Description and characteristics of the Tsaritsa strawberry variety, cultivation and care

Special varieties of strawberries are bred for cultivation in central Russia. They tolerate cold winters well and bear fruit in any conditions. Among these varieties are the Tsaritsa garden strawberries, obtained by Russian breeders.

Description and characteristics of Tsarina strawberries

The strawberry variety was obtained by crossing Venta and Red Gotlenta. A group led by Professor S. Aidzhanova worked on breeding the hybrid. From its parents the plant took the best qualities associated with:

• resistance to drought and low temperatures;
• strong immunity against infections;
• excellent berry taste.

The strawberry variety is valued for its ease of care. But in order to increase berry yields, you need to care for strawberries correctly.

Bushes

The plant has small compact bushes 20 centimeters high. The medium-sized leaves have a smooth, shiny surface. Their color is dark green. The tendrils on the shoots are dark red with slight pubescence.

Flowers and berries

The Queen strawberry blooms in June. The bushes are covered with white petals. The diameter of the flowers reaches 3-5 centimeters. Bisexual flowers do not require pollination. The fruits are characterized by a conical shape. The top of the berries is smooth with dense flesh of a rich red color. Their weight reaches 40-50 grams with good care and favorable weather. But over time, the fruits begin to shrink, when they barely reach 15 grams.

The Tsarina is distinguished by its excellent sweet taste of false berries with a slight sourness and a unique aroma. The berries are suitable for fresh consumption and for making jam and marmalade.

Productivity

The hybrid bushes produce few fruits, but they are large. From 1 plant in a good year you can collect up to 600-700 grams of berries. Productivity is lower if the summer is cold and rainy.

The growing season of a crop and its yield depend on compliance with the plant’s agricultural practices.

Transportability

The dense berries of the variety are valued for their long shelf life. The harvest can be transported over long distances, and it will not be wrinkled.That's why they choose strawberries for growing on an industrial scale. Moreover, the berries appear at the end of June - July, when the main varieties of the crop have already bear fruit.

Region of natural growth

The Queen owes her qualities to breeders. Since the variety was bred in the Bryansk region, it is zoned in various regions. It bears fruit well in the middle zone, in Siberian and Ural gardens. In the southern regions it is also not ignored.

If you cover the bushes for the winter, they can easily withstand 40 degrees below zero. In the steppe, the plant withstands drought and heat.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of choosing this strawberry variety is its ability to:

• bear fruit together for 15 days;
• tolerate transportation well;
• not be damaged by frost or heat;
• be resistant to pathogenic microorganisms;
• bear fruit in one place for 4-6 years.

The disadvantages of the hybrid include its average yield. To increase it, you have to plant more plants.

The nuances of growing varieties in the garden

It is not difficult to grow Tsarina garden strawberries in the country. Requirements for planting and care are not much different from the usual rules of agricultural technology.

Preparation of planting material

Healthy seedlings play a big role in the future development of strawberries. It is necessary to select seedlings with a strong root system. In this case, the length of the roots should be within 7-10 centimeters. The number of leaves on the stems is 3-4 green, shiny.

It is preferable to purchase seedlings with a closed root system. They adapt to new conditions faster.

What should the soil be like?

Strawberries have increased demands on soil and its nutritional value. Therefore, before planting, you need to enhance the soil fertility by adding half-rotted manure (5-7 kilograms) or chicken droppings (1-2 kilograms) per 1 square meter. A replacement can be a mixture of 2-3 kilograms of humus and 30-50 grams of superphosphate. Plowing of the site is carried out in advance: either in autumn or early spring.

How to plant correctly

The planting scheme for the Tsaritsa variety requires a distance between seedlings of 30-40 centimeters. The rows are separated from each other by 70-80. It is best to use a cord, stretching it between the pegs so that the rows go straight.

Holes for plants are made 7-10 centimeters deep. It is necessary to straighten the roots by placing them in the holes. Sprinkle the seedlings with soil, holding them with one hand. It is important to ensure that the growing point is at ground level.

