Alba is an elite variety of garden strawberries, which has received recognition among European and Russian gardeners. This large-fruited and highly productive variety has excellent taste, therefore, it is in demand in both commercial and amateur gardening.
Strawberry variety Alba
Strawberry Alba variety is stored for a long time and is not afraid of long-distance transport
the variety "Alba" retains its mass throughout the growing season
How did Alba appear?
The Alba variety was bred by Italian breeders working for New Fruts. The task was set - to create a variety in which transportability, shelf life and presentation were combined with good taste. Hybrid NF311, later registered as a variety, was created in the 70s of the last century. Parent couple - Albion and Cal. The variety is registered in the State Registers of Plants of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine.
Strawberry Description
A brief botanical description of the plant:
- Bush. Powerful, medium leafy. Height - 30-35 cm.
- Leaves. Large, bright green.
- Peduncles. Powerful, elongated, when ripening fruits lie down.
- Fruit. Large, elongated-conical shape. The average weight is 25-30 g. Berries of the same size. The color is red, the surface is smooth, shiny.
Gardeners often confuse strawberries and garden strawberries. We note right away that Alba is a variety of garden strawberries, but it is popularly called strawberries - this is more familiar. We will also sometimes use a shorter and more common name.
Variety Characteristics
To assess the benefits of growing Alba, and to understand whether this variety is suitable for a particular region, pay attention to the agrotechnical characteristics of the variety.
Characteristics of the variety Alba:
Parameter | Description |
Productivity | Claimed - up to 1.2 kg of berries from one plant, real - 0.3-0.7 kg. On an industrial scale - 200-250 kg / ha. |
Disease and pest resistance | Almost does not suffer from powdery mildew. Average resistance to verticellosis and fusarium wilt. May be affected by brown and white spotting. |
Drought tolerance | Resistance to summer droughts. |
Frost resistance | Resistance to spring return frosts. |
Ripening time | Early ripening grade. The first berries ripen in late May, in the south - even earlier. |
Flowering time | In the south - mid-April, in the middle lane - in May. Flowering lasts 2 weeks. |
Taste characteristics | The taste is good - sweet, with acidity. At the stage of technical ripeness - sour. |
Scent | Strawberry |
Transportability | Great |
Fruiting period | Long |
Appointment | Universal |
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of Alba:
- Ultra earlier ripening. Early ripe strawberries can be profitably implemented.
- Flowering periods avoid spring frosts.
- High productivity. In Russia, the Italian yield of 1.2 kg does not work, but 0.8 kg is a very decent result.
- High quality berries. Ideal for sale - the berries are large, with a dense pulp, they tolerate transportation well, do not flow, have an excellent appearance.
- Good dessert flavor. It happens better, but for the kind of transportability and stamina that Alba has, the taste is just great.
- After harvesting, the fruits are stored without losing taste parameters.
- The variety is unpretentious, adapts well to different climates.
- It has good immunity, is resistant to various pathologies.
- It tolerates the winter period, does not need insulation.
The disadvantages of the variety Alba:
- In extreme heat, the surface of the berries is slightly “baked”.
- When compared with dessert varieties, significantly inferior in taste.
- It is affected by some types of spotting, other diseases.
An overview of the Alba variety is provided in the video below:
Growing Regions and Suitable Climate
The variety is beneficial for commercial cultivation. It is actively cultivated by agricultural companies in Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus. Alba is officially recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. The variety is adapted to continental and temperate continental climates, to different types of soils and natural zones (mixed forests, forest-steppes, steppes).
Selection of a site for planting strawberries Alba
To get the promised crops from Alba, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for its growth. To do this, choose a suitable site, plant plants, provide them with care - watering, fertilizing and other agricultural activities.
The place under the beds is chosen according to the following criteria:
- Illumination. The site should be well lit. Shaded areas, such as near tall trees, are not suitable.
- Protection from the wind. So that the bushes do not suffer from gusts of wind, between the beds you can plant bushes of currants or gooseberries.
- The soil. Sandy and sandy-loamy soils with a humus content of at least 3% are more suitable than other soils. Saline and calcareous areas are not suitable.
