Contents
Proper care of strawberries in the spring in the country contributes to the development of plants and a good harvest. Every year, strawberries need pruning, watering and fertilizing. Timely treatment with fungicides or folk remedies will help protect plantings from diseases and insects.
Terms of work
The time of work in the strawberry depends on the climatic conditions of the region. In the southern regions, the snow melts in March, and by the end of the month the soil in the beds will dry out.
In the middle lane during this period, plants can be treated with ash or peat until the snow cover melts. In the Urals and Siberian regions, strawberry care begins in April.
When the soil warms up to + 3 ° C, the root system of plants begins to function, new shoots appear. Work begins after the soil dries out.
Strawberry transplant
In the spring, work is carried out on transplanting strawberries and arranging new beds. When choosing a place for growing berries, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- the site should be well lit by the sun;
- it is necessary to exclude the possibility of flooding of plants in spring or during rains;
- planting is carried out in places where legumes and cereals, garlic, onions, beets, carrots previously grew;
- it is not advisable to plant plants in the beds where eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage grew before.
For transplanting plants, a period of growth of green mass is selected. At the same time, the root system grows, so the seedlings can quickly take root in a permanent place.
The soil is pre-prepared for planting. Strawberries prefer light soils, loamy, sandy or black earth. The addition of peat will help improve the structure of sandy soil. Coarse sand is added to clay soil.
Healthy bushes are chosen for transplantation. If the plant is in a depressed state, there are spots on the leaves, then such a bush is not suitable for transplantation. By dividing the bush, you can get new strawberry seedlings.
Cleaning and loosening
After winter frosts, old flower stalks and dry leaves are cut off on strawberries. It is also necessary to remove last year’s mulch, in which pests spend the winter. Old mulch often causes the spread of fungal plant diseases.
Between the bushes loosening of the soil is carried out, which makes it possible to improve its air and moisture permeability. As a result, the penetration of moisture into the soil improves, useful substances are absorbed by plants faster.
If the strawberry roots come to the surface, then you need to cover them with a layer of soil. Care for strawberries in early spring includes mulching the beds with straw, sawdust or hay. Such processing will accelerate the ripening of berries and will maintain a certain level of soil moisture.
Excessive thickening leads to the spread of diseases, negatively affects the development of strawberries and its yield. In addition, rosettes and basal leaves of plants are cut. Work is carried out with sharp scissors or secateurs.
What to do with strawberries in spring is described in the video:
Watering strawberries
After wintering, strawberries are watered once a week. With heavy rainfall, the procedure is performed less frequently. The first watering is carried out at the beginning of plant growth. Each bush accounts for up to 0,5 liters of water. Before flowering, loosening and mulching will help retain moisture in the soil.
Watering is done under the root of the plants. Works are carried out in the morning or evening, when there is no direct exposure to the sun. The soil must always remain moist. When the first inflorescences appear, watering is carried out between rows with plantings.
High humidity creates a favorable environment for the spread of fungal diseases and pests. Moisture should be supplied to plants regularly and penetrate to a depth of 40 cm into the soil.
Feeding rules
A mandatory step in the list of procedures for caring for strawberries in the spring is fertilization. During this period, the first feeding of strawberries is performed. It is carried out before the flowering of plants, when the growth of bushes began after the snow melted. Processing stimulates the development of strawberries and the growth of green mass.
For top dressing, a solution is prepared, which is then used for watering under the root of the plants. In the spring, experienced gardeners fertilize strawberries with the following means:
- mullein solution in a ratio of 1:10;
- 1 part whey or low fat milk to 3 parts water
- a solution of chicken manure in a ratio of 1:12.
Herbal infusion helps to saturate plants with nitrogen. It is prepared on the basis of nettle or other weeds. The crushed fresh herbs should fill the bucket by a third, after which it is poured with water. The product is infused for 3-4 days, then applied for irrigation.
Spring strawberry care includes wood ash fertilizer. It contains calcium, potassium and phosphorus, necessary for the full development of plants. On the basis of the ash, a solution is prepared with which the plantings are watered. Ash is also applied to the soil before planting strawberries.
Disease Prevention
The cause of most diseases is the spread of a harmful fungus. Its spores infect the ground part of plants, lead to the appearance of rot and spotting on the leaves.
Prevention of strawberry diseases begins in early spring, when the affected leaves and stems of plants are removed. For the prevention of planting, they are treated with fungicides – chemicals that can destroy the fungus. All preparations are used before flowering.
Fungicides “Fundazol”, “Euparen”, “Alirin” have good properties. Means are used strictly in accordance with the instructions.
The fungus spreads in high humidity during warm weather. Care for strawberries after winter, timely pruning of plants and mulching of the soil will help to avoid such conditions.
Folk methods for diseases allow you to disinfect the soil and strawberries. One of the options for processing plants is Garlic infusion, which will require 0,1 kg of arrows, husks or chopped heads of garlic. The product is poured with warm water and left for a day. Garlic infusion is used for watering strawberries.
Iodine solution has similar properties. For its preparation, 10 drops of iodine and 10 liters of water are taken. Plant treatment can be carried out every week.
Another tool for cooking in summer conditions is mustard infusion. It is obtained by diluting 50 g of mustard powder in 5 liters of water. The product is left for two days, then another 5 liters of water are added and the plants are watered.
Pest Control
Strawberries after winter need additional protection from pests. Insects can cause serious damage to the strawberry crop. To combat them, you need to treat the plants in early spring.
Weevils, aphids, nematodes, slugs cause the greatest harm to plantings. Special preparations will help get rid of insects – Karbofos, Corsair, Metaphos, Zolon. They are used only before the flowering of plants.
An effective insect repellent is a solution of pink potassium permanganate. Rows between plantings are sprinkled with ash, tobacco dust or superphosphate. Against slugs, special granules “Thunderstorm” or “Meta” are used.
On the advice of experienced gardeners, strawberry care in the spring takes place using folk remedies:
- onion infusion (0,2 kg of husk is poured into 10 liters of water and infused for 3 days);
- a decoction of wormwood (1 kg of crushed plants is poured with water and boiled for 10 minutes, then used for irrigation);
- mustard solution (0,1 kg of mustard powder is diluted with water and watered with strawberries).
Planting onions, garlic, marigolds, fennel, mustard will help protect strawberries from pests. These plants
Conclusion
The time of work on the care of strawberries largely depends on the region. Procedures begin to be carried out after the snow melts. With timely pruning, watering and fertilizing, plantings will be able to develop normally. Every 3 years, the place for the beds is changed.
In the spring, plants are prevented from diseases and pests. For this, folk remedies or chemicals are used. Most of the work in the spring is completed before the strawberries begin to bloom.