Strawberries after harvest, what to do after the end of the harvest season. Care for strawberries (strawberries) after harvesting in July, August, September Strawberries in August what to do

Novice gardeners often ask themselves the question: do I need to trim the leaves of strawberries? What time and how to do it? Experienced experts advise not to neglect such an important agricultural technique.

Strawberries are an intensive berry crop that is widespread in our gardens. It is susceptible to various diseases that reduce the yield and quality of berries.

In very wet weather, strawberries can be affected powdery mildew.

But if you vigorously fight diseases with the help of chemicals, the ecological cleanliness and healing power of products will suffer. Removing the leaf apparatus with infections sitting on it allows significantly improve the plantation. It is necessary to carry out this operation in those terms when the invasiveness for plants will be minimal.

Mid summer

In the middle of summer, with an abundance of heat and moisture, diseases become more active.

Timely pruning of diseased leaves can save other bushes from infection.

The work of microscopic harmful organisms becomes clearly visible even to the naked eye: rotten berries, spotted leaves, withered bushes ... Viral diseases and damage to the root system cannot be cured - infected plants must be destroyed. But fungal infections living in the aerial part are not so difficult to remove from a strawberry plantation. This is what pruning is for. It helps to fight without chemicals:

  • powdery mildew,

Efficiency

After pruning the leaves, the soil around the bushes quickly warms up and ventilates, which reduces the spread of diseases and pests.

In addition to the direct destruction of the infectious principle, there are other beneficial effects:

  1. The bare bases of the bushes and the surface of the ridges are well ventilated and warmed up by the sun's rays. . There is an additional natural disinfection from fungal pathogens.
  2. The development of a microscopic harmful insect is inhibited - (who lives at the foot of leaf petioles and loves dampness).
  3. Easier weeding .

Terms of removal of foliage from strawberries

The first leaf pruning of the season is done in early spring along with cleaning the beds and loosening the soil.

Experienced gardeners carry out the following work on their strawberries:

  1. Spring cleaning of the plantation from dry wood.
  2. Shearing the leaves after picking the last berries.
  3. On remontant varieties - partial removal of the lower leaves during the periods of summer rest of the bushes.

Basic pruning rules

It is necessary to act consciously, delving into the meaning of agricultural techniques.


When to prune strawberries after harvest

Complete removal of foliage after harvest will be a good disease prevention.

Any operations on green tissues injure and weaken the plant. But there is a time when the berry is capable of a quick recovery. The optimal period, when almost the entire aerial part of the strawberry bush can be removed almost painlessly, is immediately after fruiting.

It should be recognized that not all gardeners approve of this procedure. But to refuse total mowing is permissible only on very healthy plantations. This is usually possible in industrial cultivation, where chemicals are used and manual labor is not profitable.

Strawberry varieties that are completely resistant to fungal infections do not yet exist.

Which shrubs should not be trimmed?

On young bushes, each leaf should be protected.

If strawberry plants are planted in late spring and have already had some fruit, they have not yet developed to their full potential. Bushes of tender varieties that have hardly endured the past winter can also be weak.

Time factor

  • It is very important to carry out the pruning procedure as early as possible.. Best of all - in the very first days after the end of fruiting (usually in July). In regions where snow falls already in the first or second decade of November (and sometimes even earlier), work must be completed before mid-August. This applies to the North-West, the Moscow region and all of Central Russia, Far East, Altai and Siberia. In the case when, mowing the foliage is slightly postponed - until planting material is obtained.
  • Plants need two to three months of active development to build up a new leaf apparatus and. It is in the leaves that photosynthesis processes take place, affecting the growth of roots and horns, the laying of future flower buds.
  • If the owner missed the optimal time, pruning is carried out in a gentle mode. Only the lower and diseased leaves are removed, with signs of disease (spots, white bloom, atypical redness, etc.).

Trimming process

Pruning strawberry leaves should be done with a sharp tool.

How to mow strawberry leaves?

They grab a bush with one hand, and with the second (working) hand with a tool they cut off the entire aerial part (leaves, dead peduncles and unnecessary mustaches).

Gotta act carefully so as not to damage the heart of the bush, growth buds in the center of the horns. As a result, sticking pieces of petioles 4-5 cm high, as well as small young leaves, remain above the ground.

