Strawberry Mashenka: variety description, photos, reviews

Content

1 Characteristics of strawberries
- 1.1 Strengths and weaknesses of the variety
2 Growing strawberries
3 Reviews from gardeners
4 Conclusion

The strawberry variety Mashenka was developed in the Soviet Union 70 years ago. In modern selection, this garden strawberry can be found under the name Moscow Yubileinaya. Typically, gardeners keep several varieties of sweet berries on their plots at once, selecting them according to their ripening time. Mashenka will take its rightful place among early-ripening strawberries; it will delight you with large and very tasty fruits, high resistance to diseases and pests. One of the main advantages of the Mashenka variety is its unpretentiousness to weather conditions: in the difficult climate of Russia, this strawberry pleases with stable yields.

A detailed description of the Mashenka strawberry variety, photos and reviews about this berry can be found in this article. It will also talk about the rules of agricultural technology, list the mandatory stages of care, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the variety.

Characteristics of strawberries

Strawberries Mashenka are intended for fresh consumption, therefore the variety is recommended for cultivation in small and medium-sized farms. Strawberries are not grown on a large industrial scale, since the berries are poorly stored and are not entirely suitable for processing (due to their large size).

Full description of the Mashenka variety:

strawberries with early ripening periods - the harvest ripens in early June;
the bushes are powerful, but compact, not spreading;
the leaves are dark green, large, directed upward;
the inflorescences are complex, often several neighboring flowers are combined into one (this is due to the complex shape of the berries);
the first berries are very large (can reach 120 grams), their accordion shape;
subsequent fruits are smaller, their shape is cone-shaped, but the mass of Mashenka strawberries is never less than 30-40 grams;
if you properly care for the variety, you can get a second harvest of Mashenka;
the color of the berries is rich, burgundy-scarlet;
the pulp is very dense, sugary, aromatic and tasty;
the crop tolerates transportation well, strawberries practically do not wrinkle and do not drain for a long time;
the yield of Mashenka strawberries is high - on average, 800 grams per bush;
the cultivation is average - it is quite possible to propagate these strawberries yourself;
resistance to diseases and pests is high;
frost resistance is average - can easily withstand temperature drops down to -16 degrees;
It is recommended to grow Mashenka in open ground or in a greenhouse; the crop is not suitable for indoor cultivation;
Garden strawberries of this variety bear fruit for 4 years;
Strawberries are unpretentious and do not require complex care.

If it weren’t for the excellent taste of these strawberries, Mashenka would probably have been forgotten a long time ago. Despite the early ripening period and the outstanding size of the fruit, strawberries are very tasty - the tasting rating of the berries is 4.4 points.

Important! The varietal crop Mashenka has become the “parent” for many modern hybrids. Breeders are trying to convey to new species its large fruit size and resistance to external factors.

Strengths and weaknesses of the variety

Like any strawberry, Mashenka has its pros and cons.Of course, the main advantage of the variety, which immediately catches the eye, is its large fruit - the berries are beautiful, dense, shiny and very large.

This garden strawberry has several other strong qualities:

high productivity;
excellent taste;
resistance to diseases and major pests;
frost resistance;
compact bush size;
the ability to grow two crops per season (in the southern regions or in a greenhouse);
easy propagation by whiskers.

Important! Although the variety claims to have good frost resistance, in the northern regions strawberry bushes need to be covered. When the temperature drops to -20 degrees, bushes begin to fall out.

Among the shortcomings of Mashenka we can note:

low arrangement of flower stalks and berries - to prevent the crop from rotting, it is necessary to prevent contact of the fruits with the soil;
Mashenka is afraid of the scorching sun; burns may appear on the strawberry leaves - the bushes need to be shaded;
the variety is not very frost-resistant (for the central and northern regions of Russia).

As you can see, the disadvantages of the variety are quite conditional: if you provide the strawberries with proper care, they can be completely leveled out.

Growing strawberries

It is not difficult to grow Mashenka, because this variety is unpretentious and produces a lot of mustaches. The crop also does not require special care, so strawberries are suitable for summer cottages and country gardens, which are rarely visited by their owners.

Below are detailed instructions for growing strawberries of this variety with photographs and descriptions of each stage.

How to propagate

Strawberry Mashenka reproduces in two ways: by whiskers and seeds.Both of these methods are successfully used by gardeners to increase the number of bushes in their own garden, update strawberry beds, or grow seedlings for sale.

It is better to buy Mashenka’s first seedlings in a good nursery or in a specialized store. Strawberries from unverified suppliers may not be a pure variety, but one of the many hybrids.

To propagate Mashenka with mustaches, you need to choose the strongest and healthiest bushes with good productivity - the number of berries on the bushes should exceed the number of mustaches. Then the first rosette is found for each strongly developed mustache and slightly twisted to stimulate rooting. The remaining part of the mustache is trimmed. In a couple of weeks you will have full-fledged strawberry seedlings.

