Contents
Strawberries are one of the most popular berries among gardeners, with a wide variety. Breeders annually bring out new “improved” varieties and hybrids with improved characteristics. Among them is the Sensation strawberry, which is recognized as very promising by both specialists and amateur gardeners.
History of breeding
Strawberry Sensation is one of the latest achievements of breeders from the Netherlands. The originator is the world famous company Flevo Berry BV, specializing not only in this, but also in other berry crops. New strawberries appeared on the European and markets in 2016. It has not yet been included in the domestic State Register of Breeding Achievements.
Sensation was the first variety created under the Flevo Berry program. The goal of the breeders is a series of hybrids of medium maturation, suitable for cultivation on an industrial scale, capable of producing bountiful yields even in the absence of sunlight.
By the way, “Sensation” is not quite the right name. Initially, it was planned to name the new strawberry variety Sunsation (a kind of “mix” of the English words “sun” and “sensation”). But it turned out that the breeders from the Netherlands were already ahead of the specialists of another brand. So I had to rename it to Sonsation.
In , this name should have sounded like “Sonsion”, but those who “promoted” a new variety of strawberries on the domestic market did not pay attention (accidentally or intentionally, for euphony of pronunciation) to the “wrong” letter. As a result, the name Sensation quickly and successfully “took root” among gardeners.
Breeders, creating a strawberry Sensation, as if “took a sample” of the well-known variety Sonata
Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Sensation
Sensation is a non-remontant strawberry variety of neutral daylight hours. According to the originators, it is extremely versatile – suitable for planting not only in open beds, but also for year-round cultivation in greenhouses. Strawberry Sensation also gives good yields when cultivated in an ampelous version, in hydroponics, in film tunnels.
Her bushes are powerful, tall (35-40 cm), but quite compact, medium sprawling, densely leafy. Whiskers are formed not too much, but enough for reproduction. Peduncles are relatively strong, multi-primate, do not rise above the level of leaves, often droop under the weight of berries.
Characteristics of fruits, taste qualities
The first fruits of Sensation strawberries are comb-shaped and weigh up to 50-60 g. The main crop “shrinks” up to 25-35 g. The shape of the berries changes to round-conical or heart-shaped. Judging by the photos and reviews of gardeners, the strawberry Sensation is consistent with the description of the variety given by the originator.
The skin of the berries is thin, bright scarlet, shiny, as if oiled. Depending on growing conditions and weather, a pinkish or orange undertone sometimes appears in spring. The color of the strawberry Sensation is even, without a white spot at the stalk. Seeds are small, yellowish-pink, superficial.
The pulp is medium-dense, fleshy, very juicy and tender, white-pink in color. On bushes obtained by breeding with a mustache, in the first season, small voids are often present in the berries. Strawberry Sensation has a pronounced “strawberry” aroma.
Her taste is very balanced – not fresh-sweet, but with a light refreshing “pineapple” sourness. Professional tasters catch notes of raspberry and peach in it and in the aftertaste. Officially, the taste of strawberry Sensation is rated at 5,5-5,9 points (with a maximum of nine points), but almost everyone who has tried berries believes that this criterion is unfairly underestimated.
Strawberry pulp Sensation with such a bright skin seems pale, but this is a feature of the variety
Strawberries are mainly consumed fresh. Berries are also suitable for decorating desserts, they are used as a filling for baking. Fruits can be frozen, processed into jams, preserves.
Ripening time, yield and keeping quality
The ripening time for strawberries Sensation is average. Harvest begins to be harvested towards the end of the first half of June. In warm southern regions with a subtropical climate, the variety can be regarded as medium early. Berries are harvested at the very beginning of summer. Fruiting stretches for at least three weeks, more often for a month.
During the season, 2-3 kg of berries are removed from a bush at the age of 1-1,8 years. This “scatter” is due to different climatic conditions. Sensation has not yet had much experience in cultivating strawberries, so it is difficult to determine average indicators. Breeders believe that compared to the well-known gardeners Sonata and Elsanta, this variety brings 20-25% more berries.
