Strawberry Alba: variety description, reviews and agricultural technology

1. Description of the variety, advantages and disadvantages
2. Alba growing technology
3. Reviews from gardeners about this variety.

The Alba variety was bred in Italy by the New Fruits company, which is a breeder of such widely known varieties in Russia as Syria, Asia, and Roxana. The originator of Alba declared it to be an ultra-early strawberry.However, in the conditions of our country, it ripens several days later than Honey, so it is classified as mid-early. In Europe, the variety is very widespread and is grown in commercial plantings both in open ground and in greenhouses.

Strawberry Alba

In Russian conditions, due to the climate and difficulty growing strawberries Alba finds it very difficult to reveal all her qualities.

 Description of Alba strawberries

The variety is mid-early, non-repairable. Blooms from mid-May to the end of the month. Fruiting from mid-June. The berries ripen later than Honey strawberries. In closed ground it blooms very early - in early May, the first berries ripen by the end of the month. In the southern regions, flowering and fruiting begin 2-2.5 weeks earlier than in the middle zone.

The bushes are powerful, compact, with a medium cap of foliage. The leaves are large, bright green. The adaptation is low. The berries are large, elongated-conical, bright red, shiny. The first berries weigh 45-50 g, mass harvest - 25-30 g. Strawberries remain quite large even at the end of the fruiting period. Productivity 300-400 g/m². The pulp is dense and juicy.

The taste is sweet and sour; strawberries, even when fully ripe, are not entirely sweet. The richness of taste greatly depends on the agricultural technology used and weather conditions.

Advantages of the variety.

1. Excellent presentation. The harvest contains a very large percentage of marketable berries.
2. The berries are one-dimensional, beautiful in appearance.
3. The variety is suitable for transportation and freezing.
4. Strawberries can be stored for up to 3 days without losing their appearance.
5. Alba is drought and moisture resistant.
6. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew, root rot, and spotting.

Flaws.

1. Low taste qualities of the variety.
2. Not resistant to anthracnose.
3. Affected by aphids.
4. The winter hardiness of strawberries of the Alba variety is average.In the northern regions it often freezes in winter.

Strawberries in preparations retain their shape. Due to their taste, the berries are more suitable for canning than for fresh consumption.

Alba variety cultivation technology

According to the originator of the Alba strawberry variety, it is unpretentious in cultivation. This may be relevant for the north of Italy, but in Russian conditions, growing Alba requires high agricultural technology, otherwise the strawberries will not show their productive properties.

To obtain a high-quality harvest, Alba is planted in a sunny place. The plantation must be exposed to the sun from sunrise to sunset, otherwise the fruits will be very sour. In cloudy weather during the fruiting period, the taste of the berries is also significantly reduced.

Planting strawberries according to the 40x60 cm scheme. Compacted plantings are also suitable for Alba: 25 cm between bushes and 35 cm - row spacing.

Reproduces by means of 1st and 2nd order whiskers. Young rosettes lay a lot of flower stalks only in warm weather and with good watering, so the optimal time for planting mustaches is the end of July - the first ten days of August. When planting later, few peduncles are planted; in addition, the mustaches that do not have time to fully take root may freeze in the winter.

Strawberries require fertile soils and intensive fertilizing. In order for the yield to correspond to the declared one, 4 feedings are carried out per season. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, rotted manure, compost or humates are added.

If there is no organic matter, then apply a complete complex fertilizer. During flowering and ovary growth, do 2 foliar feedings. Strawberries are sprayed on the leaves with either an infusion of ash or microfertilizers that contain copper, potassium, manganese, iron, and phosphorus.Root feeding can also be done with the same preparations, but it will be less economical.

At the end of fruiting, another root feeding is done. Either ash or nitrogen-free fertilizers (usually superphosphate and potassium sulfate) are added. If you add nitrogen at this time, the bushes will begin to intensively grow foliage and will not have time to prepare for winter.

In dry, hot weather, Alba is watered 2-3 times a week. Without watering, the berries become smaller and their taste deteriorates.

For the winter, the plantation must be covered with covering material (straw, sawdust, lutarsil) or sprinkled with earth. Basically, plants freeze out in the fall, when there is no snow cover yet, or it is small.

The variety is largely affected by anthracnose. At the first signs of disease in strawberries treated with Metaxil or Anthracol.

The drugs are alternated, since the pathogen very quickly develops resistance to the drugs. For preventive purposes, the plantation is treated with the same preparations 2 times per season: before budding and after harvest.

conclusions

In order to get a high yield of Alba strawberries, much more effort is required than when growing other well-known varieties. It is suitable for growing for sale; buyers like the presentation of the berries. But for personal consumption, it is better to grow varieties with tastier berries, which often require much less maintenance.

Alba is not very suitable for growing in the middle zone and Siberia. Good returns from it can only be obtained in the south: Crimea, Krasnodar, Stavropol territories and the North Caucasus.

What do gardeners say about Alba strawberries?

Review of the Alba variety from the Stavropol Territory

The variety has great potential. Early ripening.This year, Hanoai (Honey) is a few days earlier, but Alba is one-year-old, and Honey is two-year-old. The berry is very large, bright red, shiny, beautifully shaped. Transportability is very high. Resistance to diseases and pests is high. The bushes are powerful. I haven’t figured out the shortcomings yet, I’ve been growing them for two years, I haven’t noticed any special ones, but there is definitely one - the flower stalks cannot withstand the weight of the berries and fall down. But Alba, I think, is suitable for industrial cultivation. It is difficult to find a variety of such early ripening, with such large and beautiful berries.

Review of Alba variety strawberries from the Rostov region

A little dense for personal use, but just right for sales. A beautiful berry of regular shape.
The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour, but there is no richness of taste and aroma.
After numerous tastings, the conclusion is that the berry is rather sour and slightly sweet.

Review from Saratov

And here is our Alba, let’s try the berries.
Impressions from the variety:
The bushes are tall, powerful, withstood the spring drought well and produce mustache well. Fruitful.
The berry is large, beautiful, but sour.

Review of Alba strawberries from Crimea

We have been growing Alba for 2 years now. This year in our region it was a market favorite in terms of marketability and price. Compared to Clery, it surpasses it in yield. After the berry turns red, you need to keep it on the bushes for 2-3 days, then it will gain the appropriate taste. Of course, there is no such aroma, but we still have to look for something more worthy for a market berry.

Looking for strawberries for your garden? Then this information is for you:

1. Repair strawberry. Only proven varieties
2. The best varieties of strawberries with photographs and descriptions. New, promising and productive.
3. Strawberry Elizaveta and Elizaveta 2 description and reviews. How do these varieties differ and which one should you choose?
4. Strawberry Gigantella Maxim. Consider whether it is worth planting.
5. Strawberries Festival, reviews and care recommendations. Indestructible Festival, why it is still loved by gardeners.
6. Asia description of the variety. Capricious Asia, how to grow it.
7. Lord description of the variety. An unpretentious and productive Lord.
8. Strawberry Honey. An undemanding and productive variety, but more suitable for processing.
9. Vima Kimberly: description and agricultural technology. A universal strawberry, loved by gardeners in all regions.
10. Clery: variety description, reviews and brief agricultural technology. Strawberries that love the sun very much.
11. Varieties - weeds of strawberry plantation. Where do they come from?