Garden strawberry Honey: planting and cultivation in the open ground and under the film. Pest and Disease Control

There are many types of garden strawberries (strawberries), but the Honei variety has long and firmly won the attention of gardeners. He not only has many positive qualities, but also serves as the subject of heated debate between his supporters and opponents. Is it worth it to plant this variety on your site - you decide.

History and characteristics of the variety

The Honey variety is no longer new to the market. It was bred in 1979 in America, it has been known to gardeners for a long time, but it was registered in the State register of selection achievements only in 2013. Long-term research of the variety was carried out in the North Caucasus Federal Scientific Center for Horticulture, Viticulture, Winemaking, after which this plant was recommended for cultivation in the Central, Central Black Earth and North Caucasus regions of Russia.

Honei strawberry bushes are distinguished by straight powerful stems and large leaves

Honei bushes are erect and powerful, with dark green leaves without shine. Berries have a conical shape, with a neck. Juicy flesh of sweet and sour taste, without aroma.

The large fruits of strawberry Honei have a rich color and a well-defined neck

If you are going to read about this variety in the State Register, do not look for the "strawberry" plant, it is not there. And Honey, Festivalnaya, and the well-known Zenga Zengana are varieties of garden strawberries, and "strawberry" is just the vernacular name for delicious berries, which is deeply used.

Since Honey strawberry was obtained from two selected varieties - mid-season, but very productive American Holiday and early-ripe British Vibrant, it inherited the best qualities of both "parents". This variety has the following positive characteristics:

• Early ripening. The first fruits appear at the end of May (the north of the planting, the later, the period can vary within 1-2 weeks), the return of fruits is friendly, lasts about half a month or a little more. Fruits plants once a season.
• Large-fruited. Berries on average have a mass of 16-18 g, but larger ones are also found, up to 30-35 g, especially in the first and second year of fruiting.
• High productivity - up to 400-500 grams of berries from a bush or 105-115 kg per hundred square meters. Fruits are formed in clusters of 10-12 pcs.
• The dense consistency of the pulp of the berries and, as a result, good keeping quality and portability. Some gardeners note that Honei can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, that is, from one trip to the cottage on the weekend to the next, harvested bushes will provide you with fresh berries. This is the advantage of the variety over sweeter and softer.
• High resistance to negative environmental factors. The variety tolerates both winter frosts (you can not cover it in the winter in the southern regions), and drought, and heat, because it forms a powerful bush with a rich, large leafy rosette and developed roots.
• Universality of use. From this strawberry, you can cook many different stocks for the winter: jam, jams, compotes. The latter will be perfectly stored and not boil away due to the presence of acid in the fruits, as well as due to the good density of berries.

Dense honey berries will be preserved intact in jam

Of the disadvantages of the variety are most often mentioned:

• The tendency of the bushes to defeat verticillin wilt.
• Sour taste of fruits. There is an explanation for this: the berries contain a very large amount of vitamin C (67.6 mg per 100 g of fruit), so they are extremely useful fresh.

Video: Honei strawberry crop ripens

Outdoor cultivation

Honei does not require special measures for growing and caring during flowering and fruiting.

Planting Material Requirements

To achieve good yields, you should purchase high-quality planting material from a reputable seller. Random purchases will yield one result: you spend time and money (compost, growth stimulants, etc.), risking getting not at all what you expected. Therefore, the first rule: approach responsibly to the acquisition of bushes for breeding.

Strawberry seedlings should have elastic roots and brightly colored leaves without damage

Even when buying seedlings in a nursery or from a breeder, pay attention to the condition of the seedlings: the roots should be elastic, not sluggish and not dried out, and the leaves should be without spots and deformations. Shriveled, folded foliage indicates that the plant has a tick and should not be purchased. Ideally, strawberry seedlings should have 5-6 saturated green leaves and horns (annual shoots) with a thickness of 8-10 mm. Since the fruit buds of this variety are planted late, at the end of summer, the seedlings planted in the fall will have time to grow them, therefore, it will bear fruit the next year.