Prolonged fruiting of strawberries
The almost complete absence of empty flowers clearly contributes to a consistently high yield. The variety is self-pollinating, the flowers are bisexual, with high-quality pollen. Therefore, fruit ovaries are actively formed, even if the weather in spring is not very suitable for the “work” of pollinating insects.
The low density of Sensation strawberry pulp determines its relatively low transportability. Berries crumple even when transported over short distances. Therefore, despite the fact that the originator positions the variety as commercial, its suitability for cultivation on an industrial scale is highly questionable.
Growing regions, frost resistance
The cold resistance of strawberries Sensation, according to the originator, is sufficient for cultivation without shelter in a temperate climate. But the experience of gardeners shows that it is distinguished by endurance and the ability to adapt to the adverse features of the climate of the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East.
Under the condition of shelter, the strawberry Sensation winters in these regions without harming itself. It suffers infrequently from recurrent spring frosts. With a slight freezing, the bushes quickly recover.
Of course, in far from optimal climatic conditions, strawberry Sensation needs more careful care. And you can’t count on record yields.
Strawberry branches and ovaries Sensation rarely suffer from exposure to low temperatures
Disease and pest resistance
The minimum growing experience does not yet allow an objective assessment of the resistance of Sensation strawberries to pathogenic microflora and pests. She definitely does not have “innate” immunity to any diseases. But, according to breeders, it is affected by diseases and insects no more often than other popular varieties. And almost never suffers from gray and root rot. Gardeners who grow Sensation strawberries in their backyards note that it is often attacked by thrips and is susceptible to late blight.
Advantages of the variety
The fact that strawberry Sensation may soon become very popular with amateur gardeners is indicated by the following advantages:
- the possibility of cultivation in different ways;
- relative non-capriciousness in care;
- consistently high yields, prolonged fruiting;
- sufficient for a temperate climate (central Our Country) frost resistance and resistance to return spring cold weather;
- the ability to tolerate heat and short drought without compromising the quality of the fruit;
- generally good immunity;
- ease of reproduction, high survival rate of planting material;
- undemanding to the quality of the substrate (Strawberry Sensation bears fruit even in heavy soil);
- one-dimensionality and attractive appearance of berries;
- excellent taste qualities of strawberries, almost complete versatility of its purpose.
The presentability of strawberries Sensation is definitely one of the important factors determining the choice of a gardener in favor of this variety.
Regarding whether the harvest depends on the weather in spring and summer, information is contradictory. According to most gardeners, the quality of berries does not change with an abundance of rainfall. Even if it often rains, Strawberry Sensation remains sweet. But in cool cloudy weather, it loses its aroma, becomes watery, more voids appear in the pulp.
Disadvantages of Strawberry Sensation
Strawberry Sensation also has disadvantages:
- low transportability;
- susceptibility to phytophthora and thrips damage;
- problems with the separation of ripe berries from the fruit (soft pulp is very wrinkled);
- the need to relatively often (once every three years) renew plantings.
The relative disadvantages of strawberries Sensation are the presence of voids in individual berries and unsuitability for whole-fruit canning. But the first drawback is typical only for fruits harvested in the season after planting, and not all gardeners make compotes from strawberries.
Methods of reproduction
It cannot be said that Sensation strawberry bushes form a lot of whiskers, but planting material is not a shortage. This method of reproduction is provided by nature itself, so new specimens take root easily.
To get seedlings, you need to mark in advance several completely healthy, abundantly fruiting 2-3-year-old bushes. In the spring, all flower stalks are cut off on them, preventing buds from forming. When the mustache begins to form, leave 5-8 pieces of the most powerful and developed. The highest quality planting material is the outlet closest to the bush. But, as a rule, they use the second one too.
The resulting rosettes of leaves with roots that have grown to 1-1,5 cm in length are “pinned” to the ground with pieces of wire or planted in plastic, peat cups. In the second half of August or early September, new rosettes of Sensation strawberries are separated from the mother plant, transferred to the chosen place.
