Are you dreaming of sweet strawberries but getting rotten berries and mold instead?
Your actions in early spring are to blame. Let's look at each one in detail.
The first mistake is to uncover the bushes too early. If you remove the cover too early, frosts will kill the flower buds.
Wait until the temperature at night does not drop below +5 degrees Celsius.
The second mistake is loosening the bed with a pitchfork. Strawberry roots are superficial and can be easily damaged.
Instead, pierce the soil with a pitchfork 10 cm from the bush to allow air to reach the roots.
The third mistake is watering with cold water. Use only settled water, heated in the sun, otherwise the plants will get stressed.
The fourth mistake is ignoring "red leaves". If the foliage turns red, it is not a disease, but a lack of phosphorus.
Dilute 1 tbsp. superphosphate in a bucket of water and water the bushes.
The fifth mistake is greed. Remove the first flower stalks! This will give the plant the strength to grow strong roots, and the second harvest will be 3 times larger.
The secret of giant berries is in spraying with milk (1 glass per 5 liters of water). Lactic acid bacteria will protect against gray mold better than chemicals!
Strawberries also love "luxury". After removing the cover, lay egg trays on the bed - they will retain heat and protect from recurrent frosts.
And if you notice slugs, sprinkle crushed eggshells around the bushes - the sharp edges will cut the pests.
Another trick is "strawberry doping." Soak banana peels and nettles in a bucket of water for 3 days, then water the plants. Potassium and nitrogen will make the berries sweet as honey.
To prevent diseases, stick garlic cloves between the bushes - phytoncides will destroy fungal spores.
And if the strawberries have been growing in one place for more than 3 years, rejuvenate them: dig up the strongest bushes, divide them into horns and plant them in a new bed with the addition of humus and sand.
And don't forget about "night walks" - once a week cover the strawberries with spunbond at night. The temperature difference will enhance flowering!
Author: Igor Zur