What can act as fertilizer, mulch and covering material? Sawdust, they will be very useful for strawberries. In addition to the already mentioned, you can add the fact that the berries are not on the ground. Therefore, they do not rot.
Many people think that mulching strawberries with sawdust is harmful. Others have long doubted whether it is possible to mulch strawberries with sawdust? And still others take it and do it. Because sawdust, like strawberry mulch, is ideal.
They do not bring harm, because they lie on the surface of the earth. Where are they gradually enriched useful substances and rot. They are conditionally unhelpful directly in the ground. Then bacteria are attracted to them, which, when multiplying, use a lot of nitrogen from the soil. That is, they take it away from the strawberries. But then, when the process ends, this nitrogen returns to the soil. If fresh sawdust is mixed with the ground, then additional nitrogen-containing fertilizers will have to be applied for a couple of years.
As long as the surface of the earth is sprinkled with them and they simply lie on it, then they cannot draw nitrogen from the soil. So, you can safely use them and sprinkle the beds with strawberries, that is, mulch the beds.
If we talk about the sawdust themselves, then the best option are the ones that came out of sawing deciduous trees... They overheat faster. But conifers, too, should not be discounted. They just serve to protect the garden from weeds for a little longer.
How to mulch strawberries with sawdust?
On well-weeded and loosened strawberry beds, you need to lay newspapers without colored inscriptions and drawings. It is desirable that they overlap each other, that is, so that the mulching material does not spill onto the soil. There can be several such layers. Most often 2 or 3.
They will overwhelm for several years. It all depends on their size and the type of wood from which they were obtained. Usually it is from one and a half to two years. Maybe a little longer. Then this layer of mulch can already be used as fertilizer by adding them to compost heap... And on the strawberry bed, carry out fresh mulching again.
Sawdust as fertilizer for strawberries
Once they have fulfilled their role as mulch, they can be processed into fertilizer. A dark bloom on them will indicate readiness to move into the compost heap. It is a signal that humus has begun to form. V compost pit the sawdust is reflowed and enriched. In addition, sawdust accelerates the maturation of the compost. This is due to the fact that they are able to maintain a constant high temperature in the compost heap.
This fertilizer is better than just compost. Because it is looser, which means it allows moisture and air to pass through better.
Sawdust with compost will fertilize well the beds with strawberries or other crops. Moreover, it can be used on any type of soil. Everywhere from clay and sandy to black earth, such a mixture will only be beneficial.
Sawdust and strawberries at different times of the year
Autumn. An additional layer of mulch remaining from the summer is required to be applied. And here the question "Is it possible to pour sawdust under the strawberries?" not worth it. Yes. Can. Mulching is carried out in a layer of about 5 cm. This will protect the strawberries from winter frost.
Another question is whether it is possible to sprinkle strawberries with sawdust. If the region has snowy winters, then yes. When the snow falls, then melts, they become wet. Which will only freeze the soil even more. In such situations, it is better to put something for the frame on the strawberry bushes, for example, raspberry branches, and cover it with plastic on top and sprinkle sawdust on top.
In general, if frosts are established immediately, the sawdust will not get wet. So, to doubt whether it is possible to cover strawberries with sawdust, you can close your eyes and boldly sprinkle them on the plants.
Spring. At this time of year, you need to tackle the layer that formed the mulching all last year. It is recommended to remove it. Especially if appearance raises doubts about its usefulness.
Then the soil needs to be loosened and fertilized, it is better if in complex composition there will be nitrogen. And mulch strawberries with sawdust in the spring. Repeating everything that was described above. It is possible to remove the newspaper if it does not inspire confidence, as a layer for the border of mulch and soil. You can lay brushwood from raspberry twigs. And sprinkle fresh sawdust on it.
Summer. It would seem that now there is nothing to do with sawdust. It turns out that you can. If the mulching layer is dirty. The berries that fall on him will also get dirty and rot. Therefore, it would be good to add clean sawdust around the strawberries to renew the layer and prevent the crop from spoiling.
