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Today, many gardeners grow strawberries. Despite the fact that it is not so easy to take care of the berry, the capricious berry occupies more and more areas, not only in large areas, but also in summer cottages. There are many ways to grow sweet and fragrant berries. In recent years, thanks to the Internet, gardeners are mastering new techniques.
If you look at where there are the most plantations with strawberries, then Finland will be the leader. The climate in the country is quite severe, somewhat similar to the conditions of central Our Country. Therefore, the s are closely following the results of Finnish agronomists. Growing strawberries using Finnish technology is becoming more and more popular. After all, it really works, the harvest is excellent. What is the uniqueness of the method, what gardeners need to know in order to avoid mistakes.
About the advantages of Finnish technology
Before finding out the features of growing strawberries using Finnish technology, let’s see why it attracts gardeners all over the world so much.
Advantages:
- Firstly, in high beds, the soil is rich in beneficial microorganisms that provide oxygen for plants and have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of strawberries.
- Secondly, the Finnish technology assumes that the nitrate nitrogen necessary for plants does not evaporate, but remains in the soil under a layer of black film. Plants receive nitrogen in the required amount.
- Thirdly, which is also important, weeds cannot break through the film, therefore, the process of caring for strawberry plantings is simplified.
- Fourthly, the film, as the basis of the Finnish method, retains moisture throughout the season. But extreme heat can cause the death of strawberries. The drip irrigation system is a necessary element of the Finnish technology for growing strawberries.
- Fifthly, thanks to the black film, a comfortable microclimate is created inside. The root system is always warm, and this allows you to get a crop earlier than in ordinary soil. This allows you to plant strawberries in early spring.
- Sixthly, plants practically do not get sick and are not damaged by pests. After all, it is simply impossible to survive under the film.
- Seventh, the collected garden strawberries are clean, without a single grain of sand. Berries are not affected by gray rot.
The essence of technology
What is the peculiarity of the Finnish strawberry growing technology? Instead of mulch, gardeners use a black film that covers the beds. Strawberry seedlings are planted in it.
It is a black film, not a different color. After all, this color attracts heat, warming the soil, and, therefore, creates comfortable conditions in the garden. The Finnish technique can be applied not only in open ground. Many gardeners use the technology created by Finnish agronomists in the zone of risky farming. They adapted to grow strawberries in greenhouses.
Secrets of growing strawberries using Finnish technology for beginners on video:
How the method is implemented
If you study the method of growing garden strawberries according to Finnish technology thoroughly, then there are no ambiguities for experienced gardeners. But beginners will have a hard time at first.
Let’s see what stages the Finnish technology consists of:
- First of all, you need to choose a place for the beds. Since the plant is demanding on lighting, choose sunny areas.
- After plowing, the fields level the surface, then beds are formed.
- A tape is stretched over the surface, providing drip irrigation – this is the basis of Finnish technology.
- Close the ridge with a black film.
- Planting seedlings.
- They take care of the plantings, harvest the crops.
Preparing the soil
Strawberries are a demanding plant for special soil. Best of all, the berry succeeds on neutral soil or with a slightly acidic reaction. Strawberries need fertile land enriched with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. According to Finnish technology, all fertilizers are applied before digging: wood ash, humus, bird droppings or mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen.
Top dressing is evenly scattered over the future bed, then dug up. This procedure will enrich the soil with oxygen. At the summer cottage, the technique cannot turn around, so they dig up the garden with a shovel, and then level the surface with a rake.
The length of the ridge is the business of the gardener. After all, each of us has different areas. As for the choice of width, it will depend on how many rows of strawberries will be planted. For summer cottages, it is best to use a two-row landing. As a rule, in this case, the bed will be at least 10 cm high, up to 80 wide, and the row spacing for ease of care and harvesting will be at least 50-60 cm.
On top of the beds, as Finnish technology suggests, they stretch a mulching film and fix it on the sides of the beds. On large areas, ridges for growing strawberries are prepared using home-made or professional equipment.
