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Strawberries are a tasty and healthy berry containing a whole range of vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent antioxidant and is used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology.
Elan Strawberry is a Dutch hybrid of the ABZ SEEDS breeding company, which has already managed to gain popularity all over the world. This variety of strawberries gained its fame, thanks to its belonging to remontant, ampel varieties. That is, each gardener can grow Elan strawberries both in their summer cottage and at home in pots. She will delight for a long time with her sweet, aromatic berries all year round.
Description of Elan strawberry
Perennial herb. The height of the bushes reaches 15-20 cm, the width is 20-30 cm. Each bush has many mustaches and about 20 peduncles. Bright red berries grow up to 3-5 cm with a weight of 30-50 grams. The flesh of the fruit is firm and juicy. Elan has a striking appearance - with many flowers and fruits. Fruits all summer and autumn, until the onset of cold weather.
This variety is especially sweet because the berries are naturally high in sugar. In addition to its superior strawberry flavor, Elan contains 50% more Vitamin C than other varieties. The yield from each bush reaches 1-2 kg.
Elan Strawberry
Characteristic features of the variety:
- An early ripe variety - begins to bear fruit from mid-May.
- Improved palatability - aromatic, juicy and very sweet berries that retain their wonderful taste throughout the season.
- Frost resistance - fruiting ends with the onset of frost and the first snow.
- High resistance to diseases is genetically inherent. The variety is resistant to fungal and bacterial infections.
- Increased productivity - in the first year, 1 kg of berries can be harvested from the bush, and in the following years - from 1.25 to 2 kg.
- Unpretentious care - due to high adaptation to any conditions. Strawberries can be grown outdoors, in greenhouses and at home on a window or balcony.
- Reparability allows Elan strawberries to bloom and bear fruit several times per season.
- Ampel strawberry grows in a cascade - powerful shoots (whiskers) stretch from the main bush, on which new flower stalks are formed. This allows it to be used as an ornamental plant.
Elan strawberry agricultural machinery
Reproduction
The plant is propagated in several ways. The following are used as planting material:
- seeds;
- mustache;
- purchased seedlings;
- seedlings obtained by dividing the bush.
Using seeds
Planting is carried out in February - March. Before planting, it is advisable to hold the seeds on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 10-15 days for stratification. A drainage layer (fine gravel or expanded clay) must be poured into the planting boxes. The top is filled with soil, which you can buy or prepare yourself: a mixture of turf, compost and sand in a ratio of 1: 2: 2 or a mixture of sand and humus in a ratio of 3: 5. Boxes are half filled to create a greenhouse effect when seeds germinate.
Seeds are distributed on a moistened soil surface, sprinkled on top with a very thin layer of earth or sand. Then you need to pour from a sprayer and cover on top with film or glass.
Seeds with sand
For hardening for 3-4 days, the boxes are removed in a cool place.Then, in warmth (240C), with sufficient lighting and regular airing, friendly shoots are expected to appear. After the formation of 3 leaves, the coating must be removed and the temperature reduced to 15-180C. A month later, the plants are picked into separate small containers.
Planting seedlings
For growing strawberries, choose a sunny, well-ventilated place with moderate soil moisture. The area for the berries is dug up (preferably in the fall) to a depth of 30-40 cm. Organic fertilizer is applied, such as manure, peat bog or garden compost. Organic ingredients improve drainage, add nutrients and attract earthworms and other organisms that help keep the soil healthy. You can plant seedlings:
- Outdoors according to the 30/50 scheme, in early May. Good companions for strawberries are spinach, beans, beans, and thyme. To keep the landing edges straight, you need to put a border. In the southern zones, where the ground dries out very quickly, beds are used at ground level or slightly deepened, in the form of a trench.
- For multi-tiered beds, for ampelous strawberry varieties, it is convenient and beautiful.
- In the greenhouse - this increases the yield, and increases the period of fruiting. Especially important for regions with temperate and cool climates. The greenhouse can be equipped with vertical or overhead beds.
- In special baskets, flowerpots or pots with a capacity of 15 liters. This method of cultivation is used when there is a shortage of space, as well as for the original decoration of the site. At home, only this method is acceptable. The appropriate time for planting in containers is August. Sprinkle the seedlings with earth and keep them in a dark and cool place for several weeks. Pollination of homemade strawberries is carried out independently. To increase yields, the first flower stalks are usually removed.
Mustache
The mustache for planting is taken from the strongest fruiting bushes. When the newly formed sockets acquire roots, they are added dropwise without separating them from the bush. They do this in August, 10 days before transplanting to a new place.
Care
The unpretentiousness of Elan strawberries does not exempt from the procedures necessary for any plant:
- watering,
- mulching,
- top dressing,
- loosening,
- weed removal.
Ideally, only the root zone should be watered. If the area of the garden is large, then it is advisable to water in the morning so that the plant leaves have time to dry during the day. Wet leaves stimulate disease and mold, which can weaken or damage plants. Thoroughly wetting the soil every 2-3 days is better than watering a little daily. Deep watering encourages the roots to grow deeper into the ground, which results in a plant's resistance to drought.
Watering strawberries
Mulching helps to maintain soil moisture, fight weeds, and prevents the berries from splashing. Adding mulch annually will help completely get rid of weeds.
Strawberries are fertilized three times per season: in spring, summer and autumn. Autumn feeding is the most nutritious, since plants need to recover after prolonged fruiting.
Primroses on newly planted seedlings are removed. The excess mustache is cut off, leaving only the 5 most powerful ones. Excess and dry foliage is cut off, allowing the plant to use the nutrients to form fruit. Strawberries should not be overgrown with weeds, otherwise it will lose all its strength. In winter, Elan strawberries are covered with mulch or covered with agrofibre.
Diseases and pests
Powdery mildew
It is undesirable to allow waterlogging – this contributes to the development of various diseases:
- powdery mildew;
- spotting;
- gray rot;
- fusarium wilting.
Insects feed on the roots, leaves and fruits of the plant, and are also carriers of various infections. Pests dangerous for Elan strawberries:
- strawberry mite;
- weevil;
- spider mite;
- nematode;
- ant.
You can fight pests and diseases with special chemicals.
Advantages and disadvantages
Positive and negative characteristics of Elan strawberries
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| Early fruit emergence | Susceptibility to certain diseases |
| Excellent taste | Poorly tolerates excess moisture |
| Frost resistance | Attacked by insects |
| Good yield | |
| Unpretentiousness | |
| Resistant to many fungi and bacteria | |
| Repairability | |
| Decorativeness |
The table shows that there are much more pluses than minuses. Therefore, gardeners all over the world have chosen Elan strawberries and are happy to cultivate them.
