Strawberry Gigantella variety description, photos, reviews, characteristics and yield which are presented in this article, is not officially registered in the State Registers of the Russian Federation. Despite the fact that the Gigantella strawberry variety is Dutch, it has long been grown by gardeners and gardeners in Russia. He fell in love due to the huge size of the berries, which are several times larger than ordinary ones.
The full name of the plant is Gigantella Maxim... Therefore, it is mistakenly believed that Gigantella and Maxim are two different species.
Description and characteristics of the variety
- The bush is powerful, spreading. It grows to a height of about 50 cm, so it is necessary to plant the plants at a sufficient distance from each other.
- The leaves are large, bright green, shiny, slightly ribbed.
- In the open field, it begins to bear fruit after July 15. When grown under film, fruiting begins 2 weeks earlier.
- About 30 peduncles are formed on one bush. 6-8 colors appear on each.
- Each bush in one place can bear fruit for 8 years.
- The yield is high. With proper agricultural technology, each bush gives 2 kg of strawberries.
- It is highly immune to many strawberry diseases. However, it may be prone to gray mold. If this disease is affected, the bushes must be removed, and the site must be treated with Fitosporin or other fungicides.
Preplant soil preparation
The most important part before planting Gigantella Maxim strawberries is soil preparation. If this is not done, the fruits may not ripen or be tasteless. Loamy soil with an admixture of peat or humus is ideal for growing this plant.
The first step is to loosen the soil well and clear it of weeds and May beetle larvae, if any.
When applying fertilizers, the main thing is not to overdo it. You should be especially careful with nitrogen fertilizers. They need to be brought in before boarding.
If absolutely necessary, during the flowering period, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium are introduced as top dressing. Manure can be used as an analogue of chemical fertilizers.
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It is best to plant Gigantella on rested soil or after legumes.
Fruit characteristics
- It bears fruit once per season. However, due to the large weight of the berries, about 60-100 g, the harvest is rich.
- Fruits are round in shape, slightly flattened on the sides.
- The surface is slightly rough with convex grains.
- The lower base ends with a ridge. It does not ripen if there is not enough sun.
- The berries are bright red with white dots.
- The pulp is dense, juicy. You can determine the ripeness of the fruit by the spout, which becomes scarlet when the berries are fully ripe.
- The taste is sweet with a pineapple aftertaste.
- Resistant to transportation, does not wrinkle or sap.
Testimonials
Daria, 18 years old, Moscow My mother has been dealing with strawberries for a long time.Three years ago I bought Gigantella saplings. With its aromatic, sweet, huge fruits with a medium apple, it outshone all other varieties. My mother and I watered our strawberries a little at a hot time, but often. The next year, Dad promised to do drip irrigation. Olga, 53 years old, Suzdal A wonderful variety of garden strawberries. My grandchildren, as soon as they arrived at the dacha, immediately dived into Gigantella. Although not only it grows on my site. Apparently, this is the best berry for them. I would like to advise beginners: do not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers. Many years ago I had such a sin. Apart from leaves and whiskers, there was nothing. Elizaveta, 33 years old, Yaroslavl I'm just starting to master the basics of truck farming. I bought Gigantella last year. She grew well, but I did not experience much delight from the berries. As it turned out later, it was her own fault - she applied a lot of fertilizer before planting. She left the bushes to winter. Let's see what will happen next. Now I will turn to my neighbor for advice.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of the Gigantella strawberry variety are the following:
- Large-fruited.
- Great taste.
- Resistant to transportation.
- Long-term storage.
- Freeze-safe.
The disadvantages of the variety include the following:
- Demanding care.
- Predisposition to certain diseases and pests.
- Poorly tolerates a drop in temperature.
- As the bush matures, the yield decreases.
Gardeners' opinion
Reviews of gardeners about "Gigantella" are positive. The unique taste and large size of this strawberry cannot but be appreciated. Juicy red berries do not leave anyone indifferent. No wonder, the ripe fruit is the size of a palm! The only disadvantage of strawberries is that allergies are possible.
Strawberry "Gigantella" is useful for both adults and children, and if grown according to agrotechnical requirements, it develops well. The health and productivity of plants depends primarily on the quality of the planting material. Usually, the variety takes root well in the backyards of central Russia, and its fruits tolerate transportation well.
Growing features
Gigantella strawberries are propagated by stepchildren or by dividing the bush. Some gardeners consider sowing seeds to be the most dubious way of breeding this variety, since then it is not known how many seedlings will grow and which of them will grow.
The bushes and berries of this culture grow large, therefore, special attention must be paid to their planting and cultivation. It is best to pick up loamy soil.
The land on the site is well dug up, weeds are removed. Next, peat and humus are introduced.
Advice! According to the rules of crop rotation, it is best to plant strawberries after legumes.
Strawberry seedlings are transplanted onto prepared beds in late April or early May. Reproduction by a mustache or by dividing a bush can be carried out both in autumn and spring.
Young plants need to be watered with plenty of water in a timely manner. By the time of transplanting into open ground, the seedlings should have at least 5 true leaves. No more than 4 bushes are planted per square meter of area. With a thickened planting, the fruits will be smaller, and the harvest is not so plentiful.
The mustache is removed from the bushes in order to get a good harvest. Several bushes with a mustache are taken for reproduction. Around these plants, about 5 of the strongest whiskers are selected and added dropwise, the rest are removed.
If the whiskers are not removed, they will overgrow and create a carpet of young plants. Vegetative reproduction ends after overgrowth, then fruiting begins.
The whole plant must be treated with protective compounds against diseases and pests. This procedure is carried out 3 times per season:
- in the beginning of May;
- at the beginning of August;
- at the end of September.
Onion skins can be scattered in the strawberry area in early spring. Parsley, marigolds and onions planted next to strawberries provide good protection against pests.
You also need to carry out regular mulching of the bushes. This is necessary to protect plants from weeds, and berries from rot. Spunbond, black film, pine needles, straw, chopped dry grass, newspapers are used as mulch.
- In the first year of growth, the bushes are not fertilized with nitrogen fertilizing, so that they do not grow sharply, and the berries do not rot.
- In the second year, plants are fertilized with ammonium nitrate.
- Then a mixture of 1 tbsp is used 2 times a year. tablespoons of ammonium nitrate, 1 tbsp. tablespoons of superphosphate, 1 tbsp. tablespoons of potassium chloride, which are diluted in 10 liters of water. This fertilizer is applied during budding and after harvest.
- During flowering and fruiting, it is better to fertilize plants with organic fertilizing (infusion of mullein or ash or chicken droppings or humus in a concentration of a bucket of fertilizer on a barrel of water).
With the right strawberry fertilization, Gigantella produces a bountiful harvest of delicious berries.
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Diseases and pests
The Gigantella strawberry variety can be susceptible to various diseases and pests. In particular, this culture is striking:
- gray and black, root rot;
- spotting;
- nematode;
- powdery mildew;
- fusarium wilting.
Strawberries are also often attacked by May beetles and cabbage. Therefore, the roots and stems of Gigantella strawberries will need to be treated with chemicals.
When some kind of disease appears, the affected bushes are removed, and the areas where they grew are treated with Fitosporin or other fungicides.
Simple tips for protecting strawberries
You can plant marigolds in the beds with "Gigantella" (Tagetes) and marigold (Calendula officinalis). These plants protect strawberries well from nematodes and powdery mildew. Calendula saves from the development of fungal diseases (and marigolds are not calendula? Or is this a different kind of calendula?). In the fall, the protective plants are simply cut off, leaving the roots. Another useful neighbor for strawberries is parsley. (Petroselinum). A crop planted between rows will scare away slugs.
Do not forget that strawberries must be transplanted every 4-5 years. After it, the soil is severely depleted. Carrots (Daucus), beans (Phaséolus), pumpkin (Cucurbita), nightshades restore soil fertility.
Protective measures
To obtain a high yield, it is necessary to remove antennae on the bush in a timely manner, because they take most of the nutrients from the plant. Strawberries should be covered with a special plastic net for birds who are not averse to enjoying such a tempting delicacy.
At the end of fruiting, the leaves of the plant are cut off; it is advisable to carry out this operation before mid-August in order to give time to grow new leaves before frost. The bush is renewed every 3-4 years. To do this, the mustache is planted in a new place, and the old bushes are taken out.
For the prevention of Gigantella diseases, it should be periodically treated with a solution of horse sorrel, which must be crushed and filled with an ordinary 10-liter bucket. This green mass needs to be poured with hot water and insisted for 2 days, then strain and process the bushes by spraying.
