Strawberry planting methods and management techniques

Strawberries are popular for their bright appearance and charming aroma. From February to March every year, when strawberries are ripe, the small baskets or baskets filled with strawberries on the roadside are always quickly sold out, and many people also choose to go to the strawberry farm in person to experience the fun of picking strawberries. Let’s learn about strawberry planting methods and management techniques.

1. Choose suitable varieties or mix them

Choose varieties that bloom a lot under low temperature conditions, have rich pollen , large and neat fruits, good color, light sour taste, and few deformed fruits, such as Fengxiang and Mingbao. For varieties with less pollen and many deformed fruits, such as Qiuxiang, Baojiao Zaosheng, and All-Star, they should be matched with varieties such as Chunxiang and Dana as pollination plants to promote pollination and fertilization, reduce deformed fruits, and increase the proportion of large fruits.

2. Choose healthy and strong seedlings

Healthy and strong seedlings have well-developed root systems and strong disease resistance, which can bring larger, higher-yielding and better-quality strawberries.

3. Apply sufficient high-quality basal fertilizer

Apply more high-quality, well-rotted farmyard manure to provide sufficient nutrients for strawberry growth, flower bud differentiation, flowering and fruit setting, and fruit development, increase fruit size, and improve fruit sugar content and color. Apply 2,000 kg of decomposed chicken manure per mu, combining ditch application and broadcast application.

4. Practice crop rotation to avoid continuous cropping

Crop rotation can enhance the disease resistance of strawberries and reduce the number of deformed fruits and fruits infected by diseases and insects. The open space between sheds can be used for crop rotation.

5. Increase lighting

Insufficient light from 2 weeks before flowering to the flowering period will affect pollination and fertilization, resulting in deformed fruits. Insufficient light during the fruit coloring period will result in the fruit having a bland taste and poor color. On the premise of ensuring the temperature in the greenhouse, the straw thatch should be removed as early as possible and covered as late as possible. A reflective curtain should be hung on the north side of the greenhouse to increase the light, and incandescent lamps can be used for supplementary lighting on rainy or snowy days.

6. Ridge cultivation and mulching

Ridge cultivation reduces the contact between fruit and dripping water from greenhouse film, enhances sunlight exposure, reduces the occurrence of gray mold, and promotes fruit coloring. Covering the ground with film increases ground temperature, reduces air humidity, prevents the fruit from directly contacting the soil, and keeps the fruit surface clean.

7. Strictly control the temperature

The suitable greenhouse temperature is 22-25℃ during the day and 8-10℃ at night during the flowering period, and 20-24℃ during the day and 6-10℃ at night during the fruit expansion period. Too high temperature in the greenhouse will shorten the fruit development period and make the fruit smaller.

8. Water and fertilize appropriately

Water appropriately during the flowering and fruiting period, and drip irrigation is preferred. Insufficient water during the flowering period can lead to poor pollination and fertilization, resulting in deformed fruits. Insufficient water during the fruit expansion period will affect the expansion of the fruit. During the flowering and fruiting period, 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution should be sprayed continuously for 3-4 times.

9. Assisted pollination

Poor pollination and fertilization are the root causes of deformed fruits. Using bees to assist in pollination can effectively reduce the production of deformed fruits. Generally, one box of bees is placed in each greenhouse for pollination during the flowering period.

10. Prevent and control pests and diseases in a timely manner

Spraying pesticides during the flowering period of strawberries can easily cause deformed fruits. If pests and diseases occur during the flowering period, pesticides should be sprayed during the period with fewer flowers. The beehives should be moved out of the greenhouse before spraying and moved back to the greenhouse one week after spraying.

The above is an introduction to the key points of strawberry planting and management. Maintaining a suitable temperature range is very important for the healthy growth and high yield of strawberries.