How to manage strawberries during the flowering period? Keep these precautions in mind

The strawberry flowering period is an important stage that determines the quality of the fruit produced, and it requires careful attention. So what should be noted during the strawberry flowering period?

What to note during the strawberry flowering period

1. When strawberries are flowering, the temperature inside the greenhouse should be well controlled, keeping it between 15-28°C during the day and between 8-12°C at night, not lower than 5°C. During this period, the field water-holding capacity should be around 80%, and sunlight exposure should be at least around 12 hours.

2. The air humidity inside the greenhouse should be kept at around 50%. Too much or too little humidity will affect pollination quality, and further affect strawberry flowering and fruit setting. Supplemental pollination for strawberries includes three forms: manual pollination, chemical hormones, and bee pollination.

3. When strawberries are about to flower, sufficient nutrients should be supplemented. Some urea and compound fertilizer can be used, applied together with watering. While ensuring the soil stays moist, this lets the plants absorb nutrients better. You can also spray some foliar fertilizer on the leaves to help the fruit stem grow.

4. Remove some runners and withered old leaves to reduce unnecessary nutrient consumption. This can improve photosynthetic efficiency, reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, and increase yield. Keep some runners with relatively good growth vigor, as long as they can meet propagation needs. The specific situation should be determined according to actual growth conditions.

5. Flower thinning should be carried out during the flowering period. Generally, flowers that bloom later on the inflorescence cannot produce fruit and are ineffective flowers. Keep only 2-3 robust inflorescences per plant to enlarge fruit size, promote ripening, concentrate the harvest period, and also prevent premature aging of the plant.

6. The main diseases during the strawberry flowering period include gray mold, powdery mildew, etc. Pesticides such as Cuize, Jianda, and Lufei can be sprayed. The main pests include thrips, aphids, red spiders, etc. Use corresponding insecticides for control.

During the strawberry flowering period, scientific management must be carried out properly. Only when care work is done well can large, red, and delicious strawberries be produced.