Growing strawberries from seeds at home: when and how to plant seeds, step-by-step instructions on how to choose a variety, soil, sowing technique and features of caring for seedlings

Garden strawberries are propagated mainly by vegetative methods - daughter rosettes and division of bushes. But when cultivating varieties and hybrids that are not prone to shedding tendrils, as well as when wanting to grow varieties of interest from purchased berries, some gardeners prefer to plant strawberries with seeds.

The generative (seed) method of propagation allows you to obtain the desired and, most importantly, healthy plants in large quantities

Experts say that it is unlikely that it will be possible to grow large-fruited varietal strawberries from your own seeds, since during seed propagation there is a strong splitting of the genome. Sowing seedlings is justified only for hybrids bred in research centers.

The benefits of growing strawberries from seed to seedlings

At first, it may seem quite difficult to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds. The seeds of this crop take a long time to germinate, and the shoots sometimes wither. However, having the necessary knowledge and having mastered a simple planting technique, in the future you can always grow strawberries in this way. Moreover, it has many advantages:

• Seeds can be stored for a long time, unlike seedlings.
• It's easier to choose the variety you need.
• The price of seeds is several times lower than the cost of seedlings.
• The name of the strawberry variety and its properties will be precisely known.
• One berry produces many bushes.

Advice! It is better to buy strawberry seeds before February, as later they may no longer be available for sale.

If you are not sure of a positive result, you should not buy elite varieties at an expensive price. When purchasing seeds on the market, you should pay attention to the expiration date.

Pre-sowing seed treatment

Strawberries from seeds are most often grown through seedlings. In this case they use:

• peat tablets;
• individual cups;
• containers.

Since strawberry seeds are very small, they are not planted directly in open ground. To increase the germination of planting material, it is necessary to carry out pre-sowing treatment, which consists of stratification and germination.

Selecting seeds for planting

Nowadays you can find seeds of various varieties and hybrids of strawberries on the market. When choosing a bag, you must definitely look at the expiration date, since planting material quickly loses its viability and may not germinate a year after ripening and packaging. The number of seeds in the package also varies; some hybrids contain from 4 to 10 seeds. And, of course, you need to consider what you want to get in the end: bushes for the balcony, a fruit-bearing plantation in the open ground, or beautiful hanging hanging plants.

You can buy different varieties and hybrids of strawberries on the market.

Another option is to collect seeds from your own berries. But if you have several varieties on your site, then they could be cross-pollinated, and your own unique hybrid will grow from the seeds.

Stratification

Seed stratification is a prerequisite for obtaining friendly seedlings. It is carried out both before and after sowing.

The procedure consists of the following steps:

1. Strawberry seeds are poured onto a damp cotton pad and covered with a second one.
2. Everything is placed in a small food container and stored in a warm place for 2 days.
3. Then the container is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and kept there for another 2 days.

   For stratification, strawberry seeds are wrapped in wet wipes or discs and placed in the refrigerator.

4. Over the course of two weeks, the seeds are moved either warm or cold. Every day the container is opened and ventilated.

If you are preparing several varieties for planting, do not forget to label the names.

After stratification, the seeds can be sown in bowls, peat tablets, or left in a warm place until roots appear.

Germination

Seeds of especially valuable varieties can be germinated before planting.

1. Stratified planting material is laid out on a saucer with a napkin folded in several layers.
2. Spray with melt or rain water and place in a transparent plastic bag.
3. The package is left in a very bright and warm place with a temperature of 25 °C. Accumulating drops of condensate are removed, and if the bag is dry, the seeds are moistened by spraying.

When germinating, seeds should not float in water.

How long does it take for strawberry seeds to sprout?

Seeds of small-fruited varieties that have undergone stratification and are in ideal conditions germinate in a week. If sowing is done incorrectly or if there is a lack of heat and light, seedlings may not appear.

Seeds of large-fruited strawberries take about 2–3 weeks to germinate.

Buy seeds or choose from berries?

1. Material for sowing can be purchased in specialized stores. It is better to buy seeds with a shelf life reserve. In addition, for insurance purposes, you can purchase several varieties from different companies.
2. You can propagate small-fruited garden strawberries yourself. To do this, take overripe berries, cut off and throw away their spout and top part, since in these places the seeds are of poor quality. The remaining part of the fruit is crushed and filled with warm water. The pulp floats to the surface and is poured out with water. Strawberry seeds remain at the bottom. They are dried on a napkin and then packed in a paper bag.

Advice! You can also get seeds from frozen fruits, but they must be used immediately.

Selecting suitable containers

The containers can be anything, let’s look at the most common ones:

1. Ready-made plastic cassettes. They can be purchased at gardening outlets. Each container of the cassette is designed for planting one seed. Drainage holes have already been made, but you need to choose a pallet yourself.
2. Homemade plank boxes. They can be used repeatedly, but must be disinfected upon repeated use.
3. Various paper and plastic cups. Seedlings from these are easy to transplant, but they require containers for transportation.
4. Pots of their peat. The advantage is that they are planted in the ground along with seedlings, but the disadvantage is that they may turn out to be of poor quality. Buy from trusted stores.
5. Transparent packaging for cakes, cookies and other things. Drainage holes are made in them yourself, and the container is ready. The advantage is that they have transparent lids.

You will choose yourself, based on your conditions and capabilities.

Before filling with soil, the containers should be wiped with a cloth soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Selecting a variety and purchasing seeds

Before purchasing, it is important to decide which variety of strawberries is best to plant on your plot.

• Remontant varieties are capable of producing several harvests in one season, but their fruits are not as fragrant and sweet.
• Hybrid varieties have the largest berries, but such strawberries require more fertilizer than regular ones.

Different varieties of strawberries differ in taste, so you need to choose them according to the purpose of use. Sweet varieties are grown for fresh consumption, and more sour berries are chosen for harvesting for the winter.

Strawberries come in many different varieties, so gardeners can choose any they want.

Which varieties are best propagated by seeds?

Special hybrids of modern selection.

