Garden

Features planting and care of strawberries varieties Vima Zanta

The main condition for a high-quality and highly productive strawberry variety is a combination of resistance to a variety of adverse weather factors and large-fruited. Among these varieties of berries, the Wima Zanta variety, which has gained immense popularity among gardeners around the world, stands out clearly. In this article, the main characteristics of this plant will be considered, as well as all the secrets of its successful cultivation are described in detail.

Selection history

Vima Zanta is one of the most popular varieties of large-fruited strawberries, bred in the Netherlands by breeders from the local agricultural concern Vissers. The history of this variety began in the early 2000s of the 20th century, when the best hybrids of the company were selected and crossed to obtain a new high-quality strawberry variety.

The basis of Wim Zant was such strawberry varieties as Elsanta and Korona, belonging to the conditional Zant group. In addition, the plant received some signs of the Tarda variety, which helped to create a winter-hardy and unpretentious strawberry, quite resistant to the characteristic diseases of the crop. Vima Zant received official registration in 2007, from that time the conquest of summer cottages by plants, both southern and northern climatic zones, began.

Did you know? Strawberries have been known to mankind since the Neolithic, but the plant was cultivated only in the 15th century. Modern plant species are the result of spontaneous hybridization of several wild species of wild strawberries.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Strawberry Wim Zant is one of the best advantages of modern breeding, the plant has not only individual yield indicators, but also morphology. Thanks to this, breeders managed to get a truly unique plant, characterized by special characteristics of the crop, as well as the shape of the bushes.

Bush

This variety is distinguished by medium-tall shrubs with a spreading crown. At the same time, it is distinguished by a sufficiently high density and saturated green foliage. The shape of the leaves is boat-shaped, they are located on large petioles, about 20 cm long. Petioles grow from one root growth point, forming a characteristic rosette. The plant's uptake is increased, so strawberries instantly grow and fill the free space . During flowering, low peduncles are formed on the bushes, on which characteristic inflorescences grow in the form of a shield. The flowers of the inflorescences are small, consist of 5 petals.

Video: Wim Zant Strawberry

Fruit

The fruits of Wim Zant grow large, multi-rack type. These are large, fleshy berries, covered with small seeds on top, they represent an overgrown receptacle, with juicy tissues. The shape of the fruit is elongated, conical, the average length of the berry is within 50 mm, and the width is not more than 30 mm. In the phase of full ripeness, the fruits acquire a rich red tint, as well as aroma.

On the cut, the tissues are dense, rather fleshy, moderately juicy, light pink in color. The taste of fruits is saturated, sweet, with moderate acidity, the amount of sugar is in the range of 8-9% of the total mass. Tasting assessment of the crop is high, is 4.8 points (out of 5 possible). The average weight of one fruit is 50 g.

Did you know? The most large-fruited variety of strawberries is considered to be the Chamorora Turusi variety. The plant is distinguished by particularly large berries, the size of an average chicken egg.

Pollinators and productivity

The variety is considered undemanding to pollination, both female and male flowers are formed on one bush, therefore pollinators for this plant are not required. However, when growing in closed conditions, it is recommended to conduct cross-pollination between distant bushes, this will increase not only the yield, but also the quality of the grown berries.

Vima Zanta tops the list of late-ripening hybrids; in the temperate climate zone, crop ripening is observed from the second half of July, until the first frosts. The yield of the variety is average, up to 800 g of berries can be harvested from one adult bush, this does not allow the use of a hybrid for industrial cultivation, but it makes it possible to collect good homemade crops.

Frost resistance

The hybrid is classified as a crop with high frost resistance, it successfully withstands frosts up to –22 ° С. This allows it to be grown in conditions with a mildly cold winter. However, in regions with long-term frosts, bushes often freeze, so plants require mandatory shelter.

Choosing the best seedlings for planting

Seedlings are started to be purchased in advance, since the plants are massively sold from the end of July. At this time, strawberries are characterized by rapid growth, so it is quite simple to determine high-quality seedlings. Ideal for planting are bushes with the following set of qualities:

thick leaves, saturated green, pleasant to the touch, without wrinkles or all kinds of inclusions;
on each bush there should be at least 3-4 full-fledged leaves;
dense horn, at least 0.7 mm thick;
the absence of any spots or putrid foci on the aboveground and underground mass of plants;
moist and elastic roots, at least 8 cm long;
in cassette and tablet seedlings, the roots must completely capture the substrate.

You should also pay attention to the manufacturer. Laboratory plants grown under ideal conditions (nurseries of famous manufacturers) are considered to be the highest quality. They differ in almost perfect genetic apparatus, which reduces to zero the likelihood of any pathologies or problems with productivity in adult plants. This is due to the fact that in conditions of home breeding it is almost impossible to prevent all kinds of mutations in plants, which is not difficult in laboratory conditions.

Important! To protect yourself from poor-quality seedlings, you should purchase plants exclusively in specialized stores. Seedlings from natural markets can be infected with all kinds of fungi and other pests.

Preparatory work and the selection of a suitable location on the site

After the quality seedlings have been selected, you should immediately begin to prepare the place for planting. Plant growers have only a few days to transplant young plants, otherwise some of them may die or be sick for a long time. This often affects not only the success of rooting, but also the further productivity of the beds, so it is recommended to approach preparatory measures in advance.

Lighting

All kinds of strawberry hybrids are classified as photophilous plants, so plants feel best in open and well-lit areas. To avoid shading of plants, it is best to place the beds at least 5 m from the trees, shrubs or garden buildings. Also, such a place should be protected from sharp drafts, so other fruit or ornamental crops should be planted around the strawberries.

Priming

Strawberries love well-fertilized and cultivated soils, with a high content of organic substances. Sandy loam soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.6–6.2) is best suited for this. Preparation of the soil for planting begins even in the deep autumn, if necessary, the soil is facilitated, for this, from 1 to 3 buckets of clean river sand are applied per 1 m².

Read more about strawberry soil at home.

Also, the soil should be well fertilized with mineral fertilizers, for this, 1 kg of humus, 100 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium nitrate should be given per 1 m². Then they dig up the soil well, to a depth of at least 30 cm, after which they leave it alone, until the next season. After wintering, immediately before planting, the soil is again dug up. In this case, the substrate should be moved to a homogeneous, moderately loose state.

Step-by-step landing technology

Strawberries are planted in early spring or in late August - the first half of September. At the same time, late planting is preferable, it allows you to get the first crop as early as next summer, and with a spring planting, this will require at least 15 months. In addition, in the spring of such plants become hardened to any weather conditions.

Important! Before planting strawberries, be sure to consider the predecessors. The crop grows and bears fruit best after cereals, garlic, onions, herbs, marigolds and petunias.

To perform planting, you must:

to divide parallel rows on the territory of the site, at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other;
in rows, every 25–30 cm, recesses 10 × 10 cm in size should be made;
place seedlings in each cavity in a row, and then densely sprinkle the root system with a substrate;
after all the plants are on the site, the beds should be abundantly watered with settled water, room temperature.

Care Features

To provide the beds with an optimal microclimate throughout the season, plants should be surrounded by appropriate care. To do this, you need to provide qualified watering, top dressing, timely loosening of beds, as well as the preparation of plantings for a long wintering.

Video: How to properly care for strawberries in spring, summer and autumn

Watering, cultivation

Regular watering is the main rule not only for the active growth of seedlings, but also for the productivity of strawberries. Drying of the soil leads to inhibition of productivity and deterioration of the quality of the fruit. They become hollow, lose their juiciness and rich aroma, so strawberry plantations must necessarily receive moderate moisture throughout the growing season.

Learn more about how to water strawberries frequently and correctly.

Strawberries are watered every 10-12 days, at a rate of 10 l / m². In arid regions or in hot weather, the multiplicity of the procedure is increased, up to 3-4 waterings per week. In early spring and autumn, watering is reduced to 1 procedure in 2-3 weeks. They bring moisture under the root, avoiding water drops falling on the foliage. Otherwise, a burn spot forms in place of the drops.

