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Gardeners know how much time and effort is spent on cultivating strawberries. You need to water the seedlings on time, cut the antennae, remove weeds from beds and do not forget about feeding. New technologies have emerged to make this hard work easier. Strawberries under agrofibre are grown in a simple and affordable way, which is becoming more widespread.
Agrofibre or, in other words, spunbond is a polymer that has a fabric structure and has certain desired properties:
- it perfectly transmits air, moisture and sunlight;
- spunbond retains heat, providing an optimal microclimate for the garden or seedlings;
- at the same time protects strawberries from the penetration of ultraviolet rays;
- agrofibre prevents the growth of weeds in the garden;
- protects strawberry seedlings from mold and slugs;
- eliminates the need for herbicides;
- environmental friendliness of agrofibre and rather low cost are also attracted.
White spunbond
Agrofibre is of two types. White is used as a cover for the beds after planting strawberries. Spunbond can be used to cover the bushes themselves, it will create a greenhouse effect for them. Growing up, the seedlings raise a light agrofibre. It is also possible to raise the spunbond in advance using the curved support rods. When weeding bushes, it can be easily removed and then re-laid. If the density is correctly chosen, then white agrofibre can be kept in the beds from early spring until harvest time.
Black agrofibre
The purpose of black spunbond is exactly the opposite - it has a mulching effect and maintains optimal temperature and humidity in the garden, and for strawberries - the necessary dryness. Spunbond has other beneficial properties:
- there is no need for frequent watering of seedlings;
- the bed gets rid of weeds;
- microflora does not dry out in the upper soil layer;
- agrofibre prevents the penetration of pests - beetles, beetles;
- strawberries stay clean and ripen faster;
- tendrils of strawberry bushes do not get tangled and do not germinate, you can regulate their reproduction by cutting off excess ones;
- agrofibre can be used for several seasons.
Advantages of spunbond over film
Agrofibre has a number of advantages over plastic wrap. It retains heat well and during frosts can protect the seedlings from the cold. Polyethylene has certain disadvantages:
- strawberries under the film are subject to such unfavorable factors as overheating of the soil, suppression of microflora;
- during frost, it forms condensation under the film, which leads to its icing;
- it only lasts for one season.
It is important to choose the right agrofibre in order to effectively use all its beneficial properties. As mulching material for beds, a black spunbond with a density of 60 g / m2 is best suited. m. It will serve excellently for more than three seasons. The thinnest variety of white agrofibre with a density of 17 g / sq. m will protect strawberries from excessive exposure to sunlight, heavy rain or hail, as well as from birds and insects. To protect against severe frosts - up to minus 9 degrees, spunbond with a density of 40 to 60 g / sq. Is used. m.
Preparing the beds
To plant strawberries on agrofibre, you must first prepare the beds.Since they will be hidden within three to four years, a thorough work is required.
- First, you need to select a dry area, well lit by the sun, and dig it up. Strawberries grow well under the film on slightly acidic medium loamy soils. It gives high yields in the beds where beans, mustard, and peas were previously planted.
- It is necessary to clear the soil from the roots of weeds, stones and other debris.
- Organic and mineral fertilizers should be added to the soil, depending on the type of soil and the climatic characteristics of the area. On average, it is recommended to add a bucket of humus with two glasses of wood ash and 100 g of nitrogen fertilizers to one square meter of the beds. If necessary, you can add sand and mix well or dig up again.
- The beds must be thoroughly loosened and leveled. The soil should be free-flowing and lightweight. If the ground is wet and sticky after the rains, it is better to wait a few days until it dries up.
Laying agrofibre
When the beds are ready, you need to properly lay the spunbond on them. To grow strawberries on black film, you need to choose the highest density agrofibre. It is sold in rolls with a width of one and a half to four and a length of ten meters. You should carefully lay the spunbond on the finished bed and carefully secure the edges from gusts of wind. Stones or paving stones are suitable for this purpose. Experienced gardeners fix the agrofibre using artificial hairpins cut from wire. They are used to stab agrofibre, putting small pieces of linoleum on top of it.
