The best way to preserve the valuable varietal qualities of garden strawberries is to opt for vegetative propagation. Before planting a strawberry with a mustache, you need to study the reviews and recommendations of experienced gardeners in order to avoid possible mistakes. It is worth considering that some methods depend on climatic characteristics and the type of soil, so each has its own approach to growing garden strawberries.
How to plant strawberry mustache?
- Choose healthy large bushes for the selection of antennae, on which there are most of all large, even berries. Root out small stunted plants without hesitation, especially if there are few fruits on them or they are small and sick. Mark the bushes selected for further propagation immediately with a flag or stick.
- Experienced gardeners who know how to plant strawberry mustaches recommend starting a planting in late July - early August. Shoots transplanted before August – September will be better prepared for the upcoming wintering. In addition, cutting mustaches during flowering and fruiting increases the yield, since the plant directs all the forces to ripening berries.
- You will get the best strawberry bushes from the strongest shoots that extend directly from the mother bush. They are called "first order" outlets.
- When choosing a place for planting selected outlets, remember that the site should rest from strawberries, peppers, tomato, eggplant, potatoes, currants and raspberries for at least 2 years. Before planting strawberry mustaches, prepare the soil free of garlic, onions, dill, radishes, peas, lettuce, spinach or beans.
- Selected shoots are planted several pieces, but no more than 3 in one hole. A single mustache, landed alone, can die, and a large group of plants in one depression will be crowded. You can arrange the holes in a long bed, between them you must leave a sufficient distance - at least 70 cm. Before planting a strawberry mustache, it is recommended to apply organic and mineral fertilizers or compost, the proportions are selected depending on the soil.
- In order for the transplanted garden strawberries to take root well, you need to provide it with abundant watering and periodic cultivation.
- In September, the novosadka must be prepared for wintering, covered with sawdust or covering material, which also helps to save moisture, which is important for poor watering.
In the spring, you need to take care of a young bed of strawberries:
- Cut last year's sluggish leaves, fertilize the soil with ash, loosen.
- Mulch. You can use sawdust as mulch, or you can specially grow siderates, the best of which for garden strawberries are mustard, sorghum, and phacelia. These plants, when they are cut in the phase of setting buds during heavy irrigation, enrich the soil, turning it into humus.
- Carefully study the bushes grown on a young garden, remove weak plants. Such selection will allow in the future to increase productivity.
Summarize your experience, learn how to plant strawberry mustache in order to develop your own individual approach and achieve the maximum yield.