Stand for strawberries: types of supports, how to do it yourself with video
Whoever grows garden strawberries knows that it is very convenient to have stands for strawberries. The berries are clean as a selection. They do not have mold and holes eaten by insects. Supports can be bought, or you can make your own using the materials that are in the country.
What are they?
Clean, dry berries are the main purpose of the prop. The simplest models are sold in every department for gardeners. This is a small green plastic construction in the form of a loop on a pin. It must be applied correctly. Install early in spring immediately after cutting old leaves.
Stick the support so that the circle lies on the ground around the future bush. Pull it out gradually, as the strawberries grow. With proper use, leaves, flower stalks, berries do not suffer. It is difficult to install the structure on an overgrown bush.
Advantages and disadvantages of using props
The use of holders, stands, bedding for strawberries brings tangible benefits. All options prevent the rot of berries, protect them from slugs, beetles. On a small ridge, installing props is easy and inexpensive. For a large plantation, this requires a lot of time and certain financial costs.
Types of props
There are many options for props. A disposable plastic fork is the most basic. On a large strawberry plantation, this life hack will not be useful, but for a small ridge it will be just right. Each fork needs to break out 2 central teeth.You need to stick such supports under each peduncle. To protect berries from rot, dirt, insects, natural materials are suitable: straw, sawdust, peat. They are scattered (lay out) under strawberry bushes.
Berries do not touch the ground, so they remain clean, not damaged by insects, less affected by fungus.
Industrial materials can be purchased in the store to protect the berries:
- grid;
- black film;
- black non-woven fabric;
- plastic structures.
Preparation for work
Film and black non-woven fabric used in drip irrigation system. These are multifunctional options. On the one hand, they prevent the evaporation of moisture, save water. On the other hand, they protect berries and bushes from dirt, slugs, and other insects.
Working with these materials is easy. They are durable. They can serve for several years. It is necessary to lay the covering material (film) in the spring. First, put on the canvas the layout of the bushes. Then make cross cuts. Spread the film on a ridge, pull the bushes out through the notches.
Fine mesh is used similarly to film. It also needs to make holes for the bushes. If the cells are large, this is not necessary. While the stems are small, they can simply be tucked into the hole. When the strawberry bushes grow up, the net needs to be raised above the ground by tying it to the pegs.
Wire can be used in several ways:
- stick pegs along a row of strawberries, pull a wire between them;
- cut into pieces, make holders in the shape of the letter "M", place a few pieces at each bush, put flower stalks on them.
Finished plastic structures look aesthetically pleasing. Put holders under each bush. They come in different sizes. Easy to assemble. They have legs. The bushes are not damaged, as the product has latches. The holder is first placed under the bush, then given the desired shape and fixed with latches.
How to make DIY strawberry stands?
The simplest stand for strawberries is made by hand from wire with a cross section of 6-8 mm. The wire should be strong, but easy to bend. Tools and fixtures needed for the job:
- a piece of pipe (metal, plastic) with a diameter of 15-20 cm;
- pliers;
- side cutters.
Step-by-step manufacturing algorithm:
- cut a piece 80 cm long with side cutters;
- form a loop, for this, wrap one end around the pipe (1 turn);
- bend the loop 90° with pliers.
Three simple operations, and a comfortable support for a strawberry bush is ready. It's simple to use. The pin is stuck into the ground next to the plant. The ring is smoothly wound under the leaves and peduncles. It keeps the fruits and stems off the ground.
Making a strawberry stand from 1.5L plastic bottles is no less simple. It is better if the plastic is brown. During the winter they need to accumulate as much as possible. From the tools you need only a sharp knife and side cutters, from additional materials - a thin wire (2-2.5 mm) and adhesive tape.
The bottom of the bottles needs to be cut off. Collect a pipe from them, sticking the top of one bottle into the bottom of another. The length of the structure depends on the length of the ridge. For the convenience of transporting the house, you can make short segments, finally assemble on the spot. Fix the pipe joints with adhesive tape.
Cut pieces from the wire, bend the U-shaped brackets. Place 2 pipe stands along the row of strawberries. Fasten with staples on both sides. Gardeners using this design note the following advantages:
- berries ripen earlier;
- a favorable climate is created around the bushes, there are no drafts, at night the air cools less;
- leaves, flowers, berries do not touch the ground;
- dirt and water do not linger on the plastic surface;
- insects don't settle under bottles.
Subsequent planting and care of strawberries
Every year you need to break a new bed of strawberries, then the harvest will be every year. In one place, the berry bears fruit for 5 years. Therefore, in the country you need to have several strawberry plots:
- first year of life;
- 2-year-old bed with low yield;
- 3-year productive;
- 4-year productive;
- 5-year aging.
For reproduction, take first-order rosettes from he althy, productive bushes. The planting pattern is chosen 35 x 80 cm or 50 x 80 cm. The choice depends on the size of adult bushes. The more powerful they are, the greater the distance between the holes.
To protect strawberries from rot during fruiting, you can cover the ridges with straw, put holders under each bush. After prolonged rains, it is necessary to treat the bushes with biological preparations:
- "Trichophyte" (200 ml per 10 liters of water);
- "Gaupsin" (200 ml per 10 liters of water);
- "Rosconcentrate" (20 ml per 10 liters of water).
Spraying protects berries from gray mold and insects.
Additional recommendations
Strawberries can be grown not only on the ground. A garden bed made of PVC pipes will look original. You can place it anywhere in the garden: hang it on a fence, put it on vertical supports.
You will need 2 pipes:
- one small diameter (40 mm) for watering, you need to drill holes in it, you can take a garden hose;
- second large diameter (main).
In the main pipe, every 15 cm, you need to cut holes with a diameter of 10-15 cm. After that, start filling:
- pour small pebbles, it will be drainage;
- put a hose with holes for irrigation, wrap it with covering material beforehand, the holes will not be clogged with earth;
- fill up nutrient substrate.
Strawberry bushes are planted in the pipe holes. The berries on such a pipe-bed are always clean, they do not need additional support. It's easy to take care of them. Liquid fertilizer can be added to irrigation water.
There are many options for original strawberry beds. Build ridges from used car tires. They are made from plastic bottles. A very popular vertical ridge-barrel for strawberries. During flowering and fruiting, wooden pyramid ridges become the decoration of the garden.
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