Growing strawberries from seeds at home. Planting in open ground

Garden strawberries, also commonly known as strawberries, are one of the favorite berries in every garden. Thanks to breeders, it is presented in an incredible number of varieties, allowing everyone to find their ideal berry. When choosing when to sow strawberries for seedlings, it is important to consider several determining factors.

The main ones are the choice of seed, determining the timing of planting, and compliance with agricultural technology. It is generally accepted that growing strawberries from seeds is a thankless and dreary task, it is much easier to buy ready-made seedlings or propagate existing plants with a mustache. However, when right approach and with some patience, you can get a rich harvest of your own seedlings of the highest quality.

Self-cultivation garden strawberries from seeds is really quite a difficult task, which, however, has a number of serious advantages over buying ready-made seedlings. Among them is the availability of seeds of rare varietal varieties of strawberries. Thanks to online stores, getting the seeds of the desired variety becomes much easier.

Another indisputable advantage of seed cultivation is profitability. The cost of packing seeds rarely exceeds the price of a seedling bush, and after all, much more than one bush will turn out from one pack. In addition, the entire growing process will take place literally before our eyes, which will avoid undesirable effects on future berries by various chemicals and stimulants.

It is important to know that when strawberries are propagated by seeds, the genetic diseases of the parent plant are not transmitted to offspring, as happens with daughter rosettes grown on mustaches. Therefore, this option is a great way to save the planting of your favorite varieties from the disease. Although it is not suitable for hybrid varieties.

Increasingly, varieties of beardless strawberries appear in gardens. propagate them in the usual way, child rosettes, it is impossible, so you have to grow seedlings on your own.

What varieties to choose for sowing

Seeds for growing seedlings of garden strawberries can be purchased at specialized stores or prepared on your own if there is a need to propagate your favorite varieties from your site.

In the second case, it is important to choose the right berries for seeds. For reproduction, choose the strongest, healthiest and most abundantly fruiting plant. The berries will need to be ripe and as close as possible to the varietal characteristics.

The process of obtaining seeds is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance:

1. The pulp is cut off as much as possible from the berry. To obtain seeds, the base and the middle part are used, since they are larger there.
2. The resulting seeds with the remnants of the pulp are laid out on a napkin and dried away from the sun.
3. When the mass dries, it is rubbed with fingers, freeing the seeds from the remnants of the pulp.

Seeds should not be kept too long. optimal time- about six months, in a glass container away from direct sunlight.

The best varieties for amateur strawberry cultivation are the following:

• Lord, mid-season;
• Gums, early ripe;
• Kokinskaya, early ripe;
• Bogotá, late ripening;
• Corrado, medium early;
• Snow White, decorative;
• Festival, mid-season;
• Yellow miracle, remontant;
• Cardinal, mid-late;
• Queen Elizabeth, remontant.

If the experience of growing garden strawberries from seeds turned out to be successful, you can expand this list and get seedlings of even the rarest and most exotic varieties.

Planting dates for strawberry seeds

When choosing the time for sowing seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the time for planting seedlings in the ground - spring or autumn. The main difference between these terms is the time of the first harvest. During the autumn landing spring harvest be full and abundant. If you plant seedlings in the spring, the harvest will be rather meager, since strawberries bear fruit in full force only in the second year of life.

For spring planting, strawberry seeds can be sown for seedlings as early as January or early February. Then by spring it will be possible to get strong plants that can survive a transplant in open ground and bring the first harvest.

It is possible to plant in December, however, in this case, the seedlings will grow before they can be planted in open ground. However, such early boarding justified if greenhouse cultivation is planned.

In colder climates, where the snow melts late, and frosts can continue until the first days of summer, you can sow seeds for seedlings a little later - in March. Then the seedlings will be ready for planting on time.

How to sow strawberry seeds for seedlings

The key to strong and numerous seedlings of garden strawberries from seeds is the exact observance of all the requirements of agricultural technology and careful care of the seedlings. Also an extremely important step is the selection of seeds for sowing. These should be seeds from a trusted manufacturer or from well-established bushes from your garden.

Preparing Strawberry Seeds

To ensure high germination of seeds, whether purchased or harvested on their own, they must first be prepared for planting. To do this, a towel or other fabric that retains moisture well is moistened abundantly. Spread seeds on one half thin layer, the second half of them is covered from above. Then the towel with seeds is wound into a roll, placed in plastic bag and leave for a day in a warm place.

Also, the seeds can be stratified before soaking by placing them for 5-6 days in a room where the temperature does not exceed 5 degrees. After that, they can be soaked in water, a solution of potassium permanganate or a growth stimulator.

Choice of soil and containers

For growing seedlings of strawberries, you can use purchased soil mixtures for horticultural crops or cook it yourself. Gardeners use several options for mixtures for strawberries:

• 3 parts of compost, 3 parts of garden soil, 0.5 parts of wood ash;
• 2 parts sod land, 1 part peat, 1 part sand;
• 3 parts sand. 5 parts of humus;
• 1 part coconut fibers, 1 part biohumus;
• 3 parts peat, 3 parts sand, 4 parts vermiculite;
• 3 parts sand, 1 part garden soil, 1 part compost.

