The better to feed strawberries after winter. How to properly feed strawberries with chicken droppings and methods of making fertilizers

Spring is a time of creativity for gardeners. Summer residents and gardeners make planting plans, choose flowers and varieties of vegetables. The land is not yet overgrown with weeds, but perennial fruit and berry crops are already awakening. Perhaps the most beloved among them is strawberry. And the first thing to do for her at the beginning of the season is to feed her to give her strength to grow powerful bushes and large berries.

What fertilizers do strawberries need in spring

In the spring, before flowering, strawberries are actively growing greenery. The volume of the harvest depends on how large the leaves are and how thick the petioles are. Small berries will grow on frail bushes. In other words: the stronger and healthier the bush, the more large fruits it will have. But you cannot overfeed the strawberries, otherwise it will fatten, it will not tie the berries, and even worse, it can get burned and die. Therefore, fertilizers should always be applied with caution and do not exceed dosages.

Strawberries need a balanced diet for healthy foliage and large berries.

The building material for the green parts of any plant is nitrogen, which is what is needed in spring. Nitrogen is contained in mineral fertilizers, humus, mullein, bird droppings. In addition, strawberries need trace elements, but without nitrogen nutrition, they will be ineffective. If you add them in addition, like vitamins after the main course, the result will be noticeable. In particular, trace elements help to cope with stressful situations (drought, heavy rains, frosts), increase the resistance of strawberries to diseases, accelerate the growth, budding and ripening of fruits. At the same time, the berries grow larger, prettier and sweeter.

When to feed strawberries in spring

The timing of feeding depends on your capabilities, but the sooner the plants receive support, the better they will thank you.

If your plot is near your home, or you have the opportunity to visit the garden in late winter or early spring, scatter dry fertilizers directly over the melted snow. They themselves will dissolve in puddles and go into the soil to the roots. This is done with mineral fertilizers and wood ash.
If you get into the garden only after the earth dries out, apply fertilizer at the first loosening. Scatter them evenly over the garden bed, mix with the top layer of soil and water. Alternatively, apply liquid top dressing on wet ground.
If there is no water on the site, the earth has dried out, then apply fertilizers before the rain or do foliar feeding on the leaves. It requires little water, you can bring it or bring it with you.

Any root dressing should be applied on damp ground, if possible in a liquid form. Do not allow dry granules to get to the roots and dissolve there. In this case, a concentrated solution will be obtained, which will burn the thinnest roots, namely, they work as capillaries - they deliver water and food to the bushes.

Mineral, organic and pharmacy food for strawberries

In the spring, before flowering, strawberries need only one nitrogen fertilization and one additional fertilization with microelements. The easiest option is to buy a complex mixture in the store, which contains all the valuable substances for this culture at once. A lot of such nutritional complexes are now being produced: Gumi-Omi, Agricola, Fertika and others marked "for strawberries / strawberries". Pay special attention to the composition. The percentage of nitrogen (N) must be higher than the other elements.

There are a lot of options for spring feeding: ready-made complexes are suitable for beginner gardeners, and more experienced ones can make a nutritious mixture for strawberries on their own using organic fertilizers or pharmacy products.

Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers

In stores, you can most often find three nitrogen-containing fertilizers at an affordable price and with a small consumption of granules:

Urea (carbamide, carbonic acid diamide) of all mineral fertilizers contains the maximum amount of nitrogen - 46%. The rest is hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. When urea interacts with air, ammonia is formed, which evaporates. Therefore, urea must either be embedded in the soil or applied as a solution. Fertilizer has a slightly acidic reaction, close to neutral, so it can be applied on any soil.
Ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate) is a nitric acid salt that contains 35% nitrogen. The main disadvantage of this fertilizer is that it significantly increases the acidity of the soil, so it must be applied together with dolomite flour. But this same property is used to fight disease. Watering the leaves and the ground around the bushes with an ammonium nitrate solution will get rid of fungi.
Nitroammofoska is a complex fertilizer containing all three important macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Different manufacturers produce different brands of the mixture under this name, and each of them has its own ratio of macronutrients. In addition, the disadvantage of this fertilizer is that it can be applied in the spring only if you did not fertilize the strawberries with superphosphate and potassium salt in the fall.

