How to grow strawberry seeds in peat tablets?

Growing strawberries from seeds in peat tablets for seedlings is a great way to diversify your own plantation with new rare varieties. To achieve good results, you need to study the recommendations for the preparation and planting of seeds, and the peculiarities of caring for young seedlings.

How to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds

Strawberries and garden strawberries are propagated by purchased seedlings or by rooting a mustache. Hybrid varieties are an exception. Such novelties of breeding bear fruit several times a year, in greenhouses they can yield from 2 to 5 times, but they can only be grown from seeds. If you decide to use this method of obtaining seedlings, you should familiarize yourself with its nuances.

Processing and growing conditions for strawberry seeds

Before growing strawberries from seeds for seedlings, you need to prepare small boxes with a layer of drainage and a soil mixture containing peat. Early varieties are sown from mid-winter to a depth of 1 cm.

Seed pretreatment

The following procedures are allowed with strawberry seeds:

• hardening - to increase frost resistance;
• warming up - for uniformity of seedlings;
• bubbling - to stimulate germination.

Hardening strawberry seeds before planting in the snow

The berry seedlings are very sensitive and should not be hardened again. Soaking must be done if planting will be carried out in the ground, and not peat tablets saturated with moisture. If the seedlings of the berries will be planted in open ground or a greenhouse, and not grown at home, it is advisable to carry out disinfection.

How to properly grow strawberry seedlings from seeds

The berry loves warmth, so the room temperature should be at least 25-27 degrees. For most varieties, a long daylight hours are important, at least 10 hours, which means that additional illumination of the seedlings with the help of artificial light sources is required.

The soil should not be allowed to dry out, but it is not worth pouring the seedlings either - regular moistening of the soil from a sprayer will contribute to the rapid germination of seedlings.

How to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds

The first shoots appear in 3-4 weeks, but experienced gardeners recommend using the biological stimulator HB-101 to speed up the process by 5-7 days. Add 2-3 drops of the drug to 1 liter of water and spray the soil with it, just before planting.

Strawberries from seeds: growing in peat tablets

Using peat pellets instead of standard soil solves many problems.

Strawberries from seeds, cultivation, peat tablets for seedlings:

Benefits of using

• saving time - there is no need for preliminary preparation;
• no container and place for storing soil and peat are needed;
• depending on the manufacturer, the necessary fertilizers may already be applied;
• no need to mess with the earth, mixing it with peat, scattering it in containers;
• a compressed tablet with seedlings keeps its shape well, which allows not to injure the plant roots during transplantation and simplifies the transfer procedure.

The procedure for planting seeds on peat tablets

For growing strawberries for seedlings, 2.4 cm tablets are ideal.

Soaking peat tablets in containers for seedlings

1. They are pre-soaked in trays with water until they swell completely;
2. On top you need to put one strawberry or garden strawberry seed, without deepening them inward;
3. Excess liquid must be drained completely, watering must be carried out strictly as the peat mixture dries out in order to prevent root rot.
4. Immerse the tablets in a previously prepared container for seedlings;
5. Install in a well-lit, but not ventilated place. It is possible on the windowsill, but you need to put the foam under the container and install it as a shield from the window, without obscuring the lighting.
6. Containers of pills should be covered with lids to create a greenhouse effect.

Seedlings of strawberries in peat tablets under a lid

Seedlings should be kept in greenhouse conditions until the leaves appear, without removing with the first shoots. This will mean that the root system will be developed enough to provide the plants with the required amount of moisture.

Transplanting and caring for seedlings in the open field

When roots begin to appear on the surface of the tablets, plant the strawberries in special pots or boxes, maintaining a distance of 3-4 cm between the seedlings.Plants are planted on open beds at the end of May, when each bush has at least five leaves.

Strawberry seedlings after picking

Garden strawberry bushes are placed in prepared beds in two rows at a distance of 30 cm from each other. The shoots should be placed in the holes as carefully as possible so as not to damage the roots, and the seedlings grown in tablets are planted with them - this contributes to the rapid adaptation of strawberries to new conditions.

