How to grow strawberries from seed? Detailed planting methods and steps
The strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Fragaria in the rose family (Rosaceae). Its propagation methods include seed propagation and division propagation. In commercial production, division propagation is mostly used. Seed propagation is more often used for long-distance introduction of varieties or for growing strawberry seedlings to breed new varieties, and can also be used for courtyard landscaping with dual-purpose fresh-eating planting. Let's take a look below at how to grow strawberries from seed!
Seed collection
When harvesting the fruit in May to June, select well-developed, fully ripe strawberries for seed collection. Peel off the fruit skin, put it in water, wash away the pulp, scoop it out and dry it. Alternatively, dry the peeled skin directly, then rub and crush it, and the skin and seeds will separate.
Seed treatment
Pour the strawberry seeds into warm water at 60-70°C and soak and wash them while stirring constantly until the water temperature drops to about 25°C, then stop. Continue soaking for 2-3 hours, then scoop them out 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 to germinate. 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 can be sown.
Sowing method
Before sowing strawberry seeds, first flood the seedbed with a small amount of water, 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. The covering thickness is preferably 0.3-0.5 cm, and shade it with straw mats, removing them once the seedlings emerge uniformly.
Seedbed preparation
For the strawberry seedling-raising plot, choose fertile loam soil and apply sufficient base fertilizer. For the base fertilizer, dry barnyard manure in the sun, then crush it and apply it to the seedling plot 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, with a depth of about 33 cm. After plowing, harrow it fine and level, and build ridges to make beds 0.8-1 m wide and 8-10 m long, keeping the beds level to facilitate drainage, irrigation and management.
Seedling stage management
1. Watering: Strawberry seedlings are not suited to flood irrigation. Sprinkler irrigation can be used to meet the water supply. After 6 true leaves, small flood irrigation can be used.
2. Weeding: During the strawberry seedling stage, weeds should be pulled out frequently and promptly.
3. Replanting: Once strawberry seedlings grow 3-5 true leaves, they can be transplanted, thinning where dense and filling in where sparse.
4. Topdressing: When strawberry seedlings grow to 6 true leaves, the first topdressing can be carried out, and urea is preferable for the topdressing.