All about strawberries

The beginning and middle of summer delight not only with stable hot days and the beginning of the holiday season, but also with the ripening of strawberries in our area. She falls in love with herself at first sight, beckons with a bright shade and heady aroma. And the rich sweet strawberry taste will leave few indifferent.

Fans of interesting scientific guesses like to ask their friends and family questions like whether a tomato or watermelon is a berry, fruit or vegetable. Similar mysteries exist regarding strawberries, what is it - a fruit or a berry? However, a fair answer is truly unusual.

From a botanical point of view, a strawberry is a nut, or rather, a polynut, since what everyone is used to calling berries are false berries. The real fruits of the bushes are small seeds that look like dry nuts.

In botany, there is only the concept of "fruit", which, by its characteristics, can refer to berries or nuts. Since false berries cannot be considered fruits, the plant has seeds on the outside. Those plants whose seeds are located outside are called nuts.

The concept of "fruit" is more philistine. It is customary to call a fruit a rather large juicy fruit. If its size decreases, there is one or many bones inside.However, based on the last criterion (seeds inside), strawberries cannot be called either a berry or a fruit, since its seeds are on the surface (outside) of a false berry.

Summarizing what has been said, we can say that strawberry is a complex nut, the fruits of which are dry achenes that develop on the receptacle. What is usually eaten is properly called a false berry. However, this is true for botany, in everyday life the combination of “strawberries” is still more familiar, which we in the majority will use in the article.

The name strawberry indicates the spherical shape of the fruit, since the club from the old Russian - "ball".

Often there is confusion between strawberries and garden strawberries, the second is considered a type of strawberry, but smaller in size. However, this is incorrect and it is more correct to call strawberries garden strawberries. The plant belongs to the Pink family, and from Latin this name is translated as "fragrant".

Berries ripen on compact low bushes. During the flowering period, fragrant flowers of pink and white are formed on them. Later, conical berries with yellow seeds on the surface appear from the receptacle.

Each berry has a stalk, and is attached to the bush with a thin but strong "stalk". The average weight of one berry is 22-25 g. However, this criterion is more dependent on the characteristics of the plant variety, so the weight of hybrid analogues can reach 40-50 g.

Traditionally, the berries have a rich red, scarlet hue. In addition, today there are varieties of plants on which white and even light green fruits ripen. However, it is the berries of traditional red shades that bring the greatest benefit to the body. The darker and richer the color of strawberries, the higher the content of useful elements in it.

In the wild, the berry is found almost everywhere in Eurasia, America, it was also known to our Slavic ancestors.

Garden strawberries do not exist in the wild. Its cultivation began at the beginning of the 18th century in Holland, from where the berry came to Europe. The garden strawberry, or strawberry, owes its appearance to the Chilean strawberry and the virgin berry from Virginia, America. Being accidentally planted side by side in the French royal garden, they pollinated, and as a result of such cross-pollination, a new hybrid was born. The latter became the "ancestor" of the varieties of strawberries that exist today.

Today, the berry is grown almost throughout the globe (except for the Far North, Antarctica, deserts). The largest importers are Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Israel. In industrial volumes, it is grown in the south of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in China and America.

The beneficial properties of strawberries, as well as the possible harm from its use, are due to the peculiarities of the chemical composition. Berries are rich in ascorbic acid, in this they even “overtake” citrus fruits. It is enough to eat only 100 g of the product (and this is 4-6 large berries) to cover 2/3 of the required daily dose of the body in "ascorbic acid".

It should be noted the presence of B vitamins, vitamins A, E, PP, K. The composition includes phosphorus, iron, manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium. The sour taste is due to the content of organic acids; there are also dietary fibers with pectin in the berry. The saturation of the color of the berries is the merit of anthocyanins in the composition. And the juiciness of the fruit is due to the high content of structured water.

Fresh strawberries are classified as dietary products, since 100 grams contain only 42 kcal.

Such a rich vitamin and mineral composition makes berries useful for strengthening immunity, which helps to increase the body's resistance to viruses and negative environmental manifestations. The plant has an immunostimulating, anti-cold effect.

Due to the content of potassium and magnesium in berries, they strengthen the heart. Vitamins E, C and PP improve the condition of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity. Iron provides a sufficient level of oxygen in the blood, which is then carried to organs and tissues. All this allows us to talk about the healing and strengthening properties of strawberries for the cardiovascular system.

They also help to reduce the concentration of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, normalize blood pressure. Vitamin K in the composition prevents a decrease in blood viscosity, helps to regulate its coagulability. And cobalt, iron, molybdenum and vitamin B 12 are involved in the processes of hematopoiesis.

Fluoride and calcium help strengthen bones and tooth enamel. It is important that calcium is combined in fruits with vitamin C, which is famous for improving the absorption of calcium. That is why the combination of milk and strawberries is so beneficial.

