How to grow strawberries from seeds at home?

The most reliable way to get the strawberry variety you need and avoid many diseases and other troubles is to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds.

Selecting a variety and buying seeds

What gardener will deny himself the pleasure of growing strawberries on his plot? In fact, its name is large-fruited strawberry, but the name is more familiar to us - strawberry, so we will call it further.

Usually, everyone starts it up in their usual way: they take bushes from a neighbor and plant them, not knowing either the name of the variety or other valuable information about it. Together with the bushes, all his diseases are received. There is no guarantee of this, even if the seedlings are bought on the market.

By growing our own seedlings from seeds, we will avoid this risk.

First, it is important to decide what kind of strawberries you want to have. Repaired varieties give several harvests per season, but their berries are not so tasty. The largest varieties are hybrid, but all hybrids require more fertilizer than conventional varieties. There are also many differences in taste. Your choice will depend on the purpose of growing: more acidic for canning, and sweeter for fresh food. The choice of varieties allows you to satisfy any gardeners' needs. Here are some of them:

Moscow delicacy F1

This is a remontant hybrid variety, the fruits are large, dense with excellent taste. The variety is early, fruitful (up to one and a half kilograms per bush). Beautiful, which allows you to use it in suspended and vertical beds.

Sarian F1

A new remontant hybrid suitable for growing in greenhouses and greenhouses. Berry picking can be started as early as four to five months after sowing. Large-fruited, resistant to both frost and drought, little susceptible to infection with fungal diseases.

Queen Elizabeth

Also remontant, but not a hybrid, which allows you to collect seeds from it. Bears fruit all summer without pauses. The berries are large, brightly raspberry-colored, fragrant, dense in consistency, transportable.

Gigantella

The name speaks of the large size of the berries (up to 120 grams)! Gigantella bears fruit once a season, not a hybrid. The berries are very sweet, dry skin allows them to be well preserved.

Geneva

Appeared in our country in the nineties. A productive variety even with a lack of sunny days. It yields twice a season, has a dormant period, large-fruited.

Marshmallow

It attracts with high yield and early maturity.Tolerates shading, is not capricious in leaving. The taste is airy - light, as evidenced by the name of the variety. Bears fruit once a season.

Tristar

Large conical berries. Can give a second crop at the end of summer. Sweet dessert variety.

The berries grow on the mustache, so do not pick them off.

Diamond

Resistant to viruses, early ripening, gives up to 2 kilograms of berries from one bush.

Ducat

Differs in frost resistance.

Other varieties

Sakhalin berry bears fruit all summer until the end of autumn. It is impossible not to mention such proven frost-resistant varieties as Festivalnaya, Mashenka, Bogota, Mount Everest, Zarya.

When purchasing seeds, be sure to look at the expiration date, and if it comes to an end, then do not take them, since germination is highly dependent on freshness. For cost, choose the middle ones to take less risk.

Remember that you cannot harvest seeds from hybrid varieties yourself, you need to buy them.

To collect the seeds yourself, you need to choose the berry you like, it must be overripe. We remove the top layer from the berry, immerse it in water and carefully separate the seed from the pulp, filter. Now all that remains is to dry the seeds, and they are ready. You can sow them immediately, but if necessary, they are perfectly preserved for three to four years.

Benefits of growing strawberry seedlings

At first glance, it seems that growing strawberries from seeds is very difficult. Indeed, strawberry seeds are difficult to germinate, and sprouts sometimes die. But here the problem is only in the lack of the necessary knowledge and experience. If you master this simple technology, you will always use it, because it offers a number of advantages:

1. Unlike seedlings, seeds are stored for a long time.
2. It is easier to find the variety that suits you best.
3. The cost of seeds is several times less than seedlings.
4. You will know for sure the name of each variety and its characteristics.
5. Many bushes can be obtained from one berry.

Try to purchase strawberry seeds no later than January, or they may disappear from sale. Until you are completely sure of success, it is better not to buy expensive elite seeds, be sure to check the expiration date when buying.

Seed preparation

First you need disinfection by immersion for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then we take a transparent container with a lid, making holes for ventilation. We cover the bottom with cotton pads or a cloth, after wetting them, then lay out the seeds.

