One of the representatives of the Dutch species is the Vicoda strawberry. Instantly won popularity due to its pleasant taste, delicate structure, pure natural beauty and the content of nutrients. A detailed description of this variety is presented below.
Description of strawberry Vicoda and characteristics
Vicoda is a noble strawberry variety, the result of the work of breeders from Holland.
This variety forms a strong and vigorous shrub of medium height with strong, thick shoots. The plant is decorated with large sheets of light green color. From above, the surface of the sheet plate is slightly ribbed, has small denticles along the edge. Strong petioles with small pubescence. The mustache gives little, which makes it easier to care for the plant.
Large rounded berries are colored deep red. The average weight of fruits ranges from 50-70 g... The weight of the first fruits can be 120 g. Delicate pulp with a dense consistency, does not contain voids. Berries have a pleasant sweet and sour taste with a light fruity aftertaste reminiscent of cherries.
Vicoda is a late strawberry variety. Ripening time - mid-July. This type of berry crop allows harvesting when most of its other varieties have already ceased bearing fruit.
Features of the variety
- the first fruits are large, often comb-shaped, can be double, and later - of the correct conical shape;
- sepals are easily separated from berriesthat does not affect the harvest during storage and transportation;
- the appearance of a white tint at the tip of the fruit signals its technical ripeness;
- is one of winter-hardy varieties foreign selection.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety, thanks to which it deserves its place in the garden:
- high yield indicators, from one bush you can collect up to 1 kg of sweet and juicy berries;
- large fruits with excellent taste characteristics;
- berries perfectly tolerate transportation and do not lose their presentation;
- winter hardiness as invulnerability to a complex of unfavorable wintering factors;
- excellent fitness to any climatic conditions;
- good resistance various diseases and pest attacks;
- berries for universal use, they can be eaten raw, frozen and used for preparations for the winter.
With all the many advantages, strawberry Vicoda has minor disadvantages.:
- in hot weather berry density may decrease;
- bushes needed sit at a great distance from each other, which is not very convenient for small household plots.
Agrotechnical techniques for growing berry crops
The main parameters that will ensure the fruiting of strawberries and protect them from diseases.
Site selection for planting and soil preparation
The beds that are in a lighted place and protected from strong winds will differ in high yields.
Strawberries prefer light loam, chernozem and gray forest soils, least of all they like clay soil. Groundwater should be no closer than 60-80 cm. The acidity index is optimal within the pH range 2.7-6.2... Cereals, onions, garlic, marigolds, petunia are considered good predecessors. You can grow strawberries in one place for 3-4 years.
Before planting, you need to destroy weeds on the site... Then add organic fertilizers and dig up. It is necessary to prepare the soil for spring planting in the fall. For summer and autumn planting, the necessary work must be carried out a month before planting, so that the earth has time to sink, otherwise the roots of the seedlings may become bare, which will adversely affect the development of the plant.
Selection of quality seedlings
The harvest largely depends on the quality of the planting material. Seedlings of this variety must have vigorous, healthy plants and:
- root collar in diameter more than 6mm;
- a fibrous root system, in processes roots more than 7cm;
- 3-5 leaves and a whole apical kidney.
Store the seedlings in a cool place for about two days before planting. This will increase resistance to external factors. Roots can be shortened by 5 cm to stimulate lateral root development and protect the plant from pests.
Stages of the planting process
Seedlings should be planted in early spring or late August - early September... Spring planting is best done when the snow melts and the ground warms up. It is important not to delay planting in autumn, because the seedlings will not have time to take root and will die from frost.
Choose a cloudy day for planting. In hot weather, the seedlings need to be shaded for two weeks after planting.
- In the garden form holes, keeping the distance between them 40 cm, and between the rows 50-60 cm, since with a denser planting, the plants will experience a lack of light and nutrients.
- Pour water into the dug holes and start planting freely positioning plant roots, without bending them and closely covering them with earth, which will allow the seedlings to take root faster. It is important that the root collar, on which the growth point is located, is on the surface of the earth.
- The soil is well compacted and moisturize a little.
- Mulching with humusto prevent crusting on the ground.
Strawberries begin to bear fruit the next year after planting. Planted seedlings in August have time to lay flower buds until autumn.