The aroma and amazing taste of strawberries will not leave anyone indifferent, therefore strawberries are very popular among gardeners.
To get generous yields of berries, even from a small garden, you need to know the basic secrets of care when growing strawberries.
Mulching strawberry beds helps strawberries to bear fruit abundantly.
Consider in more detail: what exist types of inorganic materials used for mulch- film, spunbond, let's talk about using such organic material for strawberries- like pine needles, straw and hay, peat, sawdust and shavings, compost and humus, chopped bark, weeds and grass cuttings, fallen leaves. You will learn what is best to use when growing strawberries.
Experienced gardeners have long appreciated mulching and annually use it on strawberry plantations, making their work easier for summer season and helping this culture to reach its full potential. In this case, a wide variety of materials of inorganic and organic origin can act as mulch.
Some gardeners use old roofing felt or linoleum as mulch. Similar inorganic materials because of the thick texture, it is inconvenient to apply. These building materials includes dangerous chemical compounds, which casts doubt on obtaining an environmentally friendly harvest.
One of the popular types of soil cover is black polyethylene film ... Mulching is carried out even before planting young outlets. Prepare the soil in the beds: fertilize, dig, level and water.
The surface of the bed is covered with a film, the ends are fixed at the edges. Holes of 8-10 cm in diameter or cross-shaped cuts are made in the film at a distance of 30 cm in a row and 40-50 cm in aisles. Strawberries are planted in the holes.
The film protects the soil under the strawberry bushes from washing out and drying out, keeps it loose, keeps weeds from growing, protects the berries from pollution and getting wet. V spring black film promotes the fastest warming up of the soil.
Compared to similar products, plastic wrap is not expensive, while many manufacturers already offer wrap with pre-drilled holes for planting strawberries. This reduces labor costs for the gardener.
The fragility of the film is compensated for by its price, but when applied to strawberries, this becomes not an important factor.
No one will mulch adult plants every year. Manufacturers are constantly working to improve the films, adding dyes and stabilizers to the composition that can protect the material from cracking under the influence of temperature.
Such films will last for 3-4 years, just before the complete renewal of plantations with strawberries. When choosing mulching films pay attention to the thickness - it should be not less than 30 microns.
Also one of critical factors of choice is the color of the film. The black film has two main tasks: it prevents the growth of weeds and effectively warms the soil. For northern regions, with short summers and changeable weather, this is the most acceptable option.
Gray, brown, or two-tone film ( upper layer white, and the lower one is black) is a great option for southern regions. Such films reduce the risk of overheating the soil in summer.
By applying black film as mulch, it has such a drawback as the accumulation of condensation under it in the summer heat. The risk of overheating is reduced by laying a layer of straw on the surface of the film, it reflects the sun's rays and protects the film from deformation of high temperatures.
Gardeners used their savvy, and strawberry beds began to be planted in raised beds. They make small hills 30-40 cm high from the soil, compact the soil, put a film on top, fixing the edges at the base of the earthen rampart. Strawberries are planted on top of the holes made. Condensation drips down from the raised strawberry beds.
In the spring, these beds warm up the fastest.
When using black film, gardeners can face the following problems:
The film does not allow water to pass through, watering is carried out through the holes under the bushes;
- over-watering the strawberries under the film, condensation accumulates, which leads to damage by root rot;
- condensation on the film during spring frosts, can cause damage or death to plants:
- the appearance of slugs is possible with excessive moisture;
- the soil under the film is quickly depleted, useful microflora dies in it without sufficient oxygen access;
- in the summer heat, the film heats up strongly, which leads to overheating of the soil;
- in case of sudden temperature changes and in direct sunlight, the film cracks and becomes unusable.
Modern nonwovens are increasingly used in strawberry beds. These materials are more expensive, but they are superior to traditional films in terms of durability.
On the market you can find these types of nonwoven fabric: Russian Spunbond and Agrotex, German Lutrasil, Ukrainian Agrin, French Agril, Polish Plant-Protex.
But the variety should not scare the gardener - all these materials consist of fabric obtained by interweaving polypropylene yarns. Non-woven materials differ only in the way they are woven and processed, but they perform the same functions.
