Gardener tips: how to feed strawberries in spring

Before depositing fertilizers a general cleaning of the strawberry plantation should be carried out, during which weeds, old leaves and excess tendrils are removed. After cleaning, you need to loosen the soil and re-grind the mulch. These activities are the key to successful spring feeding, which is necessary for the culture for good development and fruiting.

Competent feeding will allow strawberries to wake up from hibernation and gain strength to accelerate vegetation processes and fruiting.

Content:

• How and when to carry out spring feeding of strawberries
• Organic feed
• Mineral fertilizers
• Why is spring feeding useful?

How and when to carry out spring feeding of strawberries

Spring feeding strawberry it is carried out not in early spring, but when the ground warms up and warm, stable weather sets in. It is at this time that feeding will be successful. You also need to pay attention to the number of leaves - you should not rush to fertilize if there are less than two of them on the bush.

Strawberries planted in the previous year do not need to be fed in the spring. But experienced gardeners recommend light fertilization. The finished solution should consist of half a liter of poultry manure or mullein and one tablespoon of sodium sulfate diluted in a bucket of water. One liter of this composition should be poured under each bush. This will give the strawberries strength for further growth and development.

Strawberries that have been growing for more than two years should be fertilized in three stages:

• when two or three leaves appear
• before flowering
• during the period of berry formation

Feeding rules:

• The first feeding is carried out in April or May - it all depends on the climatic conditions of the growing region. At this time, organic matter gives good results - manure or bird droppings, which are scattered around the bushes and sprinkled with a layer of soil.
• The second feeding should be carried out no later than the end of May - with the appearance of the first flowers. For this, it is recommended to use an aqueous solution of iodine and ash... Ash (1 glass) is poured with a liter of boiling water, filtered and mixed in ten liters of warm water. Thirty drops of iodine are added to the resulting solution. Pour 0.5-0.7 liters under each bush.
• The third feeding is carried out with the appearance of the first green berries. Gardeners offer a recipe for weed infusion for these purposes. They must be crushed and filled with water. So the infusion is warm for about a week. Then the infusion is filtered and, diluted in half with water, is poured under the strawberries.

The amount of strawberry harvest depends on the type of fertilizer. Professionals are unable to answer the question of which fertilizer is better - natural or chemical. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Therefore, to achieve a positive effect, it is customary to alternate feeding or apply them in a complex manner.

For the berries to be juicy and rich in taste, strawberries must be provided with the necessary trace elements. The plant's diet should be diversified with potassium salts, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamins, which are found in both organic and mineral fertilizers.

Organic feed

Organic fertilizers traditionally include:

• Fertilizers from manure, humus and poultry droppings.It is often used as the main dressing in dry and diluted form. In the fall, fresh manure can be laid in the aisles, which will crush over the winter and become a source of microelements in the spring.
• Ash feeding is a source of potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for strawberries. A solution of ash (2 tablespoons per liter of water) is watered with bushes during flowering to increase the amount of harvest.
• Boron feeding provides the plant with the necessary trace elements and minerals: potassium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, manganese., Copper and iron, some of which are able to be distributed in different directions, while others - only from top to bottom. Therefore, boron solution is used as spraying.
• Yeast fertilizers... Initially, a concentrate is prepared from one kilogram of yeast, diluted in five liters of water, and infused for a day. Before use, half a liter of concentrate is diluted with ten liters of water and the plantation is watered.

The first three types organic fertilizers have proven themselves well in the cultivation of culture. There are a number of disagreements about the latter. Some people notice the usefulness of yeast, while others do not see a special effect on the plant, but argue that such a composition significantly reduces the quality of the soil, making it too dense.

Strawberries are one of the few crops that prefer slightly acidified soil. Therefore, a feeding based on fermented milk products is ideal for her: whey, yogurt, kefir, which is able to provide the plant with the necessary trace elements and a set of amino acids. The solution is prepared 1: 1 and sprayed on the plantation. A feature of such fertilizers is that, in addition to nutrition, they provide protection against fungi and harmful insects.

Mineral fertilizers

As mineral fertilizers gardeners use:

• sulfates and saltpeter, which are a source of nitrogen, therefore, are applied only before flowering in order to increase the green mass
• urea is used as a source of potassium
• ready-made complex dressings provide strawberries with the necessary nutrition and protection from diseases and pests. Nitrophoska (Azofoska), Stimovit for strawberries and Agricola for berry plants are actively used.

If the soil is covered with a layer of organic mulch year-round, then you do not need to apply a large amount of fertilizer. The condition of the leaves should be monitored, which will prompt when food is no longer enough.

Why is spring feeding useful?

Spring fertilization is considered the most important of the season. There are several reasons for this:

1. Strawberries move out of hibernation faster and begin to grow actively.
2. The consumption of fertilizers is reduced if the plantation was fertilized before winter.
3. Complex feeding promotes active development, increases the amount of the crop and accelerates the period of its ripening, increases the amount of sugar in fruits and improves their safety.
4. Also, all mineral dressings protect plants from fungi and pests, and organic matter - provides vitality and immunity.

It is important to ensure that the plants receive the fertilizers they need in time and in the correct proportions. If agronomic rules are violated, the strawberries will stop growing and wither. In this case, you will not be able to get a good harvest. And a systematic violation of the rules of fertilization leads to the death of the entire plantation.

Therefore, to obtain a good harvest, it is not enough to choose the right fertilizer. You should also correctly calculate its consumption for each bush. But such attention will be rewarded with a good harvest of tasty and healthy berries.

More information can be found in the video: