How to plant strawberries in the spring so that the berry is large and does not hurt. How to plant strawberries for a beginner gardener

Planting a strawberry seedling at the end of April.

A place for strawberries is dug up a few weeks before planting, if necessary, top dressing is added, peat or humus is added.

Basic requirements for choosing a place:

• good access to light;
• flat terrain;
• lack of drafts;
• lack of tuberosity or slope;
• the presence of green manure;
• soil disinfection.

Marking the plot for strawberries.

The plot for strawberries should be located on the south side of the garden or in such a place that there is constant access to light. The site should be flat, without bumpiness and lowlands, not blown through by drafts. Also, it is impossible to have landings on a slope. It is necessary to choose a place so that it is possible to bring a drip irrigation system.

How far apart should strawberries be planted?

The optimal distance when planting strawberries.

The optimal planting pattern with a moderate compactness of the bushes is from thirty to fifty centimeters between the pits, and forty centimeters between the rows.

In some cases, a longer distance is used. This is due to the size of the shrubs and leafy cap of a particular variety. The pits are pre-fertilized with a nutrient mixture. The composition of the mixture is a bucket of earth, a bucket of manure, a bucket of compost, two hundred grams of ash.

Landing time

Disembarkation time - evening, at worst - a cool day without sun.

It is necessary to pre-prepare the seedlings. Two hours before the event, the bushes are recommended to be soaked in a solution - growth stimulant . If not, just moisten with water. In some cases, they are used folk methods- soaking in garlic tincture - one hundred and fifty milliliters of garlic infusion are dissolved in ten liters of water.

When planting, remember that strawberries will need extra space under the mustache.

Seedling

A good bush for planting is a seedling that has four developed leaves, freely hanging root system.

The length of the roots should be no more than ten centimeters. If the roots are longer cut off the excess . Lay in the holes in a standing position - so that the roots do not sag. Press firmly to the ground, fill, tamp. The core should remain on the surface. In this case, you need to pay attention to the point of growth - it should not rise above the surface of the earth.

For planting strawberries, "sleeping" seedlings with open roots or seedlings with a closed root system grown in containers are used.

New gardens need to be watered every day, and do it in the morning, before the sun has risen. It is better if a drip irrigation system is connected to the garden bed. In this case, watering will be carried out automatically and in sufficient quantity for normal development.

Pine litter mixed with foliage - suitable material for mulching strawberries.

This will help retain moisture in dry weather and prevent the possibility of weeds. Best solution for mulch pine needles . The sharp smell of needles will scare away insects and act as a barrier against diseases. Mulching with straw or leaves, sawdust is allowed.

First dressing of freshly planted strawberries

The first feeding is carried out fourteen days after planting.

Purchased liquid top dressing is used in the form of a working solution prepared by diluting the concentrate.

For this, they are used ready solution biohumus - sold in gardening stores. An infusion is made from bird infusion and water . You can also use complex mixtures - phosphate, nitrogen, potassium chloride. In some cases, they resort to the help of ready-made chemicals however, the best and safer way out is organic. Without fail, the first stepchildren and peduncles must be cut off.

Video on how to quickly plant a row of strawberries

For successful cultivation strawberries and receiving good harvest it is especially important to initially correctly plant the berry bushes themselves.

From the material below you will learn how to plant strawberries in the spring (in what way and according to what scheme) in open ground so that the seedlings quickly take root and start growing, and further care behind the bushes did not cause any problems.

When to plant strawberries in spring, in what month: optimal timing

The timing of planting strawberries is determined based on weather conditions. As soon as the ambient temperature stops dropping below +10 degrees during the day and +5 degrees at night, and the soil warms up to +8-10 degrees, seedlings can be planted in the ground.

It is believed that for strawberries returnable spring frosts not scary, but this applies only to garden strawberries, originally grown in the open field. If you are, then in this case it is better to plant it later.

By the way! Because To The strawberries are most often planted early enough, then in order to protect it from the cold, plantings can be covered with a film or spunbond. And when a steady warming comes, the bushes can be opened.

When is the best time to plant - in spring or autumn:advantages and disadvantages of planting strawberries in spring

Garden strawberries can be planted in both autumn and spring. It all depends on your capabilities and when you want to get the first harvest.

Benefits of spring planting strawberries:

• By autumn, the bushes will have time to form a powerful root system and go into the winter already 100% accustomed to a new place, which means that the likelihood of their (bushes) freezing will be minimized.
• If the seedlings planted in the spring suddenly begin to dry out, then you can take timely action. necessary measures or replace with new ones.

Main disadvantage spring planting of garden strawberries - in the first year, the plant, most likely, will not bear fruit (moreover, if flower stalks still appear, then they need to be cut off). But if the strawberries planted in the spring take root well, then next year you can get a rich harvest.

And one more minus: because strawberries are propagated with a mustache in summer, then it is at the end of summer-autumn that the highest quality planting material appears, and besides, there is a lot of it.

Suitable timing also depends on what kind of seedlings you have:

• So, seedlings can be planted virtually at any time: even in spring, even at the end of summer, even in autumn.
• Seedlings with an open root system (OKS) preferably planted in spring or maximum - at the end of summer.

The fact is that seedlings with a closed root system take root much faster than with an open one, but, as a rule, they also cost more.

Video: when is it better to plant strawberries - in spring or autumn

Approximate planting dates in different regions (depending on climate)

Due to the fact that the weather in the regions of the country is significantly different, spring planting in different climatic zones should be carried out in different dates.

On South Strawberries can be planted already in late-March-early April.

V middle lane(Moscow region) due to the temperate climate, spring planting of strawberries is carried out from the second half of April.

In the North-West (Leningrad region) planting strawberry seedlings can be carried out only closer to the second half of May, when the earth warms up enough.

V Siberia and the Urals strawberry seedlings are planted in open ground also in the 2nd-3rd decade of May.

According to the lunar calendar in 2019

To choose the best specific date for planting strawberry seedlings, l unary calendar.

Note! If you are planning grow strawberries from seed first, i.e. sow seedlings, then the timing is different(and match with the mustache fit).

By the way! About, when and how to sow strawberries for seedlings, read .

So, favorable days for the spring planting of strawberry seedlings in open ground in 2019, according to the lunar calendar, are:

• in April - 11-17; 21-26.

Yes, this is not a mistake, it is recommended to plant seedlings of fruit and berry crops according to the lunar calendar only in April.

Of course, it is not always possible to get to the dacha on favorable days, so the main thing is not to land on unfavorable days.

Unfavorable days, according to the lunar calendar for 2019, for planting strawberry seedlings in the spring are the following dates:

• in March - 6, 7, 21;
• in April - 5, 19;
• in May - 5, 19;
• in June - 3, 4, 17.

According to the lunar calendar, from the magazine "1000 Tips for a Summer Resident".

How to plant strawberries in spring: features and step by step instructions

In order for strawberries to quickly take root in a new place and immediately grow, you need to follow the basic rules and recommendations for its spring planting, as well as the choice of seedlings.

What should be a seedling and how to prepare it for planting

Planting material for planting strawberries in spring can be bought ready-made (at garden fairs or on the Internet) or you can grow seedlings yourself by sowing seedlings at home.

At the same time, strawberry seedlings (and any other crops) are of 2 types:

As for appearance, a good (quality) strawberry seedling should have:

• at least 3 leaves, while 1 may still be in its infancy (i.e. not yet bloomed), and 2 others are already deployed;

Naturally, the leaves themselves should not be wilted and have spots.

• the diameter of the root neck should be at least 6-7 mm;
• the root system should be well formed and have a fibrous shape with a root length of at least 7-10 cm.

If you purchase seedlings with OKS (open root system), then it is very important that they are, so to speak, "not chopped" and not dry.

It is also very important to know distinguish young bushes(grown this year from seeds or rooted last year with whiskers) from old(2-3 year old mother plants that have already been fruiting).

So, the roots of old garden strawberry bushes black and thick (in young - light), and they also have brown thickening (horn).

Video: how to choose strawberry seedlings and distinguish young from old

Preparing seedlings for planting

• Seedlings immediately before planting with a closed root system (ZKS) lightly shed so that it is easy to get the seedling along with the earthy clod and it does not collapse. And then, together with a clod of earth, they are planted in a prepared hole.
• strawberry seedlings open root system (OCS) dipped in a clay mash (and even better in a solution of one of the growth stimulants), and then slightly cut the blackened and too long roots (but not more than 1 cm) so that they do not bend in the hole when planting.

By the way! Many gardeners advise any strawberry seedling before planting. hold for 15-20 minutes hot water (not lower than 45 degrees). This procedure will help get rid of ticks that could hide on seedlings (leaves). Alternatively, they can be sprayed with Fitoverm or a similar acaricide, such as Akarina or Aktellik.

Planting site or where to place a garden bed

In order for strawberries to bear fruit abundantly, it is better to plant bushes in well-lit areas, especially for large-fruited varieties.

Small-fruited varieties can grow in light partial shade.

The beds for growing strawberries should be straight, directed from north to south (or southwest).

Important! Strawberries should not be planted in the lowlands, where meltwater will collect in spring (as well as after rains). Because of this, the soil will dry and warm for a long time, which means that the plant will grow more slowly, the berries will ripen later.

In this case, it is better to plant strawberries on high beds or ridges.

Strawberry seedlings can be grown even on a small slope (2-3 degrees).

Then plant: crop rotation rules

When choosing a place for planting strawberries, one must also take into account the compatibility of crops that grew in the garden last year.

So, legumes, a variety of greens, and partly root crops are good predecessors for strawberries. In general, it is ideal to plant seedlings after green manure. The worst are nightshade crops (potatoes), pumpkin, all types of cabbage (except cauliflower).

Important! You can not grow strawberries in the same place for more than 3 years. Over time, the berry loses its yield. However, it is possible to re-plant in the old place only after 4-5 years.

What can and cannot be planted with: neighborhood rules

Since an ordinary summer cottage is, as a rule, only 6 acres, many summer residents grow different crops nearby. However, at the same time, a number of basic requirements and rules must be observed in their neighborhood with strawberries.

Advice! About, what can and what should not be planted next to strawberries, written .

There are the following rules for planting berry bushes:

• Strawberries should not be planted near crops that need the same nutrients as themselves.
• The watering regimen for plants growing in the neighborhood must match.
• Can't be planted nearby tall plants, which will shade the bushes too much.
• It is not recommended to place near plants with the same diseases and pests.

Thus, next to strawberries, you can plant root and leaf parsley, dill, garlic, various root crops, legumes, and marigolds are ideal from flowers.

What kind of soil is needed:how and what to fertilize the garden before planting

Strawberries love fairly fertile soil, which means they will grow well on loamy (light and medium loam) and sandy loam soils.

Least of all suitable for growing garden strawberries excessively clayey, soddy and peaty (acidic) soils.

Garden strawberries, like many other crops, do not like acidic soils. The ideal soil acidity level for growing strawberries is pH 5.5-6.5.

It is advisable to prepare the bed for strawberries in advance, i.e. even in the fall (so that the soil has time to fill up with nutrients and, most importantly, settle down).

During the autumn digging or immediately before the spring planting in the soil (again, for digging), it is desirable to add organic and mineral fertilizers. And also try to completely rid the bed of weeds and shed it (for disinfection and settlement with a hay stick). Then loosen, level and mark the rows.

The bed must be prepared in advance, at least 2 weeks in advance, so that the earth has time to settle.

What fertilizers can be applied to the future strawberry bed for digging:

• humus, compost or rotted manure (1 bucket or 6-8 kg per 1 sq. meter);
• potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate) or wood ash (potassium fertilizer);
• superphosphate (phosphorus fertilizer).

Or you can use a complex mineral fertilizer, for example, nitroammophoska.

Certainly, you can pour fertilizer directly into the hole y (ash and humus), but this will be less effective, since the root system grows better when it receives nutrition, growing beyond the original planting.

How deep and how far to plant

When planting strawberries, you need to ensure that the growth point (the heart is the place where the roots pass into the leaves) is strictly above the soil surface, i.e. no higher and no lower.

Note! If the heart is in the ground, then it can rot and rot. Conversely, if planted too high, the roots will dry out, and in winter the bushes may even freeze out.

Depending on the chosen method and planting pattern, strawberries are planted at a distance of 15 to 25 cm. The shortest step for planting seedlings is used in the carpet pattern, the longest - in lower case (rows).

In no case should strawberry bushes be planted too close to each other, because. they need a lot of space to grow (otherwise they will simply intertwine and obscure each other).

Schemes and methods of planting strawberries

There are a lot of strawberry planting schemes. It all depends on what area you have.

You can clearly see the main schemes for planting strawberries in the following picture:

• Not large plot and want more harvest, then it is optimal to plant tape way, for example, in 3-5 lines.
• Enough large plot, and a lot can be allocated for strawberries, which means that you can plant bushes in rows (with a ribbon in 1 row) or with ribbons in 2 rows.

By the way! The simplest strawberry planting scheme is considered carpet. The use of this method is very important when you have no time or do not want to take care of strawberries often.

The essence of this method is that you do not cut off the mustache and thereby allow the strawberry bushes to grow over the entire area. Due to the density of plantings, moisture from the soil evaporates much more slowly than with row planting, which means that you will have to water less often. However, already 3 years after planting, the yield will decrease significantly.

Generally similar, but more productive scheme th is planting strawberries nests or, as is often said, in a checkerboard pattern.

Thus, the denser the planting, the more difficult it is to care for, especially in terms of trimming excess whiskers and physical access to the bushes.

Video: how best to plant strawberries - schemes

Planting on ridges or high beds

If you have a low-lying area that is often flooded, or you are a resident of a cold region with a short summer (the same Urals or Siberia), then it is optimal to plant strawberries on warm beds.

So the seedlings are planted on small mounds 15-30 cm high. The more accurate height is determined based on the weather conditions of the region: the colder the climate, the higher the ridges should be. The distance between the ridges - 50 cm, between plants - 25 cm.

Growing strawberries under a black film or covering material (on agrofiber)

V Lately It has become very popular to grow strawberries on black covering material. Planting plants on agrofibre (that is, on covering material) can significantly reduce the cost of caring for the crop and significantly increase the yield.

A pre-prepared bed for strawberries is covered with a black film with a density of 60 g / sq.m. When using several cuts, they are overlapped by 15-20 cm. The ends of the material are applied with bricks, and the central part is fixed to the ground with hooks made of wire. Holes are cut in the agrofibre for planting strawberries at a distance corresponding to the selected planting pattern.