Transplanting strawberries into the greenhouse with a peat tablet

The sprouts should be planted in such a way that the surface of the seedling soil is not covered with fresh soil. Further, 0.5 liters of water with an organic stimulator, for example AgriTecno Fertilizantes, is poured under each bush, and the soil is mulched with a layer of humus of 1 cm.If the beds are located on the sunny side, it is advisable to shade them during adaptation: 1-2 days.

Care for transplanted strawberries consists of:

• regular watering (every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions);
• periodic loosening of the soil after watering;
• removing weeds as needed;
• insecticide treatment for pests.

Fertilizer for garden strawberries is applied after the first harvest, using chicken manure diluted in water in the following proportions: 2 tablespoons per 10 liters.

Planting strawberries in a greenhouse

In October, in order to prepare the berry for the winter frosts, the bushes should be covered with a small layer of humus (about 1 cm), and the beds themselves should be insulated with straw, fallen leaves or sawdust.

Outcome

Growing strawberries from seeds in peat tablets is an effective way to get frost-resistant and strong seedlings. If you wish, you can discover new varieties of berries every year, choosing the best ones in terms of taste and decorativeness.

Seeds of large-fruited strawberry hybrids are expensive. In addition, the package contains from 3 to 10 small seeds. It is easy to lose them in seed boxes and bowls, so it is better to sow the seeds of such strawberries in peat tablets. The method is also convenient in that at the first stage it is not necessary to sift and steam the soil mixture and dive strawberry seedlings.

Strawberries - sow with seeds or not?

Do not think that growing strawberries from seeds is unreliable and very laborious. It's useful and fun!

Firstly, in one season, you can get a lot of bushes of a new variety. Moreover, most varieties of alpine (small-fruited) strawberries do not give a mustache, but after 3-4 years it requires rejuvenation.

Secondly, in this way you can get new varieties of strawberries. And now a large number of them have appeared on sale, including large-fruited remontant varieties.

Large-fruited garden strawberries - "strawberries" - and small-fruited alpine strawberries are sown in the same way.

Sowing dates of strawberries for seedlings

At home, strawberries are sown for seedlings in late February and early March. At an earlier date, strawberries are sown in nurseries, when ready-made seedlings need to be put up for sale at the beginning of the season. If there is no such goal, you should not rush. In the absence of additional lighting, start sowing in the first decade of March.

Preparing strawberry seeds for sowing - soaking and stratification

Place the strawberry seeds between two cotton pads or two to three layers of clean cloth. Place them in a microwave container or other dish, moisten, close with a lid, having previously made several holes in it for ventilation. If you have multiple varieties, label them. Keep them for 2-3 days at a temperature of + 15 ... + 18 ° C, then remove the soaked strawberry seeds in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Some gardeners advise placing ready crops in the refrigerator. But stratification in a container is much more convenient: it takes up less space. After 2 weeks, place the container in a warm (+ 18 ... + 20 ° С) bright place. Check the seeds every 2-3 days so that you don't miss the moment of germination.

When the strawberry seeds hatch, it is time for sowing. Put peat tablets in a container, fill them with water. Wait until they turn from pills into "columns". Add water until the tablets stop absorbing it. Drain the excess.

Place the "naklyovyvys" in the indentations in the tablets. It is very convenient to do this with a toothpick. You do not need to cover the seeds with earth: strawberries grow better in the light. Seeds are sprinkled only when sowing in the summer in the garden, so that they do not die from overdrying.

It is important that the seeds that have hatched do not dry out. To do this, cover the container with a transparent lid or place it in a greenhouse. Place the strawberry crops in a bright place with a temperature not higher than + 20 ° C.

Remove condensation from the lid daily, ventilate to prevent mold. If you still notice the first signs of mold, carefully remove it with a toothpick and drip a solution of Maxim or another fungicide on this place.

After the first true leaves appear, the shelter can be removed. Sprinkle strawberry roots (if they are bare) to the root collar with a little earth. If you notice that the peat "pillars" are settling, add water to the container until it is completely absorbed, and drain the excess.

How to feed strawberries

Combine adding water every 2 weeks with top dressing. It is better to feed strawberry seedlings with humates or a solution of mineral fertilizers for seedlings.

