Contents
Four varieties are united under the Vima strawberry brand of the Dutch selection: Zanta, Xima, Rina and Tarda. These are not relatives. An exception is Tarda, since the Zanta variety was used for crossing. Late-ripening Wim Tarda strawberries are characterized by abundant fruiting, as well as resistance to bad weather conditions.
Main characteristics of the variety
It will be better to get acquainted with the description of the Wim Tarda strawberry variety photo, reviews of gardeners, but first consider the characteristics. Dutch breeders are trying to develop crops that are characterized by high yields and large fruits. For crossing, two well-known varieties were used: Zanta and Vikoda. The result was a large-fruited Tarda with an average fruit weight of 40 g.
Ripe berries acquire a rich red color with a dark tint. Yellowness appears at the tip of the fruit. The skin is bright, shiny. The shape of the berry resembles a truncated cone. The taste of Wima Tarda is sweet with a bright predominance of strawberry aroma. Berries are transportable. The yield from 1 hectare reaches 10 tons.
Like all representatives of the Vima series, the Tarda strawberry forms large bushes with strongly overgrown stems and dense green foliage. Throws out a lot of inflorescences. The stems of the flower stalks are strong. Most of the mature berries are held on weight, not leaning to the ground. Weak mustache growth simplifies the care of strawberry plantations.
Considering the description of the Wim Tarda strawberry variety, it is worth paying attention to immunity. The culture is winter-hardy, and also tolerates dry summers well. Timely preventive spraying against pests in the future will save you from crop loss.
For a better acquaintance with the variety, consider quality indicators in the description of Wim Tarda strawberries:
- large bushes of Tarda with strong stems throw out many peduncles;
- the yield of berries from one bush is from 0,8 to 1 kg of berries;
- fruits grow large in the form of a truncated cone;
- the minimum weight of a berry is 30 g, the average is 45 g, with good feeding, fruits weighing up to 50 g grow;
- the appearance of small berries by the end of fruiting is not noticed;
- the Wim Tarda variety is able to winter without shelter, but it is not worth speculating on this advantage;
- the harvested crop can be transported;
- Tarda strawberries are weakly exposed to fungal and viral diseases;
- fruiting lasts the whole season until the onset of cold weather.
The purpose of the fruit is universal. Tarda strawberries are delicious fresh. Berries are used to make baby puree, jam, and can be frozen. Compotes are made from strawberries, and they are also used to decorate cakes and other confectionery pastries.
The video provides an overview of the Tarda variety:
Agricultural technology of culture
An overview of the description of the Wim Tarda strawberry variety, the photo provokes avid gardeners by all means to grow a crop on their site. Before doing this, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions of agricultural technology.
Features of choosing good seedlings
The Dutch variety Wim Tarda will bring a good harvest, provided that quality seedlings are planted. When buying planting material, pay attention to the following nuances:
- the appearance of the seedling should be fresh without the presence of sluggish leaves;
- a healthy plant has at least three leaves with a bright color without spots on the outlet;
- the diameter of the root neck is at least 6 mm;
- there is no rot, dryness and other damage on the root system and heart;
- the root length of a healthy seedling should be more than 7 cm.
If the seedlings for sale meet all the parameters, good strawberries will grow from it.
Strawberry seedlings are often sold in peat cups. During the purchase, do not be shy to check the roots. If the bush is gently pulled by hand, the plant will come out of the cup along with a clod of earth. Conscientious sellers will not mind such a check.
Preparation for disembarkation
After the acquisition of Wim Tarde, the seedlings are prepared for planting. Gardeners often practice transplanting strawberries in the fall. If spring is in the yard, then all flower stalks are removed from the seedlings. They will pull nutrients from the plant, preventing it from taking root. In the future, the removal of the first flower stalks will affect the increase in yield.
It is not known under what conditions the purchased strawberry seedlings were grown. Before planting, it is advisable to harden the seedlings, taking them out into the fresh air in the shade during the day. At night, the strawberries are brought back into the room.