Do not be “greedy” and leave too many child outlets: they will turn out to be weak and underdeveloped
Planting and care
The originator positions the Sensation strawberry variety as cold-, drought- and heat-resistant, capable of producing good yields in a substrate of different quality and undemanding in care. Therefore, its cultivation is within the power of even not very experienced gardeners. Agrotechnics plants require mostly standard, but still there are some nuances.
Strawberry bushes Sensation are quite compact. But they categorically do not tolerate crowding in the garden. Therefore, when planting, a minimum of 35-40 cm is left between them, keeping row spacings about 50 cm wide. No more than four bushes are planted per 1 m² in open ground.
With “crowding” in the garden, the risk of developing strawberries rarely increases. Sensation of fungal and other diseases
Abundant harvests of Sensation strawberries greatly deplete plants. Therefore, they need higher doses of fertilizers. Top dressing is applied four times per season:
- in the phase of bud formation;
- after picking the first berries;
- 3-4 weeks after the end of fruiting;
- in mid-September, in preparation for winter.
Sensation bushes are fed exclusively with store-bought complex fertilizers designed specifically for strawberries. The originator notes the particular sensitivity of plants to magnesium deficiency in the soil. With its shortage, the growth of green mass is very slow, the yield drops sharply.
To maintain the fertility of the substrate, it is necessary to spread humus or rotted compost over the bed every 2-3 years in the spring. Enough 5-7 l / m².
When buying fertilizer for strawberries Sensation, be sure to study the composition
Strawberries Sensation, if it is warm outside and there is no rain, watered every 3-4 days. The norm for an adult plant is 2-3 liters of water. The preferred method of watering, in which drops of water do not fall on the leaves, flowers and berries.
Strawberry Sensation is very negative about the neighborhood with weeds. Therefore, it is desirable to mulch the bed. Mulch not only prevents them from germinating, but also allows you to increase the intervals between watering, loosen the soil less often. A hard crust does not form on its surface, this provides oxygen access to the roots.
The most dangerous disease for strawberries Sensation is late blight. It is characterized by both forms of development – chronic and transient. In the first case, the plant can live for another year or two, but the peduncles are deformed, the leaves curl and turn gray, very few berries ripen on them, they are almost tasteless. Such plants can still be saved by treating them with fungicides.
Transient late blight is much more dangerous. Plants affected by it wither and dry out in a few days. If you remove them from the soil, you can see the rotten black-brown roots.
To prevent the disease at the beginning and end of the growing season, as well as in summer, if damp cool weather sets in for a long time, Sensation strawberry bushes and soil in the garden are sprayed with a solution of any copper-containing preparation.
Bushes affected by transient late blight are removed from the garden as quickly as possible, the soil in this place is disinfected
Thrips are quite effective in repelling any pungent odors. Therefore, in the garden with strawberries Sensation and in the aisles, onions, garlic, and any herbs are planted. The pests themselves look like small black “sticks”. The areas of tissues affected by them change color to yellowish-beige, dry out. To combat thrips, any universal insecticides are used (best of biological origin).
Thrips feed on plant sap, many horticultural crops suffer from them.
Preparation for winter
Whether strawberries need Sensation shelter is determined based on the long-term weather forecast for the winter. Most gardeners, even living in a temperate climate, prefer to play it safe.
Before covering the Sensation strawberries, the bed is cleared of vegetable and other debris, the mulch layer is renewed, bringing its thickness to 6-8 cm, or the soil is covered with spruce branches. It is advisable to pour humus to the bases of the bushes with a small mound. Next, arcs are installed above the landings and any air-permeable covering material is pulled over them in 2-3 layers.
Humus – a kind of “insulation” for strawberry roots
Conclusion
Strawberry Sensation was originally conceived by breeders as a variety intended for cultivation on an industrial scale. But the experience of growing on personal plots shows that she has all the prerequisites to become popular among amateur gardeners. Relative unpretentiousness in care, ease of reproduction and overall hardiness are very successfully complemented by good yields, outstanding taste and presentability of berries.