Video - Planting strawberries in non-woven covering material
Spunbond It is widely used in vegetable gardens and in the garden, it does not fade and does not crack, is not afraid of low temperatures.
Attention: watering strawberries mulched with non-woven material can be carried out on top, and not pointwise into the hole.
The main thing Spunbond advantage in contrast to polyethylene film - the ability to pass air and moisture - it has a breathable structure. This simplifies the maintenance of strawberry beds, allows watering over the entire surface, and not into the holes.
Spunbond consists of two layers: the upper layer allows moisture to pass freely, the lower layer prevents its further evaporation. In regions with arid climates, this is necessary.
But, when there are prolonged rains in the summer, the spunbond loses to the film, since the soil is excessively waterlogged.
If we compare spunbond with a black film, then it slowly warms up the soil in spring, but does not give off heat so actively, which is beneficial during periods of cold snap.
On rows mulched with spunbond, pests do not start, condensation does not accumulate, useful soil microflora does not die, protects berries from pollution and wetting, from rotting.
For mulching use black spunbond, which warms up the soil faster and better, prevents weeds from growing. Spunbond is on sale different colors, and two-color varieties with a black bottom layer and a white top layer that reflects the sun's rays in summer, protecting the soil from overheating.
Choose high density spunbond for mulching from 60 g / m 2 .
Video - High beds for strawberries under the covering material
Using inorganic materials as mulch, you will have to restore soil fertility over time, add the necessary organic matter.
Usage organic mulch, which gradually decays under the influence of soil microorganisms, subsequently the soil is saturated with humic compounds, the soil remains fertile.
Covering the soil organic mulch, it remains moist for a long time, retains a loose structure, easily lets air in, stops the growth of weeds (although not as actively as a film), prevents fungal diseases of plants.
The main disadvantage use of organic materials- it is necessary to carry out regular renewal of mulch, the thinner the layer, the faster it decomposes. But the cost of materials is reduced to almost zero.
Useful spruce or pine cone mulch... But they use a similar natural material rarely: if there is a pine or spruce forest nearby, coniferous litter is used.
Cones mulch in strawberry beds will last a long time, it will take several years for decay. Cones, spread out in a dense layer under the bushes, will protect plants from adverse weather conditions, perfectly retain moisture in the soil, will also add decorative effect to the beds.
Often summer residents use it as mulch coniferous needles- free and available material, which can be typed in the nearby coniferous forest.
They are laid out under the bushes of strawberries and in the aisles with a layer of 3-5 cm. This mulch copes with the task. Coniferous litter should be used with caution on acidic soils, since the pH of the soil increases during decomposition.
Spruce and pine needles contain powerful phytoncides that effectively repel pests. The antiseptic properties of coniferous needles reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Video - Mulching strawberries / How to mulch correctly
Peat- organic type of mulch, effectively retain moisture after watering, thanks to its porous structure, protects against weathering and leaching, prevents weeds from growing, protects plants from temperature extremes.
Heavy clay soil, mulched with peat, over time becomes looser and more airy. Mulched with peat sandy ground will become water-consuming.
Better to use lowland peat for mulching... High peat significantly increases the acidity of the soil, shrinking with irregular watering, turns into a dense crust, poorly wetted with water.
It is easier to get peat for residents of areas with a predominance of swampy terrain. But the extraction of peat from the ground and subsequent processing is a very time consuming process. It is easier to buy ready-made peat in packaged form in any gardening store at an affordable price.
Effective kind of organic mulch for strawberry beds which decomposes faster and does not affect the acidity of the soil.
In the process of decay straw in the ground, hay bacillus multiplies - a useful microorganism that prevents the occurrence of fungal diseases.
Hay inhibits the growth of weeds worse than straw, but has a better nutritional value, when rotting, an excellent feed for strawberries is obtained.
Video - Growing strawberries under hay (straw)
Wood sawdust and shavings an excellent mulch option for strawberry plantations. This mulching material does an excellent job with its functions, but it should be used with caution, since fresh shavings and sawdust can make the soil acidic and draw out nitrogen from it.
