Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Arosa, growing technology

The leading position in the popularity ranking among mid-late strawberry varieties is occupied by the Arosa variety. Due to the large fruits, high level of fruiting, good taste characteristics, it is often found in garden plots, as it is recognized by gardeners who know that in order to obtain a generous harvest, it is necessary to plant correctly and properly care for the crop.

Description and characteristics of the strawberry variety Arosa

Italian breeders, having crossed the Marmalade and Chandler varieties, obtained a high-yielding variety that produces berries with excellent taste characteristics and commercial qualities.

The Arosa strawberry is a medium-sized bush, which is decorated with spreading leaves, colored light green, slightly wrinkled. Peduncles are placed above the foliage. The flowers differ in size, the calyx is the same, with a corolla. Fruits that attract attention are orange-red in color and round-conical in shape. The weight of one berry is up to 40 g. The pulp is medium in density with a glossy, shiny skin and has a taste characterized by juiciness, sweetness and rich aroma.

Medium-late ripening variety, fruiting observed in June.

Main pros and cons

The strawberry variety Arosa has a lot of positive qualities, including:

• high yield, you can get 220 centners from one hectare;
• the fruits have an attractive appearance and excellent taste;
• the harvest is perfectly transported due to the high strength of the berries;
• possibility of growing in open, protected soil, pots;
• resistance to major diseases and dangerous pests;
• the ability to withstand a complex of environmental influences in winter, and therefore does not require shelter in southern latitudes.

The description of the variety also includes the identification of disadvantages, which include:

• moisture deficiency can cause a deterioration in the taste of berries;
• uneven fruit ripening.

Features of growing garden strawberries

To obtain a rich harvest of aromatic Arosa strawberries, it is necessary to follow a number of recommendations when growing the crop, which include the correct timing and planting patterns, as well as the selection of high-quality seedlings and suitable soil.

Boarding time

When determining the time for planting Arosa strawberries, be guided by the climate characteristics of the region. It can be planted both in spring and autumn.

Planting should be done on a cloudy day. To do this, check the weather forecast and choose the optimal time for this.

How to choose seedlings

The future harvest depends on the quality of planting material. Strawberry seedlings ready for planting must have at least 5 leaves, without spots, holes and not eaten by insects, as well as powerful roots not exceeding 10-12 cm in length. If there are various mechanical defects, as well as signs of diseases on the seedlings, you need to discard such copies.

After purchasing seedlings, you should immediately root them. To do this, send it to a cool place for a day to harden and adapt to external conditions. Before planting, dip the roots of the seedlings into the clay mixture.

Site selection and soil preparation

Abundant fruiting will depend on the right choice of location. For Arosa strawberries, a sunlit area is suitable, away from shady trees and shrubs. Also, this southern variety of berry crop is afraid of drafts, so it is important to protect the planting site from the wind.

The likelihood of obtaining a harvest is reduced if the site is located in a lowland. Groundwater should not be placed close to the planted strawberries, otherwise there is a risk that the seedlings will die.

For planting Arosa strawberries, it is better to choose loam or sandy loam soil. The acidity of the soil should be neutral, ranging from 5 to 6.5 pH.If this indicator is high, it is necessary to pre-lime the strawberry beds.

Gardeners recommend planting Arosa after legumes, garlic, carrots, and onions. Tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants are considered bad predecessors.

Before planting, dig up the soil with special care and remove all weeds. Then at 1 m² add humus in the amount of 6 kg, nitrogen substances - 50 g, superphosphate - 10 g and potassium salt - 50 g. The soil should be enriched with these nutritional components a month before planting Arosa strawberries to avoid burning the roots of the seedlings.

Planting scheme

The compactness of Arosa strawberry bushes allows them to be planted in one or two rows, while maintaining a distance of 35 cm between planting units, and 30-40 cm between rows.

During planting, spread the roots over the moist soil. After the strawberries are planted, they need to be well watered and mulched.

Basics of crop care

Caring for strawberries of the Arosa variety involves taking measures aimed at ensuring the survival of seedlings after planting and creating comfortable conditions for growth.

Care in spring

In order for the Arosa strawberry to fully develop and bear fruit, you should surround it with care and attention in the spring:

• after the snow melts, clear the beds of dry leaves, which should be burned immediately;
• do not allow the soil to dry out, which will ensure intensive growth of young leaves;
• loosen the soil between the rows;
• regularly remove weeds so that the growth of the bush is not delayed and the quality of the fruit does not suffer;
• treat strawberry bushes using time-tested drugs against diseases and pests;
• feed with fertilizers containing nitrogen.

To avoid problems with yield, you should not neglect measures to care for Arosa strawberries in the spring.

Watering and mulching

Arosa strawberries should be watered when necessary; excessive moisture has a detrimental effect on the roots of the plant. Water for irrigation must be at least 15 degrees, otherwise the risk of bush disease or rotting of their root system increases. After irrigation, it is recommended to loosen the soil.