It is very difficult to spread such small seeds; a toothpick can help with this. Cover the top with the same moistened material and close the container with a lid. The napkin should be moistened every day, but not filled with water (use a spray bottle).

If you decide to sow several different varieties, then use different containers for them, which are worth signing. We keep it warm for two days, making sure that the seeds do not dry out, put it in the refrigerator for two weeks and also maintain the humidity.

This operation is called stratification. After stratification, the seeds are ready for sowing.

Instead of tap water, use melt water. In winter, there will be no shortage of such water.

Seed sowing dates

In the middle lane and to the north, sowing should be done not earlier than March, and in the south of Russia, you can do this already in February and even in mid-January. Specific dates depend on the variety and climate characteristics, so determine the exact date individually. If you are late with sowing, the strawberries in the soil will not have time to take root.

You can sow seeds at an earlier date if you use a backlight lamp.

Sowing substrate preparation

Gardeners have learned from their own experience that ready-made soil mixtures do not always correspond to the required parameters. For strawberries, it's best to make the mixture yourself.

Unsuitable precursors for strawberries include strawberries, raspberries, and nightshade crops. After them, the land should not be taken, it is better to prepare the land in the forest or in the forest belt.

The substrate should be light, crumbly, not fertilized. Here are examples of its composition:

• A mixture of forest soil and sand in equal parts;
• Three parts of vermicompost, peat and sand;
• Two parts of turf and one - sand with peat.

Buy vermicompost in a store, deacidify peat with lime or dolomite flour before mixing.

You can destroy pests in it by keeping the substrate in an oven with a temperature of 200 degrees for twenty minutes. Instead of high temperature treatment, you can, on the contrary, freeze the soil by exposing the container outside at low temperatures. So that after this a healthy microflora will be restored, after warming up, keep the ground cool for two weeks. During this time, the seeds will undergo stratification.

It is possible to use ash and humus as fertilizers, but do not overdo it, an excess of fertilizer can burn the seeds.

We select suitable containers

Capacities can be anything, consider the most common:

1. Ready-made plastic cassettes. They can be purchased at gardening outlets. Each container of the cassette is designed for planting one seed in it. Drainage holes have already been made, but it is necessary to pick up the pallet yourself.
2. Homemade wooden crates. They can be used repeatedly, but disinfected when reused.
3. Various paper and plastic cups. It is easy to transplant seedlings from them, but during transportation they need a container.
4. Pots of their peat. Plus, this is that they are planted in the ground along with the seedlings, and the disadvantage is that they may turn out to be of poor quality. Buy in trusted stores.
5. Transparent packaging for cakes, cookies and other things. Drainage holes are made in them independently, and the container is ready. The advantage is that they have transparent lids.

You will choose yourself, based on your conditions and opportunities.

Before filling with earth, the containers should be wiped with a cloth soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Sowing in boxes

The containers are filled with a prepared soil mixture (substrate), the surface is slightly compacted and watered. Then you need to make small grooves, spread the seeds in them, but you should not cover them with soil on top, the seeds germinate better in the light.

After planting, sprinkle the soil with water and cover the containers with transparent lids, foil or glass. Condensation (water droplets) should appear on the covers. If there is too much of it, it is necessary to ventilate, and if it is not, then pour it from a spray bottle. The place where the seedlings will be grown should be warm and well lit, but not in direct sunlight.

With this method, seed stratification can be applied directly in the ground using snow. This is done like this: We fill the box with earth by two-thirds, cover the surface with a thick layer of snow, trample. We lay out the soaked seeds on the surface and put the box in the refrigerator for fifteen days. During this time, the seeds will pour with melted snow and be drawn into the soil. Then we put the containers in a warm place and take care of them as described above.

Sowing in separate containers

If you have prepared cups for sowing, then everything is done in the same way, only one seed is laid out in each cup.

Since strawberry seeds are difficult to germinate, plant only germinated seeds in separate containers so that they do not subsequently turn out to be empty.

Peat tablets are now on sale. This product is specially designed for sowing seeds of various crops. They have holes approximately 8 millimeters deep. Before starting sowing, the tablets must be wetted until swollen, after which excess water must be removed.

The hatched seeds are placed in the holes, and all this is covered with a film, which should be removed with the emergence of shoots. You also need to maintain optimal humidity, water if necessary. The advantage of this method is that the seedlings do not need to be dived.

