Content
Strawberry Black Swan is a large-fruited variety of Dutch selection. Forms tall bushes with elongated leaves. The dark cherry-colored berries have a good presentation and are therefore in demand among buyers.
History of selection
Strawberries Black Swan (Black Swan) are classified as varieties of Dutch selection. The culture has good frost resistance, so it can be cultivated in all regions with a temperate climate.
Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Black Swan
The Black Swan strawberry has slightly corrugated leaves. Their surface is bright green and glossy. Medium sized leaf blades. The shoots are tall, strong, and can withstand a large number of large ovaries. The height of the bushes does not exceed 50–60 cm.
Appearance and taste of berries
The name Black Swan indicates that the berries are very dark. The dark cherry color resembles black from afar.This makes the strawberries seem overripe.
The average weight of berries for the Black Swan variety is 30–50 g, the first ovaries can be much larger
Under favorable growing conditions, the weight of strawberries reaches 70–100 g. When compared with the closely related variety Black Prince, the berries of Black Swan are slightly smaller.
The taste of the berries is reminiscent of a strawberry-cherry cocktail. According to consumer ratings, it received a well-deserved five points. The pulp is dark, quite dense, extremely juicy.
The berries have a round-conical shape. The surface is glossy, dark in ripe specimens. The aroma contains mixed notes of strawberries and wild strawberries. The smell is pleasant and persistent.
Flowering period, ripening period and yield
Black Swan is classified as a late-bearing variety. The first flowers on the crop appear no earlier than May. Fruiting is extended, begins in mid-June and continues until the end of summer. In regions with a favorable climate, berries are harvested until September.
The productivity is quite high. With proper planting and timely application of fertilizers, you can collect about two kilograms from each specimen. This indicator is considered good for strawberries.
Frost resistance
The Black Swan variety is quite frost-resistant. The characteristics indicate that it is able to survive winters with frosts down to minus 20 °C. In regions with cold winters, it needs mulching and shelter. Possible to grow in greenhouse conditions.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The Black Swan variety is resistant to the main strawberry diseases: late blight, rot (gray, white), anthracnose, fusarium. The culture is weakly resistant to black and root rot, powdery mildew. Black swan is moderately resistant to verticillium.Under unfavorable conditions and in the absence of preventive treatments, it can suffer from diseases and pests.
Among the insects that pose a danger to the Black Swan strawberry are: strawberry mites, aphids, weevils, whiteflies, and bronze flies. The variety is highly resistant to nematodes.
Pros and cons of the variety
Before purchasing a crop for planting, you need to familiarize yourself with its advantages and disadvantages.
Due to the low appearance of whiskers, Black Swan strawberries are difficult to propagate at home.
This variety has both positive and negative qualities (presented in the table).
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Dense berries with elastic pulp | Late fruiting period (for some gardeners this is a positive quality) |
| Pleasant taste | Tolerant to prolonged drought |
| Unusual appearance | Small mustache formation (may become an obstacle when trying to propagate the variety at home) |
| High yield | |
| Resistance to return frosts | |
| Frost resistance down to -20°C | |
| Good transportability and keeping quality | |
| Increased resistance to major diseases and crop pests | |
| Unpretentiousness | |
| Versatility. Berries are used fresh or frozen. Strawberries are used to make jam, marmalade, marmalade, jelly, compote |
As a result of comparing the pros and cons, we can conclude that the Black Swan strawberry variety is very promising for cultivation in regions of Russia with a temperate climate.
When grown for commercial purposes, the variety may not be very profitable, because...Only very early berries have a high price. During high season the cost will be average.
Features of cultivation
To plant Black Swan strawberries, gardeners recommend choosing late autumn. If the climate is favorable for growing the variety, then some of the seedlings can be planted in the spring.
The soil for the crop should be loose and non-clayey. When growing Black Swan strawberries, high soil permeability is required.
