Even experienced gardeners It is difficult to plant strawberries with seeds for seedlings. The berry does not sprout for a long time, it is very capricious, and with an excess or even a short-term lack of moisture, it immediately dies. But its propagation by seed is sometimes necessary. What are the advantages of growing strawberries from seeds, and what difficulties will you have to overcome?
Choosing a strawberry variety for seedlings
Growing strawberry seedlings yourself begins with choosing your preferred varieties. Gardeners must choose strawberry varieties that are suitable for certain climate conditions and soils. Information about these features is usually placed by manufacturers on seed packages. 
When choosing, it is also important to consider the difficulty of growing the variety. There are a huge number of seeds being sold in garden centers at the moment. different varieties strawberries It is best for beginning gardeners to pay attention to unpretentious varieties with medium-sized berries, which do not differ in complex agricultural technology and can be successfully grown by a person who does not have solid knowledge in the field of agriculture.
Master the production of planting material for large remontant varieties and capricious hybrids can experienced summer residents, familiar with the intricacies of how to plant strawberry seeds for seedlings from scratch. 
Preparing strawberry seeds for seedlings
Thanks to seed germination, you will be able to further control the germination process. To do this, soak the seeds in rain or melt water for about 2-3 days and change it twice daily. Because of this, germination inhibitors in seed material, which slow down the growth of the embryo, will be destroyed. After this period, spread the swollen seeds on damp toilet or filter paper, previously placed on a saucer, thin layer. Then place the whole thing in a plastic bag and move it to a warm, lighted area (but away from direct sunlight, otherwise it will require frequent watering). There is another preparatory procedure - stratification. It helps to obtain stronger, more friendly and healthy seedlings. To carry out stratification, take a container with wet sown seeds, place it in the refrigerator and keep it there for 21-28 days, then put it in a warm place for subsequent germination. 
Soil for strawberry seedlings at home
The soil used for adult plants is categorically unsuitable for seeds. If you take the soil used for seedlings for planting, you will not be able to get seedlings. The composition of the soil for seeds differs significantly. 
You can make soil for strawberries with your own hands using two basic recipes. In the first case, it is recommended to combine the following components in a 1:1:2 ratio:
- peat;
- river sand;
- turf land.
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To provide future plants with high-quality nutrition, the soil must be enriched with complex mineral fertilizer. If it is not available, you can use a mixture of wood ash and rotted manure. It will provide the seedlings with all the necessary nutrition. The second soil option is a mixture in a 1:3:1 ratio of the following components: 
- vermicompost;
- peat;
- coarse river sand.
As a last resort, it is possible to use a two-component soil consisting of 4 parts peat and 1 part coarse sand, but such a composition is undesirable.
An important indicator when growing strawberries from seeds is the acidity of the soil in which the material will be initially sown. It must be neutral. Knowing how to prepare an enriched substrate for strawberries, it is not difficult to meet this criterion.
When to sow strawberry seedlings at home
The process of planting strawberries is not too complicated and differs little from sowing any other crops:
- If sowing occurs in a box, then the distance between the seeds should be from 2 to 5 cm.
- Sowing is carried out superficially; the seeds are not buried in the ground. You can use a toothpick or small tweezers to place them on the surface of the soil.
- It is important to constantly maintain soil moisture by regularly spraying crops before emergence.
- The container with the seeds must be covered with glass, placed in a bag or placed in a greenhouse, since strawberries are demanding of air humidity.
- Until the first shoots appear, the box with the sown seeds can be kept in dark place, however, after the sprouts appear, they will need a lot of light.
It is important to air the seeds daily to avoid rotting and excessive condensation. Gradually, the time outside the greenhouse can be increased. At a temperature of about +18 degrees, the first shoots will appear within two weeks. However, there is a very high probability that the seeds will not germinate evenly - some may sprout only after a month. When most of the seeds have germinated, the cover is removed from the box. 
Caring for strawberry seedlings at home
If strawberry seeds are planted in one container, then after the first three or four true leaves appear, the seedlings must be planted in separate containers, these can be: plastic glasses, tetra-packs, etc. In each container, do not forget to do drainage holes.
Seedlings must be separated carefully so as not to damage the roots. When before disembarkation open ground There are two to three weeks left, the seedlings need to be hardened, that is, accustomed to sunlight, wind, and rain. If there is a balcony or veranda, you need to take the seedlings there, starting at two o’clock, gradually increasing the time. During this time, the seedlings will get used to fresh air, will get stronger.
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Watering strawberry seedlings
Watering depends on weather conditions, i.e. its frequency is determined by soil moisture. It is preferable to water strawberry seedlings in the morning so that the plants have time to dry out by night. Before flowering, you can use the sprinkling method; in this case, the leaves are better cleared of dust and develop faster. From the moment of flowering and then fruiting, water only the soil, avoiding water getting on the plants. 
You should not water frequently, and even in small doses, as such watering leads to the proliferation of diseases (powdery mildew, gray mold). Dry warm weather Water no more than once a week. Before flowering, water consumption per 1 sq. m about 10 -12 liters, with the onset of fruiting it doubles. Can't water cold water, optimal temperature for watering - 18-22 degrees C. 
Picking strawberry seedlings
Picking is carried out when the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves. The sprouts are transplanted into separate small containers (50–100 ml each). For the successful development of the strawberry root system, it must be protected from light. Therefore, containers are taken opaque (dark plastic). You can use regular transparent water cups, but they should be placed in a dark, tall tray. Drainage holes are made in the bottom of the containers. They should be large enough for the sprouts to absorb water from the pan. By watering seedlings through a tray, the development of a powerful root system is accelerated. 
In the soil where the plant is transplanted, make a depression with a stick or pencil. It should be deep enough so that the spine does not bend. A solution of “Kornevin” or another stimulant for root formation is dripped into the hole. The sprout is taken by the leaf and lowered into the prepared hole. The rosette from which the leaves grow should not be buried in the soil, but should not stick out from it either. On the first day after picking, it is advisable to cover the seedlings with film.