Rules for caring for young seedlings

Since the plants are very small and delicate, caring for them requires some attention.

1. Proper watering is essential for success. Watering will have to be done with great care. In order not to wash off and not lay delicate sprouts on the ground with water, water at the root using a medical syringe, pipette or teaspoon. The water must be settled or purified.
2. Top dressing. Complexes containing potassium, magnesium, phosphorus should be added
3. Prevention. To protect against fungal diseases, water with a fungicide ("Trichodermin", Planriz ") once every three weeks.

If you notice that the sprout is lying, lift it up and sprinkle it around with earth.

In a sealed container with high humidity, ideal conditions are created for the development of mold, which produces harmful toxins. You can get rid of this misfortune if:

• Carefully collect the mold along with the topsoil without damaging the roots of the seedlings.
• Loosen the soil slightly with a toothpick.
• Treat with the following drugs: phytosporin, vermiculite, a solution of one nystatin tablet in a glass of water, one percent solution of potassium permanganate.
• Dry the ground a little, temporarily removing the lid or glass.

At the next pick, try to carefully shake off the soil, in which there was mold, from the roots of the plant. If mold has formed on peat tablets, they must also be thrown away, and the plants must be treated with an antifungal agent.

Do not rush to open the seedlings when they grow up. They need to be accustomed to external conditions gradually. The transparent covers should first be pushed a little, or opened for a short time, until the seedlings are accustomed to room temperature and humidity.

Picking strawberry seedlings

If the strawberries are not sown in separate containers, then after the appearance of three leaves, they need to be sown. Place prepared soil in cups with drainage holes made in them, compact and water. You can easily make your own cups from thick paper or other similar materials.

We also water the soil in containers with seedlings. Carefully transplant the strawberry sprouts along with a lump of earth. If the roots of the seedlings are intertwined, you will have to separate them in water so as not to damage. It is recommended to pinch the longest roots when diving. Of course, after transplanting, you need careful watering at the root.

Necessary conditions for growing seedlings

The optimum temperature for growing is 20 -22 degrees. Illumination for at least 12 hours, but not in direct sunlight. From such rays of landing, you need to shade, and if there is a lack of light, use an artificial backlight. In this case, it is advisable to use automation for self-activation with the appearance of darkness.

Monitor the humidity level in the room. If it rises, the seedlings can be damaged by diseases and pests.

Due to excessive watering, strawberries may have an ailment such as a black leg. If it is found, it is necessary to urgently transplant the seedlings into another soil, and add a fungicide when watering.

Preparing seedlings for planting in the ground

In order for the plants not to experience stress from transplanting, some agrotechnical techniques should be applied, namely:

1. Hardening. Two to three weeks before planting seedlings in a permanent place, hardening must be carried out. To do this, during the day, the seedlings are taken out onto the balcony or porch for fresh air, and in the evening they are brought into the room. This is done so that the plants get used to sunlight and temperature extremes.
2. Treatment with solutions. If a white coating (powdery mildew) appears on the leaves, sprinkle with a solution of biofungicidal preparations. If a spider mite has started, treat it with an acaricide solution.

If you follow the advice carefully, then growing strawberries from seeds at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first. For her care and efforts, she will certainly thank you with a rich harvest.

The strawberry harvest directly depends on the quality of the seedlings. Experienced gardeners grow berries from seeds on their site. Seed material can be purchased or collected independently from ripe Victoria. In this article we will look at how to plant a berry in a summer cottage, how to germinate seeds and propagate.

Is it possible to grow strawberries in the country from seeds?

Traditionally, strawberries are grown by rooting tendrils and dividing bushes... Seeds are less commonly used. For some reason, planting with seeds is not widely used. This is largely due to the fact that this is a very complex and painstaking process. However, this method ensures that good seedlings are planted.

It happens that a very tasty berry is bought, but its variety is unknown. After collecting seeds from this strawberry, you can breed it in your area. In caring hands, even a very rare variety will grow from purchased seeds, which can then be planted in the root. Only remontant species are suitable for landing. The germination capacity of hybrid varieties is not guaranteed.

Where to get seeds for planting?

The best varieties of strawberries are widely represented on sale, you need to choose based on the characteristics of a particular type. There are - early, mid-season and late varieties. You can buy them in specialized stores or online.

