Why do strawberry fruits go soft? Here's how to make them firm
Strawberries are a common berry in our daily lives, and their fruits are inherently rather delicate, so they are easily affected by external factors, which leads to the phenomenon of soft fruits. Recently, many friends have asked us for advice about what to do when strawberry fruits go soft. In fact, we need to analyze the reasons why the fruits go soft, then treat the root cause and find a solution. Let's take a look below.
1. Reasons why strawberry fruits go soft
There are mainly several reasons why strawberry fruits go soft. The first is the strawberry's own characteristics: its skin is naturally rather soft, its shelf life is short, and it is inconvenient to transport. The second is improper fertilization during strawberry cultivation, for example, applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. Another is the excessive use of hormones during cultivation to force ripening or coloring, and of course it may also be that the strawberries lack calcium during growth. The last is the harm caused to strawberry fruits by pests and diseases; it can even be said that improper water management in the field will also have a certain effect on strawberry fruits.
2. Preventive measures
To avoid the phenomenon of strawberry fruits going soft, the first thing we need to do is start with prevention. Generally, we should choose excellent strawberry varieties, which can fundamentally reduce the phenomenon of strawberry fruits going soft. The second is to strengthen field management, control the water in the field well, and reasonably control the field humidity at different growth stages of strawberries. Another is to control the use of nitrogen fertilizer; nitrogen fertilizer must not be used excessively, especially during the strawberry fruit-setting stage and fruit growth stage. The last is to do a good job in the prevention and control of pests and diseases, so as to avoid the harm they cause to strawberries and their impact on strawberry yield and quality.
3. Control methods
After the phenomenon of strawberry fruits going soft appears, we need to solve it promptly, otherwise the impact on fruit growers is very great. First, you can supplement calcium to the soil, that is, apply an appropriate amount of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer as a top dressing. If the soil is acidic, you can add an appropriate amount of lime to the soil to improve the soil structure. Second, spray foliar fertilizer on the fruits, mainly foliar fertilizer based on calcium, magnesium, and boron elements, which can enhance the firmness of strawberry fruits. Another is to use hormones reasonably, following the dosage instructions on the label, but it is best not to use hormones, as this will affect the quality of strawberries. The last is EDTA chelated calcium - Ju'ao, currently the most commonly used in strawberry cultivation, whose control effect is also very good, so you may consider it.
The above is our summary of the reasons why strawberry fruits go soft and the solutions. We hope it can help friends who encounter problems growing strawberries. That's all for today's sharing. If you encounter other problems while growing strawberries, you can also leave us a message for advice.