Strawberry seedlings Agate (Sweet Charlie)

The Agate strawberry variety was bred in Florida (USA) in 1986 and patented in 1994. Strawberry received the second name of the variety Sweet Charlie in honor of Charles Howard, a professor at the Florida Agricultural University. To date, the variety is widely known outside the States, in Europe and Russia. The ripening period of Agata is medium early, strawberries belong to the varieties of short daylight hours (KSD).

Description of variety

Agatha bushes are compact, of medium height with a moderate amount of leaves. They give numerous whiskers that need to be thinned out periodically.

The fruits of Sweet Charlie fully correspond to the name, bright red, sugary with a pronounced aroma of wild strawberries and a high content of vitamin C. The shape of the berries is round-conical, leveled, the skin is dense, shiny, so strawberries can be stored and transported, do not wrinkle and do not flowing. The berry is ideal for fresh markets. It makes delicious jams and marmalades. Weight of berries 28-50 gr.

The yield of Agate is from 1 - 1.5 kg per bush. The maximum yield is given in the second year of planting. In the southern and middle latitudes, Sweet Charlie ripens quite early. In greenhouses, the first berries appear in the second half of May, in the open field – in June. The peak of fruiting in the middle zone of the Russian Federation falls on the 15-30th of the first month of summer.

Planting and care

Sweet Charlie gives an excellent harvest of sweet berries, with  proper choice of location, careful care, timely watering. Resistant to most fungal diseases, while susceptible to gray rot, phonopsis, as well as the main enemy of the – nematode.  It is important to prevent the emergence and development of the latter. 

Planting. Strawberry seedlings of the Agat variety (Sweet Charlie) are transplanted into the soil in autumn, spring or summer. Plants planted in summer and autumn have time to take root, get stronger and give an early harvest the next year.

Agatha planting order:

• Plot selection. Main criteria – sun, lack of drafts, fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil, black earth is better. You can’t plant tubers in areas where other strawberries, cabbage, nightshade grew less than 3 years ago.
• Soil preparation takes place in advance. The site is cleaned of remnants and roots of weeds, strengthened with organic fertilizers (mullein, humus, compost) and wood ash. Carefully dig, level, leave for 3-4 weeks. Before spring planting, the soil has been prepared since autumn.
• Organization of space. Seedlings are planted in trench (rows) or staggered (individual holes) method, depending on the site's capabilities and the number of seedlings. Maintain a distance between bushes – 30-50 cm, between rows – 40-50 cm
• Landing. When releasing the seedlings into the holes, make sure that the roots do not bend. Sprinkle plants with earth flush with the root neck, without deepening it. Before planting, the holes (trenches) are shed with warm water. After planting, the seedlings are carefully watered again (at least 1 liter under the bush). The bed is updated after 3 years.

Water. Sweet Charlie is sensitive to lack of moisture. In the southern regions, as well as in dry summers, drip irrigation and soil mulching is indispensable. Just do it and you won't have to run around with buckets, turn hoses, weed and loosen all summer.

It is also important to ensure that there is no excess water, and the site does not become swampy. Otherwise, the berry becomes watery, loses its sweetness, or even rots. Drainage will help get rid of this situation.

In the absence of drip irrigation:

• Pour water strictly under the bush, directly under the root. Do not allow moisture to get on the leaves and berries. Otherwise, gray rot and burns cannot be avoided. Use a watering can and warm water that has settled in the sun.
• Water your strawberries in the morning or evening when there is no active sun. The earth should get wet by 3-4 cm.
• Frequency of watering: once a week in moderate weather, 2-3 times – in heat and dryness. Cancellation or drastic reduction in irrigation – during rainy periods. Don't forget drainage.

Loosening and removing whiskers. After watering, the soil under the bushes is loosened to break the crust formed from the water, it prevents the flow of oxygen to the roots. Weeds and extra mustaches, of which Sweet Charlie gives in abundance, should be removed in time. Such neighbors take nutrients and growth strength from strawberries. For breeding Agatha, it is enough to leave two healthy strong mustaches.

Feeding.

The garden strawberry variety Sweet Charlie (Agat) responds gratefully to top dressing. In the spring it is good to fertilize the beds with organic matter containing nitrogen – mullein, manure, compost. Strawberries can react to an excess of nitrogen by lightening the fruit.

Also, the berry will respond with excellent taste and a good harvest to mineral complexes containing fluorine, potassium, and iron. During flowering, you can add saltpeter.

Preparing for winter. In regions with frosty and little snowy winters, Agate plantings must be covered. The bed is mulched with straw and coniferous paws. Agromaterial, film or spunbond is placed on the arcs, which is left until spring, until the threat of return frosts has passed.

Preparations