Strawberries🍓 prefer fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, with a slightly acidic pH (5.5-6.5).
Continue reading “Strawberries: How to Provide the Perfect Conditions”
Strawberries: How to Provide the Perfect Conditions
How to Increase Soil Organic Matter? Importance of Organic Matter in Strawberry Production. Organic Matter – the Secret of Bountiful Crops.
It has long been known that humus plays a key role in the soil and in the numerous beneficial processes that occur within it. It is humus that gives the soil a granular structure, promotes moisture retention in the soil, is a source of nutrients for plants, and provides invaluable support for beneficial soil microorganisms.
What can be done to increase the humus content in the soil? It is worth using homemade compost both before planting strawberries and during the vegetation period. Every few years, it is beneficial to spread and dig in old, well-rotted manure in the garden. Mulching strawberries with straw or another organic mass, such as ground branches, also promotes the accumulation of humus in the soil.
Introducing and maintaining the right amount of humus in the soil will allow strawberries to grow healthily and bear fruit abundantly.
When to Plant Strawberries? Spring vs. Summer vs. Fall
In gardening practice, we distinguish three planting terms for strawberries: spring, summer, and autumn. It’s hard to say which one is the best, as each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Spring Planting:
The most popular is spring planting after the frosts have ceased, usually from mid-March to the end of May. Plants planted at this time benefit from:
- Large water reserves in the soil, helping them take root without losses.
- They quickly form a strong root system, showing rapid growth.
While the first crop from spring-planted strawberries may not be abundant, the plants have plenty of time until autumn to:
- Root deeply and
- Produce a multitude of flower bud initiations, which will determine the yield in the following year.
Summer Planting:
Summer planting (July or August) is also highly recommended. Key benefits include:
- Like spring planting, plants have enough time until autumn to establish a strong root system.
- They also generate many flower bud initiations, typically resulting in a full fruit yield the following year.
Additionally, the period requiring maintenance treatments is shorter compared to spring planting. However, summer planting has its drawbacks:
- There is often a shortage of strongly rooted seedlings during this time, leading to higher prices.
- Summer can bring a deficit of water in the soil, necessitating regular irrigation of the plants.
To solve this, we recommend purchasing potted seedlings, which are available at our farm.
In July, we usually offer large quantities of well-rooted seedlings in a full range of varieties.
Autumn Planting:
Autumn planting (September, October) is also common. The main advantage of this period is the availability of strongly rooted seedlings in large quantities. However, late autumn planting comes with a higher risk of the plants freezing during winter, especially for strawberry varieties from warmer regions than Central Europe.
To protect the plants, we recommend using white agrotextile, which will help them survive the winter months.
What is the Best Precursor Crop for Strawberries? What Crops Should You Avoid Planting Before Strawberries?
Strawberries🍓 have their “moods” – they grow and fruit better after certain crops and worse or even very poorly after others. Good predecessors for strawberries are annual leguminous plants (peas, beans, but also lupins, fava beans, and vetch), root vegetables (carrots, celery, parsley, beetroot);😊
Continue reading “What is the Best Precursor Crop for Strawberries? What Crops Should You Avoid Planting Before Strawberries?”
Should You Cut Strawberry Leaves After Fruiting?
I assume the question concerns traditional, non-repeating varieties. Here we have two schools of thought. One says – cut back, the other – absolutely do not cut back. One thing is certain, if our strawberries look OK after the harvest, meaning there’s no significant disease or pest infestation (especially spider mites) visible on the leaves, the strawberries aren’t overly weedy, they seem to be in good condition and “have life in them”, then, in my opinion, cutting the leaves doesn’t make much sense.🙂
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Soil Requirements for Strawberries
Strawberries 🍓 will thrive and bear fruit in any soil, as long as it is permeable and in good horticultural condition. Continue reading “Soil Requirements for Strawberries”
How Densely Should You Plant Strawberries? What’s the Best Spacing?
Well, on one hand, you’d want to plant strawberries 🍓 as densely as possible in hopes of a high yield. On the other hand, there’s a sensible limit to the number of plants per unit area, and excessive crowding will cause individual plants to compete with each other for water and nutrients, and the maturing fruits, lacking sufficient sunlight ☀️, will be smaller and not as sweet as they could be. Moreover, due to the increased humidity in overly dense plantings, conditions become favorable for various fungal infections, especially gray mold. Continue reading “How Densely Should You Plant Strawberries? What’s the Best Spacing?”
Fertilization of Strawberries: Key to a Successful Harvest. How, When, and What to Fertilize with Strawberries
Strawberries are not particularly “greedy” plants, however, without fertilizing them, there is no talking about successful cultivation.😀 Strawberries grow in one place most often for two or three years, sometimes even longer, so their fertilization, as in the case of all perennial plants, takes place in certain stages. Continue reading “Fertilization of Strawberries: Key to a Successful Harvest. How, When, and What to Fertilize with Strawberries”
Everbearing Strawberries – The Solution for Those Who Find the Strawberry Season Too Short. Decoration and Tasty Fruits in One.
Example Everbearing Varieties 🍓:
- Selva
- Ostara
- San Andreas
This is a group of varieties that, unlike traditional varieties, bloom and bear fruit from late spring to late autumn, in practice – until the first frost. Continue reading “Everbearing Strawberries – The Solution for Those Who Find the Strawberry Season Too Short. Decoration and Tasty Fruits in One.”
Watering Strawberries – The Key to Bountiful Harvests
If we are unable to water strawberries🍓, it’s better not to plant them at all.
Continue reading “Watering Strawberries – The Key to Bountiful Harvests”
