How to fertilize strawberries in spring for a better harvest? Top dressing of strawberries after winter in early spring, before flowering, during flowering, with organic matter and mineral fertilizers. Fertilizing strawberries in the spring - fertilizers and care The better to fertilize strawberries

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Content

Sweet and juicy strawberries are the weakness of many. It is tasty and healthy. Its cultivation is possible on different soils. For good fruit development, it must be fed. For this purpose, strawberry fertilizers are widely used to promote the growth of the berry crop and its active fruiting. Find out in what proportions, when and how to use top dressing for her.

When to Fertilize Strawberries

You can prepare for the new garden season already during the last snow melt. When fertilizer is introduced on time, new buds form faster. Not every garden or vegetable garden has fertile soil. If the soil has not been fertilized for a long time and is already depleted, you can not even dream of a rich harvest. Regular feeding is necessary for both the soil and the bushes themselves. At the same time, the processing of remontant berry varieties requires special care. They are more susceptible to feeding than other species. For this reason, they are fertilized with a time interval of a week.

Feeding stages

Fertilizer is used in three stages: after winter at the beginning of the gardening season, during the fruiting period and in autumn. For the first time, strawberries are fed in order to timely stimulate the growth of young shoots and first leaves. The procedure is carried out in late April - early May. Re-processing is done in July. The second feeding of strawberries promotes the formation of new roots and buds. The first fruits will be in July. Fertilize for the third time in mid-September. Feeding during this period is necessary to prepare the crop for wintering.

How to feed strawberries

Fertilizers for berry crops are mineral, organic and complex. Mineral fertilizers are synthetic substances developed in laboratories. Urea, saltpeter, sulfates, diammophos are in the greatest demand among them. They contain micro and macro elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese). There are many enterprises engaged in the production of mineral fertilizers (Gumi-Omi, Agricol, Fertika, Akron, KhimAgroProm).

Organic fertilizers for strawberries are substances of natural origin. These include:

• chicken manure;
• humus;
• wood ash;
• ash;
• spoiled milk;
• yeast;
• manure;
• humus;
• weeds.

It should be understood that the use of organics will not bring large fruits, but they are absolutely harmless to people. In addition, the application of such natural fertilizers does not require restrictions in proportions: they can feed the plant in any quantity. The fruit crop will absorb as many nutrients as it needs.

Complex fertilizers are designed to combine the action of mineral and organic substances. Ready-made options are produced, including potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium (“Berry ovary for strawberries”, “Ryazanochka”, etc.). Among the wide variety of preparations of this type produced today, preference should be given to those in which there is more nitrogen in percentage terms than all other components.

organic fertilizers

Feeding with substances of natural origin helps to get a rich harvest without harm to human health, plants and soil. In addition, the use of organics will be much cheaper than the purchase of mineral or complex preparations. Each of the varieties of natural top dressing has its own characteristics and advantages.

Manure (cow) is a mixture of straw, hay with animal excrement. It has long been used as top dressing for soil and various crops (potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.). Manure as fertilizer for strawberries is the best feeding option in the spring before the plant begins to bloom. It is prepared as follows: 2 cups of manure are diluted with 10 liters of water and 1 tablespoon of sodium sulfate is added. All components are mixed until a homogeneous mass. This slurry is watered over the area under each bush (1 liter each).

Benefits of using cow dung:

• availability and low cost;
• high efficiency;
• saturation of the earth and berry crops with essential microelements and other useful substances;
• decrease in the acidity of clay soil under the influence of manure.

Manure is completely decomposed manure. It is considered the best top dressing in the spring. Humus is used at the rate of 5 kg per 1 square meter of beds. It can be used during the planting period for subsequent crop care. To obtain humus, manure should be shifted with weeds. Strawberry fertilizer will be ready in 7 months. The benefits of humus are:

• saturation of plants with useful substances, microelements in an easily digestible form for them;
• positive effect on the soil - soil saturated with humus creates a favorable environment for the rapid and proper development of berry crops;
• long-term effect of top dressing - humus nourishes the plant and the ground throughout the year.

Chicken manure is used as a nitrogen fertilizer. It is prepared as follows: 20 parts of water are taken for one part of bird organic matter. The resulting solution is infused for 3 days and watered with 0.5 liters of the mixture under each berry bush. Chicken manure is widely used among gardeners and gardeners due to its availability and effective impact on the growth and development of berries.

An excellent top dressing is sour milk (sourdough). This fact is confirmed by the statement of experienced gardeners that slightly acidic soil has a beneficial effect on yield. To normalize the level of acidity of the earth, sour milk can be added to it. Its difference from other organics is the method of application: top dressing is not poured under the root, but a little further from it (about 7–10 cm from the bush) or the spraying method is used.

Fertilizer for strawberries is prepared as follows: the product is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:2. Plants are fed at the beginning of the summer season, then after harvest and in the fall. Benefits of using dairy products:

• enrichment of open ground with a storehouse of useful substances and microelements (sulfur, calcium, etc.);
• a significant increase in yield and fruiting time;
• rapid growth of the plant;
• increasing the protective forces of berry crops against pests and diseases.

Yeast

Affordable and easy-to-prepare fertilizer is ordinary yeast. This iodized product is good for the plant. A solution for feeding can be prepared as follows: 1 kg of yeast is diluted in 5 liters of water. The resulting concentration should be diluted again with water before use. For 0.5 liters of yeast solution you need 10 liters of water. After re-preparing the mixture, it is necessary to process the plant. 0.5 liters of solution will go to 10 bushes. Pour it right under the bushes.

If only dry yeast in sachets is at hand, then the solution is prepared as follows: one sachet of the product and two tablespoons of sugar are taken for one bucket of water. To begin with, the yeast is diluted in a glass of warm water, then granulated sugar is added to the solution and stirred until completely dissolved. After the contents of the glass are poured into a bucket of water. Let it brew for 2 hours. After this time, the nutrient solution is ready for use. The advantages of using yeast can be considered:

• valuable composition of the product (iodine, iron, phosphorus, nitrogen, etc.);
• stimulation of culture growth;
• a significant increase in plant yield;
• strengthening the roots;
• positive impact on the state of the soil due to its saturation with beneficial microorganisms;
• increasing the adaptation of plants to new conditions after transplantation and resistance to diseases.

It is advisable to feed the berry with yeast 2-3 times during the summer period. The tool is used at the beginning of the season, repeatedly - during the flowering period and after harvesting. For all its advantages, it also has disadvantages. It can only be used in warm weather. In cool weather, fermentation does not occur and the process stops.

Ash

Wood ash contains a significant amount of useful trace elements. This folk remedy is rich in potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron and many other nutrients necessary for plant growth and development. To use it, you need to introduce dry ash into the grooves of the beds. It is necessary to pour the powder at the rate of 150 g per 1 linear meter. To enhance the effect, it is desirable to mix the ash with peat. This fertilizer has one drawback: ash cannot be used with urea. The advantages of using wood ash are:

• availability;
• stimulation of the growth of berry culture;
• saturation of the soil with nutrients and improvement of its structure;
• increase in productivity;
• improvement in the taste of fruits.

Mineral fertilizers for strawberries

The taste and external qualities of strawberries only benefit from the use of mineral fertilizers. Berries grow large, bright, sweet and juicy. The use of mineral requires caution and strict adherence to proportions. Excessive doses can harm not only the plant, but also human health. The deadline for the introduction of mineral dressings is 2 weeks before the ripening of the fruits of the plant.

Ammophoska and ammonium nitrate

Strawberries are "fed" in the second year after planting with ammonium nitrate at the rate of 100 g per 10 square meters. This fertilizer is considered the most effective. True, in cases where a lot of organic top dressing was introduced into the soil before planting, ammonium will not be needed. If strawberries are planted for the third year in a row, then 10 g of superphosphate, 150 g of ammonium nitrate and 100 g of potassium chloride must be introduced into the soil.

This amount of fertilizer will be needed for 10 square meters of usable area. The finished solution is poured under the bushes. The plant itself does not need to be watered. Usually the land is fertilized with half of the top dressing in the spring, and the rest is introduced after harvesting. It is forbidden to increase the dose of saltpeter. It is loaded with nitrogen, and overuse can lead to sugar loss. The berry will be watery and tasteless. In the spring, you can use ammonium nitrate in combination with ammofoska in a ratio of 1: 2. Water the product at the rate of 15 g per 1 sq.m. in liquid solution with water.

Any mineral substance has its advantages and disadvantages. The vast majority of synthetic dressings are dangerous when used in large proportions. Nitroammophoska (azofoska) is no exception. It should be used in the correct doses. So, during the period of planting strawberries for each square meter, you need to pour two tablespoons of granules of this drug. In cases where the plant is replanted, nitroammophoska is used immediately after harvesting. The solution is prepared as follows: for 10 liters of water, add 1 tablespoon of top dressing.

It should be remembered that with its effectiveness, nitroammophoska is considered one of the dangerous drugs. This synthetic substance must not be used uncontrolled, as this approach can lead to the formation of nitrates in the soil. Fertilizer belongs to the third level of danger: it is highly flammable. The granules of the product are capable of exploding. You should not forget about the short shelf life of nitroammophoska.

Complex fertilizer "Ryazanochka"

Ready-made top dressing for strawberries "Ryazanochka" is very popular among gardeners. It consists of micro and macro elements (nitrogen, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, copper, potassium, boron, molybdenum, cobalt). For root dressing, a solution should be prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of Ryazanochka (4 g) per 10 liters of water. The plant must be fed in the morning and evening.

The finished product is consumed depending on the period of development of the berry crop. So, at the beginning of the vegetative development of strawberries, the solution is watered at the rate of 5 liters per 2–3 sq.m. area. When budding, at the beginning of flowering and active fruiting of the berry, 10 liters of the product are spent on the same area. The last time the plant is "fed" 2-3 weeks before harvest.

"Ryazanochka" can also be used by the foliar method. Only in this case, the solution is prepared differently: ½ teaspoon (2 g) is added to 10 liters of water. The resulting product is sprayed with a berry crop in the morning and evening in cloudy but not rainy weather twice during the summer season. The advantages of "Ryazanochka" include the following properties:

• positive impact on the taste and external qualities of fruits;
• increasing the yield of berry crops through the use of complex top dressing;
• beneficial effect on disease resistance.

Features of top dressing in the spring

It is imperative to fertilize strawberries in the spring. The further development of the plant and the result of the harvest largely depend on how correctly this procedure is carried out. It is important to know the scheme for feeding a berry crop, and that feeding a young strawberry in the spring is different from feeding its adult "relatives".

How to properly fertilize young plants

There is no urgent need to fertilize young strawberries planted in the autumn in early spring. If desired, you can give her additional nutrition, and for this you need to prepare the following solution: add 0.5 liters of manure or bird droppings, 1 tablespoon of sodium sulfate to 10 liters of water. The resulting mixture is poured under each strawberry bush 1 liter, no more.

To get a rich strawberry crop, you need to fertilize the plant in a timely manner. For the active growth of any crop, nitrogen is required; urea is rich in such a substance. Such a tool is quite easily diluted in water, while, in the process of fertilization, the plant quickly receives the necessary components for growth. But do not overfeed strawberries with nitrogen, as the fruits will ripen small. With a strong supersaturation of the strawberry bush with nitrogen, the plant may die. Therefore, it is necessary to follow all the rules in order to harvest a rich harvest of strawberries.

The importance of timely feeding

The ripening period of strawberries is accompanied by an active need for nutrients. It is during this period that you can feed the plant with urea. A positive feature of urea, also called carbamide, is that such a fertilizer is suitable for absolutely any soil. In addition to the root method, it can also be used for foliar feeding.

Strawberries are quite fastidious culture and its fertility depends on the soil in which it is planted. Also, the plant may respond differently to top dressing. It is required to observe strawberry bushes and identify, by leaves and stems, what substances the plant needs. In addition, this culture is very fond of moisture and needs a large amount of nutrients. It is urea fertilizer that provides a large number of different substances that the plant needs.

Using urea to feed strawberries

When feeding any crop with urea, including strawberries, the main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the fruits will not be tasty and will contain a large amount of water. But if you do not fertilize strawberries at all, then the fruits will be small. Therefore, feeding strawberries with urea is necessary, but certain rules must be observed.

Top dressing is allowed 3 times per season:

1. In early spring. Immediately after the snow melts, in order to awaken the plant to growth, you need to feed it with urea.
2. After the harvest. This top dressing is required in order for the plant to survive the winter well.
3. In autumn. For a rich harvest next year, this top dressing is mandatory.

An experienced summer resident notes: “During the flowering period, I feed strawberries exclusively by the foliar method, and this provides me with a truly rich annual harvest.” So, for the implementation of such top dressing, it is required for 2 liters. water is required to take 1 tbsp. l. urea. Spray the plant gently with this solution. In addition to nitrogen, carbamide contains other useful components necessary for strawberries to form large berries.

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Lack of nitrogen

Most gardeners do not use top dressing, as they consider them harmful. But do not forget that if the soil does not contain the components necessary for growth, then the plant has nowhere to take such components. The only way out in this situation is to fertilize the plant. By the appearance of the culture, you can determine which substances it lacks.

With a lack of nitrogen in a plant:

• yellow leaves;
• small fruits;
• thin stems.

Therefore, timely fertilization of the plant is necessary. It is urea that is able to give the necessary substances to strawberries.

Stages of feeding with urea

The first top dressing of the season is carried out immediately after the snow melts. During the spring feeding period, you should not rush, as you need to make sure that winter has completely receded. If snow or frost falls after the first feeding, the plant may simply die. Initially, you need to remove the leaves that remained from last year on the site. It is also worth carefully inspecting each bush and removing dead shoots. Only after all these actions can you start fertilizing with urea.

In order for fertilizer for feeding strawberries to benefit, you need to dilute it in 10 liters. water 2 tbsp. l. carbamide and 0.5 l. pour under each plant bush. In the spring, a feeding procedure is carried out once. Subject to all the rules, the culture will receive all the necessary substances for awakening.

It's important to know! The root method of bait during the flowering period is not carried out!

The second feeding is done after the last harvest. Fertilizer technology is similar to the first. This bait is also quite important, it is it that makes it possible to harvest a good harvest next year.

The third top dressing is carried out in autumn. For breeding, you need to take 10l. water 3 tbsp. l. urea. You need to water under each bush 0.5 liters. solution. Experienced gardeners must carry out this top dressing, as it provides the plant with the necessary components for the period of winter frosts. Having fed strawberries in the fall, there is no doubt that they will survive the winter frosts. This is the secret of experienced gardeners, because strawberries need to be fed with urea not only in spring, but also before the winter cold.

Rules for the use of urea

Whether it's strawberries, beans or strawberries, urea is equally useful for absolutely all crops. It contributes to the rapid ripening of strawberry fruits and the active growth of the plant. The cost of this fertilizer is small, so it is very popular with gardeners. Urea is produced in the form of granules, which significantly reduces the likelihood of overdoing the amount of components when diluting the feeding solution.

In the fall, before making the last top dressing, you need to dig the soil. This will ensure an even distribution of all substances over the entire surface of the soil.

Urea can be used in combination with other top dressings. The appearance of the crop, its fruits, leaves and stems will help determine what substance the plant lacks.

If the plant is transplanted to another site, then you can additionally fertilize it with manure. Such fertilizer is most effective during winter or in spring, when the snow has not yet melted. But it is worth noting that a large amount of manure can burn the plant. Therefore, it is better to use rotted manure for fertilizer. Also, this fertilizer can be spread between the bushes.

It's important to know! Urea can change the amount of acid in the soil!

If the earth has a high acid content, then carbamide will not change this level. However, in other soils where the acidity is low, it is able to increase the level of acids. If it is required not to disturb the acidity of the soil, then limestone can be added to the solution, after grinding it. Limestone neutralizes the process of soil oxidation.

Complex top dressing

Answering the question: How to feed strawberries in the spring additionally? It can be answered that in the spring time they are fed with various aqueous solutions. In most cases, 10 liters. water is taken 1 tbsp. l. substances.

So, how to feed strawberries, with a lack of nitrogen, you can use urea, then it is worth considering that neglecting the proportions may not help, but harm the plant.

Wood ash is also useful for strawberries. This method is completely natural. In addition, the ash has a high content of potassium and phosphorus. The rate of application of wood ash leaves 3 tbsp. per 1 sq. m. of land. When using wood ash, you can refuse other dressings that have potassium in their composition. It is almost impossible to harm a plant with such a natural substance. In addition, ash does not affect the taste of berries.

The plant needs magnesium, boron, iodine, so you need to choose fertilizers that contain these components.

For the assimilation of nitrogen, the culture requires phosphorus, which can also be delivered to strawberries in the form of top dressing. If the substance needs to be delivered urgently, then the spraying method can be used.

If the plant receives the required amount of nitrogen, but it has a lack of other components, then it will not be possible to get large and juicy berries. Therefore, it is necessary to combine fertilizer with the use of urea and other types of dressings. This approach will bring great results.

If you properly care for strawberries, and apply fertilizer in a timely manner by the root and non-root method, this will ensure a rich harvest. Strawberries are a rather demanding plant, so do not neglect the subcortex. In particular, the most common problem of small berries is a lack of nitrogen, but thanks to a solution of urea, this problem can be solved.

Universal strawberry fertilizer like urea

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Top dressing of garden strawberries in the spring is a paramount agricultural technique designed to increase the collection of fragrant fruits. By properly fertilizing a reviving plant, you can support the bushes at the moment of awakening after winter, help them develop better, lay more new buds. Top dressing of garden strawberries during this period is carried out according to certain rules.

Why is it important to fertilize strawberries in spring?

After the snow has melted, the soil has dried up, the beds with strawberries are subjected to spring overhaul. Work is carried out with each bush:

• last year's leaves, mustaches are removed with sharp scissors;
• the soil near the roots is loosened so that air enters them;
• each root is poured with 0.15 liters of a hot solution of potassium permanganate at a temperature of +55 ... + 60 ° C (2 liters of boiling water are mixed with 3 liters of well water and 1 tsp of potassium permanganate is dissolved) to destroy harmful microorganisms.

After 2–3 days, they begin early spring feeding with organic and mineral compounds. Strawberry fertilization is one of the most important procedures affecting yield.

The purpose of top dressing is to ensure the rapid growth of the ground part of the plant, to form many new ovaries, to replenish the depleted soil with a supply of nutrients. If you do everything correctly in the optimal time, according to the right recipe, you can lay the foundation for a rich harvest of sweet, nutritious, healthy berries. Top dressing is carried out according to the principle: underfeed - lose part of the strawberry harvest; overfeeding - to provoke active growth of leaves to the detriment of the development of fruits or the death of the plant.

Fertilization scheme for any type of garden strawberry

Experienced summer residents adhere to a practice-proven optimal scheme for fertilizing strawberries with fertilizers in the spring.

Table: fertilization by years

Every 4 years, planting of garden strawberries is updated, while the feeding scheme is repeated taking into account the year of growing new bushes.

Rules for spring feeding strawberries

In certain climatic zones of Russia, the start time of work in the spring on strawberry plantations is different:

• in the south - the beginning of March;
• in the central regions - the end of March, the beginning of April;
• in northern latitudes - mid-April.

Deadlines must not be rushed or late. The same applies to doses: the lack and excess of fertilizers is bad for the condition and development of strawberry bushes. Spring dressing has 2 goals:

• increasing the yield of strawberry plots;
• increasing the size of berries and improving their taste.

Video: first feeding of strawberries / organic farming

foliar top dressing

In the spring, they carry out not only top dressing of the strawberry root system, but also the bush itself. For spraying, a cloudy, calm day is chosen when there is no precipitation. The main purpose of foliar feeding is to strengthen the ground part of the bushes and accelerate the growth of leaves and buds in order to promote the formation of strong ovaries.

Foliar top dressing is carried out on a day without precipitation

The best effect is achieved by spraying the plants with a solution containing various trace elements that are absorbed directly into the leaves.

• manganese potassium - 3 g;
• boric acid - 2 g;
• iodine - 1 tbsp. l.;
• complex fertilizer used during planting - 2 tbsp. l.;
• warm water - 10 l.

Strawberry leaves are moistened with this solution using a hand sprayer or an ordinary watering can. It is necessary to wash the leaves on both sides, until abundantly wet, in the amount of 1 liter per bush. Especially carefully it is necessary to moisten the lower part of the sheet, since it most actively absorbs the nutrient solution.

Strawberries are fed with the same mixture a second time in the spring, before flowering. With the advent of the first buds, the amount of useful substances is reduced by 2 times and 2 g of potassium sulfate is added to the solution.

Another compound used as a fertilizer consists of the following ingredients:

• water - 10 l;
• potassium permanganate - 3 g;
• boric acid - 0.5 tsp;
• urea - 1 tbsp. l.;
• ash - 0.5 cups.

For each bush, 1 liter of such a solution is needed.

To combat diseases and harmful insects, fungicides and insecticides are added to foliar top dressing of strawberries. For these purposes, summer residents are advised to use:

• Caesar;
• Taurus;
• Phytosporin;
• Strawberry lifeguard;
• Aktofit and other drugs.

Video: feeding strawberries in spring for a big harvest

Fertilizing young bushes

Last year's garden strawberries planted in fertilized soil are not fed during spring work so as not to exceed the dosage. But there will be no great harm if, on poor soils, the roots of the berry are poured with a solution of mullein or chicken manure (0.5 l of concentrated organic matter per bucket of water) with the addition of 1 tbsp. l. sodium sulfate. Under each bush, 1 liter of such a mixture is introduced.

Young strawberry bushes can be fertilized with a solution of mullein or chicken manure

Top dressing of adult strawberries

Unlike young plants, adult garden strawberries are fed regularly, as the soil becomes depleted. A berry plant that has been producing crops in a row for several years needs a three-time top dressing in April-May:

At the first feeding, organic matter is used: rotted chicken or cow manure. Small amounts of humus are scattered under the roots of each bush, then mulched with earth with a layer of 2-3 cm. In addition, a solution at the rate of 1 liter of concentrated liquid cow manure per bucket of water will also be useful. Such a mixture is poured over the bush itself, that is, foliar top dressing is carried out.

Yeast contains many useful substances: proteins, amino acids, micro and macro elements. Fertilizer from them accelerates the growth of the ground part of strawberries, and strengthens the root system in the soil. To prepare the solution you will need:

1. Dilute 200 g of bread yeast in 0.5 l of water.
2. Hold for 20 minutes to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
3. Connect with a bucket of water.

The finished solution should be poured abundantly on each bush.

What fertilizers to choose to increase the yield

Summer residents breed two types of garden strawberries:

• Disposable varieties that produce one crop per season. They begin fruiting in the last days of May or the first days of June, which lasts 15–20 days. During these 2-3 weeks, strawberry beds produce a bountiful harvest of fragrant berries.
• Remontant varieties, which differ in fruit ripening several times during the spring-summer period, and they ripen in a short period of time in pronounced waves.

The choice of the type of fertilizer, the required dose, the timing of application is made taking into account the belonging of strawberries to a particular variety. Incorrect use of compounds for feeding the bushes will reduce the yield and lengthen the ripening time of the berries.

The combination of components should keep the plant healthy, provide abundant yields, protect against various diseases and harmful insects. Mineral fertilizers for garden strawberries provide them with phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and magnesium. Sulphates and saltpeter are used to supply the soil with nitrogen, urea is used to produce the required dose of potassium. Organics improves the structure of the soil, enriches it with chemical elements in an easily digestible form, increases the height of the fertile layer.

Mineral types of fertilizers for feeding strawberries

Mineral fertilizers are of two types:

• With a highly mobile composition that contains potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium. These elements are assimilated by strawberries in the shortest possible time, both by roots and leaves, buds of bushes.
• With a low mobility compound containing boron, iron, manganese and copper. These elements are absorbed more slowly by the ground part and the root system, so the effect of their use does not appear so quickly.

Garden strawberries need nitrogen to grow leaves and buds. It has a positive effect on the rapid development and fruiting. The lack of nitrogen can be identified by the color of the leaves, which will have a pale appearance.

The most common nitrogen mineral fertilizer for feeding strawberries in the spring is urea (urea). Its overdose does not threaten the life of the berry bush, but adversely affects the sugar content of the fruit. A solution with urea is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. fertilizer is diluted in 10 liters of water. Under each root of the plant, 0.5 liters of the composition is poured.

When the first inflorescences appear on strawberries, they need potassium. The taste and juiciness of the berries depend on its presence in the soil. Sources of the substance are mineral additives in the form of potassium sulfate, potassium magnesia. Mineral fertilizers, which include sulfur, protect strawberry bushes from diseases and pests. Phosphorus is needed for roots to develop and grow, so summer residents use superphosphate and ammophoska.

Photo gallery: mineral fertilizers for strawberries

Kalimagnesia supplies strawberries with potassium
Carbamide is considered the most popular mineral fertilizer
Superphosphate provides plants with phosphorus
Ammophoska contains phosphorus
Potassium sulfate provides the plant with potassium

organic top dressing

These include natural substances that are produced by living organisms. Summer residents most often use cow dung, chicken manure, ash and compost on strawberry plantations. Especially appreciated is the slurry from fresh mullein, rich in nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

To prepare it, a bucket of fresh cow cakes is diluted with 4 buckets of water. The container is closed and left in the sun for 2-3 days for fermentation. This process is necessary for the decomposition of uric acid, which burns the roots of strawberry bushes.

Some types of organic fertilizers

Chicken manure is used with caution, as it is similar in composition to mineral fertilizers. It is not used when fresh.

The soil between the bushes is treated with a solution of chicken manure, the liquid should not fall on the green parts of the plant

An infusion or extract is prepared from the litter. The nutrient solution is watered between the rows of strawberry bushes, and not the roots themselves. To prepare the infusion, chicken manure and clean water are mixed in equal proportions with a wooden stick. Then the container is closed and placed in a dark place so that the fermentation is not strong. Otherwise, the solution will be too concentrated. A week later, the finished mixture is used for top dressing, strongly diluted with water (1 liter of infusion for 30–50 liters of liquid). Water the soil with the prepared solution at a distance of 10–15 cm from the bushes, after wetting the roots well with water from a watering can.

Wood ash in its pure form is scattered between rows

Extract from wood ash refers to the available type of organic matter. It is used in the spring to feed the roots, leaves, shoots of a strawberry bush. The nutrients contained in the ash make the berry sweeter and more mellow. In dry form, it is scattered between rows (65 g per linear meter) before watering or rain.

Strawberry bushes are treated with whey

Fermented milk products (whey, kefir and others) are a valuable source of nutrients for strawberries, which love slightly acidic soil. This type of organic matter is used alone or mixed with mullein, bird droppings, humus.

An infusion of nettles and other weeds also serves as fertilizer.

An infusion of nettle, lupine, weeds, used in spring, has a beneficial effect on the formation of a strawberry bush. It is prepared as follows:

1. Plants are crushed.
2. Fill with warm water.
3. Insist for a week.
4. The water is filtered and used to irrigate the bushes.

Complex top dressing

In early spring, ready-made fertilizer formulations are used to feed strawberries:

• GUMI-K;
• Humate+7;
• Hello;
• Fasco;
• OMU Universal and other store-bought organo-mineral mixtures.

In specialized stores there is a large selection of ready-made complex mixtures that feed strawberry bushes in spring

Each summer resident himself determines the need to use one or another top dressing of strawberries in the spring, taking into account the structure and composition of the soil, previously used fertilizers, the state of berry bushes after wintering. But there are general rules to follow. Oversaturation of garden strawberries with fertilizers will lead to rapid growth of leaves, while there will be no rich harvest of the fruit. An excess of microelements will cause not only the active development of the ground part, but will also cause the appearance of various diseases, since internal processes will be disrupted, and the protective functions of strawberries will decrease.

Strawberries belong to one of the most common berry crops, and its cultivation has certain features. Every gardener should know how and with what to fertilize strawberries in the spring, because the crop yield will depend on this. Top dressing for strawberries is required not only in spring, but also in summer to increase yields, as well as in autumn, so that the plants are properly prepared for wintering.

From this article you will learn how to fertilize strawberries in the spring, what mineral and organic top dressings can be used, and how to properly apply them to the soil, depending on the season and growing season.

How to fertilize strawberries in spring

In order to enjoy sweet and fragrant strawberries in season, it is sometimes necessary to resort to top dressing. In this article, we will tell you when and how to feed it for good growth and a high yield (Figure 1).

First of all, you should decide how to feed the strawberries in the spring for a better harvest. Traditionally, both organic and mineral products are used for this, but they should be applied in accordance with certain rules.

The first feeding is carried out as soon as the snow has melted and the weather has warmed up. It is necessary to stimulate the growth of young shoots and leaves, so substances containing nitrogen should be used.

Note: First of all, the soil needs to be loosened and dry leaves are cut, then fed.

Bushes of the first year of life are not fed, since fertilizers are applied when planting under them. But a two-year culture especially needs top dressing. The first start when the first leaves appear around mid-April. During this procedure, mullein is introduced to the plant or replaced with chicken droppings.

At the second feeding, during flowering, the bushes are fed with mineral preparations. The last recharge can be done with an infusion of weeds. To do this, weeds are removed from the beds, crushed, poured with water and insisted in a warm place for a week.

Figure 1. Ways to feed strawberries

Also in the spring you can carry out foliar top dressing. It is carried out by spraying plants with a solution of nitrogen or organic matter. Thus, all useful substances are absorbed immediately, positively affect the growth of the bush and the number of ovaries. This procedure is carried out on a dry windless day and preferably in the evening.

You need to fertilize plantings in the spring based on your location, the further south your region is, the earlier we begin to carry out the procedure. In areas with a warm climate and mild winters, this is done in mid-April. For the northern area - mid-May.

In order for the fertilizer to benefit the plants, it is important to know the flowering time of the varieties that grow on your site. This is necessary, since with early application, useful substances will go into the soil, and during flowering, the bushes will not get anything of value. Conversely, if top dressing is carried out later than necessary, we risk getting a poor harvest. It is also important not to overdo it with nutrients, as this can negatively affect plants.

It is better to use chicken manure in the spring and only once a year. When watering plants, the liquid should not fall on the bush itself.

Useful tips for the first spring feeding of strawberries can be found in the video.

Spring strawberry fertilization table

There is a special table, using which you can accurately determine how to fertilize strawberries in the spring for a better harvest, and when it is better to do it (table 1). For example, after the appearance of the first leaves, an infusion of chicken manure, mullein, yeast or nitroammophoska is introduced into the soil.

Table 1. Feeding strawberries by month

During flowering, plants are fed with wood ash with potassium permanganate, iodine or boric acid. When the ovaries begin to form, an infusion of nettle or mullein is used as a fertilizer.

How to fertilize strawberries in spring for a better harvest

Spring top dressing is carried out early, until the leaves have blossomed. It is recommended to combine top dressing with pruning bushes.

Note: The first dressing should “wake up” the plants after winter, and give growth to leaves and shoots, so it should contain nitrogen. To do this, you can mix water, mullein and ammonium sulfate or dilute nitroammophoska with water and apply under each bush. You can also use organic: infusion of nettle, mullein or chicken manure (Figure 2).

Yeast sourdough is very popular among gardeners. It is applied in early spring to form a good green mass and to increase productivity.

Figure 2. Main types of fertilizers: yeast, wood ash and complex fertilizers

When the first flower stalks appear, the plant needs potassium. It improves the taste of berries, increases their shelf life and improves the appearance of plants. During flowering, it is good to use such fertilizer: wood ash is poured with boiling water, then potassium permanganate, boric acid and iodine are added. This mixture can be sprayed on leaves, flowers and fruits. Complex agents containing a complex of useful substances are also known. Such fertilizers are used according to the instructions on the package: diammophos, nitrophoska, nitroammophoska, ammophos.

When preparing fertilizers, you need to use rainwater or settled, but in no case chlorinated. Do not forget that they need to be applied after rain or heavy watering.

How to fertilize strawberries in the spring with yeast

Gardeners began to use yeast as a top dressing relatively recently. But the result was not long in coming. Yeast helps the plant not only grow green mass, but also contribute to an increase in yield.

In addition, yeast is an affordable and inexpensive raw material, and you can prepare a good fertilizer based on it yourself at home (Figure 3).

Peculiarities

Among gardeners, yeast is very popular. The finished solution can be used to feed strawberries, vegetables, and houseplants. This fertilizer contains proteins, minerals, amino acids and acidifies the soil well. After yeast feeding, nutrients are retained in plants for up to two months. The roots are strengthened in plants and the fruits grow large.

Figure 3. Fertilizing strawberries with yeast

The first top dressing is carried out in early spring, when the bushes begin to appear. To do this, you need to loosen the ground, clear it of weeds and add yeast sourdough. This will help the plant quickly grow green mass and prepare for flowering.

The second top dressing falls on the fruiting period, when green berries appear. From this, the fruits will become large and begin to ripen faster.

After harvesting, the third top dressing is carried out. Do not forget to loosen the ground after each subcortex and remove unnecessary sockets. The bed can be fed more often, but then the concentration of the solution should be reduced.

Ways

There are many ways to prepare yeast dressings. All of them have been tested more than once and are distinguished by ease of preparation.

To prepare the solution according to the classic recipe, take sugar, yeast and water. Dissolve yeast and sugar in a little warm water. After a couple of hours, the fermented mixture is poured into a bucket of water and insisted for several days. Half a liter of sourdough is diluted with ten liters of water. One bush contribute half a liter of working solution.

Another method is also used. A large pack of yeast is diluted in five liters of warm water and left to ferment for several days. Half a liter of the mixture is diluted in a bucket of water. You can also make sourdough at home. Pieces of bread are placed in a container and poured with water. The container is placed in a warm dark place for a week. So that the bread does not float, the leaven is placed under oppression. At the end of the period, the solution is diluted with water and poured under the root. Do not use moldy bread, as well as chlorinated water.

Fertilizers for strawberries in summer

Toward the end of July, a second top dressing is carried out. This is done so that the plants get the extra potassium and trace elements they need to lay flower buds for the next year, as well as the formation of new roots (Figure 4).

In summer, liquid manure is used. To do this, the fourth part of the bucket is filled with manure, water is added and insisted for three days. The finished slurry is diluted with water. They also use yeast top dressing containing macro- and microelements, as well as complex fertilizers.

Figure 4. Fertilization methods in summer

As a fertilizer, you can use ash and nitroammofoska and dilute with water. Urea can be used to lay the buds of the future crop. Sometimes the ashes can not be diluted with water, but poured around the bushes. After two weeks, the fertilization procedure can be repeated.

After applying nutrients on dry days of planting, water abundantly for better bookmarking of flower buds.

If you notice that your plantings are developing poorly, then when loosening the soil, you should simultaneously fertilize with mineral preparations. To do this, you can use manure or compost, berry mixtures, potassium salt and superphosphate.

Bushes with lush foliage and powerful mustaches do not need to be fertilized. Such plants can be fed only with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. Fattening strawberries do not need watering.

Remember to constantly remove weeds, inspect plants for diseases and pests, and remove damaged parts of plants in time.

An expert's advice on fertilizing strawberries is given in the video.

Fertilizers for strawberries in autumn

Autumn top dressing is carried out around September. This procedure helps the bushes to overwinter better, especially young plants.

As in the case of fertilizer in spring and summer, autumn top dressing has certain features, and for its implementation, the basic rules and recommendations of experienced gardeners should be taken into account.

During the autumn feeding, gardeners are advised to use both organic and mineral fertilizers.

The main purpose of fertilizing in the fall is to keep the bushes and roots in good condition and provide them with nutrients before the onset of cold weather. Therefore, you should increase the amount of potassium and reduce the intake of nitrogen.

Note: In September, it is better to carry out liquid top dressing, and in October, use solid supplements. Mineral and organic substances should only be mixed before use. You cannot insist on them together.

By carefully examining the bushes, you can determine which fertilizers you need more and which should be excluded. For example, small fruits, dried leaves in spots - indicate a lack of nutrients. And sluggish leaves with white spots indicate an overdose.

Before applying top dressing, it is necessary to determine the characteristics of the soil and the presence of humus for plants, and also take into account the characteristics of a particular variety.

At the end of August, the first feeding with urea is carried out. Further, at the beginning of September, a fermented mullein is brought into the aisles or under the bushes. The second stage of feeding occurs at the end of the month, when the culture is fed with a solution that increases the laying and preservation of fruit buds.

After the second top dressing, the plantings need to be mulched. For this, straw, peat, hay, sawdust are used. Ash pollination is also useful at this stage. Wood ash is sprayed on the leaves and the surface of the soil. It is important to carry out shelter only after the first frost. This will give the plants a chance to harden off.

Fertilizing strawberries in spring with mineral fertilizers

Mineral fertilizers are used to prevent the development of diseases, when plaque appears on the leaves, a white edge or young shoots dry out. The use of such fertilizers improves the taste of berries and gives them additional volume (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Types of mineral supplements

To date, in special garden stores there are many mineral fertilizers for strawberries. Complex fertilizers containing potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and magnesium are best suited. Such drugs affect the bushes more than the soil. They help plants survive the winter and promote budding for the next year. Apply them strictly according to the instructions written on the package. Mineral fertilizers should be applied between the rows so as not to damage the bushes. It is impossible to feed the culture with urea, since the urobacteria have not yet begun to function, therefore this fertilizer is not absorbed. Mineral top dressing must be accompanied by abundant watering.

Organic strawberry nutrition

Using organic fertilizers, you will get a wonderful harvest of berries without harm to the plant and soil, as they are natural and safe. In addition, it is a cheap way to enrich the soil.

The main organic fertilizers that can be used to feed strawberries will be described below.

How to fertilize strawberries in spring with chicken manure

To get a good harvest, watering and pest control alone is not enough. Nutrition is an important element. Chicken manure contains a large amount of nitrogen, so the feed mixture is diluted with water. The introduction of the finished solution is carried out three hours after watering the site, while you need to be very careful that the solution does not burn the leaves and roots of the plant. To do this, the infusion is poured not under the bush, but between the rows (Figure 6).

You need to start such top dressing at the beginning of the development of the plant, otherwise you risk getting a lot of leaves and whiskers, and oversaturating the berries with nitrates. From this fertilizer, plants will receive the nutrition they need to grow and form large fruits.

Figure 6. Chicken manure as fertilizer for crops

How to prepare a solution? The main thing is to observe the proportion of water and litter: 20 parts of water to one part of dry litter. When using fresh litter in 20 liters of water, a liter of fresh litter is diluted and infused for ten days, the container is not covered. Fresh litter cannot be used. However, it should be borne in mind that such top dressing cannot be used during flowering and fruiting.

Wood ash as fertilizer for strawberries

Ash contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Wood ash can be used both in pure form and in the form of a ready-made solution. For strawberries, wood ash is considered the best fertilizer (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Features of feeding strawberries with wood ash

Ashes can be applied in a handful twice a season - in spring and after fruiting. Dry ash is applied before watering or rain. Some gardeners prefer to work with a solution. To do this, a glass of ash is poured with a liter of hot water and insisted for a day. Then dilute in another nine liters of water and mix well. The finished solution during irrigation should be constantly stirred so that the ash does not settle to the bottom. Do not add urea, nitrate or manure to the finished solution.

Ashes as fertilizer for strawberries

Ash is a substance of natural origin. The elements contained in it are easily absorbed by plants. The composition of the ashes contains phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, boron, manganese, molybdenum, etc. The timely application of such fertilizer increases the resistance of plantings to diseases and pests, improves the taste of berries and changes the composition of the soil.

Root top dressing is carried out twice a year: before flowering and after fruiting. At the stage of fruit set, foliar top dressing is carried out. To do this, boric acid, iodine, potassium permanganate and sifted ash are dissolved in ten liters of hot water. All components must dissolve. Spraying is carried out in the evening or early morning, until the dew has subsided.

In no case should ash be used as fertilizer after burning household waste, synthetic materials, colored paper and bright magazines, rubber.

It is possible to get a good harvest of strawberries in a summer cottage only if the technology of its cultivation is observed. Plants should be watered, weeded and spud on time. Strawberries are also supposed to be transplanted to a new place from time to time. And, of course, this culture should be periodically fertilized. In this article, we’ll talk about what strawberries are fed after harvesting, as well as in spring and summer.

What fertilizer to use

Strawberries respond well to absolutely any type of fertilizer, both mineral and organic. For example, wood ash is considered very useful for this plant. It contains just a huge amount of a variety of trace elements. Sometimes strawberries are also fed with purchased complex fertilizers. For example, the well-known nitroammophos. It contains all the substances necessary for the good development of strawberries: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sometimes plants are fed with urea. This fertilizer does not burn the leaves and is inexpensive. However, it must be used carefully. In case of an overdose, the plants will stop fruiting.

Of the organic fertilizers for strawberries, cow dung and bird droppings are most often used. Experienced summer residents advise using these top dressings as carefully as possible. The fact is that they may contain weed seeds. Such organics are used both in dry form and in the form of tinctures. Mullein is prepared in a ratio of 1x10, a solution of bird droppings - 1x20.

There is another answer to the question of what strawberries are fed with. You can use compost for this purpose. But only well rotted.

How many times per season do you need to feed

During the growing season, ordinary strawberries are fertilized at least three times. For young plants, top dressing is most needed during the growth period. Adult strawberries especially need nutrients during fruiting.

Top dressing in the first year

Fertilize strawberries, including planting age. For the first time, top dressing for it is brought in in September - in the preparation of the beds. In this case, phosphate fertilizers and organic matter are added to the soil in the area allotted for this berry. Nitrogen supplements for this crop in the first year of growth are not recommended. Otherwise, all the forces of the plant will be "thrown" on the development of leaves, and not berries. A good answer to the question of what strawberries are fed for a good harvest is a mixture of the following composition: 8-9 kg of humus, 80 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium salt. If it is used when planting next year, strawberries are not fertilized. But if desired, before fruiting, the bushes can be watered with a special solution of mullein. To prepare it, take two glasses of manure and one tablespoon of ammonium. All this is stirred in a bucket of water and the bed is watered in the amount of one liter per bush.

Second year after planting: how to fertilize in spring

An excellent answer to the question of what strawberries are fed in the spring is primarily nitrogen or complex compounds. It can be, for example, urea. It is bred in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. on a bucket of water and water the plants under the root. Very often, instead of urea, nitroammophoska is used in the same proportion.

Also, sometimes gardeners use organic matter to support the growth of green mass of plants: mullein or chicken manure. They are used in the amount of half a liter of solution for each plant.

Summer top dressing

Next, let's see what strawberries are fed during flowering and fruit set. During this period, plants need a lot of potassium. Therefore, the best type of feeding for them will be wood ash. You can also use potassium nitrate or bird droppings. Ash is brought into the aisles in the amount of one handful per bush. Often a solution is prepared from it. To do this, a glass of ash is poured into hot water (1 liter). The resulting mixture is infused for a day and poured into a bucket filled with heated water. Top dressing is made at the rate of 1 liter per bush.

Potassium nitrate is used in the amount of 100 g per 10 m 2 . Bird droppings are bred as standard. Watering them should be carried out strictly under the root.

How to feed strawberries in the fall

After harvesting, the plants also need to be fertilized. Most often, ash is used at this time in the same proportions as in summer. You can add a little nitroammophoska to its solution - 2 tbsp. l.

An excellent answer to the question of what strawberries are fed in the fall is also urea. The use of this fertilizer contributes to the laying of new flower buds. As a mulch for strawberries before winter, you can use manure or compost.

What to know

Thus, we have found out what strawberries are fed after harvesting, in spring and summer. The technology described above is considered standard. Thus, strawberries planted on nutritious garden soils are fed. However, many plots are located in areas with land that is not very suitable for growing garden crops. In this case, the plants just need to be followed. If the strawberry leaves suddenly turned pale, and it began to bear fruit with very small berries, it means that it lacks nitrogen. That is, it should be fed with manure or urea.

If the strawberries are too acidic, some potash fertilizer should be applied under the bushes. It can be, for example, wood ash or chicken manure. If the leaves of the strawberries have acquired a reddish-brown hue, and its growth has slowed down, it is worth using phosphorus compounds.

How to fertilize

So, what strawberries are fed, you now know. Next, let's see how to do it right. When performing such an operation as feeding strawberries, be sure to take into account the fact that:

• Fertilizers can only be applied to clean beds. That is, the planting should be cleared of debris and cut off all wilted leaves from the plants.
• Do not use any chloride fertilizers to feed strawberries.
• Liming acidic soil under this crop is allowed only in autumn.
• You can feed strawberries whenever you want. However, during the flowering period, this should not be done more than once.
• Urea, nitrophoska, etc. - this is what strawberries are most often fed with. Fertilizers are environmentally relatively harmless. However, their dosages should be observed exactly.
• Chicken manure should only be used in solution. Being covered dry, the plants may cease to bear fruit.

Nettle infusion

The fertilizers described above are what strawberries are most often fed with. However, you can use other means for this garden crop. For example, recently, many owners of summer cottages prefer to use this type of top dressing for strawberries, such as nettle infusion. Prepare it as follows:

• a bucket of chopped and mashed nettles is poured with heated water,
• leave the solution to infuse for several days,
• drain the liquid.

The plants are treated with the resulting infusion for the first time in the spring - when a bush is formed. It is also used to feed plants in the fall. As a result of the use of nettle infusion, very large and juicy berries grow on the bushes.

Thus, we have found out what strawberries are fed after harvesting, during flowering and fruiting. The use of all the fertilizers described above can significantly increase the yield of this crop. You can use any of them. The most important thing is to observe the dosage and time of application.