A good strawberry harvest depends not only on timely application of fertilizers and watering, but also on the correct planting technique. The plant can be propagated in several ways: by dividing bushes, seeds and mustaches. A less labor-intensive way to obtain new bushes is propagation by mustaches. How to plant strawberries correctly?
When to grow a mustache for seedlings
Almost all varieties of strawberries produce tendrils - shoots with a rosette of leaves. To achieve maximum preservation of the properties of the mother plant, it is recommended to cut off the cuttings in the second or third year.
In the first season, it is necessary to allow the plant to bear fruit. In this case, the emphasis is placed precisely on the harvest, mercilessly removing all the tendrils that break through.
The strongest plant is chosen as a donor
In the second year in the spring they work only with the strongest bushes. It is better to plant the selected mother plants in the spring in a new bed, leaving a distance of at least 70 cm between them. If it is not possible to plant the bushes, then they are left in a common bed, sacrificing their weaker neighbors.
All buds from the mother plants must be removed. Weak tendrils are also removed, focusing only on strong shoots.
The mustache begins to grow immediately after the plant awakens in the spring. As the leaves grow, the bushes actively send out shoots. They are calibrated, all small growth is removed to give the mother specimens the opportunity to devote all their strength to the formation of young animals.
It is very important to take care of the growth of tendrils even before the strawberries bloom. The color interferes with the formation of both layering and young rosettes on them.
The older the mother bush, the less strong its tendrils will be, so adult rosettes of the second or third year are suitable for propagation.
Choosing the right mother bush
So, even a season before you plan to separate cuttings from a strawberry bush, you can mark it by separating it from the total mass. Inspect it, take a closer look at those rosettes from which most of the largest and identical-sized berries (and, of course, tasty ones) were obtained. If everything is so, then why not tie a scarlet ribbon to this bush or stick a peg with the same ribbon next to it?
In addition, many gardeners try to kill two birds with one stone, they buy expensive strawberry seedlings and try with all their might to get both berries and mustaches from them (allowing literally all the mustaches to grow, because this is a precious planting material, they believe), which very often leads to trivial severe depletion of the bush and its long recovery.
But in order to collect strawberries and grow a normal, and not an insane amount of mustache, you need to wait only a year, allowing the mother bushes to bear fruit normally. All you have to do is postpone the breeding season to next year, but during this time, observing the bushes, you can easily identify those rosettes that will give the maximum yield.
Next year, leave just a couple of tendrils on the plant, maybe three, and mercilessly remove the rest, however, like the flower stalks, this will allow the plant to redirect all its energy specifically to the formation of seedlings, and fully developed ones at that.
Choosing the right mother bush is the key to healthy strawberry seedlings. © The Homestead Gardener
When to take strawberry mustaches for seedlings
It is recommended to trim the mustache left for strawberry propagation after the “baby” has grown enough leaves and formed roots. Before this, the selected rosettes are pinned to the ground on both sides to speed up rooting.
In August, young bushes are ready for independent existence. Visually, these should be rosettes with 3 pairs of leaves. They need to be trimmed and rooted either directly in the garden or in pots.
To do this, take a pruner or scissors and make an oblique cut in the middle of the mustache, leaving a layer of at least 5 cm long near the uterine specimen.
Attention: the mustache only needs to be trimmed. Don't pull, don't tear! This can lead not only to damage to the young plant, but also to the death of the mother bush.
For spring seedlings, young rosettes must overwinter in natural conditions. In early spring, when buds form on the bushes, planting is carried out. At the same time, the mother plant will have time to get stronger and produce a good harvest, and the young plants will quickly take root in the new place and will bear fruit in the first year.
Choosing a day and time for pruning
We continue to expand on the topic of when to trim strawberry mustaches. To do this, you need to choose the right day and weather to start working. It is advisable that the day be dry and warm. If possible this should be early morning or late evening. Be sure to equip yourself with quality garden shears. Do not pull the mustache, as it is very strong. Pulling too hard can damage the main strawberry bush.
Which mustache to leave for seedlings
It is generally accepted that mustaches with first-order rosettes are suitable for seedlings.
The farther the young bushes are located from the mother plant, the less strong the seedlings they will produce.
A maximum of three daughter rosettes are left next to the donor plant, but only if the number of “children” of the first line is insufficient.
An important rule is to never take mustaches from fruit-bearing bushes to propagate strawberries. All their energy is spent on berries, so the “children’s” immunity will be weak.
When are daughter rosettes planted?
Strawberry daughter rosettes
Strawberry plants can be planted at several times. This is most often done in the spring, a little less often - at the end of July. However, it’s okay if it was not possible to prepare a new plantation during the indicated periods. You can plant strawberries in the autumn season.
Note! Planting of rosettes should be done no later than a month before the first night frost. This is necessary so that young plants have time to take root properly.
When to add strawberry mustaches
If the mother plants have been identified in advance and the autumn planting of new beds is planned, then it is recommended to dig in the tendrils for further growing of seedlings from them immediately after the point of growth of the rosette has been identified.