Before planting in the ground, caring for seedlings consists of periodic watering, spraying the leaves every 2-3 days, for which they use melt water. Fertilizing is carried out once with liquid complex fertilizer in half the dose 2 weeks before transplanting into the ground.
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Conventional varieties must be planted in soil previously fertilized with rotted manure. It must be applied a month before planting. Apply 1 bucket per 1 sq. m of beds. If the soil is prepared well enough, then during the year only nitrogen compost, 50 g of phosphate fertilizers and about 100 g of potassium fertilizers are added. 
Feeding remontant strawberries varies significantly. Since these varieties are distinguished by strong yield and intensive growth, it is necessary to apply up to 5 buckets organic fertilizer. Also add up to 100 g of complex fertilizers and 5 buckets of peat. Subsequently, slurry or any other complex fertilizers are added. Before applying fertilizer, be sure to water the berries. To prepare slurry, cow dung is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:5; if chicken poop is used, then the proportions are 1:10. For each meter of bed, 10 liters of solution are required.
With the arrival of the first days of summer, we are all looking forward to enjoying juicy, sweet and aromatic strawberries and wild strawberries. The berries grown with your own hands, without the use of any harmful fertilizers, are much healthier and tastier. Planting these plants is a very simple procedure; it is much more difficult to monitor them and achieve fertility. To do this, it is important to know when to plant strawberries and wild strawberries, and how to properly care for them.
Before planting, you need to decide on the variety of strawberries you want to grow. Today, as a rule, planting the variety “Pineapple Strawberry”, these bushes produce sweet and large berries with natural sourness.
When choosing which strawberries to plant, you need to understand that the yield will significantly depend on the seedlings. High-quality seedlings should have at least 4–5 green leaves, and root system located in the cell and closed.
If necessary, strawberries gave good harvest already this year, the diameter of the root collar must be at least 5 mm, and the root shoots must reach at least 6 cm.
Professional gardeners advise purchasing only elite seedlings of the first reproduction. It is believed that a good harvest can be produced by a frigo bush, that is, a bush dug up in early autumn and preserved throughout the winter.
Planting dates
As a rule, strawberries are planted in the fall or in early spring. It is necessary to do this as soon as possible. If the moment is missed, the seedlings may die. This berry is planted in the spring, when it is not yet very hot. This can be done at the end of April or at the beginning of May, the exact period depends on weather conditions.
Planting in spring has certain features:
Answering the question of when to sow strawberries for seedlings, most gardeners say that this must be done in the fall, or more precisely, from August 20 to September 15. But the majority of people traditionally plant strawberries in the spring in order to get the first harvest almost immediately.
How to plant strawberries correctly in spring and autumn
Planting seedlings
If we consider the question of how to plant strawberries correctly, it should be noted that this berry grows best on land that contains peat. Black soil is ideal, but you need to pay attention that groundwater is nearby, but not very close.
Plant seedlings necessary in areas with a slight degree of inclination. It is best if it is located in the southwest. The amount of humus in the soil also plays an important role; it needs at least 3%.
If the beds are located close to groundwater, then their height must be at least 45 cm, but if the ground is dry, a bed height of 20 cm is sufficient. The beds must be located at a distance of at least 1 meter from each other, and the seedling bushes themselves must be located at a distance of 35 cm.
Since the greatest danger for this plant are chafers, it is necessary to locate the beds as far as possible from the forest belt where they are found. If beetle larvae appear on the site, the ground must be treated with ammonia water. As preventative measure You can plant lupins near the strawberry beds; the larvae die when they eat their beans.
Seedlings must be planted in the ground in such a way that their roots do not curl up. Before planting, the bushes should be placed in a cool place for several days, and the mustaches are best placed in a container with water.
It is important that during planting the root system is positioned clearly vertically; if it hangs down, the roots need to be trimmed. Moreover, the root collar must be located at ground level. When planting in dry soil, it must be watered immediately after planting, after which the soil must be fertilized with humus.
Propagation by seeds
Strawberries can also be planted from seeds, for which special preparation is performed:
Growing and caring for melons and watermelons in a greenhouse
Effective methods for planting strawberries:
- Planting nests. One bush is planted in the center, and six around it - in the shape of a hexagon. The distance between bushes is 10 cm. This method makes it possible to get a good harvest, since many bushes are planted at once.
- Planting with free-standing bushes. Seedlings are planted at a distance of approximately 70 cm from each other, so that the bushes do not intertwine, the mustache is periodically trimmed. This is a rather labor-intensive method that produces good berries in large quantities, the fruits come out large, but this method will require constant removal of weeds and loosening of the soil.
- Planting in even rows is a simple and convenient way that makes it possible to get a good harvest.
- Carpet planting is the most popular method. The bushes are planted in rows, and the mustaches are not cut off. With this method, the seedlings have their own microclimate, and they no longer need to be monitored so carefully and often. However, the berries may become small over time.
Care and watering
Plants need water all the time, otherwise they will dry out. It is best to install the system automatic watering
, but not everyone has this opportunity.
It is also necessary to regularly clean the area from pests and remove weeds. For strawberries, the presence of humus or manure is mandatory; in order to prevent the appearance of weeds, it is recommended to mulch the area. Best option mulching – Place thick cardboard on the ground and sprinkle hay or straw on top.
We must not forget that strawberries cannot be grown in one place for longer than 5–6 years; they must be replanted. You also need to replace strawberry varieties every 5 years, otherwise the plants will lose their varietal characteristics.
Planting strawberries for seedlings
Strawberries are a very tasty berry that grows everywhere in gardens. Even in small areas there is room for it almost all the time. The love for this garden crop is evidenced by the large number of varieties bred with the most various sizes, characteristics, fruiting dates, taste of berries.
