Content
Sweet strawberry variety Capri breeders bred for those with a sweet tooth. The berries are so saturated with sugar that sometimes you don’t even feel the taste of acid. Gardeners and farm owners fell in love with Capri strawberries for their stable, long-term fruiting and high yield.
Breeding history
Capri is an innovative variety of remontant strawberries. The culture was developed by Italian breeders. The parents were CIVRI-30 and R6-R1–26. Despite the fact that Capri is a new product, the variety has managed to spread throughout the Russian Federation and other countries of the world.
Description
Capri strawberry bushes are of medium height. The leaves do not create a strong thickening. The flower stalks are strong and do not fall to the ground. The inflorescences attract bees with a large amount of pollen. A positive feature of the Capri variety is its long flowering. The berry grows large, weighing at least 40 g. The shape of the fruit is cone-shaped. The skin is glossy. The color is bright red with a burgundy tint. The nose of the berry at the stage of technical maturity is orange.
The pulp of the berry is quite dense, but this does not prevent it from being tender and juicy. The solid structure increases transportability as well as the safety of the fruit. This quality is highly valued by farmers who grow Capri strawberries for sale. The berry, even at the stage of technical maturity, contains a lot of sugar. The fruits do not lose their sweetness in rainy summers. The yield of remontant strawberries reaches 2 kg of berries per bush.
The short peak in yield is due to prolonged fruiting. Strawberries ripen in waves from late June to mid-November. The berries deplete the mother bushes, shortening their life cycle.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Continuous long-term fruiting | The small number of whiskers complicates the propagation of the variety |
| High yield up to 2 kg per bush | The culture needs abundant watering and fertilizing |
| Bushes are frost-resistant, disease-resistant | Bushes develop well with frequent mulching and loosening of the soil |
| Berries can be transported and stored | |
| Compact size bushes | |
| The plant can withstand drought | |
| The sweetness in the berries remains in the rainy summer |
A feature of the Capri variety is the survival of the bush in the sun. The plant will remain alive even without shading, but there will be no flower stalks. Strawberries need plenty of watering to get a good harvest.
Reproduction methods
Remontant strawberry The Italian variety Capri is capable of propagation by mustaches, dividing the bush and seeds.
Usami
A feature of the Capri variety is the small formation of mustaches. For caring for the garden bed, this is a plus, but with reproduction it creates a problem.However, there are mustaches, which means you can independently increase the number of bushes in the garden bed.
When the mother plant throws out a long tendril with a developed rosette, the soil is loosened between the rows. It is important to remove everything from the garden weeds. The lower part of the rosette is slightly buried in the ground and watered frequently. By autumn the roots will grow. The rosette can be cut off from the tendril and replanted as a full-fledged seedling.
Dividing the bush
An adult plant at 2–3 years of age is propagated by dividing the bush. Strawberries are dug from the garden in the spring before flowering or in the fall after fruiting has ended. The bush is divided into several parts so that each rosette has at least 3 leaves and a developed root. Each Capri seedling is planted in a garden bed.
Growing from seeds
The Italian remontant variety Capri can be propagated or re-planted by seeds. You will have to grow seedlings in boxes, peat tablets or flower pots.
In short, to obtain seeds at home, large overripe berries without visible damage are selected from the garden. The skin of the fruit is cut off with a knife, dried in the sun and the grains are collected.
The time for sowing Capri strawberry seeds is determined individually according to the weather conditions of the region. This is usually the period from February to early April. Before sowing, the seeds are subjected to stratification - cold hardening.
You can sow in peat tablets by soaking them in water beforehand. The traditional method is based on immersing grains in the ground. You can sow immediately in individual cups or in common boxes. In the second case, after three leaves have grown on the seedling, the plants are planted in a separate container.
If the strawberry seeds of the Capri variety do not germinate, it means that the technology for growing seedlings was violated. The problem can only be solved by re-seeding.
Landing
There are no special secrets to planting remontant Capri strawberries. The procedure is typical, as for all other varieties.
How to choose seedlings
High-quality seedlings of remontant strawberries of the Italian variety Capri are determined by their appearance. The horn of a good plant is at least 7 mm thick. The leaves are wide, juicy, without damage and at least three leaves.
The length of the open root system of the seedling must be more than 7 cm. If the plant is sold in a cup or peat tablet, inspect the entire lump. It should be braided with white roots.
Site selection and soil preparation
The Capri variety is not a demanding crop, but there are nuances in choosing the location and soil composition. Strawberries love loamy, fertile soils with neutral acidity. The plant will take root well in the area where alfalfa, green salads, and white cabbage grew last year.
The proximity of groundwater is detrimental to crops. If the area is swampy, create a raised bed for the bed. The Capri strawberry plantation is located in a sunny area. If it is impossible to provide good growing conditions, the crop can be grown in a vertical bed by planting the plants in flower pots.
Planting scheme
When planting seedlings of the remontant Capri variety, a space of 30 cm is left between the bushes. The width of the rows is about 45 cm. Since the variety forms few tendrils, dense planting of plants is allowed in order to save space.
Care
To get a good harvest, Capri strawberries need care. The procedures are all classic: watering, fertilizing, pest control, weeding.
Care in spring
Strawberries cause the gardener the most trouble in the spring. Caring for Capri involves the following steps:
- After the snow melts, the bushes are inspected. Pick off dry, damaged leaves and remaining old peduncles.
- Clear the bed of old mulch and winter shelter. Loosen the soil to a depth of 3 cm. Feed the strawberries with ash.
- If roots are visible on the surface, Capri strawberry bushes are spudded.
- In order for the plants to come to life and grow, strawberries are watered abundantly, starting in early spring.
- When it comes to feeding, Capri loves organic food. Under each bush, pour 0.5 liters of a solution of mullein 1:3 or chicken droppings 1:10.
- Before the buds have yet bloomed, strawberry bushes are treated for prevention with a solution of copper sulfate.
- The soil around the plants is covered with peat, sawdust or small straw. Mulch will retain moisture, prevent weed growth, and eventually become an organic fertilizer.
Strawberries definitely need mineral supplements in the spring. Saltpeter is usually used.
Watering and mulching
Despite its drought resistance, the remontant variety Capri loves abundant watering. Particularly a lot of water is required during the formation of berries and before flowering begins. However, the formation of swamps should not be allowed. After watering, the soil is mulched to retain moisture.
Fertilizing by month
During the season, the Capri variety requires three mandatory feedings with mineral complexes. The size of the berries and taste depend on this.
For your reference, a table is provided that describes preparations for strawberries and the technology for their use.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, strawberry bushes are prepared for wintering. Plants are provided with shelter from straw or pine branches.
Diseases and control methods
The remontant strawberry variety Capri is resistant to diseases, but can be affected by gray rot. Verticillium wilt occurs occasionally.
Pests and ways to combat them
Pests are not averse to eating sweet strawberries and juicy foliage. First of all, these are ants, slugs and snails.
Features of growing in pots
The Capri variety can be grown in flower pots on a high bed or indoors. In the second case, artificial pollination with a brush will be required, and in the summer the strawberries are taken out onto the balcony.
Conclusion
The remontant Capri strawberry is an ideal variety for those with a sweet tooth and commercial gardeners.
