Features of agricultural technology when planting strawberries in the fall

In April and even in May, in most regions, the earth is still not sufficiently warmed up, since the weather in recent years has been unstable and has a tendency to prolonged cold weather. The harvest from the bushes of spring planting in the current year can only be expected from certain varieties of strawberries purchased by seedlings in nurseries. However, in most cases, full-fledged fruiting begins only the next season, since all summer the fry builds up the root system, green mass, and lays buds. That is why planting strawberries in autumn is considered more appropriate than in spring.

At the end of summer there is an opportunity to choose strong fresh seedlings that will have time to take root before frost. But in order for the young plantation to come out from under the snow without loss in the spring and give a good harvest, you need to know some nuances.

Optimal timing

The autumn laying of a young strawberry plantation is best done from mid-August to September 15-20, when the soil temperature allows the roots of the seedlings to quickly take root and develop. For the winter, the bushes will leave with well-formed fruit buds and a strengthened structure.

In some sources, planting is allowed until the end of October, but this is only relevant for the southern regions. In most areas, at this time, the first frosts on the soil already begin, the weather deteriorates, day and night temperatures drop. Such conditions will not allow strawberry seedlings to fully prepare for winter, even if the variety is resistant to cold weather.

Seat selection

Autumn is also good because the main harvest from the garden has already been almost entirely harvested, so you can freely choose where to plant young strawberry bushes.

There are three factors to consider when looking for a location.

1. Illumination. It is only when the bush receives enough sunlight and warmth that the strawberries will be sweet and juicy, not watery and tasteless. But scorching rays will not be good either. It is optimal to make the ridge in the light partial shade of the greenhouse or not far from fruit trees.
2. Good drainage. In the spring, in stagnant places, there is a high probability of the bushes getting wet. In a rainy summer, plantings will suffer from various types of fungal infections, the berries will rot before ripening.
3. Suitable predecessors. The extent to which it will be susceptible to diseases and pests depends on what crops grew in the chosen place to strawberries. Progenitor plants also affect soil composition. You can safely plant strawberries after carrots and beets, any herbs, onions or garlic. But after potatoes, cucumbers or cabbage, there is a risk of contamination of the plantation with viruses.

If the place is chosen successfully, then the strawberries will be less sick even in unfavorable season in terms of weather conditions, and the berries will show all the characteristics of the variety.

Soil preparation

It is good if the soil on the site is initially fertile and loose, but not all gardening is well located. Often it is necessary to make a number of efforts to obtain an acceptable soil for growing. Strawberries are considered an unpretentious crop, but it is important for its roots to provide good air exchange and access to nutrients.

Advice

Soil preparation for autumn planting of strawberries is done in 10-14 days.

Clay soil

In clay soil, strawberries will grow poorly and bear fruit; planting it in such a place without preliminary soil preparation is not worth it. It is possible to make its structure better in terms of air permeability by introducing coarse river sand in a proportion of 8-10 kg per 1 m²... Sawdust will also help to lighten clay soil, but only for 3-4 years, but this period is just enough for the fruiting cycle of a strawberry plantation.

Clay soils are often combined with deep peat and have increased acidity, which can be reduced by adding hydrated lime in an amount of 500 g per 1m²... However, this method is not suitable for immature strawberry seedlings, therefore, it is not worth adding lime and dolomite flour directly in the year of planting. When laying a young plantation in the autumn, it is better to use the ash of deciduous trees to deoxidize the soil. Application is made at the rate of 1 glass per 1 m².

Advice

Indicator of acidic soil - active overgrowing of the site with horsetail, green moss, wormwood, colza, sorrel.

Strawberries are not as sensitive to acidity as, for example, currants, however, when planting in autumn for young bushes, it is important not only to have time to take root before frost, but also to accumulate a certain supply of nutrition. The assimilation of elements from the soil with increased acidity is seriously hampered.

Sandy soil

It is better not to plant strawberries on sandy soils, since there will be a constant lack of nutrition, overheating of the roots. Such soil is usually prepared in a year. However, there is a way to solve the problem of land in the autumn laying of a strawberry plantation. The main task is not so much to enrich the soil with nutrition, but to compact its structure. For this, manure (rotted), peat or compost is introduced in a proportion of 6-10 kg of raw materials per 1 m² soil. After digging, the earth must be given time to shrink, a week will be enough for this (against the background of rains - 4-5 days).

If manure or compost is not available, then potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate) with double superphosphate can be added: 35 g per 1 m².