If the weather permits, from the end of April to the beginning of March, you can start hardening on the balcony or glazed veranda. At first, cover the seedlings from direct sunlight and wind. A short night temperature drop to + 3 ... + 5 ° С is even useful.

Planting strawberries in the ground

You can plant seedlings in the ground after June 10. In well-developed seedlings, the roots are visible on the surface of the peat tablet.

Considering that remontant strawberry varieties bear fruit all season, the soil for it should be loose and fertile. It is advisable to add humus or well-rotted compost. Its amount depends on the initial state of the garden. If this is a cultivated garden land, 0.5 buckets of humus and peat per 1 sq.m. are enough. If the soil is clay, double the amount of humus and peat and add 0.5 buckets of sand. The rate of application of complete mineral fertilizers is 30-40 grams per 1 sq. M. Dig carefully onto the bayonet of the shovel and level so that there is no slope.

To make the rows even, pull the planting cord on the garden bed. Mark the row with a shallow groove.

Make holes 30 cm apart. Set peat tablets with seedlings.

Carefully fill the remaining space in the hole with loose earth so that the strawberry growth point (heart) is at ground level. Seal.

Carefully water the strawberry seedlings so as not to blur the soil around the bush.

And one more tip: it is convenient to grow small-fruited strawberries in narrow beds in no more than 2 rows. The distance between the rows is 35-40 centimeters. Can be grown in 1 row along the edge of other crops or fruit bushes, retreating from them by 50-60 cm.

The larger number of rows makes it difficult to regularly pick berries and process plants after the next wave of fruiting.

Go to the main article on strawberries (garden strawberries)

Experienced gardeners have long been familiar with the advantages of growing everyone's favorite strawberries from seeds and therefore actively use this method. What are they?

1. Strawberry plantations need constant updating, and it is problematic to buy ready-made seedlings, in contrast to seeds, which are much cheaper.
2. Often, good mustache varieties do not produce, which makes them difficult to reproduce.
3. Seedlings grown from seeds, which are younger and stronger than those obtained by a vegetative method, are not infected with diseases, their fruiting is more abundant and longer.
4. You can quickly and in sufficient quantities to get a new variety of strawberry seedlings.

It is very convenient to use peat tablets for growing strawberry seedlings. In them, small seeds will not get confused, you will not need to engage in sifting and steaming the soil mixture, you can also exclude the picking of seedlings.

Sowing time

If at home you can provide strawberries with additional lighting, then you can sow seeds at the end of February, when there is no such possibility - it is better to postpone planting to the first ten days of March.

Measures to prepare strawberry seeds for planting

It is necessary to carry out two procedures: soak the seeds and stratify them. You need to take 2 cotton pads, spread the seeds between them and place them in any container (preferably a plastic container). Then moisten and cover with a lid with holes necessary for ventilation and leave them in this state at a temperature of + 15-18⁰C for a couple of days.

When the strawberry seeds hatch, it is time for sowing. Put peat tablets in a container, fill them with water

Then it is necessary to put them in the refrigerator for 2 weeks - this hardening is called stratification. After this time, the container is again exposed to a bright and warm (+ 20⁰) place and wait for germination, checking the seeds after 2-3 days.

It is important that the seeds that have hatched do not dry out.

Video: Planting strawberry seeds in peat tablets

Sequence of planting seeds in peat tablets

As soon as the seeds are baked, strawberry seeds are planted in peat tablets, which are preliminarily "soaked" by placing them in a container and flooding with water. It is added until a column grows from the tablet, after which the excess liquid is drained.

If you notice that the peat "pillars" are settling, add water to the container until it is completely absorbed, and drain the excess

The hatched seeds are laid out in small depressions, which are made with a toothpick. It is not worth sprinkling them with earth, since the germination of strawberries in the light improves.

Care rules

It is necessary to protect the seeds from drying out. You can place the container in your home greenhouse or cover it with a transparent lid, removing condensation from it daily. Ventilation is also necessary to prevent mold growth.

The shelter is removed when the first leaves appear. If you see bare roots, be sure to cover them with earth. Monitor the condition of the peat tablets: if the columns begin to settle, you need to add water to the container, wait until they are saturated and drain the excess liquid.

Top dressing and hardening

When strawberries are grown from seeds in tablets, top dressing is combined with watering - once every 14 days, using a solution of mineral fertilizers for seedlings or humates.

You can harden seedlings on the balcony from the end of April, focusing on the outside temperature, first covering the seedlings from the wind and exposure to direct sunlight.

You can plant seedlings in the ground after June 10. In well-developed seedlings, the roots are visible on the surface of the peat tablet.

Planting in the ground is carried out from the 2nd decade of June: by this time the strawberries should have grown a branched root system. The soil will need fertile and loose. To improve the garden land for 1 m2, half a bucket of peat and humus will be enough, for clayey them you will already need a bucket and half a bucket of sand for loosening.

Advice: it is convenient to grow small-fruited strawberries in narrow beds in no more than 2 rows. The distance between the rows is 35-40 centimeters. Can be grown in 1 row along the edge of other crops or fruit bushes, retreating from them by 50-60 cm

The distance between the holes is maintained at 30 cm, between the rows 35-40 cm. A tablet with a strawberry bush is placed in each, the free spaces are covered with soil without burying the heart, all this is compacted and watered very carefully. This concludes the planting work.

author Yasinskaya E.F., photo by the author

Small-fruited varieties of remontant strawberries (especially those that do not form a whisker) are usually propagated by seed. But it is not easy enough to grow mature, well-bearing strawberry bushes from seeds.

If there are a lot of cheap strawberry seeds, then you can risk sowing them outdoors. But if there are only 5-10 grains of valuable new varieties of strawberries in an expensive bag of seeds, then you want to get a result from their sowing, and not just experience for the future ... And then you cannot do without growing seedlings.

About seed reproduction of large-fruited garden strawberries

Small-fruited strawberries transmit parental characteristics through seeds, which cannot be said about large-fruited garden strawberries (strawberries).
I can say with confidence that when large-fruited varieties of garden strawberries are propagated by seeds, her "children" do not repeat the signs of "parents", especially if the seeds were collected from a bush on a private plot.

When propagating large-fruited garden strawberries with seeds, there is no guarantee that the characteristics and characteristics of the variety will be preserved. And even if one variety of strawberries is grown on your site, do not forget that the strawberries are pollinated by insects - which means that the seeds will turn out to be overpopulated with a mix of all your neighbors. If you plant them, you get a hybrid plant, as a rule, does not repeat the maternal traits. The strawberry variety is degenerating. So the varieties lose their characteristics, their berries change shape, become smaller.

In most varieties of large-fruited strawberries, a bush grown from the seed of one of the berries will have completely different characteristics.
So, if you liked a berry on the market or from a supermarket, and you want to grow seedlings from it, do not even hope to get the same taste, size and shape of the berries.

Advantages of varieties of small-fruited remontant strawberries

I especially like modern varieties of small-fruited remontant strawberries. After all, they form flower buds and bear fruit continuously throughout the summer (as a rule, from the end of May until frost). So, at least 5 months of pleasure from fresh strawberries is guaranteed.
And the berries of the beardless small-fruited garden strawberry are beautiful, fragrant and very tasty. In size, they are 4-5 times larger than wild strawberries, but they have the same strong taste and aroma inherent only in wild berries.

It should be noted that strawberries are very rich in iron. And also - on pectins, which remove radionuclides and other harmful substances from the human body.
Do not forget that in addition to berries, flowers, leaves and rhizomes of strawberries are also very useful.
In addition to health benefits, small-fruited strawberry bushes also bring aesthetic pleasure - they can be planted with garden paths and flower beds.How nice it is to admire such wild strawberry bushes: and their massive lush flowering, and elegant berries.

Today, there are many varieties of small-fruited remontant strawberries on sale. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the seeds, they should not be expired.
In terms of taste, I especially like the following varieties of remontant strawberries: Ruyana, Baron Solemakher, Pineapple, Rugen, Alexandria, Renaissance, White Swan, Yellow Miracle.
Among the modern assortment of small-fruited remontant strawberries there are varieties with different colors of berries (red, yellow), there are bush (beardless) and "mustache" varieties.

