How to grow strawberries under cover material?

Almost all gardeners grow strawberries on their site. And each of them faced the difficulties of this process. Weeds, rotten berries, pests and other annoyances spoil the overall harvest experience. How to avoid this and make your work easier? The way out of this situation is to plant strawberries under a black covering material. Advanced gardeners have been using this method for a long time and are getting good results. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this growing method in this article.

Features of growing strawberries

What do gardeners face in the process of growing this berry? First of all, these are weeds. They grow throughout the agronomic period and interfere with the growth of strawberries.

The second difficulty is the mustache. They grow constantly, there are many of them, and it is very difficult to track the growth of strawberries.

At the same time, the next problem arises - it is the complication of harvesting. Strawberries overgrow, the berries become small, and it is difficult to collect them. You can use new mustacheless varieties for planting, but their taste is far from ideal. Finally, the last problem is pests. Basically, these are slugs that spoil not only the harvest, damaging the largest and ripe berries, but also bushes. Using chemicals for pest control is not entirely advisable. Berries in the process of ripening can accumulate harmful substances and become unsuitable for human consumption. Planting strawberries under a black covering material almost completely eliminates all these problems.

Benefits of the new method

What is the advantage of such a landing? The first is the absence of weeds. They cannot break through the film, they lack light, and this depresses them. They do not grow as abundantly and only make their way in places cut for planting. But this disadvantage is easy to deal with.

The second advantage is sufficient soil moisture. Moisture is retained under the covering material, which is especially important during dry periods. Strawberries do not require frequent watering, unlike outdoor cultivation. Thirdly, the berries always stay clean. They do not come into contact with the ground, do not rot and do not have diseases. Harvesting becomes convenient and the quality of the berries is increased.

And the last advantage is the hassle-free removal of the mustache.They are on top of the covering material and do not have the ability to take root. Strawberries do not grow out of control, and cutting off the antennae that are on the surface is very easy.

Flaws

Planting strawberries under the covering material also has its drawback. He is the only one and not so weighty. Watering the strawberries becomes difficult. You can, of course, pour water under each bush into the planting slot, but for large areas this is a very laborious process. But here, too, there is a way out. This is drip irrigation. Such a system will require certain costs, but it will more than pay off in the future. This innovation even has its advantages. The drip irrigation system significantly saves water and energy. Therefore, planting strawberries under a black covering material, combined with new methods of care, gives tangible results.

Optimal planting time

When is the best time to plant strawberries? This berry takes root well at any warm time. Some people prefer to buy seedlings with berries to be sure of the result. But it is preferable to plant strawberries under black covering material in the fall. To begin with, you can allocate a small area for a new planting method, gradually increasing it. Planting strawberries under black covering material in the spring also takes place. The choice of season depends on personal preference and previous experience. The main thing is to choose good seedlings and high-quality covering material.

Seedlings for planting

What are the best strawberry bushes for planting? Planting strawberries under black covering material has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. Usually, such a bed is made not for one year, but for 3-4. That is how long it is recommended to grow this berry in one place. Therefore, for planting, it is better to take young seedlings, which will begin to bear fruit in the first year of planting and will increase yield every year. You can choose any variety of strawberries. It depends on personal preference, taste and other conditions. When buying, you need to pay attention not only to the age of the seedlings, but also to their appearance. They should show no visible signs of disease or damage. The root system, even in young growth, should be well developed. As for the rest, you have to rely only on your taste.

Necessary materials

Planting strawberries under the covering material in autumn or spring is not difficult. The main thing is to stock up on the necessary tools and materials. In addition to the most important component, strawberry seedlings, you will also need agrofibre or black mulching fabric. It has many names ("Agrotex", "Spunbond") and is sold in specialized stores, which are in sufficient quantities in any city. Therefore, there will be no problems with the purchase of such material. You will also need a sharp knife or scissors to cut holes for planting the strawberries. You need to stock up on thick wire to secure the material. Heavy objects such as boulders or similar objects can be used around the edges. You need to prepare a shovel from garden materials. This is all that is needed to organize a convenient garden bed for planting strawberries using a new technique.

