How to grow Marshal variety strawberries?

Many gardeners consider strawberries the queen of berries, because its exquisite taste, presented by nature, does not leave indifferent either adults or children.Today, there are many varieties of strawberries, but Marshal is very popular among them. This variety is common in all areas of the country, characterized by high yield and simple growing conditions.

Garden strawberries "Marshal" is a medium early variety. It grows in the form of large bushes, the height of which often reaches 15 cm. The plant is vigorous and, unlike other strawberry species, is characterized by a strong root system, the stalks of the bushes are thick, tall and straight. As for the leaves, they are also large, painted in bright green color and have a smooth surface. Thanks to the voluminous foliage, the fruits reliably hide from the scorching sun and ripen evenly.

Marshall strawberries are very popular with gardeners, as its fruits are large in size, one berry weighs 50–60 g on average, there are also individual specimens that weigh up to 90 g. The surface of fruits is saturated red with light gloss. The shape of the berries is wedge-shaped with a flat nose. Their light red flesh is juicy and without cavities, so the fruits require careful transportation. This strawberry is characterized by exquisite taste with inconspicuous sourness and a pleasant fragrant aroma.

When choosing a strawberry variety for cultivation, it is necessary to take into account its advantages and disadvantages, since not only the peculiarity in the care of the plant, but also the level of yield will depend on it. "Marshal" has received many positive reviews, because it has the following advantages:

• resistance to sudden temperature changes;
• excellent survival rate;
• low incidence and resistance to pest damage;
• long period of fruiting;
• high yield;
• good taste and large berries;
• the presence of "protective masking" (the fruits are safely hidden under the huge foliage);
• no need for additional feeding;
• the universality of berries (they can be used both fresh and in the preparation of canned food).

As in any other variety, the Marshal, in addition to its positive characteristics, also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage of strawberries is that it is non-transportable. And also the culture requires an annual update of the beds, since in the second year after disembarkation it can reduce its fruiting. Bushes should be constantly cleaned from the formed antennae and rosettes, this is especially important to do during the growing season of the plant. If you do not take into account the above disadvantages, the Marshal variety can be called ideal.

Strawberries of this type are grown simply. Seedlings, as a rule, are beginning to be planted in the spring, some gardeners transplant seedlings in the fall, but this is undesirable, as the yield level may decrease. If, however, garden work is still scheduled for the fall, then it is advisable to plant a few weeks before the first frost.

First of all, they are engaged in the preparation of a land plot; for this purpose, an open and level territory is chosen, which is well lit by the sun. The land should be loose and fertile, so the soil is selected in such a way that it is accessible to moisture and airing.

"Marshal" can be planted as a seed, and the method of dividing the roots or rosettes. Seeds are usually sown in early February, then seedlings are grown in the usual way.Saplings are transplanted into open soil when the temperature is set and there is no frost. During the reproduction of strawberries by dividing the bush, the planting is done in spring, and with rosettes - as they are formed. It is worth noting that the spring planting has more advantages, because the plant has time to grow strong roots over the summer and easily tolerates the winter cold.

Marshall seedlings are most often planted in one, two lines or in a checkerboard pattern. Since the plant has the ability to quickly grow the distance between the beds it is necessary to do a lot. When planting strawberries, it is important to consider the following points:

• every 3-4 years, the place under the crop should be changed, which allows to protect the bushes from being affected by fungal diseases, whose spores can remain active and parasitize in the ground for a long time
• when applying nitrogen fertilizers in the wells, care must be taken, since they contribute to the activation of the growth of green mass and lead to a slower formation of peduncles

• strawberry beds should not be thickened, preferably between them leave a distance of 80 cm, and the distance between the bushes comply with 25 cm; The best way is to plant seedlings in a staggered manner, because during growth the plants do not touch each other and freely grow the root system;
• before planting strawberries need to treat its roots with a special disinfection composition; For this, the roots are dipped in a previously prepared manganese solution, kept in it for 5–7 minutes, then washed well with water.

