Strawberries are one of the favorite crops for cultivation, both by amateur gardeners and by farms. The variety of varieties of this berry allows you to grow it in almost any climatic zones. One of the most unpretentious members of the family is the variety Kent.
Table of contents
Strawberry variety kent
Let's start with the description. Strawberry Kent - This is a high-yielding, frost-resistant variety, bred by Canadian breeders in the 70-80s.Due to its winter hardiness, Kent is successfully grown in the central and middle zones of Russia, as well as in Siberia using shelter.
For strawberries Kent is characterized by the formation of tall, erect shrub with dark green foliage and numerous peduncles. The number of whiskers is insignificant. Kent belongs to the varieties of medium early ripening. Berry picking starts in early June. The period of fruiting is long. It is also possible to get several harvests per season, since the young rosettes re-bear in August-September. An adult plant is resistant not only to cold, but also to drought.
Characteristics of berries
Kent fruits are large and medium size.. The shape of the berries is rounded cone-shaped or heart-shaped. Color is dark red, shiny skin. In the first collections, uneven forms are often formed. The taste of berries juicy and sweet, with a pronounced strawberry flavor.
Perfectly matured even in conditions of lack of lighting. Fruits are quite elastic and tolerate transportation. It is possible to store berries without loss of quality up to 10 days. The weight of the fruit in the first charges reaches 40g.In subsequent berries noticeably shallow. The harvest from one bush makes from 600 g and more. Berry is good for both fresh consumption and processing.
Advantages and disadvantages
The combination of characteristics determined the high popularity of strawberries Kent among our gardeners and farmers. The variety has the following advantages:
- high yield
- medium early ripening
- fine dessert taste
- product appearance
- transportability and long shelf life
- endurance (resistance to droughts and cold, ripening berries in shady places and in rainy weather)
- immunity to a variety of diseases (such as powdery mildew and gray mold)
Berry weaknesses:
- susceptibility to verticillosis
- the formation of substandard berries in the first harvest
- strong shallowing berries after the first harvest
Planting seedlings
Kent strawberries can be planted both in early autumn and in early spring, but planting in the spring is more preferable because it provides the best rooting and development of seedlings.In the fall, young plants may not have time to get stronger, which increases the risk of their freezing with the onset of cold weather.
Berry soil suitable for any. But the most successful variety fruiting in areas with gray forest and chernozem soil. On calcareous, marshy and strongly acidic soils, plants develop noticeably worse. It is preferable that the plot for planting was flat. If the soil is not fertile, then organic fertilizers are applied first. At the same time, in order to ensure the best survival rate of the berries, it is desirable to plant the seedlings several days later after their introduction.
Seedlings are planted in moist soil, maintaining a distance of 40 cm between plants. For rooting, they take strong young sockets with several accessory buds. Repot the plant on the garden bed together with the earthy clod. Too long roots shorten.
Do not overly deepen the plant. The root neck should be at ground level.It is best to land in the evening or in cloudy weather, because young seedlings do not get acclimatized under the rays of the bright scorching sun. Saplings need to be watered regularly, but it is important not to overdo it. Excessive hydration is detrimental to these plants.
Growing points
Strawberry Kent, as a rule, gives the first berries the next year after planting. Young plants with fruit again in August - September. An important condition for obtaining a good berry harvest is proper and timely care.
Watering. Regular watering, especially during dry periods, is one of the most important components for successful cultivation of this crop. But one should not re-moisten the soil, as this can provoke infection by a fungus and reduce the frost-resistant qualities of the variety. In the spring, watering is carried out by sprinkling, and with the appearance of the first flowers, it is recommended to water the strawberries under the root.
Pruning. Like most other varieties of strawberries, Kent lets out a mustache, although quite a few. In the autumn, it is recommended to prune them, leaving 2 strong uterine shoots on each bush for further reproduction. At the same time mowing old foliage.
Top dressing. During the entire growing season, it is necessary to provide the plant with adequate nutrition. In the spring, fertilizing with nitrogenous fertilizers (for example, ammonium nitrate or urea) will be appropriate. In summer and autumn, complex mineral fertilizers will provide the plant with additional nutrients. An alternative to chemicals will be chicken manure in liquid form, manure, humus, ash.
Mulching. Mulching is one of the important strawberry treatment procedures. For this purpose, use straw, dry grass, sawdust, compost, humus. The permissible height of the coating is not more than 6-8 cm. Suitable as mulch and a special material - agrofibre.
Wintering. To strawberry bushes suffered winter cold without loss, it is necessary to carry out appropriate agrotechnical work. To do this, in the fall, they are pruning the plants, while thinning the beds and removing excess overgrown bushes, carefully loosening the ground.After removing the foliage of the plant is treated with drugs against pests and diseases, fertilizers are applied.
Diseases and pests
Kent variety is resistant to many diseases (such as powdery mildew and root system diseases). However, there are cases of the Colorado potato beetle and gray mold. To protect the planting from pests and diseases, it is recommended to spray the berry with special fungicides as a preventive measure.
A distinctive feature of Kent strawberries is susceptibility to verticillus. When the first signs of the disease appear, the affected plants are immediately removed from the bed and burned.
Strawberry Kent has established itself well among gardeners. It is inferior to a number of other varieties of large-fruited, but unpretentious,yield and excellent taste make it a worthy choice for breeding, both in the garden and for commercial purposes.