Due to the presence of vitamin E and anthocyanin, strawberries acquire a pronounced antioxidant effect. It is able to bind free radicals, demonstrates the ability to slow down the aging process of cells, and has an antitumor effect.

The combination of vitamins E and A is necessary for the production of female sex hormones, a high content of vitamin B 9, or folic acid.The latter is especially important during pregnancy, since it is involved in the formation of the nervous system of the fetus, the laying of its internal organs, including the spinal cord and brain.

In addition to anthocyanin, which provides a rich shade of berries, they contain carotenes. The latter have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, protect the organs of vision, and allow maintaining visual acuity.

Vitamins of group B are also necessary for maintaining youthfulness and attractiveness of the skin. However, this is not their only merit, because vitamins of this group are involved in metabolism, the process of hematopoiesis, strengthen the nervous system, improving the conductivity of nerve impulses.

The composition of the berries contains a large amount of organic acids, including salicylic. When used externally, it demonstrates an antiseptic effect, when taken orally, it has antipyretic properties.

Organic acids contribute to a more correct and high-quality digestion of food. The fiber found in berries also serves the same purpose. It improves intestinal motility, together with pectin, allows you to remove toxins, toxins and mucus from the intestines. Finally, the garden berry will help get rid of constipation.

Possessing antiseptic and antibacterial properties, as well as helping to strengthen local immunity, the berry is used in the treatment of tonsillitis, stomatitis, and pharyngitis.

In addition to berries, the leaves of the plant are also used for medicinal purposes. An infusion based on them is taken as a means of increasing blood clotting. To do this, 10-12 leaves are poured with a glass of hot water and insisted for 5-7 minutes under the lid. The composition is highly concentrated, it is enough to drink it in a tablespoon three times a day before meals.

Finally, boiled strawberry leaves have a pronounced intestinal strengthening effect, so the liquid is effective for diarrhea.

Strawberry juice has found wide application in cosmetology, largely due to its whitening properties. It is used to whiten tooth enamel, fight pigmentation and freckles, and as a base for masks for the face, neck and hands.

Harm can bring strawberries with its individual intolerance. Since strawberries are quite an allergenic product, you should not introduce them into the child's diet before a year, and for children prone to allergies, acquaintance with the berry should be postponed until 2 years.

Due to the presence of acids in strawberries, it can be harmful in case of increased acidity of the gastric juice. Refuse to taste fragrant berries should be in the acute period with gastritis, ulcers, diseases of the urinary tract, pancreas.

Caution should be taken with an early berry that appears on store shelves long before the onset of the growing season. It contains a lot of nitrates and other "chemistry" that accelerates the ripening of fruits. Such strawberries, at best, will not be useful, at worst, they will provoke an allergy attack, up to respiratory paralysis. Under no circumstances should this product be given to children.

The most useful is considered to be home-grown strawberries. As a last resort, preference should be given to the one that is grown in your latitudes. Strawberries from China and America are a real testing ground for genetic engineers.By the way, there is a high probability of the presence of genetically modified products in unusual-looking berries (for example, a blue tint).

In the presence of stones and sand in the kidneys or bladder, the use of strawberries should be abandoned, since its components can cause the movement of stones, which is fraught with a deterioration in the patient's condition. In addition, the berries have a diuretic and choleretic effect, which can also provoke the movement of large stones.

Today there are many varieties of strawberries. Classification can be made depending on the time of fruiting (early, mid-ripening and late berries), resistance to drought or, on the contrary, cold (usually varieties for regions with different climatic conditions are selected on this basis - varieties for the south, middle zone, Siberia and the Urals) . You can subdivide the berries depending on their appearance (size, color), taste (sweeter or slightly sour in taste).

Let us consider in more detail the most popular early-ripening varieties of strawberries.

• "Alba". This type of strawberry is most often found in stores, as it is well suited for commercial cultivation. Differs in unpretentiousness in leaving, resistance to the majority of diseases, characteristic of culture. The berries have a slightly elongated conical shape, rather large, rich red tone.

• "Oso Grand". Large, dense and very sweet berries are more of a raspberry hue. The seeds are dark, almost do not stand out against the background of the surface of the berries.The variety is especially common in Spain, Florida.

• "Rosanna". This variety from Ukrainian breeders is characterized by a sweet and sour taste of berries, which have a rich red tint and a shape similar to the shape of a drop.

Among mid-season varieties, such varieties are especially famous.

• "Vebenil". Gardeners value this variety for its high yield. Berries are good not only for their own consumption, but also for sale - large, fragrant, spindle-shaped with excellent taste.

• "Vegera". The fruits taste like wild berries, but they are very large. The pulp is juicy, fleshy, aromatic. They have a rounded shape, slightly elongated towards the end.