In any case, the soil for sowing seeds must be disinfected. To do this, it is heated in an oven preheated to 150 degrees. If this is not possible, the ground can be frozen or spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. After disinfection, a bag of soil is placed in heat for several weeks so that beneficial bacteria multiply there.

The container for growing seedlings of strawberries can be absolutely any. The main condition is the presence of drainage holes in it. Strawberries grow well both in common boxes and in individual cups. When choosing a container, you should pay attention to whether it will be convenient to create greenhouse conditions after sowing.

The process of planting seeds for seedlings

The process of planting strawberries is not too complicated and differs little from sowing any other crops:

1. If sowing takes place in a box, then the distance between the seeds should be from 2 to 5 cm.
2. Sowing is carried out superficially, the seeds are not buried in the ground. To spread them on the surface of the soil, you can use a toothpick or small tweezers.
3. It is important to constantly maintain soil moisture by regularly spraying crops before germination.
4. The seed container must be covered with glass, placed in a bag or placed in a greenhouse, as strawberries are demanding on air humidity.
5. Watering the crops is not required if the soil is dry - it is sprayed from a spray bottle.
6. Until the first shoots appear, a box of sown seeds can be kept in a dark place, but after the sprouts appear, they will need a lot of light.
7. 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 in two weeks. However, it is very likely that the seeds will not germinate evenly - some may sprout only after a month. When most of the seeds germinate, the shelter is removed from the box.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

Very popular in recent times peat tablets for growing seedlings of the most different cultures. This method has many advantages: environmental friendliness, breathability, ease of planting seedlings in the ground.

The process of sowing strawberry seeds in peat tablets is not complicated:

1. Tablets are placed in a deep container and filled with water, topping it up as needed. The tablets will absorb moisture and spread. You need to add water until the peat tablets stop absorbing it.

2. Seeds are laid out in the holes in the tablet shell.

3. Tablets with future seedlings must be placed in a closed container or greenhouse, as the tablets quickly evaporate moisture.

A greenhouse with peat tablets is kept at a temperature of about 18 degrees, regularly airing and removing accumulated condensate. After the appearance of the first shoots, seedlings can be removed from the greenhouse.

In grown seedlings, roots can be selected from peat tablets, in which case they are sprinkled with earth. Shrunken tablets must be refilled with water, as before planting. Excess that is not absorbed is drained.

After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings dive into a box or pots along with a tablet, filling the empty space between it and the walls with soil.

Seedling care and picking

Temperature regime

At first, the seedlings need a temperature of about 23-25 ​​degrees, a week after germination, the temperature drops to + 15-18, so that the seedlings harden and do not stretch. Seedlings should be protected from drafts and direct sunlight.

Watering

It is important to avoid overfilling, as this can provoke the development of a fungus - a black leg. However, it is also impossible to dry the soil, otherwise the immature seedling roots will die. For irrigation, it is better to use a medical syringe, with which spot watering is carried out under the root of each plant. On contact with leaves, water drops may cause sunburn and spots. Water is used settled, at room temperature.

Lighting

Since sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the winter months, when there is little sunlight, young seedlings need additional lighting. To do this, you can use special phytolamps, LED lights or fluorescent lamps. Additional lighting should work every day for 12-13 hours, from about 6 am to 11 pm. With this mode, the seedlings will not stretch and will be able to form a beautiful and strong rosette of leaves.

Picking seedlings into larger separate containers is carried out at the stage of 2-4 true leaves. Before picking, the seedlings are abundantly watered, removed from the ground by the cotyledon leaves. Do not pull on the stem, as it can easily break. Before planting in a new container, pinch the central root a little to stimulate root formation. After picking, the soil with seedlings is slightly moistened.

After picking, seedlings do not need special care, it needs regular watering and surface loosening of the soil. Also, seedlings can be fed every 10-14 days with water-soluble fertilizers.

Planting garden strawberry seeds for seedlings is not at all such a complicated undertaking as it is commonly thought, while having a significant set of advantages. With proper care and observance of all the rules, the propagation of strawberries by seeds allows you to significantly expand the range of this berry on the site and grow rare or exotic varieties, finished seedling which is not available.

Video

Often garden strawberries propagated by rooting mustaches or with the help of purchased seedlings. But sometimes it happens that you buy bushes of one variety on the market, but in reality a completely different one grows. How to protect yourself from such a misunderstanding and grow the strawberry variety that you really want to see on your site? The answer is simple - buy strawberry seeds, then the result will be guaranteed.

Self-harvesting strawberry seeds

Beginning gardeners have a perspective self-cultivation strawberry seedlings from seeds can cause a feeling of helplessness, because you have to make a lot of efforts so that the plants do not die and begin to bear fruit. But even if you have no idea, how to grow strawberries from seed, this article will help you succeed and get a good harvest.

Growing strawberries from seeds has its own Benefits: the seeds are stored for a long time, and various pathogenic viruses are not transmitted through them. For planting, you can buy ready-made seeds or prepare them yourself. Propagation of strawberries by seeds is possible for any variety, with the exception of hybrids. You can choose strawberry varieties in such a way that berries ripen throughout the summer in your area.

