Strawberries are a favorite berry of adults and children, and in order to please their taste and aroma as long as possible, you should know how to plant strawberries in the spring, what place to choose, how to fertilize and how much to water.
Selecting a site and soil for growing strawberries
For abundant growth and fruiting, strawberries are best planted in chernozem places, on dark gray forest soil, on sandy loamy and loamy soil, on small slopes on the southwest side. Slower strawberry growth and lower productivity are observed when the berries are planted on sod-podzolic soil, on clay and light gray soils in the lowland. The acidity of the land suitable for planting should be at a level of 5-6.5 pH, the level of groundwater should be at least 60 cm, and the soil temperature at a depth of 15-20 cm in winter should not fall below -8 ° C.
How to plant strawberries in the spring and which predecessors create the most favorable conditions in the soil for its growth? Well, if cereals grew on the plot before strawberries, the precursors of the nightshade family are less preferred. You should also know that strawberry bushes can not be planted in the same place where it grew before. You can plant strawberries in the same place only after 2-3 years, so the soil will be enriched with useful elements necessary for the full growth, flowering and ripening of berries.
How to plant strawberries in spring and autumn
Strawberry seedlings are preferably planted in early spring or early autumn. Autumn planting is carried out from August 10 to September 25. Before planting, you must definitely moisten the ground properly. A prolonged and later planting of the plant will lead to a significant decrease in the yield of berry bushes. There is an opinion that strawberries can be planted in the summer, from July to August, by the two-line planting method. However, this is more an exception than a rule, because in the southern part of Russia and Ukraine during the summer-autumn period there is a small amount of precipitation, and the temperature of the soil and air rises so much that no measures of humidification and shading will give the proper result. In this case, there is a high risk of wilting and death of plants.
Necessary measures before planting strawberries
A few days before planting, seedlings must be placed in a cool place. To prevent drying out and ensure easier survival of the plant immediately before planting, its roots are dipped in a clay mash. You need to plant seedlings in moist soil, it is important during the work to protect the container with young seedlings from direct sunlight. The root system of the planted bush should be 7-10 cm in length, if it is larger, then it can be cut to the required size. If after planting there is a possibility of the appearance of cold weather, then the seedlings need to be covered with a film.
How to plant strawberries in the spring? It is necessary to observe some features:
- Weed strawberries need to be thoroughly enough, as various weeds can interfere with its growth and flowering.
- Before planting, it is advisable to disinfect the soil with appropriate compounds.
- The beds on which plants of the nightshade family were previously grown are not suitable for the growth of strawberries.
- Strawberry mustache should be planted in moist soil, after holding them in a container of water.
- On peaty and sandy soil, rosettes of the plant are best rooted.
- When planning strawberry planting in early spring, the soil should be prepared in late summer.
The rules of how to plant strawberries, the photos below show clearly.
Soil care after planting
To prevent rapid dehydration of the soil and the formation of a crust at the site of plant irrigation, pour soil or humus. If the soil after planting seems compacted, it needs to be loosened, this is done so that the roots and the plants themselves receive enough moisture, nutrients and oxygen. With prolonged dry weather, you need to water the plants quite often, up to several times a day.
Choose seedlings
The root neck of good seedlings should be no more than 6 mm in diameter, and the root processes should be no more than 7 mm. Seedling bushes should have 3-5 leaves, juicy and elastic roots of white color. The selected seedlings should be placed in the soil as soon as possible, if this is not possible, then it should be buried with moist and loose earth and placed in a dark place, a cool cellar or basement. In this form, strawberry bushes can be stored for several days.
Preparing the soil for planting
Strawberry bushes and berries are an excellent treat for strawberry nematodes, wireworms, Colorado potato beetles and many other pests, so before planting, it is best to check the soil for their presence. If a large number of larvae are found, then an alkaloid lupine needs to be planted on the site, and the earth can also be treated with ammonia water for cleaning and prevention.
Water correctly
The quantity and quality of strawberries depends on the amount of incoming moisture. So, in hot weather and a long dry period, the plant should be watered 1-2 times a day. Watering should be carried out in moderation, in small doses, otherwise a large amount of water will lead to rotting of berries, the appearance of diseases and pests.
- Before flowering, seedlings must be moistened with sprinkling.
- During the flowering period, the plant is watered under the root, while it should be possible to exclude moisture on leaves, flowers and berries.
- The optimum water temperature for irrigation is +16 o C.
- In the rainy season, the beds need to be covered with plastic wrap.
Strawberry film constructions
With early spring planting, the question is very relevant: how to plant strawberries under a film? Such a shelter provides plants with easier development and earlier ripening. This method is very effective in growing early strawberry varieties. Film tunnels are the most easily constructed shelters. To do this, it is necessary to install wire arcs at a distance of 1 m from each other. The structure should be about half a meter high. Fasten the film over the arcs so that it does not sag, apply jute twine. For the convenience of carrying out land work in a film tunnel, one side of it must be well fixed, on the other side, a rail should be attached. Collect and tie the film on the end of the greenhouse into a knot, attach it to the pegs, which then dig into the ground.
Strawberry Care in Film Shelter
To control the temperature, a thermometer should be placed inside. If the indicators rise above +25 ° C, then the greenhouse should be opened and aired immediately. In good sunny weather, during the flowering of bushes, the film can be removed for 1 day. At the time of harvest, the film is completely removed.
In the summer, the berry is watered once a week, certainly in the early morning before the onset of heat, and certainly warm water. Periodically, you need to weed the beds, monitor the health of plants, and destroy pests in time.
In the autumn season, strawberries should be covered with fallen leaves, spruce branches, and straw. If there is no such material for shelter on the site, then the bushes can be spudded without sprinkling growth points. At the same time, fertilizers should be applied from a mixture of peat with compost.
How to grow strawberries from seeds?
Growing strawberries with seeds can give good results, but only with individual plant varieties. Hybrid varieties are definitely not suitable for this.
To do this, you need a container with a depth of 10 cm, it should be filled with 5 cm of special soil for seedlings and carefully pour water. Spread the seeds at an equal distance from each other and cover with clear glass, without pouring soil over the seeds. The box with soil and seeds should be placed in a warm place, when the first shoots appear, rearrange it in the most lit place and remove the glass. After the first leaves appear, you need to pick in separate pots and add special fertilizers for strawberries every two weeks. When the seedlings have grown to the optimum size, it can be planted in open country soil. Be careful and choose where to plant strawberries. When landing, you must adhere to some more rules:
- It is necessary to plant a plant shallow.
- The apical kidney cannot be filled up.
- Too superficially planted strawberries can expose their roots and become sick.
Strawberry seeds: how to collect them?
For the successful cultivation of strawberries from seeds, only the largest berries, which are collected in the period July-August, should be used. The thin surface layer of the berry must be carefully removed, you can use a blade to rub it on the fabric. Dry the resulting material in the sun, disassemble the seeds and transfer to a paper bag. Before planting, they must be stored at room temperature.
For the cultivation of strawberry seedlings from seeds, it is preferable to choose the following varieties: "Sakhalin", "gourmet", "Bogotá", "mutofavorit" and others. In order to enjoy the berries longer, you can jointly grow seedlings of early and later strawberries.
What to plant next to strawberries?
To create the most favorable conditions for the growth of strawberries, you can plant some useful crops next to it, such as parsley, spinach or bush beans. For scaring off slugs, planting parsley in the strawberry aisle is very effective. The berry can also exist together with beets, radishes, radishes, onions, lettuce, cabbage or garlic. Sage and borage are no less useful for strawberries. Covering the soil with pine and spruce needles will have a very beneficial effect on the taste of the fruit.
Strawberry Growing
The strawberry planting scheme is quite simple. Damp and cloudy weather would be ideal for landing. The methods for distributing seedlings on the soil can be different: two-line, two-line on beds or single-line. The most optimal is a two-line landing. At what distance is strawberry planting the most common question for beginner gardeners. It should be distributed at a distance of 15-20 cm, while the distance between the rows should be from 60 to 70 cm, between the lines themselves - 30 cm. With the single-line method, the same proportions are observed, with the only difference that there is only one line. The beds need to be located from north to south.
Recently, experienced gardeners and gardeners, in order to protect their plants, are increasingly using lutrasil or roofing material. In the process, holes are made in the material at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other and strawberry bushes are planted. The hole can be done with a bayonet shovel, and the seedlings should not be located too deep in the soil and not too superficial, otherwise it will not take root.