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

Day-neutral remontant strawberry varieties are very popular both among breeders and among ordinary gardeners. In Russia, among foreign varieties, Selva stands out. It has many advantages, but is also not without its disadvantages. Today we will look at the description of the Selva variety of strawberries and figure out how to properly grow this variety in order to get a high-quality harvest.

Characteristics and description of the Selva variety

Selva is a remontant variety, which means it can bear fruit several times in one season. Strawberries grow in large spreading bushes; their flower stalks can reach a height greater than the stems. The weight of the berries can reach eighty grams.

Plant parameters

The bushes near Selva are spreading and broad-leaved. A large number of fruits grow on the stalk. One bush bears fruit up to five times during the growing season. The first berries ripen in late spring and early summer.

Selva bears fruit in waves. If you properly care for the plant, fruiting will occur three to four times in one season. Strawberries can produce a full harvest within three years. In the fourth year, tendrils may not even appear, so the beds should be rejuvenated every year.

Fruit characteristics

Ripe berries of Selva are bright red, some fruits have a pinkish tint. Strawberries have a sweet and sour taste. The berries that appear during the first wave of fruiting are large, and with subsequent waves the size of the fruits gradually decreases, but their number increases.

Frost resistance

The Selva strawberry variety is quite frost-resistant; the plant survives even in severe winter cold, but does not tolerate a long thaw. If Selva is grown in a warm climate, the bushes are covered with straw or spruce branches. In cold conditions, you will need better shelter, for example peat. Before mulching and covering the bushes with a layer of peat, you need to let the strawberries get used to frost in order to harden them.

Productivity

Selva is a remontant strawberry variety, which means year-round fruiting.

Strawberries produce their first berries at the end of May. Growth, flowering and fruiting of strawberries are not tied to daylight hours, and continue throughout the growing season. In protected ground, Selva bears fruit continuously, and in open ground - in waves, from three to five times per season. The main harvest occurs in July and continues until early to mid-autumn, until frost.

The berries that appear in mid-summer are considered the most delicious. Fruits that ripen at the beginning of the summer season, during the first wave of fruiting, are often not sweet enough. It is recommended to remove them along with the flower stalks in order to increase the yield of subsequent cycles.

Resistance to pests and diseases

One of the main features of this variety is immunity to various diseases. It is not afraid of spotting, powdery mildew and gray rot; the leaves of Selva remain undamaged until autumn.

Pros and cons of strawberries

The main advantages of Selva, as stated above, are its resistance to cold and disease and high yield. In addition, strawberries have a pleasant appearance. Large leaves and bright red berries can greatly decorate a garden plot, so gardeners use Selva for decorative purposes.

Among the disadvantages of this variety of strawberries, the berries are not sweet enough, the berries are sour in taste, which, as the bush ages, lose their sweetness more and more, which is why the plant has to be replaced at least once every three years.

Features of cultivation

The yield of Selva greatly depends on the correct cultivation technique. To obtain a large and high-quality harvest, the plant must be provided with favorable conditions.

Disembarkation time

It is better to plant strawberries at the end of April, when warm weather finally sets in, at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius.It is recommended to plant bushes closer to 5 pm, on warm soil.

Selecting a location and preparing the soil for planting

For planting Selva bushes, soil containing equal amounts of sand and clay is suitable. Choose a lighted place so that the strawberries receive enough heat and produce a timely harvest.

The area must be dug to a depth of 30 centimeters, loosening the soil. When digging holes for strawberries, use only natural fertilizers. 10 kilograms of manure with peat is suitable per square meter. The distance between the holes should be, on average, 30 centimeters, and when planting in several rows, maintain a gap of 50 centimeters.

Planting strawberries

Selva is planted with tendrils, seeds or by cutting off a bush. To transfer to the soil, take a plant with developed roots and four leaves. To avoid the plant drying out, be careful not to leave the bud in the ground. Pour a small amount of water into the prepared hole, place the bush there and press the straightened roots down with soil, then water the strawberries again.

At the initial stage, the plant is watered abundantly, up to several times a day, until it finally takes root.

Subtleties of plant care

Planting and proper care of the plant throughout its entire life cycle play an important role in growing Selva.

Air temperature

If strawberries grow at too hot air temperatures, the plant should be mulched with hay or straw. In the southern regions, it is better to keep bushes in partial shade. Covering the plant with film helps against cold temperatures.

Watering

At first, after planting, strawberries are watered several times a day.After the plant has taken root, the watering rate should be reduced, since excess moisture will negatively affect the taste and quality of the berries. It will be enough to water the bushes 1-2 times a week. After watering, loosen the soil to provide sufficient oxygen to the roots.

Fertilizers

Selva must be regularly fed with mineral and organic fertilizers during flowering and fruiting. Fertilize at least three times per season.

Mulching strawberries

Mulching, that is, covering the soil between the bushes with various materials, will help minimize damage to the berries and make it possible to water the bushes less often than usual. Agrofibre, which is used to cover the bed before planting, as well as hay or straw, are suitable for this. Do not cover the bushes themselves with material; carefully cover the soil between the bushes with a 15-centimeter layer.

Wintering conditions

Selva tolerates cold well, so in warm regions it is enough to cover it with a layer of hay, straw or non-woven material. In regions with cold climates, the soil must be mulched and sprinkled with a thick layer of humus or peat.

Protection from diseases

Despite the fact that Selva is immune to many diseases, do not forget about protecting the plant. While growing bushes, you need to monitor them in order to promptly identify pests. Strawberries are especially susceptible to attack by strawberry mites and weevils.

It is advisable to treat the plant against pests using folk remedies, since strawberries constantly bear fruit. Infusions of wormwood, tobacco and soap help greatly.

Types of reproduction

Due to the fact that the remontant Selva strawberry bears fruit all year, it is greatly depleted over time and reduces its ability to produce a high-quality harvest. Therefore, every year the bush propagation procedure should be carried out.

There are several methods of reproduction:

1. Dividing a bush is dividing one strawberry seedling into two or three. This is one of the best ways to preserve the characteristics of the plant as much as possible.
2. Seed propagation - this method is quite labor-intensive and does not always give a good result, since strawberries planted by seed usually have rather weak seedlings.
3. Reproduction by mustache is the easiest and most optimal way. You just need to sprinkle the strawberry tendril with a small amount of soil, and after some time it will form a seedling that will need to be replanted.

Harvesting and storing strawberries

It is best to pick ripe strawberries from the bushes when they are dry. Spoiled berries also need to be picked so that they do not infect neighboring fruits. Remove the berries that appeared in the first wave along with the flower stalks.

Fresh strawberries cannot be stored at room temperature, as they will ferment and become moldy. It must be stored in the refrigerator, at temperatures up to plus six degrees, in plastic or glass containers. It is better if it is not tightly closed to provide the fruits with access to oxygen. For long-term preservation, strawberries can be frozen in the freezer in a container with sugar.