High-yield planting technology of strawberry

Strawberry is a kind of fruit that many friends like to eat now. Its market price is not cheap, but overall the planting benefits are relatively objective. Strawberries have a relatively shallow root system, so you need to choose soil with the following characteristics for planting: high looseness, rich organic matter content , flat terrain, convenient irrigation and drainage, and sandy loam with a pH value between 5.5 and 6.5. Below we will learn about the high-yield strawberry cultivation technology.

1. Variety selection

There are many varieties of strawberries, such as Four Seasons Strawberry, Charlie Strawberry, and Beauty Strawberry. When choosing varieties, you need to consider factors such as local climate, market demand, and water and fertilizer conditions in the planting area. In addition, attention should also be paid to the size, shape, weight, hardness, taste and other characteristics of strawberries, as well as the variety's growth characteristics such as dormancy period, cold resistance and high temperature resistance.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

Choose a plot for planting that has plenty of sunlight, good ventilation, high or flat terrain, deep and fertile soil, loose and transparent soil, high organic matter content, and good drainage and waterlogging prevention properties. The best planting site is sandy soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH range of 5.5-6.5. The previous crop should preferably be grain crops, melon crops, legume crops or green leafy vegetables. After selecting a planting site, deep plowing and sun drying should be carried out 10-15 days in advance. The soil should be plowed 25-35 cm deep. Then, combine land preparation with application of sufficient base fertilizer (base fertilizer is mainly high-quality organic fertilizer or well-rotted farmyard manure, supplemented by nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which is mixed evenly with the soil and then turned into the underground soil), and use drugs (such as soil disinfectants, chlorpyrifos, etc.) to disinfect and sterilize the soil.

After fertilizing and disinfection, the land is prepared and ridges are made. There are two types of bed planting: flat bed planting and high ridge planting. It is recommended to adopt a high ridge planting model (especially in greenhouse planting areas and southern planting areas with more rainfall). Flat-bed planting can be carried out according to the method of 10-20 meters bed length, 1.2-1.5 meters bed width, 15-20 centimeters bed ridge height, and 20-25 centimeters bed ridge width; high-ridge planting can be carried out according to the method of 10-20 meters bed length, 40-50 centimeters ridge width, 20-25 centimeters ridge height, and 30-35 centimeters ridge furrow width.

3. Planting time

Although in theory strawberries can be planted in spring, summer, autumn and winter (in winter they need to be planted in greenhouses), based on farmers' planting habits, the optimal environmental conditions for strawberry growth (including seed germination, seedling growth, flower bud differentiation, fruit enlargement, etc.), and the most favorable factors for achieving high quality and high yield (including strawberry size, yield per mu, color and taste), spring and autumn are usually the most suitable times for strawberry planting (including sowing and transplanting), especially autumn when planting is the most common.

When planting strawberries in spring and autumn, the most suitable temperature is 15-25 degrees Celsius. Generally speaking, March-April in spring and August-September in autumn (in northern regions) or February-March in spring and September-October in autumn (in southern regions) are the best times to grow strawberries. During the two periods of spring (after the weather turns from cold to warm) and autumn (after the high temperature), the temperature is moderate (neither hot nor cold), and the air and soil humidity are relatively suitable, which is conducive to the rapid germination of strawberry seeds in the soil and the healthy growth of seedlings. It is also conducive to the high survival rate, rapid seedling acclimatization and good development of transplanted strawberry seedlings.

4. Seed soaking and germination

First, soak the strawberry seeds in clean water at room temperature for 12-24 hours to allow them to fully absorb water and soften the seed shells. Then take out the seeds, rinse them, and put them in a refrigerator at 0-3 degrees Celsius for 10-15 days of low-temperature treatment. When the temperature is suitable, you can sow the seeds.

5. Planting seeds

Before sowing strawberries, water the planting ground thoroughly in advance, and then sow the seeds after the surface water has completely penetrated into the ground. When sowing, spread the strawberry seeds evenly on the ridges or along the furrows, and then cover the seeds with a thin layer of fine soil or wood ash. Finally, cover the ground with plastic film or straw to maintain temperature and humidity (remove the ground cover in time after the strawberries emerge) to speed up the germination and emergence of strawberry seeds.

6. Transplanting and planting

The most suitable environmental conditions for strawberry transplanting are February to April in spring and August to September in autumn, when the soil temperature is about 20 degrees Celsius and the soil moisture is about 70%. Planting too early or too late, as well as too high or too low temperatures, are not conducive to the survival and growth of strawberry seedlings. Note: When the temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius, the survival rate of strawberry seedlings will be greatly reduced.

The ideal strawberry seedlings should have the following characteristics: 50-70 days old, with arched backs and ear leaves growing at the base of the petiole; uniformly differentiated flower buds; 12-18 cm tall, 25-30 g in weight; free of diseases and pests; stem thickness 0.8-1.2 cm; short and thick petioles; well-developed root system with 6-8 or more long roots. Avoid using seedlings that are too large, too small, or too weak when transplanting.

Before transplanting, pruning the stems, leaves and roots will help the seedlings survive. When handling transplanted seedlings, trim damaged roots, excessively long roots, runners and old leaves at the bottom.

The planting depth of strawberry seedlings should be moderate, avoiding being too deep or too shallow. When planting, the new shoots on top of the new stems are level with the ground. When sowing and raising seedlings, water them in advance and lift them up with soil. When planting, make sure the soil is level with or slightly higher than the ground.

