Strawberries are a favorite delicacy in our latitudes, especially when you consider that after winter these berries appear first.
But sometimes a summer resident, even quite experienced, is difficult to understand the variety of well-known and very new varieties and varieties of a given crop, differing in the external description, taste and speed of fruit ripening, peculiarities of cultivation and reproduction, and many other indicators.
We bring to your attention a very unusual hybrid - "Tristan F1". Putting him in his dacha, you definitely will not stay in the loser!
Characteristic and distinctive features of a hybrid
It is not entirely clear why the new hybrid variety of strawberries was given the name of a legendary knight from a medieval romance, but there is no doubt that this plant surprisingly combines excellent productive qualities and a truly luxurious appearance. 
It is no exaggeration to say that it can be planted not only on the garden, but also on the flowerbed, where it will be pleasing to the eye with flowers of rich pink color that are unusual for a strawberry.
In addition, these large and bright flowers exude a delicate, delicate aroma, which, by the way, the fruits themselves are different.
By the way, thanks to its decorative properties, a hybrid is sometimes grown at home, in pots, however, in this case, to get the harvest, most likely, you need a little “work with the bee”, since the producer does not say anything about the ability of the variety to be pollinated.
When the bush is small, it forms numerous shoots up to a meter in length, it is on them that flowers bloom and then fruit is tied, so Tristan looks especially elegant on vertical beds or, continuing the cultivation theme in an apartment or balcony, in hanging pots.
Check out the options for the manufacture of beds, pyramids and vertical beds for strawberries with your own hands.
And yet external beauty is not the main thing that interests us in berries. But “Tristan” in this regard has something to boast. Strawberries of this variety have a very delicate, juicy, rich and sweet taste. The pulp is thick, not watery. The berries are not very large, oblong, conical, regular shape and beautiful red color.
Did you know? Experts say that the brighter the fruits of strawberries, the richer they are with vitamins. If this is true, then the Tristan berries are not only tasty, but also incredibly useful!
The bush itself, as was said, is small and compact (height is 20-30 cm, width is 30-40 cm), but productivity is very high, and this is another indisputable advantage of Tristan.
In addition, we are talking about remontant strawberries, that is, for the year it will please not just one or even twice with a good harvest, but, under good conditions, it will bear fruit almost continuously throughout the summer and even longer.
This, by the way, contributes a lot to the frost resistance of the hybrid, in addition to everything, in a short time he has already managed to earn the glory of an unpretentious strawberry variety. 
Did you know? The designation "F1" on the seed package indicates that it is in front of you - hybrid, and in the first generation. Such material is valued much higher than ordinary varietal seeds, because it has additional advantages, in particular, increased vitality, yield, early ripeness, etc., which is achieved by implanting one plant from different parents in terms of species.
And now, perhaps, the most interesting. What usually comes to mind when it comes to breeding strawberries? That's right - the long side processes, the so-called "whiskers", on which small "children" are formed.
Of course, this method is much faster and more convenient than seed reproduction, because, being associated with the mother plant, the young shoots take root easily and almost guaranteed to take root, very quickly gaining growth and at the same time retaining all the advantages of the original variety.
But in fact, everything is not so simple. Experienced farmers know that in order to grow a good generation of young strawberries from a mustache, you need to direct all the strength of the mother bush to the generation of offspring. 
The harvest in this case will have to be sacrificed, removing the entire color in advance. In this case, from one bush, ideally, only one mustache is left, otherwise the “seedling” is not strong enough.
In this case, you have to choose: either berries or new bushes for the next year.
At the same time, if you choose a crop, then you need to “fight” with strawberry mustache throughout the season — remove all young growth in a timely manner so as not to weaken the mother plant. The good news: with Tristan strawberry such problems will not arise.
Important! Hybrid "Tristan F1" does not discard a mustache and multiplies exclusively by seed!
So, the hallmarks of a variety are:
- the ability to bear fruit almost without interruption throughout the summer, and sometimes - almost to frost;
- unpretentiousness;
- frost resistance;
- excellent taste of the fruit;
- high and stable productivity (several hundred berries from a bush);
- simple care, due to the absence of "whiskers";
- incredible visual appeal.
Growing seedlings
So, since the Tristan vegetative method does not reproduce, the only way to get this berry is to grow it from seeds.
Some gardeners manage to plant strawberry seeds immediately in open ground, covering them with a transparent box to create mini-greenhouses, and even claim that this method allows you to get stronger bushes, because the plant initially develops in natural conditions, when daytime heat alternates with the night cold.
