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Florence English-bred strawberries can often be found under the name Florence and are listed as garden strawberries. The variety was bred almost 20 years ago, but in our country it is considered a novelty. The parents of the culture are two varieties of garden strawberries. This is where the second name came from. For crossing, fruitful varieties were taken Vima-Tarda and Vicoda... After the appearance of strawberries, Florence immediately fell in love with many gardeners because of the good taste of the berries.
Characteristics of the variety
To get a complete picture of the culture, now we will consider the description of the Florence strawberry variety, photos, reviews and learn the rules of agricultural technology. The culture received the main recognition among gardeners because of the delicate forest aroma and excellent taste of berries. The variety is in demand for industrial cultivation, as it has good endurance, as well as a high yield. Florence received all these qualities from the parental varieties of strawberries.
In terms of ripening of berries, Florence is considered a late-ripening crop. The fruits begin to ripen when other varieties of early strawberries have already yielded. This period lasts from the end of June to the third decade of July. Under good growing conditions, about 1.5 kg of berries can be obtained from a bush per season. The fruits are characterized by firm pulp. In a mature state, the skin acquires a deep red color. The mass of one berry is in the range of 20-60 g. The shape of the fruit is conical.
Strawberries are delicious fresh. Berries are used for conservation, cooking sweet dishes, freezing. A big plus of Florence is that after defrosting, the fruits retain their shape, taste and aroma.
Considering the photo, description of the Florence strawberry variety, it is worth noting that the bush grows powerful, but compact. That is, the plant does not fall apart on the ground. Peduncles stand on strong stems and protrude above the level of foliage. This is a positive characteristic of the variety, since it is easier for a gardener to treat plants with preventive drugs against pests.
The Florence variety took good immunity from its parents to common diseases. However, moisture buildup under the plants can lead to root rot. This is often observed in rainy summers or with dense planting of strawberry bushes. You can prevent the appearance of root rot by arranging wide row spacings. Moreover, they often need to be loosened. If strawberries are grown under a film cover, frequent airing will help get rid of rot.
The strawberry variety Florence is characterized by a small number of mustaches. For the gardener, this indicator is positive, since it becomes easier to care for the plantings. A small number of whiskers does not prevent strawberries from multiplying well. They grow strong and, when planted in another place, quickly take root.
Florence strawberry winter hardiness is high. The plant can withstand frost down to -20aboutC. The variety was bred in England, and the climate there is humid and cool. The adaptation of the plant to this weather allows it to survive the cold, rainy summer.
In the video, a review of the Florence variety:
In summing up the description of the Florence strawberry, let's look at the disadvantages of the variety:
- In hot summer with a lack of moisture, yield decreases. Few berries are tied and they are all small.
- In a rainy summer, there is a threat of late blight attack on strawberries. Gray rot or brown spotting often appears. Such symptoms are observed in areas where a humid climate prevails, for example, the Moscow region. The prevalence of diseases depends on the growing conditions of Florence strawberries.The more humid the climate of the region, the wider the aisles are made for better ventilation of the bushes. It is necessary to avoid overgrowing the beds with grass. You may need to skip mulch as it will trap moisture under the strawberries.
- In cold regions and the same Moscow region, the late Florence variety will not have time to fully give up its harvest. Covering the beds with agrofibre will help to correct the situation a little.
Despite the large number of disadvantages, the variety has many positive qualities:
- The later appearance of peduncles in Florence occurs when the night frosts have completely passed. The gardener does not need to cover the strawberries at night. In the case of the return of the lost frost, the flowers will not freeze even without shelter.
- Strawberries tolerate hot dry summers with regular watering. The berries are not baked in the sun and remain saturated with juice.
- In rainy summer, the sugar content of the pulp does not decrease.
- Florence fruits tolerate transportation well and can be stored.
Knowing the description of the Florence strawberry variety, its positive and negative qualities, the gardener will be able to clearly determine whether such a crop is suitable for him.
Planting strawberry seedlings
Planting dates for Florence strawberry seedlings in different regions differ, but usually they fall at the beginning of September. In this case, gardeners take into account the climate. The colder it is, the earlier the strawberries are planted so that they have time to take root before winter. A well-established plant grows quickly in spring and immediately throws out peduncles.