The best varieties for growing berries from seeds at home:

• Bagota
• Gourmet
• Sakhalin
• Muscat
• Fresco
• Rügen
• Geneva

Due to the high cost, the seeds can be harvested on their own. The largest and ripe berries should be selected. Cut off the top layer. The collected strawberries are washed, spread on paper and dried.

Store seeds inside a glass container, strawberry germination lasts 3-4 years.

Planting strawberry seeds outdoors

Dates of sowing seeds for seedlings

Before you start growing strawberry seedlings. You should take on board the secrets shared by experienced gardeners.

So that the seeds sprout together, and the seedlings are strong and not overgrown. Sowing work must be carried out on time. Sowing time for Victoria seedlings is late February - early March. The resulting seedlings are planted in a permanent place in May. In the northern regions, the dates fall on the beginning of June.

Sowing preparation

Gardeners use two methods to prepare seeds before sowing. Both are effective, you can choose any of the options:

1. Soak the planting material before planting. This is done so that the seeds swell. This method allows you to check how good the seeds are. Expired seed will not swell, it remains empty inside. It is better to soak them on a piece of cloth. You just don't need to fill it with water, the seeds may get wet. Soak them for 2-3 days. Care must be taken to ensure that the fabric does not dry out.
2. The second method is to harden the seed. To do this, moisten a piece of cloth, place seeds on it. Wrap them up and send them inside the refrigerator to the bottom shelf. The temperature should not be too low. Plants hardened in this way will more easily tolerate frosts. The seeds are kept in the cold for 2 days.

If you wish, you can simply sow strawberries in boxes of soil and water with a spray bottle. For those who do not like to be lazy, we suggest considering a planting method from experienced gardeners.

It is not necessary to prepare the seeds, however, these measures will allow you to get 100% germination of healthy seedlings.

Strawberry sprouts grown from seeds

How to plant seeds?

Planting is carried out with the preparation of fertile soil... Mixed soil is required to grow strawberries for seedlings. Take 2 parts of land, part of sand and peat, where you should add wood ash, vermicompost. The soil should be light, crumbly. Otherwise, after watering, the land will be clogged.

• The prepared soil is poured into boxes. It is leveled and compacted.
• Use a stick to draw smooth, shallow grooves along the length of the box.
• Seeds are placed inside the groove with tweezers. If tweezers are not available, a toothpick will do.
• Leave a distance of 2 cm between each seed so that they do not thicken.
• When planting different varieties, you need to sign each groove.
• After planting, tamp the earth and water it abundantly with a spray bottle.

Until strong shoots appear, it is better to water with a spray bottle, otherwise the water will wash out the seeds.

Seed care before sprouting

The seedlings do not require special care, except for watering, until the moment when the seedlings need to be dived. It is better to keep the box with seedlings on the window, sunlight will show through the glass. Until shoots appear, the box can be covered with glass or foil to retain moisture.

Transplanting strawberry seedlings into open ground

Carry out a pick when 2-3 leaves appear. Gently take out the seedlings and transplant in separate cups. Peat cups are ideal for this purpose. If planted in disposable dishes, a hole must be made at the bottom of the cup.

How to plant berry bushes in open ground?

Self-grown strawberry seedlings should be green with proper carefresh and healthy looking. Before planting in the ground, you need to water the cups abundantly. The weather should already be warm. If there are cold nights, it is better to wait a while, use a greenhouse or cover material.

Seedlings are planted on a prepared bed, the soil in it should be loosened and fertilized. Recently, gardeners have been actively planting beds on elevated beds with covering material. If you grow strawberries in the traditional way, the mature bushes need to be mulched.

Use straw, hay, or sawdust for mulch. Good owners use cut grass or decayed foliage.

Difficulties in growing berries from seeds at home

Strawberry close-up

Difficulties that beginner gardeners may face:

1. Expired seeds will not sprout, in this case they need to be sown.
2. Provide regular watering, in dry soil sprouts may die.
3. If the window is very sunny, shade it slightly, otherwise the leaves may turn yellow.
4. In addition to watering, seedlings can be sprayed. If it grows poorly, feeding with growth stimulants is recommended.
5. If the soil smells like mold, then watering must be reduced, otherwise the sprouts can rot.

