Basic work for the care of strawberries in the fall
Post-harvest care
Strawberries need constant grooming. If you have harvested, this does not mean that you can forget about berries until spring. The first thing to start with is pruning the bushes. As soon as the last berry has been plucked from them, you can begin to trim the antennae and dried leaves. This is very important, because by leaving the leaves on the bushes, you expose the plants to a huge risk of infection with parasites and pests. If young strawberry leaves begin to deform and wrinkle, then this is the first sign that the bushes are infected with a tick. Treat them as soon as possible with any drug from this dangerous pest. In addition, strawberries must completely rest during the winter in order to bear fruit with renewed vigor in the next season. By pruning your plants, you provide them with a long dormant period after harvest. The need for pruning is obvious, but still there is still controversy on this score.
Some gardeners are of the opinion that pruning is the deprivation of plants of the main vegetative organ, so there is little benefit from it. Well, it's up to you, but if you still decide to cut the bushes, then for this you need a pruner, scissors, or just a sharp knife. Pay attention to the cutting height: optimal -10-13 centimeters above ground level. Pruning too low can damage the growth bowl, which is necessary for the formation of new leaves. You can trim not only the leaves, but also the mustache. Remember to leave only the ones you need for the transplant. And here it should be emphasized that the first outlet from the mother bush is best suited for transplanting.
The next stage of caring for strawberries after harvesting after pruning is loosening. The soil must be carefully loosened between the rows, but keep in mind that it is forbidden to loosen it to a depth of more than 10 centimeters right next to the bushes, because you will only harm the plants. Why? The root system of strawberries is superficial. Therefore, if you can safely use a shovel for loosening, then directly near the bushes you can loosen with a hoe. Try to huddle the bushes a little, then the adventitious roots will remain under the soil layer. It is also important to remove all weeds from the garden; neither you nor your strawberries need them.
Strawberry seedlings can also be planted in September. Plants can be planted both in autumn and spring. In spring, you can start planting strawberries when you have the opportunity to do garden work. In autumn, strawberries are planted in September after the rains.
The next stage is feeding. This is a very important care element. Some gardeners believe that fertilizing the soil after harvesting is a waste of time and energy. But spring feeding is needed so that the strawberries can survive the winter and give an excellent harvest next season. Therefore, this business should not be neglected.
After harvesting, you can feed the plants with organic fertilizers. Infusion of chicken manure or mullein is best.
However, it is not worth fertilizing the bushes in its pure form with droppings, because this can cause burns. Dilute the fertilizer with water at a ratio of 1:10. Wood ash can also be used as a top dressing.After harvesting, the bushes also need mineral feeding with superphosphate and potassium salt. You need to fertilize strawberries in autumn in two stages - in September and in mid-October.
Remember that you can start caring for strawberries after harvest in October. Don't wait until fall comes, grab your scissors and start trimming the leaves. And then in September you will only need to fertilize the plants. In addition, by the fall, the bushes will have time to grow new young leaves, which winter well under the snow.
Preparing for winter
Preparing for winter is one of the most important steps in strawberry care during the fall. Strawberry bushes need to be prepared for cold weather. Whether it will be a snowy winter or not - there is no way to guess, and frosts without snow are very dangerous for plants. That is why you must cover the bushes for the winter. This is done not so much for insulation as for snow retention. It is best to use straw as a shelter, because it is also an excellent mineral fertilizer.
If you do not have the opportunity to insulate the bushes with straw, then it's okay. It can be replaced with peat or compost. Foliage, spruce branches, corn stalks can serve as an excellent substitute for straw. Only proper care of the berries after harvest, as well as good preparation for winter, can guarantee a rich harvest in summer.
Video "Care of strawberry bushes"
In this video, an expert will tell you how to properly care for strawberries in spring, summer and fall.