How to care for strawberries in the spring after winter: tips and rules for spring care. Strawberries Victoria: the best tips for planting and caring for Victoria after winter in the Urals

In fact, caring for strawberries in the fall is a guarantee good harvest next summer. Trim and remove old leaves, loosen, feed and cover berry bushes for the winter - this is the autumn care for strawberries.

Let's take a closer look at how to care for strawberries in the fall, it consists of several stages and work with strawberries begins immediately after fruiting.

Care for strawberries, strawberries, victoria after fruiting in August

When and how to process strawberries in the fall? As soon as strawberries have ceased to produce a crop, you can begin to process berry bushes. Care for strawberries in August after harvesting is as follows:

• weed and loosen the aisles,
• pour fresh nutrient soil to the rhizomes, while not falling asleep heart.

The strawberry rhizome gradually comes out and becomes bare. If it is not spudded, then the plant will not be able to give adventitious additional roots and the fruiting of berry bushes will decrease.

You can start caring for strawberries after harvesting at the end of July, do not wait until August or the onset of autumn. Then, by autumn, the berry bushes will grow young foliage, which will winter under the snow, and caring for strawberries in the fall will be simplified, you will only need to feed the bushes.

Processing strawberries in the fall includes mandatory pruning and removal of old and diseased leaves of berry bushes - this is the next step in autumn strawberry care. They cut strawberries in August, cut off all the leaves (you need to cut not at the root, but only the leaves themselves so that the stems remain) and mustaches, with the exception of those mustaches that you leave for subsequent transplantation. In this case, the mustache is rooted, but only the first outlet from the bush. The remaining sockets are removed, as planting material of them will be weak.

Perhaps, after pruning, it will be a pity for you to look at your beds - only the stems will stick out. This is not scary, in a couple of weeks the bushes will rest and new young leaves will appear that will endure the winter perfectly.

In September, it’s not worth cutting the bushes so drastically, it’s enough just to remove the diseased and old leaves. This is more painstaking work than removing strawberry leaves all in one fell swoop.

Loosening. Strawberry aisles are usually loosened with a shovel, sticking it shallowly into the ground so as not to damage the roots. Then, using smaller gardening tools such as choppers, shovels, hoes, we loosen the soil around the strawberry bushes and remove all weeds.

How to feed strawberries after harvest

You can feed strawberries both in spring and autumn, but it is always better to feed berry bushes immediately after fruiting or, if you don’t have time, then in autumn. Top dressing of strawberries after fruiting is possible with organic fertilizers - infusion chicken manure or cow. How to do this I wrote in the article

They also add wood ash, which perfectly replaces superphosphate and potassium salt (I am not a supporter of mineral fertilizers). From mineral fertilizers, superphosphate already mentioned above is applied in autumn ( ) and potassium salt. Do this only if you do not have any organic fertilizers at the moment.

How to feed strawberries in the fall after pruning

Autumn pruning is a necessary step in growing berries, and after pruning, potassium humate can also be added as a top dressing (see ⌛). Then loosen the soil, cover the bed and do not touch it until spring (see).

What to do with strawberries in September:

• In the aisles, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil to a depth of 10 cm. Be careful not to loosen near the roots, they can be easily damaged, since they are located superficially. You can also slightly poke the bushes so that the new adventitious roots growing at this time are under a layer of soil.
• In September, berry bushes are gaining strength for subsequent fruiting, so if you have not fed strawberries before, then you need to do it now;
• Until the end of the season, you need to water the bushes well and deeply, avoid surface watering, water should penetrate deep inside to the very roots.

How to prepare strawberries for winter?

It is necessary to carry out important works with strawberries in autumn - prepare for winter. Bushes need to be covered for the winter. For strawberries, frosts on bare ground without snow are very dangerous. And it happens to us quite often. Therefore, the main goal of any “strawberry” shelter is not so much warming as snow retention. Straw is ideal for this. Read more about sheltering strawberries: → ““. By the way, straw also serves as organic top dressing.