Select strawberries for seeds from well-developed bushes that are not damaged in any way and give a rich harvest. In ripe berries, seeds are recommended to be taken from the middle part, as well as near the base, since they are larger, have a developed embryo and are characterized by high germination energy. Strawberries from seeds of this type will turn out beautiful, fruitful.

Select strawberries for seeds from well-developed bushes that are not damaged in any way and give a rich harvest.

Cut off the pulp layer from the berries, spread on blotting paper and let dry. Then grind the dried mass in the palms, freeing the seeds. Ready planting material should be stored in glass container.

Video about harvesting strawberry seeds

Three months before sowing, the seeds must be stratified - placed in conditions of low temperature + 2 + 4 degrees in a wet state, periodically adding a little water so that the seeds do not dry out. Stir the seeds every two weeks, and dry a little just before sowing.

How to plant strawberries with seeds

• pour a drainage layer of fine gravel or expanded clay on the bottom of the wooden box 1-2 cm deep,
• top layer of fertile soil 10-15 cm,
• compact the soil
• make narrow rows in it with a depth of 0.5 cm,
• fill the grooves with water,
• sow seeds in them, covering them with a one-centimeter layer of soil from above.

Growing strawberry seedlings requires careful care, because this plant loves moisture, warmth and good lighting. The soil in the box should always be slightly damp, make sure that it does not dry out. You will see the first shoots of plants in 20-25 days, then the boxes will need to be placed in a well-lit place and maintain a constant temperature of + 20 + 25 degrees.

Video about growing strawberries

With the appearance of the first true leaves, strawberry seedlings dive into pots or into another box so that the distance between the seedlings is 2-3 cm. You can plant seedlings in open ground at the end of May, when five leaves will already grow on the plants.

Growing strawberry seedlings requires careful care

Knowing how to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds, you can grow any variety and get a sweet, large berry. Just remember that strawberries grown from seeds are not recommended to be planted too deep in the ground, filling up the apical bud, otherwise the plant will not develop properly and will quickly die. And for strawberries planted shallowly, roots can be exposed from watering and soil precipitation, which will also lead to the death of the plant. Observe the optimal planting depth, and then your work will not be in vain.

Tender and tasty garden strawberries, beloved by gardeners, can be seen on almost every country house or garden. personal plot. Often this berry is called a strawberry, although in fact, according to official science, strawberries are small wild berries. You can propagate strawberries with a mustache or by dividing a bush, but if you want to grow in your garden new variety fragrant berry, should resort to the seed method of reproduction. To do this, the seeds are sown on seedlings in winter or spring. Planting dates depend on the climate of the region and when you want to harvest.

When to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2019?

In order to get a harvest of berries this season, strawberry (strawberry) seeds should be planted in winter. You can sow until April, but spring plantings there will be no harvest this year.

According to Lunar calendar, plant strawberry seeds on seedlings should be on the following days:

• January: the best days are 15 and 17, but you can start planting any day from the 7th to the 20th;
• February: 6th and 7th most auspicious days, 9, 11 and 12 numbers can also be sown;
• March: from 7 to 20, but the most best days sowing milk - 8, 14, 15;
• April: from 7 to 17;
• May: from the 6th to the 17th.

In early February and March (from the 1st to the 5th), it is better not to engage in planting, since, according to the lunar calendar, these days are not suitable for crops. Seedlings will be weak if strawberry seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of April after the 17th.

Growing strawberry seedlings at home

The preparation of seeds and soil for planting garden strawberries (strawberries) should be taken care of about two weeks before the sowing date.

Seed preparation

If the seeds are purchased in a store, then they may already be processed and do not require soaking. For seeds collected at the site and purchased planting material that has not been processed, the following procedures must be carried out:

1. Soak for half an hour in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate and rinse well under running water.
2. Wrap the seeds in several layers of damp gauze or cloth, which must be placed in a container with small holes or a plastic bag with holes.
3. Keep the soaked planting material warm for 2 days first, and then 14 days in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

Seeds must be inspected every day and, if necessary, moisten the cloth.

Attention! Sow should be swollen seeds on which sprouts have not yet appeared. Otherwise, the sprouts may break off during planting and nothing will grow from the seeds!

Planting material can be stratified in another way:

1. Sow the seeds swollen in heat in dry soil placed in a seedling container.
2. Cover crops with 2 cm thick snow.
3. Cover the container with foil or a lid.
4. Put on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, where the snow will slowly melt and moisten the planting material.
5. After 14 days, place the container with the crops on the windowsill.

If the planting material is not pre-soaked and stratified, the seeds will germinate for a very long time. Shoots can appear only 30-40 days after sowing.

Soil preparation

For garden strawberries, not very fertile, loose and light soil is needed. From the store, a substrate for Violets, Begonias and Universal is suitable. You can independently prepare the soil mixture from the following components:

• sand - 2 parts;
• sod land - 1 part;
• peat - 1 part.

Suitable for strawberries and the following composition:

• coarse sand - 1 part;
• non-acidic peat - 3 parts;
• biohumus - 1 part.

