It's hard to imagine May and June without a strawberry. But in order for it to bear fruit well, it is very important to look after it properly throughout the year: feed, weed, water, shelter for the winter, etc.
In this article, we will consider the peculiarities of fertilizing strawberries, as a component of caring for it in the fall.
When fall fertilize strawberries?
The main conditions for the beginning of applying fertilizers to strawberries is the cessation of fruiting, since then the berries become inedible. That is why the timing of the usual garden and remontant strawberries are different. The first - until September 15, and the second - it is possible in October and November (depending on the climate)
For strawberry fertilizing it is better to choose the day when dry and warm weather is standing.
What autumn fertilizers can I feed strawberries?
Organic fertilizers improve the composition of the soil, which makes it possible to obtain larger berries:
- mullein and bird droppings - it is necessary to take fermented, dilute 1 liter of organic in 10 liters of water and insist. Before adding to each bucket, add 125 grams of wood ash;
- Slurry - 1 liter diluted in 8 liters of water and insist. Consistency of ready top dressing should be similar to thick sour cream;
- green fertilizers - for this it is necessary to lay chamfered grass or bean ciderates in the aisle;
- mineral - have a beneficial effect on the process of laying the kidneys for the next year:
- wood ash - it can be sprinkled with row spacing and the beds themselves, on 1 m & sup2 - 150 g;
- potassium and phosphorus - you can add in a dry form potassium salt (20 g) and superphosphates (10 g), scattering them between plants or diluting in 10 liters of water. But the bushes themselves can not be watered with such a solution, only between beds;
- complex - in 10 liters of water we mix 250 g of ash, 2 tablespoons of Nitrofoski and 20 g of potassium fertilizer. Stir well and water the strawberries, per each bush by 1 liter. After 2 days, the ground around the bushes should be walled up using peat chips or sawdust. This top dressing of strawberries in the fall affects the laying of flower buds.
In liquid form, top dressing can be made only until the end of September, otherwise the roots of the plant will not survive the frost, and the plant may die.
How to feed strawberries during planting in the fall?
Sometimes there is a need to plant strawberries in the fall (basically it is done with repair varieties). In order for new bushes to become well-established and already yield the next year, they need to be fed. To do this, make a 1 meter pitch in the landing pit & sup2:
- 3-4 kg of compost or humus;
- 10 g of potassium chloride;
- 30-40 g superphosphate.
Then necessarily compose soil around the bush with compost or dry grass. In the future, such strawberries do not need any additional fertilizing already before the beginning of the period of fruiting.
In autumn, simultaneously with top dressing, strawberry bushes should be treated against pests, the most common of which is the strawberry transparent tick. To combat it, the leaves and the surrounding soil must be treated with a special solution. It includes:
- liquid soap - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- vegetable oil (strongly fried) - 50 ml or 3 tbsp. spoons;
- wood ash - 25-30 g;
- vinegar - 35 ml or 2 tablespoons. spoons.
All these ingredients are bred in 10 liters of warm water.
But, if in your region it's a harsh winter, then a good feed does not give 100% guarantees that strawberries will tolerate frosts well. In this case, it is better to use an additional shelter, for example, non-woven covering materials such as "Agril" or "Spandbond."
Having paid enough attention to caring for strawberries in the fall, in the summer it will please you with a great harvest.