Among all berry crops, strawberry has a high yield, but at the same time it is quite demanding on growing conditions. In order to regularly harvest a rich harvest, it is necessary to provide strawberry bushes proper care.

This article describes what activities should be carried out on the beds in spring and autumn and what features are different in caring for different varieties strawberries.

Strawberry is one of the first garden plants wakes up after winter. And in the spring you need to make every effort to get a good harvest.

As soon as the snow has melted and the weather has improved, you need to collect dry leaves, the remains of a mustache, as well as all plant debris.

Dead residues should be removed carefully in dry, sunny weather. Older leaves must be carefully trimmed to avoid damaging the young leaves and core. You should also remove the rest of the mulch. Thus, the roots of plants will warm up better and grow quickly. But do not add a thick layer of earth in spring, this will slow down the process of plant growth and ripening of berries. If you do not want to remove the fall litter, then loosen the soil well to a depth of seven centimeters.

After loosening, the beds are sprinkled with peat chips, straw, sawdust or humus. At the same time, you need to feed the bushes with nitrogen fertilizers.

When a green mass appears under each bush, it is necessary to add a solution of mullein and ammonium sulfate. In early May, they are fed with complex mineral fertilizers.

To protect against diseases, the planting should be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate before bud break. Need to water warm water once a week in the morning. Before flowering, irrigation can be used by sprinkling, and with the appearance of flowers only under the bush.

Spring care outdoors

All spring events in the garden are aimed not only at obtaining a rich harvest, but also at protecting plants from diseases and pests, therefore, special attention should be paid to such work.

Basic moments

Spring garden work begins with inspecting the bushes and collecting old layers of mulch or plant debris. But these are far from all the necessary measures (Figure 1).

The main points for caring for strawberries in spring include:

1. Loosening: after the snow melted, the soil around the bushes warmed up a little and green leaves appeared, you need to loosen it, removing the shelter before that. This allows the roots to "breathe", warm up faster and grow. Plants that have not survived the winter, dry and diseased leaves should also be removed and burned.
2. Watering: it is recommended to water the culture abundantly once a week in the morning with heated water. Watering is carried out along the furrows, which are done along the rows of plants. Sprinkler can be used before flowering.
3. Fertilization: with the appearance of leaves and before flowering, the plants need to be fed. To do this, you can use a ready-made fertilizer or make it yourself from a mullein. The diluted mixture is poured over a liter for each bush.
4. Pest control: after the first loosening, it is recommended to spray the soil from the fungus with a solution of copper sulfate. Immediately before flowering, it should be treated for pests. The treated bed must be covered with foil for several hours.
5. Mulching: mulch protects the beds from drying out and overheating of the soil, as well as from the appearance of weeds. For these purposes, agrofibre and black film are often used; you can also cover the beds with sawdust, straw, peat chips or humus.

It must be remembered that sawdust and needles strongly oxidize the soil, therefore, it is imperative to sprinkle ash on top.

Outdoor cultivation technology

Figure 1. The main stages of spring care

Saplings are planted in the ground shallowly, so that the heart is at ground level. After planting, each bush must be well watered so that the seedling's connection with the soil is better. After a while, the strawberries need to be fed, this will speed up the growing process. For this, complex and nitrogen fertilizers are used. It is also necessary to mulch the plantings in order to prevent the fruit from rotting.

Care tools

For spring care of strawberries you will need: a hoe, a bucket, a pruner and a sprayer. In addition, you should stock up on mullein, chicken droppings, nitroammophos, potassium nitrate or other mineral fertilizers. You also need to prepare in advance chemicals for the destruction of pests and diseases.

How to care for strawberries in the fall

After the completion of fruiting, you need to inspect the bushes. Determine the type of disease or pest and treat the plants.

Note: Unfortunately, there is no one remedy to get rid of all diseases and pests at once. We must use prophylactic means to fight. Then remove dried and diseased leaves, blackened and damaged parts of plants and burn. Then all whiskers and weeds are removed. If you transplant plants, then leave the first two rosettes from the mother bush and add them to the drop.

Then the bed must be loosened. You can feed it both in spring and autumn. In this case, organic mixtures can be used and wood ash(Figure 2).

Fall care also includes frequent watering until the end of the season. Avoid shallow watering, it will not work.

In August or early September, you can replant the bushes. The bushes planted at this time will give the first harvest the next year. To obtain planting material in July, dig in the whiskers formed and when they take root, cut off from the mother bush.

Figure 2. Autumn works in the beds

The final stage autumn care is the hideout. Two days after feeding, the bushes are covered with needles, straw, fallen leaves. Such a shelter will keep the bushes from winter frosts and will be a good organic fertilizer.

Growing from seeds at home

This method of growing is not very laborious, but it requires some rules to be followed. It allows us to get exactly the look we want. It is also used for breeding new varieties.

When to dive

Basically, strawberries from seeds begin to dive when 2-4 dense real leaves appear on the plant. The seedlings themselves are strong and stocky. Separate pots are best for transplanting seedlings, but regular disposable cups can be used as well. The main thing is that the plant has enough space, and there must be a drainage hole in the bottom (Figure 3).

