Strawberry Festival in Soviet times was the most popular variety in summer cottages. This variety is a real gardener's dream, it is highly productive, adapts to any climate, and is completely unpretentious. We learn the features of planting and growing this legendary strawberry.
Variety of garden strawberry "Festivalnaya"
The first berries of the Festivalnaya variety are quite large; their weight reaches up to 40 grams
During the harvest, the Festivalnaya berries are not damaged, remain dry, clean
Origin of the variety
The variety was bred in 1954 by breeders of the Pavlovsk experimental station of VNIIR. The new variety was obtained as a result of crossing wild strawberries Premiere and Abundant. The name of the variety was awarded in honor of the festival of youth and students, held in 1957.
Strawberry Festival is actually a garden strawberry. In any case, according to its botanical characteristics, it belongs to large-fruited strawberry garden, and as such it is listed in the State Register.
Strawberry Description
Short botanical description:
- Bushes. Vigorous, well leafy, compact. The foliage is plentiful, upright.
- Leaves. Large, dark green, matte. The surface is wrinkled and ribbed.
- Mustache. Reddish color. They grow intensively, give many outlets - up to 30 pieces from a bush.
- Peduncles. On one bush more than 15 pieces. Strong and thick, located at leaf level or lower, bend under the weight of the berries.
- Inflorescences. Contain several large white flowers. On one bush - 40-50 ovaries.
- Fruit. The shape is oval, slightly flattened. On the surface are often longitudinal grooves on both sides. The color of ripe berries is bright red. The surface is shiny, glossy. Easily come off the stalks. The pulp is juicy, moderate density.
The main value of berries in the Festivalnaya variety is in their usefulness. This variety is a leader in the content of vitamin C. Biochemical composition of berries:
- sugar - 5.7-11.5%;
- acid - 1.1-1.8%;
- C-vitamin - 73.5-85%.
Main characteristics
The variety is non-maintenance, the crop is one, but long-lasting. Fruiting, beginning in June, gradually decreasing, lasts until the fall. Table 1 - the main characteristics of the garden strawberry Festival.
Table 1
Specifications | Value / Description |
Ripening time | mid-ripening variety (first fruits - mid-end of June, harvest peak - July) |
Fruiting | one long |
Productivity | 1 kg from the bush |
Berry weight | the largest berries are in the first harvest (their weight is 35-45 g), and then the fruits are ground to 10-25 g |
Life cycle | 3-4 years |
Disease and pest resistance | average (there is resistance to white spotting and gray rot, but is often affected by a strawberry tick) |
Drought tolerance | low |
Frost resistance | up to minus 25 ° С |
Taste | sweet and sour |
Tasting rating | 4.4-4.5 (out of 5 points) |
Appointment | universal |
Transportability | high |
Safety | high |
Landing Basics
The yield and taste of berries depends not only on the variety, but also on the growing conditions - the composition of the soil, its fertility, and the characteristics of the site. We learn how to choose and prepare a place for garden strawberries, and how to plant seedlings correctly.
Suitable conditions and soil
The variety grows well on light and loose soils. Unlike most varieties of strawberry garden, Festivalnaya is able to bear fruit not only in sunny areas, but also in partial shade - for example, under the spreading crowns of garden trees.
The variety is hardy and grows excellently in temperate climates. Regions in which you can grow the variety Festivalnaya:
- Northern;
- Northwestern;
- Central;
- Central Black Earth;
- North Caucasian;
- Middle Volga;
- Lower Volga;
- West Siberian;
- East Siberian.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Optimal characteristics of the plot:
- Soils are loamy and loamy, with a slightly acidic reaction.
- Good sun exposure.
- Protection from the winds.
- Low level of groundwater. To the water should be 2-2.5 m.
- Acidity is neutral.
- The best predecessors are legumes, radishes, beets, carrots, parsley, dill.
- You can not plant after tomatoes, potatoes and raspberries. These plants are also bad neighbors.
- After strawberries on the site, its re-cultivation is possible in 6-7 years.
Site preparation:
- After the predecessors, the site is weeded to a depth of 5-6 cm.
- Dig a site to a depth of 25-30 cm. During digging, select weed roots.
- Fertilize the plot, making 1 square meter. m 5-6 kg of manure or peat, as well as potash fertilizers (20 g) and superphosphate (50 g).
