Strawberry stand: types of supports, how to make it yourself with video

What are they?

Clean, dry berries are the main purpose of the support. The simplest models are sold in every gardening department. This is a small green plastic structure in the form of a loop on a pin. It must be used correctly. Install in early spring immediately after cutting off old leaves.

Stick in the support so that the circle lies on the ground around the future bush. Pull it out gradually as the strawberries grow. When used correctly, leaves, flower stalks, and berries are not harmed. It is difficult to install the structure on an overgrown bush.

Strawberry fork support

Among other available solutions, which I previously devoted a separate article to, you can use plastic forks with broken middle tines as supports for strawberries. In this case, the point is not to raise the entire green mass above the ground; it is enough to place on them only individual branches on which the berries are formed. After harvesting, the support is immediately removed or rearranged. The ventilation of the bushes does not suffer in any way.

It is important to place such supports in close proximity to the berries (almost right next to where the stalk begins) so that the thin branch does not break prematurely under their heavy weight during filling.

The berries ripen unevenly, so you will not be required to immediately plant a large number of forks in the ground.

As in the case of the first method, once prepared supports will last for many subsequent seasons.

Source

Types of supports

There are many options for supports. A disposable plastic fork is the most basic. This life hack won’t be useful on a large strawberry plantation, but for a small bed it will be just right. Each fork needs to break out 2 central tines. You need to stick such supports under each peduncle. Natural materials are suitable to protect berries from rot, dirt, and insects: straw, sawdust, peat. They are scattered (layed out) under strawberry bushes.

The berries do not touch the ground, so they remain clean, are not damaged by insects, and are less susceptible to fungus.

To protect berries, you can purchase industrial materials in the store:

mesh;
black film;
black non-woven fabric;
plastic structures.

Growing strawberries on trellises

A trellis is a lattice that is used for growing plants. This method of planting allows not only to collect a rich harvest of berries from the bushes, but also to grow them even in the winter season. Only in this case the structure needs a reliable and warm shelter. In order to grow strawberries in this way, you need to choose the right soil mixture.

The following composition options would be ideal:

Peat, sawdust, perlite.
Peat, humus, turf soil.
Peat, turf soil, sand.

It is necessary to add microelements vital for plants to the prepared soil.

Preparing for work

Film and black non-woven material are used for drip irrigation systems. These are multifunctional options. On the one hand, they prevent moisture evaporation and save water. On the other hand, they protect berries and bushes from dirt, slugs, and other insects.

Working with these materials is easy. They are durable. Can last for several years. Covering material (film) should be laid in the spring. First, draw a diagram of the location of the bushes on the canvas. Then make cross-shaped notches. Place the film on the bed and pull the bushes out through the notches.

What ready-made devices can you buy?

Stores sell various devices that lift strawberries above the ground and prevent rotting and mold.

The harvest does not lie on the ground, it turns out clean. They also protect strawberries from attack by slugs and snails.

Grids

These are adjustable stands for strawberries, lettuce and tomatoes. They are round, plastic, and look like a big spider web. With adjustable bracket.

You need to buy as many pieces as there are bushes on the site. Each instance requires a separate device. The nets will hold the fruits on the surface and prevent snails from penetrating the strawberries.

Vertical supports for each bush

This device corresponds in shape to the previously discussed sample of thick wire “basketball basket”. It is sold ready-made. The height of the product is 30 cm, made of polymer steel, installed in the ground.

How to make strawberry stands with your own hands?

The simplest strawberry stand is made with your own hands from wire with a cross-section of 6-8 mm. The wire should be strong, but easy to bend. Tools and devices needed for work:

a piece of pipe (metal, plastic) with a diameter of 15-20 cm;
pliers;
side cutters.

Step-by-step manufacturing algorithm:

use side cutters to cut a piece 80 cm long;
form a loop by wrapping one end around the pipe (1 turn);
Use pliers to bend the loop 90°.

Three simple operations, and a convenient support for a strawberry bush is ready. It's easy to use. The pin is stuck into the ground next to the plant. The ring is smoothly placed under the leaves and flower stalks. It keeps the fruits and stems away from the ground.

