Content
Russia is a huge country, and while gardeners in one part of the country are just planting garden strawberry seedlings in the ground, in other regions they are already tasting the first berries. Therefore, you should not recommend the same varieties for cultivation in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Moscow region, no matter what crops we are talking about. Naturally, when choosing suitable varieties for growing strawberries in the Moscow region, it is necessary to take into account all the climatic and weather factors inherent in this region. After all, as experienced gardeners know, the right choice strawberry varieties 50% of success depends. This article will attempt to describe best varieties of strawberries for the Moscow region. To the extent possible, all possible indicators will be taken into account, including even the decorative properties of the variety.
Climate influence on strawberries
In the conditions of central Russia, which includes the Moscow region, it is important to choose varieties that are characterized by fairly high frost resistance and at the same time withstand relatively dry summer conditions. Although it is the weather conditions of the Moscow region in the summer that are almost ideal for the development of strawberries: warm, but not hot days, with sufficient rainfall.
A fairly large number of sunny days give the opportunity for sweet berries to form.
Therefore, judging by the reviews of many gardeners, ultra early varieties of garden strawberries are not very suitable for the Moscow region. There is a high probability that their flowering may be affected by frost. In this case, you can completely forget about the harvest. It is also not very productive to grow many remontant varieties in this region, since their second and third waves of fruiting may completely disappear due to the same frosts.
There is still a way out of such situations: you can install arcs over the strawberry plantings and cover them in spring and autumn with film or non-woven material during the period of night frosts.
How to choose the best strawberry variety
As you know, there are no friends according to taste and color, so everyone will have their own choice of the best varieties of strawberries. However, there is a set of criteria that are usually used when describing varieties. It is based on these indicators that anyone can choose exactly the variety that they will like most.
- The size of the berries - for many strawberry lovers, this indicator is important, since it not only makes it easier to pick strawberries, but also gives them a reason to brag to their neighbors and loved ones about their success in gardening. Fruits weighing more than 50-60 grams are considered large, and the size of some varieties of berries can reach up to 120 grams.
- Productivity - this indicator is fundamental for most gardeners. After all, strawberries are a rather demanding berry to care for, and you want all your efforts not to be in vain, but to reward you with a worthy harvest. As a guide, it can be noted that on average one strawberry bush can produce about one kilogram of berries. If the yield of a variety is significantly lower, then either the variety is unsuitable or you have violated the conditions for its cultivation.
- Taste and aroma - for many, this characteristic is decisive, because if the variety produces a large number of large, but tasteless or sour berries, then it can only be left for compotes and jam. But this parameter is also the most unreliable, since it is very individual.
- Resistance to growth conditions and diseases - this indicator is one of the most important for those who are not ready to devote too much time to caring for strawberry plantings. In addition, it means that the berry will not have to be treated with chemicals again, which means you can enjoy its environmental purity.
In addition to the above parameters, the following characteristics are also of particular importance for those who intend to grow strawberries for commercial purposes:
- Density is one of the most important criteria for strawberries when it comes to their storage, transportation and sale.If the berries have a fairly dense consistency, they are usually more protected from various rots and are able to maintain an appetizing appearance longer.
- The same appearance and size is a very convenient parameter for selling strawberries.
- Harmonious ripening of berries - this feature helps to obtain a harvest at once in a fairly large volume so that it can be easily sold.
If you like a particular variety, you shouldn’t focus solely on it. It is better to find several varieties with different ripening times. Thus, you can extend the period of strawberry consumption to two months even without using remontant varieties.
Although there are varieties that may well combine both characteristics.
If you do not want to spend all your free time on the strawberry plantation, it is better to choose varieties that are more resistant to various weather disasters and common diseases. With the modern variety of strawberry varieties to choose from, it is not at all necessary to sacrifice either taste or yield.
The best varieties for the Moscow region
Since there are currently incredibly many varieties of strawberries, it will be easiest to consider them in accordance with their ripening time, as well as taking into account other equally important characteristics.
Early varieties of strawberries
As already mentioned, early strawberry varieties for the Moscow region are not an ideal choice, but there are so many interesting options among them that they may be worth the risk. Moreover, putting up shelters for the period of possible night frosts during flowering is not so difficult.But you can enjoy truly sweet and tasty berries already in the first half of June.
Alba
A highly productive variety originally from Italy. The bush is capable of producing 1.2 kg of berries. The berries are medium, weighing 25-30 grams, and do not become smaller by the end of the season. Ripens in early to mid June. The berries are bright red, conical-elongated in shape. You can plant them in containers for earlier fruiting at home, and take them outside in the summer. It is resistant to diseases, is well stored and transported.
Vima Zanta
It is one of the earliest varieties. Child of the crossbreeding Elsanta And Crowns. This strawberry is fairly easy to identify by its curled leaves. The first fruits appear at the end of May. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and especially frost resistance. The berries are quite large, about 40 grams, regular in shape, juicy and sweet. Perfectly stored and transported. Whiskers are formed in large numbers.
Darselect
This relatively recently appeared variety has already become a favorite of many gardeners. The berries are dense and large, reaching up to 70 grams. The bushes are powerful and resistant to both weather conditions and diseases.
Deroyal
When planting this variety, you are guaranteed early strawberries. It is resistant to most diseases and can be grown both in open ground and in greenhouses. The weight of the berries is up to 50 grams, they are dense, juicy and sweet.
Kimberly
A very early variety of Dutch selection. Kimberly is one of the ten best varieties of strawberries that are used in Russia, including for industrial cultivation. Beautiful, smooth, fragrant, large berries, weighing up to 50 grams. The taste is honey-caramel, the sweetness does not depend on weather conditions.Advantages include winter hardiness and resistance to fungal diseases.