The land bought in the store can be used immediately, and the ground prepared by yourself should be disinfected. To do this, you can use one of the following methods:

• warm in the oven at +150 degrees for 30 minutes;
• 5 minutes burn in the microwave;
• hold over a water bath;
• pour a dark solution of potassium permanganate.

The earth that has undergone a disinfection procedure is placed in a bag and placed in a warm place for two weeks, where during this time bacteria useful for plants will form and develop in it.

Preparing seed containers

For growing strawberry seedlings, it is recommended to use plastic containers or other similar, not very deep containers. They are processed strong mortar potassium permanganate, after which drainage holes are made in the containers, the bottom is covered with drainage and the containers are filled with soil.

Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings

The compacted moist soil should be carefully loosened with a toothpick and seeds should be distributed over its surface. The distance between them should be at least 3-4 cm. The crops are carefully sprayed with a gentle stream of water from a spray gun and covered with polyethylene. Planting material should germinate in a bright and warm place with an air temperature within +25 degrees. East and west windows are best suited for this, where there is light and no direct sunlight.

Until seedlings appear, crops should be ventilated every day and check the soil moisture. In no case should it dry out. Once upper layer the soil begins to dry out, it is sprayed from a spray bottle with warm water.

Care for strawberries at home

The swollen seeds will hatch in about 14-20 days, after which the seedlings will need to be placed in a well-lit, but cool place. So that the seedlings do not stretch out, they need an air temperature of about + 18 ... + 20 degrees. You do not need to remove the film from the container immediately. Seedlings ventilate daily and, if necessary, moisten the soil. The airing time is gradually increased every day, thus accustoming the seedlings to home growing conditions. When the first true leaves appear on the sprouts, the film will need to be removed completely.

Strawberry pick

Densely sown seedlings are thinned out, and when 2-4 true leaves appear on them, the seedlings are seated in separate pots. Optimal dimensions containers for picking strawberries - about 10 cm deep and 8-10 cm in diameter. Cups with drainage holes are filled with drainage and soil, after which, together with a clod of earth, a strawberry seedling is transferred into them. Seedlings should be pulled out of the old container carefully so as not to damage the roots. If the roots of the plants are tangled, then you will have to get all the bushes, place them in warm water, and when the roots are freed from the ground, carefully separate the seedlings from each other. Before planting in a pot, seedlings should pinch the central root.

When planting strawberries, remember that the root neck of the plant should always remain at ground level!

The transplanted seedlings are watered, and for their better survival, you can drop a little Kornevin or another stimulating solution into the soil.

After picking, strawberry seedlings are grown at temperatures from +18 to +25 degrees.

Watering strawberries

Both a lack of moisture and waterlogging of the soil can lead to the death of seedlings, so watering seedlings should be taken with all responsibility.

While the seedlings are under the film, they are rarely watered or not watered at all, since moisture is retained in the "greenhouse". Condensation is removed from the film every day while airing the seedlings so that the tender seedlings do not get sick with a black leg and die. This is a very dangerous disease for seedlings, which plants are affected by excessive waterlogging.

Watering should be regular, but moderate. It is necessary to moisten the soil with settled or melt water. So that the earth does not wash out, the soil under the bushes is moistened with a spray gun. This must be done so that water does not fall on the leaves.

Additional lighting for strawberry seedlings

Plants planted in February or March will need additional lighting so that the seedlings receive light for 13-14 hours. However, when the seedlings begin to appear, the first three days additional lighting should work around the clock.

Simple incandescent lamps are not suitable for this, because the wrong rays come from them and they exude unnecessary plants. warm air. For illumination, you can use fluorescent or LED lamps or phytolamps. They are installed so that there is a distance of 20-25 cm between them and the seedlings.

Feeding strawberry seedlings

Strawberries should be fed after 4 true leaves appear on the plants. For this, fertilizers are used, which include phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. These fertilizers are:

• Mortar;
• Aquarin;
• Kemira luxury.

They should not be used according to the instructions, but the solution should be made with a concentration half as much. Top dressing is introduced once every 10-14 days, alternating fertilizers.

Strawberry pests

At home, with dry indoor air and a lack of moisture, spider mites can settle on plants. They feed on the juice of the leaves, as a result of which the foliage turns yellow and the seedlings weaken. Pests must be eradicated immediately as they are also vectors viral diseases. discover spider mites you can use a thin cobweb on plants or small dots on reverse side leaves. They are destroyed by spraying with special preparations: Aktara, Aktellik, Karbofos, Fitoverm.

Diseases and treatment of strawberry seedlings

What can seedlings hurt and how to cure it?

Blackleg

First of all, one should be wary of the “black leg” disease, the causes of which we wrote above. Grown at high humidity plants can be affected by fungi, as a result of which the stem becomes soft, which soon begins to turn black. After a few days, the bushes die, as the stems break. Such seedlings can no longer be saved, and not yet affected plants should be transplanted into new soil and watered with a fungicide solution.

seedlings rot

Stagnation of water in the roots can lead to their decay. After a while, the plant itself will begin to turn yellow, blacken and rot. This can happen not only because of frequent, abundant watering, but also if the drainage hole becomes clogged. In this case, excess water will not be able to pour out of containers or pots and will stagnate in the roots, which will begin to rot.