In order to achieve classified management and unify seedling strength, large seedlings, small seedlings, strong seedlings and weak seedlings are classified separately and planted in the same area. Plant strong seedlings late and plant weak seedlings early. In terms of management, the main focus for weak and small seedlings is to promote their growth, while the main focus for large, strong and vigorous seedlings is to control their growth.

When planting seedlings, straighten the roots, pinch the base of the seedling roots and gently lift them up, compact the soil and water them thoroughly. Note that the leaves are evenly spread, with the arch facing the groove and the inflorescence facing the edge of the groove.

After planting, in order to protect the seedlings, immediately use shade nets or other means to provide sun protection for 5-7 days. After the transplanted seedlings recover their normal growth ability, remove the shade net and control water moderately to promote root growth and plant growth.

Depending on the soil, seedlings and planting methods, the amount of strawberry seedlings to be transplanted and planted per acre will also vary. For land with sufficient water and fertilizer and strong seedlings, there are 6,000 to 7,000 plants per mu; for land with insufficient water and fertilizer and weak seedlings, there are 8,000 to 9,000 plants per mu.

7. Water and fertilizer management strategy

After sowing strawberries, keep the seedbed continuously moist to promote seed germination and emergence. After germination, the seedbed should be kept warm and moisturized. Control the moisture appropriately one week before transplanting. After transplanting and planting, water the plants sufficiently to ensure the soil is moist and to increase the soil temperature, and then water them sufficiently again during the seedling establishment period. Afterwards, control water moderately to promote root growth, plant health and flower bud differentiation. Before the strawberries bloom, try to avoid watering as long as the soil is not too dry (if the soil is dry during the flowering period, water them in advance to prevent water shortage). 5-7 days after the strawberry flowers fade or after the first bunch of young fruits begin to swell, gradually increase the amount of water. During the peak flowering and fruiting period, small amounts of water should be irrigated every 7-10 days. When strawberries enter the mature harvest period, proper water control can promote fruit coloring, weight gain and sweetening.

Before planting strawberries, apply sufficient base fertilizer. The base fertilizer can be 3000-4000 kilograms of fermented farmyard manure and 40-50 kilograms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer per mu (if conditions permit, it is recommended to apply about 10 kilograms of medium and trace element fertilizers and microbial fertilizers per mu respectively). From sowing to flowering, additional fertilizer is generally not required. However, for strawberry planting fields that experience yellowing and slow growth from the seedling stage to before flowering, 6-8 kg of urea or 10-15 kg of high-nitrogen nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer or 3-4 kg of high-nitrogen water-soluble fertilizer can be applied per mu 5-7 days before the strawberries bloom to promote branch and leaf growth and enhance growth.

When the first bunch of young strawberry fruits are set and begin to swell (that is, the peak period of nutrient demand for concentrated flowering and fruiting is approaching), top dressing should be carried out every half a month or every two waterings. In the early stage of fruiting, topdressing should be mainly with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium balanced compound fertilizer or balanced water-soluble fertilizer (to meet the nutritional needs of roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits for comprehensive and vigorous growth). In the middle and late stages of fruiting, topdressing is mainly with high-potassium nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer or high-potassium water-soluble fertilizer (to prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves, and promote fruit enlargement, development, coloring, weight gain and sweetening). Each time you apply top dressing, you can refer to the dosage method of applying 10-15 kg of compound fertilizer per mu or 5-6 kg of water-soluble fertilizer per mu.

8. Plant pruning

After the strawberries are successfully transplanted and planted and the seedlings have grown, wait until the new leaves grow to 3-4 cm, and then remove the old, withered, yellow leaves at the base of the seedlings in stages. Keep the petioles when pruning, and ensure that each seedling has 4 leaves, 1 heart, and 5 leaves to save nutrients and concentrate them on flower bud differentiation.

9. Thinning flowers and fruits

For strawberry seedlings and varieties with large amounts of flowering and fruiting, start thinning the buds from the beginning of the strawberry seedlings, and then thin out the buds, flowers and fruits during the budding stage, peak flowering stage and when the young fruits are the size of soybeans. When thinning buds, select 10-15 high-quality, full buds for each seedling; when thinning flowers and fruits, select 3-5 high-quality, full young fruits on each inflorescence. It is better to thin out the flowers early than to thin out the fruits, and it is better to thin out the buds early than to thin out the flowers. If the soil fertility is poor and the growth is weak, thin out the plants as early as possible, and if the soil fertility is sufficient and the growth is vigorous, thin out the plants as late as possible.

10. Pick the runners and old yellow leaves early

In the early stage of strawberry growth, remove the ineffective runners at the bottom of the seedlings as soon as possible; in the middle and late stages of strawberry growth, while retaining 6-8 healthy, fat and green leaves on each seedling, remove the old yellow leaves and diseased and insect-infested leaves at the bottom of the seedlings in stages (the petioles can be removed after they turn yellow). After pruning the leaves, keep the leaf-to-fruit ratio on the seedlings at around 1.5-2:1.

In general, strawberries are sweet and sour and delicious. If you want to grow good strawberries, it is essential to master the above techniques. Of course, everyone is also welcome to continue to supplement professional knowledge and communicate together.