Remontant strawberry varieties are easy to care for and tolerate not very favorable weather conditions. Strawberries of the Sweet Evy variety are resistant to temperature changes and have excellent taste. Let's consider the description and characteristics of the variety, its pros and cons, features of cultivation and care, protection from pests and diseases. How to propagate plants, properly harvest and store crops.
Description and characteristics of Sweet Evi strawberries
The bushes are spreading and have medium growth vigor. The variety is cold-resistant, therefore suitable for cultivation both in the south and in the northern regions.The leaves are dark green, the peduncles are large, rising to the level of the leaves. Not much of a mustache. Medium size flowers. The berries are dense, conical, deep red, shiny, the flesh is white-pink.
Average weight - 20-35 g, maximum - 40 g. The taste is sweet, sour, harmonious, pleasant aroma. The fruits are distinguished by keeping quality and good ability to be transported.
Pros and cons of the variety
The advantages of the Sweet Evi variety are:
- resistance to cold;
- good taste of fruits;
- long shelf life and transportability of berries;
- versatility of purpose, berries can be eaten fresh, processed and frozen;
- yield 1-2 kg per bush;
- duration of fruiting - you can get fruits from May to October;
- resistance to weather conditions and diseases.
Disadvantages of the variety: it produces few runners, which can become a problem if propagation is necessary; the berries can crack after rains.
Nuances of cultivation and care
It is advisable to grow Sweet Evy strawberries in greenhouse conditions, in which they produce a better harvest than in garden beds. Seedlings can even be planted in pots and grown on the balcony.
It is advisable to plant seedlings according to a pattern of 30 cm in a row and 70 cm in row spacing.Before planting, the bed for strawberries needs to be prepared: remove all remnants from the previous crop, select the roots of the weeds, dig up, sprinkle with ash in the amount of 0.5 kg per meter and humus (a bucket for the same area). Carefully dig and level the surface.
Planting process: make holes 10-15 cm deep, water, plant one seedling in each. Smooth out the roots, sprinkle earth around the neck, tamp down a little. Cover the root zone with mulch made from straw, grass cuttings, sawdust, or use black agrofibre.
Like other varieties of strawberries, Sweet Evy requires fertilizing. During the season there should be at least 3 of them: the first, nitrogen fertilizers, should be done immediately after the plants begin the growing season. Then, when flower stalks appear, feed with phosphorus-potassium or complex fertilizers. The third feeding should be done in the middle of the fruiting period, and the last one after the end, so that the plants can recover after the productive period.
After fruiting has completely finished, pruning becomes necessary. Remove all old leaves damaged by pests and diseases. Do not put the remains on the beds, take them out of the garden, dry them and burn them. Before the onset of cold weather, strawberries need to be covered with insulating material, especially if they were planted recently.
Protection from diseases and pests
During the rainy season, the likelihood of plant damage by fungal infections, especially blight and late blight, increases. To prevent diseases, it is necessary to spray with fungicidal preparations. When strawberries begin to bear fruit, only biofungicides or folk remedies should be used. To repel pests, garlic or onions are planted near the beds.
Reproduction
The main method of propagation is rooting and transplanting whiskers. The mustaches are rooted every year without separating them from the bushes. In the fall, they are dug up and transplanted into prepared beds.
Sweet Evi throws out few whiskers, which is why, along with propagation by layering, another method is used - propagation by dividing the bush. Select young, healthy plants and carefully divide them into 2-3 parts so that at least 2 leaves and always a growing point remain on the divisions; the roots must be healthy and powerful.
The fruiting period of each Sweet Evi strawberry bush is 5 years. Then they need to be replaced with young sockets.
Harvest and storage
The berries of the variety should be collected as they ripen. Red and aromatic berries will be the most delicious. Healthy fruits without damage can be guaranteed to be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The berries are placed in clean food containers and sealed airtight. The fruits can also be frozen in the freezer, where they can be stored for up to six months.
Sweet Evi strawberries are suitable for growing in private household plots in all climatic zones and are highly frost-resistant. Being unpretentious to growing conditions, it needs watering in hot weather. It is recommended for growing in greenhouses and on balconies; it produces a yield no less than in open beds.The variety does not have a particularly high yield, but the bushes produce a harvest longer than many other varieties, so it will be a good choice for personal farms.