Experts recommend chernozem, gray soil or light loam for planting. If the soil on the site is heavy and clayey, then sand and peat are added to it during preparatory measures. Additionally, fertilizers are buried.
Another requirement is good illumination of the bed. The more sunlight, the higher the yield. The absence of ultraviolet radiation also affects the taste of the berries. During the rainy season, they become watery, sour, and take a long time to ripen.
Black Swan strawberries are recommended to be grown in areas protected from drafts and wind. If you do not provide shelter from air masses, then in winter some of the bushes may suffer. After all, the wind blows away not only the snow cover, but also the mulching materials.
Site preparation
Algorithm for carrying out preparatory work:
- A few weeks before the planned planting date, you need to dig up the soil.
- During the loosening process, fertilizers are added to the soil. You can use rotted manure, bird droppings, and herbal infusions. When planting in spring, nitrogen compounds are used.
- Be sure to control soil acidity. The culture requires soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. To reduce acidity, dolomite flour is added to the soil. Manure, compost, and peat are added to alkaline soil. You can increase acidity using sulfates and nitrogen fertilizers. Ammonium sulfate or ordinary sulfur is often used.
The correctness of planting determines whether the bushes will take root and how quickly they will grow.
General planting recommendations
Make a ridge 30 cm wide. The distance between adjacent rows should be at least 60–70 cm. A gap of 30–40 cm is maintained between bushes. You can plant in holes, they should be shallow. The earth is watered.
The roots of each strawberry bush are straightened before planting.
The seedlings are lowered into the hole. Cover with soil without covering the apical bud of the plant. It should be at ground level. When buried, strawberries can rot, and when raised too high, they can freeze in cold weather.
The soil around the plant is gently pressed down with your hands. Water the soil around the seedlings, preventing moisture from getting on the foliage.
Planting holes or furrows are mulched with available materials. For these purposes, peat, straw, shavings, and mown grass are used. Less weeds grow under cover.
Mulch protects the soil from drying out and reduces the number of waterings
Watering
Young specimens of Black Swan strawberries need regular moisture. For 1 m² of area you will need 10 liters of settled warm water.If the weather is warm and there is no scorching sun, then it is enough to moisten the plants once a week. In hot weather, the amount of watering is increased to 3-4 times. In autumn, the bushes are moistened once every four days.
Water in the morning (before sunrise) or late in the evening.
Sprinkling is used before flowers and fruits appear.
After the formation of ovaries on strawberries, use only drip watering.
Excessive moisture of tops and flowers can lead to the development of fungal diseases.
Fertilizing
Without adding nutrients, it is difficult to grow Black Swan strawberries and get a decent harvest. Potassium and nitrogen are needed to form tops. They are introduced in the spring. Phosphorus affects fruit ripening and is used in the summer.
Preparing for winter
The characteristics of the Black Swan strawberry indicate that the crop normally tolerates frosts down to minus 20°C. But due to the lack of snow cover or significant temperature fluctuations, the plant may suffer. Therefore, in late autumn, beds with strawberries must be mulched. The thickness of the layer depends on the climate in the region. The colder it is, the thicker it should be.
Treatment against diseases and pests
Chemicals and folk remedies are used to protect strawberries from diseases.
Effective in the fight against fusarium, rot and anthracnose: Fundazol and Bordeaux mixture. For late blight, Nitrafen and Oxychom are used. For powdery mildew - a solution of iodine (1 mg per 1 bucket of liquid) or soda ash (50 g per 10 l).
If root rot is detected, strawberries are recommended to be dug up and burned. Treat the area with potassium permanganate and Bordeaux mixture. Plant the strawberries in another bed.
Fufanon, Kemifos, Actellik, Calypso, Karate are used for pests.
Conclusion
Strawberry Black Swan is a variety with unusual dark-colored berries. The crop is used for cultivation in regions with temperate climates. The Black Swan variety is suitable for cultivation for personal use and for commercial use. The berries are distinguished by keeping quality and good transportability.
Reviews of strawberries Black Swan
