How to grow strawberries in your garden?

Strawberries have an unforgettable taste and aroma, thanks to which they are loved by both adults and children. This berry is very popular, but its price is quite high, and it is much more profitable to grow strawberries on your own right at their summer cottage.

Is it possible to grow strawberries in the country?

Growing strawberries on your own in a summer cottage is a very painstaking, but at the same time, simple task. If all the rules are correctly followed, the plant will actively bear fruit and bring a good harvest.

The complexity of cultivation lies in the fact that when cultivating strawberries, you will have to spend a lot of energy on performing such everyday actions as watering and weeding.

It is possible to grow this berry in the open ground in the garden both in the southern and northern latitudes and in Siberia. The key to success in this case will be correct selection of the variety, which must be adapted to the specific location. The modern market can offer a huge number of types of strawberries. They all differ from each other according to criteria such as climatic resistance, ripening time, fruit size and taste, etc.

When planning to plant strawberries in your country house, you also need to make sure that it feels comfortable. For this, the berries are placed in a light, sandy loam or loamy soil.

The key to a good harvest is the correct selection of the variety.

Popular species and good varieties for Siberia

It is best for beginners to stop their attention on well-known varieties that have already established themselves:

1. Daryonka - this early ripe variety boasts immunity to fungal diseases and pests. Also, such a plant tolerates winter temperatures well and brings a large amount of harvest. Berries of medium size (15-20 grams) have a blunt cone shape. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour;
2. Kama - this variety has excellent frost and drought resistance. There is a susceptibility to infection with brown or white spot. Large fruits, weighing 25-35 grams, are made in the form of a rounded rhombus, characterized by the presence of ribbing. When fully ripe, the skin takes on a maroon hue. The pulp is juicy, tender and sweet and sour;
3. Mashenka - a variety of Russian selection is perfectly adapted to the conditions of the middle lane. The plant is not afraid of diseases and recurrent frosts, but at the same time it brings a good harvest. The leaves on the bushes are large, and the flower stalks are powerful and stable.The oblong, bright red berries have a pleasant taste and strawberry aroma;
4. Queen Elizabeth - a feature of the remontant variety will be its large and very sweet fruits. The plant can tolerate severe frosts, recurrent frosts, insect attacks and diseases well. The yield is always at a high level. The main disadvantage of the variety will be that it does not form a mustache, so it will have to be propagated with the help of seeds.

Correct planting in a garden in the open field - step by step instructions

When planting strawberries in a summer cottage, it is first of all necessary decide on a deadline... The gardener has several options for the development of events:

• spring (April) - the strawberry bed must be prepared in the fall of the previous season;
• summer (July 20-25) - the garden is also prepared in the fall;
• autumn (September) - in this case, the soil for plants is prepared 2-3 weeks before work.

After the deadlines are determined, you can proceed to the formation of beds... The place where they will be located must meet the following requirements:

1. The soil should be sandy loam or loamy, necessarily breathable and nutritious;
2. The optimum acidity level should be within 5.5-6.5 Ph... In the event that the indicator is lowered, it can be raised by adding dolomite flour. It is worth remembering that such work can only be carried out in the fall;
3. Places of accumulation of precipitation and melt water are not suitable for growing strawberries, because in this case there is a great risk of decay of the root system;
4. Groundwater should be located at a depth equal to 70-80 centimeters;
5. Experienced gardeners recommend placing strawberries separately from all other horticultural crops;
6. The best precursors to strawberries are legumes, grains, or greens. It is not worth planting in places where tomatoes or potatoes previously grew;
7. In order for the berries to ripen, to be juicy and sugary, the planting site must be sunny.

The place of planting strawberries must be sunny.

The method of forming the beds will depend on the chosen growing location. In the event that the site is located on a hill and is well illuminated by sunlight, it is enough to build a bulk bed with a height 10 centimeters... With a high location of groundwater, this indicator increases up to 35-40 centimeters.

The optimal landing width is 95-100 centimeters.

In order to make the soil more fertile, the following fertilizers are applied per square meter of soil:

• 8 kilograms of compost;
• 100 grams of superphosphate;
• 30 grams of potassium salt.

The next step is to select healthy seedlings:

• they should be free from traces of mechanical damage and disease;
• planting material with the most powerful and branched roots takes root best of all;
• the socket must be 3-4 leaves.

Seedlings must be of high quality and without damage.

Before planting, you must carefully dig the soil to a depth of 25-30 centimeters.

Doing such work will help form a nutritional and water regime... Also, during the digging, you can find and destroy a variety of pests.

As soon as the preparatory work is completed, you can start planting plants:

1. The best time to plant is early morning or late evening on a cloudy day;
2. The standard planting pattern says that the distance between the rows is equal to 60-70 centimeters, and between individual plants 20-25 centimeters;
3. The hole is dug to the depth 13-15 centimeters;
4. When immersing a seedling in the ground, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is at the same level with the ground. Otherwise, the plant will soon die;
5. The last step will be abundant watering and mulching of the plantings.