Spring planting of Florence strawberries is allowed, but then the first harvest will be only the next year. Although many gardeners advise even to pluck flowers from autumn seedlings in the first year in spring. From this, all the nutrients go to strengthen the plant, and the next season the yield doubles. Strawberries planted in spring have not yet had time to take root and must be sheltered from night frosts.
The place for the garden is chosen light with frequent exposure to sunlight. Slight shading is allowed, but then the acidity in the berries increases. Florence loves soil with a lot of sand or loam. If the site is located on clay soil, then it is advisable to add a lot of organic matter to the garden. You shouldn't even try to plant strawberries on swampy ground. The fruits will constantly rot.
When buying Florence seedlings, you should immediately pay attention to the roots. If they are dry, then there is a 90% guarantee that the plant will not take root. It is better to buy seedlings in cups, where their roots are covered with earth.
They begin to prepare the soil in the garden a month before planting the strawberries. The first step is to remove all weeds. For every 1 m2 the beds are filled with 3 buckets of humus. Organics are leveled evenly over the site, after which they are dug up with the ground. With a high acidity of the soil, chalk is additionally introduced. The garden bed itself begins to form 5 days before the planting of strawberry seedlings. During this time, the soil will have time to settle.
The planting process consists of the following steps:
- They dig holes in the garden bed for seedlings. Their size should correspond to the size of the root system. Usually a 12 cm hole will suffice. The minimum distance between the holes is 40 cm. It cannot be reduced, since the Florence variety is characterized by a powerful structure of the bush.
- The soil in each hole is moistened with warm water. It is enough to pour in about 300 ml.
- A strawberry seedling is dipped into the hole. The root system is straightened, after which it is sprinkled with earth and lightly pressed with your hands. In a properly planted seedling, the growth point should be at ground level.
- The planted Florence strawberry seedlings are watered again. To retain moisture, the ground around the bushes is covered with mulch. Wood sawdust or well-rotted humus will do.
In the southern regions, during the planting of seedlings, it is still hot outside. To prevent excess foliage from pulling a lot of nutrients, the lower tier is cut with scissors. A bed with planted strawberries is covered with agrofibre and periodically sprayed with water on top.
Strawberry care rules
According to numerous reviews, the Florence strawberry is a strong crop, but it does not bear fruit well under adverse conditions. With a lack of moisture, constant watering is required, otherwise the fruits will grow small and sour. Florence can easily tolerate heavy rainfall if the soil is well drained. For the full development of the plant and the timely ripening of the berries, a long daylight hours are needed, which is not typical of the northern regions. Here it is better to give preference to other specialized varieties.
Based on the reviews of gardeners, Florence strawberries are grown taking into account the following nuances:
- The thickening of the bushes affects not only the occurrence of diseases. This further reduces the yield. You can avoid thickening by removing the mustache. For reproduction, it is enough to leave two shoots and then after harvesting.
- The Florence variety loves feeding. In the spring, nitrogen is added to the plants. This substance contributes to the rapid development of the bush. With the appearance of buds and the first ovary, the plants are fed with potassium and phosphorus. Before wintering, humus is introduced into the garden bed. You can add a solution of water and fermented manure to the strawberries.
- The Florence variety is more adapted to the English climate. In the southern regions, the plants will not be comfortable in the heat. They will have to be sheltered or shaded from the sun.
- It is advisable to cover the plantings of strawberries for the winter. Any straw, thin branches, needles will do. The shelter will protect the root system from freezing if the winter is without snow.
Pests need to be constantly dealt with. Most often, Florence is affected by root rot and powdery mildew. You can prevent the disease by observing the rules of care, as well as by carrying out preventive treatments. In the spring, starting with the first watering, Fitosporin is added to the water. The finished solution is poured over the garden at the rate of 4 l / m2.
The berries are picked as they ripen. Typically, there are 8 to 10 harvest waves per season. The fruits are plucked together with the sepals and stalk. To prevent the berries from crumbling, they are put in small boxes.
The video shows how the harvest takes place:
Testimonials
There are quite a few reviews about Florence strawberries, and now we will take a look at some of them.
