Strawberry "Fireworks": variety description and cultivation
Many Russian gardeners are engaged in the cultivation of garden strawberries. This berry has an amazing taste and aroma. The fruits are consumed fresh and used to make juices, preserves, jams and other delicacies. There are many varieties of this fruit crop. To make the right choice, you should familiarize yourself with the features of the species in more detail. In the article we will talk about the Fireworks strawberry.
Description of the variety. Plant
This type of strawberry belongs to mid-season varieties. The shrub is characterized by large sizes and volumes. In shape, an upright plant resembles a ball. The color of the foliage is standard - pronounced, dark green with a glossy sheen. A distinctive feature of the variety is that the middle of each leaf resembles an egg in shape.
Abundant and lush flowering is the norm for the variety. The height of the branches with their flowers is insignificant, but the thickness and power of the peduncle are able to withstand a rich harvest. They do not rise above the level of foliage. Mustaches of green color are formed in a small amount.
Lush and large formed buds are painted white. Strawberry "Fireworks" is bisexual, due to which the process of formation of the ovary is successful.
Berries
The fruits are small in size. The average weight of one strawberry is about 13 grams. In the process of ripening, the berries are painted scarlet, and at the end of the season they become burgundy, cherry.
The pulp is dense. On the cut of a ripe berry, you will not notice white veins and other light blotches. The taste of strawberries is described as sweetish-sour. The percentage of sugar is 7.3%, acid is 1.2%. According to professional tasters, the berry received 4.8 points out of 5 maximum.
Pros and cons of the variety
Highlight the positive qualities of garden strawberries "Fireworks". They need to be known.
- With proper care, shrubs will delight with a rich harvest year after year. Stable fruiting with virtually no reduction in fruit size. Taste is also top notch. From one hectare of planting, you can collect about 160 centners of berries.
- The versatility of berries allows them to be used for making desserts and various dishes. Fragrant juices and compotes are obtained from the fruits. They are also ideal for fresh consumption.
- Berries can be stored in the freezer, they will not lose all useful trace elements and vitamins.
- The variety is resistant to diseases such as gray rot and powdery mildew.
- Berries have excellent transportability. During transportation, they do not lose their marketable appearance, especially if special containers are used.
- The plant is endowed with resistance to frost and dry weather. Even in capricious weather conditions, you can get a bountiful harvest.
Minuses
Both experienced gardeners and beginners who have just met this variety do not notice significant shortcomings of the species. As minuses, the small size of the berries and the presence of a sour taste are noted.
reproduction
Variety "Fireworks" can be propagated with a mustache or by dividing the bushes. Seedlings can be grown using seeds.This method is very time-consuming and complicated, however, in this way you can get healthy seedlings, in the quality characteristics of which there will be no doubt.
By purchasing seedlings on the market, you risk buying a poor quality product. Often purchased shrubs do not correspond to the specified variety, and it is visually very difficult to determine the type of garden strawberry from young bushes.
How to grow seedlings?
seed
Seeds used to grow plants must be properly prepared. Be sure to soak and stratify.
To carry out the soaking procedure, it is recommended to use ordinary paper napkins or cosmetic cotton pads. Water is taken raw and settled. For efficiency, various growth stimulants are added to it. The seeds are laid out on top of the raw material.
When stratifying, the seed is covered with a second disk or newspaper and put in the refrigerator for several days (3-4 days). Sowing can be done at any time of the year. If you want seedlings by spring, start work between January and February.
Soil and containers
To germinate seeds, gardeners use various containers:
- peat cups;
- wooden boxes;
- plastic cups and containers.
You can use other suitable containers that are available at hand.
The containers that were used earlier are poured with boiling water with the addition of boric acid or potassium permanganate. New plastic containers must be washed with warm water using any detergent. At the bottom of each container, you need to make several holes. Small and young shrubs are best not watered at the root, but placed in a container in a pan with water to feed the roots.
Strawberries love fertile and light soil. It is recommended to buy a complex mixture in a garden store or make it yourself.
Sowing
When germinating, the seeds are not sprinkled with soil. Sowing material is carefully laid out on the surface of moistened soil. After the seeds have been loaded, the container is covered with a dense transparent film or glass.
The containers are placed in a warm room with a maximum temperature of up to 25 degrees Celsius. It is necessary to take care of a sufficient amount of light. With its lack, use artificial sources. If the seeds have successfully passed the stratification, the first shoots will appear in about 2-3 weeks.
Care
As soon as you notice the sprouts, open the shelter above the container a little to let in fresh air, but it is too early to completely remove it.
The minimum daylight hours should be 10-12 hours per day. It is better to use phytolamps as additional light sources. The optimum temperature conditions are about 20 degrees Celsius above zero.
Watering is carried out only if the topsoil is dry. Moisten the soil as carefully as possible using a spray bottle. Sprinkle the soil with a meager dose of clean water. Excessive moisture can cause root diseases.
Irrigation Features
The procedure for watering seedlings of the Fireworks variety is carried out in different ways, it all depends on the stages of development of the shrub.
- First, irrigate the soil from the spray gun after sowing the grains.
- As soon as shoots have formed, watering is carried out every 7 days.
- The frequency of watering increases to once every 3-4 days after the appearance of the first true leaves on the seedlings. Make sure that the moisture reaches the bottom, for this, put the container in water.
Boiled water won't help.Melt water or rain water is ideal, however, it can only be obtained during the rainy season.
Landing in the ground
As soon as warm weather has settled on the street, without the risk of the return of night cooling and frost, it is time to plant seedlings in open ground.
It is recommended to harden off the plants before planting in the soil. Before transplanting into open ground, they are taken out into the street, gradually extending the time spent in the fresh air. This will help the plants adapt to the new conditions. Do not leave boxes with seedlings in direct sunlight, it is better to put the container in the shade!
After the shrubs have been transplanted to the site, it is necessary to care for the plants and monitor their condition every day.
The main rules of care:
- before planting, the land is fed by applying complex fertilizers;
- watering shrubs;
- remove weeds between strawberry seedlings;
- loosen the soil, saturating it with oxygen necessary for the development of the root system;
- carry out mulching, which helps maintain the required level of moisture, protects the roots and plant from insects and diseases, and also protects ripe berries from contact with the ground;
- remove tendrils from shrubs whose main task is to create a bountiful harvest.
The process of their formation takes a lot of energy from the plant. Mustaches are left only on mother plants specially designed for propagation of culture on a plantation.
Reviews of gardeners
Summer residents of Russia and neighboring countries willingly share their opinions regarding the Fireworks strawberry variety. The opinion of most gardeners agrees. Strawberry "Fireworks" is in demand. Housewives noted the versatility of the use of fruits, gardeners unpretentiousness in care, resistance to transportation and diseases.
There are also negative reviews.Some were dissatisfied with the size of the berries. Fans of very sweet berries may prefer other varieties of strawberries.
For information on how to grow strawberries "Fireworks", see the following video.