Video: planting strawberries on agrofibre

Direct landing

Step-by-step instruction planting strawberry seedlings in open ground:

Note! The most important thing when planting a seedling with an ACS (open root system) is not only to correctly position the growth point of the bush (heart) at ground level, but also to stretch the roots well vertically (without bending).

• Water generously.
• Wait until the moisture is absorbed and the earth settles.

Advice! If the plant, or rather, its "heart" after the soil has settled, is too high above the soil, then additionally pour the earth.

• Mulch if desired.

By the way! Many experienced gardeners are highly advised after planting is also a must shed seedlings with one of the fungicides based on copper, at least copper sulfate.

As well as shade from the sun, for example, an old sheet or the same spanbond in 2 layers.

Video: how to plant strawberries in spring

Care for strawberries after spring planting

After 2-3 weeks, when the rains pass, or you do a couple of waterings, be sure to carefully examine the bushes and determine where the growth point (heart) is: if it has gone deep into the soil, then you need to carefully lift the bush with a scoop so that the growth point is above the ground (you can see it), or, otherwise, if the roots are exposed, then you need to pour the earth.

As regards those irrigation, then the bushes planted in the spring do not need to be watered often, since the soil at this time is quite wet. In the future, watering should be carried out only as the soil dries.

Important! The amount of watering should be moderate. Excess moisture — main reason root rot and an excellent environment for the development of fungal diseases - gray rot and powdery mildew.

And if you mulched the beds, then in the spring you will practically not have to water at all.. The mulch laid on the seedlings works like a greenhouse, because it does not allow moisture to evaporate quickly. Hay, straw, sawdust, spruce branches or rotted compost are used as mulch. Due to the high humidity, the seedlings take root well.

By the way! About, why and how (in what ways) can garden strawberry beds be mulched, set out in detail.

Of course, do not forget in time weed strawberry beds. Weeds are one of the main causes of poor berry yield.

As for top dressing, if you initially planted seedlings in well-fertilized soil, they (top dressing) will not be required in the near future.

But! In the future, you will definitely need it, as well as after fruiting (in autumn).

Video: how to care for strawberries in spring, summer and autumn

Possible mistakes when planting strawberries in spring

Typical mistakes that novice gardeners make when planting strawberries and because of which the seedlings subsequently do not take root:

• Buy low-quality seedlings or old ones.
• The landing is made too early and the bushes are covered with a film or spunbond.
• They bury the growth point (heart) in the ground or, on the contrary, place it too high above the ground.
• Bend roots when planting.
• Bushes are planted too close to each other. Heavily thickened plantings are poorly ventilated, which is why the plants begin to hurt, or as a result of a lack of sunlight and nutrient berries are tied too small.
• Too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied under the bushes. As a result of the introduction excess nitrogen - the leaves begin to grow rapidly, and the formation of berries slows down.

Videos: 7 important mistakes growing strawberries

Thus, even a novice gardener can plant strawberries in the spring in open ground. You just need to use the tips and recommendations given above. They were developed experienced gardeners for many years of practice of planting and growing garden strawberries in household plots.

Video: planting seedlings of garden strawberries (strawberries)

In contact with

Strawberries have long and firmly "registered" in our gardens and cottages. And this is not surprising, because the taste of this berry is simply unique. And the accumulated experience of growing this crop allows you to experiment with its planting. We will find out what is interesting about the spring placement of such seedlings in open ground.

When to plant strawberries in spring

The cultivation of these berries is associated with some nuances that the owners of strawberry plantations have to take into account. Future Harvest largely depends on the right moment for landing.

calendar dates

Seedlings are placed in open ground with an eye to the weather conditions characteristic of a particular region. If we talk about exact dates, then for different areas they will be like this:

• first of all, they start planting in the south (in a mild or subtropical climate, they can be planted on March 5-15);
• in areas with a temperate climate, landing is carried out from April 10 until the end of the month;
• for the northern regions, the interval between May 1 and 15 is more suitable.

But you should not focus on the dates on the calendar alone - other factors also play a role.

Weather

For planting in open ground, a stable air temperature is extremely important. not less than +10…+15 °С.

In many areas, almost the entire spring, the risk of repeated ones remains - they get out of the situation by covering the seedlings with a film or, which are slightly opened on a fine day or at constant + 15 ... + 20 ° С.

Important! When grown in a capital greenhouse external conditions do not play a special role (at worst, a coating in the form of agrofiber will help out).

In turn, the soil should also warm up (at least up to + 8-9 ° С in the upper layer).

A fine cloudless day is suitable for transfer to open ground - a cool spring rain in the first few days will be inopportune (a film also helps out here).

Region features

The variety of weather conditions left its mark on the course of landing operations and the timing of such operations.

V Ukraine spring planting occurs mainly in mid-April - early May (in the northern and western regions with a not always predictable climate, they are transferred 1-2 weeks later).

In the south, the same work is carried out much earlier - the soil warms up faster, and frosts are not so feared there. As a result, the harvest is removed earlier. Moreover, in a warm climate, fruiting dates are shifted 7-10 days earlier than the standards of different varieties.

V Moscow region the situation is different: the spring landing is noticeably inferior in popularity, which has been held since the end of August. The reason for this is the hot summer and not too favorable ecology.

Did you know? Due to its composition, strawberries are considered a natural analogue of Aspirin.

But in Siberia and on Ural the main arrays of strawberries are laid in the ground just in the spring - for these regions with their harsh climate, this is the only opportunity to get strong seedlings and harvest. By the first cold weather, the bushes have time to grow well.

Site selection

Strawberries are considered to be soil-demanding plants. When choosing a “patch” for this culture, it is recommended to pay attention to the following factors:

• - it should be soft and loose, it can be black earth, light loam or sandy loam. In addition, the soil is prepared in advance: loosened, etc. (this stage of work will be discussed a little lower);
• occurrence ground water- their optimal depth- not less than 0.8-1 m. More high level it will greatly complicate cultivation (in such cases, high, up to 50 cm, ridges are poured);
• location - ideally, seedlings are taken out to a small hill or a gentle southern slope - a lowland will not work;
• illumination - strawberries only need open space. Of course, it is not always possible to achieve a complete absence of shade in the country, but the bushes should be in the most illuminated points;
• the wind, or rather, its absence - these berries love places protected from gusts;
• predecessor crops - the best "ancestors" in the area will be and, and, as well as legume lines (, soybeans and). They saturate the soil with nitrogen, which has a good effect on its structure. But there are also species after which the earth is reluctant to accept seedlings - these are, and.

Important! Nightshade crops significantly impoverish the soil. Moreover, the strawberries planted after them are also threatened by late blight.

Many are interested in the question of how many years strawberries can be grown in the same place. It all depends on the variety chosen: many bushes reach their peak as early as 2-3 years, while others quietly grow for 4 years. It is this figure that is the upper limit of the term of "residence" of strawberries in one location. After this period, the site is given something like a 2-year vacation, during which the bushes are transplanted.

