Description and characteristics of the Eliane strawberry variety, cultivation and care
In 1998, a new strawberry variety, Eliane, was introduced in Holland. She almost immediately won the love of gardeners, then widespread throughout Russia brought her immense popularity. Strawberries are very valuable for their taste and useful properties. The Eliane variety is rich in ascorbic acid, which helps to strengthen the immune system, in addition, it has a wide list of other minerals. Another feature of the variety is long-term fruiting. The crop can be harvested throughout the entire growth period of the strawberry. What else is this berry valuable for?
Description and characteristics of Eliane strawberries
The Eliane early-maturing strawberry variety was bred for private cultivation, in some European countries it is cultivated for industrial purposes. Designed for cultivation in areas with a continental climate.
Quite a powerful strawberry bush with miniature white flowers that rise a few centimeters above the bush. The variety is self-pollinated, belongs to the early. The first strawberries begin to ripen at the end of May, and fruiting continues until the end of July. With due observance of the conditions of agricultural technology per season, you can get up to 2 kg of ripe berries from one bush.
Strawberries are bright red with dense pulp. The shape is regular, conical, without irregularities. Fruit weight reaches 90 g. Ripeness is determined by the presence of a whitish tip. It has yellowish seeds that are slightly pressed into the juicy surface of the berry.
The taste is excellent. Strawberries taste more sweet than sour, but sourness is still present.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
All opinions about the Eliane strawberry variety can be divided into positive and negative. Even if this strawberry suits some gardeners, there are those who will be against this variety. The split of opinions depends more on the place and climate of cultivation.
Positive traits:
- Due to the high density of the berries, Eliane strawberries do well during export and then on store shelves.
- The variety is resistant to various fungal diseases and pests.
- Does not have any special requirements for the soil composition.
- In one place, the bushes can grow up to 10 years.
- Differs in amicable ripening.
- Excellent winter hardiness with proper cover.
- Self-pollination of strawberries facilitates cultivation in a greenhouse or on a windowsill where there are no bees.
In addition to the positive aspects, there are also negative ones that were identified in the process of cultivating the culture:
- cannot stand the heat;
- not suitable for large-scale cultivation;
- not drought tolerant;
- with poor shelter for the winter, plants die;
- excess moisture spoils the taste;
- berries not hidden under the foliage are spoiled by the scorching sun.
Such features of strawberry cultivation are observed only in regions where the variety is not adapted to the climate. These are the districts of the Moscow region, the Samara region, northern latitudes with rather low winter temperatures.
The nuances of planting strawberries
The technology of planting and caring for the Eliane hybrid is similar to the general rules for growing garden strawberries, but there are still some discrepancies.
Boarding time
The optimal time for planting strawberries is from April to May. By this time, severe frosts have already passed, the sunny day will become longer. The earth has not yet had time to dry out from melt water.
Eliane strawberries are also planted in autumn, from mid-August to mid-September. There will be enough time for the young seedlings to get stronger and gain strength before the onset of the first cold weather.
Seedling selection
The future yield depends on the quality of the strawberry planting material, so this stage of agricultural technology should be taken seriously.
What you should pay attention to when choosing seedlings:
- Buy young strawberries from July to September. It is better to do this in July, since by planting young seedlings, the gardener will receive a harvest the next year. July seedlings will get stronger, its root system will take root completely. Even before the first frost, a flower bud will have time to appear.
- Autumn seedlings of strawberries will take root less favorably, and the next season may give a small harvest or no harvest at all.
- When planting in spring, seedlings can be purchased both with a closed root system (in containers) and with an open one. In autumn, it is better to choose strawberries in pots, with a fully formed root system. It will be enough to dig it into the ground.
- It is important to make sure that there are no spots, various points on the leaves of Eliana's young strawberries, from which the disease can subsequently develop. The foliage should be bright green with dry edges. Excessive pallor and wrinkled leaves indicate the presence of an earth mite.
- The central, unopened kidney should be thick and dense. On close examination, hairs or pubescence are visible on it.
- The roots are also examined for integrity and the absence of rot. The roots should not be dry.
If the gardener decides to buy the strawberries of the Eliane variety, then decide with the seller. It is necessary to choose those gardeners who have been growing this strawberry variety for many years. They will definitely sell high-quality seedlings.
Site selection
It is important here to be guided by the botanical features of the plant. The land on the site should be moderately light and loose, it is good to let moisture through, and be away from the occurrence of groundwater. Stagnant water can negatively affect the quality of the crop.
Important! The beds should be located in places covered with snow, away from direct sunlight, but the plant does not like shade either.
The best option would be a place on a slope where there is strong light in the first half of the day and weak in the second. It is undesirable to place in the shade of tall trees, as well as near potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants.
Planting strawberries in the ground
Before planting strawberries, the soil in the beds is dug up and fertilized. Fertilizer is applied in an amount of 5-6 kg per 1 m2 organics and 30 mg of mineral compounds. Also, the soil is treated from powdery mildew with Bordeaux liquid.
They wait 1-2 days until the loosened and fertilized soil settles, then the beds are marked.Seedling planting scheme: between rows from 40 to 60 cm, between adjacent bushes up to 20 cm. To prevent the plantation from overgrowing, the mustache is cut three times per season.
