Fertilizer strawberry culture directly depends on the life cycle of the plant. So, the bushes of the first year of vegetation do not feed, since the plant has enough nutrients introduced into the planting holes. A two-year and four-year-old plant needs both mineral and organic nutrition. And in the period of the third year of growth, it is recommended to use exclusively mineral complexes. Learn more about these subtleties.
Why feed strawberries
Far from every garden plot there is chernozem fertile soil. And besides, even among experienced gardeners it is rarely possible to meet a competent farmer, who, given the natural scarcity of the cottage soil, can correctly and "necessary" replace traditional ridges with more fertile ones - organic. And this is especially true when growing strawberries for several consecutive seasons in one place.
Did you know? Strawberry is a unique natural. The seeds of this plant are not inside the fruit, as usual, but are located on the surface of the berry and are clearly visible.
In this case, to obtain a large crop, you should rely on a clearly calibrated schedule of top dressing of the berry plant. Fertilizers are applied under the bushes for optimal growth, during flowering, fruiting, and also in autumn - to prepare the bushes (especially young ones) for the winter period.
What and when to fertilize
During the entire vegetative period, the strawberry plant is fertilized three times:
- First feeding It is carried out in early spring after the snow cover has disappeared from the surface of the ridges, the establishment of stable weather, and is aimed at stimulating the growth of green mass. Nitrogen fertilizers contribute to this process. This can be both industrial compounds (amide, nitrate, ammonia), and nutrient solutions prepared in a handicraft manner (for example, a mixture of two glasses of mullein and 1 tbsp. Ammonium sulfate diluted with 10 liters of water).
- Second - end of July, when the main berry picking is completed. During this period, the plant’s root system is actively forming and growing, flower buds are laid for subsequent fruiting. The best fertilizers in this period of time will be potash, to which it is recommended to “attach” micronutrient fertilizing: an aqueous suspension of ash (10 l of water + 100 g of ash), a solution containing potassium nitrate (bucket of water + 3 tbsp. Of the indicated complex salt).
- Third - mid-September, after the final harvest. She will help prepare the plants for the coming winter. They feed the bushes with complex fertilizers, as well as phosphoric ones. For example, it can be superphosphate, or the Fasco 5M mineral complex specially developed for strawberries.
Important! As for gardeners who "do not favor" mineral complexes, it is better for them to fertilize with biohumus (strawberries love it), in concentrations, according to the instructions for the drug.
What to use fertilizers
In the process of growing and caring for plants, fertilizer substances based on organic and mineral compounds, as well as mixtures of them, are used.
Organic fertilizer
The above class of fertilizers include the following:
- humus;
- compost;
- cattle manure;
- bird droppings;
- ash.
Video: spring feeding strawberries with chicken manure solution
Mineral fertilizers
This class of fertilizers can be divided into two large subgroups.
One-component mineral nutrition - these are salts of elements such as N (nitrogen), K (potassium), P (phosphorus) in the form of solutions or in granular form.
The following chemicals are among the most common and frequently used:
- Nitrogen Fertilizers: sodium and calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and chloride, urea, ammonia water, anhydrous ammonia.
- Potash: potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate.
- Phosphoric: simple and double superphosphates, phosphoric flour.
Integrated Are mixtures of the above mineral salts, to which trace elements are sometimes added. The most popular are ammophos, diammofoska, azofoska, nitrophoska.
You can select another group of fertilizers - micronutrient fertilizers. These are single-component or multicomponent preparations with boron, manganese, magnesium, copper and other trace elements.
Spring Feeding Methods to Improve Crop
As mentioned above, young plants can not be fed in the first year of vegetation, but in case of depleted soil, each bush can be poured with a liter of a mixture of manure (500 ml) and a tablespoon of sodium sulfate, into which a bucket of water has been added.
As soon as the age of strawberry bushes “crosses” the boundary of three years, the annual spring feeding begins three times:
- at the time of the appearance of the first 2-3 sheet plates;
- before flowering;
- during the active ripening of berries.
The first introduction of nutrients is carried out, as a rule, in the last days of April, using organic substances. In addition to manure and rotted litter, garden strawberries “thankfully respond” to baker's yeast. And this is not surprising, because the composition of this valuable food product includes proteins, minerals, amino acids, which provide intensive growth and strengthening of the rhizome.
The second time they feed the culture, when the flowering period begins, using mineral complexes. The best choice is specialized complexes for berry crops, in which the composition of micro and macro elements is selected taking into account the physiology of a particular culture.
If, for any reason, there is no possibility of acquiring the finished fertilizer, a good alternative is a solution prepared from:
- water - 10 liters;
- potassium nitrate - 1 tbsp. l .;
- nitrophosphate - 2 tbsp. l
The application rate is half a liter for each plant. But in the period of formation and the subsequent process of ripening berries, farmers are advised to “feed” the plants with infusion of weeds, which are prepared as follows: weeds that were removed from the ridges during weeding are carefully crushed, poured with water and placed in a warm place for 7 days , after which the mixture must be filtered and pour the sockets with it.
The obvious advantage of such top dressing is environmental safety for both humans and the environment, and in addition, natural fertilizer in addition is an excellent protection of the plant and soil layer from certain types of insect pests. As a "green base" for infusion, you can use nettles. All strawberry fertilizer measures mentioned above are carried out using the root method.
Important! Adherents of "natural" top dressing use mixtures containing potassium permanganate and iodine solution to fertilize strawberries. These drugs contain micro and macro elements that heal plants and soil.
But do not ignore the foliar top dressing, which is carried out by spraying the surface of the plant to obtain a guaranteed crop and improve green mass. Such an agrotechnical procedure is necessary in the evening, in dry and calm weather. And as nutrient substrates use solutions of organics, salts of nitrogen and boric acid.
What will happen if you do not feed strawberries
Sadly, many summer residents, especially beginners, ignore the procedure for regular measures to top up the berry. As a result, even the most elite varietal material gradually ceases to fully tie berries, is depleted and may die. Such destructive processes are associated with depletion of the soil layer in the places where the crop grows, the impossibility of regular crop rotation (moving plantings to a new area), adverse climatic manifestations - prolonged rains, abnormally high temperatures, etc.
Did you know? In Italy, in the city of Nemi, annually passes holiday strawberries. As a treat for everyone, a strawberry drenched in champagne is offered, and everyone can bfree enjoy this dessert.
Therefore, the timely and competent introduction of fertilizer components allows not only to nourish the plants, but also to reduce the negative manifestation of adverse factors in the fruit crop. No one claims that growing strawberries is a simple and hassle-free exercise. However, all the work will be rewarded when the bushes you planted are covered with red fragrant berries, which are not only tasty, but also extremely healthy.