• "Gift". The variety tolerates short-term drought, quite unpretentious. Pleases with large fragrant fruits of a rounded shape of scarlet color.

The most favorite late-ripening varieties of gardeners are the following.

• "Profusion". An incredibly sweet and fragrant berry of a beautiful scarlet shade ripens on the bushes. It is these berries that are most often used to decorate desserts and drinks. The variety is quite unpretentious, but more often than others suffers from ticks.

• "Great Britain". A variety that boasts a very large berry size. Taste is also top notch. However, it is not suitable for arid regions, as it reacts negatively even to a short-term lack of moisture in the soil.

Among the remontant varieties (that is, capable of several fruiting per season), the varieties "Queen Elizabeth" and "Ada" are noted.

Planting strawberries can be done both in autumn and in spring. In the first case, work should be carried out from mid-August to mid-September. Then next summer you can get a harvest.Spring planting is done early, as soon as air and soil temperatures are sufficient. There will be no harvest this summer.

There is another drop off option. If strawberries were grown by seedlings in a container, then you can “relocate” it to open ground from July to August. This should be done by transshipment, trying not to expose the roots and acting as carefully as possible.

Growing seedlings is a long-term process (it takes an average of 2-3 years). Most gardeners prefer to purchase ready-made seedlings.

Garden strawberries love sunny and wind-protected areas, soils rich in organic matter. Chernozem, loam or gray forest soils are well suited for its cultivation. Strawberries are involved in crop rotation, every 3-4 years you need to change the place of its "residence". Suitable precursors are marigolds, petunias, garlic and onions, cereals, basil, parsley and other herbs.

Usually, strawberries are planted in the fall, because during spring planting, the crop can be obtained only after a year. In addition, there is a possibility of the death of bushes during spring frosts. However, regardless of the landing time, it is required to prepare the site.

Soil preparation for spring planting is carried out in late autumn, for autumn planting, respectively, in early spring. Soils need to be dug up and fertilized. For 1 sq. m will require 5 kg of manure or humus (increase the amount by 2 times), 100 g of superphosphate and 50 mg of potassium salt.

If, for some reason, fertilizers have not been applied since autumn, then immediately before planting, 2-3 handfuls of humus should be put in each hole (in this case, it can no longer be replaced with manure - it will burn the roots) and a handful of clean wood ash (obtained as a result of burning wood, without impurities of plastic and other "chemistry").

For planting in the spring, only powerful seedlings with a developed root system are used. There is no point in planting a sickly one, it will not be able to take root in the still harsh temperature conditions. Before planting, the bushes are hardened by placing in a cool (15-17 degrees) place for 3 days.

The holes should be deep enough. They should completely hide the rhizomes in an upright position. The distance between the holes is 30 cm, the same between the rows.

For faster engraftment of seedlings, the longest root is sometimes pinched. You can also cut off most of the leaves, leaving only 3-4 large plates. If you don't want to cut off most of the leaves, in any case, contact of the lower leaves of the bush with the soil should be excluded. If this occurs, the lower leaves should be removed.

You can plant seedlings in dry holes, and then, after sprinkling with earth, water abundantly. You can, on the contrary, pour water into the hole, and then lower the seedling, sprinkle it with earth and tamp it down. Landing is carried out on a dry cloudy day, in the morning or evening. For irrigation, only warm water is used. If there is a risk of return frosts, seedlings are covered with foil.

At the beginning of the growing season, dry and old leaves should be cut, a layer of last year's mulch should be removed, and the aisle should be loosened. From the beginning of May, the flowering of bushes begins, at this time the plant is fed with humus, potassium and wood ash.

During the formation of the ovaries, a solution of boric acid is introduced into the soil (a teaspoon per 1.2 liters of water). This will increase the number of ovaries. In general, an adult plant needs 3-4 top dressings during the season. The latter is carried out after picking berries, at the end of the vegetative period, after pruning the leaves. For this, a solution of nitroammophoska is used (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water).

Experienced summer residents in August fertilize bushes with urea (30 g per 10-liter bucket) to stimulate the formation of flower buds next season.

It is important to regularly weed the beds, preventing the formation of an earthen crust that prevents the penetration of moisture and oxygen to the roots.

In the interval between the formation of the ovaries and the ripening of the berries, it is necessary to mulch the ground under the bushes. This will help maintain the required level of moisture in the soil, overheat it, and also prevent the berries from touching the ground, which causes rapid rotting of the crop.

Trimming the mustache will help to increase the yield, and sufficient watering will help to achieve tasty and large fruits. They start watering from about the second half of April, pouring up to 10-12 liters of water per square meter. meter. In the spring, before the start of the summer heat, it is enough to water once every 7-10 days. In hot weather, you need to increase the frequency of the procedure up to 3-4 times a week. From late summer to September, watering should be reduced to 2 times a week.