In the store you can purchase branded seeds: Russian size, Moscow delicacy, S-141, World delicacy, Home delicacy, Grandian, Ellan, Florian, Russian Giant (Gavrish), Pink Dream (Sedek), Temptation (Aelita), Nastenka, Lizonka , Sashenka.

Moscow delicacy F1 . This hybrid strawberry variety belongs to the remontant type. The berries are large in size and taste sweet. Fruiting earlier, up to 1.5 kg of berries can be collected from one bush. The plant has a beautiful appearance, so it can be grown in special vertical beds and even in pots.

Queen Elizabeth . This variety is not a hybrid, but belongs to the remontant type. You can collect seeds. The strawberry variety bears fruit throughout the season. Very aromatic large berries have a juicy raspberry color. Due to their good density, the berries tolerate transportation well.

Gigantella . The variety is not a hybrid and bears fruit once a summer. The weight of individual specimens can reach up to 120 grams. The fruits have good taste. Dry skin allows the berries to be preserved well.

Zephyr . This variety is popular due to its early fruiting and high yields. In addition, the plant does not require special care and can tolerate light shade.

Tristar . The berries of this variety are large and conical in shape. At the end of summer, Tristar can produce a second harvest of sweet fruits. Belongs to the dessert variety.

Diamond . Known for its resistance to various viruses. The fruits ripen early. From one bush you can collect up to 2 kg of delicious berries.

Dukat . Tolerates frost well.

Sometimes gardeners try to grow strawberries from seeds that they collected from their plot. However, most often such experiments give poor results. Therefore, it is better not to waste time and effort on such experiments, but to immediately buy seeds at a garden store.

Diseases and pests of strawberry seedlings

Choosing the right hybrid will protect you from 70% of diseases and pests. However, using an untreated tool can lead to dire consequences. Today, several main diseases can be distinguished: brown and white spot, ramularia, root fungus, verticillium.

Pests: strawberry leaf beetle, spider and strawberry mites, ants, weevils. Proper care and inspection of the plant will help get rid of them at the initial stage.

Growing strawberries from seeds is an interesting and enjoyable activity. Seeing the fruits of your own labor is the main reward for a gardener. Following the recommendations, you will be able to get the first harvest at the beginning of summer. A healthy and tasty berry will help restore the vitamin balance of your household.

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When to plant strawberry seeds

The seeds of this crop are too small. Their quantity in packages varies. It all depends on the variety of strawberry, as well as on the production costs of producing seeds.

Depending on the climatic region in which the site is located, there are different times for preparing and planting strawberry seeds. In addition, due to serious climate changes in the last decade, it is better to take into account the experience of experienced gardeners.

• In Kuban, strawberry seeds begin to be sown in the last ten days of February or in the first ten days of March.
• Gardeners in central Russia begin sowing seeds in early to mid-February.
• In Siberia - in the first ten days of February.

Some gardeners sow seeds at the end of January. In this case, the seedlings will be well strengthened by the time they are planted in a permanent place.

The most serious problem with planting seeds during the winter months is the lack of daylight. For this reason, many sprouts do not survive or develop poorly. Young shoots need daylight for 10-12 hours. Therefore, they are provided with additional lighting, which should not overheat the seedlings. At night, the lamps are turned off.

Important! 30-45 days before sowing seeds, it is necessary to carry out stratification.

Stage No5. Sow strawberry seeds for seedlings

When the seeds, soil mixture and seedling boxes are properly prepared, you can proceed directly to sowing. This can also be done in two ways; let’s get acquainted with the features of each of them.

First sowing method

Step one . First, take a seedling box, fill it with soil, level it and compact it. Using a board, cut furrows.

Furrows in the soil

Step two . Place the seeds in these furrows (you can use a moistened match or tweezers for this) in approximately 2 cm increments.

Sowing strawberry seeds

Step three . If you sow several varieties of strawberries at once, you can also put up beacons with names so you don’t forget what is where.

It is advisable to label different varieties

Step four . Water the soil. It is advisable to do this with a spray bottle, otherwise you may wash out the crops. Also, do not forget that strawberry seeds are difficult to germinate, and therefore moisture should be plentiful.

For watering it is better to use a spray bottle

Step five . Cover the box with the crops with glass or film - this way you minimize the evaporation of moisture. Do not forget to ventilate the plantings and water them daily.

The box is covered with film

Second way. Sowing in the snow

Another possible option is to sow strawberry seeds in the snow. This will reduce the risk of deepening and will also help to achieve uniform germination. Pour the soil prepared as described above into the box, and pour a 1 cm thick layer of snow on top. Place the seeds on top of the snow, then wait until it completely melts. The seeds, along with melt water, will be drawn into the soil, so there is no need to bury or sprinkle anything.

Sowing strawberry seeds in the snow

Note! Strawberry seeds germinate just as well in complete darkness as in the light.

After this, cover the container with film or glass and place it on a lighted windowsill. Ventilate and (if required) moisten with a spray bottle every day.

Stratification

It is known that after the stratification procedure, seeds sprout faster. To do this, the seeds are kept in the cold for 2 weeks. There are two ways to do this:

• Pack strawberry seeds in paper bags and place them in the refrigerator for 14 days. After this, you can sow the seeds.
• Stratification is carried out after the seeds are sown in the soil. The containers are covered with a film in which several holes are made or a transparent lid with holes for air access. Boxes with crops are placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator or buried in the snow outside. After 14 days, containers with crops are brought into a warm room.

Preparation

Preparations for planting strawberries for seedlings begin long before the season. You can use your own material or purchase the desired variety at a gardening store. Additionally, they buy or bring soil and suitable containers from the site.

Seeds

Seeds are bought or extracted from the berry, soaked and germinated.
The process of preparing seeds for sowing is divided into 3 stages:

1. Calibration (sorting) . For planting, take healthy, solid material with a diameter of at least 2 mm.
2. Soaking . The seeds are laid out on the surface of cotton pads or fabric and moistened. Leave in a warm place until swelling.
3. Germination . To germinate strawberry seeds, use a plastic container with a lid. A substrate with swollen material is placed in it, closed and placed in a warm room.