It looks like a "cleaned" strawberry bed.

Related events

After pruning, strawberry plants need in additional support. On the plantation, it is desirable to perform the following work:

  1. Weeding.
  2. Treatment with drugs for diseases and (if necessary).
  3. Small loosening, mulch renewal (if the ridges are not covered with agrofibre).
  4. Moisturizing the root zone (to a depth of 20–30 cm). If the weather is dry, abundant watering is needed - first with an overflow, without sprinkling. Re-water as needed. A few days after pruning, the wounds will heal, and water can be supplied by sprinkling.
  5. Stimulation of immunity . On a small area, for the most valuable varieties, it is possible to irrigate using the natural preparation Zircon. Unlike Epin Extra, which acts on the plant through the leaf, Zircon is able to penetrate through the root system, activating the work of the roots and stems.
  6. top dressing. Additional nutrition is necessary for the full growth of young leaves. The greatest need is for nitrogen, moderate - for potassium and trace elements. You can feed with organic matter - a solution of manure, herbal infusion (1:10), bird droppings (1:20). After a few days, wood ash is given out - in dry form (sprinkling and loosening) or in water infusion (1:20). Store-bought complex fertilizers are also used.
  7. Regular removal of growing mustaches (Otherwise, the forces of the bush are spent on them).

Spring cleaning of the plantation

  • At the beginning of the season, dry foliage is raked from the strawberry beds with the help of light rakes (such as fan blades).
  • In addition, the leaves that have died during the winter are cut off.

All this garbage is burned.

Video about the autumn pruning of strawberries

There is no definite answer to the questions - why and when to cut strawberries after harvesting. Opinions of gardeners on this matter are different. Some are for it, some are vehemently against it. Why trim the leaves? Why do this if it seems to be known that the foliage feeds the root? Like, the more foliage, the stronger the bush. Yes, this, of course, is correct. But ... Harvested - prepare for the next! Sounds like a slogan for a gardener. So, processing it after harvesting is preparing the plantation for the new season. And pruning strawberry leaves is one of the stages of this care.

We all love this berry. In the spring, a lot of effort is spent on caring for strawberries before and during flowering, during the formation and ripening of berries. We want more strawberries. To make them bigger, juicier, tastier. So, just after the harvest, you need to make every effort to improve, increase it next year. Strawberries need special care just after harvesting. This is the most important time for her and for us.

Why trim the mustache of strawberries

Surely, you already noticed during the harvest that strawberries (strawberries) give a lot of whiskers. Of course, it depends on the variety. Some varieties form a lot of mustache, some a little, they can even be completely beardless.

We collected all the berries - carefully inspect the entire plantation. Need to loosen the beds garden strawberries, weed them from weeds, remove the whiskers.

Mustaches are required for strawberries to breed. If you do not want to get young rosettes, new plants for propagation, then you need to cut them off immediately after they appear.

Usually there are several mustaches on one bush. We collect them in one bunch and cut them as close as possible to the base of the bush. By the way, this mustache trimming procedure will have to be repeated more than once per season. If we start, we don’t do it on time, then the plant will spend all its strength on the growth of mustaches, rosettes, and the future crop will get less. Strawberries will lay flower buds less, which means that there will not be many berries, they will become smaller.

Everything superfluous for the future harvest must be cut off.

In addition, this is necessary so that the strawberries do not thicken, since thickened plantings are more difficult to care for.

When to feed, fertilize

Some gardeners do the wrong thing by overfeeding strawberries before harvest. This leads to the fact that it is strongly affected by gray rot, this is, firstly. Secondly, although the berries become large, they are watery, less sweet, and have a shorter harvest period.

In early spring before flowering we spend nitrogen fertilizers. But, remember, the main fertilization should be after harvest. This is top dressing with complete mineral fertilizer and organic matter. Many bring manure under strawberries. This, of course, is good - manure not only nourishes the plants, but also takes care of the strawberry root system.

Hilling strawberries

The fact is that strawberries are a perennial berry plant. Over time, it builds up an aerial root system and begins, as it were, to bulge out of the ground. Every year, especially after 3-4 years of growing in one place, we are forced to add mulch, earth, compost, rotted manure to the aisles, thus covering the roots of strawberries. Mulching helps the roots develop well.

Reasons, timing of pruning leaves

The laying of fruit buds in strawberries (garden strawberries) occurs in June ( Krasnodar region) - July (middle lane) after harvest. By this time, it is necessary to coincide with the first trimming of the mustache, leaves.

The fact is that a strawberry leaf lives only 60-70 days - 2-2.5 months. And after that, various spots appear on the leaves - whitish, rusty, red. These are signs of leaf aging, the development of various diseases on them.

That is, cutting the leaves of strawberries (strawberries) is necessary in order to protect the future crop from diseases.

Trim leaves or whiskers with secateurs or scissors. Tools must be sharp. Do not tear them off with your hands - this way you can damage the root system. The plant, instead of building up leaf mass, will recover its strength for a long time.

The process of chlorophyll production stops 2-2.5 months after picking the berries - even in healthy plants, the leaves may turn red.

Tip: the reddened leaves should be removed to prevent the pests remaining on them from wintering quietly. Treat the plantation with pesticides. Only it should have been done much earlier: the picture was taken in September. There is a danger that young leaves will not have time to grow after pruning - bare bushes may not survive the frosty winter.

So, a month and a half after picking the berries, we inspect the plantation of strawberries (garden strawberries) and remove all the leaves with spots, holes, while not forgetting to cut the flower stalks. We leave only young leaves.

When to do it? In the Kuban, this is the end of June-beginning of July, in the middle lane - the first half of August. exact date I won't say it's not that important. Most importantly, calculate the timing so that your strawberries leave in the winter with young leaves already grown.

How to prune strawberries if the plants are affected by diseases, pests

In the event that strawberry bushes are affected by a tick, there is severe spotting on the leaves, it is necessary to remove all leaves, even young ones. Leaves with signs of disease should be cut as close to the base of the bush as possible, since disease spores can also persist on petioles. Try not to touch the heart of the bush when pruning - the plant will be able to recover faster. By doing such pruning, you will not harm the bush, as strawberries grow green mass very quickly. By cutting off the old leaves, you will immediately see where you can loosen the ground, where you need to remove the weeds.

Of course, by removing all the leaves from strawberries, you will not get rid of all pests and diseases. They will remain on the stumps of leaves, the ground. Simply, such a bed is easier to treat with drugs for diseases and pests. This processing is more efficient.

Now you can feed the "rejuvenated" bed. At this time, as I said, fruit buds are laid - the basis of the future harvest, so do not forget to periodically water your strawberries. And if it doesn't rain, keep the soil moist.

Top dressing, at this time are required. It is at this time that strawberries will increase their leaf mass, which in winter, covered with snow, will protect the root system from freezing. That is, the more foliage your bushes go into the winter, the better they will winter. And this will increase your yield.

If during the harvest period you notice berries affected by gray rot, then after the end of fruiting, strawberries need processing. Treat the entire plantation with some kind of fungicide - it can be Topaz or Horus.

Is it possible to mow all strawberry leaves

Not so long ago, walking along my dacha street, I saw that my acquaintances were mowing strawberry leaves with a scythe. They have a large berry plot - several acres - they cannot do without a scythe, as they believe. At first I thought that they decided to get rid of the old strawberries in this way, they say, it's time to start a new plantation. But it turned out that everything is not so. The owner of the dacha said that they mow the leaves of strawberries every year, three or four weeks after the last harvest. And this year, some circumstances prevented them from doing it on time and they mowed in mid-August. The strawberry harvest, according to them, is good all the time, it gets sick less.

If you have a large plantation and it is older than 3-4 years, then you can follow the example of my friends.

There is another reason for completely cutting strawberry leaves with a scythe or secateurs (scissors) - this is a strong defeat of plantings by diseases and pests. After complete cutting (mowing) of the leaves, the plantation should be treated with some fungicide or pesticide. Be sure to feed your strawberries - help her quickly build up leaf mass.

It is not necessary to carry out mowing on young healthy plantings of strawberries, this depletes the bushes and you deprive yourself of the harvest.

How to care for, how to process strawberry beds after pruning or mowing

I will repeat myself a little, but this is very important.

  • Loosen the ground around the bushes.
  • Remove weeds.
  • Treat the plantation for diseases and pests.
  • Feed with mineral and organic fertilizers.
  • Water regularly if there is no rain during this period.
  • It is very important that the soil in the garden bed is wet all the time - this is necessary for the growth of young foliage.

That's all the simple rules. Now you know how and when to prune strawberries (garden strawberries) after harvest, how to process them. A good harvest next year is guaranteed!

Strawberries, large-fruited garden strawberries, hybrid strawberries are related berry crops, which are usually referred to by the common name "garden strawberries". Rules for caring for them in general terms are the same.

In those strawberry varieties that are not remontant, the fruit buds of the next season are formed in August-September previous year. That is why this period is so important for the coming harvest.

The next year's strawberry harvest largely depends on autumn work.

Autumn events

This is beauty! Strawberries on the plot of one of our editors!

When the berry bears fruit, it is necessary to carry out several important agrotechnical measures in turn on the strawberry plantation:


This is an approximate to-do list for those gardens where the surface of the beds is not covered with a special film or agrofibre. If strawberries are planted in cuts in a special mulching material, some points will not be relevant. The general concept (protection and feeding) is preserved.

Feeding and mustache

Mustache removed!

Over the next weeks, before the onset of cold weather,. You can give one more top dressing. for the best preservation of plants. This must be done and.

Care for strawberries immediately after harvest

When the beds with strawberries are operated for several years, the bushes grow old and the yield drops sharply.

Strawberries should be repotted about once every 4 years.

productive time for different varieties strawberries may vary, but replanting every 3-5 years is generally recommended. In this case, obsolete plantings are removed, the beds are dug up for other crops. But if the plants have not yet crossed the critical age limit, they are ready to please the harvest next season, they need decent care.

The sooner the gardener starts processing strawberry beds, the better bushes restore strength , overwinter more successfully, bear fruit more abundantly on next year. Specific dates depend on the region and varietal characteristics of the berry. As soon as the last fruits are harvested, it is advisable to immediately begin pruning the leaves.

Mustache for breeding

If they are taken from the same fruit-bearing plantation, processing can be slightly delayed in time. We must not forget that the plants are exhausted by fruiting.

If you need seedlings for propagation, the mustache is not removed, but allowed to take root and grow a good rosette.

Therefore, for mustache growth as soon as possible, the beds are abundantly shed, liquid top dressing is carried out. or organics: infusion of mullein or nettle (dissolved in ten times the volume of water), chicken droppings (water infusion 1:20).

To make the mustache healthier, you can spray the beds from diseases (with a biological product Fitosporin or chemicals Forecast, Propi Plus, Chistoflor ), from pests (toxic chemicals Iskra M, Fufanon ).

Pruning foliage and mustache

Removing leaves on strawberries is sometimes referred to as mowing. But this does not mean that you need to mow with a scythe or lawn mower. Use garden shears, a pruner, a knife or a small sickle.

If the plants are only one year old or the owner is confident in the absolute health of the plantation, then only the oldest, lower leaves are removed. In other cases, the entire leaf apparatus is eliminated. It is cut, raked, removed from the garden and burned. So many diseases and pests go away.

At the same time as the foliage, unnecessary mustaches are also cut off.. Only petioles from leaves about 5 cm long are left on the bushes. With a shorter pruning, there is a risk of introducing infections and damage to the kidneys (heart).

After pruning in August, strawberries will be ready for wintering in autumn!

In Central Russia, in the North-West region, in Siberia, strawberry leaves are not pruned. later than mid-August. Fresh green mass should have time to grow well before the onset of cold weather. If the deadlines are missed, later only the lowest leaves are removed - spotted, old.

Weed control

Weeds growing next to the bush are pulled out with their hands, trying not to damage the bush.

Weed grass, especially perennial grass, can greatly drown out strawberry plants and significantly reduce plantation yields. Weeds must be removed along with the roots.

Weeding and loosening

In the aisles, weeding is carried out with a shovel or a narrow long scoop.

Weeding and loosening strawberry plantings are always carried out together.

So you can extract even the deepest rhizomes. Directly near the bushes, they use a thin root remover, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the delicate surface roots of strawberry plants. Simultaneously with weeding, loosening of the soil is also carried out.

