Almost all gardeners grow strawberries on their plot. And each of them faced the difficulties of this process. Weeds, rotten berries, pests and other troubles spoil the overall impression of the harvest. How to avoid this and make your work easier? The way out of this situation is to plant strawberries under a black covering material. Advanced gardeners have been using this method for a long time and get good results. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this method of growing in this article.
Features of growing strawberries
What do gardeners face when growing this berry? First of all, they are weeds. They grow throughout the agrotechnical period and interfere with the growth of strawberries.
The second difficulty is the mustache. They grow constantly, there are many of them, and it is very difficult to track the growth of strawberries.
At the same time, there isthe next problem is the complication of harvesting. Strawberries overgrow, the berries become small, and it is problematic to collect them. You can use new beardless varieties for planting, but their taste is far from ideal.
And finally, the last problem is pests. Basically, these are slugs that spoil not only the crop, damaging the largest and most ripe berries, but also the bushes. The use of chemicals for pest control is not entirely advisable. Berries in the process of ripening can accumulate harmful substances and become unsuitable for human consumption. Planting strawberries under black covering material almost completely eliminates all these problems.
Advantages of the new method
What is the advantage of such a landing? First, it is the absence of weeds. They cannot break through the film, they lack light, and this depresses them. They do not grow as abundantly and make their way only in places cut for planting. But this shortcoming is easy to overcome.
The second advantage is sufficient soil moisture. Moisture lingers under the covering material, which is especially important during dry periods. Strawberries do not require frequent watering, unlike outdoor cultivation.
Third, the berries always stay clean. They do not come into contact with the ground, do not rot and do not have diseases. Harvesting becomes convenient and the quality of the berries is improved.
Well, the last advantage ishassle-free mustache removal. They are on top of the covering material and do not have the opportunity to take root. Strawberries do not grow out of control, and cutting off the tendrils that are on the surface is very simple.
Flaws
Planting strawberries under the covering material has its drawback. He is the only one and not so significant. Watering strawberries becomes difficult. You can, of course, pour water under each bush into the slot for planting, but for large areas this is a very laborious process. But there is a way out.
This is drip irrigation. Such a system will require certain costs, but later it will more than pay off. This innovation even has its advantages. Drip irrigation system significantly saves water and energy. Therefore, planting strawberries under black covering material, combined with new methods of care, gives tangible results.
Optimal landing time
When is the best time to plant strawberries? This berry takes root well in any warm time. Some prefer to buy seedlings with berries to be sure of the result. But it is preferable to plant strawberries under black covering material in the fall. To begin with, you can allocate a small area for a new planting method, gradually increasing it. Planting strawberries under black covering material in the spring also takes place. The choice of season depends on personal preference and previous experience. The main thing is to choose good seedlings and high-quality covering material.
Seedlings for planting
What strawberry bushesbetter to take for landing? Planting strawberries under black covering material has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. Usually such a bed is made not for one year, but for 3-4. That is how long it is recommended to grow this berry in one place. Therefore, for planting, it is better to take young seedlings that will begin to bear fruit in the first year of planting and will increase yield every year.
You can choose any varieties of strawberries. It depends on personal preferences, taste and other conditions. When buying, you need to pay attention not only to the age of the seedlings, but also to their appearance. They should show no visible signs of disease or injury. The root system, even in young shoots, should be well developed. Well, for the rest, you have to rely only on your own taste.
Required Materials
Planting strawberries under covering material in autumn or spring is a simple matter. The main thing is to stock up on the necessary tools and materials. In addition to the most important component, strawberry seedlings, you will also need agrofiber or black mulching fabric. It has many names ("Agrotex", "Spunbond") and is sold in specialized stores, which are available in sufficient quantities in any city. Therefore, there will be no problems with the purchase of such material.
You will also need a sharp knife or scissors to cut holes for planting strawberries. Stock up on thick wire needed forfixing the material. On the edges, you can use heavy objects in the form of cobblestones or other similar objects. From garden materials you need to prepare a shovel. That's all you need to organize a comfortable bed for planting strawberries using the new method.