How to choose healthy seedlings when buying

We decided on the place, now we need to pick up the strongest seedlings.
Determining their status is quite simple:

• first of all evaluate appearance- there should be no drooping leaves and dry roots;
• healthy leaves numbering from 3 to 5 have a rich green color. They are leathery to the touch, often with a noticeable fluff. Shriveled, pale, or speckled leaves indicate that the seedling is seriously ill;
• seedlings that are sold with an open rhizome are considered healthy if their fibrous roots are at least 7-8 cm long (with a horn thickness of 7 mm or more);
• if the seedlings are sold in pots, the strongest specimens will have time to get comfortable in their containers (in the case of peat containers, the roots will come out altogether - this is quite normal).

Did you know? Every summer in Nemi (Italy) a strawberry festival is held. His "chip" is a huge bowl into which they pour a ton of strawberries and pour champagne. A chic dessert can be tasted by any passer-by.

Of course, it is better to make such purchases from trusted sellers who, if necessary, will give advice on growing a particular variety.

Preparatory work

A large strawberry crop is “programmed” long before planting. Of exceptional importance Preliminary processing soil.

Did you know? the largest strawberry raised by the Japanese Koji Nakao - the fruit was tightened by 250 g!

Garden preparation

Even at the beginning of autumn, the beds are dug up by 25-30 cm (that is, on a shovel bayonet). This removes all remaining roots, especially wheatgrass.

At the beginning of spring, the soil is loosened with a rake. 2 weeks before planting, preventive soil treatment is carried out in the form of disinfection (this will reduce the risk of fungal diseases).
To do this, prepare a simple composition:

• 0.5 kg of lime and 50 g are added to 10 liters of water;
• the solution is stirred and heated to +70 °C;
• application rate - 1 l / 1 sq. m.

A separate topic is autumn sowing. This will be a great help for future seedlings and a good wellness procedure for the fertile layer. For such purposes, they are best suited and, which are not afraid of frost. True, immediately before laying strawberries, you will have to work hard to remove their tops and roots.

Seedling preparation

This stage is distinguished by its simplicity. All you have to do is:

• shorten the longest roots to 6-7 cm;
• dip the seedlings in a 1% solution and keep up to 3 days in a cool place;
• the final touch is the processing of the rhizome with a mixture of clay and in equal proportions. This manipulation will speed up engraftment.

Many cut off the lower leaves right before planting, leaving only a heart (growth point) and one upper, necessarily straightened, process.

Landing Rules

The most crucial moment is the landing itself. It is usually held on a cloudy day, in the late afternoon.
The process itself is generally familiar to everyone:

• under each seedling, they dig a hole 12-15 cm deep and with about the same diameter. The standard planting scheme provides for an interval between holes of 35 cm and a row spacing of 40 cm;
• a small amount of warm water is poured into the hole, while laying a little humus. After allowing the liquid to soak, the seedling is placed so that the growth point (heart) is at ground level. Be careful not to damage the roots;
• then they are carefully sprinkled with earth and lightly tamped upper layer- the soil will swell a little from moisture, as a result, a small mound should turn out;
• it remains to water the seedlings (0.5 liters of water for each). If for some reason no pre-feeding was made, they get out of the situation by evenly scattering a mixture of 30 g, 15 g and 10 g (dose per 1 sq. M).

Did you know? The British call the strawberry a strawberry (because of the mulch made from this material).

This is a common and "scientific" scheme. But the distance between seedlings and rows may vary depending on the chosen planting method. In addition to the above method, other types are used, which differ in their parameters.
Among those are:

• one line method- between seedlings leave 15 cm, while between rows - 60 cm each;
• two-line- here the numbers are different - 20x30 cm. But there is one caveat: this technique is more suitable for summer rather than spring landing;
• carpet- provides for a scheme of 7x30 cm. With this placement, the bushes create a special microclimate - quickly growing together, they leave no chance for weeds. Although there is a significant minus - the berries will be small;
• cluster- suitable for a small number of seedlings. When viewed from above, they form rectangles measuring 50x70 cm each;
• nesting- one seedling is laid in the center of the selected area, and 5-6 bushes are planted around the circumference 10 cm from it. An interval of 30 cm is maintained between such nests. An excellent option for small area and an impressive amount planting material.

As you can see, the planting technique allows you to experiment with the placement of future bushes. And in order to collect record harvest, you will have to brush up on the basic rules for caring for strawberry arrays.

Video: planting strawberries in spring

Further care

In principle, it comes down to simple and timely procedures.

usually held in the morning. In heat or drought, seedlings are watered 1 or 2 times a day, with more moderate weather, the frequency is reduced. In heavy and prolonged rain, the beds are covered with a film.

At the same time, you should not get carried away with water procedures - excessive moisture can trigger diseases like powdery mildew or rot.

The first 10 days after planting, each bush is watered daily (0.5 l each). Before flowering, the bushes are advised to water by sprinkling. After that, they switch to regular watering using warm (+16 ° C or more) water, trying not to hurt the fruits and flowers - moisture should only get into the soil.

Make a dry summer morning. Only the overgrown mustache is removed. Mother bushes can be used to obtain mustaches for 2-3 years (they are cut off 2 weeks before planting).

The same applies to leaves - the most violent ones are removed, which benefits the entire bush: this protects it from pests and ailments.
Having become acquainted with the intricacies of agricultural technology, we will find out the main thing that interests everyone who plans to start growing "spring" strawberries - when to expect a harvest.

Practice shows that during spring planting, it will be possible to feast on juicy berries not earlier than the middle, or even the end of summer. Note that these terms are observed when working with - seedlings, which are simpler, may even wait until the next season (or give small fruits in the first year).

Important! The first dressing in the form of infusion bird droppings applied 2 weeks after planting.

In general, before you start preparing the soil, consider whether you are ready to wait for a full harvest or if the autumn planting method is more attractive.

Video: spring care and top dressing of strawberries

Garden strawberry is a perennial herbaceous evergreen plant. If the conditions of its habitat are favorable, then the plant retains green leaves throughout the winter period. The growing season of strawberries begins early - it is enough for it that the air temperature is 2-5 ° C above zero. Garden strawberries begin to bloom in mid-May. But during flowering, the plant needs protection from possible frosts. There are many garden varieties strawberries, as discussed in detail in the first chapter of this publication. And depending on the variety, the berries of this crop ripen at different times - from the beginning of June to the end of July.

If you are planning to set up a garden strawberry plantation in your own backyard, then you should know that there are a number of difficulties in growing and caring for such a wonderful and beloved berry.

These are weeds that constantly appear on the beds, a large number of mustaches, slugs that spoil strawberry bushes and crops. In addition, the plantation must be kept in order, which is difficult due to the fact that the leaves, growing, cover all the free space.

Beds on agrofibre

Modern technologies in agricultural technology provide new opportunities. For example, for garden strawberries, the technology of growing berries on agrofiber is perfect.

Of course, no one has canceled the traditional methods of growing strawberries, but for simplicity and convenience, it is better to create strawberry beds on agrofibre.

There are undoubted advantages here, which are revealed in the following: the plantation is easy to care for (no growth of weeds and mustaches); slugs, bears and ants practically do not appear on agrofibre; harvesting is facilitated, since the paths can be easily cleared of whiskers.