To save the strawberries, the bushes should be taken out, their roots washed in a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin and planted in a new land.

Seedlings of strawberries dry up

If you water the plants rarely or often, but little by little, only the top layer of the substrate will be wetted. As a result, the soil in the root area will be dry almost all the time, and the strawberry bushes will begin to dry out.

In this case, containers with seedlings are placed in a basin of water so that the soil is saturated with water through the drainage holes. After a few minutes, the plantings are put in their place and subsequently watered not too often, but plentifully.

If the color of the leaves has changed

Leaves on seedlings can change their color for several reasons:

• marble color appears due to lack of magnesium in the soil;
• chlorotic spots - due to lack of iron;
• the tips of the leaves turn yellow and twist if there is not enough potassium;
• the underside of the foliage turns purple due to a lack of phosphorus;
• pale green, small and thinned leaves signal a lack of nitrogen;
• leaves can change color even with an excess of fertilizers, therefore, when feeding seedlings, solutions with a lower concentration are used than for adult plants.

Strawberry seedlings are pulled out

So that the seedlings do not stretch out, they are provided with sufficient lighting and grown in a room where it is not hot. Seedlings planted in winter and early spring definitely need additional lighting and air temperature within +20 degrees.

Oversaturation of the soil with nitrogen can also lead to seedlings stretching. In this case, watering is reduced, top dressing is completely stopped, and the plants are placed in a well-lit place with a lower temperature.

If the seedlings are thick, they must be thinned out. Otherwise, the bushes will begin to obscure each other and stretch.

When to plant strawberries in the ground?

The timing of planting seedlings of strawberries on the beds depends on the climatic conditions of the region. In any case, the soil on the site should warm up to +12 degrees. As soon as warm weather sets in and even at night there will be no sub-zero temperature, it's time to plant strawberries in open ground.

About 10 days before this, seedlings should begin to harden off. It is taken out to the site or balcony and left for several hours in the fresh air. By the date of planting, the plants should already be fully adapted and be on the street during the day.

Site preparation

The soil should be sandy or loamy, well fertilized and neutral. If the land in the place chosen for strawberries is acidic, then a year before planting the crop, it should be neutralized.

Prepare a bed for planting strawberries should be in the fall. To do this, they dig it up and fertilize every square meter:

• humus or compost - 3 kg;
• double superphosphate - 30 g;
• sulfate or potassium chloride - 20 g.

In the spring, the earth in the garden is loosened and the same amount of humus or compost is added. Loosening is done with a chopper to a depth of ten centimeters.

Planting strawberries

It is recommended to plant plants in open ground in cloudy weather or in the evening. Depending on the variety of strawberries, holes should be made on the site prepared for planting berries with a distance between rows of 40 to 70 cm. The distance between strawberry bushes should be from 20 to 40 cm.

A nutrient soil mixture should be poured into each hole, after adding a couple of glasses of wood ash to it. A seedling is placed on a hill from the ground and its roots are straightened, which must be covered with soil. To prevent air from remaining between the roots, the earth is poured in parts and immediately watered.

The bushes should be deepened so that the heart is flush with the ground. You can see the correct planting of strawberries in the photo. If the heart is too high above the soil, then the roots will become bare and begin to dry, and if it is immersed in the ground, then the apical buds will dry out and die.

Planted plants must be watered, and the soil around them should be sprinkled with mulch in the form of peat. Mulch with a layer of 3-5 cm will not allow moisture to evaporate quickly, and the soil will not be covered with a crust.

Sowing strawberry seeds according to the lunar calendar, proper care for seedlings and well-made planting in open ground - these are the most necessary for initial stage cultivation conditions for the growth and development of strawberries, which, when early sowing will give a harvest this year. You can find out how and when to plant correctly if you follow the highlighted links.

Some amateur gardeners are wondering how to grow strawberries from seeds, which in general requires certain knowledge, without which you will never get a crop.

In today's article, we will provide the information needed to grow strawberries from seeds, which will be useful to both beginners and experienced gardeners who decide to test their skills in a new path.

It is best to plant strawberry seeds in late February or early March. Some gardeners plant seeds in late December, which is important for areas with a colder climate. Planting seeds at these times will allow the seedlings to get stronger enough for further transplant into open ground.

Moreover, if you plan to spend the whole summer on suburban area, you can plant strawberry seeds in May or June, but in this case, planting seedlings in open ground will take place in the hot summer months, which will require additional care in the form of timely shading and more frequent watering.

Plant strawberry seeds in more late dates we do not recommend, since the seedlings will have to be kept at home until the next season, which is not suitable for all people.

Selection and processing of planting material

Having dealt with the timing of planting seeds at home, you should proceed to the direct selection of these same seeds.