Since the mustacheless strawberry, as its name implies, does not form a mustache, it is propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush.
For vegetative propagation, I dig up a two- or three-year-old strawberry bush and divide it into smaller bushes (usually 10-20 seedlings from one large bush), which I plant in a new place.

It is very convenient to care for bush strawberry varieties, because they do not form a mustache. But the yield from such bushes is amazing! From a well-developed bush of strawberries, with proper agricultural technology, I collect at least 200 berries (or four glasses) per season.

Problems of growing strawberries from seeds

There is a disadvantage of growing strawberries from seeds - it is several times more difficult to do than other common garden crops.
The main difficulties are:
- in tight germination of strawberry seeds, therefore, they must be stratified at a low positive temperature (in the refrigerator) in a humid environment;
- in a long time of seed germination in the soil (up to 40 days). All this time, the ground should be wet. But this creates ideal conditions for the development of mold and fungi, which strive to destroy crops.

I have grown strawberries from seeds in different soil mixtures, as well as in different ways. However, the germination of strawberry seeds and their development did not always please me. Despite the warming up and steaming of the soil mixture, many seedlings disappeared due to the appearance of the "black leg".

Winter sowing of strawberry seeds in peat tablets

I have achieved the best results by sowing small-fruited strawberry seeds in peat tablets. Hard-growing strawberry seeds and capricious seedlings when growing seedlings in peat tablets sprout and develop just fine!

Growing strawberry seedlings in peat tablets is also very convenient. After all, tiny strawberry seedlings then do not need to dive. You can place the tablet with the grown plant in a larger cup or plant it directly in the open ground.

In the photo: peat tablets after swelling; strawberry seedlings

The optimal time for sowing strawberry seeds in peat tablets is from the beginning of the third decade of January to the end of February.
In general, of course, strawberry seedlings can be grown at least all year round. But sown during these winter periods, strawberries by the beginning of the gardening season will have already gained sufficient mass and root system for planting in open ground. This will allow young plants to start bearing fruit this year, from the end of June.

For comparison: last year I sowed strawberries on February 10 and February 25. In the process of growth, the first seedlings were noticeably ahead of those sown later and were ready for planting in open ground already in May. And the berries of the first seedlings ripened two weeks earlier.

However, when sowing seeds at such an early date, strawberry shoots should be illuminated. Indeed, in winter there is a short daylight hours, and strawberry seeds germinate only in the light, and light is vital for small seedlings. I use fluorescent lamps.
If you do not plan to light up the strawberry shoots, then the seeds should be sown in March.

It should be noted that if you sow strawberries in late spring, then the first harvest will not be this year, but already next.After all, it will take at least 5 months from the emergence of strawberry seedlings to harvesting the berries. Although, under favorable conditions, an insignificant first harvest of young strawberries is possible in the fall.

Benefits of peat tablets for growing strawberries

Tablets for growing seedlings are made of peat, placed in a fine mesh (to avoid scattering). Peat is filled with mineral fertilizers that feed the young plant during the first few weeks of life.

The advantages of peat tablets in terms of the development of small strawberry seedlings in them are the natural qualities of peat: excellent water and air permeability, the possibility of unhindered development of the root system of plants.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets, we get a healthy and strong plant, which we easily place together with the tablet for growing in a larger pot or immediately plant the tablet with the grown seedling in the open ground.

The main advantage of peat tablets is that the root system of the plant is not injured during transplantation. Seedlings are planted with the tablet; the roots of the plants penetrate through the paper / net shell, which decomposes.
I noticed that in this case, it is still better to remove the mesh from the tablet - without it, small strawberry plants develop better. I do this with the help of small nail scissors. In this case, the stress during plant transplantation is minimized. Thus, the root system remains intact, and the young strawberry continues to grow and develop successfully.

The advantage of peat tablets is that they have enough nutrients for the germination of seeds and the growth of seedlings, you just need to moisten the tablets in time.

Peat tablets are sold in different diameters - 24, 33, 38, 41, 44 mm. Given that the root system of strawberry seedlings is not as strong as that of other plants, I sow strawberries in tablets with a diameter of 24 or 33 mm.

