Wild strawberriesare plants closely related to strawberries, giving similar in appearance, but much smaller fruits. They are very tasty and aromatic, perfect to be eaten raw. Wild strawberries are quite common in our country, growing mainly on the edges of forests, and they are grown mainly for amateurs. Get to know the bestvarieties of wild strawberriesfor garden cultivation and see how planting andgrowing wild strawberrieson the plot.
Garden wild strawberries
Strawberry and wild strawberry are very similar because they belong to the same genus. Wild strawberriesHowever, they bear much smaller fruit and do not have such a strong growth force. Strawberries begin their vegetation at the beginning of April, depending on the weather conditions. The most abundant fruiting occurs from mid-June to mid-July and then decreases, although it continues until September. On the other hand, cultivatedvarieties of wild strawberries , commonly referred to asgarden wild strawberries , are characterized by a much longer period of simultaneous flowering and fruiting, which can last from April to September! Simultaneous flowering and fruiting is a characteristic feature of the wild strawberry.
Wild strawberries - garden varieties
So far, few cultivated varieties of wild strawberries have been selected, many times less than in the case of strawberries. There arevarieties of wild strawberriesand no-top varieties. The ungrouped varieties are much easier to cultivate because they do not require regular pruning and removal of new runners. The ungrown varieties also yield more abundant than the varieties of wild strawberries.
As you can guess,varieties of garden wild strawberriesderive in a straight line from their wild relative, but differ from it in larger fruit and more abundant growth. Although we have to be fair, wild strawberries are much more aromatic and much sweeter than the fruits of washed wild strawberry varieties.
The most popularvarieties of wild strawberryare: 'Baron Solemacher' and 'Rugia'.
Strawberry Baron Solemacher- large, heart-shaped or egg-shaped fruit. The color of the rind can be light yellow or dark red. Long flowering and fruiting period that begins at the beginning of June and lasts until October. A very fertile variety, although the leaves are smaller and lighter than those of 'Rugia'. It yields better in fertile and sufficiently moist soils. Compared to 'Rugi', this variety is more susceptible to frost and disease.
Rügen wild strawberry- medium-sized fruit, very elongated, more aromatic than the fruit of 'Baron Solemacher'.The variety bears fruit from mid-June until the first frost, it has a high fertility. Compact and upright habit. It grows best in soils rich in moisture, it is quite resistant to frost and diseases.
Growing wild strawberries
Forgrowing wild strawberryyou should first of all choose the right position, which is already half the success in cultivation.The wild strawberrydoes not have too high requirements, but nevertheless, the better position we provide it, the tastier the fruit it will produce. First of all, it should be remembered that the wild strawberry does not develop a deep root system. Therefore, its soil should be moist and rich in organic components. Avoid sandy, gravelly and clay soils, which crack when dry and damage the root system.
Forgrowing wild strawberriesthe pH of the soil should be slightly acidic pH 5.5 - 6.5. The stand should be sunny, the more sun, the more sweet and aromatic the fruit.Because it is only thanks to the sun that the strawberries obtain their characteristic taste and aroma. The soil for growing wild strawberries should be properly prepared, preferably by adding well-decomposed (composted) manure.
Planting wild strawberry
The date of planting wild strawberriesmay vary - from mid-May to mid-September, depending on when we manage to purchase seedlings. However, if we want to harvest in the same year, the wild strawberries should be planted no later than in the second half of May.
Forgrowing wild strawberrieswe can buy ready-made seedlings or obtain them from sowing seeds. In order to have wild strawberry seedlings ready for planting in the second half of May, the seeds must be sown at the end of February, as the production of wild strawberry seedlings lasts from 3 to 4 months. Before we carry outplanting wild strawberrieson the beds, remember to first harden the seedlings, i.e. gradually get used to the lower temperatures outside.
Forplanting wild strawberries , beds that are about 1.0 - 1.2 m wide are best. There should be 4 rows in the bed, 30 cm apart. Wild strawberries are planted at intervals of 15-20 cm.
Ifwe plant wild strawberriesin May, then the yield of about 1 m² should be about 30 grams. The most abundant harvest will be from August and September. In the following year, the yield should increase to about 1 - 1.2 kg. The largest harvest is then in June and July. Unfortunately, in the third year, the yield will drop to 60-70 grams. This is a signal to replace the plants with new ones in a year or two. The wild strawberry plantation is replaced every 3 - 4 years.
Katarzyna Matuszak
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