Strawberry Marvelous: reviews, yield, main advantages of the variety, description and characteristics, cultivation, planting, care, reproduction

Strawberries with large oblong berries have been grown in the country's gardens for about thirty years. This strawberry is called Divna, and in addition to its shape, it is also distinguished by the wonderful taste of the berries. Summer residents and gardeners love the Divnaya variety for its excellent sweet-sour taste and well-defined strawberry aroma. Even though the productivity of this strawberry lags somewhat behind industrial varieties, its “homemade” strawberry taste is not comparable to the productive and beautiful, but tasteless Anglo-Dutch hybrids. The fruits of the Divnaya variety are very tasty fresh; the pulp of this strawberry has a dense consistency, so the variety is suitable for freezing and preserving whole berries.

Reviews about the Divnaya strawberry variety, with descriptions and photos, can be found in this article. Here we will talk about the strengths and weaknesses of garden strawberries and how best to grow them.

History of the variety's creation

The Russian breeder G.D. Aleksandrova from the city of Pushkin has developed more than one strawberry variety, including Divnaya. It was created at the beginning of the last quarter of the last century and is recommended for growing in garden beds and in greenhouse conditions. But many lovers of this berry crop grow it even in apartments on the windowsill.

Photo of strawberry Divnaya

This breeder used the following varieties of strawberries as “parents”:
Festivalnaya and Holiday, from which Divnaya received only positive qualities.
This strawberry variety was added to the State Register (updated) in 2008

with a note that this berry crop can be grown on large farms, as well as in garden plots.

Protection from diseases and pests

Marvelous stands out for its resistance to many ailments. But weather conditions, errors in the process of choosing a location and care can trigger the development of certain diseases. The dangers for her are the following:

fusarium;
root rot;
xanthosis;
black rot;
powdery mildew.

As preventive measures, as well as treatment of already infected crops, fungicides are used to treat crops and the soil around them. Bordeaux mixture, “Skor” and “Fitosporin” demonstrate high efficiency in the fight against most pathogens.

The following insects can harm the crop:

aphid;
weevils;
spider mite;
caterpillars;
strawberry leaf beetle.

To prevent attacks by insect pests, in the spring it is recommended to spray the plantings with a solution based on ammonia or treat them with insecticides. They destroy parasites with store-bought products - “Aktellik”, “Karbofos”, “Aktara” or with folk methods - soap or garlic composition. To repel insects, you can plant marigolds, onions or garlic nearby.

Strawberry Divnaya: description of the variety

The Divnaya strawberry ripens in the first ten days of June in most Russian regions, and in the south of the country the harvest from this strawberry plantation is harvested in the last ten days of May.

The bushes of this strawberry variety are above average in size, strong and strong, erect with a large number of leaves. The foliage is large, slightly wrinkled, with a characteristic gloss, has no pubescence, the color is a rich emerald color.

STRAWBERRY DIVNAYA - variety description - video

Each plant produces a large number of strong flower stalks that do not grow higher than the leaves. Even under the weight of the harvest, the stems with berries do not lie on the soil, which is one of the undeniable advantages of the variety.

The flowers are large, self-pollinating, collected in inflorescences. To pollinate the Divnaya strawberry bushes, you do not need insects or the presence of other strawberry varieties nearby.

On a note!

Each Divnaya strawberry bush produces a large number of mustaches during the season - large, colored brown with a reddish tint.

The shape of the fruit can vary from blunt-conical to oval depending on growing conditions, including weather conditions, soil composition and further plant care. But most often the berries are approximately the same size, cone-shaped with blunt tips, without a neck.

Good varieties of strawberries:
Strawberry Sensation Strawberry Elvira Strawberry Alba
The first ripe berries are flat, very elongated, with a lot of folds, they are larger than subsequent fruits.

On average, the weight of the berries reaches 25 g, so the Divnaya strawberry variety is classified as large-fruited. The first fruits are larger, can reach 30-35 g. The last berries are much smaller, weighing about 15-20 g

. The skin of the fruit is quite dense, bright red in color, and becomes cherry when overripe. The pulp is slightly compacted and has no voids or coarse fibers inside.