Photo gallery: popular and inexpensive mineral fertilizers for strawberries

Urea - a universal fertilizer for fruit and berry crops Nitroammofoska - a mineral complex of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus Ammonium nitrate increases soil acidity, but helps to fight strawberry diseases

The rates and method of application of mineral fertilizers are indicated on the packages. All three fertilizers can be applied at 1 tbsp. l per 1 m² of moist and loose soil or dissolve in 10 l of water and water the same area. However, it is better to apply less mineral fertilizers than to exceed their norm: excess nitrogen accumulates in the leaves, and then in the berries in the form of nitrates.

Nitrates are not hazardous to health, but under certain conditions inside the body they are capable of transforming into toxic nitrites. This can happen with low acidity, gastritis, poor hygiene. Infants and the elderly are most sensitive to nitrites. Therefore, juices from fruits grown without chemicals are recommended for children and the elderly.

Top dressing with mullein infusion

If you have no desire to apply chemical mineral fertilizers to the ground, but there is an opportunity to get mullein (manure), then make nitrogen fertilization from it. Mullein is:

litter - mixed with peat or straw, it is equally rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium;
litterless - clean manure containing 50–70% nitrogen.

In the spring, nitrogen is needed, so use a litterless mullein, that is, ordinary cow cakes that can be collected where cows walk and graze.

Cows transform grass into valuable fertilizer - mullein or dung

Mullein infusion recipe:

Fill a bucket 1/3 full with fresh cow scones.
Fill up to the top with water and cover.
Heat for 5-7 days to ferment.
Add 1 liter of infusion to 10 liters of water and water the strawberries at the rate of 0.5 liters per bush.

Such a solution can be poured over the leaves, then the bushes will additionally receive protection from fungal diseases: powdery mildew, various spots and others.

Feeding with bird droppings

Chicken manure is considered the most valuable and concentrated organic fertilizer. It contains 3-4 times more nutrients than any other natural supplement. The droppings contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, trace elements. The infusion is made in the same way as from a mullein, but for irrigation, the concentration should be 2 times less: 0.5 liters of infusion per 10 liters of water. The watering rate remains the same - 0.5 liters per bush.

The proportions are given for infusion from fresh droppings. In stores, it is sold dried, and often it is not dung, but chicken humus that is hidden under the packaging. Therefore, a solution from store-bought chicken manure should be prepared as indicated on the package.

Use the litter from the store according to the instructions on the package.

Fertilization in spring with humus

Humus is rotted residues of plant and animal origin. Manure that has lain for 1–2 years is often called humus. But this category also includes compost, rotted litter from the poultry house, a layer of rotted leaves under the trees. These are all valuable organic fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. They are especially relevant on 2-3-year-old strawberry beds, when overgrown adult bushes begin to bulge out of the ground and rise above it like bumps. Spread humus along the aisles in such a layer to cover the exposed upper part of the roots. Only hearts and leaves should remain on top.

Humus serves as both fertilizing and mulch at the same time

The lack of feeding with humus, mullein infusions and bird droppings is that it is impossible to determine the exact content of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus in order to reduce or increase the dose of summer and autumn feeding.

Top dressing with wood ash

Ash is a fertilizer that is pointless to apply in the spring without nitrogen fertilization (urea, ammonium nitrate, mullein, droppings). It contains all the micro and macro elements necessary for strawberries, except for the main one - nitrogen. However, when applied simultaneously with nitrogen-containing mixtures, an unnecessary chemical reaction occurs. Ash is an alkali, nitrogen in its presence turns into ammonia and evaporates. It turns out that beneficial substances simply go into the air, and do not fertilize the soil. Therefore, first give the main food with nitrogen content, and after 5-7 days, when it is absorbed by the plants, add ash (a complex of trace elements).

Ash can be obtained by burning not only firewood, but also any plant residues: dry grass, tops, old brooms from the bathhouse, last year's leaves. When different raw materials are burned, a complex of elements of different composition is obtained. One has more potassium, the other has more phosphorus, etc.

Table: content of substances in ash from different materials

A bucket of ash can be obtained by burning dry potato tops collected from one hundred square meters of land

By the way, wood ash is sold in shops for gardeners, but buying it for a whole strawberry plantation is unprofitable, since consumption, compared to mineral fertilizers, is high: 1-2 glasses per bucket of water or 1 m².

Ash feeding can be done in one of the following ways:

Pour a glass of ash into a bucket of water, shake it up and, until the heavy fractions have settled, pour the strawberries under the root (0.5 liters per bush).
Moisten the strawberry leaves with clean water from a watering can. Pour the ashes into a large sieve or colander and dust the bushes. You do not need to wash off. The leaves will take away the necessary nutrition, the remnants will crumble or be washed off by the rain and go into the ground, to the roots.

