How to plant strawberries

All about strawberry seedlings

Strawberry seedlings have an open or closed root system. Closed roots are any seedlings grown in peat pots, containers, and even those that are grown by a summer resident in a plastic cup at home. Open roots are seedlings cleared of an earthy coma.

There are basic rules for planting strawberries:

1. High quality seedlings. The best option is an annual plant with 2-3 true leaves and roots no shorter than 5 cm, dived into a separate container. It is worth purchasing seedlings only from trusted sellers. You can try growing seedlings at home from seeds. This process is quite painstaking, but the output is guaranteed to get high-quality planting material.
2. Landing site. Garden strawberries (strawberries) love well-lit areas and warm, loose soil. The lowlands are not suitable for the location of strawberry beds, since it is almost always cold there and there is too much water flow from the slopes. An important condition is compliance with crop rotation. You can't grow a crop after Solanaceae. If you place raspberries and strawberries close to each other, then raspberry-strawberry weevil can multiply. Also, do not place beds near plum trees. Garlic, onions, legumes, and any green manure are good precursors to strawberries. Loamy soils are most suitable for planting. Sandstones are not a good choice because they are too low in nutrients. In addition, moisture does not retain in sandy soil.
3. Compliance with the basics. First of all, you need to consider the distance between the bushes. The optimal row spacing is 0.5-0.7 m, between adjacent bushes - 0.5 m. For seedlings, a checkerboard planting pattern is usually chosen. This arrangement will ensure maximum access of light and warmth to each sprout. Secondly, the planting time plays an important role: in spring - until May 20, in summer and autumn - from August 25 to September 15. Thirdly, before planting strawberries, the roots must be soaked in Kornevin: open - for 10 hours, closed - for 1 hour before planting.

Strawberry

4. Renewal periods. The optimal time for strawberries to stay in one place is 4 years. It is recommended to change the bed once every 3 years, and for remontant varieties - once every 2 years.

Planting strawberries in spring

Spring planting is preferable in regions with cold winters, since during the summer the bushes will have time to gain strength and nutrients for wintering. Planting garden strawberries in spring is carried out in warm weather, but solar activity should be minimal. It is best to choose evening time or cloudy day.

There are only 3 planting methods:

• Square-nested;
• Private;
• Carpet.

The first method is used only in large agricultural enterprises, where complete mechanization of production processes prevails. At the summer cottage, the second method is used most often, less often the third. Carpet planting involves an even arrangement of bushes throughout the territory. Within 2 years, the root system grows very much, filling all the free space.Therefore, this method is only suitable for remontant varieties that bear fruit well in one place only for the first 2 years.

Planting strawberries in rows

For all other species, an ordinary planting of strawberries in the ground with seedlings is suitable. All varieties are divided into unisexual and bisexual. To avoid cross-pollination, each variety must be planted in a separate bed. In the center of the group there should be one bush with stamens, 4 bushes without stamens should be planted around it.

Planting strawberries in open ground in spring is always accompanied by mulching. This stage allows you to retain moisture, keeps the soil loose and soft, prevents weeds from growing and serves as a temperature regulator. In addition, in the process of decomposition, mulch becomes a good nitrogen fertilizer for the roots. Peat, pine needles, sawdust, cut grass are suitable as a covering layer.

The method of planting under black material began to be very popular in dachas. Roofing material, film, non-woven water-permeable material can act as a material.

Planting strawberries under the film

Since planting strawberries with seedlings in the spring often happens at random, the first few days you need to monitor the plantings. It is not always possible to predict the air temperature for the near future and estimate the depth of warming up of the earth. If a bush begins to fade, it should be replaced immediately with a new one so that neighboring plants do not become infected. On hot days, plants need to be shaded from the bright sun and watered abundantly. The soil should remain moist and loose. If the soil was previously fertilized, then additional fertilizing is not necessary. When development slows down, the garden bed is watered with mullein solution (1:10).

Planting strawberries in August

At the end of summer, you can easily choose a large amount of high-quality planting material, since you can plant strawberries in open ground with a mustache. To do this, you need to track which bushes gave the richest harvest. You need to select the mustache only from the female part of the bush. These are the branches on which there were a large number of peduncles. Branches with powerful leaves without fruit are considered male and are not suitable for reproduction, since such strawberries will not yield in the next season.

You can take no more than 3 high-quality mustaches from one large bush. It is necessary to separate one outlet from the main bush and place it in the planting hole. The roots need to be covered with earth, but not buried deep. After 2 weeks, the plant will take root. During this period, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.

Planting strawberries in autumn

Planting strawberries in the ground with seedlings in autumn has several advantages:

1. The soil warmed up well over the summer, so the seedlings take root better;
2. The choice of planting material is greater;
3. Plants are immediately accepted and grow;
4. Autumn plantings are less demanding to care for.

Preparing the beds for planting strawberries

First of all, you need to prepare the garden:

• Remove all weeds along with roots;
• Check for larvae or adult pests in the soil. You can treat the substrate with ammonium nitrate;
• 15 days before planting, the bed is dug to a depth of 0.3 m. At the same time, rotted manure or compost must be added at the rate of 6 kg / m2;
• At the time of planting, the soil is loosened 10-15 cm deep.

A week before planting, you need to prepare the seedlings:

1. Leave no more than 5 leaves on one sprout;
2. Trim the roots to a size of 10 cm;
3. Process with a solution of potassium permanganate;
4. Remove seedlings in a dark, cool place with high humidity. Wrap the roots with a soft, damp cloth, moss or sprinkle with earth.This will protect the seedlings from drying out;
5. For 1 hour before planting, the roots are soaked in Kornevin.

Strawberry seedlings

In the autumn period, attention should be paid to care, since strawberries can be planted in a standard ordinary way, just like in spring. In order for the bushes to get stronger quickly, the first one and a half weeks after planting they need to be often watered in small portions with warm water, without getting on the leaves. Watering is best done in the morning. It is imperative to remove weeds and mustaches. Since in the fall diseases and pests move to the ground for wintering, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatments with Bordeaux liquid or Karbofos. Before winter, it is recommended to mulch strawberries with spruce branches. This allows you to create additional insulation. The layer thickness must be at least 5 cm.

Common questions

Very often, gardeners ask questions about how to properly plant strawberries in uncomfortable conditions, for example, if the climate is cold enough, or the space for planting is very limited.

How to plant strawberries if there is not enough space

If the site has a modest area, then you have to look for ways to economically place crops. For strawberries, you can use a high pyramidal bed. To form it, you will need 4 boxes of different sizes with a removed bottom and a pipe 5 cm thick and 2 m high. Holes need to be drilled in the pipe, they will serve as an irrigation system. Then the pipe is buried into the ground to a depth of about 1 m. The first largest box is installed on the ground. The pipe should be in the center of the structure. The box must be filled with fertile soil to the brim, slightly crushing the ground. Then install the smaller box and repeat the procedure. Thus, you will get a pyramid of boxes filled with ready-made nutrient soil with a pipe in the middle, towering 10-15 cm above the structure. This is necessary so that it is convenient to fill in water. You can now place seedlings in boxes. With this method, the bushes will grow together without interfering with each other.

Planting strawberries under black covering material

Planting strawberries under black covering material

Black spunbond is spread around the entire perimeter of the garden bed, the edges are sprinkled with earth so that the material does not slide out. At the locations of the landing holes, holes of the corresponding diameter are cut. Strawberries are immersed in the resulting hole, carefully straightening the roots. This method allows you to get rid of weeds. In addition, natural irrigation from precipitation will be sufficient. The material allows moisture to pass through and retains it well. Another plus is a clean harvest. Berries do not get dirty when in contact with the surface. In addition, due to good air permeability, the bed does not need to be opened periodically. Black covering material lasts 3-4 years. During this period, the strawberries grow and need to be updated, so the bed is freed from material, bushes and a new plot is prepared.

Planting is a responsible event, on the success of which the future harvest largely depends. If you follow all the rules and deadlines, then strawberries are guaranteed to delight you with an abundance of sweet ripe berries for several seasons.