Benefits of planting strawberries in autumn
It was customary to plant strawberries in the spring, when the earth warms up enough, but autumn work had many advantages. Experienced gardeners plant and propagate strawberries and wild strawberries in the autumn:
- In the fall, the main work on the site is completed, the owner of the site will be able to plant sweet berries without haste.
- Strawberries planted in the fall will produce a harvest the very next year, unlike those planted in the spring.
- Planting in the fall will require less attention than planting in the spring. The crop will not have to be watered frequently or protected from the sun.
- If the planting time is chosen correctly, the plant will have time to take root and take root before the cold weather. This will help you survive the winter without difficulty.
- Propagation by whiskers is best done from August 20 to the end of September.
strawberry mustache
Landing dates
Planting strawberries with a mustache can be planned for spring or autumn. Most often, gardeners prefer the spring months for such work. But if new beds have not been created at this time, you can postpone it until the fall.
Many experienced gardeners believe that autumn is the best time to replant crops. Because the plants no longer suffer from heat and drought, and the soil remains sufficiently warm and moist. Planting work can begin in the last days of August and be completed in September, so that the young bushes take root, take root and build up green mass. Such seedlings tolerate winter easily, and bloom in the spring.
Planting in the fall has not only positive aspects, but also its disadvantages. There is a risk of early cold weather. Frosts can destroy seedlings that have not had time to take root well.
Important! Planting strawberries in the fall should be done at least a month before frost. The seedlings must have time to take root before the cold weather arrives.
Which strawberry tendrils to take for planting?
The first year the mustache is plucked off from all bushes. Large and strong bushes are selected; next year these plants will become mother plants. In the year of propagation, all the buds are plucked off on the bushes that are selected for propagation. Plants should not bloom or bear fruit. All efforts should be spent on growing whiskers and forming daughter rosettes.
getting a new strawberry bush using a mustache
Use the first rosettes for seedlings; they are located next to the mother bush. It is allowed to take sockets of the second row, but you need to be prepared for the fact that they will be weaker than the first ones. The remaining sockets are removed so that power is supplied to only one plant selected for planting. There will not be enough power if it is distributed between several outlets.
How to prepare strawberry tendrils for planting
As soon as the mustache has grown enough, a rosette has formed on it; it needs to be pinned to the ground. This is done like this: the earth is loosened under the rosette, a handful of humus or peat is added, and with a staple made from a twig or, using other similar devices, a mustache is pinned to the ground on both sides of the rosette. The continuation of the whisker after the rosette is pinched to stop growth. The rosette takes root in the ground. Planting sweet berries in the fall with a mustache is convenient and easy.
strawberry bushes and rosettes obtained using tendrils
When the rosette is sufficiently rooted and can feed on its own, it is cut off from the mother bush. This is done at a distance of 5-7 cm. It is recommended to use only sharp scissors or a knife. The plant switches to self-feeding. The mustaches are rooted in the ground or in prepared pots. This will make subsequent transplantation easier.
Timing for planting new bushes
15 days before transplanting the strawberry rosettes, the daughter plants are separated from the central plant. During this time, young strawberry bushes should completely switch to their own nutrition, and the process of formation of root suction hairs will accelerate. When cutting, use sharp garden pruners. The incision is made in such a way that 2/3 of the air layer remains near the mother plant, and a piece of mustache 2-3 cm long remains near the young rosette.
If a young bush, after being separated from the mother bush, begins to fade, shade it and continue to water it. During transplantation, the condition of its root system is checked; perhaps pests or rot have settled in the roots. Such seedlings are discarded. The remaining seedlings are left with 3-4 healthy leaves.
Rooting of rosettes should be completed by the end of July or beginning of August. After all, it will take at least 25 days for plants to take root in new beds. In warm regions there are no frosts in September, so the timing of planting rosettes cut from the mother plant may be delayed until mid-September; in colder climates with early frosts, rooted rosettes begin to be replanted in mid-summer.
How often to water strawberries
Preparing the site for planting
For autumn work, the ground is prepared in the spring. The culture will grow in one place for several years. Therefore, the preparation must be correct. Dig up the soil. Select weed roots. When digging, add a bucket of humus or burnt manure per bed. It is allowed to add 30 grams of double superphosphate and 50 grams of mineral fertilizer. Adding ash to the soil is possible in very small quantities.
Attention! Ash is good for the soil and is a preventative against pests. But it acidifies the soil. The culture does not like alkaline soil; you should not get carried away with ash.
The prepared land is sown with green manure. Seeds of white mustard or annual lupine are suitable. Green manure grown to a height of 30-40 cm is mowed and dug up. The additive will become a good fertilizer and protect the soil from weeds.
Features of growing on agrofibre
Now many gardeners and gardeners use agrofibre when growing crops. This material has already proven itself to be an excellent helper in the garden. Increasingly, covering material is also used in growing strawberries, because this allows the berries to be harvested earlier than usual.
Agrofibre has several undoubted advantages:
- the dense structure of the material prevents weeds from germinating;
- micro-holes between the fibers perfectly allow air and moisture to pass through in the right quantities;
- the soil temperature in the covered bed is several degrees higher than in the area around it;
- The berries are protected from contact with the soil, so they remain clean, do not rot and are practically not exposed to the threat of disease.
