Large-fruited strawberries are nicer and easier to harvest, so these varieties are in demand. Such a strawberry is the Eliana variety, which also has other advantages. They will be discussed below.
Selection history
The Dutch selection, obtained in 1998, is not remontant, but has long fruiting. Sometimes it is called Eliana, or Eliani, sometimes there is a prefix "frigo". The latter means planting material freeze technology. Eliana successfully transfers it. The variety is used on private sites and for small businesses. It has a continental climate.
Did you know? The first to cultivate strawberries in the gardens of the Moors in the Pyrenees. Then, from Spain, the cultivated berry came to France and quickly spread to other European countries.
Grade description
Eliane's strawberries are valued for their taste, marketable fruit and extended fruiting. The advantages of the variety also include the fact that their it is permissible to grow in one place up to 10 years without loss of yield and chopping of fruits.
Bushes
The variety has a fast growth rate and forms a powerful bush. High peduncles are released as the fruits of the previous flowering ripen. Fruiting is observed from the last days of May to the end of July.
Fruit
The berries of the Eliane strawberry variety have a familiar, slightly elongated, conical shape and are large in size and have a great taste. Their weight ranges from 20–90 g. They have a bright red color with gloss.
It has a pleasant aroma with strawberry notes. In the rainy period, acid predominates in taste. The flesh is colored in a light red tone, dense and tender, sweet with a slight acidity. The ripened fruits are easily separated from the stem. Berries do not become smaller by the end of fruiting, have excellent keeping quality and transportability. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time.
Characteristic features of the variety
Eliane has individual traits that may interest gardeners.
Winter hardiness and disease resistance
Bushes of this variety winter well, but in areas with harsh winters, they require shelter. The variety does not tolerate heat and drought well and requires good moisture during this period. The variety is resistant to fungal diseases, shows medium resistance to viruses.
Did you know? The culture received a new life in the 18th century, when Chilean strawberries were brought to Europe. As a result of its pollination, the Virgin species produced a plant superior in quality to other species, including the size of berries.
Pollination and fruit ripening
This is a self-pollinated variety, not needing pollinators. Its fruiting does not depend on the access of insects to it, so the variety is suitable for growing on the balcony and in the greenhouse.
Variety Productivity
A long fruiting period (2 months) and the large size of Eliana fruits allow you to collect high yields from the beds. From one bush you can collect up to 2 kg of strawberries, but to achieve such a crop you need good care.
Growing conditions
For this strawberry it’s better to choose a well-lit area with light partial shade, so that the berries do not bake in the hot sun. The earth should not dry out, but excess moisture should not be allowed. Places with water stagnation, dampness and proximity to groundwater should be avoided. Groundwater should not be closer than 0.8–1 m.
Important! Strawberry seedlings should not be planted in places where strawberries have been grown for the past 4–5 years. Bad predecessors are nightshade crops. A bed with strawberries should also not be located next to them.
Culture prefers light fertile soils with a slightly acid reaction (5–6.5 pH). Too acidic soils should be deoxidized in advance. With a lack of friability, sand and sawdust are brought into the ground. To increase fertility, organics are used - rotted manure, compost, peat mixed with ash.
The variety is self-pollinated, therefore it is permissible for it to use shelters from the sun and rain during the fruiting period, as this will not affect the crops
Landing rules
Better seedlings are planted, planted in the spring in April-May, because they manage to take root well in the winter. Bushes are planted when the soil warms up to + 5 ... + 10 ° С, and better - up to + 15 ... + 20 ° С. You can plant strawberries of this variety from July to September, but when landing it is recommended to avoid a hot period. Air temperature should not be higher than + 20 ... + 25 ° С.
Previously, the bed needs to be prepared. For this, the site is dug up and fertilizers are applied. For 1 m² there are 30 g of mineral fertilizers and 5-8 kg of organic matter (compost, humus). It is advisable to treat the soil with 1% Bordeaux liquid to prevent the appearance of diseases and pests. After the soil settles a little, plan rows for planting. The distance in the rows between plants should be from 30 cm, and the row spacing should be 50-60 cm.
For each plant, pits are prepared in which humus is added and water is poured, and then a bush is placed. Their size depends on the size of the root system of seedlings or earthen coma. For developed bushes, pits up to 35 cm deep should be made. The roots are straightened and gently covered with earth, slightly tamping the soil. After planting bushes, strawberries are irrigated again. Immediately after planting, it is recommended to mulch the soil.
Video: planting strawberries
How to care for the culture?
To get a good harvest, it is necessary to organize proper care for strawberry plantings.
Watering and fertilizing
After planting material is planted, moderate warm watering is carried out. Then after a couple of weeks, the amount of water can be increased, but the frequency of hydration can be reduced. In the warm period, watering is carried out 1-2 times a week. In dry weather, hydration can be increased up to 3 times in 7 days. The earth should not dry out. Watering plantings is largely dependent on weather conditions. In dry, hot weather, they are watered more often, and in the rainy period, hydration is stopped.
Important! Humidification is best done in the morning or evening hours, when the sun is not so active. During the flowering and ripening period, the fruits should be watered under the root.
Another important factor when growing strawberries is top dressing. When making nutrients, the age of the crop should be considered. So, for young seedlings, it is necessary to fertilize during the growth and growth of foliage. For more adult specimens, fertilizing should be carried out during the flowering and ripening of berries. In garden shops, you can buy ready-made complex fertilizers for strawberries, or you can use organics - chicken manure, slurry, compost, humus.
To get a good harvest, you need to make nutrients at least 3 times in a season:
- In early spring. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied to the soil. For this purpose, mineral fertilizer is well suited for nitroammophoska, which is diluted in water in a proportion of 1 tbsp. 10 liter spoon You can also use organics - a solution of mullein or bird droppings in a ratio of 2:10.
- In the period of the appearance of color. They make potash fertilizers. You can make a solution of chicken droppings with the addition of ash or use potassium nitrate.
- After the complete collection of all berries. It is necessary to prepare for the winter period. For this purpose, nitroammophoska is used.
Soil care
It must be ensured that the soil in the planted area is not compacted. It is regularly necessary to carry out loosening of soil. The process will improve the flow of moisture, nutrients and air to the root system. If this is not done, then the berries will be smaller than usual. During cultivation, it is also necessary to remove weeds that inhibit the development and growth of neighboring plant crops, pull beneficial substances and moisture from the soil.
So that the earth does not dry out, and the growth activity of weed grass is reduced, it is recommended to mulch the soil. Straw and sawdust are suitable for this purpose. After harvesting, the mulch can be buried on the site, i.e. it will make an excellent fertilizer. For mulching often used agrofiber dark color. They cover the entire site, and planted bushes in cut circles.
Winter preparations
On the eve of the cold season, weeding of grass is stopped. This is necessary so as not to damage the root system of the plant culture, as otherwise the strawberry bush will freeze. Mulching should be done. For this purpose, the site is covered with a layer of straw, sawdust, leaves.
Did you know? Strawberry improves appearance. After all, it delays aging, because it contains a lot of antioxidants and is used in weight loss diets. External use will help moisturize and tighten the skin, whiten freckles and narrow pores.
For shelter for the winter, you can use agrofibre, which can be purchased at the garden store. In the spring, such fiber is removed and the beds are inspected. Then carry out the removal of dried and damaged areas of plants.
Strawberry variety Eliana is characterized by large-fruited, long fruiting and high yield. It is cold-resistant, but does not tolerate heat and drought very well. Its berries have excellent taste, are well stored and transported. The ability to bear fruit in one place for a long time (up to 10 years) is considered a big plus, but the correct agricultural technique must be observed.
