Growing strawberries from seeds
In most cases, strawberries in summer cottages appear by purchasing ready-made seedlings in nurseries or on the market. However, there is not always a choice and often gardeners have to be content with the varieties that are on sale. But if you can grow tomato seedlings at home, why not do it with summer berries? Thus, you can not only choose a variety that suits the local climatic conditions, but also take into account your taste preferences.
Seed preparation for sowing
The seed should be prepared 2.5 weeks before sowing. Strawberry seeds must be treated with potassium permanganate, soaking them in a pink solution for 30 minutes. Then rinse with clean water and put on a damp cloth, covering on top with a second wet shred. Roll the fabric into a tube, put in a lidded tray and leave in a warm place for 2 days. Then place the tray in the refrigerator, where it should be for about 2 weeks, until the seeds swell. Moisten the cloth and ventilate the tray periodically.
Dry the seeds a little just before sowing.
What is the best soil to use?
The land for sowing should be light and nutritious, it is easy to prepare it yourself, using one of the options to choose from:
- sand, soil from the garden and humus in a ratio of 3: 1: 1;
- compost, garden soil and wood ash in a ratio of 3: 3: 0.5;
- peat, sand and vermiculite in a ratio of 3: 3: 4.
The prepared soil mixture must be disinfected. To do this, spill the earth with a solution of potassium permanganate or heat it in the oven. Place the disinfected substrate in a warm room for 2 weeks.
For strawberries to have time to harvest in the year of planting, seeds must be sown in February. Seedlings from the April sowing will be able to bear fruit only in the next season.
How to sow strawberry seeds?
The container for seedlings also needs to be disinfected by wiping it with a sponge soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Pour soil into the container, compact a little with your hands and spray liberally with a spray bottle. Spread the seeds directly on the ground, leaving a distance of at least 3 cm between them. Cover the container with a lid or foil and place on a light, east or west, windowsill.
Since small strawberry seeds germinate in the light, you do not need to sprinkle them with soil on top.
Care of strawberry seedlings
The nursery needs to be ventilated daily. The emerging seedlings should not be sprayed, otherwise they may darken. It is better to water them directly under the root using a regular syringe. 7-10 days after all the seeds have sprouted, it is advisable to lower the temperature to 15 degrees Celsius so that the seedlings do not stretch out. For the same purpose, additional lighting is installed. It will be possible to remove the shelter when 2 true leaves are formed on the seedlings.
To prevent diseases, once a month, water the seedlings with a solution with the addition of Trichodermin.
It is time to dive the seedlings after the formation of 4 leaves, taking out the seedlings by the cotyledon leaves. Simultaneously with the transplant, pinch the root to stimulate the active build-up of branches. 2-3 days after transplanting, feed the strawberries with potassium-phosphorus preparations.Repeat fertilization every 10 days until planting in the ground, which is carried out no earlier than mid-May.