Choosing a landing site

The correct landing site is the key to future success. Strawberries love sun and warmth. In this case, the berries ripen well, do not rot and gain sufficient sweetness (although this sometimes depends on the variety). Therefore, planting strawberries under the covering material in spring or at other times should be carried out in sunny areas. Wind and drafts do not play a big role, because strawberries are not afraid of them. The main condition is the sun. The quality of the soil plays an important role, but this deficiency can be corrected by adding organic or mineral fertilizers. When marking the beds, take into account the fiber size, which is usually 1.5 or 3.2 meters.

Soil preparation

We start by digging the soil and do it especially carefully, since it will not be available in the coming years. If the nutrient parameters of the soil are low, then they need to be improved. To do this, add a bucket of compost or manure and 1.5 glasses of wood ash for each square meter. This step can be carried out before digging or re-embedding nutrients into the soil. Manure and ash will also replace conventional complex mineral fertilizers, which must be applied according to the instructions. Then we make the beds. For planting strawberries, they form earthen hills on which they will grow better. Now the bed is ready, and you can spread the covering material.

We spread the covering material

The density of the covering material can be different. If you expect to use it for about 3 years, then it should be at least 50 microns. As evidenced by the reviews of gardeners who have already tested this method, a covering material with a density of 100 microns is more reliable. It does not allow weeds to germinate and serves as a good protection for the entire period of use (3-4 years). If the width of the covering material is 1.6 m, then we form one bed about 100 cm wide. Then the edges of the agrofibre can be dug in or fixed. On top of the finished bed, we spread the covering material and securely fix the edges. There are several options here. The first is pinning the material to the ground with wire pins using squares made of denser linoleum or plastic. The second is the clamping of the material by wooden planks in narrow grooves in the ground. In the third option, you can press the agrofiber to the ground by wrapping it around a heavy pipe or wooden beam. The fourth option is to dig in with earth. Finally, you can line your strawberry garden with bricks or stones. Using any of these methods, we fix the material around the entire perimeter. If you have to dock strips of agrofibre, then at the joints they should be at least 20 centimeters on top of each other. The bed is now ready for planting strawberry seedlings.

Landing

There is nothing complicated in this process. First you need to make the chalk markings. We put crosses in the places where strawberries are planted, not forgetting to leave space for paths that will be useful when harvesting. Planting strawberries under black covering material (you can find a photo of the process in this article) is a fairly simple matter. Make a cruciform incision in the marked places. We bend its edges outward. Then we plant a strawberry seedling in the hole and bend the edges of the covering material inward. So we plant all available seedlings. Planting density depends on the variety, but at least 20 centimeters should be left between the bushes. You can place seedlings in a checkerboard pattern. The main thing is to remember that strawberries do not like deep planting. The plant rosette must not be buried in the ground. Water each seedling immediately after planting. Then a drip irrigation system can be carried out, which will facilitate this process. Planting strawberries under black covering material in September is carried out by seedlings of the current year. They will already give their first harvests next year.

Garden bed care

The strawberry garden does not require special care. It is necessary to regularly water the bushes. Especially in hot weather (2-3 times a week). It is not necessary to replant strawberries for several years. But fertilizing the garden is simply necessary. For this, it is better to use liquid preparations. After fruiting, cut off the leaves and antennae from the strawberries. Thanks to the covering material, this will not be difficult to do. We leave only 2-3 young leaves. In the spring, you should also prune old leaves. Some novice gardeners mistakenly assume that after the end of fruiting, strawberries do not require maintenance. This is wrong. During this period, the bulk of the agrotechnical work begins. This is pruning leaves and whiskers, watering and mandatory fertilization. We must help the strawberries to accumulate strength for wintering and new harvests.

Reviews

Planting strawberries under black covering material, reviews of which are only positive, is considered an innovative method. In some countries, this method has been successfully used for over a decade. Gardeners testify that the covering material will not only save the harvest, but also make the growing process less laborious.

The use of mulch has become an integral part of modern agriculture, allowing farmers to get rid of many problems, first of all, from such a laborious and endless process as weeding. Today, black non-woven covering material is one of the most popular and expediently used mulching options for many crops, one of the main among which is garden strawberry.