The seeds are yellow in color, small, pressed into the skin, their number on each berry is average.

The taste of ripe Divnaya strawberries is excellent, tender, sweet with a slight sourness, the berries literally melt in your mouth. Ripe strawberries have a pronounced strawberry aroma.

Ripe strawberries contain:

sugars – up to 5.8%;
acids – 1.7%;
ascorbic acid per 100 g of product – 44 mg.

The separation from the stalks of ripe berries is dry, so the fruits tolerate transportation well at different distances without releasing juice, and can also be stored in appropriate conditions for up to several days.

This variety of strawberries has good resistance to cold and can withstand frosts down to -25 degrees Celsius without shelter.

But you need to be wary of freezing of the buds when growing this berry crop in Siberia and the Urals, where return spring frosts often occur during the flowering period of the Divnaya strawberry.

Since the bushes of this berry crop produce a large number of runners per season, problems with the further propagation of Divna usually do not arise.

The Divnaya strawberry is also distinguished by its resistance to periods of drought, for which it is valued by gardeners from the southern Russian regions.

Characteristic

The pulp is juicy, dense, without emptiness, coarse fibers, sweet and sour in taste, and has a pronounced aroma of wild strawberries.
Chemical composition: sugars - 5.9%, acids - 1.7%, ascorbic acid - 44 mg/%.
The berries ripen unevenly - this is a characteristic feature of the Divnaya variety, but the yield is high. In a garden plot, you can get 1 - 1.2 kg of berries from each bush. In industrial production, I collect up to 150 centners from 1 hectare.
Strawberry bushes have good frost resistance (withstand −20-25°C without covering). True, gardeners in the northern regions should be wary of spring (return) frosts.
This type of strawberry has good immunity and is resistant to verticellosis, gray rot, and all kinds of fungal spots.
The culture propagates by dividing the bush (if it is more than 4 years old) or with a mustache, and quite quickly. It is not afraid of drought, so it can be safely grown in the southern regions. Can go a long time without watering.
The fruits ripen very early: in the Central region of Russia the berries ripen in early June, in the south of the country they ripen by the end of May.

Thanks to its unique qualities, this variety can grow in many Russian territories. Summer residents believe that the Divnaya culture is the best strawberry.

For your information! Experienced gardeners grow this variety of strawberries even in pots on the windowsill.

Advantages of strawberry Divnaya

Experts include the main advantages of this berry crop:

good yield;
early fruit ripening;
approximately the same size of ripe berries and good taste of Divnaya strawberries;
versatility of using the harvested crop;
good resistance to periods of drought and cold;
ripe fruits tolerate transportation well over different distances and can be stored for quite a long time in appropriate conditions;
mustaches are actively formed throughout the season, so gardeners always have planting material for propagation;
variety resistance to verticillium and gray rot.

Among the disadvantages of the Divna strawberry, it should be emphasized:

when grown in regions with a cool and rainy climate, the berries of this variety become tasteless and too watery;
the berries become smaller at the end of the season;
The fruits do not always have the same shape, which negatively affects their commercial qualities;
have to deal with excess mustache during the summer.

Positive and negative aspects of berry culture

Strawberries of the Divnaya variety have the following advantages:

taste and aroma of berries, like strawberries;
high crop yield;
increased resistance to some diseases that affect strawberries;
unpretentiousness to the environment;
increased resistance to frost and dry climates;
large berry size;
possibility of long-term transportation and storage;
simple plant propagation.

Among the disadvantages, gardeners note:

susceptibility of the taste of berries to increased moisture;
uneven shape of the fruit, which spoils the presentation;
With each subsequent harvest in the year, the berries begin to become smaller.

Agricultural technology for growing strawberries Divnaya

Planting Divnaya strawberry seedlings is not difficult. The main thing is to choose the right place for the strawberry plantation and plant the plants according to the instructions.

Strawberries for beginners. Growing secrets - video

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Selecting a site for planting

The place for planting this variety should be illuminated by sunlight throughout the day and be protected from strong gusts of wind. But a slight draft in the beds with Divnaya strawberries is only welcome.