Planting and growing strawberries is a fairly simple process, the main thing is to follow all the rules and take preparatory measures on time.

Technology and secrets of strawberry care for a good harvest

Watering

Strawberry care involves many aspects. There are no technologies and secrets to get the harvest. It is enough to follow the step-by-step instructions for planting and breeding, plant within the acceptable time frame and take care of it properly. water the plants properly, that is, waterlogging and drying out of the soil should not be allowed.

Experienced gardeners recommend watering strawberries after planting and flowering, while picking berries, in late summer and early fall. One bush will consume 1 liter of warm water. Immediately after watering, the plantings are mulched with a 7-8 centimeter layer of humus.

Fertilizers and feeding

Fertilize strawberries in accordance with the following scheme:

1. In early spring, during the formation of leaves and after harvesting, the bushes are fertilized with nitrogen-containing fertilizers;
2. In late August and early September, fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is performed;
3. Before flowering and after harvesting, the plantings are fertilized with a manure solution, humus or wood ash.

Complex fertilizer for strawberries

Strawberries should never be fed with chlorine-containing fertilizers.

Protection against diseases and pests

Strawberry beds needed weed and loosen regularly... This procedure will be a good prevention of fungal diseases.

In the event that gray rot still struck the plant, in order to get rid of it before flowering, plantings are watered with a solution of iodine, a teaspoon of which is diluted in 10 liters of water. The procedure is repeated after 7-10 days.

For the prevention of diseases during flowering and after harvest, the following treatments are carried out:

• fungal diseases - "Fitosporin";
• spotting and gray rot - copper oxychloride;
• powdery mildew - 2 tablespoons of potassium permanganate, diluted in 10 liters of water.

Removing the whiskers contributes to a larger crop

During the entire growing season from the bushes remove mustache, this will contribute to the formation of a larger and more attractive crop. After picking the berries, it is necessary to cut off the entire green part of the plants, leaving only a few lower leaves.

Planting needs to be renewed every 3-4 years.

Preparing for winter

When growing strawberries in areas with a harsh and unpredictable climate, you should take care of plant protection for the winter. In order for the shrub to tolerate cold temperatures well, choose climate-resistant varieties.

To prepare the plant for winter, it abundantly watered and mulched with straw... With the onset of the first frost, the planting is covered with spruce branches, film, agrofibre or any other means at hand. If the winter has little snow, then you need to additionally throw snow on the ridges.

In preparation for winter, strawberries are mulched with straw.

The subtleties of growing sweet and aromatic berries

In order to grow a harvest of tasty and juicy berries, you need to adhere to some rules:

1. Best to pick up released and tested varietiescare for which will not bring any particular difficulties;
2. To get a good harvest, it is very important to adhere to the agricultural technology of growing strawberries, namely, to follow the rules of the neighborhood, to deliberately approach the place of plant growth and planting. It is also very important to correctly and feed and water on time bushes;
3. Weeds take a large amount of nutrients from strawberries, so they need to be removed as soon as possible;
4. Effective and timely disease control will help maintain the quality and quantity of the crop;
5. The mustache depletes the plant, causing the berries to become smaller and the overall yield drops. To maintain fruiting, it is recommended remove shoots regularly strawberries.

Growing strawberries on your own plot is the dream of almost every gardener. In order to bring it to life, you must adhere to all the rules for plant cultivation and not neglect the advice of experienced gardeners.

Garden strawberry is a type of strawberry. She has larger leaves and berries, rich in vitamins and minerals. The culture is propagated by seeds and rosettes. The plant takes root in any soil, but the size of the fruit depends on the quality of the soil and the amount of nutrients. Strawberries can be planted in mid or late spring and autumn. In order for the culture to quickly take root and not die in winter, you need to adhere to several rules.

Planting material

An easy way of breeding domesticated strawberries is with mustache seedlings. In summer, the plant forms shoots. The rosettes are sprinkled with substrate and watered regularly so that they take root. Closer to autumn, the workpiece is separated from the mother bush with sharp scissors or a knife. Seedlings are dug up and examined, healthy specimens are selected. Viable blanks have white and elastic roots, a well-developed core and at least 3-4 leaves. Deformed and sluggish sockets are thrown away, they will not survive the winter. The roots of strong seedlings are shortened, leaving 6–7 cm. Before planting, the shoots are soaked in water or solutions that stimulate growth.

If the strawberry does not let the whiskers go, you can propagate it by dividing the bush. The largest and thickest varieties are selected and dug out. The root system is carefully cleaned of an earthen coma and cut into 2-3 parts with a sharp knife. Each piece should have a core and full leaves, at least 4 pieces.

The most difficult breeding method is seeds. The planting material is harvested independently. Large fruits are selected and wait until they ripen. Soft berries of a rich red hue are kneaded and passed through a sieve, separating the pulp from the seeds. The seeds are transferred to a colander covered with gauze, washed with water. Planting material is sown in prepared pots or open ground. In the spring, seedlings appear, which must be carefully looked after. Fortified sockets are dug up and seated. They give a harvest in a year.