If you follow all the recommendations, monitor the condition of the seedlings and properly care for them. On your site, you can equip a strawberry meadow rich in harvest. Experimenting with different varieties, until late autumn, the harvest will be assured!

Some hobby gardeners are wondering how to grow strawberries from seeds, which generally requires certain knowledge, without which you will never get a harvest.

In today's article, we will give the information necessary for growing strawberries from seeds, which will be useful to both beginners and experienced gardeners who decide to test their skills in a new path.

When is the best time to grow, sowing dates

Planting strawberry seeds is best in late February or early March. Some gardeners plant seeds at the end of December, which is important for areas with colder climates. Planting seeds at these times will allow the seedlings to grow strong enough for further transplantation into open ground.

Moreover, if you plan to be in a suburban area all summer, you can plant strawberry seeds in May or June, but in this case, planting seedlings in open ground will take place in the hot summer months, which will require additional care in the form of timely shading and more frequent glaze.

We do not recommend planting strawberry seeds at a later date, since the seedlings will have to be overexposed at home until next season, which is not suitable for all people.

Selection and processing of planting material

Having dealt with the timing of planting seeds at home, you should proceed to the direct selection of these very seeds.

In order to make the right choice, check out the list of the following points:

1. Before purchasing seeds, check with the seller if it is possible to grow them in the conditions of your site (type of soil on your site). The overwhelming number of strawberry varieties grow well and develop in soils of any type, but there are exceptions, which you need to find out about before the direct planting of seeds of a dubious variety;
2. Choose varieties that best suit the climatic conditions in your area. In addition, there are varieties that are resistant to certain diseases, but have a smaller yield, as well as varieties with a larger yield, but are susceptible to disease. Based on this, you should choose exactly the variety of strawberries that is right for you in these matters;
3. Decide in which position you will be growing strawberries. Modern varieties have both horizontally and vertically growing specimens;
4. Decide on the final taste of the berry itself, which can be sweet, tart, sour, as well as banana and pineapple flavors.

The most popular strawberry varieties in the conditions of the CIS countries are the following samples:

1. Gigantella;
2. Masha;
3. Victoria;
4. Gum;
5. Anapolis;
6. Camarose;
7. Regina;
8. Fragora.

Strawberry seeds should be purchased in flower shops, or from trusted breeders of this culture. Often, the seeds from such suppliers are of high quality, as well as good germination. All damaged, underdeveloped and abnormal-looking specimens should be weeded out prior to planting.

We do not recommend using seeds from store-bought strawberries for food, as there is no reliable information as to which variety or hybrid it is, whether it will suit your growing conditions, and whether its seeds will bear fruit.

Having decided on the criteria for choosing seeds, you should talk about their direct preparation, which consists in observing the following points:

1. To improve and accelerate germination, seeds should be soaked in melt or rain water for 2-3 days.
2. The soaked seeds are laid out on a damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag. The package is placed in a warm and bright place, while not allowing direct sunlight, and remains there until the seeds sprout. Check the fabric periodically and dampen it.
3. If desired, before soaking the seeds, they can be treated with phytosporin, which will protect them from possible fungal and bacterial invasions that may occur when planting in open ground.
4. Seeds are germinated at a temperature of + 27-30 degrees. Seedlings are kept at a temperature of + 25-27 degrees.

The use of growth activators in the germination of strawberry seeds is not relevant, since the culture is distinguished by good germination.

For experienced gardeners, seeds can be germinated by the stratification method, when the container with the sown seeds is moistened, covered with cellophane, and placed in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks, then in a warm and bright place, which stimulates them to active growth, and the formation of the strongest seedlings.

Choice of capacity

It is best to plant sprouted strawberry seeds in plastic or wooden boxes, from 50 cm long and 30 cm wide. Also, seeds can be planted in ordinary containers and cups, like seedlings of other plants, but this is important in cases where 2- 3 bushes of this berry, for indoor cultivation.

We advise you to use the black plastic crates that sell fruits and vegetables at major grocery stores. A plastic film is placed on the bottom of such a box, in which drainage holes are made. The box with the film is placed on a pallet, in which excess liquid will accumulate.

