Clery's strawberries are very popular. This berry variety is distinguished by its large size and juicy scarlet color. Tasting Clery's strawberries will delight you. It has a rich taste and a unique aroma. In this article we will talk about the description of this wonderful Italian variety.
The main features of the Clery strawberry
Clery strawberries are obtained by selective methods in Italy. This berry variety was bred at the Matsoni Group in 1996 after Sweet Charlie and Onebor were crossed. Now this type of berry culture has been protected by a patent since 1998.
Ripening of this strawberry variety is early, because it will begin to bear fruit at the end of May or in the first days of June on a land plot without shelter in the central European part of Russia. It begins to bloom in early May. Clery strawberries reach large sizes, the berry can weigh 35-40 g, there are no giants or trifles.
It tastes very sweet. Strawberry fruits are scarlet, very bright and very shiny. The shape of the fruit resembles a cone. The pulp of the berries is notable for its density, but at the same time it has a savory taste. This is not to say that the productivity of strawberries is at the highest level. Fertility is average, strawberry Clery can bring up to 290 centners from 1 g. The bushes of this berry culture are tall, roundish in shape, the leaves on the bushes are medium, slightly spreading.
A suitable growing climate is one that can be described with hot summers and frosty winters, but low rainfall, that is, the temperate continental climate of European countries. Of course, try to grow a plant in an area where winters are harsh, for example, in Siberia, or at an altitude, like in the Urals.
Clery's strawberry is an unpretentious plant. This type of plant is characterized by hardiness, winter resistance and an excellent level of drought resistance, but low frost resistance.
The yield of this strawberry variety becomes good in the second year, and lasts for about four years, after fruiting it will decrease, and the berries will become small.
Clery is a self-pollinated plant, no need to acquire pollinators.
Positive and negative aspects of growing berries
Among the advantages of this variety, one can single out the unique taste and aroma of berries. But if the plant is not properly cared for, then the taste becomes worse. Clery is not afraid of fungal diseases. But in wet and cold weather, spots on the leaves may appear.
Another positive feature of this plant is that it can easily reproduce with a mustache. Plants are distinguished by their exactingness to the sum of temperatures in the summer and the presence of light. Clery is slightly frost resistant. But diseases and pests do not threaten this strawberry variety.
Growing regions
Northern Italy is great for strawberries, because it was for this that the region was obtained. European countries with a temperate continental climate.
Also, the plant will perfectly take root in the central European part of Russia, in the middle zone of Ukraine, on the territory of the Polesye lowland, and on the land of Belarus. The northern cold regions of the Urals are not suitable for cultivation, because Clery strawberries are early varieties designed for short daylight hours.
Planting process
If this is your first planting, then you need to prepare the soil well. You should dig up a piece of land, remove all weeds, remaining roots. It is important to loosen the soil. Suitable sandy loam soil.
Then you need to select Clery strawberry seedlings.
Inspect well and make the right choice of seedlings. Pay particular attention to how developed the spine is. If the seedling has large roots, then the bushes will not live long.
The best time to plant this variety is mid-August. It should be planted at a distance of 37-42 cm, taking into account the shape of the branches of the plant bush. Make small holes in the ground. As a fertilizer for the soil, you can use ash or humus granules specially designed for this.
It is important to observe the planting time, as the plant must develop good roots, adapt and move to a dormant period. When spring comes, the flower stalks will start to sprout early and there will be a lot of them. The first time there will be many fruits, but the fruits will be small.
If planted in September, then in the first year it will be the other way around: the amount is small, but the size will be large. In the first year, aim at increasing bushes, roots. Therefore, those who have experience in this matter, simply remove the first flowers, in order to direct all Clery's power in the right direction.
In early spring, you can apply a top dressing that includes boric acid, ammonium molybdate and potassium permanganate (dilute 2 g of each element in 10 liters of water).
Over the next years, you can feed your strawberries with various fertilizers containing minerals.
The best growing method is cassette technology. It is not advised to grow according to Frigo technology. If you grow strawberries indoors, then strawberry fruiting will increase. Despite the excellent drought tolerance of strawberries, it is better to use the following watering method: water is directed to the root zone of the plant in small portions using dropper dispensers. Thanks to drip irrigation, the seedlings will take root well. The soil next to the Clery bushes should be kept moist, but not damp.
