When is the best time to plant strawberries? A detailed guide to planting time and methods
Strawberry planting time
Under normal conditions, strawberries are best planted in January or from September to December.
Strawberry growing tips
I. Pre-winter management
1. Apply light fertilizer frequently: in mid-October, apply 5-8 kg per mu of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer or urea to promote root growth, increase the number of flowers on the terminal inflorescence, and enhance the plants' winter hardiness. Apply a second top dressing from mid-November to early December, in a small amount, with 7 kg per mu each time of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer or urea.
2. Keep moist: from late September to early October, begin covering with film to retain heat. In addition to double coverage with large greenhouse and small arch films, leaf covering and other heat-retention measures can also be used.
3. Weed, loosen the soil, and remove old and diseased leaves.
II. Management before and after flowering
During the flowering and fruit-setting period, strawberries should mainly be kept at 20°C-28°C. During this period, special attention must be paid to preventing freezing damage during flowering; temperatures below 5°C must not occur. Spray 800-fold “Xingaozhimo“ emulsion, once about every 10 days, 2 times in total. Prevent freezing and cold damage, and protect flowers and fruits.
Before flowering, at the young fruit stage, and at the fruit enlargement stage, spray “Caiguo Zhuangdiling” with 0.3%-0.5% urea plus 0.3% monopotassium phosphate solution, and apply 0.1-0.2 kg urea per plant, to supplement the nutrients needed for fruit growth and improve grain filling quality.
Strawberry fruits are tender and the flowering period is long, so integrated pest and disease control measures must be especially emphasized. Do not use chemical control during the flowering and fruit-setting period and the fruit development period. To control gray mold, bud blight, and similar diseases, mainly apply chemicals before flowering; procymidone, thiophanate-methyl, or metalaxyl can be used.
III. Overwintering management
Strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant, and the key period for its high-yield management is winter. The key to winter management lies in doing well in the “three preventions”: preventing cold, preventing drought, and preventing early flowering.
Before the cold winter arrives, water thoroughly to prevent cold damage.
When are strawberries planted? Strawberry planting time and methods
Strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Fragaria of the rose family, and is one of everyone's favorite fruits. Strawberries have a unique flavor and are rich in nutrients, and are known as the “queen of fruits.” They are very popular in the market and have high planting value. So, when are strawberries planted? The strawberry planting time and methods are introduced below.
Image: Strawberry planting
I. Strawberry planting time
Strawberry originated in South America and is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Fragaria of the rose family. The seeds have no obvious dormancy period, or they can germinate when sown after a certain period. The planting time is generally spring or autumn, but in fact strawberries can be planted in all four seasons.
II. Strawberry planting methods
1. Site selection and land preparation:The strawberry plot should preferably be a site with sufficient light, slightly higher terrain, level ground, convenient irrigation and drainage, fertile and loose soil, and a previous crop of beans or onion and garlic vegetables. The plot should first be cleared of weeds and underground pests. It can be sprayed with 1000-fold 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate (moistening the soil layer 5-6 cm) to control white grubs, mole crickets, and cutworms. After 1 week, apply per mu as base fertilizer 5000 kg of high-quality decomposed farmyard manure, 100 kg of superphosphate, and 50 kg of potassium chloride. Combine with deep plowing of the plot, prepare the land finely, and make beds 20 cm high and 50 cm wide, with furrows 30 cm wide. The length of the greenhouse should be limited to 20 m, with 4 beds inside.
Image: Strawberry
2. Transplanting technique:To strive for strawberries to reach the market from the end of January to early February, the time for transplanting strawberry seedlings from the propagation nursery to the greenhouse beds should be in early September. Seedlings should be lifted and transplanted as they go. Plant 2 rows per bed, with 27 cm row spacing and 20 cm hole spacing, planting 12000 plants per mu. When planting, the inflorescences of plants in the same row should face the same direction, with the arched back of the strawberry seedling facing the intended growth direction of the inflorescence, the crown exposed above the bed surface, and the root system spread flat and buried in the loose soil layer. Water immediately after planting, and bury exposed roots into the soil layer.
