered with a dense skin that makes it easy to carry long transportation.

The taste of the fruit is described as dessert, with a mild sourness. The berries are covered with small seeds. The aroma is pronounced.

When growing this variety, it is worth considering that it does not have self-fertility. You can get a rich harvest in any region of the country. It is recommended to plant bushes at the end of July or at the beginning of August. A distance of 40 centimeters is left between the plants, and 60 centimeters between the rows. The plantation should be renewed every three years.

Strawberry care is easy. It is necessary to periodically water the bushes, especially they need moisture during the period of bud formation, flowering and fruit filling. Once the crop is harvested, you can water the variety every 10 days. Strawberries are irrigated at the root, many gardeners use drip irrigation. The soil between the rows is loosened so that the roots receive the necessary oxygen.

Note: the berry is advised to grow on a black canvas, which will prevent the fruits from touching the ground. Organic mulch such as pine needles, leaves or sawdust is also used instead of nonwoven fabric.

You need to grow garden strawberries on flat areas, densely lit by the sun. In the presence of groundwater, they should lie at a sufficient depth, without touching the roots of the bushes. Sour or waterlogged soil is not suitable. For the variety, light soil with neutral acidity, sandy loam soil will be ideal.

The pollen inside Pandora's flowers is sterile. To pollinate the bushes, pollinators are planted next to the plantation: strawberry varieties such as Vicat, Florence, Vicoda or Tenira, as well as remontant varieties that bloom continuously.

Pandora's garden strawberry responds well to organic feeding. Gardeners often use chicken manure or fermented mullein. Before adding the substance, it is diluted with water. The second component must be used very carefully, as its overdose leads to burns of foliage and roots.

The first time the bushes are fertilized when the green mass is formed. The next feeding is done at budding. Mineral compositions mixed with organic matter are chosen during flowering and berry formation. When using store fertilizers, be sure to follow the instructions for use. Wood ash is added in the amount of a glass per square meter.

The variety has an innate winter hardiness. As soon as the temperature has dropped, but the frost has not yet come, dry leaves are removed from the bushes. Healthy foliage and growth point are not touched. The soil around is covered with mulch from straw, sawdust or peat. In areas with little snowy winters, it is advisable to cover the plantations with dense non-woven material in two layers.

And also before wintering, strawberries are watered. Moist soil helps plants survive severe frosts. If traces of diseases are seen on the bushes, they must be treated with Bordeaux mixture or other compounds.

If you violate agricultural practices, strawberries begin to hurt. Fruit crops are often attacked by various infections or pests. For example, this variety is not afraid of powdery mildew, but it can affect weakened plants.

Massive outbreaks are preceded by rainy and cool weather. You can determine the disease by the white bloom on the leaves, which looks like flour, which is why the disease got its name.

To completely get rid of powdery mildew, to prevent its reappearance, you need to apply complex measures. Many gardeners treat plantations with copper-containing fungicides in early spring. The bushes are sprayed twice with an interval of 10 days. It is also advisable to process the plant as soon as the flowering period ends. The last time the medicines are used is before wintering. Remember that spores of this dangerous fungus can easily tolerate the cold. They hibernate in plant debris, and with the arrival of spring they again begin to attack strawberries.

In hot and humid weather, gray rot develops rapidly, especially if there is not enough free space between the plants. If strawberries are not processed in time, you can lose up to 90% of the berries. The reason for the spread of this ailment can be the remnants of the berries, which should be regularly picked.

The best prevention of any disease and infection lies in the following rules:

• prevent moisture stagnation;

• remove plant residues in time;

• do not allow berries to contact the ground;

• examine bushes carefully for symptoms.

There are several ways to increase your garden strawberry plantation. In order not to waste time and energy on reproduction, many gardeners recommend purchasing young seedlings. When buying, you need to carefully examine the plants. Choose only healthy and strong seedlings.

One way to grow shrubs is by seed propagation. Sowing of the material is carried out in glasses, boxes or flower pots. A drainage layer of small stones is laid at the bottom of each container, on top of which fertile soil is poured with the addition of humus and sand.

The second breeding option is a mustache. Bushes form them in large numbers, so there should be no problems with their lack. Sprinkle the lateral shoot with damp earth, and wait for rooting. Once a full-fledged seedling is formed, it can be detached from the mother plant.

The third and simplest method is dividing the plant. Only strong and healthy bushes that have yielded a good harvest will do. One bush is divided into 2-3 parts using a sharp and sterile knife. On each new plant, at least three full leaves and a long root are left, then planted in the ground and irrigated abundantly.