To counteract this, it is necessary to spill sawdust with a solution of urea - 200 grams of urea per 10 liters of water, enough to pour 3 buckets of fresh sawdust.
Sour soil in the area should be additionally limy (norms are calculated based on the pH level in each specific area). They also use wood waste that has rotted over several seasons. They are laid out under the strawberry bushes without fear.
Often in strawberry beds use compost and humus as mulch... They have wonderful thermal insulation properties, protect plants from hypothermia and overheating, and protect the soil from weathering and drying out.
Such organics are the best nourishment for strawberry bushes, but are quickly processed by soil organisms and earthworms. Therefore, you have to update the mulch layer more often.
Weeds and lawn mowed
Weeded out in the garden weeds or mowed lawn grass will become an alternative to hay and straw. At first, the weeds will act as mulch, then they will become a source of additional nutrition. Weed vegetation should be taken without seeds and roots, otherwise you can bring even larger hordes of green pests to the beds.
Consider also the fact that the thick layer of fresh cut grass will decrease in size in a few days, and in cloudy weather, instead of drying out, the green mass will rot and cause fungal infections.
Therefore, before covering the beds with strawberries with such free mulch, it must be dried for 2-3 days, turning from one side to the other.
This organic mulch is the most durable chopped bark, within two years rotates by 30% of the original mass.
If we compare the crushed bark with other types of mulch, it inhibits moisture evaporation worse after watering, but more effectively protects plants from overheating in summer and freezing in spring.
Remember that the bark during rotting increases the pH level of the soil, and the content of tannins in some tree species negatively affects the development and fruiting of strawberries.
Sometimes gardeners fallen leaves are used as mulch from their garden, or stock them in the forest. The leaves of trees do not have the same nutritional value as other organic mulches, but they improve the structure of the soil during decomposition, making it loose, air and water permeable.
A 3-5 cm layer of caked leaves will protect the soil from drying out, restrain the growth of weeds, and protect the berries from pollution. Such mulch helps out in dry summers, but in rainy weather the leaves begin to rot, and diseases develop.
When rotting, the leaves slightly acidify the soil, and leaves from trees such as Walnut, aspen, oak, willow contain tannins, which have a depressing effect on the growth of strawberries.
We have considered all types of mulch used in strawberry plots, the choice of the most suitable in terms of characteristics and price is up to you.
Good harvests and healthy plants!
Nothing causes such fierce controversy among gardeners-gardeners than mulching strawberries with sawdust. Some believe that this method of protecting the beds is very doubtful in terms of the ratio of harm and benefit, while others are simply delighted with the result obtained. The pros and cons of mulching with sawdust will help you evaluate this article.
Can I use fresh sawdust for mulching?
Many opponents of the use of sawdust in gardening business argue that fresh sawdust:
- actively draw nitrogen from the soil, which is so necessary for all plants;
- significantly acidify the soil;
- serve as an ideal breeding ground for various pests.
It would be silly to argue that each of these factors takes place. But in the case of using sawdust as mulch, one cannot but make an allowance for the fact that both the increase in acidity and the decrease in nitrogen levels are so insignificant that the plants simply do not notice them. As for the reproduction of pests, the experience of many gardeners shows that sawdust mulch not only does not increase their number, but even somewhat lowers it. For example, tulips covered with fresh sawdust mulch are much less likely to suffer from raids by mice. Those who still do not risk covering their beds fresh sawdust, can pre-process them. For this, sawdust and urea are placed in layers on a dense plastic wrap (0.2 kg of urea for 3 buckets of sawdust) and abundantly moistened from a watering can (10 liters of water for each layer). The resulting "pie" is covered with another layer of polyethylene on top and left for 10-14 days to ripen.
Mulching strawberries with sawdust in spring
In addition to maintaining the required moisture level and making life difficult for weeds, sawdust mulch on strawberry beds also plays the role of a kind of lining that protects the berries from contact with the ground. You can mulch strawberries with sawdust immediately after the spring sanitary pruning. Coniferous sawdust treated with urea is ideal for these purposes, as it will help protect the bushes from the attack of the weevil.