3. Cultivation and fertilization:Loosen the soil by cultivation to help decompose organic matter. From November to December, shallow cultivation should be done 3 times. Apply top dressing once each at the early flowering stage and the early fruit-setting stage. Apply per mu 10 kg urea, 20 kg phosphate fertilizer, 10 kg potassium chloride, or 35 kg ternary compound fertilizer.
4. Management before flower bud differentiation:For strawberry seedlings transplanted in early September, in addition to timely water supplementation, shade nets should be added for shading. The net should be 1.2 m above the ground to facilitate workers' operations. Promptly remove dead leaves, old leaves, axillary buds, and runners, keeping 5-6 leaves. Flower bud differentiation requires relatively low temperatures and short-day conditions, so straw mats (straw curtains) can be added over the shade net. Through the process of uncovering and covering the straw mats, short-day conditions and relatively low temperatures are artificially created to promote differentiation of the terminal inflorescence and axillary inflorescences, lasting more than a month.
Image: Strawberry
5. Irrigation and drainage methods:At flowering and at the early stage of berry growth, irrigate once each. Furrow irrigation is preferred, with water filled to 2/3 of the furrow height, allowing water to gradually seep into the bed soil, and draining the remaining water in the furrow. 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 also keeps the bed soil loose. In autumn, when there is a lot of rain, drain promptly. Drainage ditches should be prepared early around the strawberry plot so that the water in the greenhouse bed furrows can be fully drained.
6. Adding plastic film:From October to early November, which is the end of the strawberry inflorescence differentiation period, the shade net can be removed. In the Jianghuai region, cover with ground film after “Lidong” (Start of Winter), and cover with greenhouse film before “Daxue” (Major Snow), so that the temperature inside the greenhouse remains at 28-30°C. In “warm winter” years, add medium greenhouse plastic film at “Dongzhi” (Winter Solstice). In “cold winter” years, cover with both large and medium greenhouse plastic films at the same time. In short, from “Xiaohan” (Minor Cold) to “Dahan” (Major Cold), the temperature inside the greenhouse should remain above 25°C, and at least above 23°C. Only when the above temperatures are met can strawberries grow normally.
7. Ventilation operations:The soil moisture for strawberry seedling growth should preferably be 70%-80%. The air humidity inside the greenhouse is best at 60%-70%. Therefore, when the temperature inside the greenhouse exceeds 30°C, ventilate. From November to December, the plastic films at both ends of the large and medium greenhouses should be opened for ventilation from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. When the humidity inside the greenhouse exceeds 70%, ventilate as well to reduce the air humidity inside the greenhouse. During the flowering period, bees can be kept inside the greenhouse, and nylon mesh can be added at both ends of the large and medium greenhouses to facilitate smooth ventilation. Another role of greenhouse ventilation is to control strawberry powdery mildew.
Image: Strawberry planting
8. Harvesting:From flowering and fruit setting to the berries coloring, softening, and releasing their distinctive aroma, strawberries take about 30 days. After the strawberry berries mature, they should be harvested in batches for market. The average yield is 1500 kg of strawberries per mu.
[Editor's concluding remarks]Strawberries like a cool climate, have a shallow root distribution and high transpiration, and have relatively strict water requirements. Waterlogging must be avoided, and special attention is needed during the planting process. The above has introduced the strawberry planting time and methods for everyone, and I hope it can be helpful to everyone!
When is the best time to plant strawberries
Because of their sweet-and-sour taste and cute appearance, strawberries are deeply loved by many people. We know that after winter begins and spring is approaching, strawberries become available for purchase. But do you know when strawberries are planted?
When is the best time to plant strawberries
Generally, they are planted in autumn, begin flowering in the greenhouse when winter begins, and can be picked from before Spring Festival until the end of May.
Strawberry sowing method
1. Low-temperature stimulation: Before sowing, the seeds can be wrapped in gauze, soaked in water for one day, and then placed in the refrigerator for low-temperature storage for about 15 days, thereby breaking seed dormancy.
2. Soil selection and treatment: Strawberries like fertile, loose, breathable, slightly acidic soil. Before sowing strawberry seeds, crush the soil and expose it to the sun for three days to disinfect it, then mix and stir it evenly with an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer. If conditions permit, you can directly use a soil disinfectant and stir it into the soil for disinfection.
3. Sowing: Put the prepared soil into a pot, then water it thoroughly once. After the soil has absorbed the fertilizer for 1 hour, the strawberry seeds can be scattered on it. Try to scatter them as evenly as possible, because strawberry seeds are very small, and scattering them in a pile will reduce the seed germination rate.
4. Sprinkling water: After scattering the strawberry seeds, sprinkle a little fine soil over them. The soil does not need to be too thick, 2-3 mm, just enough to cover the strawberry seeds. After sprinkling the fine soil, use a spray bottle to moisten the seeds. Try not to pour water, to prevent the strawberry seeds from being washed away.
Management after strawberry planting
1. Watering: Generally, after sowing, there is no need to water too frequently. Follow the principle of not watering when dry and watering thoroughly when watering. If it is hot and dry summer weather, the watering frequency can be increased. After seedlings emerge, the young seedlings need to be kept moist, and the seedlings must not be too dry. When keeping them moist, do not use too much water, otherwise the young seedlings will be washed down and stuck to the ground. Also do not place the young seedlings in an environment with intense sunlight, to avoid drying them out.
2. Transplanting: When the young seedlings grow 3-5 leaves, they can be transplanted. The young seedlings can be transplanted into flower pots as potted strawberries, or transplanted into the ground for cultivation. When transplanting, they can be moved together with roots and soil, which can increase the survival rate.
3. Fertilizing: Strawberries do not need fertilizing before transplanting. After transplanting, they also cannot be fertilized immediately; only after the strawberry seedlings adapt to the current environment can some light fertilizer be applied. Generally speaking, the nutrients in the soil are enough for strawberries to flower and bear fruit, but in order to produce more flowers and more fruit, some light fertilizer should still be applied.
4. Light: The growth and development of most plants cannot be separated from light, especially plants that can bear fruit. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that strawberries have enough light time every day, so that strawberries can bear fruit.
5. Flowering management: When strawberries are flowering, artificial pollination can be carried out. The specific method is to touch the flower buds of female flowers to each other. If a single strawberry plant has particularly many flowers, some relatively wilted flowers can be removed appropriately, which can increase the fruit-setting rate.
6. Fruit management: When strawberries bear small fruits, fruit protection measures should be taken. Fruit protection mainly means finding a way to prevent strawberries from directly falling onto the soil, otherwise some microorganisms or small animals in the soil will rot the strawberries. When strawberries are fully ripe, harvest them as early as possible to prevent them from being eaten by insects and birds.
Strawberry pest and disease control methods
1. Powdery mildew. Control measures: In winter and spring, clean the plot and burn rotting branches and leaves, appropriately increase plant and row spacing, promptly remove old leaves lying on the ground, keep the plot well ventilated, pay attention to drainage after rain, control the application of nitrogen fertilizer, and spray 1000-fold 70% thiophanate-methyl or 800-fold validamycin for control.
2. Gray mold. Control measures: Apply more organic fertilizer, apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium appropriately, control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to prevent excessive vegetative growth, do not plant too densely, and keep the density within 8000 plants/667 sq m to facilitate ventilation and light penetration. Use ground film covering to prevent fruit from contacting the soil, strengthen plot cleaning, promptly remove old branches, leaves, and fruits as well as diseased inflorescences and diseased fruits, and spray chemicals for control, focusing on early prevention. Starting from bud emergence, spray once every 7—10 days, 3 times in succession, using 800-fold 50% procymidone solution or 500-fold 65% zineb solution.
3. Fusarium wilt. Control measures: The main measure is soil disinfection. After the strawberry fruit harvest is finished, dig out all the plants in the field, then plow the soil, and quickly form beds or ridges. After the rainy season, in the hot high-temperature season, irrigate between the beds, then cover with plastic sheeting for about 1 month. Relying on sunlight, the temperature under the plastic sheeting can reach about 50°C, which can produce a soil disinfection effect.
So it turns out that when planted in autumn, strawberries taste best at their ripening stage! Strawberry is a very delicate fruit, and many matters need attention when planting it, requiring more effort. So when we pick them, we should also be more careful! Do not waste the growers' hard work.