A set of care measures
To get a rich harvest of tasty and juicy berries, you need to take care of strawberries. Care includes the following activities:
Watering and mulching the soil
When growing strawberries, organize a high-quality watering system. In the spring, moisten the earth every 7 days... At the time of flowering and fruiting, irrigate the plant 2-3 times a week using warm water. The optimal frequency of autumn watering is 2 times before the onset of cold weather.
Mulching should be carried out during the growing seasonusing straw or film. This will keep the soil moist and prevent cracking.
Weed control
In order not to overload the soil with chemicals, thereby ensuring the ecological purity of the fruits you need to fight weeds in the garden, by carrying out regular weeding, which should be carried out as needed.
Nutrient introduction
For a quantitative and high-quality harvest, timely feeding with organic matter and mineral supplements with a set of necessary microelements is tedious. It is recommended to fertilize in spring, when the bushes grow, gain strength and form fruits.
Preparing for winter
In the fall, you should check the condition of the root system. If it is located on the surface, then you need to sprinkle it with soil. Also free the bushes from old and dry leaves. To preserve strawberries in winter, you can sprinkle with a layer of sawdust or straw... With the onset of spring, this insulation should be removed. For a successful wintering of the crop in November, cover the plantation with spruce branches.
Reproduction methods
Among the methods of breeding strawberries are distinguished: mustache, dividing the bush and seeds.
Mustache
The most famous method of obtaining planting material is growing from vegetative shoots - whiskers. The variety forms a small number of rosettes, therefore partially remove pedunclesin order to channel the forces of the plant into reproduction.
At the time of fruiting, mark the most berry specimens... After harvesting, straighten the mustache on which the rosettes have formed, and slightly press the rosette into the ground and sprinkle it with earth so that the hearts remain free. In late summer or September, plant new bushes with developed roots in a permanent place.
By dividing the bush
The method of dividing the bush is used less often. But it is also effective and worth taking advantage of. For this it is necessary to outline healthy and strong bushes that have more than one tip with a rosette... Dig the selected specimens. Carefully separate the sockets from each other. Correct separation guarantees full-fledged plants that can bear fruit in the first year.
Plant new bushes in prepared planting holes so that the roots of the plants are completely covered, otherwise they will quickly dry out. Then it is good to water.
You can separate the outlet from the main bush and transplant it to a separate placewhere it will grow and develop on its own.
Seeds
Seed propagation is used to obtain new varieties. In the case of the Vicoda variety, propagation using seeds is not worth it.because the properties of the mother plant will not be transferred consistently. There is a chance of getting bushes that will have small and tasteless fruits.
Diseases and pests
For preventive purposes, the culture should be regularly examined for signs of damage by parasites, diseases, and if they are detected, appropriate measures should be taken immediately. Information on diseases and pests indicated in the table will help to correctly identify problems and quickly solve them..
MAIN DISEASES | |||
---|---|---|---|
name | sign | prevention | control measures |
Gray rot | The presence of brown spots on berries and leaves with a fluffy gray bloom | Remove dry leaves and weeds, mulch aisles during the formation of berries, using straw, sawdust, needles, pollinate wet bushes and soil with sifted wood ash | Collect and destroy damaged fruits, treat with preparations of fungicidal action against lesions of fungal diseases |
Powdery mildew | The appearance of white bloom on the green part of the bush, which becomes leathery and takes on a bronze color | Do not plant bushes too densely weed in time between the rows of berry crops, timely thin out and plant bushes of plants | In case of severe infestation, treat with broad-spectrum fungicides |
DANGEROUS PESTS | |||
Nematode | Slow growth, thickened veins of leaf plates, wilting of apical buds | Do not allow the beds to thicken, thin out rows regularly, organize proper care, plant next to strawberries, plant plants that emit fungicide (marigolds, calendula), change the landing site at least once every 4 years | Treat with strong chemicals |
Strawberry mite | It feeds on young leaves, from which they turn yellow and deform | Spray using chemicals and using folk remedies |
Using comprehensive control measures and proper care behind the crop, you can prevent the appearance of diseases and pests in strawberry beds.
Among the many varieties of strawberries, Vicoda deserves special attention, due to its positive characteristics and medicinal properties. Growing and breeding this variety in the garden is not such a difficult task., as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to follow all agrotechnical methods for growing and recommendations for care and enjoy a tasty and healthy berry.