Note: If before that the seedlings were grown in greenhouses, then before picking, be sure to harden the plants.

After picking for about a month and a half, the seedlings will still need to be kept on the windowsill. And as soon as the spring heat replaces the cold weather, you can land in open ground. It is necessary to plant seedlings at a distance of 30-35 cm, trying not to damage the upper buds.

Growing and country tricks

After the first leaves have appeared, you need to provide them with proper care. Light is the main factor. Young seedlings need to be provided with long daylight hours. You can use a regular desk lamp for this.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the humidity. At first, the cover will help you with this. If there is condensation on the lid, then everything is fine, but if it collects in drops, the lid should be slightly opened. In the absence of condensation, the plants are watered.

Figure 3. Features of picking seedlings

A medical syringe is used for watering so as not to flood the tiny plants or damage them. The air temperature in the room where the seedlings are located should not fall below +20 degrees.

Strawberries from seeds, growing and care: video

In order to fully master the technology of growing this crop from seeds, we recommend that you watch the video, which shows the main stages of this process.

Growing strawberries using Finnish technology

When growing strawberries using this technology, black plastic wrap is used for planting. It is produced in Finland and is of high quality. They are planted in single-row and double-row methods (Figure 4).

The advantages of mulching with black film when growing using this technology are as follows:

• Nitrate nitrogen accumulates in the upper layers of the soil, which improves the nutrient environment of plants;
• A barrier to the growth of weeds is formed, which simplifies planting maintenance;
• The activity of microorganisms in the soil increases;
• Moisture retains longer;
• The soil warms up evenly;
• The berries do not come into contact with the ground, which helps to reduce diseases, as well as preserve marketable condition product;
• Thanks to the black film, a special microclimate is created inside. The roots are constantly warm, which allows you to plant seedlings earlier and get a harvest earlier;
• Plants practically do not get sick and are not damaged by pests.

The essence of the technology lies in the fact that instead of mulch, a black film is used to cover the garden bed. Then the seedlings are planted.

Figure 4. Arrangement of beds according to Finnish technology

The film is used in black, because it attracts heat and this creates comfortable conditions. This technique can also be used to grow strawberries in greenhouses.

Finnish cultivation technology is focused on cultivation in the northern regions.

Dutch method of growing strawberries

Growing strawberries using Dutch technology means that the seedlings are planted indoors. These can be special bags, boxes, pallets, a greenhouse (Figure 5). Choosing a place for year-round strawberry cultivation is based on the volume of the crop that you want to receive.

Figure 5. Growing berry culture by Dutch technology

This cultivation method involves “awakening” the strawberries to harvest. This can be achieved by creating the necessary conditions for plant growth. To do this, they are provided with the supply of essential nutrients using drip irrigation... In addition, the plants need to provide additional lighting.

When using this technique, vertical and horizontal placement of bushes is allowed, it all depends on you and free space. For harvest all year round it is necessary to constantly plant new bushes.

Growing in PVC pipes horizontally

You can see quite a lot today different ways growing strawberries. You can find pyramids from car tires or from garden pots, also vertical plantings (Figure 6).

We will look at the pros and cons of growing strawberries. horizontal method in PVC pipes.

This growing method has its advantages and disadvantages. First, let's consider the advantages of this method.

Planting strawberries horizontally in PVC pipes has many advantages:

1. Saving the landing area: if the horizontal beds are correctly positioned, then you can harvest twice as much as from a regular bed.
2. The mobility of the beds, since they can be moved to another place at any time.
3. The soil does not need to be cultivated, since it is practically absent in horizontal beds. Pests, weeds and other misfortunes of strawberries are not terrible.
4. The berries are always clean, since they are located at a great distance from the surface of the earth.
5. Harvesting is very easy, especially if the beds are located 1–2 m above the ground.

Figure 6. Horizontal grow in tubes

In addition, such an unusual bed will be an excellent decoration for your site. But this method also has certain disadvantages. First, during cultivation, you need to constantly water the beds. Secondly, you will have to incur some additional costs, since you need to purchase in advance plastic pipes... But, if you have recently completed repairs or construction, you can use the leftovers. In addition, with this growing method, the beds must be moved indoors for the winter.

Materials and manufacturing technology

Before you start making horizontal beds, you need to decide on the materials and tools.

We need:

1. Cutting pipes with a diameter of 15 cm, also pipes with a diameter of 4-5 cm;
2. Plugs suitable for pipe diameter;
3. A drill or other tool for making holes in the surface of pipes;
4. Expanded clay, brick fragments, ground coal or other material for drainage;
5. Prepared soil.

Next, we move on to making the beds. The first step is to cut the thick pipes to the desired length. Pipes of small diameters are adjusted to the dimensions of large ones, shortening by 15 cm. In all large pipes, holes must be drilled at a distance of 10-15 cm. We also drill holes in thin pipes at a distance of 8-10 cm.

