Growing strawberries under a covering material

There is no doubt that strawberries grow well under the covering material, yield faster, and berry picking ceases to be a problem. Black agrotextile makes it possible to get rid of weeds, reduce the risks of infection of fruits with rot or their eating by parasites.

But novice summer residents must first study the technology itself in detail, understand how to fix the fabric, before planting the bushes in a garden bed under spunbond and other covering material with holes.

A clean, well-groomed garden with ripe berries pleases the heart of any summer resident. Deciding to plant strawberries under a covering material instead of the classic mulch, you can solve a lot of related problems. The obvious advantages of this method include the following points.

• Protection of the soil from drying out. Due to this, it is possible to reduce the frequency of watering.
• Microclimate formationpromoting good growth and development of plants. It also stimulates the activity of earthworms, which help to maintain the looseness of the soil.
• Getting rid of weeds. The opaque black matter is a natural filter against the sun's rays. The beds do not overgrow, less time is spent on weeding.
• Stimulates the development of the root system. The bushes receive more nutrients and moisture.
• Reproduction regulation. The mustache does not take root through a special covering material. They can be easily rationed to prevent soil depletion or overgrowth of the plantation.
• Improving frost resistance. The greenhouse effect under the breathable material is not too great, but it still helps keep plants from spring frost.
• Acceleration of fruit ripening... The soil warms up faster, the berries ripen 1-2 weeks earlier than standard terms. This is especially important when growing in regions with short summers.
• Maintaining the purity of the fruit. When harvesting, they do not have to be cleared of the ground. Berries do not rot from excess moisture.

You can cover the ground at the strawberry planting site with different materials. Most of them are in the form of a nonwoven fabric. Holes are cut in it - cruciform or rounded. The general name for such materials is agrotextile, they can be single-layer or double-sided.

Most popular options.

• Acrylic... It can be found under the trade name "Agril", it is white and black. The polymer base provides it with high strength, resistance to pathogenic microorganisms.
• Spunbond... Synthetic material that can retain its properties for up to 4 years. The most capricious strawberry varieties are successfully grown under spunbond.
• Agrofiber... Material with a multi-layer structure. Breathable, moisture permeable, helps to protect the soil from frost and overheating. It is considered one of the best for planting strawberries.
• Agrospan... Material with homogeneous structure and long service life. It will last for 4 years - the whole cycle of strawberry growth in one place.
• Lutrasil... Relatively inexpensive material popular among summer residents. Its resistance to UV exposure is lower, but the canvas does not have a greenhouse effect, it repels excess moisture well.
• Spunbel... Modern, ultra-lightweight material based on environmentally friendly polypropylene. Well ventilated, has sufficient moisture permeability.

Planting strawberries on geotextiles is also practiced. It can be made under the fabric - with transverse and longitudinal weaving of threads, resembling agrofiber. But when choosing such a material, it is very important to pay attention to the degree of its moisture permeability. Otherwise, instead of the desired effect, you will get a bed with stagnant water and a colony of pests under the covering layer.

Planting strawberries under the covering material also needs to be done correctly.... The layout of such beds is somewhat different from the generally accepted one. For fastening the canvas in the ground, special devices are used. Moreover, you even need to put it right - you cannot lay the black side down, the manufacturer usually indicates the desired orientation on the roll.

When deciding when to prepare ridges with covering material, many summer residents face certain difficulties. Strawberry bushes planted in the ground in spring grow better, tolerate wintering well. But in this case, there is no need to wait for abundant fruiting.

Fall planting has its advantages. In the northern regions, it is carried out already in August, closer to the 3rd decade, in the south - at the end of September. The next year, the berry will already give a full harvest. But it is worth considering that even well-rooted plants will require more thorough shelter for the winter. The lower the winter temperatures, the more important it is to choose the correct planting period. In colder regions, the best season for this will be spring.

The choice of a place to form strawberry beds is of great importance for its successful cultivation. It is important that the berry gets the maximum amount of sunlight. It is located on hills, in places where there is no draft or shadow. A site next to fruit plantings or an area between low trees and shrubs without a spreading crown is well suited for these purposes.

The soil should be well fertilized, fertile, loose... You can use ridges where onions or garlic, carrots, legumes or cereals previously grew. It is worth considering that transplantation and rejuvenation of the plantation for most strawberry varieties are required at intervals of 4 years. Places with stagnant water, in lowlands or strong shade are not suitable for this plant.

The rules for arranging ridges with a shelter made of non-woven agromaterial must be carefully observed. The basic procedure will be as follows.

• Soil preparation. It is dug up, carefully choosing weeds, rhizomes, stones. Then natural or complex fertilizers are applied to the soil. Humus, compost, rotted straw will do. Clay soil should be diluted with ash and peat.
• Drip irrigation system laying. It will be needed if a large area is allocated for planting.
• Pulling on the covering material. It is laid on top of the soil leveled with a rake, fixed around the perimeter. You can sprinkle the edges with earth, press them with the sides, and also dig in grooves in advance to facilitate fixation. The material must be spread out, gradually rolling out. For double-sided materials, the waterproof part of the film is directed upward.
• Forming slots. To do this, the surface is marked into squares with a distance between their centers of 35-40 cm. Rounded cutouts or cross-shaped notches are formed. The easiest way to do the marking is with a linen cord, tying knots on it.
• Landing... For her, they choose a warm, fine day, morning hours. The soil is well moisturized. A hole is made under each bush to the depth of a garden scoop. The bush is placed in it, the roots are covered with earth to the point of growth.

Growing strawberries on a covering material allows you to minimize the requirements for caring for it. After planting, the plants do not require frequent weeding or other agronomic measures. The main plan for gardening in this case will include the following points.

• Weekly hydration. Watering strawberry bushes is often necessary only if a prolonged dry period is established.
• Periodic mustache trimming... The abundant formation of deciduous mass and side shoots deprives plants of the strength necessary for fruiting. The growth rate of the whiskers largely depends on the type of plant. Cut them with sharp garden shears, after disinfecting their blades. In the first year, it is customary to remove both the mustache and the peduncles completely.
• Insecticidal and fungicidal treatment... Fight against diseases and insect pests should be at least 2 times per season, for preventive purposes. If the beds show signs of infection, rot, there are caterpillars, you will have to process the culture unscheduled. Strawberry slugs are easiest to pick by hand.
• Fertilization. Fertilizing with specialized liquid formulations - vermicompost - helps to grow bountiful harvests. It will be introduced, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, on the leaves or at the root, 30 and 45 days after planting. Top dressing can promote the formation of ovaries on strawberries as early as the first year. At the end of the fruiting period, it is good to add wood ash to the soil.
• Trimming a leaf outlet. It is produced at the end of fruiting. In remontant varieties, this stage precedes the second wave of flowering and berry formation.

Considering all these recommendations, you can successfully grow tasty and ripe strawberries in the garden beds, even in regions with a cold climate. Under a black agricultural canvas, the roots tolerate light spring frosts better, the earth warms up faster, which means that flowering occurs earlier. In the southern regions, such a shelter contributes to better moisture retention in the soil.