As for the container for planting already sprouted seedlings, here you can use ordinary containers for flowers, as well as deeper plastic cups, but this applies only to those seedlings that will later be transplanted into open ground.

If you plan to grow strawberries using the hydroponic method, special cardboard boxes will be an excellent purchase, which ensure the maximum planting density of this berry, and the ability to collect as large a crop as possible, from the smallest possible area.

Soil preparation

The overwhelming majority of strawberry varieties are unpretentious to the soil.

Despite this, in order to improve the growth rate, development, and overall fruiting, it is recommended to prepare the soil in accordance with the following points:

1. Take 1 piece of turf land.
2. Take 1 part peat.
3. Take 1 part clean coarse river sand.
4. Mix everything until smooth.
5. Put the mass in the stove for 30 minutes, and ignite it at a temperature of +150 degrees in order to destroy all microbes and fungal spores.

You can also sow seeds and grow grown seedlings in soils purchased at a flower shop, for which a fruit and berry soil mixture would be an excellent option.

General rules for sowing seeds

Regardless of which way you grow strawberries, there are general rules for planting seeds, which are listed below:

1. To obtain maximum germination, strawberry seeds should be planted in a warm room, the temperature of which does not fall below +25 degrees.
2. Sprouted seeds are planted in a container with soil, to a depth of no more than 1 cm.
3. Sowing seeds in the soil, which was previously calcined in the oven (relevant for soil taken from nature).
4. Seeds whose seedlings will dive into open ground should be treated with phytosporin, which will protect the root system and sprouts from infection by fungi and bacteria in the first months of growth.
5. It is better to use the seeds of hybrid species, since they are most focused on seed propagation.
6. Sow the germinated seeds, which will greatly increase their germination and significantly reduce the germination time.
7. Seeds can be stratified at will (not recommended for beginners).

Instruction for sowing in a container

Sprouted seeds are most often planted in containers or boxes.

For proper planting of seeds in these containers, adhere to the following points:

1. Take the desired container, the height of which will be at least 10 cm.
2. Treat the container with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, or wipe it with a cloth dampened with alcohol. Dry the container well.
3. Place a plastic bag on the bottom of the container, and punch holes through both the bag and the container itself. In general, if the container is plastic, you can do without cellophane, but if it is wooden, in order to avoid rotting of the bottom, we recommend using a film.
4. Pour the previously prepared soil mixture into the container, the layer thickness of which should be about 7-8 cm.
5. Lightly compact the soil layer and moisten it with a spray bottle.
6. Take the sprouted seeds with tweezers and place them in a container, on top of the moistened soil.
7. Lightly press the seeds against the soil, but do not deepen, and cover them with a layer of soil, the thickness of which should not exceed 5-10 mm. If you are planting seeds that have not sprouted, they should not be covered at all. Non-germinated seeds should be lightly pressed into the soil and left to germinate in a bright and warm place. Place seeds 2.4 cm apart.
8. Place the container in a bright and warm place, periodically spraying the soil with a spray bottle. If you sowed seeds that have not sprouted, you can cover the container with foil before the first sprouts appear. If the seeds were viable, just moisten the soil in time, keeping it moist.

Instructions for sowing in peat tablets

Sowing seeds in peat tablets should be carried out in accordance with the following points:

1. Purchase peat tablets at a flower shop that are approximately 2.4 cm in size.
2. Fill the peat tablets with melted or rain water and let them infuse for a period of 2 days.
3. After the peat tablets have grown in size, place them on a pallet or in a plastic box.
4. In each of the tablets, make a small indentation, and place one seed there, lightly pressing it into the tablet.
5. After all the seeds have settled on the peat tablets, the container is covered with a plastic bag and placed on the windowsill.
6. Spray the peat tablets with a spray bottle periodically to keep them from drying out.
7. After the shoots appear, the film must be removed.
8. Keep the seedlings on tablets until the first roots appear through it.

Remember, sowing seeds in peat tablets can be done without first germinating them. Otherwise, the peat tablets will have to be left open, which will complicate the process of moistening them.

Picking

If you grow seedlings on peat tablets, after the first roots begin to appear through them, transplant them into a separate container (pots, boxes, cups), observing the distance between the shoots of 3-4 cm.In the case of growing in cups, for each cup plant 1 sprout. Seedlings are planted in a container with soil, the recipe for which we discussed in the middle of the article.