The Marshall variety is desirable to grow on those land plots where such crops as celery, parsley, radish and spinach were previously grown. Strawberries planted on the plots after harvesting flowers such as tulips and daffodils will be very fruitful. You can not plant plants, where previously there were potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers.

After planting strawberries, it must be provided with proper care, which requires mandatory watering, loosening of the soil, treatment from pests and timely harvesting. Since this variety is characterized by the rapid formation of antennae, they must be regularly cut off. Due to such constant care, the land plot will have to be walked a lot. So that the land between the rows does not get rammed, it should be loosened. If this is not done, then oxygen and nutrients will be poorly supplied to the roots, as a result, the plant will slow down its growth and the formation of fruit.

As for irrigation, for the Marshal, as well as for any other crop, it is necessary. Despite the fact that this variety has a high drought resistance, the bushes require periodic moisture. Watering is desirable to carry out as the drying of the upper layer of the earth, it should be moderate. In hot weather, “water procedures” are recommended to be carried out 2-3 times a week. If there is a shortage of moisture, strawberry fruits will not fill enough with juice and acquire a sour taste. The main thing is to make sure that the earth was wet around the bushes.

Many gardeners at the end of the season, when the harvest is gathered, the green foliage of the plants is completely cut off. As it turns out, this cannot be done, because with such actions you can activate the growth of greenery for the coming year. Full pruning should be carried out only in extreme cases when the strawberry is sick.In order to prevent the development of diseases, it is recommended to spray bushes with special solutions.

At the same time, chemical treatment and dressing stops one month before the harvest begins. In autumn, the bushes should be cleaned of yellow leaves and excess antennae, and at the end of fruiting, cut off the tops, leaving 3 cm high hemp.

Garden strawberry "Marshal" is highly resistant to pests and diseases, but this does not mean that it does not need to be treated with protective preparations. It is recommended to carry out prophylactic spraying during the flowering of the crop, but during the period of fruit ripening, this should not be done, otherwise you can get poisoned. To eliminate fungal diseases, it is necessary to remove the antennae in a timely manner and spray the bushes with a fungicide; if the plant is sick, the treatment is carried out in several stages.

Since strawberries are considered to be a delicate crop, they are often attacked by pests and even regular treatment of the bushes and good care will not fully guarantee that the crop will be protected. Abundant foliage and hot weather attracts many “strawberry eaters” who are not averse to enjoying the sweet fruits and juicy leaves.

It is worth noting some of the most dangerous pests of Marshall.

• Whitefly. It is a small insect, which in the process of development turns into a butterfly with white wings. Colonies "devourers" are usually settled in the lower part of the foliage, because they do not tolerate sunlight. Butterflies feed on the juice of green leaves. To protect them from strawberries, you need to timely loosen the ground and wash off pests with water pressure. In addition, in the area between the rows you can put special glue traps of plywood, painted in yellow.

• Strawberry tick. These little bugs cause a lot of trouble in the spring and summer. Besides the fact that they feed on tops, they also carry dangerous fungal diseases. Therefore, at the end of the season, the land in the plots must be well digged and disinfected. It is quite difficult to detect such pests, since they have microscopic dimensions - they do not grow more than 0.2 mm in height. Usually they are seen in the second half of summer on the curled leaves of strawberries. If you do not fight tick, the bushes will become lifeless and dwarf, they will turn yellow and die.

According to many summer residents, Marshall strawberries are considered to be one of the best varieties; they are grown in many countries around the world. This popularity is due to the positive characteristics of the culture. So, the plant is ideal for growing for gardeners who do not have free time to often appear in the suburban areas. Shrubs left unattended and watering will not die. Good grade was also given to the fact that it is unpretentious in care, the powerful foliage of the plant is quickly formed and is able to easily stifle the growth of any surrounding weed.

Although the strawberry fruit not recommended for transportation, they have a delicate sweet taste and are ideal for making winter preparations. From berries, useful in vitamins, many housewives prepare jams, jams and compotes. In addition, delicious sweets made from fresh strawberries can be pampered with delicious desserts.

In the next video you can watch Marshal strawberries closer.