Herbicide application

It is more convenient to treat large plantations of garden strawberries with herbicides using a knapsack sprayer.

Sometimes, in order to get rid of the dominance of perennial weeds on a strawberry plantation, it is recommended to use a special herbicide called Lontrel 300-D .

Spraying with this preparation leads to the death of perennial weeds (except for cereals such as wheatgrass), and strawberries remain alive. Lontrel is an aggressive chemical, and it should be used only in case of emergency, strictly according to the instructions.

Watering

If there are (or recently) heavy rains, then additional watering is not needed.

But in dry weather, it is necessary to ensure the supply of water to the strawberry roots. So young foliage will grow faster, flower buds will be laid more successfully. Watering must be very plentiful- better by flooding or sprinkling. If from a watering can - then at least 30-40 liters per square meter landings. Moisturizing the soil is also a preparatory measure before top dressing and mulching.

top dressing

Before fertilization, the earth is loosened, then the granules are scattered and embedded in the soil, and peat is added on top.

Fertilizers are applied in two ways:

  • pour humus and ash under the bushes;
  • carry out fertilizer irrigation.

Both approaches can be combined.


Treatment of strawberries from diseases and pests

Protective spraying is carried out after mowing the foliage, watering and liquid top dressing, but before adding compost and mulching. Each gardener decides whether to use gentle environmentally friendly products or chemicals (if the situation with infections is critical).

Chemical protection

To prevent spotting, strawberry bushes are processed after harvesting with Bordeaux liquid.

  1. It is necessary to regularly remove the growing mustache - they greatly weaken the plants, worsen the laying of fruit buds.
  2. Needed in dry weather periodic abundant watering .
  3. At the end of August or in September, another top dressing is carried out, with the predominance of potassium-phosphorus components . To do this, use an aqueous solution of potassium sulfate and double superphosphate (a tablespoon per bucket of water), complex autumn fertilizers, wood ash.

Covering a strawberry plantation for the winter

Spruce spruce branches are a good material for sheltering strawberries in case of a long absence of snow cover.

  • If all activities are carried out correctly and on time, healthy and strong bushes are formed by mid-autumn. As a rule, they successfully hibernate. But it’s better to play it safe and cover the strawberry plantation for the winter. This is especially necessary in cases where foreign varieties are planted, novelties, the endurance of which has yet to be tested. In regions where severe winters and a problematic off-season, protection works on the principle of "God saves the safe."
  • Shelter should not be too early and dense - this threatens to overheat bushes. First, strawberry plants must be hardened by the first autumn cold. When the top layer of soil freezes, daytime temperatures will go into a slight minus - only then they cover the strawberries. In the conditions of the Middle Belt and regions similar in climate, such a time usually comes closer to the end of October or even in November. If at this time it is no longer possible to come to the garden, the procedure can be carried out earlier, but not too tight.

Winter shelter options for strawberries

Dry foliage is the most popular winter cover for strawberries.

  • spruce branches (branches of coniferous trees);
  • needles or dry foliage;
  • reeds, corn and sunflower stalks;
  • white agrofibre (): , lutrasil, agrotex, etc. It is advisable to throw it not on the strawberry bushes themselves, but on small arcs so that an air gap remains.
  • Many gardeners DO NOT RECOMMEND using sawdust: they get wet, caked, freeze.

Sometimes they practice the installation of shields in the form of a fence near the beds - for better snow retention.

If earlier there were cases of damage to strawberry bushes by mice, then poisoned baits from rodents are laid out around the plantation.

Video about the correct preparation of strawberries for wintering

Each gardener grows not only vegetables on his plot. Here you can find fruits and berries. These favorite crops include strawberries. Its taste is admired by adults and children. And you also need to grow it correctly, because if it does not have enough nutrients, then it will not give good harvest. Consider how strawberries should be cared for after fruiting.

Characteristic

Everyone knows strawberries. This plant can be recognized by its appearance:

  • undersized bushes, the height of which does not exceed 35 cm;
  • straight stems with a little fluff;
  • during flowering, white buds are formed, which have 5 petals;
  • The fruits are bright red in color and have a delightful aroma.

Exist a large number of varieties. All have their own maturity period. The earliest of them falls on May and can last until the beginning of autumn.

In order for the plant to give a big harvest, you need to properly care for it. The main stages of preparation include:

  • watering;
  • weeding from weeds;
  • hilling;
  • loosening;
  • top dressing.

But what about the plants from which you have harvested the entire crop? Under no circumstances should they be dropped here. Need to carry out further care for strawberries in the summer, after fruiting. And our task is to find out how this is done.

With the move

The main thing that can be done with the plant after harvest is to transplant it. To begin with, you must prepare right place under the berry It must meet the following requirements:

  • the soil is well-groomed, dug up, fertilized;
  • the place where onions, legumes or garlic grew is ideal;
  • use organic matter, such as bird droppings or humus, to fertilize the beds.

You can transplant the shoots that the berry gave. It is better to dig up old bushes and throw them away. It is recommended to carry out the procedure on a cloudy day, when there is no strong sun. If the weather is clear, then it is better to postpone the transplant until the evening. Moisten the transplanted bushes well.

If you think that this is where caring for strawberries after fruiting ends, then you are deeply mistaken. Still just getting started.

Sanitary treatment of bushes

As you know, garden strawberries are considered the most popular berry in the country. Care after fruiting will help restore the strength of the plant by next year. During this period, active leaf growth begins. At this time, we begin to think about the future harvest and do everything according to our instructions. After picking the berries, if there is no need to replant the plants, it is necessary to carry out hygienic treatment according to following principle. The very first step is weeding the beds with berries from weeds. Remove everything well and loosen the soil.

  1. You need to cut out all the mustache and old leaves. At the same time, leave the young shoots that managed to get out.
  2. Be sure to clean the berry soil from dry foliage. Serious carriers of infections and various diseases can remain on it.
  3. If you notice that young shoots have taken on a painful appearance, do not rush to get rid of them. You can try treating strawberries with colloidal sulfur.
  4. The next important step will be loosening the beds. This cannot be done in the immediate vicinity of the bushes, since their root system is located on the surface. Loosen the soil carefully, between rows, to a depth of about 15 cm.

We have gradually figured out what is the care of strawberries after fruiting. Pruning bushes is included in the list of measures. Do not be afraid to carry out this procedure. The berry will not suffer from this, but will only benefit and give a good harvest in the new season.

Nutrition

The main care for strawberries after fruiting includes feeding the bushes with various fertilizers. First of all, you need to make mineral preparations. For each square meter of beds, 30-40 grams of substances are needed. Special ready-made mixtures of preparations that are made specifically for berries are ideal. Other than that, use:

  • ammophoska, it contains such the right substances like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium;
  • humus;
  • compost.

The only enemy of strawberries is chlorine. Avoid fertilizers that contain such a substance. But after fertilizing, you need to thoroughly moisten the soil.

Watering according to all the rules

We proceed to the next procedure, which is included in the basic care of strawberries after fruiting. Ganichkina, a well-known agrotechnician, recommends paying special attention to watering. She gives some advice on this:

  1. Moisten the soil after each fertilization. This will help the nutrients to dissolve faster and soak into the ground.
  2. So that a crust does not form on the soil, sprinkle the bed with peat.
  3. The whole season it is necessary to keep the soil in a damp state. In no case should you fill the bushes so that they do not start to rot.
  4. Humidification should be carried out as needed. Watering should be plentiful. There will be no sense from superficial moisture.
  5. After each watering, loosen the soil, weed from weeds and be sure to remove the whiskers. Strawberry bushes should not waste their strength and juices on them.

Preparing for the autumn-winter period

For all the care of strawberries after fruiting, you have already spent a lot of time and effort. And most importantly, you don't have to stop there. An important period lies ahead. Autumn and winter are the main enemies of the berry. So that in the new season you can see the plants in good health, make preparations:

  1. In autumn, you can stop moistening the soil. But don't stop at fighting weeds and mustaches.
  2. Cover all bushes with a layer of straw. It will protect the plants from the coming frosts.
  3. Rows between strawberries can be overlaid with grass. It will not only warm, but also become fertilizer in early spring.

We have considered how to care for standard plant varieties. It is worth paying attention to repairmen.

May to November

Modern breeders offer gardeners the most interesting varieties. One of these is the repair berry. With it, you can harvest several times a season. In order to have a lot of berries, you need to properly care for remontant strawberries after the first fruiting. It is as follows:

  1. Loosen the bushes constantly so that the roots remain in the ground.
  2. After you have taken the first crop of ripe berries, feed the bushes with mineral fertilizers.
  3. Water as needed.
  4. To keep the berries from spoiling, keep the bed covered with a special black material. Moisture passes well through it and it is very difficult - various insects and weeds.

Now you know how to properly care for strawberries. The quality and quantity of tasty and fragrant berries depend on these important procedures.

For good fruiting of strawberries, year-round care is required for this crop. After harvest, strawberry bushes require special care recovery. With proper preventive maintenance, strawberries increase fruiting by at least 15-30 percent.

The fruits become larger, juicier and sweeter. Any variety of simple or remontant strawberries is grateful for care and berries grown by one's own hands are strikingly different from store-bought ones.

How to care for strawberries after fruiting

Care after picking berries in July

In July, after the fruiting of strawberries, the care corresponding to this period is carried out, these are:

  • mustache trimming,
  • dried leaves,
  • weeding,
  • top dressing,
  • hilling strawberries.

In July, after picking berries, the plants begin to grow new leaves, the formation of new horns, the growth of whiskers with lateral rosettes intensifies and new flower buds are laid.

First, the beds are weeded. Excess mustache and dried leaves are removed. Reddened leaves are removed first. It is impossible to cut off foliage and mustaches, you can only cut it off, otherwise the bush will be damaged and will hurt.

For trimming, sharp scissors or secateurs are taken. It is better to burn old leaves in order to avoid the reproduction of pests. If young leaves curl or take on a corrugated shape, this is an indicator of strawberry mite infestation and the plants should be treated with acaricidal preparations.

If the central leaves turn yellow, the petioles are thickened and short, this is a sign of a nematode. At the same time, the plant is dug up, treated with boiling water and removed from the site.

After pruning, the old mulch is removed from the beds. The soil around the strawberries is loosened, fertilized, watered.

The aisles are loosened 10 centimeters deep. Around the plants, loosening is done by 5 centimeters. The bushes are spudding.

In this case, the roots must be completely closed, and top part the bush should remain above the ground. This is especially true for plants that have been growing for more than a year, as their root system begins to protrude above the ground.

For top dressing, mineral fertilizers are taken with an admixture of trace elements. About 30 grams of fertilizer goes per square meter. Suitable for this special fertilizer for garden strawberries, Fertik, ammophoska.

Fertilizers containing potassium chloride should not be used, as it slows down growth and impairs fruiting. Fertilizers are embedded in the soil to a depth of about 6 centimeters.

In addition to these fertilizers, you can use last year's humus. It crumbles from above. It will improve the structure of the soil and make it more fertile.

You can also fertilize the beds with diluted chicken manure (15 parts of water and 1 part of manure). When feeding, we must not forget that this solution should not fall on the foliage, otherwise burns will appear on the plants, which provokes the development of diseases. A high concentration of the solution can generally destroy the bush. Therefore, this type of dressing is not used so often.

In dry weather, the beds are watered. Soil moisture should be maintained until the end of the season. Watering is done once a week in a bucket per square meter.

For best results, drip irrigation can be used. This type of watering will allow you to get the right amount of moisture and at the same time the plants do not rot, since the soil does not swamp.

The soil around the bushes is mulched with chopped grass, peat, straw.

Caring for strawberries in August

Proper care is required to get a bountiful strawberry harvest next year. The last month of summer is the best for this.

Care includes:

  • leaf pruning,
  • mustache transplant,
  • preparation of plants for wintering.

Old leaves are cut off. If varieties grow in groups, the first to be processed early varieties. Then come the middle and late varieties, this will allow you to evenly care for the plants and prevent them from overgrowing, which leads to the threat of infection with diseases and pests.

Mustaches are cut with an indent of 10 centimeters from the base of the bush. After pruning, young foliage and core (horns) remain on the bush.

Mustaches with new rosettes and young roots are planted to form young bushes. To do this, the strongest instances are selected, while the weak ones are removed.

For better yields, after harvesting, the strongest mustache remains on the bush. A new mother bush will grow from it to replace the old one. This operation is carried out every three years.