To bury the tendril, you need to place the heart of the future rosette at ground level, without deepening it into the ground. Otherwise, the beginnings of the new bush will rot. You can use a metal pin for fixation.
For spring planting, you can dig in the tendrils after the fruits have been collected from the mother specimen. In order for the “kids” to gain strength, they must go into winter with a formed rosette.
It is better, of course, to use specimens specially selected for propagation, since it is believed that the bushes that bear fruit are weakened and are not able to pass on all varietal qualities to the younger generation.
Benefits of planting strawberries
The optimal way to obtain planting material is the uterine rosettes or mustaches that form during the current season. To plant strawberries with mustaches in the fall, the gardener specially fertilizes the bushes during the summer and pays special attention to the emerging young mustaches.
In order to get strong seedlings for planting strawberries with tendrils by the fall, you need to dig in the first tendril from the bush in spring or summer, which will facilitate the rooting of the young rosette. In the future, all other tendrils should be removed, which will allow all the plant’s forces to be directed to the development of a new bush.
If we talk about the advantages of this technology, we note the following:
- Complete preservation of varietal characteristics in planted young bushes;
- Excellent survival rate;
- There is no need to prepare seeds and grow seedlings;
- The gardener reduces the cost of purchasing seedlings.
How to leave strawberry tendrils for seedlings
Strawberries actively grow tendrils, especially if all the buds on the mother plant are removed in the spring. The largest and most powerful cuttings are left for seedlings. They are the ones who will produce strong rosettes with the most preserved varietal qualities.
In order for the plant to form good mustaches, in the first year of fruiting, layering is completely removed from all mother specimens. This will give the strawberries the opportunity to form a powerful root system and strengthen the immune system.
Next year, first-, second- and third-order mustaches are left on the bushes selected for propagation, monitoring their uniform development. The priority for seedlings is the tendrils of the first line, located closer to the bush.
How to properly plant seedlings from mustache
Strawberry seedlings are planted in beds in late spring or early autumn before winter. In both cases, it is necessary to prepare seedling material.
Scheme of planting seedlings
- Allow the mother bushes to grow mustaches and form young rosettes;
- When the “babies” begin to send out roots, the tendrils are pinned down;
- The watering regime for young animals is once every three days with mandatory loosening after watering and rain;
- Planting is carried out 2-2.5 weeks after instillation. In this case, at least 4 leaves should be formed on the rosette, and the length of the roots should be approximately 5 cm;
- Layers are cut from the mother bush;
- If you plan to grow seedlings in the ground, then young bushes are planted immediately in a permanent place;
- If planting is planned in the spring or the “babies” are being prepared for sale, then the seedlings are planted in pots.
How to water a freshly transplanted crop
After planting, the bushes require regular watering. It is necessary to add new moisture as soon as the soil begins to dry out. Cracks should not be allowed to form in the soil in the beds, otherwise the bushes will begin to weaken and even die. However, too much water is also not beneficial - it can lead to rotting of the roots, as well as the development of mold.
It is recommended to water the crop in the late afternoon, after sunset. The most favorable air temperature for this is 15-18 degrees Celsius. In dry, hot weather, watering should be done 2 times a day - early in the morning and late in the evening. Watering should be done with a small stream of water to prevent erosion of the soil and damage the plants.
How to plant seedlings in the ground
The optimal time for planting young rosettes is the end of July or the beginning of September.
In order for strawberry bushes to take root faster, it is necessary to follow the rules of agricultural technology for this crop:
- strawberries grow in light, loose, slightly acidic or neutral soil;
- for planting seedlings, holes are made, focusing on the size of the rosettes being planted: it is enough to deepen small bushes by 3-5 cm;
- the step between individual specimens is 30 cm, the distance between the beds is 50 cm;
- After cutting off the tendril, the young plant is transferred along with a lump of earth without disturbing the root system;
- the rosette is moved to a new location, sprinkled with earth so that the root collar is level with the ground surface;
- seedlings grown in the ground are watered with warm water and mulched. For protection, cover with agrofibre.
How to save strawberry seedlings
Strawberry seedlings can be stored all winter and planted only in the spring. Optimal conditions are temperature +2…+6°С with humidity not lower than 90%.
It is better to keep seedlings in the basement. If there are no such conditions, then the seedlings are stored indoors, but in this case it is very difficult to achieve a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide (1:2).
To increase humidity, use air irrigation from a spray bottle and hanging wet towels.
For basement storage, sockets are placed in small boxes or drawers. To prevent freezing of the root system and drying out of the earthen ball, the root area is covered with sawdust or moss.
You can store strawberry seedlings in the refrigerator. Maximum time – 7 months. To do this, cut tendrils with young rosettes are laid out in bags, completely removing the earthen lump from the roots. The plants are irrigated with water from a spray bottle, the bag is closed and placed on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator, maintaining a temperature of +1...+2°C.
Important: when storing strawberry seedlings in the refrigerator, you must regularly ventilate the seedlings to remove condensation.
