Description and characteristics of Zumba strawberries, planting and care rules

Rumba is a strawberry variety of rare commercial value. Rumba has an ideal presentation: very attractive and appetizing, as well as a wonderful taste, excellent transportability, and on top of that, the variety also produces high yields. All these impressive properties have made Rumba one of the most popular varieties for industrial cultivation today. In the article we will look at a detailed description of this variety of strawberry: we will find out how to properly plant Rumba and how to care for the bushes. In addition, experienced farmers will share with us their impressions of growing this variety.

Description and characteristics

The strawberry variety Rumba belongs to the early ripening varieties of the crop.

The berries have the following characteristics:

• correct, ideal (by the standards of specialists) form;
• saturated color;
• sweet taste;
• large sizes.

In addition, the berry tolerates transportation well even over long distances. It is able to maintain its integrity, taste and beneficial properties for a long time.

On a note. When growing strawberries in a greenhouse, harvesting begins 2 weeks earlier than when growing the crop in open ground.

Strawberry variety Rumba

Rumba is a non-repairing variety of garden strawberries (strawberries) of medium early ripening, universal use. It was developed by specialists from the Dutch company Fresh Forward. It is distinguished by high yield, excellent presentation of berries and decent taste. Suitable for cultivation in the continental climate of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. It performs well both in open and protected ground, in tunnels and greenhouses, and in hydroponics. This variety is declared as very promising, capable of replacing one of the most popular and proven mid-early varieties - Honey. And she more than justifies the hopes placed on her.

The plant is powerful, abundantly leafy, the bushes are dense and rather spreading. The formation is moderate. The leaves are large, trifoliate, with large blunt teeth along the edges, dark green in color. The flowers are bisexual, white, with a large amount of high-quality pollen, which has a very positive effect on pollination, and, as a result, on the quantity and quality of the harvest. The peduncles are powerful, long, multi-primed (about 5-7 large berries or more are formed on one peduncle), located at the level of the leaves. Strawberries are easily visible, which makes harvesting quicker and easier - this is very important when growing commercially on a large scale.

Rumba berries are spectacular, of regular conical and round-conical shape, very uniform in the total mass. The skin is dark red at the stage of technical ripeness; when fully ripe, it acquires a cherry hue. The pulp is bright red, juicy, dense, but not hard, with a very bright aroma of wild strawberries. The taste of the variety is very good, the berries are sweet, with a subtle elegant hint of sourness, the overall taste is very harmonious and pleasant.

Strawberries are universal in consumption, equally beautiful both fresh and processed, suitable for freezing, and will be an excellent addition to desserts and other dishes. The berries tolerate transportation well and are perfectly stored; in these characteristics, Rumba is superior to Honey. The fruits retain their marketability and taste for a long time and attract the attention of buyers in the market with their beautiful appearance. In a word, the variety is ideal for growing for the purpose of selling fresh produce, which is confirmed by many farmers and entrepreneurial gardeners.

Our heroine bears fruit very consistently and for quite a long time, the berries are large throughout the season. The average weight of the fruit is 25-30 grams, at the first harvest a little more - 35-40 grams. Strawberries are high-yielding, but they belong to the intensive type varieties, so their productivity is extremely dependent on agricultural technology. For an ordinary gardener, it is quite possible to achieve results of 400-500 grams of berries per bush. In commercial cultivation, the figures increase to 1 kg of fruit per plant or more. In principle, our heroine is on the same level with Honey in terms of productivity, but beats him in taste and some other characteristics, and the originator states that growing Rumba will be more cost-effective compared to its “rival”. And you can believe this statement by reading the reviews of farmers.

Strawberries ripen in the mid-early period; some call them early, but this is not entirely true. In its homeland and in the southern regions, it, of course, can begin to bear fruit almost at the same time as early-ripening varieties, but in many regions of Russia it behaves like a mid-early variety, and sometimes even like a mid-ripening variety. Thus, ripening can start in early to mid-June. On average, the harvest of Rumba begins almost at the same time as Honey (a little later, with a difference of 2-3 days), a little later than Clery, earlier than Darselect and 5 days faster than Elsanta. In protected ground, under shelters, strawberries ripen much earlier, at the level of early ripening varieties.

The variety is famous for its excellent immunity; it is very resistant to fungal diseases, especially various spots and gray rot. Gardeners confirm this information, but farmers advise to be on guard - preventative treatments are still highly desirable. But on the other hand, Rumba does not require an increased number of treatments against diseases and pests, so you can save on the purchase of drugs. But in this case, you should not forget about the timely rejuvenation of the plantation, otherwise the savings may suddenly cost a pretty penny.

Strawberries cannot boast of good winter hardiness, frost and drought resistance; they will not feel comfortable in all regions and justify the hopes placed on them. Even in the central zone of Russia, it is recommended to provide plantings with good shelter both in winter and in spring. In southern regions with hot summers, with insufficient care, the variety reduces yield; dry periods have a particularly bad effect on the number of berries. In general, Rumba can be classified as a “sissy”, since its full potential can only be revealed with very painstaking care and strict control over growing conditions.

We won’t talk much about agricultural technology; we will only list the main “keys” that will help you achieve better results. The planting should not be too dense; about four plants are planted per square meter. The distance between strawberry bushes should be at least 25-30 cm; if possible, it is advisable to make larger intervals. Excessive thickening is fraught with a decrease in yield and a deterioration in the taste of the berries. The plant is demanding on soils, loves slightly acidified loose soils; on problematic and alkaline soils, Rumba will not please with its taste.

One of the most important aspects of agricultural technology is that the variety needs regular, abundant nutrition. This nuance greatly affects the taste of strawberries. There are quite a lot of reviews that the berries are insipid, “foamy,” but this problem usually arises precisely because of agrotechnical errors, including due to lack of nutrition. Particular attention should be paid to providing plants with mineral complexes; fertilizing both at the root and at the leaf is relevant. And the last nuance of care - update the planting material in a timely manner. In commercial cultivation, it is better to use plants in a one-year or two-year crop, and gardeners can keep a plantation without rejuvenation for about 4-5 years, although it is still better to renew it at least after the 3rd year of use, so as not to be disappointed in the yield.

Let's say a few words in conclusion. Rumba is a very promising variety that can please both the gardener and the farmer. In general, it is more “tailored” for commercial cultivation, and it fully justifies this direction, not inferior to the generally accepted favorites of the strawberry market. But gardeners still disagree. Why put a Dutch sissy on your property when there are plenty of other varieties that are just as good, and with less maintenance requirements? And the debate about taste also continues. In general, it’s worth trying to grow Rumba yourself, and only then draw conclusions based on personal experience.

Main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Zumba strawberries have strengths and weaknesses. First, about the advantages, which include:

• ease of care;
• early maturation;
• rapid onset of fruiting period during greenhouse cultivation;
• high resistance to cold and frost;
• a strong immune system that allows the culture to withstand many phytopathologies.

The Zumba variety has fewer disadvantages, but they still exist:

• when growing in conditions of high humidity, strawberry fruits may acquire a sour taste;
• the plant is capable of absorbing moisture, so excessive rainfall or excessively frequent watering can cause the berries to become “watery”;
• if not properly cared for, strawberries change their taste, it becomes putrid or bitter, or at best tart;
• If fertilizing is not applied in a timely manner or is completely absent, the crop yield is reduced.

With proper care, strawberries do not cause trouble, but bring a stable, rich harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages of Dutch garden strawberries

This variety has been present in gardeners’ gardens for quite a long time, so they have had time to evaluate it from different angles. Experienced gardeners have identified a number of its advantages and disadvantages, which we will now discuss. First, let’s talk about the positive qualities. The main advantages of Rumba include:

1. Early harvest ripening.
2. Excellent taste.
3. Excellent product quality. The berries have an attractive appearance, are ideal for transportation over long distances and are stored for a long time.
4. The variety is self-fertile, so it does not require an additional pollinator.
5. Rumba has a fairly good immunity, which protects strawberries from a number of common diseases.

At the same time, some disadvantages of this variety have been noted. The main disadvantages of Rumba include the following:

1. The variety is quite picky about the type of soil. On poor-quality soils, which are also unfertilized, it will not be possible to get a good harvest.
2. Strawberries do not do well in drought conditions.
3. The variety is quite demanding to care for.

Specifics of growing strawberries Zumba

To grow strawberries of this variety, optimal conditions should be provided. Attention needs to be paid to the soil, and it does not matter whether the crop grows in open ground or in a greenhouse.

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Soil selection

For Zumba, fertile soil is selected from the following category:

• loams;
• sandy loam soil;
• gray forest land;
• chernozems.

Clay soil is considered unsuitable for growing Zumba strawberries.

You should choose a location so that the groundwater is at least 80 cm from the ground surface. Also, you cannot plant strawberries of this type in an area where green manure plants were previously grown: rapeseed, leeks, mustard or garlic.

Instructions for preparing seedlings

It is recommended to place the seedlings in a cool place 3-4 days before picking. Moderate coolness will allow strawberries to get used to changing growing conditions. It will also have a positive effect on the plant’s immunity, accelerating the process of its adaptation in open ground.