To speed up germination, experienced gardeners use cold stratification (simulating winter conditions). The tray with the swollen seeds is placed in the refrigerator for 2–3 weeks.

If you use your own planting material for sowing, it is disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20–30 minutes.

Priming

You can grow healthy strawberry seedlings only in high-quality soil. If there are fungal spores in the ground, the seedlings will begin to get sick and die.

It’s easy to prepare the soil mixture yourself:

1. Take soil from the site, add one part of peat and sand.
2. Mix the ingredients.
3. Pour a glass of wood ash into a bucket of prepared soil mixture.
4. Calcine the soil in an oven at 50–60 °C for 15–20 minutes or freeze it by placing it outside.

Stores sell ready-made substrate for sowing. The mixture contains the necessary nutrients, is disinfected and safe for seedlings.

Immediately before sowing, the soil is spilled with Fitosporin. It protects the root system from diseases and parasites and increases germination. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water and 5 g of product.

Capacities

Gardeners choose paper or plastic containers for strawberry seedlings.
It is better to sow strawberries in special containers. In the apartment they most often use:

• Plastic cassette. Sold in gardening stores.
• Wooden box.
• Paper, plastic cup.
• Peat pot. It is convenient because the seedlings are planted in a permanent place along with the container. The pot decomposes in the soil and feeds the strawberry root system.
• Peat tablet. After watering it swells, replacing the soil mixture. The best option for sowing if there is no soil at hand.

Strawberries can be planted in cake or cookie packaging. This is not so convenient, but with proper care the seedlings will feel no worse than in a special container. The only requirement for such dishes is that there must be holes in the bottom so that water does not stagnate.

Selection of capacity

Strawberry seeds are sown in containers in which the seedlings will germinate. To do this, you need to prepare such containers in advance. There are several types of containers for growing strawberry seedlings.

Carton boxes

You can buy such boxes in any store. It is important that the cardboard is thick. Such a container will not cost anything, but it quickly deteriorates from moisture.

Tetra packs

You can pre-assemble packages in which milk, juices and other drinks are sold. The inside of these cardboard boxes is covered with a special waterproof coating.

You can freely buy them in the store, and they do not get wet when watering the soil. The disadvantage of this container is that it can only be used once.

Plastic glasses

Many products are sold in such cups: soft cheeses, yoghurts, dairy products, etc. Before use, you just need to wash them well and disinfect them. The advantages of cups include their resistance to moisture, retention of shape, and reusable use. The downside is that you need to collect a lot of these cups.

Plastic bottles

Available materials for containers are plastic drink bottles. The top of the bottle is cut off and the bottom is used for sowing seeds. The top part of the container can be used as a lid for seedlings. This container has many advantages: functionality, can be used for more than one season, it does not lose shape from moisture.

Plastic containers

Boxes of cakes, cookies, sweets and other confectionery products are available for purchase by everyone.

In addition, they have transparent lids. Disadvantage of containers: they are very fragile, they are used only for one season.

Wooden boxes

Boxes can be made from boards with your own hands. They are reliable and can be used for many years.

However, such containers must be disinfected before use. In addition, you will have to buy boards to assemble the boxes.

Important! Any container must have holes for drainage. Excess moisture should not accumulate in the soil, but drain into the pan.

Seed marking

Productivity, resistance to viruses and fungal diseases, frost resistance, requirements for lighting, duration of fruiting - the successes of modern breeding provide a variety of assortments for any discerning taste. But the main factor that should not be overlooked is the freshness of the seeds. The germination and viability guaranteed by the manufacturer directly depends on it (subject to proper storage conditions). The packaging date and expiration date are usually indicated on the bag. The manufacturer’s details should also be reflected in full (actual and email addresses, phone numbers where you can directly contact the supplier and consult on all emerging questions, clarify missing information), including contacts of the organizations that carried out the control.

In the photo - garden strawberry seeds offered by various agricultural companies

Check whether the purchased seed material is registered in the State Register, whether the description given by the manufacturer does not contradict reality, check the regionalization of the variety or hybrid, purpose, belonging to the light zone, etc.

Detailed descriptions of popular varieties of strawberries of domestic and foreign selection can be found in the section of our website.

Reliable manufacturers who value their reputation post a barcode, reliable information from which can be read using a special mobile application.

Soil preparation

Particular attention should be paid to preparing high-quality soil in which seedlings will be grown from seeds. Ready-to-use substrate is sold in stores. But you can prepare it yourself:

1. Non-acidic peat, vermicompost, coarse sand are mixed in a 3:1:1 ratio.
2. Turf soil, peat and coarse sand are combined in a ratio of 2:1:1.

In any case, it is necessary to add a small amount of ash and humus to the soil mixture.

• The finished soil should be steamed to get rid of pest larvae and pathogens of various infections. To do this, the mixture is kept over hot steam for 30 minutes. Then, the soil is left alone for 14-20 days to allow beneficial bacteria to restore their numbers.
• The next stage of soil preparation will be sifting. Strawberries love airy soil. Therefore, this procedure will make the earth soft and lush. After this, the mixture can be poured into containers.

Stage No3. Preparing the soil for seedlings

Ready-made soil for seedlings can be purchased in a store without any problems, but experienced gardeners still prefer to prepare the soil mixture with their own hands. Let's look at two popular ways to do this.

Soil for seedlings is an important element of success

Method one . Take sand, peat and turf soil in a ratio of 1:1:2, add a little complex mineral fertilizer (alternatively, you can replace it with rotted manure and ash). But note that the soil contains a lot of weed seeds, various types of bacteria, and insect larvae/eggs. To get rid of all this, steam the soil for half an hour over a pan of boiling water. After this, leave it for another 3 days to restore microbiological properties.

Components of soil mixture for seedlings

Method two . Take vermicompost, peat and sand (necessarily coarse-grained) in a ratio of 1:3:1. Another possible option is peat with sand in a 4:1 ratio.