Thick pipes on one side are closed with plugs, a pipe with a smaller diameter is inserted in the center and half filled with expanded clay. Then they are covered with fertile soil, then strawberries are planted. Don't forget to install a watering system.

Growing strawberries vertically

Having built vertical beds on your site, you can grow twice more vegetables and berries, as well as decorate it beautifully and unusually (Figure 7).

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

Most types of vertical beds are ordinary containers. various designs... Therefore, they have both pros and cons.

Advantages of vertical beds:

• Decorativeness: a beautifully made vertical structure with plants will always decorate any area. And there are many ways to build such structures.
• A minimum of soil processing, since the plants are constantly in an enclosed space and do not overgrow with weeds.
• Saving space: when there is little land, but you want to plant a lot, vertical beds come to the rescue, which can be placed anywhere: along a fence or on a fence, along the walls of a house, a barn or summer kitchen etc.
• Mobility of structures: many structures can be easily relocated. Some options allow you to rearrange, combine and complement.

However, along with the advantages of vertical beds, there are also disadvantages that must be taken into account when arranging. First, it should be taken into account that vertical beds require regular watering, since the soil in them dries out faster than in the garden.

Figure 7. Arrangement of vertical beds

Secondly, such beds are not suitable for all plants, and the planted crops require additional nutrition. Thirdly, the soil can freeze in winter. Perennial plants such as strawberries, in this case it is problematic to grow. In winter, the soil will freeze and root system will die. This should be taken into account when choosing designs.

The disadvantages of vertical beds can be reduced a little by using hydrogel when planting. It is able to accumulate moisture, and if necessary, plants will take water from it. You can also use a drip irrigation system.

Remontant strawberries: growing and care

Repaired strawberries are increasingly found in the beds of lovers of this berry. True, not everyone knows how to grow it properly. Growing remontant varieties has its own characteristics that should be taken into account.

This species bears fruit all season, so it is demanding on growing conditions. For example, removing the first spring flower stalks, you get the opportunity to get a second crop in large quantities and at an earlier date.

In addition, these varieties are characterized by a short growth cycle. This is due to rapid growth and constant fruiting. The best predecessors for remontant varieties will be green manures, carrots, peas, garlic, radishes, onions, lettuce, beans, beets, and cereals. Do not plant it after tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, peppers, eggplants.

Proper care consists in regular loosening and subsequent mulching, frequent and abundant watering, removing damaged leaves and whiskers, as well as feeding and preventing diseases and pests.

Curly strawberries: care and cultivation

There are varieties of strawberries that produce long mustaches, on which rosettes appear, and soon flower stalks. If you root such rosettes on a vertical basis, then it is quite possible to get curly strawberries (Figure 8). To do this, you need to purchase any kind of ampelous strawberry and plant it correctly.

Growing and caring for curly strawberries is not much different from conventional varieties. There are several simple rules, by completing which you will get your tasty harvest:

• Do not water the bushes from above. Water needs to be poured only at the root;
• Weed the weeds in time, because they take up a lot of moisture and nutrients;
• Fertilize on time. Plants need frequent feeding;
• Remove excess bushes and whiskers without pity if they are not bearing fruit;
• Bushes require a lot sunlight and do not tolerate drafts. Therefore, you need to choose a place that is sunny and protected.

Figure 8. Growing climbing varieties

Ampel strawberries: care and cultivation

Growing and caring for ampelous strawberries has some features associated with the conditions of growth and formation of bushes (Figure 9).

The following features should be noted:

1. Watering should be constant and moderate. Neither drying out nor waterlogging should be allowed. For this, you can use a hydrogel or drip irrigation systems.
2. Throughout the growing season, ampelous varieties require increased nutrition, so feeding should be carried out regularly. If you grow ampelous strawberries indoors, use complex fertilizing mineral fertilizers... If outdoors - various organics.
3. Remove unnecessary shoots and rosettes on time during cultivation. The bush is able to feed two sockets on the mustache, the rest are removed. The number of mustaches should also not be too large. Usually the first five mustache is left.

Figure 9. Cultivation of ampel varieties

Before the cold weather, plants need to be dug into the ground and mulched with straw or fallen leaves. If there is room in the house or outbuilding, you can move them there. When planting on a lattice, the mustache is untied and laid next to the bushes, covered with mulch on top.

Spring care very important for strawberries and promotes plant development and production good harvest.

In addition to general rules for care, experienced gardeners highlight some of the nuances that help to grow a good and tasty harvest.

The first thing to do for successful growing is to install drip irrigation. When choosing a place for planting, give preference to those areas where onions, garlic, beets, carrots, herbs, celery were previously grown. The soil should be light. It is recommended to add sand and peat to dense soil.

Note: If you are planning a spring planting, then the garden should be prepared in the fall.

Young shoots require trace elements. To do this, you can use a mixture of potassium permanganate, ammonium molybdate, boric acid and water. It is also recommended to carry out spring processing using folk remedies: onion infusion, mustard solution and wormwood decoction (for watering). To protect plantings from pests, plant garlic, onions, mustard, fennel, marigolds, and in order not to miss important points for the care of the crop, it is recommended to draw up a plan for the treatment of plants.

