Content
High yield, tasty berries and winter hardiness are the main reasons why gardeners in cold regions choose strawberry varieties. Plant resistance to diseases is important. One of these crops is the garden strawberry variety Carmen, which consistently produces yields of large berries.
Breeding history
By its origin, the Carmen variety is considered a mid-late ripening garden strawberry. The culture was bred by Czechoslovakian breeders. In 2001, strawberries were sent for variety testing, which was carried out by JSC Skreblovo. The culture confirmed its characteristics and was spread throughout the Russian Federation.
Description
The mid-late strawberry variety Carmen is distinguished by its powerful bush structure, the splendor of which is given by wide leaves. Flowering begins in the second decade of June. At the end of the month, the first ovary is already formed. The berry has time to ripen during daylight hours.
The voluminous bushes of the Carmen variety are formed from many thin but very strong stems.The large leaf has large jagged edges. The color of the leaf blade is dark green. The surface is glossy.
Large saucer-shaped flowers are produced on thick, tall stems and are grouped in inflorescences. Peduncles are usually at the level of the foliage. Sometimes they can be located a little lower, but the leaf blades do not greatly shade the berries from the sun, allowing them to ripen.
The largest berries of the Carmen variety are harvested from the first wave of the harvest. The cone-shaped fruits weigh about 40 g. The ripe berry acquires a dark red color. When overripe, the fruits turn burgundy. The skin of the berry is glossy. The achenes are slightly pressed inward. The weight of the fruits of the second and subsequent harvests does not exceed 17 g.
The dense pulp is highly saturated with sweet juice. After eating the fruit, a slight sour taste is felt. The color of the pulp is dark red. The fruits of the Carmen garden strawberry variety can be transported and short-term stored in the refrigerator. The berries are frozen, processed, used to decorate baked goods, and eaten fresh.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The garden strawberry variety turned out to be quite successful. Culture has many positive qualities. The disadvantages are almost invisible against the background of the advantages.
Positive traits | Negative qualities |
Large fruits | Sprawling bushes require a lot of space |
High stable yield | Decrease in berry weight of the second wave of harvest |
The variety does not require special care | Rot damage in rainy summer |
Winter hardiness of bushes |
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Rapid establishment of seedlings |
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Reproduction methods
Garden strawberry Carmen throws out powerful mustaches.All three methods of traditional propagation are suitable for this variety: by mustache, by seeds, by dividing the bush.
Usami
Engraftment of the mustache is done directly in the garden bed where the crop grows. After harvesting, the row spacing is cleared weed, loosen the soil well, straighten the stepsons from each bush. Each rosette on the cutting is slightly buried in the ground, after which it is watered. By autumn, the seedling of the Carmen variety will take root. The mustache is cut with scissors from the mother strawberry bush. A full-fledged seedling is transplanted to a new bed.
Dividing the bush
At the age of 2–4 years, adult bushes of Carmen garden strawberries are propagated by dividing the bush. This is done in the spring before flowering or in the fall after harvesting. The bush is dug out of the bed and divided with a knife or torn into several parts by hand. Each resulting seedling must have a strong rosette with at least three leaves and a developed root system. Plants are planted at the same depth as they grew when they were one bush.
Growing from seeds
To obtain Carmen garden strawberries from seeds, you need to grow seedlings. You can do this in two ways:
- in containers with soil;
- in pressed peat washers.
The main factor in obtaining good seedlings of the Carmen variety is adherence to technology, but first you need to obtain high-quality seeds. It is easier and better to buy them in a specialized nursery. If your favorite Carmen variety is already growing in the garden, the seeds are prepared from the berries. A ripe large fruit without rot on the skin is trimmed with a knife.The peelings with achenes are laid out on a plate and dried for about four days under the sun. Finished grains are sent for storage.
Before sowing, Carmen's own harvested garden strawberry grains are subjected to stratification. The seeds can be scattered on damp cotton wool, covered with plastic and placed in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Many gardeners are accustomed to stratifying strawberry seeds simultaneously with sowing. Snow 2 cm thick is loaded on top into a container with soil or compressed peat tablets and the grains are laid out. The container is placed in the refrigerator. When the snow melts, the strawberry seeds themselves will sink into the soil or peat. The container is exposed to light in a warm place, awaiting germination.