Mulching is an integral part proper care for garden and horticultural crops. This technique allows you to delay the growth of weeds, retain moisture in the soil, and increase the amount of useful minerals in the soil. The first strawberry mulching can be carried out with the appearance of the ovary.
In an effort to get good harvest, novice summer residents are wondering "The better to mulch strawberries"?
Mulching materials
The covering material can be both organic and inorganic mulches:
- Straw;
- Dry grass;
- Sawdust;
- Needles;
- Roofing material;
- Dark plastic wrap;
- Mulching black fabric - spunbond.
The choice of material for mulching depends on the type of soil and climatic conditions. How to mulch strawberries?
Black film as mulch for strawberries
The choice of the black color of the film is not accidental, because it is the black color that attracts warm sunlight. This effect of the material ensures uniform and rapid heating of the soil. This results in an early bountiful harvest.
If a film is used, it is advisable to use a drip irrigation system, as the irrigation process will be difficult. For installation, the ground is cleared of leaves, branches and other debris, after which a drip tape is laid along each row.
Strawberry mulch plastic wrap is used for growing annual berries.
Spunbond - mulch fabric
Agrofibre ensures the regulation of the optimal amount of moisture in the soil, and also prevents the growth of weeds. The indisputable advantage of the spunbond is its reusability.
Before using mulching fabric, prepare it and the ground. Dry leaves and branches are removed from the ground, then the soil is moistened. Holes are cut on the fabric for strawberry bushes. After that, the edges of the fiber are pressed with bricks or sprinkled with earth.
Straw mulch
Gardeners know how to mulch strawberry bushes to save money.
This component is likely to be found on the farm. Any straw can be used as a covering material, but oat, wheat and rye are preferred. Prepare the straw before using it. To do this, shake dry stems well, moisten abundantly with water and dry well in the open air.
These measures are taken to remove weed seeds.
To mulch with straw, it is laid out in an even layer up to 10 centimeters thick between the rows. Covering material in the form of dry stems is disposed of after harvest.
Mulching with dry grass and sawdust
The properties of grass are similar to those of straw. It also allows air and moisture to pass to the root system, and prevents ripe berries from coming into contact with the soil. However, dry grass strawberry mulch is laid out in a smaller layer. Its thickness is 5 to 7 centimeters.
Mulching strawberries with sawdust widespread among summer residents and gardeners. This method has gained such great popularity due to the retention of moisture in the soil. The use of sawdust loosens the soil, providing the root system enough oxygen.
However, you should not mulch soil with high acidity with shavings. This is due to the fact that on acidic soil strawberries grow smaller than on earth with normal acidity, and sawdust increases acidity.
Given the listed properties of the covering material, many may have a question: "Is it possible to mulch strawberries with sawdust at all?"? Avid gardeners and gardeners argue that sawdust has more advantages than disadvantages, and recommends them for use.
Berries under the needles
The material for the shelter contains not only needles, but also coniferous branches, bark from trees and cones.
A distinctive feature of this type of mulch is its fast humus. Thanks to this, the soil becomes loose and is saturated with useful substances.
However, pine needles, as well as sawdust, should be used with caution, as they can increase the acidity of the soil. As a prophylaxis and fight against high acidity of the soil, it is recommended to periodically sprinkle ash on the beds.
How to cover seedlings with roofing material?
Roofing material belongs to organic materials, due to which it does not emit toxins, which means it is absolutely safe for the future harvest. Before covering the soil, it must be enriched with humus. To fix the roofing material, boards and stones are used, which are securely fixed for sealing.
The strawberries are planted directly on the mulch. For this, a cruciform incision is made in the coating, into which the seedlings are placed. If necessary, additional watering is carried out on the surface of the material. Thus, seedling maintenance is kept to a minimum.
Another important advantage of this type of covering material is its service life, which is at least 3-4 years.
Preparing strawberries for winter
Many species of these berries remain outdoors for the winter.