As the snow has gone and the earth has dried up, remove all the debris and last year's leaves from the beds. Then the bushes of this plant should be mulched with sawdust, moss, humus, or apply fallen pine needles.
In winter, so that the roots do not become icy, cover the beds with wood shavings, or corn stalks, scrapping, will do. Cover the top with a synthetic textile fabric, which is often used in agriculture. Cover the beds with plastic during the spring season.
Reproduction methods
There are several ways to breed:
Usually, Clery uses a mustache to propagate strawberries, there are many of them in this variety. Find strong, young groups of leaves closely spaced on short, only slightly raised shoots.
Plant the rosettes in pots and attach to the ground. For some period the plant exists on its own, but it still feeds through the tendril of the main bush of the plant. When 5-7 leaves have appeared at the bush that is planted in a pot, remove contact with the main bush, and then plant this small bush in a prepared place. Now you can water.
There is another way - dividing the bush. This method is used in spring or autumn. Dig up a sturdy bush that is not sick and is two or three years old. The bush must have at least one rosette and young roots. Now not one bush, but several at once, plant them in the prepared places.
And the most laborious way is seed germination. Buy seeds, sow their capacity in February, before that, soak them in a special solution (2 drops of epin per 0.1 l). To check seeds for scrap, place them in a solution and bad seeds will rise, but good ones will be at the bottom.
In the case when strawberry seeds are planted in the ground, cover them with a layer of no more than 0.5 cm. Ventilate the container and water a little with water, keeping the earth moist. Do this for 14 days.
Maintain a room temperature of approximately + 23 ° to + 26 ° C. When the first leaf appears, transplant the seedlings into a larger container, clinging to the root tips. When 5 leaves appear. The plant should be transplanted again, then use the five by five scheme.
Diseases and pests
Every gardener and farmer needs to know what diseases and pests exist and how to deal with them. Consider them:
- Clery strawberries can face a disease caused by imperfect mushrooms, representatives of the genus Gloeosporium, Colletotrichum, Kabatiella, the so-called anthracnose. The plant may also develop other types of spots. Signs of such a disease will be spots about 3 mm in size on the leaves of the plant. Spots of different colors will appear on the leaves of the bushes: white, orange, brown, crimson. After a period of time, they will grow and the appearance of the plant will deteriorate. It will become wrinkled and begin to dry out. To prevent anthracnose, use 2% Bordeaux liquid to treat the plant before flowering. Do this two or three times. But if the disease already exists, use the one-component fungicide Antracol in a proportion of 15 g per 10 l of water or use the high-quality fungicide Ridomil gold in a proportion of 25 g per 10 l of water. When the fruiting time is over. Use the Switch in the ratio of 750 g per 1 ha.
- Clery's strawberries can be attacked by aphids. Under the influence of this pest, the leaves of the plant begin to curl and dry out, the plant takes on a withering look. If aphids are few. Then you can remove it with your hands and then get rid of it. But if there are a lot of aphids, then use a garlic infusion, which is 0.2 liters of garlic juice, 0.2 liters of onion juice and 0.15 liters of dandelion juice diluted in 10 liters of water. You can also spray with a solution of soap (60 g of soap in 10 liters of water).
- Under the influence of the weevil, strawberry buds and ovaries stop developing and dry out. To avoid weevils, you should not plant Clery near raspberries because the weevils can go from raspberries to strawberries. Remove leaves with a diseased and damaged appearance, and loosen the surface next to the bushes. It is also possible to use a solution of potassium permanganate in a proportion of 5 g per 10 liters of water or the Inta-vir drug by dissolving 2.5 tablets of insecticide in 10 liters of water.
- Cleary's strawberries can be attacked by a strawberry mite. Because of it, the leaves of the plant will curl up and become covered with wrinkles and darken. To deal with it. Dissolve 8 g of Colloidal Sulfur in 10 L of water or 60 g of Karbofos in 8 L of water.
Clery is a real find for gardeners and farmers, it will delight you with a constant harvest, as well as beautiful juicy and aromatic berries. If you take seriously the fulfillment of all the requirements for planting, growing and leaving this strawberry variety, then you will fully enjoy your work. Victoria will bring a great harvest!