And yet the traditional way to grow strawberries without seed is through seedlings. Here you can also "cheat" and buy ready-made, but here are three reasons for you to grow a berry with your own hands, starting with seeds:
- Buying a ready-made shrub, you always run the risk: under the guise of an expensive hybrid, you can sell regular varietal strawberries, moreover, you cannot be sure that the seedlings were not grown using various “accelerated” technologies, to the detriment of its quality;
- It is always nice to know that the harvest on the table is the fruit of one's own efforts, patience and love, such products are always tastier and exactly healthier;
- Finally, it's just cheaper: for example, in the same online store grown strawberry bush "Tristan" is almost five times more expensive than a whole bag of seeds consisting of five seeds (below we will tell you how to these seeds sprouted and eventually turned into full-fledged bushes).
Important! Do not try to use seedlings for seedlings obtained from Tristan strawberries grown on a bed of strawberries.
With all the variety of advantages, hybrid seeds have one major drawback: their qualities are inherent only in them and are not preserved in any way in subsequent generations.
In other words, you take the fruit you like in all respects, extract seeds from it, plant them on a bed - and get the whole variety of parental varieties that are used as the basis for creating a hybrid, but not the hybrid itself!
Terms for sowing
The choice of dates for sowing is a creative task. On the one hand, strawberry seedlings, unlike, say, from tomatoes, do not threaten to “outgrow”. 
The repairing hybrid can please the crop in the first year after planting (by the end of the summer), and in this sense, the sooner the seed rises, the more chances to eat a sweet berry.
For this reason, it would be possible to start planting seeds in seedlings in February and even the end of January. However, there is one difficulty.
Important! All small seeds need a lot of light for germination and development!
Unfortunately, there are not so many sunny days in winter, and the length of daylight hours is still too short.
Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to provide artificial shoots to your shoots, it is better not to take risks and be guided by the manufacturer's recommendation: the seeds are planted in seedlings at the beginning of March (at the very least - at the end of February).
Capacity and soil
The seeds of Tristan are considered large (as already mentioned, they are sold in bags of only five pieces), but this is only compared to other strawberry varieties.
Such seeds do not need deep capacity; it will suffice to pick up a box with sides a few centimeters. 
For seedlings at the first stage, a transparent single box from those selling food in a supermarket is very well suited: it is convenient in that it has the same transparent lid in size.
You can pour a drainage layer to the bottom of the tank to avoid water stagnation, but there is another way: if you have a pair of identical boxes, make several holes in the bottom of one for water flow and then place it inside the other so that a small gap remains between the two bottoms. .
Now the soil. Small seeds are always very demanding to the ground. First of all, it should be very loose, in any case not packed.
You can use the ready-mixed soil for seedlings of good quality, if this is not possible - mix the sod soil with sand and rotted compost in the ratio of 1: 2: 2.
Sowing seeds
After you have filled up the soil in the prepared container and leveled it, it is necessary to moisten the soil very well. The fact is that before germination and even the first time after this, it is better not to water the seeds, so as not to damage the weak roots and not to "drown" the seeds in the ground.
Instead of ordinary water for irrigation, it is better to use a solution of a non-aggressive fungicide. Optimal for this purpose fit system biopreparation "Fitosporin". 
In this case, you simultaneously decontaminate the earth and prevent the infestation of seedlings from fungal diseases, in particular, the black leg.
After watering, the ground should be wetted over the entire area to the very bottom, but in no case become heavy. It is for these purposes that drainage is needed: excess water will pass through the holes in the lower tank, and this will indicate that the soil is sufficiently wet.
Now you can start sowing. Since we have a few seeds and they are quite large, we can easily spread them evenly over the surface of our drawer using a toothpick, a moistened knife tip, or another similar object.
The popular strawberry varieties include: Kama, Black Prince, Alba, Honey, Clery, Eliana, Maxim, Tsaritsa, Kimberley, Marshal, Lord , "Russian size", "Zenga Zengan".But there is a more original version. After watering, we cover the entire soil surface with a uniform layer of snow (if it is still winter outside, there should be no problems with snow, but if it is slush outside the window, use a refrigerator: snow often forms on the back of the refrigerator).
On a white surface it is very convenient to distribute the seeds evenly. The trick with the snow is especially effective when you need to sow the seeds, in size resembling dust. In this case, it could not have been resorted to, but it has another advantage: by melting, the snow gently and naturally, without external efforts, will gently place the seeds on the surface of the ground and at the same time additionally nourish them with moisture. This effect can not be achieved by acting with your hands!
