Strawberry Marmalade

It is impossible not to understand the desire of gardeners to have the very best strawberries in every respect on their site. After all, this berry is distinguished by its usefulness and irresistible taste, and numerous preparations from it allow you to add zest to any sweet dish or dessert. It is not for nothing that strawberries are called the “queen of all berries”, because being a real regal person, she requires constant attention, love and care. Without them, it is difficult to obtain a full-fledged crop from plants that would satisfy the gardener both in quality and quantity.

Strawberry Marmalade

Strawberry Marmalade, although it collects the most controversial reviews about itself, really claims to be one of the most “royal” varieties of this beloved berry. In Italy, where this garden strawberry comes from, it is considered one of the most promising varieties, although it is used more for growing in home gardens. In Our Country, this variety was automatically classified as commercial, perhaps because of its good transportability. But from here, perhaps, the roots of misunderstanding of its properties and inconsistency of reviews about it grow. However, first things first.

Description of the Marmalade variety

Strawberry Marmalade obtained in 1989 by crossing two varieties: Holiday and Gorella. The originator is the Consortium of Italian Nurseries (CIV) and its full real name is Marmolada Onebor.

Attention! Having already arrived in Our Country, the variety was called Marmalade, which sounds more harmonious and appetizing to the ear.

Actually, this was not twisted against the truth, since the taste and appearance of the berries of this variety really resemble the well-known sweet dessert. And among the people it is even affectionately called marmalade.

Strawberry Marmalade

Strawberry Marmalade belongs to the varieties of short daylight hours and should bear fruit only once during the season. But the peculiarity of this variety is that starting from the second year of development in favorable conditions (mainly in the southern regions), strawberries are able to give a second wave of harvest at the very end of summer. Thus, the variety can claim the title of semi-repair.

Marmalade strawberry bushes, being quite powerful, have a rather compact shape. The leaves are large dark green, usually not subject to chlorosis. They are raised and spread out to the sides. Inflorescences on long stalks are located above the leaves. The flowering is so abundant that sometimes the foliage is not visible at all behind the flowers.

There are no problems with the reproduction of the variety, the plants form a lot of whiskers.

Advice! To obtain powerful bushes in the future during reproduction, it is necessary to select only the first two or three rosettes formed on the mustache.

Strawberry Marmalade

In terms of ripening, it belongs to medium-early varieties of strawberries. The first berries can be expected already in the first half of June, but the main wave of fruiting occurs rather in the middle or second half of June. If immediately after fruiting, mow all the leaves and regularly feed the bushes, then in the south you can expect a second wave of berries at the very end of summer or in September. Moreover, the berries will be even larger than at the beginning of summer.

Strawberry variety Marmelada is also suitable for off-season cultivation in greenhouse conditions.

The yield is, depending on the agricultural technology used, from 700-800 grams to 1,2 kg per bush, which is very good for a short-day strawberry variety.

Strawberry Marmalade

Strawberry Marmalade grows well even in the hottest conditions, while being relatively drought-resistant. In conditions when other varieties die from heat and drought, Marmalade bushes turn green and bear fruit. Moreover, this practically does not affect the taste of the berries, they only become more dense and dryish.

But in rainy and cloudy weather, the variety is not able to show itself in all its glory. Berries do not gain enough sugar, and the likelihood of various fungal diseases increases dramatically.

Comment! Frost resistance is at an average level, if there is a lot of snow in the regions, then it can withstand frost up to -30 ° C.

Variety Marmalade has good resistance to verticillosis, powdery mildew and diseases of the root system. But strawberries of this variety are sensitive to white and brown spotting, gray rot.

Strawberry Marmalade

Characteristics of berries

This variety of strawberries is large-fruited – the average weight of a berry varies from 20 to 30 grams, often reaching 40 grams.

The shape of the berries is fairly standard rounded with a conical top. Large berries often have a scallop at the end. Ripening, the berry turns bright red, starting from the base of the petiole. Therefore, sometimes the tip remains whitish even when the berry is fully ripe.

Since the berries remain homogeneous in bulk and have a very attractive presentation, the use of this variety for commercial cultivation immediately suggests itself.

Moreover, the taste of berries in favorable conditions remains very balanced in terms of sugar and acid content. The aroma is also well expressed.

Strawberry Marmalade

But here’s what’s interesting. At the stage of technical maturity, when the berries are already almost completely red, they are dense, showy and remarkably stored and transported. But their taste has not yet had time to fully take shape.

