Content
Green manure for strawberries has a beneficial effect on soil fertility, and thanks to them, the fruiting of bushes can be improved significantly. Since the crop brings a good harvest only if cultivated in one place for no more than four years, it is recommended to replant it periodically, but before doing this, it is good to sow certain plants in front of it. The best predecessors for strawberries are dill, carrots, garlic, radishes, but ideally, if these are green manure.
Green manure provides the soil with a complete enrichment of organic matter, and also creates reliable protection against diseases and insects
Is it possible to sow green manure into strawberries?
You can sow green manure before planting strawberries; in the summer of the same season, a positive result will already be visible from this. The main thing is to read the information about it before planting green fertilizer and make sure that it is suitable for strawberries. There are quite a lot of such cultures.
Action of green manure
Mainly beneficial herbs perform the function of fertilizer.They make the soil fertile, significantly improve its composition, increase air permeability, and are an excellent replacement for mineral fertilizers. Their benefits are as follows:
- extracting useful components from the depths of the earth and concentrating them on its surface;
- protection of soil from weathering;
- enrichment of beds with nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur in an easily digestible form;
- improving soil permeability;
- loosening the soil;
- suppression of weed growth;
- preventing leaching of microelements;
- providing protection against diseases and pathogenic microorganisms.
Which green manures are best to sow before planting strawberries?
When preparing beds for strawberries, several types of green fertilizers are used. Most often they are chosen depending on the properties of the land, the purpose of planting and the season. They also take into account which predecessor grew in the planned area. Many crops, similar to green manure, have a positive effect on the soil, for example:
- bulbous plants increase aeration;
- root crops loosen the ground;
- greens repel pests.
Each type of annual that is suitable for planting in front of strawberries is able to cope with certain problems:
- Cruciferous and grains have the highest nutrient content;
- phacelia protects strawberries from sunlight;
- Legumes are a source of nitrogen.
The best green manures for strawberries are considered to be: vetch, oats, rapeseed, white mustard, phacelia, buckwheat, annual lupine, oilseed radish.Planting green fertilizers can be done all year round, but it is best to do this in the spring or autumn, a time suitable for sowing grass. Growing different types of crops or alternating them throughout the season is considered optimal. In the case when strawberry bushes are planned to be planted in the spring, autumn green fertilizers are used and are not removed for the winter. But at the same time, the cold resistance of crops is taken into account. If you plan to plant the berries before winter, then green manure is sown in spring or summer.
The maximum positive effect when preparing a site for strawberries comes from planting a mixture of green manure
Spring
Most often, legumes and lupine are chosen as green manures that can be sown in the spring in order to plant strawberries in the fall. It is also possible to plant radishes - it will loosen the soil well, or buckwheat - it will rid the area of weeds.
In the spring, green manure is planted close to the holes and there is no rush to remove them. Cut the crop at the moment when it begins to bloom. After this, all the greens are buried to medium depth.
Autumn
Autumn green manure - rye, mustard, rapeseed, phacelia, oats - can be sown directly into the beds with strawberries. They begin planting at the end of summer, after harvesting. Plants are also brought to flowering and then plowed into the soil to a depth of 15 cm.
What not to use as green manure
Every gardener should be aware of the rules of crop rotation and be sure to adhere to them when cultivating and planting a plot. For example, strawberries cannot be placed in beds where crops such as eggplants, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers previously grew.The fact is that these plants are often subject to fungal diseases, rot, and fusarium. Their pathogens remain in the ground for a long time and can cause the death of strawberry bushes.
As for green manure, it is advisable to refrain from planting ryegrass and rye as a predecessor for berries. These crops are attractive to nematodes.
Landing Features
Each type of green fertilizer for strawberries must be planted taking into account its soil preferences, as well as taking into account its ability to tolerate frost.
Warning! If the soil is unsuitable, the crop will develop poorly and will not be able to fully perform its functions.
For example, if the soil is heavy, then it is undesirable to sow rapeseed on it; it is better to plant it with buckwheat. This crop is also suitable for plantations with potassium deficiency. Rapeseed or white mustard will be useful for areas with a lack of phosphorus. Legumes can be planted in almost any soil. They are considered excellent green manures for strawberries, they perfectly enrich the area with nitrogen, and their beneficial properties are often compared to the benefits of manure.
Planting of green plants is carried out in accordance with the rules of agricultural technology. They look like this:
- The area is cleared of weeds and their roots.
- The soil is well loosened.
- Green manure seeds are sown to a depth of 2 cm, sprinkled with earth or loosened with a rake.
- Watering the beds.
To prevent excessive growth of fertilizers, it is recommended to mow them before flowering or at the same time as it begins. After this, the cut green parts of the herbs are crushed and buried in the soil to a depth of 10-12 cm.This technique helps to quickly provide the beds with organic matter rich in various microelements.
The inter-row option of planting green manure is considered very effective. At the same time, the crop not only provides the soil with nutrition, but also reliably protects the buds and ovaries of strawberries from the bright sun and wind.
Compliance with the rules for planting green manure for strawberries preserves soil fertility for 4-5 years
Mulching with green manure
Sometimes gardeners use green manure as a mulch layer. For this purpose, green fertilizers are grown in a separate bed. After they grow to the required size, they are cut and laid between the rows, as well as in free places. With the arrival of autumn, compost and ash are added to the rotted grass and dug up.
When planting strawberries using the nest method, mulching with green manure is also used. After harvesting, the greens are laid out on strips, the soil is loosened and covered with wood ash. Next, add a layer of grass again. The mulch is watered several times during the summer, and in the fall it is pulled apart and strawberries are planted.
Mulching with green manure ensures a high percentage of crop survival
Common mistakes gardeners make
Gardeners do not always see the effect of planting green manure. This happens because the technology was not followed when using them or mistakes were made. Common violations of gardeners are:
- deep placement of green fertilizers;
- sowing green manure in unsuitable soil;
- untimely planting of crops;
- overgrowth of plants.
Conclusion
Strawberry green manure, if chosen correctly, will be the key to a rich harvest. They are used to prepare the soil for planting seedlings and to enrich it. Green fertilizers are usually selected taking into account the structure of the soil, as well as the planting season. But it should be understood that even if all the rules are followed, the grass cannot fully saturate the soil, which is why the strawberries will still need additional feeding.