- In spring, the soil is harrowed with a rake, and then weed as weeds appear.
The timing of planting seedlings depends on the availability of planting material. Gardeners can purchase them in nurseries or grow on their own.
Planting garden strawberries is carried out at any time - from spring to late autumn.
The selection of seedlings and its preparation for planting
For planting, only high-quality, sorted seedlings are used. Tips for choosing seedlings:
- seedlings - dense, not sluggish;
- no mechanical damage;
- color is dark green;
- height - 3-5 cm;
- the thickness of the central stem is 4-5 mm;
- well-developed root system, root length - from 7 cm.
Seedlings are planted on a non-hot cloudy day. An hour and a half before the transplant, the seedlings are watered. You can use not just water, but a warm solution of humus. In dug seedlings, the roots are soaked for 1.5-2 hours in a growth promoter, herbal sourdough or garlic solution. Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are recommended to be lowered into the clay mash.
The easiest way to plant seedlings grown by cluster method. Then each bush is simply transshipped with a lump of earth into a prepared hole. It is this method that provides the greatest survival rate.
Landing Methods
Garden strawberries are planted:
- Separate bushes. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 55-60 cm from each other.
- Nests. One bush is planted in the center, and 6 bushes around it.
- Carpet method. Bushes are planted in beds, and the antennae is not cut. With this planting, strawberries do not produce large berries.
But the most popular way to land is in rows. Most often, seedlings are planted in 1 or 2 rows, but some gardeners plant 3, 4 or more rows. Landing methods in rows:
- Single row. The distance between rows is 60 cm. Between adjacent bushes is 20 cm. This method is usually chosen during autumn planting. The first year, the seedlings do not bear fruit, but only produce antennae, filling the space between the rows.
- Double row. This option is more suitable for spring. Leave between the seedlings 15 cm, between the rows 30 cm, between the rows 70 cm.
The recommended planting time for Festivalnaya is early April and early September. This strawberry loves moist soil, and summer planting is not recommended.
Landing process
Before planting the beds, it is recommended to cover with an opaque covering material. Sprinkling it around the edges of the soil, and pressing it with something heavy, make holes for seedlings in it. To control weeds and prevent the evaporation of moisture, you can also use mulch - straw, hay or sawdust.
The procedure for planting strawberry seedlings in open ground:
- Mark the area with twine - to dig holes.
- A nutrient mixture is introduced into the wells - a handful of rotted manure and superphosphate (1 tsp).
- Pour 0.5-1 l of warm water into the well.
- Immerse the root system of the seedling in the center of the hole - the roots should be straightened. Sprinkling the roots with earth, rammed it with your hands.
- Once again watered - 0.5-1 liters of water.
Between the beds of garden strawberries, garlic or onions are often planted, and to scare away insects - caraway seeds, dill, marigolds, a chamomile, and calendula.
Festival Strawberry Care Basics
The Festivalnaya variety has powerful bushes with many berries and mustaches. The berry is demanding on watering, especially during the laying of peduncles. Moreover, in the first year of life, mustaches and peduncles are necessarily removed - so that the plant lays a strong root system.
When and how to water?
The variety is hygrophilous, therefore, it needs regular hydration. Especially carefully observe the irrigation regime immediately after planting seedlings. Young plants are watered every two days. Irrigation rate - 9-10 liters of water per 1 square. m. In the second year, the bushes are watered once a week - 12-15 liters per 1 square. The best time to water is in the early morning.
Strawberries are watered mainly under the root. Especially undesirable hit of water on plants during flowering fruiting. But before flowering, sprinkling can be applied - so that the green mass grows better. It is recommended to organize drip irrigation.
Weeding and mulching aisles
Weeding is carried out as weeds appear. They need to be removed in time, so as not to lose in vain nutrients and moisture. At the same time as weeding, the soil is loosened - the earth, mechanically shredded, loses less moisture and passes more oxygen to the roots. The depth of weeding and loosening is 2-3 cm.
A simple but extremely effective agrotechnical method, mulching the soil, helps to reduce moisture evaporation and weed growth. Mulch - peat, straw or other suitable material is sprinkled on the soil between the rows.