Since winters are harsh with severe frosts, the bushes need to be prepared. But how to do this and how to properly mulch strawberries in the fall, not everyone knows. Sawdust is used to hide bushes for wintering. This is due to their ability to retain heat. In addition, harmful microorganisms do not really take root in them.
Growing strawberries is highly profitable and justified in many ways. Strawberries contain a high amount of vitamins, are useful for adults and children, regulate the functioning of the liver and kidneys, and normalize metabolism.
According to medical standards for the adult population, the volume of strawberry consumption required for health per year is 7 kg. Early strawberry production is the most highly regarded in the market.
Strawberry winter preparations are valuable preserves, which, as a rule, are eaten first. In addition, strawberries are perfectly stored in the freezer for several months.
What is mulching?
Mulching in crops and planting crops is the covering of the soil surface with any organic or inorganic material that has a number of positive properties.
The valuable properties of the mulching material are:
- The ability to prevent or delay evaporation from the soil, which creates conditions for maintaining moisture in the zone of root development;
- Reducing reflected solar radiation and keeping warm under a layer of mulch;
- Suppression of weed growth;
A positive result from the use of mulch with valuable properties is an increase in crop yields, a decrease in irrigation water consumption and labor costs for weeding and loosening the soil.
Why mulch strawberries?
The answer to this question lies in the biological characteristics of the culture. Let's take a closer look. It is believed that the strawberry originated from the genus Strawberry and belongs to the species Pineapple Strawberry.
Strawberry first appeared in South-East Asia where a humid climate with monsoon rains is combined with a gravelly pavement, which is well permeable to moisture. Then this genus quickly spread to other continents and, in general, has high adaptive qualities.
Important! Strawberries prefer moist, well-drained soil.
The mulch layer conserves valuable moisture for the strawberries. And if, before mulching, it is well to prepare the bed and create a soft air layer of soil, then such a structure will remain under the layer of mulch for a long time and a favorable water-air regime will be created for the roots.
Note! Mulching the soil for strawberries creates the opportunity to get more early harvest... The root system under the mulch is well sheltered from the effects of low temperatures.
If you create an insulating canopy of some material for above the bush (film, non-woven fabric), then favorable conditions to ripen the crop 2-3 weeks earlier than usual.
Types of mulching
Mulching is generally easy to do, and the following are suitable mulching materials:
- straw;
- sawdust;
- wood pellets;
- needles, spruce and pine spruce branches;
- cut grass;
- cardboard;
- old newspapers;
- polyethylene film;
- agrotechnical fabric.
Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of mulching with these materials, as well as the technique for its implementation.
Sawdust
Sawdust mulch retains moisture well, protects berries from pollution, and creates an aesthetic appearance of the garden.
In order to use the sawdust as mulch, the strawberry patch is weeded and loosened.
In the aisles they make a lining of old newspapers. Two overlapping layers of newspapers are enough.
A layer of newspaper that is too thick is unnecessary as lead build-up from the ink is taking place. A layer of sawdust of at least 5 cm is poured over the base of newspapers. The duration of such mulching is at least 2 years.
Important! You can not mulch the beds with sawdust of chipboard, since they contain components harmful to the human body.
At the end of the first season of using sawdust mulch, it can be observed that part of the newspaper layer collapsed and the sawdust began to re-heat.
This process occurs faster in moist fertile soil and generally has positive value, as there is an accumulation of valuable organic matter.
Interesting! So that the plants do not suffer from a lack of nitrogen, which is spent on overheating sawdust, the doses of nitrogen fertilizers that are given for strawberries should be increased by 1.5-2 times.
Cloth
Best for mulching strawberry beds suitable agrotechnical black color with a high density.
It inhibits the growth of weeds and reliably protects plants from a complex of negative factors of the winter-spring period - soaking, ice crust and damping off of the root system.
This mulch can be used for 3-4 years. until a lot of mechanical damage forms on the tissue and the whiskers begin to spontaneously grow through it.
Straw
Well-dried straw without signs of rotting and mold is suitable for such mulch.
Since the material is airy, a layer of mulch is obtained at least 10-12 cm.
