Content
It’s hard to argue with the love for strawberries - it’s not for nothing that this berry is considered one of the most delicious and best-selling in the world. But caring for it is not the easiest - you can’t call it a berry for the lazy. But busy summer residents and gardeners burdened with a bunch of other worries dream of a variety that would at least be resistant to many troubles, and whose bushes would not need to be treated several times a season with various chemicals.
Perhaps one of the varieties that meets these requirements is the relatively recently developed strawberry variety Bereginya, reviews of which, along with a photo and its description, can help you decide whether it is suitable for your specific conditions or not. There are more than enough advantages to this variety of strawberries, but there are also disadvantages, so it is important to weigh the pros and cons and understand what exactly you want from strawberries in the first place.
History of creation
The Bereginya strawberry owes its birth to a group of breeders led by S.D. Aitzhanova, working at the Kokinsky stronghold of VSTISP, operating on the basis of the Bryansk Agricultural Academy. The parents of this variety were the famous Nightingale - also the fruit of the creation of S.D.Aitzhanova, known for its resistance to almost all the main misfortunes that plague strawberries (frost, winter thaws, diseases, pests), and Induka, a Dutch variety that can boast of its good yields. Strawberry Bereginya successfully combined the main parental qualities, which aroused great interest among both amateur gardeners and professionals.
It was zoned only in the Central Federal District, but this variety of strawberries is happily grown in the territory from the Krasnodar Territory to the Bryansk Region and even in the Urals and Siberia.
Description of the variety
Strawberry Bereginya is a type of traditional short-day strawberry, non-remontant, that is, ripening only once per season.
Its flowering and ripening period is quite late; the berries begin to ripen only from the end of June - in July.
Medium-sized bushes have a semi-spreading shape and dense foliage. Medium-sized mustaches of a pinkish tint are formed in significant quantities, so problems with reproduction are not expected for this variety.
The medium-sized shiny leaves have a light green color, weak ribbing and medium wrinkles. They have slight pubescence. The teeth of the leaves are wide and blunt-shaped. The leaf petioles are medium in size, more pubescent than the leaves. Stipules are long, wide, green.
Medium in thickness, densely pubescent peduncles located at the level of the leaves. The flowers are white, untwisted, medium in size, and bisexual. The inflorescence is multi-flowered, compact.
Bereginya strawberries are distinguished by fairly high yields - on average, 350-400 grams of berries can be collected from one bush. In the second year, the yield even increases and is about 600 grams per bush. For farmers, it will be interesting to estimate the yield per hectare, which ranges from 15 to 30 tons of berries. Large variations in indicators are determined by climatic factors and growing conditions.
The variety is characterized by increased frost resistance, capable of not only withstanding frosty winters without special shelters, but also, what is even worse, a thaw in the middle of winter. When, after almost positive temperatures, frost sets in again. Since Bereginya’s kidneys wake up late, she does not have time to awaken during thaws. Frost resistance is assessed by a freezing coefficient of 1-1.5.
Strawberry Bereginya is distinguished by the highest resistance to fungal diseases of leaves among many domestic varieties. It also resists verticillium wilt and strawberry mite well.
In damp summers, strawberries can be severely affected by gray rot, so the author of this variety herself recommends Bereginya strawberries for cultivation in the southern regions, where gray rot is rare. In temperate latitudes, it is necessary to maintain sufficient distance between the bushes to ensure their ventilation. It is also advisable to mulch plantings and row spacing with special black agrofibre or straw.
Both the resistance to drought conditions and heat resistance of this strawberry variety are very high.
Characteristics of berries
The fruits of the Bereginya strawberry variety have the following characteristics:
- The shape of the berries is regular, blunt-conical, without a neck.
- The berries of this variety cannot be called gigantic, but they are not small either: on average, the weight of one berry is about 12-14 grams. In particularly favorable conditions, the weight of the berries reaches 25-26 grams.
- The color of Beregini berries is orange-red, they have a shiny surface.
- The pulp is juicy, dense, red in color, without pronounced voids in the center of the berry.
- The berries have a rich sweet-sour taste with the aroma of wild strawberries. The professional tasting rating of fresh berries is 4.5 points.
- The berries contain: sugars – 5.7%, ascorbic acid – 79 mg/100 g, acids – 0.8%.
- Due to the density of the berries, they are stored well and can be easily transported.
- The purpose of the berries is also quite universal - you can use them to create many sweet dishes, including preparing them for the winter. The berries can be frozen and, of course, eaten directly from the bush.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is impossible not to note the following advantages of Bereginya strawberries:
- High taste and commercial qualities - the harmonious taste goes well with the good density of the berries.
- The berries are of good size and also retain their size towards the end of fruiting.
- Good yield.
- There are no problems with reproduction - many whiskers are formed, the rosettes take root well.
- Good frost resistance and winter hardiness.
- High resistance to major pests and diseases of strawberries.
Among the disadvantages, one can note only the susceptibility to gray rot in berries in damp weather conditions.
Reviews from gardeners
Gardeners leave mostly favorable reviews about this strawberry variety.Many people like the attractive appearance of the berries, as well as their taste and aroma. Disease resistance allows you to reduce or even eliminate the number of treatments, which frees up both time and effort.
Conclusion
Strawberry Bereginya will allow many gardeners to get a harvest of sweet and juicy berries even in the low-sunny mid-latitudes of Russia. If you initially follow all the rules of planting and care, it will not require any extra effort or excessive care from you, but will delight you with a good harvest.
