The Bereginya variety of garden strawberries, created in 1998, has gained great popularity among gardeners due to its excellent technical qualities. This article is devoted to the description of this variety; it also presents photos and reviews from gardeners about the Bereginya strawberry.
Brief description of the characteristics of the variety
Strawberry "Bereginya" was obtained by crossing the varieties "Gonzago" and "American Concord". It is a non-repairing variety with a late ripening period. The bushes are semi-spreading in shape, medium in size, leafy with light green foliage - 7-8 leaves per bush. The foliage itself is pubescent, has a slightly ribbed surface, concave in shape, and the edge is jagged. White, medium-sized bisexual flowers are collected in compact inflorescences, the peduncles are short, heavily pubescent, small mustaches are painted in a pale red tint.
Orange-red shiny berries with dense juicy pulp are characterized by:
- blunt-conical shape;
- weighing – 14-40 g;
- rich strawberry aroma;
- dessert sweet-sour taste, due to the content of 5.7% sugar and 0.8% acid;
- vitamin C content – at least 79 mg;
- good ripening and good transportability.
The average weight of strawberries is 14-40 grams
The Bereginya garden strawberry variety is unpretentious to growing conditions and highly resistant to unfavorable climatic conditions: drought, heat, frost. Other valuable qualities of the variety include:
- high stable productivity, allowing you to harvest up to 15 t/ha annually;
- long fruiting;
- tasting score – 4.5 points;
- resistance to strawberry mite damage and fungal leaf diseases.
Attention! Strawberries of the Bereginya variety are included in the State Register of the Russian Federation and are recommended for cultivation in the Central region.
Features of growing "Beregini"
For planting garden strawberries of the Bereginya variety, an open and well-lit area with fertile soil containing at least 2% humus and a pH value of 5.5-6.5% should be allocated.
Strawberry "Bereginya" is unpretentious in cultivation
When planting strawberry bushes, you should place the roots vertically in the hole and sprinkle them with soil so that the neck of the bush is above the ground, making sure that the roots are completely covered with soil. The row spacing is at least 30 cm, between bushes – 20 cm.
The main measures aimed at obtaining a bountiful berry harvest consist of:
- Watering at the root, the optimal time is morning.
- Weed removal.
- Loosening the top soil layer. Loosening should be done carefully so as not to damage the root system of the bushes.
- Mulching plantings with sawdust, mown grass or agrofibre.
- Application of fertilizers: rotted compote, manure or complex mineral fertilizers.
- Removing excess mustache.
- Protection against damage by pests or fungal diseases.
- Mid-winter insulation of plantings using peat, chopped straw, and pine needles.
Advice! To increase the “Beregini” strawberry plantings, you can use the rosettes that form on the bushes, sprinkle them with soil and water them. Quickly rooted bushes will delight you with the first harvest of berries in a year.
Strawberries have good transportability characteristics
Reviews from gardeners
Tatyana Dmitrievna, Moscow region: “I’ve been growing Bereginya for several years now. A good, productive variety, the only drawback of which, in my opinion, is its rather late ripening. Therefore, for those who want to get their strawberry harvest early, it is better to choose a different variety. Beregini berries are juicy and very aromatic, and tolerate transportation quite well. Productivity is high, ripening is smooth. My berries are used fresh, and mostly for compote and jam. To prevent the bushes from freezing in winter, I sprinkle them with pine needles and fallen leaves, just in case.”
Strawberry "Bereginya" - mid-season variety
Olga Leonidovna, Nizhny Novgorod: “I have several varieties of strawberries of different ripening periods planted on my summer cottage. There is also “Bereginya”. An unpretentious and high-yielding variety, it tolerates both summer heat and winter frosts and reproduces easily. It bears fruit consistently every year, providing my whole family with fresh berries during the season and harvest in the winter. Berries collected at the beginning of the season are larger than subsequent ones, so we usually eat them, and those that are smaller go for processing. All strawberries are delicious, sweet and sour, juicy, the berries are dense, they store and transport well.”
When choosing unpretentious varieties of garden strawberries, you should definitely pay attention to the Bereginya strawberries. This variety, when the appropriate conditions are created, can please you with an abundant harvest of aromatic berries.
The best varieties of garden strawberries - video
BEREZAN is an island in the Black Sea, at the entrance to the Dnieper estuary, on which Mount Berezan rises, where the temples of Stribog and Perun are located. (Another name is Buyan Island). According to legend, at the foot of Mount Berezan lies the white-flammable stone Alatyr, on which God Svarog inscribed the first laws for people.
BERENDEEVO SWAMP is a swampy place in the south of the Yaroslavl region, where Tsar Berendey founded the city of Berendeyev. Since ancient times, there have been legends about untold riches buried in these swamps. On the shore of the Berendeyev swamp, on Wolf Mountain, in a dense forest, the city of Berendeyev was located. Starting from the 9th century, the Krivichi tribes began to settle in these places.
BEREGINYA is a great Goddess, on a par with Rod, who gave birth to everything that exists on Earth. They asked her for rain in a drought, peace and quiet for the home, she protected the good people she created for life. Hence the word “Amulet”, in ancient times made from birch bark, since birch is considered the sacred tree of Beregini. On the day of Ivan Kupala, Beregini appeared in birch groves in the form of mermaids with green hair, they lured young guys, tormenting their hearts with their beauty. In order not to fall under the spell of the Mermaids, young people jumped over the fire, thereby protecting themselves from troubles associated with evil spirits.
TO HURT – to disturb an old wound, to cause pain.
BERKOVETS – a measure of weight, about 150 - 160 kg.
CONVERSATION – a bench on which you can comfortably sit and Converse.
BESERMAN (BASURMAN) - servants of Chernobog and Morena, “Demon servants” muddying the waters in the clear lake of Orthodoxy. It was the priests of the Chernobog caste, with the support of the Khazar merchants and their henchmen, in the 10th – 11th centuries, who staged rebellions and riots against the Boyars and Princes in the land of Rus. Subsequently, the word “Basurman” migrated to all other peoples who tried to subjugate Rus', or professed a different faith.
HELPESS – hopelessness.
CARELESS - carelessness, without guards, without protection.
DEMONS are invisible (subtle) entities that can help, but can also harm a Person, taking away his life force. But their help is almost always insidious; in return they ask for the Soul, instilling in it bad thoughts, fear and anger. Appearing before people in all sorts of guises, Demons push them to do bad things, sometimes taking possession of a person completely (possessed). Demons are servants of the Devil (Chernobog). They are driven out by prayer, the cross and holy water.
BIR – inventory, census, submit. Hence the word – Tag.
BIREV - headman, judge.
BIRICH is a collector of taxes and fines, as well as a herald.
TURQUOISE is a blue colored gemstone.
BIRYUK is a lone wolf.
BIRYUCHI - heralds of the princely will.
BEAT WITH YOUR BELOW - bow. In the literal sense - hitting the forehead (forehead) on the ground. In a figurative sense, to ask for something.
GOOD - good. The Truth of the Universal Order.
GRACE is a virtue that has descended on a person. God gave Good.
BLAGOY (GOOD) – kind, good.
BLESSING – musical harmony.
BEAUTY – beauty.
BENEFITABLE - necessary.
BLADIVY - talkative, deceitful, idle talker.
BLAZHEN – happy.
BLAZHITI - to praise, glorify.
BLAZH - dreams, inventions, daydreams.
Beregini are traditional Slavic amulets dolls.
The main task of the doll was to protect against misfortunes; it was supposed to protect all household members from diseases and evil spirits.
That is why the Slavs called such a doll an amulet or a bereginya.
She accompanied our ancestors throughout their lives.
As already mentioned, Beregini are traditional Slavic amulets dolls. A rag doll made by a pregnant woman was placed in the cradle to “warm” the place for the unborn baby. When the child was born, the bereginya remained in the crib and distracted evil spirits from the baby, and then became the first toy for him.
In order for the baby to sleep well, the mother read a spell in front of his cradle: “Sleepy, insomniac, don’t play with my baby, but play with this doll.”
Girls began making beregin dolls themselves at the age of twelve. A beautiful and neat amulet indicated readiness for marriage.
The best specimens were put into a chest and became part of the girl’s dowry. When giving her daughter in marriage, the mother always gave her a hand-made bereginya, thus blessing her for marriage. Sons who went to the army or on a long journey received the same amulets.
Rag dolls were carefully stored and passed on from generation to generation.
What were Slavic beregin dolls like? Slavic rag dolls come in several types: playful, protective and ritual.
Game dolls, as their name suggests, served as toys for children.
The making of a ritual doll was timed to coincide with the most important events of the folk calendar, for example, the beginning of sowing or harvesting. A protective doll was made for major family events, such as a wedding or the birth of a child. They had to protect and protect the family.
Today, in the age of plastic Barbies, we have almost forgotten the wonderful Slavic tradition of making amulets dolls. But you can try to make a bereginya with your own hands the way our ancestors once did.
It is made without the use of sharp tools such as scissors and a needle, so even a child can be trusted to do some of the work. The baby will be interested in playing with the doll that he made himself.
Basic principles of making beregin dolls
When making bereginya, multi-colored scraps from old clothes, pillowcases or sheets are used. Our ancestors believed that a doll made from old fabric has great protective properties and better protects its owner.
This may also be due to the fact that fabric was quite expensive at that time, and it was impractical to use it to make a toy. You can also use scraps from your old dresses and shirts.
If the bereginya is made as a gift, it is still better to take new material. To fasten the pieces of fabric together, only red threads were always used.
Since ancient times in Rus', red was considered a protective color. The threads are wound clockwise, making sure to make an odd number of turns.
Slavic rag dolls are traditionally made without the use of piercing tools. It is preferable not to cut, but to tear off pieces of fabric. The needle is also not used.
The traditional bereginya is faceless. Our ancestors did this for a reason: it was believed that no evil spirit could inhabit a doll without a face and harm the owner of the amulet.
However, even in the absence of basic facial features, such as eyes, nose, mouth, each rag coaster had its own character. She was faceless and multifaceted at the same time.
Most Slavic rag dolls belong to the feminine gender; they personify the feminine principle.
Men were never allowed to make the doll; it was the responsibility of the mistress of the house and her daughters.
You can start making a talisman only with a good mood and a positive attitude.
While working, you need to think about the person for whom the care is intended, wish him health and well-being.
Such a doll will have powerful positive energy. We offer you some simple instructions for making a talisman doll.
Pillar doll
For work we will need:
- two pieces of plain white fabric (the size of the future doll depends on their size);
- a piece of red colorful fabric for a skirt (square measuring 25x25 cm);
- pieces of multi-colored fabrics for the chest, head, arms, apron and scarf;
- cotton wool or padding polyester for stuffing the doll;
- braid, ribbons or lace for decoration;
- threads for tying parts together.
Operating procedure:
Let's start making the frame. Twist the pieces of fabric tightly to form columns.
The body post should be about 20 cm long. Then we bend it to mark the head of the doll. Ultimately, the length of the body will decrease to 14 cm.
We twist the second piece of fabric in the same way as the first. Its length will be about 10 cm. We place the columns on top of each other with a cross and tie them tightly with thread several times.
It is not necessary to break the thread; we will need it later. We take a square piece of white fabric and place the doll’s frame on it so that the head is in the center of this square. Cover the head with the free end of the fabric and tie the structure tightly with thread.
We make beregin's hands: we slightly bend the fabric on both sides of the fabric and tie them with thread. The distance from the edge should be about 2 cm.
We make breasts. Traditionally, they should be large, because the doll represents a peasant woman who has always had many children. We lay out two identical squares of fabric on the table and place a piece of cotton wool in the center of each of them.
We form two balls and tie them tightly. The size of each of them should be slightly smaller than the head. We attach both balls to the body. Now you need to dress the doll. We place a scrap of fabric for an apron on the face, then a scrap for a skirt. The fabric should be laid with the front side facing the doll's body.
We wrap the body of the amulet with a piece of fabric for the skirt, placing the ends of the scrap on top of each other. We tie the entire structure with thread and turn the doll’s clothes inside out.
There should be no gaps between the skirt and the chest, the fabric should lie flat and neat. You can make several layers of skirts or limit yourself to one. Let's start decorating the head: we make a warrior and a scarf.
Our warrior will be a small piece of ribbon wrapped around the head. We use a small piece of bright colorful fabric as a scarf.
The bereginya doll is almost ready, all that remains is to decorate it a little. For this we use ribbons, woolen threads, braid and lace. We gird the doll with a red ribbon. The amulet for loved ones is ready!
Bereginya doll made of linen
Linen– a natural material that is easy and pleasant to work with. It is very gentle and pleasant to the touch. Try making a bereginya doll from flax for your child.
For work we will need:
- tow of flax;
- red and beige threads made of natural wool or linen;
- wavy ribbons of different colors;
- a piece of cardboard, glue and scissors.
Operating procedure:
We unwind the required amount of light woolen threads, they will be the doll's hair. The length of the bereginya's braids can be any, but it is better if they are slightly shorter than your palm.
Cut off the required amount of flax. The length of the linen braid should be greater than the length of the doll’s braids. We tie the braid of our amulet into a bun. This is done to prevent them from coming undone.
We place the threads in the very middle of the linen bunch and carefully mask them, the threads should not be visible.
We tie the linen tightly with strong thread.
Then we turn the entire structure inside out. If the hair turns out to be too long, cut it off. Now you need to mark the doll’s head by tying the linen bundle with thread.
We take another tow of flax and apply it to the middle of the first one. We will get the hands of a doll.
We secure both parts with thread. Using a thread we make the waist of the beregina. We do the same with the handles. The doll is almost ready, all that remains is to slightly strengthen its frame.
To do this, cut out a semicircle from cardboard and glue it to form a cone. We insert it into the doll's skirt. We decorate Bereginya's hairstyle with braids made of woolen threads, using a piece of fabric and ribbons we make an apron.
The doll's image is completed with a red belt and a warrior - mandatory attributes of Slavic amulets.
The most important thing when making a talisman doll is a positive attitude and good mood. Free your head from extraneous thoughts, be calm, confident and friendly. Then you will be able to create a talisman for a loved one that can protect him from all misfortunes.
The history of the appearance of dolls dates back to ancient times, from pagan times, just like the history of the emergence of humanity, that is, the doll has always accompanied people's lives. Traditional folk dolls performed certain functions, so they are usually divided into three groups: ritual, protective and play.
Ritual dolls were used in various ritual actions and at traditional holidays. The meaning of play dolls for children depended on their age. For young children, dolls were made to calm and amuse them. And in the process of making dolls, they wanted to teach older children, especially girls, to different types of needlework. Also, through playing with dolls, children seemed to project their lives in the future onto themselves.
Protective dolls were a kind of protectors against dark forces and diseases; people believed in their magical powers. The peculiarity of these dolls is their facelessness, this had its significance. An evil soul cannot possess a doll without a face, and the doll will not cause any harm to living people. This was a prerequisite for making Beregin dolls; they did not have faces. The Bereginya doll was a kind of amulet that protected the hearth and family.
To make traditional dolls, the Russian people used improvised materials that were constantly used on the farm. Most often, a log was taken for the base of Bereginya dolls, especially since it was always literally “underfoot” in the house. Such Beregini dolls were also called Stolbushki in another way. In each province of Russia and even in a separate village, the dolls had their own characteristics, this is especially noticeable in the details of clothing. And from the names of the Beregin dolls, it often became clear where they were made. 
For example, Vladimirskaya Column or Smolensk “log” doll. In other areas, sticks or twigs were used for rigidity: Tula lullaby doll, Arkhangelsk doll on a stick, etc. To form the base of the Beregini doll, they also used canvas, which was rolled into a tight column, apparently this is where the name “Column” came from.
A traditional doll has always had a certain meaning attached to it. The semantic load of the Beregini doll: the pillar is male power, the clothes on the doll are female power, and all together is a symbol of the unity of the masculine and feminine principles. If babies were tied to the doll, then a symbol of procreation was added.
The Bereginya doll was endowed with strong protective properties and therefore was sure to be present in every home in Rus'. Bereginya from the word “protects”, this is the main meaning of this protective doll - to protect, save the home and family from external misfortunes, and maintain harmony and harmony inside the house. And our ancestors firmly believed in such magical powers of Beregini, trusted her and, in turn, carefully took care of the doll itself. Bereginya was usually placed at or above the head. Other protective dolls were also placed near Beregini, such as Krupenichka, Cleansing, etc.
Master class on making Beregini
Previously, traditional improvised materials were used to make Beregin dolls, which were constantly used on the farm and were literally always “at hand”. Now in a modern apartment we: of course, will not be able to find logs, sticks and canvas, so in order to make a Bereginya doll, we use our own materials, namely plastic bottles. Our pillar will be made from a bottle.
We take a plastic bottle 24 cm high and fill it with scraps of fabric and yarn for stability. Screw the lid on top. We cut out a rectangle of 50x40 cm and a circle with a diameter of 16 cm from cotton fabric. We assemble the circle along the edge with a thread, preferably a double one. Then we wrap the bottom of the bottle around, tighten the ends of the threads tightly and tie.
We fold the rectangle of fabric in half lengthwise and wrap it around the bottle, with the fold of the fabric at the bottom, this is more convenient for sewing. We bend the side cut by about 1-2 cm and sew everything up with a “forward needle” seam, that is, the bottom and side hem of the fabric. We gather the fabric on top with a thread, tighten it tightly and tie it. This is how we got a stable base for the doll.
For the doll's head, we cut a square of white cotton fabric or double-thread measuring 20x20 cm. Place a lump of padding polyester or cotton wool in the center of the square.
We place all this on top of the doll’s base, form the head and tie it with thread.
We sew a braid at the top of the head.
We hem a sundress measuring 22x45 cm at the bottom and adjust the braid and ribbons.
Then we connect and sew the side seams. Iron it well. Our apron is 16x10 cm, but other sizes can be sewn on. Also, if desired, we customize the corresponding ribbons, braid and lace. Next we sew off the side seams.
We place an apron in front of the sundress; we collect the top of the sundress together with the apron using a thread, preferably a double one. We put the assembled sundress on the doll. Make sure that the apron is in the center and the seam is at the back. Next, tighten it tightly and tie it.
For the arms we cut out two rectangles 10x20 cm.
We make twists out of them: bend them in half lengthwise, then fold them in half twice on each side towards the center. We bandage the palms below.
Sleeves – 11x12 cm, length 12 cm. We adjust ribbons, lace, braid. Then we stitch along the sides.
At the bottom, stepping back from the edge by 1 cm, we collect the sleeves with a thread. Then we fold the gathered fabric inward, put it on our hands, tighten and tie the threads.
We collect the top of the sleeves with a thread, while leaving them free, that is, we do not stitch them, this will allow the doll to move her arms more freely. We attach the sleeves to the sides of the doll and sew them to the neck.
We cut the scarf to size 40x40 cm and cut it diagonally. But this is not necessary, if the fabric is thin, then you can simply tie a scarf, folding it diagonally.
To secure it, we stitch the knotted scarf with matching thread so that it is not noticeable.
The Bereginya doll is ready!
