Although growing strawberries can be a very enjoyable experience, there are some common problems and mistakes that can occur along the way. To be successful and achieve healthy plants and the best harvests, there are some important things to consider and avoid. These are the most common strawberry care mistakes that you should avoid!
Care mistakes for strawberries – helpful tips
There are many different mistakes gardeners can make when growing strawberries, and they can all have a significant impact on yield.
You are choosing the wrong location and soil for your strawberry plants
The first step to ensuring a healthy harvest is selecting the right plant varieties and planting them in the right locations. If you want your plants to continue producing fruit, you will need to perform annual maintenance such as removing runners and leaves. These measures are very important to ensure that your plants continue to produce fruit.
The success of the strawberry plants as well as the size and quality of the harvest directly depend on how well the planting site was chosen. Most strawberry species prefer a location with 6 to 10 hours of sunshine per day. They can also tolerate some shade, but the more direct sunlight they have, the moreYou will harvest strawberriescan.
Strawberry plants should be planted in soil that is rich in organic matter and has good drainage.
No space between individual plants leads to disease
Growing strawberries in an optimal location with adequate sunlight and enough space between each plant to ensure adequate air circulation will help prevent the development of some plant diseases.These diseases includeGray mold and black spot disease. Because weeds, insects and diseases can have a devastating effect on any crop, you should take precautions such as proper planting to give your plants the best possible chance of survival.
Strawberry Care Mistakes – Not mulching your plants
Strawberries grow best when mulched with straw. Compost and leaves are other options that can accomplish this task. Mulch helps maintain a clean environment for the berries. It prevents the fruit from going bad and falling to the ground. Mulch also provides plants with protection from extremely high temperatures and retains moisture to reduce the need for irrigation. If you don't protect your strawberry roots with mulch, they risk being damaged by heat or cold. However, if you're not careful, an excess of mulch can cause the roots to become suffocated.
Your plants have received too much or too little water
If you pay attention to the soil, you will have an easy time watering your strawberry plants properly. Stick your finger in the soil near your plants and look around. The soil should be dry at the top but slightly moist at the bottom. If this is the case, water your plants thoroughly and then wait untilthe earth is dry again, before continuing to water them.
If you notice that the soil around your strawberries is dry, water them thoroughly and check on them often. Wait for the soil to dry and water again if it is soggy or wet. If the soil does not dry for several days in a row, you should take measures to improve the drainage of the soil.
Avoid watering your strawberry plants in the middle of the day, but do so either in the morning or evening. If you water your plants in the middle of the day, you could be doing them more harm than good. They will quickly set up a schedule that removes any uncertainty from the casting process.
Care mistakes with strawberries – not removing flowers in the first year
It may seem terrible and can be a difficult process, but deadheading the flowers on a strawberry plant in the first year after planting shows the plant to focus on forming strong and healthy roots. Your plants should produce berries for another 3 to 5 years. If you give the plants enough time to develop a healthy root system, you will be able to harvest even more in the future.
Too much fertilizer for your plant in spring
Over-applying fertilizer in the spring may seem like a great strategy for increasing fruit production, but it may result in your crops producing less fruit. The plant doesn't produce flowers or fruit, but instead produces huge leaves, so you won't get nearly as much fruit as you should.
If you are growing strawberries that will bear fruit in June, you should plant them in the summer after harvesttreat with a fertilizer, which is suitable for berry bushes. If you planted the plants in the summer, you should wait to fertilize until the first new leaves develop. At this point the roots have become established and can absorb the fertilizer.
Also read:Caring for strawberries in March: cutting & fertilizing depending on the variety