- Humidity. Suitable areas with a low level of humidity - on hills, and with a low occurrence of groundwater.
- Predecessors. It is recommended to plant after radish, beans, garlic, peas, mustard. Not recommended - after raspberries. Strawberries are contraindicated in precursors related to nightshade (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, potatoes), since they suffer from the same dangerous disease - late blight.
It is also not recommended to plant strawberries after sunflower and corn - these powerful plants are very depleted of soil. Legumes are dangerous by nematodes - they, without being ill with a strawberry nematode, are its carriers. Cabbage and cucumbers are also not suitable, they suffer from a common disease with strawberries - stem nematode and verticillum wilt.
In one place, strawberries should not grow more than 3-4 years - you need to regularly change the location of the beds.
Soil preparation
Most suitable for growing strawberries are open horizontal beds. They are very easy to manufacture:
- Having picked up a place under the beds, determine its size. If there are 1-2 rows, then the width of the beds will be 40 and 80 cm, respectively. Leave between 30-40 cm between rows.
- Dig the ground. Choose weed roots carefully. Prepare the ground in advance, at least 2 weeks before planting seedlings.
- During digging, pay 1 sq. Km. m of fertilizer area in the form of a mixture:
- humus - 1 bucket;
- complex fertilizer - 50 g (or 30 g of superphosphate with 1/2 cup ash).
- Dig the rows under the landing. The sides of the beds can be strengthened - for example, with boards or pieces of slate.
Soil for spring planting of strawberries is best prepared in the fall, and for autumn - in the spring.
Useful soil preparation tips:
- To prevent weeds from growing on the land where strawberries are planted in summer, plant them with green manure.
- Do not bring fresh manure under the strawberries - it contains a lot of pathogenic bacteria and weed seeds.
- If the beds for strawberries are prepared in advance, you can make half-rotted manure. But be sure to water the soil with "Baikal" or "Radiance" - they have microorganisms that process organics into compounds accessible to strawberries.
Landing
Strawberries are planted at any time except winter. Gardeners prefer spring planting.
Its terms depend on the region:
- in the south - in the first half of March;
- in the middle lane - in the last three weeks of April;
- in the north - in the first half of May.
Strawberry Planting Process:
- On a bed prepared in advance, dig small indentations - 6-8 cm deep. The distance between adjacent bushes is 20-25 cm.
- Add humus to each well, 1 tbsp. l ash and a pinch of complex mineral fertilizers. Pour a warm solution of potassium permanganate (light pink) - for disinfection. Irrigation rate - 0.5 l per well. The same amount of water is poured after planting a bush.
- Remove the seedlings from the containers - it is kept in the shade for about 6 hours. For planting, take plants grown from mustache up to one year old. Water the seedlings one hour before planting.
- It is recommended to place the seedlings before planting in a nutrient solution. Humate (1/2 tsp), phytosporin, or root (incomplete tbsp. L.) Are dissolved in 2 l of water.
- If the bushes have grown too long roots, reduce their secateurs to 8-10 cm.
- Gently put the bush in the hole. Pay attention to the apical kidney - it should not be buried in the ground. The roots do not bend when planting - they should be arranged vertically.
- For the first time, protect your landing from direct sunlight.
Strawberry Planting Tips:
- If you plant seedlings in the summer, choose a non-hot cloudy weather. The recommended landing period is mid-July-mid-August.
- When planting in autumn, do not apply nitrogen fertilizers - they promote leaf growth. The best time to grow seedlings is the end of August or the second week of September.
- Break off the flowers in the first year after planting - let the plant first grow stronger and form powerful roots.
Further care
After planting - spring and summer, strawberries need regular care. During the autumn planting, all activities are postponed until spring - except for warming, if any.
Watering
Watering is carried out as needed. On average, strawberry beds are watered every 5-6 days. When watering, it is important to maintain balance - Alba does not like dry soil, but excessive importance is contraindicated to it. Overmoistening leads to the development of fungal diseases.