As already mentioned, every 3-4 years it is necessary to transplant strawberries to a new place. You need to take only strong plants no older than 3 years, the rest are usually dug up and thrown away. For transplanting, choose a cloudy, but not rainy day. The procedure can be performed in the spring or at the end of August.

In general, the process is similar to what happens when planting bushes - the requirements for soil preparation, holes and care remain the same. When transplanting, you need to pinch the fourth part of the longest root (you can have several). After the procedure, the plant needs abundant watering and rest.

It is important to cut dry and yellowed, old leaves from the bushes. It is imperative to use a pruner for this, cutting off the shoots not at the root, but leaving "hemp" 8-10 cm high. The mustache is also pruned. However, if you plan to propagate the culture with a mustache, you should leave the strongest side rosettes. There is no need to do this for all bushes, it is enough to choose a few of the most powerful and well-bearing.

Care for berries ends in late autumn, when it is mulched with needles. This will save the bushes from severe frosts.

Sweet fragrant berries are loved not only by people, but also by various insects, primarily ants, slugs, snails. Roots can be damaged by nematodes, foliage by mites and leaf beetles, strawberry weevil. Prevent attacks of pests and a number of diseases in most cases allows proper preparation of the soil and bushes for planting, compliance with the principles of agricultural technology.Deep digging of the soil, disinfection of holes with a solution of potassium permanganate, refusal to plant weak or rotten bushes, timely weeding, loosening of the earth, compliance with irrigation rules, soil mulching are necessary.

Strawberries have found wide application in cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine. In the latter case, its immunostimulating, antibacterial properties, the ability to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular and digestive systems become especially valuable. Along with berries, the juice and leaves of the plant are used.

Strawberries are used by many women as a skin care product. Its juice allows you to fight hyperpigmentation, acne, greasy skin. Masks based on strawberry gruel tighten the skin and help prevent wrinkles.

In cooking, strawberries are used to prepare and decorate desserts and preserves. In the latter case, it should be remembered that the most useful jams, jams and juices are obtained with minimal heat treatment of the berries. There are even so-called "live" jams, when the berries are ground with sugar and sent to the refrigerator without pre-cooking.

Another way to preserve the benefits of fresh berries is to freeze them. You can freeze both whole fruits, and rubbing them into gruel.

Strawberry juice is delicious on its own or can be added to cocktails, smoothies, compotes. It will help color the baking dough in a soft pink shade and give it a strawberry flavor, juiciness.As a filling for pies, it is better to use gelled strawberry mass, for which pectin or gelatin is introduced into it and boiled with sugar. If you increase the amount of gelatin, you can get homemade marmalade.

It is a mistake to think that strawberries are used only for making sweets. Its sweet and sour taste is perfect for various sauces for meat or fish. It is combined with chicken, seafood and cheeses, cilantro, arugula, salad greens. Dumplings with it have long become not only a national Ukrainian dish, but have gained popularity all over the world.

Strawberries go well with dairy and sour-milk products, sweet and sour fruits and berries, sublimated or dried berries diversify the taste of cereals and salads. It is traditionally served with champagne and whipped cream. As a rule, such a "set" is more common at romantic dinners, which is completely logical - strawberries are a strong aphrodisiac.

Not every product boasts many interesting facts about itself. However, they literally accompany strawberries, sometimes surprising with their unusualness. We present the most interesting of them.

• In Belgium, there is a strawberry museum, and not in a single copy.
• Gardeners in many countries are trying to grow record-breaking large berries. An American citizen succeeded in this, growing a berry weighing more than 200 g, but its taste wanted to leave the best - it was sour and watery. The Japanese experience turned out to be more successful. Here it was possible to grow a fruit with a diameter of more than 30 cm, a width of 12 and a length of 8 cm. The taste of the berry turned out to be juicy and pleasant.

• For a mild headache, instead of aspirin, you can eat some fresh strawberries. The substances that make up its composition are similar in their action to aspirin.
• Despite the sweet taste, the sugar in the composition of the berry is even less than in the lemon.
• In the 18th century, a variety of white strawberries was born, which was the result of crossing the usual red berries and pineapple. Similar varieties also exist today, such as 'Pinberry'. The berries of this species have a white color and red seeds, as well as a rich pineapple flavor.
• The most expensive strawberry dish is prepared in New Orleans in one of the restaurants. It will cost more than a million dollars, such a high price is explained by the following - strawberries are served decorated with cream and mint leaves, and also with a huge diamond ring. A real "delicacy" for lovers of romance and luxury.
• In Italy, in the town of Nemi, during the ripening season of strawberries, a holiday is arranged in honor of it. At this time, festivities begin on the streets, and strawberries in champagne become the main treat, which is served to all guests of the holiday.

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