Elsanta has become the standard of strawberries. They were bred in 1981 as a result of crossing the Holiday and Gorella varieties. Meanwhile, this crossing exceeded all the expectations of the breeders, Elsanta turned out much better than they expected. Since then, attempts to identify new varieties or to find something better have not been as successful, because this variety has several advantages.
Strawberry Elsanta: variety description
Ripening period is medium early. The bush is not remontant, has an average height, erect, well leafy. The antennae of the plant are quite thick. The sheets are quite large, green in color, have a concave shape, slightly wrinkled and ribbed. The flowers are also medium sized, bisexual. Peduncles are thick, located on the same level with the leaves. The inflorescence is multi-flowered, semi-spreading.
Berries of this variety have the correct size and shape: medium, round-conical. Do not have a neck. The berries are red, they have a lot of not very pressed seeds of a yellowish tint. Juicy, dense pulp, fragrant, sweet and sour taste. Strawberry Elsanta attracts not only for its mouth-watering appearance, but also for its incredible taste, which were appreciated.
Variety Characteristics
Elsanta earned universal love. Undoubtedly, every gardener who tasted strawberries will find a place to plant. This variety is characterized by the "right" berries, and in all respects. They have an attractive shape, good size, unsurpassed taste, in other words, the strawberries of this variety are tasty and beautiful. Such a strawberry on average will weigh 30-35 grams, and if she likes the way you care for her, the weight can reach 45 grams (one berry).
The main advantages include excellent taste characteristics, a beautiful shape of the fruit, increased plant resistance to disease. Elsanta strawberry, the description of which is extremely positive, has a high yield, which explains its incredible popularity.
Distinctive features of the Elsanta variety
When choosing strawberries, what do you pay attention to first of all? Probably in her appearance and size? After all, small strawberries mixed with berries of other sizes do not look so appetizing. Elsant's strawberry is surprisingly different; the description of the variety of these berries speaks for itself. Here is the first feature - almost all berries are of the same size, which makes this strawberry variety the most attractive for growing on an industrial scale. This variety is stored for a long time and tolerates transportation, the berries are dense and able to lie for a while without crushing, like other, more fragile varieties. At room temperature, such strawberries can be stored for three days.
Elsanta is a strawberry variety that can be grown both in open ground and under the film. It is not susceptible to gray rot, white and brown spotting, however, it is not resistant to root rot and susceptible to powdery mildew.
Elsant strawberries are a high-yielding variety. From one bush you can collect up to one and a half kilograms. In winter, it requires protection, since its frost resistance is weak. Another feature of the variety is its unpretentiousness. This means that it does not cause any inconvenience to the gardener, it does not need to be constantly fertilized.
Planting and growing Elsanta
Let's start with the timing - mid-autumn. This is not worth doing in September, because there may still be heat, and frequent watering will harm the young plant. In spring, it is not worth planting for the reason that the berries will be small.
The earth must be moist. The distance between the seedlings is 40 cm. Having planted a bush in the ground, it should be well tamped around the seedling so that the roots do not crawl out and freeze. After planting, water abundantly. Also, do not fertilize the plant when planting. So the yield will not decrease and the shape will not deteriorate, which can happen with fertilizer. For the winter, before the first frost, take care of it, covering it with a film. Otherwise, your seedlings will die.
During the cultivation, it is important to remember that the strawberry of Elsant is hygrophilous. In the southern regions of Russia, when sultry heat prevails in the summer, you can save the variety from it by drip irrigation, and nothing else, because you will need to water it constantly. At other times of the year, she also needs constant watering, so that the soil is always moist.
Strawberry Care
In the first year after planting, only watering will be important. She is unpretentious, therefore, it is not necessary to feed her. Moreover, Elsanta is a strawberry variety that is not used to top dressing, it will develop its ability to survive independently, become stronger and give a better harvest.
Watering
The first 10 days after landing - often, but not plentifully. The second ten days - not often, plentifully. By about mid-November, the plant will be ready for wintering, its roots will deepen, the bush will become more stable. If there is not too much rain at this time, take care of abundant watering until frost begins.
In the spring, weeds must be removed and heavy watering renewed. The fact that she does not have many antennae noticeably facilitates the care of the beds. When the fruiting period begins, often and abundantly watering is no longer necessary. However, you need to ensure that the soil is sufficiently moist, this is one of the prerequisites for the Elsanta variety. Strawberry, reviews of which are exclusively laudatory, won the recognition and love of gardeners thanks to not only easy care, but also excellent taste.
Elsanta strawberry is a variety that is grateful for mulching - this increases the percentage of yield. So if you did not use the film in the winter, do the mulching. To do this, you can take humus or peat, as well as dry grass, straw, sawdust and more. Elsanta is a strawberry whose reviews fully describe not only its impeccable taste and perfectly proportional appearance, but also the simplicity of care and cultivation.