Growing strawberry seedlings in cassettes: the pros and cons, the specifics of care

Garden strawberries are grown in almost every household plot, because this berry is one of the first to ripen and helps to saturate the body with vitamins after a long winter. Each gardener has his own way of cultivating crops, however, in recent years, growing strawberry seedlings in special cassettes has become popular. This method, like any other, has its advantages and disadvantages, which should be studied before starting work.

Features of cassette seedlings

Using cassettes for growing strawberries allows you to harvest not only in the open field in the beds, but also in the greenhouse, and some summer residents have adapted to harvest fragrant and he althy berries, even placing seedlings on the windowsill.Cassettes come in different types - plastic or peat, and are a structure consisting of several cells in which plant seeds are sown.

The peat option is the most environmentally friendly solution for the garden, as the material does not contain harmful components that pollute the soil. Seedlings do not need to be removed from the cells, since the peat itself will decompose in the soil over time, and the culture will continue to grow and develop.

Also, plastic is used for the manufacture of cassettes, usually black, this makes it possible to attract the sun's rays and warm the root system of plants. Their advantage lies in the fact that you can use such a product for several seasons in a row. In addition, there are varieties on sale with a special latch on each cell, which allows you to remove the plant without damaging its roots.

For the first time, this method of obtaining seedlings was invented in Japan in the 60s of the last century. The first cassettes were made of special paper and helped to obtain planting material in a short time.Over time, this technology spread throughout Europe, and today many gardeners who grow strawberry seedlings for sale prefer the cassette method.

Domestic summer residents use this method both for sowing seeds collected from strawberries and for rooting mustaches. For the process to be successful, it is necessary to follow the technology and provide the plants with competent agrotechnical care.

Pros and cons

The cassette method of growing strawberry seedlings has both advantages and some disadvantages.

The advantages of this technology include the following points:

full formation of seedling roots and the ability to control the growth of young seedlings;
thanks to the well-thought-out cell design, even distribution of air and water between each plant;
no need for crop picking;
protection against infections and pathogens, as well as insect pests;
saving space, as growing seedlings in cassettes requires much less space;
lack of complex agrotechnical care for seedlings;
possibility of harvesting much earlier than with conventional strawberry cultivation.

Of the minuses note:

cash costs for the purchase of cassettes;
probability of root rot due to uncontrolled watering.

Preparation of seedlings

Before planting strawberries in cassettes, seedlings must be properly prepared.At the stage of formation of aerial roots, a mustache is cut and lowered into a jar of water so that they do not wither. Each specimen should have one leaf with a piece of mustache that the plant will cling to the ground with. Before planting in cassettes, they are treated with a growth stimulator for better rooting, for example, Radiafarm. The seedlings are kept in the solution for about half an hour.

How to prepare the soil

Before planting, not only seedlings are prepared, but also the soil in which seedlings will be grown.

Composition

Strawberries prefer fertile soil - sandy or sandy-loamy light soils, in which the humus content is at least 3%. A suitable option is purchased at a gardening store or prepared independently by mixing the following components - 1 part each of high-moor peat and sand and 3 parts of a sod layer of earth from the garden.

Acidity

Optimal soil acidity for growing strawberry seedlings in cassettes is from 6 to 7.

Processing

Even store-bought soil should be treated against pathogens before use. Do it in any convenient way:

Steam in a water bath for 30-40 minutes.
Ignite in an electric or gas oven at a temperature of 100 degrees from 20 to 30 minutes.
Spill with fungicidal preparations, diluting them in the concentration indicated in the instructions.

After the earth has cooled to room temperature, carefully lay it out in the cells of the cassettes, make small indentations and plant a mustache with a leaf there or sow seeds (previously stratified). Plants are watered abundantly, but they try not to flood, so as not to provoke decay of the mustache.

Fertilization

It is not necessary to fertilize the soil if the correct composition of the soil is made. Fertilizers are used after planting, three days later.

How to grow

Growing garden strawberries in cassettes is much easier than in the garden, all seedlings need is regular moisture, nutrient additions and enough light. After three days after disembarkation, it is necessary to make the first dose of biostimulants - experienced gardeners recommend using Megafol. If necessary, re-treatment is carried out after a week. To prevent seedlings from stretching, growth regulators are used, for example, Athlete.

Specific care

When caring for seedlings of garden strawberries, attention is paid to watering, but they constantly check the level of soil moisture so that excessive moisture does not damage young roots. After the seedlings are strong and well rooted, they can be exposed to fresh air in good weather.At first, do this for 3-5 minutes, gradually increasing the time.

It is also recommended to carry out fungicide treatment after the final rooting as a disease prevention. Use "Fundazol" or "Topsin-M".

What problems might you encounter

The main problems that gardeners face when growing strawberry seedlings in cassettes are root rot due to excessive moisture and seedlings stretching due to lack of sunlight.