In order to create a strawberry plantation on agrofiber on your site, you need to stock up the following tools and materials:

Agrofibre (it is sold in specialized stores for gardeners. The dimensions of the canvas are determined at will - depending on the size of the beds);

Large stones or paving slabs (they will be needed to fix the edges of the agrofiber, they can also lay paths between the beds);

Thick wire (it is useful for the manufacture of studs, which firmly fix the agro-fiber);

shovel;

with a sharp knife;

Necessary planting material (garden strawberries).

It is better to create a similar bed in the spring. You need to plant young strawberry bushes, the next year they will begin to bear fruit.

First stage- soil preparation. First you need to find and designate the place where the plantation (or bed) of strawberries will be located. It is important to remember that garden strawberries are a sun-loving crop.

After marking the selected area, it is necessary to dig up the soil under the beds.

As for the shapes and sizes of the plot for strawberries, you need to focus on own desires and area garden plot. Just do not forget that agrofibre usually has a standard width of 1.5 m. It is laid in strips. In this connection, it is better to make rectangular or square beds, in which the length of one side is a multiple of the width of the web.

After you have decided on the place where the beds will be located, with their shape and size, you can start digging the earth in this area. After that, the soil must be loosened with a rake.

On the second stage it is necessary to lay agrofibre. First, measure the strips of agrofiber in accordance with the chosen shape and size of the beds. After that, the prepared canvas is laid on the ground and secured with studs. Thick wire should be cut into several parts about 70-80 cm long, then each part should be bent in half. You will get a huge and thick hairpin, with which the canvas is attached to the ground.

The agrofibre needs to be laid overlapping so that one layer covers the other by at least 20 cm. Next, you need to fasten the fiber sheets together, and then attach them to the ground using studs. First, put stones or tiles on the corners of the canvas, then fix the canvas with studs.

Third stage- tracks. When marking them, one should be guided by the fact that it is convenient to move along them between the beds for processing strawberry bushes and when harvesting. In order to most accurately measure the distance for the paths between the beds, you need to crouch or bend down and stretch your arm forward.

Then determine the distance from the feet to the place where they could reach with their hands. The resulting number must be multiplied by 2 - this will be the distance between the tracks.

For such beds, paths are necessary not only to move along them, but also for additional fixation of the canvas. In places where the joints of agrofiber are obtained, it is better to arrange paths. If your garden bed is rectangular and the width of the canvas, then it is better for it to make several tracks obliquely.

If you start making paths in the beds from paving slabs(measuring 40 X 40 cm), it is preferable to build not a whole path, but, as it were, separate islands of tiles.

The beds are ready to use.

Fourth stage- direct planting of bushes. It is advisable to take young seedlings for planting. This is the case if you plant beds in the spring. If the landing takes place in the fall, then you should purchase seedlings that are grown mustaches. current year. Next spring, flowers will appear on such bushes.

Now you can start marking the beds on the canvas. With the help of chalk or small pebbles, the places where strawberry bushes will be planted should be marked. Then, in these places, you need to make cross-shaped cuts with a knife, and bend the resulting corners outwards.

Figure 1. Marking beds when planting strawberries on agrofiber

Figure 2. Planting strawberries in agrofibre

Garden strawberries do not like deep planting. During the planting of the bushes, it is necessary to ensure that the rosette of leaves is at ground level. Thus, all strawberry bushes are planted.

After all the bushes are planted in the ground, it is required to water the plants. Each seedling is watered separately, water must be poured from a watering can into the hole. After that, it remains only to take care of the beds of strawberries.

Caring for this crop is not difficult even for beginner gardeners. It should be remembered that garden strawberries do not like excessive moisture, but drought is also not her element.

If the summer turned out to be sultry, then strawberries need to be watered 2-3 times a week in evening time when the sun is not so hot. If the summer is cool, then watering should be halved.

For those who do not yet dare to try the latest methods of growing garden strawberries, we can offer an old tried and tested method of growing strawberries in ordinary soil.

Choosing a site for growing strawberries

As mentioned above, strawberries are a sun-loving culture. For beds, a place that is illuminated by the sun almost all day is suitable. The surface of the site should be flat or with a slight slope facing the southwest.

Strawberries will bear fruit poorly and constantly get sick if they are planted on a steep slope or lowland area. The lowlands are consistently colder than the higher elevations. Cold air will cause the culture to get sick often. In addition, even the earliest varieties will bear fruit late.

Also, this crop should not be planted on a steep southern slope. The fact is that on such slopes in the spring there is a rapid melting of snow, strawberry bushes will be exposed early and the culture will begin to hurt.

The strawberry is generally indifferent to the wind, for it the main thing is the sun. But still, you should not plant this berry in areas blown by the winds. In winter, when the winds are very cold, the strawberry root system can freeze out - it is enough for the thermometer to reach -10-12 ° C. And therefore, it is important for strawberries that the winter turns out to be snowy - the bushes hibernate better under the cover of snow. Moreover, its layer should be at least 15-20 cm.

Strawberries winter better where there is a thick snow cover. It is optimal to cover strawberries for the winter with some loose material. The most convenient conditions for wintering this crop will be conditions with a snow cover depth of 25-30 cm and an air temperature of -20 ° C. During a snowy winter with the necessary snow cover, strawberries are able to withstand temperatures even down to -40 ° C.

Before creating a strawberry plantation, you should check the quality of the soil. It cannot be said that this culture is too whimsical to the composition of the soil, but still it has certain requirements for the soil. Slightly acidic sandy and loamy soils with a high humus content are preferable for garden strawberries. If the soil in your area is predominantly clayey, then before planting strawberry seedlings in it, some agrotechnical measures are required. First, fertilize the clay soil, and also aerate it. If groundwater is close to the surface of the earth (less than 1 m), this means that the soil in the area is excessively moistened. In such areas, strawberries are best planted in high beds.

And what measures should be taken to fertilize and aerate clay soil? This process is not difficult at all. The first step is to dig the soil well, adding sand to it. This way you will get loam. Sand is required to be taken at the rate of 4 kg per 1 m 2. You can also use peat or compost instead of sand. After digging, organic fertilizers must be applied to the soil.

Another problem clay soils is their high salt content. They have a very negative effect on her fertility. When moisture appears on the surface of such solonetzic soils, a thick salt crust is formed, which, when dried, becomes even more compacted and makes the earth completely unsuitable for horticultural work.

If the soil on your site contains a large amount of salts, then before planting seedlings of certain crops, in particular strawberries, reclamation should be carried out. In the process of reclamation, acidification or gypsuming of the earth is carried out.

acidification called the process of soil restoration by adding lignin containing 1.5% sulfuric acid to it.

plastering- this is the addition of gypsum to the soil. When gypsuming, the following proportion must be observed: about 3 kg of gypsum should be applied per 1 m2 of soil. Gypsum is mainly composed of calcium, which helps to neutralize the harmful effects of salts. With the help of gypsum, you will ensure that the soil becomes looser and will better pass moisture. Due to the fact that the soil will be more permeable, the water will wash out all the salts.

Preparing the soil for growing strawberries

When planting garden strawberries, it mainly consists in digging the earth to a depth of 25 cm. After plowing, the soil must be properly cut. First you need to clear the area for planting strawberries from stones and weeds, then level it. If strawberries are planted in the spring, then the soil must be dug up in the fall without harrowing. If strawberries are planted in autumn, then the plot should be plowed no later than 15-20 days before planting. During digging per 1 m2 of soil, it is required to add 7-10 kg of rotted manure or compost, 50-70 g of superphosphate, 20-30 g of potassium salt.