Making a stand for strawberries from 1.5 liter plastic bottles is no less simple. It's better if the plastic is brown. During the winter you need to accumulate as many of them as possible. The only tools you need are a sharp knife and side cutters, and additional materials are thin wire (2-2.5 mm) and tape.

Bottles need to have their bottoms cut off. Assemble them into a pipe by sticking the top of one bottle into the bottom of the other. The length of the structure depends on the length of the ridge. For ease of transportation at home, you can make short sections and finally assemble them on site. Secure the pipe joints with tape.

Cut pieces of wire and bend U-shaped brackets. Place 2 tube stands along the row of strawberries. Secure with staples on both sides. Gardeners using this design note the following advantages:

the berries ripen earlier;
a favorable climate is created around the bushes, there are no drafts, the air cools less at night;
leaves, flowers, berries do not come into contact with the ground;
dirt and water do not linger on the plastic surface;
insects do not live under bottles.

How to tie up strawberries so they don't lie on the ground

Many diseases affect fruits lying on the ground. The most common group of diseases is rot. After watering, the soil under the plant remains moist for a long time.

It dries quickly in sunny weather. But, if it is cloudy, then the strawberries lie on wet soil for a long period, and thus rotting begins. Damaged copies cannot be saved.

The crop is poorly washed from the soil. It is too soft and porous to be completely peeled without damaging the surface of the strawberry.

ON A NOTE. Washed, deformed berries begin to deteriorate within the first day.

The next danger is insects and snails. They all love sweets and don’t mind eating a berry that lies on the ground. It is known that ants are carriers of many diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. The main ones are:

intestinal poisoning;
stomach upsets;
intoxication of the body;
diphtheria;
salmonellosis.

Insect bites are small and may not be noticed. By eating poorly washed fruits that have been bitten by insects, a person exposes himself to significant danger.

One way to prevent these negative consequences is tying. The bush has thin stems, so without support it is difficult for it to hold ripe berries. The crop lies on the ground due to its own weight.

Devices are made from various materials: plastic, wood, wire.

A support is a small post with a rope or wire that holds the stems in an upright position, preventing them from lying on the bed. Needed for every bush.

ATTENTION! There is a way to secure the entire row of strawberries so that they do not lie on the ground. For this, the curly properties of strawberry tendrils are used.

You can tie up the entire bed as follows:

Drive 2 stakes at the beginning and end of the bed.
Stretch the ropes along the sides, tying them to the tops of the stakes.
Help the shoots secure themselves on the rope using their whiskers
Next, the plant will crawl along the rope on its own and not lie on the ground.

Subsequent planting and care of strawberries

Every year you need to plant a new bed of strawberries, then there will be a harvest every year. In one place the berry bears fruit for 5 years. Therefore, at your dacha you need to have several strawberry plots:

first year of life;
a 2-year-old bed that produces a small harvest;
3-year productive;
4-year productive;
5 year old aging.

For propagation, first-order rosettes are taken from healthy, productive bushes. The planting pattern is chosen 35 x 80 cm or 50 x 80 cm. The choice depends on the size of the adult bushes. The more powerful they are, the greater the distance between the holes.

To protect strawberries from rot during fruiting, you can cover the ridges with straw and place holders under each bush. After prolonged rains, it is necessary to treat the bushes with biological products:

“Trichofite” (200 ml per 10 liters of water);
“Gaupsin” (200 ml per 10 liters of water);
"Rosconcentrate" (20 ml per 10 liters of water).

Spraying protects the berries from gray rot and insects.

How to make different holder designs

Each of the presented options is attractive and convenient in its own way, but there are other options. How else to make support for fruit crops:

Important! Strawberry support must be installed before fruiting begins. When the berries form, the flower stalks will begin to fit on the poles due to the increase in weight

There will be a ventilated space under the support and berries. After the harvest is harvested, you need to disassemble the structure, dry it and store it until the next season.

The following device is called a “basketball hoop”. It is very easy to do it yourself, the main thing is to purchase the necessary materials:

Note! It is recommended to give preference to galvanized wire. It will not rust, which will ensure the durability of the device

You need to measure 800 mm of wire from the coil and insert it into the side slot of the pliers, and then bite off the desired length. Wire with a large diameter does not fit into the groove of the tool. Having measured half the length, it is clamped with pliers and bent 90°. Then the wire needs to be bent again at the same angle.