Pros of Growing Strawberries Using Mulch Cloth

• The harvested berry is always clean, since it does not have contact with the ground.
• For the same reason, it does not rot and ripens more evenly.
• The released mustache does not grow and does not require constant monitoring of rooting.
• No need for weeding - weeds don't grow without light.
• Easy harvesting.
• Ants and bears do not settle on the sown area.
• The soil does not dry out and does not undergo erosion due to the scorching sun and winds.
• Planting does not need loosening, since a soil crust does not form.
• The created microclimate and loose soil attract earthworms, which additionally contribute to the aeration of the soil.
• Bushes grow stronger due to the active growth of roots in favorable conditions for them.
• The harvest ripens 2 weeks earlier, its quantity increases.
• Ripe berries do not deteriorate as quickly as on the ground, and can lie on the surface of the mulch for up to 14 days.
• The coating left for the winter protects the root system from freezing.
• The culture does not suffer from temperature changes as much as uncovered plantings.
• Compared to organic mulch, there is no risk of introducing pathogenic microorganisms, fungal spores and larvae of harmful insects.

Agrofibre has a significant disadvantage, which must be taken into account where slugs are found. It creates ideal conditions for increasing their population.

The advantage of agrofibre over polyethylene

First of all, you will have to decide whether it will be polyethylene or agrofibre, in a wide range offered by specialized stores. It is advisable to use this particular covering material for the following reasons.

• Allows water to pass through. Watering can be done directly through it. In the case of polyethylene, a different irrigation system will have to be provided.
• You can apply water solutions of fertilizers directly through the canvas.
• The earth "breathes" because air passes freely through the pores between the fibers.
• The risk of developing fungal pathologies and the formation of rot is reduced, which is especially fraught with the use of plastic wrap.
• More durable. Agrofibre's "life" is usually determined at 3 years, which coincides with the full development cycle of the strawberry bush, after which it requires a transplant. The film will have to be completely changed every year.

Read also on the topic: The best covering material for garden beds. From frost, pests, weeds. Covering materials overview

Solid black or two-tone?

Both options are designed to accomplish the same tasks. Black and white polypropylene, assembled from two layers, is laid with the white side up, which contributes to a calmer temperature regime in the covered area, while the black side is excellent for suppressing weeds. A two-color canvas is considered to be of higher quality in terms of its properties, but it costs more.

Due to the use of a black shelter, it is possible to get the first harvest of berries two weeks earlier than usual!

Site preparation

For planting, a flat, without slope, plot of land is selected. It is better to make the beds high in order to exclude stagnation of ground, melt and rainwater.Further actions are performed in the following order.

1. Dig up the ground with a full bayonet of a shovel, carefully selecting the weeds and all their roots.
2. Add humus, mineral fertilizing, wood ash.
3. Moisten the soil for easier formation of the beds and make for them high and wide enough (about 80 cm) embankments in rows, leaving the necessary aisles.
4. If polyethylene is used, at this stage it is necessary to provide for a drip irrigation system, for which hoses are laid under the film with holes evenly made in it on both sides.
5. Lay the cover sheet. It should be borne in mind that it must have sufficient width so that it can be securely fixed on both sides of the wind, otherwise it can be worn out later. At the joints, the agrofibre is overlapped by 20 cm, the joints are sprinkled with earth or pressed with heavy handrails.
6. To fasten the canvas, grooves are buried along the entire perimeter. There can be several ways of fastening. The most convenient is with the help of metal rods, on which the fabric is wrapped from both sides, after which the rods with the wound fiber are placed in the recesses and sprinkled with earth. In the absence of them, you can use boards, heavy stones or just earth.

At the joints, it is convenient to press the canvas with metal or wooden U-shaped "pins". It is recommended to put boards or paving slabs in the row spacing for ease of maintenance and less growth of weeds.

Planting strawberries

On ready-made beds covered with black mulching material, future holes are marked. For this it is convenient to use a long, chalk-stained cord.

In the designated places, with a sharp knife or scissors, cross-shaped cuts are made about 10 cm in length. They should not be too large, otherwise weeds will begin to bush around the strawberry seedling. The optimal distance between the slots is 30 cm.

Strawberry seedlings are planted in the holes made and watered well. The corners of the cuts are tucked inward with a slight deepening, crimped. Make sure that the outlets are above the level of the bed.

Watering is carried out directly through agrofibre, best of all using a rain nozzle to avoid displacement of the covering canvas and uneven distribution of moisture.