If there is no straw (), then in the fall, you can slightly poke strawberry bushes, but not very much so that the growth point does not fall asleep. Pour peat, compost under the bushes, which will simultaneously play the role of fertilizer. Or a mixture of peat and compost. Literal translation English name this berry strawberry - “straw berry”.

How to care for Victoria?

Victoria is one of the famous garden strawberry varieties. Due to the large distribution of this variety, the name was firmly fixed in everyday life for garden strawberries as a whole. In order for the harvest of this berry to please you with quantity and quality, you need to know how to care for Victoria correctly.

How to care for Victoria

watering victoria

Victoria is very demanding on care and watering. If it is not always possible to water it, then it is necessary to carry out work to preserve moisture in the soil. Loosening the soil, covering the ground with snow, timely removal of weeds, and mulching can help you with this. As a rule, watering strawberries 9 - 10 times per season allows get a rich harvest. For watering, you can use a garden watering can without a nozzle and gently water directly under the root of the plant.

How to care for Victoria in the fall

After the flowering season, the soil must be mulched with dry moss, straw or wood chips. This simple procedure will protect the berries from infection with gray rot. Closer to mid-autumn, it is required to re-mulch using grain production waste or peat. The thickness of the mulch layer should be about 5 - 8 cm.

When mulching, remember that Victoria leaves should not be covered. After harvesting, it is necessary to loosen the compacted soil around the plants. In case of exposure of the roots of the plant, it must be spudded. To maintain good The yield of beds with Victoria should be regularly weeded. When weeding, you can use mini-hoes and garden rippers.

How to care for Victoria in the spring

In order to ensure the flowering of bushes and the active ovary of berries, Victoria bushes can be processed in spring boric acid. And before flowering and during the ovary, it is useful to treat Victoria with zinc sulfate. Also in the spring after harvesting the leaves, you can fertilize the soil.

victoria landing

Reproduction of Victoria strawberries occurs with the help of mustaches that grow from the plant by mid-summer. On these mustaches there are nodes from which leaves and roots actually grow. Two or three sockets located at the mother plant are considered the highest quality for reproduction. Mustaches are best taken from plants of the 2nd year. After 4-6 leaves appear on the outlet, it must be separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a prepared place. In order not to damage the roots, sockets must be dug out along with a clod of earth and planted in prepared and spilled holes.

Victoria is planted in spring or autumn. For a more comfortable planting in spring, the soil must be prepared in the fall (dig, harrow). If you decide to plant Victoria in the fall, then you can prepare the site in June.

Also, when preparing the site, it will not be superfluous to apply fertilizer. For good growth and development of Victoria, it is necessary to apply per 1 m 2:

• 20 g ammonium nitrate
• 20 g KCl
• 25 g superphosphate
• 6 kg of humus

To ensure comfortable access to plants during watering or weeding, it is better to plant Victoria in even rows of small ridges of earth 7–10 cm high. The distance between rows should be taken about 60–70 cm, and between two planted plants - 20–30 cm. For more detailed ideas about planting victoria, you can watch a video for beginner gardeners.

Landing site selection

It is best to plant garden strawberries on a flat area, which has a slight slope to the west. This feature of the surface of the site will enable strawberry leaves to receive more sunlight in the afternoon. It is also desirable that the site be protected from the wind. Victoria feels most comfortable on sandy loamy soils with a high content of humus.

After garden strawberry(strawberry) has fruited, it is necessary to process it. The main task of such processing is to prepare the bushes for the new fruiting season. The bush should go into the winter strong, with a good root system and a supply of nutrients.

To do this, you first need to cut off the old leaves, they differ from the new ones in dark color and spotting. We cut off all the mustaches with rosettes of new plants formed on them. The first socket (closest to the mother bush) is best used as planting material.

It is advisable to plant it immediately in a permanent place, because next year the bush will already bear fruit. Not so strong yet, but there will already be a few berries on it.

