Description and characteristics of Garland variety strawberries, planting and care

Strawberries of the Garland variety are a widespread species in the CIS countries. The variety has powerful immunity, is unpretentious to soil and care, and bears fruit for a long time. To successfully grow berries, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with all agrotechnical features.

History of selection

The Garland variety was bred by Russian breeder G. Govorova. The variety gained recognition almost immediately. Strawberries bear fruit almost until frost, the bushes bloom wildly, creating a romantic atmosphere in the garden. Garland is classified as a remontant variety.

Description

Bush

The bushes of the Garland strawberry are small in size, grow up to 25 cm tall, and have medium foliage. The leaves are small, oval, with serrated edges. Their hue is rich green, with a bluish or bluish tint. The antennae are green, pale pinkish in the light. There are few of them on the bushes, which is a plus of the variety.

Fruit

Strawberries are conical in shape, deep red in color. The weight of 1 fruit is about 25-33 grams. The pulp is light pinkish, with a pronounced strawberry smell. Tasters rated the variety 4.1 points.

Drought and frost resistance

The strawberry variety Garland is famous for its average resistance to drought. In areas with hot summers and minimal rainfall, the variety will be less productive. To obtain abundant fruiting, agrotechnical features should be observed. Frost resistance is average, in the North and Siberia, the species is planted only in a greenhouse.

Ripening period and yield

Strawberry Garland bears fruit constantly, from late May to October. The bushes are continuously covered with flower stalks, developing ovaries, and ripening berries. 616 centners are harvested from 1 hectare, subject to compliance with agrotechnical rules. One bush brings 1-1.2 kg. Strawberries safely withstand transportation and retain their presentation and taste for a long time.

Application

Fragrant berries can be used to decorate desserts, add to baked goods, and prepare compotes, preserves, and jams.Strawberries are incredibly tasty when eaten fresh. Berries are widely frozen whole or chopped. They resort to an extraordinary method - drying, which allows them to preserve the berries all winter.

Pros and cons of Strawberry Garland

The Garland variety of strawberries has many advantages, but there are also negative features.

Features of cultivation

Strawberries of the Garland variety do not require nearby pollinators. It is grown in the garden, in flower pots, hanging plant pots, and raised on a trellis..

How to choose the right planting material

Proper selection of planting material is the key to a high-quality, abundant harvest in the future. When choosing it, the following nuances are taken into account:

• each seedling should have a formed rosette, 3-4 leaves;
• rhizome developed, formed;
• healthy appearance.

Seedlings with poorly developed roots, sickly appearance, will be sick after planting in a permanent place, and will bear little fruit.

Preparing the soil and place for planting

The soil for strawberries is prepared 3 weeks before planting. The plot is cleared of predecessors, the soil is plowed with a shovel, destroying the weeds. The soil sometimes contains harmful bacteria, fungi, and pests. After plowing, the land is treated with the Aktara insecticide, fertilized with 5 kg of manure, 100 g of superphosphate, 50 g of potassium salt per 1 square meter.

Strawberries should be planted in a sunny, flat or elevated place. You cannot dig holes in lowlands, as there is often stagnation of moisture there.

When and how to plant correctly

Strawberries should be planted in September or late March, choosing a cloudy day. In the latter case, the harvest will not be abundant, but such timing is preferable in regions with cold winters. Bushes planted in autumn will bear fruit intensively throughout the season.

It is advisable to plant the crop using the nesting method, keeping a distance of 50 cm between plantings. Then each bush will receive the required amount of ultraviolet light and nutritional components from the soil. The soil should be moist but not wet. Dig holes 20*20 cm, pour 2-3 handfuls of humus and wood ash onto the bottom. Water is poured into the holes, the seedlings are lowered so that their rhizomes are positioned vertically, and they are covered with soil. Afterwards, compact the soil around the planted bushes a little with your hands. To ensure better rooting, protect the strawberries from frost by covering them with film or lutrasil.

Aftercare

Caring for Garland strawberries is not difficult; they require timely watering, fertilization, and loosening. Plantings are periodically treated against harmful beetles and diseases.

Watering and fertilizing

When there is no rainfall for a long time, strawberries are watered once every 3-4 days. Water is taken per bush in the amount of 2 liters. You should pour the settled liquid, not cold. Water should not get on the leaves and fruits; it is advisable to use a watering can.

Strawberries are fertilized in the spring with nitrogen, which stimulates the formation of flower stalks. Over a long period of fruiting, the bushes are fed once with phosphorus-potassium compounds. After rainfall or watering, you can feed the plants with nettle tincture. Strawberries should not be fertilized with fresh manure or chlorine-containing compounds..

Mulching and loosening

Mulching should not be neglected; due to it, strawberries retain moisture for a long time and the growth of weeds is inhibited. Roofing material, agronomic fiber, black lutrasil, straw, sawdust, spruce branches are used to cover plantings. Non-organic mulch lasts 2-3 years, effectively protects the soil from overheating and hypothermia, retains heat, and inhibits the growth of weeds.

Organic mulch, as it decomposes, enriches the soil, making it lighter and more aerated.

The beds should be weeded to a depth of 3 cm, stepping aside 7 cm between the bushes. The procedure must be carried out carefully so as not to damage the tendrils and root system. The first loosening occurs in March, after the snow melts. Then, the soil is weeded only between the rows, destroying weeds. Mulched plantings do not require loosening.

Preparing for winter

In regions with warm winters, where the air temperature does not drop below -25, it is not worth covering strawberries for the winter. A mulch layer with snow will be enough. In preparation for the winter season, watering is stopped a month before the predicted cold weather, the beds are cleared of mulch, weeds are removed, and dried/reddened leaves are cut off from the bushes. The soil is loosened, at the same time hilling up the plants, and a mulching layer of humus with dry peat is laid out.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Subject to compliance with agrotechnical rules, treating strawberries against pests and diseases not required. Sometimes snails appear on the bushes. To prevent their appearance, stinging nettles are laid out around the perimeter and salt or red pepper is scattered.To repel harmful insects, you can plant garlic or marigolds nearby.

Reproduction methods

Strawberries Garland are propagated by dividing the bush, seeds, and tendrils. In the first case, the new plant produces a small amount of yield and is often susceptible to disease. Strawberries grown from seeds perfectly preserve varietal characteristics, but the process itself is painstaking and takes a lot of time. Propagation by antennae is the best option, since it does not require much effort. One tendril is left on the mother bush, which takes root.

Harvest and storage

The strawberry harvest ripens from the end of May, the first flower stalks are torn off. In the first season after planting, the fruits will be small and there are usually few of them. The second harvest will delight you with an abundance of berries and their marketable appearance. Store fruits in a cool room for up to 2 weeks, placing them in wooden boxes. It is advisable to put oilcloth on the bottom. The room temperature should be up to +5 degrees.