1-2 days after watering, loosening is mandatory. The procedure improves the efficiency of moistening the beds, saturating the soil with readily available oxygen. Loosen the soil to a depth of not more than 7 cm, while all residues of weeds and other unwanted vegetation should be removed from the site

Top dressing

After planting, seedlings do not need additional fertilizers, with strict observance of the subtleties of the procedure, the soil receives all the necessary substances for rooting strawberries, so they feed only from the next season. Young and adult shrubs need 3 recharge per season.

Video: How to properly fertilize strawberries

Carry out this procedure as follows:

in mid-April, a solution of nitroammophoski (30 g / 10 l of water) or cow manure (1:10) is added to the plot, with a calculation of 10 l / m² of plantings;
during budding or pouring berries, the culture is fertilized with infusion of chicken droppings (1:15) or potassium nitrate (20 g / 10 l of water). The flow rate of the working fluid should be about 10 l / m² of beds;
Before preparing for wintering, the culture is fed with a nitroammophos solution (30 g / 10 l of water), about 1 l of working fluid is given per 1 m² of plantings.

Prevention and control of diseases and pests

One of the main problems in growing strawberries is the high susceptibility of the culture to a variety of infections, fungal parasites and all kinds of pests . They use plantings not only for parasitism, but also for offspring, which in just a season can lead to the death of plantations. Therefore, an effective system of chemical protection of beds is a mandatory measure for the care of strawberries.

Winter preparations

Despite the high frost resistance, often seedlings of Wim Zanta are prone to freezing. This question is especially acute for young plants that are not able to effectively resist frost. Therefore, the beds should be well covered before frosts after the average daily temperature drops to + 5 ° C. For this, the plantations are mulched with sawdust, pine needles, seed husks, etc.

We advise you to learn more about how to protect strawberries from frost.

Mulching can be replaced by covering the beds with a spanbond or other type of agrofibre. If the plantations are more than 3 years old, it is recommended to cut strawberry foliage before shelter. This procedure allows you to rejuvenate the bushes, as well as activate the strength of their growth.

Mulch protect the root zone of each individual bush, while its layer should be at least 15 cm

Harvesting and storage of crops

Harvesting is carried out as the generations of berries ripen, approximately 2 days before their full maturity. The fruits are harvested manually and gently, avoiding damage, otherwise their shelf life will not be more than a day. It is best to cut the berries with the stalk, it will slow down their withering at times, which will only positively affect their preservation.

Important! The fruits of the Vima Zanta variety are not highly transportable, so the berries are not suitable for commercial sale.

Seized fruits are stored in general shallow containers, covered naturally with cloth or paper, at a temperature of 0 ... + 2 ° С. Under such a regime, freshness of the crop can be preserved for 4 days after harvest. At a temperature of +15 ... + 20 ° С, strawberries are stored for no more than a day. To increase the fruit's shelf life, it is recommended to harvest at the end of the green-ripe phase, which will help extend the preservation of berries up to 10 days.

Strawberry Vima Zant does not differ record harvests, however, this variety does not lose popularity among home growers. The hybrid is not particularly whimsical, so it can please a quality crop even of an inexperienced farmer. In this case, special attention when cultivating the variety should be given to watering and dressing the beds, without which it will be difficult to achieve high-quality berries.

Network user reviews

Loved this variety. The berry is very early, sweet, with a strong aroma. And the harvest was very good. sweetl //forum.vinograd.info/showpost.php?p=1055909&postcount=19

Period	Diseases and Pests	Preparations
Bud formation	Powdery mildew, gray rot	Alirin, Fundazol, Boileron
Bud formation	Leaf spotting	Chorus, 1% Bordeaux mixture
Before flowering	Gray rot, powdery mildew	Alirin, Fundazol, Boileron
	Leaf spotting	Chorus, 1% Bordeaux mixture
	Spider mite	"PSK", "Kemifos", "Fufanon"
After picking berries	Powdery mildew	"Topaz", "Alirin", "Fundazol"
	Leaf spotting	Chorus, 1% Bordeaux mixture
	Spider mite, weevil	Actellik, Kemifos, Novaktion