Sowing strawberries in peat tablets and keeping seedlings

For the successful germination of strawberry seeds, a sufficient amount of water and air should be provided, the microclimate parameters should be kept within the required limits: temperature, relative humidity, illumination.

After placing the purchased peat tablets on a pallet or in cassettes (in this case, you should pay attention to the fact that the grooves for the seeds are at the top of the tablets), you must fill them with warm water.
The tablets are quickly saturated with moisture, completely swell in 5-10 minutes. At the same time, the peat pellet increases in height by 7 times, retaining its original diameter and turning into a peat cylinder.

After the peat tablet has swollen, the excess water must be drained.
Then we place (using a toothpick) one grain of strawberry into the depression in the upper part of each peat tablet.

Strawberry seeds germinate only in the light, so they should not be buried in the ground. At this stage, the natural light coming from the window is still sufficient for seed germination.
Strawberry seed tablets should be placed in a greenhouse or mini-greenhouse to maintain constant peat and air humidity.

The first shoots of strawberries can appear in 7-10 days, and the seeds germinate completely in about 20-30 days (this depends on the quality of the seeds and the conditions of the crops).

Germination of strawberry seeds in peat tablets occurs under conditions of slightly elevated temperature and relative humidity, which can be achieved by covering the containers with tablets with transparent plastic wrap, plastic or glass. This means that our goal is to create an airtight structure for crops of strawberries, so that inside a container with a sufficient amount of air it is warm and humid.

It is better to take a transparent and plastic container for growing strawberry seedlings, because plastic is least susceptible to the spread of fungi.Previously, the container should be thoroughly washed and disinfected - wipe it with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
For growing seedlings of strawberries, plastic containers with lids are perfect, in which salads are packed, as well as plastic boxes for cakes, pastries, etc. A five-liter bottle cut in half and laid on its side is also fine.
It is very convenient to grow strawberries in a special plastic mini-greenhouse purchased in a store.

I close the greenhouse with strawberry crops with a lid (bag, film or glass) and place it on the window.
The optimum temperature for germination of strawberry seeds is 20-22 degrees, then a moist "fog" is formed on the transparent lid or glass. But if it is warmer and drops are formed, they must be removed from both the lid and the walls of the container.
If the temperature of the strawberry crops is too low (less than 20 degrees), then in addition to mold and algae, it is unlikely that anything will grow.

Before the strawberry shoots, I moisten the dried tablets by pouring water directly into the tray of the container, rather than spraying water from above from a spray bottle.
For irrigation, I use only soft water (snow or boiled), since an excess of mineral salts negatively affects the growth of strawberry seedlings.

When growing strawberry seedlings, it is necessary to carefully control the moisture content of peat tablets: they should not dry out, but waterlogging is also harmful. Adequacy of watering can be determined by the appearance of a dark spot on the surface of the peat column. It is important that the peat has time to dry out a little between waterings. Condensation appearing on the container should be regularly removed (that is, excess moisture removed) from the lid and from the walls with the help of absorbent paper towels. To prevent water from dripping onto the tiny sprouts of strawberries from above, which can cause them to get sick with a "black leg", it is necessary to regularly remove the condensate and water it into a tray.

We must not forget to air the greenhouse with strawberry crops every day for several minutes; this procedure can be combined with condensate removal.

If the peat tablets turn out to be very wet, then a paper towel can be placed under them, and when it is moistened, change it.
If direct sunlight falls on a greenhouse with strawberry crops, then drops will form on the lid even if the peat tablet is completely dry - this should not be allowed. You can diffuse sunlight by attaching a piece of paper to the glass.

Prevention of the appearance of diseases in strawberry seedlings

It is advisable to bring strawberry crops and developing seedlings closer to natural light, put additional fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. I turn on additional lighting when it becomes clear that the strawberry seeds have hatched.
Strawberry seeds germinate in the light, and daylight in winter is usually not enough - the day is still short and often cloudy. With a lack of light, the development of strawberries is slower, the seedlings are more likely to get sick.
Supplementing strawberries for 12-14 hours is quite enough. In clear weather, the light can be turned off for several hours during the day, and in cloudy weather, it should be left on at all times.

