Russian strawberry varieties are not inferior in consumer characteristics to varieties of foreign selection. Let's consider the description and characteristics of Meya strawberries, its pros and cons, as well as growing technology. How to propagate it, how to care for it, how to protect it from illnesses and diseases, how and when you can harvest fruits, where and how to properly store them in the household.
Description and characteristics of Meya strawberries
The variety was bred in the Tula region and belongs to the group of varieties of early-medium ripening. It has good immunity and cold resistance. Strawberry bushes are strong and vigorous, the berries are large, with a shiny surface, and ripe - red. The taste is expressive, the aroma is characteristic. The berries are soft, but transport and store well. This makes it possible to grow Meya strawberries on an industrial scale.
Advantages and disadvantages
How to plant a plant correctly
The area allocated for Meya strawberries should be well illuminated by the sun; in the shade the crop will bear fruit worse. You can place it close to a fence or building, this will protect the plants from being blown away by the winds.
You also need to thoroughly fertilize the soil to provide the plants with nutrition. Before planting, you need to prepare the area: dig up, select the roots of weeds, add 1 bucket of humus and 1 kg of ash. Mix everything thoroughly.
The best time for planting is in mid-spring or mid-autumn. The main thing is that it is not hot or cold, the soil should be moist. In autumn - plant at least a month before the arrival of cold weather.
Planting pattern: 30 by 60 cm, you can place seedlings more freely, because such an area is considered minimal for the needs of plants.After planting, the soil is compacted and covered with mulch material to protect it from rapid drying out and overgrowing by weeds.
Tips for caring for the variety
The care regimen for this strawberry variety is standard; the crop requires watering, feeding, loosening, treatment for diseases, and autumn pruning. You also need to promptly remove the tendrils, which take away nutrients from the plants.
Watering
In most regions, it is impossible to do without artificial irrigation when growing Meya strawberries. Strawberries require especially a lot of moisture during the berry-filling period. If there is not enough of it, the berries will become small and dry. To ensure timely watering, it is recommended to use a drip irrigation system.
Loosening, weed control
Loosen the soil under the bushes after the soil dries out after watering. The depth of immersion of the hoe should not be large so as not to catch the roots.
Along with loosening, weeding is also carried out, and weed seedlings are pruned.
Removing a mustache
The mustache is removed as soon as it begins to grow. They are cut with pruning shears near the soil. They leave tendrils on those plants that are needed for reproduction. There will be fewer berries on such bushes, but this is acceptable.
Top dressing
Feed with mineral mixtures or organic home fertilizers. The Meya variety responds equally well to fertilizing with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Feeding is applied 3 times per season: early in the spring, before foliage grows, before flowering and after flowering. First, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used, then those with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium.
Preparing for winter
In the fall, around the second half of September or October, depending on the climate of the region, the withered foliage of the strawberry bushes is cut off, taken out of the area and burned.Remove the summer layer of mulch and lay a new layer of at least 10 cm. Sawdust, straw, hay, and clean tree leaves can serve as mulch. You can also cover it with agrofibre. You need to have time to cover the crop before frost. You need to remove the mulch in the spring, after the snow has melted.
Breeding rules
Meya strawberries are propagated by pre-rooted tendrils. They are rooted in the spring, the strongest and thickest are selected, and buried next to the mother plants, without separating them from them. The mustache is watered all summer to form roots. The mustache is dug up and replanted in the fall, a month before the start of the cold period. Like adult bushes, planted mustaches are covered with mulch so that they do not freeze in the first winter.
Harvesting and storage
Berries are picked from Meya plants when they are ripe and become red and fragrant. For transportation and storage, you need to collect slightly unripe fruits, the pulp of which is not yet completely soft. This way they will better withstand moving and storage.
Place the harvest in small boxes, boxes or baskets. It is not recommended to apply a lot; strawberries laid in a thick layer begin to rot. Store berries in a cool and dark place with low humidity. Shelf life – 1 month.
The Meya variety can be grown both in industrial areas and on your own farm. The plants produce large, good-looking fruits with excellent consumer characteristics. They ripen in the early-mid period, which allows the variety to be used for growing strawberries for sale. Meya is resistant to cold and heat, so it can be recommended for almost all regions. Ripe berries are distinguished by their keeping quality and suitability for transportation; the fruits, well packed, do not wrinkle or deform.The taste is sweet, the fruits are used for eating and processing, canning, and freezing.