The soil on the site should be light and loose; before planting, organic matter and complex mineral fertilizers must be added to it so that it is fertile.

Important!

Divnaya strawberries are not grown in lowlands, on heavy clay soils with constant stagnation of moisture and in areas where groundwater comes too close to the surface of the earth - increased soil moisture can negatively affect the condition of the bushes of this berry crop.

Instructions for planting strawberries Divnaya

Before planting, carefully inspect the planting material - if the root system of the seedlings is longer than the above-ground part, it is shortened to the required length.

1-1.5 hours before planting, the plants are placed in a growth stimulator solution.

Planting scheme – no more than 4 per square area. If Divnaya strawberries are planted using the ribbon method, then the distance between neighboring bushes should be at least 0.35 m, and the row spacing should be at least 0.5 m.

Photo of strawberry planting scheme

The seedlings are placed in planting holes so that the roots are completely located in the soil.

The planting holes are filled with garden soil and compacted, then watered. To do this, you can use ammonium nitrate, diluting 1 tbsp. l. drug in a bucket of water. For each bush, 1 liter of this liquid fertilizer should be applied.

Important!

It is recommended to use ammonium nitrate solution for watering planted strawberries for 2-3 weeks after planting.

Landing

For plants, you should choose a sunny, spacious area with nutritious, loose, moisture-absorbing soil. The culture loves slightly acidic soils. The place should be well protected from the north wind and draft. It is better that groundwater is at a depth of 70 - 80 cm from the surface of the earth.

Garden strawberries are planted 4 bushes per 1 m². Leave a distance of 30 - 35 cm between seedlings. Planting is carried out in spring or autumn.

Important! Strawberries can grow in one place for no more than 4 years. It is recommended to plant it in beds where previously there were root vegetables, leafy vegetables, legumes, as well as onions and garlic. Undesirable predecessors are tomatoes, as well as potatoes.

Before planting, it is recommended to soak the roots of the plants in a solution of root or other growth stimulant.

Seedlings should be placed deep in the holes. The roots should not remain on the soil surface. If they are too long, they are trimmed. The soil around the bushes is well compacted and watered. During irrigation, you can use ammonium nitrate (1 matchbox (20 g) per 10 liters of water). It is recommended to irrigate the bed with this solution for about 2 more weeks.

Note! To reduce moisture evaporation from the soil, it is best to mulch the plantings with humus, peat, straw, dry leaves, and sawdust.

Further care for Divnaya strawberries

In order for the Divna strawberry bushes to be strong and strong and to produce good harvests every year, they need to be provided with good care throughout the season.

Irrigation regime

To prevent this berry crop from suffering from excessive soil moisture or too long periods of drought, it is better to install drip irrigation on the strawberry plantation, or to water the bushes using the sprinkling method.

Although the Divnaya variety does not suffer too much from periodic drought, regular watering still has a positive effect on the ripening of fruits and their taste.

Important!

During rainy periods, it is important to reduce the number of waterings so that the fruits do not become watery and insipid.

Caring for bushes throughout the season

In regions with a cold spring period, for example in Siberia, it is recommended to cover flowering strawberry beds with white agrofibre or install film greenhouses to protect the blooming buds from the cold.

Many gardeners, in order not to spend a lot of time weeding and loosening strawberry beds, prefer to grow this berry crop on special agrofibre.

CARE OF STRAWBERRY AFTER HARVEST - video

In spring and autumn, it is recommended to thin out the bushes, removing dried, diseased or damaged leaves and tendrils.

. It is also recommended to thin out the mustache during the season, especially if you do not plan to increase the strawberry plantation.

Feeding the berry garden

The feeding scheme for Divnaya strawberries is standard:

in early spring, fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied to the bushes of this variety;
during the flowering period, you need to apply fertilizers containing potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron;
in the fall, in the process of preparing strawberry bushes for winter, they are covered with a thick layer of humus.

Preparing strawberries for winter

It is recommended to cover this variety of strawberries before the onset of cold weather only in regions with harsh winters.

Typically, the beds are covered with a thick layer of compost (or humus), which serves as a kind of “blanket” for the strawberry root system.