Important! In no case should small seeds be buried or sprinkled on top (either with earth or sand), this makes it difficult and without very good germination!
In such a non-trivial way, you can achieve almost one hundred percent germination of not cheap, frankly speaking, seeds of a high-class hybrid.
If you pour the seeds onto the surface of dry ground and pour water on them from above, they will simply fall into the depths, and only certain "lucky ones" will be able to break through to the surface!
Conditions for germination
Immediately after sowing, the container is covered with a transparent lid or tightened with plastic wrap and placed in a warm (20-22 degrees above zero) and bright place. As already said The main condition for the germination of small seeds is good illumination. 
Important! If the weather does not make you happy on sunny days, the seeds will need to provide additional dosachivlenie, otherwise the seedlings will be frail and elongated upwards.
Watering the seedlings before the emergence of shoots is not necessary, the cover or film will save the soil from drying out. However, it is necessary to periodically ventilate the container so that it does not accumulate excess condensate.
The first uncertain germs on the soil surface should appear by the end of the third week after sowing. It is recommended to remove the film at a week earlier.
Care of seedlings
Emerged shoots still need bright light, but after a while they also need additional space. It is necessary to take care of this in advance in order to prevent a serious competitive struggle in which the strongest will survive: our task is to save each seedling!
It is recommended to carry out the picking after the young strawberries form a pair of true leaves, but in fact you can do it even earlier, as soon as the seedlings have seedbed leaves.
Important! The young sprout is experiencing a picking much easier, because it has not had time to properly gain a foothold, and, therefore, "moving to a new place of residence" for him will pass almost unnoticed!So, about a month after sowing carefully, using two toothpicks, we remove the sprouted strawberries from the ground along with a tiny earthy clod and put them in a prepared pot (you can use seedling cassettes, but only large ones with a diameter of at least 9 cm), filled with same light soil as in the initial sowing.
Using the same toothpick, we strengthen the earthen clod in a pot, spuding it from all sides. If you dive a more adult seedling, you must first make a hole in the pot in order to place an earthen ball with a sprout in it.
In any case, the less concern you get to the roots, the easier the seedlings will bear stress.
A timed picking and a large amount of light are two conditions under which the seedlings will not stretch and hurt.
In addition, approximately after the appearance of the third true leaflet, seedlings need to start feeding. Well, the berry responds to humic fertilizers, but you can use others.
At this stage, it is useful to once again carry out preventive treatment with "Fitosporin" in order to prevent the infection by fungi. 
Thus, the proper care of the seedlings is in itself the prevention of this harmful disease, but Fitosporin is a non-toxic drug, so it is better to be safe.
Did you know? Blackleg - the eternal enemy of seedlings. Its pathogens - mushrooms Olpidium, Pythium and others - live in the soil and hit young shoots in the phase from the moment of germination to the formation of several true leaves. The development of the disease contributes to the high density of plants, poor light and waterlogging of the soil.
The last stage of the "work" with the seedlings before planting is hardening. To make young bushes easier to undergo a drastic change in external conditions, about a couple of weeks before the intended "move", first for a few hours, and then for a longer time we take the pots of seedlings to fresh air (for example, to an open balcony).
At the last stage, the plants should easily endure the night spent under the open sky.
Planting seedlings in open ground
There comes the next, no less responsible, stage of growing a high-yielding hybrid. On how correctly the time for the transplantation will be determined, the place is well chosen and prepared, and the pattern of arrangement of the bushes is maintained, the whole final result depends. 
Here, as they say, there are no trifles, especially when you consider that, unlike most vegetable crops, strawberries are a perennial plant, and in one place they have to spend more than one season.
Timing
Strawberry is a frost-resistant plant, so it is not necessary to wait for the final establishment of heat for its planting in open ground, as is required by annual vegetables.
There are several ways to determine the correct time to start relocation:
- after the formation of five full leaflets;
- 6-7 weeks after emergence;
- a month after the picks;
- from April 15 to May 5.
In fact, all this is quite arbitrary, because in different climatic zones the vegetation of plants takes place differently, and even year to year, as they say, is not necessary.
You need to be guided by your own feelings: on the one hand, the seedlings should be formed fairly well (the notorious five leaves), on the other hand, if the temperature drops below zero at night, the transfer should be delayed, but on the third hand, the seedlings will be in the ground earlier. the greater the chance of getting a crop this year, and, as we said, the Tristan variety promises us this opportunity. 
Important! Strawberry seedlings, ready for planting, grown from seeds, look much smaller than adult sockets: there is no need to be upset about it, it should be so!Accordingly, the plant must have sufficient reserve for full growth. So, choose the optimal timing, trying to combine the three above criteria.
