Strawberry Gigantella in the country
Who among us is indifferent to the aromatic and juicy strawberries? There are probably few such people. All kinds of desserts, jams, jellies, compotes are made from these berries, they are included in salads and cocktails. That is why there are simply not many strawberries. For this reason, the Gigantella strawberry is especially popular, which, by its size, fully corresponds to the name.
Description of the Gigantella strawberry variety
- the pulp of the berries is juicy and dense;
- the taste is rich, sweet, with a light, barely perceptible, sourness;
- ripening time of berries - late May - early June (and the first flowers can be seen already in early May);
- the shape of the fruit is correct, irregularities, as a rule, are absent;
- this variety is very fond of moisture, therefore it requires frequent watering;
- characterized by excellent transportability - this means that during transportation, the gigella strawberries will not suffer and will retain their original appearance;
- the variety is quite resistant to various kinds of diseases, and is also characterized by significant frost resistance.
The main features of caring for Gigantella strawberries
In order for Gigantella to bear fruit perfectly, first of all, it is necessary to choose the right soil. It should be loamy and have neutral acidity. Since the Gigantella bushes are large and tend to grow, it is not worth planting more than four per one square meter garden. Also, when planting Gigantella strawberry seedlings, you should give preference to a sunny meadow. If this condition is met, the berries ripen very quickly.
At the initial stage, usually potash and less often phosphorus fertilizers... The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is not permissible. In the second year of fruiting, it is recommended to use ammonium nitrate. After applying fertilizers to the soil, watering the soil should be systematically carried out.
Now let's look at how to properly care for Gigantella:
- In early spring (as soon as the last snow melted), it is necessary to process the bushes with special care: first, remove the dry leaves, and then lay straw, onion husks and needles around the bushes.
- Produce top dressing mineral fertilizers (no more than two times during the season).
- In order for strawberries to bear fruit better, you should constantly remove antennae, which negatively affect the fertility of the bush.
- Gigantella should also be treated with specialized pest control products.
- Composting is recommended every year.
It is necessary to collect strawberries as they ripen. With abundant watering, you need to make sure that the berries do not start to rot. In this case, you should reduce the frequency of watering. Berries that rot or that are damaged (usually as a result of plant disease) should be removed immediately, as there is a risk of contamination of neighboring bushes.
For the winter period, gardeners are not advised to cut the leaves of the Gigantella strawberry too much.
If you ignore this recommendation, you can lose the plant. The fact is that additional leaves protect it during severe frosts, preventing death due to low temperatures.
The average period during which strawberries of this variety bear fruit is eight years.But, if you notice that individual bushes have disappeared, or have begun to bear fruit worse, you need to update the planting. This is usually done three to four years after the beginning of fruiting Gigantella.
Some gardeners note that the strawberry whiskers do not need to be removed. In this case, after a while they take root and do not reproduce further. Thus, the beds form a kind of "carpet", which allows you to retain moisture in the root zone.
Gigantella strawberry seeds: is it possible to grow full-fledged berries?
This question is very controversial, and it is simply impossible to give an unambiguous answer to it. If you try to collect seeds from ripe berries at home, then most likely you will not be able to grow large berries.
But if you buy Gigantella strawberry seeds in a specialized store, then there is still hope of getting a full harvest. But this method of growing strawberries does not always meet the expectations of gardeners, therefore, for those who are not used to taking risks, it would be better to purchase seedlings and plant them annually, increasing the plantations of strawberries.
Many amateur gardeners note that often when planting Gigantella strawberries with seeds, the fruits are small, which, in turn, does not correspond to the main characteristics of the variety.