Content
Kestrel F1 beets are an early-ripening hybrid variety, characterized by ease of care and good keeping quality of root crops. With proper soil preparation, compliance with agrotechnical standards and optimal planting dates, you can get an excellent harvest of juicy, vitamin-rich vegetables.
Origin story
Kestrel F1 beets were bred in the city of Yusho (Provence region, southern France) by a Japanese team of breeders working on the basis of Sakata vegetables Europe S.A.S. Documents for registration of the hybrid were submitted in 2004. For three years, the variety underwent breeding tests. Kestrel F1 beets have been registered in the Russian State Register since 2007.
The root crop quickly gained recognition and the title of standard of beet varieties. Since 2008, it has been grown in neighboring countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus).
Description of beet variety Kestrel F1
The root crops of the Kestrel F1 hybrid have a smooth surface and a rounded shape. The spine is medium length, thin. The pulp is juicy, bright raspberry-red color.The consistency is thick but tender. The main advantage of Kestrel F1 beets is their mild ringing. Fruit weight is from 200 to 400 g. The taste of the variety is excellent, the fruits are sweet. Sugar content is within 10–12%.
The leaf rosette of the hybrid is medium-sized, erect. The height of the tops does not exceed 30–35 cm. The leaves at the edges are wavy, bright green in color, oval in shape, slightly bubbly, long-petioled. The tops do not lose their healthy shine before harvesting. The rosette of leaves is not damaged during the harvesting process and is easily removed.
Characteristics of Kestrel F1 beets
Beets are resistant to mechanical damage. During storage, the taste qualities of the root vegetable are not lost. The crop easily tolerates temperature changes (spring cold snaps) and is not demanding on watering.
After heat treatment, the color of the Kestrel F1 root crop remains the same rich
Ripening time and yield of Kestrel F1 beets
The Kestrel beet hybrid is an early ripening variety. Ripening time:
- during spring planting, from the appearance of the first shoots to the harvest from the beds, it takes from 100 to 120 days;
- with early spring placement, 55–60 days are sufficient for growing bunched beets;
- summer sowing – 50–60 days.
The hybrid tolerates transportation well and is characterized by keeping quality. Productivity of the variety in garden beds per 1 m2 – up to 6 kg.
In the fields, Kestrel beets yield up to 90 t/ha
Resistance to diseases and pests
Kestrel beets are immune to powdery mildew, fusarium, and cercospora.Diseases that may appear in hybrid beds if agrotechnical standards are violated:
- phomosis appears as yellow spots on the plant. The disease affects beets if crop rotation rules are not followed. If measures are not taken to eliminate it in time, the root crop will dry out. At the first signs, the beds should be treated with a solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture;
- ascochyta blight - the appearance of brown spots on the leaves. The cause of the disease is sudden temperature changes and irregular irrigation. Treatment is carried out with fungicidal agents: Quadris, Maxim, Oksikhom (following the dosage and manufacturer’s recommendations).
Pests affecting beds:
- Beet flea beetle damages young leaves. It is especially dangerous in hot, dry weather. If the growing point is damaged, the plant will dry out;
- the beet fly bites inside the leaf, where it lives until it turns into a pupa;
- leaf aphids suck sap from stems, young shoots and tops.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of Kestrel F1 beets:
- resistance to diseases affecting plants of the Amaranth family;
- excellent taste of the root vegetable;
- high productivity;
- tolerates transportation well;
- suitable for long-term storage.
The disadvantages include the defeat of the Kestrel hybrid by pests. It is not difficult to cope with this shortcoming. The main thing is to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner.
When to plant
Kestrel beets are a heat-loving plant. Variety does not affect planting time. It should be planted in open ground after the threat of spring night frosts has passed, and the ground has warmed up to +8 °C.Experienced summer residents recommend insulating the beds for the first time using covering material. The optimal time for sowing the hybrid is from mid-May to the second decade of June. To grow in seedlings, the root crop is sown in the second half of April (approximately 3–4 weeks before transplanting into open ground).
Planting methods
In some regions, if you wait for conditions that are comfortable for beet growth, you may not be able to harvest the crop. Therefore, summer residents practice cultivating the Kestrel F1 hybrid using seedlings.
Seedling growing method
The main thing is to correctly calculate the time of transplanting seedlings into open ground. If the seedlings stretch out and “overgrow”, this will lead to a decrease in the yield of the hybrid. For cultivating beets in trays, both store-bought soil mixture and home-made soil mixture are suitable. Proportions of optimal soil composition:
- garden soil and humus - one part each;
- peat - two parts.
The Kestrel F1 root crop does not tolerate acidic soil, so for every 5 kg of mixture you should add ½ cup of wood ash. To disinfect the soil mixture, it should be steamed in an oven or steamer for one hour.
Stages of sowing and cultivating beets in seedlings:
- The soil in the tray is compacted. Seeds are placed on top.
- Planting material is sprinkled with soil so that the height of the top layer does not exceed 1.5 cm.
- The soil in the tray is compacted a little and watered.
Cover the container with a transparent film or a glass dome and put the container in a warm place (+20 °C). After the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed and the temperature in the room is reduced to +15...16 °C.
If the seedlings have sparsely sprouted, you can do without picking. It is enough to pour soil into the container to strengthen the roots.When thinning, beet sprouts are not thrown away, but transplanted into another container.
Beet seedlings are ready for transplanting after two true leaves appear
Manipulations for planting in open ground are carried out in cloudy weather. After the procedure, the seedlings are watered daily.
Seeds in open ground
Before sowing seeds in open ground, they are calibrated. Having poured it onto a white sheet of paper, select planting material of approximately the same size, discarding damaged and too small specimens.
In order for the seedlings to germinate at the same time, the seeds are soaked for a day. Once placed in a container, fill it with water, which is changed every 6–8 hours. When the planting material swells, it is recommended to place it in a container where a growth stimulator is poured instead of water.
Depending on the purpose of growing Kestrel, furrows for sowing root crops are made at a distance of 10 to 35 cm.
If the beets will be stored, choose the maximum row spacing.
The furrows are filled with water, and when the liquid is absorbed, the planting material is laid out at a distance of 5–6 cm from each other. Sprinkle soil on top, deepening the seeds 2 cm.
Features of care
To get a good harvest of the Kestrel hybrid, you should take into account the specifics of the variety:
- Landing place. The area with beds should be well lit. Beets do not like direct sunlight. The best predecessors are legumes, garlic and carrots.
- The soil. The soil must be breathable, nutritious and loose, so sandy soil will not work. Kestrel F1 beets do well if the acidity varies between 6.2–7 pH.
- Watering. Excess moisture causes root vegetables to lose their sweetness.Therefore, the beds are irrigated no more than 1–2 times a week.
- Loosening. It is recommended to do it the next day after watering. The procedure will saturate the soil with oxygen and prevent the formation of an earthen crust. Once every three weeks, hilling should be carried out by adding soil around the bush.
- Mulching. Allows you to keep the soil moist for a long time. You can use straw, peat or sawdust.
- Feeding. Fertilize Kestrel 3-4 times per season. At the initial stage of growth, the hybrid needs nitrogen fertilizers. After this, organic matter should be given (infusion of mullein with water in a ratio of 1:8). Beets respond well to foliar feeding. In July, the beds are watered by dissolving 2 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water.
They begin harvesting after the leaves on the bushes begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off.
Conclusion
Kestrel beets are suitable for canning and long-term storage. Even novice gardeners can grow vegetables. Hybrid root crops are valued for their stable yield and high taste.
Reviews from gardeners about Kestrel beets
