Strawberry marshmallow variety

Marshmallow is a super-early variety of garden strawberries (strawberries), bred by Danish breeders. Differs in large sizes of berries, high productivity, amicable ripening. Suitable for growing both on a personal garden plot and on large areas for commercial purposes. Suitable for cultivation in greenhouses and under film shelters.

Plants are low, erect, moderately spreading, rather compact. Leaves are dark green in color, oval, concave. The denticles of the edges of the leaf plate are wide, sharp. Strawberry flower stalks are strong, located at the level of leaves or below, hold berries well, do not fit on the ground under their weight. Abundant flowering.

The berries are large, blunt-conical, regular, wide-round, ribbed. At the first harvest, comb-shaped fruits may be observed. The skin is dark red with a glossy sheen. Achenes are numerous, yellowish. The pulp is bright red, medium density, very aromatic. Zephyr has a dessert taste, very sweet, with pleasant notes of sourness. Among gardeners, disputes about the taste of the variety do not subside. So, some speak of them with admiration, while others say that the taste is rather mediocre and even loses to many other varieties. Well, you can only understand who is right after a personal tasting. By the way, the cultivation technique has a great influence on the taste.

Marshmallow berries are great fresh, perfect for making jam, jam and other preserves. They also have an excellent presentation, after collection they remain dry and tidy, they tolerate transportation well. Thus, this strawberry is perfect for growing for the sale of berries and fully justifies its title of "commercial variety".

The average weight of berries is about 25-30 grams, but this is far from the limit. With good care, the fruits reach an average of 40-50 grams, a maximum of 60, and such indicators remain during the first three to four harvests. Then the size of the berries is slightly reduced, but the weight does not fall below 15 grams. The average yield from one Zephyr plant is 1 kg. The total yield of the plantation can reach 100 c / ha, but this figure is very average and highly dependent on agricultural technology and the intensity of cultivation. Indoors, greenhouses and hotbeds, the yield increases due to an increase in the fruiting period.

The strawberries are very early, ripening already in the 20th of June. Indoors, fruiting begins even earlier, while our hero overtakes the well-known early variety in terms of timing Kimberly, eg. The variety is distinguished by amicable ripening, therefore it is in demand among those who are engaged in growing for the sale of berries - the harvest takes place in a short time, which the same Kimberly cannot boast of. Also, a big plus is the stability of fruiting, the berries do not shrink after the first harvest, only by the end of the season they slightly decrease in size. Another advantage is this - the flowering and fruiting of strawberries continues until the end of August, and with proper agricultural technology, the number and size of berries remain at a high level. However, it should be said that, since the variety is commercial, they harvest in a short time. Ripening in Marshmallow is fast and amicable, therefore, in three or four harvests, it gives out its maximum, and in production conditions it is inappropriate to "grind" the fruits of plants until August. It is much better to plant late-ripening varieties for the purpose of obtaining a late harvest.

Our hero is quite winter-hardy, tolerates even the harsh winters of the northern regions perfectly, but a good shelter is highly desirable, especially with a small amount of snow. Marshmallow also reacts calmly to periods of drought, but nevertheless, with a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil, it shows the best results.It is resistant to common diseases, very rarely affected by spots, with minimal preventive treatments, it is practically invulnerable to a wide variety of diseases.

Strawberry agricultural technology does not imply any outstanding features, however, high-quality care significantly affects the yield and taste of berries. Let's take a look at the main points of growing in the list below.

• A well-lit area should be allocated for disembarkation. Our hero feels fine in a shaded place, but in a sunny place he will show better results. Before planting, the soil is well prepared and organic fertilizers are applied. Recall that Zephyr is excellent for growing under film shelters, as well as in greenhouses, while under such conditions fruiting begins earlier and ends later.
• Regular, abundant watering is essential for a good harvest. But do not overmoisten the soil - an excess of moisture will have a bad effect on plants.

• Don't forget about feeding. Their number depends on the intensity of use, approximately two or three times the application of fertilizers will be sufficient. Before flowering strawberries, you should pay attention to organic complexes, and during the fruiting period and further, preference is given to mineral ones. By the way, the variety very actively consumes soil nutrients, so it is advisable to carry out foliar feeding, especially if the use of plants is quite intensive. Such a technique will provide planting with "fast" nutrition and will have a positive effect on the yield and size of berries.
• Do not neglect the simplest agrotechnical measures - loosening the soil, preventive treatments for diseases and pests, as well as weeding. These seemingly little things have a big impact on the yield of strawberries. Also, pay sufficient attention to the rationing of the number of mustaches. Zephyr does not form so many of them, but if they are not removed in a timely manner, then you can not count on getting large numerous berries.

Reviews about our hero are often very contradictory. Some praise him for its high yield and excellent taste, while others are unhappy with these characteristics. Many gardeners abandoned this variety in favor of others, referring precisely to the mediocre taste and "average" yield indicators. Indeed, in the modern strawberry market there are a huge variety of varieties with a wide variety of advantages and disadvantages, and Zephyr is clearly not at the top of the list of generally accepted favorites. But in his defense, it should be said that he has many advantages and great potential, which, unfortunately, not every gardener can reveal.

Despite the fact that our hero does not withstand competition with other varieties, he is really good and will certainly delight you if you pay enough attention to him. In agricultural technology, it is quite simple, but it requires a conscientious attitude towards yourself, and for regular good care it will definitely reward you with an excellent harvest. As for the taste of the variety, this is, so to speak, a "matter of taste", so before you remove Marshmallow from your wish list, try the berries yourself, and then draw your own conclusions.