Video: about the composition, benefits and use of ash for fertilization

Contrary to the stereotype, ash and slag formed after burning coal are also fertilizers. But it has the opposite effect of wood ash - it acidifies the soil, and does not alkalize it. It is believed that coal ash contains radioactive elements and heavy metals that accumulate in plants. However, this occurs when the ash concentration in the soil is more than 5%. As an experiment, American researchers fertilized the soil with coal ash for 3 years at a rate of 8 tons per acre of land (200 kg per hundred square meters), which is 1.1%. There was no contamination of groundwater and land, the metal content remained low, and the tomato yield increased by 70%. Such ash contains a lot of potassium, phosphorus, as well as copper, which prevents late blight. But coal ash must be applied simultaneously with organic matter (humus, compost).

Yeast feeding

Another way to improve soil structure without chemicals is to add regular yeast to it. These single-celled microorganisms contribute to the rapid decomposition of organic matter in the ground, that is, they convert it into a form available for plant nutrition. The soil is enriched with vitamins, amino acids, organic iron, microelements, nitrogen and phosphorus are formed. Feeding with yeast improves root formation, and the stronger the roots, the more powerful the bush and the larger the berries on it.

Both dry and compressed yeast are suitable for feeding strawberries.

Fertilizing strawberries with yeast has two features:

yeast is introduced only into warm soil, the optimum temperature for their reproduction is above +20 ⁰C;
during the fermentation process, a lot of potassium and calcium are absorbed from the ground, therefore, after irrigation with a yeast solution, it is imperative to add ash fertilizing.

The easiest strawberry watering yeast wort recipe:

Pour warm water over the shoulders into a three-liter jar.
Add 4-5 tbsp. l. sugar and a pack of dry yeast (12 g) or 25 g raw (pressed).
Mix everything and put it in a warm place for a while, until the yeast starts to "play" and foam appears on top.
Pour all of the wort into a 10 liter bucket or watering can and top up with water heated in the sun.
Water the strawberries at the root at the rate of 0.5–1 liters per bush.

Video: recipe for yeast feeding

There are recipes in which the wort is left to stand for several days until the yeast stops working. But during the fermentation process, alcohol is formed. The end of fermentation indicates that the yeast has died from its high concentration. It turns out that gardeners feed strawberries with a solution, which includes: alcohol, fusel oils formed during fermentation, and dead yeast. At the same time, the whole point of feeding with yeast is lost - to introduce them into the soil alive and let them work there.

Top dressing with ammonia

Ammonia is sold in pharmacies, but it is an excellent fertilizer because it contains a nitrogen compound - ammonia. In addition, the pungent smell of ammonia scares away many pests from strawberries: strawberry weevil, May beetle larvae, aphids, etc. In addition, this solution has disinfecting properties and kills pathogenic fungi that have settled on strawberry leaves.

The standard pharmacy volume is 40 ml, from half to a whole bottle is spent on a bucket of dressing

For feeding, dilute 2-3 tbsp. l. ammonia in 10 liters of water, stir and water over the leaves and the ground. Observe safety precautions while preparing the solution. Ammonia is highly volatile and can burn mucous membranes. Do not inhale its vapors. Open the bottle and measure out the correct dose in the fresh air.

Video: super-remedy for strawberries - ammonia

Processing strawberries with iodine

Iodine is found literally everywhere in nature (water, air, earth), but in very small quantities. Iodine is found in all living organisms, including plants, especially in algae. Alcohol solution of iodine is another drug from the pharmacy that gardeners have adopted. It is believed that this antiseptic protects plants from diseases, and once it is in the ground, it serves as a catalyst for nitrogen metabolism.

Iodine protects strawberries from disease and serves as a catalyst for nitrogen metabolism

Various recipes have been invented and tested, the concentration of iodine in which is very different: from 3 drops to 0.5 tsp. for 10 liters of water. Is there any benefit with the minimum dose - science has not been proven, with the maximum in practice, side effects in the form of leaf burns were not observed. According to reviews, iodine treatment serves as a good prevention of fungal diseases of strawberries.