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Soil preparation

Strawberries are recommended not to be planted in areas where eggplants, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers or cabbage used to grow. After such crops, the larvae of insect pests remain in the soil:

• Colorado potato beetle;
• nematodes;
• wireworm.

In spring, they wake up and begin to actively reproduce, destroying the root system of domesticated strawberries. Strawberries take root well in the land in which marigolds, crops, onions or garlic, carrots, beets or radishes used to grow.

Choose plots located on the southeastern side of the garden. Ideally, trees grow next to the strawberries that will create shade and cover the delicate foliage from direct sunlight. Strawberries give a rich harvest if they grow in black soil or dark gray forest soil. The culture likes loamy and sandy loam soil. The berries will be small and sour if the owner of the cottage has chosen a sod-podzolic or light gray substrate located in the lowlands. Strawberries do not take root in areas with too wet soil, which constantly floods.

Before planting the culture, the land is dug up and carefully examined. If beetles or eggs are found in the substrate, you need to treat the soil with ammonia water. The solution destroys the larvae and spores of fungal diseases. Alkaloid lupine can drive away pests. The selected area is sown with a plant, and after a year they dig out and replace the culture with strawberries.

Areas with a lot of weeds are watered with Roundall solution. For 1 hectare, take 2 liters of the drug. The product works against firmly rooted perennials and destroys weed seeds.

The substrate is enriched with humus and wood ash 2-3 weeks before planting strawberry bushes.You can use compost or peat. Fresh manure is prohibited, the component produces a lot of nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of green mass, but inhibits the formation of buds.

Fertilizer is abundantly sprinkled on the beds and dug to the depth of a shovel bayonet. The site is leveled with a rake and left for 3 weeks. To get a good harvest, it is recommended to supplement the compost with potassium compounds and superphosphate. For 1 m, take 20 g of the first and 40 g of the second additive. With increased acidity of the soil, dolomite lime is used, about 250-300 g.

The strawberries are transferred to new beds every 2–4 years. The land in which the strawberries grew is recommended to be sown with cereals or onions. They help the soil to recover and fill up with nutrients. Strawberries can be returned to the old plot after 3-4 years. So long will it take for the substrate to be enriched with micronutrients.

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Good time

Domesticated strawberries are planted in spring or fall. The air temperature is too high in summer. The soil dries up quickly, even frequent watering does not help. A culture deprived of water withers and dies.

In spring, strawberry seedlings are planted in late April or May, when the ground warms up to a depth of 5–6 cm. In autumn, strawberries are prepared for reproduction in September. Some summer residents begin planting crops in the last days of August. Autumn seedlings have time to take root and take root over the winter, so the harvest is harvested the next year.

Preparation and methods of planting

Sockets before planting are soaked in a solution of copper sulfate. The drug is mixed with baking soda in a ratio of 1 to 6. The workpiece is diluted with water: 10 liters of liquid are taken for 30 g of the composition. Copper sulfate disinfects seedlings and protects against fungal diseases.

Sockets dug out of the ground are sent to the cellar or basement for 12-24 hours. The root system is dipped in an orange clay mash. Mix 5 kg of dry component with water to get a creamy mass. The billet is insisted for several hours, and then smeared with orange paste on strawberries. The roots are also wrapped with wet paper so that the shoots do not lose moisture. Seedlings protected from drying out can be stored for several days.

Strawberries are planted in the evening, choose a cloudy day. It's good if it rains a little. There are 4 common planting methods:

• carpet;
• nests;
• separate bushes;
• in rows.

The first option is suitable for people who rarely come to the country. The whiskers that form in strawberry bushes do not break off, but allow them to take root. The culture gradually grows and takes over the site. A special microclimate is created, and a layer of natural mulch is formed on the ground. Carpet-planted strawberries should rarely be watered and fertilized. Weeds do not grow in the area with strawberries. The land is rarely loosened, mainly in autumn and spring.

The carpet method has only one drawback. The berries are gradually becoming smaller due to the large number of mustaches and rosettes.

Summer residents who want to get large fruits choose the method of planting with separate bushes. A distance of 45-60 cm is kept between the beds. The strawberry whiskers are regularly cut so that the plants do not intertwine with each other. The handicraft method is complex and time consuming. You often have to loosen and mulch the soil with straw, apply fertilizer and water the beds, and also fight weeds.

Thanks to the artisanal method, strawberries develop intensively and bear fruit, and the likelihood of fungal diseases decreases, because each plant is ventilated.

In order to transplant strawberries not after 2-3 years, but after 5-6 years, summer residents divide the plot into rows. Between the pits 15–25 cm recede. The row spacing is 40 cm. The method practically does not differ from the handicraft one. The whiskers are torn off the strawberries, the aisles are regularly weeded, the plants are watered and mulched.

