Characteristics and description of Salsa strawberries, planting and care

Strawberry Salsa is one of the most common and unpretentious varieties. Enjoying these juicy and delicious berries in the summer will require some effort. This is important not only for Salsa, but also for other varieties of strawberries. To get a good harvest of this berry, you need to know how to care for it - from choosing bushes for planting and preparing the soil to harvesting.

Description and characteristics of Strawberry Salsa

Strawberry variety Salsa is a late variety. He was bred in the Netherlands, 1988. It has good productivity and is unpretentious. Strawberries are tall and erect. Her mustache is strong and grows in large quantities. The foliage is light green, the flowers and anthers are large.

The yield of Salsa is large, the fruits are large, their peel is thin, bright red. The pulp of the fruit is light pink in color, moderate density, fleshy, and produces a lot of juice. The fruits can be consumed fresh, as well as for making something sweet or for freezing.

The berries can only be transported over short distances - they are poorly stored. The weight of the fruits can reach 25-35 grams, some can weigh 50 grams. The yield reaches approximately 1 kilogram per bush. The variety is highly resistant to powdery mildew, verticillium wilt, is susceptible to late blight, and gray rot also greatly harms the plant. The approximate fruiting time is 3-4 years.

Description of strawberry Salsa: strawberry bushes are tall and strong. The leaves are light green, the peduncles are tall. The fruits are voluminous, red, round-conical or leveled in shape.

Negative and positive sides

Positive sides:

• high-yielding variety;
• late-ripening variety is frost-resistant;
• tolerates various weather conditions well;
• presence of immunity to diseases - verticillium and powdery mildew are not dangerous for this variety;
• large fruits.

Ripe berries have a pleasant smell, a characteristic shine, are rich, and pleasant to the taste. With good care, the fruits can weigh on average 35-37 grams. Strawberries also contain vitamins and are enriched with minerals and trace elements.The fruits can be consumed not only canned, but also fresh. Heat treatment and freezing of the product do not violate their beneficial properties.

Negative sides:

• the fruits are not suitable for transportation over long distances, but are quite suitable for sale on the local market;
• The variety is not resistant to chlorosis disease.

Features of growing the variety

In order for this variety to grow well and bear fruit, you need to choose the right place to plant it.

Choice of time and place

Strawberries Salsa can grow well and produce fruit in any soil. But despite this, productivity depends entirely on fertilizer. A good harvest can be expected in a dacha where the soil is light or medium and has an acidity of 5.0-6.5 pH.

When preparing a site for planting, organic matter is added to the soil - on average 5-6 kilograms, and mineral fertilizers - on average 40 grams per 1 square meter.

Preparation of planting material

For planting, you need to select bushes with developed roots, so that there are more than 7-10 branches. The ground part should contain 2-3 young, developed leaves. Before planting, you can roll the roots in a mixture of soil with peat or humus at the rate of 0.5 parts of humus (vermicompost, peat) and 0.5 parts of chernozem or clay.

You need to prepare a mixture whose thickness resembles the consistency of sour cream. Next, the seedlings are placed in a box covered with polyethylene and sent to the basement for a couple of days, where the temperature is +3-+5 degrees. To prevent the seedlings from drying out, they are also covered with polyethylene on top.

Landing technology

Plants need to be planted in prepared soil, which settles after digging. An experienced gardener will be able to correctly determine the time to plant a crop. The most suitable time is August.

It is not necessary to plant often.There should be a distance of 30 centimeters between plants, and up to 40 centimeters between rows. On average, there are 4 bushes per square meter. Due to this planting, the plant is well ventilated, the moisture does not stagnate, does not have dampness and warms up well.

Nuances of crop care

To get a good strawberry harvest you need proper care. It includes:

• watering;
• weeding;
• loosening;
• mulching;
• feeding

Site selection

Strawberries are an unpretentious plant that grows in a variety of soils. But for a good harvest, excellent taste, and increased resistance to disease, you need soil that is most suitable for the life of the plant. Such soils include: sandy, sandy loam, light, fertile. The least suitable are peat and sod-podzolic soils.

Groundwater should be located no deeper than 70 centimeters. In areas with a higher groundwater level, it is advisable to drain the soil or raise the beds. Growing strawberries in lowlands is not advisable. The soil pH should be 5.0-6.6. If the acidity level in the soil is minimal, the gardener limes the soil.

Preparing the site for planting

In the fall, the area is dug up for planting with a spade bayonet. In the spring, before planting the berries, the soil is loosened by 15 centimeters. Next, the presence of harmful neighborhoods is checked, especially in those places where there are a lot of dense bushes and fresh manure heaps. If “harmful” residents are detected, the area is treated with ammonia water. Weeds are destroyed with herbicides.

