How to manage strawberries in winter?

As the seasons change and winter approaches, strawberries once again become a popular fruit and more and more farmers are starting to grow them. But in the process of large-scale cultivation, how to improve the quality of strawberries becomes a challenge. To grow sweet and big strawberries, we need to learn how to manage strawberries in winter.

1. Insulation and cold protection measures

Strawberries are very sensitive to low temperatures. They may suffer frost damage when the temperature drops below -7℃, and the plants may die when the temperature drops below -10℃. Therefore, effective anti-cold measures must be taken. Use insulating materials such as straw thatch to reduce heat loss in the greenhouse . When there is no sunlight, cover the greenhouse with crop straw such as rice straw and corn stalks.

When the sun comes out, remove the covering in time. When a cold wave comes, add straw or corn stalks around the shed to increase the temperature inside the shed by 2℃~3℃. If the temperature drops suddenly, you can add another layer of agricultural film or old film on the straw thatch to enhance the thermal insulation effect and prevent rain and snow from soaking the straw thatch.

2. Thinning leaves to control yield

In winter, due to low temperature and insufficient light, the photosynthesis efficiency of strawberries decreases. Timely pruning of the plants can help promote fruit development, root nutrient absorption, and prevent premature aging.

Remove old and diseased leaves in time to reduce nutrient consumption, and retain the fruits reasonably. For large-fruit varieties, retain 3 fruits in the first crop, 6 to 8 fruits in the second crop, and 3 fruits in the third crop, and remove deformed and diseased fruits. Note: avoid removing leaves and thinning flowers and fruits when the field humidity is high and the temperature is low, so as not to aggravate the disease.

3. Fertilizer and water management

Strawberries have a high demand for water and are afraid of drought and cannot tolerate waterlogging. From flowering to fruit ripening, water must be supplied evenly and sufficiently to keep the soil moist. Watering should be done in time according to soil moisture, using drip irrigation in small amounts and multiple times, generally once every 5 to 7 days, to ensure effective water supply for strawberries while saving water.

4. Pest and disease control

Strawberry powdery mildew: caused by Monosodium guanylate, it affects leaves, petioles, inflorescences, fruits, etc., causing white powder to form on the surface of strawberries, seriously affecting yield and quality.

Gray mold: It mainly attacks leaves, flowers, fruit stalks, buds and fruits, especially after flowering in winter, causing brown spots to form on the fruits, which are then densely covered with gray mold, causing the fruits to soften and rot, affecting yield.

Aphids: Greenhouse strawberries are harmed by aphids during the flowering and fruiting period in winter, causing the tender shoots to wither, the tender leaves to become deformed, and inducing fruit to fall. They may also spread viral diseases, seriously affecting yield and quality.

5. Reasonable topdressing

Top dressing should follow the principle of small amounts and multiple times. After transplanting and the seedlings have grown, apply thin fertilizer and water 1 to 2 times. After harvesting each batch of fruit, apply fertilizer in time, and apply 25 to 30 kilograms of compound fertilizer per mu. Fertilization can be combined with irrigation or watering.

In general, good winter strawberry management can effectively improve the quality of strawberries and ensure that the harvested strawberries are both sweet and large.