Spring planting rules for strawberries and gardeners' secrets

Strong and healthy bushes and adherence to the rules of agricultural technology are a guarantee that the planting of strawberries in the spring will be successful. It can be carried out in late summer or early autumn, but many summer residents prefer to do this at the beginning of the gardening season. Their arguments are convincing: in spring, plants take root better, and by the onset of cold weather they accumulate enough strength to endure winter frosts with minimal losses. In order for the strawberry yield to be high, the berries juicy and sweet, and caring for the beds is not a hassle, you need to lay a high-quality foundation by planting the bushes correctly.

Site requirements

Garden strawberry is an unpretentious plant. But it will develop and bear fruit better if you provide its bushes with optimal conditions. Adequate amount of light comes first. It is advisable to take the sunniest area under the strawberry beds. The cultivation of the crop will be successful on the southern slopes. In lowlands and in swampy ground, the development of its bushes slows down, and the quantity and quality of berries decreases.

Plants prefer loose and fertile soil, it should contain sand and about 3% humus. Suitable for them:

• black soil;
• light loam;
• sandy loam soil;
• forest dark gray land.

Peat soils are considered unsuitable for strawberries. On them, plants are often affected by late blight. In soil with a high clay content, its bushes will need regular feeding. If you do not feed the plantings, the plants will be weak and will not bring a good harvest. Soddy-podzolic land is not a very good option either.

You need to plant strawberries taking into account the crop rotation. Her bushes will be most comfortable on the soil freed up after any of the following crops:

• garlic;
• Luke;
• dill;
• petunias;
• marigolds;
• carrots;
• beets;
• pumpkins;
• cereals;
• legumes.

The best result is brought by its cultivation after green manure: lupine, phacelia, mustard, buckwheat, It is recommended to return strawberries to their original place not earlier than after 3-5 years. During this time, a sufficient amount of nutrients for plants will accumulate in the soil.

Bad predecessors for strawberries would be:

• vegetables from the nightshade family;
• cucumbers;
• cabbage crops.

It is necessary to take into account the proximity of groundwater. Strawberry roots do not tolerate stagnant moisture. A distance of 1 m or more to groundwater is acceptable for planting a crop. If they lie closer, strawberry cultivation is carried out on high (0.5 m) ridges. Another way is to provide the plants with good drainage.

Preparatory work

If the composition of the soil on the site does not meet the requirements of the culture, you can prepare a suitable substrate yourself based on sand. The following components are added to it:

• humus;
• compost;
• wood ash.

Hybrid strawberry varieties are best planted in a soil mixture obtained from equal parts:

• peat;
• turf land;
• humus;
• sand.

The layer of fertile substrate in the beds should be at least 10 cm.

Advice

Strawberries love good nutrition, so it is better to fertilize any soil before planting it by adding organic compounds to it. This will facilitate the further care of the plants: they will not need the next feeding so quickly.

So that growing strawberries is not a hassle, before planting the soil is disinfected... Prevention of fungal infections should be carried out correctly 1.5-2 weeks before placing the plants in the beds. Lime (500 g) and copper sulfate (50 g) are used for it.Dissolving both substances in 10 liters of water and heating the mixture to 70 ° C, they spray future beds with it. For 1 m² of soil surface, 1 liter of the composition is spent.

The area where it is planned to plant strawberries is freed from weeds. If insect larvae were found during weeding, the soil should be treated with preparations with an insecticidal effect. Having outlined a bed, they dig it up, but first they scatter humus mixed with wood ash over its surface. For 1 m² of soil, 2 buckets of organic matter and 2 glasses of ash should go. Competent site preparation is a guarantee of high survival rate of strawberry bushes.

Timing and popular landing methods

Perfect time for placement of strawberry seedlings in the country depends on the climatic features of the area. In the south, the procedure is carried out at the beginning of March. Gardeners have only 10 days at their disposal - from the 5th to the 15th of the month. In the regions of the middle lane, the April planting of strawberries is practiced. They start it from the second decade of the month and continue until the end.

In the northern regions, the terms of the procedure are shifted to the first half of May. Summer residents of the Urals and Siberia prefer spring planting of strawberries. Thanks to her, plants get more time to adapt to new conditions. You can plant strawberries in the beds only when the weather is warm. At night, the thermometer should not drop below 6 ° C.

There are many ways to plant strawberry bushes. The most commonly used:

• bush;
• nesting;
• carpet;
• landing in rows;
• vertical fit.

The bush method involves placing plants in rectangular beds with an interval of 0.5 m between them. Seedlings when using it require little, but in the future you will have to spend a lot of effort on caring for strawberry bushes. Top dressing, regular loosening of the soil, weeding, mulching, removal of regrown whiskers - you cannot do without these measures. There is a bush method and advantages. Having received good conditions for development, the plants form large berries and bring a bountiful harvest. The rate of its maturation also increases.

