Among berries grown in orchards, more attention is paid to strawberries. To get a good harvest of this berry is the desire of every gardener. But strawberries, like most berries, have different varieties. Some of them are early, others are middle or late. And in size, the berry also differs depending on the variety. Among the many varieties there is the French strawberry Darselect, which is very popular among European farmers.
Grade characteristics
Strawberry Darselect - medium early variety. In the greenhouse or when covered, the crop begins to bear fruit by the end of May. If the strawberry Darselect grows in open ground, then the crop can be harvested in early June. In comparison, it can be noted that its fruits ripen 15 days earlier than strawberries of the Elsanta variety.
The strawberry bush is tall, with a moderate amount of leaves of a dark green color. The plant has a powerful root system. If all strawberry varieties are divided into three groups, then by the number of mustache regrowth it will be in the second group. Even with a dense placement of bushes on the bed gives a sufficient number of mustaches.
Strawberry Darselect: description of berries
Berries have an elongated conical shape with a blunt tip at the beginning of the season. By the end of fruiting, the shape of the berry can vary from heart-shaped to round to comb. This occurs with an increase in humidity or with a decrease in temperature, as pollination decreases with such natural phenomena. With natural ripening without abundant top dressing, the weight of the berry is 15-25 g. If they are fed, the size of the fruit can increase, and the weight can reach 35 g.
The berries have a red-brick skin with a slight orange tint. The pulp is not watery, but dense. It has a light red color. The berry is famous for its sweet taste with a slight presence of acidity. It has a sophisticated strawberry flavor. After removal, the fruits do not lose color and for a long time retain their elasticity. The fruits are placed on a soft stalk, which greatly facilitates their collection.
Darselect (strawberry): growing
In order for the Darselect strawberry harvest to be successful, quality seedlings are needed. It should have a fibrous root system with a root neck diameter of at least 6 mm. For landing, even sections are suitable, as well as small slopes oriented to the southwest. On the steep slopes and in the lowlands, it is not recommended to plant strawberries, as it gives a low and late harvest and is easily susceptible to disease. It is very good if the strawberry plot is protected from the wind.
The most favorable soil for French strawberries is slightly loamy. The highest yield can be obtained on light soils or rich in humus.
Landing
The most favorable time for planting is early autumn, but you can still plant it in early spring. Seedlings are recommended to be planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other. With a denser planting, the strawberry Darselect will receive insufficient nutrition, which can lead to lower yields. The most ideal planting is when no more than four bushes are planted per 1 m2.
Before planting a plant, you need to prepare a site - clean it of weeds and feed the soil. As a top dressing, you can use humus, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate - 70 g, 30 g and 30 g, respectively. Before planting, seedlings are aged for about 7 days in a cool place. During planting, care must be taken not to deepen the root neck. It should be located at ground level. Otherwise, there will be no harvest in the first year. The root system must be placed vertically, and if it is too long, then it is shortened to 10 cm. After planting, the seedlings are watered, and the earth is mulched with humus.
Care
After planting, strawberry seedlings need regular watering for some time. The sprinkler is ideal for this . On commercial plantations, drip irrigation is recommended. With careful watering, it easily tolerates the sultry heat and drought in the central and southern regions of Russia and Ukraine. If cultivation is carried out in the southern regions, then it is important to mulch with a reflective film or use a UV mesh to create a shadow. In addition, all the time, the area with strawberries must be freed from weeds and diseased plants removed. Before winter, all strawberry leaves must be trimmed and the strawberries covered with straw, dry leaves or a non-woven material.
Breeding
Strawberries can be propagated in various ways: with the help of a mustache, dividing the root. For commercial cultivation, seedlings in containers are well suited, since before planting the seedling will already have a good root system, which will contribute to its better strengthening after planting.
Strawberry Disease and Control
The most common strawberry disease is late blight (blight). The first sign of the appearance of this disease is redness of the axial cylinder of the plant. Strawberry leaves become a grayish tint and become cup-shaped. Next comes the death of fibrous roots. In order to prevent this from happening, strawberries must be transplanted to another place every 4 years. Before planting, the roots can be moistened with a solution of biological products. When damaged plants appear, they must be removed from the garden and destroyed.
Another disease that affects strawberries is powdery mildew, which affects the leaves of the plant. The diseased leaves curl, and their color gradually acquires a purple hue, a powdery coating appears. The result of this disease is ugly fruits covered with plaque. There is a change in the taste of berries. When this disease appears, it is necessary to spray the plant with a copper emulsion.
If the weeds are not harvested on time, gray rot may appear. Light brown spots and fluffy coating appear on the berries.
Pests
There are many insects that destroy not only strawberry bushes, but also berries. This is a strawberry tick, spider mite, aphid, wasp. To prevent the appearance of these pests, spraying with appropriate solutions will help. Such prevention is recommended during the growing season. That is, spraying should be done before flowering or after a full harvest.
Darcellect character challenges
Strawberry variety Darselect is not recommended to be planted on carbonate soils, since chlorosis is possible. When this disease appears, the plant is easily restored with timely fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
The first year gives a small crop due to insufficient development of the root system. Therefore, during this period it is recommended not to wait for single berries, but to cut off all the flowers. This will help the plant to direct all its forces to the rapid development of the root system, which will pay off for the next year when receiving the full crop.
The advantages of the French berry
Its main advantage is the size of the berry - strawberry Darselect large. It has excellent taste. It grows and bears fruit at high temperatures, even moderately tolerates heat up to 40 degrees. In one place, the plant bears fruit for 4 years, which cannot be said about many other varieties of strawberries. After the harvest, new flower stalks begin to appear and a second crop appears, although in fact the Darcellect strawberry variety is neutral. Thanks to this unusual feature, the plant is extremely fruitful.
Does it have cons?
Strawberry Darselect is a hygrophilous plant (reviews of gardeners confirm this). Therefore, in arid regions, a good crop is impossible without the installation of drip irrigation. If watering is scarce, then, in addition to a poor harvest, the berry inside is hollow. During tearing, flesh may remain on the stalk. With a lack of trace elements in the soil, strawberries are prone to degeneration.
Strawberry at home on the table is a valuable dietary product and a source of vitamin C. Thanks to its indicators, it has received widespread use in the confectionery, cosmetology, distillery and medical industries. Such a berry can not leave anyone indifferent.