The most suitable soils for growing garden strawberries are light in their mechanical composition, moderately acidic and rich in organic matter soils (loamy, sandy loamy).

Areas where forests once grew are also suitable, as strawberries grow well in slightly acidic soil.

If you manage to eat 10 kg of strawberries in a season, then your body will start to work like clockwork. Strawberries will improve the work of the immune system, metabolic systems, cardiovascular.

But overly acidic soils are not suitable for this crop. If the land on your site is excessively acidic, then 1-2 years before planting strawberries, lime must be added to it at the rate of 40-60 kg per hundred square meters.

Strawberries should be planted as early as possible. An early planted crop develops better and gives a bountiful harvest. And late-planted strawberries do not take root well, often freeze out.

Planting bushes in the ground is preferable in wet weather. One-line or two-line stripe method will do.

One line way- this is when the lines (beds) are at a distance of 60-80 cm from each other, and the bushes in the garden are at a distance of 15-20 cm.

two line way- when the distance between the beds is 60-80 cm, and the gap between plants is 20-40 cm.

With such planting methods, the seedlings close better, which allows them to endure the winter more easily, and subsequently give a higher yield.

Before planting strawberries in the soil, it is necessary to carry out all preparations. With the help of a rope and two pegs, it is necessary to mark on the site the places where the beds will be located. Continuing the hoe grooves for future beds, you can start digging them.

During planting, it is required to ensure that the growing point of the plant is not covered by soil, that part of the roots is not visible on the surface, and all roots must be directed strictly vertically.

Figure 3. Depth of planting strawberries

To check if you planted a strawberry bush correctly, pull it slightly towards you. If it easily pulled out of the soil, then it was planted incorrectly. A properly planted plant should not be pulled out. After the planting of the seedlings is over, you need to start mulching the strawberries. Do this with humus or peat. Mulching is carried out in order to reduce the level of evaporation of moisture, as well as for additional fertilizer and protection of the bushes from freezing.

Strawberries can be mulched with a variety of materials - straw, dry grass, sawdust, etc. Soil mulching increases the yield of this crop by 30-40%, and also helps the berries ripen a few days earlier. In addition, it protects strawberries from damage by gray rot and retains soil moisture (evaporation is reduced by 10-30%).

In the spring, as soon as the snow has melted, it is necessary to free the growing point of the strawberries from the ground, and if the roots are exposed, then fill them up. If dead plants are found, then new seedlings should be planted in these places or filled with mustaches from the nearest bushes.

It is important to remember that timely and proper soil preparation is perhaps the most important condition to ensure a good harvest. Garden strawberries take a huge amount of nutrients from the soil, much more than, for example, cereals or vegetables.

With a yield of 1.5 kg / m 2, strawberries take in one season from 1 m 2 of the plot 21 g of nitrogen, 6 g of phosphorus and 25.5 g of potassium. In this connection, regardless of the type of soil, it is necessary to carry out fertilizer application before planting strawberries.

When fertilizing the land before planting strawberries, it must be remembered that this crop does not like fresh manure, as well as a large amount of mineral fertilizers. Therefore, if strawberries are planted in autumn, organic and mineral fertilizers must be applied under the previous crop or 2–1 months before planting strawberries. If the culture is planted in spring, then in autumn, in October, humus must be introduced into the soil to a depth of 20-30 cm.

Also, strawberries do not react well to chlorine, which is part of potash fertilizers. So potassium chloride should be applied to the soil in the fall, and if this is done in the spring, then in the fallow area. By the time it's time to plant the plants, the chlorine will be washed into the deeper layers of the soil.

If you did not have time to fertilize in advance, then immediately before planting this crop, you need to plant humus in the soil, but in a smaller volume, reducing the dose by 25-30%. Instead of humus, it is recommended to use well-decomposed compost. Chlorine-containing potash fertilizers can be replaced with potassium sulphate. It is introduced into the soil at the rate of 20-30 g/m2. As for nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, garden strawberries do not impose special requirements on them.

Having planted a strawberry plantation in your summer cottage, you must remember that you should not over-fertilize this crop during its growth and development. Excessive amounts of fertilizer can lead to powerful development of leaves, whiskers and rosettes. Which, in turn, will damage the berries. In addition, under such conditions, the risk of the occurrence and development of fungal diseases (especially gray rot) increases and the reproduction of pests increases.

The main rule that needs to be remembered by everyone who decides to grow garden strawberries on their plot is that additional fertilizers should not be applied to well-cultivated and fertilized soil.

Rotation of crops

Experienced summer residents know that garden strawberries feel good in the aisles of currants and gooseberries. If strawberries are properly cared for, they will give good yields in the same place for 3-4 years, and then their yields begin to decline, the fruits become smaller, pests and various diseases accumulate on the plantation, etc. In such situation, it is better to remove strawberries from this site, and plant some other crops. Planting strawberries in the same area is allowed again only after 3-4 years.

It is preferable to plant a plot after strawberries with legumes, annual and perennial herbs, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, cucumbers or zucchini. It is also a good idea to add organic fertilizers to the soil, and then dig deep into the soil. But not all cultures are suitable as strawberry predecessors.

The alternation of crops on one plot of land for any period of time is called crop rotation. It is used to improve and restore the fertile qualities of the soil, weed control, as well as to prevent various plant diseases. Since any crop that grows on a piece of land for some time takes various nutrients from the soil, making it not very suitable for further use for its intended purpose.

Most summer residents grow on their own summer cottages garden strawberries. A caring owner knows that any crop, be it a berry or a vegetable, needs to periodically change its place of growth. It is impossible to constantly grow the same crop on the same plot of land. Crop rotation is used to restore and purify the soil.

Six-field crop rotation

In the year of planting (autumn) strawberries until the end of July 1, early vegetables should be cultivated on this site, and in the year of the elimination of strawberry plantations, late vegetables are grown starting from mid-July.

The structure of a six-field crop rotation

Note: 1, 2 - groups of vegetables; 3 - strawberries.

Another variant of a six-field crop rotation with the cultivation of strawberries is as follows. In this case, strawberries should be planted in the fall after harvesting vegetables.

First year: radish, turnip, summer radish, cauliflower (after harvesting - planting strawberries).

Second year: strawberries (1st year).

Third year: strawberry (2nd year).

Fourth year: cabbage, cucumbers (this year you can apply manure as a fertilizer).

Fifth year: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers.

sixth year: carrots, beets, parsley.

Vegetable-herbal six-field crop rotation with the cultivation of strawberries

In addition to the six-field crop rotation, a grass-field crop rotation is also often used.

With such a crop rotation, it is better to divide the entire plot into six parts. One of these parts should restore its fertile properties every year. Why is the site needed in the fall or in early spring dig up and compost. Then level the soil surface with a rake and sow vetch to a depth of 3-5 cm. The seeding rate is 17 g / m 2. As soon as the flowers appear, the vetch must be mowed. Sprinkle freshly cut grass bone meal at the rate of 50 g / m 2 and leave for a week. When the grass wilts a little, it should be embedded in the soil, the surface should be leveled again with a rake and the area should be sown with rye at the rate of 13 g/m 2 . The rye is mowed in late autumn, and the land in this area is plowed, mixing it with withered grass and roots. The plowed area should not be harrowed; for the winter it should be left roughly dug up. With the advent of spring, the soil is again dug up and potatoes are planted. In other years, the plot is planted with garden strawberries.