And the spots are treated with therapeutic and prophylactic spraying of strawberries.

For spraying, drugs such as Karbofos or Aktellik are used, this is protection against weevil and strawberry mite; Azocen and Topaz are used for the prevention and control of powdery mildew; a one percent solution of lime and copper sulfate saves bushes and berries from rot, spotting.

Feeding the bushes during this period increases the degree of frost resistance of the plant and promotes the formation of flower buds.

Top dressing with fertilizers

For fertilizers, fertilizers with nitrogen are taken (a strong urea solution is not suitable).
Complex mineral fertilizers should include: 1 part nitrogen, 2 parts phosphorus, 4 parts potassium. In the finished version, it can be: Fasco, Autumn, Autumn. All these preparations, except for the base, contain other useful material.

Fertilizer Autumn in its composition does not contain nitrogen, which allows it to be used even in a later period, but this preparation contains all the elements that are necessary for the growth and good fruiting of strawberries.

In the form of organic fertilizers suitable: peat, horse manure in granules, humus, bone meal.

Bird droppings are not used to avoid excess nitrogen.

Mineral and organic fertilizers should not be mixed. In rare cases, when the soil is depleted, mineral and organic top dressings are applied over the entire area of ​​​​the beds. If the strawberry planting area is quite large, this mixture can also be used.

After feeding, the plants are covered with mulch, and for wintering, the bushes are covered with leaves, needles, potato tops, and straw. Dry weather is chosen for shelter, otherwise the layer may compact and cause the formation of pests and diseases within the layer or lead to root rot.

The layer of mulch covering plants from frost should be at least 7 centimeters. In addition to mulch, non-woven material is used, for example, spunbond.

Caring for remontant strawberries after picking berries

Remontant strawberries differ from standard varieties in that they produce several harvests per year. Proper Care guarantees not only abundant harvests, but also the formation of new bushes, which allows you to quickly breed this variety on the site.

To obtain a second and third good result, flower stalks are necessarily thinned out.

After each fruiting, reddened and diseased leaves are removed from the bushes. Mustaches of the first order remain on the uterine bush. It is best to root them in prepared cups for further seating. After the end of the season, the cups are collected, the mustache is cut off from the main bush and they can be planted in prepared beds.

When caring for remontant strawberries, watering should be done more often than when watering standard varieties, but less plentifully. For irrigation, it is better to take heated water. The soil must be moist, but not swampy, otherwise the strawberry root system may begin to rot.

Remontant strawberry varieties are demanding on fertilizers and must be constantly supplied with potassium and nitrogen. When preparing the soil for planting new plants, phosphate fertilizers are added.

Do not leave bushes with berries under the snow

After collecting the last autumn harvest from plants, it is necessary to cut off all the foliage, flower stalks and cover the bushes with a special nonwoven fabric which will protect plants from frost.

Remontant strawberries, in comparison with simple varieties, have a short life span and after two years the plants must change new ones. Some varieties do not produce mustaches and are easier to care for, but seeds are used to propagate them, which complicates the breeding process.

July and August are suitable for updating strawberry plantations. By autumn, the bushes take root and easily endure the winter.

In preparation for winter, flower stalks and leaves are cut off from the mother bushes. Bushes are hilled so that the roots are covered with soil. But the core must remain open, otherwise it will begin to rot. Prepared beds are covered with foliage, grass.

Remontant strawberries, in addition to the standard growing method, can grow on trellises, columns, and in tunnels.

To protect plants on trellises, protective plants, such as corn, are planted on both sides of the strawberries, which remains to winter and additionally saves the strawberries from freezing.

After the last fruiting, strawberries are covered with a breathable non-woven material that saves the planting from freezing. When grown in tunnels, fruiting lasts until the first frost.

In the warm period of Indian summer, the covering material rises on one side to allow air to circulate. Even with lower temperatures under the material, strawberries fully ripen and do not lose their taste.

And remontant, and, in particular, this applies to the period after fruiting, as the plants are depleted, grow and may begin to hurt.

With careful and careful care, the yield increases, the size of the berries of even small varieties becomes larger, the fruits are saturated with moisture and sweetness.

And in every region, even rather cool ones, you can choose suitable option, which will delight you with a tasty and fragrant harvest.