Site selection and soil preparation

For planting in spring, plants are usually acquired, and in the fall they plant their own, divorced from mother bushes. When planting strawberries in open ground, you should consider such points:

• It is better to prepare a bed for autumn planting in 2-3 weeks, so that the earth settles and does not shrink after placing the bushes. Otherwise, the root neck of the plants will be exposed and they may die. Before digging, fertilizers are applied at the rate of a humus bucket, 70 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium nitrate per 1 sq. Km. m
• Strawberry prefers light soil - chernozem mixed with loam or sandy loam. Excess nitrogen is undesirable, plants will either “fatten”, giving a plentiful leaf rosette to the detriment of the crop, or “burn out” from ammonia. Fresh manure is permissible to make under the future bed in the late autumn, and overripe in the spring.
• The plant does not like cold winds and excessive moisture, so it is better for it to choose well-drained soils with a subsurface groundwater no closer than 1 m to the surface. This may be the south side of buildings, planting fruit trees. An excellent option is a plot with a slight slope to the south.
• The best predecessors are garlic, onions, sorrel, peas, beans, radishes, corn. After solanaceous and pumpkin, strawberries should not be grown. She does not like both her predecessor and fennel. Simultaneous planting along the edges of the plot or in the aisles of lettuce, spinach, parsley (repels slugs), carrots will help scare away pests and contribute to better strawberry growth. Onions, garlic and marigolds will help to repel the nematode.

The combination of onions and strawberries in the garden is beneficial for both plants

Sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke deplete the soil. Planting strawberries after them is impossible, the site requires restoration within three to four years.

Planting Garden Strawberries

Landing is done only in cloudy weather or in the evening. It is especially important to remember this during spring planting, otherwise the bright sun will quickly destroy the plants. In addition, you need to pay attention to such techniques:

1. If a bush with an open root system is planted, then the roots are shortened to 10-12 cm and dipped in a nutritious mash from clay, water and mullein. But since strawberries do not like to be disturbed during transplanting, planting with a closed root system (in special pots) is the best option. So the bushes will not hurt and take root much faster. During spring planting, in order to repel pests, the roots can be treated with a salt solution, taking 40-50 grams (two tablespoons) in a bucket of water.
   

   If seedlings were grown in pots, then the roots of plants are less injured during planting and seedlings take root faster

2. Planting pattern: 50-60 cm between rows, 20-25 between plants. It should not be forgotten that Honya has large bushes, they should be given more space for growth and development, therefore planting in a two-line way with a distance between rows of 40 cm and between plants of 15 cm is not suitable for this variety.
3. A planting hole is dug with a depth of 12-15 cm and of such a diameter that the roots of the plant are conveniently located in it, usually 25 cm. At the bottom of the pit, make a small elevation from the soil mixed with complex fertilizer, plant the plant vertically, add soil almost to the top, water 1 -1.5 liters of water and fill the hole completely. After this, the earth is compacted so that the plant, if you pull it slightly, does not pull out.
   

   Sapling roots need to be spread on an earthen mound so that they do not bend up
4. When planting strawberries, they make sure that the root neck is flush with the ground.
   

   The root neck of the bush after planting and compaction of the soil should be flush with the ground

5. It is recommended to mulch strawberry planting with film, sawdust, straw and other materials. In this case, the garden bed is once again watered and covered with a layer of mulch about 10 cm thick. This agrotechnical measure will significantly reduce water consumption for irrigation, improve soil aeration due to its protection against drying out and help fight weeds. If the bed is not mulched, strawberry plantings are watered after 3-4 days and loosen the soil, preventing the formation of a crust.
   

   A layer of mulch protects the beds from drying out, slows down the growth of weeds and creates a barrier to slugs

Video: preparing seedlings for planting in the ground

Care Secrets

Further cultivation is not time consuming. The fertilizer beds placed under the tab will be enough for two years, especially for those gardeners who prefer to do without the use of chemicals. It is recommended to feed strawberries three times a season with a solution of mullein (1 part to 10 parts of water) or chicken droppings (1 to 20). It will be useful to make ash (a glass on a bucket). It is better to refuse chemical fertilizers, since the berry is consumed fresh, directly from the garden, and many gardeners grow crops for children and grandchildren.