Next, the wires should be inserted into the tube so that there remains a metal end of about 15 mm, which needs to be bent with a hook. The tube serves to increase the contact area between the peduncle and the ring and does not allow the plant to break due to the heaviness of the berry.

The smooth part of the wire is bent 90°, and the rest, where the tube and hook are, must be bent so as to form a ring. The hook snaps on top.

Like a basketball hoop

After the fruits appear, you need to separate the ring, spreading it so that the flower stalks with the harvest fit inside. The rod needs to be stuck into the ground and the ring with the hook snapped into place. All that remains is to straighten the flower stalks with berries and distribute them evenly throughout the ring so that it looks like it’s in a basket.

Important! The height is adjusted so that the berries lie on the ring with a slight stretch. To save the harvest, you can try using a set of disposable plastic forks; just break off the middle cloves, stick them into the garden bed and place a bunch of berries in the empty space.

The method is simple, fast and convenient. The crop will ripen without touching the ground and becoming a delicacy for slugs

To save the harvest, you can try using a set of disposable plastic forks; just break off the middle tines, stick them into the garden bed and place a bunch of berries in the empty space. The method is simple, fast and convenient. The crop will ripen without touching the ground and becoming a delicacy for slugs.

The only drawback is that the sharp part of the fork can cut the stems of the berries, and therefore it is recommended to use this option for tall varieties of strawberries that have small-sized fruits.

The manufacture of such devices allows you to preserve the harvest not only for yourself, but also for sale. Most of the options can be easily done with your own hands from available materials, while the costs will be minimal, and the work will not take much time.

Additional recommendations

Strawberries can be grown not only on the ground. A bed made of PVC pipe will look original. You can place it anywhere in the garden: hang it on a fence, place it on vertical supports.

You will need 2 pipes:

one of small diameter (40 mm) for watering, you need to drill holes in it, you can take a garden hose;
the second is of large diameter (main).

In the main pipe, holes with a diameter of 10-15 cm need to be cut every 15 cm. After this, proceed to filling:

pour small pebbles, this will be drainage;
insert a hose with holes for irrigation, pre-wrap it with covering material, the holes will not become clogged with soil;
add nutrient substrate.

Strawberry bushes are planted in the holes of the pipe. The berries in such a tube bed are always clean; they do not need additional support. They are easy to care for. Liquid fertilizers can be added to water for irrigation.

There are many options for original beds for strawberries. They build beds from used car tires. They are made from plastic bottles. The vertical bed-barrel for strawberries is very popular. During flowering and fruiting, wooden pyramid ridges become a decoration of the garden.

Ideas for strawberry supports

I don’t know why, but plastic bottles, which appeared en masse in the nineties of the last century, almost immediately won the sympathy of a significant part of our compatriots. This love was clearly demonstrated by the “Crazy Hands” section in one of the popular TV shows.

Read on dacha6.ru:

Today, summer residents are at the forefront of this trend, many of whom, willy-nilly, regularly have to buy one-and-a-half and five-liter bottles of clean drinking water, and also, in some cases, use disposable plastic dishes on the site.

Today I propose to take a closer look at popular ideas for strawberry supports made from available plastic items. The main goal is to prevent the berries from coming into contact with the ground so that they are less spoiled by rotting.

Stands

Another successful method of supporting ripening berries is the use of plastic containers. Water and carbonated drink bottles are cut lengthwise. Half-cylinders are placed next to the bushes on both sides of the planting line.

Now you need to place the shoots on a stand made of plastic cylinders. The berries here are comfortable, light and not damp. Expect the harvest soon and, most likely, not a single fruit will be removed from the branch damaged.

Landing Features

It is advisable to use ready-made fertile soil intended for growing flower and berry crops. If you use soil from your own garden plot, you should pay attention to its qualitative composition, as well as carry out the most effective disinfection.

In containers made from plastic bottles cut across, you can plant no more than one garden strawberry bush. The horizontal placement of the planting container makes it possible to plant two plants in a bottle. More dense planting has a bad effect on the health of strawberries and provokes a sharp decrease in yield .