Naturally, all weeds must be removed from the beds with strawberries, as well as from the row spacing.

Feeding strawberries in autumn

You need to feed both old bushes and newly planted ones.

Natural fertilizers for strawberries: humus, mullein

Strawberries are very fond of organics, but it is best to feed them in spring and summer, but not in autumn. For top dressing, natural products such as humus or mullein infusion are used (1:10). They simply mulch the soil around the bush with humus, and water it with mullein accordingly. Some gardeners lay chicken pellets (from litter) under the bushes.

You can prepare such a top dressing: any sealed container is filled with half the volume of any grass (tops, weeds, etc.), then nitrogen fertilizer is added and everything is filled with water to the brim. Then all this wanders and after about 10 days it is ready for use. This " living water» in a diluted form (in a ratio of 1:1). For one strawberry bush, 1 liter of diluted fertilizer is needed. This top dressing works better than any humus, in addition, it neutralizes ground acidity.

Strawberry ash fertilizer

For top dressing, ash from burning branches, grass, as well as any vegetation from the site is suitable. With the help of ash, you can not only feed the bushes, but also scare away some pests.

Wood ash is applied when planting strawberries, one handful under a bush. It replaces superphosphate.

As a dry top dressing, ash can be scattered around the plantation, but not more than 150 grams per square meter. You can also insist it on water and water it as a liquid top dressing. To do this, pour a glass of ash into a bucket and pour 10 liters warm water, let stand for a day, and then water 0.5 liters under each bush.

Autumn top dressing of strawberries

This first feeding after harvest is the most important and should not be ignored. Flower buds are being laid for the next season and plants need strength more than ever.

Feeding strawberries in the fall is also a chance for a good wintering and a quick recovery in the spring.

In autumn, potash-phosphorus fertilizers are acceptable both in dry and liquid form. Dry ones dissolve more slowly, which means their action lasts longer.

It will also be good to add compost to the plantings, which will also serve as mulch. When planting in autumn or transplanting bushes, fertilizers are also needed.

In the fall, humus is added for planting strawberries, 3 kg per square meter or a handful per hole, for greater savings. You can also add superphosphate, 10 grams, or replace it with a handful of ash.

After autumn planting the soil around the bushes can be mulched with compost, straw, peat or sawdust.

Do not forget that nitrogen fertilizers are applied only in spring or early summer, as they act on the development of green mass, applying them in autumn can wake up the plant and it will grow.

Processing strawberries in the fall from pests

In autumn, it is desirable to treat strawberry bushes from the most common pest - a transparent strawberry mite that damages leaves.

Such a solution is effective: 2 tablespoons of liquid soap are poured into 10 liters of warm water (about 30 ° C), 3 tbsp. spoons of overcooked vegetable oil, 2 tbsp. spoons of ash and 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar. You need to process the leaves and soil around the bush.

How to cover strawberries for the winter

If your winters are severe enough, then it is better to cover the bushes for this time with spruce branches, and then cover them with snow so that they do not freeze.

You can also mulch plantings with dry hay, straw, peat, reeds, etc., which will help strawberries winter in warmth. In the spring, it is necessary to free the strawberry bushes from the mulch so that they do not dry out when the warm days come.

Currently, there is a non-woven covering material such as Agril or Spandbond on sale, which helps strawberry bushes survive even severe frosts.

Video: what to do with strawberries after harvest, video

Irina Lebedeva, an accountant by profession and a gardener by vocation, has been growing Victoria for 40 years. But even with such experience, it is recognized that the results are different and depend on weather conditions, seedlings or seeds. That is why he does not like to experiment and plants exclusively early varieties. She got a plot of 12 acres in the village of Krasnoe from her parents. There she and her husband Sergei Vladimirovich spend every summer. During this time, up to 3 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. At the same time, the berries are large in size - from the fist of a child.

Victoria, or, speaking in science, large-fruited garden strawberries, is one of my favorite berries, - says Irina Aleksandrovna. - Despite the fact that there is not so much space on the site, I allocated 3 beds for her, so that there was enough not only to eat fresh, but also to make preparations for the winter.

