Planting strawberries and rules for her care

Strawberries are considered the most common garden berries in many gardeners.Thanks to its taste and pleasant aroma, you can prepare a variety of desserts and blanks. In order to cultivate this crop in their area, it is important to follow certain planting rules and provide the plant with proper care.

In order for the strawberry to take root well and pleased with the high yield, it must be planted in a certain period. Most often seedlings are transplanted in spring (in the first half of May) and in summer (in mid-August). This is due to the fact that the plant must have time to acclimatize and form a powerful root system. In this case, the summer landing prevails over the spring. If the bushes are planted at the end of July, then they successfully take root until autumn, they are being trained for wintering and give a good harvest for the next season.

Landing time also depends on the climatic conditions of the region where the site is located. For example, in the Moscow region, strawberries are ideal for transplanting in the fall or in August, and in the southern zones, gardeners prefer to carry out such activities in the spring, because, due to the hot weather, seedlings can quickly wither or not fully develop the roots and die in the winter.

Strawberries, like any other crop, are demanding on the landing site, so it is advisable for her to choose areas with good lighting, where onions, legumes and garlic had previously grown. The territory, which is planned to be allocated for strawberries, is desirable to be planted with green manure in the spring, then mow them in August and pour the soil with special fertilizer solutions. Since this culture loves fertile soil, it is not recommended to plant bushes in dense and clay soil. Not considered “good neighbors” for culture and high plantations that will create shading.

The site before planting must be thoroughly cleaned of weeds, dig up, level and prepare a soil mixture consisting of ash, humus, compost or biohumus. The pits for seedlings should be made spacious and fairly deep, keeping a 50 cm step between them. The ground taken out of them is mixed with the soil mixture and then backfilled into the wells, forming a small hillock.

Strawberries are characterized by versatility, since they can be grown by seedlings in open ground and greenhouses. Today, there are many ways to place bushes on the beds, among which one-, two-line, carpet and three rows are very popular. Using a carpet technique, the site is completely planted with culture. At the same time, in the first year, strawberries will be pleased with high yields, but then after a while, its fruiting will drop sharply. This is explained by the fact that the plants do not receive sufficient nutrition, and their maintenance becomes more complicated; in addition, when excessive humidity and rainy summer, strawberries can get sick with gray rot.

Single line method is usually used in areas with a large area. Shrubs in this case are placed at a distance of 70 cm from each other, and a 40 cm interval is made between them. For medium-sized varieties, a distance of 20 cm will suffice. In the second year after planting, it is important to clean the plant from the sockets and whiskers in a timely manner, otherwise the plantation will be neglected and the harvest will be small.

In contrast to the single-line method, a two-line transplant is considered more efficient, since it allows to thicken the territory already from the first season. They make a distance of 20 cm between saplings, and form rows at a distance of 50 cm. Thanks to this technique, excellent fruiting is observed.As for the landing in three rows, after the first harvest, every second strawberry sapling is removed from the row and moved to a new bed.

Regardless of the chosen landing pattern beds are recommended to be placed from north to south, so the land between the rows will be well warmed and illuminated. In that case, if the garden area is located on a slope, the beds form across it. Sometimes several varieties of strawberries are planted at the same time on the site, in this case the plants cannot be mixed, it is best to form them in blocks.

Before you start planting seedlings, you need to choose the seedlings, because the future harvest will depend on its quality. The ideal option is when the seedlings are grown independently. It is excavated in advance and placed in a cool dark place. All bushes must be carefully sorted and left only those that have no signs of mechanical damage. Suitable for transplanting plants with a well-developed root system and stems of 2-3 leaves.

Gardeners who acquire ready-made seedlings, it is important to consider a few points.

• It is impossible to buy unknown varieties from people on the market, it is desirable to choose planting material from a special nursery. It is best to buy seedlings with an open root system, they will take root faster.
• Acquired plants should be planted immediately, but if such an opportunity is not available, they are stored in containers in an upright position. Sawdust, moss or burlap can be laid on the bottom of the containers. Young bushes also need to be sprayed with water. For city dwellers who plan to plant for the weekend, the seedlings can be hidden for a short time in the fridge, after placing them in a plastic bag.

In order for the correct distance to be made between the plants, a marked wooden board is used. Planting work is desirable to carry out in the evening or in cloudy weather. Before they start it is necessary to dip the roots of the seedlings in a mash made from humus mixed in water and soil. Then perform several necessary actions.

• According to the made sizes, they dig pits of such a format so that the spine can easily fit in them. If the soil was previously fertilized, then the wells simply fall asleep with the same earth, if not, superphosphate and humus are added to the bottom of the dimples.
• Then the plant with one hand gently pressed against the wall of the fossa, so that his heart was placed on the surface of the earth, and the second hand gently fall asleep hole, pressing the root to prevent the formation of voids.
• At the end of the planting around the bush compacted the soil and plentifully pour water. The site must immediately loosen and eliminate between the rows all trampled places.