Soil prices

soil for plants

Sowing seeds

Now you can start planting strawberry seeds. The soil mixture in pots needs to be well moistened. Using tweezers or a damp sharp stick, place the seeds on the surface of the soil. At the same time, we maintain a distance between seeds of 4 to 5 cm.

There is no need to cover the seeds with soil. It is better to cover them with a 2.5 cm layer of snow. Cover the containers with a transparent lid and place them in the refrigerator or in a snowdrift near the house for 14 days. At the moment of melting, the water will pull the seeds into the ground.

Some gardeners germinate seeds before sowing, which makes it possible to get seedlings faster. The seed is soaked in warm, clean water for 2-3 days. At the same time, the water needs to be changed periodically. Place the swollen seeds on filtered paper in a plate. Wrap the plate in a plastic bag and keep warm.

When the seeds hatch, they can be planted in the ground. Thanks to this method, empty seeds can be detected.

After sowing, the containers are covered with transparent material to create favorable conditions for germination.

Methods for obtaining seeds and storing them

If you decide to try this option in practice, then all that remains is to choose the most convenient way to obtain seeds. As you know, strawberry seeds are very small. They can be removed from the surface of a well-ripened berry only with part of the pulp, which must subsequently be disposed of. This is most often done with a sharp object (scraping or cutting with a thin knife/blade), a sharpened stick (picking out with a toothpick, match, needle) or by wiping the pulp through gauze. The withdrawal process will be painstaking one way or another, but not too troublesome.

One false polynut (as the strawberry fruit is called in the botanical classification) can contain on average about 350 achenes

In the first two cases, the extracted nuts are laid out on a dry paper napkin to dry. After the pulp dries after a few days, they are easily separated. They are disinfected with any available biofungicide in accordance with the instructions on the original packaging, dried and poured into a parchment bag for storage, having previously written information about the crop: expected characteristics, collection time, etc.

You can crush (rub with your fingers) the cut layer in a gauze bag and, rinsing several times in clean water, gradually separate the grains. The further preparation procedure remains the same: the seeds are disinfected, dried and stored.

Another method involves using a blender, in which the berries are crushed with a large amount of water. Straining the mass through a fine-mesh sieve, repeat the procedure several times, sifting out the seeds.

Dried seed material is stored in a cool, dry, dark place until sowing. Germination persists for three to four years , gradually decreasing.

Instructions for sowing in a container

After germination of strawberry seeds, they are planted in boxes or containers. To do this, you must adhere to some rules:

• The container in which the seeds will be planted must be at least 10 cm high.
• It needs to be thoroughly treated with a weak solution of manganese, and can also be wiped with alcohol for disinfection. Dry well.
• For a wooden container, it is better to use film to prevent its bottom from rotting. Place plastic film on the bottom of the box and make holes for drainage, both in the bag and in the bottom of the box. This is not done in a plastic container.
• The container is filled with a layer of prepared soil up to 8 cm and compacted slightly.
• Using a spray bottle, moisten the soil.
• After this, the seeds are immediately laid out with tweezers on the surface of the ground at a distance of 2-4 cm from each other. There is no need to deepen them, but lightly press them down and sprinkle them with an earthen mixture about 5 mm thick. There is no need to cover unsprouted seeds. They need to be lightly pressed into the soil and the containers placed in a warm and bright place for the seeds to germinate.
• Periodically, the crops should be moistened with a spray bottle. If you sow ungerminated seeds, it is recommended to cover the containers with a transparent lid or film. After the appearance of young shoots, the shelter must be removed.
• The first shoots appear after 10-15 days, but can hatch after 5-7 days. In some cases, young shoots appear within 30 days.

Watch the video! How to grow strawberries from seeds

An alternative option is peat tablets.

Strawberry seeds can be sown as seedlings and in peat tablets. The good thing about this method is that diving, a procedure so traumatic for young plants, is not required here.

Growing strawberries from seeds in peat tablets

Prepare seeds in the same way as for normal sowing. When they hatch, you can get down to business.

First you need to prepare the strawberry seeds

Place the tablets in a plastic container and fill with water. Wait until they swell to “columns”. Add water regularly. When the tablets no longer absorb it, drain the excess from the container. Place the hatched seeds in special recesses located at the top of the tablets. You can use a toothpick. You can sprinkle the planted seeds, although this is not necessary.

Sowing seeds in peat tablets

Cover the container with a transparent lid and move it to a well-lit place with a temperature of no more than +20 degrees. Remove condensation from the lid every day and ventilate the container to prevent mold from forming. If the latter does begin to appear, carefully remove it with a toothpick and drip a fungicide solution (for example, Maxim) onto these places.

The container is covered with a lid

When the first true leaves appear, remove the lid. Cover the exposed roots (if any). If the “columns” have decreased, you can add water to the container (still until completely absorbed), do not forget to drain the excess.

Note! As for fertilizing, add humates or seedling mineral fertilizers when watering every 14 days.

Strawberry seedlings in peat tablets

When the seedlings are well developed and their roots are visible on the surface of the tablets (as a rule, this occurs after June 10), you can begin planting in the ground. The algorithm of actions is given below.

Step one . First, prepare the bed - add rotted manure or humus (1⁄2 buckets per 1 square meter). In the case of clay soil, increase the consumption of humus to 1 bucket, additionally add the same amount of peat and 1⁄2 bucket of sand. You can also apply complex mineral fertilizer (35-40 g per 1 square meter). After this, dig up and level the soil.

Fertilizer application

Step two . Stretch the cord between the pegs to ensure even rows. Mark each row with a small groove.

Marking a row with a shallow groove

Step three . Make holes of the required size in increments of 30 cm, plant peat tablets with plants in them.

The distance between holes should be 30 cm

Step four . Fill the remaining voids with loose soil - the growing point should be at surface level. Fill in very carefully, then lightly compact the soil.

Compacting the soil around the plant

Step five . Water the soil around the plants. Be careful not to blur it.

Watering seedlings

Note! It is desirable that the distance between the rows be 35-40 cm, and the distance to other crops should be at least 50-60 cm.