Strawberry Arosa belongs to drought-resistant varieties, but this only applies to foliage. As for berries, a lack of moisture will deprive them of taste, juiciness and negatively affect their appearance. You should not be overzealous with watering, as the crop cannot tolerate waterlogged soil.

The optimal irrigation method is drip irrigation, which is especially relevant when cultivating strawberries on large plantations. If the plantings occupy a small area of ​​land, then watering should be done manually. It is important to take into account that when using a hose, you need to make sure that the stream is not strong in order to avoid washing out the roots and exposing them.

To maintain moisture, mulch the root zone using straw, rotted sawdust, and peat. This technique prevents the soil from overheating and the development of weeds.

Fertilizer application

When growing strawberries of the Arosa variety, it is recommended to use a standard feeding scheme. In the spring, apply nitrogen fertilizers, in the summer and autumn, saturate the soil with potassium and phosphorus substances. During the growing season you need to carry out 3-4 procedures.

Trimming

Strawberry Arosa annually forms a lot of mustaches, which must be trimmed, it is better to do this in the fall, and at the same time remove the old foliage. It is recommended to leave no more than 2 strong uterine shoots on each plant.

Transfer

A feature of the development of the Arosa strawberry is considered to be a gradual increase in diameter of the bush due to the growth of new rosettes, which in the future negatively affects its fruiting. Therefore, the plants require replanting to a new location. This event can be carried out in the spring before flowering and in the first month of the autumn period.

Strawberries Arosa in one place can regularly bear fruit for no more than 3-4 years.

Preparing for winter

In order for strawberries of the Arosa variety to please you with a rich harvest next year, you need to properly prepare them for winter. To do this, prune the bushes in the fall, removing excess tendrils and old leaves. If the roots are bare, cover them with soil, which will protect them from freezing.

Strawberry Arosa is a winter-hardy variety, so in the southern regions it can do without shelter. In the northern regions, it is necessary to cover strawberry bushes with a layer of sawdust mulch. Also, to protect plants from frost, you can use a material such as agrofibre. The best solution would be to cover the strawberries with spruce branches, which will not only serve as good insulation, but will also reliably hold the snow with its needles, and a strong wind will not be able to blow it away.

Ways to protect against diseases

Strawberry Arosa is not immune to the appearance of diseases. The culture is prone to fungal infections. This situation gets especially worse during the rainy season, when temperatures drop. Dangerous diseases of this berry crop are powdery mildew, white and brown leaf spots, and gray rot.

For prevention, it is important to create and maintain an optimal microclimate and a minimal infectious environment. This requires:

• adhere to moderate planting density of strawberry bushes;
• water regularly;
• protect from weeds that are carriers of diseases;
• in spring, remove dry, affected, overwintered leaves.

Treat bushes with chemicals when signs of disease are detected. Choose a drug based on the type of pathogen and the phases of plant development.

Pest Control Methods

Pests such as strawberry mites, weevils, spider mites, and nematodes also pose a threat to the crop. They are capable of mercilessly destroying plants, feeding on roots, leaves, and some of them prefer to feast on fruits.

Ways to fight:

• in spring, remove the top layer of soil between the bushes, as insects accumulate there;
• loosen the soil and remove young weeds;
• if detected, treat the bushes with such folk remedies as a solution based on laundry soap, tincture of garlic and onions;
• in case of mass invasion of parasites, use insecticides, as well as soil sanitation with slaked lime.

Repeated spraying and inspection of plants will definitely lead to victory.

Reproduction methods

The plant propagates by seeds, tendrils, and division of the bush. Each method has its own characteristics, pros and cons.

Usami

Strawberry Arosa produces few tendrils, but the rosettes on them are distinguished by their power and vitality. To propagate the crop, it is better to choose healthy mother bushes and cut off the flower stalks from them. The mustache will take root on its own. When the rosettes form roots, they need to be cut off from the mother plant and planted in a new bed.

Dividing the bush

This method propagation involves dividing strawberry bushes at the age of no earlier than 2-4 years, when strong branching of shoots is observed. In this case, you need to choose plants with a healthy and well-developed root system.

Seeds

This method is considered very difficult and painstaking.To get the seeds, you need to collect ripe berries and cut off the outer layer, then dry and separate the seeds. Seed material is stored for 4 years.

To grow seedlings, place the seeds in containers in March, evenly distributing them over the surface of the soil, and lightly sprinkle them with soil. Then put it in a bright, warm place. Moisten the soil from time to time. A month later, shoots appear. When 2-3 leaves are formed on the plants, pick them out, planting them in separate pots. Plant in open ground in May, when the seedlings have at least 6 leaves.

Features of growing in pots

According to the description, Arosa strawberries can be cultivated in protected soil. This will allow you to plant seedlings in pots and get a harvest of medicinal fruits indoors.

Collection and storage

If the strawberry harvest is planned to be stored or transported over long distances, then it must be collected 2 days before full ripening. Pick the fruits, leaving the tails and green caps. Harvest the crop in the morning or in the evening before sunset, so that the sun's rays do not hit the berries.

It is recommended to store the aromatic berries in plastic containers located in one row in a room with a low temperature..