Choose a planting site for seedlings on the south side of the site. The terrain should be level and receive as much sun as possible. In the shade under the trees, the berries will grow sour and rot. Marshy terrain is immediately excluded. There will be no chance for strawberries to survive in such conditions.
Soil nutrition and top dressing
The Wim Tarda variety takes root well on light soil with moderate moisture. Gardeners get the best results when growing strawberries on sandy fertilized soils, where the composition contains at least 3% humus. Poor Wima Tarda grows on poor and alkaline soils.
The culture loves moderate moisture, but does not tolerate the presence of groundwater. The location of the layers should not be higher than 1 m, otherwise the root system will rot. When choosing a site, preference is given to the place where peas, parsley or mustard used to grow.
The bed is prepared a month before planting seedlings. The soil on the site is dug up simultaneously with the introduction of complex top dressing:
- 8 kg of humus;
- up to 100 g of superphosphate;
- nitrogen-containing fertilizer – 50 g;
- potassium salt – 60 g.
The dosage is calculated for 1 m2. Top dressing is dug up to the depth of the shovel bayonet. Before planting, the soil is disinfected. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water with the addition of 40 ml of 10% ammonia and 1 liter of laundry soap solution.
During fruiting, strawberries are fed every 3 weeks with a solution of bird droppings. With the appearance of the first buds and after harvesting, mineral fertilizers are applied.
Watering
When the berries begin to set, the plant likes abundant watering. However, Wima Tarda does not respond well to sprinkling. It is optimal to organize drip irrigation on a bed with strawberries. If this is not possible, the ground under the bushes is covered with a thick layer of mulch. The bedspread will retain moisture in the garden, which will save you from frequent watering by sprinkling.
Temperature conditions
A feature of the Vima Tarda strawberry variety is its resistance to heat. In summer, there will be no problems with plantings. The variety is similarly resistant to frost, but there is a minimum limit of -22оC. In the southern regions, bushes are not covered. You can ignore the procedure in cold regions, provided that the winter is snowy. However, no one can control the precipitation and it is better to cover the plantations. Before the onset of the first frost, strawberries are covered with fresh hay, spruce branches or pine needles. If agrofibre is used for shelter, then arcs are pulled over the bed so that the material does not touch the leaves.
Breeding methods and planting rules
The Wim Tarda variety is propagated in two ways:
- Socket transplant. The method is simple, but severely injures the plant. A socket is separated from the mother bush, trying to keep a bunch of roots together with a clod of earth to the maximum. A new seedling is immediately planted in a prepared hole with fertilizer applied. For about three days, the rosette stands sluggish, but after acclimatization it grows.
- A less aggressive way is whisker division. The cut layer is placed in cups with water, where potash or phosphorus fertilizer is dissolved. After the roots appear, the seedlings are planted in cups with loose soil. After five days of abundant watering, the layering will take root. The seedling is kept in a glass for another 10 days and can be planted in the garden. A full-fledged bush will grow in 45 days.
There is a third method of reproduction – seeds, but gardeners are not interested in it.
In the spring, Wim Tarda seedlings in the middle lane begin to be planted from mid-April to early May. For the southern regions, the deadlines are shifted to mid-March. Autumn landing lasts from late July to early September. Gardeners are more inclined to plant in August. Before frosts, strawberries will have time to take root, and in the spring there will be the first harvest. Autumn landing is not suitable for cold windy regions. Seedlings take root poorly. If strawberries are planted in the spring, the harvest will have to wait longer, but the result will be better.
When planting strawberry seedlings, they adhere to a 35×45 cm scheme. It is undesirable to place it thicker due to the branching of the bushes. With a maximum shortage of space, the distance is reduced by 5 cm. For each seedling of Tarda, they dig a hole 10 cm deep. The soil is moistened with water, equal proportions of manure, ash and compost are added. The root system of the seedling is immersed in liquid mud – a talker, put on the bottom of the hole and covered with soil.
Around the bush, the earth is lightly rammed with hands, another watering is performed and a 3 cm layer of peat or other mulch is covered from above.
The video shows the autumn planting of strawberry seedlings:
Reviews
Many gardeners have positive reviews about the Wim Tarda strawberry variety, and we will now see this with a few examples.