Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Strawberry Seedling Management
In China, strawberries are considered a premium fruit, and their market price is relatively high. They are grown in many provinces across the country. Although the price is high, market demand continues to rise rather than fall, and some veteran growers are constantly expanding their planting area. To expand the planting area, you need to do a good job of seedling management. So today, the editor brings you strawberry seedling management techniques. Let's take a look!
1. Temperature regulation
Strawberries are neither tolerant of high temperatures nor of cold, so regulating temperature during seedling raising is very important. Especially in summer and winter, because temperatures are more extreme, they can easily go beyond what strawberries can tolerate. The optimum temperature for strawberry growth is around 16-21°C. If it exceeds 30°C or falls below 12°C, strawberry seedlings grow extremely slowly or even stop growing. Therefore, during seedling raising, temperature must be well regulated. When temperatures change greatly, be sure to do a good job of cold protection and heat preservation as well as summer heat relief and cooling to ensure the growth of strawberry seedlings.
2. Water management
Strawberries like water but are not tolerant of waterlogging. If there is a lack of water during seedling raising, root growth is hindered, and insufficient nutrients cause seedlings to age or even die. Also, when water is lacking, soil salinity rises sharply, and seedlings are very prone to poisoning. Therefore, when raising seedlings, we must keep the soil moist and control soil moisture content at around 70%. Watering should follow the principle of watering more often but in small amounts. Do not flood irrigate, and do not overwater, otherwise strawberries are prone to root rot and rotting, causing various pests and diseases. After watering, loosen the soil appropriately to improve the soil's water-holding capacity.
3. Improve soil permeability
Strawberries are suitable for growing in soft, sandy soil. However, after the rainy season, many soils become compacted due to rainwater washing. Soil compaction reduces soil permeability and affects root respiration and microbial activity. It also raises soil temperature, which is unfavorable for soil heat dissipation and for plant growth. Also, sometimes when fertilizing, a layer of material remains on the soil surface, which likewise reduces soil permeability and inhibits plant growth. Therefore, we should carry out appropriate intertillage and weeding to improve soil permeability and avoid hindering plant growth.
4. Reasonably choose rooting agents
Many people spray rooting agents during seedling raising to promote seedling root growth, but we must choose rooting agents reasonably. This is because during seedling raising, strawberries transfer photosynthetic substances produced by photosynthesis to various parts of the seedlings. If a hormone-based rooting agent is chosen, it will cause the roots to compete for nutrients and affect the growth of the aboveground parts. So we should try to choose rooting agents such as amino acid types and chitosan types. These rooting agents can not only improve the soil and enhance the growth ability of strawberry seedlings, but also promote the growth and development of strawberry roots and ensure uniform plant growth.
The above is a brief introduction to strawberry seedling management techniques. Strawberry seedling management is very important because it is directly related to the growth of strawberries in the middle and later stages. Improper seedling management will seriously affect strawberry growth, leading to weaker growth, a lower flowering and fruiting rate, and various pests and diseases. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!