Discussions about the need for pruning strawberries are ongoing. Will there be any significant benefit from this? Or maybe, on the contrary, it will give undesirable results? Can you do without it?
What does pruning mean for strawberries? This is the complete removal of all leaves from the bush, regardless of their appearance. It is carried out with the main goal - to direct all nutrients and energy to the formation of a powerful root system. Before making a choice in favor of the need for it, you need to know all the positive and negative sides.
Why prune strawberries? All pros and cons
If you look closely at the strawberries, you can see that the bright, healthy leaves are kept on them until the harvest period. Then they gradually begin to turn yellow, in places they become stained. There may be manifestations of "rust". Such plants, of course, need to be put in order.
Positive sides
What is the use of pruning?
- Leads to strengthening of the root system, improves its growth. All nutrients, minerals, sugars and vitamins are now accumulated in the roots. If you dig up such a bush a month after pruning, the differences compared to an uncut plant will be great. Stronger, stronger, longer roots, an abundance of lateral roots and small roots. Which of the plants will start growing better in the spring and will bring more berries, is easy to guess.
- Frost resistance increases. This fact raises doubts among many. But many years of practice show that this is what actually happens. Plantations where strawberries have been pruned have a higher survival rate after cold winters.
- Eliminates all disease-causing pathogens. The fungal spores hiding in them will no longer be able to begin damage in the spring. Bacteria and insect larvae are no exception. Many people love to enjoy different parts of strawberries. Therefore, pruning in this case is the prevention of diseases, cleansing and prevention.
- Rejuvenates bushes. Pruning regularly will strengthen the strawberries. Do not forget and carry it out in a timely manner. This will extend the life of the strawberry plot by a couple of years.
Negative nuances
Negative points that a caring owner must know. Disadvantages of pruning in the fall, compared to the spring procedure:
- When the leaves are cut, the spores are shaken out of the sporangia onto the ground. Here they turn into stable forms. They hibernate and start an attack upon awakening. Therefore, there are tips for pruning in early spring.
- You will receive the fruits a week later, although there will certainly be more. It takes a little longer for the bush to build up new vegetative mass.
- With low pruning, generative buds can be affected. The yield will decrease.
- Some gardeners find pruning to be stressful for berry bushes. This can lead to a delay in fruiting.
How is it correct?
How well the pruning is done plays an important role. When removing the tops of the foliage, the main pests remain on the root part - there will not be much sense from such a procedure. When removing the leaves of garden strawberries, they need to be cut to the ground, leaving only the roots.
Collect the foliage immediately on a spread rag or film (so that pests do not scatter), send it to a compost pit or burn it. After pruning, the beds are treated with appropriate preparations in order to destroy the surviving harmful insects. Pruned strawberries are watered abundantly with water, fed with mineral and organic fertilizers, weeding, loosening and watering are carried out in a timely manner.
If you take proper care of the plantation, systematically renew the plants, if the beds are not affected by pests, then you should not cut the foliage annually. This weakens young, freshly transplanted plants even more. It is also not worth pruning the leaves of strawberries if it is known that in a given climatic zone it will not have time to grow the deciduous mass before the cold weather.
Pruning strawberries in the fall for the winter is the key to a good harvest in the spring. The method has been tested by experienced gardeners. Our article contains all the useful tips for novice gardeners on caring for a delicious berry. We will answer the most popular questions: is it necessary to cut strawberries in the fall and how to do it correctly.
After the end of the fruiting period, strawberries require special care and respect. Berry bushes need to be prepared for winter. One of the most effective methods of caring for strawberries in the fall is to trim the leaves and whiskers.
Watering the day before pruning
The berries have been picked and it's time to start thinking about next year's harvest. How to increase the efficiency of a strawberry plantation so that there are even more berries. It's time to start preparing for wintering.
Before pruning, if the weather is dry, it is advisable to water the strawberries every day. It would be even better to mulch it with hay or straw. Sawdust or coniferous litter is suitable for such purposes. From time immemorial, mulching has been called upon in nature to conserve water in the soil. Who does not forget to use this, reduces the frequency of watering to 2-3 times a week. Mulch reliably stores moisture in the ground, preventing it from evaporating. In another way, it is also called dry irrigation.
Correct pruning in the fall
If this is your first time pruning, don't be afraid to harm your strawberries. The bushes of this plant have a high regenerative capacity. They quickly give new mustaches with rosettes.
Pruning tools
Experienced gardeners know how much good gardening tools mean. If you want good results, get quality inventory. The pruner is a must have for every professional farmer or owner of 5 acres. Garden shears are also great helpers. All means are good with good sharpening. Do not forget to sharpen them well before work.
Do not pick off the leaves with your hands. This can damage the stems and the root system.
Timing
There is no specific time frame for pruning. Tackle strawberries when it is convenient for you. Your main task is to leave the bushes prepared for the winter. The most convenient option is the end of August-September.
It is still a long time before the cold weather. And the strawberries still have time to give several young green leaves, with which they will winter. The weather must be dry. Bright sun or rain is undesirable. The right time for work is morning or evening.
