Description and characteristics of the Holiday strawberry variety, cultivation and care
Strawberries are an early berry widely popular even with novice gardeners. Most of the varieties yield at the end of May, in August you can already forget about them until next summer. For those who want to feast on the berry as long as possible, the Holiday strawberry type has been created. The fruits are large, fragrant, ripen until the beginning of autumn. In order to successfully plant strawberries, learn how to care, it is important to familiarize yourself with all its features, a detailed description of the variety.
Strawberry Holiday: description and characteristics
Holiday variety of sweet-dessert strawberries, resistant to weather conditions, not capricious. Bushes grow to medium size, slightly spreading. The foliage is large, wrinkled, of a light green hue, covered by the edge. Peduncles are low, strong, localized below the level of the leaves. The first berries grow large in size, their tops resemble a comb.
The average weight of strawberries is 32 g. Further waves of the harvest are smaller, the conical shape of the berry ripens. They have a red skin with a glossy sheen. The pulp is pinkish, has a fragrant smell, and the taste is similar to sugar. Average fertility from 1 are equal to 150 kg. Strawberries tolerate transportation, storage well, they can be frozen, processed, consumed fresh.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety implies a number of positive and negative aspects. It is important to familiarize yourself with them before boarding.
| pros | Minuses |
| High fertility - yield from 100 meters about 100-150 kilograms | It is necessary to fertilize with high quality |
| Juicy, sweet strawberry flavor | Taste deteriorates when ripe during dry periods and in the absence of the required watering |
| Resistant to heat, frost, dry weather | Decrease in size of strawberries after the first harvest |
| Resistance to diseases, insects | |
| Easy to transport, does not spoil |
Despite the small number of disadvantages and features, Holiday strawberries are extremely unpretentious in care, becoming a frequent choice of gardeners with different experiences. There is no need to be afraid that the bushes will freeze and will not bear fruit. They grow quickly, survive in frosty winters, which plays into the hands of summer residents.
Growing varieties
The Holiday strawberry variety must be grown in accordance with the rules of agricultural technology. Regular fertilization of bushes, mulching, watering is carried out. Adult plants are able to form large and tall bushes, it is worth maintaining the distance between them at the level of 40-45 centimeters.
When and where to plant
Sowing of seeds is carried out in late March and early April in regions with cold climates. In the south, they sow from the second half of February. Saplings are grown in containers with peat, flower pots or boxes can be used. When 3-4 leaves appear, the plant is planted in open soil. Prepare the site in advance for planting.
The soil should have neutral acidic properties, be fertile, breathable, without moisture accumulation. The landing site should be located on a flat area with an abundance of sun. It is not worth planting on a hill. Future bushes should be protected from the wind.
The choice of planting material
The easiest way to plant strawberries is with seedlings sold in garden stores or in the market. It is advisable to purchase seedlings from trusted sellers and pay attention to a number of nuances.
- Number of sheets. If the purchase falls on the beginning of May, there should be 2-3 young leaves on the seedlings.
- Shade of leaves. It should be light green, the surface is shiny and edged. A pale shade is a sign of wilting of the horns. This disease cannot be cured - the plant will die.
- Deciduous defect. If they are wrinkled, this is a symptom of a tick-borne lesion. Light or dark spots indicate fungal pathologies.
- The seedling should have 1 or more horns. It is important that they are not wrinkled, have a salad tint. You cannot buy seedlings with horns less than 0.7 centimeters thick. The thicker it is, the better it takes root and the stronger it bears fruit.
- Roots. Normally, they are branched, the length is at least 7 centimeters.
- If the shrub is sold in a peat container or tablet, the roots should be visible. To check the bush, it must be carefully lifted and removed.
If you take into account all the recommendations, you will be able to buy suitable seedlings and get a harvest the first time.
Landing technology
2 weeks before planting, you need to dig up the ground, fertilize with compost in the appropriate proportions: 1 bucket per 1 square meter. River sand can be added to lighten clay soil. Limestone is suitable to neutralize acidity. Pull holes for planting at a distance of 40 centimeters. After planting, water, shade with agronomic fiber, until the bushes fully develop roots.
Strawberry care
Caring for strawberries is easy, you need to do it in accordance with the tips below.
- Transplant the bushes to another place every 3-4 years. This will protect the berries from insect damage, rot, wilting.
- It is important to observe proper watering. Proper care guarantees juiciness and sweet taste of strawberries. If there is too much moisture, it will become watery and fresh.
- Fertilize the soil, fight weeds, trim the antennae.
- Protect bushes from pests, birds.
- Mulch strawberries 2 times a year.
After harvesting, continue leaving, pick off the yellowed leaves.
Watering rules
The frequency of irrigation of strawberry bushes depends on the soil composition, weather conditions.
- Clay soil retains moisture longer and should be watered every 2 days.
- In hot weather, irrigate every 4 days.
- Before flowering, water with sprinkling once a week.
- When the peduncles appear, water is supplied under the root once a week.
Also, drip irrigation is done or water is poured from a hose between the rows, but then there is a risk of washing out the roots. If you stop watering abundantly before picking strawberries, the fruits will be sweet and less saturated with water.
Fertilization
Fertilize the soil before flowering and after harvesting. Potassium, phosphorus fertilizers are perfect.
It is periodically recommended to feed the strawberries with organic matter - humus, ash, manure, by digging up soil or by local application to planting holes.
Weeding and loosening
Holiday bushes need to be loosened often, preferably after rain and when a lot of weeds have appeared. During the growing season, 6-8 weeding is carried out.
- The first loosening occurs at the beginning of March, when the soil dries up from snow, in parallel with fertilization. It is necessary to weed the area between the beds and in the rows. Try not to damage the antennae. Weed between rows 10 centimeters deep.
- Before weeding strawberries, scatter 100 grams of ammonium nitrate per 10 beds. This is necessary for the fertilizer to penetrate under the leaves of the bush.
- When the crop is harvested, remove the weeds from the site, remove the fallen leaves, cut the antennae, loosen the soil between the rows 6-8 centimeters deep, in the rows - 4-5 centimeters.
The last weeding is carried out in the fall. To avoid building up strawberries rhizomes, it is necessary to spud the bushes.
Mulching
After watering, mulch strawberries with sawdust, peat or straw. This is done to retain moisture in the soil. The mulch layer should be 3-5 centimeters. The procedure also helps to prevent damage to the plant by parasites, accelerates the maturation process. Mulching is carried out in early spring and late autumn. Remove the mulch at the end of summer.
Plant protection from diseases and pests
Strawberries must be protected from birds, insects and garden slugs. For this, insecticides are used: "Actellik" or "Fufanon", young red pepper. To protect the bushes from birds, they fix the net on the foliage, put stuffed animals, hang shiny and rustling things to scare them away.
Strawberry propagation
Strawberries are widely propagated with antennae. It is advisable to use the first sockets. Then in the first year the bush will bear fruit. Other rosettes for the season will not disfigure many berries, but in the future, they will bear fruit with dignity. Only plants 3-4 years old are suitable for reproduction by division, this method is undesirable, since it entails damage to the strawberries.
Collection and storage rules
You need to pick berries early in the morning, after the night dew disappears. Take them with a stalk, then they are better preserved. Do not put strawberries in a container in several layers, choose wide, small baskets and boxes. To preserve the fruits for a long time, they resort to freezing them. Fresh, they can lie for about 7 days.