A rich harvest is obtained when planting strawberries in nests.The largest and most fluffy bush will become the core that the rest of the plants surround. Form a hexagon. The distance between the central and lateral points is 5–6 cm.

With this method, you will need a lot of planting material. A distance of 25–30 cm is kept between the nests. The method provides a rich harvest.

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Modern options

Summer residents who are tired of fighting weeds are advised to pay attention to nonwoven fabric. The invention is called "Spunbond". The dense black material allows air to pass through and retains moisture in the soil, creates a favorable microclimate for the development of strawberries, but protects against pests.

Summer residents using Spunbond plant strawberries in rows. The land is watered abundantly before work. In dry soil, strawberries do not take root well. At a distance of 55–60 cm, grooves are dug, the substrate is covered with non-woven material and fixed with stones or boards. In a dense workpiece, cross-shaped cuts with a diameter of 5–6 cm are made. The holes are formed by hand, into which the strawberry seedlings are placed. The root system is straightened so that the shoots look down and slightly to the side, sprinkle with earth, leaving the core on the surface. The corners of the nonwoven fabric are gently straightened to cover the base of the strawberry. Only leaves remain outside.

Strawberries are planted in a similar way without non-woven material. The wells are abundantly moisturized, straightened the root system and sprinkled with a wet substrate. The seedlings are watered abundantly so that they take root better. Sprinkle with fresh straw on top. Thanks to mulching, moisture remains in the soil longer, and the roots do not overheat and do not freeze.

Tip: The ammonia solution, in which the sockets are soaked to prevent fungal infections, can be replaced with garlic water. The product is prepared from 2-3 crushed cloves and 1 liter of liquid base.

If the summer cottage is small and you need to save space, it is recommended to build a pyramid from old tires or boxes. The height of the structure can reach 10 m. The containers are filled with a nutrient mixture, which includes peat, turf soil and humus. To make the substrate looser, a little sand is added to it.

The distance between the bushes in containers is 15–20 cm. The volume of soil for the root system is 1.5 liters. In winter, the structure is dismantled, and the components are buried in the ground and mulched with fallen leaves. In the spring, during the frost period, the containers are covered with foil or non-woven material.

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Growing seedlings in early spring

Summer residents who want to harvest in May or June build mini-greenhouses for strawberries. The land is enriched with fertilizers, dug up, and after 3 weeks, beds are formed. Small arcs with a radius of 50-60 cm are made of wire, set at a distance of 1 m.

The covering material is fixed to the frame with a jute rope. One side of the film is pressed to the ground with iron slats or stones, the other is left free so that it is convenient to plant strawberries and care for the crop. The ends of the translucent polyethylene are tied with ropes and fixed with pegs, and then buried in earth. The makeshift greenhouse will be warm and humid. The film attracts sunlight, retains water and protects against weeds.

A thermometer is attached to the inner wall of the greenhouse. If the thermometer reads +25 or higher, open the free edge of the film and ventilate the greenhouse. Strawberries love warmth, but because of the heat they become weak and sick.

The greenhouse is ventilated on sunny days, and when the bushes bloom, the covering material is removed for the whole day, and returned to its place in the evening to protect the seedlings from frost. The film is completely removed after the berries are formed.

In the early morning, before the onset of heat, the culture is watered with heated water. You can't be cold, otherwise the strawberries will get sick. The beds are moistened once a week. The earth is periodically loosened, removing weeds and dried bushes.In autumn, strawberries grown in a greenhouse are covered with a mixture of fallen leaves, straw and spruce branches. Before mulching, the soil is enriched with peat and compost.

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Seedlings

Hybrid strawberry varieties are propagated by rosettes and dividing the bush. The rest of the varieties can be obtained from seeds. Growing seedlings is easy. You will need a container 10-15 cm deep. The container is half-filled with the seedling substrate, the soil is watered abundantly.

Small grooves or depressions are made in the ground with a toothpick at a distance of 5–6 cm. Seeds are laid out in the holes, they are not sprinkled with soil. The container is covered with glass and taken to a warm room. The container with young shoots is placed on a lighted window. The transparent cover is removed to allow the seedlings to breathe.

Seedlings with 2 true leaves are dived into separate pots. Fertilizers for strawberries are applied to the soil every 2 weeks. Grown up and matured bushes are planted in open ground in spring or autumn.

Care

Strawberry beds are advised to surround with plants that repel pests. Slugs cannot stand the smell of parsley, Colorado beetles and other insects do not like garlic, radishes, marigolds, onions, sage and spinach. Pests are scared off with beans and lettuce, as well as cabbage and beets.

In bushes planted in spring, antennae and inflorescences are removed in the first year. They prevent the plant from taking root and getting stronger. 15 days after planting, the soil is fertilized with mineral or organic fertilizers. In flower shops they sell biohumus. At home, fertilizer is prepared from fermented grass or bird droppings. The workpiece is soaked in water and insisted for several days. The concentrated solution is diluted and applied to the substrate after weeding and abundant watering.