Pruning, execution rules
- Leaves cannot be cut at the root.
- Old, damaged, diseased leaves are removed. And also those that lie on the ground. They won't be of any use anyway. Look carefully for rust or mottling. Such leaves will need to be removed from the site or burned.
- The possibility of radical removal of all leaves entirely is allowed if there are signs of fungal diseases.
- Each bush should have several stems of 10 cm each. In this case, only the leaves themselves are removed. This will perfectly ensure the preservation of the "growth point" - the place from which new shoots originate.
- Extra mustache is removed. Unless you plan on breeding strawberries this year
- For reproduction, leave 2-3 whiskers with rosettes, the first from the bush.
- Do not prune young bushes planted this season. On the contrary, they are protected and tried to preserve them as much as possible until winter.
- All garbage should be taken out and burned. Especially if the strawberries showed signs of fungal disease.
- Use only well-sharpened secateurs or scissors.
- If there are weeds near the bushes, they are not pulled out by the roots. And they cut it off and leave it in the garden instead of mulch.
What to do with a mustache?
What to do with a mustache? An equally important question. There is only one rule for all time. If you want to get large harvests of berries - do not forget to remove the mustache. If you didn't cut them in the summer, then in the fall it's time to tackle them closely. They cannot be pulled out by hand. They are firmly associated with the bush. Tearing off without tools can cause direct harm to strawberry bushes.
The mustache is collected in one large bun and trimmed. But not at the root. It is necessary to leave areas of the stems 8-10 cm. You cannot damage the heart located in the center. This is the zone for future growth of generative shoots. Avoid leaving a lot of mustache if you are not going to do a strawberry transplant. It is better to get rid of them carefully so that the bushes are not lost in the young.
Autumn care - laying the future harvest
It is best to start "debriefing" in the fall, since this is the time for strawberries to begin the development cycle. The future harvest of berries directly depends on how correctly you act in September, and the slightest mistake can cause failure. In the fall, the plant's generative and vegetative buds are laid, suspended animation begins (the stage of the cycle of many pests, a kind of hibernation) of insects and bacteria. It is also worth mentioning useful substances and sucrose, which accumulate in the stems and affect the winter hardiness of varieties. As you can see, there is something to think about. Before pruning the branches of a plant, let's take a closer look at the steps that need to be completed before that.
- Loosening the soil. At the beginning of autumn (depending on when frosts begin in your area), it is necessary to loosen the soil, as a rule, this is done in September. Loosen the soil to a depth of 15 centimeters between rows and up to 3-4 centimeters directly under the bush (so as not to damage the roots, which are at a depth of about 5-6 cm). Why is this done? First of all, it is the access of oxygen so that the root system develops more actively during the winter and is fully “efficient” by the spring. You can loosen with a lance, a metal bar and even a pitchfork in the aisles.
- Fertilizer... In order for the root system to be productive and supply as much nutrients as possible to the bush in spring and summer, it is necessary to form it in the fall. For this, nitrogen fertilizers are best suited - they help the stems grow, increase the vegetative mass of the root system and increase the metabolic rate of the plant. Remember: you cannot apply nitrogen fertilizers in October; if possible, it is necessary to complete this process before September, so that the movement of juice by winter will decrease to the maximum.
- Mulching... It is made not only in spring, but also in autumn, and the goals that are pursued at the same time are radically different. Before the cold weather, it is best to mulch with sawdust or needles - it looks very nice and neat, but there is one drawback - rotting needles oxidizes the soil and this material should not be abused. Sawdust is a more versatile option. Ideally, it would be good to get the wood chipping that is obtained during the longitudinal processing of boards in sawmills.
As you can see, the range of autumn work is quite wide. Complicating it with other operations is not worth it, especially when it comes to fertilizing, transplanting, planting new varieties, etc.It is necessary to leave the bushes in a dormant state by October, let them prepare for winter.
Protection against pathogens
Immediately after the completion of the cutting procedure, the bushes should be treated with special preparations. This is a mandatory prophylaxis against fungal and bacterial pathogens. This will protect her from many pathogens, make her healthier next season. The most popular drug is Ridomild Gold. It facilitates wintering and increases the resistance of the bushes. You can also use:
- Ridomil;
- Horus;
- "Speed";
- Oxyhom;
- "Topaz".
It is good to use a solution of karbofos from hiding pests. After spraying, cover the area with a film for several hours. Bordeaux liquid is one of the well-known and available remedies. It is good to use it for autumn maintenance work. Re-treatment can be carried out with copper oxychloride.
For opponents of chemicals, there is such a proven, effective recipe. To prepare the solution, you need the following components:
- ash –2 tbsp;
- sunflower oil –3 tbsp;
- acetic acid - 2 tablespoons;
- liquid soap - 2 glasses;
- water -10 liters.
Stir everything thoroughly in water and spray the area.
Making a shelter
It is best to use natural, natural materials for plant protection. It is recommended to use spruce branches or oak leaves as a shelter. In this case, the protective layer should be about 5-7 cm thick. In this case, the plants will receive the required amount of oxygen. Moreover, they will not freeze even in the most severe winter.
Also, thanks to such a shelter, strawberries will not rot. In addition, spruce branches allow the necessary amount of moisture to pass through, which will feed the bushes throughout the winter period. Weeds will also not grow. They simply cannot break through such a thick barrier. It is no secret that slugs and caterpillars often appear in suburban areas in spring. These pests cannot move on difficult and rough surfaces, therefore they cannot damage young leaves.
Speaking about whether to cut the leaves of strawberries in the fall, it is difficult to answer the question unambiguously. It all depends on the preferences of the gardener.
Top dressing after pruning
When the bushes are already cut, there is still some time left. Use it to your advantage. Feed your strawberries before the long winter. It is good to add organic matter at this time:
- rotted humus,
- compost,
- ash,
- chicken droppings.
Wood ash
It is convenient to scatter it between the rows at the rate of 200 g per 1 m2. Can also be applied in liquid form. To do this, dilute 150 g per 10 liters of water. Pour half a liter under each bush. Ash is a valuable storehouse of almost all vital macro- and microelements for strawberries. When using it, it is no longer necessary to add potassium and phosphorus.
Mullein
Its autumn introduction is not carried out by chance. It was at this time that strawberries are surprisingly responsive to him. To do this, a dry mullein is bred and left to stand for a while. After that, the aisles are watered, trying not to hurt the leaves. Dosage for preparation 1 part of rotted manure per 10 parts of liquid.
Bird droppings
Another type of the most valuable fertilizer, without which a good berry cannot be expected. They are effectively used not only in autumn, but also in spring feeding. Keep in mind that bird droppings are highly concentrated. And therefore, if the concentration of the dilution is violated, you can easily burn the bushes. Correct dosage:
- 1 part of litter,
- 10 parts of liquid.
After cooking, you need to let it stand for two days. After that, you can fertilize the berry bushes. The strained and diluted solution is watered around the strawberries. Eliminating hitting the plant. If you have carried out the autumn dressing as described above, you will be guaranteed an excellent strawberry harvest.
Remember that all fertilizers are applied under the bushes only in the second year after planting. Since the first portion was spent on young animals when planting young mustaches with rosettes.
Preparing for winter
Already from mid-August, it is necessary to take appropriate care of the plant. However, in this case, you do not need to perform additional procedures, but, on the contrary, try not to interfere with the plant going into sleep mode.
That is why it is necessary to stop feeding. Fertilizers stimulate the vegetation of the plant and new buds begin to develop on it. If the strawberries prepare for fruiting and winter comes, this can ruin the culture.
If we talk about whether it is necessary to prune strawberry leaves in the fall, then there are several opinions on this, which are radically different from each other. Let's take a closer look.
Sowing siderates
It is useful to plant green manure after pruning in the aisles. Suitable for this: wheat, rye, oats, phacelia, rapeseed. The grass will rise in 2 weeks. And before the first frost arrives, you will already have a real green carpet. He will cover the bushes from frost. It will help to survive even the most severe frost in a snowless winter. And already in the summer you will enjoy the ripe berry with might and main.
Repairing varieties, whether you need to prune them
Many gardeners get something new every year. The strawberry tree has already taken up residence in many areas. Not a single gardener can do without remontant varieties. The tree grows high enough and has erect long stems. The peculiarity of the latter is continuous fruiting throughout the summer and most of the fall. Caring for them includes gentle pruning. In the course of which old, fruiting shoots and leaves are removed. Cut leaves with diseases. To do this, they are carefully examined for rust and rot. They do not carry out radical pruning under the base in any case. At Queen Elizabeth, thinning is performed inside the bush. Excess, closely spaced stems are removed. 7 to 9 shoots will be enough for the plant to have enough light. In this case, the fruits will be huge and sweet.
Video
There is a lot of information on youtube. Be sure to watch the following tutorial for beginners in gardening.
Or take advantage of the experience of Oktyabrina Ganichkina. This is a gardener who shares best practices, recommendations with like-minded people via the Internet.
About remontant strawberry is described in detail here:
For the preparation of garden strawberries for winter, see here:
A lot of tips on when to prune strawberries in the fall, how to do it right, can be found on the forums of gardeners.
Growing strawberries is not difficult if you approach the matter responsibly and do not run the garden. Do your grooming regularly, experimenting and using valuable advice. It is up to you to decide whether or not to trim the strawberries. But by following all of the above steps, you will be able to provide berry bushes with comfortable conditions for spring flowering and summer fruiting.
Gardeners still cannot agree on whether to cut strawberries for the winter. Some carry out pruning without fail and begin this procedure already in July, others insist on later dates and wait for August-September, while others argue that this should never be done, since pruning harms the plant. What to do?
Autumn pruning of strawberries is an agrotechnical event around which controversy constantly grinds.
