In early spring, strawberries slowly come out of dormancy and begin a new season. It is this period that determines the condition of plants and the size of future crops. Proper actions will help plants grow well and bear fruit. Find out how to take care of your strawberries.
Already in February or early March, we must take appropriate actions that will allow us to take care of future crops. The first step we need to take is removing weeds with roots and cutting out old and brown leavesbecause fungal pathogens overwinter on them.
Another thing that should be done is to carefully examine the bushes after winter and assess their condition. Due to the fact that strawberries bear fruit best for 3-4 years, so if our bed is older or the plants have simply weakened, we should get rid of the weakest specimens. We replace them with healthy runners so that the plants can grow back and bear fruit better.
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In addition, let’s take care of removing all winter residues to limit the development of gray mold, crown rot and powdery mildew. If we had gray mold in the previous season, we should consider preventive biological spraying from the beginning of flowering.
It is also worth remembering to observe the bushes regularly in the following weeks. Early response to emerging pests or disease symptoms allows you to limit losses and keep plants in good condition. The bushes prepared now will be strong and fruiting will be more efficient, which will directly translate into the taste and quantity of the harvest.
A little later, after the start of vegetation, early spring fertilization of strawberries should be carried out. We carry them out when the soil thaws and dries slightly and new leaves appear on the specimen. For this purpose, it is best to use preparations that contain a moderate dose of nitrogen, which stimulates plant growth, but if used in too large amounts, it may result in excessive leaf development at the expense of fruit.
It is recommended to use multi-component fertilizers intended for strawberries or preparations that also contain them potassium, affecting the size, firmness and taste of fruit, as well as phosphorus, which supports the root system.
Alternatively, we can use well-decomposed compost or granulated manure. Let’s remember to Sprinkle fertilizers evenly between the rows, avoiding their contact with the plant crown. We need to mix them gently with the soil and water them if necessary. This simple action will allow us to increase and improve their quality.