And in conclusion, another possible way to plant strawberry seedlings in the ground.

Table. Instructions for planting strawberry seedlings using covering material.

Strawberries in a greenhouse

When growing strawberry seedlings, you should not expect quick germination. They will appear 20-21 days after landing. The fact is that all small-seeded plants take a long time to develop. This is due to the small size of the seed, which cannot contain many nutrients. More details in this article.

Video - How to plant strawberry seedlings in the fall

Instructions for sowing in peat tablets

A convenient method for sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings is peat tablets. They can be purchased at a garden store.

• It is advisable to buy tablets approximately 2.4 cm in size.
• Fill the material with settled or melt water and leave for 2 days.
• After swelling, peat tablets increase significantly; they are placed in a shallow container, such as a tray.
• A small depression is made in each tablet, into which one grain is placed, lightly pressing into the peat.
• The container with peat is covered with transparent material and placed in a warm and bright place (window sill).
• Peat tablets are periodically moistened. It is important to ensure that they do not dry out.
• When shoots appear, the shelter must be removed.
• The seedlings should be kept in tablets until their roots grow through the walls of the peat.

Advice! Strawberry seeds can be planted in peat tablets without prior germination. Otherwise, they are not covered, which complicates the procedure for moistening them.

When the roots grow through the peat, the plant is transplanted into a separate container with soil. 1 seedling is transplanted into cups.

Preparing the substrate for sowing

One of the main requirements for soil is lightness and friability. It is best to plant strawberry seeds for seedlings in forest soil mixed with sand in equal parts. Soil from the garden is also suitable for planting. The only caveat is that the soil should not be taken from a bed where strawberries, raspberries or nightshades were grown last season.

Before sowing seeds, the soil must be disinfected to eliminate the possibility of various pests.

This can be done by heating. The procedure involves keeping the soil in the oven for 20 minutes at a temperature of 200 °C.

The next stage of disinfection is to abundantly water the soil with a weak solution of manganese.

Caring for strawberry seedlings

At first, young shoots grow slowly. After the cotyledons open, true leaves begin to develop.

• If tender roots stick out on the surface of the soil, it is advisable to cover them with earth. But this must be done with extreme caution, raking the soil with a toothpick.
• Moisten the soil only as needed. To do this, use a syringe, spoon or sprayer.
• Young seedlings develop well at an air temperature of 15-18 degrees and good lighting.
• The film is not removed from the container for some time. Sudden opening of sprouts can lead to their death. It is necessary to gradually accustom the plant to changes in microclimate.
• To prevent the moisture that collects on the film from reaching the seedlings, you should sometimes lift it for ventilation. In addition, drops of condensation must be wiped off regularly.
• When the first leaves begin to appear, airing is carried out more often and longer, gradually increasing the time. After 2–3 true leaves appear, the shelter is removed. If necessary, dive into small containers measuring about 5x5 cm.
• If the strawberry bushes do not interfere with each other, then you can leave them without picking. Sometimes small, tender seedlings die after transplantation.
• Young plants can already survive even zero air temperatures. However, at this time they need good lighting. Starting from April-May, containers with seedlings can be transferred to a greenhouse or closed balcony.

Capacities

The widest choice! Both in the store and for home reuse. It depends on what you want to achieve. If picking follows, then the best options would be any boxes, crates, or containers.

Photo: Gardeners use various containers.

If you are going to sow on an ongoing basis, especially for sale, then it is better to use individual containers: plastic cups, cut-off bottles, pots, peat tablets. Separate containers are naturally preferable: the root system is better preserved in them.

Preparing seedlings for planting in the ground

Before planting a plant in open ground, it is necessary to carry out agrotechnical procedures. This is necessary so that the bushes can more easily tolerate transplantation:

• Hardening. 14-20 days before transplanting strawberry seedlings into open ground, they are taken out into the fresh air during the daytime. In the evening, the seedlings are brought into the house. This way, the plant will be able to adapt to sunlight and new air temperatures.
• Treatment with solutions. When a plant is infected with powdery mildew, a white coating appears on the leaves. In this case, the bushes need to be treated with biofungicidal agents. Spider mites are destroyed using an acaricide solution.

Planting in a permanent place

At the age of two to three months, strawberry seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place.

By the time of planting in a permanent place, high-quality seedlings should have several leaves and a well-developed root system

Small-fruited remontant strawberries are grown mainly at home in pots, on a balcony or loggia, along paths or in a separate bed. A two-liter pot is enough for each bush. You can plant several plants in a long balcony box, then the distance between plants should be 20–25 cm.

Large-fruited strawberries, as a rule, are grown for planting in open ground or a greenhouse, and less often for growing in flowerpots. Seedlings are planted in open ground only after positive temperatures have established and frosts are no longer expected. Young plants are gradually accustomed to new conditions: the bushes are taken out into the air for several hours, leaving them longer and longer every day.

Usually, the desired distance between the bushes is indicated on the back of the bag, because each variety has its own characteristics and some plants can be very large. Therefore, planting large-fruited strawberries can be at a distance of 20 cm to 50 cm between the bushes.

Ampelous strawberries bear fruit not only on the rosette itself, but also on the runners, so they look very beautiful in hanging baskets, flowerpots or vertical beds.

Photo gallery: where you can transplant strawberries

Hanging varieties can be planted in hanging boxes

Large-fruited strawberries are most often planted in open ground

Two-liter pots are enough for small-fruited strawberries

Further care for strawberries grown from seeds is the same as for those obtained from rooted tendrils.

Video: planting strawberry seedlings in open ground

To grow strong and healthy strawberry seedlings from seeds, you need to sow with stratified planting material, apply additional lighting to the plants in the initial period, carefully water and feed the seedlings. Then by the beginning of June you will receive flowering strawberry bushes.

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Planting strawberry seedlings in open ground

The area for strawberries needs to be prepared in advance.

For 1 sq. m you can add 6-10 kg of humus or compost.

100 g superphosphate + 120 g potassium sulfate.