If seedlings are left in the ground until spring, they must be fertilized, watered and mulched. Additionally, cover with agrofibre and cover with heavy objects (stones, bricks): insufficiently rooted rosettes are often uprooted by gusts of wind.
Caring for young strawberry plantings
Measures for caring for transplanted strawberries include regular watering, weed and pest control, and loosening the soil around the bushes.
When watering plants, water should not get on the foliage. The first 7-10 days after planting, the seedlings are watered daily. Then watering is reduced to 2-3 times a week. The soil should be moist, but not wet, as overwatering can lead to the death of the strawberries. For large planting areas, drip irrigation can be organized, which simplifies plant care.
If the beds were fertilized before transplanting, then the strawberries do not need additional feeding.
The roots of adult strawberries can withstand soil temperatures down to -7 degrees, but young bushes do not have such frost resistance. Therefore, after planting strawberries, the soil around the plants is covered with mulch.
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To cover bushes for the winter, pine needles, peat, sawdust, rotted humus, straw, and pine needles are used. Only the roots of the plants are covered.
When snow falls, the bushes are naturally protected from frost with the help of snow crust. In the absence of snow cover, the plants are covered with agrofibre or spruce and pine spruce branches.
In the spring, after the snow melts, the cover is removed, old and frozen leaves are cut off, giving the plants new strength to grow.
How to make cassette strawberry seedlings from mustaches
The preparation of rosettes for cassette growing is carried out according to the classical method. It is necessary to cut off the emerging rosette with aerial roots, leaving a mustache 5-6 cm long. Next, prepare the cassettes:
- the minimum cell size is 80 mm, the optimal one is 150 mm;
- soil – peat of neutral acidity + turf soil + sand (2:2:1);
- All leaves are removed from the rosette, leaving only one pair;
- the bushes are planted in cassettes obliquely, while the tip of the mustache is immersed in the ground;
- For the first week, the cassettes are placed in a shaded place and covered with a greenhouse;
- They use a “fog” irrigation system.
After a week, the greenhouse is removed, the plantings begin to harden off, while reducing watering. Seedlings in cassettes are ready for transplanting into the ground a month after they are separated from the mother plant.
Strawberry seedlings from mustaches into cups
This method is suitable for growing seedlings for sale in the fall. The essence of the method is pinching the whiskers with the developing “babies” not in the ground, but in separate cups with a nutrient substrate. When the rosettes take root and gain leaf mass, their tendrils are cut off from the mother plant and then either planted in a permanent place in the garden or used for sale.
There are absolutely no restrictions on the choice of containers here. Strawberries are rooted both in ordinary plastic cups and in cardboard juice containers and cut-off plastic bottles.
Peat pots for growing seedlings in open ground are inconvenient, since due to frequent watering and possible precipitation, such containers quickly become limp and do not hold their shape.
The advantage of growing strawberry seedlings from mustaches in cups is that they save space. If, when growing seedlings in the ground, the step between plants is 30 cm, the cups can be placed more tightly. When transplanted to a permanent place, the plant is transferred along with a ball of earth, which increases the survival rate of seedlings.
Strawberry propagation by mustache: selection of mother plant, soil preparation, planting methods
Everyone is well aware of the propagation of garden strawberries using mustaches, but most people make rather serious mistakes, not knowing and not following certain rules for propagating their favorite berries.
Mother plant selection
To ensure that the seedlings turn out to be of high quality and strong, the preparation of planting material begins in advance. During the harvest period, it is necessary to select and identify the most fruit-bearing bushes with good taste characteristics.
They mark with wooden pegs, electrodes, plastic signs, simply by tying a red thread or placing a pebble near a bush. The selection method does not matter, the main thing is that the desired plant is clearly visible.
More on the topic: Planting strawberries in open ground in spring
In the spring of next year, all flower stalks are removed from the selected plants; good planting material will not be obtained on fruit-bearing bushes; you have to choose either berries or tendrils. A plant that has spent energy on growing fruits will not be able to produce full-fledged planting material.
Throughout the growing season, they are cared for like fruit-bearing strawberries: watered, fertilized, mulched, treated against diseases and pests.
You can transplant the mother plants into a separate bed; in order to increase productivity and improve the quality of planting material, the soil must be well fertilized before planting. The distance between bushes for propagation should be 70-80 centimeters, so that there is enough space for the development of mustaches and rooting of rosettes.
One mother plant can produce a fairly decent amount of planting material, up to 30 runners. The selected bush can actively reproduce for 3 years, and in the second year the mustache is stronger and of higher quality. After three years, new mother plants must be selected.
To obtain high-quality strawberry seedlings, it is better to remove excess tendrils by choosing the three strongest ones for propagation.
Each tendril can produce three rosettes, the strongest is the first order rosette, the one located closest to the mother plant, the rest must be mercilessly removed so that the main planting material is not depleted.
Important! For propagation by mustaches, you should choose plants not in the first year of fruiting. A young bush will not be able to produce high-quality and varietal seedlings.