Watered strawberries with warm water (about 20 ° C). Irrigation rate - 10 liters per 1 square. m. Water is poured under the root, so that the spray does not fall on the leaves, flowers and berries. It is better to water it with a watering can or with the help of drip irrigation, the hose is not recommended - a powerful stream is able to erode the soil and expose the roots. The best time for watering is evening.
Top dressing
Dressing procedure:
- Top dressing begins with the onset of heat. Soil temperature should reach 8-10 degrees Celsius. We also recommend that you read our article on spring strawberry dressing.
- After cleaning the bed of weeds, pour bushes with iodine solution (7-10 drops per bucket of water). Water in the evening so that the leaves do not burn. Processing is carried out 2-3 times - before fruiting. Iodine “baths” will protect plants from gray rot.
- One week after treatment with iodine, apply urea to the soil. Prepare a solution - put 10 tbsp on 10 l. urea. Pour bushes with this solution - 0.5 l under one bush.
- During flowering, top dressing with yeast is recommended. How to prepare the mixture:
- Take a 3 liter jar. Pour sugar (0.5 kg) and dry yeast (10 g) into it.
- Pour the ingredients with water - not reaching a few centimeters to the top.
- Put the mixture for a couple of days in a warm place - to roam.
- Dilute the mixture with water (10 l - 1 tbsp. L.) And pour the bushes with it. Under each bush - 0.5 l of solution. Half a month after yeast top dressing, row spacing, or the soil near the bushes, sprinkle with ash.
- During fruiting, it is also useful to add ash, dry or in the form of a solution. Dry make from the calculation - a handful of ash on the bush. The solution is 0.5 liters per bush. Prepare the solution as follows:
- Pour 0.5 liters of ash with boiling water and leave for 3 hours;
- dilute a mixture of 10 liters of water.
- Also, in summer it is recommended to feed strawberry plantings with potassium monophosphate (10 l - 1 tbsp) and cow manure (dissolve in water 1:10) or chicken droppings (1:12).
- In autumn, feeding with ash is repeated or complex fertilizer is applied.
Mulching
If agrofibre / film was not used during planting, it is later necessary to mulch the soil. Pros of mulching:
- no need to weed the beds;
- the amount of watering is reduced;
- stable soil temperature is maintained;
- leaching of nutrients is prevented.
You can mulch the beds:
- compost;
- straw;
- sawdust;
- agrofibre.
Mulch is periodically updated. Gardeners who do not want to mulch the beds should regularly loosen the soil and weed. It is also advisable to periodically huddle bushes - the roots after irrigation can be exposed.
Winter preparations
Pre-winter training activities:
- Remove any dried leaves.
- Trim the mustache so that only the apical bud with the green leaves remains.
- In regions with harsh winters, strawberry beds are recommended. For example, lapnik.
When and how to pick a berry?
Early ripe Alba produces crops in the month of May. Bushes bear fruit for a long time, so the collection of berries is carried out in several stages. The variety is good for fresh consumption, but it is usually used for harvesting - they make strawberry jam, jams, and prepare sweet desserts.
It is not difficult to pick berries - they are easily separated from the stem. Experienced gardeners often cut berries with stalks - this is more painstaking work. Collection is carried out in the morning when the dew leaves, or in the evening when the sun ceases to be hot. The main condition is dry weather.
To keep the berries stored longer, gardeners advise:
- pick berries 2 days before technical ripeness;
- Do not water plentifully, especially shortly before harvesting.
During the collection, berries are immediately discarded:
- rumpled;
- affected by mold;
- damaged.
If one bad berry gets into the box, then in one day all its contents can be spoiled.
Transportability and storage
The Alba variety is ideal for commercial cultivation, as it can be transported over long distances without problems, without losing its commercial and taste qualities.
The berries are stored in boxes - wooden or plastic. They lay paper or thin cloth at the bottom. Shelf life of berries depends on temperature. If they are placed in the refrigerator (temperature from 0 to + 2 ° С), then they will lie there, keeping fresh, for 3-4 days. Shelf life outside the refrigerator is one day.
Diseases and Pests
The Alba variety, which is immune to a number of diseases of strawberries / garden strawberries, is not immune to damage from certain diseases to which it is not so resistant.
