TOSCANA F1 STRAWBERRIES

 

 

This was our first hybrid strawberry variety from seeds and the following summarized what we read about them.

The growing notes were sourced online and soil-based as hydroponic data was not available.

 

• Hybrid, F1, Fragaria x Ananassa
• Restrained Runners
• Thicker leaves than heirloom varieties
• Same level of difficulties as white strawberry varieties
• Ever-bearing
• Pink flowers instead of the usual white, yellow center
• Hardy in USA zones 4 to 9
• Perennial life cycle
• 6 to 10 inches tall
• First Flowers, 14 to 15 weeks ( 3.5 to 4 months)
• Fruiting around 17 to 18 weeks
• Harvest ready fruits, 6 months
• Fashionable lifestyle prized as an Ornamental Edibles Plant

 

 

GERMINATION Method 

We sowed the seeds on May 18 at 10.50 am and the first sprouts were spotted on May 22, 2019. 

They were very small and fragile and took more than a week to stabilize.

 

 

Germination rate was about 60%. although more seeds germinated over the next few days.

 

 

GROWING OBSERVATIONS

We will be growing in liquid and soil base to track how they grow in our tropical climate.

 

 

Seedlings were very delicate and need prior knowledge of planting strawberries to handle this variety.

Otherwise, they die very easily.

In addition, they were small and slow to grow, thus sharing similar characteristics as white strawberries varieties.

 

Slow to Grow

True leaf showed 1 week after seeds sprouted.

 

 

Hybrid leaves are thicker than heirloom strawberries.

 

 

Once the seedlings established in their medium, they grew taller.

 

 

 

Perhaps due to its hybrid nature, not all seedlings showed uniform colors.

Some stems were vividly red, others remained pale like white strawberries.

 

 

FLOWERS (LIQUID BASE)

Liquid-based plants entered the flowering stage at 2 months +.

 

 

Flowers can form in a cluster of four or by one.

They did not grow uniformly.

 

 

 

Fist flower bloom on August 7.

 

 

Flowers stamen are harder in texture during self-pollination compared to heirloom plants.

The first flush of flowers did not develop into fruits.

 

 

RUNNERS

There were restrained runners on the flowering part of the stem.

This was how they formed. Budding aerial runner’s roots peeked at the same time as flower buds.

 

 

 

As the flowers formed, so did the runner.

 

 

Aerial roots on the runner grew more pronounced.

 

 

Flowers continued to form on the runner.

Each stem may have a split level of runner and flowers set.

 

 

 

FRUITS – were very slow to form from the pollinated stage, about one month.

They started in light green to pink fruits without turning white flesh (heirloom Alpine varieties) first.

 

 

The fruits do not face downward compared to Alpine varieties.

 

 

 

FRUITS Comparison

Compared to white or red Alpine varieties, Toscana strawberries are bigger.

However, we still preferred the more flavorful small heirloom strawberries for their unique taste and scent intensity.

 

 

 

Soil-based

Growing difficulties in soil mirrored white strawberries’ data.

Unlike liquid-based plants, these seedlings remained colorless (no red stems) and frail.

 

 

Eventually, all the soil-based plants did not survive.

It is back to the drawing board for soil-based plants study.

Our second batch of seeds was sowed on September 15 at 11.20 am and germinated 5 days later.

 

 

Hydro seedlings began as well.

 

 

 

NOTES ON TOSCANA F1 STRAWBERRIES

Not heat tolerant.

Harder to grow in soil than liquid-based.

Pretty plant to keep but fruits are sour.