When is it necessary to trim Victoria?

When they talk about Victoria, they most often mean strawberries. This is one of the most beloved berries of both children and adults.It is a pleasure to enjoy jam or pies with Victoria, but you need to try to get a quality crop. After all, in order for the plant to bear fruit more and better, it is necessary not only to care for it during the ripening of berries, but also to take care of autumn harvesting and preparation for winter.

Experienced gardeners prune the leaves at different times to better preserve the fruit, protect it from pests and improve the health of the strawberry bushes.

During the winter, some parts of the bushes can freeze slightly, so in spring, when the snow is already gone and the soil dries out, it can be seen that some sheets have been damaged and dried out. They should be cut and raked. The main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to remove the healthy parts. Damaged sheets are best burned.

At the end of July or the beginning of August, after harvesting, it is necessary to start a thorough pruning of the plant, since during the remaining warm time after fruiting, the bushes have time to form new buds for the berries. It is possible to remove deformed or damaged leaves during the whole warm season so that the fungus does not spread, and the main cleaning of the leaves should be carried out closer to the end of summer. Make it better a week after collecting the last berries, but you can immediately. Weeds and faded foliage are removed. Cut the leaves should be burned, as they may remain pests or pathogens.

Leaves and root interact for two months. And after fruiting, the bush is already gaining enough nutrients, and the leaf plates begin to turn red, which means that they have played their role this season and will not bring additional benefits. Then you can cut the leaves.

Although some gardeners cut off almost all the leaves, especially in plants that go for wintering strong and prepared. If the bushes are young, which are still one year old, or are not quite strong over the summer, then it is better not to touch them, so that they are still gaining strength. You should also not forget about pruning in the fall.

It is necessary to once again inspect the bushes and remove the remaining infected leaves, so that the pests have nowhere to spend the winter and Victoria is well preserved during the cold weather. If the winters are very frosty, then some of the dried foliage can be left, also to insulate the bed with straw, mowed grass or sawdust.

Leaves are cut with a sharp garden knife, shears or scissors in dry weather, preferably in the morning or in the evening. In order not to damage the growing points or healthy foliage, cut the sheet at a height of not less than 10 cm, and not under the root. You need to start with more healthy bushes and finish with weaker ones, where viruses are noticeable, so as not to transfer them, you should also wash the tools with potassium permanganate or copper sulfate for disinfection (in solution).

It is not necessary to tear off parts of the bushes with your fingers, since, without calculating the strength, you can pull out a plant with a root or damage it. And if the root system is disturbed, bushes can get sick or reduce the yield of berries. If the bush is badly damaged, it is better to remove it completely and burn it. In order not to infect neighboring plants, the place from the diseased bush should be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

When unnecessary leaves are cut, comb the bushes with a rake. After pruning, it is better to break through the soil. At the site of distant leaves, new ones will begin to grow, especially if autumn is warm. They are also better to cut, so that the plant does not spend power on the leaves instead of new berry buds.

After processing the bushes themselves, it is necessary to tackle the whiskers that Victoria lets out during the whole summer for further reproduction. If the plans do not intend to propagate the strawberry bushes from the existing ones, then you should definitely cut off the mustache closer to the outlet of the bush. Otherwise, all the forces of the plant will go to the new bushes, and the berries will be small.Trim the mustache to flowering, after the bush will give fruit at the end of summer. If you want to grow a few more bushes, then a number of whiskers from the strongest plants should be left and covered with earth.

For how to trim the leaves in Victoria, see the video below.