After reviewing theoretical information on caring for strawberries, it will be useful to watch a thematic video, which contains practical advice for the cultivation of this culture.

Strawberry ( garden strawberry) Is a rather capricious culture. Therefore, it must be carefully looked after from early spring to late autumn. We will tell you what work and at what time you need to carry out.

They begin to take care of the strawberry bed even before the snow completely melts (usually in March), and finish work with the onset of frost.

March

When the first warm days come and the snow partially melts from the beds, the strawberries are covered plastic wrap or agrofiber. This will allow you to get early harvest berries.

The covering material is placed on arcs so that it remains between it and the plants air gap... Please note: the more air volume under the shelter, the more low temperature can withstand strawberry bushes.

As soon as the snow completely melts, the bed is cleaned: the dried leaves and peduncles are removed, the remains of the mustache are cut off with the help of scissors. Young rosettes are planted in the places where the dead bushes grew.

After the restoration of the garden, carry out preventive treatment from diseases and pests. The plantings are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid or any chorus-based preparation.

When the ground thaws, the soil is loosened in the strawberry garden. This will keep the moisture accumulated during the winter in it. At the same time, the bushes are slightly huddled so that the root system grows faster.

April

If you plan to plant strawberries in the spring, do so as early as possible. In April, the weather is different: sometimes in the middle of spring there is still a dense layer of snow, and sometimes at this time the buds are already in full bloom. Therefore, when setting a suitable date for planting strawberries, they are more guided not by time, but by weather conditions.

Strawberry seedlings are planted in spring. It is important that by this time the soil has had time to warm up to about 10 ° С

When the strawberries start to grow, the plantings are mulched with organic matter or a special mulch film. During the period of massive foliage growth, a second prophylactic treatment against diseases is carried out.

If harmful insects appear in April, the bushes are sprayed with chemical insecticides (Aktellik, Teldor, Envidor, Calypso, etc.). Also recently, the complex drug Teovit Jet has proven itself well - contact fungicide and acaricide.

If the bushes of garden strawberries have been growing in one place for more than 3 years, they will need additional feeding. At the beginning of the growing season, garden strawberries need nitrogen fertilizers, during the flowering period - in phosphorus, and after fruiting - in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

May

Garden strawberries grown in tunnels are ventilated daily so that the plants do not overheat under the rays of the spring sun. In the morning, one or both ends are opened slightly, and closed at night.

Strawberries grown in the open field are covered with spunbond at night, as returnable spring frosts(and sometimes even lowering the temperature to 1 ° C) can destroy plants.

During the flowering of strawberries, strawberry weevils may appear on it. The bushes are sprayed with infusion of garlic or others folk remedies pest control.

May is often dry. For correct development plant and fruit formation, the strawberry garden is watered regularly. In the second half of May (depending on the region and weather), early strawberries begin to bear fruit. The harvest is collected in a timely manner, then watering is carried out after picking ripe berries.

If at this time there are frequent heavy rains, the plants protect them from rot and powdery mildew. And also, if necessary, weeds are weeded.

In May, garden strawberries begin to actively release a mustache, which is taken from the plant. a large number of nutrients. If you grow strawberries for berries, and not for reproduction, then the antennae should be removed regularly.

By correctly adjusting the number of whiskers on the bushes, you can get both planting material and a good harvest of berries.

June

The harvest continues. In the second half of the month, they begin to bear fruit and late varieties... To prevent the berries from getting dirty and rotting, black non-woven material is laid under the bushes or shavings are poured. This helps to protect garden strawberries from gray mold and weeds.

Also in June, strawberry rosettes are rooted in separate cups or cassettes. Such plants will be ready for transplanting to a new location in 2-3 weeks.

July

After the end of fruiting, all old, diseased and damaged leaves are removed from the bushes. The garden bed is well watered, the soil around the bushes is loosened and all unnecessary mustaches are removed from them.

In July, strawberry mites can settle on strawberry bushes. Leaves are cut from damaged plants and burned. Then the entire bed is sprayed with water (about 60 ° C) or a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

If other insect pests appear on the plants, the strawberry bushes are sprayed with chemical or biological insecticides. You can also resort to folk safe means... In addition, during this period, strawberries are often affected by spotting, powdery mildew, gray mold. 1% Bordeaux liquid with the addition of colloidal sulfur (100 g of the drug per 10 liters of water) helps to cope with diseases.

August

At the end of summer, on a strawberry bed, they deeply loosen the soil and apply complex fertilizer: 1 tsp each. under each bush. Until the end of the month, the mustache is being planted, the bushes are regularly watered.

In the second half of summer - early autumn, you should take care of timely watering of the strawberry garden

September

This month, flower buds form, of which next year berries will appear. Therefore, it is important not to forget to water the plants in September.

October

In October, favorable conditions are created for plants that will help them to winter well. To do this, water the beds, loosen the soil, remove weeds. Strawberry bushes are covered with peat, humus or compost.

November

When upper layer the soil (to a depth of 5-7 cm) will freeze, the beds are mulched. This will prevent the plants from being pushed out of the ground. To trap the snow, brushwood, Jerusalem artichoke leaves, raspberry or corn stalks are placed on top. In this form, strawberries overwinter.

Thanks to the correct and timely work on the care of the strawberries, you will be able to grow a healthy plant and harvest a good harvest of sweet berries. Follow these guidelines and you will succeed!

To get a good harvest of berries, in the spring it is necessary to correctly and timely carry out a number of works on the beds with strawberries. At the end of winter, it is required to help the culture restore strength and prepare for the new fruiting season.

The shelter is removed from the bushes immediately after the snow melts. Remove winter mulch. Leaving last year's is unreasonable, since pathogenic microorganisms will actively multiply in it.

Pruning in the country

After feeding, the bushes are examined to identify damage or disease. Cut off dried and diseased leaves. If the entire plant is affected, all leaves are cut off. If the strawberries do not need to be bred, the mustaches formed in the fall are cut off before flowering. The sockets are cut off, leaving a scion up to 10 cm long.

It is important not to touch the heart and young shoots with the blade, otherwise the bush will hurt for a long time, or even die.

Transfer

Being in one place for several years, strawberries weaken, bear fruit worse, the berries become small. To prevent the natural aging process, plants are transplanted every 3-4 years. It is best to transplant strawberries from early spring to mid-summer - during the most active period for the plant.

For the transplant, they take strong and healthy plants, no more than two years old, and bushes that have grown on a mustache. The site for planting is dug up, loosened and brought in organic fertilizer... Saplings are planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, each is watered moderately and mulched. Sometimes covered with agrofibre.

It is undesirable to transplant strawberries where potatoes, cabbage or cucumbers used to grow.

Care in different regions

Each region of the country has its own climatic characteristics, they must always be remembered when growing strawberries.

Moscow suburbs

The most important thing is the deadline for removing the shelter and the start of work on preparing strawberries for the new season. The weather here is capricious and unstable, there are often night frosts.

Usually, work begins in mid-March. Sometimes, in order for the snow to melt faster, gardeners sprinkle it with salt, ash or potassium permanganate.

Volga region

They take care of the bushes from the second half of March. A film tunnel is installed above the bed, which accelerates growth. Thanks to this trick, the berries can be picked a week earlier than usual.

Ural and Siberia

The berry is mulched with dark materials that help trap heat. Bushes covered with dark agromaterial grow faster and bear fruit better.

In this region, plants are not deeply buried in the ground. In no case should the growth point be underground - this is fraught with the imminent death of the plant.

The most common mistakes

Inexperience in caring for a capricious culture often leads to mistakes. To avoid them, you need to brush aside the popular misconceptions among novice gardeners.

There are the following shortcomings:

• a large amount of fertilizers;
• a large amount of applied soil;
• damage to the growing point during pruning or removal of all leaves;
• strong deepening of the growth point during planting;
• frequent watering in small portions;
• deep loosening under bushes;
• hit of concentrated fertilizing solutions on the leaves.

There are several points, subject to which strawberries will thank you with a bountiful harvest:

1. Drip irrigation.
2. It is good to plant strawberries where onions, carrots, beets, greens used to grow.
3. The crop requires light soil. Stop adding sand and peat.
4. A careful attitude will ensure abundant fruiting.
5. Weeding work is completed before flowering. At the time of flowering, strawberries are especially vulnerable, and active intervention can lead to wilting of the inflorescences.
6. When weeding, the first whiskers should be removed so that the plant does not waste energy on them. A second burst of whiskers helps new shoots to take root quickly.

Video

Spring - time will go to its own garden plot and put things in order there. One of the urgent matters is caring for strawberries in the spring in the country. There is a lot to do: remove the covering material, water and fertilize the planting of strawberries, prepare the plants for the harvest season.

All strawberry care procedures begin to be carried out as soon as the snow cover melts. Timing can vary greatly depending on the region. To answer the question of when to process strawberries in spring, you need to determine the region of its growth.

For the south of the country, work can begin as early as early March. For middle latitudes and the Moscow region, the date shifts closer to April. In the northern regions and in the Urals, events can be held no earlier than the end of April.

Proper care of strawberries in spring consists of several successive stages:

• withdrawal winter insulation, spruce branches, covering material;
• pruning and removing old withered foliage;
• watering and loosening plantings;
• mulching;
• transfer.

Care for strawberries in the spring after winter begins with the acceleration of snow melting from the ridges. To do this, they are sprinkled with ash and spilled with boiling water. Boiling water also has a beneficial effect on plantings by killing some pests and bacteria. Removing dry foliage and last year's is an important measure to prevent fungal infections.

Feeding strawberries in spring

Most main question, which a novice gardener faces, when and how to feed strawberries in the spring, has a rather simple answer.

