Snow White strawberries are expensive, but their growing method is similar to that of ordinary varieties

Friends who like eating strawberries have probably all heard of the “Snow White” strawberry. The “Snow White” strawberry lives up to its name: it not only has high ornamental value, but its taste is also very good. It also has high economic value, making it a superior variety that many strawberry growers want to choose. The “Snow White” strawberry is a new strawberry variety bred from a selected variant of tissue-cultured seedlings. Let’s learn about its growing and cultivation techniques below.

1. Planting time

In order to sell at the best time, management before flower bud differentiation should ideally begin with transplanting in September. For strawberry seedlings transplanted in early September, in addition to timely watering, a shade net should be added for shading. The net should be 1.2 m above the ground for easy operation by workers. Dead leaves, old leaves, axillary buds and stolons should be removed in time, keeping 5-6 leaves. Flower bud differentiation requires lower temperatures and short-day conditions, so a straw mat (straw curtain) can be added over the shade net. By uncovering and covering the straw mat, short-day conditions and lower temperatures are created artificially to promote differentiation of the terminal inflorescence and axillary inflorescences.

2. Irrigation management

During flowering and the early stage of berry growth, irrigate once each. Furrow irrigation is best, with water filled to 2/3 of the furrow height, so that the water gradually seeps into the bed soil and the remaining water in the furrow is drained away. If the weather is dry, irrigate once every 5-7 days. For hole irrigation, fit a section of metal pipe onto the front end of a rubber hose; this saves water and keeps the bed soil loose. In rainy autumn periods, drain water promptly. Drainage ditches should be prepared early around the strawberry field so that the water in the furrows inside the shed can be fully drained.

3. Adding plastic film

From October to early November, the inflorescence differentiation period of strawberries ends, and the shade net can be removed. In the Jianghuai region, ground film is applied after “Start of Winter”, and greenhouse film is applied before “Major Snow”, keeping the temperature inside the shed at 28-30℃. In “warm winter” years, medium-shed plastic film is added during “Winter Solstice”. In “cold winter” years, both large-shed and medium-shed plastic film should be applied at the same time. In short, from “Minor Cold” to “Major Cold”, the temperature inside the shed should be kept above 25℃, or at least above 23℃. Only when the above temperatures are met can strawberries grow normally.

4. Ventilation operations

The soil moisture for growing strawberry seedlings should preferably be 70%-80%. The air humidity inside the shed is best at 60%-70%. Therefore, when the temperature inside the shed exceeds 30℃, ventilation should be carried out. From November to December, the plastic film at both ends of the large shed and medium shed should be opened for ventilation from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. When the humidity inside the shed exceeds 70%, ventilation should also be carried out to reduce the air humidity inside the shed. During the flowering period, keeping bees inside the shed can be done by making additional nylon mesh at both ends of the large and medium sheds to facilitate smooth ventilation. Another function of greenhouse ventilation is that it can also prevent and control strawberry powdery mildew.