Strawberry Verona

Strawberries of the Italian selection Verona (Verona) got its name in honor of the city where, according to legend, Romeo and Juliet lived. The beautiful name is complemented by impressive characteristics, high marketability and the ability of the berry to store and process. The variety was appreciated by Russian gardeners and farmers, it is gaining more and more popularity among fans of mid-season varieties.

Verona is a high quality strawberry that is excellent for commercial cultivation. It forms tall, large bushes, densely covered with large glossy dark green leaves. The variety is characterized by the formation of strong peduncles with multiple ovaries. When the berries pick up the mass, they lie down, so it is recommended to mulch the soil around the bushes. The formation is moderate, the beds are not overgrown.

Verona shows average ripening times. The variety of short daylight hours begins to bear fruit in the first decade of July. The collection lasts 2-3 weeks.

During the fruiting period, you can collect up to 1 kg of berries from the bush. The variety belongs to the high-yielding group. The fruits are one-dimensional, more than 90% of the berries belong to the 1st class.

The fresh strawberry aroma and sweet taste of Verona strawberries are complemented by the very large size. Fruit weight reaches 60 g. Berries have a complex and beautiful "chiseled" shape, juicy pulp of medium density. The skin is colored deep red. For subsequent transportation, the berries are recommended to be torn off together with the sepal.

The variety requires simple maintenance, easily adapts to growing conditions. Autumn planting is not recommended, because in warm regions the plants will not have time to take root before the onset of cold weather, and in cold climates they will simply freeze out. The best time for transferring seedlings in containers to open ground is April-May. The mustache is planted after rooting in the period from the 3rd decade of July.

It is recommended to grow Verona strawberries on the beds covered with black agrofibre. In its absence, the soil is regularly loosened, the layer of mulch is renewed from sawdust or straw.

It is worth carefully choosing a place for planting bushes. Verona strawberries need a well-leveled area, 2/3 of the day sun lit by the sun. When preparing the ridges, good drainage should be provided. They are formed in the direction from north to south, giving preference to loamy, sandy loam soils.

In order for Verona to increase yields, it is worth taking care of improving the composition of the soil. The best choice would be to add a mixture of river sand with a coarse fraction and peat to the clay soil. Very loose soil will require the introduction of 2 buckets of humus per 1 m2 of the ridge area. It will also be useful to add 250 g of wood ash per square meter when digging.

Planting is carried out in squares of 30 × 30 cm or ribbons, with a distance between adjacent bushes of 200 mm with a row spacing of 400 mm. Choosing the second method, you can refuse to dig up the entire area of ​​the ridge. It is enough to form a trench along the width of a shovel for each row.

There is no need for additional pollination. Flowering is very abundant, a lot of pollen is formed.

Plants need feeding from the second year of growing. Spring is used to add nitrogen for the vegetation of the shoots. The easiest way is to ensure its supply by watering the soil with an infusion of cow dung in a ratio of 1 to 10 with water. And also ready-made store fertilizers are suitable.

Before flowering, the soil is fertilized with potassium nitrate. It allows you to enhance the formation of ovaries. In the 3rd decade of May, it is necessary to take care of the foliar feeding of the bushes with complex mineral mixtures. In the summer, it is worth 2-3 times during the season to water the plants under the root with nettle infusion as a source of nitrogen.

In the fall, at the end of fruiting, the beds with Verona strawberries are fertilized with potassium-phosphorus compounds. Of natural fertilizers, wood ash in an amount of 200 g / m2 is best suited for this. Dry chicken manure (no more than 20 g / m2) helps to replenish nitrogen losses. All dressings are carried out only after watering, foliar - exclusively in the evening and early morning hours.

The variety is winter-hardy. In a mild climate or with abundant snow cover, it does not need shelter. In other cases, it will be necessary to take protective measures. The bushes are covered with spruce branches or compost, a thick layer of wood mulch, then agrofibre is fixed on top.

The variety demonstrates high resistance to the influence of diseases and pests. Not susceptible to the development of fungal infections. In Russian conditions, resistance to powdery mildew, leaf spot spots has been proven. Despite this, during the fruiting period, it is important to avoid waterlogging of the soil so that the berries do not start to rot. Preventive insecticidal and fungicidal treatments are also relevant, especially during periods of high insect activity or after prolonged rains.

Most often, strawberries are propagated by a mustache. The ability to form them in the variety is average, which makes it possible to rejuvenate the plantation without unnecessary difficulties when such a need arises. A complete plantation renovation is required every 3-4 years. And also the division of the bush is practiced, in which 1 part has at least 2 leaves and well-developed roots. Division is performed with a pruner or a sharp garden knife.

In Russia, the Verona variety appeared about 5 years ago. During this time, gardeners managed to check all the characteristics declared by the breeders, to make sure of their reliability. It is noted that in the first year after planting, the bushes do not strike with a bountiful harvest, then for 2-3 years it gives impressive results. The berries are sweet and large, juicy, with light shades of peach in the taste.

The disadvantage of the variety is the lack of the usual strawberry aroma. In addition, plants may produce too few whiskers, complicating the rejuvenation of the plantation.