Description and remontant strawberries of the Ostara variety, planting and care

The market offers a wide range of remontant varieties with different characteristics. Moreover, both new, fashionable innovations and old, proven “fighters”. But gardeners are attracted to strawberries, first of all, by their rich taste. And the strawberries of Dutch breeders Ostara have wonderful taste, thick aroma and high sugar content.

Description and characteristics of Ostara strawberries

This is a Dutch variety of day-neutral strawberry (remontant). Moreover, he is quite middle-aged, his description is no secret, and his history goes back almost 50 years. Obtained as a result of cross-pollination of the Red Gauntlet and Masherachs Daurernte varieties.

Fruiting time and yield

The variety is characterized by high yields. The bush produces many flower stalks. Each of them ripens up to a dozen berries. The productivity of the plant for a full season is 1.0-1.2 kilograms.

Ripens in the first ten days of May in the southern regions, in the central zone - from the end of May to the beginning of June. The variety bears fruit before frost, depending on the growing region. In the southern regions, the last strawberries are picked at the end of October.

Characteristics of bushes and fruits

Strawberry bushes are vigorous, medium-high, up to 25 centimeters. But the plants themselves are compact, densely leafy. The leaves are medium in size and rich dark green in color, covered with fine hairs. The peduncles are long, thin, and lie on the ground under the weight of ripening fruits. There are a lot of mustaches.

The berries are medium and small, shiny, bright red, wide conical in shape. The maximum size is in the range of 20-25 grams. But the fruits, as samples are taken, become significantly smaller. The berries have high taste qualities. They are very sweet, tasty, reminiscent of wild strawberries. With a thick, rich strawberry aroma.

Transportability and shelf life

The transportability and keeping quality of Ostara strawberries is low. You could even say that they simply don’t exist. The berries are soft and flow immediately after picking.

Negative and positive sides

Ostara, like other strawberry varieties, has its own pros and cons. The variety is quite “mature”, so in many respects it is inferior to today’s promising new products, which take into account all the shortcomings of old varieties.

Positive sides:

1. The variety is unpretentious to soils and growing conditions.
2. The right choice as a plant for beginners, inexperienced gardeners.
3. Drought resistance of the variety.
4. High resistance of the variety to diseases and pests of garden strawberries.
5. High and regular yields.
6. Excellent taste - the berries are sweet, aromatic, reminiscent of wild strawberries.
7. Strawberries are suitable for processing, preferably directly at the point of collection.

Negative sides:

1. “Zero” transportability and keeping quality of fruits. Strawberry variety Ostara - for consuming berries “straight from the bush”.
2. It is possible to store strawberries in the refrigerator for a short time or transport them short distances in a shallow container. But the quality of the fruit itself will be low.
3. It is completely unsuitable for sale in fresh berry markets. The fruits have no marketable appearance. The berries are quite small, although tasty, and very wrinkled.
4. Strawberries quickly deplete their resources; annual renewal is recommended.
5. Many gardeners and summer residents have long abandoned Ostara in favor of new varieties. They are distinguished by large, tasty fruits and do not lose berry size during the season.
6. The fruits are not suitable for freezing or drying, but are only suitable for making jam. But it turns out very tasty and aromatic.

How to grow the variety correctly

To obtain a generous and tasty strawberry harvest, a gardener must know how to properly grow the chosen variety. Simply put, “pick up the keys to the plant.”

Optimal planting dates

Remontant varieties are distinguished by the fact that they are able to produce a harvest of berries in the year of planting. Moreover, when planting seedlings with a closed root system in the spring, from the beginning of autumn it is already possible to obtain a noticeable harvest.

Bare-root strawberry seedlings need to be planted from early April-May, depending on the region.

It is advisable to do this as quickly as possible so that by summer the plant gains strength and takes root well. In autumn, OKS should be planted from the beginning of September. Seedlings with a closed root system can be planted at any time of the season. When planting in particularly hot summer months, it is necessary to provide almost daily watering for at least a week.

Soil selection

It is desirable that the soil for strawberries be light, loose, and breathable. Sandy loam soils with neutral acidity are best suited. Wetlands or areas where groundwater comes close to the soil level should be avoided. In such a bed, the root system of plants will simply rot.

Preparing the landing site

The area is carefully weeded, all remnants of weeds are removed with a rake. Organic and mineral fertilizers are applied within 2-3 weeks. Then the area is dug up or plowed and watered abundantly.

Landing in the ground

Planting in summer is carried out in the morning or evening, when there is minimal solar activity. If planting is carried out in early spring or autumn, then strawberries can be planted throughout the daylight hours.

Some gardeners, if necessary, plant even at night, using lighting devices.

