Planting Times and Taste Characteristics of Toyonoka Strawberries and Xiangshui Strawberries
In Dahu, Miaoli, before 2010, almost every strawberry farm grew the "Toyonoka variety," which is the Toyonoka strawberry that visitors refer to when they say "I want that old-time flavor," with flesh that carries a milky aroma. The new strawberry variety Lianxiang is also a very good variety, but
In Dahu, Miaoli, before 2010, almost every strawberry farm grew the "Toyonoka variety," which is the Toyonoka strawberry that visitors refer to when they say "I want that old-time flavor," with flesh that carries a milky aroma.The new strawberry variety Lianxiang is also a very good variety, but what we are introducing today are the characteristics of two varieties: [Toyonoka] and [Xiangshui]!
Usually strawberry seedlings are planted around the Mid-Autumn Festival (mid-to-late September on the Gregorian calendar), and harvesting begins around mid-November. Over the past five or six years, autumn temperatures have risen year after year, and the mortality rate of Toyonoka strawberry seedlings has soared dramatically. The most extreme case was planting 10,000 strawberry seedlings and having 8,000 die!
Each year the number of Toyonoka variety seedlings raised is about several million, a fixed quantity, distributed to various places in Taiwan, China. When berry farmers encounter the predicament of "planting 10,000 and having 8,000 die," no amount of money can buy new seedlings to replant.
Strawberry seedlings have soared from 3-5 yuan per plant more than a decade ago to 12-15 yuan per plant now, greatly raising berry farmers' costs. For example, one fen of land (about the size of a playground) can plant 4,500 strawberry seedlings. In the past, perhaps only 13,500 yuan worth of seedlings was needed to fill it, but now the strawberry seedlings for one fen of land cost 67,500 yuan! This is also the main reason why more than a decade ago strawberries cost at most 180 per jin when most expensive, while now they easily cost three or four hundred yuan.
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If the strawberry seedlings could just survive, that would be one thing, but unfortunately, affected by climate warming, there are many cases where berry farmers had to replant seedlings a second time or a third time before succeeding. The seventy-year-old proprietress of Ruiyang Strawberry Farm said: "This year we replanted over four hundred thousand worth of seedlings (the planting area is large), and it is still hard to say whether the costs can be recovered!"
Just when berry farmers were facing one problem after another with Toyonoka variety strawberry seedlings, Xiangshui strawberry seedlings appeared at the right time. Xiangshui strawberry seedlings have a low mortality rate and are easier to grow successfully. The fruit is larger and heavier than Toyonoka, with gorgeous color. The only drawback is that they are afraid of rain; rain easily causes the fruit to crack and also makes it bland and tasteless.
Fortunately, this year (2017) the weather cooperated very well, with sunny days every day from New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival. The owner of Liuhe Strawberry Farm said: "Whether Xiangshui strawberries are sweet or not depends on whether the berry farmer is willing to spend heavily, starting with fertilization. When visitors come to the strawberry farm, we usually first tell them that there are two varieties, [Toyonoka] and [Xiangshui], and let the visitors choose which one they want to pick."
Based on my actual experience eating strawberries from many strawberry farms, the tastes are roughly as follows:
[Toyonoka Strawberry] The flesh is delicate and melts in the mouth, and the fruit's interior has a rich milky aroma that makes you want one bite after another!
[Xiangshui Strawberry] The berries are huge and gorgeous in appearance, the flesh is crisp and chewy, and the sweetness is quite good. Cake makers like to use them the most.
Because everyone's senses are different, some people like Toyonoka and some people like Xiangshui. Whether it tastes good or not, you will know after experiencing it yourself in person.