To do right choice check out the following list:

1. Before purchasing seeds, check with the seller if it is possible to grow them in the conditions of your site (the type of soil on your site). The vast majority of strawberry varieties grow well and develop well in soils of any type, but there are exceptions that you need to know about before planting seeds of a dubious variety;
2. Choose varieties that in the best way suitable for the climatic conditions of your region. In addition, there are varieties resistant to certain diseases, but with a smaller yield, as well as varieties with a larger yield, but susceptible to diseases. Based on this, you should choose exactly the sort of strawberry that is right for you in these matters;
3. Decide in what position you will grow strawberries. Modern varieties have both horizontally and vertically growing specimens;
4. Decide on the final taste of the berry itself, which can be sweet, tart, sour, as well as banana and pineapple.

The most popular strawberry varieties in the CIS countries are the following samples:

1. Gigantella;
2. Masha;
3. Victoria;
4. Gum;
5. Anapolis;
6. Camarosa;
7. Regina;
8. Fragor.

Strawberry seeds should be purchased at flower shops, or from trusted breeders of this crop. Often seeds from such suppliers have high quality and good germination. Before planting seeds, all damaged, underdeveloped and abnormal appearance samples.

We do not recommend using seeds from store-bought strawberries for human consumption, as there is no reliable information as to what kind of strain or hybrid it is, whether it will suit your growing conditions, and whether its seeds will bear fruit.

Having decided on the criteria for choosing seeds, you should talk about their direct preparation, which consists in observing the following points:

1. To improve and accelerate germination, the seeds should be soaked in melted or rain water for 2-3 days.
2. Soaked seeds are laid out on a damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag. The package is placed in a warm and bright place, while avoiding direct sunlight, and remains there until the seeds sprout. Check the fabric periodically and moisten it.
3. If desired, before soaking the seeds, they can be treated with phytosporin, which will protect them from possible fungal and bacterial invasions that may occur when planting in open ground.
4. Seeds germinate at a temperature of + 27-30 degrees. Seedlings are kept at a temperature of + 25-27 degrees.

The use of growth activators in the germination of strawberry seeds is not relevant, since the culture has good germination.

For experienced gardeners you can germinate the seeds using the stratification method, when the container with the sown seeds is moistened, covered with cellophane, and put in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks, then in a warm and bright place, which stimulates them to active growth, and the formation of the strongest seedlings.

Capacity selection

It is best to plant sprouted strawberry seeds in plastic or wooden boxes, with a length of 50 cm and a width of 30. Also, seeds can be planted in ordinary containers and cups, like seedlings of other plants, but this is true in cases where 2-3 bushes of this berry are enough for indoor cultivation.

We recommend using black plastic crates that sell fruit and vegetables in large quantities. grocery stores. At the bottom of such a box is placed polyethylene film in which drainage holes are made. The box with the film is placed on a pallet in which excess liquid will accumulate.

As for the capacity for planting already sprouted seedlings, here you can use ordinary flower containers, as well as deeper ones. plastic cups, but this applies only to those seedlings that will later be transplanted into open ground.

If you are planning to grow strawberries using the hydroponic method, special carton boxes providing maximum density planting this berry, and the possibility of harvesting the largest possible crop, from the smallest possible area.

Soil preparation

The vast majority of strawberry varieties are unpretentious to the ground.

Despite this, in order to improve the rate of growth, development, and overall fruiting, it is recommended to prepare the soil in accordance with the following points:

1. Take 1 piece of sod land.
2. Take 1 part of peat.
3. Take 1 part of clean, coarse-grained river sand.
4. Mix everything until smooth.
5. Put the mass in the oven for 30 minutes, and bake it at a temperature of +150 degrees in order to destroy all microbes and fungal spores.

You can also sow seeds and grow grown seedlings in soils purchased in flower shop, for which a fruit and berry soil mixture would be an excellent option.

General rules for sowing seeds

Regardless of how you grow strawberries, there are general rules planting seeds, which are listed below:

1. To obtain maximum germination, strawberry seeds should be planted in a warm room, the temperature of which does not fall below +25 degrees.
2. Planting of germinated seeds is carried out in a container with soil, to a depth of not more than 1 cm.
3. Sowing seeds should be carried out in the soil, which was previously calcined in the stove (relevant for soil taken from nature).
4. Seeds whose seedlings will dive into open ground should be treated with phytosporin, which will protect root system and sprouts from infection with fungi and bacteria, in the first months of growth.
5. It is better to use the seeds of hybrid species, since they are the most seed-oriented.
6. Sow exactly germinated seeds, which will increase their germination many times over, and significantly reduce the germination time.
7. You can carry out the stratification of seeds at will (not recommended for beginners).

Instructions for sowing in a container

Germinated seeds are most often planted in containers or boxes.

For proper fit seeds in these containers, adhere to the following points:

1. Take the desired container, the height of which will be at least 10 cm.
2. Treat the container with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, or wipe it with a rag soaked in alcohol. Dry the container well.
3. Place a plastic bag on the bottom of the container, and make through holes in the bag and in the container itself. In general, if the container is plastic, you can do without cellophane, but if it is wooden, in order to avoid rotting of the bottom, we recommend using a film.
4. Pour the previously prepared land mixture, the thickness of the layer of which should be approximately 7-8 cm.
5. Lightly compact the soil layer, and moisten it with a spray bottle.
6. Take the germinated seeds with tweezers and place them in a container on top of moistened soil.
7. Lightly press the seeds to the soil, but do not deepen, and cover them with a layer of soil, the thickness of which should not exceed 5-10 mm. If you plant unsprouted seeds, they should not be covered at all. Ungerminated seeds should be lightly pressed into the soil, and left to germinate in a bright and warm place. Space the seeds 2.4 cm apart.
8. Place the container in a bright and warm place, periodically spraying the soil with a spray gun. If you sowed unsprouted seeds, you can cover the container with foil before the first sprouts appear. If the seeds were germinating, just moisten the soil in time, keeping it moist.

Instructions for sowing in peat tablets

Sowing seeds in peat tablets should take place in accordance with the following points:

1. Purchase peat tablets from a flower shop, which will measure approximately 2.4 cm.
2. Pour peat tablets with melt or rain water, and let them infuse for a period of 2 days.
3. After the peat tablets have increased in size, place them on a pallet or in a plastic box.
4. Make a small indentation in each of the tablets, and place one seed there, slightly pressing it into the tablet.
5. After all the seeds have settled on peat tablets, the container is covered with a plastic bag, and placed on the windowsill.
6. Periodically spray peat tablets from a spray bottle, preventing them from drying out.
7. After the shoots appear, the film must be removed.
8. Keep the seedlings on the tablets until the first roots appear through it.

Remember, sowing seeds in peat tablets can be done without first germinating them. Otherwise, peat tablets will have to be left open, which will complicate the procedure for moisturizing them.

picking

If you grow seedlings on peat tablets, after the first roots begin to appear through them, transplant them into a separate container (pots, boxes, cups) keeping a distance of 3-4 cm between the sprouts. In the case of growing in cups, for each cup planted 1 sprout. Seedlings are planted in a container with soil, the recipe for which we discussed in the middle of the article.

Seedlings are planted in open ground when they have at least 5 leaves. If you are growing seedlings traditional way, initially using a container with soil, after the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, transplant them into larger and deeper containers, where they will grow until 5 leaves appear, after which they also pick them in open ground.

It is necessary to dive seedlings of strawberries into pre-prepared beds, located in 2 rows, and having a distance of 30 cm between them. The depth of the beds should be equal to the depth of the container in which the seedlings grew, for example, the glass has a depth of 15 cm, respectively, the bed should have a similar depth, +-1 cm.

Carefully transfer the sprout into the prepared beds, along with earthen cake on the root system. Cover the planted seedling with earth in such a way that the surface of the seedling soil is not covered with new soil.

After the planting of the seedlings is completed, water each seedling with 0.5 liters of water diluted with an organic stimulant, such as AgriTecno Fertilizantes. After fertilizing the seedlings, the soil around them should be mulched with humus. The layer of mulch should not exceed 1 cm.

Remember, if your beds are located in direct sunlight, the first few days they should be shaded in the middle of the day, so that the sprouts smoothly adapt to a new place of growth.

Aftercare

Subsequent care for seedlings transplanted into open ground comes down to the following points:

1. Carry out regular watering, at intervals of 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions.
2. Lightly loosen the surface of the soil after watering, preventing it from compacting and settling.
3. Remove weeds.
4. Treat with insecticides if necessary.

As for fertilizers, they are applied only after the first harvest. The best fertilizer for strawberries is considered 2 tablespoons chicken manure diluted in 10 liters of water. Melon fertilizer is completely natural, and the berries treated with it will be absolutely safe for human consumption.

With the approach of the winter season, at the end of September, the bushes are covered with a thin layer of humus, the thickness of which does not exceed 1 cm. The beds are insulated with straw, fallen leaves or sawdust. If heavy autumn showers or heavy winds are observed in your region, you can additionally cover the strawberry bushes with a plastic bag with holes previously made in it for air circulation.

Conclusion

Based on the information in this article, it becomes clear that almost every beginner can germinate, grow and care for strawberry seeds at home, with the desire and diligence. Remember, you can sow and plant strawberries in almost any climate zone CIS countries, which makes it an excellent purchase for any summer resident and gardener!

Difficult to find garden plot, on which it would not grow. And, of course, I want the berries to be large, tasty and beautiful. An important role in the cultivation of plants is played by planting material, which is used for reproduction. Gardeners often use vegetative way propagation of strawberries, but the method of propagation by seeds, although rather troublesome, has its rather significant advantages.

Preparation and proper timing of planting seeds

Gather ripe berries from strong good bushes who give good . Seeds are best taken at the base of the berry or from its middle part, since it is in these parts of the fruit that the seeds are large and germinate well. Strawberries that grow out of these are different high yield. Separate the layer of pulp of the berry with seeds, spread it on a paper towel and dry it. Gently rub the dried mass with your palms, freeing the seeds. It is best to store them in a glass jar.

Seeds do not lose their germination properties for 4 years.