Late varieties
Late varieties of strawberries are an excellent choice for the conditions of the Moscow region, since they, as a rule, differ in yield and size of berries, and are also little dependent on weather conditions in the region.
In addition, the ripening of their fruits usually occurs on the warmest and sunny days in the middle zone - in the second half of July - early August, which means that the berries soaked in the sun will delight with their sweetness.
Bohemia
Although the variety is not remontant, there have been cases when it produced berries on new rosettes. Bohemia is a strawberry of domestic origin, characterized by high yield, up to 1.5 kg per bush. The berries are dense, large, up to 50 grams, with shiny skin, and are stored and transported perfectly. The taste characteristics are high, resistant to diseases and pests.
Bogota
Late strawberries, ripening in late July - early August. Judging by the descriptions of those who grew it on their plots, the berry is beautiful, reaches large sizes already at the first harvest and does not become smaller in the future. Feature Bohemians are light-colored leaves, it is because of their tenderness that strawberries are more susceptible to pest invasion than other varieties. The taste is wonderful, sweet and sour with strawberry aroma.
Black Swan
One of the largest-fruited varieties, the weight of berries reaches 70 grams. The berries are very tasty and sweet. According to many gardeners, it is one of the best late varieties. The berries are able to ripen and become sweet even in partial shade. Due to their large size, they are a little loose, you can remove them even when unripe - they are already sweet. Very late - the fruits ripen until mid-August.
Vima Xima
A mid-late strawberry variety that ripens in the second half of July. The berries are tasty and aromatic; thanks to their beautiful shape, they will serve as a good table decoration. Fruit weight is about 45 grams. The berries are suitable for any processing, including freezing. Vima Xima produces few whiskers and is also resistant to powdery mildew.
Large and productive varieties
If you plant the strawberry varieties listed below, you are unlikely to have to complain about the yield. As a rule, the most productive strawberry varieties are also the largest-fruited.
Gigantella
One of the most famous varieties in Russia in recent years, because in addition to its large fruit (berries can reach 110-120 grams), it is resistant to strawberry mite and gray rot. The bushes themselves are very powerful, up to 70 cm in diameter. The berries have a sweet taste and dense pulp, ripen from the end of June and retain the sweetness of the fruit even in rainy summer conditions. Productivity is about 1 kg per bush. Forms numerous tendrils that must be removed to increase yield.
Chamora Turussi
This variety, despite its mysterious origin, is famous for its harvests. From one bush you can get up to 3 kg of sweet giant berries, as in the photo. With proper care and feeding, the weight of the berry can reach 120-130 grams. But unfortunately, Chamora Turussi is very unstable to fungal diseases, and is also quite demanding in terms of care.
Lord
Medium-late ripening strawberries come from England. The bushes are powerful, the yield increases with age and by the second year reaches 2.5-3 kg per bush. The berries have a good taste and a pleasant aroma.
Remontant varieties
Quite a lot of remontant varieties have appeared in recent years, but not all of them are capable of fully bearing fruit in the Moscow region.
Queen Elizabeth 2
This variety of garden strawberries of Russian selection is truly one of the best remontant varieties that can be grown almost throughout the entire territory of Russia. The berries are of good density, juicy and sweet, on average their weight is 40-50 grams, but there are specimens weighing up to 120 grams. They hold their shape when cooked and are great for freezing. Strawberries winter well, but are not drought-resistant enough. The optimal time for planting seedlings of this strawberry is late summer - early autumn. Wintering flower stalks allow you to get a very early harvest of berries. Fruiting lasts until frost. But the bushes spend so much effort on producing fruits that it is recommended to renew them annually with new tendrils so that the berries do not lose in size.
Temptation
This strawberry hybrid has a delicious nutmeg flavor. The berries are quite large, 30-40 grams, ripen from the end of May until the first frost. Due to its long peduncles, it is good to plant in hanging flowerpots, where it will attract attention with cascades of shoots. From one bush you can get about 1.5 kg of berries per season.
Diamond
The variety is characterized by stable yield. The fruit size is average, about 20-30 grams. In terms of the taste of the berries, it is considered to have no equal among remontant varieties. Diamond is resistant to diseases and pests. Actively forms a mustache.
Evie 2
A very young, but already promising variety with juicy, fresh, sweet berries, weighing about 30 g. Productive, up to 2 kg per bush. It is drought resistant.
Interestingly, the description states that it can bear fruit for up to 5 years without changing the size of the berries, which is unprecedented for a remontant variety.
Other interesting varieties
There are many more varieties of strawberries suitable for growing in the conditions of the Moscow region, but which varieties cannot fail to be mentioned are Regiment and Garland.
Shelf
If you want to have the most sweet strawberries, then be sure to try this variety. The berries are sweet even in a semi-ripe state, when grown in partial shade and in all weather conditions. It ripens around the end of June - beginning of July. The berries are large (50-65 g), dense. Among the advantages of Polka are productivity, resistance to gray rot, and frost resistance.
Garland
One of the best representatives of the so-called ampelous strawberries, which is capable of bearing fruit on its own tendrils throughout the warm season. If you plant the Garland in a flowerpot or tall flowerpot, you can get a cascade of strawberry greenery, strewn with flowers and berries at the same time.
In addition to its yield (800-1000 g per bush), Garland is also distinguished by its berries, which are large enough for hanging strawberries, up to 40 grams, and excellent taste.
Conclusion
As you can see, among the many varieties of strawberries for the Moscow region, you can always choose exactly what best suits your requirements.