The land around the strawberry bushes should be mulched. The soil is sprinkled with pine or spruce needles. The aroma of the needles scares off the bear, the Colorado potato beetle and other pests. Spruce needles are replaced with straw. The workpiece is first soaked in water and spread in a thin layer on a film or iron sheet, left in the sun. Wait for the weed seeds to sprout. Clean, dry straw is scattered between rows and under bushes. Hay or dried grass is used in a similar way.

Garden strawberries are watered from a watering can 2-3 times a week. The jet from the hose is too strong and can damage the leaves and core. The watering can is replaced with sprinklers: fan, swing, circular or rotary. Strawberries will also love drip irrigation. The main thing is that the water is warm and settled, without impurities of heavy metals.

You can plant remontant strawberries in spring and autumn. The land is enriched with fertilizers before garden work, and then mulched with straw or coniferous needles. Young strawberry seedlings are watered and fertilized regularly, protected from cold and pests, and in the first year, tendrils and inflorescences are plucked. Thanks to this, the culture quickly takes root and adapts to new conditions.

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Video: planting strawberries correctly

Planting and growing strawberries on the site next to your home or summer cottage is not so difficult.

Even a beginner who is not too well versed in the intricacies of fruit growing can cope with this task.

Having familiarized yourself with a few general rules for growing strawberries, you can easily get a good harvest of this tasty and full of useful vitamins berry.

Preparatory activities

Many novice gardeners, out of inexperience, believe that it is enough to just stick a strawberry seedling into the ground.

Of course, something will grow in this case. However, to get a good harvest, preparation is necessary, including the following points:

Timing for disembarkation. There are two options: plant either in spring or autumn. When deciding in favor of one of these two options, special attention should be paid to climatic characteristics.

So, spring disembarkation is recommended if the area is characterized by cold winters with a small amount of snow falling. Otherwise, planting is usually done in the fall; spring planting is done quite early, in late April - early May.

The main condition is completely thawed soil. You should not rush too much, because fragile seedlings may die in case of frost.

Autumn planting is carried out from late July to early September. It is important to take into account the abundance of precipitation and air temperature: with a lack of moisture or too hot weather, seedlings may not survive.

Planting seedlings too late in the soil puts them in danger of dying from early frosts.

Choice of location: Plant strawberries on a flat area rather than on a slope. Especially dangerous are the southern slopes, which can become excessively waterlogged during snowmelt.

Good illumination and exclusion of the danger of land flooding by flood waters are extremely important. In addition, the site must be protected from wind erosion. And remember that planting strawberries in a plot for 4 consecutive years on the same one significantly reduces its subsequent yield.

You should also pay attention to the type of soil. The following soils are ideal for growing strawberries: chernozem, loamy, sandy loam and dark gray forest soils. The preferred pH is about 5-6.5 and the occurrence of HS (groundwater) at a depth of about 50 cm.

Soil preparation. Before planting strawberries, the selected area of ​​land should be rid of stones, weeds and pests. While the first two enemies can be dealt with by manual harvesting, a different type of pest control is needed.

The following method is effective: in the spring, sow the site with a green manure plant, at the end of summer, mow it and carry out additional processing with a special composition.

Seedling preparation Not every seedling is suitable for planting soil. Ideal seedlings should have a fibrous root system with a main root diameter of at least 6 mm and all roots at least 7 cm long.

Also, if the roots are too long, they need to be cut to a higher length sounded. For planting, specimens with 4-5 leaves, white root hairs 3-4 cm long and an intact apical bud are selected.

Only after thorough preparation can one proceed to direct cultivation of strawberries.

Strawberry cultivation methods

The very procedure for placing seedlings in the ground is no less important than preparing for this. There are several known ways to do this.

Carpet. The easiest way, as it does not require careful preparation. Principle of the method: The seedlings are planted on a flat area without removing the tendrils, as a result of which the strawberry grows in a natural way. A significant disadvantage: every year the berries become smaller.

Kustovoy. The essence of the method: each bush is planted separately at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other, and the antennae are removed. This contributes to better ventilation of the seedlings and facilitates their care. The result is large berries. Disadvantage: the complexity of the method.

Gnezdovoy. Seedlings are planted in groups, with one placed in the center and six around it. The distance between the seedlings should be 6-8 cm, between the nests - 30 cm, between the rows - 40 cm. Advantage of the method: you can plant a large number of seedlings.

Private. The method is the most popular. Planting can be done in one or two rows in the garden.

The distance between the bushes is 20 cm, between the rows - 30 cm, between the centers of the beds (with a two-row version) - 70 cm.

Important! After planting seedlings in the ground, they need proper watering. It can be done in any way, as long as the plants have enough moisture.

What to do next?

As mentioned above, strawberries grow well in one area for no more than 4 years in a row.

Then a replacement for another crop is required to replenish the fertility of the soil.For this, onions, garlic and legumes are suitable. After them, you can plant strawberries again.

