Features of planting strawberries in spring

Strawberries are considered by many to be the most delicious berry. It's hard not to love these juicy, sweet, aromatic, firm fruits. But in order to get a full-fledged harvest, you should know at what time to plant the bushes, what the soil should be, as well as the most interesting methods of planting and subsequent care for them.

Before the start of the season, many gardeners begin to think about planting strawberries on the site. Spring disembarkation is one option. Planting strawberries in spring has many advantages that are worth mentioning.

• Bushes planted during this period, once in favorable conditions, will begin to fully develop. They will be able to hibernate with well-developed powerful roots, which will protect them from freezing.
• Plants that have not taken root after planting can replace with new ones if necessary.
• Seedlings planted in spring do not require abundant watering, since after the snow melts, the soil will contain enough moisture.

The disadvantage of this option is that this summer it is unlikely that it will be possible to get a full harvest of juicy berries. A good harvest will have to wait another year.

Good-quality spring seedlings will allow you to get well-rooted bushes, which will subsequently grow well. Planting strawberries in the ground in spring is preferred by residents in areas with harsh climatic conditions. In Siberia and the Urals, spring planting will allow not only to get strong and stable bushes with powerful roots, but also to achieve a good harvest. It is generally accepted that the best time for seedlings is April-May.

The timing for spring planting in the Moscow region, Leningrad and Rostov regions may differ from the dates of disembarkation in the Crimea and other areas.

• In the Kuban and in the southern regions, seedlings begin to be planted at the end of March or in the first days of April.
• In the middle and central lane, as well as in the Moscow region the best time for this is the second half of April. In the middle lane, the dates are set from April 15 to May 5.
• In St. Petersburg and regions, in the north-western regions, planting work begins after the first ten days of May.
• Beyond the Urals the crop can be planted after May 10-15. As for the southern regions, such periods are often unsuitable for them, since the scorching sun can adversely affect the growth of plants, their rooting and development.

You can focus on these terms, but you should take into account the weather conditions. It is recommended to plant a berry culture at a stable air temperature, it should not fall below +15 degrees. It is also important to study the lunar sowing calendar, and find out which days will be favorable for such an event.

The root system can be closed or open. Open root plants (ACS) are usually grown in the garden bed. Its survival rate is an order of magnitude lower than that of similar options that are sold in trays or containers. In this case, their roots are open, which can adversely affect the plants during transportation or transplantation.

For high-quality seedlings:

• up to 5 massive, strong, slightly pubescent leaves grow on the bushes;
• well developed roots of a fibrous type, reaching a length of 10 cm;
• there are thick light green horns.

Closed Root Strawberries (CCS) can be purchased in cassettes or containers. This option has a great survival rate and is suitable for autumn planting. You can grow seedlings on your own, leaving strong flower stalks and cutting off excess ones. After the appearance of the roots, it is recommended to separate the young shoots, placing them in separate pots or containers. You can also get high-quality seedlings using the "frigo" method, which is more suitable for breeding large-fruited varieties. It is necessary to dig out the bushes in the fall, cut off the leaves, then leave them to store at temperatures from zero to –3 degrees until spring.

Seedlings purchased in a container can be stored for a couple of weeks before transplanting. At the same time, it is advisable to plant bushes with ACS as quickly as possible. In bad weather conditions or for other reasons, the seedlings can be temporarily "preserved". To do this, the seedlings are laid in opaque bags, sprinkled with water, and left for storage in the basement for a week. Plants that have lain in the dark will have new roots, which will help them take root faster.

To prepare strawberries for planting, there are a number of steps to follow.

• Review each bush, and leave a few of the most suitable leaves.
• Use a sharp pruning shears to trim the roots, being careful not to exceed 10 cm in length.
• Dip the tips into a special solution to stimulate their growth. Plants with ZKS are enough to water them.

For strawberry plantations, well-lit areas are suitable. You should not choose a lowland for a bed with strawberries, in this case a gently sloping place or an area with a slight slope is more suitable. The most suitable soil for growing strawberries is considered to be black soil; sandy loam soils are also suitable. Areas with clay, light gray or soddy areas are less preferred. To make the soil less heavy and loose, it will be possible to dig it up with the introduction of sand.

The neighborhood plays an important role for the life of plants. The best neighbors for strawberries are legumes and cereals, radishes, beets or carrots. Near some crops, such as tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, as well as Jerusalem artichoke and sunflower, you should not do a garden bed. Here's how to prepare your garden bed.

• In autumn, dig up the soil to a depth of about 30-35 cm... In this case, it is necessary to clear the soil from the remnants of roots and weeds.
• Fertilize... Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for such plants. It is preferable to choose compost or horse manure as organic matter. It is recommended to apply fertilizers before digging up the soil. For 1 sq. meter must be poured into 2 buckets of water with a glass of ash, which is previously dissolved in water.
• 3-4 weeks before planting, it is advisable to water the site with hot lime. To prepare the solution, take 500 grams of lime and copper sulfate in a bucket of water. It is better to fertilize poor soils with humus or ash, they are introduced into the soil immediately before planting.

You can prepare the soil in another way, with the help of green manure. To do this, they are planted in the fall at the site of the proposed garden bed. After rotting, they will enrich the soil. In the spring, it is necessary to dig up the ground, then apply fertilizer in the form of humus, and compost with ash is also used, having previously diluted a glass of ash in a bucket of water.