In this case, the seedlings from the pots grown in the greenhouse are much easier to replant, it is only important to correctly select the depth of the pits. During the first week, seedlings should be shaded from the sun using dry grass, twigs or burlap. In addition, during this period, it is desirable to perform watering in the evening, thanks to this, the strawberries will quickly take root and begin active growth.

Some gardeners also prefer planting under black covering material. To do this, on a dedicated land plot form low rows. Land on the beds must be prepared in advance, for three years it is fed with phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. Then the beds are covered with spunbond or black film, and the edges are covered with soil and fixed with wooden boards. In the covering material by marking with a knife make cross-shaped or oval holes with a diameter of 5 cm, the step between them should not exceed 30 cm

Seedlings are placed in the prepared holes without bending the roots and hearts of strawberries.In the case when the seedlings have long roots, they can be cut a little bit. The advantage of this technique is that the plant is completely protected from weeds and pests that fall on the lower part of the seedlings. In addition, the dark film retains heat and moisture well, and the berries remain clean when harvesting.

It is not difficult to grow strawberries, the main thing is to provide it with proper care. If the seedlings are planted in the country in the spring, then tendrils and flower stalks may form on the garden. They should be cut off immediately, because the seedlings must form a strong root system.

Fruiting and breeding culture in this case is best postponed until next season. Young bushes can be transplanted at the end of summer, they need to be mulched with straw, dry foliage or grass.

When the transplantation of plants is done, after two weeks should be feeding strawberries. As a fertilizer most often used an infusion of herbs, biohumus and bird droppings. These components are considered organic and contain a lot of nitrogen, which is easily absorbed and stimulates the growth of culture. To properly grow the berry, care for it needs to be planned.

• Spring work. After the end of winter, it is important not only to tidy up the land, but also to process the bushes with special preparations that will reduce the risk of plant disease and increase its fruiting. In addition, in the spring it is necessary to remove the top layer of earth from the beds (pests can hide there) and to carry out basal dressing. After such events, the plantation will look “bare”, and with the onset of hot weather, the beds will be covered with a dry crust. To prevent this, the soil should be loosened. Many gardeners, in order to simplify the care of strawberry plantations, use mulching, but in the spring of last year’s mulch from the beds are removed, as it slows down the heating of the soil and prevents the growth of bushes.
• Fertilizer. The emergence of new leaves on seedlings well stimulates spring feeding. Some gardeners prefer to perform it with the help of mineral fertilizers, using ammonium sulfate and nitroammophoska. At the same time it is good to feed the bushes with organic mixes made from infusions of nettle, mullein and chicken manure.

• Watering. Growing strawberries, like any other crop, provides for the installation of an irrigation system, since the plants need to be watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. Especially important is the presence of moisture during flowering, during this period it is recommended to carry out permanent "water procedures", spending at least 10 liters of water per 1 m2.
• Chemical processing Before flowering, strawberries need to be sprayed. Caesar and Taurus are a good preparation for protection against pests, but if the gardener is afraid of chemicals, then you can choose such biological agents as Actofit and Fitoverm. It should be remembered that biological agents are effective only at temperatures above + 18 ° C. At the same time, experienced gardeners are quite successfully fighting insects with ordinary water heated to a temperature of + 65 ° C. She poured strawberries on top using a garden watering can.

• Mulching. After the earth is well warmed up, and the strawberry beds are actively covered with greenery, you need to re-mulch the wells. Mulch acts as a natural antiseptic, retains moisture and protects the crop from weeds.
• Cleaning up To get the bushes good nutrition and give their strength to the formation of fruits, it is important to promptly remove the sockets and antennae formed on them. Such work must be performed regularly.

Strawberries are considered to be a very delicate crop, therefore they are often exposed to the invasion of insects, mercilessly eating both its foliage and berries. To improve plant resistance to pests helps preventive treatment of bushes, which should be done before the beginning of the flowering period and at the end of the harvest. The most dangerous for this culture are several insect pests.

• Strawberry Nematode. It is a small worm, reaching a length of 1 mm. After its appearance on the leaves, the deformation and twisting of the leaves are noticed, the petioles are shortened, and the seedling itself becomes brittle and fragile. In some cases, also the effect of "cauliflower", in which the stem begins to grow in different directions and become denser. Affected bushes no longer bear fruit: if berries form on them, they have a small and non-marketable appearance. This pest multiplies rapidly, so if you do not complete the treatment in time, you can lose strawberry beds. To combat the nematode, first of all, it is necessary to perform preventive actions: select extremely healthy seedlings for transplantation, process seedlings before planting in the wells with hot water up to + 46 ° C and change the planting site every 7 years.

• Strawberry tick. This pest often damages the tops. In winter, insect females hide in the stalks of strawberries, and in spring they lay eggs on young leaves. Since the tick feeds on the juice from the leaves, they become shriveled, and the fruits - small. If you do not pay attention to this, and do not fight in time, the entire plantation of plantations will be destroyed. Therefore, before planting, the seedlings need to be treated with a special disinfecting solution, then rinse and dry the seedlings. If the bushes are already affected, they are always sprayed with colloidal sulfur in the spring. This is done a week before the start of flowering strawberries, then re-processing carried out in the fall. With a strong accumulation of mites, the plant is dug out from the site.

