Description and characteristics of Albion strawberries, cultivation and care

Garden strawberries are not that easy to grow. The crop is demanding in terms of care and adherence to agricultural technology, but new varieties are constantly being developed that take root even in unfavorable climate conditions. A little over 10 years ago, Albion strawberries were created in California, which delights with a harvest of berries regardless of the length of daylight hours. A relative of the strawberry, Diamante, feels comfortable in the mild climate of Europe, Canada, the USA, and grows in Ukraine and Belarus.

Description and characteristics of Albion strawberries

Garden strawberries of American origin in the temperate latitudes of Russia take root only in closed ground, but summer residents do not complain about the yield and taste of the fruit. The first remontant strawberries ripen in May, in the second month of summer, in August, and in the southern regions the last berries are picked in October.

Morphological characteristics

The Albion variety has beautiful and branched ball-shaped bushes that grow up to 40 cm in height. Dense, shiny strawberry leaves end in teeth. The berries are borne on strong and elastic straight peduncles with white petals and do not fall to the ground, do not get dirty, or rot. Short stalks can be easily torn from strawberries. Few whiskers appear on the bushes.

Berries

Under favorable conditions, Albion strawberries fill with juice and, when ripe, acquire a dark crimson color. Individual fruits weigh about 60 g, but the average weight is 40 grams.

Berries have:

• cone or heart shape;
• juicy and dense pulp;
• sweet and sour taste;
• pronounced aroma;
• high sugar content.

Unripe strawberries have a white tip. There are few seeds in the fruits. The leaves of the calyx curl upward. Ripe berries do not drain juice, do not wrinkle, or become deformed.

Productivity

The productivity of the Albion variety depends on the climate and the agricultural technology used. In the southern regions, 1.5-2 kg are harvested from a bush in 3-4 times, but in the middle latitudes of Russia, even in a greenhouse, 300 to 900 g of strawberries ripen per 1 sq. m. m area.

Region of natural growth

The variety is adapted to a humid, warm climate.In addition to California, strawberries are comfortable in Italy and Greece. In the south of Russia Albion is also planted, but the plant will have to be watered frequently. In temperate latitudes, remontant strawberries are cultivated indoors.

Resistance to climatic conditions

The hybrid variety was created in a region where it is always warm and there is a lot of sun; Albion does not tolerate even slight frosts. When the temperature exceeds 30, productivity decreases.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Strawberries originated in the USA have many advantages, but they all come when grown in favorable climate conditions.

The advantages of the variety include:

• beautiful appearance of berries;
• high commercial qualities;
• presence of immunity to diseases;
• repeated harvesting of fruits.

Strawberries are transported without loss, stored for a long time, and used for industrial purposes. Albion also has its disadvantages. If there is a lack of moisture, the bushes wither and the ovary does not form well. Large berries become smaller towards the end of the season. The variety is affected by brown spot.

Planting remontant Albion strawberries

Growing strawberries requires knowledge and adherence to agricultural techniques. Without careful care, you should not hope for a good harvest. The American hybrid loves moisture and warmth.

What is the best place to plant strawberries?

A site for growing Albion strawberries should be looked for not in a lowland, but on a slight hill. On the territory of the dacha it is necessary to allocate a place on the south-west side. The soil in the selected area is carefully dug up, weeds are removed by the roots, and peat or compost is added.

How to plant seedlings

In the spring, when the average temperature reaches 16 °C and frosts will definitely not return, or in early September, strawberries are planted in open ground. The bushes must have at least 5 leaves and a fibrous root.Place pots with seedlings every 15 cm, leaving 0.7 m between rows, and moisten abundantly. This procedure should be performed on a cloudy day or early in the morning.

How to care for strawberries

2 weeks after planting, you need to check whether all the bushes have taken root; new strawberries are placed in the place of the dead ones. The variety loves moisture; in hot weather, the plants are watered every day.

Weeding and loosening

To prevent young bushes from drowning out weeds, they must be constantly fought. Albion strawberries do not tolerate heavy soil; some gardeners add sand under the plants. The soil must be loosened after rain and moisture, which helps improve the soil structure. The beds are covered with mulch to reduce water evaporation.

Watering and fertilizing

In spring, both adult plants and seedlings need to be constantly irrigated so that the top layer of soil does not dry out. When the berries ripen, Albion strawberries need to be watered less often, otherwise the fruits will be tasteless and watery.

After harvesting the strawberries, you need to start irrigating again, since the ovary will not form and there will be no new harvest.

At the beginning of spring, strawberry beds are fertilized with a fermented solution of mullein or bird droppings. Ash and urea are added to the composition. The bushes are fed when flowers appear, in addition to organic matter, mineral complexes are added.

At the beginning of June, mullein is used again; at the end of the month, strawberries are fertilized with wood ash. In August, the plants are fed for the last time with organic substances.

Preparing for winter

Heat-loving Albion does not tolerate frost. Where strawberries are planted in an unprotected area, in the fall the plants are fertilized and covered:

• straw;
• needles;
• sawdust.

After mulching the bed, they make arcs over which they stretch agro-cloth, film or other material. In early spring, strawberries are released from shelter.

Reproduction methods

To grow the Albion variety on a plot, divide the bush, use seedlings that are grown from seeds, or mustaches. The first method is the most effective:

1. The strongest and most mature strawberries are selected.
2. Using a knife, several parts with roots are disconnected from the bush.
3. The sections are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Planting begins in the spring or late summer so that the plants have time to get stronger before winter. In another propagation option, 4 or 5 tendrils with rosettes are separated from the strongest strawberries and placed in plastic cups, where the substrate is poured in advance. When roots appear, the bushes are moved to a permanent place.

In the first year after planting, the berries need to be picked so that the plants become stronger.

Most often, strawberries are bred by division, since not all of the seeds germinate, the seedlings take a long time to take root, and the variety produces few shoots.

Protection from diseases and pests

To prevent the activation of fungi and bacteria and the invasion of parasites, it is necessary to clear the beds of dried stems, fallen leaves, and weeds. Thickening of plantings and stagnation of moisture should not be allowed. Fertilizing with organic matter and mineral complexes protects strawberries from diseases and increases plant immunity.

Helps to avoid strawberry infection:

• spraying young bushes with Topsin-M;
• soil treatment with fungicides;
• removal and burning of infected plants.

Strawberry Albion attracts spider mites, weevils, suffers from slugs and nematodes, and May beetle larvae. For prevention purposes, folk remedies are used, bushes are sprayed with fungicides and Bordeaux mixture.To cope with emerging parasites, plants are treated with insecticides.

When and how to harvest

Depending on the climate, the first berries of the Albion variety ripen in the third decade of May - early June. In the southern regions, strawberries set and ripen 4 times per season; in mid-latitudes, the crop is harvested three times; the fruits do not ripen in September or October. Strawberries are picked along with the sepals.