Content
Domestic breeders have given gardeners many interesting plants, including the Nightingale strawberry, descriptions, photos and reviews of which will be presented in the article. The variety is relatively young, but is in great demand among Russians.
Breeding history
The authorship belongs to breeders from Bryansk. Scientist of the Bryansk Agricultural Academy S.D. Aitzhanova has created many drought-resistant and frost-resistant varieties of strawberries. The Solovushka variety was obtained more than 10 years ago, but has not yet passed variety testing and is not included in the State Register.
But in the regions the plant is grown with pleasure. Gardeners living in harsh conditions, where the thermometer in winter drops below -30 degrees, are especially pleased. Planting strawberries of the Solovushka variety tolerates frost well and delights with a harvest of delicious berries.
Description
Deciding to grow a new strawberry variety is not easy. You definitely need to get acquainted with the description, characteristic features of the bush and berries.
Bushes
The bushes of the remontant strawberry variety Solovushka are distinguished by their strong growth. They are compact, round, with a large number of rich green leaves, and they grow in size already in the first year after planting.
The Nightingale has 7-9 thin, long peduncles with numerous buds on each bush of the first year of life. On two-year-old bushes there are up to 20 pieces. They are spreading, located below the foliage. Due to their thinness, the flower stalks cannot hold ripening berries, so it is advisable to mulch the beds.
Abundant weed formation on the plantings of the first year; it is during this period that the Nightingale strawberry should be propagated. In subsequent years, few whiskers are formed.
Berries
The shape of large, up to 50 g, round-conical berries. Moreover, the berries of the first wave are almost twice as large as the subsequent ones. The fruits of the Solovushka variety are rich red and shiny. The achenes are yellow, medium in size, located almost on the surface of the berry.
The pulp is juicy, bright red, not too dense, but not watery either. There are strawberries with an empty center, as in the picture below.
With abundant watering or during the long rainy season, the berries become loose and watery. This nuance must be taken into account when growing strawberries of the Solovushka variety.
The berries are sweet, with a balanced taste, aromatic, like wild strawberries.
Productivity
Strawberry variety Solovushka is a fruitful plant. 500-600 g per bush is the norm for the first year. In the second and third years there are more berries; you can harvest up to 1000 grams. Fruiting is long, but the maturation of the “waves” is amicable.
Transportability
As for transportability and keeping quality, these indicators for the Solovushka strawberry variety are average. Berries need to be processed immediately.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
In addition to the description and characteristic features when choosing a strawberry variety, it is important to take into account the positive and negative aspects of the crop. The Nightingale has more advantages than disadvantages; they are all listed in the table.
pros | Minuses |
Medium ripening period, first berries are harvested in June | Insufficient density of berries, sometimes the presence of voids |
Friendly maturation | Dependence of strawberries on weather conditions |
Transportability and shelf life are average | Grinding berries at the end of the season |
Versatility of use | Insufficient immunity to gray rot and diseases of the root system |
High frost resistance. According to gardeners, strawberries do not freeze at temperatures below -30 degrees |
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High immunity to spots, powdery mildew, spider mites |
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The variety is widely used in the creation of productive varieties as a parent form |
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Interesting information about the remontant strawberry variety Solovushka:
Reproduction methods
Nightingale, like other strawberry varieties, is propagated in different ways:
- seeds;
- mustache;
- dividing the bush.
Usami
As noted in the description, abundant formation of whiskers in the Solovushka variety is observed in the first year after planting. Therefore, you should not miss the moment. The mustaches take root well on their own, but it is best to plant the rosettes in separate cups and place them next to the mother bushes.
Dividing the bush
Already in the first year, strawberry bushes of the Solovushka variety are suitable for propagation. Select cuttings with the presence of hearts and a good root system. The seedlings are planted in a prepared bed and watered well.
Growing from seeds
The seed method of propagating Nightingale strawberries is possible, varietal qualities are preserved. But growing seedlings at home is not so easy:
- seeds germinate slowly and for a long time;
- seed stratification is required;
- seedlings need to be illuminated, since in February and March there is insufficient natural light.
Landing
The best time to plant strawberries in open ground is April and May. The remontant variety Solovushka begins to bear fruit already in the first year after planting. To do this, you need to use high-quality planting material and follow the recommendations of experts regarding agricultural cultivation techniques.
When planting, special attention should be paid to the heart: it should not be buried. The photo shows how to plant strawberries correctly.
How to choose seedlings
Strawberry seedlings must be of high quality. They should have the following indicators:
- strong stem, green growing point;
- from 3 to 5 green leaves;
- sufficient thickness of the root collar;
- light roots no shorter than 7 cm;
- absence of signs of diseases and pests.
Site selection and soil preparation
A well-lit area with neutral or slightly acidic soil is suitable for planting strawberries. Salt marshes, acidic soils and wetlands are not the best choice for arranging strawberry beds.
The composition of the soil is light. If there is none on the site, you can improve the structure by adding river sand and lowland humus peat.If there is initially a lot of sand in the soil, then you need to add clay.
Fertilizer is applied before digging the site. Per square meter, add 1-2 buckets of compost, 50 grams of mineral fertilizers and 1-2 liters of wood ash.
Planting scheme
Plants can be planted in one or two lines. The distance between seedlings is 40-50 cm, but 30-35 cm is possible. Row spacing is at least 50 cm. According to the rules of agricultural technology, no more than 4 plants are placed in one square place.
Care
Caring for the Solovushka variety is no more difficult than caring for other representatives of the crop.
Spring period
After the snow melts, remove the cover from the beds, remove old leaves and remove dried bushes. If the root system is exposed, it is covered with earth, but the growth point should remain above the surface.
Then the plantings are loosened to a depth of no more than 5 cm, and water-recharging irrigation is carried out.
Watering and mulching
Warm water is used for irrigation. The soil under the bushes should be moist, but not soggy. Water the strawberries at the root, being careful not to get on the leaves, flower stalks and berries.
It is best to mulch the ridges to maintain moisture and cleanliness of the berries. Agrofibre, sawdust, straw, pine needles or cardboard are used as mulch.
Fertilizing
Timely feeding of Solovushka strawberries allows you to get a bountiful harvest of large, sweet berries. At different periods of the growing season, certain organic or mineral fertilizers are needed.
Preparing for winter
In the southern regions of Russia, it is enough just to cover the beds with strawberries with ordinary straw, as in the photo.In more severe climatic conditions, major protection from frost will be required, despite the winter hardiness of the Solovushka variety.
Diseases and control methods
Pests and ways to combat them
Features of growing in pots
The Solovushka variety is remontant and suitable as a potted crop.
Conclusion
Even beginners can grow Solovushka strawberries. The main thing is to get acquainted with agrotechnical standards and adhere to them.
