Having planted strawberries on their site, each summer resident should pay great attention to the care and nutrition of the plant, especially during the period of bud formation, flowering and fruiting. Timely application of suitable feeding will not only ensure enhanced plant growth and the formation of juicy sweet berries, but also protect the crop and future harvest from diseases and pests. We will tell you in detail about how to feed strawberries and what safe formulations are better to use.
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Basic rules of care and feeding
If we talk about the full range of measures for the care of strawberries, then it includes:
- top dressing - root and foliar;
- watering;
- mustache trimming;
- pollination.
As the strawberry bushes mature, the composition of fertilizers is changed annually for full development and fruiting:
- In the first year, when planting in prepared soil, additional feeding is not required.
- The next year after planting, organic matter and complexes of mineral fertilizers are introduced.
- In the third year, organic matter is not used, only mineral compositions are used.
- In the fourth year, organic substances are again used together with minerals.
How many dressings do strawberries need
The main stages that cannot be neglected are the period of green mass gain and budding. But besides this, there are other periods when it is desirable to add nutrients for the development and preservation of the qualities of the culture.
First spring feeding
In early spring, before the first leaves have blossomed, it is necessary to prune and apply nitrogen fertilizers.
For root dressing, the following formulations have proven themselves well:
- In a bucket of water, two glasses of mullein are bred and ammonium sulfate (1 tbsp. l.). The solution is designed for 10 strawberry bushes.
- You can simply dilute a liter of chicken manure or mullein with a bucket of water, leave for 2-4 days and water the bushes. This volume is enough for 20 strawberry bushes.
The buds have begun to form - we proceed to the second feeding
Strawberries begin to bloom in early summer and during this period they need potash fertilizers, which contributes to strengthening the plant, protecting the leaves and the formation of tasty large berries, as well as the safety of the harvest after collection.
Important! Before and after feeding, the bushes must be thoroughly watered.
During the flowering period, the following types of dressings are well suited:
- Dissolve 40 ml of 10% ammonia in a bucket of water and add a liter of soap solution. This composition protects the plant from disease and increases yield. Water the bushes at the root, without touching the leaves of the plant.
- Yeast stimulates plant growth; to prepare fertilizer, you can soak a loaf of rye bread in water for a week, dilute in a bucket and spray the plants.
- Ash is a useful additive for saturating the soil with useful trace elements and protecting against diseases. To prepare the solution, insist a liter of ash in a bucket of water and add under each bush.
- Iodine is another drug that can not only feed strawberries, but also protect against diseases. Use the composition before flowering, when the first buds begin to form. Only 3-4 drops of iodine are needed for a bucket of water.
Use additional foliar feeding
Additional foliar dressing has a beneficial effect on plant growth and fruit formation, therefore spray, first when young leaves appear, always during the flowering period, and then during the formation ovaries.
How and what to spray:
- The best composition at the beginning of flowering is a boric acid solution. To prepare a solution for 10 bushes of water, 5 g of boric acid are diluted in a bucket of water.
- Water the strawberries thoroughly before fertilizing.
- Spraying is started on sunny days in the morning or evening, or in cloudy weather.
- During the process, make sure that the solution falls on both sides of the leaves.
Add three more additional dressings
Do not neglect feeding in other periods:
- During the period of berry formation, it is also important to support the plant for the growth of large and high-quality fruits; feeding with a mullein solution will be the best.
- After fruiting is complete, the plant needs to rest and gain strength, so it is also good to feed strawberries to strengthen immunity and support root formation.
- At the end of autumn, one more top dressing will not be superfluous to support the plant before wintering and prepare for the next season.
Now you will definitely not miss the deadline and know safe ways to feed strawberries for strong bushes and a rich harvest. Pay attention to plants during all periods of development, so that every year you and your loved ones will be pleased with a tasty, juicy berry from your own plot.
Do you know how to increase your strawberry harvest?
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