Attention! When the berries are fully ripe, their flesh becomes a rich red color, slightly softer than at the stage of technical maturity and a sweet, juicy taste.

Even in this state, the berries are well stored and transported, but already much worse than the average commercial varieties. Perhaps this is one of the mysteries of the Marmalade strawberry variety when it evokes such diverse responses.

The use of berries can be called universal. But this variety is considered one of the best for freezing, drying and making candied fruits.

Strawberry Marmalade

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Like any popular strawberry variety, Marmalade has its undeniable advantages:

  • Large, showy berries with good taste and aroma;
  • The variety has a good yield and is not particularly demanding on care. He only needs quite a lot of land to feed the roots and illuminate the many peduncles. Moreover, compensation in the form of additional dressings in the case of Marmalade is unlikely to pass;
  • Not afraid of drought and heat, although, of course, it would be better to grow on plantations with drip irrigation;
  • Has good transportability of berries.

Strawberry Marmalade

But there are also disadvantages to the Marmalade variety, and such that they allow some gardeners to resolutely refuse to grow this strawberry.

  • In a damp, cold and rainy climate, the berries do not gain enough sugar and their taste deteriorates sharply.
  • Marmalade strawberries are demanding on soil acidity; they grow well only on neutral soils with a pH of 6,5-7.
  • Instability of a variety to a number of diseases.

Reviews of gardeners

As already noted, gardeners’ reviews of the Marmalade strawberry variety, the description and photo of which were placed above, are very ambiguous. As much as many praise and admire this variety of strawberries, others express complete disappointment with the taste of berries, and yield and other characteristics.

Strawberry Marmalade

Nikolay, 37 years old, Stavropol
I have been growing Marmalade strawberries for a long time. First, on a personal plot near the house for family and children. Then I decided to try and land it for sale. I don’t know about others, but it suits me completely. An excellent tasty berry is so attractive to buyers that sometimes they even line up for it. And to taste it is sweet, juicy, a slight sourness only emphasizes its dignity. In summer, we usually have a terrible heat and not all strawberries can withstand such conditions, even with regular watering. Many promising varieties had to be abandoned, because they could not stand it and fell out, or at best dried up, and the yield dropped sharply. And the Marmalade bushes, with standard drip irrigation from barrels, stand as if nothing had happened, and delight with their appearance alone. I did not notice any particular predisposition to diseases, but before planting I dip each bush into a solution of Fundazol and then rinse it in water. In the spring, I spend two preventive treatments with iodine before flowering and after and no problems. I plant bushes quite spaciously, according to the 45×50 scheme, there is a lot of land, so the area allows. I do not abuse top dressing, I spend it as a standard 2-3 times per season and use mostly organic matter. Sometimes at the end of summer I notice that a second crop is ripening on some bushes – of course, there are not many of them, but the berries are large – and there is enough for the children to feast on and there is still a little left for sale. In general, I am very pleased with the variety.
Larisa, 34 years old, Orel
Last year, she decided to plant Marmalade strawberries – the seller praised her very much, they say, and fruitful, and tasty, and not very whimsical. Nothing special about this variety. Yes, the berries ripened quite beautifully, some even large ones, but there is absolutely no taste. It’s only good for jam, it doesn’t even have a special aroma. A typical commercial berry, maybe in the winter it will pass for a strawberry, but in the summer you want something tastier.
Pavel, 48 years old, Saransk
I read so much about this variety of strawberries that I wanted to try to grow it myself and understand what it is. In the first year I cut off all the flower stalks, as recommended. In the spring, I even covered it with non-woven material during flowering, as I was afraid of return frosts. The first berries appeared already in the tenth of June. The taste is ordinary, nothing special, although there are really quite a few peduncles and berries on the bushes. She ripened with me throughout June. Strawberries, like strawberries, look beautiful, but the aroma is weak, and the taste is the most ordinary, there are much more delicious and fragrant varieties. Probably, it can only be special in the south, but in our country it is better to grow other, more adapted varieties.

Conclusion

Strawberry Marmalade

Indeed, Marmalade strawberries belong to that fairly common group of varieties that are able to show their unique qualities only in suitable climatic conditions. So, if you live in the south of Our Country, feel free to try growing this variety. Other gardeners are advised to pay attention to strawberry varieties that are more adapted to their weather conditions.

strawberry marmalade

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