It's August – time to plant strawberries for a great harvest.

Proper preparation of the bed and soil for planting is essential for a bountiful strawberry harvest. It's also important to time the planting correctly and provide the strawberries with proper care.

Choosing the best landing spot

Strawberries are a crop that requires very specific growing conditions. A plot for growing strawberries should have the following characteristics:

• be level or have a slight slope;
• be well exposed to sunlight for most of the day;
• located in the southwest of the site;
• be high, without prolonged moisture stagnation.

Strawberries will not grow well and bear fruit if planted in low-lying areas or areas prone to spring flooding. Planting berry beds in shade or partial shade significantly reduces the quantity and quality of the harvest: the berries become noticeably smaller and the taste becomes sour. Planting in areas with groundwater levels higher than 60 cm from the soil surface exposes strawberries to frequent fungal diseases. The northwestern part of the plot is also unfavorable for growing strawberries.

Crop rotation rules and choosing neighbors for strawberries

When choosing a planting site, don't neglect such an important agricultural practice as crop rotation. A well-planned crop rotation allows for abundant berry harvests every year. The best predecessors for strawberries are:

• green manure (rapeseed, mustard, buckwheat);
• green;
• legumes;
• onion;
• garlic;
• carrot;
• radish, horseradish.

Plants after which it is not recommended to plant strawberries:

• all nightshades;
• cabbage;
• cucumbers, zucchini;
• pumpkin, Jerusalem artichoke.

As for neighboring plants, strawberries aren't particularly fussy; they thrive with many crops. They'll grow especially well next to:

• flower beds: with marigolds and nasturtiums;
• herbs (basil, sage);
• greens (lettuce, spinach, sorrel);
• garlic and onions.

Nightshades are not the most pleasant companions for strawberries. They quickly draw all the nutrients from the soil and also spread late blight. Planting berry beds near raspberries and rose hips is dangerous. The insect pests of these crops will quickly spread to the strawberry bushes. Cabbage will also not produce a good harvest, as it competes for the same nutrients and requires more frequent watering.

Soil preparation

A light, moisture-retentive soil is ideal for berry crops. These properties are typical of loamy and sandy loam soils. In soils with different compositions, the situation can be improved by adding additional components:

• coarse river sand in the amount of 2-3 buckets per 1 m2 - on heavy and clay soils;
• humus in the amount of 2-3 buckets per 1 m2 - on light, sandy soils.

To increase fertility in any areas except black soil, the following components must be added to 1 m2:

• humus – 1 bucket;
• superphosphate – 2 matchboxes;
• potassium sulfate – 1 tablespoon.

Spread the fertilizer evenly over the surface of the area, dig the soil, and let it rest for 14-20 days. During this time, the soil will settle, and the fertilizer will completely dissolve and become easily absorbed by the strawberries.

Soil acidity is also important for berry bushes. Ideally, soil should be slightly acidic, with a pH of around 5.5-6.0. To make acidic soil suitable for planting, liming is used. Dolomite flour or slaked lime are used for this purpose.

Lime application rates for different soil types

Liming is carried out 4-6 months before planting, because freshly limed soils have a negative effect on the condition of strawberry roots.

How to prepare beds for planting strawberries in August

Depending on the site's characteristics and the gardener's preferences, strawberries can be grown in various bed formations. Each method has its own advantages and advantages.

Easy way to plant

The "level ground" planting method is suitable for high and dry areas. Planting holes are placed in one or two rows. In the first case, the space between rows is 65-70 cm. With a two-row planting scheme, the space between rows is 80 cm, and the spacing between rows is 40 cm. The distance between plants is determined based on the strawberry variety.

Regardless of the planting pattern, dig dividing furrows approximately 15-20 cm deep between rows. These furrows are necessary to collect excess rainwater. This will significantly reduce the risk of disease and pest spread.

Low German-style raised bed for strawberries

A German garden bed is a mound framed by boards or other material. This option is ideal for low-lying areas and marshy areas. The height of the boards depends on the gardener's preference, but is typically 20-25 cm.

The area for the garden bed must be cleared of weeds and the topsoil removed. After installing the box in the prepared area, begin filling it in the following order:

• protective mesh against rodents;
• drainage layer (broken brick, dry branches, expanded clay);
• nutrient soil.

The width of the beds can vary, but to ensure easy maintenance, they should not exceed 80 cm. The planting pattern in such beds can be either single-row or double-row.

Growing strawberries in German beds has a number of advantages:

• convenient to care for plants;
• the soil is not washed away by rain;
• weeds cannot move from one bed to another;
• drainage ensures good soil aeration, which significantly increases crop yields and reduces the risk of fungal diseases spreading;
• give the area an aesthetically attractive appearance.

Raised beds made from barrels or tires

Wooden or plastic barrels, as well as tires from various vehicles, are suitable for creating these beds. Tires from combine harvesters, VAZ, and MAZ trucks are ideal. The containers should be dug slightly into the ground and filled with fertile soil. To increase the usable area, the inner part of the tires is cut out. For a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, the tires can be painted.

Such beds have many advantages:

• it is convenient to perform agricultural work (no need to bend down low);
• durability;
• compactness and mobility (can be moved);
• absence of material costs.

The only drawback when choosing such beds is the small volume of plantings; even the largest tire will only fit 5-6 berry bushes.

Planting under agrofibre

This is the most common method for planting strawberries among gardeners. Agrofibre can be used in either a regular raised bed or a "German"-style bed. In both cases, the soil must be thoroughly dug and the necessary fertilizers added. Then, the fabric should be spread over the soil and secured with wire pins.

The fabric is available in standard sizes: 1.6 m or 3.2 m wide. This should be taken into account when planning the length and width of the bed to avoid joints. The agrotextile usually comes with pre-drilled planting holes. If you purchased a continuous agrotextile, mark it according to your desired planting pattern. Cut a cross-shaped cut in the fabric at the marked locations with a sharp knife, and pull out the corners. Plant strawberries in the resulting holes.

The use of agrofibre has a number of advantages:

• the material allows moisture and air to pass through perfectly, but does not allow weeds to grow;
• the berries have no contact with the ground;
• the harvest ripens 1-2 weeks earlier due to the rapid warming of the soil in the spring;
• excellent aeration is ensured (the soil surface does not dry out and a crust does not form).

Decorative vertical beds

Vertical strawberry planting systems are very popular among those with small gardens. The most common planting methods are:

• wooden pyramid garden bed

This structure is made from several tiers of square wooden boxes. The boxes can vary in size, but each tier should be 30-35 cm smaller than the previous one. First, prepare the desired number of boxes. Then, starting with the largest, stack them on top of each other, filling each one with fertile soil. The bed can have from three to nine tiers.

• into metal or plastic pipes

Pipes with a diameter of at least 15 cm are suitable. Holes should be cut staggered along the entire length of the pipes at intervals of approximately 20 cm. It's best to set the pipe in concrete or attach it in several places to a support, such as a veranda or gazebo. Fill the installed structure with nutritious soil mixture and plant the strawberries.

• in plastic bottles

Fill cut plastic bottles with soil and secure them with rope to any vertical surface. Each bottle accommodates one plant.

Advantages of vertical beds:

• save space;
• decorate the area;
• contact of berries with soil is excluded;
• easy to care for (no weeds).

General recommendations for planting strawberries

Regardless of which method of arranging the beds you choose, to obtain a good and high-quality harvest, you need to know some of the features of caring for and growing this crop.

When to plant

Both spring and fall are suitable for planting strawberry bushes. Seedlings grown from seeds are transplanted into the ground in May or June. A good guideline is an average daily temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.

When propagating strawberries using runners, planting can be done from early August to mid-October. It's important to complete planting a month before the first frost. Agronomists consider August the best month for planting strawberries. Plants planted at this time have time to harden and are virtually free of winter frost. A harvest from such beds can be obtained as early as the following year.

Selecting planting material. Which runners to use for planting

For propagation, runners from healthy, productive bushes are used. To ensure strong offspring, all flower stalks should be removed from the mother bushes in early spring. The rosettes closest to the mother bush have a more developed root system, making them the best planting material. The remaining shoots are unsuitable for further propagation and should be removed.

The rosettes can be buried next to the mother bushes or planted in separate pots. Once the offspring have grown a little and are able to draw moisture from the soil on their own, they are separated from the adult bushes and transplanted to a new location.

Is it possible to plant different varieties of strawberries next to each other?

Planting different strawberry varieties in the same bed is perfectly acceptable. Since strawberries are actually receptacles, not fruits, there's no need to worry about cross-pollination. The only drawback to mixed plantings is confusion caused by overgrown runners.

Experienced gardeners recommend separating adjacent varieties with a few rows of garlic or onions. Pieces of slate dug into the bed between the bushes work well as dividers.

Caring for berry beds

To ensure a good harvest each year, berry beds require proper care. This includes the following agricultural practices:

• Watering

Irrigation of the berry bush depends on weather conditions. During dry summers, watering is done 1-2 times a week. During regular rainfall, watering can be reduced or stopped altogether.

• Mulching

To retain soil moisture for as long as possible, a mulch layer is placed on the beds. Straw, agrofibre, or cardboard can be used as mulch. The mulch is placed between the berry bushes in early spring, immediately after the snow melts. In anticipation of the winter season, the mulch layer is replaced with a fresh layer of dried compost.

Spring mulch prevents weed growth, maintains good soil aeration, and prevents berries from coming into contact with the ground. Winter mulch will protect strawberry roots from freezing and provide additional soil nutrition.

• Top dressing

Fertilizing berry bushes begins in the second year after planting. Agronomists recommend the following feeding schedule:

• in early spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied;
• during the period of bud formation, potassium nitrate is used;
• In the autumn period, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used.

Adviсe

And finally, here are a few more tips to help you get a bigger harvest every year:

• the berries will be larger and sweeter if the beds are placed in a sunny place in the direction from east to west;
• renew plantings every four years (with the exception of some varieties that can bear fruit well for a longer period of time in one place);
• If your garden plot is on a slope, place the berry bed across it so that the plantings will not be washed away by precipitation;
• To kill slugs, caterpillars and other insect pests living in the soil, treat the area immediately before planting with a solution of ammonia (3 tablespoons per bucket of water).

Having become familiar with the basic methods for forming strawberry beds and the rules for caring for them, even the most inexperienced gardener will be able to grow strawberries on their plot and enjoy the berries every summer season.