All about agrofibre for strawberries

Every experienced summer resident knows how finicky the strawberry so adored by everyone is picky about care. This summer berry must be thoroughly watered, constantly loosened and weeded. To facilitate the cultivation of this type of plant, the use of agrofibre was invented, which makes processing strawberries much easier and faster.

Knowing all the rules for growing strawberries in this way and observing them, you can achieve a large harvest, significantly reducing the loss of man-hours that you would incur when growing it with the usual method.

The popularity of using agrofibre to grow strawberries has increased over the past 10-15 years, although the method is considered quite young. Agrofibre itself is a thin fiber made of polypropylene that looks very much like an ordinary medium-density fabric. Its thin structure perfectly permeates moisture and air, and its eco-friendly composition is absolutely harmless to plants.

Let's take a look at the advantages of using agrofibre for growing strawberries.

• Simple to use. It is only necessary to cover the bed with material, and make holes for the holes, as well as fix the agrofibre along the borders of the beds.

• The sun's rays hitting the fiber heat the soil better. And at the same time, the fiber serves as a barrier to protect the strawberries from overheating.

• The strong structure of this material has excellent wear resistance. Agrofibre "does not float" from the sun's rays, perfectly retains its properties for a long time, so it can be used for 2-3 seasons.

• The covered ground is protected from hypothermia, which strawberries do not like so much.

• Prevents the formation and development of weeds.

• Provides excellent access for air and moisture to enter the soil.

• It is a preventive measure for the development of pathogenic organisms.

• Strawberries covered with agrofibre do not require frequent watering, since the material retains moisture inside the soil for a long time.

• After watering, there is no usual accumulation of dirt. The berries and the beds themselves stay clean and tidy.

• The hilling procedure is made easier, since the strawberry tendrils will now be located on the surface.

• Agrofibre is sold at an affordable price, that is, almost everyone can afford it.

Agrofibre manufacturers present buyers with a choice of three main types of material - white, black, black and white.

• White - it is intended to create greenhouse conditions on the beds, however, unlike ordinary film, the material passes moisture and air well. The fiber also protects the plant from strong wind and rain. For strawberries, it is used only in the autumn-winter season, since the high density of the material (up to 60 grams / m2) will help the plant to overwinter.

• Black - acts as a soil protection against aggressive environmental factors. The good density of the material (50 grams / sq. M) prevents the penetration of light, thereby eliminating the problem of weeds, as they quickly die due to lack of light.The properties of the material make it possible to use it during all seasons, including in winter, since the density of the fiber will protect the plant from freezing.

• Black and white - they cover the ground with the black side down. It has the same characteristics as black agrofiber. The white side serves as a reflective surface to keep the strawberries from overheating. It is recommended to use this type of material in the southern regions. The density of black and white agrofibre is 50 grams / sq. m.

When choosing agrofibre for growing strawberries, several important nuances should be considered.

Material that is too thin, bought at a very low price, has poor wear resistance. Such a "shelter", most likely, will not serve you for a season, let alone a few. It will quickly deteriorate under the sun and a lot of moisture.

Dense material will cost from 300 rubles per 10 meters, the cost depends on the type of agrofibre and its density.

For planting strawberries, the best option in terms of price and quality is considered to be black material that can be used all year round. The density of black agrofibre should be about 60-70 g / m2, this material will be enough to get a good harvest.

You can plant strawberries in this way at any time of the year, except for the cold months, when severe frosts hit.

To begin with, you should prepare the beds, since the laid agrofibre, in a good scenario, will lie there for 3-4 seasons. During this entire period, it will be very difficult to feed the soil. Cleaning the area for strawberries must be done in advance. For example, if you want to do planting in the fall, then work should begin in the spring:

• clear the area of ​​debris and weeds;

• fertilize the entire area using humus (10 l), superphosphate (70 g), wood ash (0.2 l), potassium salt (30 g) per 1 square meter;

• dig up the site;

• Divide the area into beds and level them using a rake.

Before covering the beds, level them again with a rake and water them. Next, spread the sheets of agrofibre, laying them on top of each other by at least 20 cm. Next, we fix the flooring using pre-prepared bricks or staples.

It is necessary to plant strawberries at a distance of 15-20 cm between the bushes in a row, where the distance between the rows will be 0.6-0.8 m. Markings are made with chalk, after which 10x10 cm cuts are made for young plants.

Then we place strawberry bushes in the slots, wrapping the corners of the fiber inside. After full planting, we water the beds, and leave them alone for a couple of days.