Video: using an alcoholic iodine solution to process strawberries

Some gardeners believe that iodine cannot be harmed. However, this element is poisonous and volatile. As a result of inhalation of its vapors, a headache, an allergic cough, a runny nose begins. When ingested, all signs of poisoning appear. If the dose exceeds 3 g, the result can be very disastrous. The iodine solution is not so harmless. Do not overfeed plants. To prepare dressings, select a special spoon, measuring cup, bucket, etc. This applies to all fertilizers and preparations.

Strawberries in the spring need to be fed with fertilizers containing nitrogen. Additionally, in order to speed up all metabolic processes, trace elements are introduced. But do not water the beds with all known and available solutions. It is enough to water the strawberries once before flowering with one of the nitrogen-containing dressings (mineral, infusion of mullein or droppings) and after a few days add wood ash or use a purchased mixture of trace elements (growth stimulant). Use non-herbal formulations with caution, as they are not designed to be used at the dosage used for feeding and can sometimes be dangerous.

Fragrant and juicy strawberries are a welcome berry in every country house. Gardeners are trying to occupy large areas with plantings, since the yield, most often, leaves much to be desired. High yields are possible with proper agricultural technology and care. Fertilizing is a necessary process, and fertilized beds on time will respond with healthy berries and a decent harvest. Fertilizing strawberries is an activity that needs special attention.

The need for feeding

Despite the quality of the soil, the variety of strawberries, the region in which your garden is located, high-quality and systematic feeding of the berries is necessary for several reasons. The main reasons include:

increased yield;
improving the quality of berries;
disease resistance;
improved taste.

In addition, fertilization will give you a chance to reduce the volume of the beds, and not lose the amount of the crop. This means that the number of worries will decrease, and there will be more time that can be devoted to other cultures.

Strawberries after spraying with some formulations are less likely to get sick, and fertilized in time and do not undergo diseases at all. This is especially noticeable when mass cultivation of strawberries by gardeners or farmers.

A warning! The amount of dressing and dosage must be observed, otherwise, you can spoil the new crop, or saturate the berry with harmful substances.

Basic feeding

Feeding strawberries can be divided into several main periods:

spring;
at the beginning of fruiting;
when transplanting;
autumn.

Observing the order of feeding, correctly using certain microelements, you will maximize the possibilities of your plantings, save yourself from unnecessary worries, and surprise your neighbors with the amount of healthy and fresh berries.

Ash feeding

Feeding strawberries with ash is the simplest and most affordable feeding method. Wood ash has been used in horticulture for several centuries. It is a source of potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Organic fertilizer contains up to 30 microelements very important for plants. Little ash is required for strawberries, and it reacts with the soil for a long time, releasing beneficial properties, and nourishes the plant.

Wood ash practically does not contain nitrogen, which means that it does not work to increase the green mass of the plant. This allows you to fertilize strawberries during the period of fruiting and autumn growth of new buds.

In the spring, or when replanting, wood ash acts as a catalyst for nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, fertilization will come in handy throughout the season.

Wood ash feeding schedule

Performing work according to this schedule, strawberries will always be protected from external weather and technical changes, even in a harsh climate.

As soon as the night temperature is not lower than +8 0 C, and the plant begins to wake up, it is necessary to remove last year's dry leaves. After loosening the beds, you need to close up 1 tbsp of dry wood ash to each root. It is better to do this in combination with the addition of nitrogen fertilizers to the soil.
When transplanting, or planting young bushes, wood ash must be added to the soil and mixed with the soil. For 1 m 2, no more than 0.5 liters of dry ash is needed.
The onset of fruiting strawberries must be stimulated. This will increase the yield. As soon as the first ovaries appear, it is necessary to loosen the soil, water the bed with settled water, and then pour it with a solution of water and ash. For 10 liters of water, you need 3 tablespoons of ash. Plants can be watered from above with a watering can, in addition to fertilizing, ash is an excellent remedy for weevil.
In the fall, after the entire crop has been harvested and the greens are mowed, the time comes for the last top dressing. This is mid to late August. The bush begins to form new buds, whiskers. Water the bed with a solution of water and ash, adding a bucket of 0.5 liters of dry ash to a 10-liter bucket.

Important! You should not use ash more often than this schedule, since the plant can be burned.

It must be remembered that wood ash reacts with the soil for a very long time, which means it transfers trace elements to the soil for several weeks.

Feeding with urea

Inorganic fertilizer, also called urea. It contains the largest amount of nitrogen. Feeding strawberries with urea is an important part of plant fertilization to build up the green mass of the bush. Strawberries quickly respond to such care and quickly develop a bush that begins to bear fruit much earlier.

Urea fertilization schedule

You need to feed the strawberries with urea once a season. At the beginning of the season, when the bush begins to wake up and grow leaves. As soon as the threat of frost has passed, you need to thoroughly water the bed with settled water and start feeding:

dissolve 40 g of granules in a glass of warm water;
add the solution to 20 liters of settled water and mix;
pour 0.5 liters of solution under the root on highly moistened soil;
do not cover the bushes with foil after watering.

Important! During the summer, foliar feeding can be carried out, which will improve the condition of the greenery or prevent diseases.

To do this, you need to spray the leaves with a solution of urea 10 g per 5 liters of water.

Feeding with iodine

Feeding strawberries with iodine is a very old and proven method. It can rather be attributed to the folk remedies for feeding strawberries. The solution not only nourishes the soil and heals the roots, but also allows prophylaxis against putrefactive diseases, which are common especially in damp and cool summers.

It is necessary to correctly calculate the amount of iodine, otherwise you have the opportunity to burn a healthy fruiting bush, or even all strawberry bushes.

Iodine treatment schedule

Such fertilizers are of two types:

foliar - spraying the leaves with a solution prepared from 5-7 drops of iodine per 10 liters of water, carried out at the beginning of the formation of inflorescences;
root - at the time of the formation of berries, pour water on the strawberry bushes, and then pour 0.5 liters of a solution of 30 drops of iodine and 10 liters of water under each root.

It is necessary to feed strawberries with iodine in dry, but not hot weather, be sure to first water the garden with warm water.

Advice! You can not cover the garden bed after watering with iodine, and it is better to carry out the treatment in the late afternoon.

Boric acid feeding

Boron is a fertilizer that increases the chances of a high-quality harvest, the health of fruit and berry crops. It synthesizes nitrogenous compounds and increases the chlorophyll content in the leaves.

Boric acid is especially needed in new areas where soddy, podzolic soil predominates. On black soil, rich in organic matter, with the introduction of manure, less of it is required. A clear indicator of the lack of this fertilizer is weakness and necrosis of leaves on strawberries.

After boric acid, the plant increases the number of ovaries, forms new buds, the bush becomes powerful and strong, with dark dense leaves and dense thick whiskers.

Boric acid fertilization schedule

Feeding strawberries with boric acid is carried out two times:

in early spring, watered with a solution of 1 g of boric acid per 10 liters of water, as soon as the bushes begin to come to life, after harvesting old leaves, loosening, and previously shedding the beds with warm water;
at the beginning of the formation of buds with a solution of 2 g of boric acid and 2 g of manganese per 10 liters of water, after thoroughly spilling a bed of strawberries with clean water.

Important! Do not under any circumstances process in the heat.

It is best to do this at sunset, as the plants may burn. Do not cover the bed after fertilization with a covering material.

Feeding chicken droppings

Feeding strawberries with chicken droppings is one of the most well-known methods of fighting plant starvation in poor soils. Chicken droppings can restore strawberries even in the most lifeless state, and in a few days you will see the result. The long-term effect on plants is due to the fact that chicken manure contains a huge amount of minerals that are not immediately released into the soil. In two to three months, you can skip fertilizing strawberries if you have chosen a chicken.

Chicken manure contains such elements as: phosphorus, potassium, cobalt, zinc, magnesium, nitrogen, and therefore you should not give it up for fear of burning the plant. It is necessary to correctly calculate the amount of chicken for the solution

Chicken droppings processing schedule

Such fertilization is carried out only once a season, and only if you have not already added chicken droppings when forming a bed and planting strawberries.

It is most convenient to prepare a concentrate that is well stored and used for a variety of crops.

Dilute 1 kg of raw chicken manure with 1 liter of water.
Leave for 1 week in a warm, dark place.
Dilute 1 liter of concentrate in 10 liters of water.
Thoroughly water the bed with clean water, after an hour spill it again with clean water, and check that the soil is saturated by 7-10 cm.
Water the plants at the root of no more than 0.3 liters per bush.

A warning! You need to be careful with the use of chicken manure on the beds.

Especially if you purchased a dry concentrate. At first glance, it seems that its amount is small, in fact, inexperienced gardeners often exceed the dose, and at best, the plant throws off its peduncles and begins to grow greenery. At worst, several beds die.

Feeding strawberries is necessary from the first days of planting, as it quickly depletes the soil. Follow the schedule and portions, and you will never have problems with the berry. Every year on your table there will be fresh and healthy berries, jam, and other fragrant desserts made from homemade strawberries.

Benefits of chicken manure

Bird droppings are rich in nitrogen, without which the plant cannot grow and develop normally. The concentration of minerals in this fertilizer is several times higher than in the manure of farm animals. The product is rich not only in nitrogen, but also in phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, cobalt, zinc.

Even after a single treatment of strawberries with bird droppings, the effect is noticeable: the plant looks stronger, healthier, grows faster, and forms ovaries. And with regular use, the crop yield increases for 2-3 years. This is because nutrients slowly, gradually saturate the soil and root system of the plant.

Poultry manure can be used in various forms. Liquid, dry or granular is used, it all depends on the qualities that you want to endow the soil with.

granulated
liquid

If you use manure as bedding for seedlings, it will protect the soil from drying out, and nourish and improve the structure of the soil. In addition, thanks to this organic mulch, the site will be protected from weeds.

Fertilizer application and storage

It is strongly not recommended to use fresh chicken manure. The mass is too caustic, because it consists of metabolites (chicken waste products) and can damage the plant. Uric acid is converted over time to nitric acid. At the end of the development period, strawberries receive a double dose of nitrogen, due to which the berries are saturated with nitrates.

When the fertilizer is stored for a long time, ammonia is released, and it becomes poisonous. To avoid this, it is recommended to store the droppings in the fresh air, but in such conditions it dries out, and therefore it is important to properly prepare the fertilizer.

You can make compost from chicken manure. Thanks to loose composting, the fertilizer retains its beneficial properties and ripens faster. However, it should be remembered that litter is a strong concentrate, and therefore it must be applied precisely in accordance with the dosage.

If you are making a compost pile, use bird manure as a layer (5–7 cm) between the cattle manure. Such a heap matures from 5 to 8 weeks, if it is compacted, the process will take up to 6 months. Horse, cow, rabbit and sheep can be used as the main manure.

If the compost heap is made from chicken manure, alternate it with a ball of straw, peat, or sawdust. The fertilizer layer is 15–18 cm, and the layer of dry components is from 26 to 28 cm. The total height of the compost structure is 100 cm.

Chicken droppings can be used dry. To extend the shelf life of the fertilizer, it is mixed with loosened peat. The best places for dry fertilization are boxes, nets and plastic containers with holes. The manure storage room should be well ventilated and have a low level of humidity.

Using dry manure for feeding strawberries - video

Such fertilizer is stored for a long time, it can be mixed with liquid fertilizers, compost heaps. Dry manure can be crushed and added to the holes when planting strawberries. However, it is important to correctly calculate the dosage for each hole, because with an excess of fertilizer, you can harm the plant.

Chicken manure feed

You need to carefully feed the strawberries with chicken dung so that the plant will only benefit. There are different types of feeding.

Another important point is adherence to the timing of feeding. It must be done at the beginning of plant development, otherwise you risk overfeeding the berries with nitrates or getting too much foliage and mustache.

Granulated droppings are introduced into the soil in a ratio of 200-300 g per 1 m². The concentrated pellet should not touch the plants or seeds. This fertilizer contains a lot of nitrogen, which saturates the soil with minerals. To prevent nutrients from being washed out of the soil, fertilizer is added to the ground in early autumn. Gardeners recommend buying just such a litter.

You can also make a bedding with fresh chicken manure. The advantage of this fertilizer is that it is not very concentrated, and therefore not so dangerous for strawberries, protects the soil from drying out and gradually saturates it with minerals.

The basis of the litter is straw or peat, chicken manure is placed on top, which is introduced gradually, until the litter eventually reaches 50 cm, then it is changed. Moisture, insects and sun will compost the litter. Over time, the soil is saturated with minerals, which it transfers to the plant's root system.

Spring feeding of strawberries

It is better to feed the plant in spring, when it has just woken up. At this time, the leaves are actively growing, but the strawberries are not blooming yet.
If you do top dressing earlier, then the dormant plant will not have time to assimilate nitrogen. Top dressing during the flowering period threatens with a slowdown in the development of the bush and a decrease in yield.

Before fertilizing strawberries with chicken droppings, you need to moisten the soil. This can be done even after the rain.

Fertilizer consumption for strawberries:

Plants 3 years old: 12 liters for 7-10 bushes;
young growth 1 year old - 12 liters per 25 bushes.

After feeding, pour over the bushes with clean water to wash off the concentrate that accidentally got on it.

Strawberry fertilization rules

Chicken manure is a highly concentrated organic fertilizer that is best used in less quantities.
The ideal ratio for making a liquid fertilizer is 1:48 (one part bird droppings and 48 parts water), although some use a different calculation: 1:98. Then the liquid fertilizer must be insisted for 4–5 days in a warm place (at + 20 ° С).

Every gardener knows that strawberry fertilizers are a very necessary and necessary food! This berry is sensitive to deficiencies of nutrients, and this is very quickly reflected in its development and fertility. What to choose among dozens of plant fertilizers? How to use them correctly?

Positive aspects of spring feeding

After the snow has melted and the plant has begun to gain growth, it follows. This will speed up the vegetation processes, form new buds faster, improve flowering and fruiting.

In this case, the main thing is not to overdo it, so that the strawberries do not grow and stop bearing fruit.

Fertilizers for strawberries increase the yield by 30-40%, and with perfect plantation care, up to a kilogram of berries can be harvested from one bush!

Before you start preparatory work on processing plants, you need to familiarize yourself with some feeding rules:

fertilization of strawberries in the spring is carried out 2 times;
the third time after harvesting;
in mid-April, the first stage takes place, mineral fertilizers are applied;
ash or potassium nitrate is used a second time;
the feeding of strawberries itself is carried out during the ripening of the berries.

Fertilizers for strawberries

Organic

This is a compost talker, which is made from rotted grass, leaves, food waste. "Ingredients" are mixed with water until complete dissolution, after which the plants are watered with the resulting compositions.

Chicken droppings are sold in the store or can be easily made at home. The concentrate is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. The solution is kept for several days, and then poured into the soil.

It is important not to overdo it with the main ingredient, so as not to "poison" the strawberries with nitrogen.

The humate substance is laid out between the rows on dry grass, which improves the taste of the berries. It is made from the extract of peat, manure or plant residues.

Wood ash is a worthy substitute for piece fertilizer for strawberries; it is used in powder form in a proportion of 150 g per 1 sq. m. area.

Mineral fertilizers

This kind of feeding is necessary to achieve a high-quality harvest, the berries are large and bulk. Strawberries are fertilized with urea in early spring, 0.5 liters per plant bush. Promotes rapid growth and development of the stem.

Additives of micro-complexes are effective, for example, Zircon, it is not only harmless, but also promotes the removal of harmful substances from the fruits of the plant. Ash is suitable for starting treatment to protect the bushes from pests.

Strawberry fertilization stages

Spring. To fertilize strawberries, many summer residents use highly diluted poultry manure, which will be effective throughout the year. During the second feeding, you can use the mullein, it contains all the elements necessary for the life of the plant. You can water the beds with fresh manure, for this you need to dilute it with water and insist for several days.

You can also feed the product with a complex mineral fertilizer - ammophos, 15 g per 1 sq. m. It is not recommended to fertilize with urea in the spring, the composition will not be able to have a beneficial effect on the soil and developing strawberry bushes, since it will not dissolve in the ground that has frozen after winter.

In the fall, it is important to feed strawberries from the first days of September, you can add Kemir Autumn, 50 g per sq. m. It is forbidden to pour the composition into the center of the plant, only around the bushes. In October, a second run is made, the leaves are cut off, and the strawberries are fertilized with potassium humate. At this time, it will be useful to use superphosphate, which refers to fertilizing with a long dissolution period in the ground. It is better to bring it in in advance, and until the end of March, do not disturb the plant.

Nettle fertilizer will have a positive effect on feeding the bushes after harvest. For these purposes, you need to cut the shoots of the grass and pour boiling water for three days. Then fill the soil around the strawberries with biofertilizer. And it is best to use an organic composition - bean green manure and manure. It goes well with other mineral fertilizers.

Attention: an excess of feeding can lead to a deterioration in the yield and the death of the entire plant. In everything, measure and sound timing must be respected.

Have a wonderful harvest and delicious strawberries!

When to fertilize strawberries. Feeding strawberries in spring - video

Everyone wants to enjoy juicy and tasty strawberries. But for this you need to take care of the health of the plant in advance. So, how to feed strawberries in spring for a good harvest without chemicals?

Our article will highlight some moments from the life of a gardener that will help you grow a juicy and fragrant berry in your area.