Holes are made in the garden, in each of which a small mound is poured. The root is carefully laid out on this mound and sprinkled with earth. It is very important that the central kidney is not covered with soil and is too open. Otherwise, it will wither or decay.
After planting seedlings, the beds are sprinkled with a layer of humus or mulch so that the earth does not crack. Water abundantly.
How to care
Further care for strawberries consists in the timely implementation of all actions necessary for favorable growth.
Soil loosening
This is a common job for everyone. Due to loosening, the top layer of the soil becomes airy, air is provided to the roots, moisture does not stay on the surface and does not stagnate inside. Loosening allows you to remove weeds that are in the ground.
Important! The procedure should be performed until the whiskers appear and during their appearance. The mustache is trimmed, and the soil under them is loosened so that the roots of the mustache do not catch on the ground.
Watering and mulching
Watering is carried out depending on weather conditions. If the clod is dry, small beds are watered from a watering can to wash off the dust on top of the leaves.
During flowering, you should avoid getting water on the flowers so as not to wash off the pollen, so you need to moisturize at the root. In summer, when it is hot, Eliane's strawberries are watered 1-2 times a week. When the ovary appears, the irrigation is reduced.
Mulching is a beneficial procedure for the Eliane variety, it allows you to reduce the development of weeds and retain moisture in the soil. For any variety of strawberries, chopped straw or sawdust may be the best mulch material. A thin layer of mulch is poured over the soil around the bushes. In autumn, this layer is dug up with the ground, in which case it acts as a fertilizer.
Today, many gardeners cover their beds with a black film that acts as mulch. Film or agrofibre are sold in specialized stores of materials for summer cottages and gardens.
Top dressing
Another important procedure on which the yield of the Eliane berry depends:
- The first feeding is applied during the formation of plants, that is, after planting the seedlings.
- The second feeding is done during the ovary period.
Complexes of minerals are used as fertilizers. How and in what amount minerals are added is usually indicated in the instructions, the rules of which are mandatory. So mineral fertilizers at 10 m2 goes up to 25 kg.
Depending on the condition of the soil, it is necessary to introduce organic substances, which can be humus or peat. The variety is very responsive to organic fertilizers, therefore, twice a season, bushes are sprinkled with humus, then the soil is loosened. This is done in the fall and spring.
Preparing for winter
With the onset of low temperatures, you should abandon the weeding of strawberry beds so as not to damage the root system. Otherwise, the plant will simply freeze. Better to leave them until spring.
Preparing for winter is to cover the strawberry beds. Suitable as a covering material:
- soft branches of shrubs;
- straw;
- tops of grass or flowers;
- any leaves;
- raspberry trimmings;
- covering material or agrofiber.
The strawberries are pre-covered with agrofibre, and mulch is laid on top with a thick layer. Before covering Eliana, the main thing is not to forget to spread any rodent control agent on the soil. Shelter is performed in November, with the onset of severe frosts.
Pruning antennae
Antennae are lateral strawberry suckers, on which young seedlings are formed for subsequent reproduction.They are removed as needed, if the mustache thickens the strawberry plantings, and during fruiting so that they do not draw nutrients from the mother bush.
Pruning is carried out with sharp scissors, a knife or pruning shears. In the early morning, the shoot is cut from a long stem, leaving a base of about 4 cm. After fruiting, the greens of the bushes are cut at the root, all whiskers are removed with them.
Important! Do not cut off the mustache during rain or cloudy weather.
Breeding varieties
A hybrid propagates with a mustache - this is the easiest way. During the growing season, choose the healthiest and largest strawberry bush from which the shoots will not be cut off. During the summer, up to three daughter bushes are formed on one antenna. They are buried in earth and watered. In the fall, the mustache is cut, and new seedlings are planted in a permanent place.
Another method is by seeds, but it is very laborious. With any method of propagation, all characteristics of the variety are preserved.
Pest and parasite control
Resistance to pests and diseases is one of the advantages of the Eliane strawberry variety. But still they can be:
- Gray rot affects bushes and berries. Affected plants are culled or treated with a fungicide solution.
- Late blight - gray spots on foliage and rot on berries. Bordeaux liquid will cope with the disease.
- Powdery mildew is the most common disease of all strawberry varieties. A solution of copper sulfate will help.
Of the pests, earth mites and ants attack strawberries. Parasites can be destroyed by folk methods. For example, a decoction of onion peels or garlic against mites. From the purchased funds will help "Fufanon", copper sulfate, "Aktellik".
Collection and storage
The harvested crop is easy to store. Stocks for the winter are prepared from strawberries:
- preserves and jams;
- compotes and juices;
- candied fruits and dried fruits.
In addition to heat treatment, strawberries are frozen. In this form, the product is stored for a very long time.
According to gardeners, the Eliane strawberry variety is distinguished by high winter hardiness with good shelter, unpretentious cultivation, and high resistance to painful microbes. In addition, the value of the culture lies in its high yield and long-term fruiting, which is why it is actively cultivated in private garden plots and agricultural land.
