When spring comes to an end, all summer residents and gardeners begin to wait for the first homemade strawberries to appear on the beds. After all, it is she who opens the fruit and berry season. It will be much later to enjoy currants, gooseberries, raspberries. But the very first strawberries are the most desirable! Below we will talk about how to properly fertilize strawberries for a better harvest.

Planting and fertilizing strawberries - how and when to do it best

It is best to plant strawberries in autumn, it is better in warm weather, so that before winter it has time to get stronger and grow leaves. Then in the spring it will bear fruit much more abundantly. If these deadlines are missed, then it's okay, spring planting will also be successful. The main thing is to follow a few rules:

• The root neck should be at the level of the soil, if lower - it will become clogged with earth, higher - the roots will be exposed. In both cases, the plant may die.
• The first 10-15 days after transplantation, it is worth watering the strawberries abundantly every day.

After the seedlings take root, it is necessary to provide them with proper care: loosening, weeding, watering and fertilizing.

It is advisable to fertilize strawberries planted in open ground several times per season:

1. 1. in spring, when the bush grows and needs nitrogen;
2. 2. during the budding period, fertilizing with phosphorus;
3. 3. after fruiting, using complex fertilizers;
4. 4. in autumn, before cold weather, enriching the soil with potassium.

What fertilizers to use - organic or mineral, everyone decides for himself. Of course, it is safer to work with organic matter. Here you can not be afraid to use too much top dressing, because this will not harm the plant in any way, it will take only what it needs. You can feed the plant at any time, since such additives are not harmful to humans. True, you will have to tinker with such natural infusions and mixtures a little more, you cannot buy them ready-made in a store. And the results of organic farming, of course, are slightly weaker.

If you decide to use ready-made mineral fertilizers, then be sure to follow the instructions and do not exceed dosages so as not to harm either the plant or yourself. Also note that it is better to use them a couple of weeks before the first harvest.

Top dressing with nitrogen and phosphorus - we help strawberries grow and get stronger

After the snow melts and warm weather sets in, it is necessary to prepare the beds and strawberry bushes for further feeding:

• If strawberries were covered for the winter with mulch or sawdust, then they must be removed;
• If the bushes have dried leaves, old tops, then they need to be cut with pruners or scissors;
• The earth needs to be loosened.

Also, before top dressing, it is worth moistening the soil if it has not rained for a long time before. In moist soil, the fertilizer will be distributed more evenly, and in dry soil it can burn the roots. For the same reason, it is better to apply any fertilizer in the aisle, and not under the strawberry bush.

Immediately after the establishment of warm weather, it is worth feeding the strawberries with nitrogen. It well stimulates the growth of the above-ground part of the plant. By introducing such fertilizers, we will help the bush grow powerful and strong, its leaves will be dense and fleshy.

Here are some options for nitrogen supplements:

• Dung or mullein. Used as top dressing. We dilute it in water in a ratio of 1:10 and let the mixture stand for 2-3 days to remove ammonia. It is worth noting that we use manure only in a rotted form, since fresh contains a large amount of weed seeds.
• Chicken litter. We also use it as a root bait, diluted in a ratio of 1:20. We use it once every 2-3 years.
• Nitroammophoska. We use an aqueous solution in the proportion of one tablespoon per 10 liters of water.
• Ammonium sulfate. We breed it with mullein and water in the ratio of one tablespoon per liter of mullein and 10 liters of water.
• Urea. Dilute in the ratio of one tablespoon per 10 liters of water.

With nitrogen fertilizers, you need to observe the measure, since their overabundance will lead to the absence of ovaries, and hence the fruits.

In late spring or early summer (depending on the region and weather conditions), during the period of bud formation and flowering, the plant needs phosphorus. To do this, you can use superphosphate or ammophos. Phosphorus is also very useful in the first year of vegetation of garden strawberries, so we add it when planting. We take into account that phosphorus, unlike nitrogen, decomposes slowly, so it is enough to introduce it into the soil once a year.

Folk recipes for dressing strawberries

In addition to standard procedures, many gardeners use their own tried and tested methods to fertilize strawberries in the spring for a better harvest.

So, knowing that the berry loves slightly acidic soils, it is often fed with fermented milk products. We dilute sour milk with water in a ratio of 1: 2 and water the soil at a distance of 7-10 cm from the bush. But such bait, of course, is convenient only if you have a small number of bushes.

The second most popular top dressing is yeast. Soak the bread in water and let it ferment for a week. The resulting solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and used for root dressing. This procedure can be repeated twice per season, but only in warm weather, so as not to stop the fermentation process.

Feeding with wood ash is no less effective. It can be used both dry, sprinkled on the soil and thus protected from pests and diseases, and in the form of a solution in the proportion of 2 tablespoons per liter of water. But you should not combine ash with urea, saltpeter or manure, otherwise it will lose all its useful properties.

Recently, such a type of top dressing as nettle infusion has also become popular. To prepare a nutrient solution, fill a bucket of cut and mashed nettle with water and leave it to infuse in a warm place for several days, until the solution begins to slightly foam and ferment. For fertilizer, we use an infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. They water the plant at the root. Also, filtered and diluted infusion can be used for foliar treatment, that is, spray the leaves of the plant.

Watering strawberries - everything is good in moderation

The frequency of watering also greatly affects the quantity and quality of the crop. After all, if during the period of growth and flowering, water is vital for the plant, then during the period of ripening of berries, it only interferes. Excess moisture affects the taste of strawberries, it becomes more watery, not so sweet and fragrant. But it is also impossible to stop watering for the entire period of fruiting, otherwise the crop will be reduced. We recommend watering the bushes immediately after collecting all the ripe berries, and then take a break for 2-3 days. During this time, the following berries will have time to ripen and gain sugar content.

You can also avoid frequent watering in hot weather by mulching the soil. To do this, use foliage, straw or sawdust.

After harvesting the entire crop, you should also not stop watering the strawberries, because during this period new buds are laid, affecting the next year's yield.

Schemes of summer and autumn bait of ordinary and remontant strawberries

In the summer, strawberry bushes that have already fruited also require top dressing, since during this period new flower buds are laid, on which the next year's harvest depends. Here, potassium and trace elements will come to the rescue, for example:

• Potassium nitrate. Used in a solution of 1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water.
• Nitroammophoska. It is used together with potassium sulfate in the form of a solution (for 10 liters of water, 2 tablespoons of nitroammophoska and 1 teaspoon of sulfate).

We bring these solutions under the root, having previously abundantly watered the ground. If you are afraid of damaging the roots, then you can break this bait into two stages with an interval of two weeks.

The last fertilization is done in the fall, before covering the plants for the winter with mulch or straw. It is especially useful to feed young bushes in the fall to help them survive the cold. For this, it is good to use, for example, ash or mullein.

Also during this period, plants can be treated from pests, for example, sprayed with copper sulphate. Well, after that you can already continue preparing strawberries for winter.

These bait schemes are relevant for strawberries with one crop cycle. Remontant strawberries spend more substances for such a long harvest period, so they need to be fertilized more often. She should feed her with complex fertilizers (for example, nitroammophos) once every two weeks, starting from early spring and ending in September. In September, it is only necessary to exclude nitrogen from fertilizers in order to stop the active growth of the bush and thereby help it prepare for wintering.

That's actually all the advice on growing strawberries. Now you can enjoy this wonderful berry all summer long in your summer cottage or in a pot on your windowsill all year round!

Previously, only strawberries were grown in Russia - a fragrant and tasty berry, but small and not very productive, so today this plant is almost never found in garden plots. It was replaced by large-fruited strawberries, brought by sailors to Europe from America. One of its varieties called "Victoria" began to spread with particular speed, and soon all strawberries began to be called Victoria. To get a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries, you need to know the rules for planting and growing Victoria in open ground.

Victoria landing time

The best time to plant strawberries is spring or autumn. In the spring, plants are planted as early as possible - immediately after warm weather is established and the threat of return frosts disappears. In autumn, Victoria should be planted from the second half of August until September 15, and then in the next planting season they will be pleased with the first berry.

Seedlings with a closed root system, purchased in cassettes or containers, can be planted as early as mid-July. The main thing is to choose a cloudy day for planting and moisten the soil well. Seedlings planted in summer will have time to take root well before winter and will give a full harvest next spring.

Some gardeners grow planting material with their own hands, although this is a long and laborious process. Indeed, to obtain a full-fledged independent plant, it will take at least three years. Therefore, experts advise buying seedlings in well-known nurseries, and preferably in cassettes or containers. This is the most reliable and fastest way to grow crops.

Site selection

The site designated for Victoria should be sunny and have a flat surface with a slight slope to the southwest. It is not worth choosing steep slopes for planting this crop, from which the wind blows snow in winter, and spring waters carry away part of the fertile layer. Lowlands and depressions, where melt water is kept for a long time, are unsuitable for strawberry cultivation.

The soil on the site should contain a lot of organic matter. Light loams, black soil or gray forest soil are best suited for growing this berry in open ground. Groundwater should lie no closer than 1 m to the surface of the earth.

Victoria grows well after herbs, cereals, onions, garlic, petunias, marigolds. You should not plant a berry on the beds where tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers previously grew. After 3-4 years, the plants are transferred to a new place.

spring planting

For the spring planting of Victoria, the soil must be prepared in advance, even before the onset of winter. The site must be carefully dug up, weeds removed and the following fertilizers applied to each square meter of area:

• humus - 9-10 kg;
• superphosphate - 100 g;
• potassium salt - 50g.

Seedlings for planting in the spring should be selected strong and healthy. Before planting in the ground, it should be hardened for several days by placing it in a cool place.

Between plants located in the same row, leave 25-30 cm. To ensure ease of care, the beds are separated by passages 40-50 cm wide.

Before planting, the roots of the plant are cut to 10 cm and holes are dug to such a depth that the root system fits vertically. Particular attention when planting Victoria should be paid to the location of the neck of the bush.

The neck of the bush should be flush with the soil surface. With a high planting, the roots can dry out, and with a very strong penetration, the plant can rot.

The planted plant is watered abundantly and covered with a special material for or sunburn.

Planting in autumn

Autumn planting of seedlings of strawberries is considered optimal, since in the spring of next year a full-fledged harvest can be harvested from young bushes. Plants planted in early spring will also begin to bear fruit the following season, but they will have to be cared for all summer.

Before autumn planting, the site should be processed and prepared in early spring, making the necessary fertilizers. If every piece of land is valuable in the garden, these beds can be temporarily occupied by onions, garlic or celery, that is, early ripening vegetables.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, the roots should be treated with a fungicide (fungicide) and the young plants should be kept in a cool place for several days.

Victoria cultivation

In the first year after planting Victoria in the ground, do not strive to get a big harvest. On the contrary, in order for the plant to strengthen and grow the root system, it is necessary to remove the tendrils and flowers that appear.

Caring for adult plants involves a number of activities.

1. Processing a plot with strawberries. In early spring, as soon as the growing season begins, it is necessary to collect old mulching material from the beds and aisles, remove dry and damaged leaves, and loosen the soil between the plants.
2. Watering. Large juicy fruits cannot be obtained without proper, balanced watering. Moisture should be enough for the normal growth of the plant, and at the same time, strong waterlogging of the soil can provoke rotting of the root system. Victoria is watered 1 time in 10 days at the rate of 10-12 liters per 1 sq. m from mid-April. In the summer, with the onset of heat, the frequency of watering can be increased up to 4 times a week. In autumn, in August and September, the number of waterings is reduced to 2 times a week. It is better to carry out watering work in the morning, trying not to get water on the leaves and flower stalks. During flowering, drip irrigation is used.
3. Loosening. After the next watering, the earth around the plants and between the rows must be carefully loosened, trying not to damage the adventitious roots lying near the surface of the earth. This is necessary in order to make the soil breathable and facilitate the flow of oxygen into the root system.
4. Weeding. Planting care involves the regular removal of weeds from the beds and passages. Weed grass not only depletes the soil, taking most of the moisture and nutrients, but is also a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and a refuge for pests. To stop the appearance of weeds, you can cover the area with plantings with mulching material: sawdust, wood chips, dry needles - or close it with agrofiber.

These are the main activities that should be regularly carried out by every gardener involved in growing Victoria in open areas.

Care during flowering

The appearance of the first flower stalks falls in mid-May. It is during this period that the future harvest is laid, the quality and quantity of which depends on the correct care. To feed the plant during this period, potash fertilizers, humus and ash are introduced into the soil. You can increase the number of inflorescences with a solution of boric acid, prepared at the rate of 1 tsp. on a bucket of water, which is sprayed with green bushes.

It is especially important to weed and loosen the site, preventing the emergence and growth of weeds. To get a large berry, you need to use a pruner to remove all the extra tendrils and leaves that absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Feeding Victoria

Care for Victoria is impossible to imagine without feeding this plant. Fertilizers should be applied at least three times per season.

• In early spring, after processing the area allotted for the berry, nitroammophoska is introduced into the soil. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are part of this fertilizer, are the most necessary substances for plant development.
• During budding, potassium is added to the soil, a large amount of which is found in ash, infusion of chicken manure, and potassium nitrate. After picking the berries, the plants are again fed with nitroammophos, dissolving 2 tbsp. l. in 10 liters of water.
• And the last time Victoria is fed in August with urea. This contributes to the formation of new flower buds and more abundant fruiting next year. The solution is prepared at the rate of 30 g of urea per 10 liters of water.

There is a complex fertilizer on sale, designed specifically for strawberries and increasing yields by 30%.

Growing Victoria is an incredibly useful and interesting activity, although it requires certain skills and knowledge. Having studied the advice of experts and providing proper care for the plants, it will not be difficult to get a decent harvest of this delicious berry.

It is not for nothing that strawberries are considered the queen among the berries that grow in our climatic conditions. And this is due to its exquisite taste and unique aroma, which most of us like so much. The closest relative of strawberries, garden strawberries, or, as it is also called, Victoria, has special taste qualities. Unfortunately, the ripening season of this beautiful berry is rather short - by the end of the first summer month, it ceases to bear fruit. However, at the same time, it also requires considerable labor efforts on the part of the owner, and not only in spring and summer. Victoria needs care in the fall. And this, in turn, is a guarantee that next summer there will be a wonderful berry harvest on your plot of land. Therefore, we will talk about what to do with Victoria in the fall.

In general, autumn care for Victoria involves, firstly, the obligatory pruning of bushes, and secondly, feeding it with fertilizers, and, thirdly, preparing the plant for winter.

One of the most basic milestones in caring for garden strawberries is pruning. As a rule, mustaches and leaves of bushes are circumcised. The need for this procedure is explained by providing the plant with rest after active growth and fruiting, which will lead to the rejuvenation of Victoria and gain strength by next summer. In addition, such processing of Victoria in the fall will help improve the condition of each bush. It is known that various kinds of pests settle on the leaves. By cutting them, you will naturally heal strawberries.

Regarding how to cut Victoria in the fall, this procedure is recommended to be performed immediately in the fall in September. Use a pruner, sharp knife or scissors for this. It is important to cut the leaves at a level of 10 cm from the ground so as not to damage the growing point of the victoria.

After circumcision, experienced gardeners are advised to treat the bushes with solutions from pests and diseases. It will also be very useful for the berry to carry out weeding of the rows, loosening them and pouring fresh earth for bare roots.

How to care for a Victoria berry in autumn: top dressing

But autumn top dressing is needed for Victoria strawberries to accumulate organic, mineral substances and form new fruit and leaf buds. Victoria fertilizer should be applied in autumn after trimming leaves and mustaches, that is, in September.

If we talk about how to feed Victoria in the fall, then humus, compost, chicken manure, and a barn are excellent for these purposes. Mineral fertilizers are also used (superphosphate, potassium salt). Excellent growth for the kidneys gives top dressing, for the preparation of which it is necessary to mix 2 tablespoons of potash fertilizers and nitrophoska with a glass of wood ash, dissolving the mixture in 10 liters of water. Such a talker must be poured under each bush. After fertilizing, it is recommended to mulch the soil.

Autumn care for Victoria: preparation for winter

In areas where winter is always snowy, Victoria's cold is not terrible. But the lack of snow for plant bushes can be detrimental. That is why strawberries should be covered for the winter.

Ordinary straw is especially suitable for mulching. She needs to carefully and completely cover each bush. But if you do not have straw at your disposal, you can use other materials. Fallen leaves, peat, tree branches or corn stalks are also suitable as a covering pillow - everything that is found in your garden. In addition, quite often purchased covering material - spunbond or lutrasil - is used to prepare Victoria strawberries for winter.

Thanks to such care in the fall for garden Victoria, the plant will accumulate strength and give you a tasty and rich harvest next year.

Garden strawberries, often called Victoria, have gained wide popularity and distribution in the gardens of various regions of the country. This is due to the simplicity of its reproduction, the precocity of the culture, the convenience of protection from the harsh weather conditions of winter, and the high dietary and taste qualities of the berries. Many gardeners receive high yields of Victoria every year, having mastered its agricultural technology well.

Soil and landing site for victoria

It is necessary to plant a plant on a piece of land with a slight slope to the west. The place must be protected from the winds. Indeed, in winter, Victoria is covered with snow from frost, which means that in no case should it be blown away by the wind. A bare berry can freeze and die. It is desirable to choose sandy soil rich in humus.

Others are added to it fertilizer. It is better to apply fertilizers in the fall, spreading them evenly and digging them with a shovel. In the spring, shallow loosening is necessary in order to level the surfaces and close the moisture. For one square meter of soil where strawberries will be planted, you will need:

• twenty grams of potassium chloride;
• twenty grams of ammonium nitrate;
• twenty-five grams of superphosphate;
• six kilograms of humus.

It is best to alternate landing Victoria with vegetable crops. The best predecessors for this berry are: green spaces (dill, parsley, lettuce), legumes, garlic, onions, root crops. And it is not advisable to plant it after potatoes, as the plant can get sick with a nematode.

Reproduction and planting

By the middle of summer, antennae grow in adult Victoria plants, on which nodules are located, giving roots and leaves in the future. With the help of such antennae, Victoria breeds. Three outlets located at the mother plant are considered to be of higher quality. When four to six leaves appear on such a rosette, it should be separated from the mother plant for planting in a permanent prepared place. In order for the plant to take root quickly and well, it is necessary to dig sockets with a clod of earth.

Many gardeners plant strawberries in beds eighty to one hundred centimeters wide and up to fifteen centimeters high. The edges of such beds can be edged with boards, and the aisles can be covered with sawdust.

Victoria is planted during the entire vegetative period from the beginning of spring to the middle of the last month of summer. Landing dates are determined by the readiness of the sockets.

For the spring period, sockets are grown on seedling beds or added dropwise near the mother bush. In this case, Victoria will bear fruit already this year, albeit slightly.

Very common tape two-row landing pattern. In this case, the distance between the rows in the tape is about forty centimeters, between the tapes themselves up to eighty centimeters, and between the plants from twenty to thirty centimeters. In this case, up to ten plants are placed on one square meter.

Planting density depends on the Victoria variety and growing conditions.

Before planting seedlings, you should dig grooves or holes up to ten centimeters deep and water them well. Then plant seedlings in them and water them well again.

It is best to plant in cloudy weather or in the evening. This improves survival.

In order to properly care for young seedlings of Victoria, you should not forget it on time. water. During the first two weeks, watering should be especially regular. If the weather is dry, then watering should be daily, and only then once every two or three days.

How to care for mature victoria bushes

Spring chores

1. After the snow melts and the upper layers of the soil of the beds with Victoria dry up, all debris and dried leaves should be removed from them. Old mustaches and petioles of leaves are best trimmed with secateurs. Victoria bushes that have not endured winter frosts should be removed along with the roots. Weeds that have managed to grow in late autumn are also removed. All these plant residues are composted with manure or burned off site.
2. After the soil dries up in the beds and between the rows, it is loosened to a depth of about four centimeters, then the surface is leveled, crushing lumps and dusted with ash.
3. Now you can apply fertilizer. First of all, when caring for Victoria in the spring, organic fertilizers are applied, for example, sawdust or straw. To do this, they are first crushed and sprinkled a little around the bushes. You can also add peat chips or humus.
4. Preferably in mid-April, and if it doesn’t work out, then in May, treat Victoria from pests. It will be enough to water the plants with a weak solution blue vitriol. After such watering, the first buds will begin to bloom on the plant.
5. Although Victoria is a moisture-loving plant, excessive moisture affects it negatively. When caring for a plant, it is advisable to combine its watering with pest protection and fertilizers. Some gardeners do the first spring watering hot water.
6. After harvesting, watering and sprinkling with organic fertilizers, victories are required nitrogen fertilizers. They are applied only after the first leaves appear on the plant. To do this, combine cowshed and ammonium sulfate, dilute with water and water Victoria.
7. In the morning, once a week in spring, plants should be watered. warm water. Before flowering, watering can be done by sprinkling. When Victoria blooms and when there are already berries on it, watering is done carefully so that water does not get on them.
8. Already in the spring will have to deal with weeds. If the aisles are mulched with sawdust, then there will be no weeds, and water with fertilizers will pass directly to the tubers.

How to care for Victoria in the summer

1. Weekly watering of plants.
2. Weeding beds with Victoria from weeds.
3. Mandatory inspection of plants for diseases and pests.
4. When the first berries begin to tie, be sure to add straw or sawdust. Then the fruits will not get dirty and rot.
5. Mandatory removal of damage to parts of the Victoria or the damaged bush itself so that other plants do not become infected from it.
6. Before flowering, top dressing with a solution of nitrophoska or potassium sulfate.
7. Berries must be collected regularly, along with the stalk.
8. After harvesting Victoria, until the tenth of August, the bushes should be fed with wood ash and nitrophoska.
9. Cover the beds with foil during heavy rains so that diseases do not develop and the berries do not become watery.
10. The antennae should be removed from the fruiting Victoria in a timely manner in order to prevent the rooting of rosettes. The tendrils are left only if seedlings are needed to resume planting. Leave them near the uterine outlets.
11. After harvesting, the soil is loosened, and if the roots are bare, then the bush is spudded.

Autumn work or preparing Victoria for winter

1. The soil must be after flowering mulch. Do it with wood shavings, straw or dry moss. This allows you to protect the berries from gray rot. The same procedure is repeated by mid-autumn, but already using peat or grain production waste. The thickness of the layer should be from five to eight centimeters. Leaves should not be covered.
2. To prepare Victoria for winter, not only mustaches are cut from the bushes, but also leaves at a distance of ten centimeters from the ground. This should not be frightening, since new leaves will appear before winter, and the plant will get stronger.
3. Cropped bushes should be sprayed against diseases and pests.
4. Feed the plants with mineral fertilizers. This is necessary in order for Victoria to accumulate them for the formation of new leaves and berry buds.
5. In areas where winters are not very snowy, Victoria takes shelter. You can use ordinary straw, tree branches, fallen leaves. Often, some special covering material is used for this purpose. You can also cover with a film, but be sure to remember to remove it in the spring no later than the beginning of May.

Protection from pests and diseases

An important role in the care of Victoria is its protection from diseases and pests. Of the pests of Victoria, the most common are strawberry mites and nematodes. And from diseases: gray rot of berries, powdery mildew and white spotting of berries. But how to care for Victoria to prevent this? To prevent such diseases and pests, you should:

• plant seedlings only healthy;
• use varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests;
• prevent bushes from thickening;
• during the ripening of berries, limit watering;
• remove berries and leaves that are damaged;
• soak seedlings from healthy mother plants for fifteen minutes in hot (forty-six degrees) water to destroy the nematode and strawberry mite;
• in the aisles of Victoria bushes, to combat the nematode, it is recommended to plant calendula, onions, marigolds, garlic, immortelle.

Previously, only strawberries were grown in Russia - a fragrant and tasty berry, but small and not very productive, so today this plant is almost never found in garden plots. It was replaced by large-fruited strawberries, brought by sailors to Europe from America. One of its varieties called "Victoria" began to spread with particular speed, and soon all strawberries began to be called Victoria. To get a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries, you need to know the rules for planting and growing Victoria in open ground.

Victoria landing time

The best time to plant strawberries is spring or autumn. In the spring, plants are planted as early as possible - immediately after warm weather is established and the threat of return frosts disappears. In autumn, Victoria should be planted from the second half of August until September 15, and then in the next planting season they will be pleased with the first berry.

Seedlings with a closed root system, purchased in cassettes or containers, can be planted as early as mid-July. The main thing is to choose a cloudy day for planting and moisten the soil well. Seedlings planted in summer will have time to take root well before winter and will give a full harvest next spring.

Some gardeners grow planting material with their own hands, although this is a long and laborious process. Indeed, to obtain a full-fledged independent plant, it will take at least three years. Therefore, experts advise buying seedlings in well-known nurseries, and preferably in cassettes or containers. This is the most reliable and fastest way to grow crops.

Site selection

The site designated for Victoria should be sunny and have a flat surface with a slight slope to the southwest. It is not worth choosing steep slopes for planting this crop, from which the wind blows snow in winter, and spring waters carry away part of the fertile layer. Lowlands and depressions, where melt water is kept for a long time, are unsuitable for strawberry cultivation.

The soil on the site should contain a lot of organic matter. Light loams, black soil or gray forest soil are best suited for growing this berry in open ground. Groundwater should lie no closer than 1 m to the surface of the earth.

Victoria grows well after herbs, cereals, onions, garlic, petunias, marigolds. You should not plant a berry on the beds where tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers previously grew. After 3-4 years, the plants are transferred to a new place.

spring planting

For the spring planting of Victoria, the soil must be prepared in advance, even before the onset of winter. The site must be carefully dug up, weeds removed and the following fertilizers applied to each square meter of area:

• humus - 9-10 kg;
• superphosphate - 100 g;
• potassium salt - 50g.

Seedlings for planting in the spring should be selected strong and healthy. Before planting in the ground, it should be hardened for several days by placing it in a cool place.

Between plants located in the same row, leave 25-30 cm. To ensure ease of care, the beds are separated by passages 40-50 cm wide.

Before planting, the roots of the plant are cut to 10 cm and holes are dug to such a depth that the root system fits vertically. Particular attention when planting Victoria should be paid to the location of the neck of the bush.

The neck of the bush should be flush with the soil surface. With a high planting, the roots can dry out, and with a very strong penetration, the plant can rot.

The planted plant is watered abundantly and covered with a special material to protect it from frost or sunburn.

Planting in autumn

Autumn planting of seedlings of strawberries is considered optimal, since in the spring of next year a full-fledged harvest can be harvested from young bushes. Plants planted in early spring will also begin to bear fruit the following season, but they will have to be cared for all summer.

Before autumn planting, the site should be processed and prepared in early spring, making the necessary fertilizers. If every piece of land is valuable in the garden, these beds can be temporarily occupied by onions, garlic or celery, that is, early ripening vegetables.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, the roots should be treated with a fungicide (fungicide) and the young plants should be kept in a cool place for several days.

Victoria cultivation

In the first year after planting Victoria in the ground, do not strive to get a big harvest. On the contrary, in order for the plant to strengthen and grow the root system, it is necessary to remove the tendrils and flowers that appear.

Caring for adult plants involves a number of activities.

1. Processing a plot with strawberries. In early spring, as soon as the growing season begins, it is necessary to collect old mulching material from the beds and aisles, remove dry and damaged leaves, and loosen the soil between the plants.
2. Watering. Large juicy fruits cannot be obtained without proper, balanced watering. Moisture should be enough for the normal growth of the plant, and at the same time, strong waterlogging of the soil can provoke rotting of the root system. Victoria is watered 1 time in 10 days at the rate of 10-12 liters per 1 sq. m from mid-April. In the summer, with the onset of heat, the frequency of watering can be increased up to 4 times a week. In autumn, in August and September, the number of waterings is reduced to 2 times a week. It is better to carry out watering work in the morning, trying not to get water on the leaves and flower stalks. During flowering, drip irrigation is used.
3. Loosening. After the next watering, the earth around the plants and between the rows must be carefully loosened, trying not to damage the adventitious roots lying near the surface of the earth. This is necessary in order to make the soil breathable and facilitate the flow of oxygen into the root system.
4. Weeding. Planting care involves the regular removal of weeds from the beds and passages. Weed grass not only depletes the soil, taking most of the moisture and nutrients, but is also a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and a refuge for pests. To stop the appearance of weeds, you can cover the area with plantings with mulching material: sawdust, wood chips, dry needles - or close it with agrofiber.

These are the main activities that should be regularly carried out by every gardener involved in growing Victoria in open areas.

Care during flowering

The appearance of the first flower stalks falls in mid-May. It is during this period that the future harvest is laid, the quality and quantity of which depends on the correct care. To feed the plant during this period, potash fertilizers, humus and ash are introduced into the soil. You can increase the number of inflorescences with a solution of boric acid, prepared at the rate of 1 tsp. on a bucket of water, which is sprayed with green bushes.

It is especially important to weed and loosen the site, preventing the emergence and growth of weeds. To get a large berry, you need to use a pruner to remove all the extra tendrils and leaves that absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Feeding Victoria

Care for Victoria is impossible to imagine without feeding this plant. Fertilizers should be applied at least three times per season.

• In early spring, after processing the area allotted for the berry, nitroammophoska is introduced into the soil. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are part of this fertilizer, are the most necessary substances for plant development.
• During budding, potassium is added to the soil, a large amount of which is found in ash, infusion of chicken manure, and potassium nitrate. After picking the berries, the plants are again fed with nitroammophos, dissolving 2 tbsp. l. in 10 liters of water.
• And the last time Victoria is fed in August with urea. This contributes to the formation of new flower buds and more abundant fruiting next year. The solution is prepared at the rate of 30 g of urea per 10 liters of water.

There is a complex fertilizer on sale, designed specifically for strawberries and increasing yields by 30%.

Growing Victoria is an incredibly useful and interesting activity, although it requires certain skills and knowledge. Having studied the advice of experts and providing proper care for the plants, it will not be difficult to get a decent harvest of this delicious berry.

The taste and size of Victoria strawberries depend on care and top dressing. It is an undemanding and large berry.

It resists diseases well, but you need to choose the right place for landing. If necessary, correct the soil, because on heavy soils with clay impurities, the absorption of nutrients is impaired. Fertilizer for Victoria can be selected from organic materials available on the farm, or you can use purchased mixtures specifically designed for strawberries.

If additives are not used additionally, not all characteristics of the variety will appear. The longer the plant is in the garden, the more it takes nutrients and the worse it grows and bears fruit: sour small berries, small bushes.

You can start caring for strawberries in the fall. If the seedlings have not yet been planted, you need to prepare the beds and apply some fertilizer - preferably organic, so that the young bushes immediately begin to grow.

Landing site preparation

How to feed Victoria for the future harvest - can be found in the household:

• compost;

• chicken manure;

• manure;

• green manure;

• mineral mixtures.

But first you need to choose the right bed:

• it should be on the sunny side;

• to be protected from the winds - a good option is to put a fence on both sides of the garden so that the bushes are in shelter;

• do not choose areas where water stagnates;

• not very good if the bed is near potatoes, tomatoes, peppers;

• do not plant under trees.

You can plant Victoria in the holes and add fertilizer to each. If water stagnates in the soil, then it is better to plant on the "comb".

Fertilizing Victoria in the spring

Strawberries respond very well to organic fertilizers. For spring dressings of Victoria, you can use an infusion of chicken manure. Use chicken fertilizer carefully, as it is the most concentrated of all animal fertilizers.

To begin with, a third of the bucket is filled with litter and poured with water. Wait 4 - 5 days until the excess ammonia disappears from the mixture. Further, each liter of infusion is diluted in 20 liters of water. Water under the root in the hole so that the fertilizer does not spread.

The best option is compost based on manure or chicken manure. But at home, it ripens for a long time, and buying is expensive.

The substance is prepared as follows - they are laid in layers in the collar:

• priming;

• manure;

• plant residues;

• kitchen waste.

For the first time, Victoria's nutrition is enough. After rooting, after about 2 to 3 weeks, foliar spraying of strawberries with a urea solution diluted two times can be carried out. This will stimulate the growth of greenery and shoots. During fruiting, strawberries should not be sprayed.

Flowers appear in mid-May.

It's time to think about how to feed Victoria to replenish potassium and phosphorus. It is not advisable to use nitrogen-containing fertilizers, as this causes increased growth of shoots, but it has a bad effect on the formation of fruits: you can get large beautiful strawberry bushes with one peduncle.

Ash solution is a unique folk remedy that has been used since time immemorial and always works well. To do this, you need to burn the wood and save the ashes. Many in the country grill barbecue using firewood.

Hardwoods are more suitable, especially oak. Oak ash contains 20% potassium and 75% calcium. There is more potassium in young shoots, and it is also found in weed ash. Preparing the ash solution is simple:

• take 300 g of ash;

• pour a bucket of water;

• wait 3-4 days.

It can be watered at the beginning of the fruiting period for better ripening of berries and their sweet taste.

Video: The first feeding of strawberries in the spring

It is important to do regular weeding and clipping of strawberries, because in order for them to grow, the plant consumes additional nutrients that must be used to form fruits. It is recommended to cut the first flowers so that the rest are larger.

In the spring, you should especially protect the plant from fungal diseases that can damage the berries. Proper and regular feeding helps to maintain the immunity of the plant.

Victoria's summer top dressing

Potassium and phosphorus are the substances that need to be fertilized with Victoria in the summer during the period of active fruiting. You can continue to use the ash solution. If the ash is over, then apply mineral fertilizers. It is advisable to use those mixtures that are specifically designed for berry crops.

Conventional fertilizers for flowers and vegetables are not suitable, as they have an incomplete composition of trace elements. Experienced gardeners advise to use potassium nitrate - 1 teaspoon of granules diluted in 10 liters of water. Watering boric acid helps to increase the number of inflorescences - Mix 1 teaspoon in a bucket of water.

If rainy weather lasts for a long time and there is little sun, then we should expect the appearance of a fungus on a strawberry plantation. To avoid this, you need to mulch the soil between the rows and under the bushes. The berries will be dry and less likely that the fungus from the soil will get to them.

Important! During the fruiting period, it is impossible to use chemistry against pests. Plants should be sprayed in advance for prevention.

In summer, watering is especially important when strawberries are gaining weight. Nutrients must dissolve in water and so enter the berries. If there is not enough water, then the assimilation of dressings will be inferior, and the berries will be tasteless, or rather sour. In the absence of rain strawberries it is recommended to water 3-4 times a week so that the soil is moistened to a depth of 10-12 cm.

Autumn top dressing of Victoria strawberries

How to fertilize Victoria so that next year's harvest will please? Before embarking on autumn events, you need to think about how long strawberries grow in one place. If it is 3 years old, then it needs to be transplanted, otherwise the berries will shrink and the yield will decrease. And in the fall, phosphorus mixtures are usually added. Phosphorus binds to the soil and remains in it until spring.

Superphosphate is a good choice. It can be buried in the ground in a dry form, making furrows around the bush or diluted with water and poured over the recesses, and then sprinkled with earth. Superphosphate dissolves for about a day, so it is first soaked and stirred periodically, and then watered.

Potassium is needed in order for the bush to winter well. Potash fertilizers for Victoria can also be applied in September. If you use wood ash for this purpose, then at the same time you can achieve looser soil and reduce soil acidity. This is an economical means, since it maybe once every 3 years.

Important! You can not add nitrogen before winter, because it stimulates the growth of green mass and the plant will die from the cold

For the winter, strawberry bushes are mulched and, depending on the winter in the region, wrapped in polyethylene or spruce branches.

conclusions

To get a good harvest of Victoria strawberries, it is enough to follow the simple rules for using fertilizers, watering and transplanting plants.

Hello, dear readers! I am the creator of the "Fertilizers.NET" project. Glad to see each of you on its pages. I hope the information in the article was helpful. Always open for communication - comments, suggestions, what else you want to see on the site, and even criticism, you can write to me on VKontakte, Instagram or Facebook (round icons below). All peace and happiness! 🙂

03.05.2019 107 138

Fertilizer for strawberries - how to increase productivity in simple ways?