Organic cultivation of strawberries is necessary if the crop is consumed fresh immediately after harvest

Particular attention should be paid to soil moisture. This variety is responsive to frequent but moderate watering and does not like waterlogging.

Growing under the film

To get a crop earlier for two or even three weeks, strawberry Honey can be planted under a film shelter:

1. Plants are planted in the fall according to the usual pattern or slightly thickening in a row (20 cm between the bushes).
2. In the spring, a frame is made of arches 50 cm high in the aerial part, on which the film is fastened during the period when the strawberries begin to produce the first leaves (in the south), and no later than mid-April in the central regions.
3. Twine is pulled between the arches so that the shelter does not sag. On the one hand, along the garden bed, the film is sprinkled with earth, and on the other hand, a wooden plank is horizontally screwed at a height of 20-25 cm, for which the edges of the film will be wrapped during ventilation. It is better to raise the film from the north side, since on very hot and sunny days this shelter will also save from scorching rays.
4. Watering is carried out 2-3 times a week, after which the soil is mulched.
5. Necessarily aerate the beds, otherwise in a humid and warm environment spores of diseases, for example, gray rot, quickly multiply.
6. On fine days, during flowering, the film is turned off almost completely so as not to interfere with insects pollinating strawberries.
7. Remove the film after harvesting. In the next two to three years, strawberries on this bed are grown in the usual way without shelters.

The simplest film shelters allow you to accelerate the return of fruits for half a month

Video: film cover for wild strawberries

Strawberry propagation

Honey bushes bear four, maximum five years. Therefore, after you have acquired this variety, you should take care of planting material for the future. Propagate garden strawberries in three ways:

• rosettes that grow from a mustache;
• dividing the bush;
• seeds.

The first option is optimal for the Honei variety, because it is this strawberry that gives a strong antennae with strong and viable outlets. To acquire planting material, the following steps should be taken:

1. Choose a large, healthy plant. It will be uterine. It is desirable that the bush grows on the edge of the site, where it is convenient to arrange pots or other containers for seedlings.
   

   A powerful uterine plant can produce many strong first-order rosettes

2. To preserve the strength of the uterine bush, all peduncles must be removed from it. There will be no crop of berries on it, but rosettes (seedlings) will receive more nutrition from the main plant.
3. You can root the outlets simply into the ground in the garden, but in this case, they need to be transplanted to a permanent place after abundant watering and with a large lump of land, transhipment.
   

   Sockets rooted near the mother bush will need to be moved to a permanent place so as not to thicken the plantings

4. Water the uterine plant and care for it, as for the rest.
5. When the bush starts to let out a mustache and at their ends the first rosettes from the mother plant (first order) are formed, you need to carefully monitor the appearance of the roots. At this time, substitute cups or pots with moistened soil or a nutrient mixture (ground + peat + humus) under the sockets.
   

   When the roots appear at the outlets, you need to fix them in pots and wait for rooting

6. Young plants must be fixed so that they do not "creep out" of the container with the growth of a mustache.
7. As soon as the outlet takes root and starts to start the next mustache, it should be trimmed. For seedlings, it is better to take first-order sockets. In addition, the mustache weakens the seedlings.
8. When the outlet gives two or three fresh leaves, it can be separated from the mother bush and kept in a pot until transferred to a new place, without forgetting about sufficient watering and feeding.

By dividing the bush, they not only propagate, but also rejuvenate the planting. The maternal, depleted and aged plant is not taken for planting, but daughter bushes are separated, with leaves and roots of a lighter shade. They share bushes that are two or three years old.

Obtaining seedlings from seeds is usually a time-consuming and time-consuming procedure. Both seeds during germination, and tiny seedlings need a special temperature regime, frequent airing, hardening. There is no point in planting a variety with seeds that propagates perfectly with antennae.

Grade Diseases and Pests

The Honei variety has a moderate immunity to diseases. An exception is verticillium wilting, which can affect plantings in warm, humid summers.

Verticillus wilting

This fungal disease can manifest itself in different ways depending on the composition of the soil and weather conditions. The "instant" form affects the plants for several days, a hidden ailment may appear in a year or two.