Strawberries are propagated using whiskers, or rather, root rosettes, formed on them. But taking into account the characteristics of certain varieties, berries are often propagated using seeds.
Gardener's and gardener's lunar calendar for today
As a rule, gardeners plant strawberries in rosettes - they buy them at markets, stores, nurseries, or take them from their plants. True, sometimes seedlings of new or popular varieties of strawberries are unreasonably expensive, much more expensive than the number of berries, which one bush can produce. The seed propagation method is much cheaper, but some find it inaccessible and labor-intensive.
You can collect varietal seeds yourself or buy them at a reasonable price in a store. In addition, you need to take into account that today the vineless varieties of strawberries are popular, so the skills of growing seedlings of the crop from seeds will certainly come in handy for lovers of this berry.
Procuring seeds yourself is beneficial from an economic point of view. To do this, select bushes of the required variety from the garden bed. or just the size you like and strawberry taste. They remove a well-ripened berry from the bush and let it sit for some time. Then remove the seeds from the top surface with a knife, place them on paper and dry. Dried seeds are stored in paper bags until they are planted as seedlings.
The time for sowing strawberry seeds will depend on whether it is for autumn or spring planting The seedlings are intended to be planted in the ground. The main difference in these terms is that from seedlings that are planted in the fall, a full harvest of berries will be the following summer. When planted in spring, there will either be no berries at all, or a meager harvest will ripen. Only remontant varieties at the end of summer they will be able to please you with a large number of berries.
In order for the seedlings to become stronger by the time they are planted in the ground, have real leaves, a powerful root system, and produce their first fruits this year, you need to sow the seeds in the first ten days of February or at the end of January. The complexity of this sowing lies in the need for additional lighting.
For planting in the ground in the fall, seeds for seedlings are sown in April–May. These seedlings will be ready for transplanting into the ground by the end of July.
Can be determined two landing periods seeds for seedlings - May-April and February-January. Although, taking into account climate conditions, deviations from these dates are possible.
Features of growing seedlings from seeds
To obtain planting raw materials, you need to know certain aspects of growing strawberries from seeds.
Description of the garden strawberry variety Albion
Soil preparation
The soil for sowing seeds must be disinfected with any in a convenient way. You can steam it in the oven at a temperature of +150 degrees for 30 minutes or also hold it under a quartz lamp for 30 minutes.
In this case, you can start sowing as soon as the soil cools down.
Seed stratification
To speed up seed germination, they can be placed for 5–6 days in a place where the temperature is no more than +4 degrees. What is unheated suitable for? glass balcony or the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. If possible, you can cover the seeds with snow.
In addition to stratification, seeds can be soaked for a day in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Sowing strawberries
Seeds must be sown in the ground at a distance of 3–4 cm. They are laid out on top without going deep into the ground. This can be done using small tweezers, a sharpened match or a toothpick.
Before seedlings form, the soil must be sprayed with a spray bottle to prevent it from drying out.
There is a practice of keeping seeds in a moist environment for sunlight in a transparent bag, and during the formation of a seedling, plant it in the ground. Sowing on peat tablets also worked well.
Care and emergence of seedlings
The first shoots may appear on days 15–16, but often the seeds begin to germinate only after 3–4 weeks. There have been cases where seedlings appeared after 40–45 days.
The seedlings require regular watering in the first week, but they are so fragile that it is advisable to do this with a small syringe, dripping a few drops next to the sprout.
To maintain the humidity regime, the container with seeds must be covered with a transparent perforated film. It requires holes to prevent condensation from accumulating. The film can be removed when two true leaves are formed.
Transplant seedlings to permanent place best when 3-4 true leaves appear.
Popular varieties
When the experience of growing strawberries from seeds was completed successfully, then next year you can double the number of strawberry bushes by dividing the bushes after fruiting, and from those varieties that produce mustaches, planting material It is advisable to take it from the bushes in the third year of life.
Strawberries are considered a wild berry that grows in the shade; their berries are small and very tasty. Most often we grow strawberries in our gardens and vegetable gardens. It is much easier to collect a good harvest of strawberries from the garden than wild strawberries. However, strawberries are so tasty that my mother grows them in the shade, under a currant bush, just to eat.
We grew it ourselves at home from seeds. Fortunately, now you can buy strawberry seeds in garden stores, and strawberry seedlings grow quite easily at home. The main thing is to know when to plant strawberries. But, if you have lamps for supplementary illumination of plants, you won’t even need to worry about planting dates garden plants. Just check the lunar calendar to ensure your landing day is favorable.
When to plant strawberries for seedlings- it is best if strawberries are planted with seeds for seedlings in February - early March. During this time, fill small bowls, such as egg containers, with soil. Place a layer of snow on top and compact it with a teaspoon. Then place one strawberry seed on the snow, cover the containers with film or glass and place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 2 - 3 weeks. Then place it in a bright place. When the snow melts, it will pull the seed halfway into the soil. For seedlings small seeds light is required, so they should not be covered with soil. The seedlings are tiny, like two green dots on the soil.
The most important thing is not to nail the cotyledons to the soil during watering, so you need to water with a pipette, without getting on the plants, preferably along the edges of the container. When the strawberry seedlings grow a little, they can be planted with soil.
After the spring frosts have passed, the strawberries can be planted in a shkolka (in a specially prepared small bed, free of weeds), if by this time it already has 3 - 4 true leaves. In August, you can plant the bushes in place.
Please note that when sowing strawberries with seeds for seedlings, splitting occurs, that is, not all bushes will have maternal properties.