• Spider mite This insect is dangerous because it envelops the leaves of the culture with cobwebs, after which they turn yellow and dry. The most popular type of struggle with this type of tick is considered to be the treatment of seedlings with the drug “Karbofos”. Preventive work is carried out, as a rule, after the first harvest of fruits. The area after treatment is covered with a dense film material that can be removed after a few hours. Such events also help to remove the weevil and strawberry beetle.

• Aphid. A good way to combat aphids is to use garlic infusion. It is prepared as follows: 3 liters of cold water are taken, several peeled heads of garlic are poured and insisted throughout the week. The mixture is poured into the spray and process the bushes. In addition to the above pests, the berry often suffers from wasps and birds. To divert the attention of wasps from fragrant berries, sweet syrups are placed next to the beds. As for the birds, they are scared away with red glass balls that are laid out next to the berries. Such balls are unlikely to appeal to feathered enemies, and their invasion will be reduced.

Strawberries, despite their high resistance to disease, can sometimes be exposed to viral and fungal microorganisms. We list the most common diseases of culture.

• Phytophthora. Manifested by signs of wilting plants, with necrosis at the edges of the foliage. They begin to acquire a brown shade, and the stalks die off.Sick seedlings are lagging behind, the root system dies over time. To combat this defeat, you need to properly comply with all the conditions of agrotechnology: apply only high-quality planting material and form the beds according to the schemes. In addition, you can not plant strawberries on the same site for more than four years.

• Mealy dew. This disease affects the entire ground part of the seedling, as a result of which the leaves twist, acquiring the shape of a “boat,” then turn into a purple hue with a mealy patina. In a large bush can not pass the normal process of pollination, the fruits become deformed. To avoid this, you should regularly spray the areas before flowering and after harvesting with a soap emulsion, vitriol and Azocene.

• Gray rot. With this disease, you can lose up to 80% of the harvest, because the berries form hard brownish spots that have a fluffy patina and spread instantly. Diseased fruits begin to dry and mummify, the leaves at this time, too, are covered with brownish or gray spots, the ovary and the stalk wither. In order to prevent the fungus from transferring its spores to healthy bushes, the affected plants are urgently removed from the beds; moreover, the plot must be constantly cleared of weeds. Mulching helps to prevent rot, as well as spraying leaves with Bordeaux liquid.

• Brown and white spot. The main symptom of the disease is the formation of brown or white spots on the leaves of strawberries, they gradually merge and become large in size, as a result of which the leaf turns yellow and dries. If you do not carry out prevention, the rot can remove all plantations.

Given the above diseases, it should be noted that Each gardener will be able to successfully grow strawberries and get a high yield if he adheres to such recommendations:

• use for planting high-quality and healthy seedlings;
• regularly transplant strawberries to other areas where the multicolored ones did not grow;
• remove weeds in areas that are a good place for insects and spreaders of viruses;
• regularly loosen the soil and use repellent traps for pests.

Today, strawberries can be planted in various ways, the most common of which is the use of seedlings. At the same time, if you plant a plot tightly, then the whiskers of the plant will form and independently multiply over the entire area. Such a carpet plantation has a number of advantages: a special microclimate is created on the soil surface, humidity is constantly maintained, and a variety of weeds is restrained.

Such planting of seedlings is well suited for those summer residents who appear outside the city only on weekends, since the culture will require less irrigation and loosening. The disadvantage of carpet landing is that strawberries can form small fruits, so it is best to replant seedlings using lower case diagrams.

Many gardeners also propagate strawberry mustache. In order to get high-quality planting material and preserve its varietal characteristics, it is necessary to decide what is most important in growing - mustache or berry. If we use the antennae from the bushes that had been hatched, the seedlings will turn out to be inferior, as the plants spent the main supply of nutrients on the formation and ripening of the fruits. Waiting for a good antennae from the bush, you can lose a high yield, because in this case the plant will “work” on the tops and the formation of rosettes, as a result the berries will become small and their fruiting will decrease by 30%. Therefore, breeding a mustache is not considered effective, it is best to plant strawberries by dividing the bush.

For such a landing, healthy uterine bushes are selected first, which in the first year after planting were cleared of whiskers and wait for fruiting. It is advisable to give preference to plants that have successfully survived the winter and have given the largest fruits. They are marked in advance with a stick or a garter. On the selected bushes remove all buds to prevent flowering and fruiting. Then they dig up a bush and divide its root so that equal parts with leaves are obtained.

After that, the seedlings are placed in the wells, watered with water. They need to care for, like any other seedlings. This method of reproduction is best applied in early August, so that the plant has time to get stronger and take root before the first frosts. Uterine bushes can be divided over the course of their growth for the first 2-3 years, then they are not considered as high-quality seedling material.

For more information on planting strawberries, see the following video.