Planting strawberries on black covering material: how to make a bed, scheme

There are many ways to grow strawberries in garden beds. Planting strawberry seedlings on black covering material has undeniable advantages over the traditional one. Planting on agrofabric has many similarities to mulching, which strawberries are very fond of.

The essence of the method

The essence of planting strawberries over agrofibre is that a special material is laid on the soil. Holes are made in it in which strawberries will grow. Berries and leaves grow from this hole without touching the soil. Any summer resident can make a bed with covering material.There are no fundamental differences from the usual planting when growing over agrofibre.

Black spunbond is used as a shelter. Or any other non-woven material, always black.

Pros and cons of growing strawberries over agrofibre

The benefits of planting garden strawberries over black covering material include:

• The berries do not have contact with the soil and do not rot if the soil is waterlogged.
• Strawberries ripen evenly.
• Mustache does not sprout.
• You don't have to weed the soil and keep an eye on the weeds, they don't grow without sunlight.
• Easy to harvest.
• The soil does not dry out or become waterlogged.
• Created conditions attract earthworms, and they, in turn, saturate the soil with oxygen.
• The bushes grow strong and he althy.
• Berries ripen 2 weeks earlier than usual.
• Agrofibre protects the rhizome from frost in winter.
• Spores and insect larvae do not enter the site.

The disadvantages include the waste of time installing agrofibre and growing strawberries so that the entire bush is located on the surface of the shelter.

Advantages of black film over polyethylene

During the cultivation of strawberries over the shelter, the question immediately arises: to use polyethylene or agrofibre. Before planting, you should figure out which material is best.

Advantages of agrofiber over polyethylene:

• Agrofibre lets water through, you can water the bushes right through it. What can not be said about polyethylene. When using it, you will have to consider a different irrigation system.
• Same goes for fertilizing.
• Through the pores that are in the agrofibre, the soil "breathes". Polyethylene does not let air through.
• When using agrofibre, the risk of developing fungal diseases is reduced due to the fact that the soil under it does not fade, and oxygen circulates.

A significant advantage will also be that agrofibre, compared to polyethylene, is more durable. Shelter can serve up to 3 years. This period is enough for the entire time of strawberry growth in one garden. Polyethylene is changed annually.

Types of inorganic shelters

What else can cover the soil when planting strawberries:

• Polypropylene film (available in white, black and two-tone).
• Agrofabric (depending on the manufacturer, this type of shelter is called differently - spunbond, agrotex, lumitex, agrospan).

Mulching materials vary in shade and density.

Which material to choose for mulch

The fabric for strawberry mulching should be black. It should also be as dense as possible. Or use a two-tone material. The black side of the agrofibre is facing the soil, and the white side is facing the sun. Through the white part, the material heats up and through the black part it gives off all the heat to the soil. In addition, the black part of the agrofabric prevents weeds from developing.

Features of landing under cover

Laying agrotextiles on beds with strawberries should be done correctly. It depends on how the seedlings will grow and what crop they will give. Planting seedlings under the fabric has its own characteristics.

Required Materials

You don't need a lot of materials to plant strawberries under agrofiber. First of all, you will have to buy a black spunbond. You will also need a few bricks or large stones. Or thin boards to secure the fabric in the garden. Nothing else is needed.

Date of planting

The most favorable period for planting strawberries is early spring. But seedlings are planted in autumn, as well as in summer. Autumn planting allows seedlings to take root over the winter. During this time, the root system will form, and in the spring the bushes will immediately begin to bear fruit. Planting in autumn begins in mid-August and continues until mid-September. In the spring, strawberries are planted after the threat of night frost has passed and the weather has warmed up.

Choosing a place to land

Strawberries are among those crops that are demanding on the planting site and soil composition. The berry is planted in open sunny areas. Most of the day the bushes should be in the sun. It will be even better if the bed is made on a hill. It is undesirable for trees with a dense spreading crown to grow nearby.