Boarding time

The time of planting depends on the climate. In spring, strawberries are planted after the ground has received sufficient heat.In autumn – from August to September.

Watering, weeding and loosening the soil

Watering: for 2 weeks after planting, water the soil every day, then once every 2 days. Then watering is carried out depending on the weather.

Weeding is very important for Salsa. The soil needs to be loosened periodically so that the plant develops well and does not become overgrown with weeds. It is also important to loosen the soil immediately after planting.

Mulching strawberries

In some regions there is no snow in winter, so the ground freezes. To prevent strawberries from freezing, the soil around the bush itself needs to be mulched during preparation for wintering. For this, straw manure is used, applied in a layer of 5-7 centimeters.

Mulching protects the soil from drying out. Laying mulch between the rows of strawberries helps protect the rhizomes. In the south in the summer, the plant suffers from extreme heat. Therefore, many gardeners sow sorghum between the rows in the spring. This also helps increase the yield of this variety. You can mulch Salsa with pine needles, sawdust, and straw.

Fertilizer application

When fertilizing, you need to apply fertilizer to the plant no closer than 5 centimeters from it. Need to remember:

1. 4 feedings are enough: 14 days after Salsa is planted, superphosphate (30) grams and wood ash 0.5 cups are diluted in 10 liters of water.
2. When the plant blooms: mullein is diluted in water 1:6; chicken droppings – 1:20. All this is infused for 7 days. Ash is also added - 0.5 cups.
3. Mullein + water (soaked) 1:6 + ash (0.5 cups) + superphosphate (50 grams) + 20 liters of water.
4. Mullein is bred in a ratio of 1:6, chicken manure - 1:20. Let it sit for a week. Ash is also added.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Strawberry pests are:

• raspberry-strawberry weevil;
• strawberry mite;
• stem and strawberry nematodes;
• root weevils.

Diseases:

• gray rot;
• powdery mildew;
• white spotting;
• root rot;
• witch's broom.

Treating the plant with chemicals against these pests should not be done frequently. Processing time: spring-autumn.

• Spring. Plant debris, frozen and dried leaves, and dead plants are removed. Next, the soil is loosened and fertilizer is added. Strawberries are not always treated for pests, only when the plant requires it.
• Autumn. After the harvest is harvested, the bushes are inspected. Bad, sick and damaged plants are immediately eliminated. If strawberries are affected by a nematode, the entire berry must be eliminated. The plants are burned, and the soil is spilled with a solution of iron sulfate. Concentration – 5%.

There is also no need to give earth mites a chance to overwinter under the snow. If you don’t have chemicals on hand, you can use a solution of onion peels. You need 200 grams of husk per bucket of water. Leave for 3-4 days.

There are more popular solutions and methods for processing strawberries:

• ammonia;
• iodine;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• Bordeaux mixture;
• boric acid;
• ash;
• hot water;
• fire.

Here are the main options for protection against pests and diseases.

Propagation of the Salsa variety

Strawberries can reproduce in two ways: by mustache, by dividing the bush.

• Usami. This is the most common way. Reproduction occurs as follows: rosettes and a root system are formed on the formed mustache over a certain period of time. After thoroughly strengthening the roots, the shoot dries out and is separated from the mother.
• By division. This way only healthy plants reproduce.Before dividing, the bushes are inspected for pests and diseases. Reproduction in this way is carried out after 2-4 years. From one bush you can get 5-15 plants. Each bush should have a “heart” and several roots. The best time for this type of reproduction is August.

These are the most popular breeding methods. If all recommendations are followed correctly, the harvest will be bountiful.

Collection and storage rules for strawberries

How to properly pick and store strawberries, every gardener knows.

Harvesting takes place a few days before the berries are completely ripe. Due to this, it can be stored for up to 2 days. If grown strawberries are being stored, frequent and abundant watering is not advisable. It is best to harvest in the morning, after the dew has dried, or before the sun rises. When collecting, crumpled and spoiled fruits should not fall into the basket.

Storage. The harvest is placed in wooden or plastic boxes lined with paper or cloth along the bottom. Strawberries are placed in one layer. The berries are stored at temperatures from 0 to +20 ⁰From 3-4 days. If from +20 ⁰C – 1 day. If stored at home, the container should be made of glass or plastic. Berries should not be washed before storage.

With proper collection and storage, you can enjoy juicy berries for a long time.