Photo how to grow strawberries

Strawberry in heart shape bowl

Garden strawberry (large-fruited) is the most common berry crop grown by amateur gardeners. People call it strawberries. In this article, so as not to confuse it, it is also called strawberry and will talk about planting strawberries in the open field.

Biological features of culture

Strawberry is an evergreen plant with a shortened rhizome and a small stem that woods up some time after planting. It forms three types of shoots: horns, whiskers and peduncles.

• Horns or rosettes are formed from vegetative buds in the lateral part of the stem. The apical kidney of the horn - "heart" - is red. The larger it is, the more yield the plant will give in the first year. As the bush grows, the horns form higher and higher above the ground.
• Whiskers are long lashes with which young plants can be separated from the main bush. Mustaches of the 1st and 2nd order are most suitable for obtaining planting material.
• Peduncles are not suitable for obtaining planting material.

Strawberry bush scheme.

A feature of strawberries is their constant renewal.

Strawberry climatic requirements

The berry is quite picky about environmental conditions.

• Temperature. Strawberries are quite winter-hardy, they can withstand temperatures down to -8-12 ° C without freezing. Under the snow, it can withstand frosts down to -35 ° C. Spring frosts can damage buds and flowers, but because the crop blooms extremely unevenly, the entire crop is never lost. In addition, the buds are more resistant to frost (-4-5 ° C) than opened flowers, which can withstand temperatures as low as -2 ° C.
• Light. The culture is photophilous, but able to tolerate slight shading. It can be grown in the aisles of a young garden, but under the crown of an adult tree in dense shade, the plants will produce small berries.
• Moisture. Strawberries are demanding on moisture, can tolerate short-term flooding, but do not grow on waterlogged soils. Drying out has a very bad effect on the development of culture. Not only the productivity of the bushes decreases, but also their growth and development slows down.

The impact of climatic factors on strawberry yield can be significantly weakened by proper agricultural technology.

Where is the best place to plant strawberries

The best places to plant strawberries are in well-lit areas with a flat surface, protected from strong winds. The soil should be loose, well-cultivated, cleaned of weeds, especially malicious ones (wheatgrass, bindweed, sow thistle, thistle, runny). The occurrence of groundwater in the plot is at least 70 cm.

Not suitable for planting low-lying strawberries, where cold air accumulates. In such places, the harvest ripens 8-12 days later.

Steep slopes are also unsuitable for planting, because when the snow melts, the soil is washed out and the roots of the plants are exposed.

The place for planting strawberries is chosen even and well-lit.

Strawberries can be grown in any soil, but medium loam is the most preferred. With a close occurrence of groundwater, plants are cultivated in high ridges. Sandy soils are the least suitable for crops; plants on them suffer from both the low content of nutrients and the lack of moisture. Before planting on such lands, strawberries are cultivated.

Precursors of culture

It is not recommended to grow strawberries in one place for more than 4 years. It must be alternated with other cultures. The best precursors for strawberries are:

• garlic;
• green (parsley, dill, lettuce, cilantro, basil);
• legumes;
• root vegetables (carrots, beets);
• all types of cabbage;
• turnip, radish, radish;
• bulbous flowers (tulips, daffodils), as well as marigolds.

But the best predecessor is fertilized black or busy steam.However, it is unlikely that gardeners can allow the land to be empty for a whole season on their already not very large plots.

Bad predecessors:

• potatoes, tomatoes;
• all pumpkin plants (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, melon, watermelon).

Bushes are especially strongly oppressed after potatoes. Strawberries cannot tolerate root secretions from this crop.

How to prepare a bed for planting strawberries

The beds for planting are prepared in 1-2 months, the earth should settle, settle down. Strawberries love loose fertile soils, so digging should be carried out as deep as possible: on poorly fertile soils by 18-20 cm, on chernozems - 25-30 cm.

We are preparing a ridge for planting garden strawberries.

Strawberries react poorly to direct fertilization for planting, since they cannot tolerate a high concentration of salts in the soil. Therefore, they are used either under the predecessor, or when preparing the beds. The applied fertilizers are embedded deeply so that they dissolve in the ground and transform into a form accessible to plants.

On loamy soils, a bucket of completely rotted manure, peat or compost is applied per 1 m2. In the absence of organic fertilizers, use nitroammophoska or nitrophoska (2 tablespoons / m2).

When planting strawberries on sandy soils, increased doses of manure, compost or humus are introduced into the beds - 2-3 buckets / m2. You can add sod land and 3-4 kg of sawdust.

On heavy loams and clay soils, river sand with organic fertilizers is used. 3-4 kg of sand and 2-3 buckets of manure or compost are applied per 1 m2. Fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the ground and embedded deeply.

Strawberries grow well in neutral and slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-7.0). If the pH is below 5.5, then liming is carried out. It is better to add dolomite or limestone flour, since their effect continues throughout the entire period of growing the crop in one place (4 years). Application rate 3-4 kg / m2.