Feeding scheme
Feeding strawberry planting begins in the second season. Top dressing is carried out according to this scheme:
- When the snow melts and the temperature rises to + 2-3 ° С, plants are fed with ammonium nitrate. Fertilizer is simply scattered over the site - 30-35 g per 1 square. m
- After half a month after the first feeding, liquid mullein is introduced. For 13-14 liters of water take 1.5 liters of mullein. Aisle is watered with a solution - 3-4 liters per 1 sq. m
Read more about spring dressing here.
- Before flowering, the bushes are sprayed with iodine solution (for 10 l - 7-8 drops of iodine).
- When the plants bloom, they add a solution of ammophos (20 g per bucket). Irrigation rate - 5-6 liters per 1 square. m
- After the harvest, a solution of chicken droppings is introduced - 3-4 liters per square meter. m
Winter preparations
They begin to prepare for winter immediately after harvesting and until the cold weather. Pre-winter preparation includes the following activities:
- Circumcision of the aerial part of the bushes - remove all the leaves.
- Watered once a week.
- Fertilize - according to the feeding calendar.
- Insulate the beds with peat or straw.
- Lay out the bait for rodents - they can hide in the winter in straw / peat.
Diseases and Pests
Variety Festival is affected by various fungal diseases. A prerequisite for the defeat is increased dampness and shading. Table 2 - the most common diseases and pests of Strawberry Festival, and measures to combat them.
table 2
Disease / pests | Symptoms / harm | Treatment and prevention |
Root rot | Black spots appear on young roots. The roots turn black, and after them the whole bush turns black. |
|
Black rot | Berries are affected - they turn brown, become watery. |
|
Late blight | The roots turn orange, the bushes turn yellow and become covered with brown spots. |
|
Gray rot | A gray fluffy coating appears on the berries. | Similar to the treatment and prevention of late blight |
White and brown spotting | White / brown spots appear on the leaves. | Similar to the treatment and prevention of late blight |
Strawberry weevil | Winters in the soil, under the leaves. They themselves lay eggs in buds. The ovaries fall. Larvae appearing in July eat leaves. |
|
Strawberry leaf beetle | Beetles feed on strawberry leaves. |
|
Maybug Larvae | Damage the roots. | Sprayed with insecticides - Zolon, Actara, Bazudin. |
Harvesting, storage and transportability
Harvesting and storage rules:
- Berries are harvested once every 1-2 days. It is impossible that the fruits are overshot - they will be unsuitable for transportation and storage.
- The collection is arranged only in dry weather. Berries stored in containers must be completely dry.
- Berries with signs of rot or other diseases are laid aside.
- If the berries are intended for storage or transportation, it is better to pick them with a stalk.
- The collected berries are immediately stacked in a container for storage / transportation - once again the fruits should not be shifted. Suitable containers are plastic or wooden crates.
- Store the crop at a temperature not exceeding +4 ° C.
Similar varieties
Today, a modern analogue of the Festivalnaya - Festival Florida variety has been developed. This high-yielding variety is distinguished by large berries, very similar to the fruits of the old Soviet variety. An improved analog was launched at the University of Florida. During the famous Strawberry Festival, Festival Florida variety won first place by comparing all the characteristics.
Festival refers to mid-season varieties. They are the most productive. Among the strawberries, ripening in the middle terms - the Lord, Harvest, Holiday, Mashenka and many others.
Reviews about Strawberry Festivalnaya
Vera A., Dedovsk. I have been growing the variety for the third year. The soil is constantly fed with organic matter, but the berries are still not very large. A good harvest, we collect so many berries from a hundred, that is enough for all the preparations - preserves, fruit drinks, fruit drinks, and this year we are going to freeze in a freezer. The variety is not suitable for sale - now it is full of strawberries, which do not crush and crumple during transportation. Festival, rather, for home use.
Leonid T., Lipetsk. They divorced the Festival several years ago - I wanted to appreciate the famous Soviet variety. Well, the taste is really wonderful, this grade is suitable for home use. But for sale is not good. Berries during transportation crumple, let the juice. Another plus is prolonged fruiting. The first berries appear at the end of June, then they are smaller, but then we are with berries until autumn.
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Garden strawberry Festivalnaya is an old, undeservedly forgotten variety. Her berries will appeal to fans of this strawberry flavor. The variety, giving one crop, is distinguished by a long fruiting, extended for the whole summer. The only problem of the variety is instability before the fungus, but modern fungicides help to effectively cope with it.
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