Fertilizers

It is easier to plant in autumn than in spring, since the soil is dry, light and easy to cultivate. However, the predecessor plants have already taken some of the necessary micro- and macroelements from it, so the strawberry bed must be fertilized during autumn planting. When preparing plants for winter, it is recommended to add only organic additives. The plant needs substances that will help it survive the winter: phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.

The ideal option for autumn feeding of strawberry seedlings in any soil is a sprinkle - well-rotted manure (2 years of aging). Embedding in the ground is carried out at the rate of 6 kg per 1 m².

Advice

It is not recommended to add urea and fresh manure to the beds before planting strawberries, as this can damage the roots of the seedlings. Feeding with urea is best done after 10 days: dilute 30 g in 10 liters of water, pour 1 liter under each strawberry bush, then spill with plain water. Repeat after 2 weeks.

Preparation of seedlings

In autumn, the choice of strawberry planting material is much richer than in spring, when you have to buy or grow seedlings. After fruiting, the plant begins to throw out a mustache, which many gardeners willingly share. When planning the autumn planting of strawberries, it is better to take care of the seedlings in advance, digging in and marking the "kids" from the most fertile bushes with delicious berries. The first three offspring are ideal. Ideally, only the outlet closest to the mother bush is left, the rest are removed, but if there is not enough mustache, then two can be released.

The "female" fruiting part of the strawberry bush has a little mustache, but it is worth adding them. The male half produces a lot of offspring, but afterwards you can only wait for powerful foliage.

If the strawberry planting material was purchased in a store or nursery, then it is recommended to first treat the root system with a fungicide so as not to infect the entire soil in case of infection. An effective solution is the following solution: 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate and a tablespoon of table salt in a 10-liter bucket of water. In it, the seedlings are soaked for 10 minutes, then rinsed with clean water.It is recommended to prune the roots to 5-8 cm, this will stimulate the branching of the suction system.

Seedlings bought in cassettes, in the presence of suspicious signs, can be spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and treated with a solution of copper sulfate on the sheet.

Landing technique

So, how to properly plant strawberries in the fall? When marking a ridge for strawberries, a number of rules should be taken into account:

• the distance between bushes in a row should be at least 30 cm;
• row spacing - 60-70 cm;
• the height of the ridge in a dry area is 20-25 cm, on a swampy area - 35-45 cm.

When the strawberry plantations are thickened, the bushes begin to be massively affected by fungus and various types of rot.

The planting technique itself in the fall does not differ from the spring one:

1. a hole is dug in the ground for the length of the roots (8-10 cm);
2. spilled with water (better - with a warm solution of humate);
3. a mound is poured to the bottom, around which the roots of the seedling are straightened (the root collar should be at ground level);
4. the hole is covered with earth.

When watering, you should hold the strawberry bush so that it does not fall over, and also to avoid drowning the growing point in the ground.

Advice

Some sources recommend planting 2-3 bushes in one hole, but this technique will make the plants compete for food, the berries are quickly crushed. It is more correct to maintain a distance of 3-5 cm when planting in a heap, placing the seedlings in a triangle.

Mulching

The better the autumn plantings of strawberries are mulched, the higher the chances of a new plantation to survive the winter successfully. Mulch will ensure the preservation of moisture and heat in frosts, protect it from weathering and drying out in early spring.

Some mulch a small layer of strawberries immediately after planting, but many leave the ground around the seedlings open until frost to control moisture. The optimal time to cover the soil is mid-October.

As mulch for the winter, you can use (the thickness of the layer is indicated in brackets):

• needles (5-7 cm);
• straw (10-15 cm);
• peat (5 cm).

Pine needles are a good option, as they contain special substances - phytoncides, which will protect the soil and strawberry seedlings from infections, and also create an air "cushion" in the beds. It should be noted that mulch is poured under the leaves, but in no case on them. In the spring, with the beginning of the growing season, the shelter is removed.

Care

When a young strawberry plantation is planted, the main task before frost is to ensure sufficient soil moisture. If the autumn is rainy, then the issue is resolved by itself, and in dry weather it is better to periodically water the fragile bushes.

If the soil is prepared with fertilization, then fertilizing will not be required until the end of the next season.

The autumn planting of strawberries has many advantages, since during this period the conditions for survival are most favorable: there is no heat, scorching sun, cold weather and dampness. The main thing is not to delay the deadlines and plant young bushes until mid-September.

The main plus of the autumn laying of a strawberry plantation is that, provided that the soil is properly prepared and in the presence of remontant varieties, the whole next season can be harvested. And when planting in spring, the bushes develop in a sparing mode, the peduncles are removed. Most summer residents prefer to use the sown area as rationally as possible, therefore, with an autumn planting, they provide themselves with a tasty berry for the entire next season.