Choosing a place
For growing strawberries equally suitable as smooth areas, and gentle south-western slopes. The south side is less preferable, since the snow in such areas melts earlier than the frosts end, and, being without additional protection, the plant can freeze.
Not suitable for strawberries and nisin, where the air is usually cooler: as the berry begins to ripen early enough, without the necessary heat it will lag behind and hurt. Light plant also needs a lot.
Be sure to note that the roots of strawberries are shallow, in the surface layers of the soil.
Two conclusions follow from this. First, the bed must be kept in a place protected from the wind, so that in winter the snow cover will not deflate from the ground, otherwise the roots will just freeze.
Learn more about strawberry diseases such as: brown spot, verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, powdery mildew.
Secondly, deep groundwater is inaccessible to the root system, and, therefore, in this case, irrigation will need to be given special attention. By the way, strawberry loves water very much, but does not tolerate its stagnation, so we exclude a swampy place right away. Important! The best predecessors of strawberries - beans, cereals, radishes and garlic. Bad option - cucumbers and nightshade.
As for the soil, black soil is best suited for our hybrid. Alternatively, loam or sandstone, as well as forest dark gray soil can be used. Sod-podzolic soil for strawberries are not suitable.
For a good harvest, before planting the seedlings, the prepared area should be leveled carefully, if necessary, feed the soil with compost or simply fill up the loose fertile soil, then treat the soil with a fungicide.
Two weeks before disembarking, it is recommended to conduct disinfection with a mixture of lime and copper sulfate (0.5 kg and 0.05 kg, respectively, in a bucket of water, the solution should be used hot).
Scheme
Like any other wild strawberries, "Tristan" can be planted closely enough, but do not forget that each bush can grow in breadth up to 40 cm, at that distance from each other and try to arrange the seedlings.
Important! It is necessary to plant seedlings in the ground so that the growing point is strictly at the surface level. If you plant a shrub deeper, the strawberries will rot, and if it is higher, the roots will be too close to the surface and freeze at the first serious fall in temperature in winter.
If, in addition to Tristan, you plan to plant other varieties of strawberries, our hybrid is especially good with the Dutch strawberry Laurent F1, which is also a remontant berry.
Lovingly grown and properly planted in the ground Tristan seedlings will be pleased with the harvest at the end of summer, approximately four and a half months after disembarkation, therefore the first flowers (they will appear in three - three and a half months), as gardeners often recommend, they should not be cut off.
Features of care and cultivation agrotechnics
"Tristan" does not apply to whimsical varieties, but care for him should be regular and competent.
The first condition is watering. Here, I must say, everything is not easy: the plant does not tolerate any drying or over-wetting. The best way to get out of the situation is to throw drip irrigation tape between the rows. 
Such systems today are inexpensive, easy to assemble with your own hands and allow you to provide crops with the necessary amount of water, greatly saving its consumption.
In addition, drip irrigation eliminates the need for loosening the soil, necessary after using a conventional hose to avoid subsequent drying and cracking.
You will probably be interested to learn how to organize automatic drip irrigation.Finally, water in this case is delivered directly to the soil, avoiding contact with the leaves, which is completely unacceptable, especially on a sunny day. In short, the costs are minimal, and the benefits - the mass.
Weeding for strawberries is a mandatory, but dangerous procedure. On the one hand, the plant does not tolerate shading at all, on the other hand, it is very easy to damage the roots close to the surface of the earth by pulling out the close-growing grass.
To make it easier for you to work and not to bother the plant, you only need to remove weeds on wet soil and do it regularly, without waiting for the moment when the parasites bite into the ground with all the power of their powerful roots. For a good harvest, Tristan should be regularly fed with mineral supplements containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The manufacturer recommends carrying out such procedures literally every week.
Well suited for remontant hybrid such recipe: A teaspoon of copper sulfate is added to a bucket of water, as well as potassium permanganate and iodine - a few drops. Water under the root.
We think you will agree that Tristan has a sufficient number of indisputable advantages and is worthy of taking its place on your site. If not, take another look at the photo of this decorative hybrid, and the last doubts will definitely disappear!
Did you know? Usually, plant seeds are located inside the fruit, but strawberries, like strawberries, are unique in that their seeds are outside. By the way, getting into the body, these tiny hard grains cleanse the body of harmful toxins, although at the same time, they irritate the intestinal walls, so if you have an ulcer and gastritis with such berries, be careful.