Thus, strawberries grown on agrofibre require minimal care: you just need to provide timely watering.
Agrofibre greatly facilitates the care of beds and ensures good growth for strawberries
As soon as the snow melts, cover the berry bushes with agrofibre. This way you will protect the awakening sprouts from drafts and frequent frosts during this period. The material will create and maintain an optimal temperature for the growth and development of the plant. Once the weather improves and the threat of frost has passed, remove the sheet.
By growing strawberries in agrofiber tunnels, you can harvest your crop 2 weeks earlier than it usually ripens. You just need to erect an ordinary greenhouse on arcs over the strawberry bed.
- Install several of these arcs made of wire about 6 mm thick along the bed at a distance of 1 m from each other.
- Deepen them 25–30 cm into the ground, fasten them on top with strips that will prevent the frame from collapsing.
- Cover with agrofibre and dig the canvas on one side of the greenhouse with soil to fix it. The other side can simply be pressed with several stones so that it is convenient to turn the material away for ventilation.
- In good weather, slightly open the agrofibre every day for 15–30 minutes, and when the heat has established thoroughly, remove the material completely. When the strawberries have finished blooming, you can cover the bed again and provide it with regular ventilation.
Please note that the standard width of agrofibre sheets is 1.6 m or 3.2 m. You will have to make a bed for strawberries, taking these parameters into account. As a last resort, you can connect several strips of fabric, but remember that this should be done not end-to-end, but overlapping. In this case, the approach must be at least 20 cm.
Read more about the method in our article: Planting strawberries on agrofibre and laying drip irrigation.
Autumn planting of strawberries on agrofibre is done as follows:
- When planting strawberries under agrofibre in the autumn, prepare the bed in the usual way, just loosen the soil as deeply as possible, because you will not need to dig up this area for 3-4 years. It is better to apply organic and mineral fertilizers in advance, because strawberry roots do not like fertilizing during planting.
- Make several pins from wire to secure the agrofibre to the soil. Lay a cloth over the bed and secure it with pins around the perimeter. If multiple strips are used, place the pins along the line where they join. Additionally, you can press down the material at the edges with something heavy: boards, bricks, reinforcement bars and other available means.
Having spread agrofibre over the bed, secure it with pins or improvised materials
- On the agrofibre, make chalk marks in the places where the bushes will be located. Keep the distance between them, as in the usual planting diagram. Make crosswise cuts on the marks with a knife and bend the resulting corners outward.
- Make holes under the cuts and plant strawberries in them in the usual way. Bend the corners of the agrofibre inside the holes, fill with soil to the top of the holes. Water each bush with water.
Video: planting strawberries under agrofibre in the fall
How to plant strawberry bushes correctly
Beginning gardeners do not know how to plant strawberries in the fall. To plant strawberries correctly, it is enough to take into account several rules:
- the place should be sunny;
- the ground is wet;
- the heart of the socket should be at ground level;
- the gaps between the bushes should not be small.
Planting strawberries in the fall with a mustache is done in two ways:
- Single-line: the rows are at a distance of 70-80 cm from each other, and the bushes are at a distance of 20-30 cm.
- Double-line: between rows up to 80 cm, between bushes up to 40 cm. Planting is carried out in beds or on even prepared soil.
distance and scheme for planting strawberries with a mustache in open ground in autumn
Watering is carried out twice. Before and after planting bushes. Proper indentation is important. If the core of the plant is buried, it will rot. Placed high above the soil, it will dry out and there will be no fruit on this bush.
Important! When planting bushes in the soil, the holes must be made so deep that the roots do not tuck under. Curled roots will cause the plant to rot or have poor growth.
Site selection
The best predecessors for this delicious berry can be carrots, celery, spinach, dill, garlic, radishes and radishes. You cannot plant this berry after plants of the nightshade family, and especially after strawberries or wild strawberries. Nightshades and strawberries have common diseases. Bad predecessors and legumes. They are intermediate hosts of a dangerous pest for strawberries - nematodes.
The site should be chosen sunny, with sandy loam or loamy slightly acidic soil. If the soil is not suitable, it needs to be improved. To do this, add sand to clay soil, and clay to sandy soil. Soil acidity is also very important. Strawberries grow best and produce high yields in slightly acidic soil. If the acidity of the soil does not meet these requirements, it must be adjusted. Too acidic soil is limed, and weakly alkaline soil is acidified.
Features of autumn planting strawberries with mustache in the regions
Each region has its own time for carrying out work. There are other territorial features of planting and care.
In outskirts of Moscow
You can plant strawberries in the fall in the Moscow region in the spring, late summer, early autumn, but planting strawberries in the fall has a lot of advantages:
- The plant is planted in well-warmed soil.
- There are almost no droughts in autumn.
- The bushes have enough time to take root.
