Quite often, the population is interested in how to find out if an apartment has been privatized or ...
Growing strawberries in the country has long become a tradition. The development of a new territory near the house usually begins with the planning and distribution of the best sites among your favorite crops.
According to all the rules, strawberries are given the sunniest place.. Even a slight shadow does not affect better side on the fruiting of garden large-fruited strawberries, or strawberries - as they used to call it.
It may seem strange, but strawberry is an evergreen plant, it does not have a dormant period. Growth continues under the snow, but not as fast as in spring.
Practically, strawberries can be planted at any time of the year - the bush will not die.
This can be argued in two cases:
- it is urgently necessary to determine the seedlings in the garden;
- there was an opportunity to develop a new area.
Planted at the wrong time, strawberries will surely survive. It may even bloom and produce berries. But their quality and quantity will make you doubt either the planted variety or your talent as a gardener.
It must be remembered: the harvest of garden strawberries directly depends on the number of planted flower buds that develop in the autumn-winter period.
Their number is associated with the overall development of the bush, the state of the roots and good nutrition in the second half of the year.
Spring planted strawberries will take full advantage of the supply of melt water and form a powerful plant by August, but flower buds (even if they were) will give few berries. All the forces of the plant were directed to acclimatization in a new place.
positive moment- a powerful Victoria bush with large leaves synthesizes a lot of nutrients over the summer. These sugars are not only deposited in the false stem (the so-called "horns"), but also allow the plant to form fruit buds. In other words, you are laying the harvest for next year.
Strawberries can be planted at any time - in autumn or spring - the bush will take root and even give berries
In the second half of summer, strawberries usually have time to form mustaches with rosettes of new plants - high quality planting material.
Usually, the first two sockets are used to propagate the variety.- they give the strongest and most productive strawberry bushes. Extreme rosettes can also be planted, but they lag behind in growth.
Such planting material is used only with a lack of seedlings, they require more careful care and increased attention after transplantation.
Advantages and disadvantages of planting in August and autumn
Important benefits for autumn:
- availability of high-quality planting material;
- usually at the end of summer, part of the beds is vacated;
- strawberry seedlings have time to take root well in a new place.
Autumn planting of berry bushes has a drawback. The end of summer in continental climates is usually dry and hot. In order for the planted plant to take root normally, it is necessary to control the situation.
Until clearly new leaves grow, the strawberries have not yet taken root. The entire period of time before this requires careful care (this is about two weeks):
- watering(only deep, otherwise the roots will remain on the surface, and the bush will constantly suffer from a lack of water);
- row spacing loosening(it is necessary not only to save water, but also to deliver oxygen to the growing roots).
Choosing a Good Place to Grow
First of all, you need to prepare a bed to plant strawberries:
- Considering that her root system penetrates a maximum of 20-25 centimeters, the area must be dug up on a shovel bayonet.
- It is very important to remove the rhizomes of perennial weeds as much as possible.
- If the site is damp, it is better to organize immediately " high beds” or at least plant on the ridges.
For landing, you must choose the evening or cloudy day. You can, of course, shade the plantings with agrofiber or something else.
These preparatory operations for laying strawberry beds will save you from "extra" work for at least two or three seasons.
Strawberries are best planted in narrow strips oriented "south-north"- with this arrangement of plants, the illumination by the sun occurs evenly throughout the day.
If your site is located on a slope, then the rows should be placed only along the slope (no transverse rows - the first downpour will wash away your plantings).
Shrubs are best planted and transplanted at a distance of about 25 centimeters. If the seedlings are weak, two seedlings can be planted in one hole.
Master class on planting strawberries (strawberries) in the fall:
How and where to plant seedlings: stages, timing and more
The most important thing is to plant the bushes so that they grow as quickly as possible. Then, by winter, they will still have time not only to set aside a supply of nutrients, but also to lay flower buds for the next season.
Nothing will work if the strawberry bush is planted deep or, conversely, too high. Such bushes will lag significantly behind in development and, most likely, will not bloom.
In a properly planted bush, the roots should be covered with earth flush with the growth bud.
