Methods and Tips for Caring for Potted Strawberries
1. Temperature and humidity
Generally, the most suitable temperature for potted strawberries is 20-25 degrees, and in winter the temperature should be kept at around 15 degrees. The flower pot should generally be placed in a ventilated and sunny place, and the potting soil should be kept sufficiently moist.
2. Repotting
Potted strawberries generally need to be repotted 2 years after fruiting. When repotting, first take the plant out of the pot, trim off the bad roots, and then replant it in new potting soil.
3. Fertilizer and water management
Fertilizer and water management for potted strawberries is generally very simple. Because they can bloom and fruit multiple times a year, sufficient fertilizer must be maintained, and generally a topdressing of fertilizer should be applied once a week. For watering, it is best to use warm water; do not use water that is too cold for irrigation.
That is all for today's content. I believe everyone now has a clear understanding of the planting methods and care methods for potted strawberries! Thank you all for watching.
Planting methods for potted strawberries
1. Storing seeds
When eating strawberries, we can pick off the strawberry seeds with a toothpick, or buy them from a place that specifically sells strawberry seeds. To increase the germination rate of the seeds, before sowing we should wrap the seeds in gauze, soak them in water for 24 hours, then put them in the refrigerator and treat them at a low temperature of 0°C to 3°C for about 15 days. The seeds will then be awakened, and after that they can be sown.
2. Sowing
Because strawberry seeds are very small, we need to be careful when sowing. The best method is to use sifted fine sandy loam mixed with some finer humus soil, then fill the flower pot with the mixed soil and wet the soil thoroughly. Generally, ceramic pots are chosen as containers because ceramic pots have good permeability and drain easily.
3. Seedling emergence
Before sowing, first spray water thoroughly to wet the seedling substrate. The flower pot should be filled with soil, and the height of the soil should be one centimeter below the upper rim of the pot. Then scatter the seeds evenly. After broadcasting, cover them with some sifted fine soil at a thickness of about 0.1 cm. Actually, it is also fine not to cover them with soil, as long as the seedling substrate is soft enough. Then seal the flower pot with plastic film to keep the soil in the pot moist. After that, at a temperature of 25°C, seedlings can emerge in about 15-25 days.
4. Transplanting
After strawberry seedlings grow for 3-4 months, they can be lifted and transplanted, with plant and row spacing of 20-30 cm. Trim off the large leaves, plant the strawberry seedlings in soft soil, and after planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, then place them in a semi-shaded place. After a few days of recovery, the strawberries can grow smoothly.
5. Fruiting
Strawberries are the fastest-growing fruit among all fruits. Three to four months after sowing the seeds, they can bloom and bear fruit.
The above is an introduction to the planting methods for potted strawberries. Next, let us introduce the care methods for potted strawberries.
Key points for caring for potted strawberries
Soil selection
For potted strawberries, first choose fertile, well-drained soil, and add decomposed chicken manure or soybean cake as a base fertilizer. New plants should preferably be potted from late September to mid-October, when the temperature is suitable and newly potted plants can quickly recover and grow. When planting, press the soil firmly and keep the base of the crown level with the soil surface. If planted too deeply, burying the crown, it can easily cause the seedlings to rot; if planted too shallowly, the new stems are exposed and dry out easily. For old plants that have already fruited, before a large number of new roots emerge in autumn, add nutrient soil to the pot. For excessive runners, part of them can be cut off and potted separately.
Light
Strawberries like light. During potted care, they should be placed in a sunny place as much as possible; otherwise, the plants grow vigorously but bloom less.
Watering
Only with sufficient fertilizer and water can there be more flowers and larger fruit, with fewer ineffective flowers. The flower pot should be placed in a ventilated and sunny place, and the potting soil should be kept moist regularly.
Fertilizing
Four-season strawberries bloom and fruit multiple times a year and consume a lot of nutrients, so nutrient supplementation should be strengthened. After strawberries sprout in early spring, apply liquid fertilizer once every 10 days. Before flowering, fertilizer and water should be applied even more frequently, and the soil should be kept moist.
Temperature
Generally, potted strawberries require a temperature of 20-25°C, and in winter the room temperature should be kept above 15°C.
Shaping and pruning
During the growing season, promptly remove dead leaves, diseased leaves, and weak side buds, and also promptly clean up unwanted runners and young plants.
Propagation
This is mainly done by dividing plants from runners, mostly after fruit harvesting in summer. Surprisingly, the long runners of strawberries extend into the distance, and at the nodes they grow several small strawberry plants with small leaves and many fibrous roots. Cut this "viviparous" small strawberry from the mother plant, and once planted it becomes a new strawberry plant. Plant it in the courtyard ground or in potting soil, apply enough base fertilizer in advance, then water thoroughly, and place it in a shaded place for a few days. The survival rate of strawberries is extremely high, and the propagation coefficient is as high as 10 times, so they multiply quickly.