In the garden bed, the bushes are arranged in double rows, the distance between such rows is 40 cm and between the bushes 20 cm. The second bed can be set back from the first by a distance of 60 cm. After the strawberries have produced their first year’s harvest, you need to dig up every second bush, planting a new bed according to the scheme 40x40x60. The depth of the beds should be the same as the depth of the container, approximately 15 cm, in which the seedlings develop. The deviation can be only 1 cm.

We carefully transfer the strawberry bush along with the earthen ball into the prepared holes. We fill the plant with soil so that the top of this lump remains on the surface. How to plant strawberries correctly can be seen in the figure below.

If the area is exposed to direct sunlight, then you need to create light shade for the seedlings at first until they get stronger.

Each bush should be watered with 0.5 liters of water. At the same time, an organic stimulant (Epin or Fitosporin) is added to it. After the plants have been fed, it is necessary to mulch the ground around the bushes with humus. Mulch is applied in a layer of 1 cm.

Using these rules for growing strawberries, fruits can be obtained already in the first year of planting.

When to sow strawberry seeds for seedlings in 2022, in what dates

For growing berries in greenhouses, it does not matter when to sow strawberry seeds - this can be done all year round.

But when planting seedlings in open ground, sowing is done either in late February - early March, or at the turn of spring-summer.

Early sowing is a guarantee that the harvest can be obtained this year. The seedlings that were grown in the summer are sent to the plantation in the fall. Therefore, the fruits will have to be collected next season. If the seedlings turn out to be weak and do not have time to take root in the open ground before frost, it makes more sense to keep them in pots until spring.

To decide when to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2022, on what date, you should pay attention to the recommendations of the Lunar calendar. Based on this data, you can find out favorable and unfavorable days for planting this crop.

Table: When to plant strawberries for seedlings according to the Lunar calendar in 2022:

Aftercare

• Depending on the weather, water the bushes every 2-3 days.
• After watering, the soil around the plant is slightly loosened. Care must be taken to ensure that it does not settle or become compacted.
• Remove weeds regularly.
• If necessary, treat with insecticides to control pests.
• Fertilizers are applied after the first harvest of berries has been harvested. Typically, gardeners use the following fertilizer of natural origin: chicken manure - 2 spoons, water - 10 liters.

At the end of September, in anticipation of imminent frosts, strawberries are covered with humus, a layer no thicker than 1 cm. In addition, the bushes are insulated with dry leaves and grass or sawdust. If it often rains with strong winds in the fall in the region, then it is advisable to cover the plant with film. It is necessary to make holes in it for air to enter.

Sowing time

Experienced gardeners adhere to the old and proven method of determining the sowing date - the lunar calendar. However, after much research, experts were able to identify a more accurate time, since the lunar calendar does not take into account the characteristics of individual territories and climatic zones. The following deadlines are allocated:

• February is a good month for sowing seedlings of large-fruited varieties. If a gardener is faced with the task of getting a harvest in the new season, it is advisable to sow during this period, but care must be taken about lighting.
• April – you won’t get a quick harvest, but the plant will have more time to gain strength. The best option for the northern territories. Within a year, the gardener will be able to get a high-quality and abundant harvest of berries.

The timing of sowing depends only on the needs of the gardener. The sooner the seeds sprout, the sooner the harvest will be. However, it will take more effort to grow a full-fledged bush in one season; energy costs must be taken into account.

For successful seed germination, you will need to create a 12-hour daylight hours.

Which varieties are suitable for seed propagation?

Almost all strawberry varieties are suitable for seed propagation, but the leaders still stand out among them.

• Queen Elizabeth. Refers to remontant varieties. It produces a harvest from May to the end of September. The berries are large and dense. The average weight of berries is 45-60 g. The taste is sweet. Transports well.

Queen Elizabeth

• Gigantella . A variety recommended for cultivation in northern regions. The main characteristic is large bushes and, accordingly, large berries weighing 80-100 g.

Gigantella

• Geneva . Refers to the most unpretentious varieties. It produces berries weighing 40-50 g. If agricultural practices are followed, the berries are consistently large and sweet from year to year.

Geneva

• Dukat . The most undemanding variety in terms of growing conditions. Grows in any soil and is frost resistant. Refers to dessert varieties with a pronounced sweet-sour taste.

Ducat

• Diamond. It is distinguished by a stable yield throughout the entire growing period. It produces berries with an average weight of 50 g. It is resistant to frost, which makes it recommended for cultivation throughout the country.

Diamond

Problems when growing strawberry seedlings

Strawberries are a rather capricious crop, and that is why they prefer to propagate them with tendrils rather than seeds.

1. Young plants react sharply to lack of moisture: seedlings die.
2. Overfilling is no less dangerous than underfilling. If there is too much moisture, the roots begin to rot.
3. When direct sunlight hits the developing leaves, the seedlings begin to turn yellow. Shading required.
4. With slow growth, treatment with stimulants is necessary.

What difficulties arise when growing strawberries from seeds?

Seed propagation of strawberries requires effort. Frequent problems:

1. Collection of seeds.
2. Poor germination.
3. Dependence of the result on the preparatory work (selection of soil, selection of lighting).
4. Weakness and fragility of seedlings, which creates difficulties during watering and loosening.

Part of the problem can be solved by buying seeds in the store. Taking into account the manufacturer's recommendations, you can grow strong, healthy seedlings from them.

How to properly sow garden strawberries for seedlings

It is not at all difficult to carry out the procedure according to all the rules at home, but you need to know certain features and tricks. Let's talk about them and all the stages in more detail.

Soil preparation

Garden strawberry seedlings prefer light, loose, nutritious soil that has good air and water permeability . Neutral or slightly acidic soil is preferable . It is in such a substrate that plants will be most comfortable and will be able to develop normally.

You can buy universal soil for seedlings . By the way, you can find special soil for strawberries and wild strawberries.

A little trick! To improve the quality, structure, water and breathability of purchased soil, it is recommended to add perlite, vermiculite or calcined river sand (in the proportion of 1 part of the substance to 3 parts of the earth).