Vegetable-herbal five-field crop rotation (on podzolized loams)

The structure of this type of crop rotation is presented in table 2.

table 2

The structure of vegetable-grass five-field crop rotation

	culture	fertilizers
	Oats or grass	Lime, 0.5 kg + N4 P12 K9
	Cabbage, 8**	Manure, 2kg + 1M15R10K18
		Manure* 2 kg + N14 P13 K15
		Manure* 4 kg
	Cucumbers, pumpkin	Manure, 6 kg
	Carrot, 2.7
	Beets, 3.3
	Potato, 2.1

Note:

* - rotted manure or compost. Doses (kg, g) are indicated per 1 m2;

** - yield in kg/m2.

Propagation of garden strawberries (strawberries)

Mustache breeding

All summer residents know that garden strawberries reproduce with the help of mustaches, which are formed from maternal varietal bushes, starting at the age of two. Mustaches appear at the flowering stage of the crop and actively multiply after harvesting. The number of mustaches and rosettes on the bushes depends on several factors - the variety, agricultural technology, as well as the age of the crops. The largest number of mustaches is formed on young bushes. The older the culture, the less mustache it forms. High-quality mustaches are those that have a good root system, reaching a length of 5-7 cm and a developed apical bud. As a rule, these are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rooted rosettes, counting from the mother plant

Figure 4. Strawberries with whiskers

As for remontant varieties of strawberries, they usually reproduce not by mustache, but by seed.

Strawberry seedlings can be grown right on the summer cottage or garden plot. Why use young plants of one and two years of age. Moreover, special attention should be paid to the laying of healthy plants. Seedlings must be of high quality. The survival rate of the plant, their further growth and development depend on this. If you purchase seedlings in specialized farms, then when choosing plants, you need to pay special attention to their root system. It should be fibrous in strawberries and at least 5 cm long. Aboveground part plants must have 2-3 formed leaves.

In the Belgian city of Vepion there is a strawberry museum. In addition, Vepion is unofficially considered the world capital of this berry. The locals eat strawberries by sprinkling them lemon juice and sprinkling with ground white pepper.

If you do not plan to purchase seedlings in a specialized farm, but want to independently propagate this crop from adult plants available on the site, then you should keep in mind that in this case there is a risk of getting a decrease in plant yield by 20-30%. And if you do not separate the outlet from the mother bush in time, you can lose up to 50% in yield. Taking rosettes from mother plants, you need to plant them according to the scheme of 80 x 40 cm. As soon as the mustache appears, they should be immediately laid out in the aisles and pinned to the ground or transplanted into seedling pots dug into the ground. The newly formed sockets need to be buried a little in loose soil and sprinkled with peat on top. As soon as the plants are firmly rooted, they must be separated from the mother bushes and planted in open ground either in early autumn or spring. For sockets, use mother plants under two years of age.

Also, seedlings of garden strawberries can be obtained in nurseries from rosettes with rudiments of roots that have not yet taken root. Rosettes are cut off from the whiskers, then planted in loose soil rich in humus, according to the scheme 10 x 5 cm. 3 cm

It is also necessary to moisten the soil before planting rosettes and immediately after it. After planting, you should carefully monitor the soil moisture during the first week. To achieve the optimal humidity and temperature regime, you can cover the strawberry plantation with a perforated film. Such a shelter will not only preserve the desired temperature and humidity, but also protect the seedlings from overheating. When the weather is especially hot, the film needs to be slightly opened or shaded. If you follow all the instructions, you can grow planting material within 3 weeks. leave on this site until spring or transplant to permanent place in August.

Reproduction by seeds

Recently, in specialized stores, you can see the seeds of new promising varieties of garden strawberries for sale. But it is not so easy to grow an adult well-bearing plant from seeds. Although this method of propagating strawberries has its advantages.

For example, crop seeds are stored for a long time; they do not transmit viruses of various diseases; it is not difficult to obtain new varieties by propagation by seeds. Seeds, as a rule, propagate those varieties of strawberries that do not give a mustache.

Seeds are harvested as follows: first, seeds are selected from the middle part of the berry or near its base. This is done because in these parts of the berry there are the largest seeds) with a well-developed embryo, in addition, they have an increased germination energy.

When selecting, it should be remembered that seeds must be taken from berries grown on strong, high-yielding intact bushes. Next, a thin ball of crumb is cut from the berry, placed on filter paper and dried naturally. After that, the dried mass is rubbed with fingers, thus separating the seeds from the pulp. In the future, the seeds should be stored in a glass container. Shortly before sowing (3-4 months), the seeds must be stratified. This is done at a temperature of approximately +3 ° C in a wet state. Seeds need to be stirred every two weeks, making sure that they do not dry out. Why can you add water little by little. It is very important that there is no excess moisture. The seeds must be dried before sowing. It happens that there is no time for all these lengthy procedures, and the seeds must be sown immediately after harvest. In this case, you can proceed as follows: dip 1 g of seeds in 10 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid for 10-12 minutes, then rinse them in running water for 30 minutes.

Then dry the seeds to flowability and start sowing them.

First you need to prepare the soil for planting seeds. The whole process of growth and development of plants in the future largely depends on this. The following composition is optimal: turf - 50%, peat - 25%, sand - 25%. In addition, you need to add a little wood ash and rotted manure (manure can be replaced with complex mineral fertilizer).

Strawberries are not only very tasty, but also useful berry. In addition to the vitamins it contains, it has the ability to cheer up as well as relieve stress. If you are in a bad mood, eat 150 g of this berry and your mood will improve.

Since the soil contains a large number of microorganisms, eggs and larvae of various insects, as well as seeds of various weeds, it is necessary to get rid of them as follows: steam the prepared soil for half an hour at a temperature of about 150 ° C. During this time, all microorganisms and weed seeds will die. For steaming, you can use the oven or open fire. It should be noted that in this way it is necessary to prepare the land for planting small seeds and seeds with tight germination. After steaming, cool the ground, after which you can start planting seeds.

Seeds should be sown at the end of February. It is required to fill a pre-prepared box with a layer of at least 5 cm of steamed soil, then compact it a little, and spread the seeds of garden strawberries on the surface. Then they must be sprinkled with earth and gently moistened. The best way is not to water from a watering can, but to spray the surface of the earth with a spray gun. Next, the box should be covered with plastic wrap. This is done so that the top layer of soil does not dry out.

The next step is to stratify the seeds. Stratification is the cold treatment of seeds. The landing box must be moved to some cold place where the air temperature is about 0 ° C. Here to withstand it for at least 3-4 weeks. If the planting box is small, it will fit in the refrigerator. A larger box can be buried in the snow. Stratification is extremely important for strawberry seeds, because without it they may not sprout at all, or the seedlings will turn out to be uneven and frail.

Seedling care is as follows. Around mid-April, as soon as it becomes warm, the planting box with seeds should be moved to a warm place. Such a place can be, for example, a greenhouse. There within a month the seeds will germinate. In the ground steamed in advance, weed seeds will not be able to sprout, which will greatly facilitate the care of seedlings. At first, the seedling will grow very slowly, but later its growth will accelerate.

