Strawberry Marmalade: variety description and characteristics, cultivation and reproduction

A culture with a similar name should be the favorite of all gardeners. Indeed, strawberries of the Marmalade variety are very popular both in its breeding and in the market. High productivity, resistance to diseases make it unpretentious in care. And you can't confuse the berries with other varieties.

Description and characteristics of Marmalade strawberries

Berries fully correspond to their name, although they look like other varieties, but the aroma leaves an unforgettable mark on Marmalade.

Bushes

Marmalade strawberry bushes are low, slightly sprawling.The dark green foliage is high above the ground, which makes harvesting much easier. The inflorescences stretch above the leaves, which makes the garden bed appear white during flowering in spring. The flowers of the variety have many petals, in the center there is a yellow center.

Inflorescences have a thickened stem, which is why they are able to hold large fruits above the ground. This feature is important for strawberries, as the crop will not be susceptible to diseases such as powdery mildew or rot.

The flowering of Marmalade strawberries is very intense and long. Few tendrils form on the mother liquor.

Berries

Features of Marmalade fruits:

• some pieces weigh up to 40g, but the average weight is 30g;
• correct conical shape with a blunt tip;
• color bright red, tip white;
• seeds are yellow, slightly pressed into the pulp;
• strong fragrance;
• taste is excellent, the berries are more sweet, but with a little sourness.

During the ripening, strawberries turn red together. On the inflorescence are arranged in clusters. Sometimes the largest berries resemble the splicing of two, some clumsiness is observed. At the stage of technical ripeness, the pulp of Marmalade becomes dark red, dense and juicy. Thanks to these characteristics, strawberries are perfectly stored and transported over long distances.

Marmalade variety strawberries, the description of which attracts many summer residents, has an excellent presentation and is very much appreciated in the market.

Drought resistance and frost resistance

Varietal strawberries tolerate low temperatures from 0 to -15 degrees. But if the frosts intensify and there is little snow in the garden, it requires shelter. This nuance should be taken into account when laying out strawberry plantations.

Important! With large snowdrifts in the garden, the Marmalade variety can also transfer -30 С.

The plant also tolerates drought, but with timely watering. But the scorching sun's rays can bake the crop, it will become lethargic and flabby. Pouring the fruit will happen faster, which spoils the taste of the berry. It must be remembered that excessive watering is also negative for the plant.

Ripening period and yield

Maturing term - average. The first strawberries can be picked as early as July. During the season, Marmalade is capable of producing up to 1 kg of fruit from one bush. If you follow all the rules of agricultural technology, then the crop can be harvested twice in a season.

The greatest return is observed in the second and third year of cultivation. On an industrial scale, Marmalade strawberries are renewed every 3-4 years, in private garden plots at least once every five years.

Transportability

Despite the juiciness of the fruits, Marmalade is well transported in paper boxes and wooden boxes with a layer of up to 20 cm. If there are green leaves on the berries, then the transportation time may increase. In its pure form, the crop can start juice.

Pros and cons of strawberries

Variety features due to which Marmalade berries are loved by gardeners:

1. The fruits are large and sweet with a strong aroma, which is very welcome in cooking.
2. High yield, sometimes up to twice a season, but requires little attention.
3. Unlike other varieties, it tolerates heat and severe frosts well.
4. Feels good during shipping.
5. Disease resistant variety.

But there is always a fly in the ointment:

• deterioration in taste when grown in areas with a continental climate where unstable weather prevails;
• Marmalade strawberries are demanding on soils, acidity should be slightly increased - up to 7 units;
• requires frequent renewal of plantations.

Opinions about strawberries are divided, but the number of gardeners growing them is not decreasing. Strawberries remain one of the most common varieties. The ambiguity most likely depends on the region, the growing climate, as well as non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology.

The nuances of growing berries

To achieve results when growing berries, you need to make a lot of effort, although agricultural technology does not differ from the rules for growing any variety.

Pick up time

The best time for planting young bushes is the end of August. From August until the onset of severe frosts, there is still a lot of time for which the plant will take up and build up the root system well. Strawberries will give their first harvest next year.

Selecting and preparing a site

Choosing a site for strawberries is an important step in cultivation. Lighting, wintering, soil moisture depend on it:

1. If there are slopes in the garden, it is better to place the bed at the top. A lot of moisture accumulates below, which has a detrimental effect on the roots of Marmalade. In addition, there is not enough light in the lowland. But there is still an advantage: in winter there is a lot of snow, even in a winter with little snow, the berries do not have to be covered.
2. Strawberries love space. With its deficiency, lateral offspring, if they are not circumcised, will thicken the mother liquor. They select a site with neutral or slightly acidic lands.