The best time for sowing Carmen garden strawberries is considered to be the end of February - the beginning of April. During this period, daylight hours are still short. Strawberry seedlings are provided with artificial lighting.
The method of growing seedlings in pressed peat tablets is slightly different from the traditional method. The washers are placed in a plastic container and filled with warm water. After swelling, each tablet is squeezed out of excess water by hand, placed in an empty container, and 1-2 strawberry seeds are placed inside a special planting recess.
To grow strawberry seedlings in the soil, use separate containers or common containers. You can roll polyethylene foam into rolls with a layer of earth - snails.
If the Carmen garden strawberry seedlings grew in a common box, with the appearance of three leaves, the plants are planted in separate cups.Sowing should be done less frequently for ease of transplantation. Each plant is lifted with a spatula along with a lump of earth and transplanted into a cup. The method is called transshipment.
Landing
When seedlings of Carmen garden strawberries are purchased or have already grown from seeds, they need to be planted.
How to choose seedlings
Good garden strawberry seedlings have bright green foliage. Plants are selected without stains or mechanical damage. The leaves must be whole and at least three pieces. Preference is given to plants with a horn thickness of 7 mm. When buying bare-rooted strawberry seedlings, look at their splendor and length, which should be at least 7 cm. If the plant is in a cup, the quality is determined by the lump of earth braided with roots.
Site selection and soil preparation
Garden strawberries Carmen likes to grow on flat areas. Slopes or hilly terrain are not suitable for this variety. Choose a site that is sunny, ventilated, but without drafts. When digging the beds, add humus up to 1 bucket per 1 m2. If the soil is heavy, add sand. Areas with sandy and clay soil are doubly fertilized with organic matter.
Garden strawberries Carmen likes soil closer to neutral acidity. It is optimal to achieve indicators from 5.0 to 6.0. In case of increased acidity, dig up the soil in the garden bed with chalk or lime. Increased alkali is eliminated by adding peat or gypsum.
Planting scheme
Bushes of the Carmen variety are vigorous. It is not recommended to plant seedlings densely. It is optimal to maintain a distance of 30 cm between plants.The row spacing is about 45 cm. Dense planting of garden strawberries will lead to the proliferation of slugs, the occurrence of diseases, and the crushing of berries.
The video talks about the rules for planting strawberries:
Care
The garden strawberry variety Carmen has the simplest growing technology. The plant needs regular watering, fertilizing, weeding and don’t forget to fight pests.
Care in spring
With the onset of spring, the beds are cleared of cover, damaged foliage on the bushes is cut off, and the soil is loosened. Strawberries are watered with warm water with 1 g of copper sulfate or manganese dissolved in 10 liters. To accelerate growth, apply nitrogen fertilizer, for example, saltpeter.
Watering and mulching
The plantation with garden strawberries is watered depending on the weather. The soil under the bushes should be slightly moist, but not swampy. With the appearance of buds and during the ovary of the berries, watering is increased more often. To prevent a film from forming on the soil, the bed is loosened. Mulch helps simplify maintenance. Sawdust, peat or straw retain moisture and slow down the growth of weeds.
Fertilizing by month
Strawberry fruits suck all the beneficial substances from the plant. To restore them, fertilizing with organic matter and mineral complexes is required.
Preparing for winter
The Carmen variety is considered winter-hardy, but for the winter the bushes require covering with straw mats, fallen leaves or pine branches.
Diseases and control methods
During an epidemic, even the most resistant strawberry varieties are susceptible to the disease.
What poses a danger to the Carmen variety is described in the table
Pests and ways to combat them
To prevent strawberries from being affected by spider mites, weevils, leaf beetles and other pests, preventive spraying with preparations is carried out. During the ripening of berries, the plantation is protected from birds by a mesh shelter.
The video talks about methods of fighting slugs:
Features of growing in pots
If desired, Carmen garden strawberries can be grown in flower pots. There may only be a problem with pollination. In closed conditions, you will have to move a brush over the flowers.
Conclusion
Garden strawberries Carmen, with good care, will provide a large harvest of berries. Bushes can decorate a yard, especially if they are planted in a high bed.