And on top, the strawberry bushes of Divnaya are covered with spruce branches; if necessary, metal arcs are installed on top, onto which agrofibre is stretched.

Useful article:
Preparing strawberries for winter

Reproduction methods

Strawberries of the Divnaya variety are propagated by 3 methods:

seed;
dividing the bush;
sockets.

Each method has its own subtleties and advantages.

Seeds

Planting with seeds is carried out in the case of growing seedlings. In this case, planting can occur in late spring or early autumn. After winter, the plant should be transplanted into open ground, but only if it has previously been prepared for its new habitat.

Dividing the bush

To divide the plant, you should select developed shoots and, splitting them off from the bush, grow them as seedlings. This method is bad because the sprout may not adapt to the new environment and die or take on the diseases of the original plant.

Rosettes

Propagation by rosettes is the placement of sprouted areas on the tendrils of a crop in a container with soil. After adaptation, they are separated from the plant and prepared for planting in open ground. Propagation of strawberries by rosettes is popular due to the large number of tendrils on the bushes.

Strawberry Wonderful: reviews from gardeners

Irina, 45 years old, Moscow region: I planted this variety of strawberries on my plot about 10 years ago - a neighbor in her summer cottage gave me a few mustaches. Over the course of several years, I planted Divnaya strawberries so that they already occupied several beds. Gradually, I removed other varieties of strawberries, since Divnaya suits me quite well with its unpretentiousness and productivity - currently I am collecting several buckets of ripe berries, tasty and aromatic, from the strawberry plantation. We have enough to eat, seal the jam, and freeze it for the winter. I would like to note that in the Moscow region, the Divnaya strawberry variety winters well without shelter and does not freeze.

Natalya, 50 years old, Rostov region: I have been growing Divnaya strawberries for 6 years now. I want to say that over the years she has had practically no illnesses and has calmly endured periods of drought, since I cannot come to the dacha as often as I would like. Despite this, the yield of the variety does not suffer greatly from lack of moisture. The variety reproduces easily, the mustache is enough not only for reproduction - I share it with my neighbors.

Over the past decades, breeders from around the world have developed many new varieties of strawberries, including remontant ones. All of them are distinguished by improved fruit characteristics, high yields, excellent presentation and taste of ripe berries. However, the Divnaya strawberry is still loved by Russian gardeners for its unpretentiousness, early ripening of aromatic and tasty berries and good yield.

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Difficulties in growing

Sometimes difficulties may arise when growing Divnoye strawberries:

lack of flowering - this can happen when the plant absorbs all the nutrients from the soil. To avoid this, you need to carry out periodic feeding;
there are few berries and they are small - this is a consequence of a large amount of moisture that got on the flowers of the plant or the crop was planted too densely;
the bush gradually fades - this sign indicates insufficient watering of the crop.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The disadvantages of the strawberry variety Divnaya include:

the risk of flowers freezing during spring frosts;
shredding of fruits from season to season;
uneven ripening;
During excessive rainfall, the berries may become watery and tasteless.

good keeping quality;
strawberries retain their shape perfectly;
high consumer qualities;
Wonderful strawberries are suitable for both fresh use and processing. It is used to make jam, marmalade, jam, compotes, and freeze the berries for the winter.

The Divnaya variety is undemanding in care. It has many positive qualities, thanks to which this variety of strawberry can be grown both on personal farms and on an industrial scale.

Further agricultural technology

Octave requires the gardener to carry out the following maintenance work.

Watering

The size of the berries and their taste directly depend on the regular supply of moisture. Watering begins at the end of April. For 1m2 you will need about 10-12 liters of water

It is important that the liquid is not cold

The frequency of moisture injection depends on weather conditions. On average, watering is carried out once every 10-14 days. In hot weather, the frequency is increased to 2-3 times a week. From August to October, it is enough to moisten the beds 1-2 times a week.

It is better to carry out work in the morning, avoiding water getting on the green mass and inflorescences when watering. Before flowering, the best option for introducing moisture is sprinkling; when the bushes bloom, it is recommended to resort to the drip irrigation method.

Fertilizer

Octave especially needs potassium and nitrogen supplements. You can alternate foliar and root application of fertilizers.

An approximate scheme for introducing nutrients will be as follows:

in the spring, you can use a solution based on ammonia to water the beds (40 ml per 10 liters of liquid) or apply fertilizer under the roots in liquid form, using a herbal infusion, choosing juicy greens for it;
during flowering, it is recommended to use mineral or organic potassium supplements, for example, potassium humate;
In summer, it is worth using wood ash as a fertilizer, spraying the plantings with boric acid, honey water, or applying complex store-bought fertilizers.

Mulching

To exclude regular weed removal from the list of mandatory gardening tasks, strawberry beds should be covered with a layer of organic mulch - hay or straw. As an alternative, agrofibre can be used. Additional shelter in summer creates shade, as a result the soil overheats and dries out less, and weeds do not grow under it. In addition, agrofibre or dry grass protects the crop from contamination.

Trimming

Experienced gardeners regularly remove old green mass and excess tendrils. At the same time, you should not cut the sheets to the very base. Dry leaves and green mass with signs of wilting must also be removed.

Transfer

In the 4th-5th year, the variety’s ability to produce growth decreases, the reason for this is the depletion of the soil in which it develops. Therefore, after 4 seasons, it is recommended to transplant it to a new place in the garden. Such work can be planned for spring or late summer.

Plants are removed from the ground and the root system is shortened by a quarter. Before rooting in a new place, they are kept for some time in a manure-clay mash.

Preparing for winter

In the fall, after trimming excess green mass and tendrils, the variety must be fed, the soil in the beds loosened, and watered with potassium permanganate. To protect against freezing, cover with non-woven material or use dry leaves and straw. A shelter made of pine needles can protect the plantings from severe frosts.

Harvest and storage

The harvest is harvested when the berries turn bright red. After harvesting, store the fruits in the vegetable section of the refrigerator. The optimal temperature for storage is 0. +2°C. To prevent strawberries from drying out, place the harvested crop in a plastic container.

Strawberries are easy to grow. According to the experience of gardeners, bushes grow and bear fruit even in unfavorable conditions. However, it is better to care for the plantings according to the rules described above. For his labors, the farmer will definitely receive a reward in the form of a rich and tasty harvest.

Features of beardless strawberries

One of the agricultural techniques when caring for strawberries is removing the whiskers. Shoots growing in different directions draw on nutrition, which reduces the number of flowers and affects the yield of the crop. Thanks to breeders, garden strawberries have been developed that form a small number of creeping shoots. In some varieties the mustache is completely absent.

In addition to the absence of whiskers, many species are capable of bearing fruit repeatedly during the season (remontability). Kidney formation occurs according to different patterns:

with long daylight hours (LDD);
at neutral daylight hours (NDD).

DSD varieties produce crops 2 times a season, while representatives of NSD produce harvests throughout the entire growing season. Small-fruited garden strawberries and large-fruited bush strawberries with high frost resistance have been bred.

The “advantages” of such types include:

high yield of varieties;
disease resistance;
extended fruiting period;
easy care;
suitability of berries for transportation, which is attractive for farmers and summer residents who grow strawberries for sale.

Since the bushes do not produce mustaches (or there are very few of them), it is necessary to propagate the varieties by seeds or divide the bush of mature, without mustache strawberries. The first option is labor-intensive, but ensures a clean look. Under normal conditions in the country, garden strawberries without tendrils are most often propagated by division.

Due to prolonged abundant fruiting, plants quickly lose productivity; large-fruited varieties begin to become smaller after 1-2 years, reducing harvest rates. Small-fruited varieties do not form a full-fledged berry and degenerate. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly update strawberry plantations, plant fresh bushes in new, well-fertilized beds, and then carefully care for the plantings.

Old bushes are planted (divided), the variety is propagated through sowing seeds and growing seedlings. Young plants are transplanted to a permanent place, taking into account their predecessors and the characteristics of the variety. By ensuring regular watering and fertilizing throughout the growing season, even novice gardeners will reap an excellent harvest of sweet berries.