Strawberry bushes will bear fruit well if certain rules are taken into account when planting, which is especially important for novice gardeners... This also applies to seedlings, and the choice of a place for a garden bed, and neighborhood with other crops, and methods of planting a culture.Productivity directly depends on how correctly the place is chosen, as well as its illumination. Large-fruited varieties will bear fruit worse in partial shade, while for small-fruited varieties this will not be a hindrance.

One option for getting an early harvest is to use film tunnels.... As soon as the snow melts, you can start installing them. When constructing tunnels, it is necessary to leave gaps of 1 meter between the frame. When laying the area under the film, a two-line scheme is used. The optimal line spacing is considered to be about 30 cm, and in the line between the strawberry bushes - 40 cm. It is recommended to place the bushes in the form of a chessboard. Watering the plants, loosening them will lead to growing healthy bushes with a powerful root system under the film. The advantage of this method:

• plants will be protected from UV rays, as well as from strong winds;
• a favorable climate will be constantly maintained under the film;
• it will be possible to control the composition of the soil.

To get a full harvest of their favorite berries, many gardeners use agrofibre. At the same time, the problem is solved not only with the cultivation of plants, the presence of agrofibre will help in the fight against weeds. To get the job done, you first need to build the beds.

• Their width should not exceed 80 cm.
• Then take up drip irrigation.
• Lay the hoses under the foil.
• Lay the agrofibre, securing it on both sides. It is necessary to press down on it with something heavy, and then sprinkle it with earth.
• Mark the places, and make holes in them for seedlings. It is desirable that the distance between them does not exceed 30-35 cm.

Covering agrofibre is black or multi-colored. The creation of a more suitable regime for growing is facilitated by laying out a multi-colored canvas with the light side up.

The advantages of this method include:

• lack of weeds;
• the mustache will not take root, while they are easily removed;
• the purity of the berries, because they do not touch the ground.

The covering method will allow the plants to hurt less, therefore the need to treat them with pesticides disappears. Such a covering will allow the root system to feel more comfortable in the cold season.

Planting using Dutch technology will allow you to get 4-5 harvests per year.

To carry out work, you must:

• prepare white polyethylene bags;
• fill them with substrate;
• moisturize;
• make a hole in the bag (9-10 cm) and plant the seedlings in it.

Many gardeners prefer to plant bushes of juicy berries in a greenhouse. You can grow seedlings here;

• using the classic method, that is, growing in the ground;
• in pots;
• in polyethylene bags;
• in the beds of various shapes.

The vertical planting technique is ideal when space is limited. For this option, you can use a plastic pipe.

Algorithm of actions.

• Prepare materials by choosing a large diameter plastic pipe and a smaller diameter product. Drill holes in it for irrigation.
• Place the perforated tube in the center of the plastic pipe.
• Make special holes for seedlings with a hole spacing of 20-30 cm.

A drainage layer is provided at the bottom. In the absence of it, the water supplied during irrigation will accumulate. Using a vertical bed will not only save space. The presence of such a design will make it possible to do without loosening the soil and removing weeds. For the construction of a vertical version, old tires from a car, laid in the form of an imitation of a barrel, with holes for bushes, are also suitable.

When planting strawberry bushes in open ground, they choose sunless weather, or carry out agrotechnical work in the late afternoon. The technique of planting plants with ACS differs from planting bushes with ACS. To plant seedlings with ACS, perform the following steps:

• the roots should be trimmed;
• gently place the bush in the hole, straightening the roots;
• fill the hole with water;
• pour soil onto the roots and tamp gently.

Garden strawberries require special care after planting. If you take care of the seedlings in time, water them, weed the aisles, mulch, you can get a decent harvest.

• When planting strawberries in open ground, you should protect it from the sun's rays by covering it, for example, with a spunbond.
• As for watering the bushes planted in spring, then this can be done less often, unlike plants planted in the fall. Water the strawberries as the soil dries out. Do not overmoisten the soil so that the bushes do not start to hurt with gray rot.
• It is recommended to cover the seedlings with mulch for two weeks.... For this, straw, sawdust, compost, as well as hay or spruce branches are suitable.
• It is recommended to feed the seedlings at least three times during the current period.

As a top dressing, an infusion of mullein (1: 10) or bird droppings (1: 20) is suitable. Nitroammofoska diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 10 is also suitable. In the fight against pests and diseases, spraying will help, they are carried out with fungicides, and herbal infusion is also used.

Gardeners' recommendations will allow not only planting bushes at a certain time, but also getting a harvest of juicy and sweet berries on the site. When planting strawberries, novice agronomists often make certain mistakes. To prevent this from happening, you should heed the advice of experts.

• Do not make the landing too tight. It is recommended to leave sufficient space between the rows. Due to insufficient ventilation, the plants will begin to be affected by gray rot. In the thickened area, the berries will begin to shrink.
• Fertilization should be standardized... With an excess of them, due to the presence of a large amount of nitrogen, the leaves on the plants will begin to develop vigorously, while the berries will lag behind. Applying a lot of manure will burn the roots.
• When the first flowers appear, they are recommended to be cut off, otherwise they will begin to take away strength from the growing seedling... To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to trim the mustache, leaving the first mustache extending from the bush as a planting material.
• When purchasing planting material, it is important to make sure of its quality.... You should inspect the container to make sure there are roots that should grow through the drainage holes. And you should also find out if the plants are affected by diseases.
• Better to buy varieties that are suitable for a particular region... It is recommended to deal with nurseries or with proven shops selling seedlings, seedlings.
• You should not grow strawberries for more than 3-4 years in one place. A few years later, you can break a new bed in the same place.