So, for the normal development of healthy strawberry seedlings, you need to monitor the air humidity in the greenhouse, ventilate it daily and remove accumulating condensate from the container.

It is necessary to ensure that peat tablets with strawberry seedlings are not too wet or dry out.
After the emergence of strawberry shoots, I add water to the containers from the bottom, since the ingress of moisture on the seedlings stimulates the development of diseases.

If you notice that the peat tablet turns green or blackens, or cobweb fibers of white mold begin to form on it, you urgently need to get rid of the harmful fungi that have appeared.To do this, you need to remove the foci of the spread of the fungus from the peat tablet using soft paper or cotton wool soaked in potassium permanganate.

After that, it is advisable to water the seedlings for some time with antifungal agents (for example, "Previkur" or its analogue), and then regularly ventilate the seedlings.

Care of grown strawberry seedlings

After two or three true leaves appear in strawberry seedlings, you can open the greenhouse for a longer time - at this time, young plants have already developed a small root system.
Avoid direct sunlight, which can be detrimental to insufficiently mature strawberry seedlings.

I start feeding strawberry seedlings when the second true leaf appears on the seedlings. I use fertilizer "Kemira" or "Master" for fruit and berry crops. Any other complex mineral fertilizer with a low nitrogen content is also suitable.

When 3-4 true leaves appear in strawberry seedlings, I place peat tablets with seedlings in a glass with purchased universal soil for seedlings.
I remove the mesh from the tablet so that the roots are free for further successful development.

For planting strawberries, ordinary plastic disposable cups with holes made in the bottom to drain excess water are suitable (you can also use seedling cassettes). The transparent walls of the cup will allow you to monitor the moisture content of the substrate.

If the strawberry seedling is slightly elongated, when planting in a glass, you need to add soil to the cotyledon leaves.
When picking strawberry seedlings and planting seedlings grown in peat tablets in cups, it is very important not to fill the growth point of the strawberry rosette from which the leaves grow.
During the period of further growth in the cup, strawberry seedlings should acquire a good branched root system.

When the roots of strawberry seedlings grow into the substrate of the cup, you need to accustom the seedlings to natural light and fresh air, that is, harden.
From April, it is advisable to take out the seedlings in the daytime to a cool bright balcony for several hours. But you need to make sure that the temperature there does not fall below 0 degrees, and protect from the hot sun.
At first, the period of access of strawberry seedlings to fresh air should be short, and then, with warming, I gradually lengthen it, until it is completely left in the fresh air for the night. This is very important for hardening seedlings on the eve of planting strawberries in open ground.

Before planting young plants, I harden them in the garden, setting cups with strawberry seedlings outdoors in the shade. Gradually I accustom them to the hot sun, and then I plant the matured and grown strawberry rosettes in the ground.

Planting strawberry seedlings in open ground

The place for planting small-fruited remontant strawberries, as a rule, is chosen sufficiently illuminated, and the soil is prepared fertile.

I plant young strawberries in the garden when a steady heat sets in, when the temperature at night will no longer drop below 5-7 degrees.

I transplant the grown seedlings of small-fruited remontant strawberries into open ground after the appearance of their sixth true leaf. The distance when planting strawberry outlets should be about 25 cm.

In dry periods, I carry out regular watering for the high-quality development of strawberry bushes.

In the photo: strawberry seedlings with lutrasil mulch; biennial strawberry bush of "Ruyana" variety

If you have planted young strawberry plants in open ground in the summer, before September, it is advisable to remove all emerging flowers and whiskers from the seedlings by the end of the gardening season so that they have time to root well and overwinter safely.

Create a handmade spring in the middle of winter

When fluffy snowflakes are dancing outside the winter window, the soul rejoices in that little spring that appears before my eyes at home - thanks to hard work, perseverance and perseverance in growing seedlings.

If in winter you miss your garden and want to have new varieties of strawberries that provide delicious berries throughout the garden season, then try now, in February, to solve this interesting and quite feasible problem. Grow small-fruited remontant strawberries from seeds in peat tablets.

Elena Fedorovna Yasinskaya (Bila Tserkva, Kiev region)

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