Choosing a place to land
The right landing site is the key to future success. Strawberries love the sun and warmth. In this case, the berries ripen well, do not rot and gain sufficient sweetness (although this sometimes depends on the variety). Therefore, planting strawberries under covering material in spring or at other times should be carried out in sunny areas. Wind and drafts do not play a big role, because their strawberries are not afraid. The main condition is the sun. An important role is played by the quality of the soil, but this deficiency can be corrected by adding organic or mineral fertilizers. When marking the beds, the size of the fiber must be taken into account, which is usually 1.5 or 3.2 meters.
Soil preparation
We start by digging the soil and we do it especially carefully, as it will not be available in the coming years. If the nutrient parameters of the soil are low, then they need to be improved. To do this, add a bucket of compost or manure and 1.5 cups of wood ash per square meter. This step can be done before digging or re-incorporate nutrients into the soil.
Manure and ash will also be replaced by conventional complex mineral fertilizers, which must be applied according to the instructions. Then we make beds. For landingstrawberries form earthen mounds on which it will grow best. Now the bed is ready, and you can spread the covering material.
Spreading covering material
The density of the covering material may vary. If you expect to use it for about 3 years, then it should be at least 50 microns. As evidenced by the reviews of gardeners who have already tried this method, a covering material with a density of 100 microns is more reliable. It does not allow weeds to germinate and serves as a good protection all the time of use (3-4 years). If the width of the covering material is 1.6 m, then we form one bed about 100 cm wide. Then the edges of the agrofibre can be dug or fixed. On top of the finished beds we spread the covering material and securely fix the edges. There are several options here.
The first is pinning the material to the ground with wire pins using squares of thicker linoleum or plastic. The second is the clamping of wooden planks of material into narrow grooves in the ground. In the third option, you can press the agrofibre to the ground by wrapping it around a heavy pipe or wooden beam. The fourth option is digging in the ground. And finally, you can overlay a bed with strawberries with bricks or stones. Using any of these methods, we fix the material around the entire perimeter. If you have to join the strips of agrofiber, then at the joints they should be at least 20 centimeters apart from each other. Now the bed is ready for planting strawberry seedlings.
Landing
There is nothing difficult in this process. First you need to make markings with chalk. We put crosses in the places where strawberries are planted, not forgetting to leave room for paths that will come in handy when harvesting. Planting strawberries under black covering material (you will find a photo of the process in this article) is a rather simple matter. In the marked places we make a cross-shaped incision. We bend its edges outward. Then we plant a strawberry seedling in the hole and bend the edges of the covering material inward. So we plant all the available seedlings. Planting density depends on the variety, but at least 20 centimeters must be left between the bushes. You can place seedlings in a checkerboard pattern. The main thing to remember is that strawberries do not like deep planting. The rosette of plants should not be buried in the ground. Immediately after planting, each seedling should be watered. Then you can carry out a drip irrigation system that will facilitate this process. Planting strawberries under black covering material in September is carried out by seedlings of the current year. Next year they will already give the first harvests.
Garden care
The bed with strawberries does not require special care. Bushes need to be watered regularly. Especially in hot weather (2-3 times a week). It is not necessary to transplant strawberries for several years. But fertilizing the garden is simply necessary. For this, it is better to use liquid preparations. After fruiting, we cut off the leaves and antennae from the strawberries. Thanks to the covering material, this will be easy to do. We leave only 2-3 young leaves. In the spring, it is also necessary to prune old leaves. Some novice gardeners mistakenly assume that after graduationfruiting strawberries do not require care. This is not true. During this period, the bulk of agrotechnical work begins. This is trimming of leaves and mustaches, watering and obligatory fertilizer. We need to help the strawberries gain strength for wintering and new crops.
Reviews
Planting strawberries under black covering material, reviews of which are only positive, is considered an innovative method. In some countries, this method has been successfully used for over ten years. Gardeners testify that covering material will not only help preserve the crop, but also make the growing process less laborious.
