Strawberry "Darenka": characteristics of the variety and cultivation

The most common berry grown on the territory of Russia is strawberry, or as it is also called, garden strawberries. If you are looking for an early look, which gives a rich harvest regardless of weather conditions, check out the variety “Darenka”.

The above view refers to non-reparative strawberries and has bisexual flowers.

Shrub has the following characteristics:

• medium size;
• leaves densely pubescent, large and slightly wrinkled, may have a curvature and be slightly tilted downwards;
• the average size of leaf stalks;
• white buds, which bloom at the same time, during this period the plant is abundantly covered with buds;
• peduncles large and strong, as a rule, raised above the foliage;
• bush for breeding the bush are formed in moderate quantities, the processes are painted in light red color and have an average thickness.

• Berry strawberries "Darenka" ripen at the same time. These are large fruits, which are characterized by a standard conical shape.
• Smooth texture with pronounced shine.
• Color - deep dark red.
• Berry covers a variety of seeds that are slightly immersed in the fruit. In the process of collecting you will notice that the berries are very easy to come off.
• Gastronomic qualities - sweet taste with a slight sourness. Professional tasters rated the taste by 4.4 points out of 5.
• Pronounced pleasant aroma.
• Meaty and juicy flesh.

Each fruit crop has certain advantages and disadvantages.

First, consider the pros.

• This is an early variety of strawberries. Gardeners who grow this variety, harvest the first crop before the others.
• Large sizes of berries.
• Thanks to the rich aroma and excellent taste qualities of the berries, excellent compotes, juices, preserves are made.
• The fruits are suitable for freezing and various types of processing.
• Fruits retain their shape and commodity attractiveness even during long shipments, provided they are shipped in special containers.
• From one shrub collect from 1.2 to 1.5 kg of healthy and tasty fruits. This indicator indicates a high yield of the species.
• Fruiting stable.
• Strawberry has strong immunity to some diseases and is not afraid of frosts.

The main disadvantage of the above grade is that it is not repairable. This means that in a season you can harvest only once.

Comparing the pros and cons, it can be noted that the positive qualities of a variety are much more than negative ones. Due to them, the strawberry “Darenka” deserves a high place among a wide variety of garden strawberry species.

This type of strawberry can be propagated in several ways.

• Mustache. It is necessary to choose some of the strongest, most fertile and healthy plants. Their age should not exceed 2-3 years. Antennae, which will give these shrubs, are used for breeding varieties. Scions are added, not tearing them off from the parent shrub, and germinated.

• Division. To increase the number of shrubs, you can divide the young plants into separate parts and plant them around the site. Work should be done carefully so as not to damage the root system. Ensure that a vegetative bud is preserved on every sapling.
• Seeds. Independent growers from seed are grown by experienced gardeners who want to be completely confident in the quality of planting material. This is a troublesome and time-consuming process, but as a result, with the observance of the growing technique, healthy and strong seedlings are obtained.

Seed should be prepared.To begin with, the grains are germinated by wrapping them in a moist textile material. Next, the stratification is carried out at low positive temperatures. The procedure accelerates the further development of seeds, as well as hardens them before diseases and vagaries of the weather.

Sowing seed can be from February to March. By the time the weather is warm outside, and the frosts have completely receded, the seedlings will be ready. Earlier it is also possible to sow the grain, but then you will have to install additional sources of illumination for the full development of the plants.

Many experienced gardeners grow Darenka seeds not in the ground, but in special peat tablets. They can be purchased at any specialty store. The tablet is placed in the pan and pour warm water. As soon as it swells, put a few grains inside (1-3 pieces).

If you decide to grow seeds in a more traditional way using soil, ordinary containers with fertile soil are ideal. The seed is laid out on a moist surface and left in a warm and bright room, pre-covered with glass or a durable film.

As soon as you noticed that 3 full-sized leaves had already appeared on the seedlings of garden strawberries, it was time to transplant the bushes into separate containers. The container should have the necessary volume, the minimum size - 5x5 centimeters. The pick is necessary in order to provide the necessary distance between densely planted plants. As a result, the growth of seedlings is accelerated and the development of strawberries does not interfere.

Experienced agronomists and novices in the field of gardening sometimes face a problem - strawberry seeds do not germinate. It is worth noting that the strawberry seedlings germinate very slowly, especially in comparison with other fruit crops. If the seeds have not been processed before planting, this process may take a long time.

Lack of germination can talk about low quality seeds. You may have got dummies. There are many ways to test this. The most common method is to dip the seeds in a saline solution: empty ones will float to the surface.

Lack of light, heat or moisture when growing is also the reason for the lack of germination. In a room where there are tanks with seed, it is necessary to constantly maintain optimal conditions.

As soon as the seedlings sprouted and grew strong, and the frost period completely receded, it was time to transplant the fruit plant in the open ground. The work is carried out in several stages.

If you decide not to grow your own seedlings, you need to learn how to choose the plants. Quality seedlings must be strong, with a developed root system. Ensure that there are no signs of disease or pests on the plants. Choose seedlings with bright green foliage.

The ideal plot for growing strawberries is a place flooded with sunlight and protected from strong gusts of wind and drafts. The variety is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but the most abundant and high-quality crop can be achieved on loose and fertile soils. Soil with high acidity is not suitable.

The optimal distance between shrubs is half a meter.

Caring for strawberries varieties "Darenka" practically does not differ from the cultivation of other varieties of strawberries. To obtain a rich harvest, it is necessary to feed the plants, periodically water, mulch, loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Maintain an optimum level of moisture in the soil. Make sure that the water does not stagnate, and a dry crust does not appear on the surface of the soil. After planting it is necessary to pour plenty of warm water on the bushes.Mulching will help retain moisture, especially in the hot season, and protect the berries from contact with the ground.

Despite the resistance of plants to low temperatures, in conditions of strong frosts it is necessary to provide strawberries with additional protection. Shrubs cover with mulch, and with the advent of spring it is removed. If you have already removed the protective layer, and the cold snaps returned, cover the strawberries with a film.

Garden strawberries "Darenka" grown not only the traditional method. If you wish, you can try to cultivate the plant in pots. Tanks put on the balcony, veranda, terrace or loggia. With the advent of cold weather, plants are transferred to a closed room, and with the onset of spring they return to their former place. If the balcony is glazed, there is no need to carry pots with strawberries.

The timing of fertilizer is directly dependent on the age of the strawberry. Young plants that were planted in the ground in the fall, are fed exclusively with mineral compounds. Fertilizers are applied at the very beginning of the formation of peduncles, as a rule, work is carried out in April.

Adult plants fertilize for the first time when new leaves appear. The second time additional nutrients are added before flowering, in May. The third dressing falls at the end of May and the beginning of June. At this time, the process of fruit formation begins.

Opinions about the variety “Darenka” are readily shared by both domestic gardeners and agronomists of neighboring countries. After reviewing the largest thematic sites and forums, we can conclude that most of the reviews about the variety are positive. Some gardeners noted the excellent taste of berries, others - early ripening and other benefits. However, if you want to harvest several harvests per season, this species must be discarded.

Review of the strawberry "Darenka" see the following video.