Almost all gardeners grow strawberries on their site. And each of them faced the difficulties of this process. Weeds, rotten berries, pests and other troubles spoil the overall impression of the harvest. How to avoid this and ease your work? The way out of this situation is to plant strawberries under black covering material. Advanced gardeners have been using this method for a long time and get a good result. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this method of growing in this article.
Features of growing strawberries
What do gardeners face in the process of growing this berry? First of all, these are weeds. They grow throughout the agrotechnical period and interfere with the growth of strawberries.
The second difficulty is the mustache. They grow constantly, there are a lot of them, and it is very difficult to track the growth of strawberries.
At the same time, the following problem arises - this is the complication of harvesting. Strawberries overgrow, berries become small, and picking them is problematic. Can be used for planting new beardless varieties, but their taste is far from ideal.
And finally, the last problem is pests. These are mainly slugs that spoil not only the crop, damaging the largest and ripe berries, but also bushes. Using chemicals to control pests is not entirely advisable. Berries in the process of ripening can accumulate harmful substances and become unfit for human consumption. Planting strawberries under black cover material almost completely eliminates all these problems.
Benefits of the new method
What is the advantage of such a landing? The first is the lack of weeds. They can not break through the film, they do not have enough light, and this depresses them. They do not grow so abundantly and make their way only in places cut for planting. But this drawback is easy to handle.
The second advantage is sufficient soil moisture. Moisture is retained under the covering material, which is especially important during dry periods. Strawberries do not require frequent watering, in contrast to growing in open ground.
Thirdly, berries always remain clean. They do not come into contact with the earth, do not rot and have no disease. Harvesting becomes convenient, and the quality of the berries improves.
Well, the last advantage is the seamless removal of the mustache. They are located on top of the covering material and do not have the ability to take root. Strawberries do not grow uncontrollably, and cutting the antennae located on the surface is very simple.
disadvantages
Planting strawberries under cover material has its drawback. He is the only and not so significant. Watering strawberries becomes difficult. Of course, you can pour water under each bush into the slot for planting, but with large areas it is a very time-consuming process. But there is a way out.
This is drip irrigation. Such a system will require certain costs, but subsequently more than will pay off. Such an innovation has even its advantages. The drip irrigation system significantly saves water and energy. Therefore, planting strawberries under black covering material in combination with new care methods gives tangible results.
Optimal landing time
When is it better to plant strawberries? This berry takes root well in any warm time. Some people prefer to buy seedlings with berries to be sure of the result. But it is preferable to plant strawberries under black cover material in the fall. For starters, you can allocate a small area for a new planting method, gradually increasing it. Planting strawberries under black covering material in the spring also takes place. The choice of season depends on personal preferences and previous experience. The main thing is to choose good seedlings and high-quality covering material.
Seedling for planting
What strawberry bushes are best for planting? Planting strawberries under black covering material has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. Usually such a bed is made not for one year, but for 3-4. That is how much time it is recommended to grow this berry in one place. Therefore, for planting, it is better to take young seedlings that will begin to bear fruit in the first year of planting and will increase yields every year.
Varieties of strawberries, you can choose any. It depends on personal preferences, taste and other conditions. When buying, you need to pay attention not only to the age of the seedlings, but also to their appearance. They should not have visible signs of disease and damage. The root system, even in young shoots, must be well developed. Well, the rest you have to rely only on your taste.
Necessary materials
Planting strawberries under cover material in the fall or spring is a simple matter. The main thing is to stock up with the necessary tools and materials. In addition to the most important component, strawberry seedlings, you will also need agrofibre or black mulching fabric. It has many names ("Agrotex", "Spanbond") and is sold in specialized stores, which are in sufficient quantity in any city. Therefore, there will be no problems with the purchase of such material.
A sharp knife or scissors will also be needed for cutting holes for planting strawberries. Stock up with thick wire to secure the material. At the edges you can use heavy objects in the form of cobblestones or other similar objects. From garden materials you need to prepare a shovel. This is all that is needed to organize a convenient bed for planting strawberries according to a new technique.
Choose a place to land
Properly chosen landing site is the key to future success. Strawberries love the sun and warm. In this case, the berries ripen well, do not rot and gain sufficient sweetness (although this sometimes depends on the variety). Therefore, planting strawberries under cover material in spring or at other times should be carried out in sunny areas. Wind and drafts do not play a big role, because their strawberries are not afraid. The main condition is the sun. An important role is played by the quality of the soil, but this deficiency can be corrected by adding organic or mineral fertilizers. When marking the beds, it is necessary to take into account the size of the fiber, which is usually 1.5 or 3.2 meters.
Soil preparation
We start by digging the soil and do it especially carefully, as it will not be available in the coming years. If the nutritional indicators of the soil are low, then they need to be improved. To do this, make for each square meter a bucket of compost or manure and 1.5 cups of wood ash. This stage can be carried out before digging or re-embed nutrients in the soil.
Manure and ash will also replace conventional complex mineral fertilizers, which must be applied according to the instructions. Then we make beds. For planting strawberries form earthen hills on which it will grow better. Now the bed is ready, and you can spread the covering material.
We spread the covering material
The density of the covering material may be different. If you expect to use it for about 3 years, then it should be at least 50 microns. According to reviews by gardeners who have already tried this method, a covering material with a density of 100 microns is more reliable. It prevents weeds from germinating and serves as good protection all the time of use (3-4 years). If the width of the covering material is 1.6 m, then we form one bed about 100 cm wide. Then the edges of the agrofibre can be dug up or fixed. On top of the finished beds we spread the covering material and securely fasten the edges. There are several options here.
The first is pinning the material to the ground with wire studs using squares of denser linoleum or plastic. The second is clamping with wooden planks of material in narrow grooves in the ground. In the third option, you can press the agrofibre to the ground, wrapping it around a heavy pipe or wooden beam. The fourth option is digging with the ground. And finally, you can cover the bed with strawberries with bricks or stones. Using any of these methods, we fix the material around the perimeter. If you have to join the agrofibre strips, then at the joints they should be at least 20 centimeters on top of each other. Now the bed is ready for planting strawberry seedlings.
Landing
There is nothing complicated in this process. First you need to make markup in chalk. We put crosses in the strawberry planting places, not forgetting to leave room for paths that are useful when harvesting. Planting strawberries under black covering material (the process photo you will find in this article) is a fairly simple matter. In marked places we make a cruciform incision. We bend its edges outward. Then we plant a strawberry seedling in the hole and bend the edges of the covering material inward. So we plant all the available seedlings. The planting density depends on the variety, but at least 20 centimeters should be left between the bushes. You can place seedlings in a checkerboard pattern. The main thing is to remember that strawberries do not like deep planting. The outlet of plants should not be buried in the ground. Immediately after planting, you need to water each seedling. Then you can carry out a drip irrigation system, which will facilitate this process. Planting strawberries under black covering material in September is carried out by seedlings of the current year. Next year they will give the first harvest.
Bed Care
The bed with strawberries does not require special care. It is necessary to regularly water the bushes. Especially in hot weather (2-3 times a week). Transplanting strawberries is not necessary for several years. But fertilizing the bed is simply necessary. For this, it is better to use liquid preparations. After fruiting, we cut leaves and antennae from strawberries. Thanks to the covering material, this will be easy to do. We leave only 2-3 young leaves. In spring, you must also prune old leaves. Some novice gardeners mistakenly assume that after fruiting, strawberries do not require care. This is not true. During this period, the bulk of agricultural work begins. This is pruning leaves and mustaches, watering and mandatory fertilizer. It is necessary to help strawberries accumulate strength for wintering and new crops.
Reviews
Planting strawberries under black cover material, reviews of which are only positive, is considered an innovative method. In some countries, this method has been successfully used for over a decade. Gardeners testify that covering material will not only help to preserve the crop, but will also make the growing process less time-consuming.