During the season, strawberries are fed several times:

• the first feeding is carried out at the earliest possible date;
• the second stage of dressing is carried out before flowering;
• for the third time, strawberries are fed during the appearance of the ovary using boric acid;
• for the fourth time, the plant is fertilized when berries are actively growing on it;
• the last dressing is carried out immediately after harvest.

Let's find out when and what kind of fertilizer to apply under the strawberries in the spring.

First feeding of strawberries

The most important top dressing is the first spring fertilization. The main objective of the event is to accelerate the appearance of new buds and young foliage. To do this, choose a calm, windless cloudy day.

Let's figure out how to fertilize strawberries in spring. For feeding, you can use ready-made complex fertilizers with big amount nitrogen. or potassium nitrate (1 tbsp. l.) and nitroammofosk (1 tbsp. l.) are diluted in 10 liters of warm water. Top dressing is carried out by half a liter for each bush on wet ground. You can also feed strawberries in the spring. Just add it to the above composition in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. This will improve the taste of future berries and increase their sweetness.

A good top dressing is the introduction of a handful of wood ash under each bush. In order to feed the strawberries with ash in spring, simply sprinkle it in the amount of one full handful near each bush and loosen it around a little with a small hoe to cover the ash in the soil.

To figure out how to feed strawberries in spring with iodine, you need to understand that iodine is not nutrient by itself. Iodine is an excellent antiseptic, and by treating strawberries with it, gardeners are more likely to disinfect plantings, destroying bacteria, fungi and some pests than feeding the plant.

To disinfect strawberry beds, 15 drops of an alcoholic solution of iodine diluted in a bucket of water are enough. The ready-made liquid is abundantly watered from the watering can. Iodine can be used to treat the roots of young bushes before planting in the garden and spray the strawberries before flowering.

Feeding strawberries with yeast

Regular baker's yeast can become excellent option for spring feeding of strawberries. By themselves, they contain the entire spectrum of nutrients, potassium and phosphorus, a large amount of vitamins, as well as copper, iodine, zinc and many other minerals necessary for plant health.

In order to properly feed strawberries in spring with yeast, you need to prepare a solution using live or dry yeast, sugar and water. Dissolve 50 grams of live yeast in a liter of warm water. Before use, the mixture is diluted in 5 liters of water and used for fertilization.

Dry yeast can also be used. To do this, take 1 tsp. yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, dissolve in a liter of warm water and let it brew for two hours. Before use, the solution is also diluted in 5 liters of water, like the previous one.

The second stage of feeding

As soon as the first flower buds appear on the bushes, it means it's time for a second feeding. During the flowering period, the plant spends a lot of energy, and first of all it requires potassium and phosphorus.

For feeding, you can use potassium salt (1 tbsp. L.) With the addition of nitroammofoska (2 tbsp. L.) Diluted in 10 liters of water. Apply half a liter of solution under each bush. Nitroammofoska contains potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen and can be used as an independent fertilizer.

Feeding strawberries during flowering

The next feeding is carried out when the first ovaries appear on the plants. This step of fertilizing the strawberries in the spring is used to increase the yield. By spraying a strawberry garden with boron, you can greatly reduce the number of barren flowers and ensure excellent yields.

Such feeding is carried out on the foliage, spraying the plant with a solution of boric acid (2 g per 10 l). Always use warm water for the solution. You can dilute the boric acid used for feeding strawberries in spring in a small container with warm water, and then add the solution to cold water.

What else can you feed strawberries in spring during flowering? You can use mineral supplements based on phosphorus and potassium. Also, during flowering, you can use yeast feeding, bird droppings and wood ash, introducing solutions of these substances under the root of the bushes.

You can spend foliar feeding by spraying strawberries with a composition of potassium sulfate (2 g), boric acid (1 g) and potassium permanganate (1 g) diluted in 5 liters of water. For spraying, you can use ready-made preparations, such as Kemira.

Strawberries have a superficial root system, and are practically unable to extract moisture from the lower soil layers on their own. Therefore, in order to provide it with a vital liquid, it must be watered regularly and correctly. In addition, the yield of the plant directly depends on this.

While the strawberries are not yet blooming, let's say watering by sprinkling, but as soon as the first buds began to appear on the bushes, you need to water the bushes strictly at the root. If you use a hose with a high pressure of water, you can expose or even damage the root system. To avoid such troubles, it is best to apply the drip irrigation method for strawberries. This is especially true when the strawberries are planted on top of a black film.

General rules for watering strawberries:

• In the spring, watering can begin at the end of March to speed up the thawing of the plantings.
• In the spring months, watering is carried out once a week with water at room temperature.
• One bush requires at least half a liter of water.
• Before flowering, strawberries are watered over the leaves by sprinkling.
• After the buds appear, the plant is watered at the root.
• Watering should be abundant, especially when pouring the berries.
• Immediately after planting, the garden bed is watered every day for a week.
• After the plant takes root, watering is reduced to once every 2-3 days.