Read also: Planting and caring for strawberries. In spring, summer and autumn

Further care

The main agrotechnical measures for this growing method remain the same, however, there are some features that you need to know about.

Top dressing

In the first season, it is not necessary to make additional fertilizing for strawberries if, during planting, the soil was sufficiently enriched with humus and mineral complexes. In the second year, this will need to be done three times.

First feeding - immediately after the snow melts in early spring. An aqueous solution of chicken manure or mullein is suitable for this purpose. Avoid contact with vegetative parts of plants!

The second - it is best to use humus and nitrogen-containing preparations for it. Done before the strawberry is about to bloom.

Third - complex mineral, after the end of fruiting. This is the time for bud formation for the next harvest.

Watering features

Growing under mulching canvases requires less watering, once a week will be sufficient. During periods of severe drought, you can do this more often. In order not to be mistaken, you can calculate the frequency of watering, based on the fact that it should be reduced by a third compared to conventional open plots.

It is advisable to water the beds in the morning (but not later than lunchtime) so that the material has time to completely dry out along the entire perimeter during the day. This will reduce the risk of getting gray mold.

Determining how much the bushes need moisture will be difficult in this case, so it is advisable to start a special watering schedule.

Mustache removal

In the first year of life, all peduncles and whiskers should be cut off, despite the fact that there will be nowhere for them to root on top of the fiber.

They take away the vitality of the plant, and during this period it needs to develop a viable root system. This will directly determine the success of his first wintering.

Make sure that the mustache does not get under the covering material! Unnoticed layers will take root and take away the plant's strength.

In addition, in the spring it is required to remove all last year's foliage, cutting it off with garden shears. Tearing is not recommended because of the danger of pulling out the entire bush by the root or damaging the outlet itself.

Shelter reduces the likelihood of an attack by harmful insects and infection, but preventive monthly sprays will not be superfluous. From folk remedies for the protection of strawberries, it is recommended to use an aqueous infusion of dandelion leaves. To do this, 0.5 raw materials are put into a large bucket with water heated to 40C and kept until they cool completely, and preferably within a day.

Frequent mistakes

Mistakes when growing strawberries under cover are sometimes expensive - the loss of not only the entire crop, but also the seedlings themselves. Therefore, it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the most common of them in advance, so as not to step on other people's rakes.

• If a low density spunbond is selected, light will penetrate through it, and weeds will grow together, regardless of shelter. The optimum density is 60g / m2.
• The poorly compressed edge of the slots allows the mustache to crawl under the canvas and take root.
• It is necessary to make slots for planting after the shelter is securely fixed, otherwise the holes may subsequently not coincide with the place of growth of the seedling and put pressure on it, exposing completely unnecessary places.
• In order to save material, the beds are often made too wide, which makes maintenance difficult. Two rows on each covered strip would be the best solution (Read on: Igor Lyadov's beds. Advantages, arrangement of beds, planting rules).
• In regions with hot climates, additional protection against soil overheating is required. For this, a layer of organic mulch (sawdust, straw, grass cuttings, etc.) is additionally laid on top of the non-woven inorganic fabric. If this is not done, the roots will begin to "burn", and the agrofibre itself will become unusable in one season.
• If the growing mustache is intended to be planted, it should be cut and transplanted in time, and not left on top of the fiber. Otherwise, the planting material will be of poor quality.

Having dealt with the technology of planting strawberries under a non-woven black material, you can get down to business without a doubt of success. Having once spent efforts on arranging the beds, you can reap the fruits of your labor for several years without much hassle, both literally and figuratively.

Video review of planting strawberries under agrofibre

Strawberries are a favorite berry of gardeners. Caring for strawberries is not easy; many difficulties arise in the process. Weeds attack the berry and suffer from drought. The solution to the problem is to plant it under a black covering material. It's very easy to use. Watering strawberries becomes even easier than before.

Why do you need a black strawberry cover film?

Covering sheet, first of all, does not allow weeds to grow over the site... Experienced gardeners know how much harm weeds do to strawberries. They take moisture and nutrients from the soil. To get rid of weeds and forget about weeding, gardeners use non-woven covering material.

Due to its characteristics, it is permeable to air, water and retains the sun's rays. Strawberry bushes, planted under the covering canvas, reliably protected from pests... The berries do not rot and always remain clean. Non-woven agrofibre is marketed under various names.