The need for an additional source of nutrients for the berry is very great. This may be due to the properties of the soil: it may be depleted or there is a lack of any compounds. For a rich harvest, feeding strawberries from the outside will not be superfluous.

Fertilizer for strawberries can be organic and mineral:

Organic. These include manure, dung, peat, straw, silt, industrial and household waste. It contains a huge amount of substances that contribute to better plant growth. This could be nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and much more. Organic matter is of animal and vegetable origin. When decomposed, minerals and carbon dioxide are formed, which is used for photosynthesis.
Inorganic or mineral. Nutrients are in the form of various salts. Such feeding can be simple, for example, nitrogen, phosphorus when one element is included. And complex when it contains several nutrients.

Having at least a remote idea of the composition of the soil on which it is planned to grow strawberries, you can apply the necessary fertilizers and thereby increase the Victoria harvest.

How and when to apply top dressing to increase the yield

Strawberries need to be fed only three times per season. Fertilization time depends on the development of the bush:

The first top dressing is applied after the end of winter.
Second, the strawberries are needed after they have been harvested. Then, the berry will replenish the supply of nutrients.
The final stage. Fertilizer is applied around the middle of September.

Important: the first feeding is very important for the berry. Fertilizing in early spring, before flowering, will increase disease resistance.

If strawberries have been growing on the site for many years, then they need feeding more than their younger brother. This is due to the properties of the soil, which deteriorate over time and lose nutrients.

You do not need to go far to get the composition for feeding and spend your savings on it. everything you need can be at home at hand. You can saturate the soil with nutrients without chemistry.

1 kg should be diluted in 5 liters of water. Then dilute 0.5 liters again in 10 liters. After that, you can already water the strawberries. If you prepare a solution from packaged yeast, which is usually sold in stores, then the package is diluted in a bucket of water. Next, you need to add 2 tbsp. l. sugar and let stand for 2 hours.

Feeding with yeast will saturate strawberries with many nutrients, and will activate plant growth. And also the introduction of such a solution will prolong the fruiting period, strengthen the roots. Moreover, yeast provokes the development of beneficial soil microflora.

This medication is very popular not only for treatment, but also for feeding. The solution is watered with strawberry bushes in early spring. This will perfectly stimulate the growth of the plant. moreover, they can not only water, but also process leaves and shoots.

To irrigate the soil, make a solution at the rate of 15 drops of iodine per 10 liters of water. And it is also recommended to water the soil before planting the berries. For external treatment of flowering Victoria, the solution is needed less concentrated so as not to burn the leaves. It is prepared like this: 10 drops of iodine are added to 10 liters of water.

Due to the antiseptic properties of the drug, feeding with iodine will be a good prevention of a number of diseases: gray rot and powdery mildew.

This component contains a large amount of trace elements important for the growth of strawberries. Fertilizer can be made by yourself, just burn the old branches and that's it. It is only important not to use painted wood for these purposes.

Top dressing with ash will improve the nutritional properties of the soil, saturate it with all the main microelements. Also, the yield of berries and their taste will increase.

Important: cannot be combined with manure, urea and saltpeter. So, ash will lose all and its useful qualities.

Such feeding activates the work of soil microorganisms and is considered the most effective of the other brethren. It is recommended to feed strawberries from April to mid-May, after the ground warms up well. Such fertilization will improve the properties of the soil, enrich its composition in many components. It will also increase the fruitfulness of the strawberries themselves.

Important: feeding with chicken droppings is needed every 2-3 years. And it is also advisable to observe the proportions of the solution, since an excess of the component will dry out the strawberries.

First you need to fill the droppings with water, and then dilute half a liter in a bucket of water: this will make the most suitable mixture. Further, it is necessary to water, stepping back 5-10 cm from the bush.

This method is suitable for strawberries grown for sale in large quantities. It will help her to recover after winter, saturate it with useful components and protect the berry from diseases and pests. In addition, the consumption of this product is very low.

Important: observe the proportions, as you can simply burn the bush.

To get a good harvest, you need to slightly acidify the soil. The prepared solution is applied to the ground at a distance of about 10 cm from the plant. It is diluted with water, in a ratio of approximately 1: 2. and fed 3 times: before the start of the season, after harvesting and in mid-September.

Such fertilization will saturate the soil with all the main nutrient components, accelerate the ripening of fruits, and increase the plant's immunity to diseases.