Lime is not applied directly to strawberries, but is used 2-3 years before the plantation was laid for previous crops. Lime can be replaced with ash, it acts much softer, it contains trace elements necessary for strawberry bushes. Ash is brought under digging 2-3 glasses / m2.

On alkaline soils, the site is acidified. For this, peat, sawdust, rotted coniferous litter (10 kg / m2) are used. Their action is soft and slow, but long-lasting. If it is necessary to slightly acidify the earth, then physiologically acidic mineral fertilizers are used: ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate. Ash on strongly alkaline soils should not be applied.

Selection of strawberry seedlings

When choosing seedlings, special attention is paid to the condition of the bushes. They should be fully formed with 3-5 leaflets spread out. The absence of damage, spots, wrinkles on the leaves is an indicator of the health of the seedlings.

Only healthy seedlings are selected for planting.

Squat rosettes with a large pink or red central bud are considered to be of the highest quality. The development of the strawberry bush and the harvest of the first year depend on its size. If the diameter of the "heart" is more than 20 mm, it is possible to get a harvest of up to 300 g of berries in the first year. Bushes with long elongated petioles and a green "heart" in the first year will give a very small harvest or there will be no berries at all.

Strong healthy specimens are chosen, weak plants will not only be less productive, but they are more susceptible to diseases and pests. If only the worst plants are left, then it is better not to take anything at all than to buy obviously problematic bushes.

If the strawberry seedlings are already blooming, then specimens with large flowers are chosen - in the future these are large berries. You should not buy seedlings with small flowers, and even more so one that has no buds at all.

When laying a new plantation, 3-5 plants of each variety are selected in order to subsequently receive planting material from them. The best option is to purchase 3-4 varieties of strawberries.

When buying seedlings with an open root system, special attention is paid to the roots. They should be light, at least 5 cm long. If the roots are dark, then the plant is weak and sick, it may not take root after planting.

The place of the growth point ("heart") should be thin. The thicker it is, the older the bush from which the socket is taken. The berries on such plants are very small, and it gives a crop only 1 year.

Planting strawberries outdoors

The strawberry plantation is formed gradually. The most thoughtful way of growing is placing rows of plants of different ages on the plot. Every year a new bed is laid, and the oldest strawberries are dug up. Then on the site it will be possible to gradually replace old plants with young strawberry bushes.

Strawberry seedlings of different ages.

Planting dates, when is it better to plant strawberries

The planting time determines the size and quality of the first crop. The main dates for planting strawberry bushes are spring, second half of summer and autumn.

Spring planting time highly dependent on the region of cultivation and weather conditions. In the middle lane and in Siberia, it occurs in early-mid-May, in the southern regions - mid-to-late April. The earlier the seedlings are planted, the greater the harvest for the next year. During the growing season, the bushes will get stronger and lay a large number of flower buds.

The main disadvantage of planting strawberries in spring is the lack of planting material. What is on sale is either rosettes obtained from old bushes, or the very last year's mustache. Neither one nor the other is a quality planting material. The horns of old bushes are not young seedlings, but the same old bush divided into rosettes. There will be no harvest from such plants, no matter how well they are looked after.

Whiskers of the 5th-8th order are the weakest on the garland and to get berries they need to grow during the year.

Summer planting time is the most optimal... You can determine the most favorable planting time by mustache. When the mustache of the 1st and 2nd order appears, then it is time to plant seedlings. For the remaining time, the bushes will form a powerful root system and leave in the winter fully prepared. If the deadlines are met, the harvest of 1 year should be 100-150 g of berries per plant.

Autumn term (September-October) the worst in terms of getting berries for the next year. The bushes will have time to take root, but they will leave in the winter poorly prepared, not fully formed, they will lay few flower buds, the yield will be very small (20-30 g per bush).

In addition, such plants do not tolerate winter quite well: the percentage of loss is very high. In the northern regions, up to half of the strawberry bushes sometimes freeze out.

Planting strawberries in autumn is possible only when you need to get a large number of mustaches for the next year. Then, in the spring, all peduncles are removed from these plants, thereby stimulating the formation of as many whiskers as possible. In the first year, the bushes give the most powerful mustache, from which the best varietal plants are obtained.

It should be borne in mind that early varieties with an optimal planting time give half the yield than medium and late ones - this is a feature of strawberries.

Seedling processing before planting

Seedlings brought from the nursery are often infested with pests and diseases. To destroy pests, strawberries are heated in water with a temperature of 50 ° C, immersing the plant together with the whole pot in water for 15-20 minutes. The procedure is repeated twice with an interval of 30-40 minutes.

Most pests (mites, stem nematodes, root aphids, etc.) die in hot water.
For the prevention of diseases, the seedlings are completely immersed for 5-7 minutes in a solution of copper sulfate or HOM (1 teaspoon) and table salt (3 tablespoons), diluted in 10 liters of water. Then it is rinsed with water and planted.

Strawberry planting patterns

There are several schemes for planting strawberries: compacted, 30 × 60, 40 × 60, 40 × 70.