Regardless of the name, nonwovens are subdivided by types: light, medium and dense... Difference in density.It is customary to cover the beds with light canvases in case of frost. The bushes are covered with black material, as it accumulates heat well.

Covering material for strawberries is divided into 3 types: light, medium and dense

The service life of the covering film, depending on the density, is 4-12 years, then it needs to be changed.

Advantages and disadvantages of using agrofibre when planting and growing berries

Under the black material, the weeds will not disturb the berry in spring. This is due to the mulching film that does not let the sun's rays through. Inside, under the film, a microclimate favorable for plants is formed.

Main advantages:

• the soil well ventilated and does not dry out;
• the soil does not require mulching and loosening;
• the berry under the film forms adventitious roots;
• antennae practically do not require cutting;
• under the black material berries ripen faster;
• the occurrence of diseases and pests is practically excluded.

This method allows you to grow delicious berries with a minimum of labor time. There is no need for weeding, loosening, frequent watering and trimming the mustache. Weed grass, dying under a covering blanket, acts as an organic fertilizer... If we talk about the shortcomings, they were not found.

One of the difficult moments is the process of equipping a bed for planting strawberries with a black covering canvas.

Under the black film, strawberries ripen faster

Types that can be used for mulching

Many color solutions of films of different densities are widely available on sale. Black agrofiber reads high-strength shelter to protect the plant from aggressive environmental influences. The nonwoven fabric contains no toxins and allergens.

The types of black material that can be used to cover plants can be divided into two types - polyethylene and non-woven.

1. Proven over the years black polyethylene sold in sleeves and rolls. Polyethylene thickness from 0.03 to 0.4 mm. The film copes well with the task, but its strength is enough for 1 season.
2. Non-woven black material - an excellent alternative to fragile polyethylene. Externally, the materials have similarities, differences in composition and method of production. It can also be called spunbond.
3. Produced made of polypropylene fibers, under the influence of high temperatures, the film is in demand in organic farming, it is called agrofiber. It must be laid on the right side.

In recent years, gardeners have preferred mulching and covering strawberry beds with black film. 100% ecological covering material will protect from the hot sun rays. With agrofibre, you can cover plants and get rid of weeds. The strawberries will be provided with favorable conditions for growth.

How to choose material for planting berries

If you choose black plastic wrap, you should know that it absolutely air and moisture proof... While agrofibre or spunbond allows watering through the garden. Moisture penetrates the canvas, the soil is enriched with air, receives the required amount of heat and light.

All nonwoven spunbod materials have approximately the same properties, their differences are density. Ideal for agricultural canvas with a density 40-60 g / m2.

Preparing the beds for planting using a covering material

The process of preparing a bed for planting strawberries is as follows:

1. First you have to prepare the ground - dig up a bed, remove weeds and apply organic fertilizers.
2. The beds should be raised, double-leaf, so it will be easier to fix the canvas.
3. Spread the covering material neatly on top of the prepared bed. Fasten the edges firmly... Sandbags or DIY hairpins are best suited for this purpose.
4. Place the fabric with the waterproof side up.
5. In order for the bushes to grow evenly, you can take a cord to mark the holes, which must be pulled in a straight line over the entire length of the garden.
6. Make holes for bushes at a distance 25 cm., between rows - 40 cm.
7. After the covered bed is prepared, you can plant strawberry seedlings.

Black fiber has two sides: one protects the soil from moisture evaporation, the other allows water to pass through.

Landing under black covering material

When planting strawberry bushes, gardeners often prefer to do ordinary cruciform incisions... For this purpose you need a sharp knife and gloves. A more painstaking approach requires another option. It consists in teething with scissors round holes... The holes should be small, if you make them too large, weeds will creep through them.

You need to plant seedlings in each hole; for this purpose, you can use a wooden peg. It needs to be placed in the hole, twisted to make a hole. After planting, the garden should be watered abundantly. Experienced gardeners put drip irrigation under the film - this is a separate topic.

Care for strawberries under spunbond

Growing strawberries under a cover sheet requires minimal maintenance. All difficulties are associated with the preparation of the garden. To you you will need to monitor the integrity of the filmso that birds and animals do not damage it. Provide regular watering. Apply organic fertilizers. Trim the antennae if necessary. Harvest on time.

Having considered the advantages of this type of berry growing, you can make a choice in favor of a covering material. Having equipped a garden bed, you will ensure good fruiting of strawberries on the site for several years in advance.

Weeds, annuals and especially perennials, cause serious damage to the strawberry plantation. Strawberry bushes are forced to compete for food and sunlight. Weeds literally choke the berry in an unequal struggle... Cultivated plants wither, the yield is significantly reduced, it is difficult to collect it, gray fruit rot is activated.

Alternative to weeding

It is more pleasant to care for strawberries growing on a covering material, and the berries do not get dirty from the ground.

Weeding a strawberry plantation is a time consuming job, and you have to do it several times per season. A convenient solution to this problem has been found: the surface of the ground in the garden is lined with special materials that suppress the growth of weeds... At the same time, compact strawberry bushes continue their normal development.

When watering, the soil fell on the strawberry fruits, if mulching had been used, this would not have happened!

What and how to cover the soil? The best material is considered to be black agrofibre.... In addition, black plastic film, roofing felt, roofing felt, newspapers and pieces of cardboard, a thick layer of straw or other mulch are used for the same purposes.

English version (organic mulch)

Organic mulch needs to be renewed once or twice a season.

It is known that the British call strawberries "straw berries" because they put straw under the bushes so that the berries do not get dirty from the ground.

Instead of straw, you can use pine needles, wood chips, pieces of bark and other organic materials. Fresh mulch partially inhibits the development of weeds, but for this its thickness must be at least 8 cm, with annual renewal.

Weed seeds, falling on loose mulch, still germinate. Cardboard or newspapers have a denser structure, but they quickly get wet and lose their properties. All these improvised means do not guarantee complete protection of the beds from weeds.

Finnish experience (black polyethylene)

Mulching strawberries with foil is not the best option due to certain disadvantages.

Before the advent and active spread of agrofibre, they came up with a technology for preliminary covering strawberry beds with black plastic wrap (or tar paper, roofing felt).

At the same time, young rosettes are planted in small cruciform incisions. This method has shown good results in a northern country like Finland. In Russia, it is still used by some gardeners.

Disadvantages of Finnish technology:

• the film must be of high quality and expensive, otherwise it quickly bursts, collapses;
• the soil does not breathe;
• strawberry roots overheat, rot (hot, condensation);
• it is advisable to lay a drip irrigation system under the film.

Positive aspects:

• no weeds;
• the mustache does not grow, it is convenient to remove them;
• pests (such as weevils) have nowhere to winter;
• the berry is clean (no dirt and rot);
• it is convenient to harvest the crop;
• heat is accumulated and fruiting is accelerated.

Black agrofibre

Agrofibre (non-woven covering material) of black color is very convenient to use for mulching the soil. It possesses all the positive properties of a mulch film without its disadvantages.

It is convenient to work with a covering non-woven material and it serves for a long time.

Weed control mulching fabric has additional valuable qualities:

• The fabric lays down softly, without creases... Easy to cut and sew to any size. Mechanical damage can be sewn up or patched.
• The material is synthetic, so it does not rot... It does not deteriorate under the influence of sunlight, it lasts for several years.
• The porous structure allows the strawberry roots and soil layer to breathe freelywhere beneficial microorganisms and earthworms are actively working.
• Water flows freely downward during rain and irrigation.
• Reduces evaporation from the surface of the bed.
• It is convenient to work with the material. It is pleasant to look after the beds. Time is saved.
• Agrofibre is quite affordable.

A very comfortable environment is created for strawberry plants.

Varieties of black covering material

All covering materials are united by the ability to pass moisture and air.

Agrofibre from various manufacturers is produced using a similar technology. Names may differ for different brands:

• Agril,
• Spunbond,
• Agrolux,
• Agrotex,
• Greentex,
• Lutrasil,
• Agrospan.

The thickest and most durable material is No. 60 (this is an indicator of high density).

In recent years, the two-layer version (white-black or yellow-black Agrotex). The lower black side prevents weeds from growing, and the upper light side protects the roots and the aerial part of the bush from overheating. Two-layer Agrotex is convenient to use on hot southern slopes, in greenhouses and greenhouses, in southern regions.