If you want to use several cuts of spunbond, then it must be laid with an overlap of up to 20 cm, otherwise the joints will disperse, and weeds will grow in the resulting opening of the bed. Agrofibre should fit snugly to the ground, so the aisles can be additionally mulched with sawdust, they retain moisture well.
Seedling selection
When selecting seedlings, it is advisable to adhere to some rules:
- if strawberries are planted in spring, it is better to select young bushes, and in the fall - tendrils of this year;
- the stems and leaves of strawberries should not be damaged;
- it is better to discard seedlings with podoprevshie roots;
- before planting, it is good to hold the strawberry bushes in a cool place for several days;
- if strawberry seedlings are grown in cups, you need to dig a hole deeper;
- seedlings grown in the open field do not need a deep hole, since the roots are slightly trimmed;
- before planting, dip each strawberry bush in a solution of clay and water.
Planting seedlings
Growing strawberries on film from agrofibre has some features. On the canvas of the spunbond, you need to mark the landing pattern. The places of the cut are marked with chalk. The optimal distance between the strawberry bushes is 40 cm, and between the rows - 30 cm. In the marked places, using a sharp knife or scissors, neat cuts are made in the form of crosses about 10x10 cm in size, depending on the size of the bush.
Seedlings are planted in the finished wells.
After planting, each strawberry bush is watered abundantly with water.
Proper watering
Strawberries planted on spunbond do not require constant watering, as they do not like high humidity. Abundant sprinkling is required only at the moments of disembarkation and dry periods. You can water the seedlings from a watering can directly onto the surface of the spunbond. However, the lack of water for strawberries is also harmful; during flowering and ripening, it must be regularly watered about two or three times every week.
The best way is to organize the system drip irrigation:
- water flows directly to the roots of the strawberry, leaving the aisles dry;
- it remains in the garden for a long time, due to slow evaporation;
- fine spraying evenly distributes moisture in the soil;
- after drying, a hard crust does not form;
- the watering time for seedlings is about 25 minutes in the middle zone of the country, and a little more in the southern regions;
- during the strawberry harvesting period, it also approximately doubles;
- drip irrigation of the beds is carried out only in sunny weather;
- through the drip irrigation system, you can also feed the seedlings with mineral fertilizers dissolved in water.
Watering strawberries on agrofibre is shown in the video. A hose or tape with holes is placed in the beds at a depth of several centimeters, and the seedling planting pattern is calculated according to the locations of the holes in the tape. Drip irrigation eliminates the need for the hard work of watering the beds with a watering can.
Care of agrofibre strawberries
It is much easier to care for garden strawberries on a spunbond than for ordinary ones:
- with the arrival of spring, it is necessary to remove the old yellowed leaves on the bushes;
- cut off excess antennae, which are easier to notice on a spunbond;
- cover the garden bed for the winter with white agrofibre of the required density to protect it from frost.
Testimonials
Numerous reviews of Internet users indicate that the use of agrofibre in strawberry cultivation is gaining more and more popularity.
Spunbond application in greenhouse conditions
Using white agrofibre, you can significantly speed up the ripening time of early strawberry varieties. Seedlings are planted in the last week of April or in the first decade of May. Above the beds, a series of low wire arcs are installed, spaced one meter from each other. From above they are covered with agrofibre. One side is fixed tightly, and the other should be easy to open. At both ends of the greenhouse, the ends of the spunbond are tied into knots and secured with pegs. Growing strawberries under agrofibre does not require complex maintenance. It is enough to monitor the temperature inside the greenhouse. It should not be higher than 25 degrees. Periodically, you need to ventilate the seedlings, especially if the weather is sunny.
Outcomes
Modern technologies every year more and more facilitate the work of gardeners and gardeners. Using them, today you can get high yields of your favorite berries, including strawberries, without much difficulty.
