Planting strawberries on film
A summer resident is always pleased to have strawberries in his garden. Rarely will anyone call it a garden strawberry, but it will be doubly pleasant if this berry is approximately equally large, bright and sweet.
Strawberries are one of the most popular berries among gardeners, not only due to their simplicity and ease of care, but also the usefulness of their taste - they contain folic acid (removes radioactive metals).
And other gardeners or gardeners are attracted to strawberries by the fact that they have early ripening. But growing strawberries is a rather labor-intensive process, and you want to keep all costs to a minimum, getting as much quality harvest as possible.
Content:
- Growing strawberries on film
- Features of using black film
- Advantages of transparent (white) film
- Mulching black and white film
Growing strawberries on film
Nowadays, gardeners and market gardeners use modern technology for growing strawberries - on a film that covers the soil, and therefore has a positive effect on plant growth and protects the ripe crop from contact with the ground.
In other words, it applies mulching film for more convenient strawberry care and harvesting. Holes are cut in it for planting seedlings and seeds. If the beds are in two rows, then cuts are made with a knife every 30-40 cm, between rows 60-70 cm. The film on all sides of the future strawberry bed should be dug into the ground. Mulching film helps to increase productivity due to the fact that the soil structure improves due to the absence of weeds and the presence of fertilizers.
Features of using black film
Basically, black film is used to keep strawberries away from weeds, since the soil does not receive visible solar radiation. On the other hand, the black color of the film, which absorbs sunlight, heats up more, and there is a risk of “burning out” the plants. But the crop with such a film ripens several days earlier. In addition, thanks to the black film, the soil temperature is higher, which affects the development of the strawberry root system. And the accumulated moisture under the film prevents the top layer of soil from hardening and improves the plant’s metabolism.
Advantages of transparent (white) film
When using a transparent mulching film, there will be no effect of “burning out” of the strawberry seedlings, but the soil will receive its own rays of sunlight, which means that the weeds will thrive in such favorable conditions. To get rid of them you will have to use herbicides. A transparent film will increase the soil temperature by several degrees, and will save water due to condensation under the film, and thus save the strawberries in case of a sudden cold snap or heat. If you use white film, the crop ripens a few days later.
Mulching black and white film
The optimal combination of black film, which is located below, and white film on top for the prosperity of strawberries. Mulching black and white film provides:
- complete opacity to visible sunlight, which causes weed growth;
- savings on herbicides, watering;
- elimination of soil crust;
- protecting plants from excessive drought or cold;
- best quality berries, since they are not in contact with the ground;
- warming up the soil due to the lower black film.
As a result, it is the combined film that will help the gardener grow strawberries with minimal time, money and effort and get the best possible harvest.
For summer residents and gardeners, black and white mulch film is most suitable, and in addition, there are several other features during use, for example, the fact that the mustache cannot take root on the film unless the owner himself makes an incision in the film so that they can take root in the soil. But along with this, there were also disadvantages of using – additional watering during prolonged drought, mulching with straw, removing ants and slugs under the film, and mold under it in wet weather. Nevertheless, these problems do not always arise with the use of black and white film, which is why it is used most often for growing strawberries.
Comments
Another advantage of planting strawberries on film is that the berries always remain clean. Even after watering or heavy rain.
What's the inconvenience? There are also holes cut out there. If the material is non-woven, then it generally allows water to pass over the entire surface. And if it’s like polyethylene, then it’s even more convenient - you pour water on it, and it flows into these holes. Our Chinese friends grow tomatoes this way)
The only problem is feeding mullein - you have to filter it)
I have known this method for a long time - my parents grew strawberries on film even when there were no special mulching films. In terms of warming up the soil, convenience and neatness of the beds, I agree. But as for weeds, don’t delude yourself—for example, wheatgrass develops even better under a film. You also need to carefully monitor strawberry weeds such as blind man's buff, etc. - sometimes they are very well camouflaged.
Last year we planted strawberries on film for the first time. And the advantages of this method were noticed after just a few days. The grass has stopped growing between the strawberry bushes, and the moisture remains longer after watering. Great method!
We used black film since we live in a cold region. Strawberries will be born wonderfully, before they ripen for 10 days without film. I'm not even talking about such convenience as clean berries. There is no need to wash and crush this tenderness in water with your hands.
And we do not use film, but black, non-woven material. We roll it out onto the garden bed, make cross/cross cuts where the bushes are marked, and take the plants outside. Convenient because the color is black. Strawberries ripen a week or two earlier.