To get a great harvest of strawberries after the winter must be fed. They do this with the onset of spring before the leaves appear. It is best to apply nitrogen fertilizers.
Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – April 02, 2021 – Agriculture
The first spring work with strawberries
One of the first berries that appear on the tables – everyone’s favorite strawberry. Big, beautiful berries will not appear just like that. To do this, the plant should be fed in a timely manner.
The first time they do this is when the snow melts and the leaves on the berry have not yet bloomed. This is usually the beginning – mid-April. But some enterprising gardeners accelerate the melting of snow, scattering manganese, coal, peat, ash in the beds.
After the snow has melted, they cover the beds themselves with a film, which is stretched on the arches. Such simple actions allow to receive a crop of fragrant berries for a week, and even two earlier. This is very important if the berry is grown for sale.
After the snow melts, summer residents carefully clean the beds of mulch and debris. The next stage is pruning, which is combined with top dressing. But berries are fertilized only when the soil warms up to + 10 ° C. If the temperature is lower, it is useless to feed the plants – they can not absorb the fertilizer.
Plants of the first year of life do not feed. They still have enough stocks of fertilizer that were applied during planting. And for the second and even the fourth year, strawberries are fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. For the third (odd) year use only mineral.
Pruning and first feeding of strawberries
The very first feeding should be rich in nitrogen. It promotes the growth of leaves and shoots. This may be Nitroammophoska (1 tbsp.), Diluted with a bucket of water. Under each bush, it is made of 0.5 liters. You can also mix in a bucket of water ammonium sulfate (1 tbsp.) And mullein (two cups) and add under each bush per liter.
Nettle infusion can be used as an organic. Put nettles (full bucket) in a bucket, fill it with warm water and infuse for four days. The finished infusion is filtered and diluted with water at 1:20 for spraying. If the fertilizer is applied under the root, it should not be filtered, and dilute the infusion in a ratio of 1:10. You can also use an infusion of mullein or chicken manure.
After harvesting the beds should be carefully inspected for all the strawberry bushes. Dead plants, diseased and damaged shoots, dried leaves are removed. Mustaches that are not necessary for reproduction are also removed so that the plant can direct all its efforts to the flower buds. After all, thanks to this you can get a rich harvest of berries.
Unnecessary shoots are cut with scissors or secateurs. Make sure they are sharp.
When pruning is complete, the strawberries are carefully weeded, and the ground around the berry bushes is loosened. This will retain moisture in the soil and also give air access to the roots.
Subsequent feeding of strawberries
Delicious fragrant berry loves fertilizing and responds to it with an excellent harvest.
Experienced gardeners feed strawberries several times during the season:
after the snow melts;
how green leaves appear;
before the appearance of flowers;
after the berries appear;
after the end of the season, after the harvest.
When the bushes begin to gain green mass, they are fed with ammonium sulfate and mullein. After the flower buds appear, the plants are pampered with complex fertilizers similar to nitroammophoska, as well as potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. This feeding will improve the quality of berries and their taste (they will become sweeter).
When the ovaries grow, you can feed the berry (on the leaves) with complex mineral fertilizer.
Mineral fertilizer should be added after the plant has been watered. In the rainy summer, you should not feed the berry under the root, and spray the leaves.
In addition to mineral, strawberries are fed with organic fertilizers and top dressing, tested by many generations of gardeners:
chicken manure;
ash;
nettle infusion;
yeast;
compost;
iodine;
infusion of rye peels;
boric acid solution.
Mulching, watering, and spraying strawberries
With the onset of spring strawberry bushes mulch. Mulch prevents weeds from sprouting and also retains the moisture needed by the berries.
As mulch use:
peat;
sawdust;
straw;
humus.
But despite the presence of mulch, strawberries need to be watered in time to get strong green plants that will give a good harvest of berries.
If the spring is dry, the bushes are watered once a week with warm water in the morning or evening. When the plant begins to bloom and then the fruits appear, the berry bushes begin to water under the roots.
It is very important to fight pests. With the onset of spring, until the leaves appear, the plant, as well as the soil around it, should be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate.
Once again, the bush should be treated with insecticides, as well as fungicides against pests and diseases before the fruits appear. You can use folk remedies. For example, iodine successfully fights weevils and rot. 40 drops of iodine are added to a bucket of water and the plants are treated after watering.
Read Also: A Farmer Harvests Lemons 7 Times a Year!
Source: Ukrgate
