About Elan strawberries: description of the variety, agricultural technology for planting and growing

Description of the strawberry variety Elan

Strawberry Elan is a remontant variety. Fruiting begins in early June and ends after the first cold weather. The plant forms a powerful bush with a large number of tendrils, thanks to which many rosettes with new fruits are formed.

The mature plant develops dark green, large foliage and well-developed roots. In mid-May, the strawberry bush is covered with numerous 5-petaled snow-white flowers.

The yield of the variety is high, but when grown under film cover it increases. With proper care, you can harvest up to 1.5 kg of strawberries from the bush. The berry is large, conical in shape, weighing up to 40 g. The juicy, bright scarlet pulp is dense, has a strawberry flavor and an unforgettable aroma. Compared to other varieties, Elan F1 strawberries contain 50% more ascorbic acid.

Garden Tricks: Mulch and Pyramid

Since Elan F1 belongs to the ampelous remontant varieties - it blooms and bears fruit on this year's rosettes - the most convenient way to grow strawberries is to plant them on a pyramid. Children and grandchildren, surrounding the pyramid, will never trample down the plantings, and the hanging berries will be clean.

Containers, flowerpots and pots arranged in a tiered manner are, of course, also suitable for growing Elan F1, but children may accidentally pull the bushes by the whiskers, and your entire exhibited ensemble will fall with a crash. Therefore, for planting, it’s better to look at a pyramid or attach a tiered bed in the form of a ladder to the south side of the barn.

Mulching the soil in layered plantings is simply necessary, because with each layer the soil will become drier. And to make watering easier, you can apply drip irrigation to the bushes.

The price for such an excellent variety is very reasonable and is about 50-70 rubles per bush. Subsequently, such bushes will not only delight you with delicious berries, but will also adequately decorate your garden or balcony.

Characteristics of the variety

According to the description, Elan strawberries are endowed with positive characteristics. Thanks to this, the variety fell in love with Russian summer residents.

Main advantages

According to gardeners, Elan strawberries are frost-resistant. It tolerates sudden changes in temperature and can grow in regions with variable climates. The strawberry variety Elan is unpretentious in care and soil quality. But in order to extend the harvest until the first frost, strawberries are planted in nutritious, well-drained soil.

The berries are picked as they ripen. For transportability over long distances, the berries are picked unripe. Harvested strawberries of the Elan variety are placed in shallow baskets so that the bottom layer does not deform under the weight of the harvest and does not deteriorate. To extend the shelf life, the berry is removed from the bush along with the calyx and the not very long stalk.

Advice! The berries are picked in sunny, dry weather, in the afternoon. But if the weather is rainy and the harvest is ripe, the harvested berries are laid out in one layer in a dry, well-ventilated place and dried to the desired condition.

Flowering period, ripening time, yield

According to reviews from summer residents, Elan F1 strawberries, when grown in the southern regions, begin to bloom in early May. The powerful bush is completely covered with snow-white flowers, from which large and sweet berries are subsequently formed.

Under favorable climatic conditions, the first berries are harvested in early June. The variety has high productivity. When grown in open beds it is 1.5 kg, under film cover - 2 kg and above.

Important! The fruiting period should not exceed more than 3 years, since in the future the variety will produce small, sour berries. After 3 years of age, I dig up the strawberry bushes, divide them and transplant them to a new bed.

Application area

A photo of the remontant strawberry Elan shows that the variety is universal in use. The berries are used to prepare fruit salads, jams, compotes and mousses. Strawberries also tolerate drying and freezing well. Due to their good taste and commercial qualities, Elan strawberries are grown on an industrial scale.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety is resistant to many diseases and is rarely attacked by insect pests. To protect the plant from troubles, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner:

• weeding;
• loosening the soil after each watering;
• unthickened planting;
• compliance with crop rotation;
• in the spring, treating the soil and bushes with Bordeaux mixture or the drug “Photosporin”;
• Plant garlic, onions or marigolds between the rows; their smell repels pests and prevents the appearance of gray rot.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Strawberry Elan, like any variety, has strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of many summer residents include:

• high and long fruiting;
• good product and taste qualities;
• versatility in application;
• the variety is unpretentious in care, undemanding to soil and light;
• good keeping quality and transportability.

The disadvantages of the variety include the need for autumn feeding. Since prolonged fruiting greatly depletes the plant, and it does not tolerate winter frosts well.

Reproduction methods

The hybrid strawberry variety Elan can be propagated in several ways. Each method is good in its own way and does not require time or effort:

1. Dividing a bush - an adult bush is dug up and divided into small sections. Each part must have well-developed roots and at least 3 healthy leaves.
2. Reproduction by mustache is the easiest and most reliable way. To do this, choose a strong rosette, which is located closer to the mother plant. After the young plant grows a root system, it is carefully buried, without separating it from the bush. After 10 days, the rosette is separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
3. Seed method - containers are filled with nutrient soil, planting material is sown superficially. To make the seeds germinate faster, they are covered with glass or polyethylene. After the true leaves appear, the seedlings are planted in separate cups. The young plant is transplanted to a permanent place in the fall. Since before the onset of frost, Elan strawberries will quickly adapt to a new place and grow a root system.

Positive and negative qualities of a hybrid

There are rarely bad reviews about the remontant strawberry Elan, which indicates the absence of significant shortcomings. Positive features include:

• stable and high productivity;
• excellent taste and pleasant aroma;
• a long fruiting period, which can last in a heated greenhouse until December;
• Elan bushes develop well in low light;
• the hybrid is resistant to pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases;
• with the open growing method, the Elan strawberry variety can withstand harsh winters and summer temperature fluctuations;
• remontant strawberries do not require special care, they grow in one place for 3 years, and then they are replanted so that the berries do not become crushed;
• Elan strawberry fruits are universal and suitable for all types of processing, decorating confectionery products, and freezing.

Important! After three years of planting strawberries, Elan must be replanted. If the bushes are left for the fourth year, the hybrid will bear small berries closely similar to wild strawberries.

Gardeners consider the disadvantage of the Elan variety to be the mandatory procedures of abundant fertilizing in the fall. Prolonged fruiting depletes the bushes. If strawberries do not replenish lost nutrients, then weak plants will freeze in winter. The remaining bushes in the spring will bring a poor harvest.

Landing rules

Elan strawberry seedlings are planted in spring and autumn. Despite the fact that the variety can grow in a poorly lit place, it is better to choose a bright area, without gusty winds. The soil should be well fertilized, with neutral acidity and deep groundwater. The selected area is dug up, weeds and stones are removed and complex mineral fertilizers are added.

Planting strawberries can be done in 4 ways:

1. Separate bushes - planting holes are made at a distance of half a meter from each other. When planted using this method, the berry grows large due to good lighting and ventilation. Disadvantage of the variety: constant loosening, weeding and removal of mustaches.
2. Planting in a row - seedlings are planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other, and the row spacing is left about half a meter.
3. Planting in nests - with this method, a seedling is planted in the center, 6 others around it at a distance of 6 cm. The result should be a hexagon. The interval between nests is left 30 cm. With this planting, strawberries of the Elan variety will bring a rich harvest.
4. Carpet planting is the most permanent and cheapest method. The bottom line is that the mustache is not removed, thereby giving room for growth. When planting compactly, the soil retains moisture and weeds do not germinate.

Important! When planting Elan strawberries, you should not bury the central heart.

The seedlings are planted with a clod of earth, after which the earth is compacted, watered and mulched.

If different varieties of strawberries are grown on the site, then it is better to place Elan far away. Since during flowering the hybrid can be cross-pollinated, as a result the size and taste will not correspond to the varietal parameters.

Basic parameters of berry crops

According to the description, the plant is tall, characterized by a tall bush with powerful shoots.

The main feature of the variety is that one bush has long tendrils, which are the basis for the formation of a large number of rosettes with peduncles, which allows for constant harvesting.

The plant is capable of forming large berries, the weight of which can reach thirty-five grams. The maximum yield is 2 kg per bush, and in open ground - 1.25 - 1.5 kg.

The fruits are dense and have a conical shape. The juicy pulp is red in color and endowed with a pleasant strawberry taste and unique aroma. It differs by 30-50% from other varieties in its increased content of vitamin C.

The plant is capable of forming large berries, the weight of which can reach thirty-five grams

Subsequent care of the crop

According to the description of the variety, Elan strawberries are unpretentious. To get a good harvest, you must follow simple rules:

• Elan strawberries are drought-resistant, but to obtain large, sweet berries, irrigation is carried out 2-3 times a week;
• after watering, the soil is loosened and mulched; straw, dry leaves or rotted compost are suitable as mulch;
• at the beginning of flowering, to obtain long-term fruiting, the first flower stalks on the planted seedlings are removed;
• no more than 4 mustaches are left on each bush;
• timely weeding, as weeds take away nutrients from strawberries;
• in order not to reduce the yield and prevent diseases from appearing, the lower leaves are removed;
• fertilizing is applied 3 times per season, in the spring - nitrogenous fertilizing, in the summer - potassium fertilizing, in the autumn - phosphorus-potassium fertilizing;
• For the winter, the beds are covered with a 15 cm layer of mulch, agrofibre or spruce branches.

Preparing for winter

In order for the strawberry bush to successfully survive the winter cold, it is necessary to carry out pre-winter preparation.

Preparatory work begins immediately after fruiting. Since the Elan strawberry is a remontant variety, pruning is carried out only for sanitary purposes, removing dry and damaged leaves. You cannot cut off all the foliage, as this will save the root system from freezing. After sanitary pruning, weeding is carried out, and the soil between the rows is carefully loosened for better air flow.

If the autumn is rainy, then additional irrigation is not required. In dry weather, up to 1.5-2 liters of warm water are poured under each bush. After irrigation, the bushes are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer so that the plant lays flower buds, regains strength, and the root system prepares for the upcoming frosts. Wood ash is used as top dressing; 1 tbsp is used for each plant. l.