In the case of summer or late spring planting, it would not be a bad idea to shade the plants with agrofibre or a shade net. This will significantly improve the survival rate of strawberry seedlings. The duration of shading of the variety is 1-2 weeks.

Features of care

Like any remontant, constantly fruiting strawberry, the Ostara variety needs more careful care.

Watering

Watering is carried out in the early morning hours or in the evening. An effective method is to install a drip irrigation system for strawberries with a distance between droppers of 10-15 centimeters. Without any problems, you can water by sprinkling using Golden Spray hoses. Or just a garden watering can if there are not many plants.

Top dressing

Garden strawberry Ostara is a remontant variety that constantly produces a large number of fruits. Therefore, it needs regular and balanced feeding. Moreover, it is correct and effective to alternate spraying fertilizers on the leaves with applying fertilizer to the roots. The results will not keep you waiting.

Weeding and mulching

Regular mulching of the soil will help retain moisture, protect the root system from overheating and improve the soil structure. Straw, mowed weeds without roots and seeds, black film, agrofabric and agrofibre are suitable. Moreover, agrofibre is suitable both black, two-layer, black and white, and ordinary - dense white.

In mulched plantings, loosening and weeding of the soil is carried out mainly between the rows. Without mulch, it is advisable to weed regularly, approximately once every 2 weeks.

Preparing for winter

In the northern regions, from August, and in the more southern regions, from September, it is necessary to begin preparing plantings for winter. It consists of sanitary cleaning, weeding, pre-winter moisture loading, chemical treatment, fertilizing and covering the strawberries.

Disease and pest control

To prevent outbreaks of fungal diseases, it is necessary to prevent dense plantings. And also carry out regular sanitary cleaning. It is important to maintain the health of the bush. And carry out agrotechnical practices in a timely manner. Strong and healthy plants resist infections and pests much more successfully.

Gray mold (Botrytis)

Partly because of their soft, perishable berries, Ostara strawberries are susceptible to gray rot. This common disease is caused by a harmful fungus – Botrytis cinerea. All above-ground parts of the strawberry bush are affected: flower buds, berries, peduncles and leaves.

To prevent berries from rotting, especially in cool and rainy weather, it is advisable to mulch the soil. Regular sanitary cleaning is also required, with the removal of fruit residues, diseased and dried parts of the plant. For control, systemic and contact fungicides are used: Horus, Topsin, Copper sulfate, Infinito.

Powdery mildew

This fungal disease of strawberries appears as a thick white coating on all parts of the plant. And it will easily lead to complete death. To combat it, spraying with fungicides is used: Quadris, Topsin, Tiovit Jet.

Root rot (Rhizoctoniosis)

As a result of the damage, the roots first become stained, and then turn black and die. Sick plants are destroyed. For prevention and treatment, the soil is sprayed with fungicides (Maxim, Fundazol, Quadris) and green manure is incorporated into the ground. In particular, take white or yellow mustard. To combat black root rot, planting healthy and strong seedlings is important.

Strawberry and spider mites

Ticks develop en masse in dry, hot weather. Affected leaves are removed and destroyed.And the plants are sprayed several times, with an interval of 7-10 days, with Actellik, Actofit, Neoron, Masai.

Strawberry nematode

The most dangerous pest of strawberries, in 90% of cases it is a death sentence for the plants and the entire site. It is difficult, sometimes impossible, to fight the nematode. But it doesn't happen that often. Infected plants are destroyed, and the site is not used for a couple of years, regularly spilled with chemicals and covered with green manure. A line of drugs to combat nematodes has appeared on the market, for example, drug Nematophagin.

Snails and slugs

Snails and slugs develop rapidly in dense plantings and high humidity. Control measures include placing a number of traps, for example, beer bowls. And, of course, manual collection or use of the drug Metaldehyde.

Propagation of the Ostara variety

The Ostara variety produces a lot of whiskers per season, so there will be no problems with reproduction. An effective way would be to root vegetative tendrils in cups. Sockets of any size will fit. But it would be more expedient, in order to obtain strong seedlings in the shortest possible time, to take only first- and second-order rosettes. These strawberries, planted in a large flowerpot, will decorate a balcony or loggia. And after the mustache grows, reproduction is carried out without leaving the city apartment.

Collection and storage of strawberries

It is best to harvest strawberries in the fall and spring during the day, when the berries are warm in the sun. Firstly, the berries will be dry, without morning dew. And secondly, the taste of the fruit will improve. In summer, on the contrary, morning collection is preferable. Collect in small dishes, plastic booties, cardboard boxes. The shelf life in the refrigerator is a maximum of 1 day, then the strawberries drip heavily and are affected by rot.