When and where to plant

Irina Lebedeva:

I usually plant at the beginning of May. I believe that the earlier it is planted, the better it develops. I plant in the evening so that the strawberries can acclimatize overnight.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

It is better to prepare the beds in the fall, and immediately start planting in the spring. Strawberries love sunshine open space. The direction of the beds is desirable to do from south to north. It is in this arrangement that it maximizes the use of solar energy. Try not to plant it under an apple or cherry tree. Soil moisture is another important factor. If ground water close, then the bed should be raised to 30-35 cm so that the roots do not rot. In dry places, the beds are low - 8-10 cm.

Seedlings grown using the Frigo technology should be planted better in spring(read more about it on our website). Grown by tendrils or seeds, if the roots of the plant are strong, it can be planted just now so that the plant is ready for the temperature drop in September.

The plants planted now need to be fed with trace elements for berry crops, for example, Gumi-omi. You can treat the beds with special chemicals for the prevention of diseases and pests, for example, Fufanon, Ordan, Abiga-Peak.

How to plant

Irina Lebedeva:

I make the distance between rows 60 cm, and between plants in a row - 20 cm. I make the depth of the hole for the entire length of the root. I dip the root of the plant in a solution of mullein or humus with earth. In the hole I add 1 tbsp. l. "Agrovit-Kora" or a pinch of "Kemira-Universal". I plant so that the growing point is at the level of the soil. Shallow or, conversely, deep planting leads to the death of plants or to their poor development. After planting, I water with water - 250 ml per plant as the soil dries.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

First of all, we note that the pledge big harvest- High-quality, healthy planting material. In our case, this means a developed root system of at least 15 cm and a small rosette of leaves. The distance between plants should be a little more than Irina does: between rows - 70 cm, and between plants in a row - 30 cm. When it is planted less often, it gets sick less often, gives more yield, and the distance contributes to ventilation and good lighting.

In the garden, weeds are first removed, then leveled and holes are made depending on the size of the root, that is, for its entire length. Then compost (a couple of scoops), ash (half a matchbox per hole) and some earth are placed in this hole. All this mass is mixed, watered and only then strawberries are planted. Then they are covered with earth and watered again.

Before landing on suburban area, it is necessary to make a plan and observe crop rotation. That is, to alternate certain crops in the beds. Strawberries can be planted after any predecessors, except for nightshade (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, petunias, tobacco). But you can’t plant it next to raspberries, because they have the same pests. Before the formation of peduncles, it is necessary to water from a watering can, and after their appearance - with a ladle under the spine.

The maximum yield of strawberries is the first two years, and then the yield declines, and the risk of pests increases. It is possible to plant strawberries on the bed where it grew after 2 seasons. And before that, you can plant garlic or mustard, which will improve the soil. You can also grow strawberries where legumes were planted the previous season.

How to prepare for wintering?

Irina Lebedeva:

In the autumn, when the temperature is set - 2-5C, I cover the bed with Agrotex (covering material). And in the spring, when the snow melts, I take it off.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

Each summer resident has his own way of mulching (covering the soil with a protective layer) of strawberries - beveled lawn grass, sawdust of deciduous trees, hay. But one of the means that will save the gardener from unnecessary trouble is Kostravit-M1 mulch. It protects the soil from overheating, retains moisture longer, saves from pests and suppresses the growth of weeds. Also, the mulch will save the strawberries from freezing in winter. The recommended thickness of the mulching layer is 1.5-2 cm in spring and 3 cm before winter.

What varieties to choose?

This year, Irina Alexandrovna did not have so many berries, but they were all very large, about 8 cm in length. The hostess believes that this is the merit of the variety, which has not let her down for the 2nd season. Despite the size, the taste does not get worse. The main varieties that Irina Aleksandrovna uses are Gigantella and Festivalnaya.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

All varieties are divided into 4 groups: early, medium, late deadline maturation and repair. It all depends on the preference of the summer resident, what kind of strawberries he wants to see on his site.

Early varieties ripen at the end of June - these are Kimberly, Korona, Olvia. The berries are sweet, large, bright red, winter-hardy.

The medium ones ripen in early July - Rusich, Black Swong, Vima-Zanta, Zenga-Zengana. Berries from 20 g, taste sweet and sour, average winter hardiness.

Late - in mid-July - "Wima Tarda", "Vikoda", "Charlotte". Medium-sized berries, sweet-sour taste, good winter hardiness.

Repair strawberry garden. She gives berries a little bit, but all summer. Also, their peculiarity is that the berries are larger and sweeter than those of ordinary varieties. Blooms from May to October: "Vima-Rina", "Geneva", "Moscow Delicatessen", "Brighton", "Queen Elizabeth II".

How to propagate?

Irina Aleksandrovna breeds strawberries with her mustache. Just now I transplanted it to the bed where the onions grew.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

This method has many disadvantages, although it is easy to use. After 3 generations, the berry begins to lose its properties. They become smaller, taste deteriorates, yields decline, and susceptibility to disease increases. The next drawback is the transfer of diseases from garden to garden. Strawberries, on which gardeners leave mustaches, spend their energy not on laying fruit buds, but on feeding their young shoots.

To avoid these problems, it is necessary to update the planting material, that is, take seedlings of the first reproduction. They give the maximum yield. Seedlings of this class can be found today. Sellers must have varietal certificates confirming this.

There is another modern way - new technology frigo (translated as "cold"). Throughout the summer, strawberries are grown in farmers' nurseries in open field. During this time, she is not allowed to give the harvest, the mustache is removed. Then the strawberries are dug up, the leaves are cut, and the seedlings are stored in the refrigerator for storage. And in this state, it is stored until the moment when it needs to be planted. To us, in Udmurtia, frozen roots are brought from a Dutch nursery in the spring. After planting it, after two months, gardeners receive a guaranteed harvest. You can make an application for the purchase of seedlings of 1 reproduction using the freego technology by calling the Agricultural Academy 55-02-07 (average price - 25-35 rubles per seedling).

How to care?

Twice a season, Irina Alexandrovna makes liquid top dressing for strawberries. The first time - in May, before flowering, and the second time - in early July, after harvesting.

Irina Lebedeva:

For liquid strawberry dressings, I use fresh chicken manure. I water the beds well a few hours before feeding. Then, in 10 liters of water, I carefully stir a portion of fresh chicken manure at the rate of 1:10 and water it evenly from a watering can. After harvesting, I remove all weeds, loosen the soil around all the bushes and cover with a small layer cow dung to fertilize the earth. I don't use any chemicals.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

Experts advise feeding strawberries in the spring with nitrogen fertilizers in accordance with the instructions on the package (for example, AFK 16-16-16, 10 grams per square meter). But don't overdo it. They also recommend regularly applying a complex of microelements for berry crops, for example, Gumi-omi. After harvesting, it can be treated with special chemicals for the prevention of diseases and pests, such as Fufanon, Ordan, Abiga Peak.

How to get rid of pests

Irina Alexandrovna is sure that pests do not touch Victoria, because every three years she transplants her to a new place.

Expert Vyacheslav Dolgovykh:

The main pests of strawberries are the larvae of the May beetle (Khrushchi). When digging the beds, you need to remove the larvae manually. Another method of struggle is to cover the beds during the summer of beetles in May with covering material, film or roofing felt.

Another enemy of strawberries is nematodes - small worms. It is very difficult to fight them. main way- Compliance with crop rotation. Eliminate the bed after 3-4 years of fruiting and burn the remains of plants. Can you get rid of them folk remedy- pour a decoction of marigolds or plant marigolds on the future garden for several months. Before planting, when preparing a bed, you can plant it, for example, with mustard, it heals the soil. In a month, you can dig everything up and plant strawberry seedlings.