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Gardeners nicknamed the Dutch variety Vikoda the noble strawberry. The culture adapts to difficult climatic conditions without ceasing to bear large fruits. Vikoda strawberry tolerates frosty winters and hot summers, only during drought it requires abundant watering.
Main characteristics
When considering the description of the Vikoda strawberry variety, photos, reviews, you should first dwell on the characteristics of the crop. In the process of crossing, Dutch breeders obtained strawberries with excellent taste. A powerful, lush bush grows to medium height. Strong shoots are capable of holding berries with an average weight of 50–70 g. It is not for nothing that the Vikoda variety was called noble. The first fruits grow weighing about 120 g.
Despite its gigantic size, the berry is dense inside. The pulp is juicy, tender with a cherry flavor. When eating strawberries, the acidity is clearly felt, but there is also enough sweetness. The berry has a spherical shape. On large fruits, ribbing with irregularities is observed. Vikoda is considered late variety. Cleaning begins at the end of July.
Distinctive features of the variety
To get to know the Vikoda strawberry variety better, it’s worth considering the distinctive features:
- The first large fruits rarely grow straight into shape.Usually the berry is flattened. There are double fruits. By the time of ripening, many berries are able to restore the spherical shape characteristic of the variety.
- The readiness of strawberries for harvesting is indicated by the white color of the tip against the background of bright red pulp. The berry can be easily separated from the sepals and in this state can be stored or transported without losing its presentation.
- The aroma of ripe cherries is felt not only when eating the berry. A pleasant smell hangs over a clearing with ripe strawberries.
- The variety is not affected by putrefactive bacteria. Leaf spots rarely appear.
The advantages emphasize the superiority of Vikoda strawberries over other varieties:
- the bush produces about 1 kg of berries per season;
- strawberries do not freeze in winter even with weak shelter;
- The large fruits are not loose, which allows strawberries to be used in culinary dishes, for freezing, making juices, and preserving.
The disadvantage is the requirement of free space for growing Vikoda. To get a high yield of large berries, the bushes are planted far from each other, which is problematic in small areas. Another disadvantage is the loss of consistency of the berries when exposed to extreme heat.
Preparing soil and seedlings
According to gardeners, Vikoda strawberries love medium acidity soil. It is optimal to bring the pH to 5–6.5. The purchased seedlings are in no hurry to be sent to the garden. First, the plants are hardened off by taking them outside during the day. If seedlings are planted under film, it is enough to keep them in a cool place for at least two days. Hardening will help the Vikoda variety to quickly adapt to the external environment.
When preparing new Vikoda seedlings, you should not rush to uproot all the old strawberries. Only part of the bushes are removed from the garden bed in a checkerboard pattern. You should end up with a pattern where young Vikoda is surrounded by old strawberries. Large bushes with broad foliage will protect new plantings from the wind.
Rules for preparing beds
Before planting Vikoda strawberries, you need to properly prepare the bed. The rules are simple and there are only four of them:
- The bed for spring planting of Vikoda strawberries is prepared in the fall. The process involves digging up the soil and adding organic fertilizers: humus, manure or compost. For autumn planting, the bed is dug up a month or at least two weeks in advance.
- Strawberries do not like extreme heat, but the Vikoda variety loves the sun. To improve the taste and speed up the ripening of berries, the bed is laid out on the sunny side of the plot.
- Vikoda loves feeding. It is especially important to apply fertilizer to obtain large berries. Organic components are added at the rate of 5 kg per 1 m2 beds. About 40 g of mineral fertilizer is sufficient.
- Strawberries of the Vikoda variety love frequent weeding and are afraid weed. The soil in the garden bed is kept loose so that oxygen can reach the roots.
Following simple rules for preparing and caring for your garden bed will help you grow a good harvest of strawberries.
Rules for planting and growing
Before planting, the seedlings are carefully inspected again. Only strong plants are selected, and all weak ones are thrown away. Productive strawberry seedlings are determined by the following characteristics:
- the minimum thickness of the root neck is 7 mm;
- the bush has an intact upper bud and at least three full leaves;
- fibrous root system about 7 cm long.
