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Strawberry Moscow delicacy belongs to remontant hybrids of neutral daylight hours. It is able to grow and bear fruit at any length of daylight hours.
How to grow a variety, the features of reproduction and planting care will be discussed in the article. And thanks to the reviews and photos of strawberries Moscow delicacy sent by gardeners, there is an opportunity to learn more about the plant.
Features of the variety
Strawberry Moscow delicacy F1 is a product of Dutch selection. Remontant varieties, according to the description and reviews, bear fruit for a long time, give several crops during the growing season. The first fruits are harvested in the last decade of June, and the harvest season ends in September.
Most often, strawberries of this variety are grown from seeds. Seed material of excellent quality, according to gardeners, is produced by Garden, Gardens of Siberia.
Description of bushes
Strawberry variety Moscow delicacy is represented by compact bushes of medium size with a large number of deep green leaves with clearly visible teeth.
The emerging stalks are strong, long. Semi-spreading inflorescences rise above the foliage. Gardeners use this feature of the variety to decorate the site, growing strawberries in pots or containers. Each inflorescence has a large number of snow-white flowers with bright yellow cores. In their place, ovaries are formed. There are practically no empty flowers.
Mustache is formed very little. But what is interesting is that the rosettes, having not yet formed a root system, are already throwing out flower stalks. Looking at the photo below, you can see all the features of the description of the strawberry bush of this variety.
Description of berries
The fruits of the strawberry variety of the Dutch selection are distinguished by large fruits, the mass of which reaches 60 grams. Interestingly, the first and last berries are almost the same in size. The largest harvest falls on the second wave of fruiting.
Some gardeners in the reviews note that the size of the berries does not match the description. Most likely, this is due to improper watering.
Strawberries are conical in shape with a blunt tip. The surface of ripe fruits is shiny, bright red with clearly visible seeds. Therefore, it seems that a large number of yellow lights “light up” on strawberries. The pulp is juicy, elastic. On the cut, the berry is light red or pink. There are no voids or white patches.
Delicacy berries are sweet and sour. Sugar and acid go well together. But improper watering during the ripening period can cause bitterness. The fruits are fragrant, with hints of wild strawberries.
Characterization
Only descriptions of the Moscow delicacy strawberries, photos and reviews of gardeners are not enough to get an idea about the variety of the Dutch selection. You need to know the characteristic features of the plant with advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
Strawberries have been grown for a long time, gardeners managed to appreciate the high quality of the variety. Consider the positive properties of the variety in more detail:
- Ripening dates. The MD hybrid ripens early, the first ripe berries begin to be harvested two weeks earlier than other varieties from the second decade of June.
- Productivity. Strawberries are high-yielding, on average, 800-1200 grams of delicious juicy berries are harvested from a bush during the fruiting period.
- Transportability. Dense fruits of the Moscow delicacy variety are grown not only in private plots, but also on large plantations. The point is the high keeping quality of fruits and the ability to transfer over long distances without loss of presentation and useful properties.
- Growing all year round. Strawberry variety perfectly bears fruit not only in open ground. In a greenhouse, a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries can be obtained 12 months a year.
- Diseases and pests. Strawberry variety Moscow delicacy has good immunity, resistant to major strawberry diseases.
Disadvantages
Strawberries of the Dutch selection have long enjoyed well-deserved popularity due to their merits. Although the hybrid still has disadvantages:
- Due to the low frost resistance, it is necessary to cover the plants for the winter.
- The mustache formation of strawberries of the Dutch selection is practically at zero: only one tendril is formed for 7-8 bushes. Therefore, the Moscow delicacy hybrid propagates mainly by seeds.
- Strawberry varieties can be grown in one place for no more than 3-4 years, then plantings require updating.
Reproduction
Like any strawberry, the Moscow delicacy can be obtained:
- seeds;
- sockets;
- division of the bush.
But the variety forms too few sockets, there are two ways left. The most common option is seed propagation. It will be discussed below.
The sowing dates for strawberry seeds are February, early March. First, the seeds are soaked in melt water or growth regulator.
Drainage is laid out in the container, fertile soil is on top. You can use self-composed soil or store soil. Before sowing the seeds, the earth is shed with boiling water, in which it is desirable to dissolve a few crystals of potassium permanganate. You can also bake the soil in the oven.
Strawberry seeds are not buried, but laid out on the surface of moist soil. Then the container is covered with glass or film and placed on a sunny window. Seeds germinate for a long time, at least two weeks. And even after the appearance of sprouts, the shelter is not removed, only a small opening is left for ventilation.
At the stage of appearance of 3-4 true leaves, seedlings are picked. You need to work carefully, since the root system of strawberries is represented by thin threads.
A very good way to grow strawberries from seeds is to sow them in peat pellets. To understand the meaning of the work, watch the video:
Before transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, the plants are hardened, accustomed to new growing conditions. By this time, each strawberry should have at least six leaves and the first flower stalks.
Planting in the ground and care
For planting strawberries of the Moscow delicacy variety, nutritious soil is needed. In addition to humus, sand must be added. Ridges must be watered with hot water, adding a few crystals of potassium permanganate.
Seedlings are planted after positive temperatures are established. But even in this case, it is necessary to install arcs to cover the strawberries at night. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 40-50 cm, it is better to use a two-line planting method to facilitate further care.
Immediately after planting, you need to mulch the soil. This will get rid of loosening and weeding strawberry varieties. In addition, mulch retains moisture in the soil. Watering the variety is carried out moderately, but drying out of the soil is not allowed, as this negatively affects the yield.
Features of feeding
Bushes of the Moscow delicacy variety need additional nutrition:
- At the beginning of the growing season, it is advisable to shed the plants with a solution of ammonia in order to accelerate the growth of green mass.
- During flowering, potash fertilizers are necessarily applied under strawberries, but humus and wood ash can be used.
- To increase the formation of inflorescences, plantings should be sprayed with boric acid (1 teaspoon per ten-liter bucket).
- The variety Moscow delicacy responds well to feeding with infusion of mullein and green grass.
Watering
Now let’s talk about how to properly water strawberries:
- Use only warm water.
- If it rains, then watering is reduced, in the heat, on the contrary, increased. But in no case should the soil be waterlogged.
- Work is best done early in the morning before sunrise.
- While strawberries of the Moscow delicacy variety have not thrown out flower stalks, sprinkling is useful for it. In the future, you need to water under the bush, trying not to get on the leaves and inflorescences.
- If possible, you can arrange drip irrigation.
Preparation for winter
Before shelter, strawberries of the Moscow delicacy variety are cut off, fallen leaves are removed from the ground. After that, the soil is treated with special preparations so that the plants do not get sick in the spring.
According to the description, the variety from Dutch breeders has an average frost resistance, so the plants must be covered for the winter when grown in a risky farming zone. To do this, you can cover the planting of strawberries with spruce branches, and sprinkle with soil on top. Throw snow in winter.
