How to grow strawberries?

Strawberries are rich in malic acid, citric acid and various amino acids. They are heart-shaped or cone-shaped in appearance. They are most grown in Liaoning, Shandong, Hebei, Jiangsu, Anhui and other regions in my country. They are also widely cultivated in Beijing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shaanxi and Taiwan. Let’s learn how to grow strawberries.

1. Site selection

Strawberry planting should avoid low-lying areas prone to waterlogging, and choose land with good drainage, loose soil structure, sufficient fertility, and strong water and fertilizer retention capabilities. The ideal soil should have good air permeability and a pH value that is acidic or neutral. Excessively alkaline soil will inhibit the normal growth of strawberries. When choosing previous crops, soil from bean and melon crops is a better choice.

2. Land preparation

After selecting the land, weeds in the field must be thoroughly removed, the soil must be disinfected, and the land must be dried in the sun for 3 to 5 days. Then apply sufficient amount of organic fertilizer , generally 5000 kg/mu, and mix in appropriate amounts of superphosphate and potassium chloride. After applying the base fertilizer, till the soil to ensure that the fertilizer is fully mixed with the soil to improve soil fertility. Finally, the fields are arranged into ridges, laying a good foundation for the growth and subsequent management of strawberries.

3. Planting

The best time to plant strawberries is usually from August to September. Soon after planting, they will enter the flower bud differentiation period. The management technology at this time is particularly critical, which directly affects the quality and yield of strawberries. When planting, make sure that the inflorescence of each strawberry plant is in the same direction and plant only one seedling in each hole. Pay attention to controlling the planting depth to avoid being too shallow or too deep. Planting density should be determined based on the planting area and soil fertility. It should not be too dense or too sparse to ensure that there is enough growth space between plants.

4. Moisture

Strawberries prefer a humid environment and need to be given sufficient rooting water immediately after planting. After that, irrigate approximately every 5 to 7 days, depending on soil moisture, to prevent the soil from drying out. During the strawberry growing period, a continuous supply of water is essential for plant growth. Especially during the flowering period, the water demand increases sharply. If there is insufficient water, it may cause flowers and fruits to fall, affecting the final yield.

5. Fertilizer

Strawberries have a high demand for nutrients, especially before flowering and fruiting. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing should be applied in a timely and appropriate manner according to the actual growth conditions of the strawberries throughout the growth cycle. The demand for fertilizer reaches its peak during flowering, fruit expansion and ripening. Fruit growth and yield can be promoted by applying fertilizers such as diammonium phosphate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. When applying top dressing, attention should be paid to the comprehensiveness and reasonable ratio of nutrients to support the healthy growth of strawberries.

6. Temperature control

Strawberries have high requirements for temperature and are warm-loving fruits , and are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations. During the planting process, the temperature of the growing environment needs to be strictly controlled. The optimal growth temperature range for strawberries is 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. If the temperature exceeds this range, it may adversely affect the growth of strawberries. Therefore, maintaining a stable and suitable temperature is the key to ensuring good growth of strawberries.

7. Field management

Regular inspections of strawberry gardens are an important part of field management. Remove yellow and diseased leaves in time, clean up fallen flowers, fallen fruits and diseased fruits, and take them out of the garden for centralized treatment to reduce the occurrence of diseases. Control the growth of strawberry plants to avoid excessive consumption of nutrients on leaf growth while neglecting the development of fruits. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the orchard's irrigation and drainage system operates normally, irrigate in time during drought, and prevent water accumulation during the rainy season to avoid affecting root health and fruit quality.

By reducing humidity in the orchard, the risk of root diseases and fruit rot can be reduced, thereby ensuring yield. In addition to the above measures, pest and disease control should not be ignored. Strawberries are susceptible to diseases such as leaf spot and anthracnose. Therefore, patient and meticulous management, and timely identification and treatment of pest and disease problems are essential to improving strawberry yield and quality.

In short, high-yield strawberry cultivation technology covers many aspects from site selection, planting to field management. Through careful management, the yield and economic benefits of strawberries can be effectively improved and the planting goals can be achieved.