You can prepare the soil mixture for planting garden strawberries for seedlings with your own hands. There are several soil recipes that can be made at home without any problems. For example:

• humus (1 part)
• sand (1 part);
• peat (3 parts).

You can also make soil with the following ingredients:

• turf land (2 parts);
• peat (1 part);
• sand (1 part);
• humus or compost (0.5 parts);
• wood ash (half a glass of substance per 5 liters of soil).

Or make the following soil composition for strawberries:

• Turf land (2 parts);
• Peat (1 part);
• Sand (1 part).

Advice! Garden strawberry seedlings grow well in soil that is intended for growing indoor begonias and violets. This soil can be purchased at almost any garden store.

Selection of capacity

You can sow strawberry seeds for seedlings in a common box, some kind of bowl - a food container, a container for any products. The optimal height is 7-10 centimeters.

You can also plant garden strawberries in individual containers, for example, plastic cups, cassettes, peat pots, tablets . By the way, if you choose large enough containers, you can do without picking. You can make a container with your own hands, for example, by taking a milk carton, a kefir container, or an egg carton.

Advice! It is believed that strawberry seedlings do not respond well to picking, so it is optimal to immediately plant one seed at a time in separate cups or cassettes.

However, you shouldn’t be afraid of seating either. If you are confident that you will do everything carefully, then you can safely sow in a common bowl or box.

It is also recommended to disinfect the container before use - spill it with a dark solution of potassium permanganate or some kind of fungicide.

Seed preparation

Strawberry seeds are slow to germinate , which means that they germinate slowly, and if planted incorrectly, many of them do not germinate at all. To protect yourself from such troubles, it is recommended to prepare planting material for garden strawberries.

Important! Strawberry seeding material requires preliminary stratification (i.e., keeping it under conditions of low temperatures and humidity for a month).

It is recommended to stratify strawberry seeds before sowing according to the following rules:

1) Place the cotton pad on a small tray and moisten it.

2) Carefully transfer the seeds onto a damp disc.

3) Cover the top with another wet disk.

4) Place the products in a plastic bag, leaving air in it.

5) Transfer to a room where the temperature is stable at +1-4 degrees ( a refrigerator ). Ideally, you should keep cotton pads in the refrigerator for 4-5 weeks (or at least three weeks).

6) Open the bag about once a week to bring in fresh air.

Advice! After stratification and before direct planting, it is recommended as a preparation to soak strawberry seeds in some preparation that stimulates germination and improves germination. Popular drugs are, for example, the growth stimulator "Zircon", "HB-101", "Epin-Extra", "Energen" . The instructions for the drug describe the preparation of the solution and the soaking time.

Master class on the standard planting method

So, if you have waited for the optimal time and prepared everything you need - soil mixture, planting material, containers, then you can start the event. Step-by-step instructions with photographs will help you properly plant strawberry seeds for seedlings at home:

Step 1: Make drainage holes (if there are none) and lay down drainage.

Making holes is very convenient using small scissors, a nail, or an awl.

Not only holes for removing excess moisture are important, but also a drainage layer , which will prevent the soil from souring at the bottom of the container. For these purposes, you can use broken brick, expanded clay, and perlite (it’s in the photo). The thickness of the material is approximately 1.5-2 centimeters.

Step 2: Fill the container with soil.

Distribute the soil evenly in the container, leaving a small distance to the edges (2-3 centimeters).

Important! Be sure to lightly compact the surface of the soil with your hand or a spoon so that small seeds do not fall into the voids (if this happens, they most likely will not sprout, since they only need surface sowing).

Step 3: Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.

Mandatory landing stage. First of all, this is necessary to ensure that the planting material does not penetrate into the areas between the pieces of soil and does not go deep.

It is recommended to water with clean, settled water.

Step 4: Direct landing.

Important! As you can see in the photo, strawberry seeds are quite small, so only surface sowing is possible!

The most convenient way to sow strawberries is with a regular toothpick. The technology is simple - you need to moisten the end of the product in water, and then pick up the seed and, as it were, wipe it on the ground, then it will easily remain on the soil surface.

Maintain a distance between seeds - approximately 2 centimeters . This gap is most suitable; it will help avoid thickening.

It is also very convenient to sow garden strawberries using tweezers.

By the way! If you want to plant strawberries in individual cassettes, cups, peat tablets , then you need to place one seed in the center of the container. Or sow 2-3 seeds, then choose the strongest seedling, and pinch off the rest of the weak ones.

Step 5: Watering.

After sowing, you need to water very carefully so that under the pressure of water the seeds do not become buried and washed away. In this case, you can use a spray bottle.

Step 6: Cover the container with a lid, glass or film.

The covering material will create a mini-greenhouse, which is necessary to maintain optimal conditions for seedling germination.

Step 7: Sign the future strawberry seedlings.

It is advisable to mark the container with any seedlings somehow (for example, sign it with a marker, attach a sticker). Knowing where each plant is, you can find an individual approach and provide the most suitable conditions and care.

Step 7: Place the container in a warm and bright place for seedlings to germinate.

By the way! You can stratify planting material after planting in the ground - you just need to put the container with soil in the refrigerator for 4 weeks (or at least 2-3), and then take it out and move it to a warm room.

Other methods of sowing garden strawberries for seedlings

The standard method has been described above. But there are other ways to plant strawberries for seedlings:

1) Can be planted in rows. The method is a little similar to the classic version. Make rows at a distance of 2-3 centimeters from each other, their depth is 3-5 millimeters (but no more!). By the way, it’s convenient to make them with a regular ruler. Then place the seeds in the grooves, maintaining the optimal spacing (1.5-2 cm). And then you need to use the same object that you used to make the grooves to very slightly press the planting material for better contact with the ground.

2) Strawberry seeds can be planted in peat tablets (products made from pressed peat and non-woven material). If you initially choose volumetric products, you can do without picking. To plant, you need to prepare the products - place them on a tray with warm water for half an hour, during which time they will swell, and then transfer the seed to a small depression in the center of the product and cover with a lid. In the future, when growing strawberry seedlings in tablets, you need to carefully monitor the humidity, since when the products dry out they can shrink and destroy the seedlings.