The most common diseases of the Alba variety:
Disease | Symptoms | How to fight? |
Late blight | Leaves turn gray, become cup-shaped, wither and dry. There are few or no fruits at all. Bushes, if left untreated, die in 2-3 years. | Observe crop rotation. For prophylaxis, treat the roots with solutions of the preparations Humate (per 1 liter - 15 g) or Agate 25K (per 1 liter - 7 g). |
Brown and white spotting | Red-brown spots appear on the leaves. Later - roundish spots, gray or white in the center. Leaves fade and die. The stalks and petioles are also affected. | Spring treatment with 4% Bordeaux fluid. Treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, Falcon, Metaxil or Ridomil. |
Anthracnose | Dark spots appear on the leaves, ovaries and fruits. Dead tissue is torn, the trunk of the outlet inside becomes brown. | For prevention, starting from the moment of leaf regrowth, bushes are treated 2-3% with Bordeaux liquid 2%. About the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease, the bush is sprayed with Antracol (10 l - 15 g), but no later than 7 days after the onset of signs of the disease. |
The most common pests of the Alba variety:
Pests | Harm | How to fight? |
Aphid | Drinks juices from leaves, other parts of the plant. Leaves twist and die. The whole bush is fading. | Spraying with soapy water (per 1 liter of water - 60 g) or special insecticides. You can also spray the plantings with garlic solution (for 10 liters take a glass of garlic and onion juice, and 150 ml of dandelion juice). |
Weevil | Beetle larvae eat flowers and ovaries. The buds dry, the ovaries and fruits are poorly developed. | It is forbidden to plant raspberries nearby with strawberries. Timely remove sick and old leaves, loosen the soil. Sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate, treated with Intavir. |
Strawberry mite | Damages leaves and fruits. Leaves twist, darken and die. If you do not help, the plant dies. | They are treated with Karbofos or colloidal sulfur (10 g - 8 g). In advanced cases, the dose is increased to 15 g. |
How is a variety propagated?
Alba are propagated in many ways. Usually use the method of rooting antennae or dividing the bush. Gardeners resort to seed propagation extremely rarely.
Propagation methods of garden strawberry Alba:
- Division of the bush. Procedure:
- in spring, when a positive temperature is established, 2-3 year old, stably fruiting bushes are chosen;
- gently pull the bushes out of the soil, being careful not to damage the roots;
- divide the roots into 2-3 parts with the help of a sharp sterile instrument - each fragment should have a socket with leaves;
- place the cut is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- the separated bushes are planted in the prepared wells.
- The rooting of the antennae. Harvesting is carried out at the end of June. Procedure:
- Soil mixture is prepared - 1: 1 peat and soil are mixed. Humus is introduced.
- The antennae are planted in containers with soil mixture. Put in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Regularly watered and fertilized with mullein infusion.
- After the formation of three pairs of leaves on the outlet, the remaining mustache is removed, and the plants are transplanted into beds.
- Propagation by seed. The method is unreliable - varietal traits may disappear. Seeds should be taken in the nursery. Procedure:
- the seeds are soaked for 2-3 days in a slightly pink solution of manganese or in a growth stimulator;
- sow seeds in containers with nutrient soil, and put in a warm, well-lit place;
- when the first true leaf appears, seedlings dive;
- seedlings are planted in the soil in the spring, after preliminary hardening.
Reviews
Anton E., Kursk region The variety is fruitful, with very large berries. It is perfectly transported - does not let juice out. It looks attractive, the berries are strong, shiny. The pulp is moderately dense, not hard. Begins to bear fruit early - manages to sell the berry at a good price.
Valentina R., Moscow Region. If a year is issued without frost, then Alba first opens the fruiting season - it is 5-7 ahead of other early varieties of days. The berries do not have a special aroma, but they look like plastic, the taste is average. Transportation and safety - on top.
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Garden strawberry "Alba" is more suitable for industrial cultivation. Due to its excellent transportability, keeping quality and excellent presentation, it can be successfully implemented in the markets. By taste, this large-fruited variety will appeal to those who like a combination of sweetness with a little sourness.
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