It is more difficult to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds, and this process will take a lot of time. But it is the seed strawberries that retain all the maternal genes - the variety turns out to be purer.

Advice! Strawberry seedlings are grown from seeds in the same way as tomatoes or bell peppers: first, the seeds are sown under a film, then they are picked in the phase of two true leaves, when the plants become stronger, they are transplanted into the ground.

High-quality strawberry seedlings should have 6-7 strong leaves, thick shoots and a well-developed root system (as in the photo below).

How to plant

Before planting strawberry seedlings, you need to choose a suitable place for it in the garden. Mashenka, like other berry crops, needs sun. At the same time, as already mentioned in the description of the variety, scorching rays are contraindicated for it - burns in the form of dark spots will appear on the leaves.

Attention! The place for planting Mashenka is chosen in a well-lit area with sparse natural partial shade or with the possibility of installing awnings or other shelters.

The following criteria for planting strawberries must be observed:

Mashenka is susceptible to night frosts, so the planting time is chosen either in mid-May or in the last ten days of August.
The soil for these strawberries should have good air permeability, so before planting you need to add coarse sand or humus to the soil.
At least 40 cm should be left between the bushes. In the row spacing, the interval should provide comfortable conditions for care and harvesting - at least 50 cm.
In order for Mashenka to better adapt to the beds, the roots of the seedlings are carefully straightened, and the growth point is left above the surface of the ground.
Immediately after planting, the strawberries are thoroughly watered and the soil is mulched to retain moisture in the roots for a long time.

The Mashenka strawberry takes root well in a new place, so it is quite easy to plant and propagate it. Strawberries begin to bear fruit quickly (if planted in spring - in the same year).

Important! If propagation of strawberries is not included in the gardener’s plans, the mustaches must be constantly trimmed, as they draw a lot of strength from the plant, which will affect the size of the berries.

How to care

The Mashenka variety was bred in Soviet times, when complex methods of growing strawberries (on agrofibre, under film, in high beds, etc.) were not yet practiced. Therefore, this culture is unpretentious; it does not need any complex agrotechnical techniques.

You need to care for your strawberry plantings like this:

In the first year after planting, the seedlings are not fed; pre-planting soil preparation is sufficient.In subsequent seasons, strawberries are fed twice a year using organic matter and mineral complexes. It should be taken into account that Mashenka loves slightly acidified soils and does not tolerate excess nitrogen.
Strawberries need regular watering, especially if the summer is dry and hot. Mashenka prefers drip irrigation. If there is no such system in the garden, you can water the strawberries at the root or through channels.
Mulch the ground around the bushes not only to retain moisture in the ground. The berries of the Mashenka variety often lie on the ground, which causes rot to appear on them, and mulch will prevent unwanted contact of the fruit with the soil. Sawdust from coniferous trees, straw, dry grass, humus, and peat are suitable as mulch.
If there is too much rainfall during the season, it is necessary to cover the strawberries with film. If this is not done, the fruits will simply rot.
It is better to pick berries with stalks – then they don’t drain so quickly. Mashenka should be harvested at intervals of three days. Place no more than two kilograms of fruit in each container, otherwise the strawberries will choke.
After harvesting, you can trim the mustache on the bushes if the strawberries are not intended to reproduce.
Before frost, it is better to hill up the bushes, sprinkle them with humus or dry leaves, sawdust. When snow falls, it is collected and a protective mound is thrown over the strawberries.

Attention! In the northern regions, a film cover will be required for strawberries of the Mashenka variety.

Reviews from gardeners

Vera Ivanovna, Tomsk

The taste of Mashenka strawberries is the taste of a forgotten childhood, because all gardens and dachas were planted with this variety at one time. I have been growing these strawberries for a long time, for about thirty years.I always feed the bushes with organic matter; after harvesting, I sprinkle the ground with wood ash to disinfect and nourish it. The berries grow large, very aromatic and tasty. After 4-5 years, the fruits become smaller, but this is not a problem, since the variety easily propagates by mustaches (a lot of them appear). Excess tendrils need to be trimmed, because they draw out all the “juices” from the plants, leaving no energy for the formation of the crop. We eat these strawberries fresh; their taste is much better than modern hybrids. We freeze the remains of the harvest and prepare preserves and jams. Mashenka bears fruit until the beginning of September, although the last strawberries are no longer as large as at the beginning of the season.

Conclusion

The strawberry variety Mashenka is time-tested. This garden strawberry is loved and appreciated for its excellent taste, unpretentiousness, and adaptability to local climatic conditions.

Even though the old variety is inferior to fashionable hybrids in terms of yield or beauty of berries, Mashenka has occupied an honorable place in the country’s gardens for many years.