When planting in nests, 7 strawberry bushes are used. Having placed one in the center, the remaining 6 are placed around it. There should be 10 cm of free space between the plants. Neighboring nests are made at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other. Such strawberry cultivation will require more seedlings. But they will occupy a smaller area, and they will delight with a good harvest for several years.

Alternative methods

Carpet placement of strawberry bushes is a real godsend for those who cannot spend a lot of time caring for plants. Top dressing and weeding remain on the list of necessary agrotechnical measures, but you will not have to regularly remove the mustache and mulch the soil. Plants are planted in rows, retreating between the bushes by 7 cm.The optimal row spacing is 30 cm.

The strawberries will grow quickly, turning the area into a solid carpet. This landing leads to the creation of a special microclimate. The soil under dense foliage remains moist for a long time, and in conditions of constant shade, weed growth stops. But you should not expect large berries from strawberries during carpet planting. You cannot use it if the area is in the shade. The berries will not ripen, and in combination with high humidity, it will create a fertile soil for the development of rot.

Many summer residents prefer to plant strawberries in rows, noting the increase in the yield of its bushes. With this method, the distance between the plants is increased to 15-25 cm, and the row spacing - up to 40 cm. Planting needs traditional care: top dressing, loosening, weed control, removal of whiskers. Strawberries will not bring very large berries when placed in rows, but there will be a lot of them.

Landing technology

Before being placed in the ground, strawberry seedlings are hardened. For several days it is transferred to a cool room (with an air temperature in the range of 10-15 °).Before planting, it will be correct to immerse the roots of the plants in water or in a growth stimulant solution. It is better to soak them for a day, but in the absence of time, you can limit yourself to a couple of hours. A good result is obtained by keeping the strawberry root system in a diluted infusion of garlic (150 ml per 10 l of water). The pungent smell will scare away pests. Then the roots of the plant are dipped in a clay mash. This will prevent them from drying out and make it easier for the strawberries to take root.

The holes are made shallow (7 cm), but wide. The roots of the plant should be loose in the hole. Having poured humus or a nutritious substrate on the bottom with a hill and spilled the hole with warm water, they start planting. The roots of the plant are spread over the mound. If they are long (more than 10 cm), they are first trimmed so as not to injure. You need to plant a bush without burying the heart. It should be at ground level.

Placing a strawberry bush in the hole, sprinkle it with earth. This is done carefully so that the rosette with fertile buds is not under a layer of soil. 2 methods can be used:

• water the plant abundantly after planting;
• cover it with earth gradually, lightly watering each time after adding its next portion to the hole. This will help prevent fertilizer from leaching out of the soil.

Complete the planting by mulching the beds. Use needles for this correctly. It will protect young strawberries from diseases and pests. You can replace it with straw, dry grass or leaves, sawdust.

Agrotechnics of young strawberries

Landing care needs standard. Its task is to help the strawberry bushes take root in a new place, grow powerful leaves, lay flower buds of the next season, and prepare for winter. When buds appear, they are cut off. Plants should root well, and ripening berries will take too much of their strength. The same is done with the mustache, even if the carpet planting method was chosen. Next year, the established plants will release new ones, they can already be left.

The first feeding is carried out when 2 weeks have passed since the strawberries are placed on the beds. For her, it is recommended to use organic compounds containing a lot of nitrogen in an easily digestible form. They will ensure the rapid growth of berry bushes. Feeding with infusions has a beneficial effect on young strawberries:

• biohumus;
• bird droppings;
• herbs.

By the onset of cold weather, the beds will need to be insulated. They are reliably covered with fallen leaves, straw or spruce branches. Top you can add the tops left over from tomatoes or peppers. Thanks to her, more snow will accumulate in the beds. With the arrival of spring, the shelter is removed. You can't be late with this, otherwise the soil will dry out and warm up for a long time. Dry, diseased or damaged leaves are cut off from plants. Strawberry bushes that survived the winter need feeding. It is carried out with a complex mineral fertilizer, scattering it over the surface of the garden bed and embedding it in the soil by loosening.

The next step is preventive treatment of plants. Special preparations will allow you to forget about diseases and pests. To make the strawberries bloom faster, they are covered with a thin material. It should transmit light, air and water well, but keep warm. With the appearance of buds, care is carried out in the form of mulching. A layer of peat, sawdust, straw can be poured under the plants. They will help to retain moisture in the soil, and the berries will protect from rotting.

There is nothing difficult in cultivating strawberries; inexperienced gardeners can also practice in it. It is undemanding to care for, grows rapidly, reproduces well even without human intervention. If you take the time to feed your strawberry bushes, they will consistently yield large, sweet berries. For the experience of growing a crop to be successful, you must follow the rules for planting it. This is what guarantees the normal development of strawberry bushes and their health.