When gardening, we do not ignore a variety of berries. A large selection of various varieties and denominations leads to the fact that a third of the entire plot is occupied by berries. But today we’ll talk about how to grow strawberries without chemistry.
Pleasant memories of the sweet taste and strong aroma of this royal berry are familiar to everyone from early childhood. On any garden site you can find several beds with different varieties. But not every gardener knows how to grow strawberries properly. I am a supporter of the natural restoration of the land, so I long ago refused to use a variety of chemical fertilizers on my site. But this did not affect the yield or quality of the berries.
For several years I used all the information received and tried various methods of growing, fertilizing and treating plants. This gave me the necessary practical experience and helped me choose the most suitable method. Now you can tell how to grow strawberries at a lower cost and a larger crop.
Let's start with the preparation of the soil. We need four beds, which should be filled with a loose, fertile mixture of garden or forest land, peat and manure. Why exactly four? To track the correct turnover and replacement of bushes. We plant seedlings in the spring, after warming the soil by 15-20 centimeters. If the site is flooded with water, then high or multi-level beds become an excellent option. They warm up faster and do not let the bushes get wet. This leads to early flowering and increased yield.
How to grow strawberries from your seedlings? This question excites many gardeners. During the previous summer, mark the bushes with the largest and most delicious berries. To do this, just stick sticks beacons next to them. Next spring we take seedlings from them. The first two bushes on each mustache have the best qualities and a strong root system. We dig them out of the garden, cut off our mustaches and with a lump of earth we transfer them to a new place. We try to disturb the roots as little as possible.
We plant strawberries in two rows, along the edges of the beds. In the center we plant peppermint, garlic or calendula. They will help us protect plantings from pests and attract bees to pollinate flowers. Between the plants leave about 20 centimeters. Do not thicken your landing, wanting to save space. This will not lead to a large crop, but to the emergence of various diseases.
We dig a hole of the required depth, water it and carefully plant the seedlings, sprinkling them with earth. We monitor the location of the buds near the bush. It should be flush with the bed level. Equally poorly, the plant will respond to the deepening or elevation of the bush over the garden. In the first case, the kidney will get wet, and in the second, the roots of the plant will dry. After planting, water the bed from the watering can with warm water and mulch the crushed eggshell and pine needles.
During the summer, we feed strawberries several times with infusion of herbs. To prepare it, we collect nettles, mint, burdock, onion husks and other herbs. Fill the barrel with water. We put the grass in the net and lower it into the water. Close the barrel with a lid. The infusion is prepared for several days, after which it can be used to feed plants. Water under the root. The composition of the infusion provides a complete top - dressing of strawberries with all useful substances. The strong smell of calendula, mint and lemon balm repels pests, but attracts bees. A layer of mulch protects against the appearance of slugs, and a loose fit allows for good ventilation and protects from gray rot.
How to grow strawberries and change old bushes for new planting in time? To do this, it is enough to use a system of four beds. On the first is a young seedling of the first year. On the second and third beds - the main planting of strawberries, giving the maximum yield of the second and third year. On the fourth bed are bushes, from which we take new seedlings. They give good and tasty berries, but in smaller quantities.
Depending on weather conditions, we regulate strawberry watering during the summer period, almost completely stopping it after fruiting. At the end of August, cut off the old leaves and remove them from the garden. In mid-September, we mulch the bushes with peat, a layer of 2-3 centimeters, and cover with fir branches.
Like many gardeners, I was worried about the question of how to grow strawberries at home. But after trying several years in a row to get berries in the winter, I decided to abandon this venture. Having transplanted the repairing varieties into flower pots with nutritious soil in July and installing them at home in late August, we were able to enjoy berries until the end of October. After that, the bushes could be grown as ordinary houseplants and planted in open ground next spring. But since you need free space for a large number of seedlings, and many flowers have to be removed from the window sills, there was no place for strawberries.