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Experienced gardeners know that not all Dutch varieties of strawberries “take root” in Russia, which is due to the large difference in climatic conditions. One of the exceptions to this rule is the Korona variety - strawberry, bred and patented in Holland more than forty years ago. Strawberry Corona tolerates frost well, and this is its main, but not the only, advantage. Reviews from gardeners about the Dutch variety are mostly positive, so it definitely deserves the attention of both beginners and experienced gardeners.
A detailed description of the Korona strawberry variety, photos and reviews about it can be found in this article. Here we also describe step-by-step agricultural technology for those who want to have a berry with a royal name in their garden.
Characteristics of the variety
The fact that the variety has been successfully cultivated since 1972 testifies to many things: gardeners prefer Corona to more modern species, which means strawberries have a lot of advantages.
The “parents” for Corona were the Tamella and Induka varieties, which endowed strawberries with the main advantage - the ability to withstand temperatures down to -22 degrees. This makes it possible to successfully grow berries almost throughout the country. Only in the northernmost regions does the Corona strawberry need shelter - here it is planted in greenhouses and greenhouses.
A more detailed description of the Korona variety:
- strawberries have a medium-early ripening period - the berries are ripe en masse in mid-June;
- fruiting is extended - the gardener will be able to collect a fresh harvest for several weeks;
- Strawberries are usually propagated by tendrils, although seed and vegetative methods are also possible;
- the bushes are small in height, but powerful and spreading;
- the leaves on the Crown are strong, large, shiny;
- medium-sized berries - about 25 grams;
- the shape of the fruit is cone-shaped or heart-shaped;
- The color of the Crown is usual - rich red, closer to burgundy;
- the surface of the strawberries is shiny, smooth;
- the taste of strawberries is very good: pronounced strawberry aroma, balanced content of sugars and acids, juiciness, meatiness;
- the yield is simply excellent - up to a kilogram of berries can be harvested from a bush; on an industrial scale, farmers harvest about 14 tons from each hectare;
- the Korona variety is resistant to spotted mosaic and is rarely affected by insects and other pests;
- Strawberries are not covered for the winter, with the exception of the northern regions of the country.
Strawberries of the Korona variety are a universal berry: they are very tasty fresh, excellent preserves and jams are made from the fruits, alcoholic drinks are prepared, and the berries are used in the cosmetics industry.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety has many strengths, otherwise it would have long since sunk into oblivion and been forgotten by gardeners and summer residents. But Corona also has its own disadvantages, which you also need to know about before you buy seedlings and grow a crop on your plot.
Among the advantages of garden strawberries Corona it is worth noting:
- early ripening;
- excellent taste of fruits;
- universal purpose;
- high productivity;
- unpretentiousness of culture;
- good frost resistance of the variety.
Of course, on the modern market you can find berries with a more exotic and attractive taste, but such strawberries are not suitable for making preserves and jams and do not guarantee consistently high yields.
Do not forget about the disadvantages of the Korona variety:
- the berries have very delicate pulp, so strawberries do not tolerate transportation and storage well;
- fruits are not suitable for freezing;
- Strawberries are susceptible to diseases such as gray rot and white spot.
Growing and care
It cannot be said that Corona strawberries are ideal for growing in open ground - like any heat-loving crop, they prefer greenhouse conditions. However In most of the country, strawberries are grown well in garden beds; you just need to know how to plant the bushes correctly and how to care for them.
Planting strawberries
First, you need to choose a place where the strawberries will grow. The best predecessors for garden strawberries are considered to be grains and legumes, after which the soil remains loose and disinfected. It will be no worse if you plant strawberries on virgin soil - an untouched piece of land. The soil must first be dug up or plowed using a walk-behind tractor.
In order for the Crown to tolerate the summer heat and winter cold well, you need to choose a place protected from drafts and wind, with sufficient sunlight, but also with some protection from scorching rays. It is in such areas that snow lingers well, and strawberries need it as shelter from frost.
Garden strawberries are not very picky about the composition of the soil, but the harvest will be much better if the soil on the site is loose, nutritious and moisture-absorbing. Before planting, the soil needs to be fertilized with humus, mineral components (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus) added, and wood ash scattered over the area.
The best time to plant the Korona variety is considered to be the beginning of May and the period from the first ten days of August to the last days of September.
It is better to carry out planting work in the evening or morning, optimally if the weather is cloudy. Strawberry seedlings should be strong and healthy: each bush has 4-5 leaves, the leaves are dense, shiny, the roots are not damaged, reaching a length of 7-10 cm.
Planting holes for Corona are pre-prepared. The distance between them in a row should be at least 50 cm; in the aisles the gardener leaves as much space as he needs to fully care for the bushes. The holes are watered abundantly with water (a bucket for 20 holes) and planting begins. Already planted strawberries are watered again and the ground is mulched with peat or humus - this will protect against weed and premature evaporation of water.
Caring for strawberry beds
The Corona strawberry variety cannot be called the most unpretentious - in order to reap a decent harvest, the gardener will have to work hard. But this strawberry is also not considered too capricious, because it rarely gets sick and tolerates bad weather conditions well.
So, Proper care of Corona strawberry plantings is as follows:
- Feeding. Abundant fertilization of strawberry beds is an important component of caring for them, because a good strawberry harvest will not be possible on meager land. Garden strawberries respond very well to fertilizing with organic matter (humus, wood ash, urea), but they also love mineral components (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium). During the entire warm season, the Crown needs to be fed three times: after buds open, before flowering and after harvesting.
- The Korona variety produces a lot of tendrils. On the one hand, this is good, because strawberries will multiply quickly and easily. But, on the other hand, the beds will begin to thicken, which will lead to smaller berries and a decrease in yield. To prevent this, The crown should be "trimmed" by trimming the whiskers in late fall after harvest.
- In the central and northern regions, the Korona variety should winter under cover. After autumn pruning of the mustache, the bushes are sprinkled with wood ash or peat; you can use humus, sawdust, and spruce branches. In the coldest areas, you cannot do without special non-woven material or agrofibre. It is not recommended to use material that attracts rodents or can retain moisture as a shelter. As soon as the first snow falls, you need to collect it around the area and create mounds on the strawberry beds.
- Strawberry Corona is predisposed to infection with gray mold and spotting. To avoid illness, prevention needs to be carried out, spraying the bushes with special chemicals. If affected bushes appear, they are urgently treated or removed to prevent infection of all strawberries.
- It is necessary to water the Crown, because with a lack of moisture, the taste of the berries deteriorates, the fruits turn out deformed and small. The best method of watering is drip irrigation. During the flowering period, any strawberry is watered more abundantly (about 20 liters per square meter), the rest of the time 10 liters is enough. Water should not get on the leaves and berries, as this leads to the appearance of gray rot. The optimal water temperature for watering strawberries is 20 degrees.
- Strawberries of the Korona variety can be propagated in different ways: by seeds, tendrils, and dividing bushes. The most popular method is mustache propagation. It is recommended to take tendrils from two- or three-year-old bushes; they turn out to be the most productive.
There is nothing difficult in growing garden strawberries of the Korona variety, but the gardener will have no time to rest: if you need a good harvest, you will have to work hard.
Review
Conclusion
Korona is an excellent strawberry variety, suitable for private farms and summer cottages. The culture pleases with high and stable yields, large fruits with excellent taste and strong aroma.
With all the advantages, these garden strawberries also have a small drawback - the berries drain quickly and are not suitable for storage and transportation.
