Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Fireworks, cultivation and care
Strawberry Fireworks is in great demand among gardening lovers, this is due to the relative unpretentiousness to growing conditions and excellent consumer qualities. Its fruits are distinguished by their pleasant taste and pronounced aroma. To achieve a rich harvest, you need to know the basic rules of agricultural technology and the peculiarities of growing this variety of strawberries (it is often called garden strawberries).
Strawberry variety Fireworks: description, characteristics
This type of strawberry was obtained by the Michurin All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Fruit Plants. The parental pair are Zenga Zengana and Red Cote varieties. Strawberry variety Fireworks belongs to the category of mid-season and high-yielding crops.
The bushes are characterized as vigorous, erect, medium foliage. Outwardly, the plant looks like a ball. The color of the leaf mass is dark green, there is a glossy sheen. A distinctive feature of this variety is the ovoid shape of the middle blade of the leaf plate.
Strawberry Fireworks stands out for its abundant and lush bloom. Thanks to strong peduncles, the plant can give a rich harvest. The assimilative ability of garden strawberries is high; green whiskers are of medium length. The color of the formed buds is white, the flowers are not twisted, bisexual.
Berries grow on average 13 g, their shape is predominantly truncated-conical, with a short neck. As they ripen, the fruits change their color from scarlet to burgundy. The structure of the flesh is dense, the color is dark red. There are white streaks on the cut of strawberries, other light blotches are absent.
Strawberry Fireworks, under favorable conditions, can produce up to 1 kilogram per bush. Productivity indicators are 155-184 centners per hectare.
Juicy berries have a sweet and sour taste. The sugar content is 7.3%, and the acidity is 1.2%. Out of 5 maximum strawberries, the tasting score is 4.8.
Pros and cons
Among the positive characteristics of the variety, experienced gardeners note:
- the ability to consistently yield;
- high rates of productivity;
- friendly ripening of strawberries;
- universal purpose of fruits;
- high commercial and consumer qualities;
- not afraid of long distance transportation;
- sufficient resistance to dry weather and low temperatures;
- increased immunity to the main diseases of strawberries (gray mold, powdery mildew) and parasitic individuals.
But, despite the whole list of advantages, strawberry Fireworks has its own disadvantages, including:
- the need to regularly remove the mustache;
- small size of berries.
How to plant strawberries correctly
In order for the plants to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations when planting.
Disembarkation time and place
The optimal timing for planting is early spring, when warm weather sets in and the threat of return frosts has passed, as well as August-September. It is better to choose cloudy days for identifying strawberry seedlings for a permanent place. It is more effective to mark the beds in areas that are well-lit and protected from through winds. The soil at the planting site should not have high humidity, otherwise there is a high probability of the development of putrefactive processes on the root system of plants.
Strawberries take root well on fertile soils, with the exception of peat. You can increase the level of soil nutrition by introducing humus or wood ash during deep digging. An insufficient amount of useful components in the earth has a detrimental effect on the plants themselves, and on the future harvest, it turns out to be small and sour.
It is more expedient to form beds for planting strawberry seedlings with a width of up to 1 meter, the height of the sides determines the level of occurrence of groundwater and the characteristics of the soil.
Preparation of planting material
In order to avoid problems in the future, you need to purchase strawberry seedlings only in proven nurseries. She must be strong, healthy, without signs of disease. Stocky annual plants should have a rosette with 3-5 leaves, a strong apical bud, a horn diameter of 1.5 centimeters. The length of the root system of the seedling is from 5 centimeters.
In order to prevent the appearance of root rot or spotting on the leaf plates of strawberries, it is recommended to pre-disinfect the planting material. For these purposes, it is effective to use a potassium permanganate solution prepared at the rate of 1 g of the product per 10 liters of water. Seedlings are washed in it. You can also soak strawberries in a solution of 2 tablespoons of table salt, 1 teaspoon of copper sulphate and 5 liters of water (procedure time 5 minutes), and then rinse.
Planting process
The algorithm of actions regarding planting strawberry seedlings in open ground provides:
- Formation of planting nests with a scoop in accordance with the size of the plant root system.
- Moistening the wells at the rate of 0.5 liters of water each.
- Placing a bush in the hole.
- Sprinkle the roots with soil, leaving the heart at the soil level.
- Compaction of the earth and watering.
- Shading with agrofibre if necessary.
The correct planting of strawberries is the key to a bountiful harvest.
The nuances of caring for the variety
Among the main activities for the care of planted plants, there are: regular removal of weeds, irrigation, feeding, and preventive procedures.
Watering and fertilizing
In the spring, soil moistening is carried out starting from the last days of April at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1 square meter. In hot weather, strawberry bushes are irrigated 3-4 times a week, and in the fall, once a week is enough. It is better to choose the time for watering in the morning, while water should not be allowed to get on the leaves.
It is not worth adding nutrients in the first year after planting. They begin to carry out feeding procedures only from the second year, using either organic fertilizers or ready-made mineral complexes. In early spring, nitrogen-containing mixtures are used, in September - phosphorus-potassium. Before flowering and after harvesting, it is effective to add humus, wood ash or manure solution.
Weeding, loosening, mulching
To prevent weeds from taking food from strawberries, you need to remove them regularly. Loosening the soil eliminates oxygen starvation of the roots. The presence of mulch under the bushes allows you to retain moisture in the soil.
Pest control methods
It is possible to preserve plantings and prevent the invasion of parasitic individuals by destroying weeds during the growing season of strawberries, removing plant residues from the site. And also through deep digging of the soil, compliance with crop rotation. A properly organized irrigation system significantly reduces the likelihood of pests on strawberries.
Disease protection
As a preventive measure against fungal diseases, copper-containing preparations are used when 3-4 leaves grow. Effective use of Kuproksat, Champion, Kosayda. It is possible to protect against gray rot by planting by means of Switch, Horus, Teldor.
Strawberry propagation
It is possible to breed garden strawberries Fireworks, according to the description, by the seed method, and by dividing the bush, and by the mustache. The first method of reproduction is quite laborious, it provides for the preparation of seeds, laying them in the ground, care, picking the sprouts into separate containers. If it is supposed to breed a culture through a mustache, then specimens of the first order are chosen, their roots are sprinkled with soil and watered regularly. Separate them from the mother bush after rooting.
Divide the strawberry bush in spring or autumn, its age must be at least three years. On each section, you need to leave one horn, from three leaves and healthy roots. The resulting sockets are planted in early August.
Collection and storage of garden strawberries Fireworks
It is better to harvest the crop 2 days before it is fully ripe, folding it into a plastic container or any suitable container with holes for ventilation. Strawberries are stored in containers, laid in one layer. Before laying, the products are cooled to 0- +2 degrees. The shelf life of the harvested crop at a temperature of +20 degrees is only a day.
The Fireworks variety is in great demand among gardeners, it has mostly positive reviews. When growing, basic agricultural practices should be followed and high-quality planting material should be purchased.
