Strawberry variety Queen Elizabeth 2 – description, photos, reviews from gardeners

It’s rare that a personal plot is complete without strawberry plantings. Currently, gardeners have the opportunity to choose a variety suitable for specific conditions. The high-yielding strawberry Queen Elizabeth-2 allows you to get a decent harvest even from several bushes and provide your family with a fragrant delicacy. However, it is worth noting that Queen Elizabeth was one of the most popular varieties at the very beginning of the 20th century. As of 2022, there are more productive and promising varieties, for example, Charlotte, Murano, Florina.

History of selection

In 2001, M.I. Kachalkin, an employee of the Donskoy Nursery Research and Production Company, discovered bushes somewhat different from the mother form in a plot of strawberries of the English variety Koroleva Elizaveta. They produced higher-quality berries, reproduced better with tendrils, and did not grow longer. Compared to the Queen Elizabeth strawberries, the variety description of which only indicates a tendency to remontant, the selected bushes are characterized by several full-fledged waves of fruiting.

The new variety is an improved genetic clone of the old one, that is, obtained through vegetative (asexual) propagation. In 2004, under the name Elizaveta 2, the variety was accepted by the State Register and recommended for cultivation in many regions.

Reviews

Nikolay, 62 years old, Moscow region.

We had the opportunity to meet Elizabeth II back in 2005. We bought the first seedlings in September, planted them in a high ridge and didn’t even mulch them. The winter that year turned out to be snowless with frosts below 30 degrees, but in the spring all the young bushes came to life and actively began to grow. Since then, this variety has been our favorite. The berries are selected, large and dense, and are little damaged by pests and diseases. Excellent taste and summer aroma are preserved even when frozen or in jam. The yield is very high, especially compared to traditional varieties.

Marina, 55 years old, Krasnoyarsk

I rejuvenate the Elizabeth II strawberry bushes almost every year. According to my observations, the variety does not degenerate as quickly as other remontant ones, but after a bountiful harvest during the season, the plants are able to actively bear fruit one more time - next spring. Then I remove all the bushes, sow the vacant areas with rye and mustard, and at the end of August I dig up and plant strawberries from the rosettes planted last year in August.

Nikolay, 17 years old, Moscow

My parents and grandfather have two different vegetable gardens. Both have Elizabeth the Second strawberries growing (although Grandfather’s is already in his second year), but the berries are different in shape and color. The conditions are the same. The reason is not clear. Most likely some kind of Elizabeth is false.

Suitable region and climate

Strawberries of the Queen Elizabeth 2 variety are suitable for growing wherever cultivation of the crop is possible. But when planting in open beds, it is more suitable for the Middle Zone. There, subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, the variety bears fruit not in waves, but almost continuously, at intervals of 10-15 days.

In the south, strawberries take a break during the hottest summer months. Fruiting resumes when the heat subsides and continues until frost.

Strawberries Elizabeth II often go into winter with buds. According to gardeners, if flower stalks can be preserved from frost, fruiting begins earlier than with honeysuckle.

Comment! The variety is grown in greenhouses, under film cover. It is suitable for balcony boxes and bears fruit in pots on window sills. Elizabeth 2 can be safely used in experiments with placing strawberries - in hanging baskets, barrels, and in vertical beds. The main thing is to provide decent care.

Main characteristics of the variety

Whether the remontant strawberry Elizaveta the Second will correspond to the varietal description depends on agricultural technology. It is very demanding on growing conditions, watering and fertilizing. But in order to have berries with such excellent characteristics from early spring until frost, you can work hard.

Description of the bush, pollinators

Elizabeth 2 forms a compact, erect bush up to 30 cm high. The leaves are semi-spreading, medium-sized, concave, with clearly defined denticles along the edge. The plate is wrinkled and glossy.

The number of whiskers is small, but significantly exceeds what the mother variety Queen Elizabeth produces. Vegetative propagation is quite possible. The variety can grow in one place for up to 4 years, but if there is abundant fruiting, replanting after 3 years is recommended.

The buds of Elizabeth 2 are white, medium-sized, bisexual, collected in several pieces. The peduncles are spreading, noticeably shorter than the leaves, so when planted densely, the fruits may be shaded and ripen poorly. Under the weight of the berries, they often fall to the ground.

Elizabeth 2 does not require the presence of pollinators, but it bears fruit better and produces larger berries if another garden strawberry grows nearby. Good varieties:

• Queen,
• Snow White,
• Vima Rina,
• Garland,
• Fragrant Lukoshko.

Description of berries

The berries of Elizabeth 2 garden strawberries are large, oval, regular in shape, uneven in size, with a noticeable neck. With repeated fruiting, they can become elongated, and the nose may change from round to elongated. But they still remain beautiful, which is clearly visible in the photo.

The average fruit weight is 40-60 g, some reach 120 g. But the size of the berries will not be as large as that of the hollow Gigantella. The absence of a cavity inside, dense structure and uniformity are varietal features characteristic of Elizaveta 2 strawberry fruits.

The skin and juicy pulp are deep red, the achenes are straw-colored and numerous. The taste of berries of the Elizaveta 2 variety is rated at 4.7 points, sweet, harmonious, rich, with barely noticeable sourness. The aroma is strong, strawberry.

Productivity, ripening time, transportability

The variety begins to bear fruit early. The mustache produces a harvest without even having time to take root properly and separate from the mother bush. After planting in a new bed, only the first flower stalks need to be removed.

If the buds that appear in the fall, but do not have time to bloom, overwinter well, even in the central zone the first berries may ripen in late May - early June. The fruiting period of Elizabeth 2 will extend until frost.

The yield of the variety is on average 350 centners per hectare, which is a very high figure. The first wave accounts for about 1/3 of the total number of berries. One bush per season can produce 1.7 kg of fruit or more, from 1 sq. m are collected, depending on planting density, up to 10 kg.

Elizaveta 2 garden strawberries are well stored and can withstand transportation without losing their marketable and consumer qualities. Ideal for freezing - they keep their shape after thawing.

The Elizaveta Vtoraya variety is intended for fresh consumption and is suitable for all types of processing. You shouldn’t expect the berry to be whole in the jam - it’s too large. To reduce heat treatment, thereby preserving maximum nutrients, it is recommended to cut the fruits.

Drought and frost resistance

The drought resistance of strawberries of the Elizaveta Vtoraya variety is low. Although an adult bush remains alive during the absence of rain and watering for some time, it quickly loses productivity. Flower arrows are not laid, pollinated buds and ovaries dry out and fall off, berries stop filling and stop developing, leaves die off.

Important! Whiskers die quickly without moisture. This is a significant loss for gardeners, since few of them are formed.

The heat resistance of Elizabeth 2 is also low. In the southern regions, after the first wave of fruiting there is usually a long break. Even if single flower stalks appear, the berries ripen poorly, as they bake in the sun. Protective nets stretched over the garden bed from the heat help little. Fruiting resumes when temperatures begin to subside.

The frost resistance of the variety is average - up to -23 °C. Considering that the bush can go into winter with peduncles that have already begun to emerge, it requires shelter even in warm regions. If protection is not put in place, Elizaveta 2 strawberries will overwinter normally, no worse than other varieties, but they are unlikely to produce a super early harvest. Unless the winter was not cold, or there was always a thick layer of snow on the garden bed.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety is highly resistant to major crop diseases. It is rarely touched upon:

• gray rot;
• spotting;
• powdery mildew.

Pests pose a real problem during epizootic years. Elizabeth 2 rarely suffers from strawberry mites, but she will have to be protected from slugs. Strawberries like plenty of watering; if you don't mulch the soil, shellfish will become a problem.

Some gardeners do not carry out preventive treatments, hoping for high resistance of the variety to diseases and pests. This is their mistake - gradually larvae, fungal spores and bacteria colonize the strawberry bushes, and the planting material is transferred to a new bed already infected.

Strawberry propagation

Strawberry Elizaveta 2 (a description of the variety and photos will help gardeners propagate the plant correctly) needs constant updating of planting material.

You can propagate the crop in 3 ways:

• dividing the bush;
• seeds;
• mustache

Each method of reproduction has distinctive features. Seed propagation is considered more difficult. It is best for novice breeders to use mustache propagation.

For seed propagation, it is recommended to take planting material from a ripe and succulent plant, which is at least 3 years old. The fruits must be dried on the windowsill, after freeing the seeds from the pulp. Copies must be placed in a paper bag and left for further storage.

Sowing work needs to be done 6 months before the start of fruiting, around the end of December.

This requires the following:

1. Pour the substrate into plastic shallow containers in a layer of 5 cm and compact well. Irrigate the soil mixture abundantly.
2. Distribute the blanks over the surface of the substrate, sprinkling a thin layer of soil mixture on top.
3. Cover the containers with cling film or glass and place them on a windowsill facing east or south.
4. After 3 weeks, seedlings will form. Remove the protective cover, moistening the substrate as needed.
5. When 1 true leaf appears, dive the seedlings. At the end of May, the bush can be planted outside.

However, during seed propagation, the crop may not retain varietal characteristics. Grown shrubs may produce less sweet and smaller crops. Propagation by mustache makes it possible to grow healthy and strong seedlings.

For these purposes, the following actions must be performed:

1. At the beginning of the summer season, select a powerful shrub that is more than 2 years old. It can be used to produce crops or rosettes.
2. Separate excess plots from the mother plant so that all nutrients are transferred to the shrub selected for replanting.
3. To develop a strong root system, use a glass sprinkled with substrate or a pot filled with peat and sand as a base.
4. When the culture becomes stronger and the container is completely filled with roots, cut off the rosette from the mother bush.
5. Bury the planting specimen in a new area and irrigate it abundantly.

To replace old plantings, you can use crops up to 2 years old.

Reproduction by dividing the bush is based on the following:

1. Select suitable seedlings from the garden bed.
2. Carefully dig out specimens from the substrate.
3. Using a knife, separate the bushes with their own root system.
4. Treat each seedling with a weak manganese solution and immerse it in a composition that stimulates growth.

Reproduction must be done in the spring season, when new leaves are formed, or in the autumn months, when fruiting ends. All actions must be careful so as not to deform the sockets. Otherwise, the crop will suffer for a long time and will die as a result.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Elizabeth 2 variety exhibits positive qualities only with good care, abundant watering and constant feeding. There are many undoubted advantages, but the variety also has disadvantages.

Comment! A small number of mustaches can be attributed to the advantages and disadvantages of the variety. On the one hand, this makes it easier to care for, on the other hand, it makes reproduction difficult.

Features of planting and growing

Elizabeth 2 will meet the specifications only if all rules of agricultural technology and careful care are followed. If you don't take care of it, it produces a small harvest and turns into a mediocre variety.

• The soil for planting is prepared in advance and added for digging per 1 square meter. m at least 2 buckets of humus, a liter jar of ash and 25-30 g of double superphosphate. Acidic soils require liming.
• In the south, it is better to plant strawberries in the fall, when the heat subsides. In the middle zone - in early spring under film or at the end of summer.
• The landing site should be protected from strong winds and well lit. For 1 sq.m. you can place 4-6 bushes.
• Regular abundant watering and fertilizing are needed. If the soil dries out or the strawberries do not receive enough fertilizer, the yield will decrease noticeably. After the first wave of fruiting, only individual berries will appear. Since 2/3 of the crop is harvested in the second half of the season, this is a significant loss.
• The soil needs to be loosened after each moistening. To reduce maintenance, the soil is mulched with straw (10 cm), mown grass, and covered with black non-woven material. This will prevent weeds from germinating and retain moisture.

Important! The peduncles of the Elizaveta 2 strawberry variety fall to the ground under the weight of the berries. Mulching will prevent the fruits from getting dirty, will protect them from infection, and the straw will serve as a barrier to slugs.

• Strawberries need to be replanted every 3 years. This does not affect the yield - the variety begins to bear fruit almost immediately, but makes care much easier.
• For the winter, it is better to cover the bushes with dry straw or fallen leaves from healthy fruit trees. The crown should remain on the surface. Green leaves are not pruned at the end of the season, but dried and discolored leaves can be removed.
• To obtain more runners, the mother bushes are not allowed to set fruit. Peduncles are removed as soon as they appear.

Garden strawberry Elizaveta 2 is one of the best domestic remontant varieties. It can be grown in all regions and produce high yields of large, sweet berries. But this strawberry requires care and does not forgive careless treatment.

How to care for Elizabeth 2?

The Elizabeth 2 variety requires a little more attention than non-repairing garden strawberries - after all, this plant produces three harvests per season instead of one. In order for the bushes to have enough strength to bear fruit three times, it is important to provide them with good watering and fertilizing.

Watering

• Watering should be frequent but small.
• Water should evenly saturate the soil without creating a favorable environment for root rot.
• During the hot period, the frequency of watering increases.
• It is not recommended to water strawberries by sprinkling - this can cause fruit rot.
• The optimal method of watering is drip irrigation.
• When watering, the soil should be moistened to the entire depth of the roots - approximately 30 cm.
• Water consumption is determined each time based on the condition of the soil. If, for example, the soil is dry to a depth of 2 cm, 0.5-1 liters of water is sufficient. If you need to completely wet the soil - to the depth of the roots, pour 3-5 liters under each bush.

Lack of water negatively affects the berries - they grow small, dry, and taste bland.

Feeding

To harvest good strawberry crops, it is important to feed the plants with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a timely manner. Fertilizers, one of which is fed to the plants at the root every two weeks:

• agrofoska;
• sodium or calcium nitrate;
• superphosphate;
• organic matter - humus, compost;
• ash;
• herbal infusions.

You can find out more information about spring feeding of strawberries from this article.

Foliar feeding is recommended. They are especially useful during fruiting. Plants can be treated:

• A mixture of boric acid (1 g), potassium nitrate (2 g) and potassium permanganate (2 g). The indicated doses are dissolved in 1 liter of water.
• Wood ash solution. One glass of ash is poured into 1 liter of boiling water. The cooled and strained infusion is used for spraying.
• Yeast solution. 1 kg is dissolved in 5 liters of water. The yeast is kept for 24 hours, 0.5 liters of starter is dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Spray garden strawberries in the evenings to prevent the sun from burning the wet leaves.