Strawberries on the balcony can give you great satisfactions, but only if you know When and how to fertilize To get a truly abundant and very sweet harvest.
Grow strawberries healthy and full of taste even in a few vessels it is possible, but it is necessary to know the right times and the more effective strategies. Once learned, these small precautions become routine, and the balcony turns into a small corner of paradise to be collected.
Imagine overlooking you and find new fruits ready to unplug every day. A few moves made at the right time to make this scene a reality are enough. It is not just about fertilizing, but of understand the needs of the plant in the different moments of the year.
When to start fertilizing strawberries in pots
One of the most curious things of Strawberries cultivated on the balcony It is that, compared to those in the ground, they respond even more evident to the care they receive. And fertilization is a key step.
It is often believed that it takes a little water every now and then, but it is not so. Strawberries begin to ask for nourishment already from the end of wintershortly before the vegetative recovery, that is towards late February or early Marchdepending on the climate. It is precisely at this moment that the roots start again to take action, even if nothing is yet known on the surface.
It is therefore convenient to advance the resumption of growth to immediately give the plant what it needs: phosphorusto stimulate radical development, e nitrogento support the growth of the aerial part.
And from then on? Every 15-20 days, until the end of the summer, you can continue with a regular fertilization, choosing a balanced or slightly richer product of potassium, to encourage the formation of fruits.
The best fertilizers and how to use them correctly
Not all fertilizers They are the same and not all the strawberries. Those trimmed, for example, produce longer and require more energy. That’s why it is useful to carefully choose the type of fertilizer.
Among the most suitable options:
- Liquid fertilizers for strawberriesto be diluted in irrigation water, practical and quick to absorb.
- Slow sale granularideal if you cannot feed often.
- Natural compoundslike the mature compost or vegetable macerates (nettle or horsetail), perfect for those who want a more sustainable approach.
It is interesting to note that a very common mistake is overstare with nitrogen. Yes, because too much nitrogen grows many leaves but few fruits. And if the strawberries become “all green”, something is wrong. Better then alternating between balanced fertilizers and richest products in potassium and microelements.
As for the doses, attention: in pots everything is more concentrated. It is worth reducing the quantities slightly compared to the indications on the label, but with more constancy.
Signals to be observed to understand if the fertilization is correct
A fascinating thing about strawberries is how much they know how to communicate. Just look at them and listen to them – in a botanical sense, of course. A bright green color of the leaves, a rich flowering, well formed and sweet fruits are the signal that everything is going as it should.
Instead:
- Pale leaves or yellowish? Might be missing nitrogen.
- Plants that flourish little? Maybe you need more phosphorus.
- Small and insipid fruits? Probable deficiency of potassium.
Of course, it is not necessary to become an agronomists experts to grasp these details, but a little observation really makes the difference. Also because on the balcony, each plant has slightly different conditions: more sun, less wind, more humidity … and the needs change accordingly.
Those who start taking their hand ends up recognizing the small signals on the fly and adapt almost “feeling” treatments. That’s where the cultivation becomes truly satisfactory.
See the Strawberries on the balcony Growing luxuriant and full of fruits is one of the small joys that is worth growing, in all senses. Know when to feed And choose the right product at the right time can make the difference between some small fruit and a real explosion of taste.
If you have the patience to observe, understand and intervene constantly, the harvest will be generous. And maybe even a homemade jam escapes us, why not.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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