The picking of seedlings into open ground is carried out when it has at least 5 leaves. If you grow seedlings in the traditional way, initially using a container with soil, after the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, transplant them into larger and deeper containers, where they will grow until 5 leaves appear, after which you also pick them open priming.

It is necessary to dive strawberry seedlings in pre-prepared beds, located in 2 rows, and having a distance of 30 cm between them.The depth of the beds should be equal to the depth of the container in which the seedlings grew, for example, the glass has a depth of 15 cm, respectively, the bed should have a similar depth, + -1 cm.

Carefully transfer the sprout into the prepared beds, along with the earthen cake on the root system. Cover the planted seedling with earth so that the surface of the seedling soil is not covered with new soil.

After planting the seedlings, water each seedling with 0.5 liters of water diluted with an organic stimulant such as AgriTecno Fertilizantes. After fertilizing the seedlings, the soil around them should be mulched with humus. The mulch layer should not exceed 1 cm.

Remember, if your beds are in direct sunlight, the first few days they should be shaded in the middle of the day, so that the sprouts will smoothly adapt to the new growing area.

Follow-up care

Subsequent care for transplanted seedlings into open ground is reduced to observing the following points:

1. Water regularly, every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions.
2. Slightly loosen the surface of the soil after watering, preventing it from compacting and settling.
3. Remove weeds.
4. Treat with insecticide if necessary.

As for fertilizers, they are applied only after the first harvest. The best fertilizer for strawberries is considered to be 2 tablespoons of chicken manure, diluted in 10 liters of water. Melon fertilizer is completely natural, and the berries processed with it will be absolutely safe for human consumption.

As the winter season approaches, at the end of September, the bushes are covered with a thin layer of humus, the thickness of which does not exceed 1 cm. The beds are insulated with straw, fallen leaves or sawdust.If there are strong autumn showers in your area, or there is a heavy wind, you can additionally cover the strawberry bushes with a plastic bag, with holes previously made in it for air circulation.

Conclusion

Based on the information in this article, it becomes clear that almost every beginner can germinate, grow and care for strawberry seeds at home, with the desire and hard work. Remember, you can sow and plant strawberries in almost any climatic zone of the CIS countries, which makes it an excellent purchase for any summer resident and gardener!

Growing strawberries at home is a laborious process. But only by planting the seedlings on their own, any summer resident can be sure of its quality and that the desired plant variety will grow. To obtain a large harvest of fragrant berries, you must familiarize yourself with the rules for choosing soil for planting and planting material, with preparing them for planting, with the conditions of keeping, care and transplanting seedlings to a permanent place.

Sowing dates

Sowing is necessary depending on the desired timing of the first harvest. If you plant strawberry seeds in February, then the bushes will bear fruit in the summer. When planting them in April, the bushes will only grow by autumn, but they will have time to get stronger and will delight with abundant fruiting next year.

In addition, the presence of additional illumination of the seedlings affects the time of planting the seeds of the plant. If the balcony is equipped with good lighting, then the sowing process can begin even in December. But in the absence of lamps, it is advisable to sow in March.

Seed selection

Strawberry kernels can be prepared by yourself or purchased at a gardening store. At home, from a large berry, you need to cut the pulp with seeds in strips and dry. Then put it in paper bags.

When buying seed, you should carefully study the information on the package.

• A well-known and proven manufacturer will not sell low-quality goods.
• The variety must be suitable for growing in the region.
• Must remain at least 1 year before the expiration date.
• The choice of variety depends on the purpose of the cultivation. If breeding is intended for your own consumption, then it is better to prepare the seeds yourself. You can choose non-hybrid varieties: they have excellent taste properties. When growing strawberries for sale, you should pay attention to hybrid varieties. Their benefits include high yields and disease resistance.

It is interesting!

Some varieties have been bred that can bear fruit on the balcony all year round. However, they require proper care.

Soil preparation

The market for products for gardeners is quite wide: everyone can choose the substrate to their liking. Ready-made universal mixtures are sold that are suitable for the cultivation of any plants; you can purchase specialized soil suitable only for a specific culture.

Advice

Garden strawberries are capricious, so it is advisable to take special soil for growing seedlings from seeds.