Marmalade strawberries are planted in an open area where there is sufficient lighting, and there are no trees and shrubs nearby. It should not be placed near potatoes, eggplants and tomatoes, as viral diseases from vegetable crops can go to the berry.And yet, if there is little snow in winter, plantings can be covered or objects for snow retention can be placed.

Preparation of planting material

Planting material can be purchased, or you can grow it on your own plot if you have several pure-bred seedlings. You need to buy them only from trusted distributors or in gardening and nursery.

Young Marmalade strawberry bushes should be carefully selected:

1. They should not have dry roots and foliage.
2. The leaves are bright green with pubescence that looks like a silver coating.
3. The middle kidney should be thicker.
4. The bush is low, not elongated from lack of sun.
5. It is better to buy seedlings in containers, their root system is not injured and will quickly take root.
6. Segments of mustache should be visible, about 4 cm.

If strawberry seedlings are grown on their own, then caring for them is similar to caring for the mother plant. As the tendril and daughter rosettes develop, they are sprinkled with earth on it. It happens at the beginning of summer. And at the end of August, they can be cut off, dug up and transplanted to the main bed.

Plant pattern

The scheme for planting varietal strawberries is simple. Leave about 30 cm between adjacent bushes, or more, and leave 20 cm between rows.

Rules for plant care

Care should be carried out according to an established scheme: watering, fertilizing, weeding, loosening, mulching, treatment for diseases and pests.

How to water properly?

The best irrigation for strawberries is drip irrigation.If it is not possible to equip such humidification, this will have to be done manually. Young seedlings are watered from a watering can from above to wash the dust from the leaves. When the plant begins to bloom, it is irrigated under the root so as not to wash the pollen from the flowers.

The frequency of soil moisture depends on weather conditions. Here it must be remembered that very wet soil is unsuitable for this variety of strawberries. Marmalade is watered at least once a week, if the land requires it. In the process of ripening, watering is reduced to 1 time in two, three weeks.

Fertilizer requirements

If the season is dry, in spring it is necessary to mulch with rotted humus so that the earth does not crack, and organic elements will enrich the soil depleted since autumn.

2

Apply period	Type of top dressing and dose
Immediately after the snow melts and the topsoil thaws , in April	Aqueous solution of manure in a ratio of 1:6, superphosphate in the amount of 60 g and wood ash about 150 g.Mix everything in ten liters of water - liter bucket of water a bucket m

Shelter for the winter

This procedure is quite simple. It is important to remember here, you can not weed strawberry plantings before shelter, so as not to damage the root system before wintering.

Mulch in the form of corn trunks and leaves, tops of flowers, straw is suitable as a covering material. Be sure to put rodent repellent under the mulch. Top with agrofibre or other covering material. Any rag will do.

Reproduction

There are several ways to propagate marmalade strawberries. In any case, varietal characteristics are preserved.

Using a mustache

Moustaches are the child rosettes of strawberries, which can be up to three or four pieces. As planting material, it is better to choose the first two stepchildren from the mother liquor. By the time of transplantation, they have time to gain strength and take root.

Important! Each offspring should have 3-5 true leaves, and the root neck should be at least 6 mm.

Dividing the bush

The technique is used if there are few tendrils on the strawberry or they are of poor quality. They take a three-year-old bush, cut it with a sharp knife into as many parts as there are central buds. It is important that the root is well developed. You should end up with up to three new bushes.

Important! The procedure is carried out from spring to the end of summer, so that the roots have time to take root, and the plant gain strength for wintering.

Seeds

A rather laborious way to propagate strawberries. Seeds are best bought in specialized stores. They should be planted in shallow seedling boxes, with the appearance of two pairs of leaves, seedlings dive into separate containers or cassettes. When a growth of 10 cm is reached, the seedlings are planted in the beds.

Protection from diseases and pests

Strawberry resistance to pests and diseases is relative, they will be in any case. Only timely treatment of the berry plant with fungicides and insecticides will save the crop from death.

The most common problems on Marmalade strawberries:

• powdery mildew;
• strawberry mite;
• snails, slugs;
• grey rot;
• white spotting.

From folk remedies are effective: wood ash, tobacco dust and garlic solution.

Collection and storage

The harvest of strawberries starts in June with an interval of two days. They are plucked with a stalk so that the berries do not lose their presentation. In this form, they are stored frozen, packaged in small containers. At low temperatures, the berries are kept for more than six months.

In the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 to +4 degrees, strawberries are stored for no more than a week, but subject to heat treatment, in the form of winter preparations (compotes, jams, marmalades) - about a year.

Marmalade strawberries are loved by many summer residents for their unpretentiousness, but it is worth noting that many are not enthusiastic about her. In any case, it is better to have strawberries of various varieties on your site. After all, weather conditions can affect the taste and quality of berries, which will continue to be better.

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