Universal varieties of strawberries can be grown both in industrial plantings and in private gardens. The strawberry variety Capri belongs to this group. Let's consider the description and most important characteristics of the variety, its pros and cons. What technology is used to grow strawberries, how to care for planted bushes, how to propagate plants. Protection from diseases and pests, picking berries and their proper storage.
Description and characteristics of Capri strawberries
The Capri variety belongs to the group of remontant varieties, obtained in Italy from crossing 2 hybrid forms. It is distinguished by its productivity, the berries have beautiful external qualities and taste. Resistant to heat and drought, fungal diseases.
The Capri variety bush is medium-sized, compact, and has medium foliage. The leaf is medium in size, the flowers are bisexual, the peduncles are powerful, erect, and fall to the ground under the weight of the berries. He puts out a little mustache.
Strawberry fruits are large and medium-sized, conical in classical shape, one-dimensional, spectacular, weighing 25-30 g. With a thin, strong skin, shiny, red, in ripe berries - dark red. The seeds are slightly pressed. The pulp is dense, red, fragrant, juicy, without voids, of uniform consistency.
The taste is dessert, sweet, with a subtle sourness. The fruits are sweet even in rainy summers; the taste of the berries does not deteriorate towards the end of the season. The variety's yield is high - it is possible to collect up to 2 kg of berries from a bush. Fruiting is prolonged, in several stages, beginning in early summer and ending in autumn. When picked, the berries come off the stalks easily and without effort.
Main advantages and disadvantages
Growing the variety
Capri strawberries must be planted correctly and then cared for. For a plot with a crop, you need to choose a suitable place, prepare the ground and plant the bushes correctly. All this will be the key to good plant development and successful fruiting.
Selection of seedlings and planting site
For strawberries, choose a sunny, open area, protected from cold winds.Thus, the best place to place strawberry beds is close to fences and buildings.
The soil for growing strawberries of the Capri variety should be loamy or sandy loam. The culture needs loose, soft, well-groomed and fertilized soil. Before planting, the area is dug up, weed roots are selected, humus and ash are added, and mixed with soil.
Landing time
Strawberry seedlings are planted in the spring, after the weather has warmed up. Can also be planted in autumn, late September or October. In this case, there should be at least a month and a half left before the onset of cold weather. This period of time is necessary for the seedlings to take root.
Planting scheme and technology
Strawberries of the Capri variety can be planted according to a compacted pattern: bushes are placed in a row at 15-20 cm, row spacing is 30 cm. Of course, with such dense planting, the bushes require intensive care, systematic watering and fertilizing.
The variety is recommended to be grown on film or agrofibre. This method simplifies plant care and accelerates harvest ripening.
Care Tips
Caring for Capri strawberries differs according to the growing season - spring, summer and autumn. Each period has its own characteristics.
Spring
After the snow melts, they examine the strawberry bushes to see how they survived the winter. Remove dry leaves and flower stalks, loosen the soil around the bushes. They are fed with organic matter and sprinkled with earth, sawdust, and straw. In this case, the middle of the plant should not be covered. Mulch will retain soil moisture and prevent weeds from growing. If the soil is already dry, water the plants.
Summer
In summer, Capri is watered once a week; in hot weather, additional watering is required so that the berries have time to grow and gain mass. Due to lack of moisture, they can be small and dry. After watering, they loosen and weed the beds, if grass appears, and fertilize them after flowering with complex ready-made fertilizers. If the bushes show signs of disease, they are treated with fungicides, diluting them in a therapeutic dose.
Autumn
In October, after the end of the growing season, the dried leaves are removed and burned. The bushes are covered with a new layer of mulch.
Methods of controlling diseases and pests
Despite the resistance to fungi, preventive spraying with fungicides is necessary. Since fruits are harvested throughout most of the summer, it is recommended to use biological agents.
Strawberry propagation
Remontant Capri strawberries are propagated by rooted tendrils. The mustaches are left on the healthiest and most well-developed bushes; they are buried in drops without separating them from the plants. Water along with the bushes all summer. In the fall, they dig them up with a shovel and transplant them to new beds.
Harvest and storage
The berries are collected after full ripening. They are universally used, that is, they can be eaten fresh, sold, processed, or canned. Can be frozen for use in winter. Store the harvest in the refrigerator in food containers or in the cellar, in a cool and dark place. Under such conditions, the shelf life is 1 month.
The Capri variety is an excellent remontant strawberry, from which you can pick berries throughout the summer.The plants are drought-resistant, bear fruit every year, and are unpretentious.