You can buy seeds in the store, but seeds of elite varieties are sold, as a rule, in very small quantities (3-5 pieces) in one bag. But you will know exactly what variety you will grow. Soak the seeds two days before planting by placing them on a damp gauze or cloth. Water should not completely cover the seeds. After two days, when the seeds swell, they can be planted in the ground.

To make strawberries more resistant to temperature changes, and the seeds germinate faster, three months before sowing, you can carry out the procedure (hardening):

• Put the seeds in a small container.
• Wet them with water.
• Place the moistened seeds in the refrigerator or any cool place with a temperature of +2 - +4 degrees.
• Make sure the seeds don't dry out.
• Let the seeds dry a little before planting.
• Seeds are stratified within 14 days.

If you want to get a harvest of berries in the first year, then the best time for landing - January - February. Strawberries sown in May-June will yield only in the second year.

At the bottom of the planting tank, lay a layer of expanded clay 1-2 cm for drainage, pour and compact the soil on top. Make grooves half a centimeter deep and pour water over them. Sow the seeds at a distance of two centimeters from each other, cover them with soil with a layer of no more than one centimeter. You can not sprinkle with soil, but slightly press the seeds into the ground.

To prepare the soil, take in equal parts:

• Humus
• Sand
• Chernozem

Another soil preparation option:

• Turf - 2 parts
• Peat - 1 part
• Sand - 1 part

It is desirable to add complex (or rotted manure) and wood ash. For prevention, the larvae of which may be in the soil, seeds, pathogens, calcine the soil in the oven or steam it over a pot of boiling water for 20-30 minutes.

This must be done at least three weeks before planting, during which time the soil will restore its microbiological properties.

You can try to make a landing "in the snow":

• Place a layer of snow about a centimeter high on top of the ground
• Put the seeds on the snow
• Let the snow melt

It is not necessary to cover the seeds with earth; with the melted snow, they themselves will go deep into the soil. Landing "in the snow" contributes to a more uniform germination of seeds. Cover the container with polyethylene. Place the resulting greenhouse next to the window so that sunlight falls on it. The first shoots appear after 25-30 days, even possibly after 40 days.

After stratification, place the container with strawberry seeds in a room where the temperature is maintained at 20 degrees until germination. Seeds need to be constantly moistened.

Fill with water and leave to swell. Place them plastic box or pallet. In tablets, make a recess and put one germinated seed at a time, slightly pressing into the peat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, bright place. Water as needed, not allowing the peat tablets to dry out.

After the appearance of the first 2-3 leaves, carry out seedlings.

Seedlings should be transplanted into separate small pots with a diameter of about 9 cm or into larger boxes at a distance of at least 8 cm from each other. At the bottom of the pots, be sure to put expanded clay for drainage. Make small indentations in the soil, pour water into it and carefully place the sprout there so that the leaves are on the surface.

It is best to plant in peat pots, with which it will be easy to transplant it into a garden bed on permanent place. Water the transplanted seedlings gently with a stream of water under low pressure.

How to grow good seedlings strawberries:

1. Strawberries are very fond of heat, moisture and light. It is important that the soil in the containers with seedlings is always moist. Seedlings should be in a warm (20-25 degrees) and bright room.
2. Seedlings should be watered either through a pallet or by spraying from a spray bottle.
3. The condensate formed on the film and leaves must be removed in order to avoid decay and fungal diseases. You can make small holes in the film for ventilation.
4. After the appearance of the second pair of leaves, remove the film. This should not be done immediately at one moment, but gradually accustoming the seedlings to fresh air. First, remove the film for an hour, and every day increase the time the plants are outside the greenhouse. Also carefully accustom the seedlings to sunlight.
5. When 5 leaves are formed on the seedlings (approximately at the end of May), the plants can be planted in the ground in the garden. Do not plant strawberries deep in the ground, so as not to cover the apical bud. In this case, the plant may die. At the same time, make sure that the roots are not exposed when watering, which also adversely affects.
6. If mold appears on the surface of the soil, carefully remove it, ventilate, dry and treat with an antifungal agent.
7. Before planting in the garden, the seedlings are hardened off, exposing them to Fresh air into the shade. Thus, strawberries gradually get used to the sun.
8. It is recommended to remove the first strawberry flowers to allow the bushes to grow stronger and grow. In addition, this procedure allows you to increase productivity, and strawberries endure winter more easily. In the first year after sowing, remove all whiskers.
9. When strawberry seedlings are grown outdoors in the summer, they can be grown in beds until the end of August. If the seedlings are too small, you can dig pots with plants on the beds until spring, in case of a snowless winter, cover them with spruce branches or covering material.

The easiest way to propagate strawberries is through a mustache with rosettes or dividing the bush into parts (if the strawberries are beardless). But these simple methods have disadvantages:

• Shoots may be infected with any disease.
• , which has been propagated for a long time by the vegetation method, gradually degenerates.
• The main advantage of growing strawberries from seeds is that they are not transmitted through seeds.

Thus, planting seeds, you will be sure that the plant does not get sick with anything. Another important factor is the possibility of long-term storage. Any variety of strawberry can be propagated by seeds, with the exception of hybrid ones. Can pick up seeds different varieties strawberries, and harvest berries throughout the summer.

More information can be found in the video.