The late-ripening strawberry variety Boheme was bred by Russian scientists for cultivation in the Central region. Garden strawberries have received recognition from farmers and summer residents for their undemanding requirements for growing conditions and large, aromatic fruits.
Description and characteristics of the Boheme variety
Erect, tall strawberry bushes are characterized by powerful roots, large, medium-wrinkled leaves with denticles along the edges.The leaf plates located closer to the root are rich dark green in color, the upper ones are 1-2 shades lighter.
Thick flower stalks grow flush with the leaves, and lie on the ground under the weight of the crop, reaching 2 kg per bush. The flowers are white, collected in inflorescences. Powerful mustaches are few in number.
Dark red fruits in the shape of a wide cone or comb-shaped - large (up to 50 g), sugary, with a pronounced characteristic aroma and gloss. The peculiarity of the hybrid berries is their green color and bifurcation at the end, high content of ascorbic acid.
The first berries, which ripen by mid-July, are larger. By the end of the season, the strawberries become smaller.
Qualities such as winter hardiness and drought resistance make it possible to grow the crop not only in the recommended central zone of Russia, but also in the southern regions and areas with cold winters.
Pros and cons of strawberries
Summer residents and farmers speak positively about Boheme strawberries. Positive characteristics include:
- high transportability due to the density of the fruit structure;
- unpretentiousness to climatic conditions and soils;
- winter hardiness;
- drought resistance;
- immunity to viruses and fungal diseases;
- large, dessert-tasting fruits.
The disadvantages of Bohemia are the heterogeneity of the mass of berries, the average yield is 3.5 kg per 1 sq. m. When grown for sale, farmers consider the green, forked tip of the fruit to be a disadvantage.
How to grow
Undemanding to growing conditions does not mean that the crop is cultivated in any area. Boheme strawberries are planted at a certain time in prepared beds, choosing high-quality planting material.
Selection and preparation of a place for a garden bed
Lowlands with waterlogged soil and steep slopes, on which the soil is washed away when the snow melts, are not suitable for Bohemia strawberries.
The optimal site for the plant is a flat, dry, well-lit place. A little shading does not harm strawberries, but when planted in the shade of the crowns of mature trees, the fruits become smaller. The strawberry bed is first dug up using a spade, clearing it of weeds. The most suitable soil is fertile loam.
Since Bohemia does not like applying fertilizers to the bush, the necessary microelements are applied during digging and wait a month to convert them into a form that can be absorbed by the crop.
For 1 sq. m add a bucket of humus, compost or rotted manure, or add nitroammophoska (50 g per 1 sq. m).
If groundwater lies above 70 cm from the surface, ridges are raised.
Strawberries do not tolerate acidic soils. If the pH does not correspond to 5.5–7, the soil is alkalized with lime, ash.
Preparation of planting material
When purchasing young Bohemia bushes from licensed nurseries or large gardening farms, pay attention to the development of the root system. The length is at least 10 cm, if more, trim it. Leaf blades in the amount of 3–5 pieces should not be dried out or show signs of spotting.
The larger the central red bud, the greater the chance of getting a bountiful harvest in the year of planting. The thickness of the growing point determines the age of the strawberry. Mature bushes with a thick “heart” are not suitable as planting material.
Two hours before planting, the roots of the seedlings are soaked in a commercial growth stimulant, a vitamin infusion of nettles or a garlic solution with a scent that repels pests.
Planting process
The crop is planted in the spring, when the soil warms up to +10° C or in August. High-quality material (whiskers of the first and second order) appears in the summer.If you plant Boheme strawberries in September or October, the plants will not have time to prepare for winter, and next year’s harvest will not be abundant.
The distance in the row between garden strawberry seedlings is maintained at 30–40 cm. The growth point remains outside, level with the surface or slightly higher.
After covering the strawberries with substrate, the soil is compacted, watered, and the bushes are mulched.
Care after disembarkation
Further care of the crop includes soil moisture, fertilizing, weeding, protection from diseases and pests.
Watering
Strawberries Bohemia need regular, moderate irrigation. Plants lose part of their yield if there is a lack of moisture, although they are drought-resistant varieties. Excessive watering inhibits the development of bushes.
Newly planted seedlings and mature bushes especially need watering during the first 2 weeks during the active growing season from May to September. At this time, moisturizing after two days is recommended.
Fertilizers
In addition to adding organic matter and mineral complexes before planting, Boheme strawberries need feeding during the season.
When the ground dries out after the snow melts, the bed is watered with an infusion of mullein or bird droppings. If in the future nitrogen interferes with the formation of Bohemian ovaries, immediately after the end of winter the microelement is necessary for the culture. If there is no organic matter, urea replaces it. Under each bush, pour 500 g of a solution prepared from 50 g of urea and 10 liters of water.
During the budding period, plants are fertilized with nitroammophos, and before the formation of the ovary - with boron. To prepare the solution, add 2 g of boric acid to a bucket of water.
During the period of filling green fruits, the crop is fed with mullein infusion (10 l) with the addition of ash (200 g) and nitroammophoska (30 g).
The last fifth time they fertilize Boheme is after the harvest, when flower buds are laid for the next year. Sprinkle the bed with ash at the rate of 1 kg per 1 sq. m, watered, embedded in the ground using a hoe.
Diseases and pests
Bohemia strawberries are not susceptible to late blight, fusarium, gray rot, powdery mildew, and other diseases characteristic of garden strawberries.
The variety is resistant to nematodes and mites, but to be on the safe side, gardeners treat the bushes with Actellik, Inta-vir, and Agravertin in the spring according to the instructions for use. Toxic drugs are successfully replaced with safe biological Fitosporin. Actofit helps in the fight against ticks.
Collection and storage
To extend the freshness of the crop for at least a few days, the fruits are removed from the bushes 2-3 days before full ripeness. Berries are collected from mid-June to September. The event is carried out in clear weather in the morning after the dew has dried or in the evening before it falls.
To increase shelf life, strawberries should not be transferred from one container to another. The berries are collected immediately into containers where the harvest will be stored.
When quickly cooled in the refrigerator, Bohemia fruits remain fresh for up to four days, if the bottom of the container is lined with paper and the berries are arranged in 1 row.
At room temperature, strawberries retain their original state for 24 hours. To extend storage, the fruits are frozen or ground with sugar.
Strawberry Boheme is a variety that is loved by gardeners for its positive characteristics that reduce labor costs when caring for the crop.
Farmers, not taking into account minor shortcomings in the form of a bifurcated nose, note Bohemia’s unpretentiousness to growing conditions, the density of the fruit, and the possibility of mechanized harvesting.
