Strawberry rightfully won the title "Queen of berries." Everyone is waiting for her, so juicy and bright, from young to old. Moreover, this berry ripens one of the first, and along with the pleasure of taste, a person receives a lot of vitamins. But the bushes are very vulnerable, they require special care. And newcomers in the garden business, before being engaged in breeding, should find out the subtleties of planting this crop in the fall and spring, what temperatures the culture may be afraid of and how to shelter and protect from dangerous frost.
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When is it best to plant strawberries: autumn or spring
Disputes between gardeners about planting strawberries continue for quite a long time. Some argue that the plant will take root better at spring planting, others tend to be engaged in strawberries at sunset garden season.
The second argument is a plant planted in spring. will not yield. And this is true, besides, if a hot summer comes, then young bushes can dry.
Autumn has a number of advantages:
- a large amount of planting material;
- moderate heat will allow the bushes to root perfectly;
- spring time is freed for planting other crops;
- early next summer can be a big harvest.
The timing of planting strawberries in the fall
Gardeners can independently determine the time of planting berry bushes, based on the climatic features of their region:
- The early term is from August 15 to September 15.
- The average term is from September 15 to October 15.
Later plant the plants Not recommended in any region of residence, because frosts can destroy young immature bushes. The optimal solution will be landing. per month to the expected reduction in temperature to 0 degrees and below. You can use the Lunar calendar hint and determine the perfect day.
When landing, pay attention to weather features. It is better to plant in warm weather, after rain.
Preparing berries for planting
The next stage after determining the landing time - preparation of plants and soil. Large strawberry harvest can be obtained if the berries are grown in sandy and loamy soil, black soil. The clay soil should be enriched with the substances contained in peat, manure and humus necessary for plant growth.
To saturate the soil with oxygen, plant siderats (lupine, mustard) at the site. At the end of spring, mow them and mix them with the ground when digging up the land. It is not necessary to plant strawberry bushes, if earlier tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, asterraceae, and buttercup flowers grew on this site.
It is best to buy seedlings in a specialized nursery. They must meet the following requirements:
- root length - 10 cm;
- the number of formed sheets - 3-4 pieces;
- root neck diameter - over 6 mm;
You can, of course, try to grow strawberries from seeds. And already these plants to plant in an open ground. But not all gardeners can devote enough time to care for their seedlings.
In any case, the seedlings should be placed in a cool place for a few days, and immediately before planting, dip their roots in a “talker” - a mixture of water, humus, soil, and any means of growth regulator. If strawberry bushes are taken from their own beds, they should immediately be planted in a new place.
Planting rules for seedlings
Strawberry growth point should be at ground level. Therefore, it is best to plant the seedlings on low earthen ridges, spread their roots along their slopes. After gently cover the ground and spill it well with warm water.
There are also several rules that guarantee the excellent survival of young plants:
- Strawberry planting in cloudy weather or in the evening.
- Before planting a seedling it is necessary to moisten the soil well, especially if it has not been raining for a long time.
- Bushes, waiting for their turn of landing, keep in a dark place.
- If the length of the root system exceeds 10 cm, then it can be safely shortened.
Pest repellent often used garlic brew - 5-6 heads of garlic is placed in a 5-liter jar of water. Insist on folk remedy should be 6-7 days. Strawberry seedlings are contained in this liquid before planting.
How to cover and protect after landing
The roots of adult plants can withstand the temperature of the soil to -7 degrees, naturally, that young bushes are deprived of such frost resistance. Therefore, immediately after planting strawberries need to mulch.
Any natural material will be suitable for this procedure. fallen needles and foliage, sawdust, fir twigs other. Straw can also be used for sheltering berries for the winter. These materials will become the first layer of cover, allowing air to circulate among the plants.
The next layer is snow. This atmospheric phenomenon will not allow frostbite on the soil and will save young plants until spring. In the regions with little snow, it is better to make secure, and cover the beds with agrofiber, which allows you to protect strawberries from severe frosts with a 100% chance.
What spring frosts stand
The cold spring is unlikely to harm young strawberries. Unless strong frosts fall on the ground in mid-May, when the plants are ready to bloom and grow berries.
At 1 degree below zero every bush loses up to 8% of flowers, and a temperature of -3 degrees will destroy the whole 25%.
A gardener after the frost should look at the plants - blackened pistils suggest that there will be no harvest. It happens that the flowers are preserved and even bloom. But, most likely, the fruits will be deformed and underdeveloped and cannot be saved.
How to protect from frost in the spring
In the spring months, the protection of strawberries from frost acquires an emergency character. Gardeners need to act quickly and decisively.
The main thing is to raise the temperature in the soil by 1-2 degrees.
This can be done by sprinkling - irrigate the beds with warm water as many days as frosts last. Also effective landings smokewhen fires are made from brushwood and well burning garbage near the strawberry site. This method of protection provides additional heat to young bushes, but requires compliance with safety regulations.
In order to enjoy delicious berries from your garden in the first days of summer, you must properly plant and care for the plants. And if you also take more space under the summer cottage under this crop, you can provide the whole family with tasty and healthy strawberry jam.