How to Grow Strawberries from Seed? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods
Strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Fragaria in the Rosaceae family. Its propagation methods include seed propagation and division propagation. Division propagation is mostly used in production, while seed propagation is more often used for long-distance introduction of varieties or for cultivating strawberry seedlings to breed new varieties. It can also be used for courtyard greening and dual-purpose fresh-eating planting. Now let us take a look at how to grow strawberries from seed!
Seed Collection
When strawberry fruits are harvested from May to June, select well-developed and fully mature fruits for seed collection. Pare off the peel, put it into water, wash away the pulp, remove it and let it dry. Alternatively, dry the pared peel directly, then rub it to pieces, and the peel and seeds will separate.
Seed Treatment
Pour the strawberry seeds into warm water at 60-70°C and soak them while stirring constantly until the water temperature drops to about 25°C. Continue soaking for 2-3 hours, then remove them and rub them with your hands until the seed coats are clean and glossy. Then rinse them clean with clear water and cover them with several layers of wet gauze. Place them at 25-30°C for germination. Wet the gauze with warm water three times a day (morning, noon and evening) to keep the seeds in a moist environment. Once 60-70% of the seeds have sprouted white, they are ready for sowing.
Sowing Method
Before sowing strawberry seeds, first irrigate the bed with a light flooding, then rake the bed surface level. When the water in the bed has seeped down, the seeds can be sown. Strawberry seeds are small, so broadcasting is best. The sowing rate is preferably 2.5-4.5 grams per square meter. Immediately after broadcasting, evenly scatter the prepared covering soil over the bed surface, with a covering thickness of 0.3-0.5 cm, and shade it with straw mats, which can be removed once the seedlings emerge evenly.
Seedbed Preparation
For the strawberry seedling bed, choose fertile loam soil and apply sufficient base fertilizer. For the base fertilizer, dry manure in the sun, then crush it and apply it to the seedling land that is still to be plowed. The application rate is 5-10 jin per square meter, and compound fertilizer should also be added appropriately. After spreading the fertilizer, carry out careful plowing to a depth of about 33 cm. After plowing, harrow it fine and level, and build ridges and make beds 0.8-1 m wide and 8-10 m long, keeping the bed surface level to facilitate drainage, irrigation and management.
Seedling Stage Management
1. Watering: Strawberry seedlings are not suited to flooding irrigation at the seedling stage. Sprinkler irrigation can be used to meet the water supply. After 6 true leaves, light flooding irrigation can be used.
2. Weeding: During the small seedling stage of strawberries, weeds should be pulled out frequently and promptly.
3. Replanting: Once strawberry seedlings grow 3-5 true leaves, they can be transplanted to fill gaps where planting is sparse.
4. Topdressing: When strawberry seedlings grow to 6 true leaves, the first topdressing can be carried out, preferably with urea.