Strawberry Cinderella

Many people look forward to summer to eat strawberries. Garden strawberries are a foreign guest that appeared on the territory of Our Country only by the end of the XNUMXth century. As a result of selection, many varieties adapted for the regions arose. The variety of remontant garden strawberries “Cinderella” was obtained as a result of crossing “Festival” and “Zenga-Zengana”.

Variety description

Strawberry “Cinderella” belongs to the middle-late varieties, although it has a vigorous, but compact bush that grows well in diameter. The leaves of “Cinderella” are dark green in color with a waxy coating. The location of the peduncles is at the level of the leaves, but may well be lower.

The number of flowers is small, but they are large with slightly twisted petals. Obtuse-shaped fruits weighing about 25 g. The color of the berry is orange-red with a sheen. The taste of the berry is sweet with a slight sourness. The pulp of the fruit is bright red, dense, therefore it tolerates transportation well.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like all berries, Cinderella has its advantages and disadvantages.

Methods of reproduction

Cinderella garden strawberries are propagated in several ways:

• Usami.
• By dividing the bush.
• Growing from seed.

Mustache breeding

“Cinderella” gives few shoots, on average from 3 to 6. There are three options for its reproduction with a mustache:

• Strawberry shoots with rosettes are sprinkled with earth or fixed with staples.
• Rosettes, without separating from the shoots, are planted in pots.
• Sockets separated from the mustache are planted in the garden.

Breed division multiplication

Young bushes of garden strawberries “Cinderella” have one point of growth (heart). By autumn, their number increases to 8-10 pieces, this allows you to divide the strawberry bush into the same number of small bushes.

Cultivation from seeds

A slightly more time-consuming process of growing Cinderella strawberries from seeds. The advantage of this method is that there will be a lot of seedlings.

Technique for obtaining and stratification of seeds

Strawberry seeds “Cinderella” are harvested only from selected berries from varietal bushes. There are two ways to get seeds:

• With a knife, carefully remove the top skin from the strawberries, and leave to dry on a plate for a couple of days.
• Berries are crushed in a blender, after adding a glass of water there. The resulting mass is placed in a sieve and washed with water.

It is better to help the seeds of strawberry “Cinderella” to germinate:

• Soak strawberry seeds in water for three days.
• Divide into bowls wrapped in damp paper towels.
• Wrap in a plastic bag, making a few holes for ventilation.
• Place in a warm and well-lit place for a couple of days.
• Refrigerate for two weeks before planting.

This process is called stratification.

Sowing time

The first flower stalks at Cinderella appear five months after planting. Based on this, sowing is done in February. The temperature regime is maintained above + 23 ° C, the daylight hours should be about 12-14 hours, which can be done using a phytolamp.

A few tips from the author of the video:

Sowing in peat tablets

Hatched grains of Cinderella strawberries can be planted in peat tablets. The landing process is quite simple:

• Place the tablets in a container and fill them with water.
• When the tablets swell, drain the water and squeeze them lightly.
• Strawberry seeds “Cinderella” are laid out in tablets.
• The container with tablets is covered with a film.
• Place in a well lit area.
• Maintain the temperature not higher than +18°C.
• If necessary, add water to the container.

The first shoots of strawberries will appear in 10 days, the rest will be within 20-30 days.

Seeding into the soil

Cinderella seeds can also be planted in the ground:

• Take boxes filled with loose soil.
• Make shallow furrows at a distance of two centimeters.
• Spread strawberry seeds.
• Spray lightly with water from a spray bottle.
• Cover with a film in which holes are made.

Picking sprouts

Picking is carried out when 2-3 leaves appear. It doesn’t take long:

• Sprouted seedlings are watered abundantly.
• Strawberry seedlings are carefully removed.
• Excessively long roots are trimmed.
• Planted, making sure that the point of growth is above the ground.
• Water moderately.
• Placed in a warm and bright place.

Why seeds don’t germinate

Sometimes after sowing the seeds of “Cinderella” it also happens that the long-awaited sprouts did not appear. The reason is simple – improper care:

• Poor quality seeds were selected for planting.
• No stratification performed.
• Wrong choice of soil mixture.
• Violations of care standards (watering, lighting, temperature control).

If everything is done correctly, then the strawberry “Cinderella” will surely please you with abundant shoots.

Landing

Not everyone has the opportunity to grow their own seedlings. Then you can just buy Cinderella strawberries in the market or in garden shops.

How to choose seedlings

When choosing strawberry seedlings, you need to be very careful:

• If there are dots on the leaves, these are fungal diseases.
• Pale leaves of “Cinderella” may signal late blight necrosis.
• Wrinkled leaves indicate the presence of strawberry mites.
• The thickness of the horn (annual shoot) must be at least 70 mm.
• There should be at least three leaves on the Cinderella seedling.

Having chosen healthy seedlings of Cinderella strawberries, you can start planting.

Recommendations for site selection and soil preparation

Planting “Cinderella” is best in areas with a flat surface and good lighting. The soil for planting strawberries is prepared in advance:

• In autumn, the soil is enriched with calcium, using fluffy lime.
• The earth is dug deep to the bayonet of a shovel.
• Weed roots and pest larvae are removed.
• Fill the bed with water, at the rate of a bucket of water per square meter of land.
• The soil is abundantly watered with a solution of copper sulfate for disinfection.

Landing scheme

The most suitable methods for planting strawberries are single-line and staggered.

Single line fit:

• The interval between plants is not less than 0,15 m.
• Row spacing 0,40 m.

The advantage is high yields with long-term use of the site without updates.

Checkered Landing:

• Cinderella seedlings are planted at a distance of 0,5 m.
• Row spacing 0,5 m.
• Rows in relation to each other are shifted by 0,25 m.

The advantage is that it creates good ventilation, which prevents diseases.

Care

The first year, Cinderella seedlings need special attention and care:

• If the weather is too hot, the bushes need to be shaded.
• Watering is done as needed.
• Fertilize young seedlings of “Cinderella” along with adults, but the norms are halved.
• At the end of November, the bed is covered with fallen leaves.

In general, the Cinderella strawberry is not capricious, and does not need excessive care.

Care in the spring

After the snow has melted, the preparation of Cinderella for the new season begins:

• The beds are cleared of last year’s mulch.
• Dead leaves and unnecessary tendrils are cut from strawberries.
• The soil is being loosened.
• In place of the frozen strawberries, new bushes are planted.
• Treated with pesticides.
• Apply fertilizer.

Watering and mulching

Without regular watering, a good harvest can not be expected. Recommendations of experienced gardeners for irrigation of garden strawberries “Cinderella”:

• After planting, the seedlings are watered daily.
• 10 days after planting, Cinderella seedlings are watered 2-3 times in 6-8 days.
• Sprinkler irrigation is used for further irrigation.
• Water strawberries “Cinderella” in the morning or evening.

To reduce the amount of watering resort to mulching. To do this, use sawdust, straw, rotten foliage. The layer of mulch should be at least 4 cm, but not more than 7 cm.

Preparation for winter

Preparation for winter starts in October:

• Strawberries “Cinderella” are fertilized with superphosphate (to increase frost resistance).
• Mulching is carried out, for this, sawdust or humus is used.
• Dry and diseased leaves are cut off.

Diseases and methods of struggle

Like all plants, Cinderella is prone to disease. But if you take action in a timely manner, then nothing terrible will happen.

Pests and ways to deal with them

No less than diseases, Cinderella is plagued by pests.

Harvesting and storage of crops

Strawberries “Cinderella” begin to be harvested two days before its full maturity, the collection is made in the morning or before sunset. It is cooled to 0°C, at this temperature it is stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, having previously been decomposed into containers with a lid. Freeze for longer storage.

Features of growing in pots

If you still want to eat fresh strawberries in winter, then in the fall you need to choose a healthy plant and transplant it into a pot, the height of which should be about 20 cm and a diameter of 16-20 cm. Strawberry roots can be cut a little so that they do not bend when planting. Since daylight is short in winter, you need to take care of additional lighting.

Сonclusion

It may seem that growing strawberries “Cinderella” is too hard and time-consuming process, but do not be afraid. Of course, you have to make an effort, but it’s worth it. “Cinderella” will definitely thank you for your care with sweet juicy berries.

Reviews of gardeners