Experienced gardeners, taking into account long-term observations, skillfully make the substrate on their own. It is important that it is light, crumbly and simple.

The most common formulations are:

• coarse sand and vermicompost in equal parts, 3 parts of non-acidic peat;
• sand - 2 parts, 1 part each of peat and sod land;
• sand - 3 parts, soil from the garden and humus - 1 part each.

It is recommended to add a little wood ash and manure to the second composition for growing on the balcony.

In the soil mixture from the garden, there may be pest larvae. To disinfect the ground, you can use one of the following methods:

• warm up in the microwave for 5 minutes;
• steam in a water bath;
• place in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 ° C;
• process with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

After the performed manipulations, the soil should be placed in a warm place for 15-10 days.

Selection of capacity

For growing seedlings on the balcony, containers can also be made independently or bought.

What can be used as a container for planting strawberry crops?

• Plastic cups, cardboard packaging for juices or glasses for sour cream - when choosing such a container, it is important to make small holes from the bottom so that the water from irrigation does not stagnate.
• Plastic boxes - a kind of mini-greenhouses are obtained. Arcs can be cut out of a plastic bottle, and a plastic wrap can be pulled over them.
• Peat tablets are very popular, convenient for growing strawberries from seeds, picking and planting in a permanent place.
• Food containers - it is advisable to select containers with a transparent top. So a container with such a lid will be used as a miniature greenhouse.

Before starting all the manipulations with planting strawberries, it is important to fill the container with a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. This will protect against fungal infections.

Preparing seeds for planting

Before sowing seeds on the balcony, they need to be prepared. For the prevention of diseases, the seed must be disinfected: soak in a weak (1%) solution of potassium permanganate. You can use solutions of boric acid, hydrogen peroxide, copper sulfate or aloe juice.

Strawberry seeds should be wrapped in a small piece of cloth, wrapped with thread and placed in a solution prepared in advance for 15 minutes. Then remove the bag and rinse it with clean water several times.

The next important stage in seed preparation is stratification. It can be done in two ways.

1. Sowing in the snow. Fill the container with a substrate, cover it with snow on top: a layer of 1-2 cm in a compacted form. Sow the seed on the snow, cover with foil and refrigerate. The snow will melt and the grains will sink into the ground.
2. Refrigerated stratification. Place the seeds on a damp cloth, wrap in a plastic bag, and leave in the refrigerator for 7 days. At temperatures from +4 to + 5 ° C, the process of awakening and preparation for further growth starts.

Stratification is needed to ensure quality and simultaneous emergence.

Sowing in a container

To grow strawberries on the balcony, you need to fill a suitable container with soil, level, slightly compact, moisten, make small grooves. Using a sharpened match, tweezers or a toothpick, it is necessary to spread the plant seeds at a distance of 2 cm from each other. They should be pressed a little against the substrate, but not covered with them from above.

Advice

For convenience, when planting different varieties of planting material in one container, you can attach the name of the variety in front of each groove.

After transferring the seeds to the ground, it must be moistened with a spray bottle, covered with plastic wrap or closed with a container lid. It is imperative to make small holes on the surface of the container. It is advisable to place the container in a warm and lighted place, but not on the windowsill itself - the grains will dry on it before they germinate.

Landing in peat tablets

Cultivating strawberries on the balcony in peat tablets is considered the most convenient way. It is worth considering the process of planting material in special washers, inside which is placed compressed peat enriched with fertilizers.

1. Place washers in a container, pour well with water, let it swell.
2. Place 2-3 seeds in the recess in the tablet, do not sprinkle with soil.
3. Cover with foil, put in a lighted and warm place.

The first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks.

Seedling care

When the first shoots appear, they should be ventilated daily and moistened with a spray bottle. After a month, the cover must be completely removed. After three leaves grow, the seedlings must be dived. The main thing for seedlings on the balcony is sufficient watering.

When the bushes of the plant consist of 6-7 leaves, the seedlings can be transplanted into open ground.The process must necessarily take place on a cloudy day.

Strawberries are a useful and valuable berry. Growing plant bushes on the balcony is troublesome, but you can be sure of the quality of the resulting seedlings.

When breeding strawberries, it is important to follow the recommendations described above, and gradually adhere to the rules for planting the crop.