Prepared Vikoda seedlings are planted according to the following rules:
- Strawberries are planted at least a month before the expected frost. The period cannot be shortened. The seedlings must have time to take root and take root well.
- To plant the Vikoda strawberry variety, choose a cloudy but warm day. In sunny weather it is difficult for plants to take root. Strawberries will have to be shaded by installing additional shelters.
- The strawberry bed is laid out in rows. The row spacing is at least 40 cm. Holes for each bush are dug at a distance of 50–60 cm from each other.
- Before planting the seedling, the soil inside the hole is moistened with water. The hole is made wide so that the root system can move freely. The strawberry seedling is sprinkled with soil up to the level of the root neck. This place is the growing point of strawberries, and it should be located above the ground.
- After planting the seedling, lightly press the soil around the bush with your hand. The plant is watered abundantly, and after the water is absorbed, the soil inside the hole is mulched with humus.
The Vikoda variety responds favorably to watering. A lot of water is required during the formation of berries.
Features of caring for the variety
When considering the description of the Vikoda strawberry variety, photos, and reviews from gardeners, it is worth paying attention to the rules for caring for the crop. Often the simplest mistakes lead to the death of an entire strawberry plantation.
Spring work
In spring, strawberries need a quick start to growth. The first rule of care is frequent loosening of the soil and timely watering. Vikoda loves water.The intensity of watering is adjusted according to weather conditions, but at least 1-2 times a week.
Fertilizing is carried out every spring month. In March, the bushes are topped with a solution of chicken manure. However, you cannot overdo it with nitrogen. The solution is prepared from a glass of litter, infused for three days in 10 liters of water. 0.5 liters of liquid is poured under each plant.
From the beginning of April, mineral complexes begin to be added. Use a 1:2 mixture of saltpeter and ammophoska or prepare a solution from a glass of wood ash and 10 liters of water. Organic fertilizing is organized in May. Dissolve two glasses of manure in 10 liters of water. Each bush is watered at the root with 1 liter of liquid. Dry manure can simply be scattered on the ground.
Summer work
Summer care involves regular watering up to four times a week, weeding, and adding sand around the bushes while the berries are forming. Before each flowering, fertilize with sulfates. After harvesting the berries, Vikoda is fertilized with an ash solution.
Autumn work
Before frost sets in in the fall, Vikoda is watered a maximum of twice a week. Fertilizer is added along with water. It is not advisable to use fresh manure at this time of year. The garden bed will become infected with parasites.
In autumn, foliage and excess tendrils are trimmed from bushes. The roots washed with water are sprinkled with earth. Closer to frost, the beds are mulched with fallen leaves, straw or covered with pine needles. For the winter, the plantings are covered with spruce or pine branches. The needles hold snow well, forming a warm blanket over the strawberries.
Harvest
Ripe strawberries are quite tender. Harvesting and storing crops is sometimes more difficult than growing them. It is better to pick berries for storage a few days before they are fully ripe. At this time, the nose of the fetus is still white with a greenish tint.Picked berries will ripen, thereby extending their shelf life.
During harvesting, it is advisable to sort the fruits. Large berries are juicy and do not go into storage. It is better to eat them immediately or process them. Small fruits are collected for storage.
Vikoda berries are easily separated from the stalk and are stored well in this form. However, this method cannot be called the best. The harvest will last longer with intact stalks. The time for harvesting is set aside in the morning after the dew has dried. In the evening, strawberries are picked before sunset.
Store picked berries in boxes in one layer. The bottom of the container is covered with paper. After picking the berries and packing them into boxes, it is advisable to quickly cool the strawberries to a temperature from 0 to +2OC. The quickly cooled harvest will last in the refrigerator for up to four days.
In the video, a gardening company talks about growing strawberries:
Reviews
It is better to learn about the Vikoda strawberry variety from reviews from gardeners.
I planted 6 Victoria bushes. In the first year of planting, one stalk with small berries. But I liked the taste of the berry and left it hoping for improvement. But for the 3rd year, not a single berry. The bushes are powerful and well-groomed. The place is sunny, good care. The reason is not clear.