Before sheltering, preventive maintenance against pests and diseases is carried out. To do this, strawberries are treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture or brilliant green (10 drops per bucket of warm water).

Before frost, strawberry bushes are covered. There are several ways:

1. Humus, peat or rotted compost are added under the roots of the bush.
2. Mulching with pine needles, fallen leaves, rotted sawdust or grass clippings.
3. After snow falls, the bushes are covered with snow-white snowdrifts.
4. In regions with harsh and little snowy winters, non-woven fabric or agrofibre is used. The cover of Elan strawberries is removed after the end of spring frosts.

Subtleties of cultivation

The plant is not particularly demanding to care for. In order for the crop to grow well and bear fruit, you must follow the following rules:

• make sure that the soil in the garden bed is moist, which will ensure the active growth of young leaves;
• mulch in spring to prevent flower stalks from contacting the ground;
• pluck the very first flower stalks;
• cut off excess mustache, leaving 3-5 pieces;
• thin out plantings in a timely manner, avoiding overcrowding, which will negatively affect fruiting;
• leave less greenery on the bush, directing the main nutrition to the fruits, because many nutrients are consumed for the development of foliage;
• replant plants in time to protect young seedlings from frost;
• apply complex fertilizing with a full range of micro and macroelements with a combination of organic matter and mineral fertilizers; it is important not to overdo it with nutrition in order to prevent excessive growth of bushes;
• at the end of fruiting, to rejuvenate the plant, it is recommended to cut off the foliage;
• take care of protecting strawberries for the winter by covering them with mulch.

Care consists of watering, mulching, tearing off the mustache and the first flower stalks

Disease and pest control measures

Strawberries of the Elan variety are immune to many fungal diseases. But if the rules of care are not followed and during the rainy season, fungus and pests can settle on the bushes.

Verticillium wilt is a disease that affects foliage. In the initial stage, the fungus affects the old, lower leaves. They become covered with dark spots, dry out and die. Next, the fungus attacks young foliage, destroying all the green mass. If you do not start timely treatment, the disease will affect the root system, and then it will not be possible to save the plant. For treatment, use the drug "Maxim" diluted strictly according to the instructions.

Powdery mildew - a fungus that attacks leaves and berries. It spreads quickly in rainy weather and when planting is dense. The disease can be detected by white plaque and curled leaves. Treatment consists of treating the bush with Alirin B or Baktofit.

Strawberry mite – the peak of the disease occurs in the second half of summer. The pest settles on the plant and sucks the juice from young leaves. Affected foliage curls, turns waxy yellow, and dies over time.

The weevil is a pest that settles on the strawberry bush during the period of budding and flowering. Insects gnaw the flower stalks, thereby reducing the yield.

Advice! Insecticides will help get rid of pests.

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on the photos and reviews of gardeners about the Irma strawberry, as well as the description of the variety, the natural conclusion is that the plant is popular due to its obvious advantages.

• Excellent taste properties;
• Stable yield;
• Drought resistance: the berries can withstand the sun;
• High commercial qualities: fruits are dense, shelf-stable and transportable;
• Frost resistance;
• Ease of reproduction through a mustache;
• The strawberry variety is sufficiently immune to damage from mites, fungal infections: gray rot and spotting, moderate sensitivity to Alternaria pathogens.

The disadvantage of the Irma strawberry variety, as follows from the description, is a decrease in fruiting during periods of prolonged heat. Installing a drip irrigation system, as well as shading the strawberry plantings with a net, will help in this situation. Then at the end of the season, gardeners harvest an excellent harvest of Irma strawberries, as can be seen in the photo.

Advice! Shading nets can create, depending on the quality, 30-95% shade, while lowering the temperature for plants to 5-10 degrees.

Harvest and storage

This is undoubtedly the most enjoyable period in the entire growing process and the logical conclusion of the gardener’s efforts. The first ripened strawberries are especially pleasing - long-awaited, large and very sweet. Strawberries should be picked regularly, ideally daily.

You should not delay picking fruits so that there are no overripe berries on the bushes, which can easily become infected with gray mold and not only spoil themselves, but also become a source of infection for other, healthy fruits. The Florian hybrid has rather dense berries, but they still need to be collected in a shallow container with smooth walls. One container for collecting berries should contain no more than 0.5 kg of strawberries.

Did you know? Eating just 8 strawberries a day can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the body, and even reduce the risk of cancer.

Strawberries can be transported over long distances, but this must be done quickly and only in specialized refrigerated vans (at a temperature of +10...+12°C). If the correct temperature conditions are observed, the berries will remain fresh for 3–5 days. At home, strawberries can be stored in a refrigerator using a special box for berries and fruits.

Garden strawberries (strawberries) of the Dutch hybrid Florian are popular among gardeners due to their large and fragrant berries. If a grower grows at least 50 bushes of large-fruited varietal strawberries, his family will be provided with fresh berries and aromatic jam for the winter.