The seedling is planted correctly, if it passes the test: pull the leaf, it will come off, but the plant will remain in place.

After planting, the seedlings are watered and shaded with a layer of straw and hay.

How to properly care for the Tsarina variety

In the first year after planting, strawberry bushes are carefully looked after. Water, feed, cover for the winter. Then agricultural technology changes a little. After 4-5 years, it is necessary to change the area for garden strawberries.

How to water and feed

Once planted, plants are moistened up to 5 times during the summer. Per square meter of plantation requires 20-30 liters of water. In winter, they try to take measures to retain snow in the strawberry patch. The snow that has fallen on the thawed ground is compacted.

In the 2nd year, the bushes are watered more abundantly and more often, up to 8 times. It is better to water the plant before flowering, during the period of filling the berries and after picking them. You need to soak the soil well to a depth of 10 centimeters.

For the first time, the plantings are fertilized with ammonium nitrate and superphosphate. As soon as the flower buds appear, you need to water the bushes with mullein at the rate of 1 part manure to 6 parts water.

After the fruits are harvested, the crop is fed with mineral complexes. This ensures the formation of flower buds next year.

In the third year of the plantation’s life, an additional 2 kilograms of humus must be added per square meter of bed. In this case, the fertilizer is embedded with a shovel to a depth of 6-8 centimeters.

Weeding and loosening the soil

It is necessary to loosen the soil in the garden after each watering. If it rains, the procedure is also carried out regularly. Weed the plantation as weeds appear. Along with these procedures, whiskers are removed. Only a part is left for reproduction.

To increase plant nutrition, after picking the berries, the bushes are hilled.

Mulching

After watering the newly planted bushes, mulch the soil between the rows. To do this, lay a 6-8 centimeter layer of sawdust, pine needles, and straw. It is necessary to leave the tire on all summer. They remove it after harvesting, burying it between the rows.

If mulching was not carried out in the spring, then a layer of straw and sawdust is placed under the bushes before the berries ripen. This will retain moisture and protect the crop from damping off.

How to prepare strawberries for winter

In November, strawberries are prepared for wintering:

• watering;
• hilling bushes;
• placing spruce branches or last year's foliage and brushwood on top.

Plants should not be covered until the soil is frozen. Otherwise, the berry crop will begin to get wet and rot under cover.

Strawberry propagation

To grow Tsarina strawberries from seeds, you need to purchase quality ones from a specialized store. They are first planted as seedlings.To do this, you need a container with nutrient soil. The seeds are laid out on the surface, slightly pressed into the moist soil. Then cover the boxes with film, leaving them in a warm place. Shoots will not appear soon. But they immediately remove the shelter and place it in a sunny place. As the seedlings grow, they are watered and the soil is loosened. Plant when the roots are strong and 4 true leaves appear on the stems.

It is easier to propagate strawberries with mustaches. As soon as a rosette is formed on them, it is pressed to the ground. Then they cover it with earth and water it. After rooting, you can transplant the bush to a new place, separating it from the mother plant.

Many people use propagation by dividing the bush. The main thing is not to damage the part separated by the knife. It should have a growth bud and roots 5-7 centimeters long.

Disease and pest control

The Tsaritsa variety rarely gets infections. If pathogenic fungi appear on the leaves, they can be destroyed with fungicidal preparations. Treatment with a solution of Bordeaux mixture will also help.

Of the pests that most often damage plantings, berries are the larvae of the cockchafer and wireworm. If you soak the soil well with a solution of ammonia, this will repel insects.

As a deterrent, you can plant a bed of lupine next to it. If transparent mites or aphids damage plants, then you need to spray the bushes with Karbofos.

Harvesting

Berries begin to be picked in July. The fruit must be picked with the stem intact. The harvest is placed in baskets with a volume of 2-3 kilograms. It is not recommended to pour over the berries, as they will become wrinkled. Strawberries can be stored fresh for 1-2 days. The fruits are processed a few hours after harvesting.