After germination, about two weeks later, the plants will develop their first true leaves. At this stage, they should be dived 2-3 cm each. Seedlings should be hooked with a wooden peg and carefully pulled out of the ground, while pinching the tips of the roots. Then the seedlings are transferred to holes prepared in advance in the ground and, deepening the peg at an angle to the left, cover the roots with earth. Further, at the end of April, 4-5 leaves should appear in the seedlings. After that, they dive again according to the 5 x 5 cm scheme.

Then, after a while, the grown seedlings can be planted in open ground. This happens around the beginning of July. With this method of reproduction in the first year of life, strawberries, as a rule, do not bloom and do not bear fruit. But at the end of August, you can get good planting material in the form of rosettes from the bushes.

When propagating by seeds, there is another difficulty. This method of propagating strawberries does not guarantee that the daughter plants will have the same qualities as the parent plants from which the seeds were taken. If the "parents" were high-yielding varietal plants, this does not mean at all that the new plants obtained from them from seeds will also be high-yielding. In this connection, during next year it is necessary to carefully monitor the flowering of plants, their fruiting and, based on the results of observations, select the best specimens with high yields and the best varietal characteristics. Other plants should be destroyed. In the future, when you begin to propagate these plants using rosettes, all varietal characteristics will be preserved and will be passed down from generation to generation.

There is another way to propagate strawberries by seeds. It is as follows. The seeds are soaked, then laid out in a thin layer on filter paper. Paper can be placed on a plate or saucer. This is done so that the paper takes all the excess moisture from the seeds. The plate with seeds should be placed in plastic bag(you need to check in advance that it does not have holes) and put it in a warm, well-lit place. But it should not be in the sun, otherwise the seeds may dry out.

As soon as the seeds germinate and roots appear, they must be transplanted into a specially prepared box with loose sifted soil. A mixture of coarse sand, peat and biohumus is better for this purpose. All components are taken in equal proportions. Also, instead of biohumus, you can use humus.

In a box, germinated seeds should be laid on the surface of moistened soil at a distance of 2 cm from each other and deepened by 0.5 cm. As soon as the seedlings have two true leaves, they should be dived into separate pots. The tallest seedlings are selected and planted in separate pots with a diameter of 12 cm, while the rest of the seedlings are placed back in the picking box for growing, but not so tightly.

When growing strawberries by seed, it should be remembered that growing seedlings need a large amount of sunlight. The higher the air temperature, the more light should be.

Seedlings should be watered sparingly, because if the soil is excessively moist, seedlings can get sick with a "black leg", which will lead to their death.

Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened off. This is done by transferring a box or pots of seedlings to open air into the shade.

Propagation of strawberries by dividing bushes

This method is mainly used in case of an acute shortage of planting material of new 1 varieties or in case of an urgent need to transfer valuable strawberry varieties to a new location. Bushes of this berry culture should be divided at the age of at least 2-4 years. Plants with part of a healthy and well-developed root system should be chosen.

There are varieties for which this method of reproduction is quite common. This remontant varieties strawberries. They form very few whiskers, sometimes it happens that the whiskers are completely absent. These varieties are characterized by a strong branching of the shoots, in which at the age of three, up to 30-40 shoots-horns are formed on one mother plant. Such a developed shoot has one apical bud and several axillary lateral ones, there are also a rosette and adventitious roots at the base. Such bushes are dug up in spring or autumn, carefully divided into several parts, and each horn with roots and a rosette of leaves is used for planting.

Planting and growing strawberries in the area next to your house or cottage is not so difficult.

Even a beginner who is not too well versed in the intricacies of fruit growing will cope with this task.

Having become acquainted with a few general rules for growing strawberries, you can easily get a good harvest of this tasty and vitamin-rich berry.

Preparatory activities

Many novice gardeners, out of inexperience, believe that it is enough just to stick a strawberry seedling into the ground.

Of course, something will grow in this case. However, to get a good harvest, preparation is necessary, including the following items:

Choice of time for disembarkation. There are two options: plant either in spring or autumn. When deciding in favor of one of these two options, special attention should be paid to climatic characteristics.

So, spring landing is recommended if the area is characterized by cold winters with a small amount of snow falling. In a different scenario, planting is usually done in the autumn period. Spring planting is done quite early, in late April - early May.

The main condition is completely thawed soil. You should not rush too much, because fragile seedlings can die in the event of frost.

Autumn planting is carried out from late July to early September. It is important to take into account the abundance of precipitation and air temperature: with a lack of falling moisture or too hot weather, seedlings may not survive.

Planting seedlings too late in the soil puts them in danger of dying from early frosts.

Choosing a place. It is preferable to plant strawberries on a flat area, and not on a slope. Especially dangerous are the southern slopes, which during snowmelt can be excessively waterlogged.

Good illumination and the exclusion of the danger of land flooding by flood waters are extremely important. In addition, the site must be protected from wind erosion. And remember that planting strawberries in a plot for 4 years in a row on the same plot significantly reduces its subsequent yield.

You should also pay attention to the type of soil. The following soils are ideal for growing strawberries: chernozem, loamy, sandy loam and dark gray forest. The preferred pH is about 5-6.5 and the occurrence of GW (groundwater) at a depth of about 50 cm.

Soil preparation. Before planting strawberries, the selected piece of land should be rid of stones, weeds and pests. If the first two enemies can be dealt with manual cleaning, with pests, a different type of control is needed.

The following method is effective: in the spring, sow the area with a green manure plant, mow it at the end of summer and carry out additional processing with a special compound.

Seedling preparation. Not every seedling is suitable for planting soil. Ideal seedlings should have a fibrous root system with a main root diameter of at least 6 mm and a length of all roots of at least 7 cm.

Also, if the roots are too long, they need to be cut to the length indicated above. For planting, specimens with 4-5 leaves, white root hairs 3-4 cm long and an intact apical bud are selected.

Only after careful preparation has been carried out can one proceed to the direct cultivation of strawberries.

Ways to grow strawberries

The very procedure for placing seedlings in the ground is no less important than the preparation for this. There are several known ways to do this.

Carpet. The easiest way, as it does not require careful preparation. Principle of the method: Seedlings are planted on a flat area without removing the tendrils, as a result of which the strawberries grow in a natural way. A significant disadvantage: every year the berries become smaller.

Bush. The essence of the method: each bush is planted separately at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other, and the antennae are removed. This contributes to better ventilation of the seedlings and facilitates their care. The result is large berries. Disadvantage: the complexity of the method.

Nest. Seedlings are planted in groups, with one placed in the center and six around it. The distance between seedlings should be 6-8 cm, between nests - 30 cm, between rows - 40 cm. Advantage of the method: you can plant a large number of seedlings.

Private. The method is the most popular. Planting can be done in one or two rows in the garden.

The distance between the bushes is 20 cm, between the rows - 30 cm, between the centers of the beds (with a two-row version) - 70 cm.

Important! After planting seedlings in the ground, they need proper watering. It can be done in any way, as long as the plants have enough moisture.

What to do next?

As mentioned above, strawberries grow well in one area for no more than 4 years in a row.

Then a replacement with another crop is required to replenish the fertility of the soil. For this, onions, garlic and legumes are suitable. After them, you can plant strawberries again.

Photo how to grow strawberries

Strawberry in heart shape bowl