Strawberry Russian size

Russian size is a universal strawberry variety of domestic selection. To its advantages, gardeners include good transportability, extended periods of fruiting, unpretentiousness. Berries are well protected from birds by dense foliage; they do not need additional protection during the ripening period.

Russian size - strawberry with large bushes, tall, spreading. Leaf rosettes are dark green, glossy. The inflorescences are voluminous, large. Formed abundantly. The flower stalks are located high, but under the weight of the berries they droop noticeably; when growing, the soil must be mulched or covered with agrotextile. The variety is not resistant to drought, needs normal soil moisture, winter-hardy.

For the Russian size variety, late fruiting is actual. The berries reach maturity from the end of June. Harvesting continues until the first frost, as the variety is remontant.

The variety is zoned for cultivation in the climatic conditions of Moscow and the Moscow region. Well suited for colder regions, central Russia.

High yield distinguishes the variety against the background of analogues. Up to 0.5 kg of berries are collected from the bush.

The variety gives large deep red berries, up to 8 cm in diameter. Fruit weight reaches 50 g. It is characterized by juicy, dense pulp with a characteristic sweet taste, traditional strawberry aroma. Fruits keep well on the stem, the separation is moist. Achenes are small, yellow, clearly visible on glossy skin.

Repairing strawberries Russian size requires a complete replacement of bushes every 3-4 years, otherwise the abundance of fruiting decreases. The landing dates in the south are in October, in the central and middle lane - in September. In the Urals and Siberia, seedlings are placed in the ground until the end of August, they winter under the snow. The variety requires regular watering, and before flowering it is carried out by the irrigation method, and after it only by the root method.

Plants need to be planted in sunny areas. Otherwise, there will not be enough light to ripen the berries. It is worth choosing an open place, but protected from the through wind. It is undemanding to the composition of soils, responds well to podzolic soils, grows poorly in sand and in swampy areas. Before planting, the plot must be dug to a depth of 30 cm, the roots of the plants must be selected, and humus added.

The Russian size is planted in rows to a depth of 100-150 mm. The distance between the bushes is kept within 20 cm. The roots are straightened, sprinkled with earth, tamped. Post-planting watering is required.

The variety is self-pollinated.

The variety is picky about feeding due to the extended fruiting period. The first fertilizers are applied immediately after the snow cover disappears. During this period, urea is scattered over the soil, which, dissolving, gives the roots the necessary nitrogen supply. You can also practice spraying on the first leaves. Then, after cutting off old shoots and leaves, the time comes for dusting the bushes with ash - as a potash fertilizer and as a prevention of diseases.

When the first buds appear, the bushes require potassium-phosphorus complex fertilizing. This will allow the plant to successfully cope with the entry into the fruiting period. Top dressing is repeated regularly, every 14 days, but with the introduction of organic matter, with mulching with humus and compost. At the end of the fruiting period, the bushes are fertilized for the last time, adding potassium-phosphorus mixtures in granules to the soil.

Russian size is a variety that is highly resistant to diseases and pests. Despite this, berries and leaves should be protected from damage by gray rot, fungi that cause leaf spotting. It is recommended not to forget about the preventive treatments of plantings with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Planting onions, garlic, calendula in the aisles will help scare off pests. And also it is worth spraying with Euparen before flowering, and then repeat this procedure in the fall, after harvesting.

Strawberries form few whiskers, but the rosettes are sufficient to rejuvenate the plantation. In addition to rooting shoots, planting with seeds is also possible. At the same time, it is not possible to achieve high germination, but the method is common, since planting material with a closed root system is quite rare in nurseries. The seeds, on the other hand, guarantee the compliance of the resulting plants with varietal characteristics. And it is also possible to reproduce by dividing the bush.

Seed planting is carried out from early February to March in moist soil. You do not need to deepen them. If the temperature is maintained at about +20 degrees Celsius, the first shoots will appear within a month. A cover made of film or glass on a container is obligatory; it is periodically removed, watered and aired. It is necessary to dive the seedlings after the appearance of the second leaf in separate containers.

According to the experience of gardeners, the Russian size variety feels great both in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Leningrad Region. With a small number of sunny days, berries of maximum weight are difficult to obtain, but the taste properties of the fruits do not suffer from this. Gardeners also note that the shrubs tolerate heat well. Berries are not baked under a dense rosette.

Negative reviews are associated not only with the size of the fruits, which often differ from those stated. When buying seeds, the problem of misgrading arises. Plants with completely different characteristics can be obtained from one bag. Therefore, the purchase of two-year-old shoots in containers is still considered a more reliable way of obtaining planting material.