The outer white layer of Agrotex saves from overheating, and the inner black layer absorbs sunlight and keeps weeds.

Rules for the use of covering material

A place for a strawberry plantation is chosen bright, well-lit by the sun. It is not recommended to plant strawberries after strawberries and raspberries, after onions (after garlic - you can), as well as after vegetables and flowers of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, petunias).

It is very important to clear the land of weeds as much as possible. For this, various methods are used: they keep the territory under steam or green manure for a year, use herbicides, and carry out deep digging.

A place for strawberries is prepared in advance - green manures are planted, brought to flowering and embedded in the ground.

The soil is dug to a depth of 30-40 cm, carefully choosing the roots of the weeds. The soil is well fertilized. One square meter of future plantings is made:

• 10-15 kg of well-rotted humus or compost,
• a half-liter can of wood ash,
• humates with trace elements (according to the instructions for packaging),
• 20-30 grams of potassium sulfate,
• 40-50 grams of superphosphate.

Potassium and superphosphate can be replaced with a complex mineral or organomineral fertilizer (OMU), which is better specialized for strawberries.

The beds are poured higher if the groundwater is close... In other cases, they are only slightly raised or made flush with the ground. Then the soil must be leveled. Before covering with agrofibre, the soil should be given time for a slight settling (15-30 days).

High bed for strawberries from boards.

How to lay black weed-proof fabric

1. First, the material is cut to the desired size, making allowances for joining.

   The material is rolled out over the bed with a small allowance.

2. Then agrofibre is spread along the beds in the longitudinal direction (it is more convenient to do this work in calm weather). If two pieces are placed side by side, then they are joined with an overlap of 15–20 cm.
3. It is convenient to lay the edges in small grooves and cover them with soil.

   The edges are placed in the grooves and sprinkled with earth.

4. Additionally, the mulching fabric is attached to the ground with pre-prepared wire pins at least 8-10 cm long.

   U-shaped wire staples are suitable for fastening the material.

5. Planks are laid out on the paths and aisles to make it easier to walk. The paths also need to be covered with black covering material, leaving no chance for the weeds to develop.

You need to lay the material in a certain way... Sometimes gardeners do not know that the sides of agrofibre have different structures. If you look closely, one side is smoother, while the other shows small depressed cells.

The covering material has two different sides.

When laying, the material is laid with a smooth surface down, towards the ground. The honeycomb surface stays outside and will flow well from top to bottom to the soil and roots.

Markup

1. On the spread material, even rows are marked with the help of stretched ropes.

   Layout of rows on the covering material.

2. Then they mark with chalk the places for future holes.
3. On meter-wide beds, a two-row planting pattern of 60-80 cm X 25-40 cm is used.

   An example of the placement of planting holes.

4. Sometimes other distances are made, depending on the size of the beds and the varietal characteristics of the strawberries.
5. At the site of the future holes, small cross-shaped cuts are made - such as to just squeeze the seedlings there. Large holes will subsequently become overgrown with weeds.

   The holes are cut with a knife crosswise, and the corners are bent into the ground.

6. Small depressions are dug under the cuts and poured over them with water.

Planting young strawberry plants on agrofibre

The basic rules for planting strawberries on a covering material are the same as on an open soil surface. Plantations are laid in spring or in the second half of summer, in early autumn. A cloudy day or cool evening hours is chosen.

You can use such a drug!

Pre-young seedlings with an open root system can be kept in root formation stimulants (Zircon, humates, Kornevin, Heteroauxin, HB-1). The long roots of the seedlings are trimmed slightly, leaving a length of 5–10 cm.

When planting by hand, the edges of the tissue incision are pushed apart, the roots are placed vertically in the hole (they should not be bent), squeezed with soil... At the same time, the heart rises slightly above ground level. Plants are watered directly into the holes so that the earth fills all the voids around the roots. The growth point remains open. If it is covered with soil, it can rot and die.

Dig a hole to the depth of the scoop, leave the earth for backfilling.

If sunny, hot weather is expected, then the new settlements are shaded for several days. (for example, white agrofibre). After a few days, the beds are checked: bushes are planted in place of the dead, sagging hearts are raised. Further watering is carried out directly on the surface of the plantation.

The heart of the seedling should remain on the surface of the earth.

Video about planting strawberries on covering material