When to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2020
By lunar calendar, better days To sow strawberry seeds for seedlings in 2020, the following:
- in January It is best to sow strawberries on the 2nd, 14th, 17th, 18th, 20th. January 6 and 21 will be unfavorable for planting seeds;
- when to sow strawberries for seedlings in February: the best days for sowing strawberries are 9 - 12, 14, but sowing is also possible on the 16th - 18th, and it is better not to sow strawberry seeds on February 5th and 19th;
- sowing strawberries for seedlings in March The most successful will be March 7 - 10, you can also do planting work on March 15, 16. Unfavorable days for sowing strawberry seedlings will be March 6 and 21.
Garden strawberries, which we usually call strawberries is one of the most popular berries, which is not only eaten fresh, but also made into jams, jams, drinks and even liqueurs. Therefore, many gardeners are interested in when to sow strawberry seeds in order to get a small harvest of berries this year. We will tell you when to sow strawberry seeds for seedlings in 2019, how to grow strawberry seedlings at home, as well as when and how to plant strawberry seedlings in open ground.
When to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2019
Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings in 2019 can be done on the following days:
- in January try to sow strawberry seeds for seedlings on the 15th or 17th, although the entire range from the 7th to the 20th is suitable. January 2 and 31 are unfavorable for sowing;
- February: the best days for sowing strawberries are the 6th and 7th, but sowing is also possible on the 9th, 11th, 12th, and it is better not to sow strawberry seeds on February 15, 16, 17;
- March: The most favorable days for sowing will be March 8, 14 and 15. Unfavorable days for sowing strawberries are March 2, 16, 17, 18, and 31.
Soil for strawberry seedlings
The soil for growing strawberry seedlings needs light, loose, not very fertile, for example, a mixture of garden soil with sand or ready-made soils Universal, Begonia or For violets. Well-proven soils for strawberries have the following composition:
- vermicompost, non-acidic peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:3:1;
- peat, turf soil and sand in a ratio of 1:1:2.
Before sowing, the soil mixture must be disinfected using any of the following methods:
- shed strong solution potassium permanganate;
- steam in a water bath;
- heat for 5 minutes in the microwave;
- fry for half an hour in the oven at 150 ºC.
After treatment, the soil is placed in a warm place for 2-3 weeks.
Preparing strawberry seeds for sowing
Growing strawberry seedlings must begin with preparing the seed. If you bought seeds, carefully read the instructions - some manufacturers sell material that is ready for sowing. Personally collected seeds should be placed for 30 minutes in a half percent solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed in clean water. Then the seeds are laid out on a damp cloth, covered with another damp cloth, rolled into a roll, placed in plastic bag with perforation or in a box with holes for air exchange in the lid and keep warm for two days, and then stratified in vegetable drawer refrigerator. Check the condition of the seeds from time to time and moisten the wipes.
As soon as the seeds swell, they are ready for sowing, but do not miss the moment: you must not allow small sprouts to appear on the seeds - they easily break off, and nothing will grow from such seeds.
Growing strawberry seedlings from seeds
As a container for growing strawberry seedlings, it is better to use not very deep transparent containers, for example, plastic food boxes in which drainage holes must be made.
Treat the container with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, lay a layer of drainage material in it, then wet soil, compact it, spread the seeds on the surface of the soil with a damp toothpick at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, cover the container with a transparent lid or plastic film and place in a warm, bright place, protected from direct sun. The window sills of western and eastern windows are most suitable for germinating strawberry seeds.
There is a way in which strawberry seedlings are planted simultaneously with stratification seeding material: heat-swollen seeds are not placed in the refrigerator, but are laid out in the manner already described on the surface of dry soil. A layer of snow about 2 cm thick is placed on top of them, the container is covered with a lid or film and kept on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The snow will gradually melt and draw seeds into the soil with it - this is exactly how everything happens in natural conditions. After two weeks, the lidded container is moved to the windowsill.
Planting strawberry seedlings in peat tablets
Strawberry seedlings from seeds develop well in peat tablets.
- Firstly, The tablets contain all the macro- and microelements necessary for seedlings.
- Secondly, you don’t have to bother with preparing the soil and sterilizing it.
- Third, Growing seedlings in tablets allows you to avoid the picking procedure, which is traumatic to the roots of seedlings - if necessary, they are transplanted directly into peat pots with the tablets.
Tablets are made from a pressed peat mixture and enclosed in a mesh shell impregnated with a fungicide that protects seedlings from blackleg and other fungal infections. The diameter of the tablets can be different - from 24 to 44 cm. For strawberry seedlings, tablets with a diameter of 24 or 33 cm are suitable. The tablets are placed in a container with high walls and poured warm water. When the tablets are saturated with moisture and increase in size, the excess water is drained.
Strawberry seeds using a damp toothpick laid out in holes located on the surface of each tablet, after which the container is covered with a transparent lid with holes for air exchange and placed in a warm, bright place where direct sunlight does not reach. If there is no lid, cover the container with plastic wrap, but in this case you will have to ventilate the crops daily and remove condensation from the film.
Strawberry seedlings in a greenhouse
Strawberries are also grown indoors, but it is not the seeds that are planted in the greenhouse, but seedlings that are grown at home or purchased from nurseries.
How to grow frigo strawberry seedlings
Frigo strawberry seedlings are becoming increasingly popular. Countries such as Holland and Great Britain have almost completely switched to growing strawberries using this method. What are frigo seedlings, what are their pros and cons?
In late autumn, developed rosettes of the first and second order are dug out in the garden and stored until planting in open ground or in a greenhouse in comfortable conditions - with an air humidity of 85-90% and a temperature of 0-1 ºC.
The advantage of this method of storing seedlings is that during the winter the rosettes are not exposed to adverse factors, and therefore subsequently produce a high and high-quality harvest. In addition, planting frigo in the ground at different times allows you to obtain berries almost continuously throughout the season. Frigo seedlings tolerate transportation well and quickly take root, and all the nutrients that the rosette has accumulated over the past season are not spent on the development of the bush, but are used to form more berries.