Landing algorithm

The picking scheme for strawberry seedlings of the Zumba variety is as follows:

1. Make holes in the ground with a distance of 30 cm between each of them.
2. The depth of the holes corresponds to the length of the roots. In a healthy plant, the roots reach 10 cm in length, but they can be longer, so they can be trimmed.
3. Pour water into the holes and wait until it is absorbed.
4. Place strawberry roots deep into each hole and sprinkle with soil, then compact it tightly with your hands.

All that remains is to straighten the leaves protruding above the soil surface - and the planting process is over.

How to take care of Zumba

Caring for strawberries is not difficult, but you must strictly follow certain rules.

3-4 years after planting strawberries, they must be moved to another place, since they can deplete the soil on which they are located.

Reviews

Lilia, 34 years old, Novosibirsk

I consider the Rumba variety to be one of the best strawberries today: it ripens early, the yield is very high, the berries are dense, sweet with a caramel flavor. It winters with us, though not very well. It often gets wet under the snow; it is better to cover it from frost and excess moisture. After last winter, there are only a few bushes left; we will have to abandon the harvest in favor of the mustache.

Sergey, 40 years old, Kherson region

In my experience, Rumba is the most promising variety from the KSD. I can list a number of advantages that are important for any businessman. Firstly, the berries are of exceptional presentation “5+”: large (no small things at all), smooth, shiny, almost cherry in color. They simply fly away on the market at the highest price. However, they are heavier than other varieties. If packaged in identical boxes, then Fleur and Clery are 3 kg each, and Rumba is 3.6 kg. Further, the yield in the year of planting (Frigo A+) was 300 g per bush, which is also very good. There were no losses from gray rot (Fleur was almost completely rotten). Transportability is good. The taste is sweet with a pleasant sourness, the aroma is like wild strawberries. The only thing is that sometimes the tick appeared. The second-year bushes have grown to gigantic sizes, with each horn having one peduncle with 5-7 buds. The first berries turned out to be around 40 g. I will add that the cost of production is much cheaper, since no fruit or root rot has been observed so far and it is possible to do without any fungicide treatments.

Larisa, 44 years old, Moscow

In our conditions, the main disadvantage of Rumba was the taste - not very sweet, rather empty, uninteresting. There is practically no aroma either. Maybe she didn’t get enough sun or didn’t have enough potassium during the ripening period. In terms of productivity, it was also inferior to Alba and Honey.

Boris, 52 years old, Kirovograd

At the end of the 2022 season, Rumba showed its best side. Planted last September on sandy loam soil with the addition of humus. We did not use any regulators, stimulants, fancy fertilizers, switch treatments, etc. The bushes are powerful, there are a lot of berries. Even by the fourth sample the size was not crushed. They look and taste excellent, everyone liked them.

Protection from diseases and pests

Zumba strawberries are often attacked by:

• whiteflies;
• raspberry-strawberry weevil;
• spider mite.

Expert opinion

Zarechny Maxim Valerievich

Agronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best country expert.

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To protect the plant from these phytopathologies, insecticides should be used before flowering or after harvest. And in order to prevent the development of diseases, with the arrival of spring it is recommended to treat the bushes with Azocene.

Diseases, pests and ways to combat them

Rumba strawberries can be susceptible to various fungal and viral infections. Most often this happens due to weakened immunity of the bushes due to improper care. To prevent diseases, you need to carry out the following procedures:

1. In spring, remove old mulch.
2. Plant plants without allowing them to become crowded.
3. Remove weeds that can carry pathogenic microorganisms and pests.
4. Moisten the soil moderately: due to excess moisture, the root system begins to rot.
5. Periodically inspect the plantings, removing yellow and dry leaves, as well as weakened bushes.

In addition, bushes in the spring should be sprayed with insecticides and fungicides for prevention. In the inter-rows you can sow plants whose smell is not tolerated by many pests, for example, marigolds and marigolds. To improve the health of the land, green manure is sown in the place where strawberries are supposed to grow.

Important! Strawberries cannot be planted after raspberries, cruciferous and nightshade family.

Culture propagation

Gardeners recommend propagating strawberries of this variety using mustaches. As soon as young shoots form on the bush, they should be pressed to the ground, lightly separated and immediately rooted. Sometimes the plant reproduces on its own in this way.

The second option is division. It involves dividing the bushes into segments and then arranging them in prepared holes. But this method, in comparison with propagating strawberries with a mustache, has low efficiency, since the seedlings do not take root well.

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Strawberry care

This is especially true for such a demanding variety as Rumba. Properly selected nutrients help improve not only the overall level of yield, but also improve taste - the sugar content increases, excess wateriness and acidity are removed.

Rumba especially urgently needs potassium feeding. This component helps preserve and increases sugar content, maintains the elasticity of the skin and the density of the pulp. Nutrient mixtures containing potassium must be applied several times - at the beginning of the flowering period, during fruit set, at the time of ripening.

It is advisable to use potassium as a top dressing.