When stacking, do not press down strongly on the straw, as this can cause rotting of the lower layers.
The straw mulch is taken away from the site after fruiting and returned at the end of summer. Thus, it is laid 2 times a year.
Needles
Needles conifers trees, as well as branches (spruce branches) - a very good mulch, since it reliably protects the bushes from dust and dirt, they lie in an even layer, the beds have an aesthetic appearance.
When decaying, the needles give useful acids that are part of the humus.
Such mulch can not be removed from the site, but renewed. The previous layer needs to be dug shallowly in the garden bed.
If the soil on the site has a pH below 5.9 with the simultaneous use of coniferous mulch, it is necessary to lime once every 2 years at the rate of 100-120 kg of lime per 100 m 2.
Grass
Mowed lawn grass is an excellent mulching material. If legume grass is used, it additionally enriches the soil with nitrogen.
The herb can be added throughout the season to create a layered mulch layer th, since the previous layers lose their aesthetic appearance over time.
The grass beds are easy to water and the berries stay clean. It should be remembered that there should be no roots and weed seeds in the mulching layer, otherwise the bed will be damaged by severe blockages.
Through planting under the covering material
This type of mulching implies a progressive technology for growing strawberries on drip or subsoil irrigation. In this case, the seedlings are planted in the holes made in advance.
Watering takes place under the covering material, the water does not evaporate, and root system completely provided with moisture.
How to choose material for planting?
For planting under mulch, a dense covering material of 50 g / m 3 is used in black. Material from various manufacturers is commercially available.
In general, all spunbond meets the requirements of durability, moisture retention and low thermal conductivity. V northern regions mulching material can be used in two layers. It will reliably protect plants from freezing for several years.
Pros of planting under mulch
The technology of planting strawberries under mulch has several advantages:
- High survival rate of seedlings (up to 100%);
- The service life of a bed with mulch is equal to the period of productivity of the bushes (3-4 years);
- During the operation of the beds, water is significantly saved for drip irrigation of plants;
- The berries are clean, not damaged by gray rot;
- Plants are generally healthier, free from pests;
- The crop ripens on average 5-7 days earlier than in ordinary beds due to less reflection of sunlight;
- The whiskers do not root and are easy to remove.
Mulching technology with planting
To plant strawberry seedlings in this way, the garden must be prepared in advance.
Attention! Strawberries in the beds under the film in the heat can suffer from overheating.
Pros of mulching
In general, mulching strawberry beds creates a lot of convenience. The beds are very aesthetic, the harvest is clean, not affected by rot. Watering is very economical. There is no need for loosening and weeding. All varieties have been observed to grow faster and yield higher yields when grown under mulch.
Disadvantages of mulching
The disadvantages of using mulch should be considered:
- Initial investment of labor and funds for the creation of a garden;
- Mulch made from straw, sawdust and grass should be changed twice a year: before flowering and in late autumn before covering.
Application different types mulch for growing strawberries gives a positive effect in the form of obtaining a high yield good quality... The advantages of this technology are undoubtedly greater than the disadvantages.
What does mulch give?
- The soil remains moist and warm. The roots feel great in such a substrate.
- When using organic mulch the soil is enriched with nutrients essential strawberries.
- Mulch prevents mustache from developing, they do not take root, and the bed remains clean, its productivity lasts for a long time high level... It is convenient to water the bushes through this mulch.
- For the period of mowing and regrowth, the mulch is removed. They allow the soil to breathe, saturate with oxygen, at this time they bring in mineral and organic fertilizers in the form of composts. And before covering for the winter, the bushes are again covered with mulch. A layer of covering material is added on top, the same kind as the main mulch.
- A double layer of cover creates favorable conditions for overwintering plants. In early spring the plants are freed from all materials, the soil is loosened, the bushes are slightly raised so that the growth centers look out above the ground.
- The organic mulch is put back in place before flowering. it promotes better berry setting. A short delay in picking is not a problem - the berries on the mulch will remain intact. Grow strawberries with mulch!
Useful video
Find out more about mulching from the video below: