What to put under strawberries to prevent grass from growing

How can you cover the beds?

It takes a lot of effort to keep strawberries growing without weeds. Every summer resident knows how labor-intensive the process of weeding beds is. Moreover, it is held not once, but several times during the season. Thanks to modern technologies, an excellent solution has been found in the form of covering the ground with special materials that suppress the growth of weeds. At the same time, small strawberry bushes continue to grow and develop normally.

This method is not only effective, but also quite economical in terms of effort. At the same time, it has the following advantages:

Currently, a large number of materials are known that can protect strawberries from harmful weeds.

English version of the shelter

It involves bedding in the form of straw. Other materials of organic origin are also suitable for shelter. As long as the mulch is fresh, it can partially inhibit the growth of weeds. The cover layer should be at least eight centimeters.

However, it requires updating every year and does not provide one hundred percent protection for plantings, since some weeds still grow through the loose mulch.

Black polyethylene film

This film is used mainly in countries where it is cool. It is worth noting that in Russia this method is in demand due to the absence of weeds and pests, ease of working with the mustache, clean berries and accelerated fruiting. However, for this it is necessary to choose only expensive and high-quality film so that it does not burst or collapse too quickly. Among the disadvantages of this option, we should emphasize the lack of opportunity for the soil to breathe, overheating of the roots of the bushes, and rotting. It is also advisable to lay drip irrigation under the film in advance.

Agrofibre

Non-woven covering material (agrofibre) is a very convenient way to mulch the soil. It is worth choosing a black coating, as it includes all the positive properties of the film. However, there are no disadvantages. The soft mulch fabric has no creases and is easy to cut and sew to create a fabric of any size. It is completely unaffected by sunlight and can be used for several years.

Manufacturers produce agrofibre using similar technologies, but the names may be different. The following are currently known: spunbond, agrospan, agril, agrotex, agrolux, lutrasil, greentex.

In terms of strength, material number 60 is considered the best. In this case, the number shows how high the density is.

Terms of use

To cover strawberry beds with organic mulch material, you must first prepare the cultivated plant:

thoroughly loosen and weed the soil;
get rid of dry leaves and tendrils;
treat with special chemicals to avoid infection;
feed the plant using complex fertilizers;
carry out watering.

The next step is to evenly distribute the mulch so that it does not adhere to the main stem of the bush. In order for the roots to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen, it is necessary to retreat at least 2 cm.

Systematically loosen the mulch for aeration and renew rotten areas.

When using film or fiber you must:

prepare the soil in advance by leveling it with a rake;
spread the material, pressing it tightly to the soil, while fixing the ends;
mark the planting places of the bushes, making oval cuts at intervals of 40 cm;
Plant berries in the holes.

How to properly close strawberries?

It is most effective to grow strawberries under covering material from the very beginning. It is advisable to prepare the soil before planting. First of all, it should be cleared of weeds. To do this, you can use herbicides, plant green manure, and carry out deep digging. Sometimes it is enough to dig up the ground to a depth of 40 centimeters, and then carefully select the roots of the weeds.

After cleaning the soil, fertilizers are added to it (calculation per square meter of strawberry plantings):

It is better to organize the beds higher, especially if groundwater passes close by. If not, then they can be made flush with the ground. Before covering the soil with agrofibre, it must be given 15 to 30 days to settle.

The process of covering beds is divided into the following stages.

If the strawberry bushes have already been planted, then the material is first laid out throughout the garden bed. Then they feel where the plants are underneath and make holes above them.

How to plant strawberries under black covering material

At first glance, growing strawberries under covering material seems simple. But in fact, to obtain maximum results, you need to strictly follow the technology of planting plants using this technology.

First of all, you need to carefully dig up the selected area and free it from weeds. It is advisable to fertilize the soil with organic matter (humus or manure), as this will have a positive effect on productivity. After this, you can begin to directly form the beds.

Note: It is advisable to make the growing beds two-line. In such an area it will be much easier to care for the bushes.

The formation of beds also occurs using a certain technology. Firstly, you need to dig a shallow ditch along the entire perimeter of the future site, which in the future will help securely secure the fabric. The soil is leveled with a rake, a hose for drip irrigation is laid out, and the covering material begins to be carefully rolled out so that it fits tightly to the soil.

The edges of the film or agrofibre are secured in the trench with stones, bricks, pieces of boards or sandbags. You can simply sprinkle the edges with earth, but the most reliable fastening is considered to be using special pins, which you can easily make with your own hands from pieces of wire.

Since it is the technology of preparing beds that plays a decisive role in the successful cultivation of strawberries under covering material, we will look at the procedure for preparing them in more detail.

Preparing the beds

Despite the fact that preparing beds for growing strawberries requires some effort, there are clear instructions for this process, thanks to which even novice gardeners can cope with this task (Figure 2).

Preparing beds for growing strawberries includes the following steps:

Selecting a site: it is advisable to place the beds on a flat area of the garden or vegetable garden. It is desirable that the ground in this place is evenly heated by the sun and is not sloped.
Determining the height of the bed: despite the fact that strawberries can be grown in a regular garden, it is better to create raised beds to increase the quantity and quality of the crop.
Soil preparation: the bed needs to be dug up, freed from weeds and their roots, and fertilized with organic or mineral fertilizers.
Organizing the bed: you need to make a small depression along the entire perimeter of the site, into which you can later tuck the edges of the agrofibre to fix it. After this, the canvas is laid out on the surface, and its edges are placed in the recesses and fixed by sprinkling with earth or pressing down with bricks or boards. The covering material must be rolled out gradually so that it is evenly distributed over the bed and fits tightly to the soil.

Figure 2. Preparing beds for strawberries
After the film or agrofibre has been laid out on the site, you can begin to directly plant the bushes.

How to treat bushes against weeds?

Special herbicides best protect strawberries from weeds . They can be presented in the form of powders or emulsions. In addition to getting rid of weeds, they also strengthen cultivated plants and increase productivity.

Treatment with herbicides is carried out before the formation of ovaries. Late spring or early summer is best for this. You can also use the products after harvesting the last harvest. Experts recommend using herbicides several times a year:

When treating strawberries with weed killers in the first stages of planting, you should use Galtix or Betanal. They are used at the rate of 2 kilograms or 3 liters per hectare. These drugs are most effective against weeds when they have not yet begun to grow. As a rule, they carry out several treatments. In the phase when weed growth is already active, Glyphosate .

Among the effective means is also o, which allows you to protect strawberries from weeds from the cereal family in the first months after planting . For dicotyledonous weeds, it is optimal to use a mixture of Phenmedipham, Desmedipham and Etofumezate. This composition is applied at the rate of one and a half liters per hectare of plantation. Moreover, treatment must be carried out when the soil is wet.

For summer treatments against annual and perennial weeds, “Prism” or “PAB” are suitable. Herbicides containing clopyralid have received good recommendations. Such agents are able to penetrate into plants through the leaves. For areas where sow thistle, sorrel, chamomile, plantain or dandelions are rampant, Lontrel 300-D would be the best option.

In the first autumn, winter weeds will be conveniently controlled using Sinbar or Devrinol. However, the first remedy is suitable exclusively for strong strawberry bushes. You can also use Lenatsil in the autumn. This drug effectively protects against weeds, especially dicotyledons.

If necessary, carry out several treatments. It is important to ensure that the total dose of drugs does not exceed the maximum limits for one season.

Source

Herbicides

The quick and effective destruction of weeds is facilitated by the use of herbicides in the form of various powders and emulsions, diluted with water according to the attached instructions.

Use one of the following types:

continuous action herbicides affecting all weeds;
selective herbicides designed to kill certain types of plants and are completely useless on others.

Within three weeks after treatment, the weeds completely disappear. The use of herbicides is especially effective in neglected strawberry beds, where mechanical removal of roots is impossible.

Advantages of using herbicides:

reduction of manual labor;
quick and effective destruction of most types of weeds;

The effectiveness of herbicides does not depend on weather conditions.

However, the use of herbicides has a significant number of disadvantages:

spraying is dangerous for animals and birds:
the use of herbicides is not always effective for the destruction of perennials;
Repeated use of one herbicide leads to addiction.

To reduce the harmful effects, it is better to treat strawberries against weeds with herbicides before the first ovaries appear or in late autumn after harvesting and removal of leaves. For this purpose, drugs with lenacil are used. When diluting the drug, it is necessary to strictly follow the standards for applying herbicides and observe personal safety measures.

Note! To spray continuous action herbicides, use a spray bottle. Selective herbicides require care and are applied with a brush.

Learning how to properly use covering material for strawberries against weeds

Weeds, annual and especially perennial, cause serious damage to strawberry plantations. Strawberry bushes are forced to compete for food and sunlight. Weeds are literally overwhelming the berry bush in an unequal struggle . Cultivated plants wither, the yield is significantly reduced, it is difficult to harvest, and gray fruit rot becomes more active.

Alternative to weeding

Strawberries growing on covering material are more pleasant to care for, and the berries do not get dirty from the soil.

Weeding a strawberry plantation is labor-intensive work, and it has to be done several times a season. A convenient solution to this problem has been found: the surface of the earth in the garden bed is lined with special materials that suppress the growth of weeds . At the same time, compact strawberry bushes continue to develop normally.

When watering, the soil got onto the strawberry fruits; if mulching had been used, this would not have happened!

You just need to start the weeds a little, and one good rain is enough for the strawberries to get stuck in the weeds

English version (organic mulch)

Organic mulch needs to be renewed once or twice a season.

It is known that the British call strawberries “straw berries” because they put straw under the bushes so that the berries do not get dirty from the ground.

Instead of straw, you can use pine needles, wood chips, pieces of bark and other organic materials. Fresh mulch partially inhibits the development of weeds, but for this its thickness must be at least 8 cm, with annual renewal.

Weed seeds falling on loose mulch still germinate. Cardboard or newspapers have a denser structure, but quickly get wet and lose their properties. All these available means do not guarantee complete protection of the beds from weeds.

Finnish experience (black polyethylene)

Mulching strawberries with film is not the best option due to certain disadvantages.

Before the advent and active spread of agrofibre, they came up with a technology for pre-covering strawberry beds with black plastic film (or roofing felt, roofing felt).

Young rosettes are planted in small cross-shaped cuts. This method has shown good results in a northern country like Finland. In Russia, some gardeners still use it.

Negative aspects of Finnish technology:

Positive aspects:

Black agrofibre

Agrofibre (non-woven covering material) of black color is very convenient to use for mulching the soil. It has all the positive properties of mulching film without its disadvantages.

It is convenient to work with covering non-woven material and it lasts quite a long time.

Weed mulch fabric has additional valuable qualities:

A very comfortable environment is created for strawberry plants.

Varieties of black covering material

All covering materials have in common the ability to allow moisture and air to pass through.

Agrofibre from various manufacturers is produced using similar technology. Names may differ between brands:

The thickest and most durable material is No. 60 (this is an indicator of high density).

white-black or yellow-black Agrotex has also become widespread . The lower black side prevents the growth of weeds, and the upper light side protects the roots and above-ground part of the bush from overheating. Two-layer Agrotex is convenient to use on hot southern slopes, in greenhouses and greenhouses, in the southern regions.

The outer white layer of Agrotex protects from overheating, and the inner black layer absorbs sunlight and deters weeds.

How to choose the right agrofibre?

Before planting strawberries, gardeners cover the area with specially selected black material. Dark polyethylene film is much cheaper, but it has many disadvantages. Under the rays of the sun it quickly deforms. Since the coating does not allow moisture and air to pass through, the berry bushes can rot under it. And the film will last one season.

Agrofibre is more expensive, but it has many advantages:

Non-woven material is valued for its good moisture permeability during spills. And there is plenty of air supply to the strawberry roots.
The ground under the fiber does not overheat; the soil temperature is in harmony with the surrounding air.
The absence of cracks and damage on the polypropylene material allows it to be used for 3-4 seasons without removing it from the ground, without damaging the berry bushes.
The density of spunbond may vary, but for strawberries it is suitable at 60-70 g/sq.m.
The width of the fiber is different and is selected in accordance with the size of the beds.
Don't forget about the color of the fabric. Black is the most preferable for strawberries.

On a flat surface of a strawberry plantation, agrofibre will serve for a long time and will help increase crop productivity.

Rules for using covering material

The place for the strawberry plantation is chosen to be bright and well lit by the sun. It is not recommended to plant strawberries after strawberries and raspberries, after onions (after garlic, you can), or after vegetables and flowers of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, petunias).

It is very important to clear the soil of weeds as much as possible. To do this, various methods are used: keeping the area fallow or green manure for a year, using herbicides, and deep digging.

The place for strawberries is prepared in advance - green manure is planted, brought to flowering and buried in the ground.

The soil is dug up to a depth of 30-40 cm, carefully selecting the roots of the weeds. The soil is well seasoned with fertilizers. For one square meter of future plantings add:

Potassium and superphosphate can be replaced with complex mineral or organomineral fertilizer (OMF), preferably specialized for strawberries.

The beds are piled higher if groundwater is close . In other cases, they are only raised slightly or made level with the surface of the earth. Then the soil must be leveled. Before covering with agrofibre, the soil should be given time to settle slightly (15–30 days).

High bed for strawberries made from boards.

Mulching materials

In fact, film for strawberries or any geotextile is mulching. They use a simple agricultural technique to make caring for a demanding crop easier. And in regions with rare precipitation, it reduces the consumption of irrigation water.

Organic mulch (at least 8-10 cm) or dense covering material (1 layer) gives the gardener the following advantages in open ground and greenhouses:

the intensity and frequency of watering is reduced: moisture stays longer under cover;
the growth of weeds is inhibited - weeding is not necessary;
no need to constantly loosen the soil;
film, fabric (a medical system of cells and intercellular substance, united by a common origin, structure and functions)
or organic mulch protect the cereal layer from being blown away by winds and washed away by rainfall;
Not only is it easier to care for, but harvesting takes less time and effort, because the berries lie on mulch, film or fabric (The structure of tissues of living organisms is studied by the science of histology)
;
the property of the crop is higher: without contact with the soil, the fruits are not affected by rottenness.

In soil covered with mulch, strawberries are warmer in winter, and in spring the earth warms up faster.

Organic

Natural materials for mulching strawberries:

grass;
sawdust after several years of overheating, soaked in urea, because it draws nitrogen from the ground;
pine needles (increases acidity - you have to add deoxidizers);
cut weeds or green manure, compost: constant renewal of the layer, which, when rotting, provides additional nutrition for the berry bushes.

Since organic matter is a living medium, mulch will not protect against pests, fungi, and microbes. The nutrient layer of green manure also feeds the weeds that grow fat on the enriched soil.

Inorganic mulch

Products of the chemical industry - agrotextiles and polyethylene film - as mulch provide gardeners with additional advantages:

the mustache is not able to take root because it does not reach the ground: Victoria will not be able to reproduce uncontrollably;
on strawberry plantations covered with black material in the spring, the soil warms up 1.5-2 weeks earlier - the harvest is ahead of schedule compared to classical agricultural technology;

Having packed the bed when planting young bushes, the summer resident does not bother about updating the shelter for several years if he uses film, and the entire current strawberry cycle is 4 years if grown under agrofibre;
For almost all pests, conditions under the material are unfavorable.

even cheap agrofibre requires real costs;
the better and more durable the covering fabric, the more expensive it is;
To water strawberries, you will have to install drip irrigation systems.

If the owners of small plots of land still choose how to plant strawberries - under a cover or the old-fashioned way, then large farms can no longer do without modern technologies.

How to lay black weed cloth

The material is rolled out over the bed with a small allowance.

The edges are placed in grooves and covered with earth.

U-shaped wire staples are suitable for securing the material.

The covering material has two different sides.

When laying, the material is laid with its smooth surface down, towards the ground. The cellular surface remains outside and will allow water to pass well from top to bottom, to the soil and roots.

Marking

Marking rows on covering material.

Example of placement of planting holes.

The holes are cut crosswise with a knife, and the corners are bent into the ground.

Rules for the introduction of non-woven fabric

Advice for a gardener planning to plant strawberries on agrotextiles for the first time:

The material is placed on the ground with the smooth side, and the rough, holey side facing the sun. So, through the holes, water, when watering or during rain, will not roll off the fabric (the structure of tissues of living organisms is studied by the science of histology)
, but will be saturated. Solar filters also work specifically with this placement.
The two-layer fabric is also laid correctly: the snow-white side down, the dark side up.
It is better to water the strawberries under the agrofibre at the roots, rather than from a hose or watering can. Water that gets on the covering material will be absorbed. But repeated wetting and drying under the sun reduces the life of agrotextiles.
Light and thin (less than 60 g/m2) will let in not only the sun and water from above, but also weeds from below. A strawberry plantation is set up for a couple of years - there is no point in saving.
Very huge slots for planting - a free path for weeds to be free, and for mustaches to the ground. They fix not only the ends, edges, but also the holes so that the grass does not break through the edge.
The slits are made after the material has been firmly fixed on the bed: otherwise the tissue (the medical system of cells and intercellular substance, united by a common origin, structure and functions)
will move away and the planting pattern will be disrupted.
A narrow snow-white canvas shades the plantation from the scorching sun and protects the berries from birds.

Planting young strawberry plants on agrofibre

The basic rules for planting strawberries on covering material are the same as on open soil. The plantation is established in the spring or in the second half of summer, early autumn. Choose a cloudy day or cool evening hours.

You can use this drug!

Pre-young seedlings with an open root system can be kept in root formation stimulants (Zircon, humates, Kornevin, Heteroauxin, HB-1). The long roots of the seedlings are lightly trimmed, leaving a length of 5–10 cm.

When planting, push the edges of the tissue cut apart with your hand, place the roots vertically in the hole (they should not bend), and press with soil . The heart rises slightly above ground level. Plants are watered directly into the holes so that the soil fills all the voids around the roots. The growth point remains open. If it is covered with soil, it can rot and die.

Dig a hole to the depth of a scoop, leaving the soil for backfilling.

If sunny, hot weather is expected, then the new seedlings are shaded for several days (for example, with white agrofibre). After a few days, the beds are checked: bushes are planted to replace the dead ones, and sagging hearts are raised. Further watering is carried out directly on the surface of the plantation.

The heart of the seedling should remain on the surface of the earth.

Protecting strawberries from weeds: the best covering materials and their use

Weed control is a concern for all summer residents, especially those who grow strawberries. This crop does not respond well to constant damage to the superficial roots. With classical weeding, it is almost impossible to avoid this. The first agrotechnical method to reduce the activity of weed growth on strawberry plantings was mulching. In the last decade, more advanced materials have appeared to cover the soil - dark-colored non-woven fabrics.

Benefits of using weed cover materials

The use of non-woven material to prevent the growth of weeds in garden beds has proven to be the cheapest and most energy-efficient method, which has several advantages:

Non-woven material for preventing the growth of weeds in beds has proven itself to be the cheapest and least expensive method

Using black weed control material on the site, summer residents note that the soil underneath warms up many times faster, which allows strawberries to start growing much earlier. Another useful property of such mulch is the complete suppression of the growth of perennial weeds with creeping roots. Finally, fruits grown using black covering material are always clean, even despite the abundance of heavy rains, since they do not come into contact with the ground.

Agrofibre - what is it?

The idea of replacing mulching of strawberry plantings with covering material came to the Americans. Back in the middle of the 20th century, the fiber, which was later used for gardening, was necessary to camouflage soldiers during military operations. It was inexpensive and successfully replaced natural camouflage fabrics. Already in the 70s, European agricultural producers appreciated the fabric obtained by pressing. It has become indispensable for covering garden and vegetable garden plants during frosts.

The practicality of the covering material and its lightness, unlike cellophane, are appreciated, and now every summer resident has such fabric in stock. It washes well, so it can be used for more than one season. Due to the low fiber density, it does not damage plant stems if covered from above. The difference from cellophane is that the material has good permeability to air and moisture.

Disposal of the material is easy; polypropylene fabric is easily recycled.

There are several types of agrofibre. Black fabric is needed to cover the area for planting strawberries. It will help warm the ground, and weeds will not break through the fabric. White fiber will be needed to cover vegetable crops. The types of fabric also differ in density. Each gardener chooses the fabric that he needs to increase the yield of crops on the site.

You can learn how to lay agrofibre manually from the video:

Popular types of weed covering material

Currently, covering material has ceased to be a curiosity. Many manufacturers of products for agricultural producers and summer residents have launched the production of non-woven fabrics, which can be used to cover any beds, including strawberry ones.

Among the most popular brands are:

Agrofibre with mulching properties is made from polypropylene fiber

Agrofibre with mulching properties of the listed brands is made from polypropylene fiber - an inert material that does not react with liquids and chemical compounds. When heated by the sun, the shelter does not release hazardous compounds into the surrounding atmosphere, and is therefore considered absolutely safe. Its density is about 50-60 g per square meter. This allows the material to adhere tightly to the surface of the earth and prevent weeds from rising underneath it.

The latest innovation from agrofibre manufacturers for mulching beds against weeds is a two-layer covering material. One part of it, adjacent to the soil, is painted black, and the other, external part, is painted white. The lower surface of such material suppresses the growth of weeds, and the surface reflects the sun's rays, preventing the roots of cultivated crops from overheating, and also promotes more uniform ripening of fruits.

Types of films

There are a large number of varieties of films. Most popular:

Black and white

The dark side of the film is laid towards the ground. It provides good soil heating. The top light layer does not allow the soil to overheat and prevents the possibility of leaf burns.

This film does not transmit sunlight. This in turn provides conditions in which weeds do not grow.

Black or dark brown

It also warms the soil well and prevents weeds from growing. Its disadvantage is the possibility of overheating.

To prevent this, you can spread straw on the soil under the film. Black film for strawberries stimulates plant growth, and the moisture accumulating under it prevents the soil from drying out.

Transparencies

Provides rapid heating of the soil, but cannot accumulate heat. This prevents the possibility of burns.

The film allows sunlight to pass through, so weeds grow quietly under it. Only herbicides will help fight them. But such a film allows you to protect plants from extreme heat or sudden cold snap.

Reinforced film

It is a three-layer film consisting of two stabilized balls and a layer of reinforced mesh.

This composition allows the film to withstand any weather conditions perfectly. This type has a long service life.

How and when to cover plantings

It is better to spread covering material over the surface of the bed when transplanting garden strawberries to a new place - in spring or autumn. It is important to follow some rules.

It is better to spread covering material over the surface of the bed when transplanting garden strawberries to a new place

Important! You should not leave the edges of non-woven mulch free, even in a small area, as this can lead to swelling of the fabric and its displacement. If this happens at the time of active growth and ripening of fruits, the gardener may completely lose the harvest due to damage to the ovaries and the bushes themselves.

Most modern brands of black agrofibre are treated with special compounds that increase the resistance of the material to ultraviolet radiation. The service life of such products is 3 years or more. That is why you can think about updating it only when you next transplant the strawberries to a new place.

Modern brands of black agrofibre are treated with special compounds that increase the resistance of the material to ultraviolet radiation

Technology of use

The peculiarities of using inorganic mulching material when growing garden strawberries lie in strict adherence to technology:

digging and adding fertilizers necessary for the full growth and development of berry crops into the soil in order to increase soil fertility;
covering the ridges with mulching material, the edges of which need to be dug in a little or attached to the ground with special pins;
cutting cross-shaped holes in the material according to the scheme for growing garden strawberries;
tucking the edges formed by cutting the mulching material inward.

Covering material in the greenhouse

When growing strawberries in greenhouses, it is also very convenient to use covering material against weeds. It is important that they cover not only the surface of the ridges where the berry plants grow, but also the paths, thereby completely eliminating the appearance of weeds on them.

In protected soil, it is better to use new two-layer agrotextiles with a white top and black bottom, since greenhouse conditions initially require more active heating of the soil, while black material also affects these indicators. Single-layer black material is more suitable for early cultivation of strawberries in a greenhouse, accelerating the ripening of the berries by at least three weeks.

In protected ground it is better to use a new two-layer agrotextile with a white top

In general, planting and caring for strawberries is no different from that practiced in open ground. The only thing you should pay attention to is timely shading of plantings on particularly hot days and regular ventilation.

Reviews on the use of agrofibre

Nadezhda, Orel: I suffered for a long time from the fact that the strawberries at the dacha were not growing well. I tried to look after her according to the rules. But there was not always enough time for weeding. And it was not possible to water the bushes on time. I decided to lay black spunbond on the area. I had to tinker, but the results were worth it. Strawberries grow well, and I collect a lot of berries.

Olga, Novosibirsk: Everyone loves strawberries, but they are difficult to grow. She is very picky about her care. Either there is not enough moisture, or the weeds will be crushed. I solved the problems in one fell swoop. She laid black material on the new area and planted young bushes. Now the berries have grown and we are pleased with rich harvests.

Nikolay, Moscow: I am an experienced gardener. I have been growing strawberries for a long time in beds covered with black material. At first it was cellophane film, which had to be changed often. Now I covered it with agrofibre, and for several years I didn’t have any trouble with strawberries. When transplanting to a new place, I again use durable fabric. It is just enough for a plantation before the bushes grow old. I’m buying a new canvas for the young people.

Growing strawberries for the modern summer resident is much easier than before. Agrofibre came to the rescue as a mulching substitute. How to use it correctly is described in the material. The article will help you choose the right material and lay it out. Reviews from summer residents will tell you about its advantages.

Protecting greenhouse paths from weeds

If with beds everything is more or less clear (the use of covering material was described above), then with paths the layout of agrotextiles looks completely different.

So, in order to completely prevent the germination of weeds in the passages inside greenhouses, you must follow the following points:

This method of preparing paths will completely eliminate the germination of weed seeds on paths in the greenhouse. In addition, they will always remain dry, even if you leave a watering hose on them with the valve open.

Source

How to protect strawberries from weeds

Growing strawberries presents many challenges, but one of the main problems that a conscientious gardener has to face is weed control. The point is not only that weeding itself is a rather exhausting task, but also that the delicate surface roots of strawberries react poorly to the slightest damage. But when removing weeds from strawberry plantings, wittingly or unwittingly one has to touch its roots. Therefore, protecting strawberries from weeds is the most important task when growing this beloved berry. It is advisable to prevent them from appearing in the strawberry beds in general, so that you don’t have to fight with someone later.

Where do weeds come from on strawberries?

Before you think about how to get rid of weeds, you need to understand how they got there in the first place. Most often, the problem begins long before planting strawberries when choosing and developing a site intended for growing them. The fact is that strawberries are a crop for which the process of clearing the land of weeds is vital when preparing planting beds. If you do not pay attention at this point and leave the rhizomes of perennial weeds in the soil, then this is quite capable of destroying a significant part of the crop.

But even if the strawberry plantings were initially well cleared of weeds, usually after harvesting, gardeners tend to forget about the strawberries and until the fall the weeds manage to germinate again and even become seeded. The result that appears before your eyes in early spring is depressingly serious - the strawberry bushes are framed by the greenery of the weeds and everything has to start all over again.

The first stage of protecting strawberries from weeds

If you manage to completely clear the soil of the rhizomes of perennial weeds before planting a strawberry plantation (with any mechanical treatment, the seeds will in any case remain in the soil), then we can already consider that half the job is done. If you have to deal with “virgin soil” heavily overgrown with bindweed, wheatgrass, thistle and other perennial weeds, then the digging method with careful selection of all rhizomes works only in very small areas.

General characteristics of agrofibre

Agrofibre, unlike plastic film, will allow you to freely water strawberry plants and apply fertilizer without removing the covering. This material differs from the well-known film:

quite light and dense;
does not fade in the sun;
inhibits moisture evaporation;
protects against frost, pests and weeds.

What a close-up of strawberries planted on agrofibre looks like.
Also, a big advantage over other types of coverings is its compactness (easy to fold and remove from the garden) and the ability to use for more than 2 seasons. Sold in rolls (width from 1.5 to 4.2 m) in black and white, has a density range of 17-60 g/m² (the most important performance characteristic). The higher the density of the canvas, the less light it transmits.

Agrofibre weighing 17 g/m² transmits 80% of light, and dense 60 g/m² – up to 67%. For mulch, a material from 50 g/m² is suitable (nowadays a density of 80 g/m² has appeared on the market, but this is a different material - agrofabric). The presence of 4-5% ultraviolet stabilizer guarantees the durability of the agrofibre, and the uniform thickness of the fabric ensures the same temperature in the ground-shelter space.

White agrofibre protects against frost (from -2 to -8°C) and wind; black is intended to mulch the soil, protect against weeds, and inhibit the spread of diseases. By the way, black is produced exclusively in 50th density. It is possible to use white and black agrofibres simultaneously (you will get rid of weeds and create a positive microclimate not only in the soil, but also on the surface of the site). On sale you will find products from both domestic and foreign manufacturers. Farmers know about the existence of such brands as Agril, Agrotex, AgroSUF, Lutrasil, Agrospan, Spunbond. Depending on the density, the price for this covering material ranges from 10 to 50 rubles per 1 linear meter.