Content
- 1 Is it possible to water strawberries during flowering?
- 2 Do you water strawberries while the berries are ripening?
- 3 Water quality and temperature
- 4 How often and how much to water strawberries during fruiting
- 5 How to properly water strawberries during flowering and fruiting
- 6 Recommendations and common mistakes
- 7 Conclusion
Strawberries, like all fruit-bearing crops, need regular watering to obtain a good harvest. After all, it is water that transports nutrients from the soil to all plant tissues and participates in photosynthesis, without which seedlings will not be able to fully develop. But the moisture regime at different stages of bush development should be different, since their need for moisture is constantly changing. Therefore, every gardener should know how to properly water strawberries during the ripening of the berries and the flowering period, so that moisture does not harm the bushes.
Strawberry is a moisture-loving crop
Is it possible to water strawberries during flowering?
This plant has a superficial fibrous root system, and in the absence of rain for a long time it suffers from a lack of moisture. Therefore, during the flowering period, even if the underground part of the bushes dries out slightly, you should not count on a good harvest.However, excessive moisture can be harmful, as it leads to the development of root rot.
Therefore, you can water flowering strawberries, but in doses, focusing on the temperature and humidity of the air. After all, early varieties of the crop form buds at the end of May, and there is still enough moisture in the soil after the snow melts, and it also rains regularly at this time. And middle and late varieties bloom already in June, when hot weather sets in. Therefore, it is extremely important for these species to water the plantings in a timely manner.
Do you water strawberries while the berries are ripening?
Watering is no less important for fruit-bearing strawberries. A sufficient amount of moisture in the soil accelerates metabolic processes in plant tissues. But at the same time it is necessary to exclude the possibility of water getting on the bushes. This can lead to pollen being washed away and the berries rotting during their ripening period.
Therefore, it can be argued that it is necessary to water strawberries during fruiting, but hydration must be carried out correctly. Experienced gardeners recommend making furrows 5-6 cm deep in the center of the row spacing and pouring water from a hose into them. It is also recommended to use drip systems for dosed irrigation of bushes during fruit ripening. This saves energy, time and water.
Water for watering strawberries should be settled
Water quality and temperature
Moistening the bed with this fruit-bearing crop during the opening of buds and ripening of fruits should be done with rain or settled water. And this rule cannot be ignored. After all, tap water contains many impurities that prevent the roots from absorbing nutrients from the soil.Therefore, in order for it to become useful for bushes, it is necessary to defend it for at least 12 hours. To do this, install a large tank on the site.
Water strawberries during flowering and ripening only with warm water. Its temperature should be at least +20 degrees. In this case, moisturizing benefits the bushes and slows down the process of evaporation of moisture from the soil. However, it is not recommended to water the plantings of this fruit-bearing crop during flowering and ripening of berries with water whose temperature reaches +40 degrees. In this case, the roots of the plant cannot fully absorb moisture, which reduces the effectiveness of the procedure.
Is it possible to water with cold water?
Watering strawberries during the period of ripening and flowering with cold water is not permissible, as it causes stress in the plant. After all, at this stage of bush development the weather is hot in summer. And the greater the difference between air and water temperatures, the more serious the damage watering causes to the plant. This also negatively affects the inhabitants of the soil, which process organic matter into nutrients. As a result, plants do not receive enough necessary components during flowering and ripening of berries, which can provoke a loss of turgor in the leaves in the sun, the development of chlorosis and weakened immunity.
How often and how much to water strawberries during fruiting
Moistening the beds with this fruit-bearing crop at the berry ripening stage should be carried out regularly, in the absence of seasonal rains. It is recommended to do this in the morning or evening.
During this period, the bushes experience increased stress. They simultaneously ripen the berries and lay buds for the next season.Therefore, plants have a greater need for moisture, as they expend a lot of energy. And drying out of the root system threatens not only withering of already formed berries, but also loss of harvest next year.
Lack of moisture in the soil reduces crop yields
Regular and remontant strawberries need to be watered abundantly during fruiting, but the soil should not be allowed to become excessively moist. This is especially dangerous for bushes older than two years. At this age, the lower roots of plants are already dying off, and the young surface shoots are not yet sufficiently developed. And stagnant moisture can cause them to rot. Therefore, during the ripening of the berries, watering should be done in doses, as the top layer of soil dries.
The volume of water required directly depends on the type of soil. When growing this crop on loam, the soil should be moistened at the rate of 25 liters per 1 square meter. m., and on chernozem - 20 liters for the same area size.
Watering strawberries during fruiting in the heat should be done daily in the morning or evening so that the bushes do not lack moisture. And at moderate air temperatures, it is recommended to moisten the plantings while the berries are ripening once or twice every 7-10 days.
How to properly water strawberries during flowering and fruiting
During flowering and ripening of berries, it is necessary to moisten the bed with this fruit-bearing crop so that water does not fall on the bushes. Therefore, it is recommended to irrigate with a hose or using a drip system.
In the first case, water must be supplied into furrows 5-6 cm deep, which must be made in the center of the row spacing. This method helps speed up the irrigation process during the flowering and ripening period of berries, and also promotes uniform soil moisture.You can connect the hose to any container in which water settles.
In the second case, a dosed supply of water is provided directly to the root of the bushes. For this purpose, a special system is installed in the garden bed. It allows you to significantly save energy, time and water consumption. To irrigate plants during flowering and berry ripening, it is enough to turn on the system for half an hour in the morning or evening.
Watering strawberries by sprinkling during flowering
During the period when the buds are opening, it is extremely undesirable for water to get on them. This can lead to pollen being washed away, which will negatively affect the formation of berries. Therefore, to prevent this, drip irrigation or wetting in the furrows is recommended.
Many novice gardeners are skeptical about this, because they are sure that the presence of rain during the flowering period does not affect the ovary. This means that the beds can also be irrigated. However, this is wrong, since as a result the crop yield is reduced by 30-40%. Therefore, in case of prolonged rains during the flowering period, you need to cover the plantings with film, and remove it in sunny weather.
It is better to water strawberries less often, but abundantly
Recommendations and common mistakes
To obtain large, tasty, aromatic berries, you need to follow certain watering rules. After all, mistakes made can cause all the gardener’s efforts to be in vain.
Basic recommendations:
- You should not water the bushes too often, as stagnation of moisture leads to rotting of the roots.
- After each irrigation during flowering and ripening of berries, the soil should be loosened between the rows so that a crust does not form on the surface of the soil.
- During hot weather, you can prevent overheating of the roots by laying straw mulch.
- It is recommended to simultaneously water and root feed the bushes, adding fertilizer to the tank where the water settles.
- Poor irrigation is not able to replenish the plants' need for moisture, because the roots do not have time to absorb the water before it evaporates.
Conclusion
It is necessary to water strawberries correctly during ripening and flowering, since the volume of the harvest directly depends on this procedure. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired result, you need to take into account weather conditions and prevent stagnation of moisture, as well as drying out of the roots.
