When is the best time to plant strawberries? A full analysis of the latest planting times
Strawberries are cultivated in various regions of our country, generally growing in areas with warm weather, and are not tolerant of cold. Hebei Province, Shandong Province and many southern provinces and cities all grow strawberries. Strawberries cover more than 1.5 million mu nationwide, mainly distributed in Sichuan, Hebei, Anhui, Liaoning, Shandong and other places. Now let us take a look together at when strawberries are planted!
When are strawberries planted?
Strawberries originated in South America and are perennial herbaceous plants of the genus Fragaria in the Rosaceae family. The seeds have no obvious dormancy period, or sowing after a certain period will all germinate. The planting time is generally spring or autumn, but in fact strawberries can be planted in all four seasons.
When do strawberries ripen?
Strawberries are widely cultivated around the world, with more than 2000 varieties. They love light, like moisture, fear waterlogging, are not drought-tolerant, and prefer fertile, well-aerated sandy loam soil. When the spring temperature rises above 5 degrees, the plants begin to sprout, and the optimum growth temperature is 20-26 degrees. In the Jiangsu region, they sprout in late February, bloom in early to mid-April, and the fruit ripens in mid to late May. When the temperature is below 17 degrees and under short-day conditions of 10-12 hours, flower buds differentiate, and there is a short period of dormancy in winter. But usually strawberries come onto the market around February to March. In fact, every year from December to January of the following year is the peak season for picking strawberries, but some people say that strawberries during this period are basically ripened artificially, so the true ripening time of strawberries is April to May.
What conditions are needed to grow strawberries?
1. Temperature: Strawberries like warm and cool climates. The root growth temperature is 5-30°C, the optimum temperature is 15-22°C, the optimum temperature for stem and leaf growth is 20-30°C, buds suffer freezing damage at -15 to -10°C, the temperature during flower bud differentiation must remain at 5-15°C, and the flowering and fruiting period is 4-40°C. When overwintering in summer, when the temperature is above 30°C and the sunlight is strong, shading measures need to be taken.
2. Light: Strawberries are light-loving plants, but they also have relatively strong shade tolerance. Under strong light, the plants are short and sturdy, the fruit is small, the color is deep, and the quality is good. Under medium light, the fruit is large, the color is light, the sugar content is low, and the harvest period is longer. Too weak light is unfavorable for strawberry growth.
3. Water: Strawberry roots are shallowly distributed and transpiration is large, so water requirements are strict, but different growth stages have slightly different water requirements. In early spring and the flowering period, water needs are slightly lower than 70% of the soil's maximum water-holding capacity; during fruit growth and ripening, the requirement is as high as more than 80%; after harvest, when runners are produced and new adventitious roots develop, the soil water content also needs to be no lower than 70%; autumn is the period when the plants accumulate nutrients and form flower buds, and soil moisture must also not be lower than 60%. Strawberries are not tolerant of waterlogging and require good soil permeability. Pay attention to field drainage during the rainy season.
4. Soil: Strawberries are suitable for growing in fertile, loose neutral or slightly acidic loam soil. Overly heavy clay soil is not suitable for cultivation. Sandy soil with more manure applied and frequent irrigation can also grow strawberries.