How to care for strawberries in July to get a big harvest again

Pruning after fruiting is a necessary part of strawberry care. This simple procedure will help you get even larger and sweeter berries next season.

Why trim your mustache?

Strawberry tendrils are a completely normal process. This is how the plant reproduces. However, if you're not planning to grow strawberry seedlings, you should definitely trim them off.

However, not all tendrils are needed for berry propagation. The first ones produced by the mother bush are considered the most vigorous. These can be rooted, but any remaining ones will not produce viable offspring, so they should also be removed.

Tendrils drain a lot of the plant's energy, and only timely pruning can preserve the strawberry's potential. If they aren't removed, the beds will become increasingly neglected each year, and the berries will become small and tasteless.

Why and how to mow strawberries in summer?

For large plantations, mowing strawberry bushes after fruiting has finished should become the norm. This will not only save time and effort on removing tendrils and old leaves, but also prevent the development of fungal diseases, ensure adequate ventilation of the bed, and help the roots recharge for the next season.

The best results are achieved by mowing strawberries that are 3-4 years old. This has a rejuvenating effect and guarantees an excellent harvest next year. However, it's best to carefully prune young plants rather than mow them.

To do this, use pruning shears or sharp scissors. Be sure to soak them in a potassium permanganate solution before use. Pulling off leaves and tendrils by hand is strictly prohibited. This risks removing not only the above-ground part but also damaging the root.

When to prune strawberries?

The procedure is performed 5-10 days after the last harvest. This usually occurs before July 20th, but much depends on the variety, weather conditions, and other factors. You can tell it's time to do this when new, young foliage appears on the bushes. This procedure often has to be repeated three to four times per season, as tendrils continue to grow and leaves continue to age.

The day before, water the strawberry beds thoroughly. Mow with a very sharp scythe, not cutting down to the roots, but leaving the stems about 3 cm high.

If the bush is diseased or weak, pruning should be done as soon as possible. This can be done two to three days after harvesting, preferably as close to the ground as possible to remove any potential fungal spores.

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It's crucial to remove not only old but also damaged leaves. The first pruning should be done 3-10 days after harvesting, and the last pruning should be done immediately before wintering.

Don't delay pruning your strawberries. You need to give them time to develop new leaves before the cold weather sets in. Bare bushes may not survive the cold, and the strawberries will die.

Time of the event

To help strawberries cope with the stress of removing tendrils and old leaves, perform the procedure at the most opportune time. Ideally, a cloudy day is ideal. Then, pruning can be done at any time of day, but if it's hot, it's best to do it in the evening, about two hours after watering. Avoid pruning tendrils and leaves after heavy rain.

How to feed strawberries after pruning

Traditionally, mineral fertilizers like Elegy are recommended for strawberries, but organic fertilizers also produce excellent results. After harvesting, freshly cut green manure, manure solutions, or fertilizer solutions are ideal. Mulching with peat or fir needles during the formation of new flower buds also produces good results.

You can feed the berries with ammonium nitrate. Just remember that too much nitrogen in the soil will lead to excessive foliage growth but will reduce the quality of the berries.

Generally, according to agricultural practices, strawberries need to be fertilized three times after pruning. The first time, nitrogen is applied, which stimulates the growth of young foliage. After 14 days, a potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied, which helps initiate flower buds. Around mid-September, mullein or other organic matter is used to water the beds.

When fertilizing strawberries, you need to follow the principle: it is better to underfeed than to overfeed.

How to properly care for strawberries after fruiting

After harvesting strawberries, it is very important to maintain soil moisture.

It's a good idea to dig a small trench around each plant before watering to help water reach the roots more quickly. But if you don't have time, at least loosen the soil a few hours after watering.

For fertilizing, you can prepare a "liquor." To do this, add any weed (preferably nettles, hops, etc.) to a third of the barrel, fill it to the top with water, and place it in a sunny spot until fermentation begins. To speed up the process, you can add a little yeast.

Water each strawberry plant with 0.5-1 liter, depending on the age of the strawberry plant. The remaining grass can be spread between the rows.

Caring for strawberries after harvesting in July

In July, most strawberry varieties stop bearing fruit, so the main work is carried out during this period.

To make pruning easier, it's a good idea to fertilize the bush beforehand. Apply a mixture of potassium chloride (20 g), ammonium nitrate (30 g), and superphosphate (50 g) per square meter. The soil and fertilizer should be thoroughly loosened to a depth of about 10 cm and lightly moistened.

Loosen the soil carefully to avoid damaging the roots, which are located almost on the surface. After fertilizing, be sure to cover the bushes with soil so that the adventitious roots are thoroughly covered.

Five to seven days after pruning, when new young leaves begin to grow, re-fertilize with a solution of 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska per bucket of water and 1 cup of wood ash. Water each plant between 1 and 1.5 liters, depending on the age of the strawberry plants.

After a week, you can fertilize the strawberries with a chicken manure solution. Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:20 and water it at the roots. Ten liters of solution is enough for 10 mature plants and 20-25 young ones. For best results, moisten the beds beforehand.

Mineral fertilizers produce excellent results. To do this, purchase a product specifically designed for strawberries, dissolve it according to the instructions, and apply it to the plants. Amofoska is considered a universal fertilizer. It contains not only potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus, but also sulfur, magnesium, and calcium.

In addition to mineral fertilizer, you can use compost. Strawberries always respond well to it. Simply add the compost to a hole dug around the plant. A peat mulch is essential.

Caring for strawberries after harvesting in August

The last month of summer is dry and hot during the day, so watering is paramount. It should be done at least twice a week. Sometimes it may be necessary to do it more often. You can tell if the plant is lacking moisture by drooping leaves.

Watering is carried out at the root or using the sprinkler principle.

Fertilizing continues in August. For this, use a solution of bird droppings (1:20 with water) or mullein (1:15 with water). A ten-liter bucket should be enough for 10-15 bushes. If you need to replant old bushes or plant new ones, this should also be done at the end of August to allow the plants time to take root.

Leaving in September

In September, some strawberry varieties begin to flower. The berries won't have time to ripen, so the plant will simply waste its energy. Therefore, it's necessary to deadhead the flowers and continue removing tendrils and old leaves.

Before the cold weather sets in, strawberries need to be fertilized. A chicken manure solution can be used for this, as it will also provide additional warmth during the winter. It's a good idea to dust the beds with wood ash. Be sure to inspect the bushes, removing any yellowed leaves and any plants that haven't taken root after transplanting.

Watering strawberries after harvesting

It's advisable to water even more frequently than before berry picking. To ensure moisture is retained in the soil longer and reaches the roots in sufficient quantities, it's necessary to regularly loosen the soil around the bushes and apply mulch.

Watering frequency varies from case to case. The soil in the garden bed should always be moist! A dry soil ball should not form. However, there is no set schedule. There are only guidelines. You should be guided by the weather. If it's raining, there's no need to water. If it's hot, water at least once a week. On average, 2-3 buckets of water are used per square meter.

Drip irrigation is the most suitable option for strawberries. Indeed, this method ensures the soil is always sufficiently moist. Plastic bottles can be used for this purpose. Simply cut off the bottom, bury them in the ground up to the shoulders, and fill them with water. Any size can be used, but five- or even ten-liter bottles are more economical. They will need to be refilled much less frequently than 1.5-2 liter bottles.

You can create a drip irrigation system using hoses. They are laid along the garden beds, holes are made where needed, and they are connected to a water source. This can be a water supply, but it's better to place a large barrel on a slightly elevated surface and fill it with water. This will allow the water to heat up. However, if you choose this option, be sure to install a filter to protect the drip irrigation system from leaves, pebbles, and other small debris.

Spring Strawberry Care: Tips from Oktyabrina Ganichkina

When growing strawberries, Oktyabrina Ganichkina places special emphasis on spring care. As soon as frosts end, remove the artificial cover and carefully tuck away any leaves or other natural covering. This will ensure the young seedlings develop well. Watering is not necessary; soil moisture is more than sufficient for the initial period.

But pest control wouldn't hurt. The most proven method is dusting with wood ash. This will repel dangerous insects and provide additional nutrition for the bushes.

After 2 weeks, you can feed the plants with a solution of bird droppings (1:20) or mullein (1:15).

After another week, you can begin watering. While it's not too hot, once every 10-14 days is sufficient; after that, you'll need to water the plants twice a week.

Regular weeding and loosening of the soil is essential, as is mulching of the beds. Oktyabrina Ganichkina recommends placing potato, carrot, and other vegetable peelings between the strawberry plants. She claims this will help enrich the soil with additional nutrients and retain sufficient moisture.

Autumn care for everbearing strawberries

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Everbearing strawberries bear fruit several times per season, so their care differs from that of regular strawberries. Pruning begins around early to mid-September. Mowing is not recommended, as new foliage will not have time to grow before the cold weather sets in. Trim off both tendrils and old or diseased leaves with sharp scissors or pruning shears. Lightly moisten the soil before pruning, but if nights are already chilly, it's best to do this during the day.

After the procedure, it is necessary to loosen the soil and mulch it with straw, hay, fallen leaves or freshly cut green manure.

Unlike regular varieties, it's not possible to fertilize everbearing strawberries three times a day. Therefore, it's best to use complex fertilizers that contain all the necessary nutrients the plant needs to survive the winter and thrive the following season.

Victoria care after harvest

Victoria finishes fruiting in late August-early September. Care involves properly shaping the bushes. Victoria's bushes are compact and should not become overgrown, otherwise, this will negatively impact the quality of the fruit.

How to care for strawberries after planting in the fall

After planting strawberries in the fall, mulch the beds with peat, sawdust, straw or freshly cut green manure.

The strawberries won't require any further intervention until winter. You'll only need to water them once a week while the weather is hot, and two weeks before covering them, fertilize them with a solution of charcoal (one cup per bucket of water) or bird droppings (1:15 with water).

Before the onset of cold weather, loosen the soil between the rows, carefully inspect the bushes for damaged, diseased, or weakened leaves, and also pay attention to the possible presence of pests. They often hibernate in the warm shelter created around the strawberries. To repel them, you can use special pesticides or simply spread onion and garlic peelings between the rows, or dust them with wood ash.

Covering strawberries for the winter

Young strawberries must be protected for the winter! They are not yet strong enough to survive frosts without additional assistance.

For covering, you can use agrofibre, regular pieces of fabric, old blankets, etc. Fallen leaves or straw will provide reliable protection from the cold. However, natural covering should be additionally secured to prevent it from being blown away by gusts of wind. Corn stalks or thin, pruned tree branches left over from growing corn are ideal for this purpose. They are laid along the row spacing.

The first option is more acceptable because, with artificial cover, the beds can be covered at night and uncovered during the day while the cold weather is just beginning. This will harden the plants better. This isn't possible with a natural "blanket."

Pest control

Strawberries can be treated for pests either in early spring or after fruiting has finished. It's dangerous to do so during flowering and fruiting.

After pruning, strawberries should be treated with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. This helps disinfect the cut areas and remaining shoots, as well as the soil around the bushes.

One of the most common pests that attacks strawberry beds is the weevil. To protect against it, use Intavir. Treatments should be repeated twice, once every 14 days. It is also used to kill the insect. If an infestation occurs, apply the solution once a week.

An iodine solution (10 drops per bucket of water) is effective in repelling pests from strawberries. Spray once every 10-14 days.

For treating large plantations, it is recommended to use broad-spectrum insecticides (Kemifos, Actellic, etc.).

Disease prevention

Strawberries suffer from fungal diseases. The spores that cause them are carried by wind, tools used for harvesting, and even by water droplets during watering or rain.

Disease development is promoted by high humidity, dense plantings, placement of beds in lowlands, and excessive amounts of nitrogen during fertilization.

The biological preparations Fitosporin or Fitoplus help protect strawberries from rot.

Zircon is a new product. It is used for foliar application. It is absorbed into the leaf and helps the plant activate its own defenses against diseases and viruses.

Bordeaux mixture is a tried-and-true remedy. A solution of one teaspoon per 500 ml of water is sprayed on plants before flowering, after harvesting, and after mowing or pruning.

It is necessary to regularly inspect strawberry beds, promptly removing affected leaves or plants if it is too late to take action.

One of the folk remedies for combating diseases and pests is planting marigolds, garlic and other fragrant plants next to the berries.

Adviсe

Growing strawberries may seem complicated at first glance, but to get a great harvest, simply follow these guidelines:

• planting should be carried out from May to early June or from late August to mid-September;
• The first tendrils from the mother bush are best suited for propagation; all others should be removed;
• strawberry processing is carried out exclusively before flowering and then after fruiting;
• all work with strawberries should be carried out either early in the morning or after sunset;
• pruning of leaves and removal of tendrils should be carried out only with sharp scissors or pruning shears;
• All tools must be disinfected in a manganese solution before use;
• The beds need to be mixed with compost at least once a year, and it is also advisable to fertilize them with manure to maintain the nutritional composition of the soil;
• It is important to maintain soil moisture and loosen it regularly;
• For the winter, the bushes should be provided with sufficient shelter.

Trimming strawberry runners and leaves is one of the most important aspects of berry planting. Perform this procedure promptly, and don't forget to water and fertilize the beds to ensure a bountiful harvest and ever-tastier berries year after year.