Seedling preparation
Most often, purchased seedlings go a long way until they get to the garden. Before landing, you need to reanimate them.- put in water to restore the condition of the roots.
You can add root stimulants to the water:
- preparations such as heteroauxin, "Kornevin", succinic acid;
- a teaspoon of honey;
- crushed aloe leaf.
For better survival leave only 2-3 leaves on the bush. Here, the manifestation of pity is unjustified - through the surface of the leaf, the plant only loses water, which the roots are not yet able to deliver to the bush.
These seedlings will take root with big problems and get sick for a long time.
Roots should also not be too long.. If they are shortened to 5-6 cm, they will even recover faster. Young roots contribute to the growth of the bush and its accelerated development.
Location selection
Strawberries can grow almost on sand and clay, they are not afraid of drought and can pare the wetting of the roots, but in the shade of normal berries you will not wait.
If the first three problems can be practically solved, then garden strawberries planted in the shade will delight you first with powerful bushes with huge leaves, and then with a small number of very sour berries (also larger than usual), subject to all kinds of rot.
We choose only a sunny place - in middle lane even light penumbra is unacceptable.
Garden strawberries have the most formidable enemy - the larva of the May beetle. Gardeners themselves often provoke its appearance on the site. Out of good intentions, in the struggle for an eco-friendly berry, the beds are uncontrollably fertilized with humus.
During the spring summer, the females of the Maybug lay their eggs directly in the fertilized beds. And the larva lives in the ground up to 4 years of age and is able to gnaw through the root of a 5-year-old apple tree, not like strawberry.
When preparing the soil for garden strawberries, it is necessary to take this into account - chemicals against larvae are ineffective, since they live in a layer of earth up to 1 meter.
It must be remembered that the strawberry garden will still have to winter. Whoever does not want to cover strawberries for the winter should take care of this in advance.
The best frost protection is snow. Without shelter, strawberry bushes survive without damage -20 degrees and short-term drops to -25-30 degrees below zero (depending on the variety).
Snow cover even 15-20 centimeters can reliably cover a strawberry garden even from frost -30-35 degrees. Everyone knows where a stable snow cover usually falls in winter. That's where strawberries should grow.
You can plant!
If fertilizers were not previously applied to the garden, it is better to carry out all top dressing after, when the seedlings are already growing.
Wood ash can be added under the root - garden strawberries love it very much, and phosphorus and potassium contribute to the development of the root system.
If you do not dig holes for each seedling, you can organize the work so that up to 200 strawberry bushes can be planted in a maximum of an hour.
- Mark rows with laces on pegs.
- According to the marking, draw grooves with a depth of about 10-15 centimeters.
- Spill rows with water.
- If there is ash - sprinkle in rows.
- Spread the seedlings at a distance of about 25 centimeters from each other.
- Sprinkle the roots of the seedlings up to half with earth.
- Water these half-buried roots.
- Fill the groove with dry earth up to the outlet.
Everything - the bed is ready. After such a planting, you can not water for 2-3 days. Dry soil will act as mulch.
When planting strawberries under the root, you can add wood ash - strawberries love it very much Care after transplanting and harvesting
The transplanted and fertile strawberries (after picking berries) have only one thing in common - these bushes need "restoration of shape". To do this, foliar feeding is carried out with complex fertilizer for berry growers.
The most effective are modern water-soluble fertilizers based on chelates of various micro- and macroelements.
Their advantage over root nutrition is that the substances are absorbed by the leaves after a couple of hours and quickly begin to act.
However, transplanted strawberries need not only potassium and phosphorus supplements. She needs to have time to maximize the mass of the bush in order to stock up on nutrients from photosynthesis products for the winter.
Nitrogen supplements after September strawberries won't do any good. The entry of phosphorus into the composition of autumn dressings is vital - the development of the root system depends on its presence.
Watering and fertilizing strawberries:
How to transplant?
If you need to transplant garden strawberries within the same area, this can be done completely without harm to plants:
- The day before, it is necessary to carry out high-quality watering (if the earth is very dry) in order to damage the root system less.
- On a new bed, dig a groove into the bayonet of a shovel deep.
- Spill with water, you can add fertilizer if necessary.
- With a shovel, cut out clods of earth with strawberry bushes (the more, the better).
- Immediately rearrange these bushes with the ground to a prepared place.
- Water and level the ground.
Bushes transplanted in this way will not lag behind in development.
In order not to worry about the winter hardiness of strawberry beds, around September, you can feed it with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (and not only transplanted bushes!).
Supporters organic farming can do even easier: as a fertilizer, scatter wood ash directly over the plants.
Ash overdose is impossible in addition, the ash repels ticks and others. And rain and snow will bring the solution into the soil.
Instead of a conclusion
Contrary to popular belief, look after garden strawberries not so difficult. The main thing is to choose a zoned variety and a suitable place for the garden.
There are simple rules:
- break the bed only in a sunny place;
- in winter, snow should lie on the garden bed with a layer of 20 centimeters or more;
- the distance between rows is not less than 70 centimeters;
- apply organic fertilizers moderately;
- where possible, use mulch (at a minimum, loosen the ground);
- phosphorus-potassium supplements (they are more important than nitrogen ones for berry growers);
- watering only deep (excluding the fruiting period).
It must always be remembered that A healthy plant will take care of itself.. But this health must be ensured by proper fit.
Autumn planting of strawberries is carried out from late July to early September. This period is considered the most favorable for planting. Gardeners already have enough seedlings and there is free time for landing.
Preparing the soil for planting is a mandatory step in organizing strawberries. The further development of strawberries depends on its quality and the presence of nutrients. When fulfilling the requirements for the soil, you can get good harvest berries next year.
Site selection
For strawberry bushes, well-lit places are ideal, where beans, beets, carrots, lettuce, garlic, radishes, celery, dill grew before. But in areas after pepper and potatoes, cabbage and eggplant, planting strawberries is not recommended.
Any type of soil can be suitable for this crop, except for wetlands. A slightly larger yield and large berries grow on loam, black soil, sandy loam soils. An ideal harvest can be obtained even on heavy soils by adding peat, humus, manure or ash. It is desirable that the soil has an acidity in the range of 5.5-6.5 pH.
Planting strawberries in autumn - soil preparation, fertilizers
Not later than a month before planting, you must prepare the soil. During this period, the earth, as they say, will “settle down” - the roots of young plants will not be exposed later. Strawberries are considered quite unpretentious culture, but, like any plant, she loves fertile soil, has its "whims". For example, she does not like sandy, peaty, clay and sod-podzolic soil. Under such conditions, the yield of strawberries is significantly reduced, and on marshy soil, it refuses to grow at all. It should be borne in mind that even on ideal soil for it, replanting once every three years should be mandatory. by the most the best choice will become chernozem, loam, sandy loam.
Preparing the soil for strawberries when planting in the fall consists in improving its composition, introducing useful components to increase fertility, and improve aeration. It also gives good results by pre-sowing mustard or lupins in the place where strawberries will be planted later. With the advent of spring, these green manures will need to be cut, slightly crushed and mixed with the top layer of soil. This technique allows you to saturate the soil with nitrogen, improve its structure. Strawberries will grow well where legumes (peas or beans), broccoli or cauliflower, dill, parsley and other herbs. If the site previously grew tomatoes or cucumbers, as well as potatoes, then strawberries may not like it.
Pre-planting green manure helps summer residents save on top dressing, but does not completely exclude them. If the earth was previously qualitatively saturated with potassium-phosphorus, organic additives, then fertilizer for strawberries when planting in the fall can not be applied. Moreover, the bushes will not need additional feeding for the first couple of years. Well, if green manure used to grow in this place, and fertilizers were used to improve their growth, such an environment would be ideal for growing strawberries.
If no preliminary work with the earth has been carried out, then it is recommended to add 7-8 kg of humus per 1 square meter. You can also add humus (chatter) diluted in water right during the planting of the bushes - it is poured directly into the beds. This culture loves compost, biohumus, wood ash (the key to good growth).
Preparing a bed for planting strawberries in the fall does not include the application of nitrogen-containing dressings, as they reduce the immunity of plants in anticipation of cold weather and frost. The optimal level of soil acidity should be 5-6.5 pH, but not lower. Otherwise, the earth will have to be limed. If you have an increased acidity of the soil on your site, then lime is best done a couple of years before the proposed planting of strawberries.
As for groundwater, it is important that their level does not exceed at least 80 cm to the surface layer of the earth. Pests are also very fond of eating strawberries: strawberry nematodes, beetle, wireworm, Colorado potato beetle are the most common gourmets. If, when digging or cultivating the soil, you find their larvae, then be sure to treat the soil with ammonia diluted in water (10-15 ml per 10 liters of water).
fertilizers
A very important component of soil preparation for planting strawberries. Just do not try to provide power for the entire period of intended operation. Because the root system does not know how to calculate exactly when it needs a certain microelement. She will strive to absorb all the nutrients at once. Therefore, with excessive filling of the soil, there is a high risk of getting powerful lush strawberry bushes, but with poor flowering and tiny berries.
We will not give here the exact proportions of any mineral complexes. because even through the fence there is a completely different soil. Let's just write what supposedly needs to be added to the soil before planting:
Oily sod compost. It can be prepared in just 1.5-2 months. To do this, layers of sod are laid in piles, watered abundantly and covered with a film. After about 55-60 days, you can sift the mass and lay it in the beds.
Minerals. There is no need for chemistry here. Urea, azofoska, nitrophoska will be required at first. In the presence of these fertilizers, green mass grows and develops beautifully. In the second year of growth, it will be possible to introduce potash and phosphate complexes. They are the ones responsible for lush bloom and abundant fruit.
Lime, chalk, dolomite flour. These additives will be required if the soil in the garden is highly acidic. Just don't bring eggshell. No doubt, it improves the structure of the soil, but the acidity remains at the same level. Better replace it with a generous portion of ash. There will be more benefits.
By the way, organic fertilizers are best applied to the soil in autumn or early spring. And mineral complexes are added 10-11 days before planting. This is if you are going to plant strawberries in August.
At spring planting the mineral water application schedule remains the same, but organic matter is applied strictly only before winter.
The variety and quality of seedlings is the key to a rich harvest when planting strawberries
Buy seedlings only from trusted manufacturers. At the same time, you should not chase quantity - it is better to buy less, and then breed. Some varieties that have reached 2 years old are propagated by dividing the bush. For example, repair beardless strawberries in the spring they dig up and divide its rhizome into several separate bushes.
You can grow seedlings yourself or buy. Plants with bare roots, which are sold with little to no soil, take root worse than those grown in containers with soil. But if you plant seedlings in the spring, you can do without containers, as the plants have time to take root before winter.
Most promising varieties for year-round berry picking - remontant. Due a large number horns and large leaves, they form faster than other plants. So, the harvest of the Everest variety at proper fit and care can be collected twice a year - in mid-summer and autumn.
Varieties should be selected taking into account regional conditions, in particular climatic and soil conditions.
Between breeding and local varieties, it is better to give preference to the latter. Early, middle and mid-late varieties can be combined with each other.
The unpretentious strawberry berry grows well in almost any soil. But if you want to get a rich harvest of this marvelous berry every year, you need to not only choose the right variety, competently care for berry culture, but also to prepare the soil for its planting. What should be the soil for strawberries? Is it true that it needs to be prepared in the fall?
Experts do not advise planting strawberries on clay and sandy soils. The soil, in which there is a lot of clay, does not conduct air and water well, it quickly freezes. A hard crust often forms on its surface after precipitation. The growth of a berry crop slows down, due to a lack of oxygen, it may die.
And the sandy earth is too crumbly, it dries quickly, all useful elements are easily removed from it. In such soil, the roots of strawberries dry up.
The optimal soil for strawberries is loam. It contains sand, but not much of it. This earth passes moisture well, it is breathable, loose. Warms up well in the sun.
In sandy soil, strawberries will also do well. A crust does not form on its surface. The soil easily passes oxygen, dries quickly.
If you plant strawberries in peat-rich soil, nothing good will come of it. It has too few useful substances, although it conducts air and moisture well.
It is very important to pay attention not only to the composition of the earth, but also to its acidity. Alkaline and acidic environment - not for strawberries. Ideally, if the device shows that the PH is not lower than 5.5. A slightly acidic and neutral environment is ideal for planting garden strawberries.
lime soil is not the best option for strawberries, it quickly warms up, dries out. Nutrients washed out with water. And there is too much alkali in such soil. After watering, a hard crust forms on the surface, preventing the passage of air.
Soddy-podzolic land is famous for its ability to accumulate humus. In an acidic environment, it becomes inaccessible to plants. The permeability of such soil is very low.
How to Improve Soil Condition for Strawberries
Unfortunately, completely replace the soil with personal plot very problematic. Therefore, gardeners have to be content with the land that already exists, improving its properties with improvised means. What soil preparation for strawberries should be carried out?
Soil improvement with fertilizers
- If the soil is loamy, it is necessary to apply organic and mineral fertilizers to it every year.
- To make clay soil looser, sand is added. To improve the structure, it is recommended to add ash to the soil annually. Finely crushed brick has the same properties. Suitable for this purpose and supercomposts. Planting green manure will help fill the soil with useful substances and prevent them from being washed out.
- Organic fertilizers will help increase water holding capacity if the soil is sandy. And do not ignore the introduction of mineral dressings into such a land. They are quickly washed out, so you need to plant green manure and add a little white clay to the ground when planting, this will delay the washout.
- In soddy-podzolic soil, acidity should be reduced. Do this with the help of liming. NPK fertilizers help. And be sure to carry out deep digging to exclude the accumulation of the podzolic layer.
- Loamy soil, as well as potash fertilizers and organic matter, must be regularly applied to calcareous soil for digging. And this soil does not need calcium, you need to be careful when applying complex fertilizers. To prevent the formation of a crust on the surface, mulching is used. Regular sideration will promote the development of beneficial microflora, as well as increase moisture capacity.
- When preparing acidic soil for strawberries in the fall, you need to add dolomite flour. Liming will help. Some gardeners make do with wood ash.
Soil improvement with green manure plants
The soil for planting strawberries can be improved by planting green manure. Plants will increase the water permeability of the soil, make it light, loose, and the amount of humic substances in it will increase.
You can sow green manure:
- When preparing the soil for strawberries in the fall.
- In early June, carefully considering future plantings.
- Immediately after the snow melts in the spring.
Which green manure is better to use depends on the type of soil.
- Alfalfa, spring rapeseed, buckwheat are suitable for heavy clay soils. Plants will be able to increase the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in it, deeply loosen the earth.
- Rye, lupine, sweet clover are green manure crops to improve the condition of sandy soil. The soil after them becomes rich in nutrients, and these plants also do not allow weeds to grow.
- Phacelia, buckwheat, white mustard can be planted to enrich calcareous soil with organic compounds and reduce its alkali content.
- Barley, lupine are suitable for sod-podzolic soil. They improve its permeability, help to accumulate humus substances.
- Field peas, clover and phacelia help to reduce the acidity of the soil for planting strawberries.
Siderates are planted before planting strawberries, then they are mowed, but not at the root. And the remaining parts in the ground are dug up. You can plant strawberries between green manure.
Mulching will help the soil
Strawberry mulching begins in the spring, the second stage - before winter. This procedure helps to protect crops from weeds, the formation of crusts on the surface. Mulch helps retain moisture.
As a material for mulch, needles, sawdust, humus, straw or spunbond are suitable. First, the soil around the strawberry bushes is freed from weeds, then it is mulched with well-dried material.
Autumn soil preparation for strawberries
Strawberries can be planted both in autumn and in spring. But most gardeners prefer autumn planting, because in this case, in the summer, you can remove the first one, albeit not big harvest. How to prepare the soil?
Choosing a place for strawberries
First you need to choose a place where the ridges with strawberries will be located. This culture loves light, so it needs an open, sunny place, so that the berries ripen and pour under the summer sun, and the shadow does not interfere with ripening. If the area of \u200b\u200bthe garden allows, it is worth giving strawberries a southwestern plot.
For beds with a beautiful berry, neither the lowland nor the top of the slope is suitable. On a hill, the earth will quickly dry out, and from a lack of moisture, strawberry sockets will quickly wither and get sick. In the lowland, on the contrary, there is a lot of moisture, which will certainly affect the crop. The perfect place there will be a place where snow lies for a long time in winter to nourish the soil better, and where there are no winds in summer.
Important! Every three years, strawberries should "move" from their habitable beds. Otherwise, harmful bacteria and microorganisms will accumulate in the soil, due to which the plant will begin to wither.
Carrots or onions, garlic or green pea, dill. After these crops, strawberries will not get sick, will grow well, and will bring a good harvest of fragrant berries.
preparing the ground
Be sure to carry out autumn work before the onset of the first frost. For the middle half of the country, you need to focus on the second or third decade of September.
- The earth must be carefully dug up. Remove all debris, weeds with roots and stones. It is necessary to carefully inspect the ground for the presence of pests, beetles and their larvae.
- In the area where ground water lie very close to the surface, the bed needs to be slightly raised (at least 35 cm). If the groundwater is deep, 10 cm of raised beds is enough.
- Digging should be deep enough, 40 centimeters. The beds should be made wide, at least a meter.
- The site is carefully leveled, sprinkled with sand on top. In this form, the beds are left for several days. After that, fertilizers are applied, depending on the type of soil.
With such soil preparation for strawberries when planting in the fall, it is enough to loosen the ground again so that the fertilizers are distributed evenly. Strawberry bushes should be planted in cloudy weather in moist soil.
How to disinfect the soil for strawberries
The soil for planting strawberries may be contaminated. It hides larvae of various insects, spores of dangerous fungi, infections. At home, the soil is steamed, but it is difficult to do this on a large plot.
Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the following soil treatment. From the selected piece of land in the spring, it is necessary to cut out not completely thawed layers of earth about 10 cm thick. Then put them in a prepared hole (1x1 m) so that last layer turned upside down. It is good to shed the layers with warm water and cover with a film of polyethylene. At ground level, there should be small gaps for air access.
For two months, the earth should “burn” under the film. Inside, organic matter is decomposed by microorganisms. With an increase in temperature in the soil, all larvae, spores, and fungi die. Then the film is removed, and the earth is sifted to remove unburned residues. The soil is purified from pathogenic organisms, light, enriched with oxygen.
Strawberry growing tips: soil preparation, watering, planting and care
The most common berry crop in our gardens is strawberries. It also causes the most controversy because of the methods of breaking up plantations. I will give several ways to bookmark plantations.
Soil preparation
- Basically, the root system of strawberries is concentrated in the surface layer of the soil - up to 25-30 centimeters. That's why great importance has the fertility of the top layer of the earth. We improve it by introducing manure or compost for digging - up to 50 kg per 10 m2.
- We use legumes (peas) mixed with cereals (preferably rye) as earthen fertilizers. We sow them in the fall (winter) for digging in the spring. In the spring we sow spring crops for digging in the summer.
- If the site is well fertilized, no additional fertilizing, especially nitrogen, is required for planting. Fertilizing with nitrogen can even lead to a decrease in yield, although this will increase plant growth and the number of growing whiskers.
- An additional fertilizer for the second year of planting can be a garden mixture. It is not necessary to use a mixture with a richer composition of substances
Watering
Watering methods when growing tubers- Taking into account soil moisture, we water strawberries daily, as this plant is moisture-loving
- It is best to irrigate in furrows made along the rows, or by sprinkling
- In order for there to be enough moisture, 1.5-2 buckets of water per 1 m2 are required.
It is desirable that the water for irrigation be heated and rich in oxygen. To do this, leave it in an open container for some time before watering. - To protect the plantations from frost, we water in the late evening.
Growing strawberries: planting methods
We plant strawberries as early as possible, as soon as we manage to get the first seedlings, that is, in mid-July. A berry planted at this time will give a harvest the next year.
Single line landing method
Single line strawberry planting - With this method, the distance between rows is 70 cm, between plants in a row from 15 to 30 cm
- In the second half of summer, we move the mustache from the row spacing on the plantings of young strawberries into rows with a rake - this contributes to the expansion and thickening of the rows with the formation of a strip of plants up to 40 cm wide
- On the site of fruit-bearing strawberries, we remove the mustache as they appear
Two-line fit
Formation of strawberry plantation in 2 rows - The distance between the lines with such a landing is 30-40 cm, the next two lines are planted after 70 cm
- In waterlogged areas, strawberries should be grown in beds 15-20 cm high and 80-100 cm wide. On such beds we make two rows of plants at a distance of 40-50 cm
Planting with a solid carpet
How to plant strawberries with a solid carpet? - With this method, mother plants are planted after 1-1.2 m
- Newly growing plants fill the entire space
- On such plantations, we leave narrow paths for harvesting and caring for the berry plantation.
- This planting allows you to get a crop within 2 years.
- After that, we transplant the plantation
This method is in high demand. Why is he good? It allows you to get the largest yields of berries, but relatively small ones. However, a decrease in the size of the fruits does not affect their palatability and even improve them somewhat.
Even in the most lean years for strawberries, a good harvest always ripens.
The berry plant has to be transplanted more often, but high yield and the comparatively lesser amount of work to tend to the plantings justifies the labor involved in transplanting.
plant care
How to properly care for strawberries? - The most important work in the care of strawberries is weeding and here, planting in a solid carpet is in the best position. They are less clogged with perennial weeds, such as couch grass, large, because they are more often dug up.
At the very beginning of spring, before the appearance of green leaves, we carefully clean the plantation from dried leaves. We burn the rest of the plants.
Sprinkle the exposed roots of plants with earth, compressing it around the plants. - Early loosening of the soil causes rapid growth of strawberries, increases yield by 30-40%. But blooming early, strawberries can fall under late frosts. So with very early loosening, you will have to take care of covering the plantation with a film.
- If it is not possible to cover the entire surface, then on part of it, delay the development of plants by late loosening. This somewhat reduces the yield of berries, but prevents the plantation from late frosts.
In previous articles, we found out.
Strawberries are one of the favorites of most gardeners. Many strive to grow it, and who would not want to have strawberries own production? That is why many are interested in the question of how to properly grow this most useful and delicious berry in their garden. An indispensable condition for obtaining a bountiful harvest is proper preparation landing places. We will tell you how to prepare a bed for planting strawberries in the fall, what soil is suitable for the normal growth and development of a plant, and what time is best to plant a crop.
What can please the strawberry bush of any gardener is the number of ripe berries. To achieve this effect, planting seedlings in the fall is used. In other words, it is the autumn planting that, like nothing else, contributes to the yield in the first year of planting. Although remontant culture has a yield, this rule is suitable for all species.
In the spring, you can also plant plants, but there will be few berries. Plant strawberries in autumn or spring - decide for yourself. But autumn planting remains a priority. When is the best time to plant strawberries in the fall? Due to the thermophilic nature of the culture, the period from August 15 to September 15 is considered optimal. Why such a short period of time?
How to choose and buy strawberries for planting in the fall
To get healthy strawberry bushes that will grow well without disease and give a large harvest of sweet berries, you need to plant high-quality seedlings. How to choose the right material for planting? Experts recommend buying annual seedlings with a closed root system (in cups). They should have fibrous roots at least 5 cm long and no more than three well-developed leaves.
A good harvest is given by elite varieties of strawberries. It will be good if you purchase and plant such seedlings on your plot. Even for breeding this crop, gardeners use frigo-seedlings, which are carefully selected from the bushes of berries available in the garden, then dug out in late autumn and stored in bags with a small negative temperature. Inspect the seedlings, there should be no signs of disease on the leaves and stems
Choosing a place for planting strawberries in the fall
Preparing a bed for strawberries begins with choosing the best planting site. The plant does not tolerate excessive moisture, which must be taken into account when planting. If groundwater is close to the surface of the earth, the beds are made high so that water does not stagnate on them. It is equally important to provide the plant good lighting throughout the day. The lack of light will negatively affect the quality and quantity of the crop.
The best predecessors of strawberries are cereals, cereals and legumes. And at the place where potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers or cabbage are grown, it is impossible to plant a crop - the plant can become infected with various diseases.
Preparing soil for planting strawberries in the fall
Strawberries are quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil. It can grow on almost any soil, with the exception of sandstones. Loamy soils are considered the most favorable for cultivation. At the same time, the fertility of the soil increases the yield and improves the quality of the berries.
The acidity of the soil in the beds for strawberries should be medium, about 5-5.5 pH. If the indicator exceeds the specified limits, then the soil should be limed. To do this, it is necessary to add dolomite flour to the soil, slaked lime or cement dust. It is important to know that strawberries perceive fresh lime poorly: its roots slow down their growth. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare the land by liming in advance 1-2 years before planting strawberry bushes.
How to prepare a bed for autumn planting strawberries
- soil digging. This contributes to the fact that in winter it will be moistened with snow;
- thorough removal of weeds;
- exclusion of the location of the beds in the place where tomatoes, cabbage or potatoes were grown last season;
- compliance with the alternation of the location of strawberries - no more than 4 years in one place.
Fertilizers in the soil for growing strawberries should also be applied in advance:
- if it is supposed to plant strawberries in the spring, then you need to fertilize the soil in the fall;
- if planting is planned in August, then fertilizers are applied to the soil at the beginning of the summer season.
For normal growth and fruiting, strawberries need a whole complex of organic and mineral substances. Manure is applied while digging the soil. The volume of fertilizer should be 5-6 kg/m2. Superphosphate (50 g), potassium chloride (15 g) and ammonium sulfate (25 g) are sprinkled over the dug up soil and covered with a rake. The depth of digging for planting strawberries should be at least 20 cm.
Planting strawberries in autumn with seedlings
autumn planting may include planting "babies" sprouted from seeds. For this, the largest and most ripe berry is taken from a strong bush, and seeds are removed from it. Then they are placed in a shallow bowl with fertilized and moist soil. Sprinkle the same soil on top. We place the bowl with seeds in a plastic bag and put it in a dark place. When the seeds sprout, we put them in the sun and, watering them in a timely manner, we grow them until the autumn transplant in open ground. Immediately before planting strawberry seedlings, level and drip the prepared beds with a roller. This will allow you to accurately place the young strawberry bushes at the correct depth and ensure better establishment.
Planting strawberries in autumn with a mustache
Proper preparation of the beds for strawberries in the fall will be the key to getting its good harvest. What mustache from strawberries should be planted? If your goal is to grow good strawberry, you need to choose the right mustache. Mustaches need the strongest, growing from good quality bushes. The rest of the whiskers, which appear gradually on the bush, must be cut off so that they do not take strength from the mother bush.
Planting strawberries in autumn by dividing the bush
Let's try to deal with such a method as dividing a bush. The division of the bush is considered by some to be an emergency method of propagating strawberries. It is advisable to use it in such cases:
- When there are not enough seedlings to propagate strawberries in the garden.
- When strawberries have no or little mustache (for example, remontant strawberries).
At the end of the season, from one point of growth, a young plant has many points of growth. This large bush can be divided into many small ones. Select the roots that are the strongest and most solid. Leaves should not be affected. In order for the new bush to become stronger, it should be spudded. Only the growth point (heart) cannot be covered, otherwise the bush will die.
Covering strawberries after planting in autumn
Autumn care for strawberries includes preparing the plant for winter. The bushes of this crop are covered with straw, peat, compost, fallen leaves or corn stalks. These natural substances will not only keep plants from cold in winter, but also fertilize the soil. Special materials are also used as mulch for bushes - spunbond, lutrasil. Covered strawberries will be protected from frost and will give a good harvest next year. Further agrotechnical work with strawberries begins in April.