Compacted planting of plants. Strawberries have a very clear pattern: the denser the seedlings are planted, the higher the first harvest. With a compacted planting, plants of late varieties are placed according to the scheme 20 × 60 cm (20-25 bushes / m2).

It is not necessary to compact the aisles, because after the first harvest of berries, the strawberries are thinned out. If this is not done, then next year she will give very few berries. After fruiting, every second bush is dug up and placed on a separate bed according to the 40 × 60 cm scheme. Compacted plantings are no longer suitable for these bushes, this scheme is only suitable for seedlings.

Seedlings of early varieties are planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other with a row spacing of 60 cm.After picking the berries, it must also be thinned out so that the gap between the bushes is 30 cm.

Planting strawberries according to the scheme 30 × 60 cm. Strawberries give high yields only when the plants are free in the garden and there is no competition from other bushes (the exception is the first year). Early strawberry varieties are planted according to the 30 × 60 cm scheme.

Between the varieties in the garden, the distance is left at 80 cm, it is necessary so that the mustache does not intersect. Confusion with varieties should be avoided by all means.

Landing according to the scheme 40 × 60 cm. According to this scheme, mid-season and late varieties are placed, since their bushes are more powerful, forming large rosettes.

Planting according to the scheme 40 × 70 cm... This scheme is used when planting mid-season and late strawberries on highly fertile chernozem soils.

Bushes can be planted in a single-row or double-row way.

How to plant strawberries correctly

Planting is carried out on cloudy days or in the evening, since in the daytime and in sunny hot weather, the leaves evaporate water strongly. And since the bushes have not yet taken root, and the flow of water into the leaves does not occur, the plants may wither. This negatively affects the further development of culture.

When planting flowering strawberries in spring, all flower stalks are removed, since the main thing is rooting and proper formation of plants. The seedling harvest only depletes the plant, which further leads to its weakening and poor wintering.

Correct planting of seedlings.

When planting plants, it is impossible to deepen or raise the "heart", because in the first case it leads to decay of the seedlings, and in the second - to its drying out. The "heart" should be at ground level.

When planting strawberries, no fertilizers are used, they must be applied in advance. The roots are well straightened, they should not be twisted or bent upwards. With a root length over 7 cm, they are shortened, but they should not be less than 5 cm.

When planting, a mound is poured into the hole, the roots are evenly distributed over it and sprinkled with moist earth. After that, the seedlings are watered abundantly. You can spill the planting holes with water and plant the bushes directly into the water, then after planting, watering is not carried out.

Planting strawberries under black cover material

As a covering material, a black film or agrofiber (dark spunbond, lutarsil) with a thickness of 100 microns is used. When using a thinner material, weeds will germinate through it. It is spread on the garden bed in a continuous layer 1-1.2 m wide.

At the edges, the material is fixed by pressing it to the ground with bricks, boards or sprinkling with earth. Then, cruciform slots are made on its surface, in which holes are dug and seedlings are planted in them. The slots are made after laying the material on the garden bed. The bushes are tightly squeezed, otherwise the mustache will grow and take root under the film. There is no need to be afraid that the plants will be cramped, the film and agrofibre are able to stretch.

The ridges are made high and slightly sloping so that the water flows down and falls into the ground at the edges. For the winter, the covering material is removed, since in winter the plants underneath are cut out (especially under the film). It is better to grow strawberries in a single row under the covering material.

The advantages of this planting method:

• a significant increase in yield, since the black surface heats up more in the sun, the soil warms up faster and deeper;
• berries are practically not affected by gray rot;
• weed growth is suppressed;
• less laborious growing process.

Flaws:

• uniform watering of the bushes is almost impossible. Watering plants under the root is also very difficult, since the cuts are small and it is difficult for a sufficient amount of water to get into them;
• the film does not allow air to pass through, which is why the roots rot;
• weeds actively sprout through strawberry bushes;
• way too expensive to grow

When growing strawberries under agrofibre or film, an irrigation system must be laid. This is economically justified only on large farms. In individual garden plots, this is too laborious and costly.

The optimum life of the plantation is 4 years. Then the yields drop sharply, the berries become small and sour, and it becomes necessary to renew the plantings of strawberries.

Video about the rules for planting garden strawberries:

Other helpful articles on growing strawberries:

1. Strawberry care. This article explains in detail how to care for a strawberry plantation from early spring to late autumn.
2. Strawberry pests. What pests can threaten your plantation and how to effectively deal with them.
3. Strawberry diseases. Treatment of plants with chemicals and folk remedies.
4. Propagation of strawberries. How to propagate strawberry bushes on your own and what mistakes gardeners make most often.
5. Growing strawberries from seeds. Is it worth it to do this for ordinary summer residents.
6. The best varieties of strawberries with photos and descriptions. A selection of the newest, most productive and promising varieties.
7. Growing strawberries in a greenhouse. Growing technology and all the pros and cons of this business.

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