Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Black Prince, planting and care

The strawberry variety Black Prince was bred by Italian breeders and has become widespread among many gardeners. The variety has a number of distinctive qualities and is valued for its high productivity and resistance to adverse external factors.

Description and characteristics of strawberry Black Prince

When planning to plant the Black Prince variety, you should read the description of the plants and fruits. Having studied the characteristics of this variety, it will be possible to control the growth of bushes and monitor deviations from normal development.

Features of bushes

Large bushes with dense foliage and a developed root system. Plants form an average number of thickened tendrils, and the process of their formation decreases every year. The leaves have a dark green tint, a glossy and slightly wrinkled surface. One of the main features of the bushes is their vitality and high productivity - it is possible to obtain good yields within 5-7 years.

The longer the bushes grow, the longer the fruiting.

Berries

Large cone-shaped berries differ from most varieties in their dark red, almost black skin. The strawberry pulp is juicy, soft, with a sweet and sour taste, without internal voids.

Fruiting dates

Black Prince is included in the category of mid-early ripening varieties with a long fruiting period. The first berries ripen in the second half of June. The harvest lasts throughout the summer. In one season, each plant produces 0.8-1.2 kg of juicy berries. When growing Black Prince strawberries, you must take into account that the berry produces mustache only during the first 2-3 years after planting.

Winter hardiness

The berries can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees. The yield of the variety does not decrease with returning spring frosts and early winter. Strawberries tolerate drought worse than low ambient temperatures.

Pros and cons of the variety

The popularity of the Black Prince strawberry is explained by many positive qualities. These include the following:

• the berries are suitable for transportation over long distances due to their dense pulp;
• the variety has a good marketable appearance and is often grown for sale in industrial quantities;
• if favorable conditions are provided, ripe berries can be stored for a long time;
• strawberries are resistant to common diseases and harmful insects.

The disadvantage is the need for regular maintenance. Dry soil or lack of suitable environmental conditions can lead to reduced yields.

Features of planting technology

In order for plants to produce a stable harvest over a long period of time, several planting rules must be followed. In particular, it is necessary to choose a suitable place for sowing, cultivate the soil in advance, take into account the timing of planting and determine the distance between plants for free development of roots.

Selecting a location

For the Black Prince variety, light, loose and well-aerated soil is suitable. It is better to sow in loam or gray soil in a constantly illuminated area. Soil acidity is of great importance. Better yields can be achieved when sowing on slightly acidic or neutral soil.

Soil preparation

The soil is treated 3-4 weeks before planting the berries. Before sowing strawberries, it is necessary to plant green manure in the selected area. Pre-growing fertilizers will fill the soil with useful microelements. The predecessors for the Black Prince variety should be legumes and cereals, carrots and onions.

A few days before sowing, humus is added to the soil in an amount of 5 kg per square of land. Before applying fertilizer, dig up the soil, remove weeds and plant debris.

Planting dates and scheme

The favorable period for planting strawberries is early autumn. In regions with a hot climate, planting work is carried out in late spring. The optimal planting pattern is 40 x 50 cm, since bushes are characterized by abundant growth of deciduous mass.

Before planting, the holes dug in the ground are moistened using 1 liter of water for each hole. Then the roots of the seedlings are placed in the depressions, leaving the green part on the surface. If the bushes are large, then they are planted at a distance of 400 cm in a row. The suitable row spacing is 0.6 m, which is enough for comprehensive care.

Nuances of care

The key to obtaining a large harvest is regular and proper care of the plants. The Black Prince strawberry variety requires basic agricultural practices, including watering, using fertilizers, cultivating beds, and covering during cold spells.

Watering and loosening

Strawberries are considered a moisture-loving plant and require abundant watering during the warm period. The frequency of soil moisture largely depends on weather conditions. At the beginning of the growing season, it is recommended to water the bushes at least once a week. In dry weather, the amount of watering is increased by 2-3 times. If the strawberries are planted in a sandy type of soil that quickly allows liquid to pass through, then in the summer the soil is moistened every other day. Each watering is accompanied by loosening to aerate the soil.

Fertilizer application

Root and foliar compounds are used as fertilizers for strawberries. In the early stages of cultivation, urea and ammonium nitrate are suitable for feeding, applied at the root or sprinkled on the leaves. During the formation of buds, superphosphate is used in the amount of 30-40 g per square of land.

Mulching

First mulching strawberries The Black Prince is performed in the spring, at the stage of ovary formation.Thanks to the procedure, the flower stalks do not interact with the soil.

After harvesting or at the end of the summer, the mulch is removed and returned to the beds at the end of October in order to protect against freezing.

Mulching uses a variety of materials, including hay, straw, leaves, sawdust, rotted compost and bark. In winter, it is better to use mown grass and pine needles. To make mulching as effective as possible, the selected material is laid out around the bushes and between them.

Preparing for winter

In regions with a predominantly warm climate, it is enough to cover the bushes with mulch in preparation for winter. If berries are grown in cooler conditions, it is necessary to use specialized covering material. Under such a shelter, a high temperature is maintained, and due to airtightness it is possible to prevent damping off.

Pest and disease control

Due to its high resistance to diseases and pests, it is possible to encounter illnesses in rare cases in the absence of proper care. To protect plants and prevent a reduction in yield, it is necessary to spray with fungicidal and insecticidal preparations. Protective treatments can be carried out when signs of plant damage are detected and for preventive purposes.

Reproduction

The most effective propagation of strawberries is in the second half of summer. A common method of propagation is the development of growing shoots. There are small nodules on the strawberry tendrils, from which young bushes are subsequently formed.

To increase the number of bushes with berries, the shoots are laid out on the edges of the bed, after which the rosettes begin to gradually take root.Immediately after this, you need to trim the ends of the shoots, without separating them from the mother bush. In the future, all that remains is to provide the plants with standard care.

Harvesting, storing and using strawberries

Ripe berries are collected together with the stalk. For convenience and a more accurate cut, you can use garden shears. Preserving the stalk has a beneficial effect on the shelf life. During picking, it is recommended to sort the berries and remove spoiled specimens.

Strawberry Black Prince has a universal purpose. Due to their high taste characteristics, the berries are suitable for fresh consumption, processing, and making jam. If you want to store strawberries, place the berries in a container or other container and leave them in the refrigerator.