Culture prefers to grow on loose loamy or sandy loamy soils. Strawberries do not tolerate waterlogged soil. This is another advantage of black fabric. You can adjust the humidity level.

Preparation of planting material

It is not necessary to prepare planting material for planting. Most often, strawberries reproduce with a mustache, so you need to prepare seedlings from the moment they begin to grow.

For the propagation of strawberries, female strawberry bushes are used after fruiting. On each bush, 3 mustaches and 3 rosettes are left. As soon as the layers grow to three full leaves, they are transplanted.

Soil preparation

The soil for planting garden strawberries is prepared in advance in the fall. The soil is dug up to a depth of 7-10 cm. The soil is mixed with rotted manure or compost. In the spring they make beds and plant strawberries.

If you plan to plant seedlings in the fall, then prepare the soil in the spring according to the same principle.

Fitting technology

Scheme for the formation of beds and installation of agrofibre:

• Prepare the soil for planting in advance, mix the soil with manure, humus and wood ash.
• Moisten the soil, rake the earth so that the bed rises above the soil.
• Make beds up to 1 m wide.
• The spunbond should be wider than the bed to secure it tightly on the sides.
• Tie the sides tightly.
• There can be several ways of fastening. The easiest way to do this is with aluminum or wooden beams on which the material is wound. Or you can fix it around the perimeter with large stones or bricks.

Planting strawberries in the open field:

• To plant strawberries, you need to mark on the fabric in advance where to make cuts.
• Make cross cuts on fabric.
• Dig holes in the hole and plant seedlings.
• Making wide cuts is not recommended, otherwise weeds will grow from them along with strawberries. The cuts are made 10 cm wide.

The corners of the cuts are tucked in. Strawberries are well watered with warm water. Sockets during planting should be positioned so that they are above the level of the beds.

Rules for plant care

The second important thing to keep in mind after planting is caring for seedlings. The minimum care for garden strawberries includes watering, applying mineral and organic fertilizers, loosening the soil and removing weeds. It is not required to cover strawberries for the winter, the agrofiber retains heat, which prevents the roots from freezing. You need to take care of strawberries step by step.

Feeding and watering features

The number and frequency of watering depend on the period of planting in open ground.When planting in the spring, irrigation will be frequent. The first few weeks after planting, the beds are watered 3-4 times a week. Closer to summer, the amount of moisture is reduced depending on the temperature regime. There will be less watering in autumn. About 2 weeks before the onset of cold weather, irrigation is stopped. Only hot water is used. The use of cold water leads to the development of fungal diseases.

The second important point is fertilization. It is not necessary to fertilize in the first year after planting if the land was mixed with manure or other top dressings before planting. In the second year, top dressing is made according to the following scheme:

• The soil is fertilized for the first time after the snow melts. Chicken manure or mullein diluted in water is introduced into the soil. After a few weeks, nitrogen is added to the soil. It accelerates growth. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied before strawberries bloom.
• Phosphorus and potassium are added to the soil for the second time. Such fertilizers increase the number of ovaries and improve the quality of the fruit. Fertilizer is applied until the end of the fruiting period.
• Before the onset of cold weather, strawberries are fertilized with organic top dressing. Watering with wood ash or bone meal diluted in water is suitable. Or use superphosphate.

When fertilizing, it is important not to overdo it. An excess of nutrients in the soil leads to an increase in deciduous mass in strawberries and a decrease in yield.

Moustache removal

The whiskers of strawberries should be trimmed if you do not plan to propagate them. Rosettes take nutrients from the soil, they are not enough for the growth of berries. You need to trim your mustache before mid-summer. Maximum - until August. Autumn is not the best time to remove whiskers from strawberries.

Possible errors

Mistakes when growing strawberries under black covering material:

• Use loose agrofabric. Strong weeds grow through such fabric.
• Do not compact the agrofibre tightly near the bushes.
• In the southern regions it is undesirable to use a covering material of a dark shade. The soil will overheat, which will negatively affect the root system.

Following all the rules for planting under covering material, you can avoid many problems with growing crops.

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