Strawberry mulching: the better, when and how to do it right, the benefits and harms

Many gardeners mulch strawberries, as this is the most reliable method of protecting the berries from pests, diseases and frosts. Before you start mulching, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this process.

Why do I need mulch when growing strawberries

Mulching refers to covering the soil near strawberry bushes with organic materials, cardboard or plastic wrap. Covering material prevents premature evaporation of liquid from the upper layers of the soil, and also significantly reduces the amount of watering in spring and summer.With the help of mulch, moisture in the soil is retained for a long time, which improves the fruiting of strawberries.

Some gardeners also cover the soil with a layer of mulch to slow the growth of weeds. Therefore, people who mulch strawberry seedlings rarely do weeding. In addition, the covering layer does not allow heat to leave the soil. This prevents the soil and strawberry roots from freezing.

Experienced gardeners advise using mulch to protect the plant from gray rot.

After mulching the soil, strawberries will not come into contact with damp soil, and therefore the likelihood that they will start to rot is extremely small.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are benefits and harms to covering the surface of the soil with mulch, which it is recommended to familiarize yourself with in advance. The main advantages of the mulch layer include:

• Improve the fruiting of strawberry seedlings using organic ingredients;
• reduce soil loosening and irrigation;
• protection of ripe berries from attacks of some insects and premature decay;
• Improve yields by enriching the soil with micronutrients.

Disadvantages include the following:

• development of fungal diseases in the mulch layer;
• Medvedka and slugs appear under mulch.

When to mulch a plant

It is recommended to decide in advance on the timing of the procedure in order to mulch the soil in time. Experienced gardeners recommend doing this at least twice a year. First, mulch is used in late spring, when young fruits form on strawberry bushes. The procedure is carried out to protect the flower stalks from contact with the ground. The spring mulch layer is removed in August, when the entire crop has been harvested.

Repeated procedure is carried out in the fall - in October or November. If you do not use mulch in the fall, the bushes will freeze at the first frost.

How and how to mulch strawberries

When mulching strawberries, different materials are used, which must be familiarized with in advance.

Organic Materials

Most often, organic matter is used as mulch, which saturates the soil with nutrients and protects seedlings from the cold.

Straw

To improve yields, some gardeners use straw bedding. It is recommended to use rotten straw, as dry straw takes a lot of nitrogen from the soil.

To correctly fill strawberries with straw, perform the following sequence of actions:

• Shaking the material. Shake all straw beforehand to remove pests and weed seeds.
• Preparation of the site. The area where strawberries are grown is weeded and cleared of grass.
• Laying. All straw is evenly distributed around the bushes. In this case, the height of the straw bedding should be 1-2 centimeters.

Needles

Many people prefer to sprinkle the beds with needles, as it contains a lot of bactericidal components and phytoncides. Coniferous coating protects the berries from most pests and infectious diseases. Also, the substances that make up the needles have a positive effect on the taste of ripe berries.

To create a mulching layer, dried, yellow coniferous branches are used. They are laid out on the site with a layer 3-4 centimeters high. Needles are harvested in the spring, during the first weeding of strawberries.

Hay, fresh grass and green manure

There are other organic materials that are often used for mulching:

• Hay. The ideal material to mulch the area. With the help of dried, mowed grass, oxidation and overheating of the soil are prevented. The layer of hay should not be higher than 4 centimeters.
• Grass. Mulching strawberry bushes with fresh grass is carried out in the same way as when using straw. The covering layer should be 5-6 centimeters high.
• Siderates. Some make a layer of mulch from grass cut in the garden. It is dried and spread on beds with strawberries.

Tree bark

Another common mulching material popular with vegetable gardens is tree bark. Most often, pine bark is used, which reliably protects the soil from overheating and freezing.It contains tannins that prevent soil oxidation.

Pine bark is considered the most durable mulch, as it lasts 5-6 years. The layer of bark mulch should be 7-9 centimeters thick.

Sawdust

Sawdust is used to prevent the appearance of pests, the rough surface of which protects seedlings from snails and slugs. This material decomposes for a long time, and therefore such a mulch layer lasts at least three years. This woody material absorbs moisture heavily, and therefore, when using it, you will need to water the berries more often.

Before pouring out the sawdust, the surface of the beds is overlapped with newsprint. A layer of sawdust 4-5 centimeters thick is poured from above.

Inorganic materials

Identify several inorganic materials that many people use when mulching.

Cardboard

One of the most affordable covering materials is cardboard. Cardboard sheets are overlapped between the seedlings so that there are holes for irrigation around the bushes. The joints of the cardboard should be fixed with heavy objects so that they are not torn off by gusts of wind.

After laying under cardboard sheets, lay organic top dressing to improve fruiting and ripening of berries.

Spunbond

This is a high quality material that can maintain soil moisture and temperature. Spunbond also protects seedlings from high temperatures and frosts. This material is used before planting seedlings. Spunbond is carefully spread over the surface of the beds, after which holes are made on it for watering and fertilizing. Then the edges of the material are fixed with special studs, which are driven into the soil.

The main advantages of spunbond include:

• protection against mechanical damage;
• long service life of 3-4 years;
• Resistant to decay and moisture.

Film

For mulching strawberries, a black film is often used, which does not deteriorate for three years. It is ideal for protecting plants from frost and diseases. In regions with hot summers, it is advised to use a white film that will retain moisture and repel the sun's rays. When using film material, you will have to organize micro-drip irrigation on the beds in advance.

Recommendations for beginners

There are a few recommendations that you should read before mulching:

• before spring mulching, the soil is loosened so that it warms up better;
• it is contraindicated to use wheat straw to create a straw bed, as it is very caking;
• after winter, all the sawdust is raked from the rows to lay out a new layer;
• it is better to replace rotted and too compacted straw with fresh one;
• before mulching, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen and mineral fertilizers.

Conclusion

People who are going to grow strawberries will have to mulch. Before that, you should familiarize yourself with the timing and features of creating a protective layer.

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