- class A - these are rosettes with a diameter of 12-15 cm, which form no more than two flower arrows;
- class A+ - rosettes with a diameter of more than 15 cm with a shortened shoot, forming 2-3 flower arrows;
- class A+ extra - the diameter of the rosettes of this category is more than 20 cm, they have lateral horns and at least 5 peduncles are formed.
However, it is difficult for amateur gardeners to use the frigo method, since it is difficult to determine exactly when it is necessary to dig out sockets, and even to create the necessary conditions storing seedlings is also not easy - the temperature in the storage must be constant, since the slightest deviation can lead to either premature germination of buds or freezing of the roots. In addition, expensive equipment is required to process seedlings before storing them. Therefore, it is better not to grow frigo seedlings, but to buy them.
Is it worth it to buy strawberry seedlings?
Seedlings are mainly grown using seedlings. remontant strawberries, and hybrid varieties, not forming a mustache. Self-collected seeds of hybrid or remontant varieties are not suitable for propagation, because the seedlings grown from them rarely retain the characteristics of the variety. It is in such cases that you have to purchase strawberry seedlings.
Where to buy strawberry seedlings? When purchasing seedlings on the market, you will not receive any guarantees other than the seller’s assurances, so it is better to purchase seedlings in nurseries, garden pavilions or at fairs where seedlings are exported by manufacturers. Since garden strawberries are susceptible to diseases and pests, it is very important to be able to choose healthy and high-quality seedlings.
How to determine the quality of seedlings? Pay attention to these signs:
- if seedlings have spots on the leaves, this may be a symptom of fungal spots;
- seedlings with faded leaves should alert you, since pallor may be a sign of incurable fusarium necrosis of the horns;
- wrinkling of young leaves may mean that the seedlings are affected by strawberry mites, and it is better not to buy such seedlings;
- healthy seedlings should have shiny, pubescent or leathery leaves of a rich green color;
- the length of the roots of seedlings with an open root system must be at least 7 cm, and the thickness of the horns must be at least 7 mm;
- if the seedlings are sold in pots, make sure that the roots have taken up the entire volume of the container.
Caring for strawberry seedlings at home
Conditions for growing strawberry seedlings
Before the first shoots appear, which may appear in 2-3 weeks, the strawberry crops are kept at a temperature of about 25 ºC, and as soon as the first greens appear, the container is moved to the brightest place, and the temperature is lowered to 18-20 ºC. The covering from the crops has not yet been removed, but continue to ventilate the seedlings daily and, if necessary, remove condensation from the film.
As soon as the seedlings begin to develop their first true leaves, you need to increase the duration of daily ventilation, accustoming the seedlings to the conditions of your home.
To speed up the adaptation process, make several holes in the film.
If the seedlings in the container have sprouted too densely, it is better to thin them out.
Grown and strengthened seedlings growing in a common container are planted in pots, and those seedlings that were immediately sown in separate containers are transplanted into containers bigger size, as soon as their rosettes grow to 5 cm in diameter. after transplantation, the plants are kept at a temperature of 18 to 25 ºC.
Watering strawberry seedlings
Strawberry seedlings at home can survive for a long time without watering - as long as condensation appears on the surface, there is no need to moisten the soil with the seedlings. Then, as the top layer dries, the substrate is watered with melted water or, in extreme cases, water at room temperature that has stood for 24 hours.
Excessive moisture creates a risk of seedlings becoming infected with blackleg. Lack of moisture can also lead to the death of seedlings.
When watering, do not allow water to get on the leaves - this will cause stains on them.
Do not water the seedlings from a watering can; it is better to use a fine spray or syringe to moisten the seedlings at the root.
Fertilizing strawberry seedlings
IN early age Strawberry seedlings are not fed, since they have enough nutrients in the substrate, but when the seedlings have formed four true leaves, they begin to apply fertilizers, which should contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. To fertilize strawberry seedlings, it is better to alternate different compositions every 10-12 days - Kemiru Lux, Aquarin and Mortar, for example, to which it is good to add a two percent solution essential microelements. When preparing the nutrient solution, keep in mind that for seedlings, the dosage indicated in the instructions should be halved.
Illumination of strawberry seedlings
If you sow strawberry seeds in winter or early spring, you will have to organize a source of additional lighting for the seedlings in the form of a phytolamp, LED or fluorescent lamp. This is necessary to ensure that the seedlings do not stretch.
Do not try to get out of the situation with a regular incandescent lamp - it emits the wrong rays that plants need, and also heats the air.
The lamp is installed above the seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm. For the first 2-3 days, when the mass emergence of seedlings begins, the lamps are operated around the clock, and then artificial lighting should work 13-14 hours a day. For convenience, we recommend purchasing a timer socket that turns on and off lighting automatically.
Picking strawberry seedlings
At the stage of formation, the seedlings have 2-4 true leaves; seedlings growing in a common container are planted in separate cups. Before the procedure, the substrate in which the seedlings grow is abundantly moistened, the plants are removed from the soil by the cotyledon leaves, the central root of each seedling is pinched and transplanted into a pot with soil, in which a deep hole must first be made. The seedling is placed so that the root does not curl up when planting. They deepen the seedlings to the same level at which they grew before picking, and then add enough substrate to the pot so that the seedling is immersed in it up to the cotyledon leaves. After picking, the soil around the seedlings is pressed and watered.
Diseases of strawberry seedlings and their treatment
Perhaps the only disease of strawberry seedlings that you really need to be wary of is blackleg. This fungal disease, affecting plants during the seedling period. Progressing black leg on the background high humidity– literally in a few days the base of the affected plant turns black, becomes soft, the stem breaks and lies down. The earlier you detect the disease, the more seedlings you can save from death. Transplant healthy seedlings into a sterile substrate and place in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight. As soon as the seedlings take root, you need to lower the temperature slightly and add a fungicide to the water for irrigation in accordance with the instructions. Sick plants cannot be cured - they are destroyed.
In addition to black leg, seedlings have other problems that worry our readers.
Strawberry seedlings dry out
It happens that with frequent but insufficient watering, the bottom layer of the substrate dries out, and the roots of the seedlings begin to suffocate. Water the seedlings not so often, but abundantly, to saturate the soil to its full depth with moisture.
Strawberry seedlings are rotting
Sometimes seedlings suffocate from excess water and therefore lack of oxygen, so check that the drainage holes are not clogged. Stagnant moisture in plant roots provokes the development of root rot. To avoid such a development of events, transplant the seedlings as soon as possible into a fresh substrate, after first washing their roots in a solution of Fitosporin or potassium permanganate.
Strawberry seedlings stretch out
Since strawberry seeds are sown for seedlings in winter or early spring, the seedlings may lack light, and as a result they become elongated, wither and weaken.
- This also happens when indoors too heat, therefore, after the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to lower the temperature in the room for several days and provide seedlings with round-the-clock additional lighting.
- The reason for the stretching of seedlings can be sowing too thick– seedlings shade each other, and they have to literally reach for the light.
- Seedlings can stretch from oversaturation of the substrate with nitrogen. In this case, you also need to lower the air temperature, stop fertilizing and reduce watering.
Strawberry seedlings have changed leaf color
Most often, the leaves of seedlings change their color due to an excess or, conversely, a deficiency of one or another element in the soil. For example, plants can simply be poisoned by concentrated fertilizers. To wash excess fertilizers from the substrate, you need to spill it with a large amount of water, arranging the container with the crops so that the water flows freely from it. Or just change the substrate.
The leaves of strawberry seedlings can also change color due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil - the stems of the seedlings become thinner, the leaves become smaller and become pale green. Due to the lack of phosphorus in the soil, the leaves on the lower side become purple shade, and if plants do not receive enough potassium, they lower leaves The tips turn yellow and curl. Strawberry seedlings react to iron deficiency by the appearance of chlorotic spots on the leaves; due to a lack of magnesium, the leaves acquire a marbled color, and boron deficiency is expressed in the death of the growing point.
Spots on the leaves of seedlings may also appear due to the fact that sea sand containing salt was included in the soil. It is necessary to transplant the seedlings into a more suitable substrate, rinsing their roots from salt.
An interesting fact is that when grown in peat tablets, seedlings, as a rule, do not get sick... and the like. In the fall, six months before the strawberry seedlings are ready to be transplanted into the garden bed in the spring, you need to add 3-4 kg of compost or humus to the soil for digging for each m² of plot (when cultivating poor soils, the amount of organic matter is doubled), 15-20 g potassium chloride or sulfate and 30-40 g of double superphosphate. In the spring, humus or compost is scattered around the site at the same rate - 3-4 kg per m², then the soil is loosened with a hoe to a depth of 10-12 cm, while at the same time incorporating organic fertilizers into the soil.
Two weeks before planting seedlings in the garden Strawberries are subjected to hardening procedures: seedlings are taken out daily open air at first for a short time, then the duration of the procedure is gradually increased until the seedlings can spend in the yard around the clock. Try to gradually accustom them to direct rays of the sun, but make sure that the seedlings do not stand in a draft.
Strawberry seedlings are planted in open ground when the return spring frosts have left behind and the soil has warmed up to 12 ºC, that is, from mid-May to mid-June. Planting is carried out after 17:00 or on a cloudy day. On a leveled bed, deep and wide holes are made at a distance of 20 to 40 cm in a row - depending on what variety of garden strawberries you are planting. The row spacing is left from 40 to 70 cm wide. The soil, which is removed from each hole, is mixed with two glasses of wood ash, this mixture is poured into the hole in a heap and a strawberry seedling is placed on the heap.
The roots of the seedling are straightened, the soil mixture is gradually added to the hole, while at the same time adding water in small portions so that there is no air left in the roots of the seedling. The seedlings are buried so that the heart eventually ends up at the level of the surface of the plot. If the heart is underground, the plant's apical buds will dry out, and if the planting is too shallow, there is a risk of exposing the roots, which can lead to their drying out. After planting, the surface of the area is mulched with a layer of peat 3-5 cm thick.
While there is snow in the garden, a real gardener does not sit idle, but prepares for the next spring-summer season - buys seeds and fertilizers, repairs garden tools, lays the seed for stratification... But you never know what the amateur gardener has to do! After all, besides everything, lately we have to increasingly look on the Internet in search of the necessary information, since in February we need to start sowing garden seeds and garden crops for seedlings. In our articles, we decided to compile all the necessary information on the most popular crops, so that you do not have to collect the necessary information bit by bit from different sites.
In this article we will talk about when to plant strawberry seeds for seedlings, how to grow strawberry seedlings at home and where to buy strawberry seedlings if you cannot grow them yourself. We will try to answer all the questions you asked us about this topic.
When to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2019
- January: from 7 to 20, and the most favorable days– 15 and 17;
- February: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 6 and 7;
- March: from 7 to 20, and the most favorable days are 8, 14 and 15;
- April: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 10 and 11;
- May: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 10 and 16.
Never sow, plant or replant plants during the new moon or full moon.- in these lunar phases all juices flow either to the top or to the rhizome, so the normal development of any crop in the future will be greatly hampered.
Soil for strawberry seedlings
The soil for strawberry seedlings should be loose and crumbly, but not oversaturated with fertilizers.
We offer you several soil options for strawberry seedlings:
- three parts of compost or humus, three parts of garden soil and half of wood ash;
- two parts of turf land and one part each of peat and sand;
- three parts sand and five parts humus;
- one part coconut fiber and one part vermicompost or humus;
- three parts of peat and sand and four parts of vermiculite;
- three parts sand and one part each garden soil and humus.
After you thoroughly mix the ingredients, the soil should be disinfected - baked in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ºC, frozen or spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. After disinfection, the soil is placed in a warm place for 2-3 weeks so that bacteria beneficial to the seeds appear and multiply.
Growing strawberry seedlings from seeds
You can buy seed material, or you can grow strawberries from seeds you collect yourself. The only exceptions are hybrid varieties - their seeds do not transmit varietal characteristics from generation to generation, so you will have to buy new seeds every time.
Growing strawberry seedlings begins with disinfection of the seed. The seeds are placed for half an hour in a half-percent solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed thoroughly in clean water and stratification begins: they are laid out on a moistened linen napkin, covered with the same damp napkin, then a roll is rolled up from this “sandwich”, placed in a plastic container, covered with a perforated lid and keep warm for two days, after which they place the container in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for two weeks. Don't let the napkins dry out– ventilate the seeds and sprinkle them regularly with water, and dry them a little before sowing.
The seeds will be ready for sowing when they swell, but try to prevent them from pecking, because when sowing small sprouts easily break off, and you will wait in vain for seedlings.
Place the disinfected soil for seedlings in a container washed with potassium permanganate solution, compact and moisten it, spread the seeds on the surface in rows at intervals of 3-4 cm using a damp toothpick and do not cover them - strawberry seeds germinate in the light. Cover the container with transparent plastic cover with small holes for air exchange and place it in a bright and warm place where direct sunlight does not reach - the window sills of western or eastern windows are most suitable for such purposes.
There is another way of sowing seeds, which allows you to combine direct sowing with stratification of strawberry seeds. Disinfected seeds that have not been subjected to stratification are laid out in the manner just described on the surface of dry soil, which does not reach the edge of the container by 2 cm, and a layer of snow is placed on top of the seeds to the edge of the container, after which the container is covered with a lid and placed in the refrigerator for two weeks. In the vegetable box, the snow will gradually melt and draw seeds into the soil, as usually happens in the garden in the spring. After two weeks, the container is moved to a windowsill under bright but diffused light, but the lid is not removed until the first shoots appear.
How to grow strawberry seedlings in tablets
Strawberry seedlings from seeds develop well in peat tablets. They are convenient because you don’t need to bother with preparing and disinfecting the soil, and you can skip picking the seedlings.
Peat tablets are placed in a container and filled with water so that they increase in size, after which the seeds that have undergone the disinfection and stratification procedure are placed into the tablets using a damp toothpick. To prevent moisture from evaporating quickly, cover the container with a transparent lid and then place it in a warm, bright place.
It will be necessary to ventilate the crops daily and remove condensation from the lid, so that mold does not appear on the substrate, but if you suddenly find it, remove the mold and water the area with a fungicide solution. Remove the covering as soon as the seedlings begin to develop their first true leaves.
Frigo strawberry seedlings
IN last years appeared new practice dig up developed annual strawberry rosettes of the first and second order for the winter, store dormant bushes with an open root system in sealed packages at a certain temperature and air humidity, and in the spring plant these rosettes in the garden bed. The advantage of frigo is that that such strawberry seedlings quickly take root in the spring and grow, since during the winter with proper storage normal plant biorhythms are not disturbed.
By choosing the timing of planting frigo at your discretion, you can get a harvest by the planned date. In addition, frigo strawberry seedlings take up little space during storage.
Specialists from the UK and the Netherlands, who developed this method of growing strawberries, have already completely switched to frigo seedlings, which are divided into three classes:
- class A– seedlings with a rosette diameter of 12 to 15 cm, usually forming no more than two peduncles;
- class A+– seedlings with a shortened shoot with a diameter of more than 15 cm, forming 2-3 peduncles;
- class A+ extra– the diameter of this seedling is more than 20 cm, it has lateral horns and at least 5 peduncles.
Frigo seedlings also have disadvantages– it is difficult to determine the time to dig out sockets and maintain the temperature (from 0 to 1 ºC) and air humidity (90%) required for storage at home. The disadvantages also include the high cost of frigo, although gardeners claim that the price of seedlings is fully recouped due to its productivity.
Strawberry seedlings in a greenhouse
Usually seedlings of remontant strawberries are grown from seeds, as well as those varieties that do not form mustaches. You can get strawberry seedlings at home and continue growing them in open ground. Or you can plant mature seedlings in a greenhouse and grow strawberries in it all year round. We will tell you how to grow strawberries in a greenhouse in a separate article.
Buy strawberry seedlings – is it worth it?
If you have extensive experience in cultivating strawberries, you will probably be able to grow seedlings yourself. But for novice gardeners this may be challenging task, therefore, for the first time it is better to purchase seedlings from well-established manufacturers. Accept from us Some tips to help you choose healthy seedlings:
- It is best to buy strawberry seedlings directly from nurseries or at fairs. Avoid purchasing seedlings on the market from private traders, because they will not be able to give you any guarantees, while nurseries will not risk their reputation for short-term gain;
- carefully consider the seedlings before purchasing: its heart should be strong and elastic, the seedlings should have a well-developed root system, and there should be no damage to the stems, leaves and roots. Color y healthy seedlings light or bright green;
- the root collar must have a diameter of at least 5 mm;
- there should be no more than three leaves on the rosettes, and there should be no stains on them. Inspect the undersides of leaves for pests.
Caring for strawberry seedlings at home
Conditions for growing strawberry seedlings
Contains strawberry crops in bright warmth place under a transparent covering. If there is no condensation on the inside of the coating, then the soil needs to be moistened; if there is too much condensation, it needs to be removed. Air the crops once or twice a day. Stratified seeds can germinate as early as 4-5 days, and mass shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks. The seedlings will need to be kept at a temperature of 23-25 ºC. After a week, to prevent the sprouts from stretching, the air temperature is lowered to 15-18 ºC.
The covering is removed when the first pair of true leaves develop on the seedlings, but this is done gradually, allowing the seedlings to adapt to environment. At this time, the crops are not watered, and the room temperature is maintained at 18-20 ºC.
Once you remove the cover, the seedlings will need even more light, so be prepared to provide them with additional lighting, and the air temperature at this stage of development should be between 10-15 ºC. Do not forget to regularly ventilate the seedlings, but make sure that they are not exposed to a draft.
Watering strawberry seedlings
It is best to use a pipette or medical syringe for watering, from which you can “water” each seedling at the root once a week. Water for moistening crops should be standing for at least a day or filtered, at the same temperature as the air in the room, or two degrees warmer. Make sure that water did not fall on the leaves of the seedlings, otherwise they may become stained.
Strawberry seedlings should not be over-watered, as this can lead to the appearance of blackleg, a fungal disease. infecting plant during the seedling period. But the soil with crops should also not be allowed to dry out.
Watering the seedlings is carried out either early in the morning or in the evening, after sunset. As prevention against fungal diseases you need to water the seedlings 1-2 times with a fungicide solution (Planriza, Trichodermin or Trichopolum) with an interval of 2-3 weeks.
Illuminating strawberry seedlings
Since they begin to grow strawberry seedlings in winter or early spring, when daylight is still short, you will have to install an artificial light source above the seedlings - a phytolamp, LED or gas-discharge lamp or fluorescent lamp, which should work daily for 13-14 hours. After all, even at 12 noon, natural light in February is not as bright as in May.
Place the lamp above the seedlings at a distance of 20 cm, and for convenience, you can purchase a timer socket that will automatically turn on artificial lighting, for example, at 6 a.m. and turn it off at 11 p.m.—this will be enough daylight for your seedlings.
Picking strawberry seedlings
They pick strawberries at the development stage; they have 3-4 true (toothed) leaves, but this only applies to seedlings growing in a common container. Before picking, they are watered well, removed from the soil by the cotyledon leaves (in no case by the stem!), pinch off their central root and transplant the seedlings into separate cups, where they will grow until planted in open ground. After transplanting, the seedlings are carefully watered.
If you sowed seeds in tablets, then as soon as the roots of the seedlings begin to grow through the mesh, plant them directly in the tablets in separate cups.
Sometimes gardeners carry out not one, but two pickings - the first at the stage of development of 2-3 leaves and the second when the seedlings already have 4-5 leaves. They do this mainly because the seedlings develop too quickly, and weather will not allow seedlings to be planted in the ground on time. In this case, picking can preserve strawberry seedlings, preventing them from overgrowing and even somewhat slowing down their development.
After picking, caring for the seedlings consists of watering, loosening the soil and fertilizing.
Fertilizing strawberry seedlings
Strawberry seedlings at home do not need feeding until picking, but after this procedure, every 10-12 days fertilizers are added to the soil, containing mainly potassium, phosphorus and only small quantity nitrogen. Strawberries prefer water-soluble fertilizers– Kemiru or Solution with the addition of a two percent solution of trace elements and iron chelate.
Diseases of strawberry seedlings and their treatment
At good care Strawberry seedlings do not suffer from diseases, but with chronic waterlogging they can be affected by blackleg - rot of the root collar of seedlings, which manifests itself from the beginning of seed germination to the stage of development of 2-3 leaves. Against the background of high humidity, within 4-6 days the base of the stem turns black, softens, breaks, and the seedling lies down.
If the disease is widespread, pick up healthy seedlings in separate sterile containers into disinfected soil, place them in a warm place and protect them from direct sunlight. As soon as they take root, the temperature can be lowered, and a fungicide (Fitosporin, Baktofit or Maxim) must be added to the water for the first watering.
It is inspiring that seedlings growing in peat tablets practically do not suffer from blackleg, since the tablets are disinfected and impregnated with fungicide.
Sometimes, at home, seedlings can get powdery mildew, and then a whitish coating appears on its leaves and stems, which gradually darkens and becomes dense and brown. Affected plants stop growing and die. The cause of infection may be:
- excessive fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers,
- sudden temperature fluctuations,
- air humidity.
To combat powdery mildew on strawberry seedlings, use solutions of biofungicidal preparations - Alirina-B, Fitosporin, Gamaira or Planriz - prepared in accordance with the instructions.
In conditions of low humidity, strawberry seedlings can be occupied by spider mites, which make small punctures in the leaves of the seedlings and suck out the cell sap through them. In addition, ticks carry incurable viral diseases, such as mosaic. Destroy pests with an acaricide solution– Aktary, Aktellika, Karbofosa, Fitoverma.
Planting strawberry seedlings in open ground
Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, they begin to harden them - gradually accustom them to the conditions in which the strawberries will grow in the garden. During the day, the seedlings are taken out into an unheated room, first for half an hour, increasing the duration of such sessions daily.
A day or two before planting strawberry seedlings in the garden, transfer the seedlings to a balcony or veranda, where the air temperature will be about 10 ºC.
Planting strawberry seedlings in open ground is carried out after return frosts have passed and when the soil warms up to 12 ºC - from mid-May to mid-June. Strawberries are undemanding in terms of soil composition, but grow better on fertilized black soil. wood ash. Peat soils are not suitable for cultivation. It’s good if onions, garlic, legumes, root vegetables or green manure grew on the plot before the strawberries.
Before planting strawberries, the soil should be prepared - dug up, freed from wireworms, May beetle larvae and cereal weeds.
To plant seedlings, choose a cloudy day or after sunset. Deep and wide holes are placed in a row at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other with row spacing 40 cm wide. The soil removed from the holes is mixed with fertilizers in the following proportion: per bucket of soil - 2 cups of ash, a bucket of compost (humus) and a bucket of Strawberry Pink (Rosaceae) Herbaceous Growing seedlings
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