One of the characteristic signs is the drying of the lower leaves. Plants are oppressed, lagging behind in growth, acquire a reddish tint and die. But even those bushes that do not die will have a stunted appearance and will not yield good yields. The fight against verticillosis is possible, but its prevention is much more effective, and it consists of simple measures:

• Acquire healthy seedlings.
• Observe crop rotation. Mustard and legumes as precursors, as well as siderates (vetch, lupine) help to prevent the disease especially well.
• To carry out preventive spraying with Fundazole or biological preparations Trichophytum, Fitosporin before flowering.

Gray rot

This scourge is also caused by the spread of fungal spores, whose mycelium covers the berries with a fluffy coating. So that the disease does not hit the strawberries, especially in the greenhouse, you need to follow these precautions:

• Correctly choose a landing site. A sunny, well-ventilated, non-stagnant groundwater close to the surface of the earth is the best option.
• Avoid thickened landings.
• Prevent waterlogging of the soil.
• Mulch only with fresh mulch.Remove all last year's plant debris from the site and burn it, because it is in them that pathogens winter.
• Spray with boric acid and potassium permanganate (2 g per bucket of water). This is both prevention and treatment at the first sign of an ailment.

Aphid

Lovers of juice from the young leaves of strawberries are not uncommon in the beds, but you can fight them with folk remedies and agricultural measures:

• Do not thicken the landing.
• Regularly water, mulch, feed the plants so that they quickly gain strength, then the pests are not afraid of them.
• Plant onions in the aisles, aphids do not like him.
• If the pest overcomes the plants, treat the strawberries with an infusion of ash (two glasses per bucket) with the addition of liquid soap.

Honei is an early ripening variety; chemical methods of pest control are not suitable for it.

Slug

Bare slugs are a serious problem for gardeners, as pests that go out to eat at night really like ripe berries. Slugs eat holes in the fruit and completely spoil their presentation. And many people cultivate Honeya for sale.

Such measures help get rid of slippery pests:

• Pollination of strawberry plantings by sifted ash.
• Sprinkling aisles with sawdust, dry sand.
• Spraying a solution of vinegar with water (1 to 6).

Among gardeners, it was noted that slugs are not indifferent to beer, there is a method of luring slugs into containers with a foamy drink.

Photo gallery: main diseases and pests of strawberry Honey

Grade Reviews

Reviews experienced gardeners are more positive than negative.

And I liked Honey, planted a little, I will increase the bed. Honey has higher transportability with a fairly tasty berry. For vacationers of the day off, it is better to take a small bed of tasty, sweet, and a large bed of transportable ones - to take with you, eat for a week and cook jam. But it is better to freeze soft, sweet strawberries.

oxees

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We have grown Honei for 8 years. He established himself as fruitful, quite unpretentious. But the taste can be argued. The most delicious berry when the bushes were unloaded from the main crop and 2-3 harvests were left. Then you can stand on the bushes for 3-4 days. But from the first camp - sour, does not live up to its name. If you learn to grow correctly, you will find an approach to it, then for sale at wholesale it is ideal.

Alexander Krymsky

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I have Honey already growing for 5 years. I’m not going to refuse - we remove only the ripened completely. Tasty, sourness is not superfluous. Probably my land is suitable for Honey.

Oster

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Over the course of six seasons, we grow Honey for the market, cook jam, compotes, treat friends and acquaintances, pass them on to children - with such a yield, there is enough for everything.
With all the diversity of my collection, I could not find a more successful variety, yet.

I have something to compare it with, there are many more delicious varieties, some with very unusually delicious varietal flavors (caramel, pineapple, raspberry, etc.), but I just look at them, and Honey has already been tested by us. If I find a variety with characteristics that will exceed Honei’s qualities in total, namely: a larger berry for this or earlier ripening period, with the same stability, transportability, yield, etc., it will be possible to replace it, but so far I’m just looking, watching.
Well, for now, Honea bears fruit.

Luda Avina

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If you need an early ripe, resistant to cold and heat, transportable variety of wild strawberries - pay attention to the child of the American selection Honey. Perhaps this particular plant with pleasant sweet and sour fruits and emerald leaves pleasing to the eye was missing in your garden or berry.