Preparation of ridges for growing strawberries according to Finnish technology with a homemade bed former:
How to plant seedlings
Preparing the film
Marking is performed on the laid film, one line is drawn in the center, and two along the edges, where the seedlings will be located. Between plants in a row, you need to leave 25-30 cm, depending on the selected strawberry variety.
There should be at least 50 cm between rows. The entire surface is divided into squares, cross-shaped cuts are made at the intersection lines. The edges are folded inward to make a 7×7 cm square.
Planting seedlings
If the bed can be prepared using equipment (home-made or professional), then planting seedlings when growing strawberries using the technology of Finnish agronomists can only be done manually. No machines can yet replace human hands.
The work is hard and painstaking. As a rule, seedlings grown in pots are planted under the film. It has a good root system. When planting seedlings, pay attention to the depth of the outlet. The growth point must be left on the surface. Seedlings need to be well compressed in the ground.
When all the bushes are planted in a permanent place, the drip irrigation system is turned on. You need to watch this procedure carefully, since strawberries do not need excess moisture. They also inspect each bush and check if the roots are bare, if the growth point has gone underground. You will have to pour soil under the plants or slightly raise the sockets.
Features of care
With any technology, including Finnish, strawberries need to be properly looked after. In fact, there are no major differences. Let’s deal with this issue in more detail.
What do we have to do:
- Water the plants regularly so that the root system does not dry out and is not waterlogged. Water is supplied through a drip system, it must be warm.
- Plants are fed along with watering.
- Plants should be inspected to prevent disease and pest infestations. Preventive measures are required.
- Strawberries can have many whiskers, they weaken the plant, so they are removed in a timely manner.
Landing processing
Despite the fact that the Finnish technology of growing strawberries has many advantages over the usual method, plants can still get sick or be damaged by pests. Any processing is carried out before harvest. As a rule, this is done before the appearance of flower stalks in early spring.
Insecticides and fungicides are used for processing when strawberries stop bearing fruit. This procedure prepares the plants for the next year, laying the possibility of obtaining a rich harvest.
How to feed plants
Fertilizing garden strawberries is as necessary as air. The plant throws out a large number of peduncles, all the forces are spent on the formation of the crop. If the bushes are not fed in a timely manner, a weakened plant will not please the harvest. Top dressing is carried out three times during the vegetative season:
- early spring;
- in the middle of summer;
- autumn after harvest.
Features of spring feeding
As soon as leaves appear on the outlets, it needs to be fed. At this time, strawberries are demanding on potash and nitrogen fertilizers. It is best to use complex dressings specifically for strawberries.
The second time they feed strawberries when the first berries are tied. As an option – complex fertilizers containing calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and other trace elements.
Summer food strawberry
June is the time to feed the plants. You will need ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. The solution is prepared strictly according to the instructions. An overdose can harm strawberries. If you are not confident in your abilities, do not use different fertilizers for feeding, but buy special preparations.
The fact is that such varieties form several waves of fruiting.
What to do in autumn
After strawberries grown according to Finnish technology finish fruiting, they must be fed with sodium, phosphorus and potassium. There are special fertilizers for strawberries containing all trace elements.
Preparation for winter
When the crop is harvested, the covering material is removed, dried, rolled up and put away for storage. The bushes themselves are examined, the sick are removed. For prevention, the bed is shed with pink potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
When the air temperature at night drops to + 2 degrees, the plantings are covered with straw mats. In regions with severe winters, more serious insulation is required.
Conclusion
The Finnish technology of growing strawberries is only taking root in the expanses. Gardeners who have begun its approbation respond only positively. There is nothing to be surprised here, because in comparison with traditional methods of cultivation, the yield of beds using Finnish technology is increased by 20%. That is why more and more s are switching to growing strawberries using Finnish technology on an industrial scale.