Processing strawberries from diseases and pests in spring

Among large selection preparations, it can be difficult to understand the better to spray strawberries in the spring from pests. Can be applied chemical substances, biologically active drugs or use folk remedies.

Biological agents work on the basis of natural processes, suppressing pathogenic organisms due to the vital activity of beneficial fungi. Such treatments do not require special precautions; they can be used to process plants during fruiting and to eat freshly processed fruits without restrictions.

The most popular biologics on the market are:

• Aktofit;
• Trichodermin.

Among chemicals can be distinguished: phytoferm, actellik, etc. As a rule, such drugs have wide range actions and a large list side effects... In addition, they require careful handling and use of personal protective equipment.

To start spring transplant strawberries to another place, you must wait until the soil warms up to +8 ºС. The place is chosen level, high, well-lit by the sun and protected from northern winds. Legumes, carrots, onions, garlic, and aromatic herbs are good precursors.

In the garden bed, before transplanting strawberries, humus (5 kg per sq. M.), Potassium sulfate (15 g per sq. M.), Ammonium sulfate (25 g per sq. M.) And (60 g per sq. M.) ). Everything is dug up on a bayonet and a ridge is formed. After two weeks, you can start transplanting.

Before planting strawberries, the ridge is spilled with warm water and marked out according to the 50x40 cm scheme. Young plants that have not yet turned 2 years old are suitable for transplanting. Each bush should have at least 2 leaves and a root at least 5 cm long.

The seedling is placed in a pre-prepared hole, sprinkled with soil, lightly rammed. It is important that the growing point of the strawberry, the so-called "heart", always remains above ground level. After the plant is watered with humus, sawdust or straw.

Nothing pleases the gardener more than the result of his own labors. In order for the strawberry garden to bring rich harvests every year, it is necessary to take care of it on time.

Garden strawberries differ from wild ones in many ways. A crop plant needs space to grow, pruning and weeding. With a complete lack of care in the first summer, strawberry bushes grow in all directions, interfering with each other. The yield decreases, the berries become small. Next year strawberry plantation turns into a jungle, and the berries are much smaller. In the third year, the strawberry beds are not visible at all, and there may be no berries at all. Strawberry care is about creating comfortable conditions for plants. Selected varieties grow well and bear fruit only under ideal conditions.

Gardeners go to strawberry ridges early, as soon as the snow cover comes down and the soil gets rid of excess moisture. Strawberry care in spring different regions start at different times.

Freeing strawberry beds from mulch

For the winter, strawberries are protected with mulch. During the melting of the snow, the organic oxidizes and begins to decompose. Bacteria, fungal spores develop in it, insects hibernate in the mulch. If you leave a winter protective layer on the ridges, just digging up the ground, pests and pathogenic flora will end up in the ground. This will increase the risk of developing strawberry diseases and lead to an increase in pest populations.

Strawberry bushes that were pulled out of the soil when harvesting mulch have a weak root system, perhaps their roots are partially frozen and rotted.

The stems and leaves of the damaged strawberry are dark red in color. If such plants remain after mulch removal, they are dug up and discarded.

Loosening and weeding

The first spring loosening of the soil - important stage care for garden strawberries... Loose soil allows water and air to pass through well. In heavy and packed soils, moisture stagnates, fungal flora multiplies, mold appears, which affects the roots.

The root system of strawberries does not extend into the depths, but to the sides, so the soil is dug up with great care in order to cause minimal damage to the roots. Most of the roots are less than five centimeters deep. Loosening is done with a small hoe with a narrow blade, a trident hoe.

If the roots of the strawberry are bare, they are sprinkled with earth (sprinkled). If the growth point is underground, it is freed from excess soil.

Loosening is usually combined with weeding and planting.

Planting strawberries

In the spring, strawberries are planted by dividing the bush (horns). Divided bushes are planted at a great distance from each other so that the root system and the ground part of one plant do not interfere with the other.

The distance between plants must meet the requirements for a particular variety. At bush planting it is equal to 40-60 cm, when planting in rows - 15-25 cm (with a distance between rows of 40-50 cm), when planting with a "nest" - 25x35 cm free areas of the garden.

You can't sit next to different varieties strawberries. This will lead to over-pollination of flowers and a decrease in yields.

You can not cover the stems, leaves, strawberry rosette with earth, nor should they be above the ground. When filling the ground part with soil, the risk of fungal infection increases. But the root system must be completely covered with earth.

Strawberry bushes are divided in spring, late March - early April. This can be done in the summer, after fruiting.

Pruning

Strawberries are examined to identify dried, sick, sluggish leaves and stems. The damaged parts of the plant are cut off at a height of 4-7 cm. If all the leaves and stems are damaged, the plant is dug up and destroyed.

If you do not plan to propagate strawberries with antennae, they are also cut off. For pruning, use sharp scissors or pruning shears. The instrument must be disinfected.

Watering strawberries in spring

The first watering of strawberries is carried out after loosening, weeding and planting. The beds are watered abundantly so that the soil layer is well wet and water begins to circulate in the root system. The next watering is carried out with
taking into account the weather conditions of the season.

In dry weather, water the strawberries once a week. If it is rainy weather, alternating with sunny days, the ridges are watered when the soil dries up. To determine the degree of drying of the soil, a test is carried out. From a hole 25-30 cm deep, dug in the aisles, they take a handful of earth and squeeze it. If, when opening the palm, the soil breaks up into large lumps, there is no need to moisten. If the soil crumbles into small pieces or turns into dust, the beds require abundant watering, after which the soil will be soaked 40 cm deep.

The first watering of strawberries is done by sprinkling (from a watering can or a sprinkler). During the formation of ovaries, flowering and growth of berries, drip irrigation is carried out. At this time, the ingress of water on the leaves and ovary leads to waterlogging, the formation of rot, which reduces the yield.

Mulching in spring

Needles and cones, bark, thin branches conifers - good material for weed control and additional protection against slugs, etc. This material "acidifies" the soil as it decomposes. After using coniferous mulch, it is recommended to add to the soil dolomite flour or ash.

Wood shavings and sawdust well protect the earth from drying out. These materials have disadvantages. Wood, decomposing, extracts nitrogen from the soil. Pests and bacteria live in sawdust. After using sawdust and shavings as mulch, nitrogen fertilization is required to the soil.

Mulching materials are combined with each other. It is allowed to mulch strawberries with needles and shavings, sawdust and dry leaves, grass and straw at the same time.

Strawberry Pest and Disease Control in Spring

In the spring, chemical and biological products... Supporters of organic farming use folk remedies.

Fertilization in spring

Top dressing is done according to the following recipes:

• A glass of bird droppings is poured with a bucket of water, the solution is stirred. The tool is insisted for 24 hours.
• One and a half glass of cow dung is added to 10-12 liters of water and infused for two to three days. Pour a tablespoon of ammonium sulfate into the mixture, stir until the granules dissolve.
• A tablespoon of carbamide is diluted in one bucket of water, the product is ready to use after the powder is dissolved.

Fertilizers are applied by irrigation from a watering can over 10 square meters of area. Water the aisles and the space between the strawberry bushes.

Summer strawberry care

Caring for the beds in summer consists in regular watering, weeding, loosening the soil in the aisles, additional mulching and protection from pests. After harvesting strawberries, old plants that have been bearing fruit for 3-4 years are removed from the site, strawberries affected by fungal diseases and pests are removed.

in rainy years, it destroys up to 70-80% of the crop. To prevent the fungus from multiplying, frames covered with plastic wrap are installed over the ridges during prolonged rains. Special props are installed under the tall bushes. The fungus actively multiplies on thickened plantings, therefore, the withered, dead leaves are cut off.

Weevil beetle larvae can kill strawberries as they eat the roots. White larvae on the roots and in the outlet are found when dead and damaged bushes are excavated from the soil. To destroy the pest, plants are watered under the root with Fufanon.

Spider mite breeds on strawberries if the summer is very hot. The insect has a size of 0.4-1 mm. The mite lives on the underside of the leaves and sucks the juice out of them. Damaged leaves are covered with whitish dots, they must be cut off before August 1. To destroy the spider mite, strawberries are sprayed with drugs Karbofos, Fitoverm, Omayt, Neoron.

Weevil larva and spider mite are the most common strawberry pests.

Summer gardening involves propagating plants with a mustache. Strawberry rosettes intended for cultivation in this way are chosen at the end of June. Daughter bushes are rooted until the end of July, at the end of summer they are transplanted to a permanent place of growth. New bushes will have time to take root well by winter.

The transplant can be postponed for the fall (mid-September) if the bush does not give the right amount mustache. Later, strawberries cannot be transplanted, since the underdeveloped root system will die in the winter cold.

In June, before the flowering of strawberries and during the formation of ovaries, the plants are fed with water with cow dung, bird droppings, urea, ammonium sulfate. Top dressing is prepared according to recipes for spring watering.

In August, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers. On square meter the beds are made:

• a teaspoon of urea;
• a tablespoon of potassium salt;
• half a tablespoon of superphosphate (or a spoonful of phosphate rock).

Scatter granules and powder over the soil, or dissolve in water and water the soil. Instead of synthetic fertilizers, you can use ash, humus.

Strawberry care in autumn

Proper care of strawberries in autumn is the key to a good harvest next season. Autumn work includes the following stages:

In late autumn, strawberry ridges are covered with fallen leaves, mown grass, straw, coniferous branches. High ridges for remontant varieties are covered with tarpaulin, spunbond, other non-woven materials, burlap. It is possible to completely pack the long bed only after the stable establishment of sub-zero temperatures.

Snow - best material for sheltering strawberries in winter. In severe winters with little snow, an additional layer of snow is thrown onto the beds.

Strawberries are a capricious crop that requires constant care. Only careful observance of the rules of agricultural technology guarantees good yields. Gardeners should choose strawberry varieties that are recommended for growing in a specific climatic region.