- In autumn there is no need to be afraid of the hot sun, so there is no need to shade the bushes.
in the Urals
Planting of the crop in the Urals is carried out twice, in spring and autumn. But everyone prefers autumn work with crops, since due to the harsh climate, spring plants often die. Planting strawberries in autumn with mustaches and rosettes is carried out at the beginning of the season. The plant has enough time to take root before the onset of cold weather.
planting strawberries in autumn in open ground with a mustache
In the Leningrad region
The entire Leningrad region is suitable for growing strawberries. The land is fertile, the climate is mostly damp. Autumn planting is carried out until mid-September. Sometimes, with favorable forecasts, the deadline can be extended until the end of September. The Leningrad region is considered one of the best regions for growing sweet berries.
In Siberia
Siberia is a harsh region and strawberries, which are considered autumn, are planted there no later than the end of July. Some people prefer planting in the spring, but in this case the bushes are planted under film or agrofibre. Winters there are difficult, the bush must take root well. Summer in Siberia is short, and in order for full-fledged berries to ripen, strawberries have to be insulated additionally. In addition, not all varieties are suitable for cold climates.
Strawberry predecessors during autumn planting
The rules of crop rotation apply not only to vegetable crops: when growing strawberries, you also need to pay attention to their predecessors. Optimal in this regard are cabbage, green and legumes, onions, and garlic. The best predecessor is clover, and any other green manure. Under no circumstances should you grow strawberries after raspberries, blackberries and nightshade crops (tomatoes, eggplants and especially potatoes): they have the same diseases.
Since by the time strawberries are planted, the garden bed is cleared of garlic, I have been doing exactly this all my life: I plant garlic in the place where strawberries are planned for next year. The soil after garlic is not very depleted, but is reliably disinfected with its phytoncides.
Garlic is one of the best precursors for strawberries.
Strawberries can be neighbors of almost any crop: you should not plant nearby only those that produce abundant shoots (raspberries, cherries, horseradish, etc.). Optimal neighbors are salads, onions, garlic, parsley.
Care after landing
After the plants are planted, the soil must be mulched. Pine needles are the most useful for strawberries, but if they are not available, it is recommended to take sawdust. This is done to prevent diseases to which she is susceptible.
Black non-woven material can be used. But we will have to change the technology of planting bushes. The material is spread before planting on the prepared ground. Then cross-shaped holes are made in it, and holes are made in these holes. Planting strawberries this way has its advantages:
- the ground under the fabric is always loose;
- the fabric protects the soil from drying out;
- plants are less susceptible to diseases;
- the roots are in comfortable conditions.
It doesn't matter what planting technique was used. Supervision is required for 2-3 days after planting. Protect plantings from direct sunlight. This can be done using branches with leaves or non-woven white material. In dry weather, seedlings are watered 1, and sometimes 2 times a day, with small portions of water. It is strictly forbidden to allow the soil to dry out immediately after planting.
Important! Only the application of all the rules and recommendations will allow you to achieve good yields. If the rules are not followed, strawberries may bear fruit, but the berries will be small and the harvest will be meager.
Caring for planted strawberries
The main task of gardeners when planting is to provide all the necessary conditions for rapid rooting. To get a healthy plant you need proper care.
Autumn watering of strawberries
The first half month after planting in open ground, strawberry seedlings require regular, abundant watering at least 2 times a week. This event is held subject to no rain. After making sure that the young rosettes have taken root, watering is gradually reduced. But the soil should not dry out. It is better to water in the morning and use settled water.
Top dressing
Strawberries really like additional fertilizing, but in the fall, after planting, fertilizers will not be appropriate (except for fertilizing the soil before planting). Already in the spring, young plants are watered several times with mullein infusion.
Mulching
It will not be needed if the strawberries are planted under agrofibre. Otherwise, mulching is carried out after planting, using humus or peat. Sawdust, pine needles and pine cones can be considered an ideal organic mulching product that will not only protect strawberries from various damage, but also become a mineral complex.
For the purpose of mulching and disease prevention, you can plant berry bushes between marigolds, garlic, calendula or mustard. Additionally, it is worth mulching the bushes before preparing for wintering.
Trimming
It is not advisable to trim young leaves in the fall immediately after planting. The exception is when, after transplantation, a large number of mustaches or peduncles are formed. If this is not done in a timely manner, they will simply drain all the strength from the young plant.
Prevention of pests and diseases
To ensure that the top layer of soil near newly planted bushes does not become a “home” for pests, it must be processed in a timely manner. During this period, even the use of chemicals is allowed, since harvesting is not planned for the next six months.
Gardeners consider Karbofos one of the most popular preparations. The solution is very easy to use: heat it to at least 32°C and water the selected area, before thoroughly loosening the soil. For the best effect, create a greenhouse effect - cover the treated area with film for 2-3 hours.
Prevention against pathogens of strawberry diseases that may appear in the spring can be done with fungicides and preparations that contain copper.
Those who do not want to resort to the use of chemicals can prepare a good preparation themselves. To do this, prepare a mixture that includes vegetable oil, vinegar, liquid soap, and wood ash in equal proportions (2.5 tablespoons each). All this is thoroughly mixed in a bucket of water and used to spray the foliage of the plant and the soil.