3) It is very convenient to sow on snow. The planting material of the berry crop is small, and sometimes it is difficult to distribute it evenly over the soil surface, and dark strawberry seeds are clearly visible on white snow. But not only this feature is an advantage of the method of planting on snow: when it melts, the material itself will be drawn in to the required depth.

You can plant strawberry seeds in the snow according to the following correct scheme:

1. In the same way as described above, place drainage and soil in a container.
2. Distribute clean snow evenly over the surface of the earth (its thickness is about 1-1.5 cm).
3. Transfer the seeds onto it (using a toothpick, tweezers or your hands - whichever is more convenient for you). Maintain the optimal distance between them - 2 cm.
4. If there are still a lot of seeds in one place, you can lightly scatter them with a toothpick in different directions.

Which strawberry variety to choose for sowing seeds

Selecting a variety is the initial stage and the most important one! Varieties that are especially popular among gardeners.

Sarian F1

A new Dutch variety, unpretentious, frost-resistant, rarely susceptible to fungal diseases.

Geneva

Geneva is disease resistant, unpretentious, and bears fruit well for two years. Then productivity decreases and does not tolerate dryness and frost.

Moscow delicacy F1

A hybrid variety that is grown in gardens and vegetable gardens in regions throughout Russia. Basic, competent care is required. Shelter required in winter.

Gigantella

It produces fruits of enormous size, but for this it is important to maintain the humidity regime.

Queen Elizabeth

It differs in that it produces several harvests per season.

Marshmallow

Suitable for growing both on site and for commercial purposes. Produces large early fruits.

Ducat

Unpretentious to soil, resistant to dryness and frost. Valued for its high yield.

Tristar

Has the highest winter hardiness. Mainly planted in the garden or for decoration.

Diamond

Produces large fruits, is resistant to viral diseases, but does not tolerate dryness.

Caring for strawberry seedlings at home

Mainly caring for garden strawberries concerns watering and nutrition.

How to water strawberry seedlings

It is worth sticking to the golden mean, avoiding either overfilling or underfilling. Before germination and when seedlings are small, spray with water. Grown-up specimens are watered carefully, individually, using a pipette or medical syringe.

The following schedule for supplying seedlings with moisture should be adhered to:

• before germination - as the top layer dries;
• at the first shoots - once a week;
• Picked seedlings are watered consistently every three days.

Fertilizing strawberry seedlings

When is the best time to fertilize? Before picking, as a rule, there is enough nutrition. But after transplantation, to reduce post-transplant stress, young seedlings should be fed with a solution of droppings with water (preferably rain) or another preparation after about 3-5 days. Individual strawberry bushes in cups, growing without transplanting, are fed in the two-leaf phase.

Problems with strawberry seedlings: why do they stretch out and die?

Sometimes, despite our efforts, strawberry seedlings die, and we are left without planting material and future seedlings. To prevent this from happening, you need to know about the reasons that can be prevented and prevent the death of seedlings:

• You initially planted in the wrong soil or did not disinfect the soil before use.
• The shelter (cover, glass or film) was abruptly removed after germination. Capricious plants may wilt due to stress. Remember to open them gradually to reduce stress.
• Strawberry seedlings have developed the “black leg” disease, it is dangerous because it cannot be cured, the plants fall and die. Signs of the disease - the stem turns black, thins and the plant falls. Low temperature and excessive humidity can trigger the disease. If this has already happened, then you need to remove the strawberry seedling along with the soil and destroy it, and fill this place with a mixture of sand and ash and spill it with a solution of Fitosporin-M. Therefore, for the purpose of prevention, it is necessary to disinfect the soil, containers, and you can spill them with phytosporin. It is also recommended that after watering, loosen the soil around the plants and add sand between them.
• Improper care: too low or high temperatures, waterlogging or lack of moisture.
• If strawberry seedlings dry out or fall over, this will help indicate a lack of watering. Also, excessively dry air in the room can cause such destructive phenomena.

Another popular problem is that strawberry seedlings have stopped growing after picking. If it does not grow or does not grow well after replanting, then most likely you damaged the roots or did not compact the soil around the plant during replanting and voids formed there.

Another very common problem when growing strawberry seedlings is that they stretch (manifests in the form of elongated and thin stems). This can happen if sowing is too early, but the most common cause is lack of light and increased temperature. What to do if the seedlings stretch out? It is necessary to provide suitable conditions and to supplement the plants with phytolamps.

An annoying problem is also possible - the seeds do not germinate for a long time . There may be several reasons: the seed is too old or simply of poor quality, or the preparation - stratification and processing - has not been done.

Fresh, tasty, sweet strawberries on the plot are a real joy for any person who is partial to gardening and dacha affairs. With due diligence, every gardener, even a beginner, will be able to properly plant and grow strong and good seedlings of garden strawberries (both regular and remontant varieties) at home, which in the future will give an excellent (in terms of taste) harvest.

Preparing seeds for cultivation

When wondering how to properly plant and grow berries from seeds at home, it is important to remember their preliminary preparation. First, it is worth disinfecting the seeds by immersing the material in a weak manganese solution. The duration of the procedure should not exceed 20 minutes. Next, you will need a transparent container with a lid with ventilation holes. Then you need to cover the bottom tightly. Wet wipes or cloth are suitable for this; it is important to pre-moisten both materials. Then place the seeds in the selected container.

Advice! If it is too difficult to spread the seeds the usual way, you can use a toothpick. Growing seeds using tweezers is not recommended, as they can be damaged if the force is not used correctly.

Next, you need to cover the seeds again with the damp selected material and close the container tightly. It is important not to forget to promptly moisten the covering material before growing. But in order not to overdo it with water, it is better to use a spray bottle.

You can plant seeds of one or several varieties. It is important not to mix them in one container. It’s better to sign each one, so you won’t get confused in caring for the plant in the future. Growing berries requires special care for each variety individually.