Strawberries Elvira is a large-fruited variety with a fairly early ripening period. This berry is very popular with most European farmers, and for some time now it has begun to rapidly gain popularity in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Grade description
Elvira's strawberries were bred by Dutch breeders. It is quite suitable both for growing in household plots, and for industrial cultivation. It is extremely resistant to diseases affecting the root system, as well as to various fungal infections.
The bush of this strawberry variety has a spreading crown of medium size and density. Quite large round-shaped berries can weigh from 40 to 60 grams. The fruit has a beautiful appearance: bright scarlet skin combined with a glossy sheen. They have a dense flesh of a dark pink hue with a unique strawberry aroma. Interestingly, the Elvira strawberry variety is distinguished by the fact that it does not even have the slightest sourness in taste.
Advantages
In addition to good resistance to all kinds of diseases, berries have good transportability, as it is quite easy to carry transport over long distances, while absolutely not losing their presentation. The yield of the Elvira variety is approximately half a kilogram of fruit from one bush. However, with proper care, you can achieve the figure twice as much.
One of the advantages of Elvira strawberries is its resistance to cold. This plant can tolerate frosts well up to -22⁰C without any shelter. If it is insulated, then it can overwinter in more severe conditions. This variety, which is important, tolerates well and high humidity.
This strawberry is considered universal, because it can be consumed both fresh and made of all kinds of delicious preparations. In addition, it is perfect for the production of juice, liquors and other drinks. It can also be frozen, since even in this form it will be well preserved due to its own dense pulp.
Site selection and seedlings
In general, Elvira's strawberries are pretty unpretentious. As mentioned above, the plant is resistant to diseases such as fungus and root rot, so it will grow well even in shaded and excessively moist areas. But in order to significantly increase the yield of this crop, you need to plant the beds exclusively on fertile soil. An ideal option for this strawberry variety is a partially shaded plot of land. Otherwise, excessive exposure to direct sunlight may be detrimental to this crop.
When choosing seedlings, you need to use only the part that is closest to the so-called mother bush, because it will guarantee you to get strong and healthy plants, which will subsequently give an abundant strawberry crop. In addition, special attention should be paid to the appearance of the foliage. It should be holistic, not swallowed by pests and not have any diseases, since weak, defective and damaged specimens will not be able to give a good crop. Therefore, such bushes should be discarded immediately.
Landing
Experts recommend planting Elvira strawberries in open ground in spring or autumn. The beds for this can be prepared throughout the summer, digging and fertilizing them. This variety is planted in the usual way, which involves placing plants at a distance of not less than 30-35 cm from each other. The same distance must be maintained between the rows. When growing strawberries in greenhouses, this pattern can be maintained in a proportion of 25 by 30 cm.
Most often, the bushes are planted in a checkerboard pattern, however, beds located in a lowland or on excessively moist soil are placed in a single-line method in order to prevent the appearance of gray rot. At the moment when the seedling is placed in the hole, its roots must be very carefully and carefully spread.
Before you start planting, you need to make sure that the soil is well moistened and warmed up. In order for the roots of seedlings to be placed in the hole as comfortably as possible, it is necessary to lower them practically into the liquid pulp formed from the earth and water.
Care
Loosening, weeding and watering are procedures that are simply necessary for strawberries. Experts recommend implementing them simultaneously. As for loosening, it needs to be made a maximum of 8-10 cm in depth, otherwise you can damage the root system of the bush. Such a procedure helps to saturate the underground part of the plant with oxygen and also prevents infection by rot and various fungal infections.
It's no secret that weeds grow always and everywhere, so this acute problem arises when growing strawberries. They are best pulled out by hand, grabbing along with the root. This method of weeding will help to avoid their further germination and spread throughout all beds.
Top dressing
A plant such as Elvira strawberries, the description of which is presented in this article, is quite responsive to the timely application of fertilizers in the soil. In order for the nutrients to fully contribute to the proper development of the bushes, top dressing is carried out exclusively during irrigation. This crop accepts both organic and mineral fertilizers almost equally well. As for the latter, she prefers phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, and from organics - mullein, herbal infusions and bird droppings.
It should be remembered that during flowering, formation and ripening of fruits, in no case should the plant be fed with nitrogenous compounds, because they are mainly aimed at an active increase in green mass. However, in early spring such fertilizers will be simply irreplaceable. The frequency of feeding looks like this: the first time fertilizers are applied over the next two weeks after planting the bushes, the second - during flowering, and the third - at the very beginning of fruiting.
Reviews
Strawberries Elvira has recently become very popular not only among amateur gardeners, but also among professionals. The latter note that its industrial cultivation yields good and stable yields. Many are satisfied that the plant unpretentiously and safely survives not only the frequent absence of sunny days, but also the cold winters inherent in the northern regions of Russia. In addition, everyone likes the unusual strawberry flavor and aroma of these berries.