Strawberry Rock

The Italian strawberry Scala appeared quite recently, in 2019. The late-ripening non-repaired variety has a high yield and good fruit qualities. Berries can be used in cooking, frozen and thawed. Skala strawberries are stored for a long time and are easily transported, which allows them to be grown for sale.

Skala strawberries produce larger fruits in the first year. Then the berries become a little smaller. The variety gives a good yield even under unfavorable climatic conditions. Berries do not disintegrate in compotes and jams, when freezing and thawing.

Strawberry Rock is winter-hardy and tolerates low temperatures, although it requires shelter. Subject to all the rules of care, the plant is not attacked by fungal diseases. To control pests, it is enough to carry out simple prevention. However, Skala strawberries do not tolerate drought well. There is still little data on how the variety grows in Russia. The bush bears fruit for 5 years. By the end of the life cycle, the berries become smaller.

You can harvest the fruits in July-August. The Skala variety is classified as late-ripening. Strawberries are non-repairable, which means they bear fruit only once a season.

You can pick berries for quite a long time: up to three weeks. A high-yield variety allows you to get up to 1.2 kg of fruits from a bush. The density of the pulp allows you to transport the crop for sale, store for a long period.

Large fruits are red-orange in color. The shape of the berry is conical, regular. The first time the fruits weigh about 50 g, all subsequent ones have a slightly lower weight - 35-50 g. The dense pulp has a dessert taste, a pronounced strawberry aroma is clearly felt.

The Skala variety appeared quite recently, therefore, the peculiarities of cultivation in different regions of Russia have not been fully studied. However, strawberries grow best in the southern and middle lane. In other regions, a greenhouse should be used. Skala strawberry care is pretty simple. The plant gives a good harvest even under unfavorable conditions. However, watering is of particular importance, because the variety does not tolerate drought.

When planting in the spring, you should wait for the soil to warm up and the frost completely stops. The site itself has been being prepared since the fall. Can be planted at other times. For autumn planting, you should have time before frost. Soil preparation begins in 1 month. The variety needs regular and abundant watering. By the beginning of the flowering period, the soil should be moistened once a week. During heat and drought, the intensity increases to 1 watering every 3-4 days. The drip system is the best solution. With such watering, there is no risk of moisture getting on the green part.

After moistening, it is necessary to loosen the soil. It is important to remove weeds regularly. If you cover the soil with agrofibre, then the weed will not grow at all. Strawberry Skala is distinguished by a rather active formation of mustaches. The shoots draw nutrients from the plant, which can negatively affect the quality of the crop. The mustache should be torn off regularly to preserve the large and tasty fruit.

In the northern regions, Skala strawberries are best grown in a greenhouse. You should use black soil, enriched neutral or slightly acidic soil, light loamy soils. The plantation should be located in a spacious area where there is a lot of sun and protection from the winds. When preparing the soil, 5-6 kg of organic matter per 1 m2 and up to 40 g of mineral fertilizers should be applied. Then you should dig deep into the area. You can plant strawberries after the soil has settled. This should be done in spring or autumn.

For bush planting, strawberries are staggered with a distance of 50 cm or more. The trench method involves the formation of rows, between which 50-60 cm should be left. Bushes in the trench should be at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other.

During flowering, 3-4 peduncles are formed on the strawberry bush. There is enough pollen for pollination. If you wish, you can use a brush and combine several varieties of strawberries. Cross-pollination is beneficial for crop yields.

Strawberry Rock needs fertilization. The variety actively absorbs nutrients from the soil. Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content should be applied in early spring. This will have a beneficial effect on the growth of the strawberries.

Before flowering, complexes with phosphorus and potassium are used. This will improve the yield of the Skala variety. In the fall, watering is carried out with an ash solution. Such replenishment is necessary before wintering.

The Skala variety is winter-hardy, it can withstand up to -23 ° C. However, strawberries need shelter. In the cold, the ground is covered with mulch. You can use straw, sawdust or spruce branches. Agrofibre or film will protect the green part from freezing. The material should be placed on arcs. The film should not touch the plant itself.

Breeders claim that Scala strawberries have good immunity. Prolonged rains do not lead to disease. Strawberries do not suffer from gray rot, the taste and quality of the fruit does not change.

For prevention, you should regularly fertilize the plant. Around the beds, you can plant calendula, marigolds. Such flowers are phytoncides. In early spring, strawberries should be sprayed with a 1% sulfur solution. This will help prevent infestation by nematodes and earth mites.

Strawberries can be propagated using tendrils or seeds. The first way will be the easiest. You should choose the strongest bushes and leave 2-3 tendrils. After fruiting, the shoots should be directed to free soil and watered regularly. You can transplant to a permanent place after the formation of 4-5 permanent leaves.

Seed propagation will be more troublesome. Place them in a container with a damp substrate. Better to do this at the end of February. Seeds are placed on wet sand, covered with foil. The sprouts will appear in 